Women of Color Business Summit Sessions - October 20

10:00 AM - 10:50 AM  Conference Welcome & Keynote

Keynote: Fireside Chat with Carmen M. Ortiz

Carmen Ortiz, Partner, Anderson Kreiger LLP

Join us for a fireside chat with Carmen M. Ortiz, Partner at Anderson Krieger and formerly the U.S. Attorney for the District of Massachusetts. Conversation will range from Carmen's own experience as a Latina attorney, the challenges she has faced not only in her professional life, but personal life as well; and will discuss topics like generating your own opportunities and what it takes to pursue your goals and overcome the stereotypes of being a women of color in 2022.

11:00 AM - 11:45 AM  Workshops

Workshop 1: Digital Business Solutions: Thriving in the Digital Economy

Cathleen Finn, Greater Boston Community Engagement Director, Verizon

Melissa Egdorf, Associate Director Business Sales, Verizon

At Verizon we deliver the promise of the digital world by enhancing the ability of humans, businesses and society to do more good. Have you been thinking about how to adapt your business to our increasingly interconnected world? Then you won’t want to miss this conversation with a team of digital solutions experts that will inspire you to think differently about how to better serve customers and our community. See how to leverage digital solutions that provide for collaboration, security, always-on connectivity to help you save time, money, and grow your business. Learn how Verizon is investing in 1 million small businesses through a complementary Digital Ready online platform offering learning modules, expert coaching, peer networking, access grant opportunities and more to give small businesses like yours the personalized tools to thrive in the digital economy.

Workshop 2: Leading From Your Superpoder and Building Your Founder Success Team

Paulette Piñero, Founder and CEO, Unstoppable Latina LLP

The Leading From Your Superpoder and Building Your Founder Success Team workshop is for anti-racist CEOs and founders that want to harness their strengths and spend time on what matters most. If you've been workcrastinating, analysis paralysis is setting in, or your team is struggling with collaboration, this is the workshop for you.

Workshop 3: Entrepreneurs with a Melanated Business Acumen (MBA)

Dr. Genesis Ross, Founder & Research Practitioner, Resource Education LLC

For Black and Brown Entrepreneurs in the United States to consider ways to cultivate better business outcomes that allow them to operate in solidarity with the Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI) needs of Historically dehumanized populations.

Panel: Maximizing Your Impact: When, Why and How?

Lisa Rangland, President & CEO, Rhode Island Black Business Association (Moderator)

Sofia Corcho, President, Hispanic Star Boston

LiXin Olsen - Vice President of Global Tax,Globalization Partners

Jacquetta VanZandt, Vice President of Engagement and Mobilization, The Partnership, Inc.

Maximizing your Impact, When, Why and How, will cover why impact is so important, what strategies can help you make an effective impact on you and your community and at its core, what impact really means. Often, we talk about the importance of impact but how do you see it and achieve it so it is sustainable for the future? This panel will take a dive into these questions and provide ideas to achieving sustainable impact for you and your community.

• Identify your strategic support network (mentors, coaches, cheerleaders)
• Identify your community
• Put yourself out there to ask for help and support others

Learn from the experiences of our panelists in growing stronger, together.

12:00 PM - 12:45 PM 

Networking 1: Is It Time to Certify Your Business?

Vicki Gray, President and Owner, New Chapter Home Improvement

What interests you about becoming certified or government contracting? Have you made plans or taken any action steps to get to your goal? We will provide an overview of certification through WBENC - Eligibility, Benefits, Process, Cost, and Documentation Required. We will also discuss the benefits of the WEBENC community as a network of support and encouragement. A representative from CWE will be on hand to assist with your questions.

Networking 2: Care for Caregivers

Carla Carlisle, Executive Director, Carla A. Carlisle dba The Compassionate Companion

Do you interact with children and find yourself exhausted by the end of the day? If you live on hypervigilance for too long, you will inevitably run on empty. Join trauma expert and child advocate Carla Carlisle, to learn her four-step BEST method for self-care as a caregiver to arm you with the support, incentives and tools you need to fill up your emotional tank.

1:00 PM - 2:15 PM  CWE WBENC Meet & Greet (WBEs Only)

This virtual session allows WBENC-WBE certified businesses to connect with WBENC Corporate Partner in a one-on-one online setting.

For more information about completing your WBENC certification, please visit: www.cweonline.org/certification