Detailed Agenda
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The Cultivate Summit is curated specifically for minority women entrepreneurs in the DMV Region to gather in person to build community and spark inspiration. During this day-long summit, we will focus on cultivating cross-sector connections and creating opportunities for education, network development, and direct technical assistance.
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Breakfast and lunch will be provided for all attendees. The day will culminate with a Networking Happy Hour. Come celebrate and grow with us!
Attendee Raffle
EWOC & Wacif would like to award one small-business owner with a one-time grant for their attendance of the Cultivate Summit. To be entered into the raffle, attendees must attend the summit in its entirety to participate.
9:00 AM
Registration & Breakfast
9:30 AM
Welcome Remarks & Housekeeping | The Forum
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Kimberly D. Gayle, Chief Program Officer
Washington Area Community Investment Fund (Wacif) -
Linda Mireille Umulisa, Special Assistant to Interim CEO Brendon Miller
Washington Area Community Investment Fund (Wacif) -
Marisela Rodela, Program Director
Enterprising Women of Color Business Center -
Kennedie Toney, Program Coordinator,
Enterprising Women of Color Business Center
9:45 AM
Opening Plenary Session | The Forum
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Brendon Miller, Interim CEO of Washington Area Community Investment Fund (Wacif)
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Kristi Whitfield, Director, Department of Small and Local Business Development
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Jennifer Kim, Office of Field Operations
U.S. Small Business Administration -
Donald R. Cravins, Jr., Under Secretary of Commerce for Minority Business Development Minority Business Development Agency
U.S. Department of Commerce
10:25 AM
Keynote Session: Driving Change and
Championing Women of Color Entrepreneurs | The Forum
Panelist
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Gizelle George-Joseph, Partner
& COO of Global Investment Research
Goldman Sachs
11:15 AM
Curated Break & Mindfulness Activity | The Forum
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Candace "Candy" Glover, Wellness Facilitator
Rainbow Wellness
11:15 AM - 2:15 PM
Expert Open Hours: Technical Assistance Meetings | Central Hub
11:40 AM
Concurrent Breakout Sessions
Concurrent Breakout Sessions:
Demystifying Certification for Success in Contracting and Procurement
North Hub
Expand your knowledge and understanding of the contracts and procurement space and how you can leverage certification to drive growth for your business. During this session partners from various organizations that either certify or support procurement and contracts will explain the distinct types of business certifications and provide guidance on how these certifications can benefit women of color-owned businesses in the local business space and beyond.
Panelists
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Jetheda Hernandez, Senior Director, Strategic Partnerships and ProgramsSenior Director, Strategic Partnerships & Programs, National Minority Supplier Development Council (NMSDCHQ)
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Deena Parker, Certification Assistant, WBEC Metro NY, Women's Business Enterprise Council, Metro DMV & NY
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Melissa Resil, Manager, Certification Division, The Department of Small and Local Business Development (DSLBD)
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Lucas "Errol" Taylor, Director of MBE Services, Capital Region Minority Supplier Development Council
Leveraging Entrepreneurship Centers to Grow Your Business: Accelerators and Incubators
South Hub
There are a variety of Entrepreneurship Centers (ECs) in the business ecosystem supporting small businesses. What are the differences and strengths of the various EC accelerator and incubator programs? Learn more about the Accelerator and Incubator Entrepreneurship Centers in the DC Metro Region and how they can help you grow your business. Identify the benefits of participating in local ECs. Learn strategies on how to leverage your participation in ECs and how they can help you grow your business in the local ecosystem.
Panelists
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Nicole Andonie, Senior Program Coordinator for the Empowered Women International (EWI) Program, Latino Economic Development Center (LEDC)
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Francisco Cartagena, Program Coordinator, The Universities at Shady Grove | The Lab for Entrepreneurship and Transformative Leadership
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Callie Jacobs, Startup Profolio Manager, AgeTech Collaborative™ from AARP
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Rasul Sha'ir, Education and Advisory Services Manager, Washington Area Community Investment Fund (Wacif)
12:35 PM
Networking Lunch & DJ Dance Party
1:15 PM
Concurrent Breakout Sessions
Concurrent Breakout Sessions:
Innovations in
Digital Branding North Hub
In an ecosystem full of new innovations, it can be tough to keep up as an entrepreneur. From cultivating relationships to managing communications, you don’t have to do it all on your own when technology is constantly evolving to make the entrepreneurial journey easy. Learn from experts in the marketing industry about how you can leverage automation and AI to shape the way you do business.
Panelist
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Kelcie Glass, CEO & Founder, Kelcie Glass, LLC and The Fire Solutions
Building Your Advisory Team
South Hub
Small business owners wear many hats and juggle multiple responsibilities, but you can’t do it all – who can you turn to for help? Who are the partners that can help you make decisions that are right for your evolving business? Learn from a panel of professional advisors about how their services can work in alignment and supplement the needs of women entrepreneurs at every stage of business operations. Learn how they can help make your businesses more successful and address challenges before they arise.
Panelists
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Daniela Gregoire, VP Senior Relationship Manager and Community Connector, M&T Bank
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Sarah Hartary, Managing Director, Quantive
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Nikki MacDonald, Financial Advisor, Northwestern Mutual
2:10 PM
Networking Break
2:25 PM
Fireside Keynote Chat: Cultivating a Business Growth Mindset | The Forum
Panelist
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Angel Gregorio, CEO, The Spice Suite