Conventional advice on how to organize your life can be useful. But those life hacks are broad, and don’t take into account each of our unique circumstances. It’s time to revisit that advice for women living in today’s world, and to take bold steps toward achieving your goals.
CEO
Something Major
Randi Braun is the Wall Street Journal best-selling author of Something Major: The New Playbook for Women at Work. A member of the Forbes Coaches Council, Braun is the CEO & Founder of the women’s leadership firm, Something Major, a highly-regarded speaker, and an ICF-certified executive coach, who has worked with 50+ organizations including Microsoft, Uber, Virgin, Accor Hotels, and Cox Communications, among others.
An expert at helping high-performing women thrive in demanding roles, her insights on women’s leadership have been featured in The Washington Post, Forbes, Thrive Global, Parents Magazine, and The Chicago Tribune. Randi coaches, leads retreats and, when she’s not traveling to attend events like ours, Randi lives in Washington, DC with her spouse and two children.
VP, Global Development Delivery Practice
Abt Global
In her previous role at Abt, Chamorro was Regional Vice President for Europe, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean where she provided overall leadership, management, strategy, and vision for the assigned regional management unit with a portfolio of more than $35 million in annual revenue and a two-year pipeline valued at more than $250 million. Chamorro led and oversaw development and implementation of a regional strategy and was responsible for the unit’s financial management. She ensured successful implementation and client satisfaction on existing programs, and provided quality assurance to and overall leadership of business development efforts in the region.
Prior to her Vice President roles, Chamorro was the deputy project director of Abt’s largest project - PMI VectorLink, a $741 million project working in 25 countries in Africa, Cambodia, and Colombia to decrease the burden of malaria through vector control. She provided oversight and leadership to the Operations and Procurement and Logistics teams, and she managed the project’s 10 international partners. Chamorro provided senior-level management expertise and vision and served as a liaison to all Abt corporate departments. Under VectorLink’s predecessor project, PMI Africa Indoor Residual Spraying (AIRS), Chamorro managed malaria prevention programs in seven African countries.
She previously worked for the Millennium Challenge Corporation on Cape Verde and Mozambique compacts. She also worked for Chemonics International in the Latin America and Caribbean division and the International Health group, managing a diverse portfolio of USAID-funded projects. Ms. Chamorro is originally from Nicaragua, and she speaks four languages fluently. 
The world of business can feel like the ocean – a small wave followed by bigger ones as companies notice and implement the latest trend. These major changes, whatever they are, should be seen as opportunities. Opportunities to jump on a growing trend toward growth, or to stay the course as an industry leader.
Senior Private Sector Development Specialist Women, Business & Law
The World Bank
Emilia Galiano is a Senior Private Sector Development Specialist of the Women, Business and the Law project. She leads the activities around data quality and integrity. She also assists with team supervision and the dissemination of the annual report. Emilia joined the team in January 2021. Before joining, she employed her task management and team leadership skills in different projects, ranging from knowledge management to public procurement. She holds a Master’s Degree in International Political Economy from Bologna University and a Master's Degree in International Relations from John Hopkins’ School of Advanced International Studies. She is fluent in Italian and German, conversational in Spanish.
Founder
STRACTIX
Strategic Visionary, Trailblazer & Transformational Leader. Keynote Speaker, Exec Board Director with expertise in Global Supply Chain, Procurement, Sustainability & Logistics OpEx.
20+ yrs of global leadership delivering increased value $MM. Accelerating profitability performance 4Leading Bn$ FMCG, Chemicals, Pharma, Oil & Gas, Food/Beverage. Known 4Building world-class Procurement & Supply Chain anchored by creating an engaged thriving culture.
Advancing delivery velocity, optimized e2e ops networks. Driving business growth; propelling Innovation, Tech & Change. Developing value-based profits, leveraging multicultural inclusivity, enabling OpEx delivering sustained winning outcomes $MM. Building top performing equity cultures, negotiating lucrative deals in partnership with peers. Broad-based expertise: Growth Strategy, GTM, Supply Chain, OpEx, Log, Strategic Procurement, Transformational Leadership, People Centric/Talent Coaching, Re-Skilling, Multidimensional Change Execution, Novel Biz Solutions, Org Restructuring, Risk Resilience, M&A Due Diligence, Customer/Supplier Centricity, Segmentation Strategies, Biz Process Redesign, Benchmarking, Outsourcing models, NPI/NPD/NPC & ESG Gov. Dedicated to building Next Gen of Leaders, Teams, Partnerships while providing crucial insights to Stakeholders, Shareholders, C-Suite & Board.
Chief Platforming Officer
Stanley Black & Decker
Christine Potter is the Chief Platforming Officer in the Tools & Outdoor business segment at Stanley Black & Decker. In her role, she leads the strategy to expedite the ability to embed modular designs and standard parts, enabling flexibility in the product development process to better adapt to changing market demands. Her team works closely with the Marketing, Brand, Manufacturing and Supply Chain teams to accelerate innovation while also increasing profitability and enhancing product quality.
She joined the company in 1995 as a design engineer for the professional power tools business. Christine subsequently held roles with increasing degrees of responsibility for the power tools group in engineering, innovation and product marketing. In 2015, she joined the Outdoor group to lead product development for the legacy SBD product lines and subsequently worked on the strategy and integration of the newly acquired MTD Products and Excel Industries businesses. Prior to her current role, she was President of the Outdoor strategic business unit for the newly combined Stanley Black and Decker, MTD and Excel Outdoor business unit. In that role, she led product innovation and new product development for outdoor power equipment sold under brands including Black+Decker, Craftsman Troy-Bilt, Cub Cadet, Wolfgarten, Hustler and DEWALT. She was responsible for the development of new technology and product road maps that delivered solutions for home owners up through landscaping professionals.
Christine holds a B.S. degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Michigan and an MBA from Loyola University Maryland.
Founder & CEO
MasPanadas
Margarita Womack, a scientist turned entrepreneur, holds a Bachelor of Science from Tulane University, a Doctorate from Princeton University, and an Executive Master of Business Administration (EMBA) from Georgetown University. She is the founder of Latin Goodness Foods, striving to make South American street foods more accessible for busy lifestyles. Margarita also leads the “Latin Goodness Foundation,” a non-profit empowering vulnerable women and fostering stronger communities. Before entrepreneurship, she contributed to science education and research, teaching at the K-12 level, leading a science-promoting non-profit in Colombia, and conducting research at Princeton University. Margarita's accolades include being named Small Business Leader of the Year in the CEOs of the Year Awards by the Washington Business Journal in 2022 and receiving the EY Entrepreneur Of The Year™ for the Mid-Atlantic region. Her company was recognized as one of the Most Disruptive MBA Startups by Poets & Quants in 2019, and her story has been featured in Forbes Magazine and BBC Stories, reflecting her commitment to innovation and community impact.
Innovation is all around us. Learn how exceptional leaders convert external trends into business opportunities.
Vice President, Marketing Sales & Business Development
Kaiser Permanente
Radiologist and Chief Medical Information Officer
Kaiser Permanente
Dr. Ainsley MacLean is Chief Medical Information Officer and Chief AI Officer for the Mid-Atlantic Permanente Medical Group. In these roles she oversees a large team of software engineers, physician informaticists, and clinical analysts in the design and implementation of all technology, AI and telehealth enhancements, advancing our digital and AI first strategy alongside the entire executive team and partners across Kaiser Permanente. Dr. MacLean is the senior physician executive accountable for our electronic medical record, patient portal and all associated technologies at Kaiser Permanente Mid-Atlantic States.
Co-Founder & CEO
LERA Health
Jennifer is the CEO & Co-Founder of LERA Health - a health tech start-up that places the proven transformational power of functional medicine in the palm of women's hands. LERA is the product of decades of clinical experience, world-class design, and proprietary AI technology. Before pursuing her vision for LERA, Jennifer enjoyed a career in various leadership and C-level roles in the health, tech, and financial industries. In helping to build and lead both startups and $1B+ businesses, she experienced firsthand the problem that LERA now solves for women who struggle to make space for their health and self-care while nourishing their families, careers, and communities. Jennifer raised her three sons here in her hometown of Baltimore and now lives in Denver, Colorado. She leads an international team of renowned health, design, and marketing experts working toward the launch of an employer product in Q4 of this year with the public launch to follow in Q1 2025.
Enjoy a catered lunch provided by The Classic Catering People. Share space and connect with other attendees. After lunch, the Sozo Children’s Choir will kick off the afternoon with a
special performance.
Sozo Children’s Choir was created to provide spiritual, personal, and cultural development opportunities for people in Uganda. This performance features lively singing and dancing.
President
Howard Community College
Dr. Daria J. Willis serves as the fifth president of Howard Community College. She assumed office as the first African American to lead the college in its history after a unanimous vote by the college's Board of Trustees.
Prior to her appointment at Howard Community College, Dr. Willis was the president of Everett Community College in Everett, Washington. Among her accomplishments are the adoption of the Guided Pathways framework across Everett Community College to help close achievement gaps and promote student success and achievement, the adoption of a new advising model to assist students with course selection and degree completion, and securing a $43.5 million from the Washington Legislature to fund the new Learning Resource Center that broke ground in September 2021.
She currently serves as a 2021 Aspen Institute Ascend Fellow and on the American Association of Community Colleges’ Commission on Diversity, Inclusion, and Equity, the Howard County Economic Development Board, Local Children’s Board, Rising Leaders, and Phi Theta Kappa advisory board. Dr. Willis most recently received the Daily Record’s 2022 Most Influential Marylander, Baltimore Business Journal’s 40 Under 40, 2023 cohort of VIP Women of Influence and was honored as a Living Legend by Councilmember Opal Jones.
Earlier in her career, Dr. Willis was the provost and senior vice president of academic affairs at Onondaga Community College; the dean of academic studies at Lee College in Baytown, Texas; executive dean of centers/dean of instruction at the Lone Star College-North Harris Greenspoint Center and Victory Center; department chair of social and behavioral sciences and kinesiology at Lone Star College-University Park Campus in Texas and the Faculty Senate president; an adjunct faculty member in history at Florida A&M University; and an adjunct faculty member in history at Tallahassee Community College (Florida).
Dr. Willis earned her Ph.D. in history from Florida State University. She holds a master’s degree in history and a bachelor’s degree in history education from Florida A&M University, a historically Black college in Florida.
Dr. Willis and her husband, Dr. Isiah David Brown, are the proud parents of daughter Lyric, son Isiah, and daughter Imani.
The best leader for your company tomorrow could be someone that’s already working there today. Talent development should be a key part of every company’s portfolio. Learn how to build high performing teams with the people you’ve already got, while preparing for the future.
CEO
Oyster Insight
Molly Hughes Wilmer is the CEO of Oyster Insight, a consulting firm that helps mid-market companies grow through strategy, leadership development and marketing and sales. Molly is a certified executive coach whose leadership development roots stretch back to teaching Outward Bound in the early ‘90s. Molly’s global experience is firmly grounded in Maryland, where she was the Acting Director of Pride of Baltimore, Inc. during an international tour, and led the Maryland Sister States Program while it was housed at WTCI. Those experiences led to client work with the State Department, where she worked with the Bureau of Diplomatic Security on counter-terrorism efforts, as well as companies expanding overseas. Molly advocates the use of evidence-based practices in her leadership work, as well as the cultivation of empathy to create greater connection and understanding across stereotypes of all kinds.
Sr. Director, Global Talent Development
Under Armour
>Rochelle is the Sr. Director, Talent Development and Global Leadership Development at Under Armour, Inc. (UA) one of the largest and most progressive athletic footwear and apparel companies in the world. Under Armour is based in Baltimore, MD. At UA, Rochelle is responsible for Global Leadership Development, Talent and Succession Planning, Executive Coaching and Assessments, Organizational Effectiveness, and all Functional L&D. In this role she is responsible for creating and implementing the Global Talent and Leadership Development strategy, creating UA Core Competency and Leadership Expectations Model, developing teammate core and functional skills, leading executive talent and succession planning reviews, and developing the org effectiveness philosophy tools & resources to lead efforts to build high performing teams and support change management efforts. She also serves as an internal OD consultant to Sr. Leaders. She served as the lead internal consultant to implementing change management strategies to ensure a seamless people transition for the start-up of the largest and newest UA Omni Distribution House in Sparrows Point, MD.
Rochelle is very active in her community. She is currently a board member for Transforming Lives Community Development Corporation (TLCDC) and Board Co-Chair for Maryland Mentors. She served for 10 years as the Ministry Leader for the New Psalmist Baptist Church Leadership Development Institute a 10,000 member church community. Rochelle is married to Bryan Simmons a Baltimore native and she enjoys running, reading, sewing and traveling in her free time. She attended Hampton University in Hampton, VA for her Bachelors where she studied Business Management and Marketing. She completed two post graduate programs at Johns Hopkins University for Change Management and Women in Leadership and received her Master’s of Science in Organization Development from American University in Washington, DC. Her greatest joys are traveling with her husband, spending time with family and helping others discover their “aha” moments that influence change to become the best version of themselves.
Leadership Performance Improvement Consultant, Coach, and Author
Decide Happy
Susan Hall is a corporate Performance Improvement consultant, coach, and Amazon Bestselling author of "Decide Happy: A Practical Guide for Less Stress. More Joy." With 25 years of experience consulting and helping hundreds of companies develop and retain top Leadership and Sales talent, she has assisted thousands of individuals worldwide in cultivating the mindset and skills necessary for improved outcomes in both their professional and personal lives. Susan's mission is to inspire others to envision new possibilities and take action to make their lives and livelihoods extraordinary. She believes that the most successful organizations foster a culture that cultivates a positive outlook, driven by robust, empathetic leadership, meaningful work, effective communication, and a spirit of teamwork and collaboration. Additionally, Susan is a passionate animal lover, globe-trotter, artist, and still harbors a deep affection for Tim, her husband of 30 years. She resides in Baltimore, Maryland, and Delray Beach, Florida, with Tim and their snaggle-toothed rescue dog, Gunther.
Sr. Director Engineering, Maritime Sector
L3Harris
Pamela Scheller is Senior Director, Chief Engineer for the Maritime sector of L3Harris Technologies’ Integrated Mission Systems (IMS) segment. The Maritime sector covers an extensive portfolio including power, electrical, imaging, communication and sensor systems for manned platforms and integrated unmanned vessels, surface and undersea.
Scheller assumed her current position in 2023 and leads engineering technical operations. In this role, she is focused on engineering leadership, program execution, technical innovation and investment as it relates to capture of new business and growth. She reports to the Vice President of engineering for the IMS segment.
Scheller led L3Harris Technologies’ WE3 (Women Who Strive for Empowering, Enhancing and Encouraging Other Women) Employee Resource Group (ERG) from 2020-2022, increasing membership to over 3,500 members while providing opportunities in professional development, employee engagement and community outreach.
Scheller holds a Master of Science in Computer Engineering from Syracuse University and a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. Additionally, she holds her Program Management Profession (PMP) certification from the Program Management Institute (PMI).
Conjure a mental image of a leader in your mind. Prepare to turn that image on its head. Successful leadership takes many different forms, and a great leader at one company doesn’t necessarily mean a great leader anywhere else.
Human Advisor & Consultant
&Human
Lia James, CEO and Human Experience Advisor of &Human, works at the intersection of culture, leadership development, and workforce innovation to craft environments that not only cultivate, but celebrate human connection and transformation. With a background in Workforce and Leadership Development, Lia has become a luminary in designing strategies that bridge gaps between people, places, and potentials. Her expertise lies in transforming organizational cultures to be more inclusive, collaborative, and effective, regardless of geographical boundaries. Through her leadership, companies such as Emerson, The Innovation Foundation, Coursera, and Lighting Environments have seen their teams flourish in environments where technology enhances human interaction, making collaboration more intentional and accessible.
Lia's approach to leadership and development is rooted in the belief that at the heart of every successful organization is a human first. Her work empowers leaders to not only unlock the human element in all solutions but to also create spaces where every voice is heard, and every person is valued. Lia brings her insights and experiences to the forefront, inspiring audiences with her dynamic vision for the future of work. Her mission transcends professional
Radiologist and Chief Medical Information Officer
Kaiser Permanente
Dr. Ainsley MacLean is Chief Medical Information Officer and Chief AI Officer for the Mid-Atlantic Permanente Medical Group. In these roles she oversees a large team of software engineers, physician informaticists, and clinical analysts in the design and implementation of all technology, AI and telehealth enhancements, advancing our digital and AI first strategy alongside the entire executive team and partners across Kaiser Permanente. Dr. MacLean is the senior physician executive accountable for our electronic medical record, patient portal and all associated technologies at Kaiser Permanente Mid-Atlantic States.
CEO
Lifestraw
Chief Platforming Officer
Stanley Black & Decker
Christine Potter is the Chief Platforming Officer in the Tools & Outdoor business segment at Stanley Black & Decker. In her role, she leads the strategy to expedite the ability to embed modular designs and standard parts, enabling flexibility in the product development process to better adapt to changing market demands. Her team works closely with the Marketing, Brand, Manufacturing and Supply Chain teams to accelerate innovation while also increasing profitability and enhancing product quality.
She joined the company in 1995 as a design engineer for the professional power tools business. Christine subsequently held roles with increasing degrees of responsibility for the power tools group in engineering, innovation and product marketing. In 2015, she joined the Outdoor group to lead product development for the legacy SBD product lines and subsequently worked on the strategy and integration of the newly acquired MTD Products and Excel Industries businesses. Prior to her current role, she was President of the Outdoor strategic business unit for the newly combined Stanley Black and Decker, MTD and Excel Outdoor business unit. In that role, she led product innovation and new product development for outdoor power equipment sold under brands including Black+Decker, Craftsman Troy-Bilt, Cub Cadet, Wolfgarten, Hustler and DEWALT. She was responsible for the development of new technology and product road maps that delivered solutions for home owners up through landscaping professionals.
Christine holds a B.S. degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Michigan and an MBA from Loyola University Maryland.
President
Howard Community College
Dr. Daria J. Willis serves as the fifth president of Howard Community College. She assumed office as the first African American to lead the college in its history after a unanimous vote by the college's Board of Trustees.
Prior to her appointment at Howard Community College, Dr. Willis was the president of Everett Community College in Everett, Washington. Among her accomplishments are the adoption of the Guided Pathways framework across Everett Community College to help close achievement gaps and promote student success and achievement, the adoption of a new advising model to assist students with course selection and degree completion, and securing a $43.5 million from the Washington Legislature to fund the new Learning Resource Center that broke ground in September 2021.
She currently serves as a 2021 Aspen Institute Ascend Fellow and on the American Association of Community Colleges’ Commission on Diversity, Inclusion, and Equity, the Howard County Economic Development Board, Local Children’s Board, Rising Leaders, and Phi Theta Kappa advisory board. Dr. Willis most recently received the Daily Record’s 2022 Most Influential Marylander, Baltimore Business Journal’s 40 Under 40, 2023 cohort of VIP Women of Influence and was honored as a Living Legend by Councilmember Opal Jones.
Earlier in her career, Dr. Willis was the provost and senior vice president of academic affairs at Onondaga Community College; the dean of academic studies at Lee College in Baytown, Texas; executive dean of centers/dean of instruction at the Lone Star College-North Harris Greenspoint Center and Victory Center; department chair of social and behavioral sciences and kinesiology at Lone Star College-University Park Campus in Texas and the Faculty Senate president; an adjunct faculty member in history at Florida A&M University; and an adjunct faculty member in history at Tallahassee Community College (Florida).
Dr. Willis earned her Ph.D. in history from Florida State University. She holds a master’s degree in history and a bachelor’s degree in history education from Florida A&M University, a historically Black college in Florida.
Dr. Willis and her husband, Dr. Isiah David Brown, are the proud parents of daughter Lyric, son Isiah, and daughter Imani.
CEO
World Trade Center Institute
Eddie has worked at WTCI since 2007. He has served in various leadership roles, including chief operating officer. His passion for international business and affairs, coupled with a desire to develop the next generation of global leaders, has contributed to the success of many of WTCI’s professional development programs.
Prior to WTCI, Eddie worked with TESSCO Technologies Inc., a leading global supplier of wireless communications products. He also played a central role in the development of Gems of the Earth, a nonprofit organization that promotes social and economic development in the rural communities of Brazil, making modern technology accessible to all who seek it.
Eddie and his family migrated to the United State from Brazil when he was 11. He is an advocate for human rights issues and serves as vice chair of the Board of Directors of the Lutheran Immigration & Refugee Services.
Eddie earned his bachelor’s degree in international business from Towson University and Master of Business Administration degree from Georgetown University. He has also studied culinary arts at Académie de Cuisine.
Fun fact: Eddie is an All-American Soccer Player.
President and Chief Executive Officer
Morningside Solutions LLC
For more than 15 years, Liz Robinson has served in executive level roles in sales, business development, product management and marketing in the distribution sector of the wireless industry. She has served on and lead non profit committees and board. She is a longstanding speaker at trade and industry events, and also conducts training and mentorship programs. She was educated at St. Catherine's School in Richmond, Virginia and Washington and Lee University.
Senior Private Sector Development Specialist Women, Business & Law
The World Bank
Emilia Galiano is a Senior Private Sector Development Specialist of the Women, Business and the Law project. She leads the activities around data quality and integrity. She also assists with team supervision and the dissemination of the annual report. Emilia joined the team in January 2021. Before joining, she employed her task management and team leadership skills in different projects, ranging from knowledge management to public procurement. She holds a Master’s Degree in International Political Economy from Bologna University and a Master's Degree in International Relations from John Hopkins’ School of Advanced International Studies. She is fluent in Italian and German, conversational in Spanish.
Founder & CEO
Women Leadership Angola
Eva Rosa Santos is passionate about leadership, particularly Women's Leadership and Gender Equity. With a degree in Social and Organizational Psychology, she has built a career spanning over 25 years in Human Resources. Recently, she decided to venture into entrepreneurship within the realm of Leadership, with a special focus on female leadership and gender equity. As a Leadership Facilitator and Strategic Consultant in HR, she is an international speaker, coach, and mentor in Leadership. Her mission is to empower women to unleash their maximum potential. She is also the founder of initiatives such as Female Leadership in Angola and CRH – Human Resources Community.
Eva developed the INSPIRA method, designed to enhance the skills of aspiring leaders. For over a decade, she has contributed articles to various national and international newspapers and magazines. In April 2023, she published her first book, 'My Book, Your Book – We All Have a Voice!'
She firmly believes that everyone possesses a unique voice that deserves to be heard.
Vice President, Marketing Sales & Business Development
Kaiser Permanente
Co-Founder & CEO
LERA Health
Jennifer is the CEO & Co-Founder of LERA Health - a health tech start-up that places the proven transformational power of functional medicine in the palm of women's hands. LERA is the product of decades of clinical experience, world-class design, and proprietary AI technology. Before pursuing her vision for LERA, Jennifer enjoyed a career in various leadership and C-level roles in the health, tech, and financial industries. In helping to build and lead both startups and $1B+ businesses, she experienced firsthand the problem that LERA now solves for women who struggle to make space for their health and self-care while nourishing their families, careers, and communities. Jennifer raised her three sons here in her hometown of Baltimore and now lives in Denver, Colorado. She leads an international team of renowned health, design, and marketing experts working toward the launch of an employer product in Q4 of this year with the public launch to follow in Q1 2025.
Founder
STRACTIX
Strategic Visionary, Trailblazer & Transformational Leader. Keynote Speaker, Exec Board Director with expertise in Global Supply Chain, Procurement, Sustainability & Logistics OpEx.
20+ yrs of global leadership delivering increased value $MM. Accelerating profitability performance 4Leading Bn$ FMCG, Chemicals, Pharma, Oil & Gas, Food/Beverage. Known 4Building world-class Procurement & Supply Chain anchored by creating an engaged thriving culture.
Advancing delivery velocity, optimized e2e ops networks. Driving business growth; propelling Innovation, Tech & Change. Developing value-based profits, leveraging multicultural inclusivity, enabling OpEx delivering sustained winning outcomes $MM. Building top performing equity cultures, negotiating lucrative deals in partnership with peers. Broad-based expertise: Growth Strategy, GTM, Supply Chain, OpEx, Log, Strategic Procurement, Transformational Leadership, People Centric/Talent Coaching, Re-Skilling, Multidimensional Change Execution, Novel Biz Solutions, Org Restructuring, Risk Resilience, M&A Due Diligence, Customer/Supplier Centricity, Segmentation Strategies, Biz Process Redesign, Benchmarking, Outsourcing models, NPI/NPD/NPC & ESG Gov. Dedicated to building Next Gen of Leaders, Teams, Partnerships while providing crucial insights to Stakeholders, Shareholders, C-Suite & Board.
Human Advisor & Consultant
&Human
Lia James, CEO and Human Experience Advisor of &Human, works at the intersection of culture, leadership development, and workforce innovation to craft environments that not only cultivate, but celebrate human connection and transformation. With a background in Workforce and Leadership Development, Lia has become a luminary in designing strategies that bridge gaps between people, places, and potentials. Her expertise lies in transforming organizational cultures to be more inclusive, collaborative, and effective, regardless of geographical boundaries. Through her leadership, companies such as Emerson, The Innovation Foundation, Coursera, and Lighting Environments have seen their teams flourish in environments where technology enhances human interaction, making collaboration more intentional and accessible.
Lia's approach to leadership and development is rooted in the belief that at the heart of every successful organization is a human first. Her work empowers leaders to not only unlock the human element in all solutions but to also create spaces where every voice is heard, and every person is valued. Lia brings her insights and experiences to the forefront, inspiring audiences with her dynamic vision for the future of work. Her mission transcends professional
Founder & CEO
MasPanadas
Margarita Womack, a scientist turned entrepreneur, holds a Bachelor of Science from Tulane University, a Doctorate from Princeton University, and an Executive Master of Business Administration (EMBA) from Georgetown University. She is the founder of Latin Goodness Foods, striving to make South American street foods more accessible for busy lifestyles. Margarita also leads the “Latin Goodness Foundation,” a non-profit empowering vulnerable women and fostering stronger communities. Before entrepreneurship, she contributed to science education and research, teaching at the K-12 level, leading a science-promoting non-profit in Colombia, and conducting research at Princeton University. Margarita's accolades include being named Small Business Leader of the Year in the CEOs of the Year Awards by the Washington Business Journal in 2022 and receiving the EY Entrepreneur Of The Year™ for the Mid-Atlantic region. Her company was recognized as one of the Most Disruptive MBA Startups by Poets & Quants in 2019, and her story has been featured in Forbes Magazine and BBC Stories, reflecting her commitment to innovation and community impact.
VP, Global Development Delivery Practice
Abt Global
In her previous role at Abt, Chamorro was Regional Vice President for Europe, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean where she provided overall leadership, management, strategy, and vision for the assigned regional management unit with a portfolio of more than $35 million in annual revenue and a two-year pipeline valued at more than $250 million. Chamorro led and oversaw development and implementation of a regional strategy and was responsible for the unit’s financial management. She ensured successful implementation and client satisfaction on existing programs, and provided quality assurance to and overall leadership of business development efforts in the region.
Prior to her Vice President roles, Chamorro was the deputy project director of Abt’s largest project - PMI VectorLink, a $741 million project working in 25 countries in Africa, Cambodia, and Colombia to decrease the burden of malaria through vector control. She provided oversight and leadership to the Operations and Procurement and Logistics teams, and she managed the project’s 10 international partners. Chamorro provided senior-level management expertise and vision and served as a liaison to all Abt corporate departments. Under VectorLink’s predecessor project, PMI Africa Indoor Residual Spraying (AIRS), Chamorro managed malaria prevention programs in seven African countries.
She previously worked for the Millennium Challenge Corporation on Cape Verde and Mozambique compacts. She also worked for Chemonics International in the Latin America and Caribbean division and the International Health group, managing a diverse portfolio of USAID-funded projects. Ms. Chamorro is originally from Nicaragua, and she speaks four languages fluently. 
CEO
Oyster Insight
Molly Hughes Wilmer is the CEO of Oyster Insight, a consulting firm that helps mid-market companies grow through strategy, leadership development and marketing and sales. Molly is a certified executive coach whose leadership development roots stretch back to teaching Outward Bound in the early ‘90s. Molly’s global experience is firmly grounded in Maryland, where she was the Acting Director of Pride of Baltimore, Inc. during an international tour, and led the Maryland Sister States Program while it was housed at WTCI. Those experiences led to client work with the State Department, where she worked with the Bureau of Diplomatic Security on counter-terrorism efforts, as well as companies expanding overseas. Molly advocates the use of evidence-based practices in her leadership work, as well as the cultivation of empathy to create greater connection and understanding across stereotypes of all kinds.
Counsel
Venable LLP
Sr. Director Engineering, Maritime Sector
L3Harris
Pamela Scheller is Senior Director, Chief Engineer for the Maritime sector of L3Harris Technologies’ Integrated Mission Systems (IMS) segment. The Maritime sector covers an extensive portfolio including power, electrical, imaging, communication and sensor systems for manned platforms and integrated unmanned vessels, surface and undersea.
Scheller assumed her current position in 2023 and leads engineering technical operations. In this role, she is focused on engineering leadership, program execution, technical innovation and investment as it relates to capture of new business and growth. She reports to the Vice President of engineering for the IMS segment.
Scheller led L3Harris Technologies’ WE3 (Women Who Strive for Empowering, Enhancing and Encouraging Other Women) Employee Resource Group (ERG) from 2020-2022, increasing membership to over 3,500 members while providing opportunities in professional development, employee engagement and community outreach.
Scheller holds a Master of Science in Computer Engineering from Syracuse University and a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. Additionally, she holds her Program Management Profession (PMP) certification from the Program Management Institute (PMI).
Chief Nursing and Midwifery Officer
Jhpiego
CEO
Something Major
Randi Braun is the Wall Street Journal best-selling author of Something Major: The New Playbook for Women at Work. A member of the Forbes Coaches Council, Braun is the CEO & Founder of the women’s leadership firm, Something Major, a highly-regarded speaker, and an ICF-certified executive coach, who has worked with 50+ organizations including Microsoft, Uber, Virgin, Accor Hotels, and Cox Communications, among others.
An expert at helping high-performing women thrive in demanding roles, her insights on women’s leadership have been featured in The Washington Post, Forbes, Thrive Global, Parents Magazine, and The Chicago Tribune. Randi coaches, leads retreats and, when she’s not traveling to attend events like ours, Randi lives in Washington, DC with her spouse and two children.
Sr. Director, Global Talent Development
Under Armour
>Rochelle is the Sr. Director, Talent Development and Global Leadership Development at Under Armour, Inc. (UA) one of the largest and most progressive athletic footwear and apparel companies in the world. Under Armour is based in Baltimore, MD. At UA, Rochelle is responsible for Global Leadership Development, Talent and Succession Planning, Executive Coaching and Assessments, Organizational Effectiveness, and all Functional L&D. In this role she is responsible for creating and implementing the Global Talent and Leadership Development strategy, creating UA Core Competency and Leadership Expectations Model, developing teammate core and functional skills, leading executive talent and succession planning reviews, and developing the org effectiveness philosophy tools & resources to lead efforts to build high performing teams and support change management efforts. She also serves as an internal OD consultant to Sr. Leaders. She served as the lead internal consultant to implementing change management strategies to ensure a seamless people transition for the start-up of the largest and newest UA Omni Distribution House in Sparrows Point, MD.
Rochelle is very active in her community. She is currently a board member for Transforming Lives Community Development Corporation (TLCDC) and Board Co-Chair for Maryland Mentors. She served for 10 years as the Ministry Leader for the New Psalmist Baptist Church Leadership Development Institute a 10,000 member church community. Rochelle is married to Bryan Simmons a Baltimore native and she enjoys running, reading, sewing and traveling in her free time. She attended Hampton University in Hampton, VA for her Bachelors where she studied Business Management and Marketing. She completed two post graduate programs at Johns Hopkins University for Change Management and Women in Leadership and received her Master’s of Science in Organization Development from American University in Washington, DC. Her greatest joys are traveling with her husband, spending time with family and helping others discover their “aha” moments that influence change to become the best version of themselves.
Musician
Sarah Paige is not afraid to be vulnerable. Using her music as an outlet for her mental health, the singer-songwriter reflects on her experiences navigating love and relationships while living with depression. Sarah creates an intimate connection with listeners, hoping her songs will make you feel less alone.
Her 2018 debut single “Sunshine” is a testament to this, amassing over 700,000 streams and 9,000 personal playlists adds on Spotify, with features on platforms like 98.7 WTMD and magazines such as Voyage Baltimore and Bold Journey. A revered placement on Mahogany’s first “Chilled Acoustic” compilation album introduced her heartfelt songs to a wider audience. Her captivating presence prompted nominations for “Best Songwriter” and “Best Breakout Artist” at the Maryland Music Awards, where she was a standout finalist.
The momentum behind Sarah shows no signs of slowing. She is eager to release more music for the world to hear, and 2024 promises the unveiling of her debut album. This collection of songs, sure to be both raw and refined, will offer listeners a deeper dive into the heart and soul of a truly exceptional artist.
Leadership Performance Improvement Consultant, Coach, and Author
Decide Happy
Susan Hall is a corporate Performance Improvement consultant, coach, and Amazon Bestselling author of "Decide Happy: A Practical Guide for Less Stress. More Joy." With 25 years of experience consulting and helping hundreds of companies develop and retain top Leadership and Sales talent, she has assisted thousands of individuals worldwide in cultivating the mindset and skills necessary for improved outcomes in both their professional and personal lives. Susan's mission is to inspire others to envision new possibilities and take action to make their lives and livelihoods extraordinary. She believes that the most successful organizations foster a culture that cultivates a positive outlook, driven by robust, empathetic leadership, meaningful work, effective communication, and a spirit of teamwork and collaboration. Additionally, Susan is a passionate animal lover, globe-trotter, artist, and still harbors a deep affection for Tim, her husband of 30 years. She resides in Baltimore, Maryland, and Delray Beach, Florida, with Tim and their snaggle-toothed rescue dog, Gunther.
Sponsorship starts at $3,500 and includes tickets to the event. Contact VP of Membership & Business Development Jeremy Rosendale to inquire about sponsorships.
$20,000
Prominent Visionary Sponsorship acknowledgement throughout the event platform and WTCI website home page & email marketing communications (distributed to 5,000+ people and on-site event banners/slides)
Logo featured on social media posts relating to conference
Logo featured on front cover of conference journals for attendees
Verbal recognition and “thank you” from conference stage in opening & closing remarks
Sponsor table upon request
Speaking opportunity in Opening Remarks
Speaker opportunity- up to 2 sessions
Moderator opportunity- up to 2 sessions
Opportunity to introduce AM or PM Keynote speaker
Pre- and post-event list of attendees upon request
20 in person tickets
30 virtual tickets
5 tickets to VIP Lunch with Keynote Speaker
$10,000
Inclusion of logo in print and digital marketing materials (e.g., WTCI website, event platform, email marketing messages that go to 5,000+ people and on-site event banners/slides)
Sponsor ribbons for all employees who attend in person
Priority seating
Sponsor table upon request
Logo featured on front cover of conference journals for attendees
10 in person tickets
20 virtual tickets
Pre- and post-event list of attendees upon request
3 tickets to VIP Lunch with Keynote speaker
1 speaking opportunity- panelist or moderator
$6,000
Inclusion of logo in print and digital marketing materials (e.g., WTCI website, event platform, email marketing messages that go to 5,000+ people and on-site event banners/slides)
Sponsor ribbons for all employees who attend in person
Priority seating
Logo featured in conference journals for attendees
8 in person tickets
15 virtual tickets
1 ticket to VIP Lunch with Keynote Speaker
$3,500
Inclusion of logo in print and digital marketing materials (e.g., WTCI website, event platform, email marketing messages that go to 5,000+ people and on-site event banners/slides)
Sponsor ribbons for all employees who attend in person
Priority seating
4 in person tickets
10 virtual tickets
Visionary Sponsor
Platinum Sponsor
Gold Sponsor
Silver Sponsor
Production Partner
Catering Partner & Wine Partner
Women in leadership roles face challenges and opportunities unique to their gender.
The annual Women Spanning the Globe conference is a chance to learn from and network with hundreds of emerging and existing leaders, most who identify as women.
The one-day event is hosted by the World Trade Center Institute (WTCI). The range of speakers since the annual event was started is diverse and expansive – marketing and banking executives, technology and human resources experts, journalists and engineers, for example. But the challenges facing professional women often are the same. Themes for the day have included “Finding Strength in Sisterhood,” "In Your Element," and “Turning Curiosity into Courage.”
President & CEO
Morningside Solutions LLC
Sr. Director, Strategic Initiatives & Business Integration
BD Diagnostics
Director, Retail HR Business Partnering, PHR, SHRM-CP
Pandora
Director, Apparel & Accessories Supply Planning
Under Armour
SVP, Senior Relationship Manager
Wells Fargo
Chief Nursing & Midwifery Officer
Jhipiego
VP, Marketing, Sales and Business Development (MSBD)
Kaiser Permanente
VP, Partnership Development
NPower
Senior Director of Supply Chain & Innovation
McCormick and Company, Inc
VP, Workforce, Innovation, and Strategic Partnerships
Howard Community College
Minah Woo serves as the Vice President of Workforce, Innovation, and Strategic Partnerships at Howard Community College.In this role, she works closely with businesses and industry partners to foster partnerships, provide workforce talent development, and training solutions.
SVP, Customer Success & Vendor Management
Tessco Technologies
Tammy Ridgley has more than 20 years of experience working in the constantly changing wireless technology industry. She works closely with the best global suppliers in the world to build strong partnerships, go-to market strategies, solutions and services to the commercial market. Prior to assuming her current position, she held several leadership positions in sales, program management and product management.