next level a panel discussion

Friday, 10 to 11:30 a.m., Franklin CD

Have you ever questioned your time and place in life? Have you spent time pondering your next move and the necessary steps or actions to move up to the next phase of your life? This collection of women entrepreneurs, community leaders and bosses will share their stories of resiliency and determination as they take us to the Next Level.

Daphne McKinnie, Huntington Bank

Daphne McKinnie is the Community Development Relationship Manager for Huntington Bank in Central Ohio. Daphne recently joined Huntington with more than 15 years of banking experience. A native of Cleveland, Daphne relocated to Columbus in 2014 and became immersed in the diverse communities and culture of the capital city. Her career in banking has included various roles from personal banker, assistant manager, branch manager and business banker. She holds a bachelor’s degree in social science from the Ohio Dominican University.

Ella Williams, Posh Teatime Co.

Named by NBC4 in 2022 as the “Queen of Teatime,” Ella Williams is the owner of the social enterprise Posh Teatime Co., a luxury mobile tearoom, teatime caterer and online tea boutique. She is also an expert in tea ceremonies and an etiquette consultant. With a background in sales and information technology, her career spans several industries including retail, banking and healthcare.

Born to a mother diagnosed with severe schizophrenia, Ella and her younger sister spent their childhood in and out of the Ohio foster care system, homeless shelters, and park benches, before turning to Huckleberry House Inc. at age 16 and becoming a ward of the state. Despite a poverty-stricken childhood, Ella remained resourceful and enthusiastic about obtaining her education and seeing the world. Ella transformed her image and the way that the world viewed her and worked her way up from an entry-level call center representative to a corporate maven. She is passionate about helping youth and young adults learn etiquette, home economics and life skills they need to transform their lives even when the odds are stacked against them.

Monica Womack, Minority Business Development Division

Monica Womack is the Chief for the Minority Business Development Division at the Ohio Department of Development. In her role, Monica provides vision and leadership to support the growth and sustainability of minority, women and disadvantaged businesses in the State of Ohio. In doing so, she engages with strategic partners at all levels of government, develops private-sector partnerships, and listens to the needs of business owners.

Prior to her newest role, Monica served as an Associate Vice President with the Columbus Urban League. She provided leadership and operations oversight to both the Financial Empowerment Services department and the Workforce and Career Services department. In this role, Monica was able to leverage resources between programs to support constituents and business owners in the Central Ohio community.

Monica has a bachelor’s degree in financial management services and a master’s of public administration both from Franklin University. She is currently pursuing a doctorate in business administration with a focus on supporting the growth and sustainability of minority-owned businesses.

Tiffany Wright, RAMA Consulting Group

Tiffany Wright is Vice President and Chief Operating Officer at RAMA Consulting Group, a Columbus based organizational and stakeholder engagement consulting firm specializing in planning, public engagement, and training and employee development. She is responsible for operations, finance, business development and serves as the lead consultant on client engagements within the non-profit and government sectors.

Prior to joining RAMA, Tiffany was an executive leader with HandsOn Central Ohio, the eighth largest 2-1-1 information and referral system in the U.S., for four years. She served in several leadership roles including Senior Director of Finance and Operations and Interim President and CEO. Under her leadership, HandsOn enhanced its service delivery model through improved systems optimization and infrastructure that improved the lives of people and strengthened neighborhoods through social impact. Tiffany is also a servant leader who volunteers for several local community-based organizations. She currently serves as Treasurer for Shadowbox Live and as a board member for Dress for Success Columbus, where she also serves on the Finance and Resource Development and Sustainability committees. Her previous board service has included the Starfish Alliance, the Ohio Alliance of Information and Referral Systems, the Central Ohio Healthcare & Financial Management Association. She is an active member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. and is a Cycle 10 Alumni Fellow of the African American Leadership Academy. Tiffany holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in accounting from North Carolina A&T State University.