Senior-Level

Kate Southall is the co-founder of Maxi Club DC, a dynamic fitness collective bringing high-energy, dance-inspired group workouts to the DMV.

A lifelong dancer and two-time marathon finisher, Kate blends endurance, rhythm, and community into every class. She previously served as the head coach of the George Washington University Dance Team and has choreographed and consulted for the dance teams of the University of Virginia, American University, and George Mason University.

Jeremy York, SHRM-SCP, SPHR is the Lead Consultant and President of InvigorateHR and coauthor of the “JoyPowered Organization.” He has over 20 years' experience in human resource strategy and business operations where he has worked with and advised all levels of management on critical business and people-related issues. Jeremy's expertise in defining and understanding the "big picture" enables him to translate business needs into tangible solutions. With his guidance, organizations have improved employee relations, increased performance, and developed cultures based on mutual trust and respect. Jeremy holds a master’s degree in management from Indiana Wesleyan University and a bachelor’s degree in organizational leadership from Purdue University. He has served as an adjunct faculty member for Purdue University Indianapolis for over 15 years teaching various leadership and human resources curriculums. Jeremy is a national speaker and currently serves as an advisor on the Society for Human Resource Management’s Diversity Taskforce.

Nejat Abdurahman is the founder and lead at N-BAC, a business advisory and consulting firm that helps organizations transform the way they lead to transform their business and create a sustainable impact. Nejat is a certified Leadership and Emotional Intelligence coach, a keynote speaker, and a trainer. She facilitates Leadership Development programs at N-BAC Academy to equip managers and leaders with the needed skills to transform the way they lead.Nejat earned her MBA from Isenberg School of Management, UMass Amherst and holds a BA degree in Economics from Addis Ababa University. 

Evelyn Farías is a DEI&B Program Manager at Lyra Health. She is the creator and leader of Lyra’s Community Leads Program, a social and educational community where leaders of employee resource groups and peer champions programs can learn best practices for mental health promotion. Prior to this role, she worked as a full-time therapist, specializing in working with BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ populations in private practice and non-profit settings. Evelyn holds Master’s degrees in Psychological Counseling and Bilingual-Spanish Latinx Mental Health from Columbia University and is a former fellow of the American Psychological Association’s Minority Fellowship Program.

Discover the extraordinary journey of Dethra U. Giles, the visionary force behind ExecuPrep, pioneering leadership development and organizational transformation. Rooted in education, performance optimization, and HR, Dethra empowers individuals, teams, and organizations to surpass their expectations. With degrees in English, Spanish, Business and Conflict Management, she blends communication and cultural understanding seamlessly. As a respected faculty member and TEDx speaker, her influence resonates globally, shaping inclusive cultures in corporate giants like LVMH and the EPA. Dethra's compassion fuels her advocacy for social justice, while her writings and media presence inspire resilience and growth. With her, the future promises boundless opportunity and transformation.

Todd Lemmis is an author, organizational architect, musician, lawyer, and impact investor/developer. His diverse background in human resources, music, law, and business leadership affords him a creative, whole-brain perspective and approach to all the adventures he undertakes. 

His seminal work involves transforming organizational design with a simple, natural approach that unlocks the keys to career development and employee retention through his novel, common model. It simplifies organizational architecture, job competencies, career pathing, job descriptions, job families and succession planning, resulting in happier, more stable, productive organizations.

Todd’s current work with Pacific6, Enterprises, a Long Beach, California based investment/development firm involves impact investment and development of hotels, multi-family properties, aquaculture, and HR consulting. Within Pacific6, Todd focuses on human resources, public and government relations, development, consulting and design.

Todd holds a BA in philosophy from UCLA and a JD from Southwestern University School of Law. For fun, he loves writing, music, reading, cooking, entertaining, and designing leather goods and ceramics. In addition to his proprietary works on organizational architecture and human development, he invented a punctuation mark and developed a couple of colognes.

Todd lives in Long Beach, California with his awesome, patient wife and three children. He’s a member of the Society for Human Resource Management, the Friendly Sons of St. Patrick, the US Navy Musician’s Association, and Costco. He also likes cats.

Azizi Marshall, a leading mental health and workplace wellness expert, guides global businesses in cultivating their healthiest, most successful selves. As the Founder & CEO of the Center for Creative Arts Therapy in Chicago, she's a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor, Board Certified Trainer in Creative Arts Therapy, international speaker, and published author. Featured in Oprah Magazine, CNN, NBC News, Thrive Global, Bustle, Reader’s Digest, and The Huffington Post, Azizi's expertise extends to podcasts and international news articles, focusing on workplace wellness and creativity. Through interactive wellness trainings and programs, she actively engages corporations worldwide, shaping healthier work environments for all.

WHAT CAROL BRINGS TO THE TABLE
Carol has 25+ years of Organization, Leadership, and Team Effectiveness experience. She led organization transformation efforts inside telecommunication and pharmaceutical companies, and then took that experience to clients across industries when she transitioned to external consulting. Carol led consulting teams at Andersen, Deloitte, and Capital H Group before starting HighBar Consulting, a firm that is now part of TiER1 Performance. In all her work, she brings a unique blend of deep subject-matter expertise, curiosity, objectivity, systems thinking, and pragmatism. Carol cares deeply about her clients and supporting them on their journey to success. As a result, she has many long-standing client relationships.

WHAT SHE’S PASSIONATE ABOUT
Carol is passionate about helping clients find innovative solutions to organizational challenges. She has a knack for developing practical, systems-focused solutions that are rooted in an understanding of the unique characteristics of each client’s situation. Her approach helps clients simultaneously build organizational performance and people engagement.

FUN FACT
One of Carol’s ancestors was a pirate in the 1500s. He worked on behalf of his country, the Netherlands, raiding the ships of enemy countries. Ahoy, Matey!

WHAT CAROL BRINGS TO THE TABLE
Carol has 25+ years of Organization, Leadership, and Team Effectiveness experience. She led organization transformation efforts inside telecommunication and pharmaceutical companies, and then took that experience to clients across industries when she transitioned to external consulting. Carol led consulting teams at Andersen, Deloitte, and Capital H Group before starting HighBar Consulting, a firm that is now part of TiER1 Performance. In all her work, she brings a unique blend of deep subject-matter expertise, curiosity, objectivity, systems thinking, and pragmatism. Carol cares deeply about her clients and supporting them on their journey to success. As a result, she has many long-standing client relationships.

WHAT SHE’S PASSIONATE ABOUT
Carol is passionate about helping clients find innovative solutions to organizational challenges. She has a knack for developing practical, systems-focused solutions that are rooted in an understanding of the unique characteristics of each client’s situation. Her approach helps clients simultaneously build organizational performance and people engagement.

FUN FACT
One of Carol’s ancestors was a pirate in the 1500s. He worked on behalf of his country, the Netherlands, raiding the ships of enemy countries. Ahoy, Matey!

Anita Martin is a highly experienced human resources leader with over 25 years of progressive experience in various industries. Currently, she serves as the leader for human resources and Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DE&I) functions for the Houston Texans, a position that places her on the executive leadership team of the organization.

Throughout her career, Anita has demonstrated her expertise in human resources across diverse sectors, including oil & gas, information technology, manufacturing, retail, finance, and sports & entertainment. Her roles in these industries have been increasingly impactful, showcasing her ability to navigate and contribute to different business environments.

Anita is recognized for her professional certifications, holding the status of a senior certified professional in human resources and being certified as a Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) leader. These certifications highlight her commitment to maintaining high standards in HR practices and promoting diversity and inclusion within the organizations she serves.

Active in professional associations, Anita has been a member of HR Houston, the local SHRM affiliate, and the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) for over fifteen years. She currently holds a position on the Board of Directors for HR Houston, showcasing her leadership and involvement in shaping the local HR community. Additionally, Anita is a member of YMDQ (Young Mothers Don’t Quit) and WISE (Women in Sports and Entertainment), underlining her commitment to supporting various causes and professional networks.

Anita Martin earned her Master of Science in Human Resources Management from Houston Baptist University, reflecting her dedication to continuous learning and academic achievement in her field. Overall, her extensive background, certifications, and involvement in professional organizations demonstrate Anita's commitment to advancing human resources and fostering diversity and inclusion within the workplace.