Lisa Vega knows what women need.
“Since we’re naturally nurturers, we’re always taking care of everybody else and not really taking care of ourselves,” Vega said.
Because of this, she founded the Transformed Women’s Conference, where women can develop themselves and get pampered, said Vega, a senior pastor at Ignite Life Center.
The third annual conference runs today through Saturday at Ignite Life Center, 404 NW 14th Ave.
Registration begins at 4 p.m. today. The registration fee is $50, but UF and Santa Fe College students can register for free, Vega said.
Funds raised from the conference will go toward the remodeling of a transitional home for single moms who have suffered abuse or are homeless, she said.
The conference includes nightly worship services, a spa night, two luncheons, workshops and a talk show where women can share their stories with each other.
Men are allowed at the nightly worship services, but many events are for women only.
Transformed is an internship program for at-risk youth through Vega’s non-profit group Ignite, she said.
Since it began in 2009, the 12-week program has graduated about 100 women — one of whom began the same program in Colombia when she returned home, Vega said.
Vega said she realized more women could benefit from the program but might not be able to make the 12-week time commitment, so she began the three-day conference.
“I think any woman would benefit from it because I don’t think there is a whole lot out there for women right now,” Vega said.
Patrice Leopold, 20, attended the conference last year.
The family youth and community sciences junior said the conference offers something for everyone.
“There are workshops throughout the day for different situations for different people,” she said, “whether you’ve had a rough childhood, or you’re going through struggles currently, or you’re single and trying to figure out what you want to do next or you’re married and trying to keep things going, things like that.”
For more information, visit www.transformedwoman.org.
