Community & Guest List

Rasheedah is Principal and Co-founder at RC Communications, a Washington, DC-based strategic communications firm. She works with clients to media coach them, create branding and marketing strategies, crisis communication plans, and fundraising campaigns. Her passion is helping women business and government leaders define their brand and raise their profile. She is also a highly sought-after commentator for US and international media where she shares her expertise and analysis of US and international affairs. She is a proud native South Carolinian and alumna of Howard University.

Rebecca D. Costa is an American sociobiologist and futurist. She is the preeminent global expert on the subject of “fast adaptation” and recipient of the prestigious Edward O. Wilson Biodiversity Technology Award. Her career spans four decades of working with founders, executives and venture capitalists in Silicon Valley. Costa’s first book, The Watchman’s Rattle: A Radical New Theory of Collapse, was an international bestseller. Her follow-on book, titled On the Verge was introduced in 2017 to critical acclaim, shooting to the top of Amazon’s #1 New Business Releases. Costa presently hosts the popular news podcast, The Costa Report, along with 12 world renowned subject experts. Her work has been featured in The New York Times, Washington Post, USA Today, SF Chronicle, The Guardian, and other leading publications. For more information visit www.rebeccacosta.com

Riley Adams is a licensed CPA working as a senior financial analyst at Google in the San Francisco Bay Area. Originally from New Orleans, Riley focuses on strategies for reaching financial independence and often writes about useful advice regarding tax strategies, investing, and financial decision-making on his website, Young and the Invested. His site targets like-minded young professionals who have an interest in financial independence and also a desire to learn more about entrepreneurship as a career ambition.

Dr. Rowena Winkler helps women find their voice and come back to their divine authenticity by using a combination of spiritual tools and practical strategies. Her mentoring approach encourages women to tap into self-love, build confidence, get unstuck, and make a change. As a marketing professional with over 15 years of experience, she is also a higher ed consultant and instructor who develops and teaches courses in strategic communication and writing.

Ryan Paugh is the COO and co-founder of The Community Company, the organization revolutionizing the future of professional organizations. He is also the author of Superconnector: Stop Networking and Start Building Business Relationships That Matter and a renowned thought leader on creating strong communities and teams. Ryan co-founded Brazen Careerist, a career-management site for high-achieving young professionals and ambitious college students, and Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC), an invitation-only organization for leading entrepreneurs.