On Tuesday, May 2, Goodwill Manasota is launching a new speaker series, Women Empowered, featuring influential, inspirational and innovative local women. The goal of the series is to inspire listeners by sharing the stories of local successful women who have overcome obstacles and broken barriers to get to where they are. Speakers will include local community leaders, entrepreneurs, veterans and business and nonprofit executives. Goodwill Manasota vice president Veronica Brandon Miller will kick off the series; other speakers will include community consultant and retired U.S. Army Colonel Linda Gould, Ivy Ventures founder Lee-En Chung, former Sarasota County Commissioner Carolyn Mason, Florida Center for Early Childhood president and CEO Kathryn Shea and the women of the Neuro Challenge Foundation. The series runs 5:30-6:30 p.m. every Tuesday from May 2 to June 20 at Goodwill’s Lakewood Ranch Community Room, 8750 E. State Road 70, Bradenton. The events are free and open to the public.