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Dr. Darnyelle Jervey Harmon is the award-winning Inc5000 CEO of Incredible One Enterprises, LLC - a business transformation company. She is a renowned expert in coaching entrepreneurs and established the Move to Millions movement, which aims to normalize wealth and financial legacy through entrepreneurship, particularly for service-based entrepreneurs. Her approach merges spiritual principles, strategic business growth, and wealth development to build sustainable, lucrative companies.

Adam Smiley Poswolsky is an internationally renowned keynote speaker, workplace belonging and future of work expert, and bestselling author of three books that have been translated into multiple languages, including The Quarter-Life Breakthrough and Friendship in the Age of Loneliness.

J.R. Martinez is an Army veteran, burn survivor, actor, motivational speaker, New York Times best-selling author, and Dancing with the Stars season 13 winner. He has traveled the world speaking with troops at various bases and serving as the keynote speaker for numerous major corporate events, non-profits, Universities, and Fortune 500 companies. J.R. devotes himself to spreading his message of resilience and optimism.

Join Alisa Childers—a wife, mom, author, blogger, speaker, and worship leader—as she shares insights from her journey. Formerly part of the award-winning CCM recording group ZOEgirl, Alisa is now a sought-after speaker at apologetics and Christian worldview conferences, including reThink. Don't miss her latest book, "The Deconstruction of Christianity."

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Samuel Dixon is a full-ride Honors Cheatham-White Scholar Junior at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University. He is the Co-Founder and President of the NCAT Crypto Club and Aggie DAO. He is studying user experience design and blockchain technology with a minor in finance. 

Aleesha Barlow created Tell Somebody, Inc., an organization that works toward ending child abuse and silenced abuse of any kind. The Tell Somebody movement is about bringing awareness to parents that sexual abuse can and does happen.

"I am a survivor of child abuse. I was molested by my maternal grandfather and at age 6, I told my aunt that her father was touching me inappropriately. She told my mother, and they confronted my grandfather. He admitted it. I was told to keep it a secret from the police and my own father, with the promise the abuse would stop. Unfortunately he continued, and I never spoke up again. After 20 years, my father asked me if I had ever been molested in my life, I told him yes. I felt all the weight, burden and shame I had been carrying all those years, immediately lifted off my shoulders and I want all survivors to feel that! You are not alone. Don’t take it to the grave, Tell Somebody. It’s time to heal!" —Aleesha Barlow

Patrice Gordon is an established executive coach and personal development advocate, specializing in Women’s Development Programs and Reverse Mentoring. She spearheaded the development of reverse mentoring at Virgin Atlantic, with the initial focus being on how race and ethnicity impact development in the workplace. 

Dr. John Demartini is an internationally published author, a global educator and the founder of the Demartini Method, a revolutionary tool in modern psychology. He is also the author of over 40 self-development books and manuscripts such as the bestseller ‘The Breakthrough Experience®’ which has been translated into over 36 languages.

Efram “LoveLogiq” Bryant is an R&B singer, songwriter, poet, MC, & social activist. His love of music extends to all genres, particularly Soul/Neo-Soul, R&B, Hip-Hop, and jazz. LovelLogiq has performed with world-renowned musicians recreating songs from legends such as Gil Scot Heron, Earth Wind & Fire, and Al Green. He has written for major R&B artists such as Noel Gourdin and has been featured as a vocalist in the hit FOX TV series “Empire.”

Irina Tishchenko Lujan has worked with Universal Aid for Children of Ukraine since 1999. She served as their Scholarship Program director in Odessa for ten years before moving to the United States. Irina facilitates correspondence between the UAC Ukraine team, the children in Odessa, and their staff and sponsors in the U.S. Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jbryanthowroyd Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JaniceBryantHowroyd LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/janicebryanthowroyd/

Marty Neumeier is someone who literally wrote the book on branding, in fact, he’s written numerous books about it. He is an author, designer, and brand adviser whose mission is to bring the principles and processes of design to business. He has worked closely with innovative companies such as Apple, Netscape, Sun Microsystems, HP, Adobe, Google, and Microsoft to help advance their brands and cultures. Today he serves as Director of Transformation for Liquid Agency in Silicon Valley, and travels extensively as a workshop leader and speaker on the topics of design, brand, and innovation.

Ed Wiley III spent more than 30 years as a journalist, working as a newspaper and magazine reporter, congressional press secretary, communications manager, and most recently as the Managing Editor at BET News. In 2006, he moved to North Carolina, and two years later returned to his love for cooking. He and his wife, Yalem, opened their first restaurant in Raleigh, NC. Wiley attributes much of what her learned in the kitchen to his father, the legendary saxophonist Ed Wiley Jr., who developed his culinary chops cooking for bandmates on the Chitlin’ Circuit during the days when many of the restaurants were segregated.

The Prime Smokehouse: Barbecue & Beyond, which moved to Rocky Mount, NC, in 2013, has been ranked No. 1 on most online social media outlets in the city since it was established. In fact, Yelp recently named Prime the Top Dining Destination for Travelers to North Carolina, and the restaurant has been featured in various publications and television programs.

Laura Cathcart Robbins is the best-selling author of her memoir, Stash, My Life In Hiding, and host of the popular podcast, The Only One In The Room. She has been active for many years as a speaker and school trustee and is credited for creating The Buckley School’s nationally recognized committee on Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice. Her recent articles on the subjects of race, recovery, and divorce have garnered her worldwide acclaim. She is a 2022 TEDx Speaker, and LA Moth StorySlam winner. Currently, she sits on the advisory boards of the San Diego Writer’s Festival and the Outliers HQ podcast Festival.

Jenny Just is a visionary, powerhouse, and one of the few self-made female billionaires in the United States. From her days of cutting her teeth on the trading floor in Chicago to now running a fintech empire, she has started and/or turned around more than 15 operating companies and made 100s of private investments, including in such companies as Webull, Stash, QuantumScape, and Thrasio.

Jenny co-founded PEAK6 in 1997 with $1.5M in seed capital as a proprietary options trading firm. Since then, she has grown the firm into a multibillion-dollar financial services and technology firm housing the next generation of products and service brands — including PEAK6 Capital Management, PEAK6 Strategic Capital, Apex Fintech Solutions, PEAK6 InsurTech, Evil Geniuses. Poker Power, and Zogo.

With a true knack for unearthing talent and opportunities, Jenny looks for underfunded sectors to transform limited access opportunities into high-growth businesses. Her passion specifically lies in finding opportunities for women to succeed at every table — from the classroom, to the conference room, to the poker room, to the board room.

Which is why she launched Poker Power in 2020, a woman-led company that teaches poker to all who identify as female, and by extension, teaches women strategic thinking, capital allocation, and decision-making skills. Additionally, Jenny has created programs to help women advance their careers in trading, fintech, and technology. She founded the Women’s Trading Experience and Women’s Technology Experience programs for PEAK6 employees in order to create a path for more women in fintech.

Haile Thomas is a 22yr old international speaker, wellness & compassion activist, content creator, writer, co-founder of wellness teahouse, Matcha Thomas, and the non-profit HAPPY (Healthy, Active, Positive, Purposeful, Youth). Haile founded HAPPY when she was 12 years old to redefine youth empowerment through free holistic wellness education and plant-based nutrition in at-risk communities. In 2017, she became the youngest graduate from the Institute for Integrative Nutrition as a Certified Integrative Nutrition Health Coach (at age 16). In 2020, at 19, Haile published her debut self-help cookbook, “Living Lively,” with HarperCollins.

Kate is Co-founder, Chair, and previous CEO of Applied, the essential platform for de-biased recruiting. Applied uses behavioral and data science to help organizations find the best person for the job regardless of their background. Through this platform, Kate aims to make hiring smart, fair, and easy. It also cares about being able to prove impact, so it publishes the results of its experiments and research that inform its product design.

Prior to founding Applied, Kate was Principal Advisor and Head of Growth and Equality at the Behavioural Insights Team and has previously worked for UNESCO in South East Asia, and for the Australian Treasury. She is also a former member of the World Economic Forum’s Global Action Committee on Behavioural Science. Kate holds a Master in Public Policy degree from the Harvard Kennedy School of Government, and a Bachelor in Economic and Social Sciences from the University of Sydney. She is a Trustee at the Blueprint for Better Business.

Considered one of the top voices in AI and the future of work, Ian Beacraft is a trusted advisor to the world’s most innovative companies. The founder and Chief Futurist of Signal and Cipher, Ian leads a strategic foresight and development agency guiding companies through the rapidly changing technology landscape to find meaningful routes to innovation that impact the bottom line, inspire cultural change, and create new products and services.

Jaylen Bledsoe is the Chairman of the Bledsoe Collective and Managing Director of Flare Partners. Jaylen has served on AT&T’s Supplier Diversity Board, advised White House officials in President Obama’s Administration on economic policies impacting small businesses, and has served on various non-profit organization boards. He’s also received awards for leading the Bledsoe Collective, such as the Business Journal's Top 40 under 40. In addition, he has spoken to audiences at institutions such as the White House, Stanford University, Facebook, Google, and many more.

Daniel was most recently an Entrepreneur in Resident at MIT designX, where he co-founded a marketplace platform. He was an associate at Summit Partners, where he helped manage the firm’s due diligence process to raise investment funds. Previously, he was a financial analyst at Goldman Sachs, where he supported senior management in supervising the New England Private Wealth Management business. He received a dual Masters in Business Administration from the Wharton School and Public Administration from Harvard Kennedy School. He received his Bachelor of Arts from Brandeis University.

Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of CliniSpan Health, Dezbee McDaniel has been a career entrepreneur. He is an alum of Venture for America, a prestigious entrepreneurial fellowship, where he worked with different technology startups across many functions of business such as sales, marketing, and operations. Dezbee has founded and/or grown startups from inception as well as consulted with early stage startup companies over the years.

Dr. Opal Lee is known as the “Grandmother of Juneteenth.” At 90 years of age, she started a walking campaign from Fort Worth, TX to Washington, DC to bring awareness to the need for celebrating Juneteenth nationally. Ms. Opal was nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize in recognition of her work to bring awareness to the contributions and struggles of African Americans in the United States, as well as her mission to create a more equitable society for humanity.

Kevin Kelly is Senior Maverick at Wired magazine. He co-founded Wired in 1993, and served as its Executive Editor for its first seven years. He is also founding editor and co-publisher of the popular Cool Tools website, which has been reviewing tools daily since 2003. From 1984-1990 Kelly was publisher and editor of the Whole Earth Review, a journal of unorthodox technical news. He co-founded the ongoing Hackers’ Conference, and was involved with the launch of the WELL, a pioneering online service started in 1985. His books include the best-selling New Rules for the New Economy, the classic book on decentralized emergent systems, Out of Control, a graphic novel about robots and angels, The Silver Cord, an oversize catalog of the best of Cool Tools, and his summary theory of technology in What Technology Wants (2010). His new book for Viking/Penguin is The Inevitable, which is a New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestseller.

Rodney Sampson is heralded as the leading inclusive innovation, entrepreneurship and investment ecosystem builder in the world, particularly given his mission to ensure that everyone, everywhere, particularly socially disadvantaged communities, have equitable access to the new multi-generational wealth creation opportunities afforded in the future of work and fourth industrial revolution as definitive paths to reducing poverty and the racial wealth gap everywhere. In 2013, Sampson cofounded Opportunity Hub (OHUB) as a follow up to the highly successful Kingonomics’ book release and large-scale conferences in Atlanta, GA and Washington, D.C. OHUB scaled quickly to become the leading multi-campus coworking space, entrepreneurship center and tech hub featuring over 300 events a year, a startup pre-accelerator, coding boot-camp, and scholarship initiative and angel investing platform for founders from underestimated and under-tapped communities. Over 15,000 people walked through OHUB’s doors each year. From 2015-17, Sampson was a Partner at TechSquare Labs, a tech hub, seed stage venture fund and creator of the $100,000 Atlanta Startup Battle. Today, TechSquare Labs’ portfolio companies have raised follow on capital of nearly $300 million, are valued at over $1.5 billion, generate over $100 million in annual recurring revenue and employ over 1000 people and growing. He remains the largest minority limited partner in the fund. Today, as Executive Chairman & CEO of Opportunity Hub and OHUB Foundation, Sampson is focused on scaling OHUB as the definitive global future of work, opportunity and wealth creating platform by ensuring that everyone, everywhere has early exposure to tech, startup and venture; in demand technology education, training and talent placement; inclusive entrepreneurial ecosystem building; and capital formation. This is driven by the thousands of college and young professional members and growing from hundreds of colleges and universities across America and beyond. OHUB is a supplier, vendor and partner to over 50 tech companies, major corporations, high growth startups, venture funds, municipalities, foundations, associations, colleges and universities and growing. Current national initiatives include OHUB@Cities, OHUB@Campus, HBCU@SXSW, 100 Black Angels Fund I and DEIS, a new strategy, service and future software platform to operationalize diversity, equity and inclusion across the major divisions of growing enterprises. Sampson is also a Nonresident Senior Fellow in the Metropolitan Policy Program at the Brookings Institution in Washington, D.C. and a Professor of Entrepreneurship at Morehouse College in Atlanta, GA. Sampson previously served as the 1st Head of Diversity at Mark Burnett Productions, executive producers of the hit ABC show, ABC’s Sharktank. A strong believer in philanthropy and its role in social impact and advocacy, Sampson supports and serves on the boards of Artificial Intelligence for All (AI4All), Multicultural Media, Telecom and Internet Council (MMTC), International Bishops Conference, and GA Technology for All Policy Summit.Sampson was educated at Tulane University, Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine and Keller Graduate School of Management. Sampson resides in Atlanta, GA with his wife and six children.

Joetta is an Olympic athlete who has made an indelible impact in sports and business after her legendary 24-year elite career as a half-mile runner. Joetta represented the United States of America at the 1988, 1992, 1996 and 2000 Olympic Games and was voted as the USA's women's team captain for track & field. She is the President of Joetta Sports & Beyond, where she inspires people to "Discover their Champion." She authored a book entitled Joetta’s “P” Principles for Success: Life Lessons Learned from Track & Fields. The acclaimed book has been considered a tremendous resource to both corporate executives and to the youth.

As the Australian Ambassador for Women's Entrepreneurship Day celebrated annually at the United Nations, Theme Rains raises awareness for the global empowerment and support of women entrepreneurs. Theme is also Founder, CEO and Formulator at organic skincare company Synthesis Organics, runs wellness and transformational retreats, formulates white label retail products, designs spa treatments and is a featured speaker at symposiums with other industry leaders.

As a transformational leader, Dr. Burton has worked in various strategic management level positions with national and international responsibility involving diversity and inclusion for such companies as Xerox, AT&T and Intercontinental Hotels Group where she served as manager of supplier diversity. Dr. Burton's business acumen and empowerment techniques have harvested respect amongst her peers as she is a noted contributor on Business, Corporate, Diversity, Faith, Self Improvement, Leadership and Empowerment. Additionally, Dr. Burton has worked in academia instructing students on business, diversity, marketing and leadership courses.

Miracle Olatunji is a financial analyst, public speaker, entrepreneur, and author of Purpose: How To Live and Lead With Impact. When she was 17, she founded her first business, OpportuniMe, which helped youth build life skills and find opportunities to explore different career paths. Now, at 23, she is the founder of Her Wallet Media, an educational platform to help women build their net worth, network, and self worth. She's passionate about mental health awareness and helping underrepresented communities build generational wealth. Miracle graduated from Northeastern University in Decemeber 2022 with her Bachelor’s Degree in Finance. Miracle has been honored as a "Young Futurist and Game-changer" by The Root Magazine, one of the "25 Under 25” by BostInno Magazine, and one of the “20 Under 40: Young Shapers of Business and Entrepreneurship’ by Britannica. Her work has also been featured in Forbes, Technical.ly, The CEO Library, The Female Lead, and other publications. Miracle loves traveling, cooking, dancing, and health & fitness.

Angelina Darrisaw is the founder and CEO of C-Suite Coach, a firm that offers expertly designed professional development and coaching programs for working professionals and small business leaders. C-Suite Coach has staffed coaches and provided training programs for Google, Major League Baseball, NYU's Veteran Lab Accelerator, Zendesk, Oscar Health, Year Up, Omnicom, SEO, THowardF and many others.

Internationally Renowned Social Entrepreneur, Impact Investor, Animal Advocate, Humanitarian, Best Selling Author, TV Personality and DO GOODer! Wendy Diamond is the CEO and Founder of Women's Entrepreneurship Day Organization (WEDO), a non-governmental volunteer organization and global initiative celebrated in 144 countries and universities/colleges worldwide with the mission to economically empower WOMEN in business to alleviate poverty.

An entrepreneur, lawyer, philanthropist, mother, author and Miss Universe 1998, Wendy Fitzwilliam has forged a career that spans television production, entertainment, social activism, fashion, radio broadcasting, government and law.

A native of Diego Martin, Trinidad and Tobago, in 1998, Wendy became the third woman of colour and the second Trinidadian woman to win the Miss Universe Crown, two months prior to her final examinations at law school. She was admitted to the Trinidad and Tobago Bar in 2000.

Her work with government includes, Vice-President of Business Development and Investment Promotion with eTecK (a Trinidad and Tobago Industrial and Industry Development Company); the Government of the United Republic of Tanzania; and business consultant to the University of Trinidad and Tobago.

Wendy served as host and co-executive producer of Caribbean’s Next Top Model (CaribeNTM), the Pan-Caribbean version of America’s Next Top model (ANTM).

Wendy also connected with her fans and listeners on “The Wendy Fitzwilliam Show”, a one-hour weekly radio program that explored how – and what it means – to achieve one’s dreams.

Wendy’s has also champion a variety of charitable causes.

She has served as United Nations Goodwill Ambassador for HIV/AIDS, Ambassador of Youth for the Caribbean for the Red Cross and also founded The Hibiscus Foundation (THF), a children’s foundation that focuses on HIV/AIDS.

When not working, Wendy engages in her most rewarding role of all: mother to her son, Ailan. Her memoir, “Letters to Ailan” was first written as an extended love letter to her son.

Nana Gecaga is the chief executive officer of the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC), a state corporation in the Kenyan government under the Ministry of Tourism and Wildlife. KICC is the largest convention center in East Africa and the fourth-largest in Africa. Gecaga is a single mother of three young boys. On any given day, she interacts with heads of state from around the world or gives motivational advice that plays a strong role in uplifting youth. She is seen as one of Kenya’s biggest role models because she openly talks about how she overcame her alcohol addiction and normalizes the day-to-day challenges women face.

Bestselling author and treasured spiritual leader Keion D. Henderson is Founder, CEO, and Senior Pastor of The Lighthouse Church and Ministries, one of America’s fastest growing churches headquartered in Houston, Texas.  His ministries and initiatives are fueling the explosive growth and far-reaching impact of The Lighthouse Church, whose congregation continues to blossom with more than 15,000 dedicated members and over 900,000 unique weekly viewers worldwide across all social media platforms.

With over 26 years in active ministry, Pastor Henderson is known to educate, nurture, and equip his congregants with life-changing lessons to navigate their faith with sound values and biblical principles via his accelerator for entrepreneurship. Through the weight of his words, impeccable judgement and sophisticated understanding of the forces shaping the world, Pastor Henderson delivers the word of god with rapid fire precision amongst a new generation of believers as he continues to keep faith relevant in today’s culture.

In April 2021, he joined Bishop T. D. Jakes to answer the question “Which Way is Up?” Pastor Henderson is a passionate humanitarian yielding a steadfast commitment who cares deeply about the plight of the people and gives back to the global communities he serves. Recognized by The John Maxwell Institute as one of the Top 250 Leaders in the nation, Pastor Keion Henderson, born in Gary, Indiana, is a devoted father to his beautiful daughter, Katelyn and husband to his forever wife, Shaunie Henderson.

Emmy Award-winning journalist, television personality, author, producer, philanthropist and girls’ empowerment activist, Shaun Robinson is a true role model.

She has won the respect and admiration of millions of daily television viewers throughout her career, including her work as co-host of the entertainment news show, Access Hollywood. Shaun has interviewed Hollywood’s biggest stars and covered the red carpets and hosted the official pre-shows for the Academy Awards, Golden Globes, Emmy’s and Grammy’s, in addition to hosting NBC’s coverage of the annual Tournament of Roses Parade.

Coming from a strong background in television news, Shaun has contributed reports to NBC Nightly News, Today Show, MSNBC and CNN. She has served as a guest host on The View, HLN’s Joy Behar Show and been featured as a panelist on Larry King Live, Piers Morgan Tonight and Dr. Drew. Shaun has also served as host for programs on Lifetime, TLC and BET networks and was a guest host on Who Wants to be a Millionaire?

When one thinks of an artist whose music career spans over three decades, has made stops along world tours in South Africa, the United Kingdom, The Middle East,  Europe, Australia, the US, Nigeria, Ghana, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Zambia, and Kenya, and has collaborated with renowned artists like Donnie McClurkin, Israel Houghton, Micah Stampley, Lionel Petersen and, in her secular career, Shabba Ranks and Beenie Man – all this while winning multiple awards - then the name has to be none other than Chevelle Franklyn. Chevelle has had a long and outstanding career in music and is still going strong.

The highly respected Chevelle started her journey in music as a teenager when she recorded her first single called "Here I Am." By 1991, her career was blossoming, leading to her featuring on Shabba Ranks' worldwide hit, "Mr Lover Man". She also recorded her hit single, "Dancehall Queen" with Beenie Man.  

Chevelle has had a long and outstanding career in music and is still going strong. She is about to release her latest album titled "South Wind Vol. 1," which was recorded appropriately in South Africa. The initial plan was to record two songs in South Africa, but the two songs morphed into an entire album. The album, which is totally about worshipping God, features guest artists from South Africa. Ntokozo Mbambo was a prominent collaborator. Chevelle co-produced the album together with Nqubeko Mbatha and Mojalefa Mjakes. The highly respected Chevelle started her journey in music as a teenager when she recorded her first single called "Here I Am." By 1991, her career was blossoming, leading to her featuring on Shabba Ranks' worldwide hit, "Mr Lover Man". She also recorded her hit single, "Dancehall Queen" with Beenie Man, which put her on the international reggae map. Having started as a reggae artist, her turning point came during a live concert in 1998 where she was expected to perform "Dancehall Queen" but instead performed the gospel song, "Silver and Gold" by Kirk Franklin. She bravely made the fateful decision to use that moment

Deeply involved in the community, Michael Coles is a transformational leader, accomplished entrepreneur, education advocate and motivational speaker. He is living proof that there are no limits to what we as individuals can accomplish. He brings his story to life in his book “Time To Get Tough” How cookies Coffee And A Crash Led To Success In Business And Life.

After a successful 19 year career in the clothing business Michael tested his entrepreneurial skills in 1977 when he co-founded Great American Cookie Company with an investment of only $8000. Shortly after starting the Company, he was involved in a near-fatal motorcycle accident and was told by doctors he would never walk again unaided. As Michael recovered thru a self-designed rehabilitation program he took the Company from its first store in Perimeter Mall in Atlanta to hundreds of stores nationwide and at the same time set 3 coast-to-coast bicycling records. When Michael started the Company there were three major cookie companies in business; one had almost 100 stores and the other two had fifty each. When he sold the Company in 1998 with sales over $100 million, Great American Cookie Company was the largest franchisor of cookie stores and the other three companies no longer existed.

Candi Carter is a media executive who has produced award-winning broadcast television for over 30 years. In her most recent role, Carter was an executive producer/showrunner for ABC and had a first-look development deal with ABC Entertainment. In 2020, she became the executive producer and showrunner of the Tamron Hall Show. Under Carter’s supervision, Tamron Hall received three nominations for the 2021 Daytime Emmys, as well as an NAACP nomination. Prior to joining Tamron Hall, Carter served as executive producer of the iconic daytime TV show, The View, for five seasons. During her tenure, The View was inducted into the Broadcasting Hall of Fame and won an Emmy Award in 2020 for “Best Informative Talk Show.” Carter spent 15 years at The Oprah Winfrey Show in Chicago, producing some of the most memorable hours of television in daytime history. In 2011, Carter raised capital and co-founded New Chapter Entertainment. As CEO, her Chicago-based production company originated, developed, and produced unscripted TV shows for broadcast, cable, syndication, and new media. Carter’s leadership incorporates building successful teams and businesses, working with high-profile personalities and A-List celebrities, and creating strategic content partnerships and focusing on diversity at every level of the organization.

Rebecca Schwarzlose is a cognitive neuroscientist studying the developing brain at Washington University in Saint Louis. She earned a Ph.D. in Neuroscience from M.I.T. and served as the editor of the scholarly journal Trends in Cognitive Sciences for three years. She has been obsessed with both writing and the mind since she was a girl. She now finds beauty in the brain’s capacity to represent and distill the big, wide world.

Vaughn Millard Williams III has an extensive career in the area of Community Programming with an emphasis on Human Resource Management, Supplier Diversity, Procurement, Operations and Social Services.

Having worked in the area of Social Services and Supplier Diversity for the last 20 years, Vaughn is able to attest to the pitfalls of any industry, yet he knows that the end result is what you make of it. Receiving all formal education in the Los Angeles inner-city schools, Vaughn is a testament as to the success of perseverance and goal setting. Each day he is compelled to challenge peers to rise to the next level of sucess in their perspective industries.

His background over the last decade has entailed managing programs designed to service at-risk youth, single mothers obtaining federal subsidy, fathers exiting the penal system, and older adults returning to the workforce. The common denominator in every group that he has serviced has been diversity and financial constraints associated with the lack of job training. Over the years he's trained, empowered and employed over 700 South Los Angeles Constituents in the areas of clerical, accounting, janitorial, domestic engineering, restaurant management, industrial services and management.

Paul D. Ashley is a seasoned procurement executive with over 20 years of Industry Experience. Paul is currently Director Strategic Engagement within the Global Procurement group at Bristol- Myers Squibb. In his role, Paul is responsible for strategic advising on global category strategies, performance management, professional development, communications and Market Intelligence.

Diversity and Inclusion has been a passion of Paul throughout his career. At BMS he is on the Leadership Team of BOLD (Black Organization for Leadership Development), the People and Business Resource Group (PBRG) where he helped to develop their strategic business plan as well as leads BOLD’s Patient Advocacy Initiative. He is also active in the LGBTA People and Business Resource Group. Paul serves as co-chair of the Diversity and Inclusion Council for the Global Business Operations function at BMS.

His role as a procurement professional and passion for diversity coalesce with his work advocating for small and diverse businesses within the supply chain of large companies such as BMS. Because of his leadership in this area, he was named to the Board of Directors of the National LGBT Chamber of Commerce (NGLCC), a national advocacy and policy organization, where he recently served as chair of its strategic planning committee.

Prior to joining BMS, Paul has held various roles in Procurement and Supply Chain management with both IBM and Pfizer. Paul also served as the Chief Procurement officer at Howard University, where he led several transformation initiatives that increased organization performance and compliance.

Giving back to the community has always been important to Paul. In 2015 he started and facilitated sponsorship of community outreach events as part of BMS engagement at supplier diversity conferences. The objective is to connect with diverse patient communities and/or top diverse talent representing the next generation of corporate professionals and entrepreneurs, as well as providing an additional opportunity to engage and highlight diverse suppliers. For this work, Paul was named a 2017 Corporate Buyer of the Year and was recognized for leading the Corporate Initiative of the Year from the National Business Inclusion Consortium at its 2019 Best of the Best Awards.

Paul holds a Bachelor of Science in Industrial Engineering from Northwestern University, and well as a Master of Science in Industrial and Operations Engineering from The University.

Author and journalist A’Lelia Bundles is the author of On Her Own Ground: The Life and Times of Madam C.J. Walker – a New York Times Notable Book about her entrepreneurial great-great-grandmother – that is the inspiration for Self Made, the fictional four-part Netflix series starring Oscar-winner Octavia Spencer that premiered in March 2020. She is at work on her fifth book, The Joy Goddess of Harlem: A’Lelia Walker and the Harlem Renaissance, a biography of her great-grandmother, whose parties, arts patronage and international travels helped define that era.

A’Lelia is brand historian for MADAM by Madam C. J. Walker, a line of hair care products developed in partnership with Sundial Brands and Walmart. In February 2022 she was named the inaugural Center for Africana Studies and Culture Prestigious Fellow in the School of Liberal Arts at IUPUI. She is the founder of the Madam Walker Family Archives, the largest private collection of Walker photographs and memorabilia.

She is a vice chair emerita of Columbia University’s Board of Trustees and chair emerita of the board of the National Archives Foundation. She is a member of several boards that reflect her interest in history, journalism, political activism, social justice and historic preservation including the March on Washington Film Festival, the Schlesinger Library on the History of Women at Harvard’s Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study, Indiana Landmarks, Columbia Global Reports and the Smithsonian’s American Women’s History Initiative.

A’Lelia was a network television news executive and producer for thirty years at NBC News and then at ABC News, where she was Washington, DC deputy bureau chief and director of talent development.

Her articles and essays have been published in the New York Times Book Review, Variety, TheUndefeated.com, Al Jazeera, Parade, Ms., O Magazine, Essence, several encyclopedias and books, and on her blog at www.aleliabundles.com. As a speaker and emcee, she has appeared at universities, corporations and book festivals, as well as on ABC, CBS, MSNBC, NBC, NPR, PBS and BBC. She has served as an advisor for numerous documentaries, museum exhibits, biographies, scholarly papers and history texts.

A recipient of an Emmy and a du Pont Gold Baton, she has participated in writing residencies at Yaddo and the MacDowell Colony. 

She graduated magna cum laude from Harvard College and received a masters degree from the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism. She is a member of Phi Beta Kappa and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.

As a successfully recovered addict, Pinchas Kras is the Founder & CEO of a sobriety platform called Soulber, an app that assists in the journey of sobriety and better reintegration into society.

"Over time, throughout every center I went to, I found significant gaps in how they prepared clients for post-treatment. Two of the most important elements of recovery are re-establishing trust between clients and their family members and the maintenance of sobriety as an outpatient. After failing to see the centers integrate these elements into their treatment, I started to consider better ways to prepare people for recovery post-treatment. After months of planning and analyzing the industry as a whole, I am attempting to combine my knowledge and experience to create a platform that can better help recovering addicts rebuild lost and broken relationships while holding themselves accountable on a safe and open platform with others in recovery." —Pinchas Kras.

Scarlett Lewis founded the nonprofit Jesse Lewis Choose Love Movement in honor of her son, Jesse, who was murdered during the Sandy Hook Elementary School tragedy in December 2012. Shortly after his death, Scarlett decided to be part of the solution to the issues that we're seeing in our society -- that also caused the tragedy -- and turned it into an opportunity to build a culture of love, resilience, forgiveness, and connection in our communities at a time when it is needed the most.

Scarlett became an advocate for social and emotional learning (SEL) and character development to help children manage their emotions, feel connected, and have healthy, meaningful relationships. She created the Choose Love For Schools program, a no cost, comprehensive, lifespan, next generation character and social emotional development (CSED) program that teaches children how to thoughtfully respond with love in any situation by using the Choose Love Formula (Courage + Gratitude + Forgiveness + Compassion-in-Action), and offer ways for children to handle adversity, have courageous conversations, and to respond with love.

Choose Love extends beyond the classroom through additional no-cost programs, including programs for the home, communities, athletics, and the workplace. In addition, the movement offers Choose Love C.A.R.E.S. (Cultivating Authentic Relationships in the Education System), Experiential Educator Wellness Workshops for school leaders and educators, as well as multiple extension programs. The Choose Love programs have been accessed in all 50 states and in more than 120 countries, reaching 3 million children.

Scarlett is the author of Nurturing Healing Love: A Mother’s Journey of Hope & Forgiveness, a memoir of her journey toward choosing love and forgiveness; From Sandy Hook to the World: How the Choose Love Movement Transforms Lives, an in-depth look at how Scarlett founded the Movement and its impact around the world today; and Rose’s Foal, a children’s book, with photographs by Scarlett Lewis, that tells the poignant story of a beloved horse and her newborn foal.

Since the tragedy, Scarlett has spoken across the U.S. and internationally to diverse audiences sharing her empowering story and the organization's far-reaching programs, urging everyone to become part of the solution to the issues the world is facing. Scarlett has spoken at multiple national, statewide, and community-based events including hundreds of talks at schools, addressing educators and administrators. In 2021, Scarlett was named a Forbes 50 over 50 Impact Honoree, one of 50 women leading the way with impact and changing their communities and the world in ways big and small through social entrepreneurship, law, advocacy and education.

Scarlett was the keynote speaker at the 2018 and 2019 National Forum on Character presented by Character.org and in 2020 and the keynote speaker for the New England Head Start Association. In addition, Scarlett has presented at the Music City SEL Conference in Nashville; SXSW EDU Conference; ASCD Empower; the Nebraska Mental Health Conference; and multiple statewide Counselor Association Conferences. She has been interviewed by BBC, Fox News, CBS, the Today Show, The Guardian, and many regional papers and podcasts about the Choose Love Movement and the neuroscience behind the Choose Love Formula and the benefits of SEL, and has been featured in high-profile magazines, including Fortune, Strive, and the Huffington Post. Scarlett also hosts the ChooSELove Podcast, interviewing noted authors and experts on post-traumatic growth, self-empowerment, brain health, resilience, forgiveness, trauma and grief, mental health, and more.

Kathey is a nationally recognized small business strategist and award winning supplier diversity expert. With a career spanning nearly two decades in marketing, small business development, supplier diversity and entrepreneurship. A sought after subject matter expert, Kathey is a frequent keynote speaker, panelist and workshop facilitator at conferences and events focusing on supplier diversity, small business development/entrepreneurship, women's entrepreneurship and empowerment and diversity and inclusion. Kathey is the founder and principal of Porter Brown Associates, a certified veteran-owned, woman-owned, DBE training and professional services consultancy that advises and works with corporations and public entities on how to build inclusive community business ecosystems through supplier diversity programs, inclusive diversity strategies and targeted entrepreneurship training programs. Her company was recognized as a 2020 Small Business Subcontractor of the Year.

She is also founder and lead instructor for the Supplier Diversity Training Institute (SDTI), a national training program for supplier diversity practitioners,  procurement professionals and organizational stakeholders looking to gain proficiency in supplier diversity and equitable inclusion.

Active in supplier development, Kathey is an Executive Coach/Instructor for several national business accelerators including Inc Magazine’s Inc 5000, Small Business Administration’s Emerging Leaders Program, National Minority Supplier Development Council (NMSDC) the Black Women’s Entrepreneurial Leadership (BWEL) Program at Babson College. In 2019, she launched BusinessFAB Academy, an online course that teaches businesses how to win contracts with institutions.

Kathey is the author of 50 Billion Dollar Boss (Palgrave Macmillan), which was nominated for an NAACP Image Award and Implementing Supplier Diversity (Palgrave Macmillan). Her new books, Supplier Diversity for Dummies (Wiley) and 50 Billion Dollar Tech Boss (Palgrave MacMillan) will be released in 2022.

Today, as an investor and philanthropist with her 50 Billion Dollar Boss™ Foundation, online store 50bdb.com and through her media company BusinessFAB® Media, Porter is supporting and elevating black women entrepreneurs.

Christine Dimmick is the Founder/CEO of The Good Home Company Inc., author of Detox your Home, and a public advocate for health and wellness. Her work in environmental sustainability is solution based, connecting the inventors in the private sector with governments worldwide – bringing innovation to the public in a broader, more efficient way. She is a notable speaker on regenerative agriculture, ocean pollution and environmental toxins, educating on the effects of both on our land, waters and health. Christine has lectured at the United Nations in both New York and Geneva, the 92Y in NYC, Canyon Ranch in Lenox, Mass, where she frequently hosts and moderates events connecting NYC politicians with NGOs such as Oceana and Surfrider. Most recently Christine is the host of the podcast #bethchange – a conversation with visionaries making real change in sustainability and social justice. She holds a BFA from Parsons School of Design and is a graduate of MITs Birthing of Giants. She is an honorary member of the UN - NGO Committee on Sustainable Development NY. Christine resides in NYC with her family.

Eddy Moratin is president of Lift Orlando, a nonprofit that works with residents, business leaders, and community partners for neighborhood revitalization in The Communities of West Lakes. The organization, recently given the Floridian of the Year award by Florida Trend, strengthens the historically African American communities near Camping World Stadium by providing mixed-income housing, cradle-to-career education, a health and wellness center, and economic viability opportunities. Orlando Business Journal recognized Eddy as a Power Player in 2021 and CEO of the Year in 2019. He serves as a board member and advisor to various organizations such as the Federal Reserve Jacksonville Branch, Orlando Economic Partnership, Foundation for Orlando’s Future, PathNorth, and 4 Roots Foundation.

Sigal Atzmon left a successful career in the financial sector to pursue her entrepreneurial ambitions and her passion for healthcare. 

Born and raised in Belgium, Sigal climbed the ranks in the finance industry in Geneva, Switzerland, which led to a series of appointments to executive management roles. Sigal’s last role before starting her business was the Head of Private Banking at UMB, where she managed a portfolio of over US$4.5 billion.  In 2006, Sigal founded Medix Global, a leading provider of innovative, high-quality health management solutions. Medix has since expanded to serve millions of insured customers across 90 countries with offices in  London, Tel Aviv, Munich, New York, Hong Kong, Mumbai, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Melbourne, Jakarta, Bangkok.   

She is a married mother of three, and splits her time between the U.S., U.K., Asia and Tel Aviv.

M Abeo (they/them) is a Mental Health Advocate, Speaker, Podcast host, Producer and Photographer + Creator of the Faces of Fortitude movement, which began as a series of portraits documenting the healing for those affected by suicide - providing a safe, stigma-free space both virtually and in person for mental health and suicide to be discussed. After losing their brother over a decade ago to suicide, and surviving their own severe attempt as a teen, M started this movement initially for their own healing. The portraits caught fire online and they quickly saw a need for others to have a safe space to share their stories. They now travel the country to capture portraits of those affected by the epidemic in any way (be it loss, attempt or first responders) as a step towards their healing, and to educate people as both a mental health advocate + suicide loss and attempt survivor.    

National Suicide Prevention Hotline: 1-800-273-TALK (8255)

Rob represents a new post-partisan generation of political figures: the “service generation.” At a young age, he realized that bettering his community mattered more than fame on the football field or in Washington, D.C. As a native Coloradan, Rob understands the need for community unity. He is a problem-solver, concerned with identifying the key issues that confront our community and developing long-term, community-based strategies to address them.

Rob has also served on boards and commission such as: Judicial Performance Commission, Colorado Springs Pride Center, Armed Services YMCA, Southern Colorado Black Barber Association, African American Voice Juneteenth Festival and, the El Pomar Black Advisory Council, RTD Affordable Task Force, Denver Workforce Investment Board, Department of Regulatory Agency Collateral Consequences. Rob has started a local non- profit organization to address issues in underserved neighborhoods called the One Voice Coalition. Rob is currently the President/CEO of CommunityWorks a non-profit social enterprise dedicated to empowering individuals through career preparation and career placement. Rob is the co-owner of two social businesses of the Community Barbershop located in Colorado Springs and Aurora and American Sealcoat an asphalt company dedicated to helping formerly incarcerated individuals go back to work in the construction field.