BWEP | Business Women Empowerment Project, Inc. | The Power of Connections
Special Guest Speakers and Panelist
Dior Davis
Dior Luxe Queen HoneyBee, the CEO of Truth Honey, a prestigious Luxury Honey Brand recognized by Forbes Magazine, has a unique distinction. She is the first urban woman beekeeper to be featured on the Weather Channel TV Show Patrrn, a testament to her pioneering spirit and dedication to her craft. The inception of Truth Honey was not just about creating a unique product, but about a mission. Dior's vision was to enhance understanding of Agriculture and sustainability within the community. But it did not stop there. Dior recognized the importance of promoting individuals, mental, physical, and spiritual well-being, inspiring her to advocate for holistic health engagement amongst diverse demographics. This commitment to well-being sets Truth Honey apart, reshaping perceptions and consumption behaviors surrounding honey.
Dr. Nikkia McClain
Dr. Nikkia McClain, in her former career, worked as a very successful real estate agent who managed million-dollar properties. After several years of helping clients realize their real estate dreams, Dr. McClain wanted to explore other opportunities aligned with her personal goals, including a career in marketing and public relations. A very bold decision, given Nikkia had no background in the two fields. She established her marketing and public relations firm, TENÉ NÍCOLE, and she immediately put her knowledge and creative skills to work, carving out her path to success. She has raised the level of conversation and opportunities for clients and garnered key relationships to enhance their publicity via television, magazines, and radio.
Nicole Harmon-Poindujour
CEO of The Master Connector Agency, where we curate elite community experiences, secure high-impact corporate sponsorships, and cultivate a fast-growing network of influential leaders, founders, and decision-makers. At the intersection of relationships, strategy, and execution, our work is centered on creating rooms where meaningful connections turn into real opportunities. With over 21 years of experience as a results-driven finance executive, I have built and led strategic partnerships across national organizations—driving initiatives that create both business value and community impact. My expertise spans Relationship Management, National Partnerships, Business & Program Management, with a strong foundation in Operations, Trading, Investment Banking, and Financial Analysis.
Joi Hunt
Joi-Lin Hunt, Esq. is a business attorney, serial entrepreneur, and strategic advisor with more than 20 years of experience helping entrepreneurs build, fund, and scale businesses. She specializes in legal structure, tax strategy, and asset protection, equipping founders with the tools needed to grow sustainable enterprises. Ms. Hunt earned her Juris Doctor from Southern University Law Center and an LL.M. in Taxation from Southern Methodist University before launching The Hunt Law Group, PC and Quick Money Tax Service.
Tina Burse
Tiana Burse is a serial entrepreneur, speaker, author, and business strategist recognized for helping entrepreneurs and business owners leverage media, technology, and artificial intelligence to scale their brands and businesses. As the CEO and Co-Founder of District Media Press, she has worked with startups, small businesses, and publicly traded companies to increase visibility, establish authority, and drive growth through strategic media, branding, and marketing initiatives. Tiana is the author of The Algorithm Doesn't Care About You: The Rise of Interest Media, a book that explores the shift from traditional audience-building to the new era of interest-driven media and AI-powered visibility.
Cloteal Labroi, Esq.
Cloteal LaBroi, Esq. serves as Director of Government Relations Infrastructure with Microsoft. Cloteal brings deep experience at the intersection of law, public policy and stakeholder engagement.
Previously, she served as the Regional Head of Government & External Affairs with Starbucks Coffee Company and as the Director of Public Works for the City of Gary, Indiana. Cloteal is a graduate of
Tennessee State University and the University of Memphis – Cecil C. Humphrey’s School of Law. She is a proud member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. and The Northern Indiana (IN) Chapter of The Links, Incorporated.
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Kelsey Matthews
Is an award-winning brand architect, creative director, and executive producer whose work operates at the highest levels of entertainment, media, and global brand strategy. As Founder of Kelsey & Company — a boutique brand consultancy based in Atlanta with reach across international markets — she has spent over a decade at the intersection of brand strategy, creative direction, and executive production — building the relationships, access, and presence that define how world-class brands and C-suite leaders show up on the global stage. Her expertise spans strategic brand marketing, creative direction, experiential production, and original content development, translating insight into moments that move markets and shape culture.
Dr. Deborah Johnson-Blake
Dr. Deborah “Dr. DJ” Johnson-Blake is the CEO of The Writing Pad, LLC, where she provides editing, consulting, professional development, and time-management coaching. A keynote speaker and best-selling author, she also serves as an award-winning associate professor at Liberty University. An active leader in the American Business Women’s Association (ABWA), Dr. DJ is a member of the Douglas County Charter Chapter and has served in numerous leadership roles, including Chapter President, Best Practices Chair, and Chapter Ambassador. She is the 2024 Atlanta Area Council Woman of the Year and ABWA National’s 2021 American Business Woman. As Chapter President, she led her chapter to a historic 100% membership increase and national Best Practices recognition during COVID-19.
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Latricia Shepard
Latricia Shepard is an HR executive and leadership strategist, executive advisor, certified coach, and founder of Accelerated Dimensions, where she helps leaders and organizations strengthen leadership capability, organizational effectiveness, and workforce performance. With more than two decades of experience across Fortune 50 corporations, professional services, technology, and entrepreneurial ventures, she is known for translating complex business and workforce challenges into practical strategies that drive results. Most recently, Latricia served as Chief Talent & Diversity Officer at Spencer Fane LLP, leading firm-wide talent, culture, and people strategy initiatives across a national platform.
Dr. Jennifer Sarrett
Dr. Jennifer Sarrett is the founder of and lead at Disruptive Inclusion, where she works with health and science organizations to treat culture not as a core business strategy. Her methodology, Organizational Culture Design™, draws on a foundational insight from the disability rights movement: when you design for the people most likely to be excluded, you build something better for everyone. Applied to organizations, this means proactively engineering the conditions for high performance rather than waiting for dysfunction, turnover, or inequity to demand a reactive fix. Dr. Sarrett's approach centers on six core principles: Trust & Transparency, Expect & Respect Expertise, Collaboration & Constructive Conflict, Embedded Flexibility, Question the Status Quo, and Celebration.
Tiera Richardson
Meet Tiera Richardson, a powerhouse global health advocate and the Architect of Authorship. Tiera is the Founder and Chief Well-Being Strategist of Strokes 2 Life Innovations, a whole-person well-being company partnering with health systems, pharmaceutical companies, and corporations to reimagine the patient and employee experience. A bilateral stroke survivor, retired Air Force veteran, wife, and mother, she is the creator of the Prosperous Patient™ platform and the W·R·I·T·E to Rise™ storytelling movement. A 2026 Go Red for Women Atlanta Honoree, national AHA/ASA Ambassador, City of Atlanta Impact Honoree 2025, LA Wire 40 Influential Women of 2020 honoree, her work has been featured on FOX 5 Atlanta and Good Day Atlanta. She is the host of the inaugural Prosperous Patient Summit, coming fall 2026.
Karlisha Alexandria
Karlisha Alexandria is a beauty entrepreneur, educator, and content creator dedicated to helping women build confidence and create profitable careers in the beauty industry. As the founder of Karli Beauty Lash Bar, she has built a loyal clientele, trained aspiring beauty professionals, and established herself as a respected voice in the lash and beauty space. Known for blending beauty, business, and authenticity, Karlisha is now entering a new chapter focused on expanding her DIY beauty line, bringing quality beauty solutions into homes nationwide. Through coaching, mentorship, and educational experiences like Lash Gurl Link Up, she continues to inspire the next generation of beauty professionals to grow successful brands, increase their income, and make a lasting impact in the industry.
Judge Keisha Wright-Hall
Chief Judge Keisha Wright Hill has been a resident of Jonesboro, Georgia for over 35 years. She attended Lovejoy High School, where she graduated with Honors in 1994. In 1998, she graduated from the prestigious SPELMAN COLLEGE, located in downtown Atlanta, earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology. She received her Juris Doctorate from NORTH CAROLINA CENTRAL UNIVERSITY – SCHOOL OF LAW, located in Durham, North Carolina in 2002.Prior to taking the bench, Judge Wright Hill was in private practice for 18 years. She started her own law practice on February 4, 2003, just three short months after receiving her law degree. Judge Wright Hill has taught Introduction to Criminology and Criminal Justice courses at Atlanta Metropolitan College and looks forward to teaching again on the collegiate level.
Walter Vinson
Walter Vinson is the assistant general manager of Business Diversity and Government Affairs. In this role, Walter manages the integration and inclusion of small, minority and female-owned firm participation in the Airport’s capital improvement program. In addition, he manages the Airport’s state and federal legislative affairs, including initiating legislation at all levels and monitoring state and federal legislation that impacts the Airport. In 2006, Mr. Vinson joined Hartsfield-Jackson as the Government Affairs manager, where he led lobbying efforts to fund various projects to improve the overall efficiency of Airport operations, infrastructure and security.
Jay Bailey
Jay is a dynamic force committed to his unwavering motto, "Build As We Climb." As the President and CEO of the H.J. Russell Innovation Center for Entrepreneurs (RICE), he leads the world's largest entrepreneurial hub dedicated to growing, scaling, and developing Black businesses. In just five years, under Jay's visionary leadership, RICE supports over 600 entrepreneurs full time, generating an impressive $184 million in annual revenues, sustaining over 4,000 jobs in the community, and sparking a staggering $577 million of new economic impact in Atlanta annually. Jay and his team have transformed RICE into an economic empowerment and innovation powerhouse.
Greg Clay
With thirteen years of public and private sector experience, Greg began his professional career in marketing and fundraising, ultimately pursuing a career in public service. As a young professional, Greg was able to serve at the senior level of local government focusing on government operations at the macro and micro-level. Greg has had the opportunity to work extensively with elected officials and public sector leaders as an advisor, government service practitioner and communications expert. After working with six municipalities in three states, Greg is currently a consultant with Lieneur, Inc. where he utilizes his relationships and knowledge of communities to assist clients with stakeholder engagement, business development, and fundraising. As a civic leader he serves on numerous boards focused on youth development and education, innovation, and workforce development.
David Shands
David Shands is a business educator, coach, speaker, author, and the Founder and Host of Podcast Summit, the nation's leading conference for podcasters, creators, and entrepreneurs. As the influential host of The Social Proof Podcast, widely recognized as a go-to platform for entrepreneurs, David has built one of the most respected voices in business podcasting. Through candid conversations, real case studies, and practical strategy, he has helped thousands of aspiring and established entrepreneurs rethink how they build, grow, and monetize their brands.
With Podcast Summit, David took that impact offline, creating a high-level environment where creators connect, learn, and scale.
LaVon Lewis
LaVon’s entrepreneurial journey began at the age of 19 when he founded his first company. Despite facing rejection from multiple employers after graduation, LaVon’s ambition, passion, and vision propelled him forward. Over the years, he has provided creative direction for Fortune 100 companies and thousands of small businesses, earning him recognition as one of Atlanta’s Top 25 Rising Stars. With more than two decades of business achievements, LaVon and the Creative Velocity team have amassed over 50 prestigious awards worldwide, including the U.S. Department of Commerce Minority Technology Firm of the Year and Entrepreneur Of The Year. Their impressive clientele includes renowned names such as Amazon, SeaWorld, Panasonic, The Home Depot, Wal-Mart, AT&T, and Coca-Cola to name a few amongst hundreds of small businesses.
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Dennis McGouirk
With 34 years of experience in the natural utility sector, Dennis has proven himself to be a leader and innovator within the industry. As the Regional Director for Atlanta Gas Light, he oversees operations across multiple counties, ensuring the safe, reliable, and affordable natural gas to thousands of customers. Throughout his career, Dennis has held various leadership positions, where he has been instrumental in implementing strategic initiatives that enhance operational efficiency, promote environmental stewardship, and improve customer satisfaction. Dennis is passionate about fostering a culture of safety and innovation within his team and community.