Women Acquiring Assets

Laura Rock began The Laura and Jason Rock Family Foundation in early 2017.  What started off as a general challenge to “help women” evolved into a specific vision of empowering young women of color exiting county run services in Pittsburgh.  As the Rock Family Foundation (RFF) began meeting with the funder and programming communities the mission grew – these programs needed miscellaneous and operational funding so they could focus on their missions instead of on their feelings of scarcity and lack.  These organizations and the population they served wanted advocacy and collaboration. RFF began to seek out the organizations that were partnering with others and the programs that were outside the county-funded systems.  Bringing fresh ideas, new viewpoints and multi-faceted solutions are just as important as funding.  And the way that grants are delivered is streamlined and different.  RFF prioritizes the conversation.  A synergy or two.  An opportunity to band together with other programs.  A memo and a handshake.  These steps replace the traditional routes that programs were used to requesting funding.  And Laura wanted to walk the line between the old ways and the new ways bringing together the best of both modalities.

Adesola (Addie) Elabor is the founder and CEO of D’IYANU, an African inspired apparel brand based in Philadelphia, PA.  Addie was born in Nigeria and moved to the U.S with her family at the age of six. As with most children new to a foreign environment, she struggled to fit into the American lifestyle with new foods, vocabulary, and culture. As she grew older, she learned to accept and embrace her uniqueness and African roots. She graduated from Oral Roberts University in Tulsa, OK with a Bachelor’s in International Business and French. It was in college where she solidified her life’s goal of creating a business that would enable her to give back to the African community. Her first job after graduating was with an online store called Pet Food Direct where she worked in the merchandising and subsequently the purchasing department. Little did she know that the experience gained at this company would prove beneficial to her future business endeavors. While working at Pet Food Direct, she started a master’s program in International Marketing. Upon completion of her Master’s degree and unable to find a job in the marketing field, she decided to launch her own business. Seeing an opportunity for a ready-to-wear African inspired line and seeking to express her heritage through clothing, Addie launched D’IYANU in January 2014 from her little studio apartment in King of Prussia, PA.  Addie currently works out of the D’IYANU headquarter in Norristown, PA along with her brother, Dara Ajayi and 16 other employees. When she is not working on her business, she enjoys spending time with her husband, friends and family. She also enjoys reading, watching movies, traveling, and trying new activities. She’s passionate about self-development and empowering her community. Since launching D’IYANU, she has made it a priority to donate a portion of revenue to charities empowering the black community and providing clean water and education to underdeveloped countries. D’IYANU has been able to donate over $35,000 to date. 

Simone Sauter is a PR & Publicity Coach, bestselling author and tech nerd. She helps coaches, consultants and trainers to become the go-to expert and consistently attract high-paying clients by building authority, trust and credibility through the power of the media. Simone has nearly 2 decades experience in the media and PR world. She worked as a journalist for 8 years and before her entrepreneurial journey as a PR manager for several fortune 100 companies. She also has a master’s degree in Journalism and PR and is a certified PR consultant.But most important is that she has built a very successful coaching business in the relationship coaching niche solely by using PR which means that she understands 100% how to make PR work for your coaching and consulting business in a way that you get new clients.

Tae Lee, known as the “Money Maximizer,” is a International Best-Selling financial author, speaker, coach and trainer. Tae now creates diverse streams of income in the tax, real estate, insurance, and finance industry. Tae Lee is also known for her other financial literacy books, NGB Money Success Planner & High School Edition. She is constantly building generational wealth, not debt.

Dr. Ceptus Schreiber is a trauma informed coach, Spiritual Activist, and educator. She teaches spiritual consciousness-raising skills to bring about personal growth and presence in the body. Her work with Radical Presence is grounded in the belief that healing happens in the body aided by spirit and consciousness. She works with people of color, specifically women, around healing from sexual trauma. Her latest course, Coming Home is a 6-week exploration of healing from childhood sexual abuse that aims to empower survivors with tools to reconnect with their bodies, learn how to respond to overwhelming emotions, and develop a practice of forgiveness,  so they can spend more time feeling calm and present in their body. 

Nic Hyl designs women's swimwear and resort wear in Ne York City in an effort to help them to feel beautiful in the skin that they're in. She helps solve problems that aren't typically discussed. Namely low self esteem, negative self talk and low self confidence. Beyond making body positive swim and resortwear, Nic has written a "Live Beautifully" challenge to help begin to heal and address the source of some of our low self esteem, and she produces monthly monthly IG live's with a personal development coach where they address the steps of building self esteem, and some of the reasons why it may be lower than it should. 

Camilla Constance is a libido coach for women.  She helps women, struggling with low sexual desire, to cultivate more sensuality, pleasure and sexual intimacy in their lives and relationships so that they have increased sexual ease and confidence bringing joy, sparkle, energy and bounce back into their lives.It was motherhood that led Camilla to become a sexuality coach.  She completely lost herself in the demanding early years of parenting, her marriage suffered, she became more and more isolated and deeply depressed. As she worked her way back to happiness she discovered the incredible power of her sexual pleasure. She released long held wounds and learnt how to use sexual energy to nourish her body, filling her life with renewed energy, vitality, intimacy, laughter and love. Knowing she could not keep this secret to herself, she launched her coaching business in 2016.Camilla’ fascination with all things sexual led her to enroll at the Tantric Institute of Integrated Sexuality where she learnt the ancient tantric practices which now form an integral part of her work. But it is her lived experience of suffering from low libido and a sterile sex life that enables her to empathize so closely with her clients.She is passionate advocate for what she calls “The Good Sex Movement”.  Visit www.camillaconstance.com where you sign up to her newsletter and receive two meditations to begin you on your journey. 

With a focus on client attraction & retention Julie Parker is a national educator, role model and mentor and founder of Elite Consulting. A national educator, role model and mentor with over 15 years of corp experience in Oil & Gas industry, she helps established entrepreneurs, sm biz owners and commission based professionals with their own online events so they consistently and elegantly fuel their sales pipelines with targeted quality leads & ideal referral partners by showing up powerfully and making a bigger impact to convert them into clients.

About Emma:I am a career and lifestyle design coach who helps high-integrity people who hate selling themselves to create work that they enjoy. The result is that their work nourishes every other area of their lives, rather than just extracting their energy.  After working 12-hour days in New York with only 5 days of vacation per year, I knew I wanted a different life and that I wouldn’t figure it out while being so busy. I left New York to work a contract in Belize, took a western roadtrip with my late grandmother, and then moved to the middle of nowhere Colorado. My goal was to, “leave space for my soul to contact me.” I had an inspiration to join a career coaching program and followed it even though it made no logical sense and I was clearly unqualified. Since that day in 2010, I have privately coached hundreds of people from 25 countries on creating jobs and businesses they love, consulted on negotiations that yielded millions more in lifetime revenue, and have presented to groups on topics ranging from life purpose and ideal career design to LinkedIn, business branding and negotiation for audience sizes of up to 14,000. If you are willing to know what you *really* want for your life and work, you can set up a free strategy session at emma-garrett.com.  

Geneve Lau and Maya Malekian are the two executive directors of empath worldwide, a pro bono communications collective that was founded during a time of adversity in the COVID-19 pandemic. Their mission is to create synergy between small businesses/nonprofits and passionate communicators to make waves in their communities. 

A mother, Smoothie King Franchise owner, certified fitness/health coach and accountant, Alexis Moore is a sought-after physical empowerment specialist, conscious thinker, and life-changing leader. She has earned a noteworthy reputation as a catalyst for change and demonstrates true compassion for women and individuals with communication disorders.Growing up in Brazoria County with a speech impediment really made Alexis more determined to develop her athletic and communication skills. She came to the realization that having a speech impediment motivated her achievements, as they should with anyone, it did not prohibit her from accomplishing her goals. She attended Texas Southern on a full Basketball Scholarship and graduated with her BBA in Accounting. As her wise grandmother, Missionary Shirley Temple Hills, always said to young Alexis, “Open Mouths, Open Doors”! Alexis embraces that phrase whenever an opportunity presents itself to speak.Alexis Moore combines her wealth of physical expertise with her depth of spiritual understanding to reveal life-transforming messages that empower and inspire. Seasoned with authenticity, compassion, revelatory insight, and personal sincerity, Alexis opens minds and penetrates hearts with biblically-based principles of physical healing and personal empowerment.

Born into generations of homeowners, Shanta learned that homeownership was the key to generational wealth at an early age. She took those teachings and purchased her first home at 21 years of age. Her passion for real estate started while working for a local real estate attorney. She later turned that passion into directly helping first-time homebuyers achieve the American dream by becoming a real estate broker/salesperson.  With over 16 years of experience under her belt, her commitment to customer service has allowed her to work 90% from referrals alone. She has been trusted by many to handle their friends and families with the utmost care and professionalism. She vows to treat every client like family. With the growth of online marketing and mobile-friendly technology, Shanta offers cutting edge marketing strategies tailored to provide maximum online exposure to sellers.Shanta is the 2020 Region XV Vice President of the National Association of Real Estate Brokers (NAREB). Leading this organization allows her to educate the minority community on the steps and benefits of homeownership as well as assist with members' engagement and chapter development. She is also the 2020 National Education Chair. This role allows her to strategize and plan personal and professional education for 1000s of NAREB members. In addition, Shanta is a Director for Las Vegas Realtors. She is a Nevada Realtors Director and serves as the Diversity and Inclusion Chair.  She has been awarded 2018 NAREB Humanitarian of the Year, 2017 Most Influential Person, 2016 Emerging Leaders, Top 250 Realtors in Las Vegas, and 2017 Realtor of the Month. Shanta has been accommodated by Senators and Congressmen alike for her work in the Las Vegas real estate community.  Her passion for community has shown through her successful efforts to raise over 19,000 meals two years in a row for a local Title I school. Shanta has 100+ volunteer hours focusing her efforts to combat teenage homelessness, mentor young women, and advocate for homeownership in minority communities.When she is not helping people buy, sell, or invest in real estate, she can be found reading on her balcony, relaxing with her doodles and family, or working on her podcast, House then the Husband.

Della Ricca was founded by Board Certified Hair Professional, Karen Anne Jacks, who believes everyone deserves a salon-grade, professional hair color- regardless of whether they are coloring in the salon or at home. Della Ricca is upgrading the “do-it-yourself” hair coloring experience. We match your perfect color formula for a shade tailored to your exact specifications, and we ship your custom color to you with step-by-step instructions to apply it successfully at home. Understanding the science, chemistry, and artistry of hair color (and recognizing that every client is unique), each order has the personal touch of being approved by a professional colorist who understands a client’s desired outcome.

Isi shares, "I started my business to help women of color close the salary gap and live out their God-given story. I'm a passionate Career & Salary Strategist who believes you can do anything you put your actions to. We have helped women to advocate for their well deserved earnings in the workplace and to hone in on what makes them unique for the ultimate confidence. To date, my strategies have equipped women to earn 20k-100k Salary raises even in the midst of a pandemic."

Patti Cotton works with high-performing and high-potential executives and professionals toengage, elevate, and equip them for greater leadership and outcomes. Founder and CEO of her own company, she possesses more than 25 years of leadership both stateside and abroad, in diplomatic relations, and corporate profit and not-for-profit worlds.Cotton’s client roster includes such notables as Bank of America, Boeing, Coca-Cola, HarvardUniversity, Sysco, Edward Jones, Morgan Stanley, Girl Scouts of America, as well as privately-owned companies and non-profits. Her volunteer service supports the area of health and welfare for healthier, happier families and communities, and a portion of all business profits supports alternatives to domestic violence and at-risk youth. Cotton is a two-time recipient of The U.S. President’s Lifetime Award for Volunteer Service, and has just been nominated for a third one.

Kriz Bell is local to the San Francisco Bay Area where she spent her childhood before attending Mills College. She brings more than 15 years of professional experience in multimedia, strategic communications, and culture work. She has designed, directed, and produced various initiatives within the corporate and nonprofit sectors focusing on inclusion, diversity, and social change through the strategic use of media and communications for connecting and engaging different audiences. Her skill with strategic communications was instrumental in the expansion and engagement of organizations including the Anita Borg Institute, TechInclusion, MotherCoders, S.H.E. Globl Media, and the Better Man Conference as well as Cisco, Google, and SunPower among others. Her tenure with organizations such as Change Catalyst, Google, Jennifer Brown Consulting, and the Better Man Movement, has increased her understanding of the influence that language, media, and inequity play in our culture, personally and professionally. Knowing the power that community and the corporate arena play in our world, has been the impetus for helping organizations of all sizes to become people-first places that prioritize inclusion and promote belonging. In her latest iteration as a partner with the Better Man Movement, Kriz DEI experience, production, and communication skills to the team. She is excited to share her knowledge to help organizations create and curate the resources relevant to their specific experiences in order to meet innovation goals with inclusive and intersectional teams.

Attorney Lezli Baskerville is a Justice Janissary, who in 2019 was recognized for leveraging her mastery of Constitutional Law to promote justice by her alma mater, Howard University School of Law, when they awarded her the Lifetime Achievement Award. She is currently serving as CEO of the National Association for Equal Opportunity in Higher Education, the nation’s only membership and advocacy association for the 106 public, private and land-grant, 2-and 4-year, graduate and professional Historically Black Colleges and Universities and 50 Predominantly Black Institutions. As CEO, Attorney Baskerville serves as, “the voice for Blacks in higher education.” She also serves as Chair of The Alliance for Equity in Higher Education. Prior to assuming the helm of NAFEO, Attorney Baskerville served as pro bono outside counsel for NAFEO for two decades, representing the diverse cohort of HBCUs in 18 states, in federal district courts, and as counsel for amici before the Supreme Court. 

Viola Solomon Senior Vice President Director Community Lending Mortgage BBVA Compass Leadership.Viola Solomon joined BBVA Compass Bank team in 2014 as the National Community Lending Manager. She is based in Houston, Texas. Viola a 34year mortgage services veteran served as a Regional Diverse Segments Manager prior to her current role. She reports to Eduardo Castaneda, EVP; Executive Director Real Estate Lending for the BBVA seven state footprint. She attended Wiley College in Marshall, Texas and Texas Southern University, where she majored in education. She was chosen to attend the African American Leaders Program hosted by University of California’s, John E. Anderson Graduate School of Management in partnership with her former employer. She is active with several community organizations and her church. Viola serves on the boards of Avenue CDC; Houston Area Urban League CDC; Women of Virtue Experiencing Newness, God’s Abundant Love Ministries. Viola also teaches financial literacy programs for Houston-based community development corporations. Additionally, she serves as an affordable lending partner, for the City of Houston Housing program. Viola is affiliated with the Houston Black Association of Realtors an African American Real Estate organization; the National Association of Hispanic Real Estate Professionals and the Asian American Real Estate Association. She is most proud of her two sons and family.

Reverend Cerita Battles is an itinerant deacon at St. Paul A.M.E. Church, St. Augustine, Florida under the pastoral leadership of the Reverend Ron Rawls.  At St. Paul A.M.E.C., she leads the Financial Health & Wellness Ministry; she is the adult teacher for Bible Discovery Hour and leads the worship service.  Cerita answered God’s call to ministry in 2011.Cerita is a native of St. Augustine, Florida where she currently resides with her husband Ronald Battles and their beautiful 16-year old daughter, Myka Renae.  She graduated from the University of Phoenix where she earned her Bachelor’s in Business Management.  Cerita has been in the financial industry for over 31 years and 23 years specifically dedicated to mortgage.  Cerita recently rejoined JPMorgan Chase as Managing Director, Head of Affordable Lending where she is responsible for leading the execution of strategies to help address historic barriers to homeownership among minorities and low-to-moderate income borrowers and communities.  Prior to rejoining the firm, Cerita was the Senior Vice President and Head of Retail Diverse Segments for Wells Fargo Home Mortgage for over 9 years. While there, she was responsible for establishing the company’s strategic plan and lending goals to increase and enable sustainable homeownership among low-to-moderate income homebuyers and communities as well as ethnic minority homebuyers across the full economic spectrum. Before joining Wells Fargo, Cerita worked for Bank of America as the Centralized Sales Site Executive and a Business Development Executive for 5+ years.  And, as a former JPMorgan Chase employee, Cerita spent 8+ years as a Business Development Executive with JPMorgan Chase Home Finance. She was responsible for the development, implementation and execution of Multi-cultural and Affordable Lending strategies within Retail, Wholesale and Correspondent channels.She’s affiliated with several corporate boards within the mortgage industry such as, Freddie Mac’s Advisory Housing Council, Fannie Mae’s Affordable Housing Corporate Board, the National Association of Hispanic Real Estate Professionals Corporate Board of Governor, National Association of Real Estate Brokers and the Asian Real Estate Association of America’s Housing Advisory Boards and Wells Fargo Home Lending Diversity & Inclusion Council.  In 2012, she was recognized by the Florida Diversity Council as one of the Most Powerful and Influential Women in the state of Florida.She’s also a member of several local boards and affiliates.  Cerita is a lifetime member of Ft Mose Historical Society where she sits on the Advisory Board.  She’s a charter member and president of the First Coast Chapter of the Charmettes, Inc., which is a 501c3 national organization focused on cancer research and building the health and viability of our community. In 2018, Cerita was inducted into the St. Augustine/Ketterlinus High School Alumni Association’s Hall of Fame.  Finally, Cerita is a licensed Zumba instructor and lives by this quote “God created me to serve Him; therefore, what I do personally and professionally can be summed up into one word --- Ministry.”