With women arguably the fastest-growing segment of new gun owners, the NRA New Energy Brunch has become a cornerstone event at the National Rifle Association’s Annual Meetings & Exhibits. This event debuted in 2014 at the NRA Annual Meetings in Indianapolis, Indiana, and on Sunday April 19, 2026 in Houston, celebrated its 13th year. The New Energy Brunch is one of the final major events on the last day of convention and sells out quickly.
This women-only gathering provides a unique and welcoming opportunity for attendees to learn all about programs offered by the NRA, as well as step-by-step opportunities to get involved. This event creates an ideal setting to network with other likeminded ladies who share similar interests and all have a passion to uphold the mission as it pertains to women in the firearms community.
Just like past NRA New Energy gatherings, no one was a stranger here. Even those who attended solo were not by themselves for long. Ladies were inviting new friends and long-time acquaintances to join them at their tables during the social meet and greet time. Soon, it was time for the event to kick off.
After introductions by the organizing committee, we bowed our heads in prayer and were so thankful to be brought together in the company of so many other female gun owners. After the invocation we were led in the Pledge of Allegiance, then dismissed by table to the serving line. A wonderful brunch awaited, which consisted of a variety of fruits, pastries, and breakfast sandwiches, coffee, tea and juices. NRA Board members Janet Nyce and Mitzi McCorvey came to the podium while we enjoyed our meal to present to us the Women’s Wildlife Conservation Scholarship Award recipients.
NRA's Women's Wildlife Conservation Scholarship Award recipient Sophie Meyer with Mitzi McCorvey and Janet Nyce.
This program was established by the NRA Women’s Policies Committee, with scholarships are awarded to eligible female undergraduate college students in a conservation or environmental-related degree program. Last year there were 39 applicants and five finalists for this competitive award, which was awarded to the top three finalists. We were lucky to have two of the three winners join us to be recognized: Riley Robertson, Abigail Cogar (below) and Sophie Meyer (above).
NRA's Women's Wildlife Conservation Scholarship Award recipient Abigail Cogar with Mitzi McCorvey and Janet Nyce.
Riley Robertson is a dedicated student and community leader who graduated as Valedictorian from Grant Union High School in 2022. Riley is currently pursuing a degree in Animal Science at Colorado State University, where she is actively involved in organizations that reflect her passion for agriculture, conservation and the western lifestyle. Riley continues to build a future rooted in stewardship, livestock science, and her love for the land.
Abigail Cogar is a Bridgeport, West Virginia native and a 2023 graduate of Lincoln Classical Academy. She is currently pursuing a degree in Conservation Biology at Grove City College, where she is deeply involved in campus life, leadership and academic excellence as a member of the Middle States Standards Assessment Committee and the Tri-Beta Biological Honor Society.
Sophie Meyer is a Forestry major at Michigan Technological University, where she is an active member of the Forestry Club and Maple Syrup Club, and serves as a dorm hall president. A 2024 graduate of City Middle/High School, Sophie was deeply involved in student leadership and service. She also maintains a successful online writing blog with an audience of roughly 7,000 followers.
Next, more than a dozen female NRA Board members were invited up on stage and introduced. A brief background of each of the ladies was highlighted to share and emphasize their commitment to promoting NRA Women and what they have done to protect our firearm freedoms. This set us up for our next activity, which was breaking into groups, led by these Board members. Each of the ladies had a specific topic to peak interest and motivate attendees to connect with one another and think of ways to bring this energy back to their communities and get involved.
Attendees were encouraged to move to whichever table topic piqued their interest to take a deeper dive into these discussions. This activity was highly interactive, welcoming to all participants, especially newcomers and first-timers, and extremely motivating. The break-out sessions included:
- Grassroots Advocacy and Politics, led by Cathy Wright and Theresa Inacker. Combined with the strong grassroots efforts of NRA members and NRA-affiliated state associations and local gun clubs, the Institute for Legislative Action (ILA) has worked vigorously to pass pro-gun reform legislation at the state level.
- Women’s Wilderness Escape, led by Amanda Suffecool. This is an opportunity for women 18 and older to explore and learn about shooting, hunting and the outdoors.
- Personal Protection and Conceal Carry, led by Sharon Callan. There are several programs and resources in place to educate and train women to protect themselves and their loved ones.
- Hunting, led by Mitzi McCorvey. The NRA launched the Hunter’s Leadership Forum (HLF) in 2014 to address the cultural, political, demographic and technological challenges facing the future of hunters, hunting and wildlife conservation in the 21st century.
- Women’s Programs, led by Janey Nyce and Kelly Farmer. With the number of women shooters on the rise, the NRA is dedicated to providing programs and resources to female gun enthusiasts.
- Women on Target/Competitive Shooting, led by Edie Fleeman and Amy Heath-Lovato. These instructional shooting clinics for women teach firearm safety and marksmanship fundamentals to build confidence in the shooting sports.
- Friends of NRA, led by Liz Foley. She is the Senior Field Rep in Advancement and is the only “Million-Dollar Field Rep” responsible for half of Texas, Louisiana and Oklahoma.
"We throw parties and give away guns!” Since its inception in 1992, Friends of NRA, which is the fundraising arm NRA, has raised more than $1.2 billion gross. With over 500 fundraising events across the nation each year, funds help both local and national programs to provide training, equipment, safety, and resources to advance the shooting sports.
We throw parties and give away guns!” Since its inception in 1992, Friends of NRA, which is the fundraising arm NRA, has raised more than $1.2 billion gross. With over 500 fundraising events across the nation each year, funds help both local and national programs to provide training, equipment, safety, and resources to advance the shooting sports.
Over the past 12 years, the NRA Women’s New Energy Brunch has evolved from a small gathering of likeminded women who shared their passions with others over Sunday morning breakfast, to one of the most anticipated women-only events at the NRA Annual Meetings today. This event showcases all the wonderful programs, outreach efforts, and missions related specifically to women the NRA has to offer. NRA Women are a powerful group of ladies who all share the same goal to network and build lasting connections with other women who are actively shaping the future of the Second Amendment community.
Over the past 12 years, the NRA Women’s New Energy Brunch has evolved from a small gathering of likeminded women who shared their passions with others over Sunday morning breakfast, to one of the most anticipated women-only events at the NRA Annual Meetings today. This event showcases all the wonderful programs, outreach efforts, and missions related specifically to women the NRA has to offer. NRA Women are a powerful group of ladies who all share the same goal to network and build lasting connections with other women who are actively shaping the future of the Second Amendment community.
Many of the ladies were first-time NRA attendees and shared how grateful they were to find this event! By creating an accessible and interactive space where women can learn about NRA programs, specifically, NRA Women’s programs, in a face-to-face atmosphere, one can only walk away empowered by this experience! The emphasis on networking, education, and inspiration has helped fuel the rise in women’s participation in the shooting sports, hunting, and grassroots politics. The New Energy Brunch is a successful example of how a shared purpose can strengthen the Second Amendment movement for generations to come.
—Heidi Lyn Rao
