“The Confidence Summit: Women + Wealth + Wellness” — now in its fifth year — returns to Rancho Mirage Feb. 28 at The Ritz-Carlton, Rancho Mirage. This one-day, immersive gathering brings together women from across the Coachella Valley and beyond for a thoughtfully curated experience focused on the intersection of wealth, wellness and personal empowerment.
Each year, the summit addresses the real-life challenges women face as they navigate careers, families, finances and health. The 2026 theme, Balance, will be woven throughout the day’s programming — recognizing that true confidence is built when financial literacy, physical vitality and emotional well-being are aligned.
The Confidence Summit was co-founded by Robert L. Schein, CIO and managing partner of Blanke Schein Wealth Management, and Bronwyn Liv Ison, wellness leader, speaker, author and founder of evolveyogaonline.com and The Violet Table: Strategic Marketing Consultancy. Together, they bring a powerful blend of financial expertise, wellness leadership and personal development to create an experience designed to inform, inspire and empower women at every stage of life.
The summit grew out of a deeply personal mission — Schein’s commitment to financial empowerment after witnessing the challenges his mother faced following the loss of his father. Now, as the father of three daughters, that passion has expanded into the founding of Society of the FEW (Financially Empowered Women) a nonprofit organization dedicated to equipping women with education, confidence and community around financial decision-making.
Since its debut in January 2020, The Confidence Summit has evolved into a highly anticipated, sold-out annual event. After a successful virtual gathering in 2021 that attracted more than 550 participants, the summit has continued to grow — offering an action-driven agenda that encourages women to take ownership of both their financial futures and personal well-being.
As part of this ongoing mission, Schein also launched The FEW Podcast, extending access to conversations around financial empowerment beyond the summit itself. Select sessions from this year’s event will be filmed live, capturing real-time insights from featured guests.
The summit welcomes a diverse audience: entrepreneurial women, professionals, working mothers, retirees, newly married or single women and anyone seeking greater confidence and clarity around wealth and wellness. Attendees consistently describe the event as both practical and uplifting — offering tools they can apply immediately alongside meaningful opportunities for connection.
The 2026 program features an expertly curated lineup of entrepreneurs, financial professionals, health experts and thought leaders. Stephanie Link, chief investment strategist and Head of Investment Solutions at Hightower Advisors, will be a featured keynote voice, sharing insights from her trailblazing career on Wall Street. Shannon Soccacia, CFA, managing director and chief investment officer for wealth at Neuberger Berman will join a fireside conversation focused on market trends and what women need to know to navigate today’s financial landscape with confidence.
Health and fitness expert JJ Virgin will also take the stage. A triple-board-certified nutrition expert, Fitness Hall of Famer and four-time New York Times best-selling author, Virgin has built multiple multimillion-dollar businesses and helped millions rethink how they approach health, longevity and leadership.
Additional sessions will include a women-led panel featuring leaders from the City of Rancho Mirage and The Ritz-Carlton, Rancho Mirage, insights from regional health professionals, presentations on optimizing brain health and a special inaugural podcast episode with SBEMP Attorneys at Law, offering an entertaining session on avoiding common estate planning pitfalls.
The Confidence Summit will also preview select programming and offer a special ticket giveaway at the Desert Woman’s Show on Feb. 15 at Agua Caliente Resort Spa in Rancho Mirage, beginning at 10 a.m.
The summit is supported by a strong network of community partners and sponsors, including the City of Rancho Mirage; The Ritz-Carlton, Rancho Mirage; Hightower Advisors, Fidelity Investments, Neuberger Berman; Hartford Funds; Desert Wine Shop; Acrisure Arena / One Valley Foundation; Desert Health News; BMW Palm Springs; Buzz Box Premium Cocktails; Brandini Toffee; Clark’s Nutrition & Natural Foods Market; and others.
For event details and tickets, visit societyofthefew.org.
A long-time resident of the Coachella Valley, Donna Sturgeon has deep roots in this community as an entrepreneur, programs consultant, community connector and educator within a variety of industry sectors. When not writing, Sturgeon enjoys hiking, yoga, travel, fashion, music and the arts.
This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: The Confidence Summit returns to Rancho Mirage
Reporting by Donna Sturgeon, Special to The Desert Sun / Palm Springs Desert Sun
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
