Angel Suttle is a radio host, founder of Black Girls With Teslas, and CEO of Suttle Strategies, a PR, marketing, and media firm. With a dynamic background in communications, technology, and broadcast journalism, she brings a sharp lens to storytelling, strategy, and service. Angel currently hosts The Halo Effect, a culture-forward music and conversation show airing weekends at 8pm EST on WBOI 89.1 FM, NPR affiliate. She serves on the Board of Directors for Girl Scouts of Northern Indiana-Michiana and is an alum of Hoosier Women Forward, a collective of statewide leaders driving policy impact across Indiana. Angel is currently studying Sustainability and Innovation at Harvard University, furthering her commitment to catalyze economic equity and collaborative impact through her platform. 

Zandria Ross is a 3D Layout/Previs artist with 6 years experience working in the animation industry. She has been responsible for creating the early look and cinematography in film's such as Lightyear, Elemental and Inside Out 2 and the upcoming films, Wildwood and Shrek 5. In her free time, Zandria is often catching the latest film in the cinema or working on her own artistic projects.

Serial entrepreneur with experience in raising venture capital and helping companies raise millions and generate millions in sales.

Charlene Polite Corley combines data and storytelling to amplify the power of historically excluded audiences. As a Content & Insights Marketing Leader at Nielsen, Charlene connects audience trends, cultural signals and market research to highlight where consumers are headed. As the principal researcher for Black/African American audiences in the Nielsen Diverse Intelligence Series, her work showcases the essential influence of Black America as well as opportunities for brands and programmers to connect through inclusion. Charlene brings over 15 years of experience in sales, client service and market research to her current role. As a thought leader, she has been featured on Good Morning America, Essence, AfroTech, Cannes Lions, SXSW and more. Charlene is a proud graduate of Florida A&M University, wife, and mom of two.

Antoinette Houston is an Experience Strategy Lead at CNN and a UX research and strategy leader with more than 25 years of experience designing human-centered products and experiences across media, technology, insurance, aerospace, and government. Her work has helped shape products and services at organizations including CNN, Salesforce, Amazon, PayPal, Cisco, United Airlines, and the CIA. Passionate about the intersection of technology, culture, and humanity, Antoinette helps organizations create products that are not only innovative, but equitable, trustworthy, and deeply human. She is also an entrepreneur and recording artist whose work reflects the same commitment to storytelling, creativity, and meaningful human connection.

Sydney Davis is a 2x exited founder and the creator of TotalCare Studio, a wellness-centered workspace and childcare concept reimagining how ambitious professionals work, recover, and care for themselves sustainably. Through TotalCare, she develops wellness and caregiving experiences designed for conferences, workplaces, founders, and modern communities. Her work sits at the intersection of wellness, entrepreneurship, caregiving, and the future of work — exploring how environments, recovery, and accessibility directly impact innovation and performance. Sydney’s mission is to build infrastructure that supports high performers as whole humans, not just workers.

Regina Carswell Russo spent more than 20 years as a broadcast journalist.   She retired from TV in 2010, switching careers, leading public relations and marketing for two nationally recognized cultural arts institutions before launching her third career as founder and CEO of award-winning strategic communications firm, RRight Now Communications, headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio.  RRight Now Communications provides crisis communications, digital storytelling, media relations, and executive communication coaching services to clients across the country, to including, Procter & Gamble, Fifth Third Bank, Duke Energy, City of Cincinnati, Hamilton County and Cincinnati Public Schools, the second largest public school system in the state of Ohio. 

Regina is a 2022 YWCA Career Woman of Achievement, a two-time Emmy nominee, and serves as Board Trustee for the Cincinnati Regional Chamber, Women’s Business Enterprise Council of Ohio River Valley (WBEC-ORV), and the Cincinnati Opera.

Anquan Boldin Philanthropist and humanitarian, Anquan Boldin is co-founder of the Players Coalition and Sport for Impact, 2015 Walter Payton Man of the Year, and Super Bowl XLVII Champion. Anquan Boldin is a philanthropist, humanitarian, and social justice advocate whose impact spans professional sports, education, and systemic reform. A 14-year veteran of the National Football League, Super Bowl XLVII Champion, and 2015 Walter Payton Man of the Year, Boldin is widely regarded as one of the league’s most accomplished wide receivers and one of its most respected leaders off the field. Alongside his wife Dionne Boldin, he is also recipient of the Muhammad Ali Humanitarian Award, honoring their shared commitment to service, equity, and social justice. Boldin attended Florida State University from 1999 to 2002, where he was part of the 1999 National Championship team, and was named the ACC Brian Piccolo Award recipient in 2002. Selected by the Arizona Cardinals in the second round of the 2003 NFL Draft, Boldin earned NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year honors and went on to play 14 seasons with the Cardinals, Ravens, 49ers, and Lions. He recorded five 1,000-yard seasons, surpassed 1,000 career receptions, earned three Pro Bowl selections, won Super Bowl XLVII with Baltimore, and officially retired as a Raven in 2019. Boldin’s commitment to service has long paralleled his athletic career. In 2004, he co-founded the Anquan Boldin Foundation, also known as Q81, to expand educational and life opportunities for underserved youth. Through scholarships, enrichment programs, and community support initiatives, the foundation has helped thousands of children and families across the country and around the world. In 2016, Boldin co-founded the Players Coalition, an independent, athlete-driven nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing criminal justice reform, police and community relations, education, and economic advancement. What began with six NFL players has grown into a movement of more than 1,500 athletes across 12 professional leagues and 30 colleges. The Players Coalition has secured more than 30 legislative and policy wins, published 135 op-eds and letters, and directed more than $50 million in cumulative grants and contributions toward advancing racial and social justice initiatives nationwide. Boldin’s leadership has helped redefine the role of athletes as civic leaders and change agents. In 2023, Anquan co-founded Sport for Impact, an athlete-centered foundation designed to amplify athlete influence as a force for social good. Through its growing athlete impact network, Sport for Impact provides mentorship, education, and nonprofit infrastructure to help athletes launch and scale their own foundations and initiatives. Since its inception, the organization has helped launch and strengthen more than a dozen athlete-led foundations and aligned athletes with strategic partnerships to drive sustainable impact across education, youth development, justice, health, and community safety. Anquan Boldin continues to set the standard for how athletes can use their platforms to lead with purpose and drive lasting social change.

Annette Richardson is a global strategist and trusted advisor at the intersection of sustainability, strategic partnerships, and impact. She works with governments, multinational corporations, and leading philanthropists to design and scale initiatives that deliver measurable outcomes across the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

With a distinctive ability to bridge public and private sectors, Annette specializes in building sustainability legacies, developing high-impact platforms, mobilizing capital, and aligning stakeholders to drive long-term systemic change. Her work is defined by a rigorous, solutions-oriented approach to complex global challenges, particularly across ESG strategy, climate action, and inclusive economic development.

She brings a nuanced understanding of cultural and geopolitical dynamics, advising leaders on how to navigate regional sensitivities, global policy environments, and cross-cultural contexts to ensure initiatives are both locally grounded and globally relevant. This perspective has been instrumental in shaping partnerships and programs that resonate across diverse markets and political landscapes.

Annette is also widely recognized for her expertise in multi-stakeholder collaboration, convening senior leaders across sectors to unlock partnerships that translate ambition into execution. She has designed and led global advocacy campaigns and flagship initiatives that have influenced policy, accelerated investment, and delivered scalable impact across regions.

She has served as a Senior Advisor to the United Nations, providing strategic guidance to the UN Office for Partnerships, Sustainable Energy for All (SEforALL), UN Women, and the UN DESA Energy platform, among others. In this capacity, she has played a catalytic role in shaping global dialogues, structuring cross-sector alliances, and advancing innovative financing and partnership models.

Annette has also led and curated high-level international conferences, bringing together heads of state, CEOs, investors, and civil society leaders to address some of the most pressing global issues, from social innovation and energy transition to gender equity.

Her leadership has been recognized globally, including the Global Citizen Award, Ideagen Empowering Women Award, and recognition as one of Forbes Women’s 200 Most Powerful Minds.

A sought-after speaker and advisor, Annette is known for her ability to translate vision into action, guiding leaders and institutions to deliver impact at scale while navigating an increasingly complex global landscape.

Earl Patton is an experienced executive with deep expertise in business development, he serves as Managing Partner of Cyphr Ventures, a forward-thinking investment platform focused on unlocking value across Africa’s resource, infrastructure, and strategic asset sectors; Managing Partner of MineralGenesis, a resource development and strategic minerals platform focused on identifying, structuring, and scaling mineral assets essential to global supply chains, Allocation a venture capital fund of funds platform that provides institutional access to the world’s most sought after venture capital firms; Rumble Ventures a venture advisory foundry that invests and accelerates transformation to elevate the sports economy of emerging markets; and Director General of the Economic Chamber, an organization dedicated to fostering cross-border trade, investment collaboration, and private-sector led economic development. Prior to his career in venture capital, Earl served as Director, Business Development of NBA Africa, where he oversaw the strategy, execution and financial performance for NBA’ s business with corporate and global marketing partners within 19 countries across sub-Saharan Africa. In this pan-continental role, Earl was responsible for growing a wide range of business lines across Africa,including global partnerships, events, new business, marketing communications and broadcast media,and helped lead the NBA’ s expansion into South Africa, Nigeria, Angola, Côte d’Ivoire and Senegal. Prior to the NBA, Earl was Head of Business Development at Sony FIFA Partnership Office, where he managed all business to business and consumer-facing campaigns that drove increased user growth, engagement and brand relevance with consumers worldwide for the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa and the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil. Earl also served as Director of Basketball Operations with the Cleveland Cavaliers overseeing the domestic scouting and draft efforts, and led the team’ s player program initiatives and player personnel matters. Earlier in his career, he was Manager of Corporate Sponsorships at Portland Trailblazers. Earl holds a Masters of Business Administration - from The George Washington University School of Business and a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Drexel University.

Michaeljohn Green serves as the Acting CEO for the Downtown Development Authority of the City of Miami (Miami DDA), a quasi-governmental agency of the City of Miami governed by a 15-member board of directors, including three public appointees and 12 downtown property owners, business owners, and/or residents.

Mj looks to support the continued economic prosperity that has come Miami’s way in the last few years. In this role, not only does he focus on attracting additional large, mid-sized, and small businesses to the Miami DDA district but also continues to create strategies to retain the businesses that are in the district. Under his leadership, Mj guides the Miami DDA to the opportunities in front of them, continuing to show the world that Miami is the best place to live, work and play.

Mj previously served as the Deputy Director of Innovation and Economic Development for Miami-Dade County Office of Mayor Daniella Levine Cava.

Mj graduated from Harris Stowe University with a Degree in Management Information Systems and a Minor in Economics. While in college, he worked at the grassroots community organization ACORN but later found a home working for one of the nations’ top CDFI’s in Justine Petersen. There, he was able to see the impact that small business loans could have on communities of color, which ignited a passion for learning more about financial products and tools. That passion led to roles at Bank of America Merrill Lynch, JPMorgan, Wells Fargo, and The Bank of Montreal. While working with the Private Wealth Team at BMO, managing just under a billion dollars with not one black or brown client, the calling of creating wealth and opportunities in minority communities was stoked.

With that passion, Mj helped start the Africa Town Land Trust, a vehicle that creates affordable housing, homeless housing, and homeownership opportunities for African Americans in the Seattle metro Area. At a community development conference, Mj was approached by a Miami Community Development Corporation to start a CDFI in Opa Locka and moved from Seattle to Miami.

As the CEO and Fund Manager of the Community Fund of North Miami Dade, Mj was able to have a great impact on small businesses throughout Miami-Dade. During the pandemic, he leveraged all his experiences with a few partners and created the RISE Fund. As the manager of this impactful fund, Mj won both regional and national awards for the impact of RISE, but most importantly, at the peak of the pandemic, the fund lent money to 900 businesses and saved 4,500 jobs just in Miami-Dade County.

Mj sits on the Board of the Supervisory Committee at Dade County Federal Credit Union, the Africa Town Community Land Trust, The Lucy Project, First Place Scholars Charter School, Merit XP, MDC Small Business Enterprise Advisory Board, The Miami Foundation Open for Business Advisory Board, and he previously served on The leadership Miami Executive Board, The African American Alliance of CDFI CEO’s , First Place Scholars Charter School, and Merit XP boards.

Mj has been awarded the Dorien Maxwell award for community impact, the 40 most influential African American in Miami by Legacy Magazine, and the 2023 Black Achievers Change Maker and Trailblazer Awardee.

Other than being an advocate for access to capital, equitable opportunities and wealth in urban communities, Mj is a huge basketball fan, former sneakerhead and loves to cook.

Myron Rivers is a payment and fintech leader with two decades of experience spanning startup founder to enterprise dealmaker. He founded Lerch, a mobile payments platform selected for the inaugural Techstars Tulsa cohort, an accelerator launched as part of the movement to rebuild Black Wall Street and restore Tulsa's Greenwood District as a center of Black entrepreneurship and innovation. At Lerch, he built product, raised capital, and navigated the realities of taking a fintech venture to market. Today he serves as Senior Director of Smart & Connected Venues at Paysafe, a global payments company, where he leads a new vertical focused on connected commerce ecosystems, integrating wallets, payments, and loyalty for large-scale venues and entertainment districts. Myron is known for translating complex payment infrastructure into clear commercial strategy. A proud father of 2 girls in college and a son in High School, he is based in Cincinnati, Ohio. 

Tylik McMillan is a nationally recognized civil rights activist, strategist, and advocate for justice, equity, and youth power. He currently serves as the National Director of Youth and College of the NAACP.

A proud HBCU graduate of North Carolina A&T State University and son of the South, he has led movements from the streets to the halls of Congress, organizing for voting rights, climate justice, and public education. He has been recognized by former Vice President Kamala Harris and the Biden-Harris White House as a prominent young voice helping to lead our nation forward.

Tylik helped organize the 2020 Commitment March on Washington and the 2021 March On for Voting Rights, which drew hundreds of thousands to Washington, DC, calling for racial justice, police reform, voting rights protections, census participation, and more. He is a member of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc., serves on the Phi Beta Sigma Political Action Committee Board of Directors, and is a former Social Justice Ambassador of the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation (CBCF) National Racial Equity Initiative for Social Justice (NREI) Task Force.

Tylik has been recognized as a United States Black Chambers, Inc. 50 Under 40 honoree, Bloomberg 50 One to Watch, Congressional Black Caucus Foundation Top 10 Most Influential Alumni, Young, Gifted & Green 40 Under 40 honoree, and National Urban League Young Professionals National Trailblazer. He has been featured by Good Morning America, CBS Morning News, CNN, BET, BBC, The Washington Post, and The New York Times, among other global, national, and local outlets.

Tylik seeks to inspire other young people to get involved and make civic engagement the new norm — not the exception.

Mekka Don is the Founder and CEO of ELLIFLY, an AI-powered platform that helps entrepreneurs, creators, and organizations create consistent, on-brand content in minutes. A former Ohio State football player and graduate of NYU School of Law, he is an entrepreneur, attorney, speaker, and brand strategist who has built businesses spanning technology, law, entertainment, and media. Through ELLIFLY, Mekka is on a mission to help businesses leverage artificial intelligence to strengthen their brand voice, streamline content creation, and grow with greater consistency and confidence. He regularly speaks on AI, entrepreneurship, branding, innovation, and the future of business.

Alex Malebranche is a keynote speaker, multiple-time founder, and strategy & operations leader with 15+ years of experience scaling startups and enterprise teams. A U.S. Army veteran who has operated inside AWS, GitHub, Amazon, and Perplexity, Alex now advises early-stage startups and speaks globally on the intersection of AI-powered operations, founder mental health, and emotional intelligence as a leadership superpower. He has delivered keynotes at Startup Grind Global Conference (500+ attendees), Bits & Pretzels (3,500+ attendees), and Stanford's StartX, and has been endorsed by leaders at GitHub, Antler, and The Chosen. Based in Houston, TX.

Kimberly Lewis is the CEO and Co-Founder of CurlMix, a community-owned beauty company with more than 9,000 customer owners. Since launching the company in 2015, she has grown CurlMix into one of the most recognized independent textured haircare brands, generating over $50 million in lifetime sales while earning recognition from Shark Tank, Oprah's Favorite Things, Forbes 30 Under 30, Inc. 5000, and Crain's Chicago Business. Today, Kim is leading CurlMix through a public rebuilding journey, sharing the realities of entrepreneurship while proving that businesses can create both wealth and ownership within the communities they serve.

Denim Richards is a Paramount series regular on Yellowstone — and one of the most strategically ambitious creative minds to emerge from Hollywood in a generation. He is a producer, director, and creative economy architect, and the CEO of Opulent Entertainment Group. As Global Director for Media, Arts and Culture under the African Union Sixth Region mandate, Denim operates at the highest level of creative economy policy — advising governments, cultural institutions, and sovereign agencies across the continent. His mandate carries a presidential endorsement from H.E. Mokgweetsi Masisi, Former President of the Republic of Botswana, placing him at the intersection of diplomatic access and production infrastructure. His production footprint spans 7 countries through Opulent Entertainment Group, backed by a co-production partnership with Primedia — Africa's largest media group — delivering African versions of The Voice, Idols, Project Runway, and Dancing with the Stars to audiences across the continent. His University of Botswana masterclass drew 1,300+ attendees. He has keynoted the UNWTO Africa Youth in Tourism Innovation Summit in Namibia and delivered panels from Botswana to South Africa alongside Billboard Africa and Primedia leadership. His methodology is direct: structure first, content follows. Every engagement — artist, institution, or sovereign — starts by installing the commercial backbone. IP frameworks. Licensing architecture. Distribution pipelines. Then content is created to scale.

Annette Richardson is a global strategist and trusted advisor at the intersection of sustainability, strategic partnerships, and impact. She works with governments, multinational corporations, and leading philanthropists to design and scale initiatives that deliver measurable outcomes across the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

With a distinctive ability to bridge public and private sectors, Annette specializes in building sustainability legacies, developing high-impact platforms, mobilizing capital, and aligning stakeholders to drive long-term systemic change. Her work is defined by a rigorous, solutions-oriented approach to complex global challenges, particularly across ESG strategy, climate action, and inclusive economic development.

She brings a nuanced understanding of cultural and geopolitical dynamics, advising leaders on how to navigate regional sensitivities, global policy environments, and cross-cultural contexts to ensure initiatives are both locally grounded and globally relevant. This perspective has been instrumental in shaping partnerships and programs that resonate across diverse markets and political landscapes.

Annette is also widely recognized for her expertise in multi-stakeholder collaboration, convening senior leaders across sectors to unlock partnerships that translate ambition into execution. She has designed and led global advocacy campaigns and flagship initiatives that have influenced policy, accelerated investment, and delivered scalable impact across regions.

She has served as a Senior Advisor to the United Nations, providing strategic guidance to the UN Office for Partnerships, Sustainable Energy for All (SEforALL), UN Women, and the UN DESA Energy platform, among others. In this capacity, she has played a catalytic role in shaping global dialogues, structuring cross-sector alliances, and advancing innovative financing and partnership models.

Annette has also led and curated high-level international conferences, bringing together heads of state, CEOs, investors, and civil society leaders to address some of the most pressing global issues, from social innovation and energy transition to gender equity.

Her leadership has been recognized globally, including the Global Citizen Award, Ideagen Empowering Women Award, and recognition as one of Forbes Women’s 200 Most Powerful Minds.

A sought-after speaker and advisor, Annette is known for her ability to translate vision into action, guiding leaders and institutions to deliver impact at scale while navigating an increasingly complex global landscape.

Derrick L. Maultsby Jr. is an Attorney at FBT Gibbons LLP where he is a member of the Private Equity & Venture, Data Digital Assets & Technology, and Corporate practice groups. Derrick serves as a key advisor and outside general counsel to venture backed companies, venture capital funds, privately held businesses, and private equity firms, as well as a technology transactions advisor to enterprise businesses. Derrick has been invited to speak on various topics at the intersection of the law, venture capital, and technology at Legalweek New York, Brown University's Nelson Center of Entrepreneurship, University of Dayton School of Law, Minority Innovation Weekend, FounderX Global Summit, Howard University School of Law, and SXSW, amongst others. Derrick is also the founder of the Maultsby Accelerator and Micro-Grant Competition at Robert Morris University. Aside from his practice, Derrick is also committed to creating a more equitable and inclusive environment within his law firm through serving on the firm's Diversity Equity and Inclusion committee and through his diversity scholarship funds at Indiana University of Pennsylvania and Duquesne University School of Law. Derrick has garnered national attention and recognition for his work both in the legal industry, venture industry, and his community, such as being named a 2021 Trailblazer in the Law by the American Lawyer Magazine, Pittsburgh 30under30 by the Pittsburgh Business Times in 2021, a Lawyer on the Fast Track by the Legal Intelligencer in 2022, received a 2023 Young Alumni Award from Indiana University of Pennsylvania in 2023, named a Duke of the Last Decade by Duquesne University in 2023, chosen for the Sheila S. Boston Excellence Award by the National Bar Association in 2023, and was named 40 under 40 by the New Pittsburgh Courier and by the Pittsburgh Magazine, respectively, in 2025. Most recently, Derrick received the 2026 Impact Award from the Pittsburgh Venture Capital Association and was named to the New Jersey Business Innovation 100 list for 2026.

Damian Murray is an investor and strategist with three years of experience in venture capital. He is currently an Investor at Level Up Ventures, backing founders who have historically lacked access to funding at the pre-seed and seed stages.

Vaughn Crowe is Co-Founder and Managing Partner of nvp capital, where he leads direct investments across the firm’s core themes in B2B software and vertical AI. With a career spanning operational leadership and venture investing, Vaughn is known for building long-term partnerships with founders from the earliest stages through scale. Before launching nvp, Vaughn was Managing Director at Wesray, the family office of Ray Chambers, where he invested across seed, growth, and buyout stages and helped seed several notable PE and VC firms. He also served as Executive Chair of a $300M consumer products company, leading key operational and strategic initiatives. Earlier in his career, Vaughn worked at Chubb Insurance as a property and casualty underwriter and marketing manager. Vaughn serves as Vice Chair of Newark Beth Israel Medical Center, part of RWJBarnabas Health, and sits on several boards, including, Toothio, Handspring Health, Ryse Marketplace, and Workgrounds. He holds a BA in Political Science from Colgate University, where he played football (Go ‘Gate!) and attended Harvard Business School.

Data & AI Engineer driven by a passion for artificial intelligence, automation, and innovation. Specializes in building intelligent systems that transform data into actionable insights, streamline complex workflows, and empower organizations to solve real-world challenges at scale.

Ramon Ray is unapologetically positive and passionate about making the world a better place. Ramon's a serial entrepreneur who has started 5 companies and sold three of them and is an in-demand expert on small business success. Ramon is Bitdefender's Small Business Ambassador and a popular motivational keynote speaker and event host at the best and most impactful events around the world. He's the publisher of ZoneofGenius.com, author of "The Celebrity CEO", host of The Rundown with Ramon Show and creator of the daily motivation app - DailyDailyMojo.com Ramon's brand clients include leading SMB focused brands such as Zoho, Bitdefender, Verisign, Dell, Oracle and others. Genius Talks Mastermind, is hosted by Ramon Ray and brings entrepreneurs together at in-person networking experiences - https://GeniusTalksMastermind.com Get to know Ramon better at www.RamonRay.com

Serial entrepreneur with experience in raising venture capital and helping companies raise millions and generate millions in sales.

Nicholas Archer has spent more than two decades across healthcare's full continuum, spanning operations, innovation, and commercialization. At Cincinnati Children's Hospital, he leads the translation of scientific discovery into real-world impact, moving innovations from bench to bedside through technology transfer and venture creation. His work sits at the intersection of operational excellence, financial sustainability, and patient need, a balance he's pursued whether restructuring care delivery networks, building digital platforms, or advising emerging companies.

A graduate of Oakwood University with an MBA from the University of Florida and executive education from Harvard Business School, Nick has served on numerous boards focused on healthcare access and community development. Outside of work, he's an avid cyclist and sports enthusiast who enjoys time with his sons and family.

Dr. Scott-Emuakpor is the Founder and CEO of Hyphen Innovations, an aerospace and defense company focused on bringing a new mindset to manufacturing that will reduce time and costs by 90%. Dr. Scott-Emuakpor has +20 years of R&D experience in propulsion structures. His work on material testing, advanced design, vibration reduction, and additive manufacturing for aircraft engines have earned him many accolades. Most notably, Dr. Scott-Emuakpor is the recipient of a Presidential Career Award for Scientists and Engineers.

Dr. Frederic Bertley — known affectionately as Dr. B — is President & CEO of COSI, voted America’s #1 science museum 6 of the past 7 years. An immunologist by training, Emmy-winning science communicator by practice, and global equity advocate by conviction, Dr. B has spent his career doing one thing: making science accessible to everyone.

He has spoken at the United Nations, the White House, and the National Academy of Sciences. He is host of PBS television show “QED with Dr. B” and a contributing writer for Fast Company on AI, innovation, and leadership. He founded The Color of Science™ to champion underrepresented scientists and inventors across the globe. 

He is also simultaneously CEO of the National Veterans Memorial and Museum, leading a landmark transformation, recalibrating how America honors those who’ve served this country.

Candice Matthews Brackeen is the Founder and CEO of a dynamic economic development organization and venture capital investor. Through her leadership at Lightship Foundation and Lightship Capital, Candice has guided thousands of tech founders to more than $500M in funding. 

Candice lends her strategic vision to Lightship’s founder-centric programming and events, including Lightship Bootcamps, Founder Gym, and Black Tech Week. Her commitment to advancement and inclusion has most recently been recognized by organizations such as the Cincinnati Bengals (2022 Inspire Change Changemaker Award) and Doritos and Pepsi Co. (2023 Doritos Change Maker).

Candice also serves on the Cincinnati Innovation District Advisory Council, the Endeavor Northwest Arkansas Board of Directors, and is a University of Cincinnati Kautz Uible Fellow. 

Damola Adamolekun is a globally recognized business leader, dynamic speaker, and Chief Executive Officer of Red Lobster, the world’s largest seafood restaurant company. At 37, Damola is leading Red Lobster’s transformation for a new generation. He is the youngest CEO in the brand’s history and was previously the youngest CEO of P.F. Chang’s, where he guided the company through the pandemic and helped revitalize the beloved restaurant brand. Born in Nigeria and raised across Africa, Europe, and the United States, Damola brings a global perspective to leadership, business transformation, and excellence. His journey spans Ivy League football, Wall Street, private equity, and the C-suite of billion-dollar companies. He has been named to Fortune’s “100 Most Powerful People in Business” and has been featured by The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, CNBC, CNN, Bloomberg, and Harvard Business Review. A Brown University graduate and Harvard Business School MBA, Damola is known for challenging audiences to think bigger, move faster, and lead with discipline, clarity, and conviction.

For nearly two decades, I have led enterprise‑wide procurement and strategic sourcing transformations for Fortune 500 and high‑growth companies, overseeing multi‑billion‑dollar spend portfolios and delivering nine‑figure savings. I build modern, high‑impact procurement organizations that operate as strategic enablers to the business, partnering with C‑suite leaders to align supplier strategy with growth, profitability, and risk objectives. Today, I lead Global Strategic Sourcing and Supplier Management at Pinterest, following senior leadership roles at Salesforce, Paycor, Munich Re, Worldpay, and others. Across these roles, I have built and scaled global teams, modernized procure‑to‑pay ecosystems, and led some of the largest and most complex negotiations in company history, including cloud infrastructure, managed services, and mission‑critical technology agreements. My leadership philosophy in three pillars: 1️⃣ Enterprise Impact: Tying every sourcing and supplier decision to P&L outcomes, innovation, and competitive advantage. 2️⃣ People and Culture: Building diverse, high‑performing global teams and empowering them with clear strategy, data, and technology. 3️⃣ Transformation and Innovation: Modernizing processes, deploying digital procurement platforms, and using data and AI to drive better decisions at scale. Outside of my core role, I am a TEDx speaker, two‑time author, and long‑time advocate for building diversity, equity, and inclusion in the world. I am passionate about expanding opportunities, increasing diverse supplier participation, and using the procurement function as a lever for systemic change.