presented by
Schedule 7:30am REGISTRATION OPENS MARKETPLACE OPENS
8:30am OPENING SESSION
8:50am
WELCOME!
BREAK IN MARKETPLACE
9:00am FIRST BREAKOUT SESSIONS
9:45am BREAK IN MARKETPLACE
10:00am SECOND BREAKOUT SESSIONS
10:45am
JOIN THE CONVERSATION WE CREATED ORANGE APPEAL to celebrate Central Florida women but also serve as a source of conversation for the community. We think women have made so many contributions to our everyday lives here --- and their stories are instrumental to our coverage. In 2011 we decided to bring women together in a one-day forum. Initially we did not have the budget --- I am sure some of you remember that first barebones event --- to bring in big name national speakers so we focused on our local treasures. And that was also true to the mission of the magazine. Since then we have grown with the support of wonderful sponsors, speakers, exhibitors and attendees. And Central Florida women are still at the core of our content for the day. Each year we
This is one of the best days of the year and we are so pleased that you are taking time for you! In addition to hearing from an inspiring group of speakers, we encourage you to make new, meaningful connections. Be motivated, uplifted and encouraged. Get information, life lessons and advice. Engage, exchange and participate. CHRISTI ASHBY & KATE SLENTZ Orlando Women’s Conference founders
try to focus on a message that is relevant and important to you. And this year it is: POWER. PASSION. PURPOSE. We hope you enjoy the conversations and continue them!
Christi Ashby & Kate Slentz
Orlando Women’s Conference founders
BREAK IN MARKETPLACE
11:00am THIRD BREAKOUT SESSIONS
11:45am BREAK IN MARKETPLACE
12:15 - 2:00pm KEYNOTE LUNCHEON
2:00pm BREAK IN MARKETPLACE 2:30pm ORANGE APPEAL LIVE!
3:30pm WRAP-UP RECEPTION MARKETPLACE OPEN
2019 SPONSORS
DR. LORI BOARDMAN WILL PRESENT A SPECIAL SESSION AT THE LUNCHEON:
WE ASKED HER ABOUT SOME OF OUR KEY MESSAGES FOR THE DAY. What does power mean to you… personally and professionally? In leadership, power is often described as the control that leaders exert from positions at the top of organizations. While the formal authority associated with a title is clearly needed, in reality, it is not alone sufficient. In my experience, power comes from creating and growing relationships, sharing information that is both credible and actionable, communicating and listening convincingly, and driving change based on shared goals for everyone involved. How does passion impact your life… personally and professionally? Passion sustains me. Having had a period in my life when traumatic events destroyed my ability to feel any emotion, I have come to value the importance of having passion in what I do even more strongly. In what ways does purpose keep you focused… personally and professionally? Having a purpose, a North Star, keeps me honest. Knowing clearly what I value has allowed me to stay on point in both my personal and professional lives. When I think about the work we are doing at AdventHealth, my North Star is keeping women safe and healthy and providing the highest quality medical care with compassion. How do we encourage the pursuit of all three in the next generation of women? Model behavior for them, mentor them, invest in them, believe in them, and be honest with them.
LORI BOARDMAN, MD, ScM, is the chief medical officer and executive medical director of AdventHealth for Women (formerly Florida Hospital for Women). A graduate of Columbia University’s College of Physicians and Surgeons, she completed her training in obstetrics and gynecology at Women and Infants Hospital of Rhode Island/Brown University. Following residency, Dr. Boardman joined the department of OB/GYN at Women and Infants and in 2005, became the clinical care director for the Department of Health and Human Services’ National Center of Excellence in Women’s Health at Brown University. There, she oversaw the development of new clinical programs and integration of care for a population of over 35,000 underserved women. Clinically, she served as director of the Colposcopy Clinic and founded the Center for Vulvovaginal Disorders at Women and Infants Hospital. In 2008, she moved to the University of Central Florida College of Medicine, became the founding Assistant Dean of Medical Education and served as director of the Gender-Based Medicine curriculum. Outside of her clinical and educational roles, she has published over 80 peer-reviewed publications and book chapters, received funding from the National Institutes of Health (NICHD and NCI), and has been involved in the development of national guidelines for both cervical and breast cancer screening as well as vulvar pain syndromes.
PRESENTING SPONSOR LUNCHEON SPEAKER
5 TIPS FOR TAKING CONTROL OF YOUR HEALTH.
LUNCHEON KEYNOTE
CONFERENCE HIGHLIGHTS
The POWER of the PERSONAL BRAND CONNECT WITH DIANE FACEBOOK: facebook.com/thebrandteacher/ facebook.com/thedianediaz Facebook group (for women only) facebook.com/groups/thebrandteacherclassroom/ LINKEDIN: linkedin.com/company/thebrandteacher/ linkedin.com/in/dianediaz/ TWITTER: twitter.com/thedianediaz INSTAGRAM: instagram.com/thebrandteacher/ WEBSITE: thebrandteacher.com/ EMAIL: diane@thebrandteacher.com
An excellent personal brand has three main features: clarity, credibility and consistency. Each feature helps someone position herself in a way that attracts the right types of opportunities while repelling ones that aren’t a good fit. Just as marketers use branding to help their products stand out and point out their uniqueness, personal branding functions similarly. Diane doesn’t want people to hide who they are in order to create a brand that works to focus and drive traffic to them. Instead, it’s about positioning oneself in a way that attracts more ideally compatible customers or partners. Moreover, Diane especially wants to help empower women with personal branding; she loves to help them embrace what makes them unique and authentic. “All business is personal,” Diane says, and “women struggle to talk about themselves and the genius they bring to the table.” With an MBA from the University of Central Florida and two decades of experience as a marketing professional and then an educator at Full Sail University, Diane has incorporated marketing and branding principles to teach her clients the importance of developing their own personal brands. Personal branding is important to Diane because she has seen how it’s helped her to better position and represent herself throughout her career, first as a marketer, then as teacher, and now as a business owner. Diane loves what she does and the clients she helps. “My favorite part is when the woman I’m working with finally realizes her
Diane Diaz knows the power of personal branding and is on a mission to help others develop their own. As the owner of The Brand Teacher, Diane helps her clients leverage their potential in order to reach their professional goals. “Personal branding can benefit everyone,” says Diane, who has helped both business owners and employees leverage their own brands. awesomeness,” Diane says. “Once she gets that clarity, it’s amazing because I know she can understand and leverage her power.” As clients lean into their personal brands, they become more bold and gain confidence. Not only do they attract more of the right types of opportunities, they more effectively go after ones that feel right for them too. They’re able to get outside of their comfort zones and take more focused action instead of passively waiting for opportunities to come to them. That’s the power of personal branding according to Diane. She has helped her clients undergo impressive developments and transformations: harnessing their power to understand and position themselves to attract their ideal opportunities. Instead of hiding behind inauthentic and generic public or corporate personas that don’t fit them, Diane encourages women to stand proudly in the power of who they are in order to share themselves with the world through their personal brands.
DIANE DIAZ is founder and CEO of The Brand Teacher. As a personal brand strategist, LinkedIn strategist, CultureTalk Certified Partner in using Archetypes in personal branding, and a Certified Speaking Coach with Speaking Your Brand, she uses her two decades of combined branding, marketing and teaching experience to teach professionals and entrepreneurs how to define and build personal brands that attract their dream jobs or clients so they can build careers or businesses they love. Diane teaches branding and marketing classes at Full Sail University and co-chairs the annual BOLD Summit, a leadership summit for women students of Full Sail University. She also serves on an advisory panel with Athena PowerLink Orlando and is a member of the Winter Park Chamber of Commerce. Prior to her position at Full Sail University, Diane led the branding and marketing efforts for the Orlando division of a national land development company. Diane holds a BS degree in marketing from University of West Florida in Pensacola and an MBA with a concentration in marketing from University of Central Florida in Orlando. Diane has spoken on the topic of personal branding to a variety of organizations including NAWBO Orlando, International Coaching Federation, FemCity Orlando, Florida Trucking Association, Public Allies, Winter Park Chamber of Commerce, Women in Automotive, Indian American Chamber of Commerce, Commercial Real Estate Women Orlando, and the Central Florida Wedding Association. She’s also been interviewed on the topic of personal branding on numerous podcasts including Orlando Lady Boss, Planting the Seeds of Change, Your Next Chapter, Invest Human, Biz Women Rock, Green Connections Radio, and The Lounge.
CONFERENCE HIGHLIGHTS
ORANGE APPEAL LIVE!
The BIG Conversation: POWER. PASSION. PURPOSE. How do you define power? I define power as the ability to influence people and affect change by your presence and way of being in the world. It’s not about bullying or being heavy handed. It’s about showing up in a way that people follow you and are moved by you and they’re not even sure why. What does it encompass? Power encompasses the ability to be radically authentic. To me, that means speaking the truth in a respectful way, being unapologetic about your journey, and understanding that everyone has the potential to teach you something. Humility is key. Award-winning broadcaster, media trainer and coach, and business owner Annetta Wilson will lead the afternoon panel discussion with Orange Appeal’s 2019 Women of the Year: Sandy Hostetter, Elisha Gonzalez Bonnewitz, Tiffany Moore Russell, Sharon Line Clary, Amy Lockhart and Joanie Holzer Schirm. This insightful and inspiring session will wrap up the programming for the day.
How do you get it? By first understanding that no one person has the answer to everything. You have to become an eternal student. Building relationships is one of the biggest factors in becoming powerful in a way that moves the needle. You have to put in the work to become a better person, to improve your skills and to help someone else climb. How can you share it? By helping other people. The pie doesn’t get smaller when you take your slice. It expands. Anytime you can help someone else feel like they matter, and that there’s someone put there to help, I believe you make the planet a little bit better. It costs you nothing but a little time and some kind words. How do you keep it? By continuing to improve yourself personally and professionally. By staying connected to people and passions that you care about. By never saying, ‘I’m done.’ There is no ‘done.’ You’re constantly growing, changing and evolving. You keep power by understanding that no one can take yours away. They may delay you, but they can’t stop you!
Annetta Wilson and Vanessa Echols at the 2018 Orlando Women’s Conference
ANETTA WILSON is president of Annetta Wilson Media Training & Success Coaching (www.SpeakWithEase. com). She is a communication skills strategist who works with executives, entrepreneurs and subject-matter experts on work-related communication roadblocks; presentation skills; and preparation for media interviews. A Certified Mastery Coach and Certified Trainer, she has coached on-air journalists at CNN; Walt Disney World’s Ambassador Program; executives at AAA; Tupperware Brands, Inc.; Delta Dental; the City of Orlando and the Florida Society of Association Executives, among others. An award-winning journalist, Annetta was Central Florida’s first African-American evening news anchor (WKMG-TV). In 2017 (and 2009), she was named one of 15 ‘Women Who Mean Business’ by the Orlando Business Journal. She serves of the board of visitors for the School of Journalism and Graphic Communication at her alma mater Florida A&M University; the board of directors for Give Kids the World, and the board of directors for Heart of Florida United Way.
OPENING SESSION
SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS
Yellow Lunch Box Movement The Science of Women’s EmPOWERment The successful mindset of the modern-day female leader is to recognize her own talent, wisdom and skills while standing with a core of compassion --- the Yellow Lunch Box theory. Inspired by two decades in leadership roles in healthcare and hospitality, Dr. Romie brings together brain science, psychology and mindfulness to define empowerment and a call to action for all women and their allies to embrace the Yellow Lunch Box Movement. Learn mindful leadership skills that not only debunk the life-work balance myth but teaches women to stand in their true sense of power --- all while remembering to celebrate and empower your sister squad in the Yellow Lunch Box movement. DR.ROMIE MUSHTAQ, is a traditionally trained neurologist with additional board certification in integrative medicine. She completed her medical training at the Medical University of South Carolina, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, and the University of Michigan. After suffering from career burnout and undergoing life-saving surgery, she traveled around the world learning mindfulness-based techniques and integrative medicine. She now brings together the world of medicine and mindfulness to speak and consult with Fortune 500 companies, associations and professional athletes. Dr. Romie also currently serves as Chief Wellness Officer for Evolution Hospitality in California, guiding the wellness initiatives for 6,000 employees. Her unique expertise is routinely featured in the national media such as Forbes, Fox Business, NPR, NBC, and the Huffington Post. You can learn more about her work at www.DrRomie.com or follow her on social media @DrRomie.
LUNCHEON presents:
Dressing for Your POWER, PASSION & PURPOSE
Join Melanie Pace as she demonstrates how to present a polished, purposeful appearance while letting your individuality shine through! Wardrobe Stylist Melanie Pace shares practical insight on appropriate workplace attire that preserves your individual flair. Whether in a boardroom or business casual environment, you’ll benefit from a stylists’ perspective on workplace musthaves. With these basics in place, you’ll learn how to add key pieces that will bring your personality to the forefront! FSU graduate and Orlando native, Melanie’s work includes wardrobe styling for Giuliana Rancic of E! News, Ricky Fowler, Greg Norman, Kevin Nash and numerous personal clients. She has produced, styled and provided creative direction for Fashion Week at The Mall at Millenia for 12 years. Melanie has styled fashion shows for Ferragamo, Neiman Marcus, Bloomingdale’s and Macy’s, among many others. She serves as a fashion expert and guest host for on-stage and on-screen appearances for Amazon’s Style Code Live, Fox35 News, Orlando Women’s Conference, Bloomingdale’s, Macy’s and The America’s Cake Fair, just to name a few. She has partnered on a variety of projects with brands such as: Cartier, People’s Style Watch magazine, TheEveryGirl.com, MAC Cosmetics, Paul Mitchell, Tous and many more. Follow Melanie on social media: @MelaniePace www.melaniepace.com
CONFERENCE HIGHLIGHTS
BREAKOUT SESSIONS 9 - 9:45AM
POWER: What Does It Mean Today? MODERATOR: SHELLEY W. LAUTEN is the CEO of the Central Florida Commission on Homelessness, a position she has held since October 2016. The Commission is a tri-county organization whose mission is to eradicate homelessness across the region. Prior to the Commission, Shelley was a founding partner of the consulting firm triSect; served as president of myregion.org, a seven-county strategic planning initiative; and held senior executive positions at Walt Disney World and the Arnold Palmer Golf Management Company. A native Floridian, Shelley has been married to her husband for 35 years and has called Orlando home for most of those years. They have two grown children and a granddaughter. KELLY COHEN is a lobbyist, political strategist and fundraiser known for building partnerships between government and industry in Florida. Kelly is managing partner at the Orlando office of Florida-based government relations firm Southern Strategy Group. She has successfully spearheaded some of the region’s largest development projects, including the acquisition of an Orlando MLS team, the construction of the Orlando City Soccer Stadium, and the entrance of Wawa and Uber into the Orlando market. An active and dedicated member of her community, Kelly serves as a board member for a host of regional arts, tech and nonprofit organizations and is a top advisor to Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer. She lives with her husband, Scott, and their cat, Kitty, in downtown Orlando. HELEN MARTINEZ is an attorney and entrepreneur who founded Black Elk Group, a commercial real estate development, investment and consulting firm, affiliated with the Ustler Group of Companies, in 2017. Prior to founding, Helen built a SaaS-based company focused on the financial due diligence sector, which she sold to a public financial services firm in New York in late 2014. Helen also practiced law for nearly a decade in private practice and as in-house counsel. She is active in her community and has served on many boards, including the advisory board for Athena International. Helen lives in Orlando with her husband, John, and their two children, Virginia and Tindal, ages 7 and 5. HOPE NEWSOME currently serves as general counsel of Triloma Financial Group and managing partner of Virtus LLP, a law firm practicing in the areas of corporate and securities, financial services, private capital and public finance law. She spent four years as chief compliance officer of The Newport Group, a FINRA registered broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser with over $20 billion of assets under management. A member of The Florida Bar, she holds FINRA Series 7, 24, 53 and 66 registrations. She was an Orlando Business Journal 40 Under 40 honoree and serves on the boards of the ATHENA Orlando Women’s Leadership, Support Our Scholars and the Professional Ethics Committee of The Florida Bar. ADRIANNA SEKULA is a government affairs and community relations professional at Walt Disney Parks & Resorts, driving local public policy initiatives and community outreach. Adrianna’s previous experience includes legislative efforts to ensure funding and smart policy in the juvenile justice arena and locally in residential construction with the Homebuilder’s Association. She is the chair of the PACE Center for Girls in Orange County, on the board of the Florida Executive Women of Central Florida, and is active in Toastmasters, Tiger Bay of Central Florida and Leadership Orlando, in addition to many Disney-appointed chamber and association boards. Adrianna holds a bachelor’s degree in International Affairs from Florida State University.
PURPOSE:
Exploring & Defining What Yours Is
MODERATOR: SECILY WILSON is a Telly Award winning broadcast journalist, media communications professional, Mrs. Florida International 1999, and founder of her own nonprofit WOW Legacy Group, Inc., which supports women in transition. For more than 20 years, Secily delivered hard-hitting, inspiring and entertaining reports in news, lifestyle, art and entertainment. Over the years Secily has interviewed notables like Oprah, Civil Rights icon Andrew Young, former NFL coach Tony Dungy, former CNN anchor Soladad O’Brien and many others. She is passionate about issues like stroke awareness and domestic violence. Secily is often found giving back to her community, spreading awareness and volunteering. Secily is the mother of two daughters, Chrissy, a USF graduate student, and Nicole, a senior at Montverde Academy. LESLIE HARTOG is a social entrepreneur, and philanthropist and CEO and co-founder of The Community Seal, a web-based membership network that connects nonprofits with businesses and people committed to giving back. She is also the co-chair of 100 Women Strong, a women’s collective giving circle, an initiative of Central Florida Foundation, and a member of the Women’s Collective Giving Network. With over 25 years of experience in operations and systems engineering and strategic and business planning with Walt Disney World. Leslie has also been a consultant in business, operations and strategic planning for museums, parks and nonprofit businesses for over 12 years.
PASSION:
Using It To Achieve Success For You & Your Organization
SUSAN JOHNSON is the founder and president of Support Our Scholars (SOS), established in 2006. This organization is committed to the education of bright young women with financial need. SOS currently has 46 young women in colleges around the country. When she was 27, she founded Jake Allen Center and Jake Allen Pre-school for deaf blind, inspired her son who was born deaf and blind. The school, which Susan ran for nine years, was featured in numerous national publications. She remains a strong advocate for blind multi-handicap individuals and their families. Susan holds an honorary doctorate of humanities from Western Maryland College. She is married to baseball great Davey Johnson, and they have been blessed with six children and six grandchildren. GABY ORTIGONI is president of the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Metro Orlando (HCCMO), one of the leading economic development organizations in Central Florida and one of the largest Hispanic chambers of commerce in the nation. Previously she served as regional vice president for Central Florida at Prospera, a nonprofit organization assisting Hispanic entrepreneurs who are establishing or expanding their businesses in Florida. Other positions include manager of community relations at Orlando Utilities Commission; director of marketing and sales for the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Metro Orlando. She has been honored with Orlando Business Journal’s 40 Under 40 and Women Who Mean Business Awards, Telemundo’s Triunfadores, and La Prensa’s Hispanic Women Who Make the Difference Award.
BREAKOUT SESSIONS 9 - 9:45AM
MODERATOR: DANA NICHOLSON BLEDSOE, DHA, MBA, MS, RN, NEA-BC, FACHE, enterprise vice president, Nemours Children’s Health System and president of Nemours Children’s Hospital, is focused on building and expanding world-class programs at Nemours to provide the best possible care for the most-complex pediatric cases. Previously she served as president of Children’s and Women’s Hospital, part of the Sacred Heart Health System in Pensacola. She holds a BS in nursing from Loretto Heights College (now Regis University) in Denver, a MS in nursing administration from the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center and MBA from the University of Colorado at Denver. In 2018, she earned her doctorate of executive health administration (DHA) with first honor from the Medical University of South Carolina. DR. BARBARA JENKINS has been superintendent for Orange County Public Schools since 2012. Under her leadership, the district won the prestigious 2014 Broad Prize for Urban Education and the Governor’s Sterling Award. In January 2017, she received a presidential appointment as a director of the National Board of Education Sciences. She serves on the executive board of directors of the Council of the Great City Schools, Chiefs for Change, The Wall Street Journal CEO Council and the Florida Council of 100. She is past president of the Florida Association of District School Superintendents. In 2017 she was named Florida Superintendent of the Year and one of four finalists for the national title. JOANN NEWMAN, Orlando Science Center president and CEO, began with the Center in 2003 as director of operations and held several executive leadership positions. During her tenure, Orlando Science Center has grown to engage more than 670,000 people annually, approximately doubling in attendance, revenue and staff. National recognition has included prestigious grants from NASA and the Office of Naval Research, and awards such as Bank of America’s Neighborhood Builders Award and two nominations for the Institute of Museum and Library Services National Medal. JoAnn has a BS in industrial engineering from Penn State University and a MS in Industrial Engineering from Purdue University. She began her career as a development engineer with AT&T. CHRISTINA PINTO is a Certified Financial Planner® and partner at MPC Wealth Management, where she offers comprehensive financial services for professionals and business owners with a focus on retirement and long-term care planning for women. Prior to 1998 she worked for more than a decade in banking, consulting with clients and providing loan assistance. She served on the Hispanic Business Initiative Fund of Florida (HBIF) for more than eight years. She also serves on the board for Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Metro Orlando. Christina’s passion is educating women about the importance of financial health and has developed a Women’s Wealth and Health Educational Summit series in partnership with the UCF College of Medicine. JILL S. SCHWARTZ is the managing partner of Jill S. Schwartz & Associates, P.A., an AV-rated labor and employment law firm. She has extensive experience representing both management and employees in all employment matters, including discrimination, sexual harassment, retaliation, wage and hour disputes, employment contracts, whistleblower and False Claims Act cases. In 2005, Jill became the first female attorney from Florida to be inducted into the College of Labor and Employment Lawyers. She is also a Florida Supreme Court certified civil mediator and arbitrator. Jill is a frequent panelist and lecturer on women’s issues in the workplace and has been quoted in the Orlando Business Journal, Smart Money, The Wall Street Journal Magazine of Personal Business and The Wall Street Journal.
CONFERENCE HIGHLIGHTS
BREAKOUT SESSIONS 10 - 10:45AM
POWER: How to Get It, Use It & Keep It MODERATOR: KAREN KEENE is the president of ATHENA Orlando Women’s Leadership, Inc., the umbrella organization of the Women’s Leadership Luncheon, ATHENA NextGen and the $100,000 endowed scholarship at UCF. Karen co-founded ATHENA PowerLink Central Florida in 2005, a program dedicated to helping women entrepreneurs elevate business growth and profitability. She is the Florida representative on the ATHENA International board of directors. Additionally, Karen is director of marketing and business development at Dean Mead, a statewide corporate law firm. She has over 23 years of experience coaching professionals on client development, marketing, branding and strategic planning. She was awarded the Women’s Resource Center Summit Award in 2016. ANN FAIRCHILD is General Counsel for Siemens North America, with oversight responsibilities for legal operations of Siemens in the United States and Canada. Ann is an active business partner to regional executive management of Siemens, enhancing business strategy and policy through pragmatic legal advice, and the development of a strong, diverse legal organization across North America. She is also the co-executive sponsor of the Women’s Information Network at Siemens, or WIN@Siemens, a national network committed to promoting the inclusion, awareness and understanding of issues and challenges facing women within the Siemens workforce. She has been with Siemens since 1999, holding various general counsel roles there. ROSEANN HARRINGTON was recently appointed chief of staff for Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings. Previously she was with Orlando Utilities Commission (OUC) for 32 years. As vice president of marketing, communcations and community relations she was responsible for all internal and external corporate relations including communications, media relations, customer education, advertising, marketing, community relations, employee involvement, local government outreach, economic development and e-commerce. During her tenure with OUC she worked in operations and communications. Roseann received a degree in communications from Loyola University and an MBA from Rollins College. She is active in the community, having served on numerous boards, and is the mother of two daughters. DIANE MEILLER-COOK, president and CEO of Diane Meiller & Associates, has more than 25 years of experience in multiple industries, specializing in the areas of business strategy and leadership, marketing and sales, human resources, and operations management. She started her career with IBM and was recruited for sales and marketing assignments in Tucson, Boston and Manhattan. She joined EDS where she spent five years in the areas of business and strategic planning, recruiting, marketing and business development, leading transition efforts as a result of mergers and acquisitions in new market areas. She devotes significant time leading and contributing to numerous community and charitable organizations. In 2007, she created a mentoring program for teenage girls to teach critical leadership and professional skills combined with the importance of community engagement.
PURPOSE:
Redefining It After A Loss
MODERATOR: ANDREA ELISCU serves as president of Medical Marketing Inc., a healthcare marketing and public relations firm she co-founded in 1984. Throughout her career, Andrea has also authored four books, including the recently released It’s Personal: The Art of Building your Practice. With a passion for community, Andrea devotes her leadership, creativity and countless hours to several local organizations. She founded the Orlando Dragon Boat Club and the Dueling Dragons of Orlando (“cops and kids”) dragon boat team, and also serves on the boards of the Orlando Ballet, OneBlood and the Orlando Rowing Club. CAROLYN MOOR is a professional residential interior designer, Modern Widows Club (MWC) founding director, and a global leader in social innovation, education and advocacy for widows. After being a featured guest on The Oprah Winfrey Show in 2006, she was encouraged to launch a startup for the first-ever training program focused on widow mentoring and leadership. Modern Widows Club was born in 2011 and started in Carolyn’s home by mentoring two widows. Today, MWC serves over 30,000 widows and have launched 23 national chapters with 50+ trained leaders. She has produced five Leadership Conferences and two widow empowerment events.
PASSION:
Creating Your Sustainable Nonprofit
NOELLE MOORE is the founder and executive director of The Finley Project, which cares for mothers who have experienced the unimaginable - the loss of an infant. She is also CEO of Know Moore Consulting and graduated from The Rollins College Philanthropy Center with a certificate in non-profit management. She enjoys taking courses at the Philanthropy Center on an ongoing basis. She is a board member of the Winter Park YMCA and AdventHealth, a founding member of the Pregnancy and Infant Loss Resource Network; a grief share facilitato; a member of the CEO Counsel, Association for Fundraising Professionals and Healthy Start’s Infant Mortality Task Force as well as an active member of the Winter Park Chamber and the Lake Mary Rotary. PAM SAFFRON is a local licensed mental health counselor, author and mother of three. Her late husband, Alan Saffran, MD, was a beloved ENT physician who passed away after a valiant battle against pancreatic cancer. Pam recently published a book, Listening for Echoes — the true story of how she was thrust into a new world when both Alan and her mother Dorrie — the rocks of her life — were simultaneously broadsided by life-threatening illnesses. Her mission is to share her story of love, family, and resilience, and help inspire people to live a life full of hope and happiness after the loss of a loved one. She recently partnered with local nonprofit New Hope for Kids to establish the Dr. Alan J. Saffran Scholarship for children who have lost parents unexpectedly and need assistance to attend college. All of the proceeds from her book now go to this fund. Pam earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Skidmore College. NORMA STANLEY, shareholder at Lowndes, Drosdick, Doster, Kantor & Reed, is board certified in wills, trusts and estates by the Florida Bar and holds a master of laws in taxation. Norma advises clients on estate planning, federal tax, probate, trust administration, guardianships and elder law. With more than 25 years of legal experience in wealth transfer, business succession, sophisticated tax, trust and estate planning, estate and trust administration and family office creation, Norma represents a myriad of clients, including high net worth individuals and their families, beneficiaries of trusts and estates, trustees and small business owners. She has been listed in Best Lawyers in America 2009-2019 and Elder Law and Trusts and Estates Law sections of Best Lawyers in America 2009-2019.
BREAKOUT SESSIONS 10-10:45AM
MODERATOR: CAROL WICK is a principal with Convergent Nonprofit Solutions, which helps nonprofits assess their capacity and take their organization to the next level. Her services focus on creating dynamic, fundable plans, developing outcomes that investors care about, and global and national expansion/replication. Prior to joining Convergent, Carol served as the CEO of nonprofit organizations for over two decades. During her tenure, she became an expert in turning around troubled or struggling organizations, using her business acumen to achieve financial stability and her advocacy to engage the community as partners in the mission. She has a proven track record of hard work, integrity, ethics and success. STACEY PAPP is the founder and lead designer of Bay Hill Jewelers Group which encompasses The Wedding Ring Store on Park Avenue in Winter Park and C6 in downtown Orlando. The company has expanded their collection of not only fine diamonds and gems, but a men’s department downtown with corporate gifts, leather goods and collectibles. In 2004 she established the Bridges of Light Foundation with an objective to raise money that is distributed specifically for at-risk children in foster care and throughout our community. The funds raised go directly to helping these children learn to break the cycle of poverty through education. The program has successfully grown into the Orange County School System where the adopt-a-family program was initiated. KAY RAWLINS is the vice president of community relations for Orlando City Soccer Club, president of the Orlando City Foundation, and is also a founder and owner of the Club. Kay’s role includes speaking engagements on behalf of the Club, most of the community outreach, sending players to schools and youth groups to talk about exercise and healthy choices, and encouraging staff and fans to join community projects. She also heads up the Orlando City Foundation, is on the Community Leadership Council for the Howard Phillips Center, and is a board member for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Florida, Cannonball Kids’ cancer, Central Florida Foundation, and the Commission on Homelessness. ALLISON WALSH currently serves as the vice president of business development for Advanced Recovery Systems, a national behavioral healthcare company dedicated to the treatment of addiction, substance abuse and mental health issues. In 2001, she founded Helping Other People Eat (H.O.P.E.), a 501c3 nonprofit organization focused on the prevention and awareness of eating disorders. Additionally, she serves on the board for the National Eating Disorders Association and has personally shared her story of overcoming anorexia and bulimia with more than 100,000 people. She loves empowering young women and recently published “The Savvy Girl’s Guide to Post-Grad Success.” She resides in Windermere with her husband, Brian, and daughters, Madison and Brooklyn, and son, Bradley . MELISSA WIGGINS, B.A., L.L.B., L.P., is a founding member of Cannonball Kids’ cancer Foundation and mum (mom) to Cannon, who was diagnosed with stage 4 neuroblastoma cancer when he was 20 months old and twins Arran and Gray. During Cannon’s year and a half of treatments, Melissa saw the horrific effects first-hand and it motivated her to spend hundreds of hours researching and learning about the enormous lack of funding and research dedicated to pediatric cancer and effects, such as secondary cancers, that occur as a result of antiquated treatments. Melissa and her husband, Michael Wiggins, founded Cannonball Kids’ cancer Foundation in 2014 with a mission to eradicate kids’ cancer. Melissa is a native of Scotland where she earned her law degree and worked in commercial litigation.
CONFERENCE HIGHLIGHTS
BREAKOUT SESSIONS 11 - 11:45AM
POWER: Over Your Mind CARA HEWETT has been in the field of psychology since the late ‘80s. Her experience includes in-patient psychiatric hospitals, mental health agencies, private psychotherapy practice, as well as teaching and counseling at the university level. She is trained in various therapeutic modalities including EMDR and hypnotherapy. Her understanding of behavior from a transpersonal perspective led to forming a mind, body, spirit center which offered classes and workshops in personal growth. Her passion continues today with further emphasis involving theoretical approaches in the field of psychology, metaphysics, neuroscience, and the study of human consciousness. The Soul Happy Technique, developed with her colleague, Tracy Zboril, was researched and developed based on the latest discoveries in these fields of study. TRACY ZBORIL has been in the field of psychotherapy since the ‘80s, practicing in various genres including grassroots in-home therapy, in-patient psychiatric hospitals, out-patient clinics, therapy within a public school system, and almost 20 years in private practice. In more recent years, her focus shifted to the mind-body-spirit connection and she started exploring and studying new modalities including integrative models, transpersonal psychology, human consciousness, hypnosis, along with new advances in neuroscience and the energetic field of quantum physics. As passion for this knowledge expanded, her desire to change her clinical focus resulted in a collaborative and The Soul Happy Technique was developed. This technique uniquely combines all these various fields of study.
PURPOSE:
Achieving More Stressing Less
MODERATOR: JILL HAMILTON BUSS is a licensed mental health counselor and healthy communities consultant. She offers “Walk and Talk Therapy” locally from her Winter Park office where she works with clients in a holistic way to improve body and mind. Previously she served as the executive director of Healthy Central Florida, an initiative to make our communities the healthiest in the nation. She holds masters degrees from UF and from Rollins College, in communications and mental health counseling respectively. As a foster-adoptive parent she is a passionate advocate for children, and for safer streets and sidewalks for pedestrians and cyclists. Jill, her husband, Spence, and their 13-year-old son, Jorge, (and three cats) live in Winter Park. KIMBERLY BELL is the vice president of The Cardiovascular (CV) Institute at AdventHealth. In this role, she oversees a network of care for heart, lung and vascular services across the Orlando and Central Florida region encompassing eight facilities. She has more than 20 years of experience within advanced cardiac and vascular specialties. Prior to joining AdventHealth, Kimberly was the administrator of the Cardiovascular Product Line for Sentara Heart in Norfolk, VA., overseeing 12 facilities across three states for cardiovascular care. Kimberly has a masters degree in nursing with a focus on Health Systems Leadership from Gonzaga University in Spokane Washington. COLETTE FEHR is a licensed marriage and family therapist, licensed mental health counselor, nationally certified counselor and certified clinical mental health counselor. She maintains a private practice in Maitland specializing in Couples Therapy, Discernment Counseling, Divorce Recovery and EMDR. Colette received her masters in mental health counseling and certificate in marriage and family therapy from Rollins College and her undergraduate degree from Tulane University in New Orleans. Colette is thepresident of the Central Florida Association for Marriage & Family Therapy and is honored to serve the local community in a role that provides education, training and awareness in mental health. DR. DEBORAH HARDING pioneered and developed the Harding Medical Institute and its subsidiary Harding Anti-Aging Center. Her vision is to provide clients with innovative, proactive, preventive healthcare combined with the future benefits of anti-aging medicine. She is board certified in internal, sleep disorder and anti-aging medicine, and is certified by Cenegenics Medical Institute. Dr. Harding’s active involvement in medical research has been critical to her ability to help clients. Her current notable research project topics include sleep apnea, hormonal and nutritional deficiencies, and their interrelationships with disease. She has been married for over 40 years to her husband Victor Harding, MD, and they have six children and two dogs. DR. AMBER ORMAN is a board-certified radiation oncologist who specializes in integrative therapies for breast cancer. She joined the AdventHealth Medical Group last year as assistant professor of radiation oncology at the University of Central Florida College of Medicine. Prior to this she served at Moffitt Cancer Center and the University of South Florida Morsani School of Medicine. She was peer-nominated as a Tampa Top Doctor in 2017. She is currently pursuing her board certification in Lifestyle Medicine, as well as designing a unique lifestyle medicine program for breast cancer patients and survivors. Her research interests include nutrition and gut microbiome modulation in relation to breast cancer prevention, treatment and survivorship.
PASSION:
Just Do It - Starting & Building Your Business
For more information, registration and updates, please visit orlandowomensconference.com or Orlando Women’s Conference facebook page. A limited number of exhibitor spaces, table sponsorships and sponsorships are available. Please contact Kate@orangeappeal.com.
BREAKOUT SESSIONS 11-11:45AM
MODERATOR: JUDI AWSUMB, president, Awsumb Enterprises, a strategic solutions consulting company, has over 30 years of experience leading successful growth strategies for both the corporate and entrepreneurial environments. Her business acumen helps companies achieve maximum growth to attain short and long-range goals. Most recently through her company, she has worked with EarthLinked Technologies and is currently serving as division president of ETI, a company that provides renewable energy to commercial businesses. Throughout her career she has served on various boards and has served on the ATHENA PowerLink governing board for last seven years; chair of CVC Hospitality Advisory board; member of Florida Executive Women; and serves as guest faculty for Rollins College CEO Business Accelerator Program. VERNICE BRADLEY ATKINS is the majority shareholder and the Licensed General Contractor of Votum Construction, a company she co-founded with Teska Dillard. In her role as president/CEO, she provides management oversight and directs all daily business operations. Her business development acumen has led her company to being a partner in the construction of several notable projects in Central Florida, such as Barry Law School - Legal Advocacy Center, Rock Springs Elementary School, Florida Citrus Bowl Rebuild (now Camping World Stadium), and most recently the Orlando Soccer Stadium and South Terminal Airport Expansion. Vernice is a passionate advocate for the advancement of women, minorities and small businesses, and serves her community by volunteering her time and talents. WENDY CONNOR is the fearless leader at Team TRUE - a family of businesses based in downtown Orlando that includes TRUE Marketing, The MEZZ, The Abbey and Shaker’s Bar Catering. In addition, Wendy is the chairman of the Downtown Development board, president of the Thornton Park Main Street District Board of Directors, advisory board member for the Central Florida Sports Commission, board member for New Hope For Kids and See Art Orlando, and served on local organizing committees for the NCAA tournament, Wrestlemania, and the ECHL All-Star game. CAROL COX is the founder of Speaking Your Brand, which helps high-performing, purpose-driven women entrepreneurs and professionals create their signature talks (keynote, TEDx, business presentation) to grow their business and become recognized as influencers in their fields. Carol is the host of the Speaking Your Brand podcast and a sought-after speaker and trainer on public speaking, business storytelling and women’s leadership. Carol teaches business and marketing classes at Full Sail University and during election seasons serves as a political analyst on TV news. Prior to Speaking Your Brand, Carol founded and ran two software businesses, whose clients included Fortune 500 companies, small businesses, community organizations, and political candidates. Carol holds master’s and bachelor’s degrees in history. LESLIE HEIMER is a sixth generation Central Floridian who earned her undergraduate degree from the University of Florida and her MBA from the University of Maryland University College. She is the agent owner with American Liberty Mortgage, Inc., a nationwide residential lending firm with three branch offices in Florida. In 2018, Leslie was named Top 100 Most Powerful Women in Banking and was also recognized by FOCUS magazine, Orlando Business Journal and Orange Appeal for entrepreneurial success and work life balance strategies. She sits on the board of directors for Orlando, Inc., is a sustainer for the Junior League of Greater Orlando, and member of the inaugural class of Athena NextGen. She is most proud of her role as mommy to two rambunctious (and sometimes) smelly boys. JACKIE HIRSCH , an Orlando native, has been a business broker for 20 years as founder of Crowne Atlantic Properties and has successfully sold hundreds of companies in Florida. She is also founder of Florida Home Companion, a healthcare staffing company. Jackie founded Liberty Brands in 2016 and began selling superfood products under the name Healing Butterfly. Since 2017, she has sold products on her own website and Amazon as well as Disney resorts and hotels, Four Seasons, Kroger, Foxtail Coffee and others. She is a University of Florida graduate who is fluent in Spanish and has traveled to 30+ countries. Happily married to the love of her life Dr. Michael Hirsch, she has one beautiful child who is the light of their lives.
ORANGE APPEAL LIVE! 2:30 - 3:30PM
CONFERENCE HIGHLIGHTS
POWER. PASSION. PURPOSE:
the BIG conversation with Orange Appeal’s 2019 Women of the Year
ELISHA GONZÁLEZ BONNEWITZ is an educator, connector and influencer in the Central Florida region. She has been recognized for her leadership, business acumen and her commitment to community. Elisha is an educator and public affairs executive and is the current lead consultant for the Central Florida collective impact initiative, Project Opioid. Most recently, she led the government and community relations efforts for Duke Energy Florida, a Fortune 150 company. Previously she was director of community affairs for Valencia College and executive director of Valencia Promise/Orange County Take Stock in Children. Elisha serves in leadership roles for numerous organizations, including her gubernatorial appointment to CareerSource Florida State Board. SANDY HOSTETTER, SunTrust Bank Central Florida market president, has over 30 years of experience in the financial services industry. She served as president of CNL Bank beginning in 2002 until it was sold to Valley National in 2015 and she became Central and North Florida market president.s. Prior to joining CNL Bank in 2002, Sandy spent seven years as the chief executive officer of Florida Community Partners, a not-for-profit bank lending consortium that specialized in financing for affordable housing communities. Sandy has earned numerous awards during her tenure in banking and represents the bank in various organizations within the Central Florida community. A longtime community volunteer, she is a founding board member of LIFT Orlando – a consortium of business leaders partnering with residents to break the cycle of poverty through neighborhood revitalization. SHARON LINE CLARY has been with AdventHealth (formerly Florida Hospital) for 23 years in various roles including marketing, strategic planning, business development, physician recruitment, community relations and philanthropy. Currently, she is Vice President of Marketing for the flagship of the organization in Orlando and has overseen partnerships with the Dr. Phillips Center for Performing Arts, Daytona International Speedway and the Orlando Magic. Her previous experience includes positions within the sports, hospitality and healthcare fields. She is co-chair of the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts Circle and on the boards of Florida Citrus Sports, Florida Junior Golf Association, Mennello Museum of American Art, Orlando Economic Partnership, Save Our Scholars and YMCA. She lives in Winter Park with her husband, Michael. AMY LOCKHART, Seminole County Commissioner, has a background in marketing and sales and operated her own consulting business prior to working for the citizens of Seminole County as a member of the Board of County Commissioners’ staff. First elected to the School Board in 2012, and subsequently re-elected in 2016, Amy served as vice chairman for two consecutive years, followed by an additional two years as chairman. She successfully fought to reduce standardized testing in schools and restore more local control. Elected as a commissioner in 2018, Amy promotes improved efficiencies and services for each organization by sharing relevant best practices. Amy and her husband, Tim, have been married for 25 years, and have two children. TIFFANY MOORE RUSSELL, Orange County Clerk of Courts, is a native of Orlando who received a BA in political science from the University of South Florida and a Juris Doctorate from Florida State University College of Law. Elected to the Orange County Commission to represent District 6 in 2006, she made history by becoming the youngest to serve on the Orange County Commission. Clerk Russell again made history in 2014 as the first African-American female clerk elected in Florida and the first African-American clerk in Orange County. Clerk Russell sits on both the Domestic Violence Commission and the Domestic Violence Taskforce, working to identify trends and reduce the incidence of domestic violence in the community. JOANIE HOLZER SCHIRM, an award-winning author, community activist and accomplished businesswoman, received the Walt Disney World Dreamers and Doers Award for her leadership role in bringing FIFA’s World Cup 1994 soccer to Orlando. She was founding president of Geotechnical and Environmental Consultants, Inc. (GEC), and volunteered to start the Orlando Area Sports Commission, served on the Florida High Corridor Council, chaired the effort to bring a WNBA team to Orlando and chaired the Interstate 4 Design Review committee. Joanie currently serves as a capital campaign co-chair for the new Holocaust Museum for Hope & Humanity. Discover more of her passion at work in her most recent book My Dear Boy available at the Orlando Women’s Conference and wherever books are sold.
MODERATOR ANNETTA WILSON
2018 Marketplace Health & wellness info, boutique-style shopping, spa experiences & more!
100 Women Strong, A Giving Circle at Central Florida Foundation A Spoon Full of Hope Advanced Recovery Systems
Nemours Children’s Health System Orlando Ballet Company and School Orlando Skin Solutions
AdventHealth for Women
OXO Digital Organizing/ ThatOrganizer.com
EXHIBITORS
ATHENA Orlando Women’s Leadership
Southwest Orlando Eye Care
Listing as of press date.
Champion Title & Closing
The Bar Method The Mall at Millenia Fashion Insider Walk
exhibitors to be eligible to win The
Darling Clutch Company
-Bloomingdale’s
Mall at Millenia prize package. Full
Dora Mae Jewelry
-Kendra Scott
Ed Wylam – Wells Fargo Advisors
-Lilly Pulitzer
Global Hope Network International
-L’Occitane
Harding Medical Institute
-TOUS
Healing Butterfly
The Spa at Four Seasons Resort Orlando
Visit with all of our Marketplace
details available at the Conference.
Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress Michal Yakar Jewelry
YMD Eye & Face
Appleton Creative Florida Executive Women
2019 Table Sponsors
Magee, Stanford & Associates Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Inc.
Listing as of press date.
Orlando Magic
for info email: kate@ orangeappeal.com
Rollins College
Orlando Health
Siemens Corporation TruAura Beauty Valley National Bank Walt Disney Parks & Resorts
EXHIBITORS & TABLE SPONSORS
Chic Boutique Orlando