Dorie Clark

Keynote Speaker | Bestselling Author | Top 50 Business Thinker

Dorie Clark has been named one of the Top 50 business thinkers in the world by both Thinkers50 and Inc. Magazine. She is a keynote speaker and teaches executive education at Columbia Business School. She is also the Wall Street Journal and USA Today bestselling author of The Long Game, Entrepreneurial You, Reinventing You and Stand Out, which was named the #1 Leadership Book of the year by Inc. Magazine. A former presidential campaign spokeswoman, she writes frequently for the Harvard Business Review and Fast Company.

Kim Scott

Keynote Speaker | Founder and CEO | Radical Candor

Kim Scott is the author of Radical Respect and Radical Candor, and the Co-Founder and CEO of a company that helps leaders build a culture of feedback. Kim was previously a CEO Coach at Dropbox, Qualtrics, Twitter, and other tech companies. She was a member of the faculty at Apple University and before that led AdSense, YouTube, and DoubleClick teams at Google. Earlier in her career she was an analyst at the Soviet Companies Fund, started a diamond cutting factory in Moscow, and was Director of Operations of a pediatric clinic in Kosovo.

Charles Duhigg

Keynote Speaker | Award-winning Investigative Reporter

Charles Duhigg is a Pulitzer prize-winning investigative reporter at The New Yorker Magazine, and previously at The New York Times Magazine, authoring or contributing to multiple series, including “The Reckoning” (2008), which studied the causes and outcomes of the financial crisis, and “The iEconomy”, which examined the global economy through the lens of Apple, and which won the 2013 Pulitzer prize in explanatory journalism. He has also won the George Polk Award (2007), the Gerald Loeb Award (2008), the National Journalism Award (2009), was a Business News Visionary Award recipient (2020-2021), and other honors. In addition to his reporting, Charles Duhigg is a regular contributor to television and radio, including the PBS Newshour, Frontline, CBS Sunday Morning and various programs on CNBC and NPR. He is a graduate of the Harvard Business School and Yale College.

Jacque Reid

2026 Forum Emcee | Founder & CEO of Vegan Sexy Cool

Jacque Reid is an Emmy award-winning journalist, and so much more. She’s a force of inspiration, empowerment, and change. Jacque has become a trusted voice in media, captivating audiences on NBC, CNN, BET, The Tom Joyner Morning Show, and beyond. Currently, Jacque wears multiple hats as the Executive Director of ARB Media as well as founder and CEO of Vegan Sexy Cool, and creator and host of The Jacque Reid Experience.

ARB Media is a faith-based media company that takes on film, television, podcasts, special events, and a variety of other projects. As Executive Director, Jacque has spearheaded the creation of a pilot for a faith-based docu-series; an exciting new issue-focused podcast;  a multimedia collab with Angela Yee & IHeart Radio; an innovative gospel concert featuring Yolanda Adams; a social media campaign that generated 40K+ new followers; and much more.

Roz Alford

WPONext Workshop Moderator | WPO Chapter Chair of Boward/West Palm & Tampa

Roz Alford is a WPO Chapter Chair and Consultant who founded ASAP Solutions Group, LLC, an IT Professional Services company servicing Fortune 100 companies. Roz sold her company and retired in 2016. 

Carolina Jannicelli

50 Fastest Panel Moderator | Global Head of Diversity, Opportunity and Inclusion | JPMorganChase

Carolina Jannicelli is the Global Head of Diversity, Opportunity and Inclusion for JPMorganChase, where she is dedicated to cultivating an inclusive workplace culture that drives both innovation and stronger business and client outcomes. In this role, she oversees the firm’s Business Resource Groups and Executive Forums, helping to shape a more engaged and dynamic organization. 

Throughout her career at JPMorganChase, Carolina has focused on making a positive impact. She previously led Community Impact at JPMorganChase, where she directed the governance, strategy and implementation of the bank’s $30 billion commitment to closing the racial wealth gap. She collaborated with leaders across the firm to deliver business, philanthropic and policy outcomes to drive inclusive economic growth. She also served as head of Sales Strategy for J.P. Morgan Private Client, responsible for driving business growth and client acquisition strategies in the affluent market.  

Carolina began her  career at the firm in investment banking, focusing on Debt Capital Markets and M&A for Latin American clients. She later moved to the Private Bank, holding various executive roles over nearly two decades.
 
Carolina has been recognized as one of the 500 most influential people in Latin America by Bloomberg Línea and was named a Notable Hispanic Leader by Crain’s New York Business. In 2021, she received the Latina Trailblazer award by LatinoJustice, was named among The Top 100 Most Influential Latinas by Latino Leaders magazine and was inducted into ALPFA's 50 Most Powerful Latinas Hall of Fame. In 2020 she was featured on Crain’s New York inaugural list of Notable Women in Financial Advice.

Carolina is a member of the Arts of the Americas Circle at the Americas Society/Council of the Americas. Born and raised in Central America, she is fluent in Spanish and Portuguese. She holds a Bachelor’s in Finance and Investments from Babson College and her Master's in the History of Art and Design from Pratt Institute. She lives in New York City.

Laurie Chan

US Head of Alternative Solutions | PGIM

Laurie Chan is the US Head of Alternative Solutions at PGIM, the global investment management business of Prudential Financial, Inc. She is responsible for the growth of PGIM’s alternative investment solutions for private wealth clients. Laurie brings over 20 years of experience in private wealth and alternative investments. Prior to joining PGIM, Laurie was Citi’s Global Head of Alternative Sales, responsible for the sales and distribution of private equity, real estate, and hedge fund solutions across Citi’s Global Wealth channels, in addition to over 17 years at Bank of America, Merrill, where she held several senior roles.

Lori Emerick

Master Practitioner | The Wiseman Group

Lori Emerick is a leadership consultant and life design coach 
dedicated to helping leaders unlock their full potential—both in 
their organizations and in their lives. With over 25 years of 
experience at companies such as Boeing, Kaiser Permanente, 
Intel, and Nike, she brings deep expertise in leadership 
development, organizational effectiveness, and talent growth.

As a Master Practitioner with The Wiseman Group, Lori leads 
workshops on the Multipliers framework, equipping leaders to 
create environments where people think bigger, contribute more, 
and perform at their best. Her work is grounded in the belief that 
the most impactful leaders don’t have all the answers—they create 
the conditions for others to thrive. Through her coaching practice, Lori also supports individuals navigating meaningful transitions, helping them reimagine what’s next with clarity, purpose, and intention.

Allison Maslan

CEO & Founder | Pinnacle Global Network

Nisha Balwani

AI Table Expert | CEO | RCI Technologies

Charles Bernard

Founder & CEO | Criteria for Success, Inc.

Charles Bernard, founder and CEO of Criteria for Success, Inc., helps CEOs bridge the gap between their vision for their company and their bottom line. Charles applies over 20 years experience in direct sales, sales management, recruiting, and training to his growing consulting practice. As a Senior Account Executive for General Electric, he was the top revenue producer in his division. He then founded the IBM DB2 software development consulting firm, Atlantis Vision Ltd, and later was a partner and Executive Director of Sales for one of New York’s first systems integrators, NETLAN, Inc. Charles is a well-known speaker at events catering to CEOs and senior executives around the country. Charles was born in Madrid, Spain and educated in Surrey, England.

Tammy Buss

Founder & Family Business Advisor | BlueRoots

Tammy Buss is a trailblazer in the world of family business advising, with over 40 years of experience helping hundreds of Canadian and U.S. family enterprises thrive across generations. As the founder of Buss Financial Group, Buss Business Solutions, and most recently BlueRoots, Tammy brings a rare blend of firsthand experience, strategic insight, and heartfelt dedication to every stage of business transition. 

She is the author of the acclaimed Passing Down Your Success and Build It, Dream It, Pass It On book series, and the host of two influential podcasts: The Business of Family and The Business of Family - Legal Matters. Her work focuses on fostering open communication, aligning family values, and crafting sustainable succession strategies that honor both legacy and innovation. 

Tammy's deep understanding of the emotional and operational complexities within family businesses stems not only from her client work but also from navigating her own family business journey. Her presentations are rich with practical wisdom, real-world stories, and actionable tools that empower families to build, protect, and pass on their success. 

Whether she's speaking to entrepreneurs, advisors, or next generation leaders, Tammy inspires with clarity, compassion, and a vision for what's possible when family and business grow together. 

Angelica Connor

Panelist | CEO | Stansell

Angelica Connor is the CEO and majority owner of Stansell Construction, a certified woman-owned general contractor specializing in commercial construction services across 24 licensed states. Her journey with the company began a decade ago, starting in an administrative role before college and continuing remotely while she competed as a division 1 soccer player and studied marketing and advertising. After graduation during the height of COVID-19, she stepped into the family business full-time at just 22 years old and accepted the opportunity to become CEO and an owner. 

Over the past five years, Angelica has been a part of Stansell Construction’s extraordinary growth, scaling revenue from $50 million to nearly $200 million, expanding the team from 40 to more than 140 employees, and building a portfolio of 25 national brand clients. Her leadership is defined by a commitment to doing things differently in an often-traditional industry. She prioritizes people, culture, and the small everyday details that create a workplace where teams thrive, and clients feel cared for. 

In addition to her role at Stansell, Angelica serves as the Vice President of NAWIC Tampa, an organization dedicated to building women in construction. She has been recognized with the Tampa Leadership Award from Top Workplaces, named #14 on Women We Admire’s Top 50 Women Leaders in Tampa, and has earned #13 on WPO’s fastest growing woman-owned businesses in the United States. 

Passionate about the brand she has built and the impact it is making across the construction landscape, Angelica continues to champion growth, innovation, and the advancement of women in the industry. She resides in Tampa with her husband and goldendoodle, Bear. 

Jenny Dearborn

Chief People & Enterprise Excellence Officer | Greenfield Global

Kathy Durfee

AI Table Expert | CEO & Founder | TechHouse

Courtney Fell

Executive Director & Wealth & Estate Planning Strategist

Courtney Fell is an Executive Director and Wealth and Estate Planning Strategist in Morgan Stanley’s Private Wealth Management Division. She is part of Family Office Resources, which is dedicated to Morgan Stanley’s ultra-high net worth clients. She serves on the Family Office Resources Management Team as the Manager of her fellow east coast Wealth and Estate Planning Strategists, as the Co-Chair of the Partnerships Committee for the Women In Wealth Home Office Chapter, and on the Corporate Executives Segmentation Committee. Courtney works with ultra-high net worth clients and their outside advisors on complex gift, estate and income tax planning strategies.

Courtney was a practicing attorney for over 18 years, before joining Morgan Stanley in 2017. Prior to joining Morgan Stanley, she was as an attorney in the Trusts and Estates and Tax Controversy Sections at Chamberlain, Hrdlicka, White, Williams & Aughtry in the Atlanta office. Courtney also held a judicial clerkship with the Probate Court of Cobb County, and has written and spoken on various tax and estate planning subjects, including sophisticated trust planning, asset protection, trusts as retirement account beneficiaries, conservation easements, captive insurance companies, pre-liquidity planning and family governance.

Kuma Gassoul

AI Table Expert | Co-Founder | PROMPTLAB AI

Kuma Gassoul is a go-to strategist for everything from PPC and Social Ads to intricate SEO/SEM campaigns. With a knack for navigating the complex digital landscape, Kuma specializes in propelling DTC brands to new heights. Her portfolio boasts collaborations with industry leaders like Candela Mamajuana, National Alliance for Eating Disorders, AERIN, Frances Valentine and Will Leather Goods, among others.

Thomas Gassoul

AI Table Expert | Co-Founder | PROMPTLAB AI

Melissa Gerdes

Vice President, Financial Advisor, & Financial Planning Specialist | Morgan Stanley

Melissa Gerdes, CEPA® is a Vice President, Financial Advisor, and Financial Planning Specialist at Morgan Stanley. She began her career in finance in 2011 with JPMorgan Chase Bank, where she specialized in Private Client Banking in Boca Raton, Florida, and joined Morgan Stanley in 2016. As a partner of the Osprey Group, Melissa focuses on delivering goals-based planning and comprehensive wealth management, with an emphasis on intergenerational wealth transfer, tax efficiency, and impact investing.

Prior to entering the financial services industry, Melissa was an opera singer. She earned a Doctorate in Music from Florida State University and a Master of Music from the New England Conservatory in Boston—an academic and performance background that continues to shape her disciplined, client-centered approach. More recently, Melissa earned the Certified Exit Planning Advisor (CEPA®) designation and enjoys helping women business owners plan thoughtfully for the eventual sale of their businesses, aligning personal, family, and financial priorities throughout the process.

Melissa lives in Coral Springs with her husband, children, and their French bulldog. One of her areas of expertise is empowering women through financial literacy—helping them take ownership of their financial decisions with clarity and confidence. She works with women across all life stages and transitions, including those who are single, widowed, or recently divorced, providing guidance designed to help them navigate change and move forward with a strong financial plan. Melissa is passionate about educating and empowering women to be the authors of their own financial journeys. She serves on the board of the Lucky Pucks Women’s Hockey Organization and is a strong advocate for promoting women in sports. She also sits on the board and is actively involved with the mentorship program of the Go For The Greens Foundation, an organization committed to connecting women-owned businesses and future business leaders with business growth opportunities.

Sarah Goodman

M&A Advisor & Founder | Eminence M&A Strategies

Sarah Goodman is an accomplished M&A advisor and founder of Eminence M&A Strategies, where she provides personalized guidance to business owners seeking to exit their companies. In addition to her advisory role, she is an active investor in commercial real estate, and operating companies which include a traffic control company, an educational technology company, and a Software as Medical Device (SaMD) company. Sarah is a public speaker, contributor, and podcast guest. Sarah's breadth of experience and industry knowledge positions her as a formidable leader in the M&A field. 

Sarah is active in multiple professional organizations, including as Chair for three Women Presidents Organization chapters, Group Leader of an Austin ProVisors group, is on the Economic Development Steering Committee and is Vice Chair for the Entrepreneurship Council for the Austin Chamber of Commerce, and is an active philanthropist in the Austin community. She is on the board of Explore Austin and a Hat Trick Society Member with the 4ATX Foundation, the community outreach arm of the Austin FC MLS Team. Sarah is an Austin Habitat for Humanity 10x10 Women Build alumni.

Sarah & her husband Dean are both alumni of the University of Texas at Austin, mega fans of Austin FC Verde & Black, and have two girls, Joy & Nora. Sarah coaches youth soccer and enjoys hiking and traveling with her family.

Ladd Hirsch

Partner | Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP

Ladd Hirsch is a solution-oriented trial attorney with more than 40 years of experience representing companies and high net worth business clients in complex litigation cases and arbitration matters. Ladd is tenacious and pragmatic in both the courtroom and boardroom in seeking results that meet his clients’ short and long-term business objectives.

Ladd has extensive experience prosecuting and defending complex business litigation matters, including disputes involving claims for breach of contract, business fraud, violations of fiduciary duties, breach of non-compete covenants, theft of trade secrets and business defamation. He has litigated claims arising in real estate, manufacturing, oil and gas, healthcare, commercial lending, computer software and technology, construction, retail sales, insurance, multi-level marketing, beer distribution, food service, and video games.

Ladd has focused a significant portion of his practice on handling business divorce disputes and related litigation for majority owners and minority investors in substantial private Texas companies. In these matters, Ladd files and defends claims against fiduciaries (officers, directors, managers, general partners and trustees), including claims for breach of fiduciary duty, breach of the entity governance documents and shareholder derivative claims. In his practice, he regularly works with family law attorneys and their clients to assist them with a wide variety of business and complex property issues that arise in family law proceedings.

Ladd has tried cases to judgment in both state and federal courts, including federal courts located in New York and Chicago, and he has argued cases on appeal at both the state and federal levels in Texas. Ladd has also been retained in a number of matters by other attorneys to serve as an expert witness on the subject of recoverable legal fees.

Asma Ishaq

CEO | Shaklee Corp.

Asma Ishaq is the Chief Executive Officer of Liquid Collagen Acquisition Corp, a subsidiary of Shaklee Corporation—a role she assumed in July 2025 following the acquisition of Modere. Prior to this, Ms. Ishaq served as CEO of Modere, a global, live clean lifestyle brand of advanced science beauty and personal care, health and wellness, and household products. Ms. Ishaq became CEO of Modere less than one year after the global brand acquired her collagen/HA-based nutraceuticals company in 2017.

A thought leader in her industry, Ms. Ishaq was elected the Chairperson of the Collagen Stewardship Alliance in 2020. That same year, she was named NutraChampion by NutraIngredients in honor of her lifetime achievement as a pioneer of the natural products industry and the collagen space in particular.

In recognition of her contribution to the advancement of women in business, the WPO and JP Morgan Chase ranked Modere no. 1 on the annual 50 Fastest Growing Women-Led Companies list in 2021, where the company appeared in the top four for three consecutive years. In 2022, Ms. Ishaq was inducted in the Enterprising Women Hall of Fame and Ernst & Young named her winner of the illustrious EY Entrepreneur of the Year® 2022 Pacific Southwest Award.

Patrice Khawam

AI Table Expert | Co-Founder | Popins AI

Jaclyn Leibl-Cote

Panelist | President & CEO | Collette

Jaclyn Leibl-Cote is Collette’s Chief Executive Officer and President, only the fourth CEO – and its first female CEO – to head the 108-year-old company that is family-owned and operated. She leads Collette’s Executive and Strategic Leadership Teams, driving the global company’s strategic direction and its day-to-day operations with a laser focus on fulfilling Collette’s mission to enhance life’s journey by creating extraordinary travel experiences.  

Driven by the company values of Be Happy, Be Responsible, Be Trailblazers and Be the Legacy, Jaclyn builds collaborative and innovative teams that constantly curate the best travel experiences with the customer experience top of mind. From product evolution to brand positioning to tour delivery to our industry leading travel protection policy, she works tirelessly to ensure that Collette provides the best possible experience it can to our travelers, our employees, our partners and to the communities in which we live, work and travel. Jaclyn's leadership successfully steered the company through a global pandemic, with Collette emerging stronger and more dynamic than ever before.  

A 20-year Collette veteran, Jaclyn has held leadership positions and filled roles in varied departments such as tour management, product design, call center, customer experience, people and culture, information technology, and marketing. With her deep understanding of every team and how they contribute to the company’s collective goals, she is continually evolving Collette to meet the modern traveler’s ever-changing expectations. 

Jaclyn holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications from the University of Rhode Island and an MBA from Babson College. An avid supporter of women’s health initiatives, she is the Chair of the American Heart Association’s Go Red for Women Executive Leadership Committee and serves on the URI Arts & Sciences Advisory Council. Her absolute favorite spot is New Zealand, but her favorite role in life is the mother of three wonderful children (twins, Dylan and Brody, and daughter, Ashley) who also love exploring the world. 

Kate Loughran

Managing Director | Bridgepoint

Kate Loughran joined Bridgepoint in 2021 as a Managing Director based in Denver, where she co-leads the firm’s Industrials practice with a focus on the Manufacturing and Materials sectors. With over 15 years of M&A advisory and capital-raising experience, Kate has successfully guided more than 50 transactions totaling over $150 billion in deal value. Before Bridgepoint, she served as a Director in Bank of America’s Global Industrials Group, delivering exceptional outcomes for clients in chemicals, materials, and manufacturing. Kate holds a BSBA from Georgetown University.

Kate is passionate about advancing women in finance and has been recognized by Mergers & Acquisitions as a one of the Most Influential Women in Mid-Market M&A (2024) and by The Global M&A Network as one of the Top USA Women Leaders & Dealmakers (2024.)

Outside of work, Kate is an avid traveler, skier, and mountaineer. She’s visited 56 countries, climbed 42 of the 50 U.S. high points, and is actively pursuing the Seven Summits. Deeply committed to philanthropy in her Denver community, Kate is focused on causes related to disability awareness, adaptive sports, and representation in the outdoors. She volunteers with the Rocky Mountain MS Center as part of the Ambassador Committee and is a proud member of the Colorado Mountain Club and Good Shepherd Catholic Church.

Meghan Lynch

CEO and Strategic Partner | Six-Point Strategy

Meghan Lynch is the CEO and Strategic Partner of Six-Point Strategy. This nationally recognized brand strategy advisory helps generational family-owned businesses turn their reputation into a strategic asset, and turn transition from a moment of risk into a season of growth. For over 20 years, Meghan has served as a strategic advisor to multi-generational enterprises across sectors, from artisan food to advanced manufacturing, guiding them through brand evolution, leadership transitions, and market expansion.

Named an Enterprising Woman of the Year by Enterprising Woman Magazine, Meghan is a sought-after speaker for family business centers, peer groups, and leadership forums. She has also been a contributing writer to Family Business Magazine and FamilyBusiness.org, and co-hosts the Building Unbreakable Brands podcast on generational leadership with her 10-year-old son, Henry. An endurance runner and lifelong student of high-performance leadership, Meghan brings clarity, resilience, and deep strategic insight to every engagement.

Dr. Sara Mahdavi

Clinician Scientist & Adjunct Professor

Dr. Sara Mahdavi is an International Scholar at Harvard and a Clinician Scientist and Adjunct Professor at the University of Toronto’s Temerty Faculty of Medicine. She holds a doctorate in gene-environment interactions and cardiometabolic disease from the University of Toronto, a Master’s in exercise physiology, and undergraduate degrees in nutrition and marine biology from Western University.

As the founding president of DNA Doctors Wellness Institute, she specializes in personalized medicine and holistic health. A visionary leader, Dr. Mahdavi translates complex science into practical tools for a healthier future.

Patrick O’Hare

AI Table Expert | Co-Founder | PROMPTLAB AI

Dr. Natalie Perkins

Founder & CEO | PAUZ

Natalie Perkins is a public health expert, behavioral scientist, and the founder of PAUZ, a women's wellness platform reimagining how midlife and menopause care is delivered. Founded by Dr. Natalie Perkins, PhD, PAUZ connects women with menopause-certified NPs for assessment and treatment—hormone, non-hormone, and lifestyle. With dietitians, therapists, and coaches, PAUZ provides expert, compassionate care so every woman can reclaim her health and grab life by the ovaries.

Holly Roland

Founder | Rebel GTM

Holly Roland teaches AI for go-to-market strategy at Stanford Continuing Studies and is the founder of Rebel GTM, where she helps companies turn AI into a practical engine for growth. 

She works with leaders to move beyond experimentation and use AI to improve execution, streamline decision-making, and increase revenue leverage across teams. 

With experience spanning major technology companies and startups, Holly is known for cutting through vendor noise and focusing on what actually works in the real world. At WPO, she will share how CEOs can apply AI in ways that boost growth, strengthen teams, and avoid the trap of simply layering more tools onto existing work. 

Katie Rucker

Co-Owner, Strategic Insight & Foresight Partner | MacKenzie

Katie Rucker is a second generation family business leader, strategic foresight practitioner, and endlessly curious question asker who co leads MacKenzie with her twin sister, evolving the insights and foresight consulting firm their father founded more than 40 years ago. Her work sits at the intersection of human insight, future thinking, and generational leadership. As a speaker and facilitator, Katie is known for sparking conversations that challenge assumptions, expand perspective, and help leaders imagine bold new possibilities for the future of their businesses.

Nancy Stango

Founder | Reaching Velocity

Laura Wellon

Managing Director–Wealth Management & Financial Advisor | UBS

Laura Wellon has been with UBS since 2001, bringing over 23 years of industry experience. Known for her sharp listening skills and problem-solving approach, she delivers personalized service to clients navigating major life transitions—whether it's selling a business, retiring, or adapting after a major life event like divorce or widowhood (suddenly single). Laura steps into her clients’ shoes, understanding their unique needs, and builds tailored strategies to help them achieve their goals. Her commitment to financial planning goes beyond the basics, providing holistic solutions that cover every aspect of their financial life.

Certified as an Exit Planner (CEPA®), Laura specializes in helping business owners and their families transition out of their companies, ensuring a smooth process both financially and emotionally. With additional credentials like the Series 7 and 66, as well as her Portfolio Management Professional (PMP) certification, she’s well-equipped to deliver comprehensive wealth management.

Beyond her work, Laura serves on various boards, including the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. She's actively involved with organizations such as the MIT AgeLab, Arete, and the Women Presidents’ Organization. She and her husband, Rob, are proud parents of four children—Parks, Tyler, Patton, and Carson—and in her free time, she loves playing tennis, traveling, playing with their dogs and enjoying quality time with her family on Lake Oconee