Her Business, Her Future: Charting Success for 2022 and Beyond

Michele Thornton Ghee

Ghee is a transformational leader that has generated over $1B in revenue while working for some of the most powerful media companies in the world including WME, CNN, A&E, The History Channel, and BET Networks. While at BET, Michele created and ran the first and only network for Black women: BETHer. She began her career at SBC Communications in Oakland, California and is now the CEO of the iconic Black media brands: EBONY and Jet.

Jetheda Hernandez, MBA

Jetheda Hernandez has been seen as a national advocate for entrepreneurship and economic mobilization for over 20 years. As a success business & social media strategist and speaker, Jetheda has created a buzz for her business savvy, natural leadership and selfless partnership-creation. Jetheda serves as the Enterprising Women of Color, Program Manager for the U.S. Minority Business Development Agency. In this capacity, she built and maintains relationships of over 250 corporations and organizations across the country; working to build strong alliances that aid in the growth, sustainability and success of women-owned minority businesses. Jetheda is also a guest lecturer and adjunct business professor at Coppin State University in Baltimore, MD.

Johanna De La Cadena

Johanna De La Cadena, Supplier Diversity Program Lead for CHEP, a global leader in pallet and container pooling services, serving many of the world’s largest companies. Based in Orlando, Florida, she is responsible for executing the development and implementation of a world-class supplier diversity strategy. De La Cadena partners closely with the procurement team and cross-functional stakeholders to build and execute strategies that create and grow concrete procurement opportunities for Diverse businesses, in line with CHEP’s values and goals.

Tiffany Carter

Most recently, Tiffany Carter served as the Director of Procurement at the Port of New Orleans and New Orleans Public Belt Railroad procurement and small business contracting. She has more than 20 years of experience across industries and her efforts secured over $12 million in small business spend in maritime and rail industries. As former Director of the State and Local Disadvantaged Business Program, Ms. Carter's leadership resulted in over $30 million in local and small business contract awards.

The Honorable Dee Clemmons

The Honorable Dometrice Clemmons has been a full-time entrepreneur since 1993. Dee is a subject matter expert, global entrepreneur coach, highly sought-after corporate business consultant, community advocate, educator, public speaker, published author, and the owner of a diverse platform of several nationwide franchises. Dee is affectionately known as the She-E-O of serial entrepreneurship. As a business coach, Dee helps companies increase their sales overall profitability, keep their doors open, and helps stuck and frustrated entrepreneurs.

Messay Derebe

Messay Derebe is the Program Director for Wacif ’s Enterprising Women of Color Program where she leads a U.S. Department of Commerce’s Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) funded initiative focused on assisting women entrepreneurs of color to build their businesses, secure contracts and capital, and increase partnership opportunities. Derebe began her career in finance at Ernst & Young conducting audits for midsized and Fortune 500 companies prior to attaining her master’s degree in Arts Management from Carnegie Mellon University and pivoting to a career in social impact. Before Wacif, she served as a Program Officer at the Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation, the largest private, independent foundation focused exclusively on the Washington, D.C. area.

Joycelyn Harrison Henson

Dr. Henson is an Orlando native and a proud graduate of Orlando Jones High School. Certified in Contract Compliance (CCA), she currently leads the supplier diversity programs for Orange County Public Schools, the 8th largest school district in the Nation. Under Dr. Henson's leadership, the department has spent millions of dollars with minority- and women-owned businesses. During her 17-year tenure in this role, many small businesses have attribute the district's innovative approach and progressive programs for their growth and success.

Dawn M. Houle

Dawn Houle, President is a Tribal Citizen of the Chippewa Cree Tribe of Montana, founder of SunSinger Consulting LLC, and a Wall Street Journal and USA Today bestselling author. Her firm specializes in optimizing business opportunities for Native American Tribal governments and individuals. Dawn has dedicated her life to fostering strategic partnerships for and with Native American Tribes, artists, business owners, and people. She assists her clients build key strategies, access better resources, and improve their communities while maintaining and fostering their heritage.

Alisa Joseph

Ms. Joseph has a proven record of accomplishment in leadership, strategic planning, grant writing, marketing communications and program design strategies and implementation. With over 25 years of experience in the financial services industry, she brings a wealth of knowledge in financial products including those providing access to capital, supply chain management, diversity initiatives, multicultural marketing, and management. She has leveraged her expertise to help for-profit businesses and nonprofit organizations achieve their goals and objectives to scale for growth, stability, and wealth, creating initiatives that connect and leverage government contracting opportunities, certification, operations management, financing, and communications. She currently serves as the Director of Programs for the US Black Chambers, Inc. (USBC).

Kimberly Rosier Jean-Louis, MBA

Kimberly Rosier Jean-Louis, MBA, is the owner and CEO of 3D Strategic Management, Inc. 3D Strategic Management, Inc., is a full-service business development and community relations firm. In this role she has worked on initiatives with the African American Chamber of Commerce, Orange County Public Schools (9th Largest in Nation), Duke Energy and U.S. Department of Commerce. Kimberly created Women Empowerment Wednesday, a national monthly holistic business development series. The firm also provides strategic business development serves to clients across the world. Kimberly serves as the United States President Biden’s African American Stakeholder (Office of Public Engagement).

Katrina D. Lee-Jones

Risky. Edgy. Classic. Innovative These are a few adjectives that can describe a stylist whose eye for fashion cannot be merely viewed, only experienced. Katrina Lee-Jones, was born in Madison, Florida. This small-town girl realized that her passion for fashion was conceived during her adolescent years by adding accessories such as laced tights and scarves to basic mechanisms to enhance her wardrobe. Katrina has had the opportunity to work on behalf of the following well known retailers: Cacique, Gymboree, Gap, Erno Laszlo, United Colors of Benetton and Sisley, New York & Company and Neiman Marcus, to name a few. From this point, Katrina endeavored to learn all she could about fashion to later market herself as an exclusive, unique commodity. Katrina exudes confidence and sophistication in everything she endeavors to accomplish. It is evident that this fashion stylista has a continuous love affair with fashion and it is improbable this union will ever secede.

Carla McKinney

Carla McKinney is a Manager of Supplier Diversity supporting Disney’s Theme Parks & Resorts for East Coast Operations including Design & Construction (D&C) ; Facility Asset Management (FAM); Facility Operations & Services ( FOS) ; Walt Disney Imagineering (WDI) and Food & Beverage ( F&B) . She collaborates with these assigned category teams and key functional stakeholders to develop strategies designed to increase the utilization of diverse suppliers. Carla has held other roles within Disney includes Senior Sourcing Specialist, in Strategic Sourcing & Procurement for Disney Worldwide Services Inc., Lake Buena Vista, Florida for 13 years. In this role, she provided strategic planning and process improvement recommendations to clients and suppliers through effective leadership demonstrated by business relationship and contract management.

Phala K. Mire

Phala Kimbrough Mire is the President & CEO of the Women's Business Enterprise Council South (WBEC South), a regional partner organization of the Women's Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC). A non-profit Executive for over 20 years, Mire currently orchestrates business growth and certification programs for women owned businesses in the five state region covering Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee and the Florida Panhandle.

Marla Momi Musick

Marla Momi Musick joined the YWCA in January 2021 and now serves as the MBDA EWOC Director. Marla ensures strategic deployment of services and resources for women of color entrepreneurs looking to expand their capabilities and grow their business endeavors. She has 20+ years of leadership experience in fund development, community outreach and communications in the non-profit sectors in New York City and Honolulu. Marla is a business owner who managed her own consulting practice before joining the YWCA.

Divinne B. Joseph Smith Esq.

Divinne Joseph Smith, Esq. is a veteran attorney practicing primarily in Orlando, Florida. Her professional background consist of helping families in all matters of probate, wills, trust, real estate and business. Divinne's focus is in ensuring that your testamentary affairs are in order prior to an estate requiring probate. Divinne's practice is well versed in compliance of city, state and federal laws and regulations in order to ensure and/or enforce your individual need.

Ralph Sagaille

Ralph Sagaille recently joined the Walt Disney Supplier Diversity team as Director, Supplier Diversity and Sustainability late 2021 continuing his already 10 years with the company. Ralph will continue to develop and implement strategies toward the company’s goal of reaching $1 Billion in annual spending with diverse suppliers by 2024. Additionally, he will guide the team in working with the various sourcing organizations and business units to identify and facilitate sustainable supply chains in support of Disney’s 2030 environmental goals. Ralph holds degrees in Business and Finance and an MBA in International Business and Economics.