Monday, February 25, 2019

A speed coaching and networking event powered by bizwomen.

Mentors

1 | Patrice Andrews | Chief of Police, Morrisville Police DepartmentPrior to being appointed as the Chief of Police in Morrisville, Andrews was the Commander of the Criminal Investigations Division with the Durham Police Department. During her 21-year law enforcement career, Andrews has held positions in Uniform Patrol, Criminal Investigation Division, Special Operations Division, Warrant Squad, Office of the Chief of Police, and the High Enforcement Abatement Team. Andrews graduated cum laude with a BS in Criminal Justice from North Carolina Central University. In addition, she is a graduate of the 263rd session of the FBI National Academy in Quantico, Virginia as well as a graduate of the West Point Leadership Academy.

2 | Rachael Boone | Founder, BeEvolvedHRRachael Boone, Human Resources Expert, is the founder of BeEvolvedHR. Rachael is a member of the John Maxwell Team certified coach, speaker, and trainers of consultants. Rachael’s vision for her company was created out of her desire to inspire, empower, and educate individuals who serve as the leaders of today and tomorrow. Her focus as a speaker, trainer & educator is leaders, entrepreneurs, and individuals currently on the path of their own career & personal development. Rachel personally believes in and lives by the motto of “everybody matters” regardless of where anyone is today in relation to their race, socio-economic status, gender, religious beliefs or previous life exposures & experiences. For more than twenty years Rachael has been a valued resource to both private and non-profit organizations, where she has served as a member of the leadership team or consultant for these organizations in the areas of human resources management, corporate compliance, and quality management outcomes for staff and company growth & development.

3 | Jane Brasier | Vice President-Business Development, Clark NexsenClark Nexsen is a nationally ranked architecture, interiors and engineering company with more than 400 employees and 10 offices. Jane leads the business development efforts for the Triangle area as well as DC market. Her experience includes creating and establishing business development programs for some of the area’s leading professional services consulting firms in the a/e/c (architecture, engineering and construction) industry. She serves as membership chair for the Triangle chapter of ULI - Urban Land Institute, is a former president of the Triangle chapter of SMPS - Society for Marketing Professional Services and has served on the board of TCREW - Commercial Real Estate Women. Jane is a graduate of Duke University and earned a master’s in public administration from UNC-Chapel Hill. She is a resident of Durham.

4 | Ann Camden | Principal & Managing Director, G&S Business CommunicationsAnn Camden is a Managing Director/Principal at G&S Business Communications, an agency with more than 180 employees in New York, Chicago and Raleigh. She is responsible for helping create and execute strategic communication plans for companies primarily in the business-to-business space in all facets of communications. She has worked with AeroVironment, LORD, Martin Marietta, Syngenta and others to help launch and market products, establish and build corporate reputations, engage global workforces, recruit talent and numerous other global initiatives. Within G&S, Ann is heavily involved in Learning and Development by helping build and maintain agency training programs at the local and global level. Ann has been at G&S for nearly 25 years. Ann is a long-term member of the Board of Advisors for the School of Communications at Elon University. She was recently recognized by the College of Agriculture at her alma mater, Purdue University, as a Distinguished Alumni. Ann is a vocal advocate for the non-profit, Living Beyond Breast Cancer, and frequently publishes articles about the challenges of living with a terminal disease. She and her husband Jeff are raising teenage daughters.

5 | Jenna Carpenter | Dean & Professor, School of Engineering Campbell UniversityDr. Jenna Carpenter is Founding Dean and Professor of Engineering at Campbell University. She has a TEDx talk (“Engineering: Where are the girls and why aren’t they here?”) and has been featured in Chronicle of Higher Education, US News and World Report, DreamBox Learning, American Way Magazine, SWE Magazine, ASEE Prism Magazine, and MAA Focus Magazine. She attended the White House Science Fair and White House Champions for Change. She has over $4.3 million in federal funding and authored over 130 publications and presentations. Carpenter was Steering Committee Chair for the National Academy of Engineering Grand Challenge Scholars Program for seven years. She chairs the ASEE Long Range Planning Committee and is a Co-Chair Elect for the ASEE Undergraduate Experience Committee. Carpenter is co-PI for an NSF grant on Professional Development Emphasizing Data-Centered Resources and Pedagogies for Instructors of Undergraduate Introductory Statistics.

6 | Laurie Clowers | Vice President of Communications and Marketing, Wake Tech Community College Laurie Clowers is Vice President of Communications and Marketing at Wake Technical Community College in Raleigh. At Wake Tech, she oversees all internal and external communications, including marketing, public relations and digital communications. She was named Wake Tech Staff Person of the Year in 2009. Prior to joining Wake Tech in 2007, she was an award-winning broadcast journalist, most recently working as an anchor/reporter at WRAL-TV. Originally from Connecticut, Laurie received a B.A. in Mass Communications from the University of Massachusetts and an academic minor in Spanish while studying at the University of St. Louis in Madrid. Laurie is an alumnus of the Leadership North Carolina program and serves on the Communications Advisory Board for the Greater Raleigh Chamber of Commerce. She is a parent volunteer at Holly Springs High School and volunteers at St. Bernadette Catholic Church in Fuquay-Varina. She enjoys gardening, golf, and playing with her dachshund mix Rocky, who was adopted from the SPCA of Wake County.

7 | Angela Connor | Founder and CEO, Change Agent Communications Angela Connor is the Founder and CEO of Change Agent Communications, a strategic marketing communications firm focused on navigating clients through change, pushing when they need to be pushed and introducing new and contrarian ways of thinking. Angela is a veteran journalist and seasoned agency executive, who was EVP, Media and Audience Engagement at Capstrat, and Ketchum for eight years, where she lead the paid media, social media, digital and analytics teams. Angela is the author of the book, “18 Rules of Community Engagement: A Guide for Building Relationships and Connecting with Customers Online and was a Triangle Business Journal 40 under 40 leadership Award Winner in 2012. She is on the National Advisory Board of Elon University’s School of Communication and serves on the Greater Raleigh Chamber of Commerce Communications Board as well. Angela takes great pride in nurturing the minds of the leaders of tomorrow and has two daughters, ages 18 and 13 whom she says she is raising to be “phenomenal women.”

8 | Heather Cozart | Partner, DHG LLP Heather is the Office Managing Partner in DHG’s Raleigh, NC office. She has twenty years of combined experience in public accounting and in the financial services industry. She serves clients which include both private and publicly traded entities, including financial institutions, broker-dealers, professional services firms, and technology companies. She is experienced in the completion of quarterly and annual SEC filings, mergers and acquisitions, stock registration statements, Sarbanes-Oxley compliance, internal control documentation, SSAE 18 reporting, agreed-upon procedures, internal audit engagements and other special engagements. She also spends a lot of her time working with various assurance engagement teams throughout the Firm’s Atlantic region, and also is a member of DHG’s Executive Committee.

Mentors

9 | Jackie Craig | Executive Director, The Green Chair Project Jackie Craig is Executive Director of The Green Chair Project. She moved to Raleigh in 1989 with her husband, continued working as an account executive, then started a family. She left the labor force to raise her daughters and became an active school, church and community volunteer. Through volunteerism, Jackie learned about the fragility of the safety net for citizens in need. She knew there were programs for food, education, clothing, transportation and housing assistance; but there was no community resource for providing essential home furnishings. Concurrently, she heard friends discussing problems of decluttering homes or dealing with aging or deceased parents’ furniture. The idea of being a community conduit for those who had furnishings to give and those who were in need was born. Raleigh realtor Beth Smoot shared Jackie’s interest and together they started The Green Chair Project in 2010. Since then, The Green Chair has helped 2,000+ families equip their homes for sustainable living. Through 60+ client agencies, those in need come to The Green Chair after leaving prison, abusive spouses, homelessness, addiction or crisis.

10 | Cecily Durrett | Director, Relocation & Business Development, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Carolinas Realty Cecily’s career began as a radio and television reporter, after which she led communications teams through mergers, trials and re-branding challenges for institutions including Carolinas Healthcare System (now Atrium Health), Duke Energy and Triangle Business Journal. She joined the Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Carolinas Realty family of companies in 2013, and now serves as Director of Client Relations and Relocation across North Carolina. Her team partners with economic development organizations, chambers and relocation management companies to move firms and families to the state. The Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Carolinas Realty family of companies is a full service residential real estate market leader in the Triad, the Triangle, Charlotte, Pinehurst and Southern Pines areas. Affiliated services include mortgage services through Prosperity Home Mortgage, title insurance through Attorneys Title, and home warranty through HomeServices Warranty.

11 | Sally Edwards | CEO, Marbles Kids Museum Sally Edwards is CEO of Marbles Kids Museum and IMAX Theatre, where she leads a creative, playful team of staff and volunteers with a mission to spark imagination, discovery and learning through play. Charged with merging two downtown Raleigh museums in 2007, Sally steered the successful launch of Marbles Kids Museum. Today, Marbles ranks among the top attractions in NC and is nationally recognized for its bold approach to play-based learning. Under her leadership, Marbles has earned a reputation for outstanding stewardship and built a strong list of corporate, government and community partners. With continued growth on the horizon, Marbles plans to expand in 2020. Before being tapped to create Marbles, Sally consulted in brand strategy and organizational development. Marbles marked her return to the non-profit field, where she began her career working for a worldwide outdoor leadership program. Honored to be recognized on behalf of the amazing team at Marbles as a Tarheel of the Week and a TBJ CEO of the Year, Sally is an NC native and lives near downtown Raleigh with her husband Jim and a houseful of bicycles.

12 | Indira Everett | District Manager, Duke Energy Indira Everett works for Duke Energy as its District Manager in the Government and Community Relations department serving Chatham, Durham, Lee and Orange counties. She manages governmental and key contact relationships with regulatory officials, local elected officials, chambers, and community and civic leaders. Additionally, she implements community and customer strategies that achieve enhanced customer satisfaction and strengthens regulatory relationships while also managing philanthropic grants and sponsorships for her district. Indira is very engaged in the community. Currently she serves as Chair of the Durham Chamber of Commerce board and is a board member of the Chatham Chamber of Commerce, Durham’s Downtown Development Inc., TreesDurham, RTRP and Durham Public Schools Foundation. Her civic engagement also includes serving on the Central Carolina Community College’s Advisory Committee, Durham Rotary Club Innovation Fellows Advisory Committee, and Wake Chapel Church boards.

Mentors

13 | Kacie Fore | Community Relations Manager, Duke Energy Kacie Fore is a Community Relations Manager at Duke Energy, one of the largest energy holding companies in the United States. Its Electric Utilities serve approximately 7.5 million customers located in six states in the Southeast and Midwest. The company’s Gas Utilities distribute natural gas to approximately 1.6 million customers in the Carolinas, Ohio, Kentucky, and Tennessee. In her role, Kacie has the responsibility of assisting Duke Energy district managers with managing area business and community relationships within 45 counties in eastern North Carolina. Kacie has over ten years of experience in the utility industry and has served in different roles within the company. She serves on the board of SAFEchild and is the immediate past Chair of the Raleigh Chamber Young Professionals Network. 14 | Sheila Forte-Trammell | President/Consultant, Total HR services, LLCSheila is a retired IBMer, who has held several global Leadership positions. During her tenure, she designed and led HR Programs that improved employee productivity, engagement, retention, engagement and knowledge transfer. Based on the body of her work, IBM received ASTD and Brandon Hall Excellence in practice awards for the scope and impact. IBM also, received the Optimas award for the Mentoring programs which she designed for IBM lawyers. Sheila is the co-author for Intelligent Mentoring which was rated in the top 10 by SHRM January 2010 and Agile Career Development which has been translated in several languages. Sheila partnered with Cornell University to conduct a longitudinal study on leadership development and the results were published in the Applied Journal of Psychology. Sheila has been cited or featured in a variety of HR and National Publications.

15 | Pamela Gales | Hub Program Manager, Wake County Public School SystemPamela Gales has been in local and State government for 20 years. First with Durham County, and now with Wake County Public School System. Pamela is President of the North Carolina MWBE Coordinators’ Network (NCCN), a member of The American Contract Compliance Association (ACCA), the Carolinas/Virginia Minority Supplier Development Council (CVMSDC), Carolina Association of Government Purchasing (CAGP), and the National Notary Association. Since coming to WCPSS as the Historically Underutilized Business Program Manager, Pamela has worked to increase minority participation in its construction program, and purchases of goods, supplies, and services. Under her leadership WCPSS has achieved minority and women business participation rate of 25% for informal projects, and almost 30% for formal projects for the $1.5 billion of projects completed to date.

16 | Kelly Gelinne | Senior Manager, Marketing, Nuventra Pharma SciencesKelly Gelinne oversees the development and implementation of strategic marketing initiatives in support of growth at Nuventra Pharma Sciences, a clinical pharmacology consulting firm. She has more than 8 years of experience in marketing for consulting companies. She currently serves as President of the American Marketing Association’s Triangle chapter, which has approximately 700 members in the Raleigh-Durham area. Kelly has held leadership roles in the Society for Marketing Professional Services (SMPS) and Raleigh Young Professionals Network (YPN). In addition, she has served as a guest speaker for various local professional organizations about social media strategy and creating a personal brand online.

17 | Tamara Gibbs | Marketing Communications Manager, ChannelAdvisorThe former broadcast journalist is a familiar face in the Triangle, serving as an investigative reporter at ABC11 Eyewitness News for nearly a decade. She is an adjunct professor who enjoys teaching public relations at Meredith College and media ethics at North Carolina Central University. Tamara’s love for storytelling inspired her to co-produce an upcoming documentary. Tamara has opened her heart and her home, serving as a licensed foster parent. She is also the founder and creator of Single Serving for Single Women, a Christian digital ministry targeting single women. In her self-published book “Single Serving for Single Women: A Fifty Day Devotional,” Tamara Gibbs is on a personal mission to change the conversation about single women. Her message is simple: if you are single, you are enough. She wants to remind single women they are beautiful, brilliant and blessed.

Mentors

18 | Stephanie Glance | CEO, Kay Yow Cancer Fund Glance’s leadership has been the catalyst that sparked a 35% increase in net assets, signifying the largest growth cycle in the Kay Yow Cancer Fund’s 10-year history. Prior to her time at the Kay Yow Cancer Fund, Glance spent 28 years coaching Division I women’s college basketball. Her longest stint, 15-years, was served alongside Kay Yow as Associate Head Coach and Recruiting Coordinator for NC State women’s basketball. During that time, Glance signed thirteen top 20 recruiting classes to NC State, including 2 classes that were ranked in the top 5 nationally. NC State made 11 NCAA tournament appearances, 4 Sweet Sixteen trips, and one Final Four run during Glance’s tenure in Raleigh. In 2010, Glance earned national recognition as the Maggie Dixon Division I Rookie Coach of the Year as head coach at Illinois State University. Glance was also named Missouri Valley Conference Coach of the Year and officially recognized for her accomplishments by the United States Congress in session March 21, 2012.

19 | Patricia Harris | Director of Recruitment, UNC Chapel Hill, School of EducationHigher education admissions and recruitment leader focused on attracting and engaging underrepresented student communities. Promoting access, equity and educational opportunities through minority serving institutions engagement, grassroots outreach, and advocacy. I provide oversight for student recruitment initiatives and establishes collaborative strategies and programs designed to expand the pipeline of diverse candidates. As the Director of Recruitment and Diversity Liaison, I advise the School’s leadership on, fiscal, programmatic and admission policy decisions regarding the University’s diversity and inclusivity goals; on development, implementation and annual assessment of the School’s annual student recruitment plan; and engagement of diversity issues in the community.

20 | Jill Heath | President, CALYX Engineers + Consultants, An NV5 CompanyAs president, Jill sets the strategic direction for the firm, executes the company’s vision, and fosters a company culture that cultivates and expands business relationships and alliances. Jill joined CALYX in 1993 as a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) consultant and quickly rose through the ranks; named CFO in 2003, president in 2006, and CEO in 2008. Throughout her successful tenure with CALYX, Jill has held a number of leadership positions with the Triangle area’s professional and community organizations. She serves on the boards of the Wake Technical Community College Foundation, Triangle YMCA, and the Greater Raleigh Chamber of Commerce, of which she is the former Chair. Jill is currently the President of the Board of Directors for the prestigious organization, The 50 Group. CALYX Engineers and Consultants has 225 employees and offices in North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia.

21 | Alyssa Hellman | Founder, Compass South Consulting Alyssa is one of those people that just can’t help it - she loves what she does, and she’s so outrageously good at it, she never stops. She got here the hard way - by doing the work of Real Estate - and now she shares her knowledge, experience, and business strategies with audiences all over the place! After building a successful sales career earning herself accolades such as Realtor Magazine’s 30 Under 30, Inman News’ Top 101 Most Influential People in Real Estate, and the Swanepoel Power200 Top 20 Social Influencers in Residential Real Estate (twice) all before she was thirty years old; she found her true passion when she began helping others succeed, ultimately opening the doors to Compass South Consulting.

22 | Jennifer Hickerson | Market President, Alfred Williams & Company Jennifer Hickerson is the Market President for Alfred Williams & Company’s Triangle and Triad markets. Jen has extensive experience working with Fortune 500 companies and has been in the commercial interiors business for ten years. She has served on the Executive Leadership Committee for the March of Dimes, serves on the Board of Directors for Note In the Pocket, the planning committee for WeCare with the Boys and Girls Club and is active in several committees within the Greater Raleigh Chamber of Commerce. Jennifer is also a past candidate of the LLS Man & Woman of the Year campaign and currently serves on the leadership team.

Mentors

Mentors

23 | Rhonda Hicks | Global Support Account Manager, NetApp Rhonda Smith Hicks is a wife, mother of two, IT professional, and entrepreneur. She is originally from New Jersey, however, has called North Carolina home for the past 25 years. Rhonda holds a degree in Business Administration Management from Meredith College and, is currently seeking certification in Positive Psychology at The University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill. Her corporate career has been in the fields of telecommunications and IT, primarily focusing on project, account, and personnel management. In November, 2009, Rhonda launched her first entrepreneurial venture – Amazing Grace Event Management. Over the past several years, she has managed events spanning from milestone celebrations and weddings to small business and large corporate tradeshows on both a national and international scale. Her latest venture, Project She™, is her personal passion.

24 | Becky Jacobs | Chief Engagement Officer, Simple Change Becky Jacobs is the founder and Chief Engagement Officer at Simple Change, an organization dedicated to transforming the performance and engagement of teams by leveraging wellbeing as a leadership strategy. Before pursuing her life’s passion by launching her own business, Becky spent more than twenty years in leadership at various multinational companies, including Bank of America, Red Hat and Rise Against Hunger. Graduating from Old Dominion University with a degree in Business Management, Becky later went on to complete her MBA at UNC Chapel Hill. As a volunteer, she serves on the Advisory Board of Alexander YMCA, and with the Youth Faith Formation ministry at her church. She lives in Raleigh with her husband, two teenage sons and their dog Molly.

25 | Lisa M.K. Jones | CEO, Girl Scouts - North Carolina Coastal PinesSince taking office, Lisa has led a strategic planning process that continues to shape council priorities locally and nationally. Under her leadership, Girl Scouts – North Carolina Coastal Pines has experienced exciting growth in membership and an 80 percent increase in contributed income. Additionally, Lisa’s commitment to girl leadership has resulted in several program expansion efforts including two mobile program vehicles, the Cloverfield Tree House Units, the opening of an additional office in Wilmington, and a reimagined community troop experience. She is the recipient of four regional business awards: 40 Under 40, Movers and Shakers, Women Extraordinaire, and Triangle Business Journal 2018 Women in Business.

26 | Deana Labriola | Attorney, Ward and Smith, P.A. Deana’s practice encompasses a broad range of business matters, from drafting and negotiating corporate agreements and documents to managing all aspects of mergers, acquisitions, and debt and equity financing transactions for a variety of companies. She represents privately held companies, and assists them in all aspects of their business, from corporate governance and transactions to business structuring, development, and expansion opportunities. This includes serving as outside general counsel to a number of closely held companies inside and outside of North Carolina. Deana serves as the Raleigh office’s Geographic Team Leader, and leads the firm’s Technology Practice Group by representing a number of local technology and biotechnology companies in their corporate needs.

27 | Hon. Elaine Marshall | Secretary of State, NC Department of the Secretary of State In 1996, Secretary of State Elaine F. Marshall became the first woman elected to statewide, executive branch office in North Carolina. She previously served in the NC Senate. Secretary Marshall has pioneered e-commerce in government, protected investors and intellectual property owners, and promoted financial capital formation in North Carolina. She has received numerous honors including Leadership North Carolina’s 2016 Governor’s Award for public service, Meredith College’s 2017 Woman of Achievement Award, and the Charlotte Business Journal’s 2017 International Trade Lifetime Achievement Award. Secretary Marshall has been honored with four honorary doctorates, Triangle Business Journal’s Lifetime Achievement Award for Women in Business, and was a 2018 Inductee for the North Carolina Women Business Owners Hall of Fame. She has also received Lifetime Achievement Awards from North Carolina 4-H and the National 4-H Hall of Fame.

Mentors

28 | Jennifer Martin | Executive Director, Shop Local Raleigh Jennifer Martin serves as the Executive Director of Shop Local Raleigh,a division of the Greater Raleigh Merchants Association, a non-profit organization dedicated to connecting business and community together. The organization has over 775 members, owns and manages the Raleigh Christmas Parade and Brewgaloo, the state’s largest craft beer festival featuring over 100 North Carolina brewers with an annual attendance of over 30,000 people. Before moving to Raleigh, Jennifer attended the University of South Florida, earning her degree in Communications. She’s worked with the Greater St. Louis Area Council Boy Scouts of America, served as the Executive Director for the Central Florida chapter of Susan G Komen for the Cure and has served in her current role for nine years.

29 | Me’chelle McKenney | Owner, 3rd Degree Solutions Me’chelle is CEO of 3rd Degree Solutions, a training and consulting company. Me’chelle is An Amazon number 1 Best Selling Author and a John Maxwell certified Coach, Speaker and Trainer; she has mastered the art of strategic leadership and developed a unique series of “Blueprint Leadership” Workshops for College Students, Women in Transition, Entrepreneurs and Religious Institutions. Me’chelle has also partnered with North Carolina State’s Technology and Training Solutions as a Professional Development Instructor. Me’chelle provides tips, tools and techniques to deliver a “Blueprint of Clarity and Connection to the Future”. People leave prepared and armed with knowledge that will springboard them into their vision and goals with confidence!

30 | Teressa Merck | Managing Director, 1A Interior Architects As an architect and interior designer, my ‘designsense’ comes from years of training and experience in interior design before moving into the field of architecture. My background in interior design has molded my design process, which tends to move from the inside of a space outward. I have a passion for ‘placemaking’. The details, large or small, are what make a space and define the sense of a place. As Managing Director, I have extensive experience leading clients and project teams through the design process to develop a place that encompasses the client’s culture that represents their unique style, values, and principles.

31 | Darelyn Mitsch | CEO, The Pyramid Resource Group, Inc. A thought leader in the business coaching field, Dj is a founding member of the International Coach Federation and one of the first 25 coaches in the world to earn a Master Coach designation. She was the 6th President of ICF Global where she helped shape chapter development throughout the world. Also CEO of Pyramid Resource Group, Inc a 25 year-old award winning coaching company, DJ is founder of Pyramid’s Leadership and Healthcare Coaching Institute. With the energy of two people, DJ is dedicated to unleash leaders to create vibrant and conscious companies. Her core belief is that coaching has the power to change the global conversation, one leader, one team, and one company at a time. DJ created the Team Advantage, the original team coaching program in 1995 and has trained hundreds of coaches throughout the world, with a goal of certifying 1000 team coaches within the next five years. Mitsch’s corporate clients refer to her as a magician — someone who can accelerate leadership and team development while “blending the human spirit into business practices to make it all ‘just normal enough!’ ”

32 | Amber Moshakos | President, LM Restaurants After earning a BS in Biological Sciences and a minor in business from NC State Amber worked alongside her parents at the family-owned hospitality company, LM Restaurants. Her role was to assist in the expansion of the Carolina Ale House brand. Amber then received her Master of Management in Hospitality from Cornell University in New York, while remaining active in company. Amber is now the President of the 40-year-old company. She currently serves as the Chair of the NC Restaurant & Lodging Association’s Government Affairs Committee. In 2018, Amber was recognized by the Triangle Business Journal with the Women in Business Award in Family Business and the 40 Under 40 Award.

Mentors

33 | Gretta Nance | Brand Director, Davis & Pyle Plastic Surgery Gretta Nance is determined to change your current view of plastic surgery, one story or joke at a time. With a passion for authentic and engaging social media and marketing, she has helped transform Davis & Pyle Plastic Surgery over the past 15 years from a 4 person practice to (currently) almost 40. As the Director of Brand Development, she leads the practice’s integrated brand marketing strategy to advance the awareness not only of Davis & Pyle - but great plastic surgery - while supporting its mission to educate, empower, entertain and empathize.

34 | Kristie Nystedt | President/CEO, Raleigh Brewing Company In 2013, Kristie Nystedt opened the doors to Raleigh Brewing Company becoming the first female in North Carolina to own a craft brewery. She is the president and CEO of Raleigh Brewing Company as well as Atlantic Brew Supply and Atlantic Brew Supply - Commercial. With these 3 companies, Kristie has created a veritable beertopia in Raleigh for home brewers and professional brewers alike. ABS Commercial is an international provider of brewing equipment while the ABS homebrew shop is the largest homebrew shop on the southeast. Her passion for craft beer and her commitment to her community extends beyond the brewery walls with partnerships like Team on Draft, a cycling team that raises funds in support of those affected by MS. Kristie also serves on the Board of Directors for Raleigh Little Theater and the Hillsborough Street Community Service Group to lends her voice to advocate growth in Raleigh as well as the development of the craft brewing industry in North Carolina.

35 | Sheila Ogle | Member/Manager, Cary Innovation Center, LLCShe founded MRPP a full service media advertising agency in 1987 and sold it in 2012. During that time she renovated a historic mansion in Cary Downtown, which is known as The Matthews House Events Facility and Conference Center, Basil and Thyme On and Offsite Catering and Patisserie Take Away Bakery, which she sold in 2017. In 2012 she was instrumental in starting the Cary Innovation Center, a business incubator focusing on main street businesses which is located in Cary Downtown. Active in the community Sheila serves on several nonprofit boards and commissions, and is a founding board member for the Cary Community Foundation and The Cary Women’s Giving Network. She was honored with the Cary Hometown Spirt Award in December 2016. In 2017 she was the recipient of Cary Magazine’s inaugural Lifetime Achievement Award, the Citizen of the Year Boy Scouts of America Occoneechee Council and inducted into The North Carolina National Association of Women Business Owner’s Hall of Fame.

36 | Cheryl Parquet | Director of Community and Diversity Engagement, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina Cheryl Parquet is a result driven strategic thinker who excels at bringing diverse groups to help increase engagement within the company and brand awareness throughout the community. She serves as a liaison with professional and community agencies as well as other internal departments to help identify investment opportunities for Blue Cross NC to help improve the health and wellness of North Carolinians. Cheryl currently serves on the board for East Durham Children’s Initiative (EDCI) and Habitat for Humanity of Durham. In 2011, she received her Certificate in Nonprofit Management from Duke University. In her spare time, she enjoys volunteering with varies non-profits in the community, spending time with her family and watching movies.

37 | Kate Payne | Vice President of Communications, NC Chamber Kate leads a communications team that is responsible for amplifying the voices of North Carolina businesses. In addition to elevating the profiles of individual businesses and their leaders, she works to keep NC Chamber members connected to issues and events that impact their business, and make the public and elected officials aware of the business community’s priorities. With more than a decade of communications experience, Kate spent six years at one of North Carolina’s largest independent communications firms prior to joining the Chamber team in 2012. Kate worked through every capacity of the agency, ultimately being named a director of account management. In that role Kate oversaw client relations, work delivery, professional development and staff recruitment. She resides in Raleigh with her husband, Luke.

Mentors

38 | Carrie Peele | President, Mako Documents Carrie Peele is President of Mako Documents. A document management company that stores, scans, shreds and freeze dry wet document. We are the company with all the sharks on our cars. In 1990, with no capital other than three credit cards, Carrie Peele bought her first limousine on credit for $15,000. That was the start of Blue Diamond Worldwide Transportation. A Raleigh-based, worldwide transportation company that she built into a multimillion-dollar business. She sold that business in 2014 To help other women find success in business, she founded the Triangle Power Lunch, which draws approximately 225 attendees to its networking luncheon meetings. She is the Chair for Raleigh-Durham Woman’s Advantage® Forum for over 3 years. A forum of woman owned businesses that has a structured format to build their own Million $$ company. Carrie is married to David Franks of The Band of Oz, two daughters, and 4 grandchildren.

39 | Katherine Peele | Exeuctive Vice President, LS3P Architects Katherine Peele is an architect and partner at LS3P, one of the largest architectural firms in the Southeast, with 8 offices and over 300 employees. As Executive Vice President of Practice for LS3P, Katherine leads the firm’s marketing, business development, and professional services. She was named a Fellow of the American Institute of Architects in 2003 and served as President of AIA North Carolina in 2000. In 2009, Katherine was awarded the AIA NC William Deitrick Service Medal for outstanding service to the profession. She currently serves on the North Carolina Board of Architecture. Katherine recently celebrated her 30 year anniversary with the firm. She serves on LS3P’s Board of Directors, helping to guide the vision and direction of the firm. As a former Managing Partner for the Raleigh office, Katherine has designed and managed a wide variety of projects including academic, civic, corporate and healthcare. She received her Bachelor of Architecture from NC State University in 1988 and was Valedictorian of her graduating class.

40 | Roula Qubain | Senior Architect, Flad Architects Roula Qubain has more than 28 years of diverse experience in the architectural industry, including five years as the principal of her own firm. Roula has served in the roles of project architect on a variety of projects for universities like NC State university and Duke University. She is a champion of leadership and mentorship initiatives at the local and state levels of the American Institute of Architects (AIA). After serving in numerous roles, Roula held the office of President of AIA Triangle and served on the AIA North Carolina Executive Committee as the Director of Allied Relations. Ms. Qubain contributes much of her time to community service. Roula has been very involved with our local community with both professional and non-profit organizations. She servesas a member of the Leaders Council, a group that advise the College of Design in high-level strategic planning, branding and positioning, current trends in the professions, and student mentoring. She has served as advisor to multiple community-based planning efforts including the ULI/Gerald D. Hines Student Urban Design Competition at NC State. She has worked on improving development patterns and creating better communities in underserved rural counties in Eastern NC.

41 | Collette Ramirez | Managing Director, Lynch Mykins Structural Engineers, P.C.Collette is motivated by the thrill of first designing a building on paper, to then seeing it become part of the built environment. Her favorite project was the East Carolina University Health Science Student Center because not only was the building structurally challenging, but the team actually invented and tested a new way to attach wood decking to structural steel. Collette is passionate about her family, meditation and holistic health. She loves trying new wines, especially while traveling. Her favorite travel destinations are Florence, Italy and anywhere in the Caribbean. Want to hear a crazy story? Ask her about why she’ll never go canoeing in Florida again.

Mentors

42 | Holly Richard | President & CEO, Tammy Lynn Center for Developmental Disabilities Holly Richard began her career in the disability field in the early 1990’s, working as a direct support staff, supporting individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). This experience was the catalyst for her returning to school, while working and raising her two children, and embarking on a career of creating and running innovative programs to support people with IDD and their families. Currently she serves as President and CEO of Tammy Lynn Center, a 49 year old non-profit organization serving over 400 children and adults with IDD each year. In her role, she is responsible for overseeing a nine+ million dollar budget, a workforce of over 200 employees, its program and services as well as the overall strategic direction of the organization. Holly believes that leaders must be active in their communities and speak out on behalf of the people and families they serve. She is an active member of numerous local, state and national organizations that positively impact the lives of people with disabilities. Her advocacy also includes working closely with elected officials and community leaders to improve the services and supports for all people with disabilities.

43 | Suzy Beth Sarver | Publisher, 919 Magazine Suzy Beth Sarver is an entrepreneur, sales and marketing trainer and educator, public speaker, and business professional. Currently President and Publisher of 919 Magazine in Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina, she manages all operations (print, video and digital), business development efforts, and community outreach activities for the successful 7-year-old company. Sarver’s civic involvement spans many years, but recently she has co-chaired the annual Red Cross Ball in support of the American Red Cross in Eastern and Central North Carolina for three years; chaired the North Carolina March of Dimes Signature Chefs Auction event for two years; conceived and organized the 919 Music Festival in Raleigh for the past two years in support of the families of fallen first responders; and supported or volunteered at numerous other schools, clubs, charities, and organizations.

44 | Kerry Saunders | Executive Vice President & COO, NAI Carolantic Realty, Inc.A part of the NAI Carolantic team since 1987, Ms. Saunders was named Vice President of the company in 2012 and was promoted to EVP & COO in 2015. In addition to her expanded responsibilities, she continues to direct all aspects of marketing, research and business development for the company. She also oversees the production of NAI Carolantic’s Annual Triangle Commercial Real Estate Conference, including the compilation of the real estate data and production of the final report and DVD to clients and the community. Prior to joining NAI Carolantic, Ms. Saunders was involved in recruiting industry to a large metropolitan area for several years as the Asst. Manager of Economic Development at the city’s Chamber of Commerce.

45 | Gretchen Saussy | Director of Business Development, Mid Atlantic AssociatesWith over 25 years of experience in marketing, business development, fundraising, community outreach and advertising – my work has always been interesting. Most of my career has focused on the real estate industry. I’ve served a residential real estate company, a national developer, a property management company, a commercial real estate company and a commercial contractor. I now work with fabulous environmental engineers at Mid Atlantic Associates. As Director of Business Development and Marketing for Mid Atlantic Associates, I’m responsible for developing long term relationships with leaders in our community. I drive business growth by building and maintaining high-level contacts with prospective clients, current clients, business partners, and project partners. I’m a graduate of the College of Charleston and an active volunteer in Raleigh and the triangle.

Mentors

46 | Heather Shanahan | Managing Director, MassMutual North CarolinaI have been in the financial services industry for 16 years, and co-founded our firm with my husband in 2012. We lead a team of 50+ financial advisors, and in addition to managing my own practice, I am responsible for coaching, developing and talent identification. I lead our marketing efforts, as well as our Agribusiness Planning Team, and SpecialCare Team (financial planning for families who have loved ones with disabilities), and Women’s Initiative. I am passionate about financial education, especially for women and kids! I am a graduate of UNC-Chapel Hill, and am honored to serve as Vice President of the Board of the Ronald McDonald House in Chapel Hill, as well as the Treasurer of the NC AgriBusiness Council.

47 | Denise Southerland | Stewart, Manager of Marketing & CommunicationsDenise is the Manager of Marketing & Communications for Stewart, an engineering, planning and design firm with offices across North Carolina. Her role at Stewart is to provide leadership for the marketing and communications team and to work in conjunction with company leadership to develop strategy and implement tactics promoting Stewart as a premier firm in the industry. Denise’s career began in the telecommunications industry, where she quickly advanced into management at MCI as the Implementation Manager for all NC and SC business data services. After 5 years in the industry, she made a career change into the world of commercial real estate, marketing services for Colliers International in Orlando, FL. For over 15 years, she provided marketing direction and strategy in the commercial real estate industry. Prior to joining Stewart Denise was the Marketing Director at Colliers International | Raleigh-Durham, where she also sat on the management team.

48 | Marlene Spritzer | Corporate Managing Director, Savills Marlene is a commercial real estate advisor who specializes in representing corporate end-users, both tenants and owner-occupants. She has a unique background as licensed attorney, with an undergraduate degree in Chemistry from Carnegie Mellon University, and holds a CCIM designation (Certified Commercial Investment Management). Marlene serves on the Corporate Advisory Board of the CF Foundation, and is a member of TCREW (Triangle Commercial Real Estate Women), the RTP Rotary Club, NCBIO and the North Carolina Economic Development Association. She focuses on representing life science, healthcare, medical device, technology and other sectors, including several non-profits, with their commercial real estate requirements.

49 | Kimberly Williams | Owner, Broker In Charge, RIGHT TIME REALTY Her certifications include Graduate Realtor Institute-GRI, Accredited Buyer Representative-ABR, NC Workforce Housing Specialist, Freddie Mac Credit Smart Instructor, and E- Pro and NC Real Estate Appraiser Trainee. She serves on the Diversity Committee with the North Carolina Association of Realtors. As a multimillion-dollar producer Kimberly has extensive experience with resale, new construction and investment properties and excels in buyer and seller representation in all areas of the Triangle and Triad. In 2006 Kimberly and her son Bobby founded Bobby’s Books, where they collect gently used books to distribute in the community to underprivileged families. To date the have donated over 2000 books throughout the Durham community.

50 | Pamela Williams | President & Founder, PROMOQUEST, Inc At PROMOQUEST Inc., Pam helps people-centric organizations increase revenue and improve retention by creating high touch promotional experiences that connect, engage and attract the right employees and customers. As a volunteer, Pam serves on the board of the American Marketing Association, Triangle Chapter and is VP of Membership. She is a Past President of the National Association of Women Business Owners, Greater Raleigh chapter and currently serves on the President’s Assembly Steering Committee for NAWBO National. She is on the Advisory Board of the National Sales Network, NC Chapter. Pam has fundraised and served as a mentor for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society Man & Women of the Year campaign; is a member of Women Impacting Public Policy and teaches Sunday school to 4 & 5-year olds.

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