Audra Bartlett
I didn’t realize what failure was untill it became more of a main stream conversation. “Fail Forward” they say. I never thought of it as failure; I just make problems go away. As a child I cultivated the art of creative problem solving and resourcefulness. It started with the wild ideas of buying a monkey, a William Wegman dog to dress up, and owning my own store at 10. This thirst for finding solutions inspired me as an adult to start a bakery with no money, a one year old on my hip, and a tiny apartment stove; and later to reverse-engineer buying a HOUSE for $327 at close; then building a six figure real estate business— 6 businesses and a whole lot of “NO MATTER WHAT” moments later, I am here as proof that we can ALL do this. I will teach you how to realize you don’t have hurdles, you have infinite possibilities.
Michelle Courtney Berry
Michelle Courtney Berry (she/her/hers), Founder/CEO of Courtney Consulting Enterprises, LLC, creator of the "Workplace Doc" initiative, and founder of America Rises has launched three wellness enterprises, delivered over 5,000 keynotes and talks throughout the US, Canada, and Africa, and is considered an expert on the science behind creating healthy workplaces and building inclusive, equitable teams. An internationally-trained health and wellness and burnout reduction expert, international best-selling author ("Keeping Calm in Chaos: how to work well, live well, and love abundantly no matter what), in-demand leadership coach, transformative keynote speaker, humorist, actor, and versatile trainer who focuses on the psychology of workplace behavior and its impact on teams, morale, communication, costs, and innovation, Michelle is also a two-time TEDx and two-time SXSW speaker, who has appeared on "Good Morning America," and received praise from Oprah Winfrey and has opened for and shared stages with Dr. Maya Angelou, Howard Zinn, Mos Def, and The Dalai Lama. Michelle holds a graduate degree in Organizational Communication and Risk Communication from Cornell University and a dual-BA degree in English, Literature & Political Science from Binghamton University, where she was a Presidential Scholar and Commencement Speaker. She is currently a part-time doctoral scholar at Le Moyne College in Executive Leadership where she researches the types of leaders best equipped to interrupt toxic workplace cultures. Find her on the web at: www.michellecourtneyberry.com, Linked In - LinkedIn.com/in/michelleberry Facebook/michellecourtneyberry and on Instagram @mcbspeaker
Gladys Brangman
Gladys has taken her entrepreneurial and organizational talents to the community, organizing and running a technical assistance program called Business Leaders of Colors, also known as BLOC. This network of business owners, entrepreneurs, consultants, and social justice leaders is located in Ithaca, NY and was created to level the playing field and create a cooperative space for commerce that serves the underserved business community.
As the Founder and CEO of Business Leaders of Colors, Gladys’ goal is to support and nurture business owners of colors throughout the region. Gladys also provides technical assistance to clients in Binghamton, NY as an Adjunct Instructor at SUNY Broome Community College. Originally from Albany, NY, Gladys has a Bachelor of Arts in Communications from SUNY Cortland and a master’s degree in Conflict Resolution and Reconciliation from Abilene Christian University. Gladys has lived in Tompkins County for the better part of 35 years. She makes her home in Lansing, NY, teaches dance when she can and believes that there is no higher calling than that of a servant.
Debra Howell
As the Director of Information Technology Operations at Cornell University's University Library, Debra brings over 20 years of valuable expertise in driving strategic direction across all facets of information technology. With a flair for creativity and dynamism, Debra excels in leading and facilitating intricate workplace and technology processes while nurturing internal talent and fostering effective collaboration for optimal computing environments. She boasts a rich background in facilitation, organizational change and development, teambuilding, and leadership. Debra obtained her Masters of Industrial and Labor Relations degree from Cornell University in 2006 and holds certifications as a Project Management Professional (2008), as well as a Master Trainer and Master Resiliency Trainer certified by the Office of the Secretary of Defense.
Angela Noble-Grange
A graduate of the Samuel Curtis Johnson Graduate School of Management, Angela Noble-Grange is a senior lecturer of management communication and teaches oral communication and management writing at Johnson. Her interests include persuasive speaking and writing, as well as gender and race differences in message perception.
Noble-Grange was the founding director of the Office for Women and Minorities in Business (now the Office of Diversity and Inclusion) in 1999 and president of the Noble Economic Development Group, a micro enterprise development consulting company, from June 1994 to January 1999. Noble-Grange has served on numerous boards and is currently a trustee for Paul Smith's College in the Adirondacks. She earned her BA in communication studies and Russian in 1983 and her MBA from Johnson in 1994.
Mickie Quinn
Mickie Quinn brings her 30+ years of promotion and branding experience to Ithaca College's Roy H. Park School of Communications where she maintains the school's identity and voice through social media, internal and external communications, producing events, and designing collateral material for prospective students and potential donors. Additionally, she shares that experience with her student group, Park Promotions, whose mission is to shine a spotlight on all things Park.
Mickie serves her regional community as "The Mighty Mickie Quinn" by producing and promoting shows for theatrical and nightlife venues that showcase the talents of many diverse artists. From competitive storytelling to burlesque to festivals to inclusive consent-oriented dance parties, she has a knack for bringing people together. Mickie consults and runs workshops on artistic branding and promotion for the Community Arts Partnership as well as private clients.