Greg resides in the suburbs of Chicago where he is a devoted husband and father to two grown girls. His family lives became the subject of his first book, Text Me If You’re Breathing: Observations, Frustrations and Life Lessons from a Low-Tech Dad.”
The Huffington Post calls Greg Schwem, “Your boss’ favorite comedian.” That’s because Greg’s clean, razor-sharp wit and family-man stage presence has made him a favorite for audiences worldwide. More than just an entertainer, Greg is also a best-selling author, nationally syndicated humor columnist for the Chicago Tribune and award-winning greeting card writer.
Greg has also given his time and his humor to multiple charitable, religious and philanthropic organizations, including the Alliance Against Intoxicated Motorists, Thrivent Financial for Lutherans, and the United Methodist Church.
Greg’s media appearances include stints on Comedy Central, VH-1 and Sirius/XM Radio, where he can be heard regularly on Laugh USA. He has appeared in concert with the likes of Celine Dion, Keith Urban, Jay Leno and Enrique Iglesias. As a corporate entertainer, Greg’s clients have included Microsoft, McDonald’s, Southwest Airline and even The CIA. And when he travels, Greg often stays at Airbnb and other “home-sharing” properties, treks that have resulted in a hilarious, ongoing web series, A Comedian Crashes Your Pad.
Kai Stansberry is Vice President of Communications for the United Nations Association of the United States of America (UNA-USA), Dallas Chapter. In this role, Kai works to ensure that UNA-USA Dallas is delivering on its commitments to accelerate progress on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) agenda, and builds synergies for UNA Dallas stakeholders with UNA-USA initiatives, UN agencies, and a host of multilateral programs. Joining UNA-USA Dallas in 2016, she takes great pride in serving UNA Dallas members by keeping them up to date on critical global issues.
“The pursuit of global health is a key pathway towards sustainability in the world – one that ensures justice and the value of the human experience.”
Previously, Kai spent several years working to address the structural inequities responsible for health disparities in individuals, underserved populations, and communities. She has 20 years of experience in communications and public affairs, focusing on mental health, psycho-educational research and development, community health engagement, and environmental sustainability. She is a trusted communications advisor to nonprofits and philanthropic organizations, health systems, government agencies, and multi-sectoral public/private partnerships.
Kai, a native of Los Angeles, is mom to two daughters, Lia and Kennedy. She is a graduate of the University of California, San Diego, and California State University, Los Angeles.
Disinfect & Shield is the company that founded the product Disinfect & Shield, a trusted solution that has been used to protect people and surfaces in the hospitality, government and healthcare industries for more than a decade. As the threat of Coronavirus grew in the United States, a group of leaders in military, healthcare, government, and business realized Disinfect & Shield was a necessity for responsible companies to keep their customers, staff, and communities safe. These leaders partnered with the Military Warriors Support Foundation to provide professional disinfectant services to organizations across the country.
“We are extremely excited to be partnering with JB Dondolo charity to provide underprivileged communities with disinfectant and sanitizer products. Through our partnership we will be able to get these communities products they desperately need to protect themselves during the current Pandemic.” — Nate Woodring
Grand Mountain International Records (G.M.I.R.), a European record label company operated by P-Force Entertainment and founded by G. Paolo Montagni, is based in Germany. G.M.I.R. produces and publishes music internationally.
Paolo’s passion for music started at an early age which he shared with his father who was a musical genius. In his teens, Paolo attained a four-track tape recorder and mixed his first tracks that placed him into the American Top 40.
At the age of 17 he was discovered as a DJ and even now, he is still in great demand as a professional DJ with more than 42 years of experience. In the early ‘80s, Paolo expanded his professional portfolio by starting a new career as a radio show host.
Consistently challenging himself, his dream was always to have his own record label. He put his hard work into action and opened his first recording studio and established his own entertainment company, P-Force Entertainment, with a record label, Grand Mountain International Records (G.M.I.R.). During the last four decades, Paolo’s work often led him to America and the opportunities opened doors for him to work with American artists. His invitations to work with him in Germany have always been immediately accepted, starting the foundation of a long and credible company. His reputation grew as he more collaborated with well-known artists like Kurtis Blow, Petey Pablo, and Dane Thoms to name a few.
His label always focused on offering a platform to young, new and raw talent. In addition, he was able to expand his studio which has become one of the most reputable recording studios in Germany. All of his clients and releases are available online on various download portals (including Apple, Amazon Music, Spotify, and numerous streaming services. Paolo and his artists have been featured in major publications online, in print, and media.
G.M.I.R. is registered with GEMA since 1982 and holds a unique identifying official Label code which is also affiliated with ASCAP.
Janol “MECCA” Holmes serves as the Chief Operating Officer and President of Supernatural INC, a Multimedia Platform of which he Co-Founded under the affiliation of Chuck D (Public Enemy/Prophets of Rage).
He served as a Co-executive Producer and Host of Air America’s Talk-Radio show “SLAMradio” which aired on Sirius Satellite Radio and 29 Radio Stations across the US, during Chuck D’s On The Real Radio Show. Janol Mecca Holmes currently co-host the “Media Assassins” podcast in which topics of Entertainment, Politics, Current Events and Culture are discussed. Within the producer collective “THE REVOLT”, Janol also produces music as he has provided production to Public Enemy and other artists of multiple genres. Janol serves as a designer and brand ambassador to Mecca USA Clothing. Janol also was appointed as a “Patron” of the UK based educational organization “SHOW RACISM THE RED CARD” that addresses Racism through the world via activism and education. To learn more about Janol, visit THE SUPERNATURAL INC.
Ronda Bowen started her business, W.R.E. Consulting Services in 2008 after leaving Michigan State University’s Ph.D. program in Philosophy. She donates a portion of proceeds from her business to a variety of causes including Doctors Without Borders, UMCOR, Feeding America, Habitat for Humanity, JB Dondolo, and more. When she cannot donate in money, she donates with her time. Her main research interests involved the responsibilities of societies to prevent and alleviate the suffering of citizens as well as risk amplification and attenuation. She runs three blogs: Wining Wife, Activism My Way, and Just a Secular Homeschooler and owns a small custom clothing and jewelry business, Ronda B. Boutique. She has served as Fundraising Director for JB Dondolo, Inc. since its inception in late 2012 to help the organization meet its strategic goals and to bring clean water and sanitation to those needing it the most.
This homeschooling mother of five volunteers with Girl Scouts of Kansas Heartland and serves as a troop leader for girls in Kindergarten through Sixth Grade, Volunteer Advisory Committee Member, and Gold Award Committee Member. Ronda mentors five Girl Scouts working toward their Gold Awards – the highest achievement a Girl Scout can earn. She is the Early Childhood Education coordinator for WISE Homeschoolers and leads the WISE Homeschoolers Family Book Club. She also serves on the Wichita Area Jingle Bell Run Committee. The Jingle Bell Run is an annual 5k race in downtown Wichita aimed at raising money and awareness for Juvenile Arthritis. Past volunteer work has included working with Chico Natural Foods as editor for their newsletter, Stonewall Alliance on the communications board, Habitat for Humanity on their Women’s Build, Habitat Home Run, and Chico Habitat for Humanity’s Brush With Kindness Committee.
Patricia Ellis is the Founder & CEO of Diversity Inc. a consultancy service that advocates for parent rights in securing educational services; college and career readiness coaching, mentoring programs, and assisting veterans in obtaining disability benefits. In her dedication to helping others, while employed with the federal government for 34 years, she also served in several volunteer positions such as equal employment opportunity counselor, special emphasis program manager, mediator, recruitment coordinator, and mentor. She is a recipient of the President’s VISTA (Volunteer Service to America Award); and the President’s Martin Luther King Jr. Volunteer Service to America Award (PVSA). She currently serves on the board of J.B. Dondolo Inc. as Nominating Program Director, Director of Community Affairs for the Blue Zebras Women Association, and a member of Blacks in Government (BIG). She previously served as a Team Leader in the Children’s Ministry with St. John Unleashed, and founding board member of Fruit for the Soul Artisans.
Website: https://www.diversityincconnection.com/
FB: Diversity Inc
Programs Lead for Johnson & Johnson’s CaringCrowd, Rachel Svetanoff is a champion for enabling social good with 6+ years of experience in the field. Native of Indiana, Rachel earned her MBA from Purdue University and her MS in Global Health from the University of Notre Dame. She currently serves on the Board of Directors for the following organizations: Student Pugwash USA as Vice Chair, Consortium for Health Action as Board member, and of course J.B. Dondolo, Inc. as Chief of Staff. Never shying away from volunteer service, Rachel is also on the fundraising team for the nonprofit The Ventilator Project and supports her local community by being active in the Greater Lafayette Chamber of Commerce’s Diversity Round Table.
As an active volunteer within his community, Tendai Mushambi is an advocate for the less fortunate. Tendai earned his MBA from University of Dallas and is a CPA licensed Texas. Tendai currently serves as Treasurer for the Fluor Cares Golf for Greater Houston tournament raising funds supporting various causes including cancer research, homeless families, and after school programs. In addition, Tendai has served as Treasurer for JB Dondolo, Inc. since its inception. A hard worker by nature, Tendai supported various hurricane Harvey recovery efforts including flooded home clean up, working at the local food bank, and tax return preparation for affected low income families.
Entertainment Development Consultant
Born and raised in Switzerland, she moved in her early teens to Germany and after receiving her bachelor’s degrees in fashion/millinery/fur design, she packed up her suitcase and moved to the USA.
Working for Jive Records allowed her to learn how the entertainment industry works and gave her the foundation to become the first female tour manager.
Through her years of entertainment experience, Beatrice has worked with many of the leading entertainers, actors, athletes, corporations, nonprofits, and some remarkable entertainment industry notables.
As the CEO of Sassy B Worldwide Productions, Inc. Beatrice continually challenges herself with new projects. She developed the online lifestyle magazine NSAEN, LLC (No Strings Attached E-News) and one year ago managed to establish the NSAEN channel on e360TV an online streaming network.
Beatrice’s passion is helping the less fortunate and her focus is children, the environment, and health. She dedicates time to JB Dondolo, Inc., I am for Kids, Fashion Community Foundation as an active board member. In addition, she aids various other charities with time and money.
Almas received her Bachelor’s in Psychology from Bombay University in 1989 and her Master of Science degree in Child Development from Bombay University in 1991. She is a graduate of the Leadership Plano program and the Leadership Arts Program. She has two decades of experience in teacher training, curriculum development and human resource management. Her passion is to study international relations and public policy and serve in the development sector in countries such as Syria and Tajikistan.
In her volunteer capacity, Almas is serving as the Workshop Director at Islamic Art Revival Series, and on the Board of Directors at Texas Muslim Women’s Foundation. She is a chair of the Interfaith Council and a Board of Directors of The Thanks-Giving Foundation in Dallas. She was instrumental in the formation of Faith Forward Dallas at Thanks-Giving Square (FFD@TGS), a broad and diverse coalition of Dallas faith leaders dedicated to relationship building, community education, celebrating pluralism and providing support and solidarity, which she presently leads as an Executive Director.
Because of her engagement in interfaith and justice work, she was invited to join the Project Unity Board of Directors to facilitate race relations across the city of Dallas and Family Gateway to improve the quality of life of Families with Children experiencing homelessness. Additionally, she contributes to the Dallas Morning News Faith Advisory Group.
The Visionary Voice Award honors an advocate or visionary who has brought a new perspective/innovation to the community by introducing new methods, efficiencies, and/or technologies to benefit humans. The individual’s outstanding work is making a significant impact in their community through products, services, or best practices.
Almas is being recognized for strengthening relationships between people with diverse perspectives. And for promoting the spirit and unifying value of giving thanks in our community, nation, and the world, and for implementing programs that bring people of different traditions and cultures together so that they can have a dialogue.
Nichole “Nikki G” Glemaud was born in Belize, Central America. She graduated from Texas State Technical College where she earned a degree in Media and Communications. Soon after she started a homebased photography company called Nikki G. Productions. It was important to her to be at home with her then two small children and still provide an income. 10 years later, Nikki G. Productions has evolved into a full production company producing web series, full documentaries and photography.
In 2018 Nikki G. was nominated for the 10 Shades of Success “Dallas Influential Woman Award” and has worked with many influential people in Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex.
Her latest project is called Influencer. It is a docu-series highlighting individuals with amazing stories. Her passion project highlights people you may not know but whose stories consist of overcoming obstacles and tragedies to make an impact on their community.
When Nikki G was asked what she would call herself at this point in her career she replied…“A Visual Storyteller”.
The Media Collaboration Award honors an individual who has demonstrated cooperation, collaboration and open communication with others. The individual collaborated and worked together on a project or made significant effort that advanced strategic goals.
Nikki is being recognized for her tireless efforts in collaborating with JB Dondolo, Inc. and Equanimity to create videos and capture images that tell a story of our journey to end poverty worldwide. Also, she is being recognized for her collaboration with other companies in the Dallas Fort Worth metroplex.
Geir Ness was born and raised in Norway. Growing up a big part of his life was hiking in the Norwegian mountains and doing sports. His dad was a ski trainer so he could ski before he could walk.
When Geir created his first fragrance he wanted a scent that reminded him about his child hood.
When he was a little boy his mom always took him up in the mountains and on the fjords in Norway. When he created the fragrance, he went back to the same mountains and he wanted something very unique and different scent. A fresh clean light scent.
He copied his mom’s signature without her knowing it, and silk screened her name on the bottle and gave it to her as a surprise for Mothers’ Day. So, Laila is Geir’s mom’s name.
Laila became a huge success, and at a big live TV show in Europe right before he was going to launch his fragrance Laila came in no.1 among some of the biggest fragrance names in the world!
Geir was invited the be the special fragrance for the Grammy Awards.
Many families have even named their daughters after his perfume because that’s how they met.
After that he came out with a men’s line of products, a skin care line. Also, he created the fragrance Frozen in a bottle with Disney after the biggest animation movie ever.
Geir travels almost 300 days a year, but he is also very involved with many charity organizations, and especially The Animal shelters. In his spare time he works with the animals and he tries to find a good secured home for them. Geir has been involved with Cancer Society, abused children and other organizations.
The Excellence Award recognizes an individual (or team) that consistently demonstrates a high degree of excellence in teamwork and collaboration with others. The individual (or team) has proven willingness to assist in corporate and community-related events, programs, and projects in a collaborative and competent manner.
This award recognizes the outstanding service and contributions by Geir. We thank him for his willingness to provide expensive and priceless cosmetic products for our gift bags without asking for anything in return.
A native of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Noella Kabongo has lived in the United States for the past 20 years. After graduating from from Texas Woman’s University in 2009 with a bachelor of science degree in nursing, she began working as a psychiatric nurse in one of the most fast-paced psychiatric hospitals in the DFW area, Green Oaks Psychiatric Hospital.
Currently, Noella works as a psychiatric nurse in a Dallas correctional institution while concurrently pursuing a master’s degree in psychiatry and mental health nursing. Her career goal is to become a Doctor in Nursing Practice (DNP) specialized in psychiatric/mental health nursing.
When not working as a psychiatric nurse, Noella fulfills her passion to help others in her Congolese community and in the greater DFW metroplex overcome not only psychological but social and physical barriers as well. Her greatest heart desire is to empower every person she encounters to live a full life, despite perceived limitations.
Noella’s love for fashion, along with her passion to help others, led her to found Dee’Vine Kreations, which specializes in event decor, makeup artistry, and plus size clothing. Noella uses her business as a means to empower women to love themselves and to highlight their physical and inner beauty.
The Inspiration Award recognizes an individual who inspires women to love and accept their beauty. The individual is seen as a role model and someone who inspires the next generation of girls by acknowledging women who are great role models and conduct themselves in the right way.
Noella has shown us that through beauty, creativity, etc. there is a “balanced view of women” and we can learn to love who we are. Everyone is beautiful!
Demi is the Founder and Visionary of Bee Empowered Incorporated a non-profit agency, promoting healthy lifestyles and well-being for women and youth girls!
She serves as the Executive Producer and Curator of the 7th Annual ILIVE Women’s and Girls Wellness Expo and GLOW: Community Girls Night Out. Demi is dedicated and passionate about the importance of Women’s and Girls Wellness issues and her heart and passion is simply to equip, empower and impact the lives of women daily.
Demi Austin Thomas, is also a certified Parenting & Family Dynamics Expert, and has been helping families and parents navigate their way through some of their most difficult times for over 11 years! She is a national TV personality and serves as contributing guest expert to Hallmarks Home and Family Show and NBC’S ACCESS DAILY Talk Show and various other media outlets!
She is a kingdom agent & lover of Jesus Christ and firmly believes in the power of prayer! Demi finds joy in encouraging mothers to put on their spiritual super suits by reminding them of just how powerful, needed and valuable they really are as vision carriers & legacy Builders!
Demi is the author of The Spark Up Life Journal, and has been married for 20 years to her best friend and life partner James. She is the proud mother to James Jr. Mikaylan & MiCaih!
The Breakthrough Award recognizes an individual’s outstanding contributions in their area of expertise, both personal and professional. This is a person who is making strides in developing new technologies and/or expanding our knowledge through a combination of hard work and enough insight which allows people to pay attention to the right details. The individual has a defined and focused sense on professional purpose and understands the need for support systems that engage measurable goals to track progress through achievable milestones.
Demi is being recognized for her creativity and for engaging with the community, but most of all, for being a positive influence.
From being a Certified Parent & Family Expert as a Coaching Professional to curating and producing the iLIVE Women and Girls’ Expo Events with her company BEE Empowered Inc, Demi stayed out of her comfort zone and broke through the barriers. She created something magnificent that people need and can’t live without.
Hazel Herrington is a highly energetic and goal-driven Celebrity Interviewer, Business Consultant, Global Speaker, and Brand Ambassador. With years of impassioned and diverse experiences, she has an incredibly strong foundation and a deep understanding of the business coaching, investing, and personal branding industries. Hazel illuminates her knowledge and her humanitarian approaches by empowering women and youth worldwide to become economically independent.
Born in Zimbabwe and currently residing in Australia, Hazel avidly mentors the Indigenous community. However, she does not stop there. She has enlightened more than 50 thousand women and youth worldwide to become wholly self-sufficient and assists them in becoming successful leaders by implementing powerful strategies and precise methodologies. She is also a proud member of the UN Women Australia Committee, working diligently on strengthening social justice and rigidly advocating for gender equality.
Hazel is a remarkable and highly sought-out keynote speaker, delivering clear and captivating messages. Recently, she had the opportunity to speak to over 50 thousand audiences and 8 thousand entrepreneurs at the National Achievers Congress with global inspirational and motivational speaker Tony Robbins and the world’s top wealth coach, JT Foxx. Hazel has also collaborated and worked exceptionally close with Australian organizers, The Growth Faculty, to create live events for global leaders, such as Hilary Clinton and Malala Yousafzai. Along with this, Hazel is the founder and Chief Executive Officer of Global African Productions, an event management company that established world-class events that give speakers, entrepreneurs, and academies the ability to connect with their audiences and make lasting impressions.
Hazel has an impressive resume that is filled with outstanding achievements and experiences that are making incredible impacts on the world both globally and right here in the Australian community.
The Pan-African Thrive Legend Award celebrates the success of individuals (Africans living in the diaspora) who thrive to improve our communities through creativity and perseverance. We celebrate and honor individuals committed to helping our communities thrive through work in various areas.
We are humbled and honored to recognize Hazel for making the communities around the globe a great place where everyone has the opportunity to reach their potential.
Award winning actress Yeniffer Behrens has expanded her talent as a producer, director, content creator, acting coach & mentor.
The former Miss Teen Miami recurred as Marianna, in the long-running ABC classic daytime series General Hospital. Yeniffer has guest-Starred in many other television series, including Dave on Hulu, Grace and Fankie, How To Get Away Wiith Murder, Young Sheldon, C.S.I., Desperate Housewives, Nip/Tuck, J.A.G., Boston Legal, In Plain Sight and Sons of Anarchy. Her film credits are The Specialist, Seven Pounds, A Day Without A Mexican , After School, Por Tu Culpa, Decisions, Counterpunch and currently you can see her in Ben Affleck’s film “The Way Back” as well as her latest 2021 National Network TV Guest Star roles on All RISE , S.W.A.T (along side her 9 yr old daughter Julianna Mia) & NCIS.
Yeniffer loves to serve her community through her online acting studio Shortcut2hollywood with her husband Mauricio Mendoza. They teach and guide aspiring actors to become working actors. The program covers mindset tools, the craft and business side of acting. She is honored to give the younger generation the mentorship she wished she had when she started in the industry 30 years ago. They offer a complimentary strategy call for new actors.
Social Media :
Instagram – @trueyen @trueformfilms @shortcut2hollywood
Facebook – facebook.com/TrueFormFilms http://facebook.com/yeniffer.behrens
Phumza Dyani is a renowned Global Speaker and host on a myriad of Topics which include her passion for Sales and Personal Branding, Emerging Technologies and Gender Parity. She has spoken in International platforms like the ITU (International Telecommunications Union), Women in Tech, Global Council for the Promotion of Trade and WinTrade Global. She is a Columnist, as well as the Voice for SHE-Community’s Global Digital Magazine called SHE-Insight, a Movement focused on progressing the Gender Parity narrative. Above these accolades, Phumza is a true Advocate to empowerment of women and is a Researcher at the Sherpa Institute for the Corporate Guidebook to achieving UN SDGs (4,5 and 9). She is a recipient of the GCPIT Top 100 Global Women Leaders Award for 2021 and has been recently appointed as Ambassador South Africa for the: US Presidential Service Centre.
Phumza Dyani has spent over 18 years in various roles in the ICT industry and is a partner in the Southern African region for the Regional Consortium of Experts for Development (RCD Africa). She has worked for the major Mobile Operators in the continent, MTN and Vodacom, and has operated across spheres in her career. She is currently employed as the Chief Marketing and Sales Officer for Broadband Infraco, an organisation with a mandate of connecting the rural and underserved communities of South Africa to enable universal access. She is fully conversant and involved in policy discussions in Emerging Technologies like AI, IOT, Blockchain and Robotics. She is a Member of the Global Women in AI, a member of Women in STEM Leaders.
She holds an MBA from Bond Australia and a myriad of other Global Leadership Qualifications. Phumza is a Global Speaker on a vast number of topics in ICT, with a special passion for the involvement of women in ICT.
Michele Wise Wright, Ph.D. is the recipient of the Nations of Women Change Makers 2021 Global Leadership Award and a nominee of the EveryLife Foundation of Rare Diseases’ RareVoice 2021 Award for Diversity Empowerment.
Dr. Wright is the CEO and Founder of My Water Buddy® and My Learning Buddy® corporations. My Water Buddy, Inc. is a multi-faceted enterprise that uses edutainment and, through its engaging cast of creative, fun, relatable, and aspirational characters fashioned as anthropomorphic organs, entertainingly promotes the benefits of drinking water and educates children and their families about the benefits of achieving a more fulfilling quality of life through a healthier lifestyle. She is a multi-dimensional Senior Executive with experience providing dynamic leadership in diverse roles, including pharmaceutical/biotechnology sales, healthcare administration, and business development to Fortune 100 companies and an international non-profit organization. With advanced degrees in engineering and public policy, she is fully committed to diversity and inclusion with a special emphasis on health equity. She has championed a diverse range of health equity initiatives as the Co-Founder, Board Chair, and Senior Executive Director of the National Organization of African Americans with Cystic Fibrosis (NOAACF). She also wrote, directed, and produced the multiple award-winning short, 54 YEARS LATE©, a film that tells the gut-wrenching true-life story of her husband Terry Wright’s late diagnosis of cystic fibrosis at the age of 54 despite being seen by an array of healthcare practitioners, enduring countless hospitalizations and surgeries, and having all the classic symptoms of CF – a progressive and genetic disease that’s often perceived to affect only the Caucasian population. In her various health equity roles, Dr. Wright helps to highlight and drive diversity, inclusion, and equity and remains fully committed to increasing awareness of health disparities in minority, underserved communities, and disadvantaged populations while helping to bring valuable resources, knowledge, empowerment, and support to patients, families, healthcare professionals, and the community.
Mary Kurek began working life as the youngest member of the NC Governor’s Staff at 19 and was awarded the Governor’s Long Leaf Pine Award for her work. From there, she worked with international dignitaries through a US government-funded program and an international visitor’s exchange program designed to improve multicultural relationships. She worked eight years as the Executive Director of the Chamber of Commerce next to the world’s largest Marine Corps Air Station, and graduated from the US Chamber of Commerce Institute for Organization Management. She was awarded a Commendation from the Commanding General of MCAS, Cherry Point for her impact. In 2007, Mary wrote a networking book that was endorsed by the American Business Women’s Association and moved her business model toward social entrepreneurship. Today, Frontrunners Development, Inc. houses a business development agency aimed at nurturing opportunities that expand impact by matching solution-providers with country leaders and decision makers. The agency has facilitated impact in more than 60 countries as of 2021. Kurek currently represents the presiding monarchy of the country of Madgascar as an appointed Counselor for Trade & Investment. The firm operates a curated community of innovators and publishes the first business networking platform aimed at impact. The platform includes a section dedicated to African influence. Kurek has conducted 400+ international interviews with the platform receiving views from 160 countries annually. Frontrunners Development enjoys partnerships with several worldwide organizations, like the Sub Saharan Open University (Nigeria) and Living Learning & Working, Inc. (US), and provides advisory and media support for events produced by World Youth Summit, The Next Generation Leaders, and the Center for Peace Advocacy and Sustainable Development-Africa. Kurek is the co-founder of two nonprofits and sits on the boards of several international organizations that work on education, youth development, entrepreneurship, and trade.
Website: www.frontrunnersinnovate.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marykurek/
Dr. Maja Zelihic is an Interim Dean, Fulbright Specialist, Full Professor, and a Department Chair of the Advanced Management Studies at the Forbes School of Business and Technology, University of Arizona Global Campus. She is the Chair of the FSBT’s Board of advisors. She has a Ph. D in Organizational Management, MBA, and MA in Organizational Leadership and Development. She is currently serving her Fulbright tenure having successfully completed one project as a primary investigator, and one as a co-investigator. Furthermore, she is a GLOBE research project Country-Co-Investigator, making her contributions in the unique large-scale study of cultural practices, leadership ideals, and interpersonal trust GLOBE currently conducts in 160 countries. She served as a Global Dialogue Partner at NAFSA, Association of International Educators, the world’s largest and most diverse nonprofit association dedicated to international education and exchange in her two-year tenure.
As a department chair of the Advanced Management Studies, she chairs three programs (MBA, BA in Leadership, and Ph. D in Organizational Development and Leadership) and the Center for Women’s Leadership.
Outside of FSBT, she serves on the Board of Advisors of the International Fellowship Program in Arbitration and Scientific Assessment, the comprehensive global academic review platform. She also serves as an industry advisory member at the Amity University Novel Communication Lab (AUNCL).
She is published in over 20+ peer-reviewed journals, and her research ventures took her to Haiti, Cuba, Mexico, Panama, Jordan, Zambia, the Balkan region, and many other parts of the world. She was named one of the top 200 leaders to follow in 202 1 by PeopleHum. She co-authored a book on Perception, which was released in December 2020. Her chapter in the international research handbook where she shares her experiences of doing international research across the globe has just been published with Francis & Taylor.
Lori Rodriguez, Chief Digital Officer of Women In Tech and international non-profit organization on a mission to close the gender gap and to help women embrace technology. In the three years since its founding, Women in Tech has directly impacted over 200,000 women on 6 continents.
Lori has over twenty-five years experience leading organizational-wide transformational change. Background in Business Strategy, Product Development, Operations, Marketing, and IT. In her prior role as VP, Strategy, Innovation and Operations Executive Programs at Gartner Inc., the world’s leading technology research and advisory services company, Lori built products and services that helped C-Suite Technology Leaders grow in their role, achieve measurable results for their organizations and move the world forward.
Monalisa Okojie was born an Ishan Princess from Edo State, Nigeria. Monalisa was honored as a Global Ambassador for Peace and Prosperity Initiative. She was also recently honored for her humanitarian work by being awarded the Gem of the Year Award for 2020 at the Soul Slayze IV event in Los Angeles, CA. She was given the International Humanitarian Award by The Embassy of Fashion Designers. She has created an elegant and upscale jewelry collection that showcases timeless and classic pieces. Since its debut collection in 2008, her jewelry line, Nehita has been worn by celebrities such as Whitney Houston, Natalie Cole, Alan Cumming, Norah Jones, Nick Cannon, Rosario Dawson, and many others.
As civic minded, as she is stylish, Monalisa works tirelessly to draw attention to the poverty in Africa especially in areas that affect women and children. Monalisa is on the board of several non-profit organizations and is an active volunteer for several other philanthropic organizations in the United States and Africa. Her experience unveiled the need for more programs that provide means for African women to achieve economic independence.
In May of 2014, she received a Distinguished Service Award from HYASA, a California based organization which serves the community and produces charitable capital for various humanitarian causes. In 2015 she was a Los Angeles Business Journal Honoree for Humanitarian Work 2015. In 2016, she received an Appreciation Award from Compton Early College, a Platinum Humanitarian Award from Millionaires and Entrepreneurs with a cause.
Berny Martin is Founder and CEO at Midwest Fashion Week and Founder/Owner at Catou.
Founded by designer Berny Martin, Catou is a retail clothing design and manufacturing company. The business was established in an effort to provide innovation, creativity, vision and artistic elegance through fashion. Catou designs and manufactures business clothing for those who desire a look that is clean and chic. Catou design exudes confidence and is not contradicting with one’s lifestyle – yet compatible. Catou provides ageless fashion with personal flair. A Catou design is original and distinct, created with the wearer in mind. Catou’s line of business wear for men and women has incorporated the participation and management of various fashion shows and high-profile events. Edgy and elegant, flirty and sophisticated, Catou clothing makes a statement. For more information visit, www.CatouWear.com
Midwest Fashion Week (MFW) is dedicated to empowering the creative efforts of the clothing design community through events that connect people to take positive action for the common good while discovering new ways to express individuality through fashion.
While most runway fashion shows are typically set up for wholesale retail buyers or the media, the consumer is left without opportunity to touch the clothing or talk to the designer. MFW allows creative fashion designers to share their designs while providing interaction with the end consumer. By integrating fashion, entertainment, art, and food, MFW creates a more engaging and comfortable atmosphere for buyers to view and learn about the unique talents that ultimately make up the region’s fashion industry.
The vision of Midwest Fashion Week is to create an entire lifestyle of upscale sophistication that lives on throughout the year. The idea is to help Midwestern residents see that fashion is more than just clothes—it is everywhere and affects everyone. The art of fashion is present in theater, food, sports, music, fine arts, and more.
The mission of Midwest Fashion Week is to explore these avenues by involving different communities of varying interest and demographic in organized fashion shows held at nightclubs, hotels, art galleries, upscale restaurants, and even sports stadiums. Through innovation and the hosting of a wide variety of activities at different locations, Midwest Fashion Week continues to make unprecedented growth.
An expanded reach with the media has fostered extensive press coverage including a feature in TIME Magazine which put MFW in front of over 300 million readers.
Matt Jaskol is an American professional auto racing driver who has competed in a variety of disciplines including kart, open-wheel, and stock car racing. As of 2021, he competes part-time in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, driving the No. 13 Toyota Supra for MBM Motorsports.
Matt Jaskol is perhaps now best recently known for being a NASCAR driver for the AutoParts4Less.com racing team. Prior to that he received international fame as a cast member on the ABC reality show Castaways, surviving 41 days in jungle without food or shelter. The Las Vegas native has spent the better part of his life pursuing his ambitions including being a F1 development driver for Red Bull in his late teens. Whether as an aspiring professional racing driver, working in the film industry as a stuntman, or pursuing his hobby of skydiving, Matt has lived his life to the fullest and has every interest in continuing doing so.
Jaskol has over 30 years of racing experience (at only 36 years old) many of which he spent as an instructor. He has competed in many disciplines of Motorsports including open wheel/Indy Car, Off-Road, Sports Cars and NASCAR. After his first skydive 7 years ago, Matt has found a passion in skydiving and has now completed more than 2000 skydives around the world along with becoming a professional tandem instructor! Additionally, Jaskol is an athlete who can often be found cycling and training for triathlons. Outside of his hectic and adventurous lifestyle, Matt still finds time to help take care of family, his father’s business and is active with many local Las Vegas charities.
Natalie Nkembuh is the Head Of Marketing Communications at Evolve Media Holdings Ltd, a media and communication Company that publishes EVOLVE Magazine.
Natalie Nkembuh helps startups gain visibility. She helps businesses build the right partnerships globally and expand to Africa.
She has a strong passion and belief in Africa as a continent because she see it as a good business destination in a few years from now. Talking with entrepreneurs and investors across the globe has been so enriching for her to work harder each day to get them share their experiences at different levels permitting others to learn from what made them succeed and what failure meant to them.
She connects entrepreneurs and investors with a set target to enhance their journey as entrepreneurs and fund raisers. She connects investors to investors, mobilising resources for the African continent and it’s development drive my decisions daily.
Years ago, she decided to take up a specialization in management, leadership and coaching and it has been a challenging but enriching path. Besides being a human rights activist, she orientates and inspires people to take positive action to improve their lives and those of others. She works closely with young people in communities and their success is my greatest asset. She believes that everyone can lead and that sometimes we just have to quit leading and follow.
Or you are just passionate about sharing your story for my magazine
Lumbie Mlambo is a mother, wife, graduate from Indiana University South Bend and Texas Woman’s University, a philanthropist, Global Goals Ambassador, UNA Women member, a 2019 UN Global Leadership Award Recipient, Global Goodwill Ambassador, and an active advocate for Clean Water and Empowerment of Women and Youth. She is Zimbabwean-born and resides in Dallas, Texas USA with her husband of 32 years and has 2 sons and daughter-in-law. Lumbie is the President & CEO of JB Dondolo, Inc. (www.jbdondolo.org ), a nonprofit which helps underserved and impoverished communities who struggle with the lack of clean water. Her organization removes the barriers of access to clean water.
Growing up in Norway, Geir Ness spent weekends in the pristine mountains outside Oslo, hiking, skiing, picking wildflowers and kayaking in the fjords.
Decades later, after working with some of the biggest fragrance houses in the world, he returned to those mountains on a mission. He spent four years mining the rich, natural scents of Norway’s countryside on a quest to develop a fragrance of his own.
As it turned out, Laila was just the beginning. Today Laila is one of Nordstrom’s best-selling specialty fragrances, and the flagship product in a full complement of fragrance and body product lines including Geir for Men, Skin of Norway and Frozen in a Bottle, a fragrance that Geir created in partnership with Disney, inspired by the Norwegian nature featured in Disney’s “Frozen.”
Each Geir Ness product provides a unique, vibrant experience that leaves you feeling renewed and refreshed, like you’ve just emerged from the sparkling fjords of Norway.
Thuliso Dingwall began acting the moment his parents said, “Smile for the Camera “Liso” His creativity began to reveal itself as a toddler, who turned into all types of pretend characters. The more they laughed and applauded, the more he wanted to perform. At the age of six, Thuliso (a family name that means “peacemaker”) decided to pursue acting opportunities and auditioned for Linda Townsend Management and became one of the “Young Professionals”. Studying regularly in Linda Townsend’s workshops quickly became apparent that he was gifted with a natural sense of timing and a desire to be exceptional. At school, on stage, he played lead roles in “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”, “Twelfth Night,” “Dark of the Moon”, “Macbeth”, “Romeo & Juliet-Romeo”, “Godspell”, “The Colored Museum–Ms. Roj”, and at Folger Theatre Washington, DC- “Remember the Porter Individual Award” and Brian Cabe Award (Best in Show).
Shawna Linzy is a gifted Singer-Songwriter/Actress. She has appeared in Television, Award-Winning Film, Theater, Commercial, and Award-Winning Podcast. She is also a movie producer. Her original songs have been featured in Film and Award-Winning Podcast. She is the 2020 Inaugural Winner of the JB Dondolo Global Music for Water Competition with her song “Live Love.” To learn more about Shawna, visit https://www.shawnalinzy.com/
Sydney Cope, born and raised in Dallas, Texas with a hint of Los Angeles, California. Growing up in a small town North of Downtown Dallas, she was able to find her passions during her youth which has led her to where she is today. Her supportive parents recognized how much of a challenge it was to keep her still when she was younger. That initiated her Mother to sign me up for a dance class at the age of two years-old as a distraction to let out some energy. This “distraction” escalated into an addiction that has carried on into the present day. From exploring a variety of dance studios and styles, traveling for conventions, teaching and choreographing, and dancing for television, she continues to find diverse ways to incorporate everything she has learned throughout both current and future projects! The love for dance developed into a love for music, which initiated the exploration in both singing and songwriting! Her training began at a small Music Academy close to my neighborhood, and over the years made more connections to grow both her voice and songwriting abilities. Performing has always come naturally, and she thinks her family has a big influence on that asset. With more curiosity and interest in the arts, she developed a love for film and television which led her out to Los Angeles to pursue her dreams. She was able to dive more into music and become more involved in creating content with a story behind it. “The Sounds” is my first EP to be released, and it is also very vulnerable with emotions that were inspired over 2020. Excited to continue to create as she starts a new chapter of her college career studying Digital Filmmaking and Media Production this Fall.
Sydney is the one of the top 3 winners of 2020 Music for Water Competition.
Known mononymously as IMAJ, the artist fans everywhere call their “Country Darling”, is a multi-talented Country singer-songwriter, speaker, and humanitarian. Born in Miami Beach, FL to a model mother and actor father (80’s icon Philip Michael Thomas – Tubbs of Miami Vice), IMAJ grew up in a home on the beach where her creativity was encouraged. IMAJ’s voice is classic and pure [“like an angel” -Billy Ray Cyrus] with a special place in her heart for legends like Dolly Parton, Johnny Cash &
Charley Pride.
IMAJ has performed in 6 languages, has headlined major venues, festivals and charity galas such as the State Fair of Texas, Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, House of Blues, Hometown Rising and the Congressional Medal of Honor Society gala. IMAJ has also toured and shared the stage with the likes of Billy Ray Cyrus, LeAn Rimes, Tim McGraw, Neal McCoy, Keith Urban, Luke Bryan, Collin Raye and more. Her latest single “Love Only Love” is out now. Her goal is to use her platform as a Country artist to inspire world peace.
Film Director-Hip Hop Artist at 4 Feet Off The Ground Productions. He is the Author of The Narrative Matters.
The Narrative Matters brings the most inspiring collection of stories by the most prolific content artisans shaping the African American experience.
After realizing the need for proper representation within the Black community, Lacey and team made it their mission to share a collection of stories about the happenings in urban areas, while giving more recognition to Black content artisans and Black press, and their need in these urban areas.
What makes The Narrative Matters so special is that we’re documenting the truth of our culture. We leave no room for misinterpretation because we’re telling our story about people that look like us.