Outstanding Mothers of 2022 (Complete)

Women We Admire is pleased to announce our Outstanding Mothers of 2022. On this Mother’s Day, we are honored to highlight mothers across the country. As nearly one third of the workplace, working mothers play a crucial role in the success of the organizations they serve. This group of women know the importance and challenges of maintaining a healthy work-life balance. They are role models to their children by following their career ambitions and family aspirations. The past years have produced additional difficulties for working mothers and their extraordinary efforts have not gone unnoticed. They have faced additional structural barriers and juggled new hurdles, often taking on more than ever before. While it’s a near impossible feat to find the perfect balance, these individuals have shown that with the right amount of determination, support, and self-compassion, success is attainable.

With great respect and admiration, we applaud the achievements of working mothers. Please join us in celebrating the accomplishments of our Outstanding Mothers of 2022.

Notable Awardees

Linda Aldred
SVP & Chief Human Resources Officer, Texas Children's Hospital

Linda Aldred is the Senior Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer for Texas Children’s Hospital and is the principal strategist and implementer for the people strategies and diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives across the largest Children’s Hospital system in the country. Aldred describes her leadership style as Think it Big...Lead it Bigger...Be the Difference. She is steadfast in her belief that without building and executing on effective and meaningful people strategies, which exemplify the brand and culture of an organization, it is impossible to achieve preeminence for any organization.

For over 18 years, Aldred has been an executive at Texas Children’s. In addition to her Human Resources role, she has also led marketing, public relations, and community initiatives in her tenure. She is passionate about leadership development, employee experience, and creating a compelling and inclusive place for people to do their work. With Aldred’s leadership, Texas Children’s has received many accolades including Houston Business Journal’s Best Places to Work, the Forbes' first 'Best Employers for Women' list where Texas Children’s is #1 in Houston and #11 in America. Aldred’s favorite role in life is being mom to Adam and Andrea Aldred, two young adults, who have shaped her life in profound ways, always inspire her to be more, and bring unimaginable joy and pride. Aldred holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Finance from the University of Houston and a Master’s in Organizational Performance and Change from Colorado State University.

Pauline Bell
Chief Information Officer, BluePearl Specialty and Emergency Pet Hospital

Pauline Bell is a dynamic leader with a deep understanding of the veterinary field and IT. She currently serves as the Chief Information Officer for BluePearl Specialty and Emergency Pet Hospital. Her knowledge of these fields has been built through years spent as a veterinarian and medical, operational, and technology leader. Prior to becoming a veterinarian, Bell worked as a senior analyst at IBM and a middleware specialist at The Walt Disney Company. Realizing her calling for pet care, Bell went back to school in 2005 to receive her Doctorate in Veterinary Medicine from Massey University.

Bell began her career in veterinary medicine as a staff veterinarian at Banfield Pet Hospital but quickly worked her way up to become the director of veterinary quality. Finding her way back to IT, but now with a mix of pet care, Bell became the director of IT at Pet Partners. In 2020, she took on the role of director of IT at BluePearl Specialty and Emergency Pet Hospital, one of the largest providers of advanced veterinary care in the U.S. today with over 100 hospitals in 29 states. Within two short years, she was appointed Chief Information Officer overseeing operational applications and assisting in the use of software and data management of functional areas of the organization. In addition to Bell being a well-accomplished professional in veterinary medicine and IT, she is a single, working mother: She is not only a role model to young females in STEM, but she is a mentor and confidant to her daughter, a 6-year-old aspiring artist.

Mary Benton
Director of Communications, City of Houston

Mary Benton is the Director of Communications for the City of Houston. In her role, she serves as chief spokesperson and communications advisor to Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner. She is an experienced communicator with an expertise in public affairs, government, and community relations. Benton is a trusted spokesperson and strategic messaging expert with a successful record of leveraging relationships with media, community, nonprofit and business stakeholders. Benton is described as talented and committed to the community and a faithful public servant.

Starting out as the mayor's press secretary, Benton comes to the role after more than 2 decades as a TV reporter. She is a trusted voice, both as a journalist and now a communicator to the citizens of the city. Benton volunteers, runs an organization, and makes sure to get the messages out to the mayor and the city. She earned an undergraduate degree journalism from The University of Texas at Austin.

Andrea Brimmer
Chief Marketing and PR Officer, Ally Financial

Andrea Brimmer is the Chief Marketing and Public Relations Officer for Ally Financial, a leading digital financial services company and a top 25 U.S. financial holding company offering financial products for consumers, businesses, automotive dealers, and corporate clients. Brimmer has been known throughout her career as a dynamic, disruptive, and culturally astute marketing leader. She previously launched the company’s first unified brand campaign, “Do It Right”, highlighting Ally’s unique focus on doing the right thing for customers while reflecting the company’s internal culture and core values. In 2021, Ally lived up to its promise to Do It Right and became the first major bank to eliminate overdraft fees permanently to the delight of their customers and the political community.

In addition to her hard work, Brimmer loves spending time with her husband Mark and their four children Alec, Drew, Samantha, and Peyton. Her son Drew inspired her advocacy for LGBTQ+ rights. She is the current executive sponsor for Ally’s Pride Employee Resource Group and is a strong supporter of all DE&I initiatives. Brimmer is also active in the community. She sits on the Professional Advisory Board of the College of Communication Arts and Sciences at Michigan State University and the Board of Directors for eHealth, Effie Worldwide and the Ad Council.

Anjali Chavan
General Counsel & Corporate Secretary, Battelle National Biodefense Institute

Anjali Chavan serves as the Division Counsel of Battelle’s Health Business Unit, as well as the General Counsel for Battelle National Biodefense Institute (BNBI), a Department of Homeland Security lab in Frederick, Maryland. She advises Battelle’s Human Resources and Benefits department regarding audits, training, counseling, discipline, and investigations in the areas of employment discrimination, family and medical leave, employee benefits, OFCCP/Affirmative Action compliance, wage & hour, and immigration. She also manages any on-going litigation. In her role as Division Counsel and with BNBI, she partners with her business clients in matters of contracts, procurement, regulatory compliance, and general risk mitigation.

Prior to joining Battelle, Chavan worked at the law firm of Dinsmore & Shohl in Columbus, Ohio as a management-side labor and employment attorney. She attended The Ohio State University and earned a bachelor’s degree in political science and criminology with minors in Asian American studies and French. She received her JD from Georgetown University Law Center. Chavan is very active in the Columbus community, serving on the Board of the Short North Alliance. Chavan is the proud mother of four-year-old twin daughters, Maya and Avani, and a six-month old son, Siddhartha. She juggles the demands of raising young children and managing a successful career with the help of her husband, Scott, and a world-class nanny.

Tami Erwin
CEO of Verizon Business, Verizon

Tami Erwin began her professional career 23 years ago. She is a proud wife, mother, colleague, and CEO of Verizon Business, a global leader in 5G technology serving 97% of Fortune 500 companies. Every day, they help businesses, governments, and communities reimagine their employee, supply chain, and end-customer experiences when there has never been a more critical time for mobility, broadband, and cloud products and services, and for creating the 21st century infrastructure that will shape the future.

Throughout her career, Erwin has always put people, hard-work, growth, and accountability first. She leads a team of more than 26,000 dedicated employees who put their customers at the center of everything they do. Erwin graduated from Stanford’s Executive Program for business administration and management and from Pacific Union College with a degree in pre-med.

Kelli Freeman
Vice President of Brand Marketing, Keurig Dr Pepper

Kelli Freeman is the Vice President of Brand Marketing at Keurig Dr Pepper leading the expanding Water category. With over 25 years of experience, she is known for driving strong results across start-up to Fortune 500 businesses and for mentoring the next generation of leaders. Freeman’s most treasured role is as mom to her son, Henry. At home she inspires connection and creativity with her son through quality time, unique experiences, and open discussions. At work she is a powerful, strategic-thought leader that empowers her team to lead and learn with on-the-spot coaching and development. She is able to rise to the occasion personally and professionally with focus, discipline, and boundaries that enable her to succeed.

Freeman, a native Texan and SMU graduate, is a current member of YMSL and a former coach to UT McCombs graduate students and board member on the UTD Institute for Excellence in Corporate Governance, Children’s Medical Center Trust and Trinity River Mission.

Lynnette Heath
Chief Human Resources Officer, nVent

Lynnette Heath balances motherhood with being a successful and transformational business leader. Since 2017 she has served as Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO) for nVent, a global high-performance electrical company with a dedicated team of 10,000 people at more than 130 sites around the world, connecting and protecting customers with inventive electrical solutions. Prior to her time at nVent, Heath held HR leadership roles at Entrust Datacard, General Electric, McKesson Corp. and Northern States Power. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree and a master’s degree at the University of Minnesota. Heath also currently serves on the board of the non-profit organization Volunteers of America, MN and WI chapters.

Heath’s ability to be authentic is key to driving a positive people culture at nVent. As the CHRO, her approach to flexibility sets an example and casts a positive shadow that helps employees enjoy and be successful at work without sacrificing other parts of their lives. Heath has balanced raising her four daughters with acquiring additional responsibilities as an HR executive. Aware of the shadow she casts as a leader and role model for others, Heath champions inclusion and diversity in the workplace. She makes it known that putting your family first is not only acceptable, it is embraced. She is known to leave work to be present for her daughter’s soccer or hockey games. She spends time with her family and enjoys having her grandkids over for sleepovers on the weekends, all while ensuring she meets the needs of her role and the business at nVent.

Radhika Krishnan
Chief Product Officer & General Manager, Hitachi Vantara

Radhika Krishnan is the Chief Product Officer and General Manager of Hitachi Vantara. Hitachi Vantara is a leading provider of information technology, analytics, and data storage solutions. She is a versatile product and general management executive with a strong track record of building new businesses at both startups and F500 companies. Her success is based on a combination of deep technical expertise and business acumen, as well as hands-on experience across product strategy and development, positioning, go to market, and hands-on execution.

Before joining Hitachi Vantara, Krishnan was an executive vice president and general manager of software at 3D Systems Corporation, and vice president and general manager at Lenovo. She was also previously a vice president at Nimble Storage. Earlier in her career she worked with Hewlett-Packard in various engineering roles. Krishnan graduated from San Jose State University with an MBA and from Birla Institute of Technology and Science with an undergraduate degree in electrical and electronics engineering.

Jenn LaClair
Chief Financial Officer, Ally Financial

Jennifer “Jenn” LaClair, Chief Financial Officer, is responsible for oversight of Ally’s finance, accounting, capital markets, treasury, investor relations, supply chain, and financial modeling and analytics functions. Ally Financial is a top-25 bank holding company with a $180B balance sheet and annual revenues of more than $8B. Capital markets under LaClair include management of a $6B+ investment portfolio for Ally’s insurance line of business and a $30B+ securities portfolio within the Corporate Segment.

During her time as CFO, Ally’s stock price has steadily improved, reflecting strong enterprise-wide execution, enhanced financial performance, disciplined balance sheet management and dynamic capital deployment, the latter two areas of which LaClair has direct oversight. Outside of work, LaClair and her husband Joe are enthusiastic supporters of their three teenage daughters Ella, Sofia, and Olivia. If she is not in the office, LaClair is usually cheering on her girls at softball, soccer, track, cross country, basketball, skiing, snowboarding, and surfing. She and her family also love to adventure to new places and experience the outdoors, new cities or international locations to learn about different cultures. Jenn is active with organizations outside of Ally, including as a board member for Whirlpool and for the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond.

Cynthia Latney
SVP & Chief Nursing Executive, OhioHealth

Cynthia Latney is the Senior Vice President and Chief Nursing Executive of OhioHealth. She first joined the company in 2021. OhioHealth is a not-for-profit, faith-based health system that has served central Ohio since 1891. As an organization with a strong and vibrant culture, OhioHealth associates work together to bring their core values of integrity, compassion, excellence, and stewardship to life.

Previously, Latney was an SVP of business operations at Thomas Jefferson University Hospitals, and before that, an SVP, chief transformation officer, and clinical nurse educator at Centura Health. Earlier in her career she worked with The Medical Center of Aurora and Centennial Medical Plaza as a chief nursing officer. Latney earned a master’s degree in health care administration and management from the University of Phoenix and an undergraduate degree in nursing from the University at Buffalo.

Shilvi Leinwand
VP of Strategy & Operations, Change Healthcare

Shilvi Leinwand is the Vice President of Strategy & Operations for Change Healthcare. Change Healthcare is a provider of revenue and payment cycle management that connects payers, providers, and patients in the U.S. healthcare system. The company operates the largest financial and administrative information exchange in the United States. They are headquartered in Nashville, Tennessee, with more than 89 additional locations throughout the United States, Canada, New Zealand, Israel, Taiwan, the UK, and the Philippines. Leinwand has 21 years of experience. She began her career in 2001.

Before joining Change Healthcare, Leinwand was a global director of procurement and cost efficiency and business partner at InterContinental Hotels Group. Before that, she was a business transformation consultant at Forest Chase Consulting. Earlier in her career she worked with Mirant as an e-business analyst. Leinwand graduated from Kennesaw State University with an MBA and from Georgia Institute of Technology with an undergraduate degree in international affairs.

Di Morais
President of Consumer and Commercial Banking, Ally Bank

Di Morais is the driving force behind the world’s most successful digital-only bank. As president of Consumer and Commercial Banking at Ally Bank, she oversees more than $182 billion in client assets across deposits, mortgage, brokerage and wealth management, personal lending, Ally credit cards, and corporate finance. Additionally, Morais oversees customer care and operations as well as Ally’s Community Reinvestment Act program. A dynamic and proven leader, Morais has long been recognized for forging new frontiers in the banking space. In 2009, she and her team launched the Ally brand based on the notion that the world needed a better bank. Under her leadership, Ally Bank has achieved double-digit retail deposit growth each year, and now has more than 2.5 million customers and over $135 billion in retail deposits. Morais serves as an integral member of Ally’s Executive Council and has also championed the company’s commitment to low-to-moderate-income communities. Under her leadership, the bank’s CRA program has secured “Outstanding” ratings for its innovative lending and investments to support affordable housing and economic mobility.

Outside of work, Morais enjoys spending time at the beach and cheering on their favorite sports teams with her family, which includes her husband Ed and their three sons, Drew, Alex, and Michael. Her extensive community involvement includes serving as a member of the board of directors for Junior Achievement of Central Carolinas, the YMCA of Greater Charlotte, and Charlotte Center City Partners. She is active in the Charlotte community, serving as an Executive in Residence for Queens University and volunteering for Habitat for Humanity, Dress for Success, and the Salvation Army.

Liliana Oakes
Medical Director of Supportive Care, Wellmed Medical Management

Dr. Liliana Oakes is a Medical Director of Supportive Care in Greater Texas and is a geriatrics and palliative care specialist with WellMed Medical Management. She joined WellMed in 2014. Oakes is passionate about serving chronically ill patients and their families through WellMed’s Home Base program and clinics, one of the largest in the nation. Born and raised in Bogata, Colombia, Oakes served as a medical surgeon at the National University of Colombia before moving to Texas to complete her residency in family medicine at The University of Texas Health Science Center. Following residency, she served as a faculty member at UT Health for 10 years, where she was passionate about teaching the next generation of physicians.

As a former associate professor at the University of Texas Health Science Center, Oakes served as the geriatrics fellowship director and director of the Multidisciplinary Training Program in Geriatrics and Gerontology at the Audie Murphy Veterans Administration. Oakes has two daughters and a son, the oldest a high school senior who plans to pursue a career in health care after graduation. Raising her children with her husband of 25 years, Oakes strives to be present when she is with her children, whether while driving them to an activity, attending one of their games or celebrating a milestone. She has learned to balance home and work responsibilities and “to give myself grace, knowing at times I have been a better doctor and at other times a better mother.” She credits the support and understanding of her family with allowing her to accomplish so much in her career. Oakes has received many recognitions and is a frequent speaker for programs and conferences in both English and Spanish. She also received funds to produce a short educational film about Alzheimer’s disease for both Spanish- and English-speaking audiences.

Kathie Patterson
Chief Human Resources Officer, Ally Financial

Kathie Patterson is responsible for overseeing Ally's human capital, talent management, compensation, benefits, employee well-being, cultural efforts, and internal communications as the Chief Human Resources Officer. In addition to ensuring these areas support the company’s strategic objectives, she’s also focused on leading Ally’s efforts to be an employer of choice in the financial and technology industries. Since taking the role of CHRO, Patterson has championed the implementation of company-wide benefits that support working parents and caregivers. During her tenure, Ally has begun providing infertility benefits that include adoption, surrogacy, and medical intervention, as well as 12 weeks of full-salaried parental leave.

In addition, Patterson has led the way in advocating for and implementing company-wide paid caregiver leave, mental health benefits, 529 educational plan contributions, paid time off for volunteer work, and COVID relief measures. Her advocacy and passion in this area became especially critical during the global pandemic as workplace norms, employee needs, and family obligations shifted dramatically. A Michigan native, Kathie lives in the Detroit area with her husband Shawn and children Sarah, Colin, and Evan. Her passion for community involvement and volunteerism is centered on giving support to women, families, and their educational pursuits. Patterson serves as board of directors’ chairperson of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Metro Detroit and the Cranbrook Institute of Science.

Stephanie Richard
Chief Audit Executive, Ally Financial

Stephanie Richard, Chief Audit Executive, is responsible for audit coverage in key areas of the company, supporting assurance objectives and meeting regulatory demands. She demonstrates agility in executing audit work and adapting to cover new requirements as they arise. Richard has held roles in nearly every major function in the organization and a has played a crucial role in nearly every major milestone for Ally over the past 10+ years, including a company restructuring and turnaround, formation as a bank holding company, implementation of processes to meet major regulatory requirements, an initial public offering and numerous product expansions/M&A. Under her leadership, Ally made progress on key audit transformation priorities, including expanding the use of data analytics, implementing Agile, automation of manual processes and providing an advisory lens to audit work through use of enhancement memos and effective challenge. Through Richard’s vision, Ally’s audit function has transformed from a traditional approach to a more comprehensive approach, utilizing advanced analytics, Robotics Process Automation, and other technologies.

Outside of work, Richard enjoys reading, cooking, and traveling with her family which includes husband Kyle, son Austin and daughter Kailey. Richard is motivated by inspiring others, whether that be at home, work, or out in the Charlotte community. She loves helping her children navigate life, build relationships and be the best versions of themselves. Richard is heavily involved in DE&I efforts, with a strong passion for developing women leaders. She currently sponsors the Ally Women’s Employee Resource Group, whose purpose is to provide support and development of women to advance their careers.

Kara Solarz
Chief Operating Officer, Hplex Solutions

Kara Solarz is the Chief Operating Officer of Hplex Solutions. Hplex Solutions specializes in several service areas including development, owner representative, real estate consulting & brokerage services, business consulting, and property management. Solarz joined Hplex Solutions in 2010 as a property manager, but quickly established herself as an integral part of the senior leadership team. She led an initiative to modernize and improve upon the company’s property management system, enhancing value and efficiency for both clients and Hplex.

Previously serving as vice president of real estate and property management, she now directs a team of property managers responsible for several facilities across the country, totaling roughly 3 million square feet. Her clients appreciate her emphasis on outstanding service and attention to detail. In her role, she has facilitated the opening of new medical buildings, worked closely with staff to ensure a smooth transition, and has overseen numerous remodels of existing spaces. Solarz holds a real estate license in the state of Ohio. She graduated from the University of Dayton and from Ashland University. She is also a member of BOMA and volunteers in her community.

Airica Steed
System EVP and Chief Operating Officer, Sinai Chicago Health System

Dr. Airica Steed serves as the “first minority appointed” System Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer for Sinai Chicago Health System and flagship President of Mount Sinai & Sinai Children’s Hospital, where she is charged with leading strategy and operations for 4 acute, post-acute, and specialty care hospitals, multi-specialty medical group/physician enterprise comprised of over 4,000 caregivers and 800 physicians. She has spearheaded a multifaceted clinical, operational, and financial transformation geared towards achieving a cumulative $75M+ margin improvement, top decile quality/safety performance, and profitable growth, as well as making monumental groundbreaking advancements in advancing health equity and eradicating healthcare disparities across the marginalized communities.

Dr. Steed is a highly accomplished and award-winning transformational healthcare executive with over 20 years of exceptional leadership skills and proven track record of driving results and execution excellence. She is recognized as a strategic and visionary change leader, transformational architect and international expert in Lean Six Sigma, Malcolm Baldrige framework, and “Big 4” management consulting across community and specialty hospitals, ambulatory clinics and network, academic medical centers, multi-site clinically integrated healthcare systems, and Federally Qualified Health Centers. Dr. Steed is a results-driven change agent with significant experience large-scale strategy initiatives to drive high quality care, operational efficiencies and turnarounds, customer satisfaction, workforce and provider engagement, profitable growth, and value optimization. She is an avid speaker on both a national and international level and published author. She received her EdD with distinction, MBA, BSN, and numerous certifications. On top of her many accolades, her most prized accomplishment is being a devoted mother to 4 children.

Ali Summerville
Business Administration Executive, Ally Financial

Ali Summerville, Business Administration Executive, is responsible for liaising with business and functional leads on behalf of the CEO’s office on enterprise-wide business initiatives. This includes managing and implementing executive leadership routines and seeking organizational efficiencies that advance Ally’s strategic objectives. Summerville also oversees the company’s corporate workplace team which manages Ally’s facilities and related services, as well as oversees Ally’s corporate citizenship and community relations efforts. This role allows her to combine her personal passion for giving back to Charlotte into her work life and use Ally as a platform to share this message. Giving back to the communities in which we live and work is ingrained in Ally’s culture. The Corporate Citizenship team, led by Summerville, launched several programs and initiatives over the years to increase their reach and community involvement. In 2020 Summerville’s team launched the Ally Charitable Foundation, which committed more than $30 million to communities across the U.S.

When not working at Ally, Ali enjoys cheering for the Tar Heels and traveling with her family which includes sons Charlie and Mac, and husband Will. Her family is extremely active, so you can often see Summerville in the stands attending her sons’ numerous baseball, football, and basketball games. Her extensive community involvement includes serving as board chair for Habitat for Humanity Charlotte Region and on the Investment Advisory Committee for the Charlotte Housing Opportunity Investment Fund. She is also chairman emeritus for the Charlotte Wine and Food Weekend, which contributes to charitable organizations that benefit children and their families in the Charlotte community.

Kimberly Bizor Tolbert
Deputy City Manager, City of Dallas

Kimberly Bizor Tolbert has recently been named Deputy City Manager for the City of Dallas. As the first African American woman to hold this position, Tolbert serves as the second in command to the City Manager. With a total workforce of over 13,000 employees, she provides oversight of the City Manager’s Office and key City departments to include direct oversight of the Mayor and City Council Office, Aviation, Dallas Water Utilities, Human Resources, Communications, Outreach, and Marketing, the Office of Homeless Solutions, and the Small Business Center.

After previously serving the City of Dallas in several roles, she rejoined the City of Dallas in 2017, following her nearly decade of service to the North Texas Tollway Authority. Tolbert is a transformational leader with expertise in strategic planning, communications, diversity, and inclusion, change management, and leadership/talent development. Tolbert is a trailblazer for supporting other women. She has dedicated her entire career to serving others and paving the way for young women to succeed. As a mother, Tolbert stresses the importance of work-life balance and is extremely proud of her son, Josh, a student and athlete at Loyola University.

Lindsey Watts
Director of Marketing, Sonepar

Lindsey Watts is the Director of Marketing for Sonepar. Sonepar is an independent family-owned company with global market leadership in B2B distribution of electrical products, solutions, and related services. Through a dense network of 145 operating companies spanning 48 countries and 5 continents, and the digital solutions developed, the Sonepar Group delivers greater service and enhanced customer relations every day. Watts is a marketing professional with a specialization in effectively managing and executing successful and profitable campaigns on deadline while maximizing efficiency. She is a natural leader, loving mother, and a passionate advocate.

At Sonepar, Watts is steadfast in her commitment to connect and grow all parts of the business. This mentality has designed her as a perfect candidate for many programs including the Innovation Committee and managing a program to better serve underutilized accounts. In the office, she can frequently be found sharing silly videos of her daughters, pictures of her family’s adventures or raising awareness on congenital heart defects in devotion to her daughter Leila. Watts graduated from the University of Georgia with an undergraduate degree in journalism.

Marnie Wilking
Global Head of Security, Privacy and Technology Risk Management, Wayfair

Marnie Wilking is the Global Head of Security, Privacy, and Technology Risk Management for Wayfair, one of the world’s largest destinations for the home. In her leadership role, Wilking has created a risk management strategy to position security and privacy as a technology and business partner to deliver Wayfair’s global cloud migration and digital transformation objectives. Wilking has more than fifteen years of experience aligning cybersecurity strategy and regulatory requirements with business objectives to support and accelerate growth. She has built and led cybersecurity and enterprise risk management programs to meet business and regulatory needs for financial services, healthcare technology, and e-commerce companies worldwide.

Wilking currently serves on the Boards of Directors for CyberCrime Support Network, a non-profit created to meet the needs of those impacted by cybercrime; and the Retail & Hospitality Information Sharing and Analysis Center (RH-ISAC). She is an advisor to several cybersecurity startup companies, including Virsec, Living Security, and Drata, and serves as an Advisory Board Member to the Paradise Valley High School Center of Research, Engineering, Science, and Technology (CREST) Program. Wilking is a mentor through the Executive Women’s Forum Lift Program. She holds the CISSP, CISA, and CISM designations, as well as an MBA in technology management and an undergraduate degree in mathematics and statistics.

Repeat Awardees

Beth Ackerman
SVP of Rivermont Schools, New Story Schools

Beth Ackerman is the SVP of Rivermont Schools New Story Schools. She first joined the school system in 2020. New Story and its family of schools and clinics serve students with autism spectrum disorders and emotional support needs with an array of services aimed at helping every child write new stories of success. With a team of approximately 500 employees, Rivermont New Story Schools has 14 schools and 6 Your Life ABA clinics across the Commonwealth of Virginia, which provide individualized and intensive educational, behavioral, and therapeutic services for nearly 1,000 children and adolescents with emotional disabilities or autism across our state.

Previously, Ackerman was a teacher at Rivermont Schools before she moved on to assist in starting the special education program at Liberty University, where she later became a professor and administrator for 15 years. Her master’s degree is in special education with a postgraduate professional license from the Virginia Department of Education which endorses her to teach elementary education K-8, learning disabilities, emotional disabilities, intellectual disabilities, and administration and supervision K-12. Her doctorate degree is in educational leadership from UVA. Ackerman also continues to teach online for Liberty University and conducts professional development workshops for regional Christian school conferences where she shares her knowledge on leadership, differentiated instruction, and behavioral challenges for aiding Christian educators. Her son is 16 and is an honor roll student who enjoys sports and gaming. Her 15-year-old daughter is currently Miss Virginia Jr Teen for USA National Miss.

Allison Allen
Chief Human Resources Officer, Orchard Global Asset Management

Allison Allen is an HR executive with 22 years of experience. She is currently the Chief Human Resources Officer for Orchard Global Asset Management (OGAM), a leading alternatives asset manager focused on structured credit, specialty lending and opportunistic fixed income investments. With Orchard Global offices in North America, Europe and Asia, Allen develops and executes upon global people programs and service delivery strategies, enhancing organizational decision-making and approaches for securing growth on a business-wide scale.

Prior to joining OGAMl, Allen was with EY (formerly Ernst & Young) for 19 years. As a director, she was the talent leader for the firm’s Southwest Region - comprised of 9 states, 12 major markets and approximately 6000 professionals providing assurance, tax, consulting, and advisory services. Allen and her 45-member team were responsible for the ongoing advancement and implementation of the EY talent agenda as well as leveraging data analytics and diversity & inclusion to support business development and strategic priorities. She is also a member of the distinguished Forbes Human Resource Council. Allen earned an undergraduate degree in psychology and public relations from Southern Methodist University.

Constantine Alleyne
Founder & President, Civilian Corrections Academy

Constantine Alleyne is the Founder and President of the Civilian Corrections Academy. She founded the academy in 2018. Civilian Corrections Academy offers organizations and their employees’ consultancy, pre-boarding and in-service training, mentoring, and career planning services. Civilian Corrections Academy identified a vulnerability in the industry and created an evidence-based path to fill the knowledge gap for the civilian workforce, making for a safer environment and mitigating institutional risks by increasing the correctional competence. She has over 20 years of experience with correctional and human resource management experience.

Prior to establishing the Civilian Corrections Academy, Alleyne served as a health services manager on Rikers Island in NYC for a decade and as a health services administrator II for the CT Department of Corrections for an additional five years. In addition to founding the Academy, Alleyne is the founder of The Fly Behind the Wall podcast and author of The Cage Was Her Cocoon. Alleyne earned an MBA and an undergraduate degree in human resource management from the University of Connecticut. She has a beautiful and resilient 11-year-old daughter who makes it easier for her to juggle motherhood and her ambitions.

Heidi Arkinstall
Chief Marketing & Communications Officer, Globalization Partners

Heidi Arkinstall is the Chief Marketing and Communications Officer of Globalization Partners. Globalization Partners enables companies to hire in more than 180 countries within days, and without the need to set up costly foreign subsidiaries. Their clients are able to identify great talent anywhere in the world, and put them on their fully compliant global payroll, lifting the burden of global corporate tax, legal, and HR matters from their client’s shoulders. Whether it’s to test a new market or expand your talent pool, Globalization Partners is the most trustworthy solution in the market. They are a remote-first company with primary offices in Boston and regional hub offices located worldwide in Ireland, Germany, the UAE, India, Brazil, Mexico, Singapore, and the UK. Arkinstall has over 28 years of experience. She began her career in 1994.

Before joining Globalization Partners, Arkinstall was a CMO of global brands at Logitech, and before that, an SVP and group managing director at FCB Global. Earlier in her career she worked with Ogilvy as a Worldwide Group Account Director on IBM. Arkinstall graduated from the University of New South Wales with an MBA and an undergraduate degree in marketing and management. She is the mother of Ava, Cleo, and Henry.

Simone Arnold
Vice President of Network Strategy & Payments Relations, Fiserv

Simone Arnold is the Vice President of Network Strategy and Payments Relations of Fiserv. She first joined the company in 1995. Fiserv is a global fintech and payments company with solutions for banking, global commerce, merchant acquiring, billing and payments, and point-of-sale. Arnold has over 27 years of experience in the financial services and technology industries.

Arnold is a member of the National Women of Color Empowerment Institute, where she has served as a moderator and panelist. She is a member of WNet and the National Society of Leadership and Success and is an experienced motivational speaker and Founder of MotivEight, LLC. She was recently featured on Black Doctor’s Talk. As a Champion for children with unique abilities, Arnold has fought for change by sharing her son, Ayden’s story to the Florida Senate (SB48) aiding in the simplification of scholarship programs and the flexibility to meet individual needs. Arnold received an undergraduate degree in communication from Florida Atlantic University, an MBA from Nova Southeastern University, and a Doctor of Management in organizational leadership from the University of Phoenix.

Rume Joy Azikiwe-Oyeyemi
Executive Director of HR and Chief of Staff, University of Pennsylvania

Rume Joy Azikiwe-Oyeyemi is mother of four. When she is not being a mom full-time, she serves as Executive Director of HR and Chief of Staff at the University of Pennsylvania, where she first joined in 2014. The University of Pennsylvania (Penn) is one of the oldest universities in America. As a member of the Ivy League, Penn is one of the most prestigious institutions of higher learning in all the world.

In 2007, Azikiwe-Oyeyemi served as an HR director with HCR ManorCare before moving on to Genesis HealthCare where she also served in various HR manager and director roles. In addition to her current position, Azikiwe-Oyeyemi serves as an adjunct professor with both Rowan University and Wilmington University. She graduated from Hofstra University with an undergraduate degree in communications, the University of Phoenix with an MBA with a concentration in HR and holds a Doctor of Management in strategic leadership from Thomas Jefferson University.

Lily Bain
Associate Vice President of Client Services, HealthHelp

Lily Mendiola Bain is the Associate Vice President of Client Services for HealthHelp. HealthHelp, a WNS Holdings company, is a utilization management partner that collaborates with health plan leaders and providers to improve care and realize sustained cost savings through evidence-based medicine and clinical decision support. Bain started at HealthHelp in 2014, and as an accomplished leader in business development and process improvement, has been able to triple the revenue of her organization while maintaining a +4:1 ROI for her customers.

Bain began her professional career 25 years ago at a start-up HMO and has worked her way up to being an integral force in the managed care industry. Before moving to client services, Bain was nationally recognized as an industry expert in managed care contracting specializing in converting fee-for-service contracts into bundled payment arrangements for specialty laboratories, national facilities, and IPA/PHO networks, and has successfully appealed and over-turned Local and National Coverage Determinations developed by The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). Bain graduated with an MBA in organizational leadership. She is the proud mother of a 21-year-old son.

Michelle Balatero
Assistant Vice President, Advisor Diversity & Inclusion, LPL Financial

Michelle Balatero serves as the Assistant Vice President of Advisor Diversity & Inclusion at LPL Financial. LPL Financial is one of the top independent broker/dealers in the nation and a leading provider of investment and business solutions for independent financial advisors. She is responsible for championing strategic efforts to push the needle forward in advancing the representation and supporting the business growth and evolving needs of underrepresented financial advisors.

With her upbringing as a military child and spouse, Balatero got her start in 2010 as a financial advisor serving military families and has since served in a spectrum of roles within the financial services industry including relationship management, compliance, and sales before transitioning to diversity and inclusion in 2021. By experiencing her own challenges of being a financial advisor and seeing very little representation and mentorship opportunities for minority women, Balatero has grown a passion and drive for helping advisors overcome their barriers to growth and to provide a positive impact on diverse investor communities. She has spearheaded multiple diversity and inclusion initiatives that include providing access to financial tools and resources in a foreign language and cultivating an inclusive environment for advisors to connect and amplify their stories. Balatero holds an undergraduate degree in finance from the University of Maryland Global Campus and the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNING™ designation, a standard of excellence and the most recognized designation in financial planning. Despite getting married and moving across the world to Japan at 18 and becoming a mother at the age of 19, Balatero has managed to keep her family life and career on track, and she truly believes the best is yet to come. Throughout it all, her proudest accomplishment is raising her daughter Kayla and her son Dylan Jordan.

Shohini Banerjee
Executive Vice President, Ipsos

Shohini Banerjee is the Executive Vice President and Service Line Leader of Ipsos. Ipsos is a global market research company specialized in advertising, loyalty, marketing, media, and public affairs market research. It offers advertising research solutions, including equity, strategy, execution, and in-market solutions for forecasting, modeling, and consulting. They also offer research for loyalty, marketing, media, and public affairs. The company serves industries including financial services, health, pharmaceuticals, public affairs, technology companies, as well as non-profit and government sectors across North America. Banerjee has over 15 years of experience. She began her career in 2007.

Before joining Ipsos, Banerjee was a practice lead in hospitality travel and leisure at Medallia, and before that, a senior analyst in client services. Earlier in her career she worked with Project Based Learning Laboratory (PBL) at Stanford University as a research assistant. Banerjee graduated from Stanford University with an MS and from the State University of Delhi with an undergraduate degree in information technology. She is the mother to a four-year-old son.

Helene Banks
Partner, Cahill Gordon & Reindel

Helene Banks is the Co-Chair of the Corporate Advisory and M&A Practice at Cahill Gordon & Reindel LLP, where she was the first female partner elected to the corporate practice group. Banks’ work ranges from managing complex international transactions for large public companies to guiding owners through investments in their privately-held businesses, with an emphasis on mergers and acquisitions, environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues, board governance and capital markets transactions.

Banks is recognized as a leading M&A lawyer by The Legal 500 and is recognized for both M&A and Capital Markets Debt & Equity by IFLR1000 2020. Banks has been shortlisted for the Women in Business Law Awards Americas, Corporate Governance Lawyer of the Year in 2021 and 2022. She was also named among the Top 100 Women Leaders of New York for 2021 by Women We Admire and the 2020 Notable Women in Law by Crain’s New York Business. Banks serves as the Vice Chair and Treasurer of the New York Women's Foundation and also serves on the boards of the Baruch College Fund and Mitchell College. Together with her husband, Mike Cioffi, she also is the owner of two popular casual restaurants in the Catskill Mountains in NY—Phoenicia Diner and Dixon Roadside—and is the proud mother of two daughters.

Trish Barber
SVP of Marketing, Presidio Federal

Patricia (Trish) Barber is the SVP of Marketing for Presidio Federal, a purpose-built and mission-driven IT services and solutions provider dedicated to serving the federal government. She has spent the latter part of her career in leadership roles with companies during transitional periods of dramatic growth such as product launches, mergers, spinoffs, acquisitions, and large government projects. Her 20 years in the DMV led her to establish 3WaysDigital, enabling her to partner with companies such as Presidio Federal to establish marketing operations and strategy.

She believes in channeling her energy into the professional development of women and girls as evidenced by recent board positions with Women in Technology and STEM for Her. Barber is the mother of three children, with her youngest just finishing her freshman year of college.

Dianne Batistoni
Partner, EisnerAmper

Dianne Batistoni is a Partner in the Insurance Industry Group and leads the Insurance Regulatory Practice at EisnerAmper, one of the largest business consulting firms in the world. The company is comprised of EisnerAmper, a licensed independent CPA firm that provides client attest services and Eisner Advisory Group LLC, an alternative practice structure that provides business advisory and non-attest services. Batistoni has over 30 years of professional accounting experience.

Batistoni was previously a senior manager at a regional firm where she was primarily focused on property and casualty insurance, insurance brokerage, governmental entities, and pension funds. She also spent time at Ernst & Young LLP as an audit manager specialist. In addition to her current roles, Batistoni serves as a member of the NAIC AICPA liaison committee. She is a Certified Public Accountant, Chartered Property & Casualty Underwriter, Certified Financial Examiner, and a graduate of Pace University. She is a mother and a new grandmother.

Sasha Begum
Founding Partner, Begum Pelaez-Prada

Sasha Begum is the Founding Partner of Begum Pelaez-Prada. She founded the company in 2016. Their firm represents companies of all sizes, from startups to multi-billion-dollar publicly traded companies, in a variety of areas, including human resources, shareholder agreements, cross-border transactions, mergers, acquisitions and joint ventures. They also assist clients with general corporate needs, including corporate compliance, general corporate planning, and representation, and have worked on the preparation of proposals for clients participating in public tenders for large projects in various countries around the world.

Previously, Begum was an associate general counsel at Cardtronics, and before that, an associate at Baker & McKenzie. Begum earned a JD from American University Washington College of Law, a JD from Universidad Alfonso X El Sabio, and an undergraduate degree in psychology and philosophy from Tufts University.

Stacy Benaderet
Vice President, AEG Presents

Stacy Benaderet is the Vice President of Sales and Marketing of AEG Presents. She first joined the company in 2008 as national group sales manager. AEG Presents is one of the largest live music companies in the world. The company is dedicated to all aspects of live contemporary music performances, including producing and promoting global and regional concert tours, music events, and world-renowned festivals. AEG Presents operates in North America, Europe. and Asia through 16 regional offices that support its tours which include such artists as Taylor Swift, Elton John, The Rolling Stones, Justin Bieber, BTS, and Ed Sheeran. They produce or support over 25 music festivals, including the iconic Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival and own and manage more than 80 clubs and theaters.

Previously, Benaderet was a renewal sales manager at House of Blues Clubs. Earlier in her career she worked with AEG as an account executive of Chicago Fire at TOYOTA Park. Benaderet earned an undergraduate degree in social relations and journalism from Michigan State University James Madison College. She is the mother of two children named Hudson and Harper.

Talia Bender
President, The Female Quotient

Talia Bender Small is the President of The Female Quotient (The FQ), an equality services company that provides thought leadership platforms for women and develops solutions for organizations committed to closing the gender gap in the workplace. In her role, Talia leads the development of innovative national and global partnership programs and campaigns, as well as thought-leadership initiatives for C-suite executives. Bender Small has been a cornerstone of The FQ community since its inception, overseeing a multi-talented team and client partnerships from Fortune 500 companies. She has dedicated her career to advancing equality in the workplace and building the first and largest community of female leaders at events around the world. Her work continues to be instrumental to building the first and largest community of female leaders at conferences and events around the world – including The World Economic Forum in Davos, and major tentpole events like Cannes Lions, Advertising Week, CES, and NBA All-Star.

Bender Small is passionate about increasing visibility, and leadership and entrepreneurship opportunities for women and underrepresented minorities. Additionally, Talia was named a Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Goalkeeper, has been instrumental in building the ANA #SeeHer initiative to accurately portray women and girls in media, and serves as an Adweek Executive Mentor. In 2021, she was named one of Forbes 30 under 30 in marketing and advertising. Bender Small graduated from New York University with an undergraduate degree in media, culture, and communication. She is the mother of a one-year-old.

Sharon Birkman
CEO, Birkman International

Sharon Birkman was named CEO of Birkman International in 2002. As the daughter of the founder and influential industrial-organizational psychologist, Dr. Roger W. Birkman, Birkman cultivated her expertise in human perception and organizational behavior through her lifelong interest in the company.

Birkman has been recognized with EY's Entrepreneur of the Year Award, the Women President's Organization's Economic Empowerment Award, Best and Brightest Companies to Work For, and Houston Business Journal's Women Who Mean Business Award. Women's Business Enterprise National Council named Birkman a woman-owned business. Birkman graduated from the University of Texas with a master’s degree in music and from Harvard's Owner/President Management program. She has three lovely adult daughters (the youngest launched her own successful design company in 2018) and five delightful grandchildren.

Elizabeth Bizic
SVP for Wealth Management & Senior Financial Advisor, Merrill Lynch Wealth Management

Elizabeth Bizic has been with Merrill Lynch since 1995, where she has enjoyed a career of optimizing her clients’ investments in support of their financial and personal goals. Bizic is a team leader who leverages the firm’s extraordinary research to identify investment opportunities tailored to each client’s specific objectives. She guides clients’ investment decisions implemented by the Greene, Metcalfe, Bizic, and Associates team. Many of her clients are long term, multi-generational relationships built on a foundation of exceptional performance and trust.

Bizic has lived all over the world, and earned an undergraduate degree from Virginia Tech in 1994, which she continues to support today. She is a board member of the Greater Reston Arts Center and is involved with The Kennedy Center and The Tower Project of the National Gallery of Art. Through Merrill Lynch’s sponsorship of The Economic Club of Washington, DC, Bizic engages with Washington’s business leaders and officials. Bizic enjoys traveling as well as spending time at home with her family.

Donna Bland
President & CEO, Golden 1 Credit Union

Donna Bland is the President and CEO of Golden 1 Credit Union. Golden 1 Credit Union is a financial cooperative that offers checking, savings, home loan, investment, insurance, and online services. Bland has 25 years in the banking industry. She began her career in 1996.

Bland currently serves on the Visa Senior Client Council, Department of Financial Protection and Innovation Credit Union Advisory Committee, the CUNA Credit Union Powers Subcommittee, and on the Board of Directors of the California Credit Union League and Greater Sacramento Area Economic Council. Bland graduated from San Francisco State University with an undergraduate degree in accounting. She currently lives in Sacramento with her husband and has two adult children.

Olivia Trivisani Bowker
Founder and CEO, Amivero

As the daughter of U.S. Foreign Service Officers, Olivia Trivisani Bowker lived in nine countries on four continents by the time she was 18. Her immersion in a diversity of cultures cultivated the values and executive skills she is known for today as Founder and CEO of Amivero, including empathy, resourcefulness, inclusion, patriotism, and forging connections with everyone she meets. Bowker opened Amivero's doors in October 2018, following a 15-year career in various GovCon roles. She coined the name by combining two Latin words - ami (friend) and vero (true) – planting the seeds of her firm’s culture of openness, engagement, empowerment, authenticity, and agility.

Bowker has created seats at the table for everyone. She puts people first, securing the knowledge that taking care of both Amivero’s team members and its clients’ needs results in better outcomes and higher satisfaction on all sides of the table. Only three years in, Bowker’s strategy is paying dividends. Amivero finished 2021 with 53 diverse employees and 76 total team members, two more prime contract awards, a healthy opportunity backlog, industry and client recognition, and new company-sponsored charitable giving and outreach initiatives that put values into action. Bowker is a mother to a six-year-old wonderful boy named Dean.

Teresa Boyd
Executive Director of Business Banking, Chase

Teresa Boyd began her professional career over 28 years ago. Today, she is the Executive Director of Business Banking with Chase. Their mission is to create engaged, lifelong experiences. They serve nearly half of America’s households with a broad range of financial services, including personal banking, credit cards, mortgages, auto financing, investment advice, small business loans and payment processing.

Boyd first got her start in 1993 as a retail banking manager at Bank of America. From there, she went on to Bank United, before eventually rising to SVP and business banking director at BB&T - South Florida Region, her most recent position prior to joining Chase. Boyd is the mother of two amazing young adults, Brian and Kayla.

Laura Brady
Founder & Chief Executive, Concierge Auctions

Laura Brady is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Concierge Auctions. She founded the company in 2008. Concierge Auctions is a residential real estate company based in New York and Texas. It auctions properties to the highest bidder and has worked with celebrity and business figures.

Previously, Brady was an associate at Sotheby’s International Realty, and before that, an analyst at Merritt Capital Partners. Earlier in her career she worked with Neiman Marcus as a buyer. Brady earned an undergraduate degree in business and marketing from Texas McCombs School of Business.

Caitlyn Brazill
Chief Development Officer, Per Scholas

Caitlyn Brazill is the Chief Development Officer of Per Scholas. She first joined the company in 2017. Per Scholas is a national organization that has been advancing economic mobility for 25 years. Through rigorous training and professional development, the company prepares individuals traditionally underrepresented in technology for high-growth careers in the industry. Brazill has more than 15 years of experience in the public and non-profit sector.

Previously, Brazill was an adjunct assistant professor of public administration at New York University, and before that, a senior vice president for strategic partnerships at CAMBA. Earlier in her career she worked with the Federation of Protestant Welfare Agencies as a senior policy analyst. Brazill earned a master’s in public administration from New York University and an undergraduate degree in sociology from SUNY Albany. She has twin sons and a daughter.

Dana Brody
Senior Vice President & Director, Marcus & Millichap

Dana Brody began her professional career nearly 19 years ago. Today, she is the Senior Vice President of Capital Markets and NMHG Director of Marcus & Millichap. Marcus & Millichap provides real estate brokerage, mortgage brokerage, research, and advisory services in the U.S. and Canada in the field of commercial property. It was founded in 1971 with the goal of being a new kind of company, one driven by long-term relationships and built on a culture of collaboration. Today, Marcus & Millichap is the industry’s largest firm specializing in real estate investment sales and financing, with over 80 offices and nearly 2,000 investment sales and financing professionals throughout North America.

Brody first got her start in 2003 as a business development director at CB Richard Ellis. From there, she went on to Grubb & Ellis, before eventually rising to become an SVP of capital markets at JLL, her most recent position prior to joining Marcus & Millichap. Brody graduated from Arizona State University with an undergraduate degree in broadcast journalism. She has two boys, Cameron and Colby.

Fiona Bruder
President of the Americas, George P Johnson Experience Marketing

Fiona Bruder is the President of the Americas of George P Johnson Experience Marketing (GPJ). She first joined the company in 2002 as the executive director of client services. GPJ is the world's leading experience marketing agency. They create ideas and bring them to life through integrated experiential programs that leverage digital, mobile, and physical brand activations.

Bruder has nearly 30 years of experience, almost 20 of which are with GPJ. Earlier in her career she worked with Knowledge Industry Publications as a conference director. She is an active member of the Forbes Agency Council and serves on the board of directors at Girl’s Inc. Westchester, an organization that supports girls to value, develop and discover their strengths while navigating life’s challenges. Bruder earned an MBA in marketing and an undergraduate degree in economics from Fordham University. She is the mother of three wonderful children: Conor, Bronwyn, and Declan. She’s proud of the young adults they are becoming and their confidence, independence, compassion and most importantly that they are good human beings.

Robin Cantor
Managing Director, Berkeley Research Group

Robin Cantor is a Managing Director at Berkeley Research Group, a global consulting firm that helps leading organizations advance in three key areas: disputes and investigations, corporate finance, and performance improvement and advisory. Cantor co-leads BRG’s Class Action Litigation and Environmental Advisory services. She co-founded BRG’s Women’s Leadership Initiative and, in 2021, received an Excellence in Leadership Award from Consulting Magazine for her efforts to grow the next generation of consulting leaders.

Cantor’s consulting practice focuses on economics at the interface of science and technology using rigorous evidence-based economic analysis for energy, environmental, product liability, and healthcare investigations. She is a past president and Fellow of the Society for Risk Analysis, a past president of the Women’s Council on Energy and the Environment, and a past president of the Matrix Organization, a business incubator for women and minority-owned startups. Cantor served as a program director at the National Science Foundation, taught in the graduate program at Johns Hopkins University, held senior research appointments at Oak Ridge National Laboratory where she began her career, and has served on more than 20 scientific review and advisory boards. Cantor joined other prominent economists and social scientists in a submission to the U.S. Supreme Court in Tyson Foods regarding the reliability of statistical evidence in class actions. She has published widely on economics, product liability, class actions, and risk management. She has a PhD in economics from Duke University and a BS in mathematics from Indiana University of Pennsylvania. Cantor is the mother to a 33-year-old son.

Cheryl Capps
SVP & Chief Supply Chain Officer, Corning Incorporated

Cheryl Capps is the Senior Vice President and Chief Supply Chain Officer of Corning Incorporated. She joined the company in 2011. Corning is one of the world's leading innovators in materials science, with a 171-year track record of life-changing inventions. They apply their unparalleled expertise in glass science, ceramics science, and optical physics along with its deep manufacturing and engineering capabilities to develop category-defining products that transform industries and enhance people's lives.

Capps first got her start in 1983 when she joined the Manufacturing Management Program with GE. She spent nearly 14 years with the company in various capacities before moving on to Bristol-Myers Squibb where she served as the senior VP of global manufacturing, her most recent position before joining Corning. Capps graduated from Rice University with an undergraduate degree in electrical engineering and psychology and from Purdue University with a master’s in engineering.

Kelly Carlton
Vice President of Global Talent Solutions, Randstad SourceRight

Kelly Carlton started her career with Randstad SourceRight over ten years ago as a Senior Talent Delivery Manager, was then promoted to Senior Director and last year was promoted to Vice President of Global Talent Solutions. With over 20 years of experience across multiple sectors, she is in a unique position to consult and partner with organizations to solve any talent acquisition challenges they may be facing, whether it's in the US, NAM or global.

Carlton has extensive experience in process review and improvement, program design, project management and implementation of technologies in complex talent acquisition solutions. She has vast experience working within highly matrixed Fortune 100 & 500 companies and through that experience she is able to quickly build trust, develop strong rapport, build relationships and leverage her strengths in technology, reporting and intelligence analytics to help her clients achieve their goals through a strong partnership.

Jennifer Carter
VP of Operations & Chief Compliance Officer of StandUp Wireless

Jennifer Carter has dedicated the last 10 years of her career to helping bridge the digital divide for low-income families connecting to essential broadband and telecom services. As Vice President of Operations and Chief Compliance Officer of StandUp Wireless, leadership depends on Carter’s compliance and industry expertise within the heavily regulated Federal Communications Commission's Lifeline service space.

Her extensive knowledge allows her to easily simplify and convert complexities such as federal regulations, compliance issues, and technical APIs into standard operational practices and procedures, making her an integral asset to StandUp Wireless' operations, marketing, and customer care teams. Carter is passionately driven and committed to ensuring that StandUp Wireless continues to connect hundreds of thousands of customers to family, employment opportunities, friends, and healthcare providers. Before joining StandUp Wireless in 2018, Carter served as director of compliance for two California-based mobile virtual network operators where she advised the executive team through challenging legalities of the Lifeline program.

Sandy Carter
Senior Vice President & Channel Chief, Unstoppable Domains

Sandy Carter is the Senior Vice President and Channel Chief at Unstoppable Domains. In this role, she is responsible for driving new partnerships and integrations for Web 3.0, Blockchain, and NFTs. Her mission is to onboard the world onto the decentralized web by building a digital identity platform.

Previously, Carter was the vice president for public sector partners at AWS. In this role, she was responsible for driving next-generation partnering in cloud, machine learning, IoT and blockchain, growing the ecosystem over 45%. Carter has been a founder and CEO of a startup, and in her last role at IBM, she ran the AI/ML Ecosystem on behalf of the company. Carter is the Chairman of the Board of Girls in Tech, and an adjunct professor at Carnegie Mellon University Silicon Valley. She is also the author of Extreme Innovation and the founder of Unstoppable Women of Web3 (WoW3). Carter graduated from Harvard Business School with an MBA in managing technology and marketing and from Duke University with an undergraduate degree in computer science.

Elizabeth Caulder
President & Chief Strategist, PHOENIX Lifestyle Marketing Group

Elizabeth Kemp Caulder has enjoyed an extensive career in the field of brand marketing. Over the past two decades, she has served in executive leadership roles at prominent agencies, providing brand strategy and marketing expertise to Fortune 500 Companies, Lifestyle Brands, Government Agencies, NGOs, and Non-Profits. This diversity in experience has precipitated her unique aptitude for the design of effective campaign strategy. Caulder was honored to support the United Nations by leading the design of the strategic marketing and communications plan for the High-Level Panel on Women’s Economic Empowerment. Responsible for establishing the brand positioning, visual representation, messaging strategy and tactical implementation plan for the UN HLP, Caulder’s team was also instrumental in the compilation and delivery of the report to the Secretary General. She recently addressed heads of state and dignitaries from around the world during the annual gender equity conference held in Scotland.

Caulder is passionate about issues impacting women, particularly Maternal Mortality and Premature Birth. She serves on the Board of Directors for the March of Dimes as both the Vice-Chair of the Board and the Marketing and Outreach Chair. Caulder is committed to inspiring support for initiatives designed to eradicate systemic inequity. She also serves on the National Board of Directors for the non-profit Vehicles for Change. Her commitment to community service is not new. She has been a member of the international civic organization, Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Incorporated for 26 years and serves on the organization’s International Branding team. As the President of Phoenix Lifestyle Marketing Group, Caulder serves as a mentor and advisor to young professionals around the globe. She is the mother of two wonderful sons and two brilliant stepdaughters.

Bridgette Chambers
Co-Founder, 2B Associates

Bridgette Chambers is an entrepreneur, educator, investor, growth strategist, and successful business author. In 2021, she co-founded 2B Associates, which accelerates ventures and acquisitions. Chambers past executive appointments include CEO of Constellation Research, CEO of Americas’ SAP Users Group, and Chairman of BGBC Management. Chambers is an expert in change and transformation, having led over a billion dollars in change and transformation related projects and initiatives.

Chambers is a faculty member with Mays Business School within Texas A&M University. Additionally, she serves as an advisor or director to leading growth firms where she works with other board members, investors, and key stakeholders on strategic initiatives. Chambers is a well-known keynote speaker who has shared the stage with Colin Powell, Lisa Leslie, Seth Godin, Michael Eisner, and other notable personal brands. Chambers is a proud Aggie and Executive Professor with the Management Department of Mays Business School at Texas A&M University and a frequent guest lecturer with Tulane University and Prairie View A&M University. Chambers received her undergraduate degree from the University of Houston, her MBA from Texas A&M, and her PhD from NorthCentral University. She proudly began her leadership career in the US Army Reserves and later the Texas Army National Guard. Chambers has two children, Matthew and Michelle, and two grandchildren, Parker and Kinleigh.

Rashmi Chaturvedi
Co-Founder & President, KAYGEN

Rashmi Chaturvedi is the Co-Founder and President of Kaygen. She has over 25 years of technology industry experience assisting multinationals with their business transformation initiatives. She co-founded KAYGEN in 2003 to assist businesses with their digital transformation initiatives by providing data driven solutions to customers globally. The inspiration for KAYGEN’s name came from Kaizen which stands for continuous improvement, and she embodies this business philosophy in all processes to create efficiencies in company operations and employee productivity.

An advocate for economic equity, Chaturvedi is passionate about helping women owned and diverse businesses get equal opportunities for growth and success. She serves on the Board for Women’s Business Enterprise Council West (WBEC-WEST), Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC) and the Transportation Business Advisory Council at Los Angeles Metro. Chaturvedi’s honors and awards include 2020 Outstanding CEOs by WE USA magazine, 2020 Women Business Enterprise STAR, 2018 Enterprising Woman of the Year Champion, and Women Who Rock. She is a graduate of Narsee Monjee College of Commerce and Economics in Bombay, India with an undergraduate degree in business and a master’s degree in computer applications.

Sarah Chavarria
Executive Vice President & Chief People Officer, Delta Dental Insurance

Sarah Chavarria is the Executive Vice President and Chief People Officer at Delta Dental of California and its enterprise affiliates including Delta Dental Insurance Company, Delta Dental of New York, Inc., and Delta Dental of Pennsylvania, which operate in 15 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. Chavarria brings more than 25 years of expertise leading people, communications, organizational effectiveness, change management and corporate strategy across multiple industries. At Delta Dental, she oversees a variety of key organizational functions including corporate communications, corporate social responsibility, business transformation, diversity, inclusion and belonging and human resources.

Prior to Delta Dental, Chavarria was the chief people officer at NantHealth. She also served in a similar role at Optum360, a joint venture between Optum and Dignity Health, and was VP of HR at Dignity Health. In addition, Chavarria has held leadership positions at Oracle, Medibuy and Levi Strauss. Chavarria received an undergraduate degree from the University of Texas at El Paso. She is the mother of three and a soon to be grandmother.

Srimal Wangu Choi
Chief Strategy Officer, TEC Solutions

Srimal W. Choi is currently Chief Strategy Officer for TEC Solutions, a specialized consulting firm that provides comprehensive advisory services to US Government research and development initiatives. Choi is responsible for business strategy and growth, execution, and customer relationships. She leverages her technical background to lead cross-functional and high-performing teams and deliver effective results. Previously, Choi served as business operations manager and systems engineer for Orbital Sciences, where she developed spacecraft and launch vehicles. She has held roles of increasing responsibility at Lockheed Martin, Redshift Technologies, and Booz Allen Hamilton.

Choi also dedicates her time to space advocacy, focusing on the importance of space and science education for the next generation. She graduated from MIT with degrees in electrical engineering, physics, and computer science. She also completed the International Space University Space Studies Program. Choi lives in Falls Church, Virginia and enjoys spending time with her husband, 15-year-old son, and 11-year-old daughter.

Odette Christie
Founder and CEO, OEC² Solutions

Odette Christie is the founder and Chief Executive Officer of OEC² Solutions, LLC, a human capital consulting, corporate training, executive coaching, and executive recruiting firm. She is an organizational development practitioner with over 25 years of experience providing services to managers, business leaders, and executives striving for excellence and leadership in their fields. Her expertise includes organizational development, talent management, executive development & coaching, diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Christie has a proven track record of leading organizations to success. As an executive in the field of organizational development, she has led and implemented a wide range of large-scale organizational transformational projects focused on performance improvement at the individual, team, and organizational levels in North America, Europe, Asia, Australia, Middle East, and Africa, across a wide array of industry sectors and business functions. As a trusted advisor and coach to several business leaders and executives across the country, Christie utilizes positive psychology to create sustainable transformational change.

Winnie Chu
Vice President of Strategic Alliance & Regulated Industries, AspireHR

Winnie Chu began her professional career over 26 years ago. Today, she is the Vice President of Strategic Alliance and Regulated Industries of AspireHR. AspireHR delivers the power of the Cloud and Human Experience Management (HXM) to help businesses create employee-first successes and next-generation HR experiences that empower individuals, simplify everyday processes, and enable leaders to make strategic, people-focused decisions that also improve the bottom line. AspireHR, headquartered in Dallas, is proud to be a WBENC-certified as woman-owned SAP SuccessFactors Gold Partner.

Chu first got her start in 1997 as an independent SAP HR consultant. From there, she went on to Sierra-Cedar where she served as an SAP HR project director, before eventually rising to become an SAP HR Global Manager at Cadbury Schweppes, her most recent position prior to joining AspireHR. Chu graduated from Schulich School of Business - York University. She is the mother of three boys and has one grandson. She is thankful for her children whose immense cooperation allowed her to continue her career while juggling motherhood.

Catherine Codispoti
EVP & Chief People Officer, Children’s National Hospital

Catherine Codispoti is the Executive Vice President and Chief People Officer of Children’s National Hospital. She first joined the hospital in 2019 as VP and associate chief people officer. Children’s National Hospital is among the nation’s top 10 children’s hospitals and is ranked No.1 for newborn care for the fifth straight year and ranked in all specialties evaluated by U.S. News & World Report. It is transforming pediatric medicine for all children. This pediatric academic health system offers expert care through a convenient, community-based primary care network and specialty care locations in the D.C. metropolitan area, including Maryland and Virginia.

In addition to her roles with Children’s National Hospital, Codispoti is a founding member of Chief, a private network designed specifically for women leaders to strengthen their experience in the C-suite, cross-pollinate power across industries, and effect change from the top-down. Codispoti was previously with Texas Children’s Hospital where she held several roles including VP, director, manager and administrative fellow within operations, finance, and human resources. She graduated from Wofford College with an undergraduate degree in biology with a concentration in pre-med and from the University of Oklahoma with an MHA. Codispoti lives in DC. with her husband Austin and their three children. She is fortunate to have an amazing husband and village to support her both personally and professionally so that she can accomplish her dreams of being a healthcare executive and most importantly, mother.

Connie Coulomb
Managing Partner, Coulomb Strategy Consulting

Connie Coulomb is a Managing Partner at Coulomb Strategy Consulting, a boutique strategy consulting firm serving the pharmaceutical and healthcare industries in the US and internationally. She also serves as Vice President at Biopharma Capital, LLC, a life sciences-focused investment banking firm. With almost 25 years’ experience, Coulomb has held leadership roles in the areas of finance, strategy, business development, commercial leadership, and general management in large, medium, and small biopharma companies, including Merck & Co., Amgen, Biogen, and Onyx Pharmaceuticals. She has also advised some of the most successful biotech companies in the world.

Coulomb started her career in life sciences at Merck in 1998. From there she went on to Amgen, before eventually rising to become a VP and Divisional General Manager at Biogen, where she managed a $1.5 billion business. Throughout her career, Coulomb has launched and/or been responsible for the commercial success of over 30 products in more than 40 countries, including the US, Canada, Latin America, Australia, Turkey, and Africa. Coulomb has led diverse, multi-cultural teams in five continents and across multiple therapeutic areas, including oncology, multiple sclerosis, cardio-metabolic, autoimmune diseases, COVID, stem cells, and medical devices. A native from Argentina, Coulomb graduated from the Stanford University Graduate School of Business with an MBA, and from the University of Buenos Aires with undergraduate degrees in administration, management, and accounting. She has a 9-year-old daughter, Catherine, and an incredibly supportive husband who has managed to be a very present and dedicated father.

Adrianne Court
Chief HR Officer, Tealium

Adrianne Court began her professional career over 30 years ago. Today, she is the Chief HR Officer for Tealium where she leads all elements of HR and culture programs globally, including talent acquisition, compensation & benefits, learning & development, health & wellbeing, diversity & inclusion, and employee engagement. Tealium is the leading independent Customer Data Platform (CDP) provider for global enterprise customers who recognize the need for real-time and actionable customer data solutions.

Prior to joining Tealium, Court was the chief HR officer for Alkami and was part of the leadership team to prepare for and bring them public (ALKT) in April 2021. Other organizations she has worked with include Caliber Home Loans, Jamba Juice and Transplace (Uber Freight). She graduated from Scripps College with a BA and from Southern Methodist University with a MA and completed course work toward a PhD in leadership studies at Dallas Baptist University. She is a co-author of Bravely She Flies, and is currently writing Conscious Culture: Think, Act, Connect to Inspire Uncommon Business Results. Court’s son is a student at Savannah College of Art and Design and her daughter is graduating high school and will attend Long Island University on a D1 scholarship playing ice hockey. She had a "bonus" daughter living in their household during this school year as well, a teammate of her daughter who also plays ice hockey. She has a multi generation of mothers living in her home with her mother and mother-in-law living with them as well.

Terah Crews
Chief Executive Officer, ReUp Education

Terah Crews is the Chief Executive Officer of ReUp Education. She first joined the company in 2021. ReUp is a tech-enabled solution designed to foster connections that guide, engage, empower, and connect with returning students to realize their college completion goals. At ReUp, they partner with universities to re-enroll students who have stopped out and support them throughout their return to school and graduation, ensuring successful student outcomes. They have helped ​over 400k+ students and recaptured over $44 million dollars in tuition for their partner universities.

Prior to joining ReUp, Crews was the VP of learning marketplace solutions with Guild Education, and before that, the director of growth with Sixup PBC, Inc. She is an education and workforce leader and has designed, built, and led multiple new ventures and divisions. Crews graduated with an MEd from Harvard University, from Brown University with a MA and from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with an undergraduate degree in psychology and history. She is a first-time mother turning 40 on Mother’s Day.

Ariel Dalton
Vice President, Away From Home of Danone

Ariel Dalton is the Vice President of Danone Away From Home. She first joined the company in 2009 as category analyst. Danone, based in Paris and founded in Barcelona, is a multinational food and beverage company building on health-focused and fast-growing categories in 3 businesses including essential dairy & plant-based products, waters, and specialized nutrition. With its ‘One Planet. One Health’ frame of action, which considers the health of people and the planet as intimately interconnected, Danone aims to inspire healthier and more sustainable eating and drinking practices. To accelerate this food revolution and create superior, sustainable, profitable value for all its stakeholders, Danone has defined nine 2030 Goals, and paved the way as the first listed company to adopt the “Entreprise à Mission” status in France.

In her role, Dalton is responsible for leading the convenience, drug, export, commercial restaurant, healthcare, travel & leisure, B&I, K-12, C&U and military channels. Previously, Dalton was a strategic sales coordinator at Valassis. She earned an undergraduate degree in journalism from Azusa Pacific University. Dalton is the mother of three. After struggling to conceive for years, she welcomed two children with the help of modern medicine and unwavering faith, and earlier this year was “surprised” with their third child conceived naturally.

Dessi Day
Partner, Greene & Roberts

Dessislava (Dessi) Day is a Partner at the law firm of Greene & Roberts LLP in San Diego, California. She represents employers in wage and hour class actions, wrongful termination, discrimination, harassment, retaliation, trade secrete disputes, and advises clients on California HR compliance, leaves of absence, accommodations, compensation, and employee separation matters. Over the years, Day has led a community of over 1200 employment and labor law attorneys throughout the U.S. and Canada, presently serving as the chair of the DRI Employment and Labor Law Committee. Day is also a past Chair of the San Diego County Bar Association Litigation Section.

A native of Bulgaria, Day relocated to the United States in her early 20’s to pursue her legal studies and obtained a law degree from the University of North Carolina School of Law where she served on the Editorial Board of the Journal of International Law and Commercial Transactions and was a member of the Moot Court Team of the UNC Trial Law Academy. She received her undergraduate degree in political science and management with honors from Guilford College. Day is the proud mother of two daughters.

Jami DeBrango-Palumbo
Senior Vice President of Client Services & Operations, Foundation Medicine

Jami Debrango-Palumbo began her professional career nearly 34 years ago. Today, she is the Senior Vice President of Client Services and Operations for Foundation Medicine. Foundation Medicine is a molecular information company dedicated to a transformation in cancer care in which treatment is informed by a deep understanding of the genomic changes that contribute to each patient's unique cancer. The company offers a full suite of comprehensive genomic profiling assays to identify the molecular alterations in a patient’s cancer and match them with relevant targeted therapies, immunotherapies, and clinical trials. Foundation Medicine’s molecular information platform aims to improve day-to-day care for patients by serving the needs of clinicians, academic researchers, and drug developers to help advance the science of molecular medicine in cancer.

Debrango-Palumbo first got her start in 1988 in management commercial operations at Limited Brands-Division of Express World Brands. From there, she went on to IDEC USA, before eventually rising to become a VP and global head of sequencing operations at Roche, her most recent position prior to joining Foundation Medicine. Debrango-Palumbo graduated from UC San Diego - Rady School of Management with an Executive MBA and from The College of Saint Rose with an undergraduate degree.

Sonia Delen
Senior Vice President, Bank of America – Global Leasing

Sonia Delen began her financial professional career 35 years ago. Today she is Senior Vice President with Bank of America Global Leasing, a division of Bank of America, the Fortune 500 multinational investment bank and financial services company headquartered at Charlotte, North Carolina. Global Leasing is the #1 leasing company in the U.S. (2021 Monitor 100 Special Issue, August) and a leading financial leasing company in the world, providing a broad range of advisory, arranging, underwriting and syndication services.

Delen sits on the boards of a state agency, non-profit organizations, and she is a published author. She was appointed by Governor Jerry Brown as a non-lawyer, public member of the Board of Trustees of the State Bar of California, the regulatory, disciplinary and admissions agency of the Supreme Court of California. She was the first Filipino American appointed to this prestigious agency. Delen is a co-founder and serves as president of the Filipino Food Movement (FFM), a non-profit corporation dedicated to promoting, preserving, and progressing Filipino cuisine in the mainstream US and globally. Recently, Delen coordinated the donation of 300, P Research Covid-19 Saliva Collection Testing Kits worth $2.85 Million to the UP-Philippine General Hospital in Manila. She lives with her husband Christopher Fitzsimmons and is the mother to David, a special needs adult; Justin, a lawyer, and Matthew, a U.S. Army Officer.

Laurie Dewan
Vice President, RVO Health

Laurie Dewan began her professional career over 25 years ago. Today, she is the Vice President of Insights and Communications at RVO Health, a partnership of Red Ventures and UnitedHealth Group’s Optum Health. RVO Health includes Healthline Media, the leading digital health and wellness property in the US, reaching the most people on their road to well-being. The company delivers expert insights with a clear, human voice through its content, communities, and services. Healthline Media connects its partners with more than 85 million people each month (ComScore, January 2022) across its brand portfolio (which includes Healthline.com, MedicalNewsToday.com, Greatist.com, and PsychCentral.com), and connects its audiences with solutions to help them live fuller, richer lives. Throughout its history, Healthline Media’s mission and vision have stayed constant: to create a stronger, healthier world.

Dewan got her start in early online communities at Fujitsu Systems Business of America, and has years of experience leading research-driven content strategies for major entertainment, healthcare and technology companies including BabyCenter, Electronic Arts, Netflix, Rdio and Warner Bros. Dewan graduated from Stanford University Graduate School of Business with an MBA focused on marketing and entertainment, and from Amherst College with an undergraduate degree in psychology.

Izella Mitchell Dornell
Vice President Executive Partner, Gartner

Izella Mitchell Dornell is a Vice President Executive Partner with the Gartner Executive Programs Service Delivery team, working extensively in the federal and public sectors and tribal markets. She serves as a strategic partner for federal, state, local, and tribal technology leaders, and CIOs, enabling their ability to successfully unlock transformative solutions for their respective organizational mission critical priorities. She is also the Americas Program Manager for Gartner’s Women CIO community. Dornell is an accomplished senior executive with a successful career in public service.

Prior to joining Gartner, Dornell was the deputy CIO for the U.S. Department of Commerce, where she was recognized for outstanding IT portfolio management and proven results across the department and among her peers in the federal government. Dornell also had an extensive career at NASA which began as a technical intern at the Johnson Space Center. While at NASA, Dornell held several progressive leadership roles in support of the Human Spaceflight programs, Space Shuttle, International Space Station and Constellation. She ultimately led the agency's transition of the Space Shuttle's annual multi-billion-dollar infrastructure/assets at the end of the program. Dornell was part of NASA’s senior management team that established the Exploration Systems Mission organization at NASA Headquarters in response to the Space Exploration Vision's Executive Order from the President of the United States. Dornell formal education includes an undergraduate degree in mathematics and physics from Tennessee State University, an MBA from the University of Houston, along with completing Harvard’s Executive Management Program, Penn State University’s Leadership Program, and Simmons College Executive Program for Female Executives.

Debbie Drury-Tyrone
Founder & CEO, Market Doctors Direct

Debbie Drury-Tyrone is the Founder and CEO of Market Doctors Direct, a full-service marketing agency based out of Houston, Texas. Market Doctors was founded in 1998, is a woman owned business, and provides traditional and digital advertising services to more than 350 enterprises nationwide. She has been a trailblazer and pioneer in automotive marketing. The results of her work over the last 20+ years gave way to the success of hundreds of dealerships. In addition, she leads a team of automotive marketing experts that provide innovative strategies for their clients. Drury-Tyrone also mentors women and men, guiding them through career path options in dealerships and the marketing industry.

Drury-Tyrone has also received numerous awards over the years, including Enterprising Women of the year, WBEA's Star of the Year, and Vendor of the Year (for 5-10 million in revenue). In addition, Drury-Tyrone is a Top 30 Influential Women of Houston winner and Honoree for Woman of the Year Enterprising Women. Outside of her achievements, Houston Business Journal named Market Doctors the 4th fastest growing business. Drury-Tyrone graduated from San Jacinto College with an undergraduate degree in business, management, marketing, and related support services.

Deborah Duffey
President & Chief Product Development Officer, Dermazone Solutions

Deborah Duffey is president and chief product development officer at Dermazone
Solutions, Inc. and Kara Vita, Inc., and is COO of NuVessl, Inc. Dermazone Solutions is a product development company serving the pharmaceutical industry along with brand owners in the medical aesthetic and dietary supplement industries. Duffey applies her experience in operations, brand development, patent, and formulation invention to develop category-defining products that enhance the health and wellness of people’s lives. Duffey is also the creator of Kara Vita, Inc. an anti-aging skincare company that guarantees results in two weeks or less by using its proprietary nanotechnology.

Duffey began her professional career over 30 years ago at Applied Strategic Planning, a Boston-based consulting group working on domestic and international commercial development. She was also previously the marketing and product development director at Fountain Pharmaceuticals, Inc. She is a business mentor to college graduates and international speaker in her profession. Duffey graduated from Stonehill College with an undergraduate degree in industrial psychology. She is the mother of two daughters, Alexis, and Ashlynn both USF graduates.

Robin Dufresne
Executive Vice President, CSG Government Solutions

Robin Dufresne is an Executive Vice President and the Director of Healthcare and Human Services for CSG Government Solutions. She first joined the company in 2012 as a principal and client executive. CSG Government Solutions is a national leader in planning, managing, and supporting complex projects that modernize the IT and business processes of large government programs. For more than 20 years, CSG has applied their expertise, innovation, and results-oriented mindset to government program modernization projects for more than 200 agencies across 47 states and territories. They provided multiple service offerings to their clients including project management, independent verification and validation, quality assurance, organizational change management, and strategy.

Prior to consulting, Dufresne was the Medicaid Operations Director for the State of Maine. In December 2021, Dufresne was appointed to the Advisory Panel for the University of Southern Florida MUSMA School of Business’ Digital Marketing Certificate program. The advisory panel is comprised of senior leaders with marketing expertise to enhance the program content. Dufresne earned a master’s in health care administration and management from New England College and an undergraduate degree in business administration from Nova Southeastern University.

Pia D’Urbano
Senior Vice President, Novo Nordisk

Pia D’Urbano has been Senior Vice President of the Diabetes and Obesity Commercial Marketing teams at Novo Nordisk since 2020 and is a US Executive member of Novo Nordisk since she joined Novo Nordisk in 2018 as Corporate Vice President, Biopharmaceuticals. At the time D’Urbano was responsible for leading the US Biopharmaceutical commercial team specializing in treatments for people with rare bleeding disorders, and growth hormone-related disorders. Today, D’Urbano guides the direction and alignment of marketing and sales strategies for Novo Nordisk’s innovative cardiometabolic medicines with the goal of improving access to treatment and care and strengthening understanding of these conditions among key stakeholders and customers.

D’Urbano has 29 years of healthcare business experience in primary care, specialty/biologics, and many diseases across multiple therapeutic areas. Her expertise spans in establishing new businesses, heading marketing and sales, new product planning, business development, strategic planning, and alliance development. Prior to joining Novo Nordisk, D’Urbano was member of the US Executive Committee at Sanofi and held multiple roles as VP and Head of US Public Affairs & Advocacy, VP and Head of US Dermatology and Respiratory Biologics Business unit. She also served as VP and Head of New Products Launch Unit, North America and Associate VP, Commercial Brand Head for the US Oncology business. Her leadership roles also included co-chair of Women Inspiring Sanofi Excellence.

Chere Estrin
CEO, Estrin Legal Staffing

Chere Estrin is the CEO of Estrin Legal Staffing and its medical records division, MediSums. She is also the President and Co-Founding Member of the Organization of Legal Professionals (OLP), an online legal technology training organization and originator of the eDiscovery Certification Exam (CeDP). A former administrator for two major law firms, she has held executive positions in law firms, litigation support companies and as SVP of a legal staffing division of a $5 billion publicly held corporation. She was the CEO and founder of the Paralegal Knowledge Institute, an online continuing legal education organization for experienced paralegals.

Estrin publishes the prestigious digital magazine, KNOW, the Magazine for Paralegals and is the former Editor-in-Chief of Sue, the Magazine for Women Litigators. She has been in the staffing arena for over 20 years placing high-level legal professionals including attorneys, litigation support professionals, technology experts, paralegals, administrators, managers, and legal service providers at AmLaw 100+ firms and Fortune 1000 in-house legal departments. She founded a successful California organization that she sold to a $5 billion staffing company and, as SVP, ran its national division. She is the Education Director designing, creating, and executing online, live training programs with an on-call roster of over 500 instructors throughout the world. Estrin is the author of 10 books about careers in the legal field including The Paralegal Career Guide 4th Edition; Why Traditional Legal Professionals Don’t Stand a Chance in Hell; Where Do I Go From Here? and written hundreds of articles. She is a well-known national seminar speaker and has been interviewed or mentioned by publications such as Fortune Magazine. Estrin graduated from Brighton University with a master’s degree in human resources development. She is a stepmother to two daughters, one of whom was just named Top 50 Women Leaders of Los Angeles.

Silvia Flores
Co-Founding Partner, Alder Koten

Silvia Flores is a Co-Founding Partner of Alder Koten, an executive recruitment firm. Alder Koten was founded in 2011 with headquarters in Houston, doing searches in the United States and Mexico and with partners in 28 countries. Her strength is recruiting people in the manufacturing, supply chain, and any industry sector at the executive level. Her studies as a mechanical engineer help her understand the needs of the client and the skills they require for the vacancy to be successful.

Flores is passionate about being able to support companies to bring people to their team that will help them innovate while opening the panorama of diverse candidates, making an evaluation unbiased. Flores is aware that to awaken that curiosity of diversity, equity, and inclusion, it is necessary to continue to advocate every day we should see all human beings for their abilities and capabilities and not for their gender, race, company name, sexual orientation, or neurodiversity, among other things. And that inclusion will happen when we don't think about our differences but about our similarities and how we can continue to help and grow continuously. Flores’s project's primary focus is developing the next generation of female STEM leaders and setting the inclusion of neurodiversity at work. Flores actively participates as a member of Conscious Capitalism in Mexico and the United States seeking to transform the way of doing business. She is also a member of global LeadHership, an initiative that brings together women entrepreneurs. Flores is the mother of two young gentlemen.

Missy Foristall
Chief Operating Officer, DEPT® Agency

Missy Foristall is the Global Chief Operating Officer of DEPT® Agency. DEPT® is a global digital agency, pioneering tech, and marketing to help brands stay ahead. DEPT® has over 2,500 digital specialists, spanning 30+ offices across 5 continents.

Before joining DEPT®, Foristall was a VP at IBM, first leading their 1700-person internal agency and then managing the digital design group and marketing platforms products. Prior to that, she led digital marketing groups at Martha Stewart and JP Morgan Private Bank. Earlier in her career she worked at Razorfish for 12 years, her last role being the Managing Director of the NY office. Foristall graduated from Hartwick College with an undergraduate degree in art history. Missy lives in Connecticut with her husband and two teenage girls.

Stephany Foster
SVP & Head of Global Human Resources, QIAGEN

Stephany Foster is the Senior Vice President and Head of Global Human Resources of QIAGEN. QIAGEN is the leading global provider of Sample to Insight solutions that enable customers to gain valuable molecular insights from samples containing the building blocks of life. Their sample technologies isolate and process DNA, RNA, and proteins from blood, tissue, and other materials. QIAGEN provides solutions to more than 500,000 customers around the world in Molecular Diagnostics (human healthcare) and Life Sciences (academia, pharma R&D and industrial applications, primarily forensics). Foster has nearly 21 years of experience. She began her career in 2001.

Before joining QIAGEN, Foster was a senior manager of internal audit at MorganFranklin Corporation. Earlier in her career she worked with PricewaterhouseCoopers. Foster graduated from the University of Notre Dame with a master’s degree and undergraduate degree in accounting. She is the mother to two fabulous kids, Brooke and Chase, who she describes as her “world”.

Alison Flynn Gaffney
COO, University of Utah Hospital

Alison Flynn Gaffney is the Interim Chief Operating Officer of University of Utah Health. She first joined the hospital in 2017 as Executive Director of Perioperative & Ancillary Services. University of Utah Health is Intermountain West’s only academic health care system, combining excellence in patient care, the latest in medical research, and teaching to provide leading-edge medicine in a caring and personal setting.

Previously, Gaffney was a Senior Vice President of Strategic Initiatives at GNYHA Ventures, and before that, a Senior Vice President and Healthcare Practice Lead at Giuliani Partners. Earlier in her career she worked with Beth Israel Medical Center as a Project Manager for Infection Control. Gaffney earned a graduate degree and an undergraduate degree in Health Care Administration and Management from Iona College.

Michelle Gervais
Partner, Blank Rome

Michelle Gervais is a Partner of Blank Rome. She first joined the company in 2015. Blank Rome is a law firm with 13 offices and more than 600 attorneys and principals who provide comprehensive legal and advocacy services to clients operating in the United States and around the world. Gervais co-chairs the firm’s Sports Law Industry Practice and advises high-profile athletes, celebrities, and executives, as well as businesses in complex disputes. Gervais handles highly delicate matters protecting her clients from serious financial and reputational harm.

Previously, Gervais was a Partner with Duane Morris LLP, and before that, a lawyer at Carlton Fields, P.A. Earlier in her career she worked with Young, Berman, Karpf & Gonzalez as a law clerk and lawyer. Gervais earned a JD from the University of Miami School of Law and a dual undergraduate degree in broadcast & cinematic arts and political science from Central Michigan University.

Jocelyn Getson
Chief Growth Officer, Bindable

Jocelyn Getson is the Chief Growth Officer for Bindable, the InsurTech leader for alternative distribution solutions, enabling organizations across all industries to drive revenue and build brand loyalty through digital insurance offerings. Getson’s career has been inspired by her ability to identify, build, and implement new products, revenue channels, and customer solutions for risk-based programs. She is a passionate and driven executive who thrives in the roles of change agent, respected thought leader, and valued advisor. The clarity of her vision is grounded in her astute focus on market trends, which has enabled the organizations and partners she has worked with to develop business development and growth strategies built for long term success.

Prior to joining Bindable, Getson held various leadership positions in the InsurTech industry including VP of enterprise at Corvus Insurance and head of small business strategy at Slice Labs, where she led the company’s first ever digital subscription cyber insurance product with AXA XL. Earlier in her career, she served as VP of partnership strategy at Centricity, a leading provider of insured extended warranty service contracts and administration. There, she developed and oversaw top-tier partnerships, innovation, and go-to-market strategy growing the brand to become a leader in the space. Getson thoroughly enjoys drawing from her extensive experience and participating in speaking engagements at industry events including the NAIC Insurance Summit and Intelligent InsurTECH Europe, and in various publications, along with Bindable’s in-house podcast, UNBIND with Bindable. Getson earned an undergraduate degree in business administration and marketing from the University of Arizona.

Lauri Goodman Lampson
President & CEO, PDR

Lauri Goodman Lampson is a business visionary who challenges executives to rethink their approach to how they communicate their purpose, how they gather, and how they work. She worked in the industry for 15 years, establishing herself as an executive leader before embarking on her journey as a mother. Juggling a career and a family has been both challenging and rewarding, making her better in both areas. Goodman is a mother of two teenage sons, who take after their mother by following their own unique paths based on their passions and talents. In both her career and her family, Goodman frames challenges as optimistic calls to action, leading her family, team, and clients to flourish and reach their full potential.

As PDR’s President and CEO, she is the mastermind behind the firm’s innovative business model and integrated approach to consulting, design, and brand services. PDR helps organizations simplify the complexity of workplace decisions, creating places and experiences that make people, businesses, ideas, and decisions better. In her own life, Goodman has lived out the reality that you do not have to choose between being a successful mom and being a successful business leader, you can do both. As a mother, designer, workplace strategist, and business advisor, Goodman has built PDR into the thought leadership platform and creative powerhouse it is today.

Ingeuneal Gray
Commercial Vice President, American Arbitration Association

Ingeuneal Gray is Commercial Vice President of the American Arbitration Association (AAA), a not-for-profit organization and the largest private global provider of alternative dispute resolution (ADR) services. Ms. Gray engages with business executives and counsel on ADR initiatives; and oversees the administration of large complex cases, the regional panel of arbitrators and mediators as well as the AAA’s national energy panel.

Ms. Gray is an Attorney-Arbitrator-Mediator with over 20 years of legal experience. Before joining the AAA, she was the principal of ICG Law Firm, which focused on transactions, compliance, conflict prevention and ADR in the areas of government contracts, commercial, construction, and employment-law related matters. Ms. Gray proudly serves as Co-Chair of the AAA’s Diversity and Inclusion Committee and is a member of the distinguished Texas Bar College of Legal Scholars. In addition, she is an active member on multiple committees with the American Bar Association, the Texas Bar Association, and the Houston Bar Association. She received her JD from Southern Methodist University School of Law and her BA in psychology from the University of Houston. A frequent speaker at legal and industry conferences, Ms. Gray is dedicated to educating on the benefits of ADR and increasing diversity, equity, and inclusion in the field.

Sylvia Guinan
First Vice President & Financial Advisor, Wells Fargo Advisors

Sylvia Guinan is a First Vice President and Financial Advisor at Wells Fargo Advisors in Essex, Connecticut. Wells Fargo Advisors, a subsidiary of Wells Fargo, is the third largest brokerage firm in the United States with $1.9 trillion retail client assets under management. Guinan has over 20 years of experience in the financial services industry.

Guinan spent her early career in marketing before moving on to become a financial advisor with Morgan Stanley Smith Barney, her most recent position before joining Wells Fargo Advisors. In addition to her current role, Guinan is an author, frequent speaker and on the board of trustees for the Williams School. Guinan earned an MBA and an undergraduate degree in marketing from St. John’s University and is a Certified Divorce Financial Analyst.

Nichole Hahn
SVP and Chief People & Diversity Officer, Valiant Integrated Services

Nichole Hahn serves as Senior Vice President and Chief People Resources & Diversity Officer of Valiant Integrated Services. In this role, Hahn leads Valiant’s global People Resources (PR) organization in support of Valiant’s 5,000 employees. She is responsible for global PR strategy and operations and attracting, developing, and retaining talent to build a globally diverse and inclusive organization. Hahn has over 25 years of success leading organizations to meet corporate objectives and customer requirements by developing leaders, influencing team direction, building talent pipelines, and managing organizational change.

Previously, Hahn spent 17 years at AECOM (now Amentum) in various roles of increasing responsibility, ultimately serving as VP of HR. In this role, she provided HR leadership to AECOM’s Strategic Business Units in support of the Department of Defense, Department of Treasury, Department of State, and the Intelligence Community. She has also held various HR leadership roles at Deloitte and Wells Fargo. Hahn, a certified Human Resources Professional, holds an undergraduate degree in journalism from West Virginia University and an Advanced Certificate in Human Resources Strategic Management from Cornell University. She is also a national member of the Society of Human Resources Management, the WashingtonExec Human Capital Council, Executive Mosaic, and the National Association of Professional Women. Hahn is the mother of two daughters.

Casey Halliley
Senior Vice President of Financial Education, Sqwire

Casey Halliley began her professional career 22 years ago. Today, she is the Senior Vice President of Financial Education of Sqwire. Sqwire helps low-to-moderate income families realize their financial promise through financial education.

Halliley first got her start in 1999 in Institutional Sales of Foreign Exchange at Citigroup. From there, she went on to Barclays Capital selling Structured Credit Products to hedge funds. After leaving Wall Street, she started Wealthology, where she created a program teaching financial literacy to students and professionals. In 2020 Wealthology was acquired by Sqwire, where Halliley currently works. Halliley graduated from NYU with a master’s in Public Finance and from Providence College with an undergraduate degree in Sociology.

Alicia Harkness
Partner, Guidehouse

Alicia Harkness is a Partner and the Leader of Guidehouse’s Health segment. She is passionate about positively impacting the healthcare ecosystem by enabling access to care; improving health equity and patient experiences; designing cost-effective care delivery models; and efficiently fast-tracking the release of lifesaving drugs and therapies to the market. Under her leadership, the Guidehouse Health team brings together clinical, operational, technological, and analytics capabilities and expertise from diverse commercial and public health backgrounds to solve the industry’s most complex challenges.

Harkness has served as the firm's diversity leader, commercial healthcare practice leader, and global engagement partner for key federal healthcare accounts, including the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. She has more than 25 years of consulting experience serving clients and growing high-performing teams. Throughout her career, she has also served the U.S. Military Health System, U.S. Department of Defense, U.S. Department of Education, state and local governments, for-profit education organizations, public and private colleges and universities, academic medical centers, and commercial healthcare providers. Before joining Guidehouse, Harkness was a partner at PwC where she led the commercial healthcare provider practice and grew the academic medical center and education advisory business. She was also a vice president at BearingPoint and partner at KPMG Peat Marwick. Harkness graduated from Lehigh University College of Business with an undergraduate degree in management.

Kelly Harris
Chief People Officer, Metro One Loss Prevention Group

Kelly Harris is the Chief People Officer for Metro One Loss Prevention Group. Metro One LPSG is the nation’s premier Loss Prevention and Security Organization. They are a rapidly growing organization focused on transforming the contract security industry with an environment that is dynamic and committed to “dedicated service delivery” to clients with a “best in class” employee experience for thousands of security and LP officers. Joining Metro One LPSG in 2020, Harris provides strategic executive leadership to the organization and leads the People Operations Center, human resources, talent acquisition, and learning & development teams. In addition, she spends time with Tarrant County College as an adjunct professor giving back to her profession by sharing her experience and teaching others about human resources, preparing, and mentoring them for future careers in this field.

Harris was with Brink’s Home Security as a chief people officer prior to joining Metro One LPSG and with ADT Security Services before that leading all of their field HR activities. She began her professional career in retail with JCPenney with over 25 years of experience in merchandising, operations, and human resources. Harris has a unique understanding of how human resources, customer service, sales and operations can collaborate to help maintain a competitive advantage in any industry. Harris has a bachelor’s degree in human resources from Lindenwood University and an MBA in human resource management from the University of Phoenix.

Marie Hattar
SVP & Chief Marketing Officer, Keysight Technologies

Marie Hattar is chief marketing officer of Keysight Technologies. Hattar is responsible for Keysight’s brand and global marketing results. She drives Keysight’s corporate positioning, messaging, and communications to internal and external stakeholders to create a competitive advantage for the company’s growth initiatives. Hattar has more than 20 years of marketing leadership spanning the security, routing, switching, telecom, and mobility markets.

Before joining Keysight as CMO, Hattar was chief marketing officer at Ixia and at Check Point Software Technologies where she reestablished those companies as leaders in their industries. Prior to these roles, Hattar was Vice President at Cisco, managing the company’s enterprise networking and security portfolio and helped drive Cisco’s market leadership in networking. Hattar also served in senior marketing and CTO roles at Nortel Networks, Alteon WebSystems, and Shasta Networks. Hattar received her master’s degree in Business Administration and Marketing from York University and a bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Toronto. She is the mother of two GenZ daughters.

Wesley Hauck
Vice President of Placement Programs, 2U

Wesley Hauck is a Vice President of Placement Programs at 2U, where she has spent the last 10 years overseeing over 70,000 internship placements for students in degree programs partnered with 2U. 2U delivers high-quality digital education at scale and partners with non-profit universities and corporate partners to expand access to world class online education. Uniquely, 2U is a leader in the industry for internship and clinical placement, where students in our 2U powered programs spend roughly 50% more time in the field than they do in the classroom. Hauck has had the opportunity to work alongside several strong female leaders to successfully navigate the complex and regulated world of clinical and field placement which has contributed to 2U’s industry leadership.

Hauck is an expert at building relationships and managing teams through creative and collaborative decision making. She oversees a team of 70+ placement specialists, managers, and directors who place students in social work, education, and counseling internships all over the country to achieve their dream of obtaining a master’s and giving back to their communities. Hauck is uniquely talented at communicating and collaborating with stakeholders all over the country to ensure their program's standards are possible at scale. Originally from Lexington, Kentucky, Hauck gained her undergraduate degree from Lawrence University and lives in Fairfax, Virginia, with her husband and twin daughters, Sloane and Violet.

Jan Helgeson
Managing Director, Deloitte

Jan Helgeson began her professional career over 25 years ago. Today, she is a Managing Director of Deloitte. Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited, commonly referred to as Deloitte, is a multinational professional services network with offices in over 150 countries and territories around the world. Deloitte provides industry-leading audit, consulting, tax, and advisory services to many of the world's most admired brands.

Helgeson first got her start in 1996 as an international HR senior representative at The Walt Disney Company before eventually rising to cross cultural trainer at Window on the World/FGI, her most recent position prior to joining Deloitte. Helgeson graduated from the Thunderbird School of Global Management with an international MBA and from Hamline University with an undergraduate degree in business administration and international management. She is the mother of three, Annika, Erik, and Alex.

Ursula Henry
Client Development Director, Prescient Holdings Group

Ursula Henry is a Client Development Director with Prescient Holdings Group. She has extensive strategic experience in business development and sales in the drug supply chain. She has worked directly with key stakeholders in the managed care industry including health insurance plans, pharmacy benefits managers, pharmaceutical wholesalers, and manufacturers; retail and independent pharmacies to build value based clinical, and rebate programs. She has participated in numerous industry events and discussion panels at several healthcare conferences such as PCCA’s Quality Symposiums, National Council for Prescription Drug Programs, Compounders on Capitol Hill, and various Compliance and Healthcare Programs.

Prior to working at PHG, Henry served as VP, Managed Care and Operations with ExEm Foam INC and has spent nearly 14 years in various roles at organizations within the Pharmacy and Managed Care fields. Henry earned a master’s degree in healthcare innovation and an undergraduate degree in organizational leadership with a concentration in operations management from Arizona State University. She is a member of multiple healthcare organizations including the American College of Healthcare Executives and the Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy.

Jonna Hernandez
Vice President of Sales, Arosa

Jonna Hernandez is the Vice President of Sales of Arosa. She first joined the company in 2020. Arosa is the premier provider of integrated care management and caregiving services. Their compassionate care professionals are supported and celebrated as they care for their clients and provide peace of mind for the whole family. Arosa believes that the highest quality in-home care can only be delivered by professionals who feel cared for themselves. They are dedicated in their efforts to attract, train, retain, and treasure the best care professionals. Arosa’s team-based approach allows them to not only treasure and support their teammates but to also offer their clients tailored, integrated support. Hernandez has been in the senior care industry for over 11 years.

Previously, Hernandez was a regional director of business development for the Southwest Region at Home Care Assistance, and before that, a director of business development at Caravan Operations Corp. Earlier in her career she worked with St. Elizabeth Healthcare as a director of marketing and admissions. Hernandez earned an executive MHA from USC Sol Price School of Public Policy, a master’s degree in counseling from Azusa Pacific University, and an undergraduate degree in speech communication and rhetoric from California State University, Fullerton. She has a 9-year-old son, Daxon, and a 6-year-old daughter, Darynn. Her biggest purpose is to demonstrate to her daughter that anything is possible and that a woman will never have a ceiling.

Kiryn Hoffman
Chief Advancement Officer, New York Hall of Science

Kiryn Hoffman is the Chief Advancement Officer of the New York Hall of Science. The New York Hall of Science is a leader in the science museum field, recognized for its highly regarded exhibitions, programs, and products. They have inspired millions of children, teachers, and families by offering creative, participatory ways to learn by encouraging people to explore their curiosity and nurture their creativity. Hoffman has 21 years of experience. She began her career in 2002.

Before joining New York Hall of Science, Hoffman was a VP and chief development officer at New York Academy of Sciences. Earlier in her career she worked with Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory as a director of major giving and capital campaigns. Hoffman graduated from New York University with an MS in chemistry and from Barnard College with an undergraduate degree in chemistry. She is the mother of two, Walter and Helen. She is fulfilled by both her career and role as a mother and has a strong belief that you can do both successfully.

Jo Ann Howard
Founder & President, H2O Partners, Inc

Jo Ann Howard is the Founder and President of H2O Partners, Inc. H2O is an industry trusted corporation with expertise in pre and post disaster consulting. Its clients are the federal government, state government and local communities. H2O’s mission is to improve response, recovery, and mitigation from natural disasters with a tailored, flexible, and cost-effective approach. The firm is a GSA certified Woman-Owned Small Business (WOSB) and a Texas-certified Historically Underutilized Business (HUB). H2O brings together an accomplished team of national experts who have provided leadership and technical support for many presidentially declared disasters. H2O Partners is headquartered in Austin, Texas with staff located across the country.

Howard is also the president of Jo Ann Howard & Associates and a former National Flood Insurance Program Administrator at FEMA. She is a frequent presenter at federal and state conferences on topics dealing with natural hazard and disaster topics, including flood insurance. She has received awards for her work with the ASFPM and as a Subject Matter Expert in the legal field for her contributions. Howard earned a JD from The University of Texas School of Law, an MS from Texas A&M and an undergraduate degree from Abilene Christian University. She is an active supporter of the Settlement Home for Girls and the Scottish Rite Hospital in Dallas as well as local charities. Howard is the mother to four adult kids and ten grandchildren.

Anne Hunter
VP of Product Marketing, DISQO

Anne Hunter is the VP of Product Marketing with DISQO. DISQO is a consumer insights platform that offers products that connect insights about what people think and do across brand experiences and consumer journeys. Connecting brand sentiment and outcomes from a single source, DISQO enables clients to more deeply understand their customers and create competitive advantage. DISQO’s platform is built on complete, permission-based consumer data. Hunter deploys her 25 years of experience in media and insights to drive revenue growth through market leadership for DISQO.

Prior to joining DISQO, Hunter was EVP for strategy and growth at Kantar and head of insights at AOL. Hunter’s influence has reached a global scale, including serving as Comscore’s chief strategy officer representative to the World Economic Forum. She also held VP roles in multiple start-ups with successful exits, including Real Media and TACODA. Hunter graduated from Barnard College of Columbia University. Her children are both a source of pride and wonderful teachers themselves as she uses lessons from being a mom every day with her work.

Monique Jefferson
Chief Human Resources Officer, New York Public Radio

Monique Jefferson began her professional career 25 years ago. Today, she is the Chief Human Resources Officer of New York Public Radio. New York Public Radio is America's most listened-to public radio station and the producer of award-winning programs and podcasts like Radiolab and On the Media. It produces innovative public radio programs that touch a passionate community of over 23.4 million people monthly on air, online and in person.

Prior to joining New York Life Insurance in 2009, Jefferson spent over seven years with Merrill Lynch in the Global Markets & Investment Banking division. She initially joined Merrill Lynch in 2002 as an HR associate. Before that, Jefferson worked at Bristol Myers Squibb pharmaceuticals as a sales staffing specialist and manager of leadership development. In 1998, Jefferson also worked at PricewaterhouseCoopers as a resource manager. She began her career as a financial auditor with Ernst & Young. Jefferson graduated from The New School with an MS in human resources management and from Bentley University with an undergraduate degree in accounting.

Misti Jeter
Black Pearl Technology

Misti Jeter is the President of BlackPearl Technology & Innovation, and Vice President of BlackPearl Engineering Management and BlackPearl Security. Co-founder of three BlackPearl companies, her background in Chemistry, pursued her Master's in Engineering Management from Purdue University and is fascinated how science and technology can solve problems.

From developing a patented multiple-effect water distillation system to supporting cancer research and awareness, Jeter is invested in finding solutions. Jeter is no stranger to adversity and brings a sense of tenacity and determination to all areas of her life. This has resulted in numerous awards and accolades for her over 20 years of work in many industries. She currently sits on the American Cancer Society Gulf Coast Regional Board. Always focused on innovation, Jeter worked on the first downhole survivable RFID tag, enabling readable data at temperatures of up to 200℃. Her valuable experience includes leading development teams and bringing a startup company onto the Inc. 5000 list twice. On top of acting as President of the company, Jeter is key in ideating hardware solutions through BlackPearl and the Interceptor product line. Her goal, whether through cancer awareness or role as Executive, is to make a difference for those around her.

Susanna Kass
Chief Executive & Sustainability Officer, InfraPrime

Susanna Kass is the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Sustainability Officer of InfraPrime. She first founded the company in 2020. InfraPrime is a company proudly providing affordable 24x7 clean energy data centers infrastructure; it won the Clean Energy European Award in 2021. The company provides carbon free data center offerings in global locations, the modular data center products for clean energy onsite generation at existing data centers.

Previously, Kass was an executive vice president and head of innovation at BASELAYER. Prior to that, she was COO at ebay International. Kass started the innovation division and led strategic development at NextEra Energy Resources. Earlier in her career she worked in executive roles with Hewlett-Packard Company and Sun Microsystems and managed the global data center operations. Kass received The Energy Fellow Award from Stanford University, an alumnus from the Graduate School of Business, she earned an MBA in international business management and entrepreneurship from Pepperdine University. She is the mother of two daughters, Bronte and Mirelle.

Roxanne Kemph
Senior Vice President in Brokerage Services, CBRE

Roxanne Kemph is a Senior Vice President in Brokerage Services with CBRE. She first joined the company in 2003. CBRE offers a range of integrated services including project and property management, appraisal and valuation, property leasing and sales, and mortgage and development services.

For the past 20 years, Kemph has represented landlords and tenants in the Tampa Bay area and throughout Florida. Kemph’s success has been in the repositioning and leasing of suburban and CBD office properties where recent transactions have included Cognizant, Baycare Healthcare Systems, McDonald’s and the Attorney General. She has also facilitated the repositioning of medical office buildings in the Tampa Bay area. Her leasing responsibilities have also included a Class A high-rise office building in downtown, San Juan, Puerto Rico. She is bilingual and an asset in the Florida and Puerto Rico markets. Kemph earned an undergraduate degree in business from the University of South Florida.

Kristina Kennedy
Chief Operating Officer & Co-Founder, Kickstand Communications

Kristina Kennedy is the Chief Operating Officer and Co-Founder of Kickstand Communications. She co-founded the company in 2014. Kickstand Communications is a full-service agency that's rethinking digital communications for high-growth technology brands. With offices in Austin, Boston, San Francisco, Denver, and New York, they help today's most innovative companies scale and successfully exit. From brand messaging and PR to research and digital marketing, Kickstand supports the market leaders of today and the visionaries of tomorrow.

Previously, Kennedy was a VP of marketing at Abine Inc., and before that, a director of marketing at Gazelle. Earlier in her career she worked with RF|Binder Partners as a senior associate. Kennedy earned an MBA from Massachusetts Institute of Technology and an undergraduate degree in English from the University of Notre Dame. She is the mother of three boys.

Andrea Kiehl
General Counsel, Metrc, LLC

Andrea Kiehl began her professional career 20 years ago. Today she is the General Counsel at Metrc, LLC, where she leads the company’s internal legal and compliance management functions. Metrc is the industry leading provider of supply chain management technology whose track and trace SaaS solution ensures the safety and security of the nation’s legal cannabis market.

Prior to joining Metrc, Kiehl was named Shareholder at two law firms, where she practiced everything from civil rights to products and premise liability to employment law. Kiehl served as the head of global compliance for a publicly traded company operating in 44 countries and has served as Senior Employment Counsel or General Counsel at 3 privately held companies in the Tampa Bay area. Kiehl has led due diligence and integration for global mergers & acquisitions on both the sell and buy side, covering over twenty countries. Kiehl’s proudest accomplishments include leading on a global company’s crisis emergency response team to rapid plan and navigate the disruption through the COVID-19 pandemic, leading to the largest revenue growth in the company’s history. During the pandemic, she also created a global Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Program. Kiehl made her mark in the company’s first DE&I leadership role by focusing on policy change, diverse talent development and retention, and education. Kiehl served as the President of the Board of Directors for the Sexual Violence Center, a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting and providing services to those affected by sexual violence. Kiehl also served for six years on the Board of Directors of Goodwill Industries-Suncoast. Kiehl professional achievements include being named a Minnesota Law & Politics Rising Star, and a Tampa Bay Top Corporate Counsel. Kiehl earned her JD with honors from the University of Minnesota Law School.

Allie Kirby
Owner & Principal Agent, Compass

Allie Kirby is the Owner and Principal Agent of Compass. Compass is a real estate technology company with a powerful end-to-end platform that supports the entire buying and selling workflow. The company delivers an incomparable experience to both agents and their clients all in service of the Compass mission to help everyone find their place in the world. Founded in 2012 by Ori Allon and Robert Reffkin, Compass now operates in 22+ regions across the United States. Kirby has 10 years of experience in the real estate industry. She began her career in 2012.

Before joining Compass, Kirby was a real estate broker at Keller Williams Avenues Realty. Earlier in her career she worked with Care.com as an early childhood care provider. Kirby graduated from the University of Kansas with an undergraduate degree in elementary education and teaching.

Chérie Kiser
Managing Partner, DC Office of Cahill Gordon & Reindel

Chérie R. Kiser is the Managing Partner of the DC Office of Cahill Gordon & Reindel. She first joined the firm in 2008. Cahill continues to be widely regarded for its prominent work in finance, litigation, corporate investigations, insurance, First Amendment rights, antitrust, and tax areas.

Previously, Kiser was a DC Managing Partner and Executive Committee Member at Mintz Levin, and before that, an Associate at LeBoeuf, Lamb, Leiby & MacRae. Earlier in her career she worked with Sprint as a Senior Regulatory Attorney. Kiser earned a JD from The Catholic University of America, Columbus School of Law, and an undergraduate degree in Speech Communications from the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities.

Elizabeth Koehler
Managing Director, BlackRock

Elizabeth Koehler is the Managing Director of BlackRock. BlackRock is a multinational investment management corporation based in New York City. Founded in 1988, initially as a risk management and fixed income institutional asset manager, BlackRock is the world's largest asset manager, with US$9.5 trillion in assets under management as of 2021. Koehler has 18 years in the financial services industry. She began her career in 2003.

Koehler first joined BlackRock in 2003 as a marketing analyst before moving on to sales and marketing. She graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with a masters in applied positive psychology and from the University of Virginia with an undergraduate degree in commerce. Koehler is the mother of two sons.

Aylin Korkmaz
Partner, EY

Aylin Korkmaz is a partner of EY. With more than 20 years of client experience covering all aspects of business transformation, Korkmaz is consistently engaged in complex and strategic engagements helping major corporations to identify performance improvement opportunities across their value chain. Working in Europe and the US, she has led complex business transformation programs enabled by technology for Fortune 500 firms in the technology, consumer products, advanced manufacturing, oil and gas, and life sciences industries. She is also a passionate champion of professional development and diversity initiatives.

During her career, Korkmaz has published numerous thought leadership papers. She is also the author of the award-winning book Financial Reporting with SAP and recently published her new book. She regularly presents at several world-renowned conferences sharing her financials and reporting/analytics knowledge. Korkmaz is building a better working world by helping her clients to position for the future by amplifying human performance with new technologies and an ecosystem way of working. Korkmaz graduated from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management MBA program, focusing on leadership, business strategy, finance, innovation, data, and analytics. She has an industrial engineering undergraduate degree from Bilkent University.

Musi Lee
JPMorgan Chase

Musi Lee is the Vice President of the Autism At Work Office of Disability Inclusion for JPMorgan Chase & Co. The Office of Disability Inclusion (ODI) develops and implements a comprehensive strategy to provide programs, products and services to meet the unique needs of the disability community in the areas of employment, acclimation and development, and small businesses in hiring a diverse slate, through various programs within the firm, including the JPMC Autism At Work program. As the Head of Autism At Work in Latin and North America Regions, Lee is responsible for creating and executing strategies to develop a talent pipeline for the individuals on the Autism Spectrum. Lee’s additional responsibilities include establishing partnerships with regional autism organizations, academia, research institutes and vendor relations; creating and driving efficient processes and helping augment internal recruiting and on-boarding processes. She also ensures best practices for training of managers, recruiters, and colleagues to support employees on the Autism spectrum.

Lee has been with the bank for 16 years and is a member of various Business Resource Groups at the firm, whose mission revolve around Employee Accessibility, Disability Inclusion and Diversity Equity Inclusion (DEI) efforts. Raising a son with a hidden disability during these unprecedented times of the pandemic and endemic of the social injustice has amplified her “why” in her profession, where her purpose and passion intersect. She is currently a PhD student pursuing a doctorate in public policy, concentrating in social policy.

Philippa Levenberg
Senior Vice President & Head of Digital, Qorvis Communications

Philippa Levenberg is the Senior Vice President and Head of Digital at Qorvis Communications, a global public affairs firm based in DC and part of the Publicis Groupe. She is a digital communications leader with experience conceptualizing and executing award-winning, integrated public affairs campaigns. Throughout her career spanning PR agencies, nonprofits, and media organizations, Levenberg has used a multichannel approach to grow and defend the digital footprints of brands and mobilize audiences on their behalf.

In addition to her roles with Qorvis, Levenberg serves on the Digital Marketing Advisory Council at the George Washington University School of Business. She began her career in journalism as a TV producer for the US Broadcasting Service, Voice of America. She earned a master’s degree in communication from American University in Washington, DC and an undergraduate degree in journalism and political communication from the University of Cape Town, South Africa. Levenberg is the mother of two, a three-year-old daughter named Simone and an infant son named Easton.

Elizabeth Loboa
Vice President for Academic Affairs, Southern Methodist University

Elizabeth Loboa has served as Southern Methodist University’s Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs since 2020. Loboa brings a distinguished academic record and broad university leadership experience to her role. At SMU, she has successfully challenged community members to establish academic priorities for the next 3-5 years that will allow SMU to reach its full potential as a premier research and teaching university with global impact. As the university’s chief academic officer, she is responsible for the overall quality of teaching, scholarship and research and all aspects of academic life, ranging from admissions and faculty development to supervision of SMU’s eight schools, library system, international programs, and SMU's eight degree granting schools.

Prior to SMU, Loboa was the 11th dean of the University of Missouri’s College of Engineering and Ketcham Professor of the College of Engineering. She served as vice chancellor for strategic partnerships. She was the first woman to serve as the College of Engineering's dean. During her decanal administration, she oversaw more than 140 faculty members and approximately 3,500 undergraduate and graduate students. Loboa previously served as associate chair and professor of the Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering at the University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill and North Carolina State University, and as a professor of materials science and engineering at North Carolina State University. She received both her PhD in mechanical engineering and her master’s degree in biomechanical engineering from Stanford University and earned her bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from UC Davis.

Nataline Lomedico
CEO & President, Giroux Glass

Nataline Lomedico is the Chief Executive Officer and President of Giroux Glass. Giroux Glass, a 100% employee-owned glass, glazing, and architectural metals contracting company, operates branches in Los Angeles, San Bernardino, Las Vegas, Fresno, and Phoenix. They hire Union-certified glaziers to cater to the needs of the commercial, retail, and luxury residential sectors. Since 1946, Giroux Glass has been recognized for their integrity and high-quality performance, exceeding client expectations and defying engineering challenges to complete the industry’s most demanding glazing projects. Lomedico has 32 years of experience. She began her career in 1990.

Lomedico has played a pivotal role in the success and growth of Giroux Glass. She has been the inspirational leader and driving force behind transitioning Giroux to the employee-owned company which it is today. Lomedico is committed to growing Giroux's status as one of the nation's most successful glazing contractors through her commitment to cutting-edge technology, top-quality service, customer satisfaction, and nurturing Giroux's strong culture of ownership. Before joining Giroux Glass, Lomedico was an owner at NL Consulting, and before that, an assistant controller at Lennar. Earlier in her career she worked with MedTox Associates as a general accountant and assistant controller. Lomedico graduated from California State University, Fullerton with an undergraduate degree in business administration. She is the mother of two teenage sons and stepmother to a son and daughter.

Patricia MacRae
Director, Point32Health

Patricia Macrae is a Director of Point32Health. Point32Health is the parent organization of Tufts Health Plan and Harvard Pilgrim Health Care, representing New England’s most iconic nonprofit health care companies. For nearly 90 years of combined service to their members and the community, together they are building upon diverse legacies and innovative collaboration by making it their purpose to guide and empower healthier lives for their members, no matter their age, health, race, identity, or income. Macrae has 34 years of experience. She began her career in 1988.

In her most recent role, executive director of enterprise modernization at Aetna, a CVS Health Company, Macrae was accountable for all facets of the program's strategy and planning. She is a member of Women United and was co-chair of the 2019 Power of the Purse. She is also a member of the Board of Trustees for Catholic Charities, the Archdiocese of Hartford, a lifetime member of Girls Scouts of America, and a member of UNICO National. Macrae is trained in Lean Six Sigma Black Belt principles and a licensed life and health producer in Connecticut. Macrae graduated from the University of Hartford with an undergraduate degree in marketing and business management.

Molly Malcolm
Executive Vice Chancellor Operations & Public Affairs, Austin Community College

Molly Beth Malcolm is a senior member of the Chancellor’s Cabinet and advises on a broad scope of complex issues impacting ACC and the communities it serves. She leads Campus Safety and Operations, with more than a dozen campuses and centers; ACC Police Department with 90 officers; Department of Community & Public Affairs; Truth, Racial Healing, and Transformation Campus Center; and International Programs. Malcolm represents the college and the Chancellor in the community, acting as a key point of contact to business leaders, government officials, international organizations, educational leaders, and the public. She advises the Chancellor on issues related to ACC’s partnerships in the community, including development, transportation, and economic partnerships. She also facilitates, in concert with the Chancellor, communication with the Board of Trustees. Since March 2020, Malcolm has led ACC’s COVID-19 response.

Malcolm has extensive political experience at the local, state, and national levels in elected and appointed positions, and she has coordinated various grassroots lobbying efforts at all levels of government. As an elected community college trustee, she was instrumental in founding the Community College Association of Texas Trustees. She is a life member of the Association of Community College Trustees. Malcolm earned her doctorate in education from The University of Texas at Austin. She is a Professor of Practice at The University of Texas Educational Leadership and Policy Doctoral Program. She serves as a Director on the Executive Committee of University Federal Credit Union. Malcolm is the mother of a successful daughter who is a smart, fabulous wife, mother, and attorney. She is also a grandmother to two wonderful grandsons, ages 8 and 14.

Stephanie Mango
President, CGI Federal

Stephanie Mango leads as the President of CGI Federal, a wholly-owned U.S. operating subsidiary of CGI, Inc., which serves CGI’s clients across the U.S. Federal Government. Mango has worked with federal organizations in the civilian, defense, and intelligence communities to improve operations through business and information technology solutions. Her focus is on leveraging innovative business models and solutions to drive efficiency, effectiveness, and desired outcomes for her customers.

A respected thought leader, Mango drives transformational IT through leadership in the American Council for Technology-Industry Advisory Council, Washington Executive, the Shared Service Leadership Council, the Professional Services Council, and the AGA. She is a founding member of the Chief Washington DC Chapter, a network that supports women leaders. Mango won a Pinnacle award for National Security Executive on behalf of her team’s delivery of innovation in cybersecurity and two Federal 100 awards for her advocacy of effective government. She was recognized as a finalist in the WeQual Awards for Leadership Excellence and inducted as a WeQual member. Mango holds a master’s degree in management of information systems and an undergraduate degree in accounting from the University of Virginia. She also holds certifications as a Project Management Professional and as a Certified Government Financial Manager. Mango is the mother to three lovely children.

Marie Marks
Senior Vice President, Paramount Pictures

Marie Marks is Senior Vice President of Themed Entertainment at Paramount, with responsibility for an iconic roster of Intellectual Property including Star Trek, Top gun, Mission Impossible, Nickelodeon and MTV. Paramount’s brands reach audiences via movies, stage musicals, theme parks, immersive experiences, branded restaurants, and hotels. Since joining Paramount Pictures in 2019, Marks has successfully signed a multitude of global licensing contracts, generating over $280 Million USD in licensing and design fees for the company. With responsibility spanning all aspects of the business, Marks has worked closely with the EVP of the group to develop better continuity between the business, legal, compliance and finance units, restructuring legacy projects and systems to better serve the evolving landscape.

Marks is a dynamic and creative, multi award winning businesswoman, whose accolades include ‘Young Entrepreneur of The Year’. She has been a judge for the Chamber of Commerce Awards and for the Stevie Awards. Marks is a mentor for IAAPA’s Young Executive Program, and in the UK was an active participant in Prince Charles’ ‘Business Master Class program’, an enterprising charitable foundation fronted by preeminent business leader Allan Leighton. She has a thorough comprehension of the fundamentals of entertainment having had a successful career in the music industry in business strategy, promotion, and artist representation. From the age of 16 she was a talented performer and has worked alongside Sir Bob Geldof, Ronnie Wood and even shared the stage with Bono. Marks is the mother to a four-year-old son.

Maureen Martin
Vice President of Client Retention & Strategy, Dynatron

Maureen Martin is the Vice President of Client Retention & Strategy for Dynatron Software. She first joined the company in 2020 as director of strategy and business development. Dynatron software is the premier provider of automotive fixed operations data analytics, comparative insights, and expert coaching that drive quantifiable and sustainable ROI. They are changing the way that automotive dealerships look at their service department profitability and revenue streams. The company is laser focused on smart, easy, profit driven solutions for fixed operations and uncovering hidden opportunities for their over 2,500 dealership clients.

Martin has been recognized for over 35 years in automotive for cultivating strategic B2B relationships and transforming the client experience by harnessing the power of people, technology-enabled solutions and the women's market. Previously, Martin was a VP of strategic alliances at PRiME Women Media, senior director of alliances and national accounts for Service Repair Solutions and MPi, and before that a strategy and change management consultant as owner of AutoVisionary! Inc. Earlier in her career she worked with Ford Motor Company as a senior manager. Martin throughout her career has served her community in non-profit leadership service for organizations like Girls Inc, Junior League of Dallas, Young Men's Service League, Girls Scouts, and Lewisville Independent School District. In the automotive industry Martin continues to be an advocate for performance, inclusion, and diversity and has served in leadership for Automotive Women's Alliance Foundation, Women's Automotive Association International, and Automotive Women's Network. Martin earned an undergraduate degree in marketing and computer information systems from Western Michigan University. She is the mother to triplets who are finishing their freshman year of college this month.

Archie Mayani
SVP & Chief Product Officer, Change Healthcare

Archie Mayani is the SVP and Chief Product Officer leading Change Healthcare’s Decision Support business. Change Healthcare is an independent healthcare technology providing data and analytics-driven solutions to improve clinical and patient engagement outcomes in the U.S. healthcare system. In her role, Mayani provides product leadership for global teams delivering evidence-based clinical content through a unified technology platform to payors and providers to drive value-based care. She is passionate about healthcare and global health issues and has devoted more than 20 years to the field.

Prior to her current role, Mayani served as the Head for Product and Content Operations at Amazon, the VP/GM for Optum Prevention Business in North America and Global Markets and the senior director for Medicaid for Optum Population Health Management. She started her career as a biomedical engineer developing an image-guided spinal surgery application. She progressed through diverse product and business roles at GE Healthcare, Philips Healthcare, and Milliman Care Guidelines. An inclusive and inspirational leader, she is driven by the purpose of healthcare. An engaging orator, she has spoken at healthcare conferences and forums around the world. She has evangelized healthcare products, influenced local and state-level healthcare reform policies, and podcasted on innovations that leverage technology to improve human health and wellbeing. She holds patents in areas of Image Processing and has been featured in various scientific journals and publications. Mayani earned her master’s degree in biomedical engineering from the University of Florida, and her MBA in mergers and acquisitions from the University of Warwick, UK. She sits on the Board of National Diversity Council and is committed to promoting women of color in leadership. Mayani is the mother of two children that she describes as her source of joy. They deeply inspire her leadership style and ambition. She aspires to make them proud of her while raising them to be resilient and compassionate human beings.

Deirdre McCready
Executive Vice President of Sales & Special Events, Live Nation Entertainment

As Executive Vice President of Sales and Special Events at Live Nation, Deirdre McCready leads strategic planning, budget development, and the evolutions of business initiatives and programs for the National Special Events division. She is responsible for driving and managing the overall sales growth of the Special Events business at Live Nations’ 150+ venues, amphitheaters, club, and theaters. As one of the industry’s top talents for the last 20 years, she uses her creativity, expertise, and finesse to ensure her team exceeds expectations.

Before joining Live Nation Entertainment, McCready was a VP of special events at SBE Entertainment, and before that, a brand marketing and event producer at The Hollywood Reporter. Earlier in her career she worked with The Key Marketing Group as a special event coordinator. McCready graduated from San Diego State University with an undergraduate degree in psychology.

Michelle Medina
Interim Chief of Population Health, Director, & Staff Physician, Cleveland Clinic Community Care

Michelle Medina currently serves as the Interim Chief of Population Health, Director, and Staff Physician of Cleveland Clinic Community Care. Cleveland Clinic Community Care offers high quality, patient-centered primary care. Their dedicated care teams provide healthcare for all ages, from newborns to older adults.

Prior to her current roles Medina served in several other roles with Cleveland Clinic including Associate Chief of Clinical Operations and Regional Medical Director. She also spent several years as the Medical Director of Elmore Community Rural Health Clinic. Medina is a graduate of the University of the Philippines College of Medicine.

Lynn Mestel
Founder, Hire Counsel

Lynn Mestel began her professional career nearly 35 years ago. Today, she is the Founder and Non-Executive Chairman of Hire Counsel. Hire Counsel, an HCMC Legal Company, is the national leader in legal staffing, eDiscovery services, and project management. As a staffing company dedicated to the legal industry, they have a strong reputation and client network, allowing them to access the best legal career opportunities available with law firms, corporations, and government agencies across the US.

Mestel graduated from Yeshiva University - Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law with a JD and from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University with an undergraduate degree in American history. Mestel has been married for 30 years and is the mother of two daughters, a son, one daughter-in-law, one son-in-law, one fiancé, three granddaughters, and one grandson.

Donna Mikulecky
Chief Financial & Operating Officer, Vision Source

Donna Mikulecky is the Chief Financial and Operating Officer of Vision Source. She first joined the company in 2017 as SVP of professional development. Founded in 1991, Vision Source is a family of over 3,200 locally owned practices and more than 4,600 doctors collaborating to provide quality professional eye care and to support the long-term success of independent optometry. Vision Source clinicians treat an estimated 16 million patients every year.

Previously, Mikulecky was an independent healthcare consultant, and before that, a president at CHRISTUS Provider Network. Earlier in her career she worked with KPMG as a senior auditor. Mikulecky earned an undergraduate degree in accounting from The University of Texas at Austin. While Mikulecky's career is incredibly important to her, her true blessing in life is being a mother. She is the very proud mother of two amazing children: daughter, Taylor Grace, a junior at UT McCombs Business School and son, Trey, a Freshman at A&M Mays Business School. Mikulecky loves serving as a role model for other women, as well as her own daughter and son, to show you can have a successful career and be an involved mom.

Jessica Miley
Chief Operating Officer, Children's National Hospital Foundation

Jessica Miley is the Chief Operating Officer at Children’s National Hospital Foundation in Washington, DC. She leads strategic development of philanthropic giving for a $1B pediatric hospital and research enterprise ranked among the top-ten in the United States. She is an accomplished hospital executive with a proven record in developing and implementing transformational strategic initiatives and leads Children’s $500M comprehensive campaign, follow the leader.

Miley works with business leaders and others who share an interest in improving children’s health globally. She is an influencer skilled at communicating complex ideas and initiatives to diverse audiences with the goal of inspiring philanthropic support. She has spent her entire career in nonprofit management, increasing organizations’ revenues by uniting philanthropists to advance priorities. She has a successful track record of building, mentoring, and motivating high performing teams in complex institutions. Previously, Miley served as a senior director of international development at Boston Children’s Hospital. She also led teams at the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation national headquarters in New York, NY. She graduated summa cum laude from the University of Pittsburgh and went on to the university’s Graduate School of Public and International Affairs.

Jennifer Miller
General Counsel & Chief Legal Officer, Starship

Jennifer Miller is the General Counsel and Chief Legal Officer of Starship Technologies, having joined the company in 2021, and is also the proud mom to two extraordinary teenage sons and a standard poodle. Miller's current company, Starship, is revolutionizing last mile delivery through its fleet of autonomous robots that are designed to deliver food, groceries and packages across college campuses and neighborhoods in minutes. To date, Starship’s delivery robots have completed over 2 million autonomous deliveries, traveled 3 million miles, crossed over 17 million roads, and met millions of people in cities around the world. Miller is a business-focused legal executive with a unique blend of experience working with fast-paced and disruptive global software, hardware, and services businesses, often with unique regulatory challenges and significant M&A, IPO, sale and/or investment activity.

Prior to Starship, Miller served as the general counsel and head of regulatory and government affairs for Loon, the Alphabet Moonshot Company. Prior to Loon, she held roles of increasing responsibility at Cisco, HP and Gigamon. She seeks out and thrives at companies undergoing explosive worldwide growth while developing innovative and disruptive technologies and is an active community volunteer and regular public speaker on panels and podcasts alike. Miller has been recognized by her peers for her achievements and was also honored in 2019 as one of the Top Women in Technology by the National Diversity Council and was selected in 2017 as Corporate Counsel of the Year by the Silicon Valley Business Journal. Miller earned a JD in law from Georgetown University Law Center, an MA in political management from The George Washington University and an undergraduate degree in politics and religion from Mount Holyoke College.

Sharon Miller
President of Small Business & Head of Specialty Banking and Lending, Bank of America

Sharon Miller is the President of Small Business and Head of Specialty Banking and Lending for Bank of America. Her roles include overseeing consumer vehicle lending and the lending officers dedicated to supporting Merrill Lynch Wealth Management and Private Bank clients. In addition, she is a member of the company’s management operating committee. Miller’s team provides a full range of financial products and services to ensure business owners, wealth management clients and consumers receive the industry’s leading client experience via a nationwide network of lending and banking professionals and award-winning digital capabilities.

Under her leadership, Bank of America has been recognized as the #1 small business lender and has consistently retained and grown its #1 business deposit market share. During her tenure, small business has been recognized as the best digital platform for entrepreneurs with the highest digital adoption amongst clients in the industry. Miller has been named to American Banker’s “Most Powerful Women to Watch in Banking” for the last three consecutive years. She appears regularly on national and local media to discuss the state of the U.S. small business market and advocates for the nation’s entrepreneurs as the engine that drives the U.S. economy.

Valerie Red-Horse Mohl
Chief Financial Officer, East Bay Community Foundation

Valerie Red-Horse Mohl, of Cherokee ancestry, is the Chief Financial Officer of East Bay Community Foundation, where she leads initiatives on impact investing, racial equity, and social justice. East Bay Community Foundation partners with donors, social movements, and the community to eliminate structural barriers, advance racial equity, and transform political, social, and economic outcomes for all who call the East Bay home. Red-Horse Mohl has over 26 years of experience. She began her career in 1996.

In addition to her roles with East Bay Community Foundation, Red-Horse Mohl is also a co-founder of Known Holdings, a financial services platform focused on equitable distribution of assets, and CEO and founder of Red-Horse Financial Group where she holds seven FINRA registrations. Additionally, she is the CEO and founder of Red-Horse Native Productions, a film and television production company. Red-Horse Mohl serves as the Board Chair of the Center for Comparative Studies in Race and Ethnicity and teaches two courses on Entrepreneurship for Racial Equity at Stanford University. She serves as Board Chair for both Intentional Endowments Network, and the National Boys and Girls Clubs Native Services; and is Board Co-Chair of American Sustainable Business Network. Red-Horse Mohl earned an undergraduate degree with Cum Laude honors from the University of California, Los Angeles. She is the mother of three.

Mariana Monteiro
Head of Global Workforce Diversity, Raytheon Technologies

Mariana Monteiro is the Head of Global Workforce Diversity in Raytheon Technologies. She first joined the company in 2021. Raytheon Technologies Corporation is an aerospace and defense company that provides advanced systems and services for commercial, military and government customers worldwide. It includes four industry-leading businesses - Collins Aerospace, Pratt & Whitney, Raytheon Intelligence & Space and Raytheon Missiles & Defense.

Prior to her current role, Monteiro led the DE&I function in Otis Elevators, and before that, she worked as a consultant supporting Blackstone and Thomson Reuters in change management and organization optimization at Refinitiv. Monteiro had a long and prolific career in General Electric, where she held multiple roles including HR business partner and compliance leader and the Center of Excellence executive leader for DE&I. Monteiro received her JD at La Plata National University and an MBA from the Krannert School of Management at Purdue University. She has three strong girls that keep her inspired.

Irlanda Montes
Founder & President, Chicas Brand

Irlanda Montes is the Founder and President for Chicas Brand, a brand of home style and authentic tortilla chips and salsas. As founder of the brand, she spent the last 10 years creating and building a new brand of tortilla chips that boomed in a market that was already very saturated. As a start-up, Montes oversaw all the operations and growth of her company. Today, Chicas Brand is now a part of the Benestar Brands family, and she continues to be a key player in commercializing the brand and providing leadership as president. Montes is the mother of five. Two of her daughters work alongside her with Chicas Brand.

Meredith Mouer
Senior Vice President, Tellurian Inc.

Meredith Mouer began her professional career over 26 years ago. She serves as Senior Vice President, Deputy General Counsel and Corporate Secretary at Tellurian Inc., a Houston-based company developing a portfolio of natural gas, LNG marketing and infrastructure assets. She joined the company five years ago.

Prior to joining Tellurian, Mouer was a partner in the corporate securities section at the law firm of Andrews Kurth LLP since 2003. Mouer has been committed to the advancement of women lawyers for over 20 years. She is a founding member of the UT Center for Women in Law and, together with the managing partner of Andrews Kurth, served as co-chair of Andrews Kurth’s Women’s Initiative Team for over a decade. Since 2015, Mouer has served on the board of directors of SEARCH Homeless Services, a Houston-based non-profit organization leading the region’s fight against homelessness. She graduated from Vanderbilt University with an undergraduate degree in public policy and from the University of Texas School of Law with a JD.

Kellyn Muller
General Counsel, International Materials

Kellyn J.W. Muller is the General Counsel at International Materials, (IMI), where she leads the company’s internal legal and risk management functions related to contract, claim and compliance management, international growth opportunities, business partnerships, and joint ventures. IMI, founded in 1987, is one of the leading independent bulk raw material trading companies in the world with $2 billion in revenue.

Prior to joining IMI, Muller was with Cozen O’Connor for 13 years in several capacities, including Member and Non-Equity Partner and Office Managing Partner Vice Chair in West Palm Beach, Fla. In addition to stellar career accomplishments throughout more than two decades, Muller continues to make her mark in professional roles as well. She is currently president of the International Materials Foundation and a founding member of CHIEF, a private network designed to drive more women into positions of power and keep them there. Her professional achievements include being named a “Pennsylvania Super Lawyer - Rising Star” for three years, and a Florida Super Lawyer - Rising Star,” both distinctions in insurance coverage. Muller earned an undergraduate degree (cum laude) from Rowan University and a JD with honors from Rutgers University School of Law. While at Rutgers, she received several honors and distinctions, including the 2001 Atlantic Region Philip C. Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition oral advocacy and appellate brief award, and she was selected as an extern for the Honorable Joseph H. Rodriguez, Senior Judge in the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey. Muller is the mother to a 16-year-old daughter named Alexa.

Heather Murphy
Owner & Operator, Texas Doghouse

Heather Murphy is the Owner and Operator of Texas Doghouse near The Woodlands, TX, a family owned and operated dog daycare and boarding facility, since September 2011. Murphy developed the business platform with her husband of 25 years and together they facilitate and oversee all operations, while she independently produces and manages all of her own business marketing, graphic designs, and website design. The mission of Texas Doghouse is to provide dogs with a fun, safe, clean, and caring place to stay and play in a family environment. Murphy and her husband created the company at a time when access to such a resource for pet boarding was limited in location, and the services provided were limited in value. Texas Doghouse was the first non-traditional, social daycare and boarding facility in the north Houston area. They have been consecutively awarded Best of The Woodlands since 2016, as well as Texas Best Dog Daycare of Houston since 2017.

Murphy spent the previous 15 years supporting her husband’s Allstate property claims business as administrative assistant for catastrophe insurance adjustments while raising and full-time teaching their 3 children. She grew up locally in The Woodlands area before moving to Cleveland, TX in the 9th grade. Her children were 14, 12, and 11 when she opened her business over ten years ago.

Suzanne Murtha
Global Lead for Connected and Automated Technology, AECOM

Suzanne Murtha is the Global Lead for Connected and Automated Technology at AECOM. She is based in Mount Vernon, Virginia. She is on the board of directors of the OmniAir Consortium, a trade association that advocates for the development and promotion of certification for the intelligent transportation industry as well as the board of directors for AUVSI, a trade association dedicated to the promotion of the deployment of automated vehicles across all modes of transportation and logistics. Murtha is dedicated to improving transportation safety and mobility and is the chair for the ITS America eVTOL Task Force and the AUVSI AV Goods Movement Task Force.

As 26-year veteran of the transportation industry, Murtha has a background in advanced automotive technologies including deployments of connected and automated vehicles, smart cities, big data and most recently eVTOLs. She has worked with the international transport community and industry on advanced research, standards development, and certification processes. She has supported large-scale program management contracts and evaluation efforts for federal, state, local, and private clients. Murtha graduated from Villanova University with an undergraduate degree in philosophy and business.

Micaela Ochoa
Vice President, College of San Mateo

Micaela Ochoa has over 25 years of experience working at federal, state, and local levels of government, and in the private sector. She is an experienced leader in higher education and K-12 public school districts with equity, diversity, and inclusion at the forefront of her decision making. Her expertise includes almost 20 years of senior cabinet level experience responsible for business and administrative services and operations, financial management, policy review and analysis, student services, strategic planning, and business process re-engineering. Ochoa provides systemic strategic leadership that is collaborative, results-oriented, transparent, and student equity focused. Currently, Ochoa is the Vice President of Administrative Services (VPA) at the College of San Mateo (CSM). During her time at CSM, she has served in dual roles as VPA and Vice President of Student Services overseeing multiple areas including Admissions and Records; Wellness Center; Financial Aid; Veterans Program; Response and Evaluation of Students (CARES) team; and as the Student Disciplinary Officer.

Prior to her current role at CSM, she was Deputy Superintendent, Interim Superintendent, Chief Business Official/Assistant Superintendent of Business Services in K-12 school districts in Alameda, San Mateo, and Santa Clara Counties. She has also taught in higher education at Notre Dame de Namur University. Prior to her work in K-12, Ochoa served as an administrator in higher education at Stanford University and UC Berkeley. She also worked as a management consultant for KPMG Consulting, and Fiscal and Policy Analyst for the Legislative Analyst’s Office. Ochoa earned her Doctorate Degree from UC Berkeley’s Graduate School of Education, a master’s degree from Carnegie Mellon University, and an undergraduate degree from UC Berkeley.

Kelly Oliphant
VP of Organizational Learning & Development & Clinical Education, Memorial Hermann

Kelly Oliphant is the Vice President of Organizational Learning and Development & Clinical Education at Memorial Hermann. Memorial Hermann is one of the largest not-for-profit healthcare systems in Southeast Texas, comprised of 17 hospitals, over 270 care delivery sites, numerous specialty programs and services. With over 6000 physicians and approximately 30,000 employees, Memorial Hermann is an award winning and nationally acclaimed Accountable Care Organization that is redefining health care and focused on charting a better and healthier community now and for many generations to come.

Oliphant began her career in talent management consulting 17 years ago. From there, she went on to lead the design and implementation of talent and organizational strategies for large enterprises across many industries, including healthcare, engineering and manufacturing, and hospitality. She has led all aspects of the talent lifecycle and has worked closely with business leaders to provide thought leadership on strategic initiatives, cultural transformations, and workforce dynamics. Oliphant holds a bachelor’s degree from Texas A&M University, a master’s in industrial/organizational psychology from the University of Houston, is a Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR), an AGILE HR Practitioner (JLS), and holds many talent and leadership certifications, including Design Thinking from Stanford University. In addition to being passionate about her career, Oliphant’s top priority is her family. She has been blessed with four children and two grandchildren. In her free time, if she’s not shuttling her younger children to dance, baseball, or school events, she’s hosting family dinners, going on adventures with her family, or playing with her grandkids while her older children enjoy a kid-free night. She also serves as a mentor and speaker to Aggie Women, giving support and helping young women to navigate the challenges of career and family life.

Debbie O’Reilly
HelmsBriscoe
Debbie O’Reilly began her professional career over 34 years ago. Today, she is an independent consultant and Director of Global Accounts with HelmsBriscoe. HelmsBriscoe is the Global Leader in Meetings Procurement & Site Selection, they operate in 55 countries representing some of the most experienced professionals in the industry.

O’Reilly started her career in 1987 with Marriott Hotels & Resorts after graduating with a BA in Business at Texas State University. She worked in 8 hotels in 6 cities within 19 years and then began working with Hyatt Hotels and Resorts in 2006. After nine years with Hyatt, O’Reilly transitioned to HelmsBriscoe where she has excelled and earned their prestigious President’s Club Award for numerous years. She uses her extensive knowledge of the inner workings of hotels, negotiation skills and contracting along with her experience working with CVBs and DMOs to help advise and represent her 30+ clients. She also assists with talent acquisition providing a platform and mentoring others to be successful in the San Antonio area. Over the last couple years when meetings were restricted during COVID, she relied on her partnerships, honesty, and creativity to help save her clients from disastrous cancellation penalties. Her strong work ethic, flexibility, willingness to help, response time and attention to detail are what makes her so successful. O’Reilly is the single mother to a daughter.

Jill Otto
Managing Director, Merrill Lynch

Jill Otto began her professional career over 10 years ago. Today, she is a Managing Director of Merrill Lynch. Merrill is both a full-service broker-dealer and a registered investment adviser and offers a wide variety of brokerage and investment advisory products and services. They offer a number of investment advisory services, which include both discretionary and non-discretionary management of accounts.

Otto first got her start in 2011 as an associate with J.P. Morgan before moving on to become an executive director. She graduated from Duke University - The Fuqua School of Business with an MBA, from Georgetown University with a master’s degree, and from Princeton University with an undergraduate degree in comparative literature.

Cameron Over
Partner and National Cybersecurity & Privacy Practice Leader, CrossCountry Consulting

Cameron Over leads CrossCountry’s National Cyber and Privacy Practice where she is responsible for the overall strategy, practice development, business development, and client delivery across all accounts. Over has extensive experience driving cybersecurity and privacy initiatives at organizations from global highly regulated clients to mid-market, and due diligence on M&A and pre-IPO readiness. Over leads a team of talented cybersecurity and privacy experts across strategy, risk management, cloud and application security, privacy and data protection, and offensive security.

Prior to joining CrossCountry, Over was a senior associate at Booz Allen Hamilton, where she led a large portfolio of cybersecurity programs for the department of defense, including critical infrastructure systems such as the defense industrial base, satellite communications infrastructure, and classified networks. Over earned her undergraduate degree in computer science from the University of Mary Washington and is a Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP), and regularly speaks at events including RSA Conference, Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA), ISC2, Risk Management Association (RMA), and other events.

Alice Paik
Partner, Chief Strategic Advisory Officer, Brown Advisory

Alice Paik began her professional career over 23 years ago. Today, she is a Partner, a member of the Executive Team and serves as Chief Strategic Advisory Officer of Brown Advisory. Brown Advisory is an independent investment management and strategic advisory firm committed to delivering a combination of first-class performance, strategic advice, and the highest level of client service with offices in the US, Frankfurt, London, and Singapore. In this role, she works with clients as a strategic advisor, providing advice to families, family offices and institutions, while also serving as a thought leader in strategic advisory research, publications, and market development.

Prior to joining the firm, she worked as an advisor in the Wealth Management Group at Bernstein Global Wealth Management in Washington and in the private bank of J.P. Morgan. Paik graduated from St. John's University School of Law with a JD and from Dartmouth College with an undergraduate degree.

Kristin Parker
Founder & Chief Executive Officer, Axxelus

Kristin Parker began her professional career over 22 years ago. Today, she is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Axxelus. Axxelus provides scalable relational sales solutions to companies in the medical and pharmaceutical industry. Rather than relying on “brute force” tactics, their approach to medical sales creates stable, long-term relationships with prospects to generate repeat business and sales success.

Parker first got her start in 2000 as a pharmaceutical representative at Bayer Pharmaceuticals. From there, she went on to Ligand Pharmaceuticals as a senior pain specialist, her most recent position prior to joining Axxelus. Parker graduated from Texas A&M University with an undergraduate degree in interdisciplinary studies. Parker is the mother to four teenagers.

Karen Potter
Managing Director, Deloitte

Karen Potter is a Managing Director of Deloitte. She first joined the company in 2011 as senior manager. Deloitte provides industry-leading audit and assurance, tax and legal, consulting, financial advisory, and risk advisory services to nearly 90% of the Fortune Global 500 and thousands of private companies. Their more than 345,000 professionals deliver measurable and lasting results that help reinforce public trust in capital markets, enable clients to transform and thrive, and lead the way toward a stronger economy, a more equitable society, and a sustainable world. Building on its 175-plus year history, Deloitte spans more than 150 countries and territories.

Previously, Potter was a senior manager at UHY Advisors, and before that, a senior manager at Deloitte FAS. Earlier in her career she worked with Hyatt Hotels Corporation in customer relations. Potter graduated from the University of Nebraska at Omaha.

Stacie Prescott
Chief Underwriting Officer & Head of Energy, The Hartford

Stacie Prescott is the Head of The Hartford Insurance's Energy unit. The Hartford is an industry leading provider of property and casualty insurance, group benefits and mutual funds. In her role, Prescott maintains full responsibility for the operation of The Hartford’s underwriting unit. Her focus is on helping establish the business unit’s primary marketing strategy, along with accountability for production, profitability, underwriting, and compliance. Additionally, she was in charge of building a technical underwriting unit specifically focused on meeting the commercial casualty insurance needs of their customers. The unit is now a $100,000,000.00 operating unit of The Hartford. Throughout her 30+ year career in insurance, she has gained extensive underwriting experience insuring the energy industry.

Before joining The Hartford, Prescott was a head of international programs at Zurich Insurance Company Ltd, and before that, a regional underwriting manager at ACE Risk Management. Earlier in her career she worked with AIG as a regional manager. Prescott graduated from Lamar University with an undergraduate degree in human resources management. She has one daughter who is now a physician in Temple Texas. Supporting her through medical school was one of Prescott’s most significant achievements as a mother.

Leticia Proctor
EVP of Sales, Marketing & Revenue, Donohoe Hospitality Services

Leticia Proctor is Executive Vice President of Sales, Marketing, and Revenue Management at Donohoe Hospitality Services, a hotel management company. She has been married for 25 years and is the proud mother of three sons. While navigating her company’s topline sales and revenue strategy during these unprecedented times, Proctor ensured her two sons obtained their bachelor’s degrees in finance and computer science in a virtual environment. Her youngest son is a high school freshman who aspires to be a “YouTuber” when he graduates from college. She supports his passion for technology.

Proctor has over 28 years of experience in the hospitality industry, working with major hotel companies to improve sales, marketing, food and beverage, revenue management, digital strategy, and hotel operations. She has held sales and marketing positions with well-known hotel companies including Kimpton, Hersha Hospitality, Crestline Hotels, Remington Hotels, Interstate Hotels, Loews Hotels and Hospitality Partners. Prior to joining Donohoe, Proctor was an SVP of Sales, Revenue Management & Digital Strategies at PM Hotel Group. Recently, she was recognized as one of the Top 25 Most Influential Women in Hospitality, Top 25 Most Inspirational Executives in Travel/Hospitality and Top 50 Most Influential Leaders in Hospitality by the International Hospitality Institute. She also received HSMAI’s Top 25 Most Extraordinary Minds award, Washington Business Journal’s Top 25 Minority Business Leader award and was selected as Georgetown University’s Hoya Professional 30. Proctor obtained her undergraduate degree in legal studies with a minor in business law and public policy from the University of Maryland. Proctor also received a master's degree in hospitality management at Georgetown University.

Grace Reyes
Chief Executive Officer, The Investment Diversity Exchange (TIDE)

Grace Reyes is the Chief Executive Officer of The Investment Diversity Exchange (TIDE) which connects and engages movers and shakers to promote diversity and inclusion within the investment industry. She is also an Independent Board Director and part of the Audit Committee of Professional Diversity Network. As featured on Forbes, Entreprenuer, Thrive Global, Reyes is one of the most prominent voices in finance when it comes to promoting diversity and gender balance in the investment industry.

With over 15 years of work experience focused on the investment industry, Reyes has also devoted time to a non-profit organization advocating for Asian Americans. There, she formed domestic and global relationships that created a flourishing network. Prior to that, she was in the corporate and business development team at Switchfly, a travel tech firm, reporting to the Executive suite. She also established and honed relationships with prominent investors when she spearheaded the investor relations and fundraising efforts at The Reliant Group, a private equity firm where she also reported to the Executive Suite. Reyes founded and co-hosted goodtimesSF, San Francisco’s largest investment networking happy hour. She earned an undergraduate degree in economics with a computer specialization from UCLA and an MBA from UC Berkeley.

Rachel Richter
VP of Insights, Analytics & CRM Operations, Change Healthcare

Rachel Richter is the VP of Insights, Analytics & CRM Operations of Change Healthcare. Change Healthcare is a leading healthcare technology company, focused on insights, innovation and accelerating the transformation of the U.S. healthcare system through the power of the Change Healthcare Platform. Richter has over 15 years of experience. She began her career in 2006.

Before joining Change Healthcare, Richter was the VP of analytics, insights & operations at Dun & Bradstreet, and before that, a research director at Turner Broadcasting. Earlier in her career she worked with ACNielsen, The Nielsen Company as an associate client manager. Richter has an undergraduate degree in marketing and international business from McGill University and an MBA in marketing and statistics from Baruch College, CUNY.

Lissi Riedel
Vice President, MOCA Systems

Lissi Riedel is the Vice President of MOCA Systems, Inc., leading business development and sales for the company’s Services Division. MOCA is a full-service Owner's Representative and software development firm serving the design and construction industry. The firm supports its clients from offices across the United States. MOCA’s niche in early project definition and alignment helps clients align their construction projects for success by becoming engaged at the very beginning of each project and by bringing together the project's qualitative and quantitative elements described in quality, scope, cost, and time. MOCA is a relationship-focused consulting firm, providing leadership to clients with large, complex, politically challenging projects.

Riedel received her BA in Interior Design from the Universidad Católica Santa María la Antigua in Panama, Republic of Panama. She is a certified Project Management Professional, Construction Manager, and Texas Contract Manager, as well as a LEED AP. She is both a proud Latina born in Barranquilla, Colombia, and an American citizen. For over a decade, Riedel has made Texas her home and resides in Austin with her two beautiful children and husband. She brings more than 16 years of experience in the construction industry, managing over a billion dollars of construction projects. She is a transformational leader and results-driven professional, experienced in leading and supporting design and construction assignments from project conceptualization to delivery on a wide range of projects, emphasizing client identification and engagement, industry partnership, and collaboration. She has served in critical roles, including construction management, design management, program management for public and private clients, business development, and regional and strategic leadership in their delivery.

Audrey Robertson
CFO & Co-Founder, Franklin Mountain Energy

Audrey Robertson began her professional career 19 years ago. Today, she is the Chief Financial Officer and Co-Founder of Franklin Mountain Energy. Franklin Mountain Energy (FME) is a Denver-based energy company focused on the acquisition and development of oil and gas properties in the Permian Basin. FME was formed in 2018 through several strategic transactions in Southeast New Mexico. The concept and formation of a new privately held Permian producer, along with the capital and management team to build Franklin Mountain Energy, was a collaboration between the teams of Franklin Mountain Investments and Franklin Mountain Capital. Both organizations have a history of investing, excellence in execution, and innovation across the energy value chain.

Robertson first got her start in 2003 as a private equity associate at Kayne Anderson Capital Advisors. From there, she went on to Goldman Sachs before eventually co-founding Copper Trail Partners where she served as a managing partner. Robertson graduated from the University of Southern California with a master’s degree in accounting and from Cornell University with an undergraduate degree in applied economics and management. Robertson is a proud single mom of 2 sons, Will and Wyatt, who she describes as a support to her career.

Dawn Robinson
SVP & Regional Manager, PrimeLending A PlainsCapital Company

Dawn Robinson is a Senior Vice President and Lone Star Regional Manager of PrimeLending A PlainsCapital Company. Since 1986, they have been helping neighbors and community members achieve their homeownership dreams. Robinson joined PrimeLending in 1999 and has consistently used her leadership skills and innovative thinking to bring exceptional financial growth and brand awareness to PrimeLending. She has provided leadership to over $3 Billion in annual volume all while being a top performer financially. With over 2,500 dedicated mortgage experts nationwide, the team is able to deliver the service, support and guidance its home buyers deserve in a home loan process from application to closing and beyond. She has received numerous awards during her tenure with PrimeLending.

With a passion for people and community service, Robinson is happily married and a proud mother of two children and loves to serve her community through church involvement and her work with the Children's Advocacy Center. When asked what drives her passion for leadership and community involvement, Robinson often refers to the Zig Ziglar quote, "You can have everything in life you want, if you will just help other people get what they want." Robinson graduated from Texas A&M University with a BBA in finance and from Southern Methodist University with an MBA in entrepreneurship and finance.

Tillie Ross
Vice President, Fidelity National Title

Tillie Ross is the Vice President of National Commercial Services for Fidelity National Title. Fidelity National Commercial Services division has more than 165 years of underwriting experience. Their centralized team of industry experts provides commercial and industrial developers, builders, lenders, attorneys, and other real estate professionals with reliable, integrated, high-liability services nationwide. They have successfully built a reputation for efficiency in processing the most complex real estate transactions. Ross brings over thirty years of commercial real estate experience to the company.

Ross’s experience includes the acquisition and disposition of property, land development, sale of commercial and residential properties, financing of owner-user and investment property, and the last ten years in commercial title and escrow. She is past president of the East Bay Chapter of CREW, a national organization for women in commercial real estate, and also sits on the Advisory Council for the Bay Area Development CDC which provides government funding to small businesses. Ross has sat on various boards including the Make-A-Wish Foundation, Salvation Army, and the American Heart Association. Ross holds an undergraduate degree from the University of San Francisco with a major in business and economics. She is a proud mother of two and a stepmother to four.

Julie Rupenski
Founder & CEO, MedBest Recruiting

Julie Rupenski is the Founder & CEO of MedBest Recruiting, a senior living executive search firm. Since opening its doors in 2001, Rupenski has grown MedBest into an award winning, multimillion-dollar national firm, garnering impressive awards including INC 5000 2021 and Tampa Bay Fast 50 2021. Rupenski’s company has gained national recognition due to her industry expertise and high level of success. Rupenski’s in-depth knowledge of the senior living industry can be credited to the years she worked in operations in the industry. Today, she still makes it her personal and professional mission to place qualified executives in positions where they have the greatest impact.

Rupenski continues her industry education through various conferences, forums, and expos. She has been interviewed and served as a guest columnist for many major industry publications including Argentum Magazine, Provider Magazine, LeadingAge, McKnight’s Senior Living, and Senior Housing News. She was asked to lead a roundtable discussion at InterFace Housing Southeast for talent recruitment and retention. Among her long-standing professional recruitment affiliations are National Association of Personnel Services (NAPS), National Investment Center for Senior Housing & Care (NIC), and Next Level Exchange. Rupenski earned an undergraduate degree in gerontology from the University of South Florida.

Ana Rush
Executive Director of Academics and Accountability, Del Valle ISD

Ana Rush currently serves as the Executive Director of Academics and Accountability for Del Valle ISD, where she leads the district in improving academic performance and closing academic gaps. During her four-year tenure, she has been instrumental in increasing student achievement and providing rigorous curriculum and instruction. Del Valle ISD’s mission is to create a bi-literate, culturally responsive enhanced academic foundation by providing a future-ready education with real-world opportunities. Most recently, Del Valle ISD and Tesla developed a partnership to create a workforce pipeline for students.

Rush has a PhD in curriculum and instruction from Texas Tech University. She has served in district leadership roles for seven years in diverse school systems in North and Central Texas. Rush started her career in the Rio Grande Valley where she developed a passion for teaching and learning. She is an advocate for quality education for all and has a proven track record in delivering quality curriculum and instruction, establishing data-centric teams, and increasing academic achievement. During the Texas 87th Legislative Session, she testified before congress and advocated for students across the state.

Amy Saddington
Managing Director, Russell Reynolds Associates

Amy Saddington is a Managing Director with Russell Reynolds Associates, a leading global executive search and leadership advisory firm. Amy holds leadership roles within the firm’s U.S. Healthcare Services and HealthTech Practices. Saddington joined Russell Reynolds Associates nine years ago with a passion to create more effective leadership teams to drive meaningful change in the healthcare industry. She is committed to advancing diversity, equity and inclusion, and advises Fortune 500, PE firms and large not-for-profit clients on equitable search, CEO succession and recruitment, and board evolution.

Saddington’s entire career has focused on the intersection of technology and healthcare, with the recognition that technology and data can accelerate the transformation of healthcare, making care more accessible, affordable, and effective. Prior to joining Russell Reynolds Associates, Saddington was a director with the Advisory Board Company out of Washington D.C. Saddington is a graduate of Vanderbilt University, where she studied human and organization development. She is the mother of three; a two-year-old and twins that are eight months old.

Jazz Samra
Global Vice President, Marqeta

Jazz Samra is the Global Vice President of Partnerships for Marqeta. Marqeta’s modern card issuing platform empowers its customers to create customized and innovative payment cards. Powered by open APIs, their platform gives its customers the ability to build more configurable and flexible payment experiences, accelerating product development and democratizing access to card issuing technology. Jazz has over 19 years of experience. She began her career in 2003.

Prior to Fintech, Jazz spent several years at Google working on global partnerships for the Nest Hardware organization scaling Google products with industry leaders. Prior to that, she spent 6 years in a channel sales capacity as a general manager overseeing the majority of US Ads business for Partners, a multi-billion-dollar business line, and the country manager for Canada where she built the business to the third largest market by scaling Google's advertising products to SMBs. Prior to Google, Jazz was a business executive and thought leader in the software and financial services space, driving growth strategies for companies such as Intuit, Visa, and Amex. She has launched award-winning payment and advertisement products, built new customer solutions, and developed net new strategic partnerships. Samra is very passionate about the advancement of Women in Tech through mentorship. As a current member of Chief and an alum of both the Harvard Executive Program and the Schulich Executive Programs she has also founded a Global Women of Channel Sales network as well as the Diversity and Inclusion chapter for the Americas. Jazz graduated from Wilfrid Laurier University with a bachelor’s in business administration and a minor in psychology.

Chelby Sanders
Executive Vice President, CBRE

Chelby Sanders began her professional career 29 years ago. Today, she is the Executive Vice President with CBRE’s Advisory & Transaction Services group in Dallas, where she co-leads a successful tenant representation team. CBRE Group, a commercial real estate services and investment firm, is one of the largest commercial real estate service companies in the world.

In 1992 Sanders served as a VP at Morgan Stanley. From there, she went on to Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette, before eventually rising to VP of Americas Brokerage at Jones Lang LaSalle, her most recent position prior to joining CBRE. Over her career, she has negotiated over 40 million sq. ft. of client engagements worth over $4 billion in consideration. Sanders graduated from the University of Texas at Tyler with an undergraduate degree in accounting.

Chelby Sanders began her professional career 29 years ago. Today, she is the Executive Vice President with CBRE’s Advisory & Transaction Services group in Dallas, where she co-leads a successful tenant representation team. CBRE Group, a commercial real estate services and investment firm, is one of the largest commercial real estate service companies in the world. In 1992 Sanders served as a VP at Morgan Stanley. From there, she went on to Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette, before eventually rising to VP of Americas Brokerage at Jones Lang LaSalle, her most recent position prior to joining CBRE. Over her career, she has negotiated over 40 million sq. ft. of client engagements worth over $4 billion in consideration. Sanders graduated from the University of Texas at Tyler with an undergraduate degree in accounting.

Erika Santiago
Senior Director for Program Management, Cigna

Erika Santiago is a Senior Director for Program Management of Cigna. She first joined the company in 2019. Cigna is a multinational managed healthcare and insurance company based in Bloomfield, Connecticut. As a global health service company, Cigna's mission is to improve the health, well-being, and peace of mind of those they serve by making health care simple, affordable, and predictable.

Previously, Santiago was a director of strategic leadership at Optum, and before that, a president at the West Hartford Public Library. Earlier in her career she worked with Aetna as a senior sales consultant. Santiago earned an MS in communication of information technology from Bay Path University and an undergraduate degree in communications from Curry College.

Lynette Scherer
Chief Executive Officer, Surgical Affiliates Management Group

Lynette Scherer is the Chief Executive Officer of Surgical Affiliates Management Group. She first joined the group in 2013 as Chief Medical Officer. Surgical Affiliates is the leading surgical hospitalist company focused on improving surgical quality and performance in trauma care, acute care surgery, orthopedic surgery, neurosurgery, and urology. Their hospital partners recognize the need for dedicated in-house surgical teams so patients with emergency surgery needs always have access to the highest quality of care.

Prior to joining Surgical Affiliates, Scherer served as Professor of Surgery and Chief of Trauma and Emergency Surgery. She also assisted the Air Force in training trauma surgeons to treat soldiers wounded on the front lines in Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as traveled to Afghanistan for on-site evaluation as part of this assignment. Scherer is a fellow of the American College of Surgeons and is an active member in the American Association for the Surgery of Trauma. She has published work in the Annals of Surgery and has also published sentinel works related to surgicalist models – both in academic and private hospital settings. She is a graduate of UC Davis Medical Center and Tufts University School of Medicine.

Courtney Schnee
Senior Vice President & Asset Manager, Northwood Ravin

Courtney Schnee is an accomplished real estate professional and joined NWR in 2015 as Regional Property Manager. Since joining, Schnee has brought NWR 15 assets to stabilization, and supported 18 refinances resulting +$1 billion in loan proceeds. Currently overseeing a portfolio valued at +$3 billion and the Asset Management division, her focus is assuring effective deployment of Northwood Ravin’s financials and human capital as they impact the financial performance at the asset and portfolio levels. Developing measurement tools that identify meaningful performance distinctions and using those to make recommendations for action leading to improved performance are key objectives. Schnee’s responsibilities also include providing analysis and data in support of the company’s development, financing, acquisition, and disposition activities. In her role at NWR, Schnee brings passion and focus to developing team members’ analytical, financial, management and leadership skills.

Schnee’s professional history includes both residential and commercial property management as well as development and operation experience in both new construction and historic tax credit projects. Prior to Schnee’s arrival at NWR she worked throughout the mid-Atlantic and southeast on both fee managed and owner-operated portfolios with groups including Lincoln Property Company, Westdale Asset Management, Greystar, and Capitol Broadcasting Company’s real estate division. In a volunteer capacity, Schnee has also served as director on multiple apartment association boards as well as advisory and finance councils.

Kathleen Schofield
Executive Director, Northeast Florida Regional STEM2 Hub

Dr. Kathleen Schofield is the Executive Director of the Northeast Florida Regional STEM2 Hub. In this capacity, she works to assure equitable access to computer science and STEM learning across the northeast Florida region. Working as a liaison between the corporate community and the school systems, she brings the pulse of the needs for a 21st century workforce as she collaborates with the school districts and universities in the region. She has successfully executed the 21st Century Northeast Florida Workforce Development program, a state appropriation, for two continuous years, bringing access to experiences with cutting edge technologies, such as robotics, coding, drones, and augmented reality to over 75,000 students by working with district leadership teams to develop and infuse innovative approaches to STEM instruction, aligned to standards, into the school day. Further, she has increased access to STEM learning experiences in the after-school setting.

Prior to joining the STEM2 Hub, Schofield served as the STEM Supervisor for the School District of Clay County, serving over 36,000 students in 41 schools. There, she developed a nationally recognized STEM program, in which all schools developed a robotics program. Additionally, she worked alongside the Florida Department of Education to develop the courses for Computer Science Discoveries and Computer Science Principles to be added to the Florida Course Code Directory. Schofield has written and been awarded over $16 million in competitive grants, during her time in Clay County, implementing multiple successful STEM programs yielding strong learning gains for both teachers and students. Schofield holds a doctorate in educational leadership with a focus on human capital management in education. She earned her master’s degree in the integration of technology into math and science and holds a Florida certificate in educational leadership.

Julie Searle
Partner, Norton Rose Fulbright

Julie Searle is a Partner of Norton Rose Fulbright. Norton Rose Fulbright is a global law firm. They provide the world’s preeminent corporations and financial institutions with a full business law service. They have more than 3500 lawyers and other legal staff based in more than 50 cities across Europe, the United States, Canada, Latin America, Asia, Australia, Africa, the Middle East and Central Asia. Searle has over 19 years of experience. She began her career in 2003.

Before joining Norton Rose Fulbright, Searle was a senior director of US ethics and compliance at Walmart, and before that, an assistant US attorney at the Department of Justice. Earlier in her career she worked with Baker & Hostetler LLP as a litigation associate. Searle graduated from Duke University School of Law with a JD and from Claremont McKenna College with an undergraduate degree in government and economics.

Debbie Simmons
CEO and Founder, Anchor Point

Debbie Simmons is the CEO and Founder of Anchor Point. Anchor Point’s family network includes Obria Medical Clinic, Hope Family Center, Hope Counseling Center, Excellent Minds Academy and Hope House Maternity Home. This dream of walking alongside families and giving hope was birthed in her heart as a teen. She founded the company in 2010. The work of Anchor Point under her direction has impacted literally thousands of lives throughout Houston and the state of Texas for the better. Anchor Point is a beacon in Houston for families who are struggling with their child and just need hope.

Previously, Simmons was a business manager and marketing operations consultant at The Spine & Sports Center, and before that, an executive director at Prison Fellowship Ministries. Earlier in her career she worked with Exxon Company USA as a distribution plant engineer. Simmons earned an MA in organizational management from the University of Phoenix, an MA in Religious Education from Southwestern Baptist Seminary, and an undergraduate degree in mechanical engineering from Mississippi State University. Her greatest joy has been the privilege of being mom to her nine adopted children.

Cynthia Stoddard
Senior Vice President & Chief Information Officer, Adobe

As Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer of Adobe, Cynthia Stoddard oversees Adobe's global Information Technology and Reliability Engineering teams. In her leadership role, Stoddard spearheads a global strategy for delivering services and operations that form the mission-critical backbone for the company. She has over 25 years of business experience and IT expertise leading large global organizations including Adobe, Netapp, Safeway, and APL Limited in supply chain, retail, and technology development.

Previously, Stoddard was a recipient of the CIO 100 Award in 2017 and 2018 for Adobe IT's innovative ways to deliver business value and named a CIO Hall of Fame inductee in 2019. She holds an undergraduate degree in accounting from Western New England University and an MBA from Marylhurst University.

Radha Subramanyam
President of CBS Vision & Chief Research and Analytics Officer, CBS Corporation

Radha Subramanyam began her professional career 22 years ago. Today, she is the President of CBS Vision and Chief Research and Analytics Officer of CBS Corporation, both part of ViacomCBS. ViacomCBS is a leading global media and entertainment company that creates premium content and experiences for audiences worldwide. Driven by iconic consumer brands, their portfolio includes CBS, Showtime Networks, Paramount Pictures, Nickelodeon, MTV, Comedy Central, BET, CBS All Access, Pluto TV, and Simon & Schuster, among others.

Subramanyam first got her start in 1999 as a manager at NBCUniversal. From there, she went on to Comedy Central, before eventually rising to president of insights, research, and data analytics at iHeartMedia, her most recent position prior to joining CBS. Subramanyam graduated from Northwestern University with a PhD and MA in media studies.

Bonnie Sussman
Partner in the Financial Services Group, EisnerAmper

Bonnie Sussman is a Partner in the Financial Services Group of EisnerAmper. EisnerAmper is one of the largest accounting, tax, and business advisory firms in the U.S., with more than 2,000 employees and over 200 partners across the country. They combine responsiveness with a long-range perspective to help clients meet the pressing issues they face today, and position them for success tomorrow. Sussman has nearly 15 years of accounting, audit and operational experience and provides services to private equity funds, venture capital funds, hedge funds, and investment advisors.

Before joining EisnerAmper, Sussman was an assistant controller at Rho Ventures, and before that, she was a senior audit staff member with EisnerAmper. Earlier in her career she worked with Matthews & Co, LLP as a staff accountant. Sussman graduated from Hunter College with an undergraduate degree in accounting. She is the mother of two girls.

Sarah Tamilarasan
CEO, SOTAOG

Sarah Tamilarasan began her professional career over 17 years ago. Today, she is the CEO of SOTAOG. SOTAOG is an intelligent enterprise software solutions provider, delivering comprehensive smart technology for the energy and heavy industrials. They are focused on maximizing operating cash flow by analyzing real-time data with AI, ML, and cloud computing. They're passionate about tech driven profits.

Tamilarasan first got her start in 2005 as a project engineer at Marathon Oil Company. From there, she went on to work in operations with Carrizo Oil & Gas, her most recent position prior to founding SOTAOG. Tamilarasan graduated from Calvin University with an undergraduate degree in electrical and computer engineering. She has two boys, Joshua and Jonathan. She describes them as her “whole world” and says being their mother is her best and favorite job in the world.

Rebecca Taylor
Vice President of Operations, Equabli

Rebecca Taylor is the Vice President of Operations of Equabli. She first joined the company in 2021. Equabli is a fintech company dedicated to rethinking debt recovery through innovative technology, insightful analytics, and a wealth of expertise. Its comprehensive, fully managed platform consolidates, simplifies, and optimizes the debt recovery process for creditors and consumers. With a single connection, Equabli becomes an extension of a business, providing complete end-to-end management of debt recoveries through an intelligent, highly integrated ecosystem of multi-channel solutions. Taylor has over 22 years of professional work experience in the financial services, retail sales, and legal industries working with Fortune 100 and 500 companies.

Taylor has held positions in HR, operations, and business development throughout her career. These positions have provided her with the unique opportunity to lead global change management, operational strategy, process improvement, compliance, and mergers and acquisitions initiatives for the organizations she has worked for while having a seat on both the business and human resources sides of the house. Taylor also has vast experience developing and managing cross-functional global teams and is recognized as a strategic thought partner and driver of organizational change. She is also the co-owner and managing partner of RCS Global Services, a boutique HR Consulting firm, and she also serves on the Viejas Grande Estates Board and on various Receivables Management Association International (RMAi). She is a High Honors graduate from the University of California, Berkeley with dual bachelor’s degrees in economics and political science. Taylor is the mother of two beautiful daughters, Cashlynn Bendel and Kensington Belle.

Elizabeth Uslander
Founder, Voyages

Elizabeth Uslander is a counselor and conscious entrepreneur dedicated to facilitating transformation and empowerment in the fields of Grief, End of Life, Family and Spirituality. She is the founder of Voyages, an international counseling practice in which she works closely with clients to heal the wounds of a lifetime as they navigate major transitions. She co-founded Empowered Endings™, established to teach about and further social paradigm shifts in End of Life Care, and the Aid in Dying Foundation, a non-profit organization offering access to End of Life resources to those in need.

Uslander earned her Bachelor of Arts with honors from Georgetown University, her Master of Theological Studies from Wesley Theological Seminary, and her Master of Social Work with honors from the University of Southern California. She was ordained in the ecumenical Universal Life Ministry. She is inspired every day by her amazing children, Eric, Natalia, Levi, Carly and her partner Michelle. Their love and respect are the greatest gift of her life.

Maria Voreh
Director, KPMG | Federal Advisory

Maria Voreh is a Director in the KPMG Federal Advisory Consulting practice. Before joining KPMG, Voreh was a senior leader in the Federal Government with over 30 years of data management, and project management working with Federal, state, local, and international law enforcement, and intelligence communities. During her federal career, Voreh served as the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s (FBI) first Chief Data Officer and in various IT management roles supporting FBI national security and law enforcement systems. As FBI’s CDO, Voreh was an active member of the Department of Justice Chief Data Officer Board and ONDI’s Intelligence Community’s Chief Data Officer Councils where she was instrumental in the establishment of community-wide Data Management Lexicons and the development of ethical principles and frameworks for the use of AI.

Voreh is a certified Project Management Professional. She received a master’s degree in engineering from George Washington University’s School of Engineering & Applied Science and an undergraduate degree in electrical engineering from West Virginia University. Voreh is also a founding member of Women Leaders in Data & AI where she currently serves as the non-profit WLDA Academy Committee Chair. She has two grown children and is a proud grandmother of a little boy and a little girl.

Katia Walsh
Chief Global Strategy & AI Officer, Levi Strauss

Dr. Katia Walsh is an award-winning business technologist who helps global organizations launch and scale Digital, Data, and Artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities. She has 20+ years of experience in leading Digital and Customer-Centric transformations across multiple industries and countries around the world. Since 2019, she has been the Chief Strategy and Artificial Intelligence Officer at Levi Strass & Company where she pioneered a role that combines strategy and technology in service of the enterprise vision for an iconic brand.

Prior to joining Levi Strauss &Company, Walsh was the first Chief Global Data and Analytics Officer at Vodafone Group, responsible for providing a predictive, proactive, and personalized experience as part of the company’s digital transformation. She and her teams in 25 countries also contributed to the use of data and artificial intelligence for research innovation and social good. Before that, Walsh held strategic data analytics leadership positions and drove customer-centric innovations at Prudential Financial, where she launched data and analytics as part of its digital transformation; Fidelity Investments, where she pioneered a data-driven customer experience; and Forrester Research, Inc., where she helped businesses thrive on technology change. Walsh serves as a Director on the Board of Securian Financial, a North America diversified financial services firm and Fortune 500 company. Before that, she was a founding member of UniCredit’s Transformation and Innovation Advisory Board and Strategy Advisor to Fellowship.ai, a non-profit program that trains people of all backgrounds around the world in machine learning. Walsh holds a Ph.D. from the University of Missouri-Columbia in Strategic Communication with a specialization in quantitative methodology.

Whitney Walters-Sachs
Vice President of School and Legal Affairs, Pine Crest School

Whitney Walters-Sachs is the Vice President of School and Legal Affairs of Pine Crest School. She first joined in 2016. Pine Crest School, founded in Fort Lauderdale in 1934, is a private preparatory school with campuses in Fort Lauderdale and Boca Raton. Pine Crest School is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) and is a member of the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS), the Florida Council of Independent Schools (FCIS), and numerous other professional groups.

Previously, Walters-Sachs was a partner at Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton LLP and before that an associate at Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP & Affiliates. Earlier in her career she worked with the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York and the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of New York as a law clerk. Walters-Sachs earned an EdD in organizational leadership and learning from Vanderbilt University, a JD from Brooklyn Law School, and an undergraduate degree in foreign service from Georgetown University.

Tracy Weeden
President & CEO, Neuhaus Education Center

Tracy White-Weeden is the President and CEO of Neuhaus Education Center. Neuhaus offers powerful reading support to help high school, middle school, and adult learners master difficult vocabulary. Learners come away with improved reading, spelling, and comprehension skills, and an increased ability to learn and understand new words for the rest of their lives. The courses are free for learners and can be taken individually without guidance or as part of a planned curriculum assigned by teachers. Neuhaus will be the premier source for solutions, support, and successful reading instruction for every educator.

White-Weeden is a seasoned leader dedicated to advancing literacy success for all and academic excellence for children. She brings 28 years of experience to a calling of shaping dynamic systems-change so that children are well prepared for the realities of a 21st-century knowledge economy. White-Weeden is also a relentless literacy advocate who frames literacy as a fundamental human right that transforms the family tree when evidence-based practices are scaled responsibly. Her life’s work has been to position literacy success for all as a moral imperative that creates a place at the table for every child and adult, regardless of zip code or country of origin. White-Weeden graduated from the University of Houston with an EdD and ME in administration and supervision.

Raquel Wiley
Vice President, NetFortris

Raquel Wiley is the Vice President of Marketing at NetFortris, an end-to-end provider of managed cloud communications solutions and secure network services. A 25-year veteran of the telecom industry and business marketing professional, Wiley, a results-oriented technology marketer, leads direct and indirect channel marketing programs and initiatives at NetFortris. She is charged with developing strategic marketing plans to attract and nurture business customers and channel sales partners to adopt NetFortris’ managed solutions.

Prior to NetFortris, Wiley was the senior channel marketing manager for TPx. Earlier in her career she was an associate director of business marketing for AT&T. A recognized leader in the telecom channel, Wiley is a former officer and member of the Board of Directors for Alliance of Channel Women, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to accelerating the careers of female leaders in the technology channel. She also serves as Chair of ACW’s Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) Committee. Wiley is a rising voice for DEI in the telecom channel and a sought-after expert and frequent speaker on DEI topics, such as gender and racial diversity. Wiley graduated from California State University - East Bay. She is a mother and super proud grandmother.

Pamela Williams
Partner, Dallas Office of DeHay & Elliston

Pamela J. Williams is a Partner in the Dallas Office of DeHay & Elliston, LLP. She is currently licensed in Texas and Oklahoma and is pending admission in Illinois. Williams specializes in products liability, premises liability and toxic torts. In addition to her defense of asbestos and talc matters, Williams is on the firm’s Legionnaire’s Disease litigation team. Additionally, Williams donates her time to the Dallas Volunteer Attorney Program and serves on the board of the LISD FFA Parents and Friends Club.

Williams received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Spanish from Baylor University in May 1990 and obtained her Doctor of Jurisprudence degree from South Texas College of Law in May 1994. She is the mother of two daughters.

Monica Williams
SVP Digital Products and Operations, NBCUniversal

Monica Williams began her professional career over 20 years ago. Today, she is the Senior Vice President of Digital Product, Operations and Content Distribution of NBCUniversal. NBCUniversal is a media and entertainment company that develops, produces, and markets entertainment, news, and information to a global audience. The company was formed through the combination of NBC and Vivendi Universal Entertainment. NBCUniversal owns and operates over 20 different businesses across 30 countries including a valuable portfolio of news and entertainment television networks, a premier motion picture company, significant television production operations, a leading television stations group, world-renowned theme parks and a premium ad-supported streaming service.

Williams first got her start in 2002 as an associate of the Operations Management Leadership Program at GE. She graduated from Drucker School of Management with an MBA in marketing and leadership and from the University of Michigan with an undergraduate degree in industrial operations engineering. Williams is the mother to three boys.

Tarah Williams
Chief Operating Officer, Prospera Financial

Tarah Williams is the Chief Operating Officer of Prospera Financial. She first joined the company in 2007 as SVP of marketing. Founded in 1982, Prospera Financial is a company that is focused on service and based on a strong set of core values. By operating with honesty, integrity, and an unwavering commitment to the investor, they exist to support the success of financial professionals which can lead to success for those they serve. Williams is an experienced financial professional with over 25 years of experience in the financial services industry. She brings a strong sense of strategy and vision to roles at Prospera.

Throughout her time in the industry, she has served on many conference panels and conducted numerous seminars on fields including recruiting, transitions, client experience, risk management, and marketing for the broker-dealer marketplace. Being an avid writer, she has also published numerous white papers and articles on industry-specific topics. Williams earned an undergraduate degree in business family and consumer sciences and human sciences from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

Jamie York
President, Elase Spas

Jamie York is a business leader, educator, speaker, mother, and wife. For the past 12 years, York has served as the President of Elase Medical Spas, a premier medical spa chain based in Utah. After a decade in corporate leadership, she joined the team at Elase Medical Spas which is now ranked among the top 5 in the nation. Elase is a customer experience-focused brand that offers botox, dysport, dermal fillers, laser hair removal, body sculpting, and skin rejuvenation. Elase has 4 Utah locations along the Wasatch front and employs a team of over 130 experts in the field. Elase is known for a positive performance-based culture that is rooted in the empowerment of people.

Previously, York was an executive director at Senior Management Concepts, LLC. She is the mother of two little ones.

Dawn Zavalishin
Founder and Executive Director, Bottoms Up

Dawn Zavalishin is the Founder and Executive Director of Bottoms Up, a 501c3 public charity dedicated to raising awareness of Crohn's Disease and ulcerative colitis (collectively known as Inflammatory Bowel Disease or IBD). Their mission is to establish funds within hospitals and physician offices to help patients and their families offset medical and non-medical related costs for items such as infusion copayments, prescription drugs, medical supplies, rent, utilities, and more.

Zavalishin is an entrepreneur and has owned and operated several successful small businesses prior to founding Bottoms Up. She has worked with Fortune 50 companies and has extensive expertise in all areas of marketing including digital marketing, social media, and public relations. She is also the Marketing Director for Pursant, LLC based in Chicago, IL. Zavalishin is a graduate of Southern Illinois University with an undergraduate degree in education, training, and development. She also attended graduate courses at the University of Connecticut. Zavalishin is a proud mom to a high school sophomore named Sean, and an 8th grade student named Alexis. Zavalishin enjoys vacationing with her family, attending their sporting events, skiing, and snowboarding together, and is thankful for their volunteering and support with Bottoms Up.