top of page
- SPEAKERS -
Sarah Elaziz - Founder, Sculptery
Monday, 11:00 - 11:30 AM CST
The Beautypreneur Who Revolutionized Lymphatic
Drainage
Sarah Elaziz is a seasoned beauty entrepreneur with over 19 years of experience in the luxury beauty industry. Throughout her career, Sarah has successfully grown and managed luxury beauty lines such as ReVive Skincare, Laura Mercier, and Chanel, as well as executed regional retail expansion for Bluemercury, Nordstrom, Barney's NY, & Saks Fifth Avenue. After years of working in the industry, Sarah noticed a gap in the market for lymphatic drainage. She saw the importance of lymphatic drainage in overall wellness and decided to create beauty products and protocols that focused on this crucial component. Her mission was to deliver exceptional results in a short amount of time while detoxifying the body from the inside out.
Sarah's passion for lymphatic drainage led her to launch Sculptery in 2017. She underwent extensive personal research and training, earning 15+ certifications in lymphatic drainage from the best in the world. She knew that convincing the market about the benefits of lymphatic massages would be a challenge, but she was determined to make it happen. Starting with a single room in a clinic in Beverly Hills, Sarah steadily built her business. Her first clients were entrepreneurs, influencers and celebrities like Jordyn Sparks, Blac Chyna, and Telli Swift. Word of mouth quickly spread, and her business began to boom. Thanks to her long-time celebrity clients singing her praises on social media, the brand began to expand, releasing take-home kits for quick at home touch-ups and offering masterclasses throughout the US. Today, Sculptery is an undisputed must-visit for all everyone, and for good reason. Sarah's expertise in lymphatic drainage and her commitment to delivering exceptional results have made her the go-to expert in the field. Whether you're looking to drain your lymphatic system post-surgery or achieve a more sculpted look, Sculptery is a must for any wellness regime. Trust us, Sarah Elaziz is a leader in lymphatic drainage, and she's here to help you look and feel your best.
Wiley Brazier - Executive Director, We Greaux People
Monday, 11:30 AM - 12:00 PM CST
Wiley Brazier is a dynamic force uniting technology, training, and entrepreneurship. With a background rooted in education, his sound instructional practice ensures that his sessions are enjoyed and not just endured. His passion for EdTech has been a benefit to small business owners and CEOs as he has helped them leverage technology to increase their influence, income, and impact. As an entrepreneur, Wiley founded We Greaux People, a Google & Microsoft Partner, seamlessly blending technology with mentorship to ignite transformative change. His unique fusion of tech and education has yielded impressive results for individuals and enterprises alike.
Wiley's trailblazing spirit has earned him prestigious honors, including being named a 2023-24 Top 100 Mind Behind What’s Now & What’s Next by EdTech Digest, a Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses Alumni, and the U.S. Presidential Award for Academic Excellence. Today, Wiley stands at the forefront of technology-driven education and entrepreneurship, pushing boundaries while inspiring others to harness the potential of this thrilling intersection. Join Wiley in navigating the future where innovation meets impact, and every challenge is a chance for transformation.
_edited.jpg)
Tonya Ladipo - CEO, The Ladipo Group
Monday, 12:00 - 12:30 PM CST
Tonya worked for many years in community mental health agencies, and soon realized that a one-size-fits-all approach often ignored the needs of Black and African-American people. Institutionalized racism, a lack of diversity, and a failure of cultural awareness all conspired to mean that people of color often received poor treatment. Tonya is on a mission to change that. She works with an incredible team of skilled counselors, therapists, and psychologists who have an expertise in working with Black and African-American communities. What’s more, she leads an ED&I team that consults with companies and organizations to recognize and address unconscious bias and retain diverse talent by creating a truly welcoming and inclusive workplace for everyone. An engaging speaker on diversity and women’s self-care and wellness, Tonya has been the keynote speaker and been a featured panelist for a number of organizations across the U.S. including Black Enterprise, Philadelphia Works’, Villanova University, and Black Women Talk Tech.
She has also been featured on radio (National Public Radio (NPR) and WURD Radio), television (NBC-10, Fox-29, and ABC-6), and in magazines (Black Enterprise, Essence, and Madame Noire).
Tonya is a graduate of the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses Program (April 2016) and Widener University’s Clinical Social Work Master’s degree program (May 2004).
When not working, Tonya is laughing with her identical twin daughters, taking walks alone, and spending time with friends.
C.J. Carter - Founder/CEO, The Cannamercial Realty
Tuesday, 11:00 - 11:30 AM CST
C.J. Carter is the founder and visionary behind The CannaMercial Realty Group. It all started in 2015 with his introduction into the Cannabis space, where he laid the foundation for CannaMercial Realty by hosting licensing seminars, consulting, and brand development. As an entrepreneur, his expertise in finance, marketing, and operations provided the forward-thinking needed to establish this new Real Estate venture. C.J. also serves as the Minorities for Medical Marijuana (M4MM) Kentucky Chapter Director, giving him a deep connection to the local cannabis industry advancements and people interested in the industry.
Julio Melara - President, Baton Rouge Business Report
Wednesday, 11:00 - 11:30 AM CST
Julio Melara is the son of Honduran immigrants (Yvonne Fajardo and Luis Melara). Today he is the CEO of Melara Enterprises, a multimedia company, which publishes the Greater Baton Rouge Business Report, 225 magazine, Register magazine, Daily Report on-line, and 10/12 Industry Report. They also produce the Baton Rouge Business Awards and Hall of Fame, Influential Women in Business, the Louisiana Business Symposium, and Forty Under 40.
Julio is also the founder of Business Report's Executive Leadership Academy- an exclusive program for advancing professionals, small business owners and entrepreneurs that offers the best of personal development, professional growth, leadership exposure and insight from guest CEO speakers.
Julio is the CEO of StudioE a content, communication and creative studio that helps businesses engage and connect with their clients by helping them tell their story and optimizing their content in creative ways on multiple platforms.
Owner of Launch Media an award winning video production company. We create dynamic visual experiences and content, helping our clients achieve success with moving images.
Julio is also a national speaker and author of several books including “Do You Have The Time For Success?, It Only Takes Everything You've Got!, Keys To Performance, and Mental Snacks – Nourishment for Your Mind and Fuel for Your Life!”
Kanika Welch - Program Director, The Bean Path
Wednesday, 11:30 AM - 12:00 PM CST
Kanika Welch is a Program Director and entrepreneur who is passionate about education and training. She is also an inspirational speaker and an award-winning published author. Her book, The Debt Pay-Off Plan, debuted at #1 in the Business Reads category on Amazon Kindle. Kanika’s diverse background spans working in libraries, government agencies, unions, and Mississippi school districts. It has taken her all over, from Washington, DC, to Utah and West Africa, where she served as lead trainer in the United States Peace Corps. Currently, she’s the co-owner and manager of City Box Catering. Kanika enjoys reading and traveling the world during her leisure time.
Rosane Archery-McGowan - Co-Chair, Climate Reality of Greater New Orleans Chapter
Wednesday, 12:00 - 12:30 PM CST
Rosane Archery-McGowan is a chemical engineer, finance, and entrepreneurship professional. Born and raised in Durban, South Africa, she attended Tulane University before joining Mobil Oil Corporation / ExxonMobil where she formerly served in numerous roles including Environmental Advisor, Process Engineer, Business Analyst, and lead Economist responsible for guiding the overall operation of a refinery. As a consultant, she advised clients on project economics, redesigned a biodiesel refinery, and led development of renewable products. Since 2019, Rosane has been an investor with NOLA Angel Network where she participates in screening and due diligence to evaluate early stage companies seeking investment. She serves as Co-Chair of Climate Reality Project - Greater New Orleans Chapter, as a Board Member of ricRACK Inc. (textile sustainability non-profit), and participates with the newly formed Flamingo Funders. She is also the founder and co-owner of Technical & Fabrication Resource, LLC.
* The views expressed by Rosane do not represent ExxonMobil.
Charlotte Shaw - Executive Director/CEO, Birmingham-Jefferson County Transit Authority
Wednesday, 12:30 - 1:00 PM CST
Charlotte Shaw serves as the Executive Director/CEO of Birmingham-Jefferson County Transit Authority (BJCTA). Ms. Shaw has over 25 years of experience in various industries in both private and public sectors including her extensive background in Public Transit. She has
held various leaderships roles in A/E and Construction Contracts, Operations, Capital Improvement Planning and Program/Project Delivery. Prior to her role as CEO, she was appointed by the Mayor of Birmingham as the Deputy Director of Special Projects to deliver the city's first Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) which recently launched and is known as the BX Birmingham Xpress. She was also recently credited with the successful design and
implementation of public transportation for national dignitaries, visitors and spectators during The World Games 2022 while maintaining regular services. Ms. Shaw is known for being a compassionate and passionate leader who is also insightful and innovative.
%20(1)_JPG.jpg)
bottom of page