Donna Orender, CEO of Orender Unlimited, is an innovator, trailblazer, game changer and highly respected business executive.
She has been recognized as one of the top 10 Most Powerful Women in Sports and one of Newsweeks100 most Influential people in sports. She proudly served as the President of the WNBA, for 6 years, reenergizing the business and leaving the league well positioned for growth. Previously she spent 17 years at the PGA TOUR, where she led global production, programming, digital and brand in the Office of the Commissioner.
Currently the CEO of Orender Unlimited, Donna utilizes her expansive experience in guiding both established and new companies in leveraging successful growth and brand strategies across a myriad of industries, with a focus on sports, digital, entertainment and diversity. In this capacity she was also responsible for leading the “Connecting With Her” initiative for the PGA of America and the golf industry.
In 2011 Donna launched Generation W, a dynamic platform of education, inspiration and connection for women and girls. In addition to the signature Generation W event, a mentorship program for high school girls called Generation WOW was launched, as well as a leadership volunteer event focused on community change, Generation WORKS.
She recently published ‘WOWsdom! The girl’s guide to the Positive and the Possible’ that quickly became Amazon’s number one new release.
Donna serves on the boards of the World Surf League, V Foundation for Cancer Research, Maccabi USA, contributes to the boards of the Monique Burr Foundation for Children, the Jacksonville Public Education Fund, Co-Chairs the UJA Sports for Youth Initiative and is a founding member of the board of W.O.M.E.N. a mentoring organization for young women capable of reaching the C-suite.
A sought-after speaker, Donna speaks around the country on topics including leadership, change and diversity.
As President of the Adecco Group U.S. Foundation, Joyce is committed to making the future work for everyone. The Foundation launched in January 2019 and focuses on up-/reskilling American workers and helping to ensure work equality for all.
In 1987, Joyce joined Adecco USA, Inc. (Adecco) as a Branch Manager in Charlotte, North Carolina. From 2004-2018, she served as the President of Adecco, leading the largest business unit of Adecco Group North America, with more than 450 branch locations, approximately 1,600 colleagues and a diverse portfolio of clients.
During her time at Adecco, Joyce has firmly established her passion for working with people, and providing new opportunities for both employees and companies. She constantly strives for growth both personally and professionally, while remaining focused on work-related programs, partnerships, and investments that create greater economic opportunity for American workers.
Joyce is a panelist and participant at the World Economic Forum in Davos and Fortune’s Most Powerful Women Summits. She is on the Board of Directors of the American Staffing Association and Dress for Success Worldwide, a founding member of Paradigm for Parity, a member of C200, International Women’s Forum, and Women Corporate Directors. Joyce holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in business and communications from Baylor University.
Sophia radiates thoughtfulness, leadership, caring, and creative soul in her full embrace of the world around her. In her work as a photographer and filmmaker, Sophia seeks to tell stories that span the full palette of the human experience and unpack judgements we don’t realize we carry. For many years Sophia has utilized her creative work and has organized campaigns to raise money for those in need. She is proud and grateful to be a part of a conference that centers itself upon the fundamental truth that we rise when we uplift those around us. Sophia will matriculate into Columbia University this Fall.
Sophia is inspired by the power of female solidarity and is incredibly grateful to attend and be a part of Generation W, which functions on the fundamental truth that we rise when we uplift those around us.
Jennifer Allyn leads campaigns at ClimateVoice to move companies to advance climate policy. The mission is to accelerate decarbonization by engaging the private sector as a critical voice for change. Jennifer also serves as a Senior Advisor-in-residence for WRISE (Women of Renewable Industries and Sustainable Energy) where she mobilizes members to become public ambassadors for clean energy.
Previously Jennifer was a Managing Director in Diversity and Inclusion at PwC. She designed strategies to retain, develop and advance women, minority and LGBT+ professionals at the firm. A frequent public speaker, Jennifer was widely quoted in the media and hosted a podcast called Pursuit of Happiness about juggling work and life. Jennifer graduated from Brown University and earned her Masters’ in Public Policy from the Harvard Kennedy School. She is a proud recipient of the 2016 Ted Childs Life Work Excellence Award.
Michele C. Meyer-Shipp joined KPMG LLP as Principal and Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer in August 2018. In this role, she leads the National Inclusion and Diversity (I&D) team and oversees its strategy and objectives, including supporting the recruitment, retention, and development of a diverse workforce; inspiring broad perspectives and innovative client solutions; and fostering an inclusive and accessible culture. Michele works closely with KPMG’s leadership teams to advance its inclusive and diverse culture, which has earned the firm recognition as a top workplace by FORTUNE magazine, DiversityInc, Working Mother, and The Human Rights Campaign.
Michele most recently served as Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer at the law firm of Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP. In this role, she was responsible for developing and promoting all diversity management practices across the firm, Prior to that, Michele was employed by Prudential Financial Inc., where she served as Employment Counsel from 2010 to 2012, and then as Vice President and Chief Diversity Officer from 2012 through 2017. In the latter role, Michele was responsible for leading and supporting all diversity and inclusion efforts for the company, and for ensuring ongoing compliance with equal employment opportunity laws. During her tenure, the organization was consistently recognized by DiversityInc as among the “Top 50 Companies for Diversity,” including multiple appearances in the top 10.
Prior to her employment at Prudential, Michele worked in the public sector as General Counsel of the Waterfront Commission of New York Harbor, and as Director of the New Jersey Division of Equal Employment Opportunity and Affirmative Action. Michele also worked at Merrill Lynch as Employment Counsel and then as Northeast Regional Diversity Lead in the global wealth management business. She started her career in private practice as an employment litigator after serving as a law clerk for the New Jersey Supreme Court.
Dr. Eger is a sought-after clinical psychologist and lecturer, helping individuals discard their limitations, discover their powers of self-renewal, and achieve things they previous thought unattainable. Using her past as a powerful analogy, she inspires people to tap their full potential and shape their very best destinies. Hers is a message of healing and personal growth. A message of freedom from self-imposed limitations. A message that helps people build character, deal effectively with life’s events, and enrich the lives of others.
A native of Hungary, Edith Eva Eger was just 16 years old in 1944 when she experienced one of the worst evils the human race has ever known. As a Jew living in Nazi-occupied Eastern Europe, she and her family were sent to Auschwitz, the heinous death camp. Her parents lost their lives there. She and her sister survived even though they were subjected to the horrible treatment by Dr. Josef Mengele and survived the Death March from Poland to Austria. In May 1945, when the American Army liberated the Gunskirchen camp, Edith was near death. A young American soldier noticed her hand moving slightly amongst a number of dead bodies. He quickly summoned medical help and brought her and her sister back from the brink of death.
After the war, Edith moved to Czechoslovakia where she met the man she would marry. In 1949 they moved to the United States. In 1969 she received her degree in Psychology from the University of Texas, El Paso. She then pursued her doctoral internship at the William Beaumont Army Medical Center at Fort Bliss, Texas. She has spent much of her professional time working with members of the military helping them to live productive lives and heal from PTSD. Dr. Eger has always found ways to use her personal experiences to inspire, educate and help others. She continues to work with patients from many walks of life in her practice in La Jolla, California.
Dr. Eger is an author and member of several professional associations. She has appeared on many, many television programs including Oprah Winfrey and Larry King Now and was the primary subject of a holocaust documentary that appeared on Dutch National Television. She is frequently invited to speak throughout the United States, as well as internationally. Dr. Eger has a clinical practice in La Jolla, California where she uses her past as a powerful analogy to inspire people to reach their potential and shape their destinies.
In the fall of 2017, at the age of 90, her memoir The Choice, Embrace the Possible was published. In her book, she details how the synergy of working with, and learning from, her patient’s perspectives has enriched her life experiences. The book focuses on moving forward in light of hardship and has received excellent reviews, is a best seller in several countries, and has been translated into nine languages. The New York Times Book Review wrote: “Eger’s book is a triumph, and should be read by all who care about both their inner freedom and the future of humanity.” As of March 2018, the book has received two book awards, one being from the national organization of the Jewish Book Council Award; the other – The Christopher Award. After an intimate interview with Oprah Winfrey on Super Soul Sunday, The Choice spent several weeks on the New Times Best Seller List in 2019. She is currently working on her nextbook, The Gift .
Human rights activist, pioneer for racial equality, internationally recognized expert on sports and social issues, scholar and author Richard E. Lapchick is often described as “the racial conscience of sport.”
He brought his commitment to equality and his belief that sport can be an effective instrument of positive social change to University of Central Florida in August 2001 where he launched the DeVos Sports Business Management Program. In 2015 it was named the number 2 program in the world by SportsBusiness International.
Lapchick is a prolific writer. His 17th book was published in 2018. Lapchick is a regular columnist for ESPN.com and The Sports Business Journal.
He has spoken in the United States Congress, at the United Nations, in the European Parliament and at the Vatican. He was inducted into the Sports Hall of Fame of the Commonwealth Nations in the category of Humanitarian along with Arthur Ashe and Nelson Mandela.
Lapchick was inducted into the New York City Basketball Hall of Fame in 2015. He was named as one of Beyond Sports Inspirational 50 people (living and passed) who used sport to change the world along with Billie Jean King, Muhammad Ali and Nelson Mandela.
Lapchick was named one of the 100 Most Powerful People in Sports and has received 10 honorary degrees.
Lapchick was one of 200 guests personally invited by Nelson Mandela to his inauguration after leading the American sports boycott of South Africa from 1975 until the end of Apartheid.
Pat Geraghty is President and Chief Executive Officer of GuideWell, a $19 billion mutual insurance holding company headquartered in Jacksonville, Fla. A mission-driven health solutions enterprise, GuideWell is the parent to a family of forward-thinking companies focused on transforming health care.
He brought his commitment to equality and his belief that sport can be an effective instrument of positive social change to University of Central Florida in August 2001 where he launched the DeVos Sports Business Management Program. In 2015 it was named the number 2 program in the world by SportsBusiness International.
Lapchick is a prolific writer. His 17th book was published in 2018. Lapchick is a regular columnist for ESPN.com and The Sports Business Journal.
He has spoken in the United States Congress, at the United Nations, in the European Parliament and at the Vatican. He was inducted into the Sports Hall of Fame of the Commonwealth Nations in the category of Humanitarian along with Arthur Ashe and Nelson Mandela.
Lapchick was inducted into the New York City Basketball Hall of Fame in 2015. He was named as one of Beyond Sports Inspirational 50 people (living and passed) who used sport to change the world along with Billie Jean King, Muhammad Ali and Nelson Mandela.
Lapchick was named one of the 100 Most Powerful People in Sports and has received 10 honorary degrees.
Lapchick was one of 200 guests personally invited by Nelson Mandela to his inauguration after leading the American sports boycott of South Africa from 1975 until the end of Apartheid.
Delana’s mission is to create and affect the black community through art and creativity, and all over the world. She believes that expression through art is healing and allows for better human connectivity. She believes that her generation will and already has a big impact on society and the future. In this, she also believes that there are ways to not only be a voice and be bold but also show happiness and pride in culture. She loves to help those in her culture have a voice and express themselves through art. The greatest reward she gets from doing this work is ultimately being able to create art in her own eye and collaborate with talented individuals. She was grateful to have been a Finalist in Young Arts Cinematic Arts 2019, attend and be rewarded at different film festivals such as ‘All American High School Film Fest’, ‘WestFlix’, ‘Finding Vince 400’, and most recently the ‘BESLA Film Festival’ partnering with BET. She is currently in school at Los Angeles Valley College finishing her GE’s and some courses in her major to transfer to a university in Fall 2021. She currently lives in Los Angeles, CA, but plans to see different parts of the world as life moves.
Margo Georgiadis is the President and CEO of Ancestry and also serves on the company’s Board of Directors. Bringing together content, science and technology, Ancestry is a human centered company with a mission to empower journeys of personal discovery to enrich lives. For more than 30 years, Ancestry’s global market-leading family history and consumer genomics products have enabled customers to discover their family story and actionable health insights. Margo is dedicated to building and innovating meaningful personal discovery experiences that connect the world and empower customers to live better lives.
Prior to Ancestry, Margo served as CEO of Mattel, the global leader in play, learning and development. Previously, she spent eight years as the President of Americas at Google, overseeing commercial operations and advertising sales, and as the Vice President of Global Sales Operations. She also has held leadership roles as COO of Groupon, EVP of US Card Services and CMO of Discover Financial Services, and as a partner at McKinsey in London and Chicago.
Margo is a champion of organizations that inspire girls to pursue education and careers in STEM and advancing the next generation of women leaders. She has received multiple awards for her business and community leadership including the Forbes “Excellence Award in Innovation,” Chicago Innovation’s “Visionary Award”, the Eastman Medal from the University of Rochester, Executive of the Year in Utah, and was named to Crain’s “Most Powerful Women in Business” and Fortune’s “50 Most Powerful Women in Business” lists. Margo serves on the Board of Directors of McDonald’s Corporation and the Advisory Board of New Classrooms. She earned a BA in Economics and an MBA from Harvard.
Ita is a Partner at venture capital firm GingerBread Capital, which backs high growth female founded companies. Her mission is to engage, educate, and elevate the next generation of successful women business leaders and investors. In 2014, Ita founded Tigress Ventures, an advisory and consulting firm that tapped her considerable network to bring together visionary entrepreneurs with seasoned professionals to help women scale their businesses and hone their leadership skills.
Ita also served as Venture Partner at Plum Alley Investments, where she oversaw investment opportunities and pipeline for high-growth female-founded and gender-diverse startups. Previously, Ita held product management roles at TravelClick and American Express. She began her career at Goldman Sachs as an analyst in Credit Capital Markets and an institutional trader of preferred stock.
Ita holds an MBA in Marketing and Entrepreneurial Management from The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania; and earned a Bachelor’s degree, cum laude, in Psychology, with a certificate in Finance, from Princeton University.
Hollywood veteran Tina Lifford plays the vivacious breakout character Aunt Vi on the critically acclaimed television drama, Queen Sugar. She has played over 100 characters in her long-standing career, including notable roles on Scandal and Parenthood.
Equally accomplished behind the camera, Tina is the respected playwright of THE CIRCLE, a play about how seven diverse women navigate the choppy waters of life together; author of The Little Book of BIG LIES (released by Harper Collins in November 2019); and CEO of The Inner Fitness Project, a personal development network committed to making the practices and benefits of “Inner Fitness” as familiar, well understood and accessible as those of physical fitness.
Tina refers to herself as an Inner Fitness Advocate and Strategist, providing information and life strategies that build a strong, resilient inner Self capable of masterfully navigating life’s challenges and opportunities. In particular, Tina’s focus offers a lifeline to those who have come to the sobering realization that a mate, career, money and a big house…and even the kids they love deeply…don’t fulfill the “something’s missing” that only a rich relationship with one’s Self provides.
Through the Inner Fitness lens, Tina encourages everyone, no matter their age, to acknowledge the Self that lives inside, embrace their innate worth and learn to take her power back from old hurt, in order to BE fully alive and thrive.
Winnie Lerner is the Managing Partner for Finsbury’s North American operations. She specializes in counseling CEOs and other senior executives, Boards of Directors and outside advisors through complex situations, including changes to leadership, sensitive litigation, control contests, shareholder activism and governance, cybersecurity and data privacy issues, SEC investigations and regulatory issues. She has worked closely with numerous Fortune 100 companies, smaller public companies, and portfolio companies.
Prior to joining Finsbury, she was head of the New York office and Capital Markets practice for Glover Park Group (GPG), the leading communications and public affairs agency in Washington, DC, and Finsbury’s strategic partner. Previously, she was head of global communications for Ralph Lauren, and prior to Ralph Lauren, she worked for 16 years at The Abernathy MacGregor Group (AMG), a leading boutique corporate consultancy, where she was most recently Co-President of the firm. Ms. Lerner also worked as a Legislative Assistant on the House of Representatives Subcommittee on Telecommunications and Finance.
A native of Cheyenne, Wyoming, Dr. Olenda E. Johnson is Professor of Strategic Leadership and Leader Development at the U. S. Naval War College – a graduate-level institution for highly select military officers and government civilians. As a lead contributor in the College of Leadership & Ethics (CLE), Dr. Johnson advises Navy senior leaders, develops strategy, and facilitates team efforts. In her primary role, she leads her team in developing and teaching a leadership course for 2-Star Navy admirals and senior government executives. Olenda also works with other military units (e.g., U.S. Army Special Forces Command) to support their leader development.
A passionate teacher and educator, Olenda thrives on helping others learn. She is an oft-invited speaker at national events to include the National League for Nursing, the Independent Blue Cross Foundation, Generation W, U. S. Air Force Academy National Character & Leadership Symposium, and DiversityInc CEO Forum among others. As an invited speaker and facilitator, Olenda shares her experiences and knowledge with people in other organizations to instill in them the courage and confidence to lead in their unique circumstance. She is driven to help others value themselves, their talents, and the impact they can have on their communities, their work, and their families.
Dr. Johnson is a recipient of numerous honors and awards to include the prestigious Army Commander’s Medal for Public Service and the University of North Carolina (UNC) Board of Governors’ Excellence in Teaching Award, the highest teaching honor bestowed upon faculty in the UNC system. Most recently she was honored by the Muhammad Ali Center as one of its Daughters of Greatness for her commitment to advancing opportunities for others.
Olenda earned her Ph.D. in Organizational Behavior from the University of Pittsburgh, and both a B. S. and MBA from Florida A&M University. Prior to joining the Naval War College, she was a tenured professor at North Carolina A&T State University. She held previous visiting faculty appointments at the U.S. Army War College and the U.S. Air Force Academy. Dr. Johnson also holds an appointment as adjunct faculty at Victoria Business School, Wellington, New Zealand. Mostly, Olenda finds the greatest joy in serving others – whether professionally, within her faith community, or among family and friends.
Joy Young is the executive director of the Cultural Council of Greater Jacksonville.
For nearly two decades Young has held positions in the nonprofit and arts sectors. She comes to Jacksonville with a strong background in arts administration, strategic planning and execution, advocacy, collaborations and partnerships, and governance. She leaves her position as the Director of Administration, Human Resources and Operations with the South Carolina Arts Commission in Columbia, South Carolina, where she served fourteen years in both executive and programmatic leadership roles.
Her work included a Cultural Tourism grant program that returned $2.1M in economic impact and a Performing Arts and Presenting grant program, which became a catalyst for engaging talented local performing artists. She conceived and implemented ArtsGrow SC, a nationally recognized innovative creative industries program assisting artists in gaining access to both business education and funds for matched business savings accounts and loans.
Prior to her employment with the South Carolina Arts Commission, Young was responsible for Special Projects and earned master trainer certification at Community in Schools South Carolina, Inc. As Director of Training and Technical Assistanceat the South Carolina Association of Nonprofit Organizations shedelivered programs related to organizational assessment and strategic planning, executive transition and succession planning, and board governance.
In addition to serving on the Grantmakers in the Arts Support for Individual Artists Committee, Young has been a grant panelist for the Florida Council on Arts and Culture, South Arts, and the National Endowment for the Arts. She has enjoyed adjunct teaching positions at Benedict College and the University of South Carolina. A performing artist herself, Young earned a Bachelor of Arts in music; studied Voice Performance at Manhattan School of Music; completed a Master of Arts; received certification in human resources employee relations law and mediation; and, attained candidacy for the Ph.D. in Organizational Leadership.
Dr. Pat Baxter uses her extensive experience to lead high-impact culture change while retaining valuable talent. Her industry expertise includes financial services, technology, customer service, retail and pharmaceuticals. She has served as a senior-level Talent Development leader in CITI, Sykes Enterprises, UNISYS, Deloitte & Touche Consulting, Southeastern Grocers, and Right Management.
As an executive consultant and coach, Pat has worked with leaders in American Express, Dollar General, Comcast, Toyota, Quintiles Pharmaceuticals, and the Association of Black Foundation Executives (ABFE).
Pat holds a doctorate in Organizational Leadership and an BS and MS from the City University of New York. She is certified in several well-known, validated assessments including EQ-i 2.0® and EQ-i 360® from MHS; Crucial Conversations®; Conflict Dynamics Profile® and the Birkman®.
For five years, Pat served as a member of the Board for the Center of Ethics in the University of Tampa and is a founding member of the Healthcare Businesswomen’s Association (HBA) in Florida. She is a recipient of the Society of Emotional Intelligence Ambassador award. She is the author of ‘Cool Change: Turning Emotions into Leadership Strengths’ (2015) and ‘101 Ways to Build and Grow an Awesome Team Using Emotional Intelligence” (2019).
A native New Yorker, Pat is fully bilingual (Spanish) and currently resides in Jacksonville, Florida.
Shawana Brooks is a creative’s creative. She is a poet, storyteller, curator and artists’ advocate. Mrs. Brooks works for the Main Public Library as the Arts and Culture Developer for the Jax Makerspace.
Her story is one of reinvention, renewal, and optimism in the face of hardship. A former manager and make-up artist for MAC Cosmetics (fourteen years), she imagined a place for herself in the arts sector and as of 2016 became a major force in advocating for artists’—specifically for minorities and women. In this capacity, she tries to shape a picture of progression and inclusion; and how that narrative builds a community of diversity and equity. She was recently awarded The Robert Arleigh White Award for Advocacy (May 2018) through the Cultural Council of Greater Jacksonville. Brooks is the first black woman to receive that honor. She is an avid public speaker and hosts her own podcast that focuses on the work of black women creatives in Jacksonville, called Shawana’s Salon. She was selected a trailblazer for 2018 by WJAX TV and has been interviewed for several local periodicals most recently Arbus Magazine.
Since starting her role at the public library her enthusiasm and positive attitude make others want to participate in the art community. She has had success with several major art exhibitions, (KESHA: A Black Female Experience of Identity and Race {first all-black women exhibition in Northeast FL}, Survive to Thrive: Life Beyond Sexual Violence, Ties and Knots: Weaving Narratives of Northeast Florida) featuring artists in our community. She has a way of framing art as accessible … as a practical point of power while still managing to communicate the wonder and amazement of the creative process. She does this in whatever medium she has access to, including personal conversations, social media, and her work at the library. She reminds us on a daily basis, of how lucky and blessed we are, not only to be alive, but to be able to participate in the arts (at any level), and to be doing it in Jacksonville.
Dr. Wendy Borlabi (Dr. B) is currently working for the Chicago Bulls as the High Performance Coach and is founder of Borlabi Consulting, a performance psychology firm. In addition, she is the CEO/Founder of Wisdom Knot which is a nonprofit that focuses on educating youth on careers in sports. Prior to working with the Bulls, she was an independent contractor for the NBA (National Basketball Association).
She worked for the United States Olympic Committee (USOC) at their training center in San Diego for six years (two Winter Olympic and one Summer Olympic Games). Prior she was at James Madison University (JMU) she worked for five years as the liaison between athletics and the Counseling and Student Development Center (CSDC). In those five years, she began the sport psychology services for the student-athletes, coaches and athletic department. In addition, she facilitated the development of the sport psychology department as a division of the JMU athletic department.
She received a B.S. in Psychology from Southwestern Oklahoma State University, an M.S. in Kinesiology with a concentration in Sport Psychology from Georgia Southern University, and a doctorate in Clinical Psychology with a concentration in Sport Psychology and Exercise Psychology at Argosy University/Phoenix.
Michelle is a native of Denver, Colorado. At the age of 7, Michelle and her family moved to rural Verbena, Alabama in the late ’70s. Michelle experienced bullying through racial bias at an early age. Outspoken as a child, Michelle began combating her attackers through physical confrontations leading to multiple suspensions. During her last suspension, Michelle’s father gave her an ultimatum, “Prison or Art.” He challenged her to seize the moment to be creative.
At the age of 13, Michelle harnessed her entrepreneurial spirit and started a hand-painted T-shirt business. After graduation, she moved to Atlanta, Georgia and attended the Art Institute of Atlanta studying Graphic Design and Visual Communications.
For nearly 35 years, Michelle has used art, history, and “real talk” conversations to mentor marginalized and disfavored students through visual arts and spoken word. She has created and branded art diversion programs used by juvenile detention centers in Atlanta, Georgia, and Montgomery, Alabama. Michelle’s art has been shown in galleries across the country notably the Rosa Parks Museum in Montgomery, Alabama.
She has painted for Tyler Perry, Denzel Washington, and countless other stars. She opened a gallery and restaurant called PJR’S FISH AND BBQ RESTAURANT that employed high school students, returning citizens, and the homeless. Michelle has traveled across the country speaking and motivating our children to be More Than a statistic, generalization, or stereotype. She challenges all children and students to defy the odds of victimization.
Today, Michelle is the founder and director of I AM MORE THAN…TM Youth Empowerment Initiative in Montgomery, Alabama. She owns and operates More Than Tours, a social business providing educational tours for nearly 10,000 underserved students in marginalized communities of color. Michelle’s mission is simple,“Exposing Our Children To The Truth, Will Give Them Access To A Seat At The Table.”
Sarah Beatty Buller is an accidental entrepreneur and mission-driven builder. She is the co-founder of Montgomery Builds (est. 2013), an effort to rebuild culturally relevant historic spaces in downtown Montgomery, Alabama. Kress on Dexter is the symbolic “first” historic landmark building to be completed in the Montgomery Builds plan. In 2018, Kress on Dexter was recognized as the Best Historical Restoration with the national ABC Award, and a 2019 AIA Award for architectural design. Montgomery Builds is affiliated with ELSAJA. ELSAJA is a privately held company dedicated to redeveloping spaces that will encourage community-building in an authentic and organic way.
Sarah is also the founder of Greenmaker Industries, a product development firm and manufacturer of environmentally sound American made building products, and Green Depot, a one-stop-shop for sustainable “green” building materials. Prior to becoming an entrepreneur, Sarah worked for 16 years in media as the Vice President of Marketing & Global branding at MTV: Music Television and Senior Vice President of Marketing and Off-Air Creative for USA Network.
Sarah is a graduate of Harvard College (B.A. Cum Laude). She is a member of the Corporation of the Winsor School, a Board member of the Green Schools Alliance, and the Alabama Shakespeare Festival. Sarah Beatty Buller is an active member of the Women’s Forum of New York, currently serving as an officer on its Board of Directors. Tags: Entrepreneur, Mission Driven Builder, Innovation Enthusiast, Sustainability Advocate, Music Lover, Culture Junkie, Curious Traveler, Feminist, wife, mother
She has painted for Tyler Perry, Denzel Washington, and countless other stars. She opened a gallery and restaurant called PJR’S FISH AND BBQ RESTAURANT that employed high school students, returning citizens, and the homeless. Michelle has traveled across the country speaking and motivating our children to be More Than a statistic, generalization, or stereotype. She challenges all children and students to defy the odds of victimization.
Today, Michelle is the founder and director of I AM MORE THAN…TM Youth Empowerment Initiative in Montgomery, Alabama. She owns and operates More Than Tours, a social business providing educational tours for nearly 10,000 underserved students in marginalized communities of color. Michelle’s mission is simple,“Exposing Our Children To The Truth, Will Give Them Access To A Seat At The Table.”
Irene Chang Britt is an experienced board chair and committee chair on both public company and private boards, spanning industries as diverse as retail, restaurants, financial services, senior living, biotech, and energy. She currently serves on the boards of BayBridge Seniors Housing (Chair of the Board), Dunkin’ Brands (Chair, N & CG), Tailored Brands (Chair, N & CG) and Brighthouse Financial (Chair, N&CG). She is a retired Fortune 500 President and SVP, with a distinguished 30–year track record of business transformations at companies such as Campbell Soup Co., Kraft Foods, Nabisco and Kimberly-Clark. Irene earned her BA from the University of Toronto, and her MBA, with honors, from the University of Western Ontario (Richard Ivey School of Business).
ErNeisha Coleman is a current senior at Darnell-Cookman Middle/High School in Jacksonville, Florida. After graduation, she plans on attending Valdosta State University, where she wants to study psychology. ErNeisha is passionate about mental health, and with her psychology degree would like to become an advocate for mental health awareness. She has been a part of Generation WOW for the past three years.
Pamela Culpepper is the Chief Human Resources Officer at Cboe Global Markets, Inc., one of the world’s largest exchange holding companies, offering cutting-edge trading and investment solutions to investors around the world. At Cboe, Culpepper has served as a trusted advisor to the executive team and Board of Directors on talent management, compensation and benefits and Cboe’s recent M & A of a global exchange.
As a veteran HR executive, Culpepper has over 25 years of experience in both line and staff HR roles. She joined Cboe from Golin, where she was the company’s, Chief People Officer. For more than 14 years prior, Culpepper held various leadership roles with PepsiCo, Inc., including Chief Global Diversity and Inclusion Officer, Vice President, Human Resources for Quaker Foods and Snacks; Vice President, Human Resources for PepsiCo’s Beverages Supply Chain; and Vice President, Talent Management and Diversity for Quaker, Tropicana and Gatorade. Before PepsiCo, Culpepper held progressive roles with McKessonHBOC, Inc., Clorox and Wells Fargo.
Culpepper is a former Board Trustee of VSO International, based in the United Kingdom and currently serves as a Board of Director for Navy Pier of Chicago. Culpepper has a B.A. in Psychology from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock and a Masters of Public Administration in Organizational Change, from California State University, Eastbay. Culpepper is based in Chicago.
An active community volunteer, Cindy Edelman is the former chair of The Community Foundation for Northeast Florida and the Jacksonville Public Education Fund and has served on the boards of the Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens, Leadership Jacksonville and Youth Leadership Jacksonville. She has been honored with the OneJax Humanitarian Award and the EVE Award for Volunteer Service. She is a past president of Congregation Ahavath Chesed and a founding member of the Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, D.C. Recently retired as an AP Art History instructor, Ms. Edelman has taught in The Bolles School and Florida State College. Currently, she is a member of the board for JPEF, City Year, and teaches Art Appreciation to Seniors at the Jewish Community Alliance. She received her BA from Vanderbilt University and her MAT from Jacksonville University. A thirty three year resident of Jacksonville, Ms. Edelman is married to Daniel M. Edelman, and is the Mother of two daughters, Jay Meredith and Berry, one step-son, Zachary and Grandmother of Freda P. Zwass.
A native of Hungary, Edith Eva Eger was just 16 years old in 1944 when she experienced one of the worst evils the human race has ever known. As a Jew living in Nazi-occupied Eastern Europe, she and her family were sent to Auschwitz, the heinous death camp. Her parents lost their lives there. She and her sister survived even though they were subjected to horrible treatment by Dr. Josef Mengele and survived the Death March from Poland to Austria.
In 1949 she and her young family moved to the United States. In 1969 she received her degree in Psychology from the University of Texas, El Paso. She then pursued her doctoral internship at the William Beaumont Army Medical Center at Fort Bliss, Texas. She has spent much of her professional time working with members of the military helping them to recover from, and cope with, the ongoing effects of PTSD.
Dr. Eger has always found ways to use her personal experiences to inspire, educate and help others. Dr. Eger has a clinical practice in La Jolla, California where she uses her past as a powerful analogy to inspire people to reach their potential and shape their destinies. In the fall of 2017 at the age of 90, her memoir The Choice, Embrace the Possible was published. In her book, she details how the synergy of working with and learning from, her patient’s perspectives has enriched her life experiences. The book focuses on moving forward in light of hardship, has received excellent reviews, is a best seller in several countries, and has been translated into nine languages. The New York Times Book Review wrote: “Eger’s book is a triumph, and should be read by all who care about both their inner freedom and the future of humanity.”
As of March 2018, the book has received two book awards, one being from the national organization of the Jewish Book Council; the other The Christopher Award. It has been a best seller in Ireland, the United Kingdom, and Chile.
Hope is in 8th grade at Landrum Middle School where she spearheaded one of the first Generation WOW clubs for middle schools in the country. Currently, serving as her school’s president for the National Junior Honor Society, Hope is also active in student government taking on various roles including being the publicity manager for student council and serving on the steering committee for graduation. A leader among her peers, Hope was recognized for her volunteerism being awarded for “most school involvement” for the 2018/2019 school year. In addition, to her school activities, Hope is passionate about helping refugee children resettle in Jacksonville. You can find her most Saturday’s tutoring with JaxTHRIVE, a local charity program that provides refugee children with help in reading, vocabulary, math, and life skills as they adapt to their new lives in America.
Neha Gandhi is the Editor in Chief and COO at Girlboss, where she oversees content, growth, operations, and people and culture. Before joining Girlboss, she spent six years at Refinery29, in editorial and executive roles. Equal parts news and entertainment junkie, she’s interviewed luminaries ranging from Hillary Clinton to Samantha Power to Cathy McMorris Rodgers to Madonna—and represented the brand everywhere from MSNBC to Social Media Week to SXSW. She has previously held editor posts at Seventeen, Harper’s Bazaar, LHJ.com, and More.com. Her work has appeared in Foam, In Style, Women’s Health, and ReadyMade. She holds a BA in English literature from Princeton University — and harbors a fondness for em dashes along with a very real antipathy to emoticons.
Ashley G. Garner is a photographer and video artist living and working out of Brooklyn, NY.
Raised between Georgia, North Carolina, and Florida, Garner graduated with Bachelor Degrees in photography and art history from Florida International University (Miami) and moved to New York in 2013.
Transitioning from a fashion photography background to fine art, Garner’s work has been described as “elegantly provocative” informed by symbolism, nature, and art history. Focusing on conceptual themes, she pulls from mythology, scientific theories, art therapy, identity and twists them into her own timeless narrative whether that be in the form of a photo or video, or often both. Her work has been incorporated into rehabilitation clinics, The Quin Hotel, recognized by American Photo Magazine, The Photographic Journal, Hi-Fructose, and featured in solo and group shows across the nation.
Maria Hane is the President of the Museum of Science & History of Jacksonville. In her nine-year tenure at the Museum of Science & History (MOSH), she has increased the Museum’s operating budget by 46% and led $5 million in capital improvements. The Museum served more than 239,000 people in 2015-16 setting new attendance records over 75 years of continuous community service.
Key accomplishments since 2009 MOSH include opening the new state-of-the-art Bryan-Gooding Planetarium; new core exhibits, Health in Motion and JEA PowerPlay; fully renovated JEA Science Theater; three new gallery spaces and, 2,400 square feet of new classroom and learning space.
Ms. Hane is a founding member of Cultural Fusion, a collaborative network of arts and cultural organizations in Jacksonville leveraging the power of the collective to ensure a strong cultural community is a valued asset and expectation for residents and the business community. Her leadership in collaborative work qualified her as a National Arts Strategies Chief Executive Program Fellow and recognition as a 2014 Change Agent receiving the Nonprofit Center Innovation and Collaboration Award. Leadership Jacksonville recognized Ms. Hane’s community leadership with the Tillie K. Fowler Distinguished Leadership Award in 2018. She has also received commendation from the City of Jacksonville’s Human Rights Commission, JASMYN, and the Regional Planning Council for her community leadership work.
She Chairs the Visit Jacksonville Board and serves on the Boards and Executive committees of the Florida Association of Museums, Nonprofit Center of Northeast Florida, Visit Jacksonville, Atlantic Institute, Jacksonville Chamber Board of Governors, and chairs the Lead Counsel of the Northeast Region STEM2 Hub. She is an active member of Leadership Jacksonville, Class of 2002, serving in 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019 on Leadership Development Teams, is a member of the Jacksonville Women’s Network.
Ms. Hane graduated summa cum laude from the University of North Florida with a Bachelor’s of Art in Communications. Prior to MOSH, Hane served as Deputy Director of Operations at the Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens and as Director of Written Communications for Jacksonville Mayor John D. Delaney. With more than twenty-five years of leadership experience in the nonprofit and public service sector, Ms. Hane has served in key positions with extensive experience in volunteer and board development, advocacy, fundraising, communications, governance, and strategic planning. She has served as a presenter at national conferences for ASTC (Association for Science and Technology Centers), AAM (American Alliance for Museums), STEM Ecosystem Funders Network and the Florida Association of Museums state conference.
Dr. Heidi Hanna is the Chief Energy Officer of Synergy, a company providing brain-based health and performance programs to individuals and organizations, the Executive Director of the American Institute of Stress, and a Founding Partner of the Academy for Brain Health and Performance. Sheis a NY Times bestselling author of several books, including The Sharp Solution, Stressaholic, and Recharge. Heidi has been featured at many global conferences including the Fortune MagazineMost Powerful Women in Business Summit, ESPN Leadership Summit, and the Million Dollar Round Table. Her clients have included Google, Starbucks, Microsoft, Morgan Stanley, and WD40 as well as the PGA Tour and the National Football League. Heidi is also a Certified Humor Professional with the Association for Applied and Therapeutic Humoralthough she won’t admit she’s funny.
Diana Hoover, a Jacksonville native, is a junior at Andrew Jackson High School. Diana is passionate about raising awareness about mental health and makes it her goal every day to do what she can to make her friends and peers feel better about themselves. Her goal after high school is to become a psychologist in the army and continue her work of encouraging and supporting others.
Yvette Angelique Hyater-Adams, MA-TLA is a writer and storytelling facilitator. Yvette blends her expertise as a change strategist and her longtime artistic skills to run Narratives for Change. She writes about the intersectionality of art, leadership, and social issues such as racism, sexism, and environmental justice while creating pathways for women and girls to use storytelling as a way to unpack barriers, explore experiences, envision possibilities and advocacy.
Leah is responsible for strategy and product development for employability learning solutions for high school, higher ed, and adult lifelong learners. She is specifically focused on accelerated skills pathways to industry credentials that go beyond the traditional “for-credit” courses, and include solutions for employers, workforce education, alternative credential models, and institutional solutions around college and career readiness. Leah is also responsible for managing large industry association partnerships and connecting employers to academia. Leah is focused on gathering customer insights in order to build valuable, competitive solutions, and defining learner outcomes and collecting the data to support efficacy.
Barry Kleiman is a 46 year veteran of the executive search/executive development world who recently launched The Fifth Quarter Project, a continuing education career development program.
Barry’s LinkedIn profile reads: Author, Speaker, Headhunter, and Architect of Career Success Strategies for Highly Motivated Careerpreneurs.
His work in these arenas has drawn high praise from numerous individuals in countless segments of the workforce…as well as many parents of young athletes…
Beginning in 1997 and to present-day Barry has augmented his “day job” in the career success strategies business mentoring youth in his capacity as a basketball coach. (Beyond parents and the athletes themselves he’s garnered further praise from Hall of Fame basketball Dale Brown who wrote the Foreword of Barry’s book)
From the Chairman of the Board of an iconic San Francisco company to our own Donna Orender, to C-Level corporate executives and countless other the message of ethics, integrity, passion, wisdom, generosity, caring is shared by all.
It should be also noted that Barry is the recipient of an individual awards/honor from the U.S. Senate for his contribution to Bay Area youth along with being appointed Head Coach, United States Jr. Boy’s Basketball at the 2013 Maccabiah.
Anila Lingamneni is Vice President of Renal R&D, Baxter’s R&D function responsible for providing renal therapy solutions to our chronic and acute dialysis patients, through design and development of medical devices and software applications. The Renal R&D team is responsible for the entire product life cycle management of devices, from ideation through launch, sustainability and eventual end of life. Her team is organized around specific therapies with system and hardware/software expertise, and core engineering and science disciplines which can be leveraged across both the Renal Care and Acute Therapies Global Business Units. The R&D team has a global footprint and a vision for building world class strategic competencies that enable us to drive innovative and competitive therapy solutions and products for our patients.
Prior to joining Baxter in 2013, Anila served as Chief Technology Officer for the X-Ray Diagnostic Imaging Business Unit at General Electric in Waukesha, Wisconsin. During her 15 year career at General Electric, she was a key player in the launch of more than 20 new electromechanical products. In addition to her strong technical background, she has proven herself as an authentic leader and mentor. She has successfully managed operations around the globe supported by a culturally diverse and geographically distributed team of engineers.
Anila was recognized with the HBA (Healthcare Businesswomen’s Association) Outstanding Luminary award in 2018. She has also been awarded the SWE (Society of Women Engineers) Women in Technology award in 2011. She is currently a Baxter Foundation board member and Baxter Global Inclusion Council member. Anila received her Bachelor’s in Electrical & Electronics Engineering and Masters in Mathematics from BITS in Pilani, India, and a second Masters in Biomedical Engineering from Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa.
Hope McMath is a working artist, independent curator, cultural leader, educator, and activist whose knowledge of, and passion for, the arts is matched by a strong commitment to social justice and generating positive change in organizations and the community. She connects the arts to community needs through various associations, especially as founder/director of Yellow House, a hub for educational outreach and collaborations among artists, writers, organizations, and communities. Core to her work is a strong belief that the arts, and those who create it, are society’s great truth-tellers, and that art has the power to transform people and communities.
Alyse Nelson is president and CEO of Vital Voices Global Partnership. A co-founder of Vital Voices, Alyse has worked for the organization for over 20years, serving as vice president and senior director of programs before assuming her current role in 2009. Under her leadership, Vital Voices has expanded its reach to serve over 15,000 women leaders in 181countries. Previously, Alyse served as deputy director of the State Department’s Vital Voices Global Democracy Initiative and worked with the President’sInteragency Council on Women at the White House. Alyse is a Member in the Council on Foreign Relations, serves on the Secretary of State’s Advisory Committee on Strategic Dialogue with Civil Society and is a Board member of Running Start. Alyse is a part of the Expert Group for the B Team and is on the Advisory Board of Chime for Change. Fortune Magazine named Alyse one of the 55 Most Influential Women on Twitter. Recently Alyse was named one of the 100 Most Influential People in Global Gender Policy by APolitical.Alyse was honored with aTribeca Disruptive Innovation Award. Alyse is the author of the best-selling book Vital Voices: The Power of Women Leading Change Around the World andw has been featured in various international and national media. She completed her graduate degree work at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University.
Anjali Panchal is in eleventh grade at Stanton College Prep and is committed to helping girls have access to new opportunities. She is an active volunteer at the Duval County Courthouse and over the summer spent three weeks in Honduras volunteering with Unite for Sight helping to provide free eye care. Anjali is still figuring out what she wants to major in but hopes to go to the University of Pennsylvania.
Akila is the head of Natural Resources Debt Capital Markets and Risk Management for Goldman Sachs, a leading global investment grade, securities and investment management firm.
She has responsibility for the firm’s Natural Resources clients across both Investment Grade Capital Markets and Corporate Risk Management, helping them raise new capital and optimize their overall capital structure with respect to interest rates and currencies.
Throughout her 15 year career at the firm she has advised on numerous complex acquisition financings, brought important Debt IPOs (Initial Public Offerings) to the market, and mitigated interest rate and foreign currency risk for some of the firm’s most important clients, with particular focus on hedging risk associated with mergers/acquisitions and debt issuance. In the past 5 years alone she has raised nearly $150bn of capital on behalf of her clients and has structured nearly $50bn in complex acquisition financings Akila serves on the Operating Board for Pursuit, a social impact organization dedicated to creating transformation through training of adults with the most need to get their first tech jobs and become the next generation of leaders in tech. She is a member emerita of the Board of Trustees for the Cap & Gown Club of Princeton University and the Princeton University Tigressions Graduate Board, and is a W.O.M.E.N. in America alumna.
Akila earned an AB in Politics and a Certificate in Finance from Princeton University.
Originally from Liberty, Missouri, Akila currently resides in New York City with her husband and daughter.
Jessica Santiago is the CEO and Curator of ArtRepublic Global. Positioned at the center of art, content, brands, technology, and experience, ArtRepublic creates opportunities for the storytellers and thought leaders who shape contemporary culture. Jessica is dedicated to helping artists thrive by giving them access to today’s leading-edge technology and abundant resources to create.
Santiago has established relationships with some of the most esteemed artists, curators, galleries and art-focused brands around the world, with the intention of using art to ignite economic growth, bridge cultural divides and inspire thought-provoking environments. With a focus on public art for its ability to shift humanity by giving the world full access to beauty, she curates and produces public art to enliven public realms and enrich the people.
For Jessica Santiago curation is a deeply intuitive process. She looks to make sense of where we are in this place and time and to bring light to the messages people need to hear to thrive and reach higher levels of thought and awareness. She seeks to present a picture of where art will head next and acts as a steward to activate ideas, draw connections, bring attention to lesser-known artists and highlight topics that warrant deeper conversation.
Akila earned an AB in Politics and a Certificate in Finance from Princeton University.
Originally from Liberty, Missouri, Akila currently resides in New York City with her husband and daughter.
Lisa is a retired Goldman Sachs Partner who now advises and invests in growth companies and serves on company boards. Over her 20-year Goldman career, Lisa held senior leadership roles led revenue-producing businesses, managed global P&Ls and important client relationships, and helped transform the way Goldman communicates with its key stakeholders. Lisa was the Global Head of Brand Marketing & Digital Strategy during the financial crisis. Most recently, Lisa was Managing Partner and Head of Strategic Innovation at Brookfield Asset Management.
Over the last two decades, Susannah Wellford founded two organizations designed to raise the political voice of young women in America.
In spring 2007, Susannah founded Running Start to inspire young women and girls to pursue political leadership. Running Start furthers the work begun by the Women Under Forty Political Action Committee (WUFPAC), which Susannah co-founded in 1999 and led for five years.
Susannah speaks frequently to colleges, law schools, political groups, trade associations, and nonprofits about the importance of involving more young women in politics. She has also lectured about politics to international groups from dozens of countries. She was invited to Kuwait by their government in spring 2006 to meet Kuwait’s first women candidates and to advise them on their campaigns and has been sent by the State Department to speak in the Maldives, Sri Lanka, Israel, Belgium, Ukraine, Algeria, and Russia. Susannah was recently selected to participate in a Joint Civilian Orientation Course (JCOC), the oldest and most prestigious public liaison program in the United States Department of Defense.
After receiving her JD from the University of Virginia School of Law in 1998, Susannah worked for several years at Verner, Liipfert, Bernhard, McPherson & Hand, lobbying for state and local governments, foreign governments, corporate entities, and trade associations before Congress and the Executive Branch.
Prior to law school, Susannah worked for Hillary Clinton’s Health Care Task Force in the Clinton White House. As a member of the Health Care War Room staff, she planned and executed grass-roots health care events for the President and First Lady and coordinated speaking events for Congressional Members and White House staff on health care reform issues. She is also a former Legislative Assistant for Senator Wyche Fowler from Georgia and a proud 1990 graduate of Davidson College. Susannah lives in Washington, DC with her twin sons, Ben and James.
The first woman ever elected to serve as an officer of the PGA of America, PGA President, and PGA Master Professional, Suzy Whaley is the PGA Director of Instruction for the Country Club at Mirasol in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. She is also the PGA Director of Instruction for Suzy Whaley Golf in Cromwell, Connecticut.
After serving two years as PGA Secretary, and two years as Vice President, Whaley was elected as the PGA of America’s first female President at the PGA Annual Meeting in November 2018.
Recognized as one of the country’s top instructors, Whaley enjoyed a five-year tenure at Jim Flick Golf Schools, before becoming the Head Golf Professional at Blue Fox Run in Avon, Connecticut, in 2002. From 2004-06, she worked as an LPGA golf commentator for ESPN, and began her own instruction and coaching business, Suzy Whaley Golf, after ESPN. Whaley’s resume includes numerous teaching awards including Golf Digest Top 50 Instructor, LPGA Top 50 Instructor, Connecticut PGA Two-Time Teacher of the Year, Golf Digest State Teacher of the Year 10 times, U.S. Kids Golf Master Kids Teacher, five-time PGA Jr. League Championship finals Coach, and has instructed more than 300 children to collegiate golf.
A dual member of the PGA of America and LPGA Teaching & Club Professional division, Whaley was an LPGA Tour member in 1990 and 1993. She famously qualified and participated in the 2003 Greater Hartford Open, becoming the first woman since Babe Zaharias in 1945 to qualify for a PGA Tour event. This occurred after Whaley became the first PGA of America woman professional to win the Connecticut PGA Championship.
Whaley also is a three-time Connecticut Women’s Open Champion; National LPGA Teaching & Club Professional winner; Connecticut PGA Section Champion; Connecticut PGA Club Professional Champion; and a two-time LPGA Northeast T&CP Section Champion. She competed in both the 2002 and 2005 PGA Professional Championships. Whaley also recently competed in the USGA Senior Women’s Open, as well at the LPGA Senior Women’s Championship.
A 2016 Greater Syracuse Sports Hall of Fame inductee, Whaley also serves as a Board Member for the ANNIKA Foundation and an Honorary Director for the First Tee of Connecticut. She was honored with the 2017 Betsy Rawls Award from the American Junior Golf Association for her service, dedication, and contributions to women’s golf. She was also named a 2015 Sports Business Journal “Game Changer,” cited as a woman leader who has had a major impact on sports business. Whaley also received the 2015 Margo Dydek Award from the WNBA’s Connecticut Sun, for her ability to engage, challenge and inspire, while serving as a role model.
A 1989 graduate of the University of North Carolina with a Bachelor’s Degree in economics, Whaley and her husband, Bill, are both PGA Members. Bill is the National Director of Golf for the PGA Tour Properties Division. They have two daughters, Jennifer and Kelly.
Melinda Wolfe joined GLG in June 2017, becoming the company’s first Chief Human Resources Officer. Over her career, she has served as CHRO and spearheaded talent initiatives with a passionate focus on diversity and inclusion at global companies including Pearson, Bloomberg, American Express and Goldman Sachs. Ms. Wolfe began her career at Merrill Lynch, managing billions of dollars of project finance and public power transactions for public and private sector clients over a 14- year period.
Ms. Wolfe is a board member of Auburn Seminary, the Center for Talent Innovation, Planned Parenthood of New York City and ZanaAfrica. She previously served on NYC Mayor’s Commission on Women and on advisory boards for several academic institutions including the Dalton School, Barnard’s Athena Center, Duke University, Washington University and the School of Public and International Affairs at Columbia, where she also served as an Adjunct Faculty Member. She is a frequent speaker at conferences on subjects including talent management and diversity and inclusion, particularly the advancement of women.
Ms. Wolfe earned her undergraduate degree from Washington University and her graduate degree from the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University. She resides in Manhattan with her husband, Ken Inadomi.
Marla Ginsburg spent 20 years behind the camera as one of the highest-ranking female television executives in Europe. Based in Paris, she produced some of the longest-running international co-productions in television history, (Highlander and La Femme Nikita), Ginsburg reinvented herself in 2009 as a fashion designer, taking center stage in front of the camera in the US, Europe and Canada.
Ginsburg returned to the US just in time for the 2007 writers strike followed by . the 2008 economic crisis and found herself unemployed and a lifetime of savings rapidly dwindling. “With time on my hands and a mortgage on my back, I decided that maybe I should figure out what else I could do with my life. At the time, the prospects of finding a job were about as likely as finding a natural blonde in Beverly Hills so, I decided to reinvent myself by combining my creativity and passion for clothes.”
Ginsburg’s entrepreneurial reinvention that started in her garage and launched on TV retail 8 years ago is now a global lifestyle brand with sales in excess of $40 Million. Over the years her product line has expanded to include handbags, jewelry, pajama’s, outerwear and in 2017 she launched a diffusion label called “Wynne Ayers”.
Ranked #2 on HSN she of the fastest growing brands on channels in the UK, Canada, and Australia. This year Ginsburg’s brands will be added to QVC in Italy and Japan. As a plus size woman herself, Ginsburg has managed to bring a style and practical elegance to all women sizes XS-3X.
Global television audiences are responding not only responding to the quality and styling of her collection, but they also relate to her.
She is one of them.
Kay Koplovitz, founder of USA Networks and former Chairman of the Board of Liz Claiborne, and the author of “Bold Women, Big Ideas” has always predicted that Ginsburg, whom she worked within the television world, would be as successful in fashion as she was In TV. “Both businesses are about having the right product for the consumer in the marketplace at the right time,” she said. “Marla is very capable of focusing on the creative side but also has a good sense of how to market a brand.”
Apparently Koplovitz’s predictions were correct. It’s been almost 8 years since Ginsburg first premiered her brand on HSN, and brand industry experts believe the business could easily reach $100 million over the next 3-5 years.
In the meantime, Ginsburg is happily globetrotting as she continues to expand her brand internationally and shares her story of reinvention to an ever-growing audience of fans and loyal customers of all ages.
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