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TEDx MintStreet, Charlotte, NC (2026)

02/21/2025

Meet Nicole Madonna.

Nicole Madonna is the visionary founder and CEO of Blue Lotus Clinical and Consultation Services, PLLC. With a deep commitment to social justice and anti-racism, Nicole offers individual therapy sessions tailored to support therapists, medical providers, educators, and high-achieving women in navigating burnout, compassion fatigue, and impostor syndrome.

Nicole’s practice is rooted in an anti-racist and intersectional feminist framework, addressing all facets of her clients’ experiences. She specializes in treating complex trauma, including survivors of sexual and interpersonal violence, grief and loss, and the unique challenges faced by individuals with intersectional identities. Her expertise extends to working with the LGBTQIA+ community, particularly transgender and gender non-conforming individuals, college adjustment and providing crisis intervention and assessment.
As a dedicated trainer with A Call to Men, Nicole facilitates anti-racism training and white accountability spaces, empowering individuals to confront and dismantle white supremacy culture. She is also set to launch a specialized coaching program for white-identified mental health providers, guiding them in unlearning the impacts of white supremacy on their clinical identities and client services.
Originally from New York, Nicole has made Charlotte her home for over ten years. Nicole is a proud single mother to an energetic pr***en boy with dreams of becoming a pilot. In her free time, she enjoys cooking for friends, entertaining, and exploring the vibrant city of Charlotte.

02/21/2025

Meet Dawn Nicole McIlwain.

Dawn Nicole McIlwain is the Award Winning CEO & Founder of Queen City Women in Business™, a Certified Woman Owned Business Enterprise, and one of the fastest growing platforms for diverse Women-Owned Businesses seeking to work with major organizations in any, or all sectors.

McIlwain is on a mission to make it easier for women owned businesses to connect to corporate organizations faster, and through the launch of Queen City Women in Business™, a supplier sourcing & development platform with a built-in online community, diverse WBE suppliers & leading corporate buyers have instant, early & often access to each other 24-7.

No stranger to building economies of scale and Start-ups, Dawn Nicole is also a founding partner at Skilldora, a history making AI eLearning provider whose 1st in the world to accredit AI Instructors for educational programming.

With a background in building globally accredited programs, and developing businesses of all types, Speaker, Author, Economic Developer & Ex-BCG'er, Dawn Nicole brings an unrivaled track-record for driving more outcomes in less time.

Connect with Dawn Nicole today to learn more, or become a Corporate Partner or member of Queen City Women in Business™ by going to https://qcwib.com

02/20/2025

Meet Vernita Stevens.

Vernita Stevens, a beacon of leadership and inclusion, commanding the audience to be the best version of themselves. A proud mother and retired U.S. Marine, her rich experiences have sculpted her into a change agent with over two decades of impact. Vernita's dynamic approach fuses military strategy with unwavering determination.

A sought-after trainer and speaker on Team Building, Bystander Intervention and DEI, her insights have graced renowned platforms, leaving an indelible mark on audiences globally.

From her Non-profit, Corporate, Congressional and Legislative Fellowship to pivotal Marine roles, Vernita's strategic acumen addresses disparities and fosters change. Awarded for her service, she holds a Master's in Human Relations, emphasizing that it's not just about diversity — it's about belonging.

Vernita Stevens: a force for change, igniting energy, and embodying the essence of belonging in every endeavor.

02/20/2025

Meet Skylar Schock.

Skylar Schock lives in Davidson, NC. She was born and raised in the Bay Area, she then moved to Southern California where she earned her BA at the University of California, San Diego and then moved to Los Angeles where she attended UCLA's Professional Program in Acting for the Camera. Skylar most recently earned her MFA in Acting Performance at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas and is an alumni of the Kennedy Center Playwrighting Intensive and the Gatley Poole Meisner Acting Intensive. She has performed her stand up comedy all over the country including at the Comedy Store in La Jolla, Jimmy Kimmel's Comedy Club, and the Comedy Zone.

02/20/2025

Meet Lauren Rogers.

Lauren Rogers was born and raised in Gastonia, NC before moving to Wilmington where she obtained her B.A. in Communication Studies and her B.A. in International Studies from the University of North Carolina-Wilmington. She has spent her career working in refugee resettlement, English as a Second Language instruction, and nonprofit volunteer management. She later attended NC State University where she obtained her M.Ed in Adult and Community College Education. Her specialty tract in Continuing Professional Education allowed her to focus her research on professional education for newcomers and service providers. She now lives and works in Charlotte, NC at a nonprofit continuing to provide community-based newcomer support programs.

02/19/2025

Meet Nikki Pounds.

Nikki Pounds is an accomplished business executive with over 25 years of Human Resources expertise. She is a speaker, award winning author of the book, The Leader Who CARES: Guiding Human Resources Practitioner to Guide Workplace Environments, and CEO of HR Unequivocally®. She and her firm partner with organizations to craft growth strategies encompassing talent management, leadership development, and culture enhancement through equity and inclusion practices. Nikki takes pride in empowering individuals to achieve and often exceed their goals by providing essential training, support, and guidance. Her extensive experience and diverse skill set make her a valuable asset in HR, talent development, and DEI.

02/19/2025

Meet Jon Bassford.

Jon Bassford has been able to make a career from one question: Why? Most argumentative kids in his generation were told to become lawyers, and Jon took them up on it. He finished law school and, using his favorite word, pivoted his career to analyze operations and management. For Jon, there is nothing that curiosity can’t help.

Today, Jon is known for his curiosity-driven leadership, helping high-impact businesses and nonprofits run free of operational stress and frustrations. He has worked with venture-backed startups and global nonprofits, using his passion for curiosity to get to the bottom of things - fast. He helps leaders and their organizations grow through a data-driven approach and curiosity. Jon is known for his hilarious approach to life, work, and co-parenting and takes a curious approach to how we get things done.

02/19/2025

Meet Alvarys S. Chisholm

Alvarys Santana Chisholm is a global business strategist, growth mindset expert, and social impact innovator who bridges the corporate and community development worlds. Often regarded as a young philosopher by her mentees, she has earned recognition for her transformative work in shaping next-generation leaders. With extensive corporate experience at Fortune 40 companies, she now leads AS STRATEGY as President and Principal Consultant, where she architects solutions for building socially sustainable communities.

Drawing from her diverse background and philosophical approach to leadership, Alvarys helps organizations and individuals transform their mindset and professional services to create lasting positive impact in communities worldwide. Her unique methodology combines strategic business acumen with a deep commitment to social sustainability, making her a trusted advisor to both business leaders and emerging talent.

As the founder of AS STRATEGY, she has pioneered innovative approaches to community development that leverage professional services to create meaningful, sustainable change. Through her mentorship, advisory, and consulting, Alvarys is building a legacy of leaders who approach challenges with both strategic thinking and social consciousness.

02/18/2025

Meet Caroline Wienecke.

Caroline Wienecke is an accomplished entrepreneur and nonprofit professional with over eight years of experience in the philanthropic sector. She specializes in connecting philanthropic leaders with high-impact nonprofits, fostering collaboration and long-term partnerships. With a proven track record of raising over $4 million, Caroline’s focus extends beyond fundraising to building sustainable relationships between donors, volunteers, and nonprofit leaders. In addition to her role as a fundraiser, Caroline has successfully launched multiple ventures, including a company dedicated to enhancing relationship-building within the nonprofit sector. Her extensive networking skills have made her a key figure in Charlotte’s philanthropic community, where she serves on several nonprofit event and networking group committees.

02/18/2025

Meet Lindsay Raé Perry.

Lindsay Raé Perry, an award-winning entrepreneur, human behavior expert, transformation strategist for individuals and organizations, and host of the Journey to CEO® Podcast a cultural podcast, geared toward guiding leaders to wholeness and empowering them to become the CEOs of their own lives.

Her impressive client portfolio includes strategic consulting for Fortune 100 executives, as well as curating solutions for JP Morgan Chase, Google, Ingram Micro, HubSpot, and AT&T. Lindsay’s accolades include Ingram Micro Cloud’s Breakthrough Partner of the Year 2021 and CRN’s “Women of the Channel” title for three consecutive years.

However, Lindsay’s journey wasn’t always smooth. Lindsay had a wakeup call, realizing she could no longer use her achievements to hide behind the mask of high-functioning depression, anxiety, and a deep-rooted sense of unworthiness. This awakening led to dedicating her life’s work to being a guiding light for individuals and organizations to become the change they want to see.

02/17/2025

Jamil Massey is an author and Inspirational Speaker. He grew up on a farm in Monroe, NC and has a beautiful family including 5 children. He recently published a book called High School No Fool.

In Jamil’s autobiography, he shares his struggles of growing up in poverty, without a father, battles with low self- esteem, failing the 9th grade, failing out of college twice and having a slow start to his career. Jamil shares his message of hope by using the principles and life lessons he used to become a Best Selling Author, Motivational Speaker, Distinguished Toastmaster and Facility Manager.

02/17/2025

Meet Jennifer Moxley

A 26-year Communications veteran Jennifer Moxley started her career in newspaper, worked in television news, and took the leap into entrepreneurship in 2012. She's a communications strategist, helping clients find the best way to tell their story and generate creative ideas to break through the noise. She's multi-talented in TV Broadcast and video production as well, with decades of experience as a videographer, editor, production project manager, satellite truck owner and fill-in for most every role on a crew. She worked as videographer for the New York Giants, sat behind a camera in Maya Angelou's formal room for her remote speeches and news interviews the last year of her life, and produced media junkets with television stars from HBO, Hulu, and Disney. She's worked with and been trusted by countless people, from all walks of life, to tell their stories and guide their narratives.

For three years, Jennifer was Executive Director of a United Way chapter, is a founding member of a transitional housing non-profit and a HUD Continuum of Care Board which brought Federal housing funds to the region.

In 2022 she founded the She Dreams In Color Foundation which raises money to provide mental health therapy for marginalized women and works to destigmatize mental health needs and seeking care through their online interview series.

She's an investor in Redd Rose Vodka, a Charlotte-based, Black woman owned startup spirit and has worked in the startup space through a variety of ways the past decade to help amplify women and minority founders where they are underrepresented.

Through her career, she's continuously volunteered, donated and served her community and prides herself on having connections in most every room she's in. Jennifer attended 15 different schools, was a teen mom, and has experienced many traumas which she pulls from to connect with others, see their beauty, and strategically help them to use their voice to tell their story. She has two adult sons who are her pride and joy, a daughter in law and four grandchildren.

TEDx MintStreet

02/21/2025

02/21/2025

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02/19/2025

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