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POWERUP DC 2020

Bios of Speakers, Moderators & Panelists In order of appearance

Opening Session

LINDA WHARTON BOYD Linda Wharton Boyd, Ph.D., Director of Communications, External Affairs and Strategic Partnerships – Dr. Wharton Boyd joined the Exchange’s senior management team from the DC Department of Health (DOH), where she had been the Senior Advisor, Communications and External Affairs, and helped the agency establish a social media presence. Prior to this appointment, she was detailed to the Exchange to assist in communications and media relations. She earlier served as Director of Communications in the DC Executive Office of the Mayor for Mayor Vincent C. Gray, and was a member of the Mayor’s Executive Cabinet and the official

spokesperson for the Mayor and the Government of the District of Columbia.

Linda Wharton-Boyd has spent much of her professional career working to improve the lives of District residents. She is a communications professional with a proven record of success in communications, marketing, public affairs, media relations, organizational development, strategic planning, and problem solving with the ability to effectively design, implement and manage internal and external communications and marketing programs, projects, information campaigns, promotions, as well as achieve organizational goals beyond expectations. In addition to her work at the Department of Health and the Executive Office of the Mayor, Wharton Boyd has also served as Chief of Staff/Chief Communications Officer for Councilmember Michael A. Brown; Chief Communications Officer for the DC Public Schools; Director of the Office of Communications and Public Affairs for the DC Department of Human Services/Office of the Deputy Mayor For Children, Youth, Elders And Families; Director of the DC Office of Cable Television and Telecommunications and Director of Communications / Press Secretary for DC Mayor Marion Barry.

With a wealth of experiences to draw upon in strategic communications, public relations, media, telecommunications and external affairs in both the public and private sectors, Wharton Boyd is responsible for building the Health Benefit Exchange’s strategic communications and partnership engagement across the city with various community-based organizations, to include nonprofits, faith based institutions, and diverse populations. She will also serve as the liaison to the Council of the District of Columbia, District government agencies, Federal agencies and the White House.

She holds a Ph.D. in Communications and Master’s in Speech Communications from the University of Pittsburgh as well as professional Certified Municipal Manager designation from George Washington University Trachtenberg School of Public Policy and Public Administration.

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MILA KOFMAN, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Mila Kofman is the Executive Director of the DC Health Benefit Exchange Authority (DCHBX). She is a nationally recognized expert on private health insurance markets and regulation including the ACA, HIPAA, and ERISA. She has a record of successfully implementing federal and state health insurance reforms and building, revamping, and leading organizations.

As DCHBX’s first employee, Kofman successfully built the organization that now has 100+ employees, with a

$30+million annual budget. Kofman has led policy initiatives and secured passage of legislation with unanimous support. She successfully guided the IT development of a State Based Marketplace (SBM) IT system for which there was no blueprint. Although DC was the last state to begin building its IT system, it was 1 of only 4 to open for business on time and stay open on October 1, 2013. Under Kofman’s leadership, DCHBX was recognized by AWS for Best Practices in Innovation (2016 and 2018), was selected by the Massachusetts Exchange to replace its technology for SHOP (first-in-the-nation SBM partnership), and ranks number one for consumer decision support tools.

From March 2008 - May 2011, Kofman was the Superintendent of Insurance in Maine. She was the first woman to serve as Superintendent of Insurance, and while confirmed by a party-line vote of the legislature in 2008, she was unanimously reconfirmed in 2010. While on faculty at Georgetown University studying private health insurance markets, Kofman published 30+ articles in peer reviewed publications, served as an expert witness, and provided advice to elected officials.

Kofman was named by the Washington Business Journal as one of 100 most powerful Washingtonians (2013). She has appeared on NPR, CNN, ABC News, CBS Evening News, and NBC Dateline and has been quoted in all national and many local news outlets, and trade press. She has testified before Congress and state legislatures.

Kofman holds a J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center (1996) and a B.A. in Government and Politics from the University of Maryland (1993), summa cum laude.

JOHN FALCICCHIO

On July 2, 2019 Mayor Muriel Bowser announced the appointment of John Falcicchio as the Interim Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development. Mr. Falcicchio has served as the Mayor’s Chief of Staff since the start of her Administration after volunteering as a campaign advisor and director of Mayor-elect Bowser’s transition. Mr. Falcicchio previously served as a Senior Vice President of DKC, a New York based public relations firm; as a Regional Political Director for the Democratic National Committee during the re-election of President Obama; and as

a long-time aide to former Mayor Adrian Fenty.

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ANTONIO DOSS (DCHL PARTNER, PANELIST)

Antonio Doss has a passion for serving and supporting the community and economic development needs of entrepreneurs and underserved communities. Throughout his career in government, community development, and finance, he has established a reputation for leadership integrity and a commitment to helping others grow.

Mr. Doss was appointed District Director of the U.S. Small Business Administration’s (SBA) Washington Metropolitan Area District Office (WMADO) in December, 2013. As WMADO District Director, Mr. Doss and his team provide business development assistance to SBA’s largest portfolio of firms participating in the 8(a) business development program. Among the office’s accomplishments is the issuance of more than $6 billion in contract

offer letters annually. Additionally, as District Director, he oversees the delivery of SBA’s small business financing products, contracting programs, and entrepreneurial coaching services. The WMADO market area includes Washington, DC, Northern Virginia, and Suburban Maryland.

Prior to his current role, Mr. Doss served as director of the SBA Office of Grants Management where he administered a $250 million portfolio of cooperative agreement grants. From 2004 to 2011, as Associate Administrator for SBA’s Office of Small Business Development Centers, he led the SBA’s largest business coaching program overseeing the $110 million Small Business Development Center grant program and its 900 service centers located across the nation and U.S. territories.

Before to coming to SBA, Mr. Doss was a senior vice president at Bank of America where he managed the bank’s community development program in the Mid-Atlantic Region. Under his leadership, the bank received the highest ratings from the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency for its commitment and demonstrated results in community reinvestment. While at Bank of America, Mr. Doss also managed SBA lending teams, branch offices, a consumer lending product group, and championed overall mortgage and real estate lending to low- and moderate-income communities.

Mr. Doss earned a bachelor’s degree in management from Robert Morris College. He is also a graduate of Leadership Maryland and the Consumer Bankers Association’s Graduate School of Bank Management, at the University of Virginia.

AJAY MADAN Ajay Madan is a Principal and the Chief Operating Officer of OST. He serves as the overall corporate strategist, providing day-to-day leadership and management of a technology and solutions organization committed to the company’s mission and core values. A key part of his role is to define, manage, and improve the core processes OST employees follow in delivering exceptional value to their customers.

As Chief Operating Officer, Ajay orchestrates all OST operating units, including solution delivery, corporate shared services, and growth

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operations. By keeping a persistent focus on delivering customer value, he leads teams in the identification and integration of new ideas and innovative approaches into OST processes and solutions.

He spent several years working in the government at the federal, state and local levels. He served as senior advisor for the U.S. Treasury’s Financial Management Service, overseeing several multi-billion dollar financial programs and treasury management systems. He then served as a project director for the Joint Financial Management Improvement Program, under which his team received Vice President Gore’s “Hammer Award” for working to reinvent government. When the DC Government experienced significant financial difficulty, Ajay separated from federal service to work as the first Deputy CIO for the D.C. Government’s Chief Financial Officer. Later, Mr. Madan was a Research Fellow for the Sensitive Assessment Center at the Logistics Management Institute.

Ajay has been with OST since 1999, and has a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Finance, with a minor in Physics from SUNY Brockport.

He is the Chair of the D.C. Chamber of Commerce (and has been a member of the Executive Committee since 2012). He is currently active in the CEO Boardroom, the Association for Corporate Growth, Association of the US Army, and the Air Force Communication and Electronic Association. Mr. Madan has had several other committee appointments, including for the Greater Washington Board of Trade (GWBOT), the Association for Federal Information Resources Management (AFFIRM), Association of Financial Professionals (AFP), and the Association of Government Accountants (AGA).

Consistent with OST’s core value system, Mr. Madan puts a premium on attracting and retaining outstanding people who are creative, fact-driven, and who approach their work with a sense of passion and ownership.

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Special Remarks:

ROSIE ALLEN-HERRING (SPEAKER) Rosie Allen-Herring is a national expert on public private partnerships, philanthropy and business strategy. She currently serves as the President and Chief Executive Officer of United Way of the National Capital Area (United Way NCA). Rosie is recognized as a thought leader who demonstrates the ability to convene public private entities, to leverage talent and resources and create collective impact in communities across the region and beyond.

Rosie has more than 25 years of experience in the areas of corporate finance, strategic leadership, public and private partnerships, corporate philanthropy and community investment.

Formerly, Rosie was the Managing Director of the Community Investment and Engagement Division at Fannie Mae. In that role, she led Fannie Mae’s corporate philanthropic strategy, and oversaw the organization’s social responsibility investments and employee engagement efforts nationwide.

Prior to Managing Director at Fannie Mae, she served as the National Regulatory Compliance Manager, Housing & Community Development. She was also the Senior Deputy Director, Washington, DC Community Business Center.

Rosie developed, implemented and managed key business strategies for the Washington Metropolitan area, resulting in investments of more than $2 billion in the region.

Rosie holds key leadership roles with several business and civic organizations, including servingon the Board of Directors for the Greater Washington Board of Trade, MedStar Health, Inc., District of Columbia Chamber of Commerce, Washington Area Women’s Foundation, Girl Scouts Council of the Nation’s Capital; Board of Trustees at A.T. Still University, Prince George’s Community College Foundation and several additional organizations. She also served as a board member for Washington’s exploratory Olympic committee, Washington 2024.

She earned a B.A. in Economics from Howard University, an M.B.A. from Strayer University and was an International Fellow of the United States-Southern Africa Center for Leadership and Public Values at the University of Cape Town (SA) Graduate School of Business and Duke University Graduate School of Public Policy. She is also a graduate of the Harvard Business School’s Strategic Perspectives in Non-profit Management Program.

Rosie has been honored by many organizations, including: Prince George Community College Foundation’s Partnership Award (2016); Washington Business Journal’s Power 100 Top Business Leaders (2017, 2015, 2014 and 2013); Washington Business Journal Minority Business Leader (2015); Hope Awardee for Calvary Women’s Shelter (2015); Brava Top CEO Award (2014); Washingtonian Magazine’s Most Powerful Women (2015 and 2013) and Washington Business Journal’s Women Who Mean Business Award (2011). She exemplifies a “Servant Leader” philosophy in all she does.

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Session I: COVID-19 and Women Owned Businesses

KARIMA M. WOODS (MODERATOR)

Karima M. Woods was appointed Acting Commissioner of the District of Columbia Department of Insurance, Securities and Banking on January 21, 2020.

Woods previously served as the Director of Business Development and Strategy in the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development (DMPED), where she provided strategic leadership, stakeholder engagement

and global outreach to the business community. Ms. Woods has held several positions within DMPED, including Deputy Director of Business Development and International Business Manager, where she helped to shape signature business development initiatives, attract foreign direct investment and establish new business relationships with international markets. Her leadership has led to the successful execution of the Mayor’s economic strategy and helped to drive the District’s business attraction and retention efforts across key business sectors. Her work has also contributed to several policy outcomes, including increased investment in underrepresented entrepreneurs to address the human, social and financial capital that entrepreneurs need to grow and expand. Ms. Woods has served on several boards and commissions, including the Mayor’s Innovation Technology Inclusion Council, Washington DC Economic Partnership, Destination DC and the Greater Washington Board of Trade Council on Economic Development Officials.

Woods holds a M.B.A. from George Washington University and B.A. in law and society from the University of California at Santa Barbara.

Woods is married and lives with her husband and two daughters in Washington, DC.

MARGOT DORFMAN (PANELIST)

Margot Dorfman, CEO and Co-Founder, U.S. Women’s Chamber of Commerce is a visionary leader who has dedicated herself to promoting the economic and leadership interest of women. The U.S. Women’s Chamber of Commerce is a uniquely respected and influential national trade association promoting the advancement of women in work and business. Under Ms. Dorfman’s leadership, the U.S. Women’s Chamber of Commerce established: IVoteForWomen.org to focus women’s tremendous voting clout with supportive candidates who support women’s economic priorities.

Her extensive background in business, business ownership, publishing and nonprofit leadership has prepared Ms. Dorfman to set the vision for the U.S. Women’s Chamber of Commerce as a respected national third – party certifier for women – owned firms seeking government and large corporate contracts.

She is frequently called upon to provide expert testimony on behalf of women and America’s small businesses before the U.S. House and Senate and regularly provides keen insights on women’s personal and business

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economic interests at conferences across the U.S. the U.S. Women’s Chamber of Commerce has remained non – captive – free from large corporate and political financial influence. This independence empowers the U.S. Women’s Chamber of Commerce with the freedom to consistently take positions and actions that support women’s economic interests. Prior to her work with the Women’s Chamber, Dorfman founded Arizona Women’s News, Hispana News and the Greater Phoenix Chamber Business Connection.

LIZ SARA (PANELIST)

Elizabeth (Liz) Sara, National Women’s Business Council Chair is the

Founder and President of Best Marketing, LLC, where she consults for more than 90 small businesses in the high-tech sector, and serves as a

chief business advisor to entrepreneurs in creating and executing go-to market strategies. Previously, she played a principal role as Co-founder of

SpaceWorks, an eCommerce software company, where she facilitated its

startup and growth to nearly $25 million in revenue.

Ms. Sara recently completed her term as the first female Board Chair of the Dingman Center of Entrepreneurship at the University of Maryland’s Robert H. Smith School of Business.

She is also an Adjunct Professor of Marketing at the Smith School of Business. She is an angel investor, a mentor

to startup CEOs through many incubators and accelerators, and a frequent author and conference speaker on topics related to entrepreneurship and business. Ms. Sara holds her Bachelor’s degree from the State University

of New York and her Master’s degree from the University of Maryland.

LINDY CAMPBELL (ENTREPRENEUR, PANELIST)

Lindy Campbell is the founder and owner of Music on the Hill, one of only two

music stores in Washington DC,

Lindy Campbell studied classical percussion at Mt. Royal Conservatory in

Alberta, Canada. She teaches classical and mallet percussion and specializes in applying classical pedagogy and techniques to modern percussion instruments.

Lindy also has extensive experience teaching young children and brings that experience to the Preschool Ukulele and Mommy and Me classes. Her passion

for music education led her to found Music on the Hill in 2013, providing high

quality musical opportunities and tools to Washingtonians on the east side of the city.

Music on the Hill has been named a NAMM Top 100 Music Store for 3

consecutive years, 2016-2019. Lindy Campbell has been honored to be appointed to the Board of NAMM Young

Professionals in 2017, where she helped create a mentorship program for future leaders of the Music Industry.

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In 2019, she was asked to take leadership of the program, as NAMMYP's first Mentorship Officer. A passionate

advocate for music education, Lindy has worked with numerous DCPS and Public Charter Schools, helping them strengthen their music programs.

As a rising female entrepreneur, Lindy Campbell has never subscribed to industry norms, instead looking for

creative solutions designed to best suit her community. Her innovative approach to business has led to

invitations to speak at various music industry events, including NAMM and RPNDA.

Lindy is a proud to be raising her 8-year-old son in Washington DC, her favorite place in the world.

DENISE ROLARK BARNES (ENTREPRENEUR, PANELIST) Denise Rolark Barnes is the publisher of The Washington Informer, the award-winning community newspaper serving the African American community in the

Washington metropolitan area. In addition to her work at The Washington Informer,

Rolark-Barnes maintains The Washington Informer Charities, a non-profit organization that promotes literacy and sponsors internship opportunities and

writing competitions for students interested in pursuing careers in journalism. Rolark Barnes’ board memberships include Events DC, the United Black Fund and

the Maryland, Delaware, DC Press Association (MDDC), the National Newspaper

Publishers Association, the DC Martin Luther King Holiday Commission and the Commission on the 40th Anniversary of Home Rule.

She is also a member of Leadership Greater Washington and an inductee into the D.C. Hall of Fame. Rolark

Barnes is a graduate of Howard University and Howard University School of Law.

Denise Rolark-Barnes was born in Washington, D.C. Her father, Dr. Calvin W. Rolark, Sr., was the founder and

the editor of The Washington Informer; her stepmother, Wilhelmina J. Rolark, a politician and activist, served on the Council of the District of Columbia from 1976 to 1984. Rolark-Barnes was interested in writing at a young

age and first wrote for The Washington Informer while she was in middle school. After graduating from Howard

University in 1976 with her B.A. degree in communications, Rolark-Barnes enrolled in the Howard University School of Law where she became editor of The Barrister, the law schools’ student newspaper. Rolark-Barnes

graduated from the Howard University School of Law with her J.D. degree in 1979.

In 1980, Rolark-Barnes joined the staff of The Washington Informer and was assigned as the newspaper’s

managing editor. After working with her father, Dr. Calvin W. Rolark, she took over as publisher of The Washington Informer in 1994. Rolark-Barnes also served as the director of The Washington Informer Charities

and is the executive producer of “The Washington Informer News,” a bi-weekly television news program. In addition, she is the host of “Let’s Talk,” a public affairs program, and “Reporter’s Roundtable.” Rolark-Barnes

has appeared as a guest reporter on “The Tavis Smiley Show,” “Tony Brown’s Journal,” NBC-4’s “Reporter’s

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Notebook,” and several local radio and television programs.

Rolark-Barnes is the president of the District of Columbia chapter of AARP and is a member of the board of the

National Newspaper Publishers Association and the United Black Fund, Inc. She is actively involved with the District of Columbia Black Public Relations Society Foundation, the Historical Society of Washington, D.C., and

several other community non-profit organizations. Through The Washington Informer Charities, Rolark-Barns

sponsors the annual Washington Informer City-Wide Spelling Bee as well as internships and writing competitions for high school and college students interested in pursuing careers in journalism.

In March of 2008, Rolark-Barnes was honored by the National Newspaper Publishers Association with the

Chrysler Financial/National Newspaper Publishers Association Foundation Entrepreneurial Award, which recognizes the nation’s black-owned newspapers for their entrepreneurial accomplishments and commitments

to community service. In 2011, she received the Jack and Lovell Olender Foundation Generous Heart Award and

the Summit Health Institute for Research and Education (SHIRE) Community Champion Award. Rolark-Barnes lives in the Washington, D.C. with her husband, Lafayette Barnes and two sons.

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Session II: Young Entrepreneurs: Starting A Business

KEITH J. SELLARS (MODERATOR) Keith J. Sellars serves as President & CEO of the Washington DC Economic Partnership (WDCEP), a public-private partnership dedicated to promoting business opportunities throughout the District. During Mr. Sellars’ time at the WDCEP, he has undertaken attracting retail and restaurants to the District of Columbia and managed business development programs for the organization. He has successfully led initiatives that have attracted both national and local retailers to the District of Columbia including Target, Best Buy, Harris Teeter, Trader Joe’s, Apple, Whole Foods, and Costco, as

well as playing a significant role in developing the structures that have made the WDCEP a successful organization. Under his leadership, the capacity of WDCEP has doubled with the annual budget increasing from $500K to $4.8 million through increased fundraising efforts. He has also increased WDCEP engagement of tech sector programming initiating a tech start up mentor program, Accelerate DC, which launched at the end of 2013. WDCEP has also established integral partnerships with city government and organizations under his guidance including American Management Corporation, Bohler Engineering, Capital One Bank, Edens, Holland & Knight, JB Rosenfeld Retail, Microsoft, M&T Bank, Streetsense, United Bank, Urban Atlantic, Washington Gas, and Comcast. Mr. Sellars’ professional career includes 13 years with Whole Foods Markets, the country’s largest natural foods supermarket where he opened and managed stores throughout the United States, including California, Texas, Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota, North Carolina, and Washington, DC. Mr. Sellars’ experience also includes working with The Rappaport Companies of McLean, Virginia, where he managed a shopping center portfolio of more than 700,000 square feet in and around the Washington metropolitan region. Mr. Sellars has been recognized within the District government and the greater business community, and was most recently recognized as a Minority Business Leader by the Washington Business Journal. His professional associations include the International Council of Shopping Centers, Urban Land Institute, DC Building Industry Association, African American Real Estate Professionals (AAREP), and International Economic Development Council. He received his BA degree in Public Administration and Geography from North Carolina Central University and is a graduate of the Real Estate Apprenticeship Program (REAP).

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ANDREA HENCE EVANS (PANELIST) Andrea Hence Evans is owner of The Law Firm of Andrea Hence Evans, LLC, an intellectual property law firm. She is a graduate of The George Washington Law School in Washington, DC. She is a graduate of Spelman College and Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta, GA, where she obtained a Bachelor’s of Science in Mathematics and a Bachelors of Civil Engineering, respectively. Prior to launching the Firm, she worked at the USPTO as both a Patent Examiner and a Trademark Examining Attorney. She also is the owner of KidGINEER, LLC, a hands-on science and enrichment program for children. She is a member of the Texas bar and the US Supreme Court bar. She is also a registered Patent Attorney. She is an award-winning author of All About Inventing and All About Trademarks.

She can be found on social media platforms @evansiplaw.

NECOLA Y. SHAW (ENTREPRENEUR, PANELIST)

Necola Y. Shaw, M.C.A., AASBC District of Columbia Small Business Development Center Business Consultant Ms. Shaw has over 25 years of experience in business development, certification, contract compliance, procurement management, administration, and the establishment and/or retooling of organizations and departments/divisions at the government and private sector levels geared towards the enhancement of contracting opportunities for the small, local, minority and women-owned business programs. As an entrepreneur and independent consultant (The Shaw Consulting Group), she continues to focus on assisting in the development of and building capacity for the business community to ensure their overall success. She has been deemed a subject matter expert in areas addressing economic development and has served her community as an elected official for the District of Columbia as an

Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner (ANC).

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YOUTH BUSINESS OWNERS

NYA AND ZURI (YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS, PANELISTS)

Ingredients You Could Eat hunnybunny is a boutique manufacturer and retailer specializing in all-natural bath and beauty products. Each item is handmade with care and superior ingredients. Because skincare and haircare products are absorbed into your bloodstream like food, hunnybunny only uses natural and healthy ingredients to nourish your skin. Many of our ingredients are food-based items you will find in your own kitchen.

GABRIELLE JORDAN (YOUNG ENTREPRENEUR, PANELIST) Gabrielle Jordan founded Jewelz of Jordan, a Maryland-based jewelry company, in 2009. Jewelz of Jordan features One-of-a-Kind, Limited Edition and Custom Handcrafted pieces comprised of gemstones, crystals, and cultured pearls. Each piece represents Gabrielle’s desire to develop a sense of ageless beauty and elegance inspired by the women in her life.

Gabrielle began creating jewelry at the age of 7 after watching an instructional video on YouTube. She originally sold her designs to friends and family, but after launching her business, Gabrielle expanded her platform to sell at local seminars and workshops. Now, Jewelz of Jordan jewelry can be found online, in boutiques, trunk shows, fashion shows and live events throughout the country.

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Session III: Small Business Development and Resources during COVID-19

CARL BROWN (MODERATOR)

Carl Brown is the current State/Executive Director for DC Small Business

Development Center (DC SBDC) at Howard University. Mr. Brown has written legislation in support of strengthening minority business programs and contract

compliance. He has served as a human relations commissioner in Prince George’s

and Montgomery counties, Maryland, and is a graduate of Leadership Montgomery in Montgomery County.

Mr. Brown’s professional background includes executive leadership and

management positions: executive director at the Center for Minority Business

Development at Prince George’s Community College; director of civil rights and acting assistant general manager for the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit

Authority (WMATA); senior contracts manager at Verizon Communications; director of human resources at Pepsi-Cola of Washington; senior purchasing agent,

Maryland National Capital Park and Planning Commission; and procurement specialist at the U.S. Patent and

Trademark Office.

He earned a master's degree from University of Maryland University College; a bachelor's degree from Howard University; a master's certificate in Human Resource Management from University of Maryland University

College; and a certificate in Leadership Development from the University of Maryland Executive Leadership

Institute. Brown is the recipient of numerous awards and citations for his work in the community and with minority-owned businesses.

ANTONIO DOSS (PANELIST, View Bio)

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RODERICK JOHNSON (PANELIST) Roderick (Rod) Johnson is a native Washingtonian with over 30 years of experience in Not-for-Profit Board governance (Chairman, Treasurer and Secretary) and Commercial/ Business Banking lending experience (Not-for-Profit, Government Contracting and Commercial Real Estate) as a Credit Analyst, Relationship Manager, Loan Workout Specialist and Team Leader.

He holds a Bachelor’s of Science Degree in Business Administration and a Master’s of Science Degree in Financial Management. Rod currently is a Lending Relations/Small Business Development Center Project Officer for the SBA District Office in Washington, D.C. serving the Washington, D.C. Metropolitan Area. Rod has been an American Council on Exercise Certified Personal Trainer for the last 26 years. Join him for a workout at LA Fitness or Planet Fitness in Alexandria.

KRISTI WHITFIELD (PANELIST, View Bio)

PETER A. ABRAHAMS (PUBLISHER/MARKET PRESIDENT, WASHINGTON BUSINESS JOURNAL)

Peter Abrahams, former publisher of DC magazine and a veteran of the D.C. media scene, has been named publisher and market president of the Washington Business Journal.

According to WBJ, Abrahams, 53, will take over Nov. 1 from James MacGregor, who has served in the role for four years. MacGregor was recently named vice president of local markets for American City Business Journals Inc., the parent company of WBJ.

The WBJ post stated that “Abrahams was the founding publisher of DC magazine, a monthly luxury magazine that debuted in 2005, for 12 years. He was also a partner in Atlanta-based Modern Luxury, which publishes the magazine and other titles around the country.

“He left Modern Luxury in 2017 for a major career shift: He took over as president for Distillery No. 209, where he led efforts to expand the San Francisco gin distillery’s sales and distribution.

“Abrahams also was vice president for 12 years at The Magazine Group, a D.C.-based custom publisher, and district manager for Hanley Wood, a business-to-business publisher based in D.C.”

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VIDA ALI (OWNER AND FOUNDATION PRESIDENT, BEN’S CHILI BOWL, PANELIST)

Vida Ali was born in Trinidad &Tobago, where her parents raised her with the philosophy that “it takes a village” and “always treat everyone as family.” In her own words, “We never closed our doors. As little as we had, we always shared.”

As a child, Vida moved with her family to the Washington, DC area. She began her work life at Ben’s Chili Bowl, the iconic Washington, DC restaurant that was opened in 1958 by Ben and Virginia Ali. In 1984, she relocated to Los Angeles with her husband, Sage Ali. Vida quickly jumped into the music business, first at Virgin Records and then at Capitol Records in Hollywood. In 1992, Vida left Capitol, and

in partnership with Sage, she launched her own company, Vida Media Group.

As one of the entertainment industry’s most highly respected publicists, Vida spearheaded national and international media campaigns for numerous recording artists. Her work was critical to the success of superstar MC Hammer, and her campaign helped his career to explode. Over the years, Vida worked with many other legendary artists, including Rachelle Ferrell, Paul McCartney, Garth Brooks, Lenny Kravitz, Janet Jackson, Tina Turner, Prince, Bonnie Raitt, The Beastie Boys, Megadeath, Poison, Grover Washington, Jr., The Whispers, The Beach Boys, Bebe and CeCe Winans, and many more. Vida continued to work with her DC family business by setting up national media campaigns from her VMG West Coast office to bring special attention to the 40th, 45th, 50th and 55th Anniversary celebrations of Ben’s Chili Bowl. Also, we worked with many non-profit organizations such as Make-A- Wish Foundation to help make difference.

After spending over 25 years in the entertainment business in Hollywood, Vida returned to Washington, DC in 2009 following the death of founder Ben Ali. She is currently working with the family to forward the expansion of the Ben’s Chili Bowl brand as well as the continuation of its legacy in the DC community and beyond. Over the past 60 years, Ben’s has been a significant part of DC history and culture, and Vida’s impact on the brand has been tremendous in terms of publicity and media relations as well as operations.

With all her credentials and experience, Vida is best known for her great integrity and work ethic. Her positive attitude and deep commitment to excellence in everything she undertakes always inspires and brings out the best in those around her. Vida truly cares about people, and as a result, she is masterful at creating a cooperative and mutually supportive team environment in which everyone takes pride in excellence and everyone wins. She has often been referred to as being “the calm in the center of the storm” because she makes doing a great job look easy and fun. Vida strives daily to spread joy in people’s lives. As Gandhi said, “In a gentle way, you can shake the world.”

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STACI LEE BANKS (PRESIDENT AND CO-OWNER, LEE’S FLOWERS AND CARD SHOP, PANELIST)

Stacie’s passion lies in designing flowers. With over 25 years of experience, she has designed for numerous events including the various 2001 Presidential Inauguration Balls, in which she, along with a national team of renowned florists, designed hundreds of beautifully exquisite centerpieces. Stacie’s unmatched talents were also tapped for an international wedding in Avignon, France. The floral designs for this wedding had the distinction of being featured in a 2006 issue of Wedding Style Magazine. Stacie holds a degree in Management from Howard University’s School of Business. She has served as President, Vice President, Treasurer and Secretary of the Teleflora International local unit, serving Washington D.C., Maryland, and Northern Virginia. During her tenure as President, the unit was awarded the prestigious honor of “Most Outstanding Unit”.

In 2000, she was inducted into the Society of American Florist’s Academy of American Floriculture in West Palm Beach, Florida. In 2007, Stacie was appointed to the Society of American Florist’s Consumer Marketing Committee Stacie recently completed 17 years serving on the board of Martha's Table 1997-2014 where she held several positions. She was chair of the Directorship Committee and was Board secretary. In 2014, Stacie was invited to join the newly formed Ambassador's council for the N Street Village. In 2014, Stacie was appointed by Mayor Muriel Bowser to her transition team on the Economic Development and Jobs committee. In 2015, Stacie joined the board of the Potomac Preparatory Public Charter School. She serves on the Finance committee as well as the Nominations/Directorship committee. Currently, Stacie is serving her second year on the Woolley Mammoth Theater's Spring Gala committee.

PATRICK FLYNN (BUSINESS OWNER, PATRICK PET CARE, PANELIST)

Patrick’s Pet Care founder, Patrick Flynn, has been an animal lover since before he could walk. He grew up in a household known for taking in unwanted pets and providing a safe, loving home for them. There was rarely a time growing up when Patrick’s house didn’t have an extra animal (or five). Often the visitors were dogs and cats, but there were also appearances by other species like birds, hamsters, fish, snakes, and once a very large snapping turtle. Patrick’s family even took care of horses a few times – but they didn’t stay with them! Not all of the animals that Patrick’s

family cared for were cute, cuddly and well behaved. Some had been abused, some had been taught bad habits,

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and some were just mean. But over the years Patrick learned that if you provide consistently humane treatment and really communicate with the animal, even the most frustrating cases will cooperate.

PAOLA MOYA (BUSINESS OWNER, MOYA DESIGN PARTNERS, PANELIST)

Paola Moya is a visionary leader driven by innovative designs, collaborative environments, and thoughtful placemaking. As the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Moya Design Partners, she oversees the studio‚ operations, strategic planning, and executive responsibilities, while also playing an active role in the design, evolution, and life of every project. She has a broad design expertise, ranging from architecture, interiors, and environmental design to product and graphic design.

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Closing Session:

ANTONIO DOSS (View Bio)

KRISTI WHITFIELD (SPEAKER)

Kristi Whitfield is an executive, an entrepreneur, and an urban planner with over 20 years of experience implementing change. Kristi grew up in Columbia MD. As the product of this planned community, Kristi believes deeply in the impact that place and opportunity has on the well-being of individuals and communities. Because of this, Kristi has spent her career helping move people up the economic ladder in one way or another. She has built affordable housing for vulnerable families. She has designed and implemented classes for aspiring entrepreneurs. She taught classes on economic literacy and micro-business startups. She administered a $65 million pool of funds

dedicated to improving neighborhoods. She created training opportunities to help current employees get better paying jobs. Each of her jobs has focused in one way or another on access and/or opportunity. Kristi joined the ranks of entrepreneurs in 2006 first as a consultant, then at the helm of a transportation and logistics company, and most recently as the co-founder of Curbside Cupcakes. Based on these experiences, Kristi is passionate about driving resources to small businesses and helping them grow.

Kristi lives in Washington DC with her husband Sam and their two boys.

MILA KOFMAN (View Bio)