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Ann Marie Sorrell is the President and CEO of The Mosaic Group, a full service marketing, public relations and event management firm. Under Ann Marie’s leadership, The Mosaic Group have obtain contracts with many organizations including state agencies Florida Department of Environmental Protection, South Florida Water Management District, nonprofits like Big Brothers Big Sisters, and corporate companies AECOM. Ann Marie received a BS degree in Healthcare Management from Florida A& M University and a MBA from Nova Southeastern University.  She is an adjunct professor at Palm Beach State College where she teaches Principles of Business, Small Business Management and Human Relations.  Ann Marie currently serves as a Board Member for the Paragon Foundation, Pace Center for Girls and the Black Chamber of Commerce of Palm Beach County. She also serves as the Chair for the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. She has held several leadership positions as a volunteer including the Urban League of Palm Beach County, Co-

Sherry Snipes is a dynamic authority on diversity and inclusion who is passionate about the changing face of the world and changes facing the world.  She has the unique experience of leading diversity initiatives at public and non-profit organizations where she has been responsible for all aspects of diversity and inclusion from design and implementation to re-engineering, including launching multiple women’s leadership and diversity training programs.  Sherry currently leads diversity programming at the American Institute of Architects.  She previously held the role of Global Head of Diversity, Inclusion and Engagement for Arrow Electronics, Inc. Sherry is truly committed to creating a more diverse and inclusive world which lead her in 2012 to co-found the DANDI (diversity and inclusion) Awards which spotlights organizations and individuals truly making a difference towards creating a more diverse and inclusive world. In 2012 She founded the Global Diversity Collaborative, a start-up 501(c)3 focused on lev

Appointed by Mayor John Delaney, Omega Allen served as a member of the Northwest Jacksonville Trust Fund Advisory Committee for a decade.  She had the distinguished honor of serving as Committee Chair for three years.  The Committee administered and approved disbursement of $25 million of funding through the Better Jacksonville Plan, which was designated for Economic Development in areas North and West of the St. Johns River.  The primary focus of the Committee was to create jobs and enhance business development in the target areas. As a Certified General Contractor, she has been instrumental in the renovation of commerical property located in Downtown Jacksonville and at the Jacksonville International Airport.  As program manager for the City’s Neighborhood Stabilization Program (NSP), with a $26.2 million operating budget, Omega Allen provided oversight and direction for the purchase, renovation, and resale of more than 100 foreclosed upon properties.  The NSP served as a catalyst for revitalizing targeted

Ms. Jackson is presently the Minority/Small Business Enterprise Coordinator for Anne Arundel County, Md. She earned a degree in business administration from Howard University; and a Masters degree in urban regional planning from the University of Pittsburgh/School of Public & International Affairs. She has provided technical assistance to local governments and community-based organizations while working as an urban planner for the State of New York and Arlington County, Va. Ms Jackson worked for CPA firms and private economic development consultants in Washington, DC. Joanne provides marketing & development assistance to small businesses, minority contractors and non-profit organizations. She hosts the Minority Business Report which airs daily on Comcast 98/Verizon 38. The Minority Business Report highlights the accomplishments of women & minority businesses in Anne Arundel County; and provides information and resources to help small businesses grow and prosper.

Ms. Marble began a true SPIRITUAL journey back in 2007 an illness changed her focus.  Her spiritual hiatus was God's bridge for her to become more than just a "human doing" but also to know the importance of a "human being" . Throughout her liftetime, Ms. Marble has been passionate about people.  Anyone who knows Ms. Marble will describe her to you as a "Bridger" - uniting ideas, products, services and the like to those in the communities she serve and those individually who partner with her in different capacities; whether it be through network marketing initiatives or their own personal development processes.  As an international traveler, she connects with peoples of all levels and from all walks of life.  Ms. Marble honed her skills of creative bargaining and strategic planning during her many functions working in the private law practice field. Being the bridge between the legal exective and legal staffers was no easy feat.  Nonetheless, Ms. Marble was "effective" in her duties in creating superb practic

Jackie Perry is the executive director for Beaver Street Enterprise Center. (BSEC) . She came to the business incubator after a twenty-three year career in operations management and human resource development. She is a member of the board of directors for First Coast Business Alliance; Jacksonville Public Library and the Florida 8A Alliance. A graduate of Blueprint for Leadership, Jackie is also an alumni of Leadership Jacksonville class of 2011.   At BSEC, Jackie oversees operations and management for the 25,000 square feet facility which provides business assistance, business support services, as well as office space and infrastructure for new and emerging businesses. Jackie and her staff currently support 20 clients who consist of a diverse cluster of service, construction and IT related businesses. Clients have created over 2000 new jobs over the past ten years and have had an economic impact of over $250 million dollars over the past ten years.  In 2006, Jackie was named Jacksonville’s Advocate

Latoshia Hall has been a licensed Realtor since June 2002 and for the past 4 years working with REO and Short Sales.  Her number one goal is to provide all her clients top notch real estate services Powerhouse Realty is a full service Realtor company serving Northeast Florida offering 100% to all of our customers. We work with you from the start of the transaction to the very end, ensuring that we have a smooth closing. She actively takes part in ongoing training classes to ensure that she is up to date on any new changes that may occur in the real estate industry and PRIDES herself in being a Realtor to the STARS because in reality we all are just that, looking to achieve the American Dream. She enjoys working with first time buyers as she walks them through the home buying process from the very beginning to the end to ensure a pleasurable home buying experience. In this changing economy many sellers unfortunately are unable to sell their homes so I am also a Certified Distress Property Expert, which mean

Doreen Fentress is the Business Development Director of HAWORTH in the Washington, DC -Metro Area. She is responsible for business development, sales goal, management of sales team and sales distribution for Haworth Inc in Washington DC region which includes VA, MD, WVA and DC. Haworth, Inc., a world-class designer and manufacturer of office workspaces, is based in Holland, Michigan, operates in more than 120 countries, and employs 8,000 people. Mrs. Fentress experience is extensive as V.P. & Technical Director of Quality Technical Services for 19 yrs and Assistant Sales Manager for Chasens Business Interiors for 15 yrs. She has a Master's Degree from the University of Virginia - Darden Graduate School of Business Administration, a BFA degree in Design from Old Dominion University and an Interior design degree from the School of Arts from Virginia Commonwealth University. Doreen Fentress contact info: T: 202.478.7330 | Fax: 202.628.5235 | email: doreen.fentress@haworth.com 575 7th Street NW, Suite

Gregory (Greg) Upton has been in residential and commercial real estate since 1983, he takes pleasure in residential real estate. He has had the pleasure to work with Builders and Sellers, so he's familiar and experienced with all phases of real estate.  As a member of the National Association of Black Women in Construction (NABWIC) he brings knowledge to the organization from the real estate industry and how it can be a major part of the construction industry.  He enjoys the various contributions he brings representing NABWIC as a committee member of the New Jax Housing committee, working to eliminate the vacant housing issues that face Jacksonville, FL. He volunteers his time working with organizations that assists "at risk youths" in Jacksonville, FL. He enjoys ministry and spending time with his wife, Janet of 7 years; and takes in as much time as possible traveling and fishing.  Contact Greg Upton at gregupton1@gmail.com    

Anikka King, is a licensed financial professional with New York Life Insurance Company.  She has a mission to educate families and businesses to protect and grow their assets.  She has a B.S. degree in Secondary English Education and a M.S. in Instructional Systems Technology both from Indiana University, Bloomington.  Her platform and passion in life is education.  She sees education as the "equalizer" for each of us to move forward in life. She is the proud mother of 3 children: Joseph 17, Aunikah 14, and Kennedy 12.  Most of her spare time is spent at football, track, soccer, or school events.  She is very active in the empowerment of youth and continues to work as an advocate and volunteer. She is a proud member of Delta Sigma Theta Incorporated, a public service sorority and has worked throughout the city on several community outreach projects. Outside of being active in her community, her next steps include writing a book on Financial Literacy to families that have newfound wealth.  There's a major

Duval County’s Supervisor of Elections, Jerry Holland, was elected into office in the 2005’s Special  Election. He is honored in having the opportunity to serve the citizens of Duval County for the last seven  years and re-elected in 2011 without opposition.  Throughout Supervisor Holland’s term in office, he has registered 64,415 students in Countywide Student  Voter Registration Drives held each school year. Supervisor Holland’s goal is to introduce students to the  electoral process to strengthen the foundation of our Democracy and to continue educating future  generations. Supervisor Holland served as the 2002-2003 President of Jacksonville City Council during his first term on  the Council. Supervisor Holland earned his Master’s degree in Education and his Bachelor of Business  Administration in Transportation and Logistics form the University of North Florida. Supervisor Holland and his wife, Beverly, have one son, Brian, married to Kylie and are proud  grandparents.

Shelby M. Scales is the President & CEO of the Airport Minority Advisory Council (AMAC), an organization established nearly 30 years ago to promote the full participation of minorities and women in the aviation and airport contracting environment. Taking on this important role since August 1, 2011, Scales is serving as the organization’s first executive director from an airport’s Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) Program Office, the organization’s first African American female executive director, and one of the youngest. Previously, Scales served as the Small Business Program Officer for Raleigh Durham International (RDU) Airport, the nation’s 38th largest airport. She began the airport’s Historically Underutilized Business Program serving minority- and women-owned businesses, and the Small Emerging Business Assistant Loan Program for airport concessionaires. While at RDU, Scales joined AMAC and began a rapid acceleration of volunteer leadership positions within the organization. Most notable, Sca

Ken Hamilton assumed his duties at the Small Business Administration as the Assistant District Director for Business Development for the Northern Florida District in June 2006. In this capacity, he is responsible for supervising the district staff and overseeing the management and marketing of SBA certification programs for small businesses in within the 43 counties of Northern and Central Florida. These programs include the 8(a) program that consist of a portfolio of over 170 firms with a contract volume of over $640 million annually to 8(a) certified companies . His department is also responsible for monitoring and marketing other SBA certification programs for small businesses such as the HUBZone, Women Owned Small Businesses, and Service Disabled Veteran Owned Businesses programs. Contact Mr. Kenneth Hamilton at www.sba.gov or email kenneth.hamilton@sba.gov

Ms. Schultz is a Project Manager for Archer Western Construction LLC. She has been there for the past eight years working most recently on  SunRail Station Finishes 1 project in Orlando Florida. She has over 14 years working in the construction industry beginning her career at the JFK Airtrain Automated People Mover (APM) in NY, Atlanta Airport SkyTrain APM.  She has also worked on several NYCT Subway Station and Overhead Sign replacement on the Van Wyck Expressway in Queens NY. She has her undergrad and post graduate degrees of Civil Engineering & Construction Management from the former Brooklyn Polytechnic University, now NYU Polytechnic University.   Ms. Schultz was born in Guyana, South America and as believes it is imperative that we never forget where we come from and return to mentor and set a bar for those who will follow in our footsteps.   She doesn’t understand the concept of free time and is Vice President & Fundraising Chairperson for the Guyanese Association of Central Florida, and  

Nabwic Talks Dedra Owens, President and Founder of DOT Communications. With over 15 years of experience that includes delivering some of Washington DC's most high profile special events, Ms. Owens has established a solid network with local and national media. Her reputation for producing highly effective campaigns within African American markets has made her a sought after advisor and speaker. Prior to founding DOT Communications, Ms. Owens worked for UniWorld Group, Inc., the nation's longest-standing full-service multicultural agency, and at Golin/Harris Communications, one of the nations leading public relations firms. A native of Louisville, KY, she is a graduate of Howard University and resides in Washington, DC. She currently serves as the Vice-President of the Washington, DC Chapter of the Black Public Relations Society. DOT Communications' client list represents numerous industries and includes from Fortune 500 corporations to private foundations. In addition, DOT's clients cover some of the large

The President and CEO of Tailleur Couture Co., Marisa Taylor, is please to announce the launch of a designer safety toe work boot line.  Marisa has a background in construction and a graduate with her Masters in Construction Management from Drexel University.  As a woman in the construction industry Marisa noticed something was severely lacking when it came to personal protective equipment (PPE) for women especially centered on the work boots.  For Marisa this was a call to action. Safety is paramount but can’t it be fashion?  As a result Tailleur Couture Co. was born.   The focus of Tailleur Couture Co. is to provide women with fashionable options when it comes to safety toe work boots.   These safety toe work boots provide the standard protection when it comes to PPE but with some pizzazz.  The fashionable feminization of safety toe work boots is something women deserve. For more information go to http://www.tailleurcouture.com or email us at info@TailleurCouture.com Like us on Facebook www.facebook.com/

Representative Cynthia A. Stafford represents Florida’s 109th Legislative District. First elected to the Florida House in 2010 and subsequently re-elected to a second term in 2012, Rep. Stafford currently serves on the APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE, EDUCATION COMMITTEE, Civil Justice Subcommittee (Democratic Ranking Member), Business and Professional Regulation Subcommittee, Joint Legislative Auditing Committee and Select Committee on Gaming. As a freshman Legislator, Rep. Stafford was selected by the Speaker of the House in 2011 to serve as a member of the 2012 Presidential Primary Preference Selection Committee. Rep. Stafford has sponsored legislation to repeal the controversial Stand Your Ground law in the State of Florida. Rep. Stafford has served in the community for more than 25 years. She is an Attorney and Adjunct College Professor. For several years, Rep. Stafford worked with the Dade County Bar Legal Aid Society where she represented victims of domestic violence. She was also a Congressional Aide with

NABWIC Talks Radio - Guest YouthBuild Philadelphia Our guest this morning will be YouthBuild Philadelphia, we have the instructor Vee Johnson who will join us and share what YouthBuild Philadelphia is up to and how the community can get involved through volunteering.  We will also hear about some of the projects that YouthBuild Philadelphuia is involved in. We will also hear form one of the students there at YouthBuild Philadelphia and what she enjoys about the program. http://youthbuildphilly.org/

Glorious Johnson is a native of Jacksonville, FL and has always called it home. She is an active member The Greater El-Beth-El Divine Holiness Church. Glorious taught many years in the Duval County School System. This was a fantastic opportunity for her to help the children of the Jacksonville community learn and grow. For over 35 years, she taught children and adults reading, writing, mathematics, and science in her home. When she left teaching, she received a very treasured award: an Honorary Life Membership from the Florida Parent/Teacher Association. Glorious earned her Bachelor Degree from Jacksonville University in Music Education, her first Master Degree was from Nova University in School Administration and Supervision (Fort Lauderdale, FL) and her second Master Degree came from Columbia University/Teachers College (New York City) majoring in Educational Administration/Organizational Leadership. Glorious previously served as City Councilwoman, Group 5, At-Large (County-Wide) from 2003 to 2011. In 200

 Be a part of the 44th Annual Legislative Conference (ALC) Sept. 24-27, 2014, in Washington, DC. ALC is the premier gathering of African Americans, cultivating engaging policy discussions on issues that impact black communities around the world. This four-day conference features more than 70 policy sessions, a national town hall, a job and contract procurement fair, the annual Prayer Breakfast, the Phoenix Awards Dinner—and much more. Join subject experts, industry leaders, elected officials, and concerned citizens like you to explore today's issues from an African-American perspective.  Check out our highlights from the 2013 Annual Legislative Conference! View our preliminary session listing to see a snapshot of this year's issue forums and braintrusts. http://www.cbcfinc.org/what-we-do/alc.html