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< Back To Speakers Sheena Meade Trailblazer | Bipartisan Policy Changemaker | Criminal Justice Reformer Contact For Booking THE POWER OF ONE VOICE CAN MOVE MOUNTAINS ​ Sheena Meade is the CEO of the Clean Slate Initiative (CSI). CSI is a national bipartisan organization that builds state-based coalitions to pass legislation that automates the expungement of eligible arrest and conviction records. In April of 2023, Sheena’s organization, CSI, received a landmark $75 million commitment through The Audacious Project, a donor collaborative housed at TED. The award supports the organization’s strategy to unlock opportunities for up to 14 million people in America and is an unprecedented investment in second chances. As part of the announcement, Sheena presented a TED talk at the TED2023 Conference in Vancouver, BC, where she shared her own experience of living with a record and CSI’s mission with a global audience. Sheena has also served as the director of strategic partnerships at the Florida Rights Restoration Coalition and senior advisor to the Second Chances Florida Campaign. In those roles, she developed the blueprints for fundraising, events, and grassroots organizing that helped win the landmark ballot initiative that restored voting rights for Floridians who have completed all of the terms of their sentence. Sheena, who has been directly impacted by the criminal legal system, is a mother of five, proud wife, organizer, optimist, and leader of a national organization committed to ensuring meaningful opportunities for all, regardless of past records. • NBA Social Justice Coalition - Sheena's bipartisan approach has helped drive over 7 million conviction and non-conviction cases to be cleared with the support of CSI. • Florida Rights Restoration Coalition (FRRC) - Sheena raised 15 million dollars, mobilized thousands of impacted families and supporters to get to the polls, trained hundreds of activists to engage within their communities on the issue of criminal justice, and brought together 800 faith congregations to support Amendment 4 efforts. Florida voters enthusiastically passed Amendment 4 in 2018, restoring voting rights to 1.4 million people. • Successful voter registration drives around the country included working with the likes of Lady Gaga, Ariana Grande, John Legend, and Roc Nation. Keynote Topics: • A Blueprint for Breaking Barriers • Self-Care for Leaders: Balancing Personal Needs and Community Responsibilities in Times of Crisis • From Poverty to Power - How One Woman's Journey Can Inspire Us All • The Power of Resilience: My Journey from Struggling to Succeeding • Turning Pain into Purpose • Unleashing Your Inner Strength • The Resilient Woman • Your Second Act

< Back To Speakers Dr. Taryn Marie #1 International Expert on Resilience, Mental Health, Wellbeing, and Leadership Contact For Booking Founder and Chief Resilience Officer of Resilience Leadership Institute ​ Dr. Taryn Marie is the #1 foremost international expert on leadership and resilience, leadership development, and executive coaching in the face of challenge, complexity, and change. Formerly, she has served as the Head of Executive Development and Talent Strategy at Nike as well as Head of Global Leadership Development at Cigna. She is the Founder and Chief Resilience Officer (CRO) at Resilience Leadership Institute (RLI). As the first to develop an empirical model to promote resilience, in leadership and in life, her research on leadership and resilience, along with her internationally recognized thought leadership have been featured on television broadcasts such as NBC, FOX, Bloomberg Business, and Kathy Ireland Worldwide. Dr. Taryn Marie is an internationally sought-after keynote speaker, having appeared on the TEDx stage, and serves as a Marshall Goldsmith Top 100 Global Executive Coach (MG100). She has also been published in Forbes, Thrive Global, LA Progressive, and O Magazine. Dr. Taryn's book, Flourish or Fold: The Five Practices of Particularly Resilient People is expected to release in EARLY 2023. As a sought-after executive coach, consultant, resilience facilitator, and keynote speaker, Dr. Taryn Marie, in times prior to Covid-19, traveled the world, and she enjoys film, art, exercise, and is married to the love of her life, and together, they have five bonus and biological children together. Named Top 100 Executive Coach by Continental Who's Who Flourish or Fold Podcast Host Moderator and MC

< Back To Speakers Leslie Short Founder-The Cavu Group: Corporate Operations Strategist focusing on Culture, Brand DEI, and Accessibility Strategies | Author: Expand Beyond Your Current Culture Contact For Booking ​ ​ Leslie Short is owner of The Cavu Group, author of Expand Beyond Your Current Culture, and a DEI strategist with four decades of experience. She created The issues within Diversity & Inclusion. Leslie is uniquely skilled at seeking growth in place but by continually evolving and creating a channel to listen to and understand the people who are our greatest assets. Leslie has an accomplished background in many areas of business, entrepreneurship, marketing, and the arts. She began her career as a classical ballet dancer, which led to her living in Europe for over a decade. Leslie then created an entertainment business, which was rated the best business in Japan in 1994. She went on to become the President of Marketing, Advertising & Public Relations at FUBU and Corporate Operating Strategist at companies such as The Shark Group and blueprint + co. She also launched K.I.M. Media LLC (Keep it Moving) and founded Ascend Bereavement Management. In speaker at the United Nations and European Union events around the world. Speaking Topics • Building Business, Brands and Culture through a diverse, equitable and Inclusive Lens. • Entrepreneurship. • Belonging. • Do You Know Your Why? • Social Justice. • Women In Business. • Leadership

< Back To Speakers Joze Piranian Leadership Expert | TEDx Speaker | Author | Podcast Host Contact For Booking Leadership Expert | TEDx Speaker | Author | Podcast Host ​ Joze Piranian is a lifelong stutterer turned Forbes and TED featured Global Speaker on Inclusion and Resilience. Born and raised in Lebanon, Joze avoided speaking for more than 25 years out of the fear of being judged for being different. Then, everything changed. He won the Inspirational Speaker of the Year, delivered 5 TEDx talks and performed stand-up comedy in 3 continents and 4 languages. Having graduated from McGill University with a Bachelors in Organizational Psychology, from Queen’s University with a Master of International Business and from Cornell University with a certificate in Diversity & Inclusion, Joze has since delivered hundreds of stand-up comedy and speaking engagements about Inclusion and Resilience at the United Nations, Google, Tesla, Dell, TikTok, Deloitte and BCG. With more than 3 000 000 views on Goalcast, Joze has also been featured on ABC, Some Good News & NowThis.

< Back To Speakers Yolanda Renee King Public Speaker | Activist Contact For Booking ​ Even though I am too young to vote, I am not too young to get involved. Yolanda King, age 15, is the only grandchild of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Coretta Scott King. She has passionately addressed mass gatherings in protests against gun violence, homelessness and inhumane treatment of refugees seeking asylum on the U.S. southern border. She also cares deeply about environmental injustice and protecting our planet. When she met with President Obama in the oval office at the tender age of 4, Yolanda Renee asked him, “Mr. President, what are you going to do about all of these guns?” Yolanda Renee has chosen to become a life-long human rights activist in her own right, while leaving open options for pursuing her own career and interests. As an inspiration to other young people, Yolanda often gets asked what it feels like to follow in her grandparents' and parents' footsteps, but she is working to create her own footprint. Speaking Topics: • Inspiring Change-Makers of the Next Generation • A Call to End Gun Violence

Our Speakers Abhi Golhar National Radio Host | Speaker | Entrepreneur Abhi Golhar is a real estate investor, entrepreneur, 3x nationally syndicated radio show host on the Wall Street Business Radio Network, and media figure, whose experience encompasses print, podcasting, radio, and television appearances. As a much-sought-after voice in real estate investment and entrepreneurship, Abhi has written for a variety of publications including Forbes, Inc., Huffington Post, and industry-specific magazines like Inman and Think Realty. With a passion for entrepreneurship and reforming healthcare education, Abhi has grown 4 startups with the most recent being NPHub. This startup launched in Q3 2017 and now serves 1,000+ nurse practitioner students with yearly revenues exceeding $3M+ with no venture, angel, or equity/debt investment. He currently is the principal at Meridian 84 and Blue Apple Labs, an Atlanta business acquisition and investment firm and venture studio, respectively. Read More Adi Y. Segal Healthcare Executive | CEO Adi Y. Segal is a distinguished healthcare executive and CEO of Hapi, a platform pioneering the extension of mental health care by offering "Active Listening as a Service" (ALaaS) and emotionally intelligent AI. With his visionary leadership, Hapi aims to alleviate the ever-growing unmet need for mental health care and loneliness, the world’s largest epidemic. Read More Alexia Vernon Founder and President, Step into Your Moxie | Keynote Speaker and Author | Women's Leadership and Communication Skills Expert ​ Read More Andrẻ Swanston Founder | DynamicTech Innovator Media Magnet ​ Read More Andy Wyatt Author of Pro Leadership | Founder & Head Coach Andrew Wyatt Leadership LLC Andy portrays in painstaking honest detail what it takes to handle those stirring moments of success properly, and face the tough decisions all business leaders face, which can often mark the difference between winning and losing. Read More Arndrea Waters King Speaker | Media Guest ​ Read More Bea Wray Co-Founder of Millennial Women Network | Leadership Expert | Author | Keynote Speaker An innovation expert, Bea helps thought leaders share their stories, passions and knowledge as they invent, launch, and promote new products. As the former Chair of the Entrepreneurship Practice Group at Advantage Media Group, ForbesBooks, Bea further leveraged the wisdom and experience of these innovators through branding, visibility, and marketing efforts substantiated by the ForbesBooks brand name. Read More Benny Pough Music Executive | Entrepreneur | Author | CEO of Dverse Media | Real Estate Proprietary Decades of dedication and determination propelled Benny Pough to the forefront of the music industry and made him one of today’s successful and innovative business leaders. Pough has helped shape the sound and culture of music worldwide, having been instrumental in delivering radio hits for superstar artists. Pough’s legacy continues as a master of promotions and marketing, coupled with an unmatched eye and ear for talent. Read More Charisse Lillie Speaker | Author | Consultant | CEO of CRL Consulting LLC Charisse shares her insights for the next generation of attorneys, activists, and authors to make an impact in your career and your industry. Her lessons from mentors, advisers, and leadership on corporate and nonprofit boards highlight the role of diversity in tipping the scales towards balance in the legal profession. Lillie provides audiences with the tools to handle the playing field, pitfalls, and pathways to progress. Read More Charles D. Smith NBA Legend | US Olympian | Head of Sports & Entertainment Mediacom | Fierce Facilitator Charles D. Smith Jr. is Founder/CEO of Urban Icon International focused on developing sports & entertainment districts. With over 25 years of experience as a successful entrepreneur and corporate executive, Smith is highly esteemed for his business insights at the intersection of Sports, Business, Events and Technology. Read More Chinwe Esimai Forbes Contributor | Award-Winning Lawyer | Speaker | Citi Chief Anti-Bribery Officer Chinwe Esimai is a Nigerian-born, Harvard-trained lawyer who is passionate about inspiring generations of immigrant women leaders. Along with her mother, three brothers, and sister, she relocated to the United States in 1995, right before college. Read More Chitra Nawbatt Business Builder / Growth Leader / Media Contributor ​ Read More Chris Stewart Parent Activist | Writer | Speaker | CEO of Brightbeam Network Chris Stewart gained his powerful fighting voice 29 years ago when he had his first child. Because he did not have a good education himself, Chris was determined to give his child a better life than what he had. Today he stands beside millions of families fighting for the same things for their kids. Read More Curtis Jenkins Entrepreneur | Advisor | Author | Keynote Speaker Curtis Jenkins is the owner of Jenkins & Associates, Inc and specializes in developing strategies with small business owners to grow their companies to 7 & 8 figures with his patented methodology: The Realization Framework Experience(R). His structured program helps small business owners to: Articulate a Vision that's understood by all Organize business operations: People and Cashflow Create, execute and measure their goals to realize their vision Read More Curtis Valentine Founder | Educator | Speaker | Co-Director Curtis Valentine, founder of Real Men Teach, is at the forefront of advocating for the recruitment and retention of male educators of color. His initiative stems from the insights gained during his ten-year tenure as an At-Large School Board Member for Prince George’s County Public Schools, and the subsequent creation of the Male Educator Network. Through Real Men Teach, Curtis collaborates with schools, districts, nonprofits, and universities to champion diversity in teaching. Read More DeeDee Trotter Keynote Speaker | Olympic Champion | Chef ​ Read More Devon Drew Founder & CEO, DFD Partners ​ Read More Dondré Whitfield Actor | Speaker | Social Commentator | Restoration Agent | Author Words possess the power to create a sense of calmness, healing, transformation, and deliverance. When Dondré speaks, his essence releases wisdom, practical strategies, and timeless answers that bring to life relational healing and self-discovery moments among men and women. His message targets a wide array of impactful life and relationship topics related to manhood, leadership, parenting, and spiritual inspiration. He shares from his wealth of life experiences that span across family dynamics, his career, and his inner life. He harnesses the power of these experiences to influence the course of the collective male conscience through his vulnerability and willingness to share. Read More Dorinda Walker Cultural Strategist | Award Winning Marketer | Author | Podcaster | Community Advocate | Change Agent | Content Creator From drug dealer, multiple suicide attempts, and no self-worth, Dorinda has transformed into an acclaimed author, highly praised businesswoman, coach, and influencer. From chaos and dysfunction to peace and purpose, Dorinda Walker is fast becoming a celebrated writer, empowerment speaker and, advocate for positive change. She’s now on a mission to transform the lives of many who are seeking to live a life of purpose as a certified John Maxwell coach, trainer, and speaker! Read More Dr Taryn Marie Title: Chief Resilience Officer (CRO) at Resilience Leadership ​ Read More

< Back To Speakers Lisa Gable CEO | Former US Ambassador | Keynote Speaker | Best-Selling Author Contact For Booking “To evangelize your vision, you need to ensure people are buying what you are selling. Spending quality time getting as many people as possible to see how your vision will benefit all of you is well worth the effort.” ​ A keynote speaker and writer on partnership, mentorship, diversity, and relationship building, Lisa Gable’s mission is to support the next generation of leaders and organizations that are solving the world’s biggest problems. She is a five-time award-winning Wall Street Journal and USA Today bestselling author and recognized as an innovative global businesswoman who leads with discipline and diplomacy. In addition to her multiple corporate roles, including CEO, Lisa has served US Presidents and Governors, as well as a US Ambassador and UN Delegate. Over the course of her career, Lisa has been called to turnaround failing organizations—businesses, teams, nonprofits, political campaigns, and government projects—to solve seemingly intractable problems. She has learned that the key to course-correcting when things go South is applying process engineering—strategically evaluating everything your organization does and how it does it—with authority and humanity. Speaking Topics: • Your Mission Matters • Making What Matters to You Matter to Others • Your Mission Matters

< Back To Speakers Nancy Mingus President and Owner of Mingus Associates | Author Contact For Booking ​ ​ Nancy Blumenstalk Mingus, President of Mingus Associates, Inc., is a seasoned training professional. For the past thirty-five years, she has been directly involved in training and education, designing and delivering courses using all the instructional methods, from lecture to multimedia. Mingus is also an experienced project manager. She has been working with mainframe computers for thirty-eight years and with microcomputers for thirty-three. She has been working with and teaching project management and project management software for more than twenty-seven years. Mingus has been a freelance writer and editor for more than twenty years. She wrote the video scripts, corresponding workbooks, written two books, and has had over forty articles in TRAINING, Computerworld, and other national publications. Mingus has a Masters's degree in Math Education and became a Certified Data Processor (CDP) in 1983. She is on the Buffalo Chapter of the Project Management Institute (PMI) board and received her Project Management Professional (PMP) certification in 1996. Nancy served on the Amherst Historic Preservation Commission for eight years and as its Chair for three. She received her Masters in Historic Preservation from Goucher College in 2001.

< Back To Speakers Martin Luther King III Civil Rights Advocate and Global Humanitarian Contact For Booking ​ If we are to be a great democracy, we must all take an active role in our democracy. We must do democracy. That goes far beyond simply casting your vote. We must all actively champion the causes that ensure the common good. Martin Luther King III is shepherding the healing of our nation and the world, connecting the important lessons of the past with the critical needs of our future and motivating a new generation of authentic leaders. As the oldest son of the late Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Mrs. Coretta Scott King, Martin Luther King III is a thought leader on the world stage, a peace maker, and a negotiator on some of today’s most critical national and international platforms for social change. Amplifying the work of his father, Mr. King has devoted his life to promoting global human rights and eradicating racism, violence, and poverty — referred to by his father as the “triple evils” and the “scourges of humankind” — on every continent except Antarctica. Speaking Topics: • Realizing the Dream of Dr. King & Coretta Scott King • Eradicating the Triple Evils Across the Globe • Endurance for Equality: The Marathon Towards Justice

< Back To Speakers Terry McMillan Bestselling Author Contact For Booking ​ ​ Terry McMillan was born and raised in Port Huron, Michigan, and discovered her love of literature while shelving books at the local library. She burst onto the literary scene in 1987 with her wildly acclaimed New York Times bestseller Mama, which won the Doubleday New Voices in Fiction award in 1986 and an American Book Award from the Before Columbus Foundation in 1987. Terry’s signature humor, wisdom, and warmth made Waiting to Exhale, A Day Late and A Dollar Short, The Interruption of Everything, How Stella Got Her Groove Back, Getting to Happy, Disappearing Acts , Who Asked You? and I Almost Forgot About You all New York Times Best Sellers. Waiting to Exhale and How Stella Got Her Groove Back were made into award-winning major motion pictures that proved huge at the box office, and Disappearing Acts and A Day Late and A Dollar Short were adapted into successful made-for-TV movies. Terry was awarded an Essence Lifetime Achievement Award in 2008. Beloved by her fans, Terry’s books have sold millions of copies worldwide. Now Terry is back with It’s Not All Downhill From Here, the story of one woman’s plan to shake herself out of her midlife rut, and maybe, in reinventing herself and embracing the person she wants to be, find a second chance at love. Speaking Topics: It’s Not All Downhill From Here: Change at Any Age Terry McMillan’s latest novel, It’s Not All Downhill From Here, addresses that challenging moment in life when you feel like giving up and resigning yourself to thinking your best days might just be behind you. Even the strongest amongst us, like McMillan’s protagonist Loretha Curry, struggle with aging, tragedy and change – worst of all, when they all seem to happen around the same time. Drawing on the voices of diverse and powerful women, McMillan weaves together a compelling story of strength and joy in the face of later-in-life challenges, proving that personal empowerment and loving support can see us through the darkest of days into a brighter future than ever imagined. Sure to resonate with anyone who has faced a crossroads in life, this moving talk draws on Loretha’s inspiring journey to show that it is never too late to become who you want to be, that family is worth fighting for and that our best days are yet to come! • The Mother of Re-invention: An Evening with Terry McMillan • Aging with Passion: It’s Not All Downhill from Here • Reinventing Yourself at Any Age • Owning Your Journey to Better Health • Overcoming Addiction: A Writer’s Reflections • The Power of Sisterhood: Be the Author of Your Life • Speaking from the Heart • An Evening with Terry McMillan

< Back To Speakers Kailei Carr CEO of The Asbury Group | Host of Beyond the Business Suit | Champion of Women in Leadership Contact For Booking ​ ​ A champion for women in leadership, Kailei Carr is the Asbury Group CEO, a transformational leadership firm specializing in developing leaders from the inside out. Her signature approach to leadership presence — grounded in one's power — has helped high potential leaders worldwide thrive and advance to the most senior ranks. Kailei holds an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University and a BA from Emory University. When she's not coaching clients or speaking at conferences and corporations, Kailei can be found hosting her podcast, Beyond the Business Suit, which has over 150 episodes and has been downloaded in 100 countries. Kailei's advice to executive and executive-bound women has been featured in numerous media outlets, including Forbes, Fortune, and The Oprah Winfrey Network.

< Back To Speakers Kelly Meerbott TEDx Speaker | Leadership Coach | Facilitator | Teambuilder Contact For Booking Leadership Expert | TEDx Speaker | Author | Podcast Host ​ Kelly is sought-after keynote, TEDx speaker, author, podcast host, and leadership expert. She brings infectious energy to her talks, and her experience and drive for transformation is evident in her delivery, and leaving her audience feeling inspired and motivated. As a leadership coach, Kelly has worked with senior executives, the C-suite, and over 300 high- ranking officers in the US military. Her customized approach has demonstrated measurable results, and her trauma-informed approach and PTSD training makes her unique in the industry. Combined with her coaching experience, Kelly creates a psychologically safe space for privacy where clients can be honest and truthful so they can break through their worst roadblocks. Kelly has multiple coaching certifications in Human & Organizational Transformation, Unconscious Bias, Leadership, cognitive therapy, improv, and communications. She is a certified clinical trauma specialist. Kelly received her degree from College of the Holy Cross. Topics: • From Burnout to Bliss- Transforming YOUR Internal Narrative • Resilience: The Super Power Of Extraordinary Leaders • Nurturing Belonging: Awakening To Your Role In Diversity Equity & Inclusion • Boss or Just Bossy? How To Tell If You’re A Manager Instead Of A Leader • Soul Centered Leadership: Leading With Your Inner Wisdom