Community & Guest List
Pedro Night is the Chief of Operations and Music Director of ADOBO. A Nicaraguan DMV native, he is already a veteran in the DC music + nightlife industry, having served the area in several different capacities. Apart from assuming the day-to-day tasks of ADOBO, he is an open-format DJ, often seen performing at some of the area’s best parties. Pedro’s main goal is to put Latin culture on a pedestal in the United States, and looks poised to accomplish this through ADOBO.
Together Anne & Mark Lackey own and operate several businesses. In 2015, they determined they were working harder and not smarter, so they embarked on their newest business - HireSmart Virtual Assistants which helps business owners scale by providing top-notch virtual employees. Anne & Mark wrote seven books (3 became best sellers in hours) and developed multiple training modules in the area of Real Estate Investing, Property Management, and Business Ownership to help other entrepreneurs grow their businesses.
Michelle Mekky has more than 20 years of experience as a broadcast journalist and public relations executive, leading award-winning marketing and PR campaigns for some of the nation’s biggest and most diverse brands and businesses. After her years as a veteran journalist, Michelle launched her own company, Mekky Media Relations Inc., in 2016, to bring her brand of PR to the market and deliver powerful publicity. Michelle has led her company through a fast-paced launch and high-profile successes, including winning a prestigious 2018 Stevie Award for Women in Business, receiving a bronze medal in the Entrepreneur of the Year category. In 2020 Mekky Media won a Stevie Award for Public Relations Agency of the Year receiving a bronze medal and Bulldog Award for Best Not-for-Profit/ Association Campaign for Komen Chicago's Race for the Cure. Also in 2018, Michelle and Mekky Media were selected to be part of the Forbes Agency Council, a prestigious organization for owners and executives of PR, media strategy, creative and advertising agencies. In 2019, Michelle was named a Crain’s Chicago Business Notable Entrepreneur, and Mekky Media was honored with two Publicity Club of Chicago Golden Trumpet Awards, in the categories of Advocacy (for its work with Komen Chicago) and Media Relations (for its work with Abt Electronics). The agency also was named a PR News Agency Elite Award Finalist for Media Relations in 2019.
Rob Pitingolo founded Trip Hacks DC to share his best tips and travel hacks with Washington, DC visitors. He hosts the Trip Hacks DC podcast and YouTube channel and is a tour guide who loves to show travelers around the nation’s capital once they arrive. Trip Hacks DC tours has hosted over a thousand guests since it launched.
Former Professional basketball player (6'8" 240") turned Sustainable Health & Fitness coach (I'm also vegan and have been for some time now) Ended pro career in 2011 and opened my first gym in 2013 and onto my second gym in 2016. Lots of highs and lows. From a massively growing gym and community, to losing my vehicle & going days without eating. My passion is sharing the happiness that being healthy and fit can bring to anyone of any journey. Currently i've transitioned to mainly online systems allowing me to reach and support even more people.
Bryan Clayton is CEO and cofounder of GreenPal an online marketplace that connects homeowners with Local lawn care professionals. GreenPal has been called the “Uber for lawn care” by Entrepreneur magazine and has over 100,000 active users completing thousands of transactions per day.
Before starting GreenPal Bryan Clayton founded Peachtree Inc. one of the largest landscaping companies in the state of Tennessee growing it to over $10 million a year in annual revenue before it was acquired by Lusa holdings in 2013.
Bryan‘s interest and expertise are related to entrepreneurialism, small business growth, marketing and bootstrapping businesses from zero revenue to profitability and exit.
Before starting GreenPal Bryan Clayton founded Peachtree Inc. one of the largest landscaping companies in the state of Tennessee growing it to over $10 million a year in annual revenue before it was acquired by Lusa holdings in 2013.
Bryan‘s interest and expertise are related to entrepreneurialism, small business growth, marketing and bootstrapping businesses from zero revenue to profitability and exit.
Grant Polachek is the Head of Branding at Inc 500 company Squadhelp.com, the worlds #1 naming platform, with more than 20,000 customers from early-stage startups across the globe to the largest corporations including Nestle, Philips, Hilton, Pepsi, and AutoNation. Grant works with a lot of CEOs as well.
John is the president and founder of Willory, a staffing and consulting firm solely focused on HR and payroll. The firm helps clients transform their organization through people, process, and technology. Willory ensures our clients have the best talent in their HR and payroll department, their employee life cycle process is effective and compliant, and they are optimizing their HR technology. With over 22 years’ experience within the payroll and HR niche, John is uniquely qualified to drive Willory into a leadership position within the HR and payroll staffing and consulting space.
DR. CINDY MCGOVERN is known as the “First Lady of Sales.” She speaks and consults internationally on sales, interpersonal communication, and leadership. Dr. Cindy holds a doctorate in organizational communication and worked as a professor of communication before starting Orange Leaf Consulting, a sales management and consulting firm in San Francisco. She has helped hundreds of companies and individuals create dramatic and sustainable growth. Dr. Cindy regularly coaches both professional sales employees and those whose jobs are not sales-related in an effort to help them both take advantage of opportunities to bring more business to their companies. For more information: www.drcindy.com
Michael S. Fenster, MD, better known as Chef Dr. Mike, is one of a handful of physicians worldwide to hold both culinary and medical degrees and is the only Interventional Cardiologist and Professional Chef to do so. He is also the only cardiologist with joint academic appointments in both the Medical and Culinary Arts. He is a board certified Interventional Cardiologist, Professional Chef, and Professor of Culinary Medicine at The University of Montana where he teaches the same.
