(AAA) More than 30 women from 19 states gathered at the Elms Hotel in Excelsior Springs, Missouri, to network, learn and celebrate their love for the Angus breed during the American Angus Auxiliary’s fourth biennial Women Connected Conference. “The main goal of Women Connected is to provide an opportunity for participants to network with other women who share that common bond of Angus cattle,” said Women Connected Chair Anne Lampe, Scott City, Kansas. “In bringing these women together, we hope to educate them, help them engage with one another and empower them to meet their goals.” The meeting held different informational sessions throughout the conference, including ones that informed attendees about all that the Foundation does, speaking and sessions about marketing and promotion strategies. Also a presentation about “Empower and Encourage” was held to inspiring attendees to advocate for agriculture in the kitchen. Attendees also visited the American Angus Association headquarters in St. Joseph, Missouri on the final day of the conference. Women visited with Association staff and toured the offices. The Women Connected conference is funded by the Angus Foundation, and attendees are responsible only for their travel to and from the conference location. Women interested in attending must fill out an application to participate. The conference was first hosted in 2012 at the American Angus Association headquarters in Saint Joseph. The next Women Connected conference will be in 2020 in a location to be determined.