Melanie Padgett Powers is the owner of MelEdits. She is a freelance writer, managing editor, copy editor and proofreader in Silver Spring, Maryland, who primarily works with membership associations and health care organizations. She has a journalism degree and was previously a newspaper reporter in her home state of Indiana. Melanie is also the creator and host of the Deliberate Freelancer podcast, which focuses on the business side of freelancing.
Kari Warberg Block, an unlikely disruptor, challenged an industry that by its very nature is toxic. As the Founder & CEO of EarthKind, Kari discovered that 98% of pest control solutions sold were poison & kill methods – so she set out to invent a better solution: plant-based pest control powered by nature. Kari was the first to develop, manufacture, and commercialize poison-free rodent and insect repellents for farm and home use, with a mission to build a purpose led company to create change through business. Once a mom on food stamps Kari started EarthKind with nothing more than a package of garden seeds and a vision, and has built it into $20 million company. Kari was selected as an Ernst & Young “Entrepreneurial Winning Women,” and has gone from being a part of her local homemakers club to advising the SBA, Congress and the White House on policy that impacts women in business. She has been featured in CNBC, the New York Times, Huffington Post and Forbes.
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.
David is a fitness entrepreneur that has adapted with the hybrid virtual training landscape throughout the past 2 years of the pandemic. Through David's experience as a clinical exercise physiologist and sports performance coach he has gained a vast amount of knowledge to help people of all ages achieve their fitness goals. He currently is connecting with the Ward 8 community of DC with a healthy lifestyle program called The Health Code to further educate the community on the three codes of living healthy which are finding your level of activity outside of work, a proper healthy nutrition, and the right type of mental and physical rejuvenation to prepare yourself for the upcoming day.
Dr. Karen Gedney is an Internal Medicine Specialist who was placed in a male prison to do a four year payback for a scholarship she received and turned it into a calling that lasted 30 years. When she left that career she started her business, DRG Consulting, LLC and became a speaker, prison reform activist, expert medical witness and author of, '30 years Behind Bars,' Trials of a Prison Doctor.
Ting Lin is a multitalented and creative entrepreneur in the DMV area. She is a fashion consultant for Ting Lin Fashion, specializing in wardrobe audit, personal shopping, and fashion styling. She is a singer songwriter for Ting Lin Music, creating and performing original songs with multicultural and cross-genre elements. She is the founder of The Ting Times, striving to support creatives who want to pursue unconventional careers, by providing resources, mentorship and opportunities.
Adessa Barker is a practicing attorney, transformative speaker and wellbeing practitioner. Adessa teaches people and organizations how to create a culture of wellness that resonates with their values and strengths. Adessa conducts workshops and talks throughout the country and is a highly sought after speaker and coach. Adessa is originally from Trinidad and Tobago and went to high school and college in Washington, DC where she currently resides.
UK. She uses her 23 years of footwear industry experience to help people around the world to start shoe brands."
Jerry Skillett is Executive Chairman and Co-Founder of SPACES, a revolutionary technology services company that enables parking facilities to serve as innovative commercial transportation centers. With more than 35 years of experience as an industry executive and innovator, Skillett provides SPACES with strategic guidance and visionary leadership. Prior to SPACES, Skillett was CEO of Citizens Parking, one of the largest parking companies nationwide. During his tenure, its major brands encompassed 1,200 locations, 8,000 employees, and 320,000 parking spaces across the United States and Puerto Rico.
Calloway Cook is the founder and President of Illuminate Labs, a dietary supplements eCommerce business located in Northampton, Massachusetts.
