Speaker Highlight: Welcoming Back Sarah Cody as We Celebrate 10 Years of Reigniting Careers
- 5 hours ago
- 3 min read
At Untapped Potential, milestones are best celebrated with people who have walked alongside us, believed in our mission early, and helped shape the conversation around parenting, career breaks, and what’s possible next. As we prepare for Reignite ’26, I’m thrilled to welcome back Sarah Cody as Moderator of our Lift UP Panel on January 22, 2026, in Farmington, Connecticut, as we proudly celebrate 10 years of Untapped Potential.
For a decade, we’ve been changing how the workforce values caregivers—especially stay-at-home moms or dads—and reframing career breaks as sources of strength, not setbacks. Through return-to-work pathways, flexible work opportunities, and career services grounded in real life, we’ve helped women reconnect with their professional identity and move forward with confidence.
Meet Our Moderator
Sarah Cody is a journalist, best-selling author, three-time Emmy Award-winning media professional, and Director of Public Relations at Middlesex Health. A dynamic professional, her media career included writing, producing and, most recently, anchoring weekend news (WTNH, Fox 61 and others). She covered breaking news (9/11), travel and specialty segments, as well as interviewing celebrities over her 20+ years. A graduate of Trinity College, Hartford, Sarah and her husband have raised their family near the Connecticut River, and her recent book, Around Every Corner of Connecticut, is the heartfelt culmination of her professional and personal adventures throughout the region
Sarah was our Keynote Speaker for Reignite Your Professional Self in 2024, and her message sharing her career journey still resonates deeply with our community. She reminded us that the so-called “mommy track” does not have to derail ambition or professional fulfillment—and that reinvention is not only possible, it’s powerful. That insight captured the heart of Untapped Potential’s work and reflected what so many women in the room were already living.
Guided by Sarah, our Lift Each Other UP Panel at Reignite ’26 will feature women at different points along the career continuum: navigating transition, settling in to work following full-time parenting, and the working moms' ever-present juggle. These are honest, grounded conversations designed to help women see themselves reflected in one another’s journeys. With a little bit of fun sprinkled in!
“With Sarah Cody guiding the conversation, Reignite becomes a powerful reminder that women's career-life journeys are not linear. Every chapter brings value.” Candace Freedenberg, Founder, Untapped Potential
Sarah has long been a champion of women and families—and one of the earliest media voices to spotlight Untapped Potential’s mission across Connecticut. Many remember her parenting column in The Hartford Courant and her popular “Mommy Minute” on FOX61, where she elevated the lived experiences of parents and working mothers. Today, she continues that advocacy through leadership and storytelling in healthcare communications.
What makes Sarah the perfect moderator for our 10-year celebration is that she brings her own powerful pivot story. She understands what it means to evolve professionally while balancing real life...and to redefine success along the way.
As a storyteller of Untapped Potential’s impact, Sarah will guide our panelists with empathy, insight, and respect drawing from her own experience. She knows that for those in their return-to-work journey, it is not about “going back,” but about moving forward.
👉 RSVP Now
Event Details
📅 Date: Thursday, January 22nd
🕤 Time: 6:30am to 8:30pm
💻 Location: Farmington, CT
🎟 Tickets: $15, includes hors d'oeuvres, drinks & dessert
Hear the stories, support the mission!
For 10 years, we’ve lifted each other up and shared stories that open minds and doors. At Reignite ’26, you’ll walk away with renewed energy to face the year ahead—ready to “slay 2026”—and a fresh commitment to your bold aspirations, opening conversations, and opportunities that reflect who returners truly are and how we contribute to the workforce.
You are part of this story. Reignite your ambition in '26!
Come celebrate with us—and help launch the next decade of Untapped Potential.
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