Community & Guest List
Debra Young is Co-Founder/Managing Partner of Sheer Velocity, LLC a global retained executive search firm with headquarters in Denver, Colorado. Debra started Sheer Velocity in 2012 and has grown the business into a global organization with offices across the country and reach in 40 countries around the world through INAC Global Executive Search. Sheer Velocity is hired by organizations to find them very specific executive leadership talent. Through Sheer Velocity's proprietary search process they have solidified themselves as a thought leader in the executive recruitment space.
Roman Zelichenko is a lawyer, entrepreneur, writer and improviser, and is the founder of two companies: one is a legal tech startup that automates manual processes for immigration lawyers and HR professionals, and the other brings improv workshops to startups and other organizations for team building, soft-skills workshops and more.
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.
Kristen Harcourt is an Executive Coach and Professional Speaker. For more than a decade, she has helped executives and emerging leaders in hundreds of organizations worldwide achieve extraordinary and sustainable results through increased self-awareness, emotional intelligence and mindfulness. A big believer in compassion, authenticity and conscious leadership, Kristen’s mission to help leaders transform from the inside out, creating a meaningful career and purpose-driven life where they reach their full potential.
T.W. Shannon is an accomplished leader with diverse experience in business, public service and community engagement. Today he leads one of the most unique banks in the country. As the CEO of Chickasaw Community Bank based in Oklahoma City, he leads a remarkably successful enterprise that is wholly owned by the Chickasaw Nation. Under his leadership, Chickasaw Community Bank completed the year 2020 at a record sixfold projections. Prior to his tenure at the bank, T.W. made history by becoming the youngest Speaker of the Oklahoma House of Representatives, as well as being the first Chickasaw and first African American to hold the post.
Ivy Slater is the CEO of Slater Success, a boutique training, consulting and coaching company focused on growth strategies and leadership development for high-level, service-based businesses. Ivy is a professionally certified business coach, speaker, internationally bestselling author and podcast host. She's scaled her own two businesses to multiple 6 & 7 figures and speaks nationwide on the topics of leadership, sustainable growth and the value of relationships. In 2020, she was a recipient of a Power Women of New York and of Long Island award, presented by Schneps Media.
Sam Starns is a TEDx speaker, elopement expert and movement leader in adventure elopement photography. With nearly a decade of wedding experience, Sam has traveled to numerous states and countries for elopements to jumpstart the transformation for real change to encourage anyone to become their authentic self. Sam Starns’ debut book, Elope Your Life is set to release in November 2020.
Tina Hyland, a certified Life & Business Coach who is passionate about helping business owners achieve their goals and live life on their terms. Her mission is to lead, coach and inspire women entrepreneurs to become freedom-filled, empowered business owners. She specializes in helping you “get out of your own way” and overcome limiting beliefs around money so that you can learn to thrive, not just survive in your business. She knows how to break things down into actionable steps while achieving success without "over complicating" things. Balance is key and she will show you how to sustain a profitable business while making time for you and your family without sacrificing either's success.
Deborah Sweeney is a lawyer turned entrepreneur who runs a legal filing business, MyCorporation.com, which she acquired out of Intuit. She has successfully grown MyCorporation.com by focusing on top-notch customer service, and a long time customer value.
As President & Founder of Anvil Media, Lewis oversees strategic direction of the company, with a focus on sales and marketing. He speaks internationally, writes for industry publications like SmartBrief and has been an adjunct professor at Portland State University since 2000. Since transitioning his career into digital marketing in 1996, he’s founded or co-founded four agencies and 2 organizations. He’s been named a Top 40 Under 40, Marketer of the Year by AMA Oregon and a Top 100 Digital Marketing Influencer by BuzzSumo in 2019. Outside of work, Lewis enjoys consulting with startups and spending time with family.
