BILLINGS — The Junior League of Billings held its eighth annual women's leadership conference on Friday, International Women's Day, at the Northern Hotel in Billings.
“I look up to all of these women in this room because I think they all have something to share with me to help me on my journey," said Cali Walks Over Ice, who attended the event.
The event hosted several speakers, including Lt. Col. Alani Bankhead, a career military officer and special agent.
“The first word that comes to mind is badass … She is someone that you could look up to, that is for sure," said Amber Eaton, an event attendee.
From Iraq to Japan, among many other countries, Bankhead said she has tracked some of the most serious criminals on the planet.
“(I have) chased terrorists and spies, and my actual passion is protecting children from sexual exploitation. So, I’ve done a lot of human trafficking/child sex exploitation cases," said Bankhead.
Despite her career accomplishments, she said she still experienced self-doubt, something she now hopes to help others combat.
“I mean, that’s all we can hope for, right, is just to be seen, and known, and accepted, and told that you actually do matter," said Bankhead.
