Women CEO In Reflection

Samantha Pillay overcame physical limitations from birth and became South Australia’s first female urological surgeon. She is a passionate businesswoman and entrepreneur and Founder of Continence Matters, a centre of excellence in treating urinary incontinence and the creator of an online course for health professionals.Samantha is a three-time international Amazon number-one best-selling author and her book 'No Recipe Cookbook' helps 'kitchenphobes' save time, money and calories with basic home cooking tips.She has a picture book series which inspires children to Dream Big and Aim High, instilling self-belief and challenging career gender stereotypes, and her international eCommerce business promotes a serious message with a smile.Samantha was one of four finalist nominees for South Australia, Australian of the Year 2022 and a finalist for the Telstra Best of Business Awards 2023.https://samanthapillay.com/https://shop.samanthapillay.com/

Lauren Sato is the Chief Executive Officer of Ada Developers Academy, a non-profit, entirely cost-free coding school for women and gender-expansive adults. With ample experience scaling impactful ideas, Lauren is dedicated to changing the face of tech by creating market-driven solutions to our most intractable social problems.Ada Developers Academyhttps://adadevelopersacademy.org/

Jennifer O. Rominiecki, President and Chief Executive Officer of Marie Selby Botanical Gardens. Since her arrival in 2015, she repositioned the institution as The Living Museum®, and has overseen the creation and execution of two Strategic Plans, as well as an innovative Master Site Plan for which Phase One will be complete in fall 2023. In May 2020, Jennifer oversaw the adoption of Historic Spanish Point as a companion campus. Throughout her career, Jennifer has served in various roles for The New York Botanical Garden, the Metropolitan Opera, and the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum.https://selby.org/

Parul Somani, a life leadership expert empowering people to live and lead with intention. Reputed for her authentic storytelling, powerful frameworks, and actionable insights, Parul is a sought-after keynote speaker and workshop facilitator for organizations seeking to better navigate change and move forward with purpose. Parul is also an award-winning patient leader and health advocate, invited to share her healthcare insights for President Biden's Cancer Moonshot Initiative, the World Economic Forum, the American Cancer Society, and more. Parul's career spans 15+ years including management consultanting at Bain & Company and an executive in Silicon Valley start-ups. Silver Linings

Lynda Ricketson is President and CEO of Dental Lifeline Network, a national charital organization providing dental care to adults with special needs across the United States. Lynda has spent thirty years in the nonprofit sector, leading Philanthropic Services and Development departments, fundraising at the University of Denver and as a program officer for Rose Community Foundation (RCF). Lynda is based out Denver, Colorado, where she enjoys hiking, kayaking, and has a passion for writing and reading.Dental Lifeline Networkwww.dentallifeline.org

Deborah Smith is Co-Founder and CEO of The CenterCap Group and heads the firm’s Strategic Capital and M&A and Execution efforts. Prior to CCG, Deborah served as Co-Head of M&A and Senior Managing Director with CB Richard Ellis Investor, and led their negotiation and acquisition of majority interest in Wood Partners, one of the largest multifamily developers in the United States. Throughout her career, Deborah has worked with Lehman Brothers, Wachovia Securities, Morgan Stanley, and been involved in over $100+ billion transactions.www.centercapgroup.com

Sue Ann Hong is the President & CEO of the Center for Asian Pacific American Women. Prior to joining the organization in 2018, Sue Ann's career spanned over 28 years at State Farm Insurance Companies, in areas of Data Processing, Diversity & Inclusion, Corporate Business & Technology Portfolio Management and P&C Auto Claims. She has led teams of up to 600 employees in multiple locations, managed 1000 contract employees and supported customers and State Farm agents in 23 states. Sue Ann Hong, President & CEO for the Center for Asian Pacific American Women orr CAPAW.org

My name is Jen Beck and for the last 15+ years, I have worked with clients dealing with chronic conditions to folks that have struggled with their weight their entire lives, and across all age spectrums from kids to 80 year olds – so I know no 2 bodies are alike, nor are their issues are the same.Most people struggle to make sense of all the so-called expert advice out there. It breaks my heart to see people fail through 15 different diets, suffer through knee surgeries, wake up feeling like crap, and going through life believing “this is as good as it gets”… and I see this with people in their 30’s! I was just like that, and I turned it around.I can help you figure out exactly what you need and how to make it work within your busy lifestyle!I will be your guide, cheerleader, and support along your journey to find what your body needs specifically for you to feel fantastic, so you can fall in love with your food, body and life again.I swore in my 20’s that I would do whatever it takes to make it so that no family had to endure what we did. I have been on a mission ever since!In my 20’s, I was living on coffee, Diet Mountain Dew, sugar and convenience foods. I was dragging through the day, getting sick a couple times a year and just not feeling awesome, but I had no idea how bad it had gotten, because my health had declined so gradually I hadn’t noticed.Then I got a wakeup call!I was 26, standing in my mom’s living room watching her entire life being sorted through as she was being packed up to move into a nursing home at 49 years old!Through research, I found that with a different lifestyle, this situation may have been completely avoidable, or at least delayed by many, many years.I saw people reverse disease, reclaim their health from “terminal” and chronic diseases that I had previously believed were life sentences.

Dr. Robyn Short is the founder and CEO of Workplace Peace Institute, an organization development, consulting, leadership training, and research firm that brings peace and dignity to the workplace. She also works as a peace-building trainer, mediator, racial equity consultant, and restorative justice facilitator.Dr. Short is also the founder and publisher of GoodMedia Press, founder and board chair of the Peace & Conciliation Project, and an adjunct professor at both Southern Methodist University, and Bay Path University has authored four books on peace building.Workplace Peace Institutewww.workplacepeaceinstitute.com

Joanna Medin started out in a family business in injection molding, with a father who was raised not to respect women in the workplace. In growing her career and moving on to work with other companies, she found her niche in the startup environment as a driven and determined woman, often working in male-dominated fields. Joanna is now CEO of OntheMUV, a company providing accessible fitness equipment that is used while seated and focuses on aging, education, and the mantra that Movement Unleashes Vitality.Please share your business name and website, if applicable.: https://www.OntheMUV.com

Jen Sapel is a recovering over-achiever who overcompensated financially after living with a mother who struggled financially after a divorce. She describes her childhood home as one that pretended tough subjects like rape, death, sex, and of money, didn’t exist. Jen is driven to succeed, and through her curiosity, and astonishing ability to problem solve, propelled her to success in financial services industry winning awards while often being the only woman leader in the room. Jen started Utor Wealth after tiring of long-winded meetings and over-emphasis on products and sales quotas. Utor is latin for: to use, to employ, to enjoy. Jen believes that every dollar we touch and how we send it out into the world is shaping both the world we live in and the one we aspire to. Every woman deserves to do it intentionally and with confidence, that is exactly how she helps her clients.Utor Wealth, utorwealth.com

Lisa Lewis began her career as a graduate of Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Clown College. With a BA from Brandeis University and a Master’s Degree in Clown/Circus History from NYU, she co-founded the Super Scientific Circus, and spent many years working with the Big Apple Circus in multiple capacities.Her passion for sharing the magic of the circus inspired her to reimagine the art form of circus for 21st Century audiences through Omnium: A Bold New Circus, where she is Founder and Executive Director. Sharing in the joy and excitement of the performing arts is an experience that should be available to everyone, regardless of background, race, gender or ability. Omnium makes that happen.Omnium Circuswww.omniumcircus.org

Hope Zvara is a movement and lifestyle expert, speaker, CEO of Mother Trucker Yoga, and the creator of STIFF Mother Trucker Pain Relief Cream. From yoga teacher to trucking fitness expert Hope has helped change thousands of lives over the last 20 years using her simple step-by-step strategies and what she calls her "toolbox", and has been showing drivers how they can go from unhealthy and out of options to feeling good again with her unique easy to follow approach to health, fitness, and life all while living over the road as a trucker. She believes it’s about the small, simple changes that lead to the big results in life so that you can feel good again. Hope has been featured in Forbes, Yahoo News, Overdrive Magazine, SiriusXM Radio, Truckers News, and dozens of radio and podcast shows.Mother Trucker Yogawww.mothertruckeryoga.com

Allison Fine is the President of Every.org, which helps nonprofits raise money and build strong relationships with donors.Allison is a pioneer in the use of technology for good. She is the author of four books on the topic, most recently, The Smart Nonprofit: Staying Human Centered in an Automated World with Beth Kanter. She was the Founder & CEO of Innovation Network, Inc, a nonprofit helping organizations define and measure their success.Allison FinePresidentEvery.org

Asher Jay, is a National Geographic explorer turned tech entrepreneur, and founder of Henoscene, a blockchain application that brings transparency and accountability to Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Social Governance aligned impact initiatives. Asher is an international adventurer and public figure whose career arc has taken her from fashion designing on Seventh Avenue to campaigning against illicit contraband on Billboards worldwide. Jay’s work has contributed to raising consumer awareness and empowering citizen action for well known brands like Prada, Adidas, Citizen Watches, Loreal and others. From business to design, Jay’s efforts have always pushed the boundaries on and explored technology as the final frontier to promote access, scale transformation and solve for inequity.Please share your business name and website, if applicable.:www.henoscene.comhenoscene is the App, and incorporate Inc is the holding company

Valencia McClure is a certified aromatherapist and the Founder and CEO of The Artistry of Essential Oils, a plant-based skincare and aromatherapy product line designed to support women's life's journey to holistic wellbeing.The Artistry of Essential Oilshttps://www.theartistryofessentialoils.com

Marnie Vincolisi traverses the universe daily getting esoteric wisdom to share with seekers of truth. Founder and CEO of Light Internal, Marnie has been an entrepreneur all of her adult life, always changing and creating businesses that bring joy and align her with her spiritual focus. For the last three decades, she has devoted her time to developing a unique way of transforming peoples, lives through past life, regression, energy, clearings, classes, authoring of five books, including her recent memoir, and recorded meditations.Light internalhttps://www.lightinternal.com/

Anna Coffey is the CEO of The Women's Home whose mission is to help women in crisis regain their self-esteem and dignity, empowering them to return to society as productive, self-sufficient individuals. With a background in social work, public health and law, Anna has pursued her passion for building healthy, strong communities, serving women in a wide range of roles from working with rural women in West Africa to helping women make smart decisions about health care. She has been published in several peer-reviewed journals, including Pediatrics, and has received numerous awards, including the Healthcare Hero award from the Houston Business Journal.The Women's Homewww.thewomenshome.org

Mia Johnson-Turner is the Chartering President at National Coalition of 100 Black Women, Inc., Dallas Metropolitan Chapter She is an entrepreneur, speaker, published author, academic scholar, consultant, activist, therapist, and minister with a personal mission of empowering others to live life on purpose by making the most of every opportunity for social and economic development. Mia works as the National Community Outreach Manager for the Myeloma Link program at the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (LLS) and is the President of The Johnson Collective, where she offers leadership development services and therapy to business executives, corporations, church leaders, and individuals.Her personal life mission and motto has been and continues to be "If there is a problem, there is a solution" and believes it is our responsibility to be the conduit by which solutions are birthed. www.miadjohnson.com

Denon Moore, Founder, and CEO at The Urban Cookie, founder of Cake Crumbs Bakery. Former owner/founder of The Crumb Cafe, The Denver Cupcake Truck, and The Denver Pie Truck. As an entrepreneurial spirit, she explored new avenues of business and entrepreneurship; ultimately, her heart knew baking was her destiny.The Urban CookieWww.theurbancookie.comWww.franchisewiththeurbancookie.com