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Want a sustainable advantage in a competitive marketplace? Master the art of innovation. Leo Chan is one of those masters.
 

Sought after by major companies in both the US and Canada, and with over 20 years of experience in the world of innovation and creativity, Leo has inspired and coached innovators from around the globe with his magical ability to unleash innovative ideas and practices that guide leaders to stay ahead of the pace both systematically and strategically.

As the Founder of Abound Innovation, former Senior Innovation Lead at Chick-fil-A, and former innovator at State Farm Insurance, Leo has harnessed his unique skill sets as an expert in innovation and creativity to both identify, and raise up, future innovators.

Leo understands that a culture that empowers and trains its innovators can create a thriving atmosphere for dynamic work with exponential impact.

Along with an insatiable curiosity as a lifelong learner, his creativity and innovation skills have him named as an inventor on 41 US patents.

So, if you’re looking for a sustainable advantage in a competitive marketplace, you’ll not only need a master at their craft, but someone who brings the right expertise, with the generous approach of a teacher - this is Leo Chan.

Dr. Sandra Sessoms-Penny is a Senior Research Fellow at the Center for Workplace Diversity and Inclusion Research. She is also a University Research Methodologist and Faculty at the University of Phoenix. She is an alum of the George Washington University, Old Dominion University, Troy State University (Montgomery) and Saint Leo University. Sandra formerly served as a school administrator for elementary, middle and high schools in the state of Virginia. She is a veteran of the U.S. Air Force. 

Nomi Bachar is a human potential expert, keynote speaker, author and mentor. She is a trained psychotherapist and has been guiding individuals and organizations for 30 years.

Nomi is the Founder and Director of White Cedar Institute for Expanded Living LLC, and the creator of the highly acclaimed method and program titled, Gates of Power®.

She helps individuals and organizations achieve high levels of performance and fulfillment in their personal and professional lives. Her expertise guides and empowers individuals to become leaders of their lives and their communities.

Nomi Bachar is the author of the Acclaimed International Best Selling book, “Gates of Power®: Actualize Your True Self”, a practical guide to creating the optimal self.

Her second book, “Let the Heart Speak” was published in May 2018. Nomi has been globally interviewed on dozens of radio talk shows such as iTunes, CBS radio & Voice of America.

She was a successful actress, producer and director of the Inner Landscapes stage productions in NYC.

Dawn Kelley is a certified HR Professional with 25+ years of experience, she is highly skilled in human resources management, employee relations, leadership development, coaching/ supervision, and agency operations.  Dawn has a reputation for being a strong, empathetic leader.  She has volunteered for the Society for Human Resources Management including creating test questions for the SHRM-CP exam, serving as a judge in the college games and spent several years serving on the Executive Board for Central Valley Human Resources Management Association, the local SHRM affiliate chapter.  She is the Human Resources Manager for City of Modesto.  

In 2021, Dawn spoke at SHRM 2021 in Las Vegas bringing forward a thoughtful intro to transgender in the workplace, “Coming of Gender”. Reviews of this session included, “Dawn was an engaging speaker! Very passionate about the subject. Dawn was funny too! Loved that she was transparent enough to share her story with the group! Great presentation!”

Most recently she provided sidebar insights on transgenderism in Chapter 11 Diversity and Inclusion for the SHRM Complete Study Guide authored by Sandra M. Reed and was a speaker on PCTY Talks podcast- https://pctytalks.podbean.com/e/championing-gender-equity-with-dawn-kelley/ with Shari Simpson.

In September 2018, Dawn was a featured TEDx speaker in the Central Valley presenting on Parental Resiliency. She was a guest on two (2) episodes the Therapists Uncut Podcast in 2020 and most recently took part in the My HR Journey Podcast (2021) with Steve Watson.

With a determination to meet people where they are, to help people be heard and to celebrate their accomplishments, she uses her power of persuasion to teach leaders that every voice matters.  Seeing that light bulb go off, that realization in their eyes…means the world.

“We are the voice of those unable to speak, the confidant to lighten the load and the professional to hold people accountable when their bias and judgement get in the way of respect in our workplaces.”

Francine Parham is a career expert and practitioner focused on female leadership and the advancement of women and women of color in the workplace. Having spent two decades in the corporate sector advancing to the position of a global vice-president at General Electric and Johnson and Johnson, she understands the importance of this work.

She is currently the Founder and CEO of FrancineParham & Co., a professional development company focused helping organizations and their female talent with career advancement. Francine is the creator of the Sharpen Your Skills Professional™, a series of career development learning programs focused on the right skills (explicit and implicit) women and women of color need for their professional success and advancement. Her company also works with organizations to provide quantitative and qualitative assessments with recommended approaches and solutions to advance their professional women and women of color in the workplace.

Francine is a keynote and public speaker. She has written for various online platforms and has been cited or recognized as a career expert in various published books. Her most recently published book, Please Sit Over There: How to Manage Power, Overcome Exclusion and Succeed as a Black Woman at Work (Berrett-Koehler Publishers I Penguin Random House Distributors) will be available globally, August, 2022. Francine is a Senior Fellow at The Conference Board, a business memberdriven global think tank and is cited as a Women’s Media Center expert.

Francine holds two master's degrees. She graduated from Columbia University with her Masters of Science degree in Journalism as a Stabile Investigative Fellow. Her second degree is from the University of Illinois where she obtained her Masters of Arts degree in Labor and Industrial Relations. Her undergraduate degree is from Purdue University where she double-majored in Business Communications and Psychology.

Marques Colston is the founder of Marques Colston Enterprises (MCE), a professional development services company, which empowers organizations and growth-minded
individuals to unlock creativity and possibility to experience sustainable business success. Creating Separation is a Mindset© inspired by his illustrious NFL career, spanning a
decade. Marques’ game-changing methodology of ‘Creating Separation’ is the paradigm shift that has propelled him to overcome adversity and experience seemingly
unattainable accomplishments, personally and professionally, over his lifetime.

“The reality is most business professionals have dealt with limitations external forces place on their ability to succeed. The good news is they don’t have to accept them.”
Marques is convinced you can build professional success and transcend perceived limitations with the right mindset and strategies. Marques’ sustained durable competitive advantage is Irrational ConfidenceTM -- A mindset shift rooted in the belief that an individual can perform at seemingly unattainable levels due to having the right mentality, well-developed strategies, and grit. Irrational ConfidenceTM was the contributing factor to the creation of employment opportunities, community development outreach programs, and opportunities for athletes as a franchise owner in professional football. Marques’ ventures have since expanded to business ownership, partnership, investment and advisory roles for dozens of businesses and organizations. 

The rigors and challenges experienced through his success and failure have uniquely positioned Marques to empower entrepreneurs and business owners to open their minds to possibilities and create meaningful value to fuel their business trajectory. Marques is a licensed financial advisor holding the Series 7, Series 66, Life insurance, and Health insurance licenses. He launched Venture Investing and Entrepreneurship for Professional Athletes, an executive education program for current and former professional athletes at the prestigious Columbia Business School.

He has partnered with his alma mater, Hofstra University to create the Marques Colston Fellowship, which provides experiential learning opportunities for student-athletes in health majors. And is currently teaching entrepreneurship and life skills to undergraduate students as an adjunct professor at the University of New Orleans.

Marques is a Super Bowl champion, inductee in the New Orleans Saints Hall of Fame and the Sports Hall of Fame in both Pennsylvania and Louisiana. While an active player for the New Orleans Saints, he was the all-time franchise leader in receptions, receiving yards, and total touchdowns.

Colston is a proud husband and father. He resides in the Greater Philadelphia area with his wife, Emily, a real estate professional and health and fitness expert, and their two
children, Austin and Mia.
 

Shane A. Yount is a nationally recognized thought leader, author, and President of Competitive Solutions, Inc. (CSI), an international Business Transformation consulting firm that pioneered the acclaimed organizational development system known as Process Based Leadership® - A business transformation methodology designed to create a sustainable culture of clarity, connectivity, and consistency through the use of Non-Negotiable Business Processes. Since 1991 he has led the offices of CSI in becoming one of the nation’s most recognized Business Transformation consulting firms,  personally working with such organizations as Michelin, Genentech, Pfizer, Lockheed Martin, the Department of Defense, and many others.

As a senior human capital management (HCM) strategy consultant for UKG (Ultimate Kronos Group), Chas Fields helps organizations identify, assess, and maintain their human element, focusing specifically on how increasing employee efficiency while cultivating a differentiated employee experience can ultimately drive business success. As a change management practitioner, Fields is passionate about helping organizations deliver successful initiatives at any scale. Fields is also a host of the People Purpose Podcast of The Workforce Institute at UKG.  

Global Speaker Sonia Aranza has presented on the international stage from Spain to Singapore.  She brings 27+ years of experience in Diversity, Inclusion & Global Leadership. Her clients include Boeing, CIA, McDonald’s and more. The U.S. Department of Labor describes her work as “Outstanding” and was selected to execute programs for landmark cases. SHRM featured her as a Diversity & Inclusion Expert in HR Magazine and she is a LinkedIn Top Voice in Leadership. She serves on the Faculty of Howard University’s Executive Diversity Program; named “100 Most Influential Filipina Americans in the United States” and honored “100 Most Influential Filipina Women in the World.”

Leading at the intersection of diversity, inclusion, and workplace culture, in her role as Executive Advisor and Diversity Strategist of Rework Work, Stacey Gordon coaches and counsels executive leaders on DEI strategies for the business. She has worked with people managers and executive leaders from companies such as American Express, ADP, Kia Motors, Hewlett Packard, Walmart, GE and many others to deliver education, coaching and consulting sessions that support their D&I efforts.

As a globally recognized keynote speaker, leadership consultant and DEI strategist, Stacey has provided subject matter expertise to Harvard Business Review, SHRM, Fast Company, Skillsoft, Forbes, NPR Radio, BBC Radio, and the Association for Talent Development.

Stacey’s book, UNBIAS: Addressing Unconscious Bias at Work debuted at #1 on Amazon’s Hot New Release list, her unconscious bias course on the LinkedIn learning platform was the #1 most watched course of 2021 and has been translated into at least six languages. With more than 1 million unique learners across four courses, Stacey has been recognized as a passionate supporter of DEI by Forbes, Pepperdine University and LinkedIn. She earned her MBA from Pepperdine University Business School and her SHRM-SCP certification, as well as the SHRM Inclusive Workplace Culture Credential.