This year’s Women’s Business Symposium “Pearls of Wisdom” speakers have all broken through the glass ceiling.
On Thursday, May 4, they will come together for the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Louisiana’s Day of Empowerment to inspire and encourage the women of New Orleans with their stories, lessons learned and goals they are striving to fulfill.
Pre-registration and networking begins at 12:30 p.m. at the Sheraton Metairie – New Orleans Hotel, 4 Galleria Blvd., followed by the “Pearls of Wisdom” seminar featuring:
• Angela O’Byrne – president & CEO, Perez, APC
• Angelica Garcia-Dunn – president, AIM Global Logistics
• Brandy Christian – president & CEO, Port of New Orleans
• Joan Davis – chancellor, Delgado Community College
• Maria Rios – president, Nation Waste
• Sonia Perez – president, AT&T
Moderated by Blanca Robinson, president and coach of VIVA Consulting Group, the seminar will surely be a highlight as speaker O’Byrne, president of international design-build-develop firm Perez, APC, talks about her advocacy for women and minorities in architecture and construction, as well as her involvement with professional and nonprofit organizations dedicated to women’s advancement in the industry.
A native of Cali, Colombia, O’Byrne earned her master of architecture degree from Tulane University and a master of science in real estate development from Columbia University. She has since become a licensed architect in 15 states, a licensed general contractor in two states, a Fellow of the American Institute of Architects and a LEED Accredited Professional.
Speaker Garcia-Dunn has worked in the freight forwarding and logistics field for more than 10 years and is the president and CEO of AIM Global Logistics.
She earned a bachelor of srts in economics and spanish at the University of Dallas and received her MBA in international business management with a concentration in NAFTA.
In 2009, Garcia-Dunn opened AIM Global Logistics, a certified minority and women-owned business. Her company, “a one stop shop for all transportation needs,” offers customers turnkey logistics solutions to handle all modes of freight transportation, including facilitating the transportation of many oil field projects.
From 2:45 p.m. – 3:30 p.m., attendees can choose to attend either “Preparing for Success: Claiming Your Seat at the Table Through Financial Knowledge,” moderated by Klassi Duncan with the Urban League of Louisiana, and featuring:
• Amanda Peavy – Sr. Financial Advisor, Peavy Group
• Melissa Daigrepont – VP, Business Banking, Capital One
• Robbin Hardee – VP Retail Administration, Metairie Bank
• Sonya Jarvis – president & CEO, ASI Federal Credit Union
Or “Engaging Millennials to Help Accelerate Business Growth,” moderated by Desiree Young with VentureWalk Business Partners, and featuring:
• Kelsey Scram – marketing and public relations manager, JEDCO
• Marina Manzanares – chair, HYPLA
An interactive breakout session, “Mind & Body,” follows from 3:30 p.m. – 3:55 p.m. with Luz Lobos, president of Synergy Design Group.
From 4:00 p.m. – 4:45 p.m. “A Guide to Work Life Balance” will run alongside “Goal Setting & Staying on Track” with Myra Corrello, a business and executive growth strategist.
The last session of the day, “Minute of Inspiration,” will showcase Dima Ghawi, a leadership speaker and executive coach.
The Day of Empowerment will end with a networking reception from 5:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.
Early admission tickets costs $25, and same day admission costs $35.
