Dennis Ong

Technology Executive, Board Advisor, Amazon Web Services | TEDx Speaker
Amazon

Dr. Dennis Ong serves as a Technology Leader at Amazon Web Services, where his primary role is to drive business and technology innovation for Fortune 100 companies, with particular emphasis on AI/GenAI and cloud transformation. He is also an Industry Advisory Board member of the University of Pennsylvania’s PRECISE Research Center. Prior to this, he spearheaded 5G AI applied research at Verizon, leading his team to develop the world's first 5G/AI autonomous vehicle, a collaborative project with the Honda Research Institute.

Dr. Ong has given two TEDx talks: one on "IoT Transformation through Machine Learning" and the other on " Securing the World with Blockchain". A frequent presenter at international conferences, his topics revolve around AI, 5G, IoT, and Blockchain. His research collaborations span various global technology companies like Cisco and Nissan, as well as major research universities like the University of Michigan and the University of Pennsylvania, focusing on AI and 5G. His innovative 5G and AI designs have earned him three patent awards in 2022. Additionally, he co-founded “Leading AI”, a non-profit that delivers leadership and AI education to students and emerging professionals worldwide.

Dr. Ong earned an MBA, graduating with honors, from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. He also received a Ph.D. in Electrical and Computer Engineering from The Ohio State University as a University Fellow. Furthermore, he served as an adjunct faculty member in the Department of Computer Science and Engineering at The Ohio State University.

Roger Cheng

Senior Supplier Diversity Sourcing Manager
AT&T

Roger Cheng recently joined AT&T as a Sr. Supplier Diversity Sourcing Manager. Prior to AT&T, Roger spent the previous 14+ years with M/WBEs in the technology space leading business development through Supplier Diversity.

Roger, also known as “The Voice,” has served as emcee or VOG for a number of organizations across the country. In 2017, Roger was recognized as the #Hes4Shes Champion at the WBENC National Conference.

Kevin Harvey

People Leader
Boston Scientific

Hollina Ung

DEI Consultant
Boston Scientific

Trevor Boylston

Supplier Diversity Professional and LGBTQ+ Inclusive Workplace Speaker
Boston Scientific

Axel Adams

Manager - Supplier Diversity and Inclusion
Delta Air Lines

Axel D. Adams is employed with Delta Air Lines as a Manager in Supplier Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion where he and his colleagues are responsible for ensuring diverse businesses have an opportunity to secure contracts for business with Delta. Prior to Delta, he had a brief stint as National Director of African American Outreach with 2020 Presidential Candidate Tom Steyer’s Campaign. His overall responsibility keeping the campaign focused on AA voters, issues, concerns and what is most important to them.

Axel’s most noted employment was noted with the Rainbow PUSH Coalition (RPC) where the Rev. Jesse Jackson, Sr. is the Founder and President. Axel served in a many roles such as the Chief Operations Officer in the Chicago Headquarters managing all operations/departments of the organization. staff, finance, education, trade bureau, press, finding, national and regional conventions, and cooperate relationships, emerging markets, and regional offices to name a few. He also held the positions of Bureau Chief, and National Youth Director.

Prior to RPC, Axel was with Westinghouse Savannah River Company as a supervisor in the Nuclear Materials Processing Division. During his employment there, he was the first African American to receive the Community Service Award.

Axel is a recipient of many awards/honors such as the Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award from President Barack Obama; The Georgia Assembly passed House Bill 1984 for his dedication to the betterment of the citizens of the State of Georgia; South Carolina Senate recognized Axel Adams and passed Resolution 1118 for his significant contributions and outstanding achievements in the fields of politics, business, and community outreach. He is the author of “The Journey”, a book detailing his life experiences in politics, community service, and social activism. He is President of the Axel Adams Foundation (www.axeladamsfoundation.com), which is committed to making long-term improvements in education, health and wellness, and combating socioeconomic issues in the Central Savannah River Area. Axel has the honor of being the first African American elected to serve on City Council in New Ellenton South Carolina at the early age of 22 years old, serving two-four-year elected terms on city council. And he was Acting-Mayor and Police commissioner for three years, and the first African American to serve in this capacity as well.

He has a master’s in business administration, and bachelor’s degree in business management. Axel says that God is first and foremost in his life.

Antoine Hinton

Director, Supplier Diversity
Dollar General

Rich Szellan

SVP Procurement and Margin Improvement
Dollar General

Dallas Simmons

SD Program Manager
Domion Energy

Anita Ramdhani

Manager - Program Delivery and Analysis
JP Morgan Chase

In her role as Program Manager for the Office of Asian & Pacific Islander Affairs – a DEI Center of Excellence – Anita oversees programming for the team’s Business Growth and Entrepreneurship pillar and supports overall infrastructure and operations.

Since joining the firm in 2013, Anita has held multiple roles with the Consumer Bank’s Client & Employee Experience team and the Market Expansion Field Strategy & Support Program Management team, supporting Chase’s retail expansion into 25 new states. Anita served as chair of NextGen, the firm’s early career professional Business Resource Group, from 2020-2022 and currently serves as an advisor.

Anita is very closely tied to her Indo-Caribbean & South Asian roots and is actively involved in celebrating both communities in the Tampa Bay area, particularly through her involvement in Delta Phi Omega, a South Asian Interest Sorority.

Dianca Kelly

Regional Liason, Buy to Pay Impact Spending
Kaiser Permanente

Dianca Kelly joined Kaiser Permanente in December 2015 as a Contracts Administrator with National Facilities Services, now known as National Facilities Design and Construction (NFDC). In this role, she collaborated with project delivery teams to establish contract strategies, provided subject matter expertise for the implementation, execution, and administration of construction, design, and specialty services contracts, and developed critical contract documents and processes for the organization’s major construction and maintenance projects. In 2017, Dianca became a Supplier Diversity Champion for the Mid-Atlantic States market, where her contributions were instrumental in helping the region consistently achieve its Tier 1 and Tier 2 Supplier Diversity spend goals.

In November 2024, Dianca transitioned to Buy to Pay Impact Spending as a Regional Liaison, focusing on increasing spending and contract opportunities with vendors in markets outside of California. In her new role, she connects small, local diverse vendors with contract opportunities, supports responses to Requests for Proposals (RFPs) that include special spend requirements, and ensures compliance with the organization’s goals and standards.

Debra Quade

Supplier Diversity Manager
Kellanova

Debra Quade is the Supplier Diversity Manager at Kellogg Company. Prior to joining Kellogg, she served as Supplier Diversity Specialist at Toyota Boshoku America in Erlanger, Kentucky and Magna Donnelly in Holland, Michigan.

Debra serves on the Board of Directors for the Canadian Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce in addition to leading a MiDiCo module for supplier inclusion and opportunity. She represents Kellogg Company on the National Minority Supplier Development Council Working Group, and the Corporate Advisory Council for the National Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce in addition to participating on the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council Programs Committee, the Food Marketing Institute Group Supplier Diversity Committee, WEConnect International Agricultural Industry Group and the Food & Beverage Industry Group.

LeShaun Smedley

Manager of Diversity and Inclusion
Kroger

Naina Patel

Head of Supplier Management
MassMutual

Naina Patel has over 20 years of experience as a leader in all areas of global procurement within pharma and insurance industries. Leading operations strategic sourcing, Category, and supplier management as well as manufacturing and supply chain strategy. Naina is results-driven and drives maximum value by leading change, creating vision, collaboration, inclusive approach, and inspiring people to achieve goals. Throughout her career Naina has focused on driving simplicity, process improvement, operational excellence, relationship management and organizational transformation.

In her current Executive leadership role at MassMutual life Insurance company as Head of Supplier Management Naina is focused on aligning and working closely with MassMutual leadership and cross-functional stakeholders across all business units to ensure that the management of MassMutual suppliers is executed consistently and efficiently across all levels while driving diversity and inclusion within the process and with supplier partners

Naina is an Avid runner, loves cooking and traveling.

Susanna Webber

Senior Vice President, Global Supplier Management Group & Global Workplace Enterprise Services, Chief Procurement Officer
Merck

Winona Taylor-Lee

Executive Director, Enterprise IT
Merck

Winona Taylor-Lee is a dynamic leader currently serving as the Executive Director of Enterprise IT at Merck, where she supports global Procurement and Workplace Services. Since joining Merck in July 2023, Winona has been instrumental in partnering with the Procurement and Workforce Services organizations to develop, implement, and manage innovative technology strategies and roadmaps.​
​
In her role, she leads a talented team of solution architects, technical and solution engineers, and product analysts, focusing on delivering products that enhance the source-to-settle process, employee experience, and supplier management product lines. Winona's extensive experience spans multiple industries, having held key positions at renowned companies such as CareFirst BCBS, Johnson & Johnson, Barclays, and Citi.​
​
Winona holds an MBA from the University of Maryland and a bachelor's degree in Accounting from Morgan State University. Beyond her professional achievements, she is deeply committed to giving back to her community. Winona actively engages in mentoring and leadership forums to promote awareness of women in STEM fields. She is also a proud member of the National Black MBA Association, where she advocates for diversity and inclusion and the importance of education.

Tobias Thornwell

Regional Director of Supplier Inclusion
MGM Resorts International

Tobias Thornwell is the Senior Strategic Sourcing Manager for MGM National Harbor, a $1.4 billion resort and casino located on the banks of the Potomac River in National Harbor, MD. He is responsible for developing and overseeing all procurement activities including vendor sourcing, purchasing, vendor contracts, and supplier diversity for the property. Mr. Thornwell is focused on ensuring that MGM National Harbor continues to meet or exceed its spending goals with certified diverse suppliers with the State of Maryland and Prince George’s County.

Mr. Thornwell has more than 12 years of purchasing and supply chain management experience in the food service industry. Prior to joining MGM National Harbor, Mr. Thornwell served as National Product Manager/Regional Buyer at The Chef’s Warehouse in Hanover, MD, and Lead COP Buyer/Product Line Manager at US Foods in Severn, MD.

Mr. Thornwell earned a bachelor’s degree in Marketing from the University of Maryland, College Park (Go Terps!). He also holds a Certified Purchasing Manager certification (C.P.M.), and a Certified Professional in Supply Management certification (CPSM) from the Institute for Supply Management (ISM). Mr. Thornwell is originally from the Bronx, New York and enjoys traveling.

Drew H. Misher

Vice President of Procurement
Penn Entertainment

Drew Misher is the Vice President of Procurement for PENN Entertainment, Inc.

Mr. Misher is responsible for PENN’s Procurement Operations including Strategic Sourcing, eProcurement as well as property purchasing and warehouse. Mr. Misher also plays an active role in managing PENN’s Supplier Diversity program.

Prior to joining PENN in 2017, Mr. Misher worked in procurement for 20 years across various industries including pharmaceuticals, banking/finance and the public sector. He has considerable experience in developing national and global procurement organizations and transitioning the function into a high performing value-added operation.

Drew was born and raised outside of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and received his Bachelor of the Arts in International Relations from The College of William and Mary where he was a member of the Division 1 Varsity Soccer Team. He also received his Master of Business Administration from Temple University. He resides in Villanova, PA with his wife and three children.

Brian Gatus

Head Of Procurement - Direct Services
Southern California Edison

Tammy Tran

Principal Manager - SD
Southern California Edison

Saima Cardwell

Supplier Diversity Specialist
SAS Institute

Saima has had a lifelong passion for helping others for the past 8 years and is the supplier diversity specialist. Her current role allows her to use this passion and energy by engaging with diverse business owners, and SAS to increase utilization of minority, women, veteran, LGBTQ and disabled-owned businesses. Currently she serves on the ISM-Carolina Virginia-Triangle Chapter- President, HarmonyNC - Board of Directors. Disability-IN-NC- Board of Directors.

Saima has held various positions in her 24+ years at SAS, Finance, Licensing & Contracts, Strategic Sourcing & Procurement. Her experience has given her an in-depth knowledge of business development, contracts and sourcing & procurement. She has a Bachelor's from Campbell University.

Joyce Eggers

Global Lead of Supplier Diversity
Takeda Pharmaceuticals

Joyce Eggers is a passionate Supplier Diversity expert with over 20 years of experience in the Life Sciences industry. Joyce is responsible for providing the leadership for Takeda to grow and develop a sustainable diversity, equity, and inclusion program for suppliers.

Supported by and aligned with Takeda’s overall DE&I strategy, her expertise and passion for fostering an inclusive and innovative supply chain drives positive impact in the global communities in which our patients, employees, and customers live and work, guided by Takeda’s commitment to patients, our people, and the planet.

In her role, Joyce also serves as an advocate, mentor, and coach for small and/or diverse suppliers and is actively involved with numerous NGOs and advocacy groups focusing on supplier mentoring, development, diversity, and inclusion.

Muriel Garr

Vice President and Regional Community Development Manager
Truist

Lissa Miller

SVP, Head of Supplier Diversity
Truist

Dennis Thurston

Supplier Diversity Manager
Southern California Edison

Dennis J. Thurston, a 36-year employee of Southern California Edison (SCE), beginning in August of 1987 serving in his current capacity as a Supplier Diversity Program Manager for 25 years assisting small and diverse businesses understand the Company’s general procurement practices and procedures.

Prior to SCE, Mr. Thurston worked at Consolidated Edison in New York bringing 12 years of experience with him.

In 2021, Dennis received the 2021 Corporate Advocate of the Year Award from the Southern California Minority Development Council.

In 2018, Dennis received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Native American Indian Chamber of Commerce of California for outstanding work within the Native American business community and tribal leaders.

The U.S. Small Business Administration, Santa Ana District Office selected Dennis as the 2017 Veteran Small Business Champion of the Year for his devotion to the success and advancement of Veterans in business in his professional capacity at SCE and his personal life.

During the 2017 Inaugural Veterans In Business (VIB) Network National Conference, Dennis Thurston received the Above & Beyond Bravo Zulu Award recognizing Veteran Business Advocates that go Above & Beyond to help the Veteran business community grow and succeed.

In 2016 Dennis was nominated for the State Agency Recognition Awards (SARA) given by the Department of General Services.

In recognition of his contributions as a role model of Edison International’s values and guiding behaviors of integrity, continuous growth and improvement, excellence, respect, and teamwork, Dennis was awarded the Chairman’s Award, now the Edison Award in 2009. Edison selects only 40 employees out of over 15,000 for the first of the prestigious award.

Mr. Thurston still volunteers for many community activities geared toward mentorship and guidance of small and diverse businesses in the areas of career, jobs, and starting businesses.

For the past 27 years, served as an off-ice official for the National Hockey League (NHL) assigned to the Anaheim Ducks and Dennis represented the NHL at the first ever game played outside North America in Japan, Helsinki, and Berlin.

Pafoua Xiong

Procurement Supplier Diversity Specialist
U.S. Bank

Pafoua Xiong joined the Supplier Diversity team at U.S. Bank in 2021 as the Procurement Supplier Diversity Specialist, where her work is focused on enhancing the Supplier Diversity program by actively working to grow relationships with diverse-owned businesses and partners. Shortly after joining the Bank, Pafoua became a board member for the Asian Heritage Business Resource Group (BRG).

Pafoua founded her way into this industry after working as a Merchandiser Assistant at The Scoular Company managing the inventory of pet food ingredients. She later moved on to support the non-retail side of supply chain at Target for 3 years.

She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Minnesota where she majored in Journalism and Communication Studies.

Outside of the office, you can find her hiking around state parks with her Pitbull, listening to supernatural podcasts, and spending time with her family.

Hector Martinez

Vice President Supplier Diversity
U.S. Bank

Dale Shintani

Senior Vice President
Wells Fargo

Dale Shintani is a Senior Vice President at Wells Fargo. In addition to being a strategy and planning leader in her day job, she also serves as the strategy chair for Wells Fargo’s internal women’s employee resource network with over 25K members. She has also focused on supporting small businesses for much of her career through various leadership roles including head of Customer Experience, Digital Strategy, and business manager of a business line of credit portfolio all while continuing to be a Diversity Equity and Inclusion champion.

Passionate about mentoring emerging leaders, Dale regularly delivers talks on women’s empowerment in business and was a frequent leadership speaker in an Asian American Pacific Islander Diverse Leaders program. Dale lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with her husband Mark and daughters Claire and Katie.

Jennifer Broden

Vice President, Branch Manager
U.S. Bank

Jerome Flores

Senior Consultant - Diversity & Inclusion
Wells Fargo

Jerome Flores is a Senior Diversity & Inclusion consultant focused on enhancing the employee resource network program to grow leadership capabilities, bench strength and serve as a diverse resource to influence business outcomes. Jerome has always been passionate about diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging helping to stand up the Washington, DC chapter of Pride Connections, and forming relationships through community outreach and engagement.

As a highly skilled and experienced professional, Jerome has spent 19+ years working in the financial services industry. With a proven track record of success. Jerome is become known for their thought leadership, creativity, problem-solving, and attention to detail. Jerome has a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Certificate from University of Southern California’s Marshall School of Business, Office of Executive Education, and a Bachelor of Science Degree from the Pennsylvania State University and is committed to staying up to date with the latest industry trends and best practices.

And is based in Washington, DC