As the daughter and granddaughter of entrepreneurs, she is passionate about helping business owners and entrepreneurs meet their professional and personal goals. With 13 years in banking, spent developing strategy and building partnerships across wealth management and business banking, she creates programs and solutions that help our entrepreneurial community succeed.

Dr. Braden (formerly known as Dr. Joyner) graduated from the University of South Alabama School of Medicine in 2007 and completed residency training in Obstetrics & Gynecology at the University of Connecticut in 2011.

Since graduation she has practiced as an Academic Specialist in General Obstetrics & Gynecology.  Her career focus has centered around the postpartum period, with a particular emphasis in breastfeeding medicine, perinatal mood disorders, transgender healthcare, and female sexual dysfunction.  Additionally, she is a board-certified lactation consultant, a member of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) Breastfeeding Expert Work Group, and a graduate of the Inaugural Women’s Wellness through Equality and Leadership (WEL) program, for which she was selected to serve as a representative of ACOG.

Dr. Braden has been the recipient of multiple research grants from the Emory/Georgia Tech Coulter Translational Fund and the Georgia Research Alliance to support her work in improving breast pump technology. She is Co-Founder & CEO of the lactation intervention start-up company, Lybbie. She also currently serves as a co-investigator with researchers from the Grady Trauma Project on 2 NIH-funded studies that seek to understand the ties between trauma exposure and pregnancy outcomes in African-American patients who receive care at Grady Memorial Hospital. Furthermore, Dr. Braden is one of the founding physicians for Grady Memorial Hospital’s Gender Center–a multi-disciplinary clinic that addresses the specific health care needs of the trans population. In 2019, she was named as one of the American Medical Association’s Inspiration Award honorees in recognition of her time, wisdom, and support throughout the professional careers of fellow physicians, residents, and students. When she is not working, Dr. Braden can be found loving on her 3 adorable children, devouring a good book, playing piano while singing her heart out, volunteering at her children’s school, planning trips to warm, exotic places, and baking up yummy treats at home.

Grace Meng represents New York’s 6th Congressional District located in Queens, New York.  She was born and raised in Queens as the daughter of immigrants and has never forgotten where she came from or who she fights for.
As a child growing up in the most diverse county in America, Grace quickly came to believe that every person deserves a seat at the table.  Whether young or old, rich or poor, she believes every voice deserves to be heard.  That conviction prompted Grace to begin her professional career as a public interest lawyer before serving two terms in the New York State Assembly.
Now, in her third term in Congress, Grace continues to advocate for inclusive policies that benefit the vulnerable and the often overlooked.  From her seat on the House Appropriations Committee, and as the mother of two young boys – Tyler and Brandon – she regularly fights for federal programs that benefit women and children.  She even co-founded the Bipartisan Congressional Kids’ Safety Caucus which she still co-chairs.
While Grace remains one of the 15 youngest Democrats in Congress, she has been ranked the 8th most-effective legislator in the Democratic Party according to the Center for Effective Lawmaking. She serves as Chair of ASPIRE PAC through which she supports Asian American candidates across the country, and works to ensure that Asian American voices and concerns are heard in the political process.
Grace is the national leader on issues pertaining to menstrual hygiene product safety and availability.  She successfully fought for the provision of menstrual hygiene products to homeless women, fights for their availability to incarcerated women, denounced the discriminatory tampon tax in New York, and has introduced federal legislation that would require menstrual hygiene product labels to include a list of ingredients.
In February of 2017, Grace was elected Vice Chair of the Democratic National Committee where she focused on winning back the House in 2018 and winning back the White House in 2020.
Grace represents the only congressional district located entirely in Queens, New York, where she continues to live with her husband, Dr. Wayne Kye, a professor at New York University’s College of Dentistry, and her two boys. She attended New York City public schools, including Stuyvesant High School, received her undergraduate degree from the University of Michigan, and earned her law degree from Yeshiva University’s Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law.

Gina M. Raimondo serves as the 40th U.S. Secretary of Commerce and was sworn in by Vice President Kamala Harris on March 3, 2021. As Secretary of Commerce, she is focused on a simple but vital mission — to spur good-paying jobs, empower entrepreneurs to innovate and grow, and help American workers and businesses compete.

Secretary Raimondo was formerly the 75th Governor of Rhode Island and its first woman governor. She grew up in Smithfield in a tight-knit Italian-American family, the youngest of Joseph and Josephine Raimondo’s three children. Her family history and her childhood experiences shaped her core beliefs in hard work, opportunity for all, and the importance of financial security.

After arriving from Italy at age 14, Secretary Raimondo’s grandfather learned English studying in the Providence Public Library and later lived with her family. Her mother was a homemaker, who dedicated her life to teaching her children about the importance of hard work and determination. Her father was a World War II Navy veteran from a family of butchers and became the first in his family to attend college thanks to the GI Bill. After working for 26 years in manufacturing, Joseph lost his job along with hundreds of others when the factory moved overseas, and the Raimondo family lost their sense of financial security.

As a teenager, Secretary Raimondo rode a public bus to LaSalle Academy in Providence, where she was valedictorian of her graduating class. She went on to graduate with honors from Harvard, where she was recognized as the top economics student in her class. She won a Rhodes Scholarship to Oxford University where she earned a doctorate and met her future husband Andy Moffit. She later graduated from Yale Law School. Secretary Raimondo clerked for US District Judge Kimba Wood and served as founding employee and senior vice president at Village Ventures.

Wanting to start her own business and be close to family, she returned home to Rhode Island and founded Point Judith Capital, a venture capital firm. In November 2010, Secretary Raimondo was elected to serve as General Treasurer of Rhode Island, receiving the largest number of votes of any statewide candidate. When she took office as General Treasurer, she tackled the state’s $7 billion unfunded pension liability. Secretary Raimondo was sworn into office as Governor in January 2015 and won a second term in 2018. She also served as chair of the Democratic Governors’ Association in 2019.

During her time as Governor, Secretary Raimondo kick-started the state’s economy and made record investments in infrastructure, education, and job training. She focused tirelessly on creating economic opportunities and good-paying jobs for all Rhode Islanders. Early in her administration, she launched an innovative workforce development program that develops business-led partnerships to address unique workforce challenges.

Secretary Raimondo is married to Andy Moffit and they have two children, Ceci and Tommy, and a rescue dog, Sparky.

Nicola Corzine serves as the founding Executive Director of the Nasdaq Entrepreneurial Center, a non-profit that delivers world-class resources and mentoring to enable every entrepreneur across the globe to realize their maximum potential. As Executive Director, Nicola is responsible for strategic and operational leadership that drives research, programing, fundraising, and operations for the organization. Since launching in 2015, the Center has enabled over 30,000 entrepreneurs from 100 countries to receive quality education, resources and mentoring to propel their businesses and ensure global economic advancement. More that 51% of its community are female founders and 62% are minority entrepreneurs.

Nicola brings over 15 years of strategic business development and entrepreneurial thought leadership programming experience to the Nasdaq Entrepreneurial Center, most recently in her role as Deal Manager for the Band of Angels, a position held since 2004 as well as Investment Partner in the 2009 Acorn fund which included investments in Practice Fusion, Niveus Medical, and Flywheel. During her time at the Band, she was as an early advisor to Startup America and led the development of the first national and regional Angel Capital Association conferences.

Prior to Band of Angels, Nicola was the founder and executive director of Financing Partners, an organization that delivered education to both entrepreneurs and investors to enable them to reach their mutual objectives. Before Band of Angels, she was part of three startup companies in the US and UK.

Nicola is a frequent speaker on angel investing, technology trends and seed financing at Universities including Stanford, Wharton and Duke, national conferences, including IEEE Women in Engineering, NVCA and Innovation Enterprise, and has served as a formation advisor to several regional and international angel groups and seed funds.

Ishita M. Shah, PhD, is the CEO and co-founder of Matrubials, a spin-out from UC Davis, Foods for Health Institute. As the Associate Director (Microbial Programs) at FFHI, she has investigated the role of milk components in human health, specifically in terms of infectious diseases. Previously, Dr. Shah has worked at Genentech (Senior researcher, infectious diseases) and Columbia University (Postdoctoral scientist), receiving several awards (PhD thesis prize -(UMBC’05)/ key researcher/ speaker).

Liz Tang is an MBA & engineer eager to provide students opportunities to work together in interdisciplinary teams to turn their start-up ideas into reality.

After getting an MBA from University of Virginia Darden School of Business in 2013, I ran a granite countertop business. There, I managed 15 employees during times of extensive change.

While in the granite business, I implemented Salesforce.com for my small business, with the help of Collabrax. I now work in Operations for Collabrax, helping other small businesses implement, customize and migrate data to Salesforce.com.

Prior experience as an engineer with expertise in environmental remediation, pollution control systems, and environmental regulations.

Passionate about making the world better.

Investor, advisor and Goldman Sachs’ Launch With GS. Funding, building and advising high growth companies, products and teams that will change the world, with particular interest in transportation & logistics, future of work, fintech, healthcare and narrowing investing gaps.

Currently endeavoring to change the world via:
– Launch With GS. Advising Goldman Sachs on their $1 billion investment strategy grounded in the data that diverse teams drive strong returns. Through Launch With GS, Goldman Sachs aims to increase access to capital and facilitate connections for women, Black, Latinx and other diverse entrepreneurs and investors.
– Black Angels Miami. As a Founding Board Member of Black Angels Miami, contributing to a more diverse and inclusive investment landscape by increasing the number of black investors and connecting our members to top-notch startups and funds nationwide.
– Investing and advising. Active investor in world changing companies and funds.

Previously, I designed and executed the investing strategy for higher education and future of work start-ups at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. At Uber, I spearheaded strategic growth initiatives across product, operations and policy, contributing to Uber’s expansion from 19 markets to over 400 markets in 70 countries. I designed Uber’s first enterprise product concept, evaluated product impact, led the Uber Miami market pre-launch, and developed Uber’s national stakeholder strategy, including championing Uber’s impact on future of work, drunk driving, accessibility and transportation equity.

My investing experience spans multiple stages and includes multiple company and fund investments, two venture capital funds, Macquarie Capital and Morgan Stanley. I am an informal advisor to multiple personal portfolio companies and contributed to growth strategy for eight ventures across 4 industries – talent/PeopleTech, food & wine, e-commerce and transportation. I am an alum of First Round Angel Track’s inaugural class, Sequoia Capital Scouts and Black Venture Institute.

When not talking to founders and investors, I’m snowboarding, learning tennis, jumping off boats, giving back or exploring the world through food, wine & art – 52 countries & counting!

Areas of Expertise: Venture and Growth Equity Investing, Investing Strategy Design, Narrowing Investing Gaps, Geographic Market Expansion, Regulatory & Stakeholder Strategy, Two-Sided Marketplaces, Holistic Product Development, Leveraging Innate Impact and Philanthropic Funding/Partnerships.

Judith (Judy) Heumann is an internationally recognized disability advocate. She served in the Clinton and Obama Administration and was a Senior Fellow at the Ford Foundation. Judy’s story was also featured in the documentary “Crip Camp: A Disability Revolution,” a 2020 American award winning documentary film produced by the Obama Higher Ground Production. She recently released her memoir “Being Heumann: An Unrepentant Memoir of a Disability Rights Activist,” written with Kristen Joiner. Judy is now the producer of The Heumann Perspective, a podcast and YouTube channel that aims to share the beauty of the disability community.

Beckles has practiced as an attorney since 1988,[1] attached to the Chambers of Theodore R Guerra and Associates.[4] Beckles was appointed an opposition Senator for the People’s National Movement (PNM) in 1995. She was then elected to the House of Representatives representing the Arima constituency in 2000, serving until 2010.[4] She was appointed Minister for Social Development in 2001, Minister for Culture and Tourism in 2002, and Minister for Public Utilities and the Environment in 2003.

Beckles was Trinidad and Tobago’s first female Deputy Speaker of the Parliament from 2007 until 2010 and served as Leader of Opposition Business from 2010 until 2013. In November 2012, she was elected lady vice-chair of the PNM,[2] but she was dropped from the senate by party leader Keith Rowley in December 2013.[5][6] In May 2014, she unsuccessfully challenged Rowley for the leadership of the party.[ On February 4, 2015, she was rejected in her bid to represent the PNM for the constituency of Arima in the 2015 general election.

Beckles was appointed Trinidad and Tobago’s Permanent Representative to the UN by Prime Minister Rowley in August 2016. In January 2019 Beckles was voted in by the Secretary General of the United Nations to be the Chairwoman of UN Women.

Wendy Diamond is the Founder and CEO of Women’s Entrepreneurship Day (WED) and is also the Founder, CEO, and CPO of Animal Fair Media. Diamond is a strong advocator for animal welfare and empowering women. Through WED she has joined women leaders, innovators, and entrepreneurs to initiate startups and drive economic expansion, and advance communities worldwide, opening many windows of opportunity for women all around the world.

Diamond has previous experience as a TV personality on various television programs and has written several books during her lifetime. Wendy Diamond holds 3 Guinness World Records and was awarded the Ellis Island Medal of Honor in 2016. In 1999, after rescuing her first shelter animals, a purebred Russian Blue named Pasha, and a Maltese named Lucky, Wendy set out to help save the 12 million animals euthanized in shelters EACH year. She founded Animal Fair Media with that specific mission and spirit to rescue disenfranchised animals, and endangered wildlife globally, by promoting animal welfare and rescue, healthy pet lifestyles, and responsible breeding. She was the first person to bring celebrities and pop culture to the animal rescue world.

Diamond revolutionized the pet industry by creating premiere pop culture benefits to endorse animal adoption, advocacy, and fundraising, including the Yappy Hour® cocktail parties, the foremost pet celebrity fashion show called Paws For Style®, Howloween, St Pawtrick’s Day, all with proceeds benefiting animal rescue. She was the Chairwoman of the Katrina Pet Memorial, Barkus Grand Marshall and the Humane Society of New York dedicated the Lucky Diamond Critical Care Ward in honor of Wendy’s dog Lucky. Thanks to the awareness and contributions of Animal Fair Media, Inc, the number of animals euthanized went from 12 million animals in 1999 to TWO million today. After two decades of dedication to animals, Wendy turned her attention on global humanitarian efforts and founded Women’s Entrepreneurship Day Organization (WEDO)#ChooseWOMEN. Launched in 2013, WEDO works globally to empower women and girls to become active participants in the economy by igniting a network of women leaders, innovators and entrepreneurs to initiate startups, drive economic expansion, and advance communities around the world.

Wendy is also Founder of LDP Ventures where she is an Investor/Advisor to social impact disruptive technologies and women-led businesses. She has authored 10 widely-celebrated books, garnered three Guinness World Records, and has appeared in media outlets including Oprah, NBC’s Today Show, The New York Times and Forbes.She has been a featured keynote speaker at the United Nations, Harvard University, and Davos and sits on the Advisory Boards of Ellis Island Honors Society, Global Women in Blockchain, Social Innovation Summit, Humane Society of New York and Grey Muzzle Foundation.

Lauren Young, the Wonder Woman of Finance, develops personal finance and manages the World at Work Sustainability coverage on Reuters.com. Lauren has helped Reuters land sponsored sections, including Life Lessons, ETFs, and 48 Hours and Retirement. Lauren co-chaired the Women’s Initiative for Networking and Success (WINS) at McGraw-Hill’s corporate headquarters, organizing more than a dozen networking and career development events. Under her leadership, membership at the company’s 1221 Ave. of the Americas WINS chapter grew by more than 50%. 

Jeni Britton Bauer is an American ice cream maker and entrepreneur. A pioneer of the artisan ice cream movement, she introduced a modern, ingredient-driven style of ice cream making that has been widely emulated across the world but never duplicated. Jeni opened her first ice cream shop, Scream, in 1996, then founded Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams in 2002. Her first cookbook, Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams at Home, is a New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestseller and won a coveted James Beard Award in 2012. It quickly became the de facto bible for anybody making their own ice cream or thinking about opening a new-style ice cream shop. Her second cookbook, Jeni’s Splendid Ice Cream Desserts (2014), took ice cream to the next level with an array of incredible plated, layered, and piled-high ice cream-centric desserts. As Founder and Chief Creative Officer, Jeni remains the beating heart of the company and is in charge of all creative output—from the ice cream itself to the supporting details that enhance the experience of eating it. Jeni is a 2017 Henry Crown Fellow

Cathie Woods is the CEO and Founder of Ark Trust. Cathie registered ARK Investment Management LLC (“ARK”) as an investment adviser with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission in January 2014. With over 40 years of experience identifying and investing in innovation, Cathie founded ARK to focus solely on disruptive innovation while adding new dimensions to research. 

Prior to ARK, Cathie spent twelve years at AllianceBernstein as CIO of Global Thematic Strategies where she managed over $5 billion. Cathie joined Alliance Capital from Tupelo Capital Management, a hedge fund she co-founded, which in 2000, managed approximately $800 million in global thematic strategies. Prior to her tenure at Tupelo Capital, she worked for 18 years with Jennison Associates LLC as Chief Economist, Equity Research Analyst, Portfolio Manager and Director. She started her career in Los Angeles, California at The Capital Group as an Assistant Economist. Cathie received her Bachelor of Science, summa cum laude, in Finance and Economics from the University of Southern California in 1981.

Cathie has been recognized as an influential fund manager across various outlets. In 2018, editors at Bloomberg acknowledged Cathie by selecting her to its second annual Bloomberg 50 list of people across business, entertainment, finance, politics, technology, and science who have defined global business. Additionally, Fortune named Cathie to its exclusive roundtable of experts in the annual Fortune Investors Guide: The Best Investing Advice for 2019 From Fortune’s Experts. In 2016, Cathie received the “Women in Finance – Outstanding Contribution Award” from Market Media. Cathie also has been a featured speaker at the World Economic Forum (China) in 2016 & 2017, the World Strategic Forum (Miami) in 2017, The Sohn Hearts and Minds Investment Leaders Conference (Australia) in 2018 and 2019, and Singularity University’s Exponential Finance in 2017 and Global Summit in 2019.

Governor Kathy Hochul began her career in public service on her local Town Board before serving as Erie County Clerk, and then as a member of Congress for New York’s 26th Congressional District. She more recently served in statewide office as Lieutenant Governor and now as the first female Governor of the State of New York.
Lieutenant Governor
As Lieutenant Governor from 2015 to 2021, Hochul successfully spearheaded numerous initiatives and lead the administration’s economic development and job creation efforts across the state, working every day to advocate for policies that help all New Yorkers make ends meet.
She also helped New York State manage the COVID-19 pandemic response, while focusing on a recovery that builds back better and more inclusive.
Hochul chaired the statewide Regional Economic Development Councils that have transformed the state’s economy by building upon regional strengths through long-term strategic plans.
She also served as co-chair of the state’s Heroin and Opioid Task Force to hear from experts and community members in search of answers to the opioid crisis and develop a comprehensive strategy for New York.
As Lieutenant Governor, she championed the ‘Enough is Enough’ law to prevent sexual assault on college campuses, spearheaded the state’s Paid Family Leave program, and worked to eliminate the gender wage gap, expand access to affordable child care, and combat sexual harassment and discrimination in the workplace and beyond.
She served as chair of the State’s Women’s Suffrage Commission and co-chair of the state’s Child Care Availability Task Force.