Janice is a founder of several successful organizations. Her educational background is computer engineering, with an MBA and a second master’s in International Development. She is the founder and former CEO of a multi-national nonprofit organization focused on the attraction and retention of women and girls to technology careers. She created and led multiple inclusive programs that engaged, empowered, and supported women and girls, particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds. These programs include hands-on technology workshops and mentorship for teen girls, conferences for women in technology to help them expand their network, find jobs, and learn new skills in hands-on workshops, and community events. In addition, she created training for technology companies to improve their inclusivity and support of diverse employees and for women around issues such as imposter syndrome. Since moving to Europe in 2020, she’s focused on consulting for nonprofits. Recent projects include working with a Kenyan NGO to improve the impact of a young woman-focused code school program and supporting refugee-focused organizations through strategic and operational support. She joined Wevise in late 2022 and is excited to be a part of kicking off an organization that has the potential to change so many lives.
25+ years successful experience providing entrepreneurial, business development, marketing, technical and strategic leadership in uniquely challenging situations from start-ups to public sector to Fortune 500 organizations.
Dynamic, detail oriented professional with strong track record of performance in turnaround and high paced organizations driving revenue to new heights. Passionate, results-oriented leader with expertise in marketing, direct sales, new business development, professional services, government contracting, information technology and team building in both private and public sectors. Proven ability to partner across organizational boundaries to support goals and objectives for multiple business units with extensive experience building professional services teams to engineer and deliver sophisticated solutions. Superior interpersonal and presentation skills, capable of resolving complex issues and motivating cross-functional teams to peak performance.
I am currently Founder and President at Global Orbital Imaging AI Systems & Technology. GOIAST8 LLC is a proven, development partner to government intelligence agencies supporting advance satellite imaging applications. GOIAST8 develops and leverages the latest AI technologies and advanced imaging systems to support our clients' missions.
I also serve as Committee Chair Emeritus to Scout Troop 589 in Victoria, MN. Troop 589 has been a leader in inclusivity in the Minneapolis and Upper Midwest region. Since 2006, we have grown from an inspired core of a dozen Scouts to a group of 100+ young men and women and 200+ adults passionate about youth leadership and outdoor skills.
Travaughn (Kemjika) Akogu is a Nigerian-American Business Leader born and raised in Chicago Illinois. He attended the University of Illinois Urbana Champaign College of Business. Though born in Chicago, he has spent the majority of his adult life in New York City with brief stents in Minneapolis and San Francisco.
He is veteran within the Marketing/Tech space with more than 15 years of experience (10+ as a manager, 5+ in Senior Leadership VP and above). Respective roles have been across Big 3 agencies (WPP, Publicis, etc), Technology Firms (Microsoft & Apple) and Publishers (Fortune) just to name a few.
Outside of work, Travaughn is a lover of Art, Music and Travel. He is also a Photographer and a Martial Art (Shuri-Ryu) practitioner who has practiced for over 20 years.
Ted Emerson is an experienced HR executive from the Greater Orlando area, with a career spanning over two decades at companies like Amazon and Disney. Specializing in Talent Development and HR Management, he’s fluent in English and conversational in Spanish. Ted’s experience covers diverse sectors, including technology and hospitality. At Amazon, he managed HR for a large group, focusing on improving efficiency. His other roles at Flexport, Bloomin' Brands Inc., Verifone, and Disney involved enhancing HR processes and people management. Ted holds an MBA and a bachelor's degree in Management Information Systems from the University of South Florida. He is adept with tools like Workday, Lattice, and Tableau, and has a history of streamlining management and advancing learning programs. Beyond work, Ted enjoys family life, spending time with his spouse, their dogs, and extended family. He and his spouse, pet parents for 20 years, are in the process of adopting their first child. This personal dedication adds depth to his understanding of work-life balance and inclusive work environments.
For more than two decades, Cyrus has passionately pursued social impact through systemic changes and technological innovation in emerging communities. Born in Bangladesh, and a new immigrant to the US, Cyrus has worked with tech companies, nonprofits, NGOs, philanthropies, and governments in over 25 countries, has successfully launched and scaled multiple ventures, and advised hundreds of organizations on sustainable social impact. He has a BA in Economics from SUNY Purchase, an MPA in Public Policy & Evaluation from Marxe School of Public & International Affairs, and an Executive MBA from Zicklin Business School. He's the CEO/Co-Founder of Quantibly, the first platform to operationalize impact data for the global impact ecosystem.
Kim Lonas is a professional in diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). Currently serving as the global diversity and inclusion program lead for DCC Technology / Exertis Group, she has been instrumental in developing and implementing Exertis' DEI strategy, impacting c. 5000 employees. Her role emphasizes embedding ownership and accountability within business units through local leadership and Exertis’ global diversity & inclusion council. With a rich cultural experience encompassing numerous countries such as France, Ireland, Sweden, the U.K., and many more, Kim brings a global perspective to her work in DEI. Her speaking engagements are marked by practical knowledge, drawing from her extensive experience in various cultural contexts.
Kim holds a Stanford University certificate on "Leverage Diversity and Inclusion for Organizational Excellence." This program has equipped her with advanced strategies and insights into leveraging diversity to drive organizational success. Additionally, Kim earned a certificate from Cornell University in "Diversity and Inclusion for HR," which underscores her deep understanding of integrating diversity and inclusion principles in human resources practices. Complementing these achievements is her SHRM-CP designation.
Kim has been a prominent speaker at notable industry events, including Integrated Systems Europe. She is a seasoned panelist, frequently participating in discussions related to DEI, sharing her knowledge and experiences, inspiring and educating audiences on the importance and implementation of diversity and inclusion in the workplace.
Megan is a product and education executive. She has been working in the fields of online education and edtech for more than 10 years as a teacher, instructional designer, and product manager, and most recently as the Chief Product Officer at a career change education school for tech fields. She’s interested in improving educational outcomes and creating equitable experiences for learners from all different backgrounds and believes that helping people move forward in their careers is both incredibly rewarding and important, especially in terms of increasing representation at all levels of organizations.
Casey is a neurodivergent ops nerd with a passion for building teams and supporting people-centered change. She currently works within Mastercard's Cyber & Intelligence division as a vice president of strategy and operations. Casey lives in the Pacific Northwest with her family and spends her free time reading, seeking out dark roast espresso cappuccinos, and taking in the stunning local scenery.
Josie Weitzel is a business executive, currently holding key leadership positions across multiple organizations. With over 15 years of experience in operational management, her roles encompass Chief Operating Officer, Chief of Staff to the CEO, and Consultant. In these multifaceted roles, Josie oversees diverse responsibilities, including project management, strategic planning, merger integration, human resources, information technology services, and general management.
Josie's primary objective is to drive continuous operational excellence while aligning with the organization's overarching vision and mission.
Josie earned a Bachelor's Degree in Communication Sciences from Università degli Studi Roma Tre in Italy. She is currently pursuing an Executive Master's Degree in International Business at Florida Atlantic University. Furthermore, Josie holds a rich portfolio of certifications in key areas, such as operational excellence, program management, change management, process improvement, lean six sigma, crisis management, and event management.
Beyond her professional endeavors, Josie actively engages with her community by serving as a Board Member and Advisor for multiple non-profit organizations. Her diverse interests extend to music, mentoring teens, and advocating for orphaned children.
