Inspirational Speakers: Professional Development and Business Networking

2008 Keynote Speakers

		Cherie Blair is a leading human rights lawyer and a passionate campaigner for women’s equality across the world. Her determination to help women overcome prejudice has led her to visit and speak in many countries. She also actively promotes work-life balance policies, having herself experienced the pressures of combining a demanding career with being the wife of Tony Blair and a mother of four. [more]
		Sarah Jones is a Tony Award®-winning playwright, actor and poet. Her multi-character solo shows include Bridge & Tunnel, which was originally produced Off-Broadway by Oscar-winner Meryl Streep. Bridge & Tunnel, which Streep called “one of the best performances I’ve ever seen” also went on to become a critically acclaimed, long-running hit on Broadway. [more]
		Marcus Luttrell is the author of New York Times best-selling book Lone Survivor: The Eyewitness Account of Operation Redwing and the Lost Heroes of SEAL Team 10, which tells the harrowing story of four Navy SEALs who journeyed into the mountainous border of Afghanistan and Pakistan on Operation Redwing. An unparalleled motivational story of survival, the book is also a moving tribute to the friends and teammates who did not make it off the mountain. [more]
		Meg Whitman was president and CEO of eBay from March 1998 through March 2008, when she stepped down from her role. During her decade-long tenure, she helped this Internet pioneer evolve into an unmatched global e-commerce engine that continues to influence and reshape the way people trade, pay and communicate around the world. Ms. Whitman joined eBay when it was a small online auction site with 30 employees and revenues of $4 million. In September 1998 – only six months after her start – she took eBay public, resulting in the company’s rise in valuation to $2 billion. [more]
Panelist and Workshop Leaders See books written by our speakers. See the proposed 2008 breakout sessions and schedule.
		Carol Allred serves as president of the board of directors of WomenHeart, The National Coalition for Women with Heart Disease. WomenHeart is the only national organization promoting women's heart health through advocacy, community education and patient support. After suffering a major heart attack with substantial damage, heart failure and angina, Ms. Allred needed information on how to live with heart disease, which included adjusting to medicines, cardiac procedures and a defibrillator implant all within a few short months. WomenHeart helped educate her about the needs of all women and she shares the information through her talk, "Straight from the Heart, a survivor's story." She serves on the National Federation of Republican Women Committee on Women's Health Issues, the Executive Advisory Board of the Scott and White Hospital Women's Cardiovascular Center and various church and community organizations.
		Crystal E. Ashby is the vice president of government and public affairs, refining & marketing for BP America Inc. Until very recently, she was the head of change management for BP Legal. Prior to that she was the managing attorney for US Retail Operations for BP America Inc., based in Warrenville, IL, a position she held for two years. During 2004 and 2005, Ms. Ashby was based in London. During that time, she filled several roles for the company including: senior advisor reporting to group vice president and president, BP America Inc. and group managing director and group chief of staff, as well as senior advisor reporting to the group compliance & ethics officer for BP plc. Ms. Ashby obtained her J.D. from DePaul University College of Law and her B.A. in English and Psychology from the University of Michigan.
		Betsy Bagley is the director of business development for the Texas Region for YourOnRamp.com, an organization working to make a significant difference in the quality, variety and number of flexible career options for women. The majority of her career has been in the field of marketing research. She started her career with Colgate-Palmolive in New York, followed by positions in beverage consulting and healthcare marketing in New Orleans. She became interested in work/life balance when it came time to evaluate options after the birth of her first child. The next 13 years brought three more children and moves to Houston, London and Dallas. She was an adjunct instructor in marketing research, an independent marketing research consultant and employed part-time in educational marketing. She received her Master of Marketing Research degree, the first graduate program of its kind, at the University of Georgia. This past fall she attended the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth for the Back in Business course, a program in its second year.
		Rachael Baker is the event coordinator at the National Speaking of Women’s Health Foundation. In this role, she works to understand and recognize her health care choices while empowering other women and their families to do the same. Prior to Speaking of Women’s Health, Ms. Baker was a volunteer coordinator at the Marvin Lewis Community Fund. A native of Dallas, Ms. Baker moved to Cincinnati to attend the University of Cincinnati on a 4-year soccer scholarship and to obtain a B.S. in Communication. While at UC, she was captain of the soccer team and vice president of the Student Athletic Advisory Council. She also received a leadership award on behalf of the entire athletic department.
		Rolando Balli is a self-described change agent and work-life strategist at Dell. Most recently, he launched Dell’s Flexible Work Solutions (FWS) initiative, which focuses on driving employee engagement and improving business results while contributing to Dell’s goal of being carbon neutral. Mr. Balli has been with Dell for more than eight years and has had multiple roles within Global Diversity and the Latin America Sales segment.
		Sarah Bird is the author of seven novels and a Texas Monthly columnist. Her latest book, How Perfect Is That, a comic novel set in high and low Austin society, has won an Elle Magazine Reader’s Prize and is a Good Housekeeping Recommended Read. On the Austin best-seller list continuously since its early summer release, How Perfect Is That is already being reprinted for the third time. Among the awards Ms. Bird has received for her other novels are the American Library Association’s Booklist Editors Best Book of the Year list; SW Critics Best Novel of the Year; Texas Institute of Letter’s Award for Best Work of Fiction, (twice); and Writer’s League of Texas Award of Literary Merit. Her articles and essays have appeared in Oprah’s Magazine, NY Times Sunday Magazine, Real Simple, Mademoiselle, Glamour, Salon, and many others. Ms. Bird has written screenplays for Paramount, CBS, Warner Bros, National Geographic, ABC, TNT, and several other producers. Her screen adaptation of her sixth novel, The Flamenco Academy, is slated to begin production in New Mexico in summer 2009.
		Jill Conner Browne is a multiple New York Times best selling author. She is featured regularly in national and international magazines and television shows and is a monthly contributor to AY Magazine. She is currently developing a Broadway musical with Melissa Manchester writing the music, Sharon Vaughn writing the lyrics, and Rupert Holmes writing the book. Ms. Browne actively works on Hurricane Katrina relief efforts when she’s not writing or speaking at fundraising events around the country. To learn more about her visit www.sweetpotatoqueens.com.
		John Byrd is strategic business manager within the Americas Environmental Group, and his been with Hewlett-Packard for 13 years. In this position he works to ensure legislative compliance, manage industry leading recycling programs and provide sales support. Previously, he held a myriad of positions within HP’s consumer Personal Systems Group (PSG). He managed a team responsible for returns and refurbishment activities of personal computing products. In separate roles he was responsible for demand generation programs, developing financial models and pricing products for the U.S. market. He also completed his MBA during this period, at Santa Clara University. Prior to PSG he worked in HP’s indirect sales organization in a world-wide planning and reporting role. Prior to HP, he worked for Target Stores managing merchandising and operations at the store level. After college and prior to Target, he spent seven years as a Marine Corps Officer.
		Katherine Pannill Center is the author of The Bright Side of Disaster. She graduated from Vassar College and was awarded the Vassar College Fiction Prize. Ms. Center received an M.A. in fiction from the University of Houston. She served as fiction co-editor for the literary magazine Gulf Coast, and her graduate thesis, Peepshow, a collection of stories, was a finalist for the Mary McCarthy Prize in Short Fiction. A former freelancer and teacher, she lives in Houston with her husband and two young children. Her next book, Everyone is Beautiful, will be published in February of 2009.
		Massimo Cristofanilli, M.D. is associate professor, Breast Medical Oncology, and co-director of the Morgan Welch Inflammatory Breast Cancer Research Program and Clinic at M. D. Anderson Cancer Center. He is a world-renowned specialist in inflammatory breast cancer. His research efforts to this field started in 1999, culminating with the publication of the pivotal study demonstrating the prognostic value of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) (New England Journal of Medicine, 2004). Dr. Cristofanilli has published several articles, abstracts and book chapters on the diagnosis, biology and management of locally advanced (particularly inflammatory disease) and metastatic breast cancer. Dr. Cristofanilli serves on many committees, including the Institutional Research Grant Review Panel and the Breast Cancer Tissue Bank Committee for the University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center. He attended medical school at the University of Rome and completed his internship and residency at Cabrini Medical Center in New York City and fellowships at M. D. Anderson and the University La Sapienza in Rome, Italy.
		Iris Cross currently serves as manager, external affairs, BP America. In this position, she is responsible for shaping and implementing BP’s community relations strategy and managing external affairs for BP in the Houston area. Ms. Cross has 25 years experience in government and public affairs, with extensive knowledge in philanthropy and community relations. Her tenure with BP included director, community relations, BP Texas City, where she managed and delivered a successful community investment and volunteerism program for Texas City and Galveston County, and several other positions. She has been recognized both internally and externally for her community relations efforts and support of employee volunteerism programs. She has served on numerous community and civic boards in Chicago and Houston. She is currently a member of the Board of Directors for The Ensemble Theatre and a member of the Missouri Chapter LINKS. Ms. Cross is a graduate of DePaul University in Chicago, where she received her Bachelor’s degree in Communications and Business Administration.
		Ariane de Bonvoisin is the CEO and founder of First30Days, a New York City-based media company focused on guiding people through all types of changes, personal, professional, social and global. The company launched its beta web site, first30days.com, in February 2008 and currently features nearly 60 life change subjects. With a degree in economics and international relations from the London School of Economics, Ms. de Bonvoisin began her professional career at the Boston Consulting Group and worked in more than a dozen countries during her tenure. After receiving an MBA from Stanford University, she moved to New York to work with media companies BMG and Sony Music. In 2000, she joined Time Warner as the managing director of a new digital media venture fund. It was during this time the concept of First30Days was born. Her new book, The First 30 Days: Your Guide to Any Change was published by Harper Collins in May 2008. Appearing on dozens of TV and radio shows, Ms. de Bonvoisin also has a monthly column in Redbook magazine and is a Life Balance expert for Health magazine.
		Suzan Deison is the founder and president of the Greater Houston Women’s Chamber of Commerce. After spending four years as president of the North Houston Greenspoint Chamber of Commerce, 1998 to 2002, and later as president of the Galleria Chamber of Commerce, 2002 to 2005, Ms. Deison could see the vast accomplishments that women working together could achieve so she led the effort in forming The Greater Houston Women’s Chamber of Commerce. Her community involvement has included Brownie and Girl Scout Leader, she earned 6 lifetime memberships for the Conroe/Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce, Board Member; American Heart Association, Board Member; Montgomery County Library, Cattle Baron’s Ball benefiting the American Cancer Society, Montgomery County Fair Association, Asian Chamber of Commerce, Greater Southwest Chamber of Commerce, and the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo.
		Lisa Dollinger is chief communications officer for Clear Channel Communications, Inc., providing executive leadership for the company’s communications initiatives and acting as chief communications strategist and spokesperson for the company. Since January 2003, Ms. Dollinger has ranked among the top two in Radio Ink magazine’s annual ranking of Most Influential Women in Radio. She graduated from the University of Texas at Austin in 1984 with a Bachelor of Science in organizational communication. She and her daughter reside in San Antonio.
		Lois Frankel, Ph.D., coaches individuals on how to succeed in business. Her books , Nice Girls Don’t Get The Corner Office and Nice Girls Don’t Get Rich, are international bestsellers in more than 25 languages and have been featured on The Today Show, CNN and CNBC, and in the pages of The New York Times, USA Today, People and TIME. BusinessWeek named Corner Office one of the top 10 business books of the year and ABC Television purchased the rights to it for a comedy series. Her most recent books, See Jane Lead and Stop Sabotaging Your Career, have been climbing the book charts since their release in April 2007. Learn more about Dr. Frankel at www.thethinpinkline.com or www.drloisfrankel.com.
		Debra Fraser is the station manager at KUHF, overseeing the combined cultural programming and news departments, as well as the station's public information and online initiatives. Ms. Fraser joined KUHF in 1988 as a reporter and went on to serve as News Director for 12 years, helping the news department grow into "Houston's intelligent news choice." She is a true believer in the station's mission to serve the community and is committed to expanding and enhancing local programming. She also serves as President of the Houston Press Club. The group raises awareness of the important role of journalists in our community. It also raises money for local journalism scholarships; more than $250,000 to date. She is a graduate of the University of Texas at Austin where she received her B.S. in Radio, Television and Film.
		Caitlin Friedman and Kimberly Yorio are public relations and marketing professionals, authors and entrepreneurs. They are the co-owners of YC Media, a boutique agency specializing in cookbooks and the co-founders of Girls Guide, a company created to help women achieve professional success. As authors of the best-selling Girls Guide series (The Girl's Guide to Starting Your Own Business, The Girl's Guide to Being a Boss and The Girl's Guide to Kicking Your Career into Gear), Ms. Friedman and Ms. Yorio have been featured on CNN and The Today Show as well as covered by magazines ranging from Time to Parade. As the co-author of The Girl's Guide business book series, they have been invited to be a guest speaker at various conferences, corporations and colleges including Cornell, Harvard, Boeing, UPS and Amazon.com. Learn more about them at www.girlsguidetobusiness.com.
		Gay Gaddis is president and CEO of T3 (The Think Tank). She started her company in 1989 with a cashed-in IRA and two employees. Today, T3 is the largest independent advertising agency owned by a woman in the country, with offices in Austin, New York and San Francisco and over $300 million in capitalized billings. Organized as a marketing and creative think tank, T3’s client list includes Marriott, JCPenney, JPMorgan Chase, Cisco, UPS, Microsoft, ConocoPhillips Lubricants, Intel, John Deere, Universal, Valero, Ingenix, Spheris and Robbins Bros. Ms. Gaddis is an active industry spokesperson and entrepreneurial advocate. She is a blogger for PINK magazine and a columnist for iMedia Communications. Recently, Ms. Gaddis participated in the Global Summit of Women in Vietnam and Harvard Business School’s Dynamic Women in Business Conference. In addition, she’s a member of the Texas Governor’s Business Council’s executive board, the Women’s Leadership Exchange (WLE) national advisory board and the Committee of 200 (C200).
		Patricia Gras hosts the award winning local series Living Smart with Patricia Gras to get the most out of life. She has covered a full spectrum of topics for HoustonPBS including producing features for the weekly public affairs newsmagazine “the connection” and hosting many local specials including: Living With the Lion - a look into the world of childhood cancer. Ms. Gras is the recipient of over 120 journalism awards including five regional Emmy Awards and 14 national Telly’s. Her work has also been recognized with honors from many organizations including: American Women in Journalism, American Women in Radio and Television, Houston and Dallas Press Clubs, National Communicator and Videographer awards, Houston Area Women’s Center, Texas Mental Health Association, Texas Medical Association, Texas Public Health Association, American Cancer Society, American Heart Association.
		Jen Groover is a serial entrepreneur; she has built her own companies and has also assisted in the launch of many others. Her name has quickly become synonymous with innovation, entrepreneurialism and evolution. She has gone from guest-hosting spots on QVC to inking deals with some of the industry’s biggest heavyweights and has become a featured business expert for many media outlets such as CNBC’s The Big Idea with Donnie Deutsch and ABC’s Money Matters. Her most recognizable brand to date is the creation of the Butler Bag, (www.butlerbag.com), which has become a multi-million dollar company in under two years and has been featured in major media sources as O, the Oprah Magazine, Success, Entrepreneur and Redbook. Her newest role is creator and host of Launchers Café (www.launcherscafe.com), a cutting-edge entrepreneurial, multimedia and interactivebrand. In 2009, she will launch her anticipated book What if…and Why not… as well as her own television program.
		Janet Gurwitch is the founder of Gurwitch Products, the company that produces, manages and markets Laura Mercier Cosmetics and Skincare. Ms. Gurwitch joined forces with famed makeup artist Laura Mercier in 1996 after realizing the imminent shift in the beauty industry, propelling niche lines to the forefront of the cosmetics business. Prior to founding Gurwitch Products, she was the executive vice president of merchandising at Neiman Marcus. Ms. Gurwitch serves on the board of the University of Texas Health Science Center.
		Jan Hargrave, CEO of Jan Hargrave & Associates, is a leading expert in the field of non-verbal communication. She teaches you the ways in which your body communicates to the world around you. Her information could help you “read” your customers, your family, your students, your associates — in fact, everyone around you. She is the author of Let Me See Your Body Talk, Freeway of Love, Judge The Jury, and Strictly Business Body Language. This popular speaker, distinguished educator, and guest of The Lifetime Channel, The Maury Povich Show, The Montel Williams Show, E-Entertainment Television, and The Ricki Lake Show, describes the “hidden messages” you use in your everyday life and shows you how to stop the lies and uncover the truth — in any conversation or situation.
		Marian Harper, vice president of foundation development, is in her 17th season with the Houston Astros. She was named vice president of community development in July 1999, after serving as the director of that department since November 1997. Under her guidance, the department assists thousands of organizations annually through memorabilia and monetary donations, appearances, community awareness programs, player involvement and the Astros mascot program. Ms. Harper also oversees the day-to-day operations of the Astros in Action Foundation. She joined the Astros in 1992 as promotions coordinator, overseeing purchasing, distribution and account services for in-game activities. She is a native of Pittsburg, Texas. She currently serves on the board of the Northeast YMCA where she was named 2002 Volunteer of the Year, the Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Houston, and The Ensemble Theatre. In November 2007, she was presented with the prestigious Toy Cannon Award by Astros icon Jimmy Wynn at the Texas Baseball Hall of Fame Dinner.
		Julia Hubbel is a professional speaker, seminar leader and prize-winning journalist who specializes in teaching the art of charisma. She has spent nearly three decades in senior corporate and consulting positions in the areas of training and organizational development in America, Australia, and New Zealand. She is the author of CLICK: Capture Your Charisma and Make Your Connections Count! Ms. Hubbel is a fully disabled, decorated Vietnam-era veteran who served as a journalist and television producer/director in the Army and as chief of military protocol under President Jimmy Carter in 1977.
		Mae C. Jemison, M.D., blasted into orbit aboard the space shuttle Endeavour in 1992, as the world's first woman of color to go into space. The founder and president of two technology companies, she also founded and chairs The Dorothy Jemison Foundation for Excellence which hosts an annual international science camp. Prior to joining NASA in 1987, Dr. Jemison worked in the fields of engineering and medicine. She was a general practitioner in Los Angeles with the INA/Ross Loos Medical Group. She then spent two and a half years (1983-1985) as Area Peace Corps medical officer for Sierra Leone and Liberia in West Africa. Dr. Jemison entered Stanford University at the age of sixteen on a scholarship, graduating with a B.S. in Chemical Engineering and fulfilled the requirements for an A.B. in African and Afro-American studies. She earned her doctorate in medicine at Cornell University Medical College.
		Tonya Kerr lives in Round Rock, Texas, with her husband and three daughters. She’s a former news anchor, congressional press secretary and public relations executive. Currently, Ms. Kerr is featured in two national advertising campaigns for Time Warner Cable and Best Buy. She also recently hosted 12 episodes of The Parent Code, a digital show from Austin-based ON Networks available through iTunes. She is a contributing columnist for Houston Family Magazine and the Round Rock Leader, her hometown paper.
		Renu Khator, Ph.D., is president of the University of Houston and chancellor of the UH System, which includes KUHT, the nation's first educational television station, and KUHF, Houston's National Public Radio station. In her capacity as chancellor, Dr. Khator oversees a system with an annual operating budget that exceeds $1 billion, serves more than 57,000 students and has an overall economic impact of $3 billion on the Greater Houston area. Dr. Khator, born in Uttar Pradesh, India, is a noted scholar in the field of global environmental policy; she has published five books and several articles on various aspects of this subject. She received her master's degree and her Ph.D. in political science from Purdue University.
		Marilyn Logan, also known as "The Money Lady", is a national radio and television personality, business owner, author and motivational speaker. She is on a mission to "get your money right!" Armed with years of experience as a successful investment broker for major corporations, "The Money Lady" has an in-your-face, pull-no-punches style which sets her apart from the everyday "stuffed-shirt" financial expert. She's appeared on several national shows including the Dr. Phil Show’s “Rules of Engagement” series, The Steve Harvey Morning Radio Show, Les Brown's Chicago Speaks Radio Show and The Yolanda Adams Morning Gospel Hour. Her first book, I Can't Afford To Marry You: A Guide to Understanding the True Cost of Love, is a personal and motivating story of her journey from credit card hell to eventual financial grace and a must-read for anyone looking to increase their financial literacy.
		Kathleen Lucas is the vice president of Assurance for BP America located in Houston, Texas. BP is the nation’s largest producer of domestic oil and gas and one of the nation’s largest energy investors. Ms. Lucas has held a variety of technical, strategic and leadership roles at refineries in Texas City, Texas; Bismarck, North Dakota; and Perth, Western Australia. A native Texan, Ms. Lucas was born in Galveston and grew up in Texas City. She attended Texas A&M University and earned her B.S in Chemical Engineering with honors. She has attended executive programs at both Stanford University and MIT. She is an active industry and community member and serves on the executive board of the Texas City LaMarque Chamber of Commerce, the Operating Practices Committee of the American Petroleum Institute, and the Steering Committee of the Mary Kay O’Connor Process Safety Center at Texas A&M University.
		Courtney Macavinta is founder and CEO of Respect Rx LLC. She is an award-winning journalist, author, speaker and coach who has reached more than a million women through her work, including her blog RespectRx.com and bestselling book, RESPECT: A Girl’s Guide to Getting Respect and Dealing When Your Line Is Crossed, which has won both IPPY and iParenting awards. As an expert on teens and women, Ms. Macavinta has been featured on CNN, ABC, FOX, National Public Radio, MSNBC and in USA Today, CosmoGIRL!, Teen People, Teen Vogue, Glamour, The San Jose Mercury News and numerous other media outlets. She is an ambassador for Girls For A Change and has worked with organizations such as Girls Inc., YMCA, Girl Scouts of the USA, and the Dove Campaign for Real Beauty. She is on the advisory boards of the Bay Area Girls Rock! Camp and Jenna Druck Foundation.
		Diane MacEachern, founder and president of Big Green Purse and The World Women Want, LLC, is passionate about empowering women to use their marketplace clout to protect the environment. Her best-selling book, Save Our Planet: 750 Everyday Ways You Can Help Clean Up the Earth, received national media attention and her Web site, www.biggreenpurse.com, encourages women to “greenify” the marketplace by choosing products that offer the greatest environmental benefit. Ms. MacEachern serves as the vice chair of the board of directors for the Alaska Wilderness League. She has been cited for her distinguished service as a board member of the Center for Science in the Public Interest. Her latest book, Big Green Purse: Use Your Spending Power to Create a Cleaner, Greener World, has received widespread media coverage.
		Margaret Martin is owner and founder of the Martin Institute for Leadership and Cultural Connections a company that helps individuals eloquently navigate through our multicultural global environment. For the last ten years she has traveled extensively into the tea world of China. Visiting tea farms, gardens and tea manufacturing companies, she enriched her knowledge by watching the tea pickers and the craftsmanship of the art of tea processing. Her admiration of these skills created a unique opportunity for her to develop and market her own tea line, Margaret’s Legendary Tea. Currently Ms. Martin serves as Chairperson of the Webb County Agrilife Leadership Advisory Board and serves on the Agriculture/Nature Resources Committee and the Wildlife and Fisheries Task Force Committee, as well as, the Webb County Soil Conservation Board. She volunteers is numerous civic, business and non-profit organizations. In 2007 Governor Rick Perry honored her with the appointment to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission, a position she now serves.
		Shannon McFayden serves as senior executive vice president, head of human resources and corporate relations for the Wachovia Corporation. She was named one of the 25 Most Powerful Women in Banking by US Banker and received the United Negro College Fund’s “Maya Angelou Women Who Lead” Award. She is the co-founder of the North Carolina Conference for Women and is frequently asked to speak on authentic leadership and the unique challenges and opportunities that women face as leaders.
		Pamela Mitchell, CLC, is the founder and CEO of The Reinvention Institute, Inc., (TRI). Prior to reinventing herself (for the second time!) by starting TRI, Ms. Mitchell spent nearly fifteen years in senior-level roles in international business development, marketing and relationship management for high-profile media and entertainment companies. In addition to writing a popular monthly column on women in business for Inc.com (the website for INC magazine), she regularly teaches a course in career reinvention strategies for Mediabistro, a national company devoted to connecting media professionals to new opportunities and each other.
		Beth Mooney is the founder and co-director of Learning to Lead. She became involved in leadership activities in high school and has since recognized the importance of developing these skills at a young age. Ms. Mooney graduated cum laude from Bucknell University where she held several campus leadership positions. She also served in various leadership roles while completing her graduate degree at Loyola College. Previously, Ms. Mooney served as the assistant director of leadership development and greek affairs at Villanova University. Afterwards, she joined a Fortune 500 company where she served in many different capacities, including manager of development programs for associates and new managers. She spent a majority of her time in executive administration and was able to learn firsthand a company's decision processes and executive leadership skills. However, she promised herself to return to leadership endeavors. In 2005, she started Learning to Lead to help others, especially young people, become inspired, empowered and motivated leaders.
		Janet Morris leads the US Small Medium Business Marketing team for Hewlett-Packard's Imaging and Printing Group. Prior to joining HP in 1999, she explored a number of passions including development director for a Non-Profit, Residential Real Estate Agent, and an English as a second language tutor to college level students from Central and South America as well as Spain. Her personal accomplishments include summiting Mount Kilimanjario in Tanzania, Africa (19,340ft), hiking the 30+ mile Inca Trail to Machu Picchu and she is the proud parent of her 7th grade son, John. Ms. Morris is an advocate for civic responsibility and leadership, having served on numerous committees, organizations and Boards inclusive of Junior Achievement, Junior League of Boise, Boise Area Chamber of Commerce - Leadership Boise Alumnae, HP United Way Executive Committee, and School Parent Volunteer She holds a bachelor of science degree in Finance from the University of Idaho, and continued post-graduate studies from Darmouth's Tuck School of Business, Online Bridge MBA Marketing Program.
		Valerie Coleman Morris is the former business anchor for CNN Financial Network in New York City. On any given day she reached more than 290 million homes, hotels and airports in the United States and around the world as her reports air on CNNfn, CNN Prime, CNN Headline News, CNN International and CNN Airport Network. She has decades of experience in television and radio broadcasting. Ms. Morris is a frequent speaker at professional, educational and civic events throughout the country. Since leaving CNN, Ms. Morris is dedicated to financial literacy for women, young people and emerging markets.
		Dr. Laura G. Murillo is the president and CEO of the Houston Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. Since accepting this role this last year, Dr. Murillo, with the support of HHCC’s Board of Directors, has had incredible success: corporate sponsorships have tripled, membership has increased, and events have reached record-breaking attendance, as well as exceeded previous revenue goals. Previously, Dr. Murillo served as senior executive director at Memorial Hermann – Texas Medical Center where she was responsible for administrative and operational areas. The Memorial Hermann Healthcare System is the largest non-profit healthcare system in Texas and services more than 5 million people. Dr. Murillo was the recipient of the first annual National Hispanic Professional Organization’s Leadership Award for her outstanding contributions in 2004. She also became the youngest person to be inducted into the Hispanic Hall of Fame for her community and educational service. She earned a Doctorate in Education (Administration and Supervision), a Masters in Education, and a Bachelor's in Communications from the University of Houston.
		Nataline K. Oelkers is vice president, small business leader for the Houston Gulf Coast region of Wachovia Bank. Her primary responsibilities as a Small Business Leader consist of managing a team of small business bankers in the Houston market that are focused on servicing the banking needs of small businesses with less than $5,000,000.00 in annual sales. In this role, she is responsible for hiring, training, and assisting in the creation of new business relationships as well as providing exceptional customer service to small business customers. She joined the Small Business segment in June of 2008 after an impressive nine-year career in the electronic payment industry with First Data Corporation. During her tenure at First Data, she served in sales, training, and several management positions. Ms. Oelkers has specialized in the merchant segment vertical by creating sales teams throughout the Mid-South, as well as the state of Texas. Throughout her career at First Data, Ms. Oelkers represented and managed four Financial Institutions which included; SunTrust Bank, Hancock Bank, BancorpSouth, and Wells Fargo Bank.
		James Oseland has been the editor-in-chief of Saveur, an award-winning magazine dedicated to global cuisine, since 2006. Previously, he was the magazine’s executive editor. He has also served as editor at Vogue, The Village Voice, and Time Out New York. He is the author of Cradle of Flavor: Home Cooking from the Spice Islands of Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore, a book which received awards from the James Beard Foundation and the International Association of Culinary Professionals in 2007; it was also named one of the ten best books of 2006 by Time Asia. A native of northern California, he now lives in New York City.
		Dr. Karen Otazo is a global executive coach and thinking partner for multinational companies worldwide. Dr. Otazo has taken an active role in local and global, nonprofits, NGO and other organizations. She focuses on empowering women through leadership work with Vital Voices and is working on a project to create a simple, open-source template to start a business. She is the author of two books, The Truth About Managing your Career...and Nothing But The Truth and The Truth About Being A Leader...And Nothing But The Truth, along with numerous articles. She is a fellow of the Society for Organizational Learning, a past chair of the Boston University Executive Development Roundtable steering committee, and on the advisory committee of the Business Arts Forum of the London International Festival of Theatre.
		Melissa Parker is the regional sales director for Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation, a Fortune 100 company, and has worked there for the past 19 years. Ms. Parker has firsthand experience in balancing the demands of work and life as a busy executive and the single parent of teenage twins. With a passion for coaching and mentoring others, Ms. Parker has received some of the highest honors within her company as a Distinguished Leader and as the 2006 Mentoring Award recipient. Over her two decades in healthcare, she has been involved with the planning and launch of numerous brands, including many in the area of women's health.
		Kathryn E. Peek, Ph.D., serves as associate professor and director of summer internship programs for the University of Texas Department of Biomedical Engineering, M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, and instructor for the Department of Bioengineering, Rice University. Prior to joining M. D. Anderson, she held faculty and administrative positions at the University of Texas-Houston Medical School, the University of Houston, and Texas Woman’s University. In 2002, Peek co-founded the Texas Medical Center Women’s Health Network (TMC WHN). As the first president of the organization from 2002 to 2006, she served as scientific advisor for the Texas Legislature’s Women’s Health Caucus and represented Texas on the Women’s Health Alliance of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Dr. Peek earned academic degrees in English (BA), biology (MS), psychology (MA), and biomedical sciences (PhD). She has won numerous teaching awards and lectures extensively about health and education issues through out the country.
		Pam Peeke MD, MPH, FACP is an internationally renowned expert and speaker in women’s health, fitness and nutrition. Dr. Peeke has been recognized by the National Institutes of Health as one of the leading female physicians in America and has been named one of America’s top physicians by the Consumer’s Research Council of America. Dr. Peeke is chief medical correspondent for Discovery Health TV, and host of the award-winning National Body Challenge series and newly launched Fit to Live reality show. She is a Fitness magazine columnist, in-studio expert for the Today Show and CNN, and a member of Oprah’s O team of medical experts. Dr. Peeke is also the New York Times bestselling author of Fight Fat after Forty, Body for Life for Women, and Fit to Live.
		Leah Raney is the Managing Director of Global Environmental Affairs for Continental Airlines and has responsibility for environmental, noise, and sustainability issues worldwide. She handles everything from environmental clearances for new terminal and runway construction to day-to-day compliance with state and federal environmental regulations to emerging global climate change initiatives. Leah has been with Continental for the last 11 years and in the environmental profession for a total of 19 years after getting her civil engineering degree from Texas A & M University. Although she is married with two children, she is also active in the International Air Transport Association, the International Civil Aviation Organization, and recently stepped down from a couple of terms as Air Transport Association (ATA) Environment Council Chair and Vice-Chair.
		Michael F. Roizen, MD, has founded six companies, co-invented a drug recently approved by the FDA and authored four #1 New York Times bestsellers. He is the first chief wellness officer at a major academic medical center, the Cleveland Clinic. Dr Roizen is the cofounder of RealAge, Inc. He has published more than 165 peer-reviewed scientific papers, 100 chapters, 30 editorials, and 4 medical books, and received 13 U.S. patents. Dr Roizen is boarded in Internal Medicine and Anesthesiology. He has given more than 1,400 lectures and appeared on Oprah (17 times), The Today Show, 20/20, CBN, Good Morning America (26 times), and has four PBS fundraising specials. He and Dr. Mehmet Oz write a daily syndicated newspaper column, a column for the association of women’s nursing, and record a daily hour show for Oprah and Friends radio. He also has a two-hour, 26 station terrestrial radio show. Coauthored with Dr. Mehmet Oz, his most recent books are YOU: The Smart Patient and New York Times bestsellers, YOU: The Owner's Manual and YOU: On A Diet.
		Naila Seif is director, strategic alliances and business development, Americas Personal Systems Group at Hewlett-Packard Company. She currently leads the strategic alliances management function for HP’s personal systems group in the Americas and is responsible for driving several hundred million dollar programs. Prior to this position, Ms. Seif worked as director of mobile solutions for the Mobile Global Business Unit of HP. During her 12 year tenure with the company she has held a variety of senior management positions in product marketing and strategy development. She serves as the president of a Houston-based non-profit, “Friends of Egyptian Children with Cancer”, that provides the funds to underwrite medical care and equipment for underprivileged children in Egypt. She holds a BS in Mathematics from Cairo University and an MS in Engineering and Operations Research from the University of California at Berkeley. Ms. Seif is the recipient of the 2006 Association for Women in Computing Award for Leadership in Technology.
		Khotan Shahbazi-Harmon is the co-host of the popular radio shows “Soul Talk” and “Writing on the Air” on KOOP 91.7 F.M. in Austin, Texas. Her show “Soul Talk” focuses on practical spirituality and the strategies, skills and resources we need to live a fulfilled life. Her guests have included Dr. Jill Bolte Taylor, the New York Times bestselling author of “My Stroke of Insight” and Time magazine’s 100 Most Influential People in the World for 2008. Her show “Writing on the Air” explores the art and craft of writing and guests have included the legendary writer Annie Lamott. Her professional life also includes extensive experience in organizational capacity building; micro-enterprise development aimed at self-sufficiency for low-income individuals; global education program design, delivery and evaluation; and high-level entrepreneurship venture development and management. After traveling extensively and living in places like Tehran, Washington, D.C. and Prague, she now lives in Austin with her husband Wade.
		Melinda Spaulding is the co-anchor of the new Fox 26 News at 5pm and Fox 26 News at 5:30 pm. She joined the station shortly before the start of 2005 as a live reporter. Before joining the Fox 26 News team, Ms. Spaulding was a reporter and anchored morning updates at WGNO, the ABC affiliate in New Orleans, where she was named "Best Spot News Reporter" by the regional Associated Press. Ms. Spaulding began her television career as a writer and morning news producer at KTLA, WB 5 in Los Angeles, but she started her journalism career in online media as a member of the launch team for Entertainment Weekly Online and then as the first editor-in-chief for Essence Online. In the community, Ms. Spaulding serves on the advisory board for Pro Vision Inc., and has served as a board member of Campfire USA and The United Negro College Fund. Ms. Spaulding is a graduate of Howard University in Washington, D.C. She's married and loves living in the city of Houston.
		Kelly Stallings is the owner of FlatRateFax.com. Professionally, Kelly serves on the board of the National Association of Women Business Owners, Houston Chapter as the Corporate and Economic Development Director from 2006 to present. She currently serves on the Federation of Houston Professional Women's board as the Membership Director and on the Federation of Houston Professional Women's Advisory Council. She is also involved as a committee member on the Government Affairs Committee for the Greater Houston Women’s Chamber of Commerce. Personally, Ms. Stallings gives back to her hometown community of Pearland by participating actively in her church and with the annual fundraiser for the Pearland Neighborhood Center that generates more than 80% of the annual budget for the PNC. She is also a member of the Pearland South East Express Network of ABWA.
		Ellen Susman is the producer and host of Balancing Your Life, an award-winning national PBS television program that celebrates the strength of women as they work to balance career and family. A 25 year broadcast veteran, Ms. Susman frequently addresses women’s groups on the issues of career and family through topics like “Media and Motherhood,” and ”Second Acts, New Beginnings.” Her firm, Ellen Susman Enterprises, Inc., specializes in creating, moderating and facilitating programs and seminars for the corporate marketplace. Her blog appears often on the Huffington Post. A community activist, Ms. Susman has served on local community and charitable boards for more than 20 years. She is a member of the deToqueville Society of the United Way, The National Speakers Association, Women In Film & Television, and the American Leadership Forum.
		Cece Sutton is executive vice president at Wachovia Corporation, providing leadership to retail and small business banking operations. In this role, she is responsible for customer service and sales in the bank’s financial centers. Ms. Sutton is a member of Wachovia’s corporate operating committee, chaired by CEO Robert K. Steel. In 2007, U.S. Banker ranked her No. 4 on its “Top 25 Women in Banking” list and Fortune Magazine ranked her as No. 28 on its “Most Powerful Women” list. During her 30-year career at Wachovia, Ms. Sutton has held many executive banking posts for the company, including head of general banking operations for South Carolina. She is the past chair for the Consumer Bankers Association, a member of the Administrative Committee for the Consumer Bankers Association, and a member of the American Heart Association’s Go Red Campaign. Ms. Sutton earned a B.A. in psychology from the University of South Carolina and an M.B.A. from Winthrop University.
		Telisa Toliver serves as vice president of commercial development for Chevron Global Power Generation. Ms. Toliver was named to her current position in 2006, where she is responsible for the development of gas-fired and renewable power generation projects to support Chevron asset growth goals in the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. Ms. Toliver began her career in the energy industry in 1985 with Texaco and has held various positions of increasing responsibilities in natural gas sales, fuels management, business development, and strategic planning. She holds a bachelor¹s degree in business management with honors from Tuskegee University.
		Wendy Taylor chairs the Texas Governor’s Commission for Women. An account director with Sanders/Wingo Advertising, Wendy has more than 15 years of experience in communications strategy, with expertise in healthcare, governmental affairs and economic development. After serving as press secretary to Texas First Lady Anita Perry, she joined Sanders\Wingo where she has worked with clients such as AT&T and The University of Texas at El Paso. Wendy is a member of the Advertising Federation and the Texas Exes. She earned her bachelor’s degree in journalism at the University of Texas at Austin.
		Renée Peterson Trudeau is a nationally recognized career/work-life balance coach and president of Career Strategists (www.CareerStrategists.net), a coaching/consulting firm dedicated to helping professionals and entrepreneurs create careers that support their life goals. Career Strategists’ corporate clients include Fortune 500 companies, national women's organizations and professionals at IBM, Shell Oil, Whole Foods Market, 3M, GSD&M Advertising, Deloitte, Intel, Amazon.com, Dell Computer Corporation, Accenture and government/nonprofit agencies among others. Ms. Trudeau has been featured in US News and World Report, Working Mother, American Way, Family Circle, AARP and in additional print and broadcast media. She is the author of the award-winning The Mother's Guide to Self-Renewal: How to Reclaim, Rejuvenate and Re-Balance Your Life. Thousands of women around the world are joining self-renewal circles based on the Guide as a way to enhance balance and wellbeing in their lives. Ms. Trudeau is currently writing a second book on everyday spirituality. You can learn more about Ms. Trudeau at www.ReneeTrudeau.com.
		Sibila Vargas is co-anchor of the FOX 26 Morning News. Before coming to FOX 26, Ms. Vargas served as an entertainment correspondent, producer and anchor at CNN, where she provided regular reports for American Morning, Anderson Cooper 360 and The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer. She also worked as a contributor to CNN Headline News’ Nancy Grace. Prior to joining CNN, Ms. Vargas was a freelance entertainment reporter for KTLA-TV in Los Angeles and a co-host candidate for ABC’s The View. She began her broadcast career as a news writer and producer for WPIX TV in New York. Ms. Vargas graduated Cum Laude from Long Island University with a bachelors degree in Journalism. Fluent in Spanish, she has strong ties to the Latin American community, and her work has been recognized by the Latin Business Association and the Latino Lawyers Association. Ms. Vargas has been featured in numerous Latin magazines including Latin Style, Estylo, and Latina Magazine.
		Lori Vetters is president, Houston Gulf Coast Region, Wachovia Bank, N.A. She previously held a variety of positions at J.P. Morgan and its predecessor firms, most notably serving as managing director of J.P. Morgan Chase in Houston; president for J.P. Morgan Chase’s San Antonio region; and vice president for Oil and Gas Investment Banking in Houston. She is a member of the Young President’s Organization, Junior League of Houston, and Education Committee for the Greater Houston Partnership; a former board member, Southeast Baptist Hospital, San Antonio Public Library Board, and San Antonio Chamber of Commerce; and former trustee, Via Metropolitan Transit System. She was very active with the San Antonio Chamber of Commerce and chaired the effort for the redevelopment of Brooks Air Force Base.
		Kim Whitaker is director of public relations for UnitedHealthcare in Texas. Her experience includes various insurance industry positions in risk management, human resources, marketing and communications. Ms. Whitaker has spent more than 17 years working with news media organizations and in communities to help consumers better understand and access insurance services. Giving back to the community is very important to her. Ms. Whitaker currently serves on the Board of Directors of Dallas Black Dance Theater and has held advisory positions with many Texas nonprofit groups.
		Andrea White is the author of Window Boy. She was born in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, but has spent most of her life in Houston, Texas. She received her undergraduate and law degrees from the University of Texas. Her first book, Surviving Antarctica, was listed on several states’ reading lists, including the Bluebonnet list. In 2006, she won the Golden Spur Children’s Literature Award from the Texas State Reading Association. In addition to writing, Ms. White serves as an active community volunteer. Partnering with Houston Independent School Board, she and her husband, Houston Mayor Bill White, have started the program Expectation Graduation to try to keep more kids in school. The Whites have three children: Will, Elena and Stephen.

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