08:30am: Check in and Breakfast
09:00am: Welcome Address
09:30am: Calvin Mitchell
Department of Education
09:40am: Kim Andrews
Prince Georges County, EDC
09:50am: Arnold Jolivet
University of Maryland Baltimore
10:00am: Morning Sessions
11:30am: Break/Lunch
12:00pm: Keynote Address
01:00pm: Afternoon Sessions
02:30pm: Panel Discussion
03:30pm: Networking
Panel Discussion Topic
Panel Title: Expanding Your Influence And Reach In The AI Age
Panelist:
Alex Porfirenko, Delivery & Growth Lead
Procurement & Acquisition Center of Excellence (PACE) LLC
Morning Session
Leading Self
Speaker: Melody Gratic, CEO Xcel Mil
Topic: Living Intentionally and Audaciously, I Am Taking Up Space
Session Description: Today’s professionals aren’t waiting for the approval of others, nor are we allowing “what we do” day-to-day to define us. It’s interesting how when we are at an event, step on the elevator, run errands, or at the coffee shop, the first thing many people ask us “What do you do?” Wow, that’s pretty loaded because what we may or may not do professionally doesn’t define us. Is this the best question to ask someone? Will my answer and how I answer form your opinion of me? Could this question be considered provocative, intimidating, and unnerving? Isn’t there a different way to start a cordial conversation with someone? I believe there is, so that we will dive deeper into this subject. Participants seeking clarity to mitigate confusion or perplexity will learn practical tools to support them in Living Intentionally and Audaciously. Moreover, they will engage in deep introspection, utilize tools to assess their current state and have an opportunity to craft a statement on how they will occupy and take up their space, albeit with self, team, and in the workspace. The key here is for the statement to align with their core values.
Session Take Aways:
Leading People
Speaker: Lakisha Greenwade
Topic: How to launch a Tech start up as Minority
Session Description: Underrepresented founders experience unique challenges in their bid to enter new markets and market their innovations. Lakisha will share her story of how she was able to successfully secure partnerships to launch and her ambitious goal to help fund 100 minority founders in the wearable technology space.
Session Take Aways:
Leading in an Organization
Speaker: Sheila Edmondson, Vice-President, Relationship Manager at M&T Bank
Topic: Getting Capital to Expand your Business
Session Description: As a small business looking to take up space and scale, you need financial resources to do so. This session will give you insights on how to secure financing for business expansion.
Session Take Aways:
Afternoon Sessions
Leading Self
Speaker: Dr. LaTonya Small, CEO LT Empowerment Inc
Topic: The Yellow Brick Road
Session Description: The YELLOW BRICK ROAD is about excelling in your career and achieving purpose – professionally and personally. This workshop will examine and address common and unconscious pitfalls (i.e., perspective, presence and poor planning to name a few) that prevent one’s potential in the work environment and offer effective tools, techniques and strategies like positioning, pivoting and partnership that render performance excellence. Whether you are just entering your career, at the mid-level or mastering it as an Executive, this workshop is for YOU! We all need a boost along our career journey – a path to follow and a system to implement. Through engaging discussion, you will walk away with tangible action steps that will keep you relevant, reliable, resourceful and rejuvenated in your career when you Follow the YELLOW BRICK ROAD.
Session Take Aways:
Leading People
Speaker: Dr. Muteba Mukendi, Leadership Expert, CEO Be Well Resource Group LLC
Topic: Global Thinking
Session Description: Today’s leaders require new approaches to managing societies and organizations. Global Thinking is critical to solving today’s problems by cultivating social characteristics and behaviors that effectively influence others to embody the qualities of inclusive leadership.
Session Take Aways:
Leading in an Organization
Speaker: Hollie Bodiford-Taylor, Senior Information Technology Advisor and Acquisition Officer at FDA and Chief Officer for DEIA
Topic: Using Mentorship for Leadership Succession in your Organization
Session Description: Connections and Changing Your Trajectory: All it takes is one new connection to change the trajectory of your career and entire life. The importance of mentor / mentee relationships in establishing necessary relationships.
Session Take Aways: