Biographies
Wind Enterprises is proud to announce the Sessions & Speakers for its 14th Annual Women’s Leadership Development Conference.
Biographies for all speakers can be found below.
Please direct all inquiries regarding our session leaders to Linda Wind
Keynote Speakers
Donna Brazile
- Founder of Brazile and Associates, LLC
- Vice Chair of Voter Registration and Participation at the Democratic National Committee
- “100 Most Powerful Women in Washington, D.C” (Washingtonian)
- “50 Most Powerful Women in America” (Essence)
Veteran Democratic political strategist Donna Brazile is an adjunct professor, author, syndicated columnist, television political commentator, Vice Chair of Voter Registration and Participation at the Democratic National Committee, and former chair of the DNC’s Voting Rights Institute. Last, but never least, she is a native of New Orleans.
Aside from working for the full recovery of her beloved New Orleans, Ms. Brazile’s passion is encouraging young people to vote, to work within the system to strengthen it, and to run for public office. A New Orleans native, Ms. Brazile began her political career at the age of nine when she worked to elect a City Council candidate who had promised to build a playground in her neighborhood; the candidate won, the swing sets was installed, and a lifelong passion for political progress was ignited. Four decades and innumerable state and local campaigns later, Ms. Brazile has worked on every presidential campaign from 1976 through 2000, when she served as campaign manager for former Vice President Al Gore, becoming the first African-American woman to manage a presidential campaign. Author of the best-selling memoir Cooking with Grease: Stirring the Pots in American Politics, Ms. Brazile is an adjunct professor at Georgetown University, a syndicated newspaper columnist for United Media, a
columnist for Ms. Magazine, and an on-air contributor to CNN, NPR, and ABC, where she regularly appears on “This Week with George Stephanopoulos.”
In August 2009, O, The Oprah Magazine chose Ms. Brazile as one of its 20 “remarkable visionaries” for the magazine’s first-ever O Power List. In addition, she was named among the 100 Most Powerful Women by Washingtonian magazine, Top 50 Women in America by Essence magazine, and received the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation’s highest award for political achievement. A former member of the board of directors of the Louisiana Recovery Authority, responsible for leading the state’s rebuilding process in the aftermath of two catastrophic hurricanes, Ms. Brazile is the proud recipient of honorary doctorate degrees from Louisiana State University and Xavier University of Louisiana, the only historically Black, Catholic institution of higher education in the United States.
Gail EvansLove the Game…With those words Gail Evans concludes one of the most successful and influential books about women in the workplace.
Ironically, many women did not even know the game existed before Evans taught them how to win in the workplace with her book “Play Like A Man, Win Like A Woman.”
The book was listed for several months on the New York Times, Business Week, and Wall Street Journal bestseller lists. “Play Like A Man, Win Like A Woman” has been translated into 18 languages and has been a bestseller around the world. When it comes to the success of women in the workplace, Evans is a leading source. She has appeared on The Today Show and Larry King Live, and has been featured in The New York Times and USA Today.
Evans’ status has been enhanced by her newest book, “She Wins, You Win” as well as her weekly radio segment “It’s Not Just A Man’s World,” which is syndicated to 1900 CNN Radio affiliates across the United States. She has spoken and given lectures to many of the world’s leading companies including GE, JP Morgan Chase, Morgan Stanley, Wells Fargo, KPMG, BellSouth, The Southern Company, and Scana Energy. Evans is currently an associate professor at Georgia Tech’s School of Management. Her business advice columns appear in Worthwhile and PINK Magazines.
Where did Gail Evans learn the business game? In the male-dominated world of television journalism. She began working at CNN at its inception in 1980. By the time she retired in 2001, she was its Executive Vice President. During that time she was responsible for program and talent development at all CNN’s domestic networks overseeing national and international talk shows and the Network Guest Bookings Department, which schedules about 25,000 guests each year.
In addition to speaking and teaching, Evans stays busy serving on numerous charitable boards including Radio and Television News Directors Foundation, the Society for Women’s Health Research, the Atlanta Girls School and the Ga. State University Law School and the Breman Jewish Heritage Museum. Gail is also a founding board member of Greenstone Media, FM talk radio for Women. She was also appointed by President Clinton to the Commission on White House Fellows. She is the former chairperson of the Georgia Endowment for the Humanities and worked at the White House in the Office of the Special Counsel to the President during the Lyndon B. Johnson Administration.
Gail Evans lives in Atlanta and is the grandmother of five. Her Golden Retriever, Duke, sleeps at the foot of her bed every night.
Lisa Earle McLeod is a nationally syndicated newspaper columnist, business consultant and inspirational thought-leader. Her newest book The Triangle of Truth: The Secret to Resolving Conflicts Large and Small (Penguin) is in bookstores now. She conducts workshops and seminars worldwide and is a sought-after keynote speaker. A prolific writer and commentator, Lisa’s work has been featured in The New York Times, O: The Oprah Magazine, Beliefnet.com, The Huffington Post and The Wall Street Journal. She is the author of several books, including The Triangle of Truth, Forget Perfect and Finding Grace When You Can’t Even Find Clean Underwear. Her corporate clients include Apple Computer, Pfizer, Deloitte, Best Buy, The United Way, Peterbilt Trucking and Kimberly-Clark. A repeat guest on “Good Morning America,” Lisa lectures internationally and lives in Atlanta with her husband and two teenage daughters. Sign-up for her free weekly newsletter at www.TriangleofTruth.com.
Thurbert Baker has been Georgia’s Attorney General since 1997, winning that office three times, eventually becoming the highest vote getter on the Democratic ticket. Before taking office as Attorney General, Baker served five terms as a member of the Georgia House of Representatives and floor leader to former Governor Zell Miller.
Baker has long been a fighter against crime, fraud and corruption. He took on predatory lenders and fraudulent mortgage operators long before the housing crisis became headline news. Georgia’s residential mortgage fraud law –a law Baker fought to pass– is now a model for the nation, protecting homeowners and neighborhoods.
Baker has been passionate about protecting Georgians’ privacy. He helped create one of America’s first laws against identity theft, a crime that victimizes thousands of Georgians and costs our state’s businesses millions each year. At the same time he’s been fighting to protect Georgians’ privacy, he’s also been battling for open government. He convinced the General Assembly to give him greater power to enforce Georgia’s sunshine laws, and he has helped Georgians all over the state gain access to government meetings and records.
Attorney General Baker has always made protecting our families and children a top priority. He promoted tough new laws against sexual predators who target children via the Internet, and has aggressively worked with local prosecutors and police to bring those who target children online to justice. Baker has also been a leading voice against domestic violence. He fought to make it a crime to commit an act of domestic violence in the presence of a child and he’s worked with local law enforcement and communities to assist victims of domestic violence all over Georgia.
As a member of the Georgia House and as Floor Leader for former Governor Miller, Baker led the fight to pass some of the most significant legislation in modern Georgia history. Baker was a leader in passing the state lottery and the lottery-funded HOPE Scholarship program. He was the lead sponsor of the largest tax cut in Georgia history –the removal of the state sales tax on groceries– and he sponsored the toughest laws against violent crime in America. He also led the fight to pass tough new laws against drunk driving, strengthening the state’s notoriously weak, outdated drunk driving laws, bringing Georgia to the forefront in the battle against drunk driving.
While others grab headlines, Thurbert Baker gets things done for people. And people have noticed. Baker’s hard work and quiet competence have earned him not just re-election by increasing margins, but also the respect of his peers. In 2006, Attorneys General across the nation elected Baker President of the National Association of Attorneys General. As president, Baker brought national attention to the issues of mortgage fraud, public corruption, and the growing problem of methamphetamine abuse. In 2006, Baker received the Individual Achievement Award from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.
Born in Rocky Mount, North Carolina, Thurbert Baker received his undergraduate degree from the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill in 1974, where he was a member of the fencing team and the 1974 Atlantic Coast Conference Individual Sabre Champion. Thurbert received his law degree from Emory University School of Law in 1979, and has lived and practiced law in Georgia his entire adult life since then.
Attorney General Baker lives in Stone Mountain with his wife of 30 years, Catherine, a career teacher in the DeKalb County public schools. The Bakers are the proud parents of two daughters, Jocelyn and Chelsea.
Susan Grant is executive vice president of CNN News Services, a division of CNN Worldwide, which encompasses the company’s digital and affiliate businesses, including CNN.com, CNN Newsource, CNN Radio, CNN ImageSource, CNN Student News and CNNMoney.com – a joint-venture between CNN and Time, Inc. A CNN original, Grant is based in CNN’s world headquarters in Atlanta and is a member of the CNN Executive Committee, reporting to Jim Walton, president of CNN Worldwide.
Grant serves on the board of directors for Internet Broadcasting, the nation’s largest publisher of TV station Web sites; and also is a member of the board of trustees for the Morehouse School of Medicine. A graduate of Leadership Atlanta’s Class of 2006, she served on the board of directors of Zoo Atlanta for 10 years, holding the position of chairman of the board for two years. Grant also served as chairman of the National Association of Television Program Executives (NATPE) and currently is on the board of advisors at Agnes Scott College. Women in Technology, the leading association committed to the development of Georgia’s businesswomen in the technology industry, named her one of its Women of the Year in Technology for 2006.
Chief Justice Carol Hunstein was appointed to the Supreme Court in November 1992 by then Governor Zell Miller. She is the second woman in history to serve as a permanent member of the Court. In 1984 Justice Hunstein won election to the Superior Court of DeKalb County. Prior to serving on the bench, Justice Hunstein was in private practice. She has been a member of the Georgia Bar since 1976.
Justice Hunstein received her Juris Doctor in 1976 from Stetson University College of Law. She received a Bachelor of Science degree from Florida Atlantic University in 1972 and an Associate of Arts degree from Miami-Dade Junior College in 1970.
As a superior court judge, she was active at the county, state and national levels. She chaired many DeKalb County Committees including the Alimony and Support Unit Committee, the Diversion Center Committee, the Probation Committee and the Domestic Violence Task Force. In 1989, then Chief Justice Marshall appointed her to Chair the Georgia Commission on Gender Bias in the Judicial System, which issued its report to the Supreme Court in 1991. She is a former district director of the National Association of Women Judges (NAWJ) and chaired the local host committee for the NAWJ 1995 Annual Conference which was held in Atlanta.
Justice Hunstein was the first woman to serve as President of the Council of Superior Court Judges. By virtue of that office, she was the first person ever to have served as Chief Justice of the Supreme Court before becoming a permanent member of the Court. (In 1991, all seven sitting justices recused themselves and designated seven superior court judges to hear and decide a case. Justice Hunstein, as President of the Council, served by designation as Chief Justice.)
Justice Hunstein chaired the 1993, 1998 and 2001 State Commissions on Child Support Guidelines. She has served on the Advisory Board of the Justice Center of Atlanta and the Georgia Campaign for Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention. She is a former Rosalynn Carter Honorary Fellow in Public Policy at the Emory University Institute on Women’s Studies.
She currently chairs the Georgia Commission on Access and Fairness, which is charged with implementing the recommendations of the Commission on Gender Bias and the Commission on Racial and Ethnic Bias. She also chairs the Unauthorized Practice of Law Committee and the Georgia Commission on Interpreters. She is a member of the American Bar Association’s Public Perceptions Committee, the Bleckley Inn of Court, and has served as liaison to the Chief Justice’s Commission on Professionalism since 1992.
In the course of her career, she has received many honors including an honorary LLD from Stetson University College of, a commendation for outstanding service from the Georgia General Assembly, the Emory University Legal Association for Women Students’ Public Service Award, the DeKalb County Women’s Network “Women Who Have Made a Difference” Award, the Joseph T. Tuggle Professionalism Award and, in 1999, the American Bar Association Commission on Women in the Profession’s Margaret Brent Award. Florida Atlantic University has inducted her into its Hall of Fame. She recently received the Commitment to Equality Award from the State Bar of Georgia Committee on Women and Minorities in the Profession.
In addition to her judicial duties, Justice Hunstein frequently serves as an adjunct professor at Emory University School of Law. She has three children, John F. Abate, Krista Hunstein and Gabrielle Hunstein, and one grandson, Johnny Abate.
Becky Blalock
As senior vice president and chief information officer, Becky Blalock directs information technology strategy and operations across the 120,000 square miles and 9 subsidiaries of Southern Company. She leads more than 1,100 employees in information technology delivery to one of America’s most respected companies.
Under her leadership, Southern Company has been recognized as one of the 100 Most Innovative Companies by CIO Magazine and one of the 100 Best Places to Work in IT by Computerworld Magazine. She is nationally and regionally recognized as an expert in corporate information technology.
Since beginning her career at Georgia Power in 1978, Blalock has provided broad leadership in many positions including marketing, corporate communication, external affairs, the office of the CEO, accounting, finance, and customer service.
Blalock serves on several boards, including Computers for Youth, Leadership Atlanta and the Technology Action Council of the Edison Electric Institute. She also serves on the IT advisory board for Georgia State University, Sierra Ventures, Mercer University, and she serves on the Oracle CIO advisory board. A graduate of Leadership Atlanta and Leadership Georgia, she was named a Fellow of the International Women’s Forum Leadership Foundation in 2001.
Blalock has received a host of honors including 2009 CIO of the Year in the electric utility industry by Energy Biz Magazine, 2007 CIO of the Year by Computers for Youth and 2003 Georgia CIO of the Year, Global Category by the Georgia CIO Leadership Association. She is listed among the Who’s Who in Science and Engineering. In 2006, she was named one of Computerworld Magazine’s Premier 100 IT Leaders, Power Woman by Atlanta Woman Magazine, and the Shining Star Award recipient from the Atlanta Women’s Foundation. In 2005, she was inducted into the Atlanta YWCA Academy of Women Achievers. She successfully completed the Program for Management Development at Harvard University. She holds a master’s degree with honors in business administration from Mercer University and an undergraduate degree in business administration from State University of West Georgia.
With 4.4 million customers and more than 42,000 megawatts of generating capacity, Atlanta-based Southern Company (NYSE: SO) is the premier energy company serving the Southeast. A leading U.S. producer of electricity, Southern Company owns electric utilities in four states and a growing competitive generation company, as well as fiber optics and wireless communications. Southern Company brands are known for excellent customer service, high reliability and retail electric prices that are below the national average. Southern Company is consistently listed among the top U.S. electric service providers in customer satisfaction by the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI). Visit our Web site at www.southerncompany.com.
Cindy Brinkley has often said she considers herself fortunate to work for a company that values equal opportunity and is a pioneer in workforce diversity. Today, as senior vice president-talent development and chief diversity officer, she is responsible for continuing AT&T’s leadership in developing people from diverse backgrounds, and preparing them for rewarding careers. And she’s applying lessons she’s learned along the way to help others succeed.
Ms. Brinkley joined the company in 1986, and has held increasingly significant management positions throughout her 23 years with AT&T. She began as an external affairs liaison to the Texas Public Utility Commission and media spokesperson for regulatory and legislative activities relating to the Texas Legislature. On the heels of that initial assignment, Ms. Brinkley was tasked to develop and support public policy and state legislative activities for SBC and its subsidiaries, before becoming area vice president for SBC California.
Ms. Brinkley also has served as executive director-federal relations for SBC Communications Inc., communicating the company’s policy and legislative views to decision makers in the nation’s capital.
While President, SBC-Arkansas, she was named the state’s 2002 Business Leader of the year.
Before assuming her current responsibilities, Ms. Brinkley was president – AT&T Missouri, where she led all regulatory, legislative, governmental, and external affairs activities in the state.
Throughout her career, Ms. Brinkley has found the time to lend her talents and experience to a variety of community organizations. While in St. Louis, she was chairman of the board of the St. Louis Symphony, deputy chairman of the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, and on the executive committee of the United Way to name just a few. Currently, she is on the board of trustees for Washington University in St. Louis, the National Oasis Institute and a co-chair of the University of Missouri’s billion dollar fundraising campaign.
A native of Milan, Missouri, Brinkley holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Missouri-Columbia, and a bachelor’s of science degree in political science from Truman State University.
Maria Peninger leads a team of professionals with cross-functional skills and experience focused on defining short and long term measures related to achieving annual sales goals, and provides stewardship in the implementation of global business strategies.
Ms. Peninger began her career in 1983 joining Avon as a District Sales Manager. She quickly ascended through the sales ranks holding positions as Field Trainer, Division Sales Manager, and Field Business Unit Leader. During her assignment as Division Sales Manager in Tennessee, she made Avon history by ranking in the top 10 percent in sales growth for eight consecutive years. She was named Region Vice President for Avon’s then largest sales region in 1996.
Ms. Peninger currently serves as a board member for Emory University’s School of Medicine and The Winship Cancer Institute, and is a past board member for Women Work!—a national organization dedicated to improving opportunities for women attaining economic independence. Ms. Peninger also served on the board of The Partnership Against Domestic Violence, and remains active in supporting their mission. In recognition of her leadership and community involvement, Peninger was named one of Georgia’s 100 Most Powerful and Influential Women in 2000.
Ms. Peninger earned a B.A. from Appalachian State University, and was honored in 2001 with their Distinguished Alumnus Award. She and her family currently reside in Alpharetta, Georgia.
Marsha Sampson Johnson is senior vice president of human resources and chief diversity officer for Southern Company, responsible for all areas of human capital management, including talent acquisition, employee learning, leadership development and succession, compensation and benefits, and diversity and inclusion strategy. In her current role, she also serves as an officer of each affiliate company.
With 4.4 million customers and more than 42,000 megawatts of generating capacity, Atlanta-based Southern Company (NYSE: SO) is the premier energy company serving the Southeast. As a leading U.S. producer of electricity, Southern Company has more than 500,000 shareholders, making its common stock one of the most widely held in the United States.
Prior to her current role, Johnson held executive level positions in division operations, customer services and call center operations, and talent management. Joining Southern Company in 1986, Johnson has broad understanding of the energy business and demonstrates successful execution of strategies across functional lines. The genesis of her business and leadership acumen trace to early years of employment with the City of Jacksonville Florida, Westinghouse Electric Corporation’s Offshore Power Systems, United Way of Metropolitan Atlanta, and Coleman Management Consultants.
Always active in communities where she lives, the Jacksonville, Florida native has held significant community service and economic development positions, including those with chambers of commerce, economic development boards, and non-profit organizations. Her leadership skills are broadly recognized and she is an alumna of Leadership Jacksonville, Leadership Atlanta, Leadership Mobile, Leadership Birmingham, and Leadership Alabama. She is one of 14 women selected internationally for the 2000-2001 class of the prestigious Leadership Foundation Fellows Program of the International Women’s Forum.
Johnson participates regularly in senior leadership strategy development within the human resources community. She is a member of the Human Resources Executive Roundtable with Georgia State University, and a former board member of the Society for Human Resources Management – Atlanta. She is known for her insights, experiences, and high-impact presentations on leadership and navigating careers within corporate environments.
Her commitment to community service is seen through her work as a board member of the Women’s Resource Center whose purpose is to end domestic violence against women, and the Black Women’s Coalition of Atlanta. She is a member of the board of Directors of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, and a member of the Women’s Forum of Georgia.
Johnson holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science and Government from Jacksonville University; and is a 1999 graduate of the Advanced Management Program (AMP 157) of Harvard University’s School of Business.
Workshop Leaders
Ruth King is a serial entrepreneur. Over the past 25 years she has owned 7 businesses. Her first business, Business Ventures Corporation began operations in 1981. Through Business Ventures Corporation she travels throughout the United States coaching, training, and helping small businesses achieve the business goals they want to achieve.
Ruth holds Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees in Chemical Engineering from Tufts University and University of Pennsylvania, respectively. She also holds an MBA in finance from Georgia State University. She has written many manuals for Contractors including the popular Keeping Score Series: “Financial Management for Contractors”, “Improving Profitability and Productivity”, and “21 Way to Keep Your Honest Employees Honest”. The Ugly Truth About Small Business: 50 Things that can go wrong and what to do about it is her first business book.
Ruth has spoken for national and state associations meetings, national and local trade shows, manufacturers, distributors, and others in 49 of 50 states. She is a down to earth, thought provoking speaker who will provide audiences with ideas that will inspire them and help them earn more profits. She is available for Radio and TV interviews, in store book signings, discussions, lectures and seminars. She is available world wide depending on her schedule. Ruth is passionate about helping adults learn to read, photography, and marathon races. She helped start an adult literacy organization in 1986 that currently serves over 1,000 adults per year and ran the Boston Marathon in April, 2004 and 2005.
Mel Coker After receiving a bachelor degree in Electrical Engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology in 1987, Mel joined BellSouth Telecommunications as an engineer. She is currently a vice-president in AT&T’s Customer Experience-Converged Services where her focus is the One AT&T project. Prior to her current assignment, Mel was a vice-president in AT&T’s Entertainment Services organization where she worked to develop corporate and business unit level strategy. Mel was also the Vice-President of BellSouth’s Consumer Voice Product Management organization, managing a $9B revenue stream. She has also held positions as a General Manager for BellSouth Mobility, Director of Regional Operations for BellSouth’s start-up video business, as well as various assignments in construction, installation, maintenance, budgeting, and technical support.
In addition to her degree from Georgia Tech, she has a Master of Business Administration degree from Georgia State University. She is a licensed electrical engineer in the state of Georgia and a member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers. She was inducted into the Georgia Tech Council of Outstanding Young Engineering Alumni in November of 1996, received the Technology Education Alumni Achievement Award in 1997, and was named the 2000 Georgia Tech Outstanding Young Alumnae.
Mel is a Georgia native and an active member of the Norcross First United Methodist Church where she has teaches Sunday school and serves on the Administrative Board. She is currently a member of Georgia Tech’s School of Electrical and Computer Engineering advisory board and is the president of her homeowner’s association. Mel has also served on the Georgia Tech Alumni Board of Trustees, the Boys and Girls Clubs of Central Georgia Board of Directors, and the Macon Symphony Orchestra Board of Directors.
Dr. Melissa Grill-Petersen is the Wellness Director for Blue MedSpa and the owner of Flow Unlimited, a Healthy Living Consulting Company. She shares over 17 years of experience in Wellness and patient care with a passion for helping people to live their best life. Melissa has appeared on numerous television shows, as well as created and authored the Flow for Golf, Journey into Being, Journey into Balance and Healthy Living Made Easy product series. She is known for her engaging personality and motivational speaking style as a National Educator, Spokesperson & Motivational Speaker on all things healthy living; helping people tap into their inner resources to experience more of what they want out of their body, their health and their lives.
Dr. Paul Cox is dedicated in assisting his patients to achieve optimal health through the science of Anti-aging medicine. He attended medical school at the University of Tennessee, Memphis and Residency at Atlanta Medical Center in Atlanta, Georgia. Dr. Cox has a Master’s in Exercise Science from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. He is double board certified in Family and Anti-Aging Medicine. He is past Medical Director, committee chair, and member of the Medical Executive Committee at Atlanta Medical Center hospital in Atlanta, Georgia. He is a member of the American Academy of Cosmetic Surgeons, and is the Medical Director of the award winning Blue MedSpa Midtown and Chief Medical Officer of Blue MedSpa International. He frequently attends seminars and training to assure his clients receive the latest innovations in the art of anti-aging and cosmetic medicine. He is dedicated to his patient’s safety, comfort and exceptional results. He facilitates meditations designed to heal oxidative stress and prevent disease.
Terry Trout brings more than 28 years of leadership experience to her role as vice president of customer experience for Cbeyond where she champions the customer experience strategically across the organization aligning cross-departmental initiatives to ensure the highest level of customer satisfaction. In addition, to previous roles leading customer support and the development of CbeyondOnline™, Terry also launched Cbeyond’s community service program enabling Cbeyond employees to give back to the communities where they work and live.
Ms. Trout is actively involved in a variety of leadership and mentoring activities. She founded Cbeyond’s Women’s Network, an organization designed to foster professional development for Cbeyond women through a variety of educational sessions and networking events. She holds board positions at The Sullivan Center and with WIT – Women in Technology.
Ms. Trout was chosen as one of Atlanta Women Magazine’s Top 25 Power Women to Watch in 2006, which recognized her contribution to community and leadership activities. She was also a finalist in the Women in Technology (WIT) Woman of the Year award in 2006, and won the award in 2007.
Ms. Trout has a bachelor’s degree from Quincy University in Quincy, Illinois, and an MBA from Southern Illinois University. She is the mother of twin 22 year old daughters.
Terri Langhans is the former CEO of a $30 million national ad agency and marketing firm that she started from scratch and grew large enough and profitable enough to sell to a Fortune 100 company. But that was then and this is now. Now Terri is COE (Chief of Everything) at Blah Blah Blah, her speaking and consulting business. She is the author of the book The 7 Marketing Mistakes Every Business Makes (And How to Fix Them) and a Certified Speaking Professional (CSP), one of only 206 women worldwide to have earned the designation awarded by the National Speakers Association and the International Federation of Professional Speakers. Terri speaks to business audiences and works with companies who want to stand out, get better results from their marketing and sell more products and services. She’s known for packing her programs with creative ideas, plenty of laughs, real world examples and tangible tools people can use to be less ordinary and more effective in growing their business.
Heather Rocker is Executive Director for Women in Technology (WIT) & WIT Foundation. Heather Rocker joined WIT in March 2007 as the organization’s first-ever executive director. A graduate of Georgia Tech, Heather holds a bachelor’s degree in Industrial Engineering. Outside of WIT, Heather currently serves as Board President of Atlanta Women’s Alliance, Executive Team Member for Georgia’s Junior Miss Scholarship Program, Trustee and Committee Chair for Georgia Tech’s Board of Trustees, and Volunteer Training Director for the Junior League of Gwinnett & North Fulton Counties. Heather was named to the Atlanta Business Chronicle’s “2008 Top 40 Under 40”, awarded the honor of “2009 Outstanding Young Alumna” by Georgia Tech, and nominated for the 2010 Turknett Leadership Character Awards. Heather currently authors a blog about strategic volunteering and speaks to nonprofit and corporate groups about incorporating this concept into their leadership development plans.
Barb Giamanco is a well known, technology savvy sales professional, keynote speaker, author and certified sales coach with over 25 years of business experience. She capped a corporate career at Microsoft, where she led sales teams and coached executives. Throughout her sales career, she has sold close to $1B in products and services. Barb has received numerous leadership and sales awards. Since establishing Talent Builders in 2002, Barb has worked with organizations to increase sales, build high performing teams, develop leadership bench strength and improve communication. A partial list of clients includes: Payne Quest Corporation, The University of Georgia, Microsoft Corporation, Executive Forums, UPS Capital Insurance Agency, Enterprise Network Worldwide, Georgia Pacific, Cornerstone Bank, Evers & Fox, GA State Road & Tollway Authority, Leadership Sandy Springs, SCORE Atlanta, GE Healthcare and Pepsico.
Carol Edelson is founder and President of Speakstyles, LLC, an Atlanta Based Communication Skills Training Company, specializing in Interpersonal Communication, Presentation Skills Training, Voice Coaching and Accent Modification. Her client list includes Fortune 500 companies such as AT&T, Coca-Cola and Equifax. She has been a National Speaker for Regional and Sales Conferences in addition to being a Public Speaking Consultant to Staff Executives. She is committed to empowering women to become successful in developing effective communication skills leading to a more authentic and powerful voice in the workplace.
Amy Brady leads the Enterprise Technology & Delivery (ET&D) Global Integrated Business & Technology Services division at Bank of America, reporting to the Chief Technology Officer. She brings a wide range of experience to this role, with 20+ years in the industry. Her organization is responsible for delivering enterprise technology solutions, common capabilities and shared services that span the other divisions of ET&D and the enterprise as a whole. These capabilities include program delivery, process optimization, release management, regulatory and risk compliance, business controls, integrated client services and transition/divestiture management. Amy is the Executive Sponsor for the Atlanta LEAD Chapter, Bank of America’s Women’s Networking Group, as well as for Bank of America’s Women in Technology and Operations organization, which has 12 active chapters around the world. Active in her community, she serves on numerous boards and is Chairperson for the International Committee of the Metro Atlanta YMCA and Marketing Vice Chairperson of Imagine It! Children’s Museum of Atlanta.
Karla Brandau is a leading authority on leadership for a more productive workforce. For over twenty years she has taught her innovative methods in top corporations such as Motorola, Coca-Cola Enterprises, Panasonic, and BYD America. Over 85% of the organizations who hire her, invite her back for repeat engagements. She has a degree in education and is a Certified Speaking Professional (CSP) which is an earned designation given by National Speakers Association awarded to only 8% of their members. Her books, “Wake Up The Winner Inside” and “101 Time Management Tips for Busy Professionals” are best sellers. She writes a monthly informational newsletter, maintains a blog, and regularly “tweets.” As she speaks for top corporations and associations worldwide, people use ‘high-content, high-energy and highly professional’ to describe this experienced industry veteran.
Marianne Johnson is Senior Vice President at Equifax. With 20 years of industry experience, Marianne Johnson brings a wealth of expertise to her role managing the technology engine of the company’s New Product Innovation initiative. Her commitment to drive innovation and growth across the Equifax enterprise helped enable 129 new products and services to be launched across 2008 and 2009. Throughout her Equifax career, Marianne has made an indelible mark on numerous areas of the Equifax organization, including leading the global technology organization of the company’s marketing services business. Marianne’s technology and business leadership continues to garner her industry-wide recognition. Most recently, Marianne was honored as a Turknett Leadership Character Award Nominee and was named WIT’s 2008 Woman of the Year in Technology. She currently serves on the WIT Board and is a founding member of the Equifax Women’s Forum dedicated to providing mentoring, networking and educational programs.
Marie Mouchet is Vice President and Chief Information Officer for Southern Company Generation, Southern Nuclear and Southern Power. In this role, Mouchet leads the development and implementation of IT strategy and operations for Southern Company’s regulated and non-regulated generation business. Southern Company’s generation business consists of 77 electric generating plants operated by Southern Company’s four regulated regional electric utilities; Southern Power, a growing competitive generation business serving the wholesale market; and Southern Nuclear, operating 3 nuclear plants. Her role provides strategic and tactical planning and direction for information technology at fossil, hydro and nuclear generating plants, as well as fuel services, a real-time trading floor and the engineering and construction organization. She is one of 14 women selected internationally for the 2003-2004 class of the prestigious Leadership Foundation Fellows Program of the International Women’s Forum. In 2007, Mouchet was named Woman of the Year in Technology for the Enterprise Division by WIT and in 2009 was selected by ComputerWorld as one of the Premier 100 IT Professionals
Karen Rands is a Venture Catalyst, a Compassionate Capitalist- providing needed capital & resources to emerging growth companies to bring innovation to the market, create jobs, & ultimately create wealth for the founders & investors. Entrepreneurs are helped through expert knowledge and strategic services offered by LAUNCHfn and investors join NBAI to learn, collaborate and prosper, two of the operating divisions of her company Kugarand Holdings.
Karen launched Kugarand Holdings, LLC (2001) to provide access to resources and capital for early stage and growing businesses. This led to the founding of Launch Funding Network (LAUNCHfn) in 2004, which provides business development, capital strategies and access to all forms of capital –from seed to expansion- for companies to move through the funding cycles as they grow. Recognizing that angel investors are the heartbeat of economic development and a critical source of capital for early stage companies, Karen authored the “Learn to Be an Angel Investor©” series of e-Books educating over 2000 prospective investors, and acquired the Network of Business Angels and Investors (NBAI) in 2005. NBAI was founded in 1994 and is currently one of the most active angel investor organizations in the Southeast, with members investing in over 59 transactions valued at over $36M. NBAI was named one of the top 50 angel groups in the US by Fortune magazine in 2009. Karen shares her insight and converses with successful entrepreneurs and investors on her weekly radio show “The Compassionate Capitalist”, tune or catch replays at www.blogtalkradio.com/karen-rands . Plan to attend the Angel Investor Match Up: www.AngelInvestorMatchup.com
Karen is delighted to participate in the 2010 Wind Enterprises Program with her talk on “The Art of Raising Capital”. Often the only thing holding an entrepreneur back from fulfilling a vision, implementing a plan to solve a fundamental problem in the market, or capturing a unique opportunity to create untold wealth is one thing: Capital. Karen Rands will share the insights gained from working with countless investors and entrepreneurs on how to sell your idea, your company to attract the capital you need to succeed
Joyce Bone is a wife, mom and successful entrepreneur. She is the founder of www.millionairemoms.com, a membership community dedicated to helping like-minded women master the art of raising a business and a family at the same time.
Joyce is passionate about helping other entrepreneurs succeed and knows the challenges of operating a business having done so successfully herself. She is most well known for taking a $10,000 risk and cofounding EarthCare, the environmental company that she turned into a $50 million dollar NASDAQ traded powerhouse in just 18 months with revenues ultimately reaching $125 million. Subsequently she has managed more than 350 employees and has executed dozens of mergers & acquisitions.
Today, Joyce takes her vast knowledge of business and shares it with all entrepreneurs via her website and through interviews with other millionaire moms.
Joyce has been featured in numerous books, magazines such as Money, Kiplinger’s, and Millionaire Blueprints. She has been seen on CNBC’s The Squawk Box as an entrepreneurial expert.
Joyce is a columnist for Glow magazine, Southern Savvy and contributor to other magazines and books. She is also an author with a book coming out in 2009. She also hosts the Millionaire Moms Radio Show and as an author is a widely sought after speaker.
Joyce knows how to juggle family and business. She is as comfortable on the ball field as she is in the board room. Her husband of sixteen years, Alan and she enthusiastically support their three boys’ active lifestyle.
Anna Convery
As Chief Marketing Officer for ClickFox, Ms. Convery is responsible for global marketing, product strategy and market development. A visible thought leader at industry conferences and in articles, Anna has more than 20 years experience in software development in the CRM, BPO, contact center and analytics space. Prior to joining ClickFox, she held executive roles at Jacada (JCDA), where she helped lead them to a successful IPO in 1999, Nexidia Inc., where she developed the product and marketing strategy that established them as the industry leader in audio mining and speech analytics, and IBM Corporation.
She is the recipient of the 2007 Women in Technology of the Year Award, and was acknowledged as one of Atlanta’s 40 under 40 as recognized by the Atlanta Business Chronicle.
Melissa Galt…knows marketing. With over two decades as a successful entrepreneur including five years as a retailer, she understands what it takes to find perfect prospects and transform them into ideal clients for a lifetime of demand and rave referrals. She regularly shares her maverick marketing secrets with today’s business owner and career professionals through her blog, teleseminars, webinars and live events. She empowers entrepreneurs and corporate professionals to climb aboard social media and embrace relationship marketing to discover the wealth of new tools available to tap today’s exploding market.
Melissa’s work and best practices have been widely featured in publications including The Atlanta Business Chronicle, Catalyst, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Planhouse, New Jersey Life and more. She is the author of Celebrate Your Life!, and offers audiences a sneak peak at her marketing systems with her ebook 7 Surefire Steps to Marketing that Makes You Money. Recently she launched her new program “Future-Proof Your Profits” providing the secrets, shortcuts, and techniques designed to help every business thrive regardless of the economic climate. According to Melissa, business owners and career professionals can effectively “create their own economy” with the proven strategies and simple methods she teaches.
Dr. Linda Braddon holds a bachelor of science in Engineering from Mercer University, School of Engineering along with a master of science and a Ph.D. in mechanical engineering with a specialization in bioengineering from Georgia Institute of Technology. She has served as a National Science Foundation fellow at both Duke University and Georgia Tech to guide undergraduate research in physics and biomedical engineering.
Currently, in her position at Secure BioMed Evaluation, she provides consulting services in the areas of risk assessment, mechanical test design and execution, quality systems and product development. Dr. Braddon’s professional experience includes extensive work in tissue engineering with a specialty in biomechanics, biofluids and bioprocesses. She is the co-inventor of a U.S. patent for an orthopaedic device that is CE marked and is currently going through the FDA approval process. Dr. Braddon has conducted considerable research, and has been published on various tissue and bioengineering topics. She is an active member of Georgia Bio, where she serves on the medical device committee, Southeastern Medical Device Association, and American Standards for Testing and Materials where she leads work items on novel biomaterials.
John Stupka, a dedicated and passionate entrepreneur, is CEO of BLUE MedSpa the Southeast’s premiere destination for traditional spa offerings combined with Anti-Aging, Appearance Medicine, and Wellness programs.
John, a Miami native, received his degree from Florida State University. For over 15 years as a medical consultant with Physician Sales and Service, John worked with some of the country’s leading dermatologists, plastic surgeons, and wellness providers. He was the youngest to earn a seat on the CEO roundtable, an honor achieved by the top 1% of professionals with PSS.
John Stupka is proudest of his current accomplishment, Blue MedSpa, chosen in its first year as one of the top 55 new spas in the world by Condé Nast Magazine. Creating Blue MedSpa has allowed John to reach a greater number of individuals, organizations, and charities. John has donated his time and resources to many charitable organizations including; The Dallas Austin Foundation, GCAPP, AID Atlanta, Childkind, New Leash on Life, Project Open Hand, and The American Cancer Society. He is a member of the International Spa Association and the Medical Spa Association. John’s commitment to health and wellness and his desire to educate, nurture, and promote the overall well-being of every client is his driving force and non-stop motivator
Jannet Walker-Thoms leads First Data’s transportation practice, assessing and implementing payments technologies to meet the needs of the transit authorities and their customers. She brings more than 20 years of experience in both public and private sectors to the company with proven success in effectively implementing technology solutions, organizational restructuring strategies and business development initiatives.
Walker-Thoms has earned numerous recognitions, including the Outstanding MBA of the Year by the National Black MBA Association, Technology Association of Georgia’s Women in Technology’s Woman of the Year in Technology (Public Sector) and one of Atlanta’s Top 100 Black Women of Influence by the Atlanta Business League.
