Brittany Raji Alberty
Brittany Raji Alberty award-winning community relations consultant, TEDx speaker & Amazon bestselling author, specializing in outreach & engagement campaigns. Alberty has coached & mentored over 100 women with her programs and partnerships with Urban League Women’s Business Center, SCORE Mentors, Heartland St. Louis Black Chambers and many more entrepreneur support organizations. She have over 10 years experience in non profit organizations championing community by working in black & brown populations specializing in outreach marketing, group facilitation, and community engagement. She was named Best Brand & Marketing Strategist on the top 50+ black marketers on the rise 2022 list by the African American Marketing Association. Alberty also has a bachelor's degree in Communications and certificate of Public Relations from the University of Missouri- St. Louis. Her favorite saying is “community is the future of commerce.”
Vanessa Zamy
Vanessa Zamy, known as The Business Defibrillator®, is a respected catalyst for transformative change within corporate environments. With a proven track record in Fortune 500 companies, she excels as a dynamic Speaker, Burnout Prevention Expert, Leadership Trainer, and Strategist, driving meaningful shifts in mindset and performance among middle management leaders.
Vanessa Zamy’s powerful insights have been featured in esteemed publications such as Fast Company and NPR Marketplace. Her personal journey from adversity to triumph serves as a compelling testament to her unwavering determination, unparalleled expertise, and unmatched performance prowess.
As a sought-after speaker, Vanessa captivates audiences with her commanding presence and insightful sessions, guiding professionals towards heightened success. Vanessa Zamy is a respected leader and innovator, poised to revolutionize corporate culture and empower professionals to thrive. Vanessa is available to speak at conferences, organizations, business groups, and universities.
Andrew Turnage
Andrew Turnage has been engaged with the business community within the city of Saint Louis and as a subject matter expert in the field of marketing branding and business development for over 20 years. Turnage holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing and a Master’s in Business Administration focused in Advertising.
During his career, Turnage has been a part of several programs in the City of Saint Louis, including;
· Saint Louis Business Diversity Initiative (SLBDI) Cohort 8 – Greater STL
· Regional Business Council Leadership 100
· Diverse Business Accelerator Cohort 3- Greater STL.
These programs are designed to create individual growth, career advancement, and entrepreneurship. Turnage has an extensive career in hospitality services, operations, personnel management, inventory management, and project management.
Turnage is the Founder and CEO of the Liv Group, a marketing and branding firm providing business solutions focused on business strategy, branding, and creative communications supporting professionals and businesses in learning their ‘Why’ telling their story to the world with his one-of-a-kind 7 Step Brand Map. Turnage is also a small business, executive, and pitch coach. Turnage's goal is to support others in creating the career path and businesses so they can live the life they want to Liv.
Fulltime Entrepreneur Founder & CEO of the Liv Group, LLC – 10 years
Lead Teacher & Speaker | Better Family Life Entrepreneurial Training Program
Lead Teacher & Speaker | Saint Louis Development Corporation Small Business Plan Cohort
Business Coach | Small Business Empowerment Center
Presented for Greater STL, Balsa Foundation, and Maryville College
Lynne Lang
Lynne is the founder and executive director of Restoration Matters, a nonprofit organization in St. Louis, Missouri. She has worked in public health since 1994, overseeing community coalitions and developing school health and safety curriculum. In 2009, she initiated Virtue-Based Restorative Discipline (VBRD), a model for restorative practices rooted in habits for human excellence – the virtues. From 2011-2018, she worked for the Archdiocese of St. Louis and developed a following in Catholic schools and parishes nationwide. She has researched the impact of virtue and social-emotional learning in schools implementing restorative practices, and her findings support the belief that cultivating the practice of virtue – both in public and faith-based schools – is foundational to healthy decision-making for adults and students.
She holds an M.S. in Health Management and in Restorative Practices from the International Institute for Restorative Practices (IIRP) Graduate School in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. She has been a licensed instructor since 2018 and is passionate about developing restorative leaders within school, business, and community organizations. Her background in dispute resolution, conflict transformation, and restorative practices is foundational to her thought leadership in various professional development settings.
Bringing a Restorative Compassion project into violent neighborhoods is one such initiative. This skill-based training in listening and storytelling enables residents and community leaders to process how they are individually affected by traumatic events that impact the entire community as a pathway to healing, hope, and restoration. This current work is the foundation for her doctoral work in international mediation and conflict resolution.
Maria Miller
Maria Miller, Author of “My Way Out”, Founder of Our Lives Matter, and Sista Support Circle.
Our Lives Matter advocates against gun violence, and advocates for individuals and families human and constitutional rights inside Missouri Department of Corrections and City and County Courts.
Sista Support Circle created to inspire and motivate women from all walks of life, promoting self-awareness, self-confidence, self-love and overall wellbeing
My goal is to publish my second book, while graduating from UMSL University Spring 2025 with a bachelor’s degree majoring in Criminal Law and a certificate in Trauma, and immediately enter Law School.
Recognized Community Achiever Award. Hosting many community events. Our Lives Matter has worked on a local, state and state-to-state level. Have been recognized International Magazines in Brittan and Sweden.
Every Day…. I make a conscious choice to turn my pain into passion.
Nicholas R. Powell
Nicholas R. Powell MS. Ed, is an AASP certified mental performance consultant and the CEO of The MindGame Consulting. Powell uses applied performance psychology principles to provide individuals (athletes and non-athletes) with essential tools needed to achieve optimal performance on and off the field. With an extensive background in track and field, both as a college coach and a competitor, Nicholas focus is to challenge individual’s view of their desired goals and performance in an effort to help develop a plan and implementing strategies to fully maximize their potential. This former track athlete and graduate of McKendree University is now back at his Alma Marta as an adjunct professor. He is also a high energy, dynamic, local and international empowerment speaker.
In the past 15 years, Nicholas's accomplishments have ranged from providing support to clients from NCAA Championships, World Track and Field Championships, Olympic Games, and other major competitions around the world. In his most recent projects, Powell has served as an independent consultant at 3 Summer Olympic games and 3 World Track and Field Championships. Not only has The Mind Game done work with both the Jamaican Men and Women national team's during their WorldCup soccer qualifiers, he recently partnered with shoe company, Puma to proved performance psychology support to athletes in Jamaica and the US during the 2024 Olympic cycle.
The MindGame has provided support and presentations to athletes/teams and business/organizations around the US, Canada, London and the Caribbean; including The Bahamas, Jamaica, Cayman Islands, US Virgin Islands and Haiti, just to name a few.
Darius J. Rucker
Darius J. Rucker, Chief Executive Officer of Keys to Knowledge and Action Consulting LLC, is a first-generation college student from a dynamic household where he was raised by his mother along with his four siblings. Darius graduated from the University of Florida with his Bachelor’s degree in Sociology in 2012.
Upon graduating, he taught for two years in St. Louis Public Schools through Teach For America and also obtained his Master’s degree in Secondary Education from the University of Missouri St. Louis. After his second year of teaching, he realized that he wanted to have a bigger impact on the broader community. He has worked and served in both the education and public health sector within the St. Louis Region and has had the privilege of serving on several local and international boards including St. Louis Black Pride, The Village Path (current), Y+ Global, and PROMO(current). Darius joined the Fairground Park For All board in 2023.
Recently, he has served as the lead coordinator and director for both a SAMHSA and CDC-funded projects. Both projects focused on shifting the outcomes of Black men with an emphasis on those who are LGBTQ. Within the federally funded CDC grant, there was a specific charge to improve policy and systems at the local St. Louis Regional level. This work has led to multiple new additions to the region which include increased treatment services, a community drop-in center, and a regional community advisory board for Black self-identified men’s sexual health. Through his work as both an academic teacher and sexual health educator, he has realized the impact of trauma on the mind, body, and soul as well as how it blocks opportunities for some communities. If we place people at the center of our work, we can recognize trauma sooner and start to support our communities to overcome systemically oppressive systems. This understanding has led him to how he spends his professional time now.
Currently, Darius leads Keys to Knowledge and Action Consulting LLC. which assists organizations and entities to keep People At The Center - Always in their work. KKA Consulting is a management consulting firm that ensures that collaborators and partners are equipped with Keys to create equity in what they offer and do while gaining Knowledge on cultural humility and Actions to disrupt system structures that negatively impact people. KKA Consulting LLC bears its namesake from Darius’ Niblings - Kearius, Keimon, and Aubrey.
As an Angelic Troublemaker, he aims to ensure that entities plan and create infrastructure with ALL people at the center.
Kendrick L. Henry
Kendrick L. Henry is an accomplished senior leader and manager with an impressive track record of success in various dynamic environments worldwide throughout his 27-year tenure with the United States Air Force. His expertise encompasses Leadership Development, Mentorship, Human Resource Development, Team Building, Policy Formulation, and Managerial Communication, acquired through a diverse range of leadership roles in Law Enforcement, Anti-terrorism, and Logistics.
Beyond his professional accomplishments, Kendrick also serves as a certified member of the John Maxwell International Leadership team, offering keynote addresses, leadership training, and coaching to organizations. His dedication extends to advocating for diversity and inclusion, as demonstrated during his tenure as Chairman of the Diversity and Inclusion Committee, where he effectively fostered a positive D&I culture among over 3,000 employees.
Kendrick's decision to pursue a bachelor's degree in Human Resources and subsequently a master's degree in Organizational Leadership reflects his profound dedication to both personal growth and the empowerment of those in his sphere. His fervent commitment to fostering the development of himself and those in his midst guided his academic choices.
In addition to his professional and leadership commitments, Kendrick holds the esteemed role of Vice President of Operations for the Prince Hall Masons of Missouri. In this capacity, he provides strategic and operational leadership to a 1,300-member organization, while simultaneously enhancing community relations between citizens and city officials. He is additionally a proud member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Inc. where he champions the organization’s fundamental purpose of achievement in every field of human endeavor. Kendrick's multifaceted leadership and impact underscore his dedication to personal growth, professional excellence, and community betterment.
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