16th Annual WIB Summit - Reinvention!

Sallie Krawcheck’s mission is to help women reach their financial and professional goals (or, put more bluntly, to get more money into the hands of women), thus enabling them to live better lives and unleashing a positive ripple effect for our families, our communities and our economy. She is the CEO and co-founder of Ellevest, an innovative financial company, by women for women.  Ellevest is one of the fastest growing digital investment platforms and has been named a #24 on CNBC’s top 50 "Disruptor" list, #14 on LinkedIn’s 50 “Most Sought-After Startups” ( #2 in New York), and one of Entrepreneur Magazine’s Top 100 Brilliant Ideas. Krawcheck is also the best-selling author of “Own It: The Power of Women at Work.” Krawcheck, one of the few executives to find success in large complex companies and as a startup CEO, is widely recognized as one of the most influential women in business.  She has been recognized by Inc. as a “Top Female Founder”, called "The Last Honest Analyst" by Fortune magazine, was named the seventh most powerful woman in the world by Forbes, was # 9 on Fast Company's list of the "100 Most Creative People in Business and is considered one of the "Most Influential People in ESG Investing" by Barron's." She has been called one of the top 10 up and coming entrepreneurs to watch by Entrepreneur Magazine and has landed on Vanity Fair’s “The 2018 New Establishment List.” Before launching Ellevest, Krawcheck built a successful career on Wall Street: She was the CEO of Merrill Lynch, Smith Barney, US Trust, the Citi Private Bank, and Sanford C. Bernstein. She was also Chief Financial Officer for Citigroup. Prior to that, Krawcheck was a top-ranked research analyst covering the securities industry. Krawcheck received a BA summa cum laude from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and an MBA with honors from Columbia Business School. She has two children and two cats.

Kisha is a multi-passionate entrepreneur and women empowerment leader. She is a certified meeting professional (CMP) with over 25 years of experience in the hospitality industry in both sales and event management. Born and raised in Jamaica, West Indies, she was taught by her mother the values of integrity, hard work, kindness and discipline. She is the founder and president of Events of Joy, an event planning company focused on helping clients produce live and virtual events that support their company mission. She is the founder of the Women in Business Summit (WIB Summit). Celebrating its 15 years in 2020. The mission of WIB Summit is to develop a community of strong female professionals and entrepreneurs by providing quality programming and resources in an environment that promotes learning. The attendees are diverse women who are part-time or full-time entrepreneurs, or professionals, who are looking to change their lives in a positive direction through learning, inspiration, and genuine connections with other female leaders. Each year the event supports a local charity with in-kind and/or cash donations.

ExecMommyGroup is an inclusion, public speaking/communication, leadership and coaching practice founded by Joelle Murchison. Leveraging decades of experience in the corporate, non-profit and education sectors, as well as in the home and the minivan (!), Joelle combines inspiration, ‘real talk’ and lived experiences to facilitate dialogue and strategic solutions to individual and organizational challenges. From the board room to the kitchen table, it all hangs in the balance! Services provided: -Diversity and inclusion consulting -Public speaking -Workshop facilitation and training -Career/work life coaching -Inspirational/motivational speaking/writing

In 2013 our founder, Rola El Chami had returned from Palestine and Jordan, where she worked with an international NGO supporting communities in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, and in refugee camps across the Middle East; that she eventually ended up in Dubai. She found herself in a difficult situation where she wanted to be back at work where she could make a difference and, in the field, supporting others – something she was not able to achieve in Dubai at the time. ? After a while, Rola entered the metropolitan lifestyle, worked with a PR agency, and represented a range of different international renown clients. Between work and social life, she continued her research on refugees, women, and children with a focus on domestic violence in the Middle East as well as making hand-made bracelets as a hobby. ? Through research, she found is that gender violence manifests essentially as violence against women, and it is one of the most significant epidemics in the Middle East today. We have seen the numbers of domestic abuse rise significantly across the region and in any given time of any conflict or a pandemic, the most people to be effected and that are vulnerable, are women.

The FLYY Movement started on October 7, 2007 at The Women’s Expo. Sistah Anyango was preparing to do a Zumba® demo and was handed the mic to introduce herself. “Freedom to Love the You in You” came out of her mouth, and FLYY was born. From 2007 to the present, FLYY has helped hundreds of women and her relations find community, explore their passion and purpose, and find their way to live their authentic selves. It has never been an option to stop; always an opportunity to grow, shift, expand. FLYY has grown from FLYY Fitness, LLC to FLYY Fitness Healing & the Arts, to now, The FLYY Movement! The future holds The Asantewaa Healing Gardens which will be a retreat site that houses a space for movement, but also creates areas for meditation and reflection, gathering spaces, walking trails and more.

Qiana Coachman-Strickland also known as “DJ Q-Boogie” There are trends and then there are classics; DJ Q-Boogie is the latter. A dynamic entertainer, she has a gift, equal parts performance art, intuition, creativity and raw talent. Audiences delight in dancing to her Sets, fusions of Hip Hop, R&B, Funk, House, and Reggae. Her passion for music, curating an experience, and creating a vibe have solidified her as one of the most sought after in the industry. In 2009, Qiana Coachman-Strickland started her musical career by producing and organizing, The Ultimate DJ Showcase, (an event bringing DJ’s together to network and perform). In promoting and hosting these events, she interacted with hundreds of Artists, built relationships, and became a surrogate manager for a lot of talent by booking gigs for them. Before long she pooled her resources and began focusing on her dreams to motivate and inspire the world through music more personally. During this journey she also created The Art of DJ'ing Youth Enrichement Program teaching elementary and middle school students the basics of DJ'ing, bringing this art form to inner city schools. Her affinity for the industry, in combination with her passion for the art of DJ’ing, gave birth to “DJ Q-Boogie”.

Nike Anani is an entrepreneur and a Consultant. She was rated as a top-100 Family Business Consultant globally. She helps her clients bridge the gap between the senior and younger generations. As a result, they communicate, collaborate and collectively gain clarity, to increase profit and productivity in their family businesses. With over a decade of family business expertise in Nigeria, Nike helps owners lead their family organizations to long- term impact and legacy. Her inside experience as a second generation family business owner birthed a passion to help other families in building legacy enterprises that would outlive them. Nike is an accountant (ex-Deloitte UK) and a top-rated family business expert, with a Family Business and Wealth advisor qualification from Family Firm Institute. She is the co-founder of African Family Firms, a pan-African association of family businesses, and the host of "The Connected Generation" podcast. Nike’s clients choose to engage her, not only because of her extensive professional training, but also because of her practical experience as both a business founder and a NextGen. This allows her to uniquely empathise with both generations and act as a connector. Nike is a champion for diversity and celebrates the uniqueness in every individual, family and business.

Founder of Evolvin’ Women, a social enterprise that helps governments in developing countries reduce the unemployment of women while enabling the private sector to become more inclusive and socially responsible. A hospitality professional with over 10 years of experience working within top hotel groups developing talent sourcing and management models. She is member of the UAE steering committee for the 7 UN WEPs and Evolvin’ Women became one of the first microenterprises to join the UNGC. Assia is a regular speaker at international conferences including the HR Capital Forum Middle East, TEDx and the Investing in The Future, Middle East & North Africa Conference held in partnership with UNHCR, UNICEF, UNDP. Assia has been recognized as one of the GCC's Women Leaders of 2017 and received the Women in Leadership Award by CMO ASIA and the Women Super Achiever Awards at the World HRD Congress 2018

Known for captivating photography as an artform, Leslie M. Gomez is becoming known as one of CT’s most sought-after photographers. Leslie is known for using people, her surroundings and environment to bring their stories to life. To be a great photographer, one must be able to elicit thoughts, feelings, and emotions in a way that words will not suffice… and that’s just the tip of the iceberg as to what Leslie can do. Leslie is a Registered Nurse of 17 years. After receiving a gift of a camera from her husband, Leslie embarked on a new venture that became a segway into a new-found passion for photography.. Set out to capture the beauty in treasured moments through the filtered lens of sophisticated artistry, Leslie began to master her craft. While providing a platform for creative energy, she began to provide an honest, sincere, and intimate vision embracing high quality portraits. Using her distinctive ability for detail, Leslie began to cultivate her brand as a photographer through the emergence of LMG Photography. Leslie loves working with creatives and women entrepreneurs, helping to create brands from the inside out in addition to creating impactful images that truly define what they do and how they do it. Leslie continues to climb the ladder of success as she has received and been nominated for countless awards and recognitions. A family-oriented woman, Leslie maintains a close loving relationship with her loving and super devoted husband Carlos, along with their children and extended family. Leslie M. Gomez continues to use her creative mindset to captivate audiences across the nation. Leslie’s hard work, passion for photography, and love for the lens has already made her and her business a household name. Be sure to follow this dynamic woman as she embarks on her next chapter.

Oyenike (also known as Nike) is an impactful speaker, author, and personal finance expert. A Chartered Management Accountant by profession, Nike founded LifTED Finance Consulting Ltd, a private financial firm that educate, coach and support people on their journey through financial fitness and wealth management. Nike defines success by the number of lives impacted, changed, and empowered through her message of hope in the area of personal finance. Her book series: "NonSecrets of the Financially Secure", “Praying for your Finances”, “Financial Nakedness”, “Financially Smart Teens & Young Adults”, and “The Beauty of Compounding” provides simple guiding principles that empower people to win with their money.

On July 31, 2016 Sanam Farshidi was diagnosed with a brain tumor. On August 31, 2016 Sanam underwent an awake brain surgery to resect the tumor from the left side of her brain. Sanam walked in to surgery with no physical deficits and walked out with numbness and motor and spacial deficits from the neck down on the entire right side of her body. She has worked hard to regain her physical functionality on the right side of her body, and with lots of determination, Sanam has bounced back. Sanam's extraordinary circumstance allowed her to gain a perspective about life and meaning that she probably wouldn't have gained were it not for her seemingly random diagnosis. Sanam holds a Master's Degree in Communication Studies and has always had a passion for the spoken and written word. Desperately shy as a child, it wasn't until Sanam attended college that she realized communication was a skill one could learn. Up to that point, Sanam assumed some were born with the gift, while others were not. Sanam has about 10 years of communications and public speaking experience in the education and corporate sectors. She has taught communications and public speaking at the college level, as well as to children and working professionals. Sanam believes firmly that our ability to communicate effectively influences our individual and collective success, and she is determined to help people use communication as a tool for growth.

Dee DiFatta is a Perspective & PositiviDee Coach and Founder of A Dose of PositiviDee. After 49 years of life, 27 years living with Multiple Sclerosis, and 17 years working full-time in the insurance industry, Dee has made a conscious choice to stop fixating on what is going wrong in the world and be grateful for everything that is going right. By doing so, she has shifted the trajectory of her life and become a catalyst for healing and positive change. Through private & group coaching, educational programs, published books, and speaking engagements, she helps people redefine their circumstances so they can break through their barriers and achieve boundless potential. She teaches the fundamental strategies necessary for people to free themselves from their limiting beliefs of the past and gain the confidence and courage to get realigned with their purpose so they can redesign their path forward. Dee has become aware that we were not born to “Fit In” and just survive. We were born to stand out, be EXTRAordinary, and thrive. Her mission is to help people get unstuck and transform their obstacles into opportunities. Through enlightening new perspectives and PositiviDee, she is inspiring love, acceptance, liberation, and clarity. She has published the book “Your Daily Dose of PositiviDee” to set your spirit free from captivity.

Janet Davenport is an experienced executive-life coach, a minister, an award-winning communication strategist, and the founder and principal of Davenport Coaching Solutions, a Connecticut-based consulting firm dedicated to equipping soul-driven leaders to be well and do good. She brings to her coaching practice and business extensive experience in leadership positions spanning the media, nonprofit and higher education industries. Notable positions during her successful career in communications include Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) (Becker College) and Vice President of Communications at Universal Health Care Foundation. Ms. Davenport served as the chief communication strategist at the foundation and spearheaded the nationally-recognized public relations and marketing campaign for statewide movement that led to groundbreaking health care reform in the state. Ms. Davenport is a former journalist whose contributions to the profession during her 20 year career in newspapers garnered many recognitions and awards. She was an award-winning editorial writer and editorial board member at the Hartford Courant and the first African American and second woman editorial page editor at the Springfield Newspapers in Massachusetts. She is a professionally certified coach, and a graduate of the Women's Leadership Institute at Hartford Seminary as well as its Graduate Certificate Program in Spirituality. A cohort of the 2019 Yale Clergy Scholar Program at Yale Divinity School, she is an honor's graduate of the University of Wisconsin.

Hello! I am Maryann Cruz, Business Strategist & Coach for creative and passionate entrepreneurs. I’m a woman motivated in helping others achieve success. Since 1998 I have educated entrepreneurs with respect to the tools and resources available to propel their businesses forward. In my journey the past several years, I’ve truly embraced my entrepreneurial spirit! Knowing I would realize my dream of being an entrepreneur; I embraced the many opportunities that came my way. With my experience as a Business Counselor and 20+ years in business operations with roles such as Strategic Project Lead, Accounting & Human Resources Manager and B2B IT Specialist, only to name a few; I quickly realized the unique and vast experience I have is the expertise that so many creatives seek.

I started Smith Law Group because I enjoy the perfect intersection of analytics, organization, and personal interaction found in real estate and business matters. Every day my team and I get to advise individuals and businesses in real estate transactions, business formation and succession planning, and landlord-tenant issues. I work closely with my clients to clearly understand the details involved in their transaction or case and tailor my advice and services to meet their goals while protecting them from future legal or financial liabilities. I focus my practice on real estate and business law. I have extensive experience handling commercial and residential real estate transactions and refinancing, commercial and residential landlord/tenant matters, business formation, and contract drafting, review, and negotiation. I also negotiate purchases and sales of business assets, membership interests and stocks, prepare buy-sell agreements for business owners, and assist clients in transitioning businesses to the next generation. My skill in these transactions is enhanced by my pre-law school years as a paralegal and legal assistant and more than ten years of foreclosure and business litigation. I received a BA in Business Management from Gettysburg College, then returned to the northeast to attend Western New England University School of Law, where I received my JD. While at WNE, I participated in the Philip C. Jessup International Moot Court Team and received the CALI Excellence for the Future Award. I am licensed to practice in Connecticut and am a member of the Connecticut Bar Association and the Tolland County Bar Association. In 2012 I received the Statesman Award from the Greater Hartford Jaycees for extraordinary dedication and service, and in 2020, I was honored to be named to the Hartford Business Journal’s “40 Under 40”. I believe in giving back, and as the proud wife of a US Navy Veteran, I’m honored to volunteer my time to the New England Veterans Chamber of Commerce as a Board Member, and in defending local Veterans in eviction cases through the Connecticut Veterans Legal Center. I also serve on the New England Veterans Chamber of Commerce and volunteer at my children’s school. When I am not working on my clients’ legal matters, you can find me and my husband and our daughters hiking, golfing, or otherwise enjoying being outdoors.

Jacki Jacobs got her start in photography when working on a video game in 2008. Her key take away from this that she brings into her business is that every photo needs to tell a story that connects to the audience. Jacki first got into Instagram because she wanted to give her clients a way to use their photos for greater impact and connection to their ideal clients. Jacki's book "Rockstar Confidence through Branding: A Guide for Female Entrepreneurs" is due out later this year. Her mission in business, and in life, is helping women see their value and worth and help them express it with confidence.

A self-motivated career development professional. My current role is oversight of all the Career Education for the School of Business, four campuses. Instructor for the required BUSN 3005 course having assisted over 8,500 students in landing their first job and internships. This role also focuses on creating an intentional experiential learning environment that builds strong business acumen in students as they move to accomplish their academic and professional goals. This role works towards a cycle of development that starts with helping students choose the best major for their skills and interests by exposing them to experiences and helping them grow their skills as they learn about various industries. Strategic thinker, capable of roles requiring creativity, resourcefulness, and strengths in coaching. Excellent organizational, training, and interpersonal skills. A motivated high achiever in business development in roles requiring follow-through, self-motivation, and persuasive communication ability. University of Connecticut Provost's Award for "Teaching Excellence" (2013-2021) based on student surveys for eight consecutive years; 2006 Hartford Business Journal 40 Under 40 Winner. Specialties: Expertise in Higher Education; (Career Education, Teaching, Coaching) sales, marketing, and new business development.Expertise in customer relations, human resources, and new and established market and sales development. Exceptional expertise in career planning for recent college graduates.

ZILLAH FLUKER, PH.D. Dr. Zillah Fluker is a highly sought after diversity leader, fundraiser, social media strategist and brand coach with over 17-years of leadership experience in Corporate America, Higher Education and Nonprofit Leadership. She serves as the Vice-President of Institutional Advancement at Central State University and founding director of the HBCU Center of Excellence for Corporate Engagement and Leadership. She is also the Executive Director of the Why Not Win Institute, Inc. Her areas of focus integrate Dr. Fluker's work in philanthropy, diversity engagement with a research backdrop, and she is also the founding executive director of the Why Not Win Institute. Zillah is a four-time graduate of Alabama State University and Purdue University, with the BA, MA, MBA and PhD degrees. Zillah's research area is Social Media and Engagement and diversity, and she is an advocate for Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). From 2010 to 2018, she served HBCUs as the Vice President of Institutional Advancement at Alabama State University (ASU) and Miles College. Prior to beginning her career in higher education, Zillah was in corporate America for 13 years. She held global positions of increasing responsibility in Diversity, Marketing, University Relations, Executive Search and Human Resources with Motorola, Inc., United Technologies Corporation (Carrier Corp.) and Honeywell International in Illinois, Georgia, Connecticut and New Jersey. Originally from Zimbabwe and raised in England and Birmingham, Alabama, Zillah lives in Central New York and is married to her college sweetheart, Kwame and they have two sons Coleman (10) and Anderson (9).

Portia Hines holds a bachelor's degree in Psychology with a minor in Criminal Justice and a master's in Counseling Psychology. She is a Licensed Professional Counselor in the State of Alabama. She has provided mental health services in multiple states and a variety of clinical settings during her 13 years of experience within the field. Currently, she is the Mental Health Services Coordinator for Madison County Schools and the owner of My Journey Solutions, LLC. where she provides mental healthcare services. Portia specializes in teaching her clients to eliminate negative thought patterns, how to develop an empowered mindset, how to reduce and manage symptoms of depression & anxiety, as well as practical personal strategies for meaningful self-care. Her goal is to inspire those around her to also live an optimally healthy and happy lifestyle.

Connecticut based designer, Jasleni Brito, has been honing her creative skills since 2008, exploring different forms of visual arts and communication. Originally a fine artist, Jasleni has blended her passion for painting with her studies in graphic design, molding her into a versatile creative professional and problem solver. Jasleni's evolution into graphic design allowed her to work with a multitude of companies ranging from small businesses to corporate accounts, to nonprofits, and other creatives like herself. These days most of her time is spent working on logo design/branding, marketing, and website design, but she still enjoys going back to her roots and picking up a paint brush when inspiration strikes. Visit JasleniDesigns.com for more info, or inquire about her custom art and design services.

Following careers in law and IT project management working for global organisations including Deloitte, British American Tobacco and The UK Ministry of Defence, Aduke Onafowokan launched Inclusivitii to plug the gap between DEI aspirations and tangible DEI outcomes in organisations. Combining evidence-based and research-led DEI insights with her vast experience in project and change management , Aduke has a proven track record of initiating, designing, delivering, and improving measurable DEI progress across industries. Aduke helps great leaders become great and inclusive leaders; she travels the world, working with Diversity and Inclusion stakeholders on practical ways to learn and improve inclusion, diversity, and leadership. As a public speaker, Aduke has delivered two TEDx Talks on Diversity and Inclusion, spoken at global events including BRANDMINDS and Sustainable Brands as well as at organisations including Amazon USA, Montagu Private Equity, Payconiq Netherlands, Saudi Aramco, NatWest, Institute of Directors, Shell, Royal Mencap Society and many more. Aduke is also an award-winning social-entrepreneur through her work as the founder of The Sister Sister Global Network, a registered social-enterprise contributing to women's empowerment through the provision of accessible and empowering leadership and personal development capacity-building programmes curated for women at different stages of their leadership journeys. She also sits on the board of Smart Works Reading and Creating Better Futures charities.

As a healthy aging expert and certified nutritional practitioner, Annie founded VEEV Health & Wellness to support smart and successful women at mid life lose weight, sleep better and raise their energy to get more of what they want. An endurance athlete with 12 marathons and 3 Ironman triathlons under her belt, Annie lives what she preaches. A prior 25+ year career as a brand consultant working with executives of Fortune 500 companies gave her a solid background to serve the wellness needs of those living busy lives. She is a regular speaker to the media, corporations and lifestyle organizations on various topics of health and is a healthy aging expert.