SPEAKERS DIRECTORY

From inspiring youth to empowering leaders, Dr. J’s mission is to help others find their place in STEM. After spending years at the bench, she decided to pivot her career to pursue her passion: Motivating and helping others to gain clarity and confidence as they navigate their STEM careers. Dr. J has an uncanny ability to connect with any audience through storytelling, compelling narratives. and practical guidance.

This Novelist takes you on a captivating journey in search of value and empowerment. The pain of a soul-searching single mother who didn’t know how to nurture love to a kid, which eventually birthed a 12-year-old runaway child to detach from yearning to receive love from his mom any further only to be gratified by inflicting the same pain on others. Living on and off the streets, multiple suicide attempts, gang-violence, jail &drugs.

Ceola knows what it is to be victorious and to overcome! She has overcome rape, domestic violence, barrenness, divorce, infidelity, material loss, and more herself. Being with her mother during times of devastation and struggle and then losing her mother when she was only thirty-three-years-old and Ceola, just sixteen-years-old was difficult for the teen.

DeShonda Monique Jennings is an author and Family Child Care Business Coach. She has over 20 years’ experience in childcare and 16 plus in entrepreneurship. She currently serves as an advocate and mentor for children as well as a mentor to women who wish to start a Home-based Childcare Business. Team building plays a role in everything she does. DeShonda is the epitome of what a mother, daughter, grandmother and woman of faith is.

Committed to maximizing results Mariama S. Boney, LMSW, CAE, CPEC celebrates over 25 years as an award winning educational administrator, executive, facilitator, coach, trainer, and consultant for DEI, Leadership, and Wellbeing. She also serves as a host/moderator. Mariama guides individuals and organizations to safely move through transition to find shared purpose and create frameworks. She is the author of articles, book chapters, and 3 books, the latest of which is VENT: Our Resilience Is Enough.

As a corporate marketing manager, I confidently oversaw a $1B product portfolio and various project teams. Juggling life with my newborn twin boys proved MUCH harder.  Outmanned and overwhelmed, I carved a new path that included reimagining my life, tuning into my kids, and becoming a diligent student of child development.  Seventeen years later, I am a certified parenting strategist, guiding parents to rediscover the joy in their journey with my fresh approach to discipline, parent-child communication, and family connections.  As a speaker, podcaster, and 4x best-selling author, I’ve reached thousands teaching my strategies for building self-discipline, purpose, and resilience from the ground up.

Dr. Janice Fortman, Ed.D believes that communication is the foundation for personal and professional relationships, therefore, people's opinions of you or your organization are formed by the way you communicate verbally and non-verbally. She is an author, award winning international motivational speaker, corporate trainer, and effective communication coach. As a Distinguished Toastmaster, Dr. Jan provides memorable and engaging, presentations focusing on giving people peace and power through the use of effective communication skills.

I retired after 43 years in Human Services. I've worked with Victims of Domestic Violence, the Homeless and as a Social Work Designee Discharge Planner at a major hospital and area nursing homes in Balimore City and County. I am a former Baltimore City & County Long Term Care Ombudsman. I recently wrote my Memoirs Broken Wings: A Vault of Memories Unleashed. I am now a published Author. The book is currently available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble & other major outlets. I consider myself to be an Inlfucencer as I am also a DV survivor. I am also a Transformational Speaker an Certified Voice Talent . I have a BA in Human Services with Honors.

Shayla Atkins is a highly sought-after keynote speaker, global DE&I strategist, and leadership expert. Leveraging nearly 20 years of HR leadership experience in global Fortune 500 corporations, Shayla’s extensive expertise, proven track record and exceptional oratory skills has earned her invitations to speak on some of the largest stages across the U.S.. Shayla is the CEO/Founder of The Atkins Impact, a global consulting firm specializing in cultivating inclusive cultures and building authentic leaders.

Dr. Timogi Jackson is an International Speaker with decades of corporate, non-profit, and higher education leadership experience combined. She is the author of 15 books and owner of Create & Facilitate a NC HUB Certified Customized Training Solutions Agency. As a keynote speaker she has graced stages from prisons to Harvard. Companies like Egger, Delhaize, municipalities, numerous colleges and universities call her to provide training, keynote speeches, and panel discussions.

Dr. Chapman holds a Psy.D. in Clinical psychology from Carlos Albizu University. Dr. Chapman is a seasoned educator that has been teaching at various colleges and universities throughout the United States since 2010. Dr. Chapman has broad experience coaching multiple populations, including couples, veterans, team leaders, adolescents, athletes. He is a relationship expert with specialized training in Gottman Method, SYMBIS. He is a True Colors Facilitator and Wiley Everything DISC partner.

Katrice is a career coach and professional development expert with over 25 years of experience in corporate, government, and consulting settings. She specializes in empowering professionals to accelerate their career success, unlock their full potential, and increase their earning power. Katrice’s work focuses on leadership development, resilience, and career strategies. She has worked with major corporations like Amazon, Microsoft, and Starbucks, and she also supports clients through personalized career coaching.