ICABA Salutes Women of Impact 2022

Alan B. Levan NSU Broward Innovation Center at Nova Southeastern University Alvin Sherman Library (5th Floor)

Gratefully Acknowledges Support from the Following SPONSORS

TEAM

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MI Group

Karl Sprague

Global Agility

Horace Hord

Newsworthy Stories

Daughters of Zion

Theen & Associates

Rios Creative

Jerome Hutchinson, Jr. Founder & Chief Servant Officer

Dear Attendee,

Congratulations to all our honorees, and thank you for joining us to celebrate their accomplishments! Recognizing and celebrating each other’s success benefits the individual honoree and builds a culture of respect, value, and support for one another. As we celebrate today, I encourage you to capitalize on this opportunity to meet someone you do not know and offer your assistance to them. The value and support you extend to others will always come back to you.

ICABA’s mission is to assist Black professionals and entrepreneurs to Connect, Collaborate, and build Communities to Capitalize on the enormous value and opportunities available to us when we expand our network. Relationships are the foundational core of a successful life and career. Today’s event will end soon, but cultivating valuable relationships among those in attendance is available to you right now. Please seize the moment!

Warm regards,

Hutch

FEATURED SPEAKER

JENNIFER STARKEY

Senior

Vice President/Regional Vice President, TD Bank

Jennifer Starkey is a Senior Vice President/Regional Vice President at TD Bank, serving Broward, Southern Palm Beach, and Collier Counties in South Florida. She has over 25 years of banking experience, in the north and southeast geographies, in multiple areas of banking, 18 of which are with TD.

In her current role, Jennifer and her team of experienced Relationship Managers provide financing solutions, including working capital, start-up/acquisition, equipment leasing, mortgages, and lines of credit, whether conventional or SBA.

Jennifer is Co-Leader of TD Bank’s Business Resource Group for Women in Leadership for the State of Florida. She is a member of L.E.A.D. Community, an initiative aligned with TD’s goal of supporting select emerging talent women leaders in the Commercial Bank.

She is currently a member of the United Way of Broward County Tocqueville Society. She has served on the boards of the American Red Cross, March of Dimes, and NAWBO (National Association of Women Business Owners). Jennifer actively supports the arts with her husband Bill and daughter Samantha.

Jennifer received her Bachelor’s degree from Rutgers University and completed two formal management training programs in bank operations and commercial credit, including graduate-level work in business, finance, and accounting. Jennifer and her family live in South Florida.

NIKKI R. LANIER, JD

Nikki Lanier is the CEO of Harper Slade. A racial equity advisory firm focused on helping organizations advance equity for some and equality for all. An experienced leader with over 25 years of career achievements that span Banking, Labor, Employment Law, Collective Bargaining, Human Resources, and State Government.

An Executive Management Committee veteran with site and functional leadership responsibilities with the Federal Reserve Bank, Philip Morris USA, Georgia Pacific, ADP, Charter Schools USA, and the country’s largest community college system, Maricopa Community Colleges,

FEATURED SPEAKER

As a 3X CHRO, Nikki drove accelerated cultural change, created, and implemented innovative organizational development, strategic planning, employee relations, community engagements and partnerships, training and development, succession planning, recruitment and retention, labor negotiations, and union avoidances.

Nikki is deeply involved in the community and has served on more than 25 nonprofit boards, commissions, and civic committees. She is widely recognized as an accomplished thought leader and compelling keynote and plenary speaker.

Nikki earned a Juris Doctor from the University of Miami School of Law, a bachelor’s degree in Journalism from Hampton University, and certification in Collective Bargaining from Cornell University’s School of Industrial and Labor Relations. She serves on the Board of Advisors of the University of Louisville College of Business.

DR. CASANDRA “COACH CASS” HENRIQUEZ

The

When love eludes you, there is only one woman who can help you capture it—and she is Dr. Casandra “Coach Cass” Henriquez. An intuitive love coach for busy professional women with InspireMany.com, Coach Cass sets stages aflame as an in-demand speaker and a TEDx presenter.

The creator of the Love Deck, dating conversation cards, her voice has graced the airwaves weekly on the #1 Radio show in South Florida and hosted the television show, Fiscally Fit. Coach Cass designed the premier love coaching community for busy professional women who happen to be single, The Real Love Network

Dr. Cassandra created the Princess Zara series to highlight a smart, beautiful, Black princess that all children could learn from and look up to. This series teaches children how they can make a difference by spreading love.

She has been chronicled and featured by Woman’s Day, Fast Company, and Black Enterprise, to name a few. You can often find this bestselling author relaxing on the world’s beaches with her husband, Andy, and daughter, Ava, jamming to reggae vibes.

CEO, Harper Slade

Real Love Network

Melida Akiti

Vice President Ambulatory and Community Services Memorial Healthcare System

DAVIE, FL

As the Vice President of Ambulatory and Community Services at Memorial Healthcare System, Melida Akiti manages a network of primary care practices and urgent care centers that impact medical care and treatments for residents in South Broward and beyond. Previously, she served as Chief Administrative Officer of the Jackson Mental Health Hospital, overseeing Ambulatory Services and Primary Health Centers and the Correction Health Services.

In addition, Akiti is a board member for ChildNet, the nonprofit that protects abused, abandoned, and neglected children in Broward and Palm Beach Counties, and Board Emeritus for Hispanic Unity of Florida. This organization empowers immigrants and others to become selfsufficient, productive, and civically engaged. She was also appointed to the Broward County Homeless Continuum of Care Coalition. She has been appointed to the Broward County Racial Equity Task Force. She presently serves as the first black Hispanic board chair for the Health Foundation of South Florida, a 150 million foundation whose mission is to improve the health of the South Florida community.

INTERESTING INSIGHTS

ORGANIZATION AFFILIATIONS:

ChildNet

PERSON MOST LIKE TO MEET: Desmond Tutu/Nelson Mandela

HOBBY / LEISURE ACTIVITY:

I walk two miles per day; I love dogs and all their causes Love church work

SOMETHING MOST PEOPLE DO NOT KNOW ABOUT ME: I wanted to be a teacher

In 2021 she received the Hispanic Women of Distinction Award. Hispanic Unity of Florida (HUF) is a non-profit founded in 1982 by community leaders to ease the acculturation transition for newcomers from other nations. In March 2020, Akiti received Philanthropy Miami’s Donor Next Door Award; in 2018, she received the Woman of Distinction Award from the Lauderhill Regional Chamber of Commerce. She also received Legacy South Florida’s Powerful Black Professionals in Business Award in 2014.

A native of Panama, Akiti has lived in South Florida for more than three decades and holds a Master of Social Work from Barry University and a Master of Psychology from Saint Mary University in Panama. Her quest in life is to be the voice of those society has marginalized.

WORDS THAT INSPIRE ME:

“If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor.”

CONGRATULATIONS MELIDA AKITI

ON THIS WELL-DESERVED HONOR FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP AND COMMITMENT TO THE HEALTH OF OUR COMMUNITY.

WE SALUTE AND CELEBRATE ALL 2022 ICABA WOMEN OF IMPACT!

Well-being, multiplied. WWW.HFSF.ORG

BOARD CHAIR HEALTH FOUNDATION OF SOUTH FLORIDA

MELIDA AKITI

Jasmin Allen

Senior Vice President, Hennessy U.S. LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton

NEW YORK CITY, NY

As Senior Vice President of Hennessy, Jasmin Allen leverages her strategic and brand leadership skills to drive growth for Moët Hennessy USA’s (MHUSA’s) largest business. She is the first black woman to serve as Senior Vice President. Before Hennessy, Jasmin served as Vice President and General Manager of Moët & Chandon U.S. and Brand Director and Head of Consumer Marketing and Engagement for Belvedere Vodka U.S. Innovative, strategic, and award-winning marketing leader with a unique blend of brand management and entertainment marketing experience.

Jasmin initially came to MHUSA in 2016 as Brand Director, Belvedere Vodka, and led consumer marketing and engagement for the brand in the U.S.

Jasmin began her career at The Coca-Cola Company in brand management roles for the Coca-Cola, Coke Zero, and DASANI brands. After seven years with The CocaCola Company, Jasmin joined T-Mobile to lead their Entertainment Marketing efforts. While there, she led the naming rights sponsorship of T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, created the company’s first-ever entertainment marketing strategy, and led celebrity and strategic partnerships that drove incremental subscriber growth for the brand.

INTERESTING INSIGHTS

ORGANIZATION AFFILIATIONS: Special Acquisition Corporation

PERSON MOST LIKE TO MEET:

I’d love to meet Barack Obama

HOBBY / LEISURE ACTIVITY:

Traveling, reading, exercising

SOMETHING MOST PEOPLE DO NOT KNOW ABOUT ME: I played the viola for 14 years

Jasmin is heavily involved in mentorship and has strongly advocated improving diversity at Moët Hennessy. She is a member of the Moët Hennessy Global Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Council and serves on the Steering Committee. Jasmin is a founding member and Executive Sponsor of MHUSA Noir Assemblage (Black ERG) and an Executive Sponsor of EllesVMH (LVMH Women’s ERG).

Jasmin proudly serves on the Board of Directors of VMG Special Acquisition Corporation and digitalundivided. She also assists the Chief Marketing Officer of Americares as a member of his Marketing Advisory Council.

Jasmin has a B.S. from the McIntire School of Commerce at the University of Virginia and an MBA from The Fuqua School of Business at Duke University.

WORDS THAT INSPIRE ME:

“A wise man told me don’t argue with fools. Because people from a distance can’t tell who is who.”

- Jay-Z

Diane Deese

Vice President, Community Affairs VITAS Healthcare

MIAMI, FL

Diane Deese is the Vice President of Community Affairs for VITAS Healthcare and recently celebrated 21 years with the Company. Diane has worked in the Operational, Administration, Marketing, and Public Relations areas for VITAS and has served as VP of Community Affairs for the last six years.

Diane speaks at numerous national conferences and has co-authored two papers on issues related to hospice and its underuse by minorities. In October 2018, Diane authored an article about minorities having the right to end-of-life care that appeared in the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization’s Fall Edition Newsline. They partnered with the Univision Campaign.

In May of 2017, Diane was recognized by Legacy Magazine as one of the top 50 Influential African American Business Professionals in South Florida. In July of 2017, Diane received a Special Recognition Award for her ongoing support of Nurses at the Opening Ceremony of the Chi Eta Phi Nursing Society’s Annual Conference.

On August 2, 2018, the National Black Nurses Association (NBNA) celebrated a first in its 47 years of existence as a National Organization by inducting two non-nurses into their organization. Diane was one of two inducted as an Honorary Member of the NBNA at the Opening Ceremony of their 46th Annual Conference.

INTERESTING INSIGHTS

ORGANIZATION AFFILIATIONS:

NHPCO Diversity Council

PERSON MOST LIKE TO MEET: Too many to list

HOBBY / LEISURE ACTIVITY:

Reading, Dancing, Playing Bid Whist

SOMETHING MOST PEOPLE DO NOT KNOW ABOUT ME: People don’t know that I am a twin.

On February 9, 2019, Diane was appointed to the Executive Board of Directors of the Heritage Fund of the Atlanta Medical Association, a Physician’s organization.

In October 2021, Diane Deese, along with another fellow member of the Diversity Advisory Committee (DAC) for the National Hospice and Palliative Care Association (NHPCO), revised and updated the entire 2021 and most current, Black and African American Outreach Guide for NHPCO for the whole hospice industry to have as a guide, resource, and toolkit for outreach in Black Communities across the United States.

WORDS THAT INSPIRE ME:

“The service you provide to others is the rent you pay for the room you have here on earth!”

-Muhammad Ali

We commend Diane for her many accomplishments, contributions, and significant leadership talents. As one of the many outstanding women recognized for this distinguished honor, we applaud the professional vitality and excellence each honoree brings to communities around the country.

As the nation’s leading provider of end-of-life care, VITAS values organizations like ICABA for their partnership.

Kathy Eggleston

Principal K. Eggleston Consulting

BOCA RATON, FL

Kathy Eggleston has focused her thirty-year career in corporate communications and philanthropy on advising organizations to achieve strategic impact from their community investment programs by empowering their people and strengthening their communities.

Kathy also has a long record of starting up her initiatives. She is co-founder of Avenue of the Arts Executive Suites, a prime office space helping small businesses and professional practices to grow more business in South Florida. She received Leadership Broward’s Leader of the Year award, and “Avenue Executive” was named the city of Fort Lauderdale’s best low-rise commercial renovation in the year of its opening.

Before becoming an entrepreneur, Kathy was an executive for two of South Florida’s largest enterprises. She implemented the town hall strategy aiding the passage of a half-penny sales tax to fund uncompensated care at Jackson Memorial Hospital. More than $100 million is annually realized from this funding source today. Later, as vice president-corporate communications of JM Family Enterprises, she was a leader in drafting its inaugural nomination to the “100 Best Companies to Work for in America” list in FORTUNE magazine. The company repeated the annual honor each year for more than two decades, one of the longest unbroken tenures in FORTUNE’s history.

INTERESTING INSIGHTS

ORGANIZATION AFFILIATIONS: Women of Color Empowerment Institute

PERSON MOST LIKE TO MEET:

Martin Luther King Jr., Nelson Mandela, Steve Jobs

HOBBY / LEISURE ACTIVITY:

Listening to live music, reading (incl. audiobooks in the car), family Sunday dinners.

SOMETHING MOST PEOPLE DO NOT KNOW ABOUT ME: I once saved a man’s life by giving him the Heimlich maneuver.

Kathy led start-up teams that launched the AfricanAmerican Achievers awards, the not-for-profits Women of Color Empowerment Institute, Deliver the Dream, Positive Images of Broward County, Rebuilding Together Broward, and her current major initiative, Nova Southeastern University’s Pathway Scholars program.

She is a past president of both the North Broward County (FL) Chapter of The Links, Incorporated and the Donors Forum of South Florida. Her board service has included Leadership Broward, Leadership Florida, Community Foundation of Broward, and the Entrepreneur’s Council of the Huizenga College of Business and Entrepreneurship.

WORDS THAT INSPIRE ME:

“People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel

-Maya Angelou

L. Vickie Frazier-Williams, MBA

Owner Frazier Williams Financial Group

SUNRISE, FL

From awardwinning journalist to awardwinning financial services professional, Vickie Frazier-Williams exemplifies excellence in all she does. A native Floridian, Vickie grew up watching Channel 10 Eyewitness News and, after college, worked there as an associate producer, reporter, and weekend anchor.

After 20 years in television news, Vickie pursued a new path: education management, where she was instrumental in developing charter schools around the US. As Regional Vice President of Imagine Schools, in association with the 100 Black Men of Las Vegas, she opened the first successful charter school in a historic African American community. Returning to South Florida in 2010, Vickie earned an MBA and entered financial services, working with clients to create generational wealth through New York Life, a Fortune 100 company. She is among the elite agents in the company’s Executive Council.

In 2018, Vickie started Frazier Williams Financial Group, LLC, and in 2021 qualified for the Million Dollar Roundtable, a global association of the world’s leading life insurance and financial services professionals.

INTERESTING INSIGHTS

ORGANIZATION AFFILIATIONS:

Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., South Broward Alumnae Chapter

PERSON MOST LIKE TO MEET: Cicely Tyson

HOBBY / LEISURE ACTIVITY:

Traveling with my husband, Public Speaking, Singing, Mentoring young people

SOMETHING MOST PEOPLE DO NOT KNOW ABOUT ME: Most people who know me have no idea I can cook. A pretty good cook, too!

Vickie also earned a Master’s Degree in Broadcast Journalism from Northwestern University and holds an Executive Education Certificate from Northwestern’s Kellogg School of Business in Strategic Communications and Marketing. She earned her Bachelor’s in journalism at Florida A&M University, pledged Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., and served as president of the Beta Alpha Chapter. She’s a current member of the South Broward Alumnae Chapter and Chair of its Economic Development Committee.

Committed to ‘giving back,’ Vickie mentors new insurance agents, young journalists, and church members as a Sunday School Superintendent in her hometown church, Star of Bethlehem in West Park. She also serves on the board of the Women Business Development Council of Florida, certifying women-owned businesses for government and corporate contracts.

She has been married to her best friend and business partner, Michael Williams, for 30 years.

WORDS THAT INSPIRE ME:

“A good man leaves an inheritance to his children’s children.”

-Proverbs 13:22

Sharu Goodwyn

Community Investment Manager Office Depot

MIRAMAR, FL

INTERESTING INSIGHTS

ORGANIZATION AFFILIATIONS: Central County Community Development Organization

PERSON MOST LIKE TO MEET:

Michelle Obama

HOBBY / LEISURE ACTIVITY: Travel, indoor cycling, Reading. Kayaking

SOMETHING MOST PEOPLE DO NOT KNOW ABOUT ME: After completing my MPA degree, I spent two months backpacking around Southeast Asia.

WORDS THAT INSPIRE ME:

“If you want to go quickly, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.”

-African Proverb

Sharu

Goodwyn is a Community Investment Manager at Office Depot. She leads the Elevate Together initiative, which accelerates the creation, growth, and prosperity of Black and Hispanic small businesses through education, access, and aid. Sharu serves as an Office Depot D&I Captain and also helps to facilitate community involvement and external relations activities of the company’s Associate Resource Groups (ARGs).

Goodwyn assumed the role of Community Investment Manager for Office Depot in October 2020. In less than a year, she has made an enormous impact through her oversight of Elevate Together™, powered by Round It Up America®, a new nonprofit initiative designed to help accelerate the creation, growth, and prosperity of Black and Hispanic-owned small businesses. The ODP Corporation (parent company to Office Depot) is the initiative’s founding partner and made an initial investment of $250,000, which helped launch the program in Atlanta, Chicago, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, and South Florida in early 2021.

Through a partnership with the National Urban League’s (NUL) Entrepreneurship Centers and the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (USHCC), the initiative helps support Black and Hispanic small businesses with five or less employees.

Before joining Office Depot, Ms. Goodwyn spent nearly 20 years in the nonprofit sector. She managed communications and community relations for various organizations, including Johnson & Wales University’s North Miami Campus, The Broward Center for the Performing Arts, The Vilcek Foundation, Odyssey House Inc., and The Children’s Health Fund.

Ms. Goodwyn received her Master of Public Administration from Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs and her Bachelor of Arts in Communications from the University of Pennsylvania’s Annenberg School. She currently serves on the board of the Central County Community Development Organization (a subsidiary of the Urban League of Broward County) and as a mentor with the 100k Mentor Challenge. Ms. Goodwyn resides in Miramar, FL, with her husband and three daughters.

Dr. Yvette M. Holmes

Professor University of Miami

MIAMI, FL

INTERESTING INSIGHTS

ORGANIZATION AFFILIATIONS: Black Women PhDs, Inc.

PERSON MOST LIKE TO MEET: First Lady Michelle Obama

HOBBY / LEISURE ACTIVITY:

1. Any outdoor physical fitness activity 2. Completing DIY home remodeling projects 3. Listening to live bands/music

SOMETHING MOST PEOPLE DO NOT KNOW ABOUT ME: I toured and wrote music as a child with a gospel singing group and was also a part of Grammy-nominated gospel artist James Fortune’s first choir.

WORDS THAT INSPIRE ME:

“Make excellence a habit.”

- Alice W. Douse (my late grandmother)

Dr. Yvette

M. Holmes is a business professional and passionate entrepreneur who has distinguished herself as an accomplished scholar, professor, business advisor, prolific author, host, speaker, and dedicated community leader. The Houston native obtained her BS and MBA from Florida A&M University before earning her Ph.D. in Marketing from Florida State University. .

Dr. Yvette is a scholar, author, and Business school professor at the University of Miami. She shares insight on peak performance, encouraging individuals to look at the fundamental concepts of business to extract the keys that underlie all accomplishments.

Dr. Yvette is a strategy consultant to business leaders. She offers development services to entrepreneurs searching for critical solutions to their organizational challenges. Dr. Yvette serves as Vice President of Black Women PhDs, Inc., where she facilitates opportunities for collaboration and mentorship between current and future Black women with doctoral degrees around the globe.

Dr. Yvette serves on the advisory board of three Floridabased non-profit organizations and is an Associate Member of ICABA. A member of Black Professionals Network, the National Association of Professional Woman, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated, FAMU Alumni Association, and FSU Alumni Association, Her vision, wisdom, and energy have propelled her to prominence in the business world.

She has received numerous awards and honors, including: Top 25 Most Influential and Prominent Black Women in Business in South Florida, South Florida’s Top Black Educator Award, Women in Excellence Honoree, FIU Martin Luther King Award, “40 Under 40” South Florida Black Leaders of Today and Tomorrow Award, Top 35 Millennial Influencer of America Award, Emerging Scholar in Higher Education Nominee, and Women Who Mean Business Award Finalist.

The “Queen of Versatility” is the visionary of The AMARA Woman brand, where she creates specialized resources uniquely designed for the woman on her journey to improve total-body wellness.

Dr. Paula Hopkins

Senior Director of Strategy

PepsiCo Beverages North America

MIAMI BEACH, FL

Dr. Paula Hopkins, Pepsi Beverages

North America: Sr. Director of Strategy. An executive leader brings over 29 years of leadership, sales, strategy, and operations experience. Paula has led a variety of finance, operations, and sales roles in both field and headquarters at PepsiCo.

Dr. Hopkins is recognized for success in profit and loss management, customer relationships, people leadership, making decisions, problem-solving, and providing a strategic roadmap to deliver consistent results.

She is currently responsible for providing ongoing strategic direction to support the organization with new initiatives and growth opportunities in her current role. Key focus areas include delivering transformational change in PepsiCo’s Racial Equality Journey pillars for People, Business, and Community. Lead compelling thought leadership on transformation, community partnerships, and next-generation opportunities.

INTERESTING INSIGHTS

ORGANIZATION AFFILIATIONS:

Best Buddies of South Florida

PERSON MOST LIKE TO MEET:

First Lady Michelle Obama.

HOBBY / LEISURE ACTIVITY:

Spending time with my family and making memories. Reading Books (hardcover preferred) Learning something new

SOMETHING MOST PEOPLE DO NOT KNOW ABOUT ME: I am an introvert. I love engaging in quiet activities and rather listen than talk.

Paula completed her doctorate at Rollins Crummer graduate school, where she will defend her dissertation: Impact and Influence: The Effect of Mentorship on Job Advancement among Executive Women. Her dissertation examined the role of mentorship on job advancement among executive women, particularly Women of Color women. She holds a Master’s of Business Administration from the Crummer Graduate School at Rollins College and a Bachelor of Arts Degree from Rollins College. She also earned her LSS-Green Belt from Purdue University in 2021.

Paula has been instrumental in leading many diversity and inclusion efforts across PepsiCo. She currently sits on the PepsiCo Beverages National Taskforce for the Racial Equality Journey. Her efforts have helped create a more equitable and inclusive culture, assisting a generation of professionals in excelling in their careers at PepsiCo. She also serves on several boards, both internally and externally. Board seats include PepsiCo Beverages National Racial Equity Board, Warrick Dunn Charities, Inc., Urban League of Louisiana, National Forum Black Public Administrators, Best Buddies, Miami Beach Chamber, and the Miami Super Bowl Host Committee.

WORDS THAT INSPIRE ME:

“I would have loved knowing and spending time with my great-grandmothers to listen to their stories of survival to draw inspiration and guidance from the past. As Maya Angelou said, The more you know of your history, the more liberated you are.

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Carolyn E. Howell

Owner & CEO EVENTS USA

WASHINGTON, DC

Carolyn E. Howell is the owner and CEO of EVENTS USA, a minority WOSB event planning firm celebrating eleven years in business. As an event planning professional, Carolyn has more than twentyfive years of corporate event planning experience working with some of the most dynamic companies in the Washington DC Metropolitan area. She has been the driving force behind more than twenty-six hundred successful corporate events.

Carolyn has been a highly-visible and well-respected member of the events industry for over two decades. Her expertise is sought out by companies looking for a special event that employees and clients appreciate and enjoy.

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Carolyn joined forces with another WBE and co-founded a safety solutions company that provided temperature screening stations in 2020 and 2021.

Carolyn E. Howell is Executive Producer of OUR TV Network, Caribbean Food Network, TV CFN, and PopUp TV for the DMV Market. She is also Managing Director for SEDI, CASE for the DMV.

Carolyn is a member of the Women Presidents Organization - WPO Greenbelt, MD Chapter; she currently holds Board of Directors seats at:

• DC Chamber of Commerce

• Wolf Trap Foundation for the Performing Arts Assoc.Board

• The “O” Museum in the Mansion

• WEW Women Elevating Women Advisory Council

Carolyn’s Awards and Recognitions include:

INTERESTING INSIGHTS

ORGANIZATION AFFILIATIONS:

Women Presidents Organization

PERSON MOST LIKE TO MEET: My maternal grandmother

HOBBY / LEISURE ACTIVITY:

Cooking, Fishing, Crocheting

SOMETHING MOST PEOPLE DO NOT KNOW ABOUT ME: I am deathly afraid of worms (not snakes, spiders, or mice but worms).

• 2022 Top Ladies in Business Award by Ladies in Business Magazine Global Dubai UAE

• 2021 Community Business Leader Award - Women of Prince George’s

• 2018 Women in Business Champion of the Year

• 2017 Top 100 Minority Business Enterprise.

• 2016 Sterling Women of the Year Awardee.

• 2015 Chairman’s Award Recipient from the Loudoun County Chamber of Commerce.

• 2010 Washington Business Journal Minority Business Leader Alumni

Carolyn is the mother of two married daughters and one son, and she lives with her husband Ben in Maryland. The two have been married for more than forty-seven years.

WORDS THAT INSPIRE ME:

“So let us not give up in doing what is fine, for, in due time, we will reap if we do not tire out.

-Galatians 6:10

2022

Tonya Davis Johnson

Director

Palm Beach Office of Equal Business Opportunity

WEST PALM BEACH, FL

Tonya Davis Johnson is the Director of the Palm Beach County Office of Equal Business Opportunity, which exists to promote the economic growth, expansion, and increased productivity of small business enterprises in Palm Beach County. In this role, Tonya is responsible for developing and implementing policies and procedures that will enhance Small, Minority, and Woman Business Enterprises (S/M/WBEs) participation in the County’s contracting and procurement opportunities.

The policies and procedures assist in administering the County’s stated objective of ensuring equal opportunity to bid for County projects, leases, and contracts. She establishes certification procedures, identifies competitive contracting opportunities for certified S/M/WBEs, and has developed community outreach initiatives to advance entrepreneurship in Palm Beach County and its surrounding communities.

Tonya provides leadership in the performance of SBE and M/ WBE outreach activities for the County and OSBA vendors. Serves as a leader for OSBA activities that expand and broaden the audience base of the Palm Beach County SBE Program. She performs investigations for contractor certification and compliance.

Ms. Davis Johnson is a former member of the Riviera Beach City Council. She served as Chair and led efforts to support education, small business development, and healthy food initiatives.

INTERESTING INSIGHTS

ORGANIZATION AFFILIATIONS:

National Forum for Black Public Administrators

PERSON MOST LIKE TO MEET:

Maya Angelou

HOBBY / LEISURE ACTIVITY:

Travel, Reading, Public Service

SOMETHING MOST PEOPLE DO NOT KNOW ABOUT ME: I’m a former disc jockey

Ms. Davis Johnson serves on the Board of Directors for Girls II Women, a non-profit that creates social and educational opportunities for underserved girls in West Palm Beach, Riviera Beach, and Belle Glade; the National Forum for Black Public Administrators; and the Sickle Cell Foundation of Palm Beach County & Treasure Coast. She is also a member of Concerned Mothers/Southside Coalition of Riviera Beach Heights, a proud member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. She holds several memberships in local Chambers of Commerce.

She is a graduate of Palm Beach Atlantic University, earning a bachelor’s degree in Organizational Management with a minor in Entrepreneurship and a master’s degree in Organizational Leadership.

WORDS THAT INSPIRE ME:

“Silence

- Calvin Coolidge (modified)

may be misinterpreted, but it can never be misquoted”

Nicole Kilby

Principal, IT Business Management Consultant Infosys Consulting

ATLANTA, GA

Nicole Kilby is a proud alum of Agnes Scott College in Decatur, Georgia, where she received a dual bachelor’s degree in economics and business. Nicole is a lifelong learner who got a Post Graduate Certificate in Financial Management from Cornell University.

Nicole Kilby works for Infosys Consulting’s Consumer Products, Retail, and Logistics Practice as a technofunctional Principal Consultant.

She helps the world’s most notable brands develop sustainable paths to growth by understanding their needs and improving their organization’s tools, processes, and people with innovative solutions and technology. Nicole has over 16 years of expertise in enabling technology and providing future-proof solutions for Fortune 100 companies. Since joining Infosys, she has led large financial, digital, and agile transformation initiatives.

INTERESTING INSIGHTS

ORGANIZATION AFFILIATIONS: Black Girl Code

PERSON MOST LIKE TO MEET:

Ursula M. Burns, the first Black woman to lead a Fortune 500 company.

HOBBY / LEISURE ACTIVITY:

One of my favorite pastimes is learning new technologies and traveling.

SOMETHING MOST PEOPLE DO NOT KNOW ABOUT ME: I am also a visual artist.

Before joining Infosys Consulting in 2015, Nicole worked in Global Operations and FP&A for CH2M Hill, an Engineering and Consulting firm where she managed the Government, Facilities, and Infrastructure sector’s $1B portfolios. Nicole has worked as an Advisor for the A-Team, a community for Analysts and Consultants, and led the Core Analyst Program for North America Analysts, which launched in late 2018 and was aimed to improve the experience and growth of younger colleagues while also bringing value to the business. Nicole’s most recent position is Chair and Co-Founder of IBELIEVE, Infosys’ Black Employee Resource Group.

Nicole has established herself as a cultural change agent and an essential resource for establishing long-term DEI strategies and platforms to empower and advocate for the underrepresented. Through the candid discussion series eRACE and embRACE, which challenges racism and bias in the workplace, she’s provided awareness, education, and solutions to corporate executives. Nicole was named one of her company’s most influential people and was honored with the Diversity Pacesetter Awards. Nicole is breaking down barriers for underrepresented communities in IT consulting.

WORDS THAT INSPIRE ME:

The motto I live by - is “always have a student mentality.”

Johnnie Lloyd

Chief Visionary Officer

JB Lloyd and Associates

FREDERICKSBURG, FL

Chief Visionary Officer for JB Lloyd and Associates, business2business consultant and coach that guides/trains. Specifically partners with CEOs, executives, and entrepreneurs unleashing their superpowers. Preparing people and organizations for greater levels of productivity and profitability strategically. The problem she guides her clients to solve concentrates on the management of things and the leadership of people that leads to greater productivity and profitability.

She makes hard things understandable and relatable. Johnnie is a dynamic, high-energy consultant, speaker, coach, and facilitator. She provides inspirational keynotes and breakout sessions, empowering audience development, growth, and development and delivering strategic tricks and tips for profitable f people, money, and communication growth.

She is a National Speakers Association of Virginia –rising president, SCORE volunteer, and Board member/ treasurer of YMCA in her community. She is active in her church, a high school mentor for Teen Enrichment, and is president/founder of the non-profit Raise Up Nation, which concentrates on financial education. Her powerful backstory from homelessness to success as a senior-level executive in profit, non-profit, corporate, and government agencies. She deals with life transitions providing insight and hope. She retired from federal service, where she traveled and spoke internationally.

2019 Author Highlights:

3X International bestselling author:

INTERESTING INSIGHTS

ORGANIZATION AFFILIATIONS:

National Speakers Association of Virginia President-Elect

PERSON MOST LIKE TO MEET:

Michelle Obama, Bryon Allen, Shaquille O’Neal

HOBBY / LEISURE ACTIVITY:

Crafting – creative Cooking for others, Reading - learning

SOMETHING MOST PEOPLE DO NOT KNOW ABOUT ME: I was once homeless

• PathwaytoaPositiveMentalAttitude:17StepstoSuccess Conversations with World-Class Napoleon Hill Certified Leaders - (Contributing author).

• Voices of the 21st Century II and III (Contributing author) Brave, Bold, Brilliant –Women. Inspirational stories that provoke forward movement.

• Legacy Moments Transformation that Goes Beyond Change, and companion workbook.

Her definite primary purpose is to connect your passion to your purpose while you live and eventually leave your legacy of “Excellence.” Her mantra is, “You are Fire When You are Focused” ®—known as the “Pusher,” providing guidance and motivation to start where you are and do what you can use what you have.

WORDS THAT INSPIRE ME:

“For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

Cheryl McDuffie James

Managing Director & CEO Business Imaging

ORLANDO, FL

Cheryl McDuffie James is a Human Capital Maximizer, Peer Advisory Leader of CEOs, Business Owners, Executives, Talent Optimizer, Change Management Implementer, and Mental Fitness Professional serving as the CEO and Managing Director for Business Imaging since 2006.

For over twelve years, Cheryl has served as the Managing Director and CEO of Business Imaging, a leadership and change management firm where she helps clients maximize their human capital. Before becoming a business owner and Vistage Chair, Cheryl spent over twenty years gaining experience in the areas of Finance, Marketing, Sales, Consulting, and Change and Process management. Her experiences were achieved in several industries, including, Telecommunications, Pharmaceuticals/Biotech, Restaurants, and Consumer Foods.

She has served as a Course Instructor for Leadership and Organizational Behavior and Section Adjunct of Finance and Marketing for an undergraduate distance learning program. In addition, she served as a Business Contributor for a regional, quarterly magazine for professional women. She provides business and leadership development coaching for MWBE owners as well as other business leaders. Cheryl’s educational credentials include a Bachelor of Science in Accounting, a Master of Business Administration, and certification in Change Management, focusing on the people side of change. She also is the recipient of multiple sales and leadership awards.

INTERESTING INSIGHTS

ORGANIZATION AFFILIATIONS:

Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc.

PERSON MOST LIKE TO MEET:

President Barack and Michelle Obama (I’ve met them but not engaged in deep conversation)

HOBBY / LEISURE ACTIVITY:

Travel, reading, and exercise (Orange Theory Fitness and running)

SOMETHING MOST PEOPLE DO NOT KNOW ABOUT ME: I started in 2020 a multi-generational virtual bible study for women that I lead.

She is passionate about people, accountability, and helping others maximize their potential. A connector who partners with organizations of all sizes and their teams, from global to small businesses, to leverage their people resources to drive strategic solutions, improve performance, enhance relationships and create wellness.

Whether you want to become a more effective leader, get the “right people in the right seats” for optimal job fit while maximizing performance, or implement new change initiatives, look no further! If you would like to reach out to Cheryl, please email her at cmjames@executivecoaches. vistageflorida.com.

WORDS THAT INSPIRE ME:

“Be the change you wish to see in the world.”

-Mahatma Gandhi

Wendy R. McSweeney

Chief Diversity Equity and Inclusion Officer Truist

ATLANTA, GA

Wendy McSweeney is the chief diversity, equity & inclusion (DEI) officer for Truist Financial Corporation, one of the nation’s largest financial services companies. In this role, she oversees the strategic direction, development, and execution of the company’s DEI policies, programs and practices to enhance corporate culture, advance the business, enrich communities and contribute to Truist’s overall performance.

Through her thought leadership, counsel, and focus on inspiring and building better lives andcommunities, Wendy helps foster a more purpose-, mission- and valuesbased workingenvironment at Truist. She leads the DEI Office, oversees eight company-wide business resource groups develop community partnerships, and represent the company’s commitment to DEI with internal and external stakeholders. It provides the opportunity to modify strategies and programs as the demographic and social climate changes rapidly.

A veteran of the financial services industry, Wendy joined Truist in 2013. Previously, she worked for Wells Fargo Advisors (WFA) for 11 years. Before WFA, Wendy served as a conversion manager for Truist’s Retirement Group, where she led the onboarding of 401k plans in Washington, D.C., Maryland, and Virginia.

INTERESTING INSIGHTS

ORGANIZATION AFFILIATIONS:

Usher’s New Look Foundation

PERSON MOST LIKE TO MEET:

Oprah Winfrey, Warren Buffett, Queen Elizabeth

HOBBY / LEISURE ACTIVITY:

Spending with family & friends, Traveling, Collecting Elephants

SOMETHING MOST PEOPLE DO NOT KNOW ABOUT ME: I played the clarinet in middle school and twirled a flag and a riffle in high school.

Additionally, Wendy is a board member of Usher’s New Look, The Ron Clark Academy, and Men for Hope. She received the Profiles in Diversity Journal 2018 Diversity Leader Award and 2014-2017, Black Enterprise Magazine named her one of the “Top Executives for Diversity & Inclusion.” In 2014, the National Diversity Council named Wendy one of the “Most Powerful and Influential Women” in Georgia.

McSweeney earned an undergraduate degree in accounting from Virginia Union University.She is a graduate of the St. Louis Business Diversity Initiative Fellow’s Leadership Program, aswell as a proud member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated. She is the self-proclaimed “World’s Greatest Aunt” and lives her life by Luke 12:48, “To whom much is given, much will be required.”

WORDS THAT INSPIRE ME:

“To whom much is given, much will be required.”

-Luke 12:48

Pepper Miller

Recognized Authority on Black Consumer Research Hunter-Miller, Inc.

CHICAGO, IL

Pepper Miller is widely recognized as a researcher, author, thought leader, and Black-American subject matter expert. She founded The Hunter Miller Group (HMG) in 1995. The Chicago-based company is a leading-edge market research and strategic planning firm. After forming The Hunter Miller Group, Pepper has been helping Fortune 500 companies better understand and positively engage Black America to have loyal customers and a positive bottom line.

Some of the clients Pepper has helped include AARP, Bravo, CNN, McDonald’s, Procter & Gamble, Unilever, Walgreens, US Bank, The Chicago Symphony Orchestra, and many more.

Pepper co-authored with the late Herb Kemp What’s Black About It? and her book, Black Still Matters in Marketing. Both books are considered the most important references to Black consumer insights by many business leaders in the marketing industry. Pepper’s third book, Let Me Explain Black, Again: Insights that Uncover Biases and Blindspots to Earn the Loyalty of Black America, will be released later this year.

Pepper effectively helps audiences think differently about Black America and dig deeper into the Black-American psyche by candidly discussing simple ideas and taboo topics.

INTERESTING INSIGHTS

ORGANIZATION AFFILIATIONS:

OVERINDEX - Blacks in Market Research & Strategy

PERSON MOST LIKE TO MEET:

The 14th Dalai Lama, August Wilson, Isabel Wilkerson, Dr. Robin DiAngelo, My younger self

HOBBY / LEISURE ACTIVITY:

Bicycle riding/hiking, - Chicago Style Steppin’, - Listening to Audiobooks

SOMETHING MOST PEOPLE DO NOT KNOW ABOUT ME: My birth name is Persephone (Per-se-fo-nee) from Greek Mythology) I’m an open book.

WORDS THAT INSPIRE ME:

“There comes a point where we need to stop pulling people out of the river. We need to go upstream and find out why they are falling in.

-Bishop Desmond TuTu

It’s this ability that earned Pepper several awards, i.e., the Insights Association Laureate Recognition (2021), MOBE Spirit of D. Park Gibson Award for Excellence in Market Research (2018), Target Market News’ MAAX Award for Market Research Executive of the Year (2007), MAFA Trailblazer Award (2014).

Pepper is an Executive Sponsor of OverIndex, a community of Black Market Researchers and Strategists seeking research and strategy opportunities while encouraging the market research industry to be more inclusive. Market research executives Alexandrea Davis and Erica Williams are the founders of OverIndex.

Pepper is also a founding blogger for Advertising Age’s Big Tent multicultural blog. She has blogged for Forbes and The Medium and enjoys engaging with and mentoring young professionals.

H.E. Rev. Dr. Diane Moore-Eubanks, Esq.

Chancellor and General Counsel

Global Oved Dei Seminary & University MIRAMAR, FL

H.E. Rev. Dr. Diane Moore-Eubanks, Esq. is the Jamaican-African-American Founder & Chancellor of Global Oved Dei Seminary & University (GODSU), a 501(c)(3) Interfaith E-learning Global Florida Department Of Education Commission of Independent Studies approved degree-issuing Religious Institution of Higher Learning under Florida Statute 1005.06 (1)(f) in Florida.

After graduating in 1986 from Florida State University, as Magna Cum Laude and Phi Beta Kappa, she completed her Juris Doctorate from Georgetown University Law Center. She interned at BET and served as Assistant General Counsel, Dept of Navy, reporting to the Pentagon and the White House.

She conducted over 3,600 residential & commercial real estate transactions in three states in private law practice.

Since 2009 Dr. Diane has helped 10,000+ African women start small businesses. In 2016 she was ordained as a Christian Minister under Bishop Christopher Cox, a Member of the Joint College of African-American Pentecostal Bishops.

From 2019-to 2022, she sponsored and co-hosted the 1st African Economic Panel at Florida International Trade and Cultural Expo (FITCE) and is the appointed Ambassador representing the Florida Trade Conference for African Countries.

INTERESTING INSIGHTS

ORGANIZATION AFFILIATIONS:

UN NGO NEW FUTURE FOUNDATION INC. The Jamaica Chapter

PERSON MOST LIKE TO MEET:

Marcus Moriah Garvey

HOBBY / LEISURE ACTIVITY:

Singing, Acting, Exercising

SOMETHING MOST PEOPLE DO NOT KNOW ABOUT ME: I am a trained ballerina

She currently serves as Director of Education and President for the United Nations Non-Governmental Organization, New Future Foundation Inc., the Jamaican Chapter, under the auspices of Queen Mother Dr. Delois Blakely, who has served in the U.N. for the past 52 years.

In 2021 she received both a U.S. Congressional Honor from Congressman Steven Alexzander Horsford, U.S. Representative for Nevada’s 4th congressional district, and a U.S. Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award from President Joe Biden for Outstanding Volunteering.

She is the reigning Miss Senior United States 2022 & Miss Senior Jamaica Universe 2022, and Miss Senior Florida USA 2021. She has been in financial services assisting with Retirement planning and life insurance plans for 20+ years.

WORDS THAT INSPIRE ME:

“I will drink the river dry for you.”

-Quote by my father, the late Dr. Charles Moore Order of Distinction

Clemmie Perry

Founder & Executive Director

Women of Color Golf (WOCG) & Girls on the Green Tee (GOTGT)

TAMPA, FL

Ms. Perry has over 25 years of experience working for three Fortune 500 companies (Florida Power & Light, Lockheed Martin Corporation, and Sodexo).

Ms. Perry was responsible for designing and developing online corporate training materials for 130,000 employees for high tech industries in Aero Space & Defense, Electrical Distribution Systems, and Smart Grid Technology.

She currently serves at Sodexo as the Human Resources Training & Quality Manager for the North Americas.

In 2014, Ms. Perry started a non-profit, Women of Color Golf (WOCG), and Girls On the Green Tee (GOTG-T), programs designed to increase diversity, equity, and inclusion in the sport of golf for girls, women, and communities of color. These programs have been recognized by the U.S. White House as Champions of Change for extra-curricula programs for youth, the Tampa Bay Lighting Community Hero Award, PGATOUR Charity of the Year, & Aramco Oil Company, Saudi Arabia.

The mission of Women of Color Golf (WOCG) & Girls on the Green Tee (GOTGT) is to increase diversity and inclusion in the sport of golf for women and girls through education, instruction, mentoring, networking, health, and wellness.

INTERESTING INSIGHTS

ORGANIZATION AFFILIATIONS:

Women Presidents Organization

PERSON MOST LIKE TO MEET: My maternal grandmother

HOBBY / LEISURE ACTIVITY:

Cooking, Fishing, Crocheting

SOMETHING MOST PEOPLE DO NOT KNOW ABOUT ME: I was the first black female lifeguard in the City of Tampa at the West Tampa Pool

WOCG seeks to create a spark of interest and inspiration in the game of golf. This inspiration is then turned into action with organized golf clinics, recreational golf events, business networking & mentoring opportunities. WOCG has introduced over one thousand minority women & girls to golf fundamentals in the Tampa & St. Petersburg, Florida bay area and Washington, D.C. She earned a bachelor’s degree from Florida A&M University and a master’s degree from Nova Southeastern University.

Ms. Perry is a former National Football League (NFL) Professional Cheerleader for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1 Year) and the Miami Dolphins Cheerleaders (6 Years). She cheered for the National Football League for a total of seven years.

WORDS THAT INSPIRE ME:

“So let us not give up in doing what is acceptable, for, in due time, we will reap if we do not tire out.”

- Galatians 6:10

Desiree Strickland, DrPH, MPH

CEO/Founder Young Black and Professional, LLC

ATLANTA, GA

Dr. Desiree Strickland, “Dr. Des,” is a Florida native who currently resides in Atlanta, Georgia. She is the Founder/CEO of Young Black and Professional, LLC, which assists young minorities in transitioning into the professional world. She is a public health professional on the senior level, with expertise in health equity, chronic disease prevention, childhood obesity prevention, health policy, and project management. She also teaches Health Disparities & Minority Health courses as an adjunct professor.

Developed in 2020, Young Black and Professional was created by Dr. Des & Darius, who work on the senior level of their professions. This organization serves to assist minorities with transitioning into the professional world!

Dr. Des has assisted over 600 young professionals with their professional career journeys and has served as the hiring manager in different areas of her field since 2018. She has also managed a multitude of interns and public health professionals. She has always enjoyed managing and teaching interns and noticed the lack of professional development education students receive in their educational careers, which inspired her to create Young Black and Professional.

INTERESTING INSIGHTS

ORGANIZATION AFFILIATIONS:

South University Public Health Program Advisory Committee

PERSON MOST LIKE TO MEET:

Former First Lady Michelle Obama

HOBBY / LEISURE ACTIVITY:

Spending time with family, Exploring New Restaurants, Netflix and Chill, Learning New Skills, Traveling, Doing Absolutely Nothing.

SOMETHING MOST PEOPLE DO NOT KNOW ABOUT ME: I consider myself a lifelong student, and I challenge myself to complete one -to two courses a year that focus on different areas

By developing Young Black & Professional, Dr. Des hopes to continue serving young minority professionals by offering insight into the professional world and assistance with how to navigate that world while being a young black college graduate.

Our podcast is designed to give you real-life advice and tips on navigating your career and how to break into other jobs. We have guest speakers who provide insight on their journey to their respective careers.

Dr. Des earned her Doctorate in Public Health and her Master’s in Public Health with an emphasis in Behavioral Health and Health Education from Florida A&M University. She also earned her Bachelor’s Degree’s in Exercise Science and Family & Child Sciences from Florida State University.

WORDS THAT INSPIRE ME:

“If you want something you never had, you have to do something you‚ have never done.”

Bernadette Vincent

President & COO

Satellite Healthcare

SAN JOSE, CA

As President & Chief Operating Officer, Bernadette leads dialysis and health services operations at Satellite Healthcare, including delivery of care and treatment within the chronic clinic, home, and acute care settings. She also oversees several administrative functions and serves on four Satellite Healthcare Board of Director Committees. Bernadette also oversees other Satellite Healthcare strategic businesses and ancillary services, including Vascular Access Centers, Ambulatory Surgery Centers, and Medical Nutrition Therapy.

Satellite Healthcare, Inc. has been among the nation’s leading non-profit providers of kidney dialysis and related services since 1974. It is dedicated to maintaining a workforce that mirrors its diverse communities.

Bernadette is a registered nurse and a former dialysis nurse with many years of clinical experience and an outstanding track record of business success. She has served as a senior-level health care executive in elite organizations, including dialysis companies, hospitals, integrated delivery systems, physician services, national and regional health plans, several ambulatory care lines of business, health services, and home health agencies.

INTERESTING INSIGHTS

ORGANIZATION AFFILIATIONS:

National Kidney Foundation, Northern California/ Pacific Northwest

PERSON MOST LIKE TO MEET:

Tyler Perry

HOBBY / LEISURE ACTIVITY:

Traveling nationwide to watch sunsets and get sand between my toes. Mentoring youth and battered women, Writingw

SOMETHING MOST PEOPLE DO NOT KNOW ABOUT ME:

I was valedictorian of my high school senior class. I was the seventh child in my family to graduate high school and attend and later graduate from a university with a Bachelor’s Degree.

Bernadette holds an MBA from The George L. Graziadio School of Business at Pepperdine University and a B.S. in Nursing from Dillard University in New Orleans. She was also a founding member of the Laureate Academy Charter School’s Board of Directors, serving on the Finance Committee and as the Chairman of the Development Committee. Bernadette is a member of the board of directors of the National Kidney Foundation for the San Francisco Bay Area and the Pacific Northwest and a member of Adaptive Business Leaders (ABL), a professional innovation organization for executives.

Other key memberships include a long-standing member of the American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE), the National Association of Health Services Executives (NAHSE), and the National Healthcare Association, formerly known as National Renal Administrators Association.

WORDS THAT INSPIRE ME:

“Go forth into the world in peace; be of good courage; hold fast that which is good; render no man evil for evil; strengthen the fainthearted; support the weak; help the afflicted; honor all men.”

-1 Thessalonians 5:13-22

Whitney Cunningham Walker

Sr. Community Relations Specialist Florida Power & Light Company

PALM BEACH GARDENS, FL

Whitney Cunningham Walker is a Senior Community Relations Specialist at Florida Power & Light Company (FPL) and oversees the modeling and activation of NextEra Energy’s Programs That Make a Difference. This social impact strategy delivers transformational change in communities where NextEra does business.

A graduate of Dartmouth College with 15 years of experience in marketing and business development in corporate social responsibility, brand management, and community engagement, Whitney began her career in entertainment when she starred in Tyra Banks’ “America’s Next Top Model” in 2007. Next, at Sean “Diddy” Combs’ The Blue Flame Agency / Combs Enterprises in New York City, where she rose from a marketing assistant to Associate Director of Marketing, spearheading Cîroc Vodka to one of America’s Hottest Brands (Advertising Age).

She established the New York City business development firm, Brandchild, where she worked with Penguin Random House, Sean Combs, and New York Times bestselling author Wes Moore, whose novel “The Work,” under Whitney’s management, catapulted to the top of the New York Times bestseller list.

Originally from West Palm Beach, Whitney returned to Florida in 2017 to manage community initiatives for FPL, where she was responsible for corporate sponsorships and partnerships that maximized positive exposure in the communities FPL serves.

INTERESTING INSIGHTS

ORGANIZATION AFFILIATIONS: Housing Leadership Council of Palm Beach County

PERSON MOST LIKE TO MEET:

Mellody Hobson, Robert Smith, Byron Allen

HOBBY / LEISURE ACTIVITY:

A really good massage, Enjoying a local farmer’s market, Traveling abroad, learning about other cultures and ways of life

SOMETHING MOST PEOPLE DO NOT KNOW ABOUT ME: In 2007, I was a cast member on America’s Next Top Model

Whitney is passionate about investing time and support in underserved communities and serves on the board of directors for the Housing Leadership Council of Palm Beach County as communications chair, the Palm Beach State College Foundation, and Community Partners of South Florida as strategic planning chair.

She is a member of the West Palm Beach Chapter of The Links, Incorporated, and the Junior League of the Palm Beaches’ Community Advisory Council. In her spare time, Whitney enjoys spending time with her husband, Toshawnka, and daughter, Zora, teaching children’s church at Tabernacle Missionary Baptist Church, and traveling.

WORDS THAT INSPIRE ME:

“Every person passing through this life will unknowingly leave something and take something away. It is what we leave in other people’s minds and what they leave in ours. Memory. The census doesn‚t count it, but nothing matters without it.

-Robert Fulghum