Secure Your Spot at the
State of the Woman 2022
Executive
Women’s
Retreat
State of the Woman 2021
Executive Women’s Conference
September 18 - 20, 2022"\ SAGAMORE PENDRY | BALTIMORE
This event will bring together professional and executive women for a 3 day event designed to inspire and motivate attendees to take the lead in helping other women move their careers forward and be personally encouraged to dream bigger and achieve more.
All attendees must follow the venue’s face covering requirements, if any in effect on the date of the event.
Meet the Speakers
She is the lead author of “The Girl Who Cried Pain: A Bias against Women in the Treatment of Pain,” published in 2001 in the Journal of Law, Medicine & Ethics which became the source for a subsequent New York Times article by Nancy Wartik: “In Search of Relief; Hurting More, Helping Less? (June 23, 2002). Her most recent article on the topic, “The Woman Who Cried Pain: Is there still a Bias against Women in the Treatment of Pain?” is forthcoming in the Journal of Law, Medicine & Ethics, this year.
Robin Traywick Williams is an award-winning journalist, author, storyteller and horsewoman. During her eclectic career, Robin has served as chairman of the Virginia Racing Commission, president of the Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation and chief of staff for the lieutenant governor of Virginia. She is a member of the board of a publicly-held bank. She holds a master’s degree from Hollins University and is the author of four books.
Keenan is a mediator, arbitrator and neutral evaluator at JAMS, a Washington, D.C.-based private alternative dispute resolution provider.
From 2010-14, Keenan served as general counsel and secretary of the NAACP. She provided legal advice related to governance, risk management, civil rights and discrimination litigation, and contracts, as well as defend suits for the NAACP, local NAACP branches and national state conferences. She was the youngest person to hold the position and the second woman to serve in that role. Ansley Seay ’22 and Caroline Spadaro ’22, Student Bar Association Graduation Committee co-chairs, said in a joint statement that they sought a speaker who shared their ties to UVA Law and the Law School community, and one who could represent the myriad interests and goals of their classmates.
“Her career of advocacy has continued to create spaces for groups underrepresented in the legal field and is exemplary of the impact we all should strive to have after graduating from the law school — creating a legal community that fosters all those who wish to make a positive impact on society through the law, regardless of gender, race, sexuality or socioeconomic background,” they said.
Keenan currently serves as the first female co-chair of the Internet Innovation Alliance and was the first Black female president of the International Women’s Forum for the District of Columbia. She teaches trial advocacy as a senior adjunct professor at George Washington University Law School.
Keenan has also served as president of the District of Columbia Bar and the National Bar Association. In 2007, she founded her own law firm and was lead trial attorney focusing on catastrophic medical malpractice cases, mass torts and mediation. After law school, she clerked for Judge John Garrett Penn in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.
“The truth of it is if you learn some disappointment at law school, it’s preparing you to be a lawyer, because you’re going to lose something,” she told UVA Law students in 2013. “You’re going to win a lot, but you’re going to lose something. And it’s not about the win as much as what you do when you lose or when there’s a disappointment, it’s how you get back up when whatever it is slaps you down.”
Through the Law School Foundation, she has served on the Alumni Council and Law Alumnae Leadership Committee. She is also a lead donor to the Law Alumnae Scholarship and supported the Justice Thurgood Marshall Professorship.
“Both Kim’s distinguished career and her dedication to the UVA Law community have long been sources of pride for the Law School,” said Dean Risa Goluboff. “Our students are lucky that she will share her experience, wisdom and inspiration with them as they launch their own professional lives.”
Keenan earned her bachelor’s degree in international economics from the Georgetown University School of Foreign Service.
Bagranoff is University Professor (Accounting) at the University of Richmond. She is a CPA and has worked for General Electric and as a Faculty in Residence at Arthur Andersen.
Professor Bagranoff was Dean of the Robins School from 2010 until 2019. Prior to that appointment she served as Professor of Accounting and Dean of the College of Business and Public Administration at Old Dominion University. Dr. Bagranoff has taught at several universities, including American University, George Mason University, and Miami University. Her areas of teaching and research are accounting, accounting information systems, and cybersecurity. In addition to publishing many research articles, she has co-authored books on the topics of accounting information systems, information systems auditing, and consulting. In 2021, she received the AICPA Distinguished Achievement in Accounting Education award.
Dr. Bagranoff has extensive volunteer academic and professional service experience. She has been President of the American Accounting Association, Chair of the Greater Richmond Chamber of Commerce, a member of the Board of Directors of the AICPA, and Chair of the Economics Club of Hampton Roads. She has been on the Board of Directors of the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) and co-chaired the Business Accreditation Task Force that developed the 2020 Business Accreditation Standards.
A public health expert, medical executive,
thought leader, strategic thinker and nationally recognized expert in
emergency preparedness and response.
As Principal and Director of Life Sciences for Sterling Bay, Dr.
McKinney oversees relationships with the scientific, academic, corporate,
tech, and governmental sectors involved in the life sciences ecosystem.
She also leads the strategy to expand Sterling Bay’s footprint in life
sciences nationwide. She previously served as CEO and Executive
Director of the Illinois Medical District, where she managed a 24/7/365
environment that included 560 acres of medical research facilities, labs, a
biotech business incubator, universities, raw land development areas, four
hospitals and more than 40 healthcare-related facilities. Within two years
of leadership, Dr. McKinney accomplished a financial turnaround of the IMD, successfully retiring
more than $40 million in debt.
In 2020, Dr. McKinney was appointed by Illinois Governor JB Pritzker as Operations Lead for the
State of Illinois’ Alternate Care Facilities, a network of alternate medical locations designed to
decompress the hospital system during the COVID-19 pandemic. She worked with the U.S. Army
Corps of Engineers and multiple construction, architecture and project management teams to
prepare five facilities to open for overflow patient care.
Dr. McKinney is also an experienced on-camera expert who has frequently discussed healthcare
disparities and racial inequities amplified by the pandemic, climate-related emergencies, biological
and chemical threats and natural disasters. She’s been feautured on CNN, ABC, NBC Nightly News,
The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Crain’s Chicago Busineses and The Chicago Tribune.
Prior to leading the IMD, Dr. McKinney served as the Deputy Commissioner of the Bureau of
Public Health Preparedness and Emergency Response at the Chicago Department of Public Health
(CDPH), where she oversaw the emergency preparedness efforts for the Department and
coordinated those efforts within the larger spectrum of the City of Chicago’s Public Safety activities,
in addition to overseeing the Department’s Division of Women and Children’s Health. She also
provided support to the U.S. Department of Defense’s Defense Threat Reduction Agency, lending
subject matter expertise in biological terrorism preparedness to the country of Poland.
Previously, she served as the Sr. Advisor for Public Health and Preparedness at the Tauri Group,
where she provided strategic and analytical consulting services to the U.S. Department of Homeland
Security’s (DHS), BioWatch Program. Her work at DHS included providing creative, responsive and
operationally based problem-solving for public health, emergency management and homeland
security issues, specifically chemical and biological early detection systems and the implementation
of those systems at the state and local levels.
Dr. McKinney serves on numerous boards and advisory committees. Her current board
memberships include the Board of Directors for Lurie Children’s Hospital, Thresholds, and the
Fifth Third Bank Advisory Board. Dr. McKinney is Co-Chair of the National Academies of Science,
Engineering and Medicine (NASEM), Health and Medicine Division’s Forum on Medical and Public
Health Preparedness for Disasters and Emergencies and is a member of the NASEM Board on
Health Sciences Policy. She also serves on the Science and Security Board for the Bulletin of the
Atomic Scientists, and is Chairperson of the Board of Scientific Counselors for the U.S. Centers for
Disease Control, Center for Public Health Preparedness and Response. She has led multiple
emergency response efforts, including Chicago’s 2014-2015 Ebola response; the operational
response to the 2009 H1N1 outbreak; as well as CDPH’s participation in the 2012 NATO Summit
response and the 2010 Haiti Earthquake response. She is currently serving the State of IL as
Operations Lead for the COVID-19 Alternate Care Facilities. She is a member of The Chicago
Network and the Economic Club of Chicago.
In academia, Dr. McKinney serves as an Instructor in the Division of Translational Policy and
Leadership Development at Harvard University’s T.H. Chan School of Public Health and as Adjunct
Assistant Professor of Health Policy Administration at the University of Illinois at Chicago School
of Public Health. Additionally, she serves as a mentor for the Biomedical Sciences Careers Project,
also at Harvard University. She is the co-author of the text: Public Health Emergency Preparedness:
Practical Solutions for the Real World (2018) and was named one of Chicago’s 50 Most Powerful
Women (2020), and one of Chicago’s Notable Women in Healthcare (2018 & 2019).
Dr. McKinney holds her Doctorate degree from the University of Illinois at Chicago School of
Public Health, with a focus on preparedness planning, leadership and workforce development. She
received her Bachelor of Arts in Biology from Brandeis University (Waltham, MA) where she was
also a Howard Hughes Medical Institute Fellow. She received her Master of Public Health degree
(Health Care Administration) and certificates in Managed Care and Health Care Administration
from Benedictine University in Lisle, IL.
Life coach, energy worker, speaker, author, certified Vistage Speaker, host of Sterling Women and happiness expert; these are just a few words to describe Cindy. Her coaching comes from her intensive study to become a Brennan Healing Science Practitioner. In 2019 she was named one of the SEVEN Women of Mason. In 2011 she founded Transformational Healing in Middleburg, Va. Cindy is a teacher by trade and teaches relationship and life skills. She specializes in working with women to help them show up in a fierce way in their lives, high level executives, business owners, couples and much more.
Moran has spent most of her 24-year career dedicated to developing leaders who create inspiring work environments that enable people to be fulfilled while also achieving extraordinary business results. Moran believes ‘we create a better society when people work in healthy environments.’
Moran spent nearly a decade with Great Place to Work where she studied leading workplace cultures, helped produce the “Fortune 100 Best Companies to Work For” list and advised clients on how to improve workplace culture. Moran was chief culture officer for New York City-based Union Square Hospitality Group for seven years, where she was responsible for overseeing and enhancing all aspects of employee experience for the company that created Shake Shack and is known globally for its culture.
Moran has a series of awards to her credit, including being named one of the Top 50 Women Innovators in the Restaurant Industry (2019), a two-time honoree through the National Restaurant Association Power List of Culture Champions (2017 and 2019) and Women’s Foodservice Forum Top Women in Metro New York Foodservice & Hospitality (2018).
An experienced speaker and panel participant, Erin enjoys addressing audiences from a wide range of industries on workplace culture as a competitive advantage and the central role that trust plays in sustaining great workplaces.
Moran is a Baltimore native and holds a Bachelor of Science from St. Joseph’s University and an M.B.A. from the Thunderbird School of International Management.
Meet the Panelists
Ms. Cantus is Managing Principal, Strategic Services and General Counsel of The ILEX Group, a veteran-owned small business, and Principal Member of ILEX Leadership Associates, LLC, a woman-owned small business registered to do business with the federal government and the Commonwealth of Virginia.
In 2018, Ms. Cantus founded The B2B Project, dedicated to achieving diversity of thought, perspective and experience in every corporate boardroom. By focusing on diverse collectives and optimal governance, the organization strives to change the conversation and lead by example to achieve integrated board and C-suite succession planning.
As Group Chair for Vistage Worldwide, she leads CEO and key executive peer advisory forums. She earned Rookie of the Year award (2020) in recognition as the top new Chair for performance excellence in their first full year of running the CEO private advisory group.
As a Fellow at the Institute for Business in Society at the University of Virginia (UVA) Darden School of Business, Ms. Cantus examined the relationship between C-suite executives and stakeholders, including the Board, investors, employees and external constituencies. Her research continues to focus on determining the impact of corporate strategic decisions on the constituencies and the impact these constituencies have on the C-suite’s corporate strategic decision-making.
As an operating executive, she held management positions in corporate strategy, operations, marketing/business development, and program management, including interim C-suite positions to affect growth and turnaround strategies.
Ms. Cantus earned a Juris Doctorate from The George Washington University Law School, a Master of Business Administration from UVA Darden School of Business, and a Bachelor of Art in History from Duke University. She is a Member of the Virginia State Bar.
Ms. Cantus serves on the Board of Directors of Boulder Crest Foundation (2020 to present). She served as a National Advisory Board Member, PenFed Foundation from 2009 to 2019. She was appointed by Governor Warner and reappointed by Governor Kaine as Board member to the Virginia Small Business Financing Authority (2004-2011) and appointed by Governor McDonnell to the Virginia Small Business Commission (2012-2014). She served as Board Member, Executive Council Member and Chair, Innovation and Entrepreneurship Council, Northern Virginia Chamber of Commerce (2017-2019) and received the NOVA Chamber Chairman’s Award (2018). She served on the Board of Advisors, Smart City Works, and Advisor to emerging technology incubators Inova Personalized Health Accelerator and Mach37.
Spiro’s wide-ranging CEO, executive level and director experience includes top 50, multi-regional, regional, and community bank platforms, most of which were public companies located in the mid- Atlantic. She has a proven track record as a CEO in the formation and start-up of new banks, performance improvement in established banks, and the recap and turnaround of troubled banks where she is brought in by regulators as a “ White Knight”. Spiro also has extensive experience in working with bank regulators, including the FRB, the FDIC, the OCC, and many state regulators.
Spiro is the Chairman and CEO of TNP, Financial Enterprise Consulting Services, LLC, which provides a variety of consulting services to Banks, Boards of Directors, Investment Banking Firms, and others focused on the Financial Services Industry.
Spiro is also the co-founder and chairman of Bank On Women, Inc., a non-profit educational organization dedicated to increasing the number of qualified women in c-suites and in the boardroom of community banks.
Spiro is a frequent speaker and panelist on a variety of financial industry topics, including the performance and other key benefits derived from gender diversity in financial services. Additionally, she is an author and co-author of articles on the need for increasing gender diversity in the c-suite and boardroom of community banks.
In addition to her professional experience, Spiro is an engaged civic leader. She is a member of the invitation-only International Women’s Forum (D.C. Chapter) and has been an active leader in the Greater Mid-Atlantic Region. Her regional activities have included Chairman of the Northern Virginia Chamber, service or membership on the boards of the Economic Club of Washington, the Northern Virginia Business Roundtable, the Northern Virginia Technology Council, the Virginia State Chamber of Commerce, and the Virginia Bankers Association. She has also served as a trustee for the George Mason University Foundation and has served on two Governors’ Commissions for the Commonwealth of Virginia. The Washington Business Journal selected her for the inaugural class of “Women Who Mean Business” for the greater Washington region.
Spiro is a native of Jacksonville, Florida, and currently resides on Amelia Island, Florida. She is a graduate of Jacksonville University with a B.A. degree in English.
Previously, Docherty was a managing director and associate general counsel at Sandler O'Neill + Partners, L.P. Prior to that, she was a senior associate at a New York City law firm working on general corporate, regulatory and securities matters for financial institutions, including mergers and acquisitions, mutual-to-stock conversions, reorganizations into holding company form, and public and private offerings of debt and equity securities.
Docherty is the co-founder and founding director and chief executive officer of Bank on Women, Inc./WIN (Winning Strategies for Boards and C-suites), a nonprofit organization dedicated to educating the community bank industry on the importance of adding qualified women to the Board and C-suites of community banks. Bank on Women works within the industry to develop and promote women leaders, with the goal of increasing the numbers of qualified women serving on community bank boards and in executive management.
Docherty holds a Juris doctorate from the University of Pennsylvania and a bachelor’s degree with high honors from Lehigh University. She is a registered representative and holds her Series 7, 24 and 63 licenses. Docherty is currently also a Level 2 certified USA Hockey coach and treasurer of her daughter’s Girl Scouts of America troop.
Bowen has been with MITRE since 2006. She previously held several chief legal officer and general counsel positions. She also served as vice president of joint ventures and alliances at several technology and logistics companies.
She serves as a director of MITRE Engenuity, a foundation for public good. She is also a director of WidePoint Corporation; serves on the advisory board of Manetu, Inc.; and is a board member of the Northern Virginia Technology Council. The Washington Business Journal named Bowen one of its 2021 Women Who Mean Business for her leadership inside and outside MITRE.
She graduated with honors from The Catholic University of America, with both bachelor’s and law degrees.
As a senior partner of The Dupre Keating Group, Dawn has spent her entire 28 year professional career in the financial services industry as both an executive and a Financial Advisor, serving high net worth individuals, families and businesses. After working in all corners of the industry, Dawn brings a distinct perspective that helps our clients navigate the complex financial landscape. She and the entire team provide comprehensive wealth management services, while creating customized strategies that are unique to each client. Prior to her role as an advisor, Dawn served as an Executive Vice President of Citizens Financial Group and President of CCO Investments, its full-service brokerage and investment advisor unit.
Dawn is consistently ranked as one of America’s Top Financial Advisors, most recently being named to Forbes 2022 Top Women Wealth Advisors, as well as Forbes 2022 Best in State Wealth Advisor. In 2021, she was featured alongside her partners, in Philadelphia Magazine’s Faces of Women in Business section. She was named to Working Mother and SHOOK Research’s Top Wealth Advisor Moms List in 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2021. Dawn’s achievements have made her a highly requested guest speaker. She has appeared twice at the Pennsylvania Conference for Women, and most recently at the 2020 PA Diversity Council LGBTQ+ Unity Summit. Dawn is a member of Janney’s Diversity and Inclusion Council and serves as a mentor in Janney’s Mentoring Program, committed to leading and developing the next generation of financial advisors. With this passion for leading and mentoring, she was featured in 2021 in Barron’s discussing how to find and support more women in the wealth management industry. Dawn also serves on the Janney Financial Advisor Council, whose mission is to support and develop advisors within the firm. While serving as President of CCO at Citizens Financial Group, she was named one of the Top Six Teams in Banking by American Banker magazine in 2012.
Committed to education and excellence, Dawn completed the Accredited Domestic Partnership AdvisorSM (ADPA®) program from the College of Financial Planning. She is also among a select group of Janney Financial Advisors who have demonstrated knowledge of portfolio management and asset allocation strategies, allowing her to recommend, and if appropriate use discretion to make investment decisions on behalf of her clients through the Janney Compass* program. This program provides comprehensive portfolio management services for an annual fee based on the value of assets in your account. Financial Advisors are approved based on portfolio management training and/or advanced financial degrees and designations.
Dawn graduated from Nicholls State University in Louisiana where she earned a Bachelor of Science in Finance on a music scholarship, playing the drums in the marching band and orchestra. Outside of the office, Dawn enjoys golf, fishing, playing bridge and spending time in Rehoboth Beach, DE. She is married and lives in Newtown Square, PA with her three children.
A Certified Financial Planner, CFP® for families since 1992. Before that, Bonnie owned a tax practice. She also earned the Accredited Investment Fiduciary, AIF®, designation, Certified Exit Planning Advisor, CEPA® and Certified Divorce Financial Analyst designation, CDFA™. Cindy currently serves on the following boards: National Board for the Financial Planning Association (FPA), South Region Board for the National Association of Personal Financial Advisors (NAPFA), Oatlands.org. and Foundation for Financial Planning board. She is past President on the Board of Directors for the non-profit Loudoun Therapeutic Riding (www.ltrf.org).
Ann has 24 years of tax experience in the public accounting sector. Ann applies her experience to provide tax planning opportunities and insights to high wealth individuals, corporate executives, entrepreneurs and their families, including related operating entities, investment partnerships, and trusts. Ann works closely with individuals and family offices to address their various tax compliance, consulting and estate planning needs. She also serves as an advisor to her clients on matters indirectly related to taxes. Ann is a member of Keiter’s Family, Executive & Entrepreneur Advisory Services team.
Prior to joining Keiter in November 2013, Ann began her career at PwC and was promoted to Tax Director prior to joining The Roseline Financial Group. While at Roseline, Ann was responsible for tax consulting and compliance services for partnerships, individuals, and trusts. She also oversaw and managed client relationships and identified, coordinated application of tax planning opportunities and managed the IRS audit process for clients. In addition, she coordinated and developed trainings for the Roseline staff and partners on various tax topics and new developments.
As a graduate of both Duke (undergraduate) and University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (graduate), she is an avid Duke Blue Devil fan. She loves to cook and bake and share her edible efforts with neighbors, paddleboard with her beagle, Mac and dabble in various art and craft mediums.
As the founder and Chief Executive Officer of Kaleidoscope Affect, LLC providing leadership and management consulting as well as strategic advisory services for a variety of public and private sector clients. Dr. Singh served as the Inaugural Leader-In-Residence for Towson University focusing on creating the foundation for leadership culture and common leader competencies across the campus. Previously, Dr. Singh was the Interim Executive Director and CEO of TEDCO focused on investing and helping to grow early-stage technology and life sciences companies to fuel economic development and growth. Prior to that, she served as a Major General in the Maryland National Guard, dedicating more than 38 years of service. As the Adjutant General and a Cabinet Secretary, she was responsible for the Maryland Military Department. As part of her military role, she worked with senior-level officials at ministerial and ambassador levels in Estonia and Bosnia developing country strategies under the Department of Defense State Partnership Program. Dr. Singh retired from Accenture in 2016, she was a Managing Director in the Health and Public Service North America Operating Unit where she served for 21 years.
Dr. Singh serves on the board of directors of Howard Bancorp, Easterseals DC MD VA, and Headstrong, on the advisory board of Vital Guidance and Cybersecurity Forum Initiative as well as numerous other committees. Dr. Singh personally mentors, coaches, and speaks on leadership, diversity, adversity, career transition, and issues that plague women and veterans in the workplace. She holds a bachelor’s degree in business, a Master’s of Business Administration, a Master’s of Strategic Studies, and a Ph.D. in Industrial and Organizational Psychology. She is the author of “Moments of Choice: My path to leadership” and “What’s in Your Box? Designing the Life You Want”.
Dr. Singh is a certified Project Management Professional (PMP), Professional Certified Coach (PCC), and Gallup Strengths Coach. She is an authorized DiSC partner and John Maxwell certified trainer and speaker. She has received numerous awards, among them are the 2013 DiversityMBA Top 100 under 50 Diverse Emerging Leaders, The Network Journal 25 Influential Black Women in Business Award for 2014, and recipient of the Ellis Island Medal of Honor for 2015. She was also inducted into the Maryland Women’s Hall of Fame in March 2015. She was also featured on the Today Show for her history-making leadership team and named as one of InStyle’s Badass 50 in July 2019.
Barbara interned on HBO Ballers, and in development and acquisition at Lionsgate Motion Picture Group. She was also selected for the Gold Rising Program at the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts & Sciences.
Barbara currently serves as the Director of Career Placement at Veterans in Media & Entertainment, which included developing the AT&T Veterans Media Fellowship. She also supports evacuation and resettlement efforts for high-risk families from Afghanistan.
Melanie now proudly holds a 23 year career in banking, she began her journey as a part-time drive through teller after her honorable discharge from the Navy, and it was there she surprisingly learned that her industry offered tremendous career, educational and leadership opportunities. Melanie progressed through the ranks quickly, while proving her ability to catch on and learn quickly, model the behaviors of a leader, received feedback and proactively developed her own educational journey within the banking ecosystem. Within 2 years, she was moved to full-time, promoted to supervisor and later service manager. Melanie was highly recommended by every level of leadership to attend the prestigious and highly competitive Retail Leadership Associate program through Chevy Chase Bank, located in Bethesda MD. She received her VP Officer title within 7 years at the bank and was highly regarded in her field both internally and in her community. During this time she continued to serve part-time in the Naval Reserves at NAF Washington, it was also during this time she was married, welcomed her first child, as well as broke ground in Charlottesville, VA to begin preparing for her new leadership role in a new market for which she would lead for almost 10 years for her bank. She found joy and success in developing others and see them succeed professionally and personally. In 2012, she was asked to participate in the Merger and Acquisition transaction between Chevy Chase Bank and Capital One. Through the M&A she discovered that her passion and devotion was to serve through the Community Banking space. Once the M&A project was complete, Melanie made the decision to move to Williamsburg where she would accept new orders at Langley Air Force Base, continue to focus on her career growth and settle down with her growing family, now two daughters in tow. Melanie hasn’t slowed down yet. Today, she is the Product Manager for Chesapeake Bank based in Kilmarnock, VA. Melanie brings a wealth of knowledge, experience, leadership and practical perspective to her role. She also sits on multiple executive leadership boards, volunteers for local non-profits, mentors children and young adults as well as coaches her daughter’s field hockey team. Melanie is still looking to develop and grow in her Product Manager role for the bank and is ready to continue her growth and development in the industry. She attributes her personal and professional successes to her hard working parents, as well as the military for laying the groundwork for ongoing growth and future success
Ms. "G-I" has successfully led several Directorates within OSDBU. As the Director of National Veterans Small Business Engagement (NVSBE), she led the NVSBE is the Department's premier event for Veteran-Owned Small Businesses (VOSBs) to connect with Procurement Decision Makers and contracting experts from the federal and commercial marketplaces. She simultaneously served as Operations Director, where she led the management and delivery of services and products to OSDBU directorates, enabling 242 federal and contract staff to help Veteran businesses. She oversaw the human capital, financial, security, administrative, logistical, information technology, and support functions critical to its mission. Focusing always on "people, process, and technology," her vision brings significant value to the federal government's largest Office of Small Disadvantaged Business Utilization (OSDBU).
Before being the Director of Operations, she was the Director of the Center for Verification and Evaluation, formerly known as the Center for Veteran Enterprise (CVE), within the OSDBU at the Department of Veteran Affairs (VA) from December 2011 to November 2015. As the Principal of the only Federal Government program that audits and verifies ownership and control of Veteran-owned businesses for the Department of Veteran Affair, and other federal agency contract set-asides, CVE enabled $3.8B contract set-asides making the Department of Veterans Affairs the leading supporter of Veteran small businesses. Under her leadership, CVE was certified as one of three ISO- 9000-1 registered organizations in the entire Department of VA. Further, she successfully led the historic transformation of the new CVE to achieve historical precedence: 100% of applications processed within the Veterans First law timelines for the "first time" in the history of the Veterans' First Program. The CVE program is known within the supplier diversity and veteran small business communities as VetBiz.gov and is recognized as the "Gold Standard" for Veteran Small Business certifications.
Ms. "G-I" is a highly decorated Air Force Veteran and a retired Colonel, having served 20+ years supporting Veterans, military troops, and their families. Before creating her own small business, G-I Strategic Solutions LLC., an advisory and consulting firm, she held numerous executive-level positions. Her experience spans customer-centric business operations, training, consulting, strategic collaboration, and directing award-winning complex global operations. One of her most significant leadership roles was as the Commander (Senior Vice President) of the Army and Air Force Exchange Service (AAFES). Pacific Region, where she led a $1.8 billion-dollar retail, food, and services business, with full profit-loss responsibility, employed 7000+ associates who provided goods and services to over 350,000 military, U.S. government civilian, and State Department patrons and their families. While in command, her leadership led to the top highest grossing military exchanges in the world two years in a row. AAFES is the U.S. military's largest retail operation.
Ms. "G-I's" personal mission is to be "About the business of America's Veterans – serving those who continue to serve America." Ms. "G-I" has a unique perspective in that she has never been without a military ID Card. She is a Veteran and a military spouse, but she grew up in an Army family. Her father and Vietnam Veteran, Colonel Arthur Gardner, commissioned her. She holds a bachelor's degree from Tuskegee University, Tuskegee, Alabama, and a master's degree from Troy State University, Troy, Alabama. She is a graduate Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth Executive Program, Dale Carnegie and John Maxwell, leadership coach/trainer. She lives in the Washington DC Metro area. She is married and has two children.
Conference Info
View our agenda, fees, hotel arrangements, and sponsorship opportunities for the conference.
Become a Partner/Sponsor
Gold Level - $10,000
Silver Level - $5,000
Bronze Level - $2,500
Corporate Level - $1,000
Champion of Inclusivity Award
Conference Venue
Sagamore Pendry Baltimore
Poised in the storied 1914 property on Baltimore’s historic Recreation Pier “Rec Pie'' as it’s known to locals - Sagamore Pendry Baltimore embodies the city's rich history, vibrant personality and idyllic harbor setting with character, inspiration and style.
Sagamore Pendry
1715 Thames Street
Baltimore, MD 21231
Phone:
(443) 552-1400
Hotel Reservations & Payment
The Sagamore Pendry Baltimore Hotel has graciously offered a significant discount on hotel rooms for LETTS CONSULT Retreat attendees.
Exclusive rate of $285 per night prior to taxes
Explore Historic Fells Point
- Hip pubs and taverns, many with live music, as well as seafood joints serving Chesapeake Bay crab and oysters
- Small galleries, record stores, fashion boutiques and eclectic restaurants that line the cobblestone streets along the harbor and main square
- The Frederick Douglass-Isaac Myers Maritime Park Museum, recognized for African-American nautical history
Our Commitment to a Safer Conference
While the COVID 19 protocols may change based on current status and conditions, we anticipate that all attendees will be required to show either (1) full proof of full vaccination or (2) a negative result from an approved COVID-19 test administered no less than 72 hours prior to the date of the event. All attendees must follow the venue’s face covering requirements, if any in effect on the date of the event.
BECOME A MEMBER
The power and influence we have as women, when we come together, is incredible and we have the opportunity to influence policies, practices , promotions and products that are more equitable and inclusive.
Our Executive Council membership is designed to bring together senior and executive level women who are committed to driving cultures of inclusivity in the workplace, while developing a network throughout the country....women who will support each other, share leadership lessons, mentor, sponsor and help define programs that give opportunities for growth and advancement.
Our Leadership Circle membership provides information, education and opportunities for connection for all women who look to expand their network and develop their& leadership skills for professional growth and advancement.
Thank You to Our Sponsors
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