2011 Event Speakers
Suze Orman, Suze Orman has been called “a force in the world of personal finance” and a “one-woman financial advice powerhouse by USA Today. A two-time Emmy Award-winning television host, New York Times mega bestselling author, magazine and online columnist, writer/producer, and one of the top motivational speakers in the world today, Orman is undeniably America’s most recognized expert on personal finance.
Siobhan Dunnavant, MD, FACOG Dr.Siobhan S. Dunnavant is a Tidewater Virginia native who is the daughter of a US Navy Commander and the fifth of six children. She completed her undergraduate work at Randolph-Macon Women’s College. She went on to receive a nursing degree from the University of Virginia and a medical degree from Eastern Virginia Medical School where she also completed her residency.
Mary Gordon Mary Gordon is Vice President of Manufacturing at U.S. Smokeless Tobacco Company. In this role she oversees processing and manufacturing for the company’s facilities in Nashville, Tenn., Franklin Park, III., and Hopkinsville, Ky. The combined head count at these facilities it about 1,000 employees. U.S. Smokeless Tobacco Company is the leading producer and marketer of moist smokeless tobacco, one of the fastest growing segments in the U.S. The company’s brands, Copenhagen and Skoal, are the moist smokeless tobacco segment’s leading premium brands. Prior to joining USSTC, Gordon was Vice President and General Manager of Manufacturing for Philip Morris USA, a position she held since September 2006. She’s held various other positions with Philip Morris including Director of Processing Plants and Vice President of Marketing and Promotion Services. Gordon has bachelor degrees from Spelman College and the Georgia Institute of Technology, as well as a Master’s in Business Administration from Virginia Commonwealth University.
Lisa Schaffner Lisa Schaffner is the Public Relations & Marketing Director for UNOS, United Network for Organ Sharing, a national nonprofit based in Richmond which matches organs from deceased donors to those on the national waiting list. Lisa joined UNOS in October 2008 after a 25 year broadcast career. Lisa is the “face” of UNOS, whether talking to members of a rotary club, appearing on television to discuss our latest project or educating the public about UNOS and organ donation. Prior to working at UNOS, Lisa was the 4:30, 6:00 and 11:00 anchor for the Richmond ABC affiliate WRIC-TV8 where she worked for more than 2 decades. Over the years she’s been a board member and has served dozens of Richmond area non-profits including the Central Virginia Foodbank, Meals on Wheels, Easter Seals Virginia and Maymont. She currently serves on Venture Richmond, Greater Richmond Chamber of Commerce, Commonwealth Parenting and VEFC, (Volunteer Emergency Families for Children). Lisa is also a 2010 Class Member of Leadership Metro Richmond. Lisa received a Bachelor of Science in Communications from Ohio University. If you’d like to contact Lisa, you can reach her at 804-782-4630 or by email SchaffLi@unos.org
Patricia Jones Pat started her career with Kings Dominion in 1979 as a seasonal employee in the Games Operation Department. She worked her way up to seasonal trainee and management positions and joined the park’s full-time team as Games Department Manager in 1983. Pat excelled in that role through 1992. when she was appointed Merchandise Department Manager. Community Activities Website | Profile
Dr. Mirta M. Martin Dr. Mirta M. Martin serves as Dean of the Reginald F. Lewis School of Business and Professor of Management at Virginia State University. Dr. Martin holds a doctorate with an emphasis on strategic management and leadership from Virginia Commonwealth University. She has held a variety of academic positions including executive leadership. Dr. Martin was appointed by Governor Bob McDonnell to the Higher Education Commission and by Governor Kaine to serve on the Virginia Council on the Status of Women. She serves as Chair of the Hispanic Youth Symposium, and as Vice President of the Virginia Latino Higher Education Network (VALHEN). Born in Havana, Cuba, and an immigrant to the United States, Dr. Martin works diligently to promote leadership skills and opportunities through education.
Ann Marie Whittemore, Partner Anne Marie Whittemore was the first woman to become a partner at Richmond-based McGuire Woods, one of the country’s largest law firms. Ms. Whittemore has broad experience in complex commercial litigation at the trial and appellate levels. She has worked on litigation involving Enron, WorldCom, and Tyco. She serves as a director of Owens & Minor, Albemarle Corporation, and T. Rowe Price Group, Inc. The National Law Journal calls her one of the most influential women in law. Law & Politics has named her a “Super Lawyer” and she’s been named a “Leading Lawyer” by Chambers USA and Lawdragon. Born in South Hampton England, she graduated summa cum laude from Vassar College in Poughkeepsie, New York and received her law degree from Yale Law School.
Mary C. Doswell, Senior Vice President Virginia Business magazine has named Mary Doswell, one of the fifty most powerful women in Virginia business. After joining Virginia Electric and Power as an economist in 1982, she has risen in rank through the various operating units before assuming her current position a year ago. Her responsibilities include enhancing and expanding Dominion’s focus on smart grid technologies, energy efficiency, and alternative energy generation. Ms. Doswell received a BA in physics, cum laude, from Mount Holyoke in Massachusetts. She was awarded a Masters degree in materials engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Margaret G. Lewis, F.A.C.H.E., President Ms. Lewis began her career with HCA as a student nurse at Chippenham Medical Center, subsequently earning promotions to senior level positions such as Chief Nursing Officer of HCA ‘s Richmond/Tri-Cities market; Chief Operating Officer of the 748 bed CJW Medical Center and then Chief Executive Officer of the same institution. In her current position, she’s responsible for hospitals in Virginia, New Hampshire, Indiana, and Kentucky. Ms. Lewis earned an Associates degree from John Tyler Community College, a Bachelor’s degree in Nursing from the Medical College of Virginia and a Master’s degree in Business Administration from Averett College.
Mary Anne Graf, Vice President As the founder and owner of an international consulting firm, Mary Anne Graf led over 800 women’s projects for academic, private, and public health systems in 48 states and six countries. Now, as vice president of women’s services for the seven-hospital Bon Secours Virginia Health System, Graf is responsible for program development for the women who lead and heal Virginia’s families and businesses. She authored Women’s Health: Strategies for Superior Service Line Performance, published in December 2010. Graf’s bachelor’s degree in nursing is from Mercy College/University of Detroit, and her master’s degree is from the University of Utah.
Andrea Edmonds, President Andrea Edmonds has a remarkable story. She helped build a successful internet start-up, sold it for millions, bought it back, and is re-building it. She’s one of the founders of Posh Tots and Posh Living. The linked retail company, founded in 2000, sells high end baby furnishings. The partners sold the companies for $12 million in 2006 to Baby Universe. In 2007, Baby Universe merged with EToys, forming the Parent Company, which filed for bankruptcy last December. Edmonds bought back the web business, which includes poshliving.com and poshcravings.com, at an auction in February of 2009. She paid $735,000.00. The business is operated in eastern Henrico County and employs nineteen staff members.
Sharon Dabney Wooldridge, President Sharon worked her way through VCU by performing residential housecleaning with equipment stored in her sports car. From that start, she continues to build a substantial enterprise. The company regularly wins competitive contracts in both the public and private sectors. The Kleane Kare Team is a contractor for William and Mary, Fort Lee, Philip Morris, the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Defense Commissary Agency-Headquarters and many others. The company has won four national industry awards. It was the third “green’ certified janitorial company in Virginia. The focus on environmentally friendly products and techniques has been at the heart of her business from the start.
Genevieve Roberts, Founding Partner Genevieve Roberts and her partner, Lee Weisiger, spent more than 20 years working up the Human Resources ranks at major corporations. In 2001, the two founded Titan Group, LLC. The company has specialties in executive coaching, performance management, selection and recruiting, competency development, change management, and assessments. Having established a strong Virginia reputation and a second office in Roanoke, the company has established national credentials. The company earned a place on the Virginia Chamber of Commerce’s Virginia Fantastic 50 list. It recognizes the fastest growing companies in Virginia. Ms. Roberts graduated cum laude from Wellesley College. She earned her MBA at Georgetown University. She holds the designation of Professional Human Resources (PHR) from the Society of Human Resources Management.
Traci Lynn Whether she’s in her role as an in-demand motivational speaker, author, or as the owner and driving force behind the hugely successful direct-sales company Traci Lynn Fashion Jewelry, entrepreneur Traci Lynn has the same mission: “I call it ‘passing the MIC,’” she says. “MIC: motivate, inspire, change. My goal is to motivate people to step out of their comfort zone, inspire them to greatness, and to change their lives. It’s about letting people know that they can do anything they set their mind to if they see the bigger picture. We have the power to change our own financial future and our destiny.” Lynn’s unwavering commitment to offering her team the chance to own their own businesses, balance their lives, and achieve financial independence has earned her the nickname “The “Millionaire Motivator.” It has also enabled her to grow the Delaware-based Traci Lynn Fashion Jewelry from its modest beginnings (launched with $200) into a multi-million dollar enterprise that retains more than 3,000 independent sales consultants in 33 states.
Sarah Paxton Sarah Paxton is the Vice President of Sales and Marketing of the largest contemporary furniture store on the east coast. LaDIFFERENCE is an international furnisher that currently occupies a 90,000-square-foot location at 14th and Dock. She and her husband and partner, Andy Thornton, have recently announced a new location in the mixed use community of West Broad Village for their successful business.
Frankie Hughes, Founder and CEO Black Enterprise magazine named Frankie Hughes one of the 75 Most Powerful Women in America. She founded Hughes Capital Management, Inc in 1993 and soon established it as a leader in fixed income management. She developed the firm’s investment management philosophy and methodology and plays an active role in designing investment strategy for clients. Before founding the firm, she was Director of the Asset Management Division, Portfolio Manager and member of the Investment Policy Committee at WR Lazard & Co., where she managed $1.1 billion in fixed income assets for institutional clients. Previously, she managed $1.5 billion of employee benefit fixed income assets for Exxon Corp. She also has served as an officer with Citibank and sold fixed income securities at both Salomon Brothers and LF Rothschild. She graduated Phi Beta Kappa, summa cum laude from Howard University in Mathematics and Business Administration and received a Masters in Business Administration from Stanford University.
Josée Gallé Covington, President Mrs. Covington, a native of Luxembourg and a naturalized United States citizen, has traveled extensively and knows the travel industry inside out. She has made "growth" a Covington byword since the early days when the company had a little office in downtown Richmond staffed by two - during the era of handwritten tickets, when the only technology was the telephone.
Freda Thornton Freda Thornton’s career with McDonald’s began in 1980 as a crew person.
Marilyn H. West Marilyn H. West holds a Bachelors degree in Mathematics from Waynesburg University and a Masters degree from the University of Pittsburgh’s Graduate School of Public Health. She did post-graduate work in Biostatistics and is a graduate of many leadership programs. As owner of M.H. West and Company, she’s developed solutions that help clients build and maintain a qualified and satisfied workforce, strengthen internal and external customer relationships, reduce costs, and meet financial and other performance goals. Her clients include a broad cross section of industries, governments, non-profits, and trade associations.
Lillian Lincoln Lambert Lillian Lincoln Lambert gives new meaning to the aphorism, “Success is a journey, not a destination.” A captivating speaker, she speaks about the power of persistence, resilience, courage and morality in surmounting hurdles that prevent people from reaching their full potential. As the first African American woman to receive an MBA from Harvard Business School and having become a barrier-breaking entrepreneur in the mid 1970’s, she draws upon her experiences to show how to use obstacles and barriers as stepping stones to higher levels of achievement and success. Understanding the power of storytelling, she uses her personal story to inspire audiences to dream big, act bold and pave their own paths. As a coach, she works with businesses to help them go beyond their preconceived limitations and achieve their goals and aspirations. Her education gives her the theoretical knowledge and when combined with on the job experience she brings a unique expertise that shows companies how to be successful.
Eleanor K. H. Blayney, CFP Eleanor Blayney, CFP® is President of Directions LLC, dedicated to changing the personal finance conversation for women. Because financial planning needs to be different both in content and in delivery to address women’s unique requirements and attitudes around money, Directions seeks to bring women together in financial planning circles led by a Certified Financial Planner professional. These circles provide a safe space for women to share and support one another as they gain confidence about their financial decisions. Eleanor is the author of two books published in 2010. “Women’s Worth: Finding Your Financial Confidence” speaks to women in and on their own terms about the major financial issues they face in their lives. “The Home Budget Workbook” is a straightforward guide for creating and maintaining a practical budget. Eleanor also serves as the Consumer Advocate for the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, educating consumers and the media about the value of the financial planning process and the importance of working with a qualified competent professional. As a managing director of Sullivan, Bruyette, Speros & Blayney, Inc. from the firm’s inception in 1990 through 2007, Eleanor specialized in the areas of portfolio management, estate planning, helping clients to develop strategies appropriate to their goals and market conditions. She also was responsible for firm communications and marketing. Eleanor is a graduate of Mount Holyoke College and Cambridge University, UK, where she majored in English and French. She also holds an MBA from the University of Chicago where she specialized in finance and international business. A member of the Financial Planning Association, Eleanor has served as a member of the Ethics Committee. She also served on the Ethics and Standards committee for the Financial Planning Standards Board, the organization that licenses and supervises international CFP® certificants. She has been an adjunct faculty member for the College for Financial Planning and a member of the Alpha Group, a national network of independent wealth advisors. Eleanor has also served on advisory boards for the TIAA-CREF Institute and the CFP® Board of Practice Standards. In 2002, the National Capital Chapter of the Financial Planning Association named her “Planner of the Year”. Ms Blayney is currently a Trustee for the National Hospice Foundation and volunteers for the Capital Hospice in Falls Church, Virginia. She was formerly a board member for the Wolf Trap Associates, and the National Women’s headquartered in the Sewall Belmont House and Museum in Washington, DC.
Vanessa Easter With over 25 years experience in small business operations, marketing and administration management in both corporate and nonprofit environments, Vanessa Womack Easter is the author of ‘Paint the Sky Purple’, her first novel, about a young woman who moved from North Carolina to New York City to escape part of a culture that kept her trapped. Vanessa created and hosted the radio business talk show, ‘On Track with Vanessa Womack’ on WLEE News Talk 990 AM in Richmond, Virginia. Vanessa is skillful in career transition management, college/university coaching, non-profit, small business and leadership development. She is an instructor with the University of Phoenix – Richmond Campus in the School of Business and the Nonprofit Learning Point/VCU. Vanessa performs facilitation and training/development functions locally and nationally. She is a motivational speaker, well-versed in soft skills training. Vanessa earned a MBA from Averett University and completed facilitation training through Initiatives of Change/Hope in the Cities’ Connecting Communities Trustbuilding Program. In addition, she was a co-host on the Charlottesville Public Access Channel show Working It Out with Nat Roman and is a member of the leadership program, Leadership Metro Richmond. Finally, she was a contributing writer for the ‘In My Shoes’ column in the Richmond Times Dispatch. Website | Twitter
Stacy Hawkins Adams Stacy Hawkins Adams is an award-winning author, speaker and freelance writer. Her six nationally-published women’s fiction novels weave faith, social issues and personal growth themes into creative plots. Her nonfiction book gives women practical tips, scriptural guidance and inspiration on how to connect more deeply with God. Stacy’s fourth novel, The Someday List, maintained a steady presence on the Essence bestseller’s list throughout 2009, and soared to #7 on the Kindle bestseller list earlier this year. The Someday List was nominated for a Library of Virginia fiction award. Her latest novel, Dreams That Won’t Let Go, was published in January 2010 and continues to receive critical acclaim. Stacy’s first nonfiction book, Who Speaks to Your Heart?, was released in May 2010 and serves as a devotional guide for busy women from all walks of life. Before becoming a full-time author and freelance writer, Stacy served as a newspaper reporter and columnist for fourteen years, primarily at the Richmond Times-Dispatch. She currently writes a freelance parenting column for the Times-Dispatch and a faith-based column for an online teen girls’ magazine, www.SusieMag.com. Other freelance clients have included Gospel Today and Heart & Soul magazines, AARP’s Bulletin and Crosswalk.com. Stacy is a member of the Advanced Writers and Speakers Association, and served as the founding president of the Richmond Chapter of the American Christian Fiction Writers. In mid-2010, she launched a group coaching service called Author In You (www.AuthorInYou.com), through which she provides personalized motivation and advice to fiction and nonfiction writers seeking to complete a manuscript. Stacy is currently writing her eighth book, which is slated for release in early 2012. When she is not writing, speaking or coaching, Stacy devotes considerable time to promoting child advocacy as a marketing consultant and volunteer. She recently was named one of Richmond’s 2010 “Top 40 Under 40” by Style Weekly magazine and will receive the YWCA of Richmond’s 2011 Outstanding Woman Award in the Communications category. Stacy lives in a suburb of Richmond, Va. with her husband and two children. For more information on Stacy or her work, visit her at www.StacyHawkinsAdams.com.
Dawn McCoy Dawn McCoy is a nationally-recognized speaker, leadership consultant, and author of Leadership Building Blocks: An Insider's Guide to Success. She served as one of the youngest elected members of the Sacramento City Unified School Board which is among the nation’s top fifty largest school districts. She is founder and president of Flourish Leadership Group, a leadership development firm dedicated to transforming ordinary people into extraordinary leaders. Dawn has also been a featured speaker at conferences nationwide and has written numerous professional development articles. McCoy was a 17-year nonprofit executive and holds a bachelor’s degree from Howard University and master’s degree from Georgetown University. In her spare time, Dawn is a classical pianist, dancer, and avid outdoors enthusiast. She lives in a suburb of Richmond, Virginia with her family.
Rita Ricks Rita C. Ricks is a life coach, workshop facilitator, keynote speaker and award winning entrepreneur. She is recognized by her peers and clients alike as a person with high energy, quick wit and caring wisdom. She is the proud author of “PERMISSION GRANTED! A JOURNAL OF SPIRITUAL EPIPHANIES”. Rita’s personal mission statement is “to coach people to life in order that they will be enlightened and encouraged to claim their place in the world.”
Alice Freeman |
| (877) RISE 2011 |
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