Summit - Gifted Women Summit

Julie Fasone Holder

Julie Fasone Holder is the former Senior Vice President of Dow Chemical and currententrepreneur/founder of JFH Insights, Management Advising, known for her passion in helpingwomen succeed in work and life.

Ms. Fasone Holder’s corporate career began in sales and ended in the C-Suite of a Fortune 50company. She ran multi-billion dollar business portfolios for Dow and at the end of her career ranMarketing and Sales, Reputation, Public and Government Affairs and HR for the company. As thefirst or only woman in almost every role she held, she was known for her passion to help thecompany and women build a more diverse and inclusive workforce. She was instrumental in thelaunch of the company’s women’s networks in the US, Middle East, India, and China and for beinga forceful advocate and sponsor for women in the company.

Since leaving Dow, Ms. Fasone Holder started JFH Insights, management advising, primarilyfocused on training and coaching executive women and men. She developed and teachesexecutive education courses for the Eli Broad College of Management at Michigan StateUniversity. Her courses, Executive Leadership for Women; Strategies to Enhance Success and Men As Change Agents, help women be more successful in their careers and help seniorleadership build a more inclusive corporate culture.

She regularly speaks on topics such as Negotiate Your Way to Leadership, The Female Vision andStrategic Leadership, How Remarkable Women Lead and Build Teams, The Art of Tactful SelfPromotion, etc. See jfhinsights.com for additional topics and information.

She currently serves on the boards of Eastman Chemical Co., The WR Grace Co., and is a trusteeat The McLaren N MI Regional Hospital. She is also a founding member of Paradigm for Parity. She was past president of the Eli Broad College of Business Alumni Advisory Board, served on theGoverning Board of the Committee of 200, an invitation only group of women executives andentrepreneurs. She is an invited member to the Fortune Most Powerful Women’s Summit and toWomen Corporate Directors.

http://jfhinsights.com/

Larissa Maloney

Larissa Maloney is a former professional beach volleyball player and also an actress, podcast host, coach and mentor. She is the founder of an online fitness and wellness company for kids, Active Kids 2.0! Active Kids 2.0 specializes in kids classes (including boxing, karate, gymnastics, yoga, cheer, cardio, strength training, dance, toddler time and many more!) She is a kids fitness equality advocate as well as a mental health and human rights advocate.

Larissa was born in Buffalo, NY and grew up in Ormond Beach, FL where she resides now with her husband and two children.

www.ActiveKids2.com

www.instagram.com/larissa.maloney

www.instagram.com/Activekids2.0

Listen to In the World of Female Sports on Apple Podcasts. https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/in-the-world-of-female-sports/id1450766590

GiGi

Gigi McMillan

CEO

Gigi McMillan is the Chief Creative Officer of Kamisol Style Consultancy and the founder of the non-profit organization Purple Runway.

Gigi received a degree in merchandising and visual branding from Sanford-Brown College before eventually rising to the role of Director of Human Resources, Administration, and Operations in corporate America.

But now, Gigi is an editorial stylist, creative strategist, and branding ambassador whose editorial work has appeared in publications such as Modern Luxury DC, Modern Luxury Weddings, Simply Weddings, Grace Ormonde Wedding Style, Vibe Magazine, and Munaluchi Bride. She has also collaborated with Saks Fifth Avenue, Lawrence Clothiers, and other designers.

In 2015, Kamisol Style collaborated with D.C. Trust for the #CME4ME campaign, and Gigi served as the creative stylist for the billboard, bus, and subway advertisements. And in 2016, she also curated the costumes for a production of Raisin in the Sun and received 5 stars reviews for her stage stylings.

Additionally, media organizations such as WPGC 95.5, WKYS 93.9, and Fox 5 have highlighted her accomplishments. And, she was one of 97 big and small business owners from around the world nominated for Path to Purchase’s 2018 Woman of Excellence Award.

What’s more, Gigi has styled CEOs for TV appearances, speaking engagements, social media training videos, business launch parties, look books, galas, and days at the office. Today, she uses that experience as well as her branding expertise to empower individuals to build their self-confidence and success by discovering their own personal and professional styles.

She counsels everyone from stay-at-home moms, small business owners, and weight loss champions to entrepreneurs, executives, writers, and speakers on how to complete a liberating process of self-discovery in order to curate the best wardrobe for their lifestyles and personalities.

Specifically, Gigi uses her style psychology to advise people on the importance of self-presentation and the art of personal branding. Drawing from her own healing journey to self-awareness and confident fashion, Gigi leads her clients through a 4-point system that works from the inside out to define and develop an individual’s authentic style.

In her styling sessions, Gigi addresses all of the details such as the fabrics, colors, cuts, sustainability, pricing, and design elements of quality garments in order to equip her patrons with a unique foundation for their creative expression.

Of equal significance are Gigi’s roles as a wife, mother, and thriving survivor of domestic violence. Gigi joined other women in sharing their stories of triumph over intimate partner abuse in the 2019 Amazon #1 Bestseller Crushed Diamonds Still Sparkle. She also serves her community by highlighting conquerors of domestic violence through the Purple Runway platform.

Purple Runway is a one-of-a-kind organization that sheds light on the realities of domestic abuse while empowering women and men around the nation to take control of their healing in order to live happier and healthier lives after trauma. For more information about Purple Runway, please visit PurpleRunway.org.

Fun Facts About Me

I hate frogs, lizards, snakes, and most amphibians and reptiles.
I was a director of human resources, and I hold a degree in fashion merchandising.
I love the beach and being around water.
I don’t like elevators or heights, but I have no problem flying.
I am a thriving survivor of domestic violence.
I am a music connoisseur, at least in my mind.
I am a certified life and style coach.
If I had a choice, I’d have spring and fall all year round.
I am basically obsessed with Anna Wintour and Michelle Obama.
I am an ambivert: both an introvert and an extrovert.

https://kamisol.net/about-gigi/

Chandreyi Saha Davis

Chandreyi Davis is the Global Vice President of Brand Marketing for Brand Expedia. Chandreyi joined the travel industry six months ago in the midst of the global pandemic. Chandreyi’s team focuses on how to inspire those that are cautiously cooped up today, in ways they can best navigate their return back to one of the most important mental health resets we have, our next trip… reminding people that the adventures nearby (whether a beautiful hike or a change of scenery in a vacation rental) can be as important a break from the norm as dreaming and planning for the next trip across the globe when we are ready again.

Prior to Expedia, Chandreyi has spent her 20 year career translating customer needs into paradigm shifting programs, whether it was launching Amazon’s first Brand Purpose campaign platform (with a focus on Small Businesses), introducing Amazon Alexa to the world as Echo’s first Brand and Mass Advertising leader, or driving new to the world beverage innovation at Starbucks with product pipeline development for the Nitro and Flavored Cold Brew portfolio. Chandreyi’s passion is helping brands find their unique voice through communication and product strategies, helping them fulfill their customer’s needs with intention, and enable passionate teams to create on behalf of those customers.

Chandreyi is also a certified mindfulness teacher through Mindfulness Northwest. When sitting on the cushion in her Seattle, WA home isn’t enough, she loves escaping on road trips with her husband Ryan, or finding little adventures discovering new music or food.

Sarah Weise

Sarah Weise is the CEO of award-winning marketing research agency Bixa and thebestselling author of InstaBrain: The New Rules for Marketing to Generation Z. For 15years, Sarah has been a guide to hundreds of leading brands including Google, IBM, Capital One, Mikimoto, PBS, and Real Warriors, to name a few. Sarah helps brandsachieve a laser-focus on their customers and build experiences that are downrightaddictive. She lectures at Georgetown University's McDonough School of Business onmarketing strategy for the next generation, and speaks at conferences and corporateevents worldwide.

https://bixaresearch.com/

https://www.sarahweise.com/

Elaine Yarbrough, PhD

Dr. Yarbrough is founder of The Yarbrough Group, a consulting organization in Boulder, Colorado, and Washington, DC, USA, that provides a wide range of global services to Tend the Flame of Sustainable Change by Developing the Human Side of Organizations. She specializes in diversity and inclusion, leadership, communication, conflict management, and managing change for individuals, groups, and organizations. During the past 40 years, she has assisted hundreds of organizations and touched thousands of people in business, education, government and human services.

For a period of time she lived in Switzerland and consulted in Central and Eastern Europe and North Africa assisting American multi-nationals with acquisitions in the midst of cultural turmoil. She has visited 94 countries and worked in 30 including the U.K., Ireland, Spain, France, Italy, Germany, Belgium, Finland, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Russia, and Singapore. People from six continents have been a part of her work.

Dr. Yarbrough has a special interest in supporting women in developing their unique qualities as leaders. She speaks at international women’s conferences such as WIN (Women Internationally Networking) that attracts women from 90 nations. She has led workshops to develop young women leaders in China at SIAS University sponsored by the World Academy for the Future of Women and remains on the WAFW faculty. In their global diversity work, she and her associates have focused on women’s leadership, organizing women’s networks in ten countries. Yearly, she teaches Leading with Power and Authenticity for mid-level women managers and Leading Genius Teams for women executives in the cable telecommunications industry. One of the current signature courses of The Yarbrough Group is ENCORE: Illuminate Your Mission in Life’s Third Chapter for women over 50.

Elaine has her Ph.D. in Communication and Human Relations from the University of Kansas and is certified in individual, small group development and social change by Associated Consultants International. She is a Master in Polarity Thinking and has been dean of the Mastery Program. For seven years she taught in the Department of Communication, University of Colorado, during which time she received all university teaching awards given by faculty and students.

Dr. Yarbrough has published three books and numerous articles in the areas of conflict management and consulting. Those include Constructive Conflict; Artful Mediation: Constructive Conflict at Work (with Dr. William Wilmot); and Training Strategies from Start to Finish (with Dr. Paul Friedman). Her book Leading Genius Teams will be published in 2020.

Contact Elaine@yarbgroup.com, www.yarbgroup.com

Lindsay Burr, MS

Lindsay focuses on developing the next generation of leadership, helping organizations navigate the changing virtual workspace, bringing in the perspective of women and the experience of generations X and Y. She leads training in interpersonal, group, and organizational conflict resolution techniques; facilitates team development, and strategic planning; and coaches individuals so they can reach their full potential.

The majority of her work has been articulating the underlying motivation for peoples’ political involvement. Previously, she worked as the Senior Program Assistant for Governance at the National Democratic Institute (NDI) based in Washington, DC. Lindsay also served as the Development Director for the Center for the Study of Gender and Conflict at George Mason University and a Researcher for the Woodrow Wilson Center for International Scholars Global Women’s Leadership Initiative (GWLI). Her background is in political campaigns and the impacts of policy and she uses this expertise to help people navigate the systems in which they operate.

www.yarbgroup.com

Shay Pausa

Shay Pausa is a leadership advisor, strategy consultant, and C-Suite coach. Shay specializes in generating transformative and sustainable organizational health by simultaneously supporting and challenging her clients. As an experienced startup CEO and corporate executive working with organizations such as McKesson and Intel, Shay brings real-world experience to problem-solving and breakthrough strategies for individuals, teams, and organizations. Her recent startup, ForHERHealth is a digital health company focused on helping women over 40 access care for hormone health from the comfort of their homes. She is passionate about using technology to help women become informed and empowered consumers of healthcare.

Lisa Paredes

Originally from Guatemala, Lisa moved to San Francisco and found her passion in the people space. After working in the family business and shifting to the startup ecosystem she realized early on that people are an organization’s biggest asset. She joined Beaconforce as their first employee to be a part of their mission to create work environments that allow people to be their best selves. Her love for community and culture led her to be a co-founder of The Culture Collective, a global community of culture champions with 30 chapters around the world. Her personal purpose is to assist people in their discovery of their full potential.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisaparedesc/

https://www.culturecollective.co/

Makeda Brown, ACC, CPC, ELI-MP, MSHRD

Makeda is the Founder/Executive Coach of an independent leadership and talent optimization firm, PVR Coaching & Consulting. As a former Executive HR leader, Makeda has over 20 years of experience delivering talent strategies that maximize business results. Through her coaching, leaders as well as teams to unleash their potential to create value within their organizations. Makeda’s global experience spans multiple industries – including Technology, Food/Hospitality, and Pharmaceuticals.

Makeda holds a M.S. in HR Development from Villanova University and a B.S. in Management from the Pennsylvania State University. She also holds certifications as a Certified Professional Coach (iPEC), Associate Certified Coach (ICF), Energy Leadership Index Master Practitioner and Talent Optimization Consultant (Predictive Index).

Makeda is an active member of the Philadelphia Society of People & Strategy. She also sits on the Boards of KenCrest Services and International Coach Federation-Philadelphia Chapter.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/makeda-brown/

Amisha

Amisha Ghadiali is the host of the globally acclaimed podcast The Future Is Beautiful. She is interested in where our inner and outer worlds dance. The podcast weaves together Politics, Spirituality, Creativity and Sustainability - to inspire us each to rise up, move beyond silos and Co-Create a Beautiful Future. The show offers deep, insightful, unedited conversations with inspiring guests, calling forth a challenging and open ended narrative for our expanding worlds.

Amisha is an experienced facilitator and has a gift of bringing people into connection with themselves, each other and the earth. She has hosted many retreats. workshops and rituals around the world, and designed programmes including The Heart of Transformation, Wild Grace, and a five month residential fellowship in community facilitation leadership. She creates brave, tender and inclusive spaces for our hearts unfolding, healing and embrace of our wildness.

Amisha hosts, Presence: for Creative, Connected and Courageous Living. It’s an online membership community of care and practice - offering guidance and wisdom for embodied sacred activism, diving deeper into the themes explored in the podcast. It’s focus is on what it means to be a human at this time, a “university" fit for the 2020s which covers many of the core skills we need that are not taught in our education and cultural systems.

She also works one to one with her Presence Leadership Mentoring programme which supports the transforming of unconscious patterning, opening up new qualities within and anchoring daily practice and rituals which support a lifestyle that recognises the sacred, the importance of intuition and creates deeper connection and embodiment of what this time calls forth in us.

Her own training has included over 1000 hours of yoga teacher training, meditation teacher training, energy medicine, priestess initiation and deep time learning with mystics, teachers, swamis and nature. This deep commitment to understanding truth combined with over 15 years of experience working in Politics, Design, Tech and Sustainable Fashion gives Amisha a strong base of Community Weaving, Sacred Activism and Innovation. She had key roles in visionary projects and social enterprises including: Ethical Fashion Forum, Impact Hub, Provenance, Fashion Revolution and Compass. She created the collaborative book, The Future Is Beautiful - A Collection from Think Act Vote. Upon leaving university, she set up her own ethical jewellery label, with the tagline “elegance rebellion" which received several awards and accolades. Amisha brings this creative vision with social justice and the healing arts to everything she does.

Amisha’s words have appeared in publications including The Huffington Post, Rebelle Society & Ecouterre and she has spoken at events and festivals around the world such as TEDx Oxbridge, Bali Spirit Festival, Sunday Papers Live and UnBox.

Amisha's new book “Intuition” which will be released by DK Books on December 3rd 2020.

https://www.amisha.co.uk/

https://www.thefutureisbeautiful.co/

Olivia Omega

Helping young leaders, employees and entrepreneurs show up authentically to the spaces they learn and work.

As a TEDx speaker, diversity and inclusion advocate, and branding strategist, Olivia Omega is the co-founder at Wallace Marketing Group, and the author of Beautifully Branded: The Girl’s Guide to Understanding the Anatomy of Brand You. Olivia is also the Founder Track Chair for Denver Startup Week, helping the world’s largest free entrepreneurial event strengthen its diversity, equity, and inclusion muscle.

With 20 years of corporate branding, advertising, and digital marketing experience, Olivia has studied the importance of authenticity for both brands and individuals, and what it means to show up in a genuine way.

Half of her career was spent in corporate at an advertising agency and the other 10 years as an entrepreneur and small business owner. Personal brand identity and authentic expression of ones’ unique individuality played a large role in both career paths.

Olivia has influenced the global brands of Frito Lay, Pepsi, and Starbucks among others. She is a mom, wife, disco ball enthusiast, and has been featured in USA Today, Entrepreneur, Business Week, People, and The Ellen DeGeneres Show. Olivia graduated from the University of Colorado at Boulder Leeds School of Business and currently lives outside of Denver, CO.

https://oliviaomega.com/

Sianna

Sianna Sherman (she/her) is an international yoga teacher, training tens of thousands of students and teachers, for nearly three decades. As the visionary of the Rasa Yoga, Mythic Yoga Flow®, and RITUAL, Sianna shares her voice in the way of community and collaboration.

She is a gifted storyteller and awakens the imagination through the language of the soul. Dedicated to embodied wisdom, social justice activism, anti-racism, unpacking her own white privilege, shadow work, mantra, ritual, and Tantric yoga philosophy, Sianna brings a genuine presence to every offering with humility, devotion, and deep care for the collective. In addition, she has extensive training in bodywork, functional anatomy, wildcrafting, and earth-based wisdom.

She leads Rasa Yoga teacher trainings, alchemical arts for sacred sisterhood, pilgrimages to sacred sites, and is the co-host of the Fearless Heart Activation series with her beloved,Masood Ali Khan, to inspire courageous conversations and brave space for real transformation in these times.

When she is not teaching or dreaming up community activations, Sianna will most likely be somewhere outside in nature or cuddling up with her family.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/siannasherman

Website: http://www.siannasherman.com/

Michele Lopez

When you encounter Michele Lopez, you will walk away inspired. From young adults looking for answers to C-Suite Executives, politicians, and celebrities attempting to establish an unforgettable image, Michele Lopez consistently provides information that guarantees change. Michele Lopez is a renowned Celebrity Image and Personal Branding Consultant, Lifestyle coach and the CEO and Founder of Michele Lopez, LLC. Michele Lopez, LLC is a global image and communication firm built upon the principle that "change begins at the foundation of your belief system".

The firm specializes in image consulting, personal and professional development, and strategic communication skills. Our clients include corporate and government entities, private individuals, youth, and celebrity clients. For over a 15 years, Michele has presented her method of transforming images to audiences around the country. Michele’s exceptional style and expertise has graced the pages of major publications including VanityFair, Huffington Post, Wall Street Journal, Essence and Black Enterprise Magazines. Her work has also been featured on daytime talk shows and highly ranked media outlets to include Dr. Oz, Wendy Williams, OWN, ABC, TV ONE, CBS, and MSNBC.

Her keen eye is currently relied upon by Iyanla Vanzant for Oprah Winfrey Network’s hit shows “Iyanla: Fix My Life,” “Life Class with Oprah”, and a host of other media opportunities.Michele is not only a staple in the media and fashion industry but she is also a philanthropist and filmproducer. Through her youth mentoring programs, The Heart of Her and The Heart of a Winner, Michelehas reached hundreds of young women and men since the program's inception in 2013. Her mentoring work has established a proven track record of offering young people the tools needed to overcome struggles with self-confidence and self-worth. She has designed global marketing campaigns, andrecently produced an acclaimed film currently streaming on Netflix called Love Dot Com.

Michele travels extensively giving presentations and motivational speeches empowering women to betheir best selves and embrace their value. She also consults public service leaders, politicians, andbeyond on how to master and manage their image; while creating a brand strategy for success. Michele is a true force of nature. She is captivating, honest, engaging, and her zeal for excellence is contagious.

https://www.michelelopez.com/

Melanie Ulle

Melanie has been an activist since she was 8 years old walking door-to-door campaigning for candidates in her neighborhood. Her senior year in high school, she read Betty Friedan’s Feminine Mystique and felt called to feminism and the pursuit of gender equity.

She began her career as a junior fundraiser on a presidential campaign on the east coast and has since considered fundraising to be her life’s vocation. She has run large and small development offices for nonprofits of all sizes including the Denver Art Museum and the School of Public Health and two divisions of the School of Medicine at the University of Colorado.

In 2007, Melanie and her spouse were the sole cast members on a 14-episode series on The Travel Channel called 1,000 Places to See Before You Die. She is an entrepreneur and has owned several businesses, including the overtly feminist workspace, Women in Kind, which she co-founded in 2016 with her dear friend and co-conspirator, Dr. Ginna Santy. She is a wife and the mother of two daughters.

https://philanthropyexpert.org/

https://www.linkedin.com/company/womeninkind/

Danielle

Danielle Shoots is the Founder and CEO of the Daily Boss Up, a digital startup that provides coaching, mentoring and consulting for leaders at every stage of their professional development. A proud Colorado native, Danielle is a graduate of the University of Colorado at Denver, where she earned a degree in Business Administration. Danielle is also the Vice President and Chief Financial Officer for The Colorado Trust, a private health equity foundation supporting Colorado communities.

At the age of 26, Danielle embarked on her executive leadership path ascending to the position of Chief Financial Officer (CFO) for the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment. After the state, Danielle served as the Vice President of Finance and Business Operations for the West Division of Comcast, managing a billion-dollar capital portfolio and a team of sixty employees located in seven states.

Danielle’s passion for people and leadership, distinguished business acumen and tenacious work ethic have garnered her numerous accolades, including inclusion on the prestigious 2019 list of the Top 25 Most Powerful Women in Business from the Colorado Women’s Chamber of Commerce, The 2020 Emerging Leader in Philanthropy from ABFE, The 2018 Woman of the Year Award for her work with youth in the community, and a recipient of the 2017 Denver Business Journal’s 40 Under 40 award.

Often the youngest executives in the boardroom, Danielle possesses a unique insight on leadership dynamics, millennial engagement and handling the nuances of a rapidly evolving workforce. From entrepreneurial Tech CEO's to VP's of Fortune 500 companies; people from diverse industries seek out Danielle to network and think-tank ways to improve their organization. Danielle's distinct industry perspective has made her a highly regarded Keynote speaker. During her remarkable career, she has been featured at TedxMileHigh, Women of Telecommunications Tech It Out Talk, the Black Women Lead Summit and The Women of Denver Summit – to name just a few.

As a mother and community advocate Danielle is passionately involved giving back to the community. She has been long-time mentor with the Challenge Foundation. She is also the President of the Board for Mile High Ministries, and an Executive Board Member for the Women’s Foundation of Colorado.

Website: dshoots.com

Instagram: @shootsd

Facebook: @dshootsbossup

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/danielle-shoots-44741338/

Joni Rae

Joni is the Founder and CEO of The Mindset Group, International Corporate Trainer, and Leadership & Transformational Coach. With over 10 years of experience managing enterprise-wide changes at Deloitte Consulting and Booz Allen Hamilton, Joni’sexpertise is helping leaders, teams, and organizations navigate change and fulfill on their missions. She travels the world coaching commercial, government, and non- profit executives on how to change workforce behavior in their organizations and operate at peak performance. Joni is also an advocate and passionate about mentoring women in leadership skills and living lives they love through personal growth.

Joni has a Master’s degree in Organizational Management and Communications, andhas been featured on CBS, Cheddar News, as well as podcasts and radio shows around the world. She believes transformed individuals, teams, and organizations operating at their highest potential is critical to teaching the next generation, through example, how to create positive impact.

www.themindsetgroup.com

Suzanne Sterling

Suzanne Sterling is a musician, yogi, ritualist and activist who has been performing and teaching transformational workshops for over 25 years. She is founder of Voice of Change, inspiring others to find their unique voice as a tool for conscious evolution. Suzanne has been featured at hundreds of international festivals and conference centers including Yoga Journal, Omega, Esalen, Wanderlust, Bhaktifest, World Festival of Sacred Music and many more.

Since 2007 she has been training leaders in activism and social justice through her co-founded organization Off The Mat, Into the World. As director of OTM’s Seva Challenge Humanitarian Tours, she has spent time in the US, India, Cambodia, Haiti, Ecuador and Africa working in community resilience and raising awareness about critical global issues.

For nearly 30 years Suzanne has worked with the International Reclaiming Community, co-creating public ritual for healing and social justice. She offers yearlong trainings in Sacred Leadership, is part of the nationwide faculty for YogaWorks Teacher Trainings and is excitedly training facilitators in her signature Voice of Change work. She has released 5 solo albums and numerous DVD soundtracks.

www.suzannesterling.com

Jennifer hansen

Jennifer Hansen is the CEO of Enlightened Solutions Treatment Center and the President of the Hansen Foundation which owns and operates Serenity Estates, Serenity Houses, Enlightened Farm and Enlightened Café. She also founded the Hansen Houses and the New Jersey Alliance of Recovery Residences. During the past 20 years, she has built a thriving recovery community which encompasses body, mind and spirit. Jennifer is selfless with her time when it comes to mentoring those who struggle with addiction. She is also a Certified Yoga Teacher, mother of three and wife. Jennifer was awarded the Sea Award for Advocacy in 2018 by the Mental Health Association, the Brian H. Early Community Leadership Award by the Caron Foundation and received the 2017 South Jerseyan of the Year Award, Not-for-profit sector by the Walter Rand Institute for Public Affairs at Rutgers University-Camden. " In 2005 Jennifer was awarded Woman of Distinction by the American Association of University Women, Atlantic County, for excellence and leadership in furthering gender equity.

https://www.enlightenedsolutions.com/

PamelaBoll Photo Credit Arnica Spring Photography

Pamela Tanner Boll, MA

is an artist, filmmaker, writer and activist. She is the Founder and CEO of Mystic Artists Film Productions. She is the Co-Executive Producer of the Academy Award-winning documentary, Born into Brothels. Pamela has executive produced the following film projects: Living in Emergency: True Stories of Doctors Without Borders; In a Dream; Connected: A Declaration of Interdependence; Our Summer in Tehran; Strange Powers: Stephin Merritt and the Magnetic Fields; Close to the Fire; She’s Beautiful When She’s Angry; E-Team, Teen Press, Obit, Navaho Nation, and Storm Lake.

Pamela directed and produced Who Does She Think She Is?, a feature-length documentary film that follows five women who are mothers and artists. Pamela also directed A Small Good Thing, a film that asks the question how can we live in a better way. She is currently working on a new film project, Land Water & Sky, highlighting farmers and ranchers who are improving the health of their land with regenerative practices and helping to reverse climate change.

Pamela grew up in Parkersburg, WV. She received a BA in English from Middlebury College and a Masters in Interdisciplinary Studies from Lesley University. Pamela raised three sons in Winchester, Massachusetts and now lives in Boulder, Colorado.

Diane m. McKnight, PhD

Diane M. McKnight is a Professor in the Department of Civil, Environmental and Architectural Engineering and the Environmental Studies Program and a Fellow of the Institute of Arctic and Alpine Research at the University of Colorado. Her research focuses on the coupling of hydrology, aquatic ecology and water quality in freshwaters. She began her career with the U.S. Geological Survey. Since 1992, she has studied stream ecosystems as part of the MCM-LTER project. She has been President of the American Society of Limnology and Oceanography and editor of Journal of Geophysical Research-Biogeosciences. She chaired the Editorial Committee for the LTER Schoolyard Children’s Book Series and authored the second book The Lost Seal. She is a fellow of AGU and AAAS, a member of the National Academy of Engineering and received the John Dalton Award from the European Geophysical Union. From 2015-2018, she served as a program officer with the Arctic Program at NSF. She is currently the 2019-2020 Association of Environmental Engineering and Science Professors Distinguished Lecturer and Chair of the Executive Board of the LTER Network.

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Nicole Grant, MS

Certified Mother-of-2. Practitioner of yoga. Senior yoga teacher and certified yoga therapist. Founder, Yoga Mandala (2001) and The Mandala Project (2020). Author/writer. Strategic planner - skilled in working with a variety of stakeholders especially in the healthcare and educational industries. Speaker/Design Thinking Strategist – applied human-centered experiential design process that approaches problem-solving using integrated interpersonal communication practices to build social-emotional resiliency, meet goals and create sustainable outcomes that are creative and adaptable. Neuroscience and epigenetics nerd. Mentor for youth in foster care (Silver Linings Mentoring). International American. World Traveler. Random conversationalist. Non-traditionalist. Lover of bubble baths, chocolate chip cookies and green tea. www.yogamandala.com

Lara Wilson, MA, GMCS

Lara is a 35-year meditator, award-winning short story writer and teacher, devotes her life to exploring the intersection of personal narrative and mindful well-being. After more than a decade leading master fiction workshops and serving on the board at Grub Street in Boston, she took a great Pause to battle stage III breast cancer for 18 months. This meaningful journey prompted Lara to establish Be Well Be Here, a 501c3 non-profit mindful wellness educational collaborative in Concord, MA that offers trauma-informed wellness practices, inclusive community outreach and creative well-being retreats. Lara holds a master's degree in English and American literature and a graduate certificate in Mindfulness Studies, as well as yoga RYT-200 and Reiki Level II designations. She has been a featured presenter at annual conferences such as Association of Writers & Writing Programs (AWP), the Muse and the Marketplace, and the Herbert Benson Mind Body Medicine program co-sponsored by MGH and Harvard Medical School. Currently, Lara serves on the board of the Friends of the Concord Free Public Library, where she organizes the Authors Series and Mindfulness Programming. In January 2019, she was appointed curator of the Concord Festival of Authors. Read Lara’s essay in Cognoscenti and learn more at BeWellBeHere.org