NAWBO’s 50th anniversary event calls for some incredibly accomplished and inspirational keynote speakers. More will be announced in coming weeks, but here’s what you can look forward to so far:
Ashley is a Golden Globe and Emmy-nominated actress who stars in both indie gems and box office hits. A social justice humanitarian, she is the UNFPA Goodwill Ambassador, advocating for rights and health for girls and women worldwide. She has traveled to 22 countries to advocate for these causes she’s so passionate about. Her New York Times bestselling book, All That Is Bitter & Sweet, chronicles these journeys. Additionally, Ashley has been Leader in Residence at the Women and Public Policy Program at Harvard’s Kennedy School, serves on several boards, including the International Center for Research on Women, and is chairperson of the Women’s Media Center Speak Project. Ashley was Time magazine’s Person of the Year in 2017. In 2019, the United Nations honored her as Global Advocate of the Year.
Cynt has been a dynamic force in business over a 36-year career at AT&T and almost seven years as CEO of the Dallas Mavericks. She has been a champion for achieving business results through inclusion and a relentless focus on people and operational excellence. When Cynt was hired as Mavericks CEO, her vision was for the organization to become the NBA standard for inclusion, diversity and workplace culture, and they twice received the NBA’s Inclusion Leadership award. Prior to this, Cynt founded Marshalling Resources, an award-winning consulting firm specializing in leadership development, culture transformation and optimization of people resources. She also served as Senior Vice President, Human Resources and Chief Diversity Officer at AT&T, leading the team that created a world-class culture and spearheaded the work that for the first time, placed AT&T on Fortune’s 100 Best Companies to Work For list. Cynt’s first book, You’ve Been Chosen, was nominated for an NAACP Image award.
Other much-anticipated speakers who will be featured at NAWBO’s 50th anniversary event include:
Vera, “The Empathy Coach,” is a motivational speaker, author, life and leadership coach. She offers resilience, empathic leadership, communication, DEIB, mental wellness and conflict resolution keynote speaking and training. Vera is also a former ESPN, Fox Sports, MSG, WNBA and Big Ten Network Basketball Analyst. She has coached college basketball, performed on stage as an actress and entertained as a stand-up comedian. As founder of the Perseverance Speakers Academy, Vera helps students and professionals confidently polish their public speaking skills.
Vicky is the CEO and co-founder of Dapper Boi, a body and gender-inclusive apparel line that emphasizes authenticity and confidence. Founded in 2015, Dapper Boi has been recognized in several national outlets such as CBS Morning News, ABC’s “Shark Tank” and the OUT100 2023 list and featured in the award-winning documentary “Show Her the Money.” Vicky is driven to be a standout CEO, founder and role model for her daughters and she continues to inspire the many Dapper Boi customers who share how the brand has positively impacted their lives.
Catherine has been a force for positive philanthropic change over the past two decades. As a dedicated advocate and founder of Shane’s Inspiration, established in 1997 in memory of her son Shane, Catherine has led global initiatives to create inclusive sensory- and literacy-rich playgrounds throughout the world that unite children of all abilities, creating a worldwide inclusion movement. In 2020, Catherine expanded her impact by co-founding She Angels Foundation, which awards monthly grants to grassroots organizations supporting young women and girls. A fervent advocate for women’s empowerment, she shares her wisdom and passion through teaching and speaking.
Luly is a business and life strategist who supports women through transformative experiences and community where they release guilt and self-doubt, align with their lifestyle and family priorities, take action and achieve results. She is a dynamic Cuban-American mom and entrepreneur with 20 years of experience in marketing strategy, communication, business consulting and leadership. She is fortunate to share her message of empowerment, leadership and confidence with thousands of women across the country, as well as with select corporate clients and partners, including Procter & Gamble, GE, Macy’s and Dell.
Lei is a leadership developer, executive advisor and keynote speaker who blends deep corporate expertise with transformative lessons from extreme adventure. A self-described “corporate nerd turned explorer,” she became the first Asian woman to complete the Explorer’s Grand Slam—climbing the highest peak on each continent and skiing to both the North and South Poles. With a background in technology and finance, Lei also offers proven strategies and actionable insights rooted in real-world success.
Melissa lives at the sweet spot between strategy at 30,000 feet and activating across the last mile; with a passion for what makes consumers tick and how to use that to drive discovery of, engagement with and loyalty to brands. She’s helped shepherd strategy, creative, experiential, research, social, digital media and PR programs in four continents and five languages during her 25-year global marketing career. She’s launched over 20 products and programs in the U.S. and across the globe, including record-breaking products at Papa John’s and KFC.
Cynt has been a dynamic force in business over a 36-year career at AT&T and almost seven years as CEO of the Dallas Mavericks. She has been a champion for achieving business results through inclusion and a relentless focus on people and operational excellence. When Cynt was hired as Mavericks CEO, her vision was for the organization to become the NBA standard for inclusion, diversity and workplace culture, and they twice received the NBA’s Inclusion Leadership award. Prior to this, Cynt founded Marshalling Resources, an award-winning consulting firm specializing in leadership development, culture transformation and optimization of people resources. She also served as Senior Vice President, Human Resources and Chief Diversity Officer at AT&T, leading the team that created a world-class culture and spearheaded the work that for the first time, placed AT&T on Fortune’s 100 Best Companies to Work For list. Cynt’s first book, You’ve Been Chosen, was nominated for an NAACP Image award.
Over her 30 years with Bank of America, Jill has held leadership positions across the company, including positions in Consumer & Business Banking, Wealth Management Banking and Global Corporate & Investment Banking. She currently serves as a Managing Director and head of client experience and sustainability for the Business Banking Division. Additionally, Jill is an adjunct professor at Boston University’s Questrom School of Business. She is the co-chair of Bank of America’s Domestic Violence Taskforce and serves on the National Advisory Board for the National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO). She is a recipient of several accolades including the NAWBO Gillian Rudd Business Leadership Award for her longstanding commitment to women business owners worldwide. Jill is also a board member for Community Servings, a non-profit providing medically, tailored meals to chronically and critically, ill patients and their families; and is the past President of the Susan G. Komen New England Board of Directors.
Terry is a successful entrepreneur, international executive and award-winning small business advocate. She founded Terry Neese Personnel Services, National Grassroots Network and the Institute for Economic Empowerment of Women, which is now part of the Enterprising Women Foundation. She also co-founded Women Impacting Public Policy. Additionally, Terry is a past NAWBO National president. Under her leadership, the organization led the passage of H.R. 5050, the historic legislation that made it possible for women business owners to obtain a small business loan or credit card without a male co-signer.
With more than 20 years of combined law enforcement, ministry and executive leadership experience, Ryan is an internationally recognized conflict management coach and educator. He is a certified leadership coach as well as founder and chief conflict officer at Conflictish, a conflict strategy firm dedicated to helping leaders improve how they lead themselves and others through conflict. He is the creator of the Real Tact Model®, a custom framework for developing conflict competency that has been shared with organizations from Chic- fil-A to Yale’s Berkley Seminary.
Dr. Janis Shinkawa (aka Dr. Jan) is the Medical Director and Partner of Ohana Pet Hospital, a small animal veterinary general practice established in 2012 by four women veterinarians in Ventura, California. They acquired Santa Paula Animal Clinic in August 2019. Dr. Jan now has collective partnerships in 3 veterinary hospitals. Dr. Jan has assisted with the creation of the veterinary assistant program at a local Charter College in Oxnard and at the Career Education Center for Ventura County high school students. She and her business partner developed an Associate’s Degree program in Veterinary Technology at Ventura College, a California Community College, which launched in Spring of 2021. Prior to attending veterinary school, Dr. Shinkawa was a CPA with Ernst & Young, LLP (EY). She left EY public accounting as a trained manager and business consultant. Dr. Jan has a passion for creating sustainable business strategies and compassionate management training that enable companies to develop healthy and happy employees. At the end of the day, it’s all for the animals!
Megan Patton is a co-owner and the Chief Strategy Officer of Beyond Strategy Partners, Inc. BSP, Inc. is an international consulting firm focused on fueling sustainable growth and enhancing wealth for entrepreneurial-minded businesses. The firm focuses on the alignment of strategy, people, operations and financial excellence. Megan worked in a “Big Four” consulting firm for many years and focused on business process reengineering, change management and learning system development. Her clients ranged from large multinational companies to internal constituents. She also ran a small family consulting firm, ODA Strategy for many years prior to the founding of Beyond Strategy Partners, Inc. Prior to her career in management consulting, Megan was a Peace Corps Volunteer in Nepal. Megan received a Bachelor of Arts from Kenyon College, and an MBA in Strategy from the Weatherhead School of Management at Case Western Reserve University. She is a certified and licensed affiliate of The One Page Business Plan Company and a Certified Professional Business Coach. Megan is a strong believer in lifelong learning, and continues to pursue certifications and take courses on a variety of subjects. Megan is an active member of the NAWBO Northeast Ohio Chapter and served as the Chapter President in 2015-2016.
Shauna has spent her career looking for ways to improve the business operations process, and empower entrepreneurs. Her early background in public and corporate accounting combined with experience in entrepreneurship provided Shauna with the foundation to start Fortiviti. Shauna has spent the last 15 years building a company and team whose primary goal is to support the success of entrepreneurs and small businesses. Shauna served on the board of the NAWBO Kansas City Chapter, first as president and then as treasurer. She supports the ScaleUp program through Kauffman and the Small Business Development Center, by educating participants on their business finances, and has recently added an Accounting Bootcamp to her consulting and educational activities. Shauna’s favorite activity is spending time with her husband, two kids, friends and family.
Janine is the bestselling author of Be Brilliant: How to Lead a Life of Influence, It’s Who You Know: How a Network of 12 Key People Can Fast-Track Your Success and From Me to We: Why Commercial Collaboration Will Future-Proof Business. She is a global thought leader on connection—obsessed about the power of connection and how it helps to build brilliant relationships, unlock innovative collaborations, unleash leadership potential and ultimately help businesses make money, drive performance and fuel momentum.
Before joining NAWBO in 2008, Jen was an entrepreneur and understands the complexities of being a women business owner. Today, she serves as CEO of NAWBO, Executive Director of the NAWBO Institute, Council Member of the National Women’s Business Council and an Advisory Member for Enterprising Women Magazine. Beyond her domestic work on behalf of women business owners, Jen has also played a pivotal role in the education and support of the international women's business community. Her participation in the FCEM (World Association of Women Entrepreneurs) Task Force allows her to travel the world to understand better the plight and how to support women business owners around the globe.
While Wendy is winding down her 40+-year career, she remains active with AECOM on an as-needed basis and continues her board service with the State Fair of Texas, Texas Trees Foundation, Dallas College Foundation and University of Louisiana at Lafayette Foundation. Wendy spent 35 years with AECOM, the first 20 years as an entrepreneur founding Wendy Lopez & Associates and creating LopezGarcia Group. She then sold the business to URS where she ran operations and business development teams for six years, and then transitioned into AECOM for the last nine years. Wendy is a past NAWBO National Board chair.
Trisha is a 20-year licensed practicing attorney in the areas of labor, employment and business law for entrepreneurs. She is managing attorney of the Barita Law Firm with locations in downtown Houston and League City, Texas. She works with clients as their legal solutions partner, including business consultation, policy development, handbook creation, employment practice audits, defense of workplace employee claims with government agencies and litigation strategy. Trisha is also the podcast host of Legal Skinny and Less Stressed Leader, which provides solutions for entrepreneurs and company leadership. She has been featured in Texas Lawyer, Business.com, Business News Daily and Authority Magazine.
Robin is the owner, designer and creative force behind Bright Bird Creative, a veteran-owned small business. She brings experience from a vast array of creative disciplines, including fine art, graphic design, typography and website design to each client project, as well as a high level of technical expertise in website hand-coding and front-end web development skills. She also builds and manages custom themed websites on WordPress and ModX CMS platforms. Robin believes that detailed project planning combined with print and web design expertise leads to functional and focused marketing materials that build your brand!
Mindy is the president and founder of M3 Real Estate Group, a boutique commercial real estate firm. Mindy just celebrated 10 years in business with a focus on a strong foundation in management, leasing and investment sales. Mindy’s passion is working with business owners to help secure locations that meet all of their real estate investment needs. Mindy has been a NAWBO member for nine years, serving for six years on the NAWBO Charlotte Board and is currently in her second year as a member of the PASC. What initially attracted and keeps Mindy as a NAWBO member is the advocacy work, DEIB initiatives and mentorship provided to the community. Mindy embraces NAWBO’s core value of servant leadership.
Janet is the founder of Berkshire Group, Inc., a WBE and WOSB certified and award-winning organization that has a three-decade track record of transforming leaders, teams, cultures and businesses. Utilizing proven assessments, one-on-one coaching and group facilitation, Janet and her team help individuals and organizations go from good to great. Janet is a sought-after speaker and facilitator locally, nationally and internationally. She is also the author of several training books and has been featured in Entrepreneur, Fortune and Bloomberg Business Week. Janet is a past president of NAWBO Northeast Ohio and a 2025-2026 NAWBO National Board member.
Angi is a business advisor and partner with Cultivate Advisors, one of the nation’s leading small business advisory firms. She works closely with entrepreneurs to build sustainable, profitable businesses while accelerating Enterprise Value. Before joining Cultivate, Angi founded and led her own marketing agency for nearly a decade. With more than 25 years of experience supporting small business owners in various capacities, she has played a key role in scaling and growing dozens of businesses.
Rochelle Stewart is the powerhouse behind Show Stopping Event Planning, where she brings creativity, precision and passion to crafting extraordinary experiences. She currently serves as the president of NAWBO Charlotte, and has been an integral force in the organization’s leadership for over five years. Rochelle has played a pivotal role in strengthening member engagement, forging impactful partnerships and championing economic opportunities for women entrepreneurs. Beyond NAWBO, Rochelle has served on the Charlotte Business Inclusion Advisory Committee for the City of Charlotte, mentored aspiring professionals through the Starter Success Program for Dress for Success and more.
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Sonia is a former WNBA Player, Olympic Festival Gold-medalist and 2024 Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award recipient. She is the president and CEO of Chase Your Dreams Academy, a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization that provides year-round out-of-school-time programs, workshops and activities to youth in underserved and high-risk urban communities. Sonia's mission is to harness the unifying force of sports to fuel youth development, prevent violence and empower young individuals to chase their dreams.
Molly is co-founder and CEO of Design To Delivery (D2DInc), a government contracting firm that supplies top-tier professionals to defense and civilian agencies, excelling in contract and acquisition management, budget and financial management, program and project management as well as administrative and clerical support. Molly is also founder of the Vellamo Leadership Institute and author of Master Your Mindset: How Women Leaders Step Up. Her passion for advancing female leadership has been a driving force since 2002. She’s a past chair of the NAWBO National Board and a delegate representing the U.S. at the W20, the G20 working group championing women’s issues.
Nikki is a CPA who is out to reimagine the CPA firm. She has been in the industry for over 20 years, double majored in Accounting and Sociology, and is the managing partner of Rohloff Associates and founder of Canopy Accounting. With clients all over the U.S., Nikki has won a handful of awards, and is a unicorn who loves numbers and culture. She has guided businesses through pretty much every imaginable scenario and is Birkman Certified™ for growing High Performance Teams. She loves to share wisdom, insight and her experience of being CEO of an amazing team.
Marianela, CPA/PFS, CFP®, CDS® serves as a senior wealth advisor and is CEO and co-owner of the firm. She serves clients in a team setting by collaborating with them and their professional advisors to ensure their overall financial planning and investment objectives are pursued in a tax-efficient manner. She has over 25 years of experience in tax and financial planning. She has worked with many ultra-high-net-worth families and assisted with the implementation and reporting of complex income and wealth transfer strategies. She is passionate about working with high-net-worth individuals and families as well as business owners.
Ranee is owner and president of Drillmax® Inc. Through her dedication to innovation, she has expanded Drillmax® product lines and internal processes, allowing Drillmax® to become a global brand in the oil and gas industry in over 35 countries. Due to her visionary approach and ability to diagnosis and problem solve, she has formed several companies throughout her career. Her most recent, Animo Hat and Apparel, was developed as a love project to honor her daughter, Lydia, and the beautiful transformation that happens when people can embrace their uniqueness and feel confident as their true selves.
Julie is known for her commonsense approach to writing, critical thinking and education. She’s the creator of the award-winning program called Brave Writer, which is celebrating its 25th anniversary. Julie was one of NAWBO’s Woman Business Owner of the Year Award Top 10 Finalists in 2024. She’s also the author of the books The Brave Learner and Raising Critical Thinkers, which have sold 1250,00 copies. Her newest book, Help! My Kid Hates Writing, is out now! Julie’s a popular international speaker and hosts the much-loved Brave Writer podcast.
Kristine is one of the greatest female soccer players in the history of the game. She retired as a player in 2010 but is still the world’s all-time leader in international appearances, male or female, with 354. She was the first player in U.S. history to hit 100, 200 and 300 caps, the final number being previously unimaginable. With 130 career goals, she is third all-time in U.S. history and the all-time leader in minutes played. She has run the Kristine Lilly Soccer Academy since 1995 where she teaches kids to be better players and people. She also co-founded TeamFirst Soccer Academy with former teammates and friends Mia Hamm and Tisha Venturini Hoch.
Nichole is an entrepreneur, business leader and founder of the Sash Bag—an innovative product that sparked a multi-million-dollar brand and a global community of women who value freedom and function. With a background in product development and a passion for purpose-driven business, Nichole blends creativity with strategy to build ventures that make a difference. She serves as president-elect of NAWBO California, championing women entrepreneurs across the state. Also a trained coach and writer, Nichole empowers others to grow, lead and create from a place of authenticity and vision.
Shaquanta is the supplier equity and inclusion manager at Volkswagen Group of America. She holds over 16 years of automotive purchasing experience and is a Certified Purchasing Professional. She is also a 2023 graduate of Leadership Chattanooga and 2024 graduate of Leadership Tennessee NEXT. A three-time recipient of Volkswagen’s Passion for Diversity Award, Shaquanta is dedicated to advancing supplier inclusion. Her expertise spans a wide range of procurement categories. Outside of work, she’s a former board trustee for Family Promise of Chattanooga and a proud member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.
Ade is the founder of SupplierGateway®, a global leader in Supplier Information Management software. Under his guidance, the platform has evolved into a trusted solution used by Fortune 500 companies and institutions like Microsoft, Amazon, The Home Depot, Nike and EY. Known for its focus on innovation, scalability and cost-efficiency, SupplierGateway integrates AI-powered decision support, robust data management and inclusive sourcing strategies to help organizations strengthen supplier relationships and streamline operations. With deep expertise in supply chain dynamics, Ade brings a systems-level understanding of how strong supplier networks drive agility, resilience and long-term value.
Val is an executive director on Wells Fargo’s Merchant Services team, leading the execution and partnership with Small & Business Banking. She serves on NAWBO’s National Advisory Council and has managed Wells Fargo’s relationship with NAWBO since 2019. Val has owned her own business and understands firsthand the excitement and challenges that come with being an entrepreneur.
Diane is president of Premier Sales, Inc., a 36-year-old business brokerage firm in Arizona that manages business sales transactions and engagements with privately held companies with revenue from $2 to $45 million. Together with her value creation affiliate company, Legacy Advisors Arizona, a client centric approach is developed. This includes value enhancement, business continuity and succession planning and business exit strategies to achieve stakeholder objectives. By designing a strategy first, Diane and her team are aligned with clients on goals and priorities. Diane is often a featured speaker for business owner forums.
Beth is a Business Support Executive at Bank of America, providing chief-of-staff support to multiple divisions within Business Banking. She also serves as a Bank of America liaison for the National Association of Women Business Owners and ambassador for the Charlotte chapter. Beth resides in Charlotte, North Carolina, and enjoys reading, personal development and spending time with family.
Christine is a visionary entrepreneur and founder of E.B. Howard Consulting (NYS/SBA WBE), a firm specializing in non-dilutive funding, grant writing and evaluation. With over a decade of expertise, Christine has empowered startups, higher education institutions and consortiums to secure millions in funding and demonstrate measurable impact. A cancer survivor and advocate for women in business, Christine serves as Board Chair for CCNY and actively supports innovation ecosystems. Known for her meticulous attention to detail and strategic insights, she is a sought-after speaker and trusted advisor, helping organizations achieve growth, reduce risks and make a lasting difference.
Dr. Allison is founder and primary physician/medical director for the 3:16 Healthcare family of practices. She is board certified in Family Medicine and has sub-specialty training in Aesthetic Medicine. She enjoys seeing patients of all ages, from newborns to octogenarians and beyond. Her husband, David, is a civil engineer by trade and a cattle farmer by love. They are raising their two children, Ada and Luke, on their farm, and sell their farm-raised, grass-fed beef at their storefront, Key Farms Meats & Mercantile, in Carrollton. In her spare time, Dr. Allison enjoys reading, interior decorating, spending time at the lake and traveling, especially to our nation’s National Parks!
Aquila is founder of Haute in Texas, an award-winning PR and marketing agency. She’s been asked to speak to audiences across the U.S., Europe and Asia, and has been featured in Forbes, Newsweek and The Telegraph, in addition to numerous TV appearances and podcasts. Her blog collaborations and client roster feature some of the world’s biggest brands, including Vogue, Prada, Lincoln, Neiman Marcus, Kendra Scott and Orangetheory. She is also founder of Haute in Network Agencies, a franchise model to help other women own their own agencies, and was named a San Antonio Business Journal 40 Under 40 honoree.
Caroline is a tax professor and managing director of the Kogod Tax Policy Center at American University. An expert in small business and tax policy, she has testified before Congress and IRS. Her current research focuses on women business owners as Congressional witnesses, small business tax literacy and AI’s role in modernizing tax administration. She teaches courses on business law, federal income tax and the intersection of AI and the future of work. Previously, Caroline served as chief counsel for the U.S. Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship and worked at PricewaterhouseCoopers and Paul Hastings LLP.
A lifelong Nebraskan, Senator Fischer is the senior senator from her home state. She was first elected to the U.S. Senate in November 2012, becoming the first Nebraska woman elected to a full term and first Nebraska state senator elected directly after service in the state legislature. She was reelected for a second term in 2018, and in 2024, Nebraskans voted to send her back to the Senate for a third term. During the 119th Congress, Senator Fischer serves as deputy whip under Senate Majority Whip John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), working to present the concerns of Nebraskans directly to Republican Senate leadership.
Precious is the proud founder and CEO of the Perfect Pitch Group, 13-time national elevator pitch champion, five-time #1 bestselling author and international professional speaker. Besides training entrepreneurs, business leaders and professionals, she is also a top Fortune 100 corporate sales trainer, teaching people how to move their sales, media or elevator pitches from TRASH to straight CASH! She successfully appeared on Shark Tank in 2016 and is a world-class speaker for global brands, including Verizon, BMW, Google, LinkedIn, Microsoft, Blackstone, SiriusXM, HubSpot, Conde Nast, Harvard University, Columbia University, Spelman College, Quickbooks, Yelp and many more.
Teresa is known for her ability to lead companies through significant transitions, including the startup and scale of two multi-million-dollar businesses. She is the founder of Jatem International, a newly launched product that revolutionizes how beauty products are packaged. Jatem provides sustainable and plastic-free packaging for clean and organic beauty products. Teresa is the author of the leadership book, One C.A.R.E. at a Time: Effective Leadership Through the Control of Emotions. She is also a past chair of NAWBO National and the NAWBO Institute as well as World Vice President for the FCEM international steering committee.
Colleen is a director of product management for Mastercard’s North America Small Business segment team, where she leads small business digital and financial education programs, supports Mastercard’s commitment to inclusion and helps clients and partners to meet their small business goals. Prior to joining Mastercard in 2022, she spent eight years as a senior vice president with Citi Community Investing and Development, managing a team and charitable contribution portfolio that addressed the priorities of regulators, policy makers and advocates. Colleen joined Citi after 10 years with the New York City Department of Small Business Services, where she was an assistant commissioner and held a variety of leadership positions.
Thresette is the Chief Performance Officer of Performance 3 (P3), a certified M/WBE and WOSB national leadership development firm headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana. P3 believes that every leader can be high performing, with the right opportunity and the right culture, and provides keynotes, training, and coaching and consulting services to help them achieve both, that are delivered through conferences, leadership meetings, learning series, retreats, and strategic planning for small businesses and global companies in over 10 industries. A servant leader, Thresette serves in multiple leadership roles. She received her BBA from Wichita State University and MBA from Indiana Wesleyan University.
Jeanette Armbrust serves on the NAWBO National Institute Board of Directors. Jeanette is originally from the Pasadena, CA area. In 2001 Jeanette was welcomed into the Skyline family when she started up Skyline Exhibits of Central Ohio. After growing that location into an award-winning company, Jeanette sold the company and found herself back in California. She is now the CEO/Certified Executive Leadership Coach of Greenlight Leadership Consulting Group, LLC., a leadership development and coaching company. Jeanette was named one of the 2017 Enterprising Women of the Year by Enterprising Women magazine and the SBA Small Business Woman of the Year. In addition to the NAWBO National board, she also served on the Columbus Chamber Board of Directors and is a member of Executive Women International and WELD. She also is the Co-Founder and Director of the Columbus Young Entrepreneur’s Academy and most recently graduated from the JoAnn Davidson Leadership Institute.
Pantea is the co-founder and managing director at Excel Body Fitness, LLC. With over 14 years of experience in the wellness industry, she is passionate about enhancing the health and well-being of individuals and groups through tailored wellness programs. By transforming office spaces into vibrant, health-promoting environments, Pantea and her team believe that top-notch wellness amenities can attract new business and enhance the overall appeal of employer properties. Excel Body Fitness has grown from a small fitness studio in Cary, North Carolina, to a trusted wellness partner for over 40 clients across the country.
Kathy is the CEO of the unique jewelry brand that bears her name. Her journey to create her company began with a courageous trip she took to Bali with her two daughters. The 6-month excursion turned into a 9-year romance with the land. Before Kathy left the island, she created her line of jewelry, hand-crafted in Bali by artisans. Each piece has special meaning—celebrating and reminding women of their relationship with self and others. Now the mother of three daughters, Kathy says the beauty of her work is to encourage people to seek their own truth.
Steve is the head of Public Policy and Government Affairs for Gusto. In his role, he leads a cross-functional team that designs and executes a public policy strategy that advocates for a robust ecosystem for small business formation and growth, and promotes employee financial health and wellness. Prior to Gusto, Steve spent 10 years at the Pew Charitable Trusts leading government relations for projects focused on promoting family economic stability. Steve also has experience working for Congress and was a consultant to Fortune 500 companies and non-profit organizations advising them on public policy.
Katie is a small business advocate and political strategist who been a respected voice in the policy and market conversation for over 17 years. Today, she is a principal at Public Private Strategies and president of the Business for America’s Future Fund, where she works with governments and businesses across the country—from the White House to Fortune 50 corporations to Main Street businesses—to solve pressing policy challenges. In these roles, she advises leading policy makers, foundations, nonprofits and corporations. Katie continues to advise and support the federal advocacy and public affairs activities of the National Association for the Self-Employed.
Amisha is the co-founder and CEO of House of Devi, a creative studio and lifestyle brand she launched with her sister Shital. Rooted in divine feminine energy, House of Devi designs jewelry, apparel and immersive experiences that celebrate identity, intuition and inner power. From the Big Devi Energy Conference to the 88 Seconds with Devi podcast, Amisha’s work bridges art, ritual and community. She is also a co-founder of Dalwadi Hospitality Management, a family-run hospitality company established with her siblings Manisha, Shital and Sumit. The company develops and manages hotel properties across Texas, offering full-service solutions from land acquisition to operations.
Ivett is the national president of the Mexican Association of Women Entrepreneurs (AMEXME) for the 2023-2026 term. A dedicated advocate for women’s economic empowerment, she leads initiatives that support female entrepreneurs across Mexico. Under her leadership, AMEXME has expanded programs aimed at fostering business development and networking opportunities for women. Ivett’s commitment to gender equality and economic inclusion has positioned her as a prominent figure in Mexico’s business community. Her tenure reflects a strategic vision to enhance the role of women in driving economic growth and innovation nationwide.
Kaitlyn "Kate" is manager of public policy at Amazon, where she leads engagement with the Administration and Congress on small business policy issues. She focuses on empowering and supporting independent sellers in Amazon’s store, most of which are small and medium-sized businesses. Prior to joining Amazon, Kate worked in the office of U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), where she advised the Senator on issues, including telecommunications, economic development, transportation and infrastructure, and labor. Kate also worked at Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, where she provided research and analysis to shape clients’ government relations strategies.
Maryam is a national sales leader within Wells Fargo Merchant Services. In her role, she manages senior business consultants, in partnership with other large teams to successful help premium small business clients succeed financially. Maryam has a 25-plus-year track record as a sales and customer service leader, successfully leading teams with a proven ability to optimize results and culture. After moving to the United States, Maryam joined American Express and has held multiple roles over her 10-year tenure. In all of her roles, she has been exceptionally passionate about employee development and serving both her internal and external customers.
April is head of Small & Business Banking for Wells Fargo Consumer, Small & Business Banking. She and her team are responsible for Wells Fargo small and business banking clients, serving them through an effective blend of digital offerings, relationship managers and business solutions to focus on customer financial health, retention, growth and acquisition. April joined Wells Fargo in 2024 and was previously with Bank of America, where her 16-year career included several leadership positions across a variety of client segments, channels and enterprise functions. Most recently, she was head of the company’s Wealth Management Banking & Lending division.
Gigi is the executive vice president and head of External Engagement at Wells Fargo. In this role, Gigi is responsible for stakeholder relationships, sponsorship activation and advocacy and influencer strategies. Her team aims to foster and strengthen strategic relationships with national partner organizations and key stakeholders to reach a wide range of customers and communities—individuals, families, large and small businesses, policy influencers and non-profits—across the country to provide access to great financial products, services and resources. Prior to her current role, Gigi was head of External Relations for Wells Fargo Government Relations and Public Policy.
Tamika leads Building For Mission (BFM), a talent consulting firm that partners with mission-driven organizations across multiple sectors that have a vision for impact and need support with developing and executing the people strategies needed to achieve their vision. Tamika and her team are strategic thought partners to leaders regarding the people strategy needed to support business goals. The team’s expertise lies in the core areas of HR strategy, organization development and thriving team culture. Under her leadership, BFM has doubled in size in their first four years, serving over 90 clients locally, nationally and globally in multiple industries including for-profit, non-profit, philanthropy and healthcare.
Margaret has been on the NAWBO HQ team for over a decade, championing women business owners nationwide. A bicoastal leader and the founder of SocializeLA, she empowers businesses to #FlexYourInfluence through creative marketing strategies and compelling storytelling. With over 15 years of experience, she’s developed impactful marketing curriculum and, alongside her team and partners, serves clients across the country. Outside of work, Margaret fuels her creativity through running, hiking and exploring new places—always guided by her mantra: “Be Wildly Excited About the Possibilities.”
Kristen has been in the financial services industry for over a decade and joined Mercer Advisors in 2018. She collaborates closely with individuals to help amplify and simplify their financial lives. Kristen is passionate about educating and empowering clients to take control of their finances. She is active in the Mercer Advisors InvestHERs women’s initiative, mentoring young professionals through their mentorship program and leading various workplace affinity groups. Prior to joining Mercer Advisors, Kristen worked for a New York-based hedge fund. She holds a degree in international finance and the FINRA Series 65 license.
Mercedes is vice president community relations, government affairs & public policy at Mastercard. She’s responsible for developing relationships with community organizations via the Master Your Card financial education program. This program provides information about how individuals and business owners can get the most from their money by educating themselves in key financial education topics, and through the smart use of electronic payments technology. She’s been with Mastercard for 30 years, 12 of which she has devoted to financial empowerment and being the spokesperson for financial education programs for Hispanics, African Americans, youth, small business owners and underserved groups.
As president and CEO of WIPP, Angela leads a national nonpartisan organization advocating on behalf of women entrepreneurs, strengthening their impact on our nation’s public policy, creating economic opportunities and forging alliances with other business organizations. She is an award-winning business owner with 25-plus years of technology and leadership experience consulting in the public and private sectors. She is the author of Discovering Your Girl Powers: 10 Strategies to Build Confidence, Charisma and Credibility, founder of Power Pact, a professional mastermind and founder of DEAFCYBERCON, an ecosystem for building an equitable pipeline of career opportunities for deaf women in cybersecurity.
Cathy is Bank of America’s Northeast Regional Business Banking executive and managing director based in New Jersey. She leads banking teams serving business clients across the continuum, from start up to $55MM-plus in revenue in all sectors from Maine to Metro New York. She and her team provide a client experience that is local, digital and advisory in 20 markets and eight states throughout the Northeast. They deliver a variety of integrated financial solutions, including treasury, credit, risk management and wealth management to help companies grow, prosper and invest for the future.
Keon serves as the program director for FICO’s Score A Better Future™, a national initiative dedicated to enhancing financial literacy and expanding credit access. With over 15 years in the financial services industry, Keon is a certified project manager and scrum master, bringing strategic leadership to the program’s educational outreach efforts. He also contributes to financial education as the North Carolina Director for the Jump$tart Coalition and is an active member of the Charlotte Executive Leadership Council.
Neel is a managing director of the Progressive Policy Institute (PPI) in Washington, DC. He engages stakeholders and decision-makers to facilitate policy discussions around federal, state, local and international issues. Alongside PPI’s director of energy and climate policy, Neel helped build the Energy and Climate Solutions Initiative. He is deeply engaged in PPI’s international efforts, frequently engaging with policymakers and think tanks in Europe on energy issues and other policy and political topics. Before joining PPI, Neel was the president of Legis Media, an advocacy communications firm that he founded in 2004.
Senator Alsobrooks is a lifelong Marylander who was elected to the U.S. Senate in 2024. Her north star has always been the lesson her great grandmother taught her—that we all have a responsibility to get off the sidelines, to go farther and do better. She has dedicated most of her life in public service, championing working families and fighting for safer communities. She believes that children shouldn’t have to live on the margins but instead, be able to pursue their wildest dreams. That means centering policies that elevate working families and provide every Marylander with economic pathways to wealth.
Virginia has been president or CEO of TradeBuilders, Exponentials and Quantum Leaps. She is a former VP public policy and Board president of NAWBO and delegate to all three White House Conferences on Small Business, leading NAWBO’s 1986 Conference efforts. She is a NAWBO Susan Hager Award recipient. Virginia was also a key architect of H.R. 5050, a founding member of the National Women’s Business Council, inductee into Enterprising Women’s Hall of Fame, recipient of four lifetime achievement awards and Forbes’ Women’s 50 over 50 Awardee. She served as vice president of Les Femmes Chefs d’Entreprises Mondiales and chaired Women’s Entrepreneurship for the World Association of Small and Medium Enterprises, among many other accomplishments.
Noa is the co-founder and CEO of GoodBread. GoodBread is a small business lending company that makes loans between $5k and $100k more accessible and affordable for entrepreneurs. The company has a novel approach to underwriting prospective borrowers through analyzing personality, behavior and community context of the business to better predict default and loan servicing flexibility to accommodate the variability within small business cycles. Prior to launching GoodBread, Noa served as president and CEO of the Upstate Capital Association of New York. She facilitated venture capital and private equity investment across the region for investors, entrepreneurs and business owners.
Monica is the editor and publisher of Enterprising Women, a national and global magazine she launched in 2000 to provide a strong voice for women entrepreneurs. The magazine celebrated its 25th anniversary in May. The Enterprising Women of the Year Awards, now in its 23nd year, honors the top 100 women entrepreneurs from around the globe each spring. Monica also serves as president of the Enterprising Women Foundation (EWF). EWF’s Young Enterprising Women Mentoring Forum Program will impact 5,000 high school girls from underserved communities in 30 cities in the coming year. Also, the Peace Through Business Program founded by Dr. Terry Neese became part of EWF in 2024.
Shari is the founder of Outsourci, a consulting firm on a mission to help women-owned service businesses grow without chaos or burnout. As a strategic thought partner, she brings clarity to the messy middle of growth—helping founders align systems, processes and team workflows with what truly matters: revenue, freedom and sustainability. Shari doesn’t just implement tools; she builds the operational backbone that supports each business’s big-picture goals and fuels intentional, lasting success.
Stephanie is the founder of Pastazerts, which is revolutionizing the dessert industry with the world’s first chocolate ravioli, combining Italian pasta tradition with premium chocolate and nostalgic sweet fillings like strawberry cheesecake and PB&J. She transformed her 20-year tech career into a groundbreaking culinary venture, combining her love for chocolate and pasta to create an innovative dessert category. With a mission to deliver extraordinary culinary experiences originally through competitive cooking, Stephanie has built Pastazerts into a successful dessert company, securing major retail partnerships and completing prestigious industry fellowships while maintaining a commitment to premium, clean-label ingredients.
Suzanne has been committed to economic empowerment and NAWBO’s mission for nearly four decades. She envisioned the NAWBO book series and used her creative talents to produce NAWBO marketing materials, newsletters and conference themes. She has written grants, organized events for past presidents and regional leadership and championed a state initiative for home-based business. Serving as support and resource for chapter leaders, her ability to provide institutional knowledge and historical context offers the possibility of building on past successes, avoiding pitfalls and adding perspective for decision-making. She has maintained photos, documents and archives through numerous changes in leadership and staff so that NAWBO's history is not lost.
Terry, MSA-HR, SHRM-SCP, SPHR, began her HR career over 20 years ago and launched Tai-Lynn HR Solutions in 2018, where she serves as president & CEO in Cary, NC. A dedicated NAWBO member for the last six years, Terry is the Greater Raleigh chapter’s Director of Public Policy. Her leadership was instrumental in establishing NAWBO North Carolina Advocacy Days during International Women’s Month, fostering impactful collaboration between the Greater Raleigh and Charlotte chapters. Terry’s guiding philosophy: “Human Resources isn’t a thing we do. It’s the thing that runs our business.” —S. Wynn.
Krista is a six-time bestselling author, international speaker, award-winning entrepreneur, global thought-leader and the CEO of Boot Camp Digital. She has written six books on digital marketing, including a textbook and a “Dummies” book. With 20 years of digital marketing experience, Krista is a digital marketing pioneer—executing digital strategies before “digital marketing” was even a recognized term. She has worked with companies like Meta and a variety of other companies and has been featured as an expert in the media. Krista is passionate about digital marketing and created one of the first accredited certification programs in the world.
Inspired by her quest to find sophisticated and better-for-you alternatives to alcohol, Pauline started Mocktail Club, a line of premium crafted ready-to-drink non-alcoholic cocktails available at Whole Foods, Amazon and online. These non-alcoholic cocktails are inspired by Pauline’s travels and 1% of sales go to clean water access in emerging countries. She has worked and lived in Europe, Africa, Middle East, Asia and America and has 18 years of corporate finance, business, M&A, project finance, principal investing and investment banking experience in the U.S., Middle East, Africa and Asia. She also has eight years of energy experience, with about six years of renewable energy experience.
CT has dedicated her professional career to positive environmental and social impact. For nearly 25 years, she has held roles in the private and public sector and has consulted for numerous organizations and worked in real estate development. She has been both a corporate intrapreneur and small business entrepreneur in the areas of community development, environmental sustainability and social responsibility. CT currently serves as creative director of Springclean, a nonprofit social enterprise she founded in 2019 focused on creative reuse, sustainable fashion and the circular economy. She previously served as senior vice president in business sustainability strategy for a U.S.-based global bank.
Congresswoman Kaptur represents the working people of Ohio’s 9th Congressional District. She is currently the longest serving woman in the history of Congress and ranks among the most senior Members of the 118th Congress. She made history with NAWBO as a co-sponsor of H.R. 5050, the Women’s Business Ownership Act of 1988. Kaptur was also the first woman to serve as Ranking Member of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development. Additionally, she is widely credited with bringing back federal dollars to partner with Ohio’s local communities on crucial transportation and infrastructure projects. She has won numerous honors over the years for her work and commitments.
Melanie thrives on taking care of people and playing with plants. Her path started with herbalism, wandered into a natural health practice, branched off into cancer coaching then blossomed into a Doctorate of Naturopathy. With the nature path also came some real world business experience. As an entrepreneur, Melanie has been a solopreneur and a seven-figure business owner. That unique blend of down to earth business knowledge makes her the perfect fit as NAWBO HQ’s Director of Member and Volunteer Support.
Sandra Clitter is President of Your Tech Tamer, LLC. As an information architect, Sandy provides her clients with insightful solutions to business challenges. She works with companies to make their data “one-buttonable,” by helping them proactively manage the data and systems that drive their business. Having corporate time as a CFO, Sandy has a unique perspective for understanding the business requirements, while also comprehending the technology solutions which support business. Sandy has held various positions in NAWBO, both at the chapter and National levels. She holds an MBA in Information Technology from Drexel University, and a BS from Cornell University.
Jacqueline is the principal and chief marketing Strategist at Crayons & Marketers, an inclusive marketing firm she founded in 2013 to help businesses, nonprofits and government agencies connect meaningfully and responsibly with multicultural and multigenerational consumers across all backgrounds and abilities. She is a certified Digital Marketing Professional and a Professional Certified Marketer®. A graduate of the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Business Program, she has been widely recognized for her contributions to business and community service. Jacqueline served on the NAWBO National Board for six years. She also holds a leadership role with the American Marketing Association’s Nashville Chapter as president-Elect.
Jacqueline is the principal and chief marketing Strategist at Crayons & Marketers, an inclusive marketing firm she founded in 2013 to help businesses, nonprofits and government agencies connect meaningfully and responsibly with multicultural and multigenerational consumers across all backgrounds and abilities. She is a certified Digital Marketing Professional and a Professional Certified Marketer®. A graduate of the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Business Program, she has been widely recognized for her contributions to business and community service. Jacqueline served on the NAWBO National Board for six years. She also holds a leadership role with the American Marketing Association’s Nashville Chapter as president-Elect.
Dr. Lena Graham-Morris, The Entreprenista®, is chief strategy officer and chair of HORUS Academy, a 501©3 program that offers mentor protégé assistance to minority, underserved, women-owned and local businesses. HORUS Academy is part of HORUS Construction Services Inc. Dr. Lena is currently in a succession plan to take ownership of her family’s third-generation construction business. The company was established by her grandfather, grandmother, great uncle and father. Today, she is working side by side with her mentor and partner, who is also her uncle. They have established strategic partnerships that have secured over $500 million in total contracts over the last five years. Dr. Lena brings over 15 years of not-for-profit experience, including key positions with PBS/NPR, Metro Orlando Urban League and the African American Chamber of Commerce of Central Florida. She is a past president for NAWBO Orlando and is the first woman of color to hold such a leadership role.
Diana is a program manager at Amazon where she develops and manages educational programing for entrepreneurs and small businesses to help them find success selling in Amazon’s store. She began her journey at Amazon two-and-a-half years ago as a sales account manager for the North America Seller Success & Recruitment team and later joined the Small Business Partnerships & Education team. Prior to Amazon, Diana spent six impactful years at General Mills, where she developed expertise in sales, national distribution, product marketing and category merchandising.
Michele is senior director of External Affairs & Strategic Alliances at Verizon where she manages strategic relationships with certain third-party organizations representing various civil and human rights interests. Prior to this role, she was an attorney in Verizon’s Federal Regulatory & Public Policy group, advocating on behalf of the company at the Federal Communications Commission. She also represented Verizon in court. After graduating cum laude from Howard University School of Law, Michele served as a law clerk in the United States District Court for the District of Maryland and went on to join the litigation groups at Kirkland & Ellis LLP and Hogan Lovells LLP.
Heather began her career in financial services as a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) and tax professional, advising business owners on complex financial matters. In 2018, Heather transitioned into wealth management and became a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ Professional. She joined Mercer Advisors in 2025 after working with MAI Capital Management. Heather is committed to building trusted, long-term relationships with her clients, helping them make informed decisions across all areas of their financial lives. She is also actively involved in Mercer Advisors’ InvestHERS women’s initiative. She is passionate about creating a supportive community where women can access mentorship, resources and trusted advice to navigate their financial paths with confidence
Nadine Nicholson is the leading expert in Time Mastery and visionary behind Ascend Leadership Co. and Impossible Freedom, a transformative leadership approach she developed with her partner, Derek Nicholson. Nadine and Derek guide powerhouse $1MM+ founders and CEOs out of the Middle Zone of overwork, time guilt, and decision fatigue, while climbing to never-before-seen levels of success. Through their proprietary Impossible Freedom Equation, they provide a proven path to achieving both next-level business growth and personal freedom. NOW, not someday. A Master Certified Coach with degrees in Public Relations and Psychology, Nadine is also an Accredited Business Communicator and award-winning entrepreneur. She speaks on The Time Revolution: How Powerhouse Founders & CEOs Climb Out of the Middle Zone of Success and The Say/Do Gap: Living in Full Integrity with Your Time, inspiring leaders to align their actions with what matters most. With 30+ years business and leadership experience in high-stakes decision-making, business scaling, leadership development, and strategic communications, Nadine has been recognized as one of the 100 Women to KNOW in America and a Women Owned Business. She is an alumna of Harvard Business School and member of the Women Presidents Organization. a global network of top female leaders of multi-million dollar companies.
Michelle is a senior policy analyst for Bipartisan Policy Center’s (BPC) Human Capital Program. She helps lead the small business and workforce portfolios as well as engages corporate partners on human capital issues. Prior to joining BPC, Michelle worked for local government and the John Pappajohn Entrepreneurial Center in Iowa. She holds a B.A. in International Studies and Ethics & Public Policy from the University of Iowa and Master’s in Public Policy from American University.
