Mark Mascia is the Founder and CEO of Mascia Development. His company assists professionals and entrepreneurs to make wise investments in high-end commercial real estate, the type of stuff that normally only the country's wealthiest families are able to get involved in. Mark has also had great success in leading a location independent team and has a lot of valuable experience to share in that regard. His entrepreneurial process has brought on enormous challenges that he's had to overcome, and these have served to make him extremely knowledgeable about what it takes to be a successful CEO.
Mike owns a Sandler Training Center in Los Angeles, where he coaches and trains sales professionals, business owners, and professions through the attitudes, behaviors, and techniques that drive sales. Prior to owning a Sandler Training Center, he was a professor and director at Loyola Marymount University, where he focused on leadership development. Mike is a passionate leader that is dedicated to collaborating with professionals to build a systemic and sustainable culture for business growth.
Maddie Watkins is the owner and founder of 202strong, a local fitness studio in the DMV that specializes in making strength training, specifically with the barbell accessible to those who might feel they "can't" lift or aren't strong enough to lift a barbell. Maddie left her background in genetics and microbiology to pursue a personal training certification after she graduated college in early 2010 after discovering the barbell herself and how feeling strong completely changed herself and her life. 202strong opened in 2015 and today there are 2 locations plus a newly added virtual program, StrongLine.
Michelle Ison is a Northern Virginian native with an M.S. in Communications from the Newhouse School at Syracuse University. She recently left her career as a television producer and host to help people celebrate special moments with Picnic & Peonies, a luxury picnic and micro-event company in D.C. & NYC. Michelle is an expert in all things style, design, and attention to detail, which is apparent in every event she hosts.
Dr. Melissa Briggs-Phillips is a Clinical Psychologist with a non traditional career path. After completing her PhD she spent years serving as Project Director, Executive Director and Chief-of-Staff in various settings. She never stopped teaching as an adjunct professor, and maintained a part time commitment to clinical work. In 2014 she decided to blend her diverse background (managing people, teams, budgets with her therapist self) and launched Next Generation Behavioral Health. She is an Executive Therapist that works with leaders on their internal worlds to they can show up as their best selves in their professional roles. Her teaching these days is speaking and presenting at conferences, with the hopes that people leave thinking about something from a new angle, and action items to use immediately in their lives.
Michelle Seiler Tucker is the Founder and CEO of Seiler Tucker Incorporated. She holds the M&AMI (Mergers & Acquisitions Master Intermediary) title, as well as Certified Mergers and Acquisitions Professional (CM&AP) and Certified Senior Business Analyst (CSBA). Michelle also owns many other businesses in several different industries. As a 20-year veteran in the M&A industry, she is regarded as the leading authority on buying, selling, fixing, and growing businesses. Her and her firm have sold over a thousand businesses in almost every vertical and have a remarkable track record of success.
María is a 24 year old from Puerto Rico currently living in the DMV area. She always knew that social media was the key to helping small businesses thrive and grow but never got a chance to explore it. That’s why when she discovered Social Media Management she went after it and shortly after, launched SMS Media. She had a Bachelor's in Advertising and 2 years of experience as a Paid Ads Consultant. She is now the CEO & Founder of SMS Media, LLC, a social media management and coaching business for wedding vendors. She's passionate about helping wedding vendors save time, money, and stress & get booked out months in advance by enhancing their social media presence.
Madison Surdyke is a certified integrative nutrition health coach and the founder of Sunny Thymes. She's on a mission to help you tap into the wisdom of your mind, body & soul so you can unlock your freedom and create the life of your dreams. She provides you will all of the tools you need to build a healthy, loving relationship with yourself, recognize and transform beliefs that are no longer serving you and get crystal clear on your desires so you can manifest the shit out of them.
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.
Michael Wang is Founder & CEO of Inspiren, an award winning healthcare technology company. He is a registered nurse and nurse practitioner with vast clinical experience in cardiothoracic surgery and direct patient care. In addition, he holds numerous patents on innovate technologies in both the healthcare and hospitality industry and has founded two successful companies prior to Inspiren. He received a bachelors degree from Emory University, majoring in Biology and Sociology. He attended graduate school at Columbia University, studying both business and nursing.
