Eric B. Seldon

Sr. Vice President
Aflac

Eric Seldon is senior vice president of shared services at Aflac. He also serves as president and CEO of Communicorp Incorporated.

Seldon joined Aflac in 1999 as an operations manager in Client Services. After joining Aflac, Seldon took the helm of Payroll Account Service Billing, where he managed the reconciling and billing activities for the company's payroll accounts. Within six months, he was promoted to director of New Business and underwriting.

Since then, Seldon has held several leadership positions within Aflac including second vice president, Support Services; vice president, Business Services & Support; and senior vice president, Business Services, as well as president and vice chairman of the board for Communicorp administration and operations. In 2011, he was promoted to president and CEO of Communicorp, retaining his title as senior vice president of Shared Services.

Prior to joining Aflac, Seldon was vice president of Card Services at Total System Services Inc. He has more than 35 years of leadership experience, including more than 25 years with Aflac.

Seldon is a member of the Georgia Minority Supplier Development Council (GMSDC). In March 2008, the organization honored Seldon with the "Executive of the Year" award. The award recognizes the executive who has consistently demonstrated support for minority-business development. Additionally, the award honors the executive who operates as an integral force in their organization's Supplier Diversity efforts. In 2012, Seldon was selected as one of Atlanta Tribune's 2012 Men of the Year. With this award, he was recognized as an executive advocate for supplier diversity. This award also honors executives with strong business acumen, community involvement and being a positive role model.

Seldon is currently on the following boards. PIAG (Printing Industries of America in Georgia), The Chattahoochee River Club, The Columbus Technical College Advisory Board, Harris County Chamber of Commerce, Communicorp, Inc., and the Harris County Combine Church Leadership.

Seldon earned a bachelor's degree in business administration from Madison University. He is certified by the U.S. Postal Service as a Mail Center Professional and by Mail com for Mail Center Security.

Eric B. Seldon is the Senior Pastor at Christian Valley Church in Cataula, GA. He is married to Nina Seldon, and they have one daughter, Ashley LaCour, and one son, Eric Seldon, Jr. He also has one grandson, Yashaya LaCour.

Nina Patnala

Director of Technology
Amazon

Nina Patnala is a technology leader with an impressive 20 years of experience in the dynamic and ever-evolving field of technology. Currently serving as a Technology Director at Amazon Operations, where she drives procurement digital transformation and leads engineering, product and science teams.

Nina has played a pivotal role in shaping the Amazon’s procurement technical strategies, focusing on efficiency, scalability, and customer satisfaction. Known for her hands-on approach and collaborative spirit, Nina has fostered a culture of creativity and teamwork within her teams. Her leadership style empowers individuals to think outside the box, fostering an environment where groundbreaking ideas flourish.

Beyond her professional achievements, Nina is an advocate for diversity and inclusion in the tech industry. She actively mentors aspiring professionals, especially women, encouraging them to pursue careers in technology and break through gender barriers. Nina is active in raising awareness and promote the welfare of animals through advocacy, and education.

Nina embarked on her academic journey at the renowned University of Texas at Austin, where she earned a dual Bachelor's degree in Computer Sciences and Biology. With an insatiable curiosity and passion for innovation, Nina continued to hone her skills by pursuing an MBA at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). This advanced degree equipped her with the strategic mindset needed to navigate the complex intersection of business and technology.

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.

Trevor Boylston

Supplier Diversity Professional and LGBTQ+ Inclusive Workplace Speaker
Boston Scientific

Larncell Hymon

Senior Supply Chain Manager
Boston Scientific

With a wealth of experience in global supply chain leadership and strategy, team building, and sales and operations management, Larncell has successfully navigated complex supply chain operations in the healthcare and retail space.

As a Senior Supply Chain Manager at Boston Scientific®, Larncell has been instrumental in delivering significant cost savings, maintaining optimal inventory levels, and ensuring exceptional service levels, even during challenging times such as the COVID-19 pandemic.

Their expertise extends to international and national vendor management, inventory management, new product launches, and operational scorecard management. They have a proven track record of driving operational excellence, leading cross-functional teams, and implementing strategies to enhance supply chain efficiency and effectiveness.

In their role at Boston Scientific, Larncell has successfully improved the efficiency of the Global S&OP process, integrated warehouse operations, and transitioned legacy processes to align with company standards. Larncell has also partnered with global distribution to drive significant transportation savings and led initiatives to enhance hiring and retention practices within the organization.

Prior to their current role, they held key positions at Newell Brands®, where they led complex supply chain operations for electronics, consumables, arts and crafts, and writing business units. Larncell has a strong background in supply planning, vendor management, and operational strategy development, resulting in improved inventory management, increased shipment performance, and significant cost savings.

Larncell holds a MBA from the University of Georgia and a Bachelor's in Packaging from Michigan State University. With certifications in SAP BPC and previous participation in professional organizations such as APICS, Larncell is committed to continuous learning and professional development in the field of supply chain management.

Rashmi Shinde

Strategic Sourcing
Boston Scientific

Jessica MedeiRosman

SVP of Technology & Product Transformation
Caesars Entertainment

Darretta Whitfield

Director of Supplier Diversity
Charter Communications

Darretta Whitfield is Director of Supplier Diversity for Charter Communications, a national of broadband connectivity company and cable operator serving 41 states through its Spectrum brand.

Darretta joined Charter in 2019 to lead the Supplier Diversity program, and is responsible for the strategy, management, and future roadmap across Charter’s footprint. In prior roles Darretta led eSourcing and Contract Management initiatives for various companies in financial technology and services, consumer products, and paper/packaging manufacturing focused on project management, competitive bidding, supplier management, and contract processing. These roles have provided her with a foundation of souring knowledge that she leverages in her current role in support of diverse owned businesses.

Darretta graduated from Clark Atlanta University’s School of Business Administration, serves as an Executive Board Member for tech:SCALE, and is a new member of the Board of Directors for the Southern California Minority Supplier Development Council (SCMSDC).

Edwin Alvarez

Supplier Diversity Senior Manager
CVS Health

Hope Burtner

Manager, Supplier Programs
Cox Enterprises

Jackie Castañeda

Sr Mgr, Business Process Design & Improvement
Cox Enterprises

Nicholas Lanigan

Vice President, Sourcing & Procurement
Cox Communications

Since 2023, Nicholas Lanigan has led the Sourcing and Procurement goals and strategy for Cox Automotive, Cox Communications and Cox Enterprises. As Vice President, Nicholas is responsible for building and maintaining a world-class supply chain, and delivering on the company’s financial performance, while adhering to the highest level of customer service and compliance.

Nicholas brings a wealth of experience from his previous leadership roles as the Chief Procurement & Supply Chain Officer at Panasonic Avionics, as the Vice President, Global Procurement, Contracts & Compliance at Conduent, a global leader in business process outsourcing solutions, and as the Head of Global Procurement, Pricing and Contracts at Xerox Corporation.

Nicholas holds an MBA and a Juris Doctor from the University of Connecticut and is a member of the Connecticut Bar. He is married with three young boys. In his spare time, he enjoys playing sports with his children, running, and traveling with his family.

Leshaun Smedley

Supplier Diversity Manager
Cushman & Wakefield

Roy Yang

Principal
Deloitte Digital

Randy Brown

Sr. Manager, Supplier Diversity
Denny's

Randy Brown is the Sr. Manager, Supplier Diversity for Denny’s. The award-winning executive i charged with managing and expanding the company’s supplier diversity program. Brown works closely to identify procurement opportunities around the country with certified diverse companies, including small disadvantaged, minority business enterprises, veteran-owned, woman business enterprises, LGBTQ+owned, disabled veteran-owned or disabled-owned. Prior to joining Denny’s, he played an instrumental role at Emory University in winning the Jesse L.Moore's2021 Supplier Diversity Award from Insight into Diversity.

The Georgia Minority Supplier Diversity Council also awarded Emory its George Lottier Rising Star Award during Brown’s tenure at the university. Brown has served on Emory University’s Business Diversity Council, National Minority Supplier Diversity Council Mentor Program, and the Georgia Minority Supplier Diversity Council’s Executive Council. He is currently aboard advisor for Spectrum Autism, a board member of Encourage Men Ministries Inc., and a member of the Georgia State University Entrepreneurship & Innovation Institute Strategic Planning Ecosystem Subcommittee. Brown received his Bachelor of Arts degree from Georgia State University’s J. Mack Robinson School of Business.

April-Kelly Drummond

Vice President, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
Denny's

Nearly 25 years ago, April Kelly-Drummond began her professional career as a wide-eyed, ambitious executive assistant to corporate diversity and community relations. Now, she’s leading “America’s Diner” diversity initiatives, playing a significant role in transforming the company’s image and forging lasting relationships with a who’s who in diverse national organizations.

April serves as the Vice President, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion for Denny’s Inc., the nation’s largest family dining restaurant operator with more than $2 billion in annual sales. She has been an integral player in championing the company’s “Bold Way Forward,” a company-wide ongoing effort to create diversity at all levels, improve corporate culture and strengthen and expand relationships with community partners. The award-winning executive has been named to Savoy’s Top 100 Influential Women in Corporate America.

Among her many accomplishments, she established and chairs Denny's first DEI Council chair, sponsored by CEO and Denny's board member. This includes seven business resource groups that impact the local and national community. She also played a pivotal role in and negotiated Denny’s title sponsorship of the Orange Blossom Classic, an event that had not occurred in 43 years.

April is an experienced executive in corporate diversity and multicultural affairs who currently works directly with all members of the company’s C-Suite and marketing team to create effective programs and partnerships with major national organizations.

She has become known as an effective collaborator in the company, coordinating messaging and program implementation with corporate board members, the executive team, and the media to help strengthen and raise the profile of Denny’s work in diversity, its core products, and services. She has become a key team member in helping to roll out the company’s outreach for its major Hungry for Education program.

As part of this major corporate initiative, the company has awarded more than $1.3 million in scholarships, recognizing academic achievement and students in elementary, high school and college who have worked in their communities to help end hunger. April has forged relationships with nine diverse organizations including, the Tom Joyner Foundation, the U.S. Pan American Chamber of Commerce Education Foundation, the United States Hispanic Leadership Institute (USHLI), the Urban League of the Upstate of South Carolina, the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities, and the Magic Johnson Foundation to create the “Hungry for Education” Scholarship program.

April also has helped raised Denny’s profile with many organizations, including the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), the National Civil Rights Museum, The King Center, the National Urban League, the National Action Network, the Step Up Foundation, and the Hispanic College Fund. She has worked tirelessly to help the company gain significant national media attention from civil rights groups for becoming a corporate example of increasing diversity among its workforce, its franchisees and its vendors. She has received numerous awards and coverage on TV (60 Minutes), Fortune, Black Enterprise, and Essence. Other recognition for April and Denny’s efforts have appeared in Hispanic Business, Savoy Magazine, Family Digest, and Latino Magazine. She has been acknowledged at the beginning of the book, titled “Denny’s Turnaround Story” by Jim Adamson for the contributions made to Denny’s Brand Acknowledged in the book, titled “Managing for Diversity for a Global Inclusive Workforce” by Michalle E. Mor Barak.

Additionally, she was named South Carolina Women of the Year /Human and Community Relations Award by the Governor of South Carolina; was named Minority Advocate of the Year by Asian Enterprise Magazine for two consecutive years. In her community, April is a corporate board member of the League of United Latin American Citizen Multicultural Foodservice Hospitality Alliance, the Southern Area Links, Incorporated, and a former board member of Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Upstate. She is currently president of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated chapter and president of the Lambda Rho Omega chapter of Gaffney, SC.

April believes that you must continuously learn, putting knowledge into practice. She demonstrated that philosophy while working on her B.A. in Professional Studies with a concentration in organizational leadership and development at the College of Charleston. As an example of her ability to bring disparate groups together to rally around a common cause, April and Denny’s co-sponsored with the college “Advancing Diversity and Inclusion: Building Successful Organizations and Communities,” a conference that attracted over 200 attendees. In an interview, April later said, “My goal was to apply my learnings to impact my job and the community … I was able to achieve this goal by participating in the evolution of the CofC’s (diversity) event.”

Robert P. Verostek

Executive Vice President, Chief Financial
Denny's

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

Cedric Cravens

Director, Patient Engagement & Health Access Equity
Edwards Lifesciences

Kimberley Thompson

Global Diversity & Inclusion Leader
Edwards Lifesciences

Inclusion thought leader, diversity, inclusion and equity strategist, culture changer, influencer, internal and relationship architect with over 15 + years related experience in diversity and inclusion design, management and community engagement.

Currently practicing D&I in the healthcare industry. Prior to that spent 12 years at Starbucks Coffee Company, providing D&I subject matter expertise, best practices, tools and strategic consultation across the corporate and retail businesses.

Kimberley has a Bachelor’s Degree in Science, Sociology (Race Relations and Education) from University of California, Los Angeles. She holds several certifications: D&I from eCornell, Unconscious Bias and Cultural Intelligence training.

Outside of work, Kimberley enjoys listening to podcasts and running, spending time with her husband, George, and children George, Alexander (twins) and Grace.

Dipali Hunjan

Director, Indirect Sourcing
Edwards Lifesciences

Roxanne Wilson

Supplier Diversity Manager
Fannie Mae

Cydni Baldwin

Senior Manager - Supplier Diversity
Foodbuy

Simone Ray

Director, Corporate Procurement & Supplier Diversity
Hilton

Simone Ray leads Hiltons award-winning Supplier Diversity program, advancing their commitment to increase diversity in supply chain. She partners with HSM category leaders to identify, develop, and mentor minority suppliers. Simone also collaborates closely with Hilton’s D&I team and is always looking for a referral to small and minority business owners!  She is originally from Orlando, Florida and attended Florida State University with a concentration on Merchandising. She’s worked with leading retail companies such as Macy’s and JC Penney, holding positions in buying, planning and product development. For her work at Hilton, she was named Buyer of the Year in 2020 by Minority Business News USA. In her free time Simone enjoys hosting events and meeting like-minded creative and community leaders.

Sonia Moin

Director
Goldman Sachs

Shantoura James

Associate Program merchant
Home Depot

Kyle Wilckens

Senior Manager Supplier Diversity
Home Depot

Breana Chan

Vice-President, Global Supplier Diversity
JP Morgan Chase & Co.

Doing Business with Corporations & Government Agencies Roundtables

Breana Chan's journey began in the dotcom boom, navigating the fast-paced world of Silicon Valley startups. This entrepreneurial spirit, coupled with her 30+ years of Procurement and Supplier Diversity experience across industries, fuels her approach to consulting and mentoring individuals and businesses. Breana believes diversity isn't just a box to tick; it's a strategic imperative for growth.

Featured in Winning Leadership by Two-Time Olympian Sherry Winn, Breana empowers businesses to unlock untapped talent pools, gain a competitive edge, and build cultures of inclusion and does so with a constant attitude of gratitude.

Ranked #78 in the Top 100 Women in Procurement in 2023 (Procurement Magazine, 2023), #11 in the Top 100 Women in Procurement in 2022 (EY & Procurement Magazine, 2022), and Corporate Buyers of the Year in 2022 (Minority Business News USA, 2022) she understands the challenges businesses face and brings practical, results-oriented solutions. Whether with a global giant or a nimble startup, Breana can craft a diversity strategy that delivers measurable impact.

Build a Business, Not a Hobby was authored and published by Breana in an effort to share her experiences and mentorship with more entrepreneurs and entrepreneurship-minded individuals like herself as they dream of and start businesses of their own.

Breana is married to her high school sweetheart, Isaac. They have four children and a granddaughter whom they adore. You can often find Breana cruising the seven seas in her quest to see the world.

Let's build a more equitable future together

Vivian Young

Global Head of Asian & Pacific Islander Affairs
JPMorgan Chase

Vivian Young has over 15 years of leadership experience in the financial services industry. In her current role as global head of Asian & Pacific Islander Affairs for JPMorgan Chase, Vivian is responsible for developing a leading a global, unified strategy to advance equity and inclusion for the Asian and Pacific Islander (API) community. Key focus areas include driving opportunity and progress through increased cultural understanding and collaboration; raising awareness about cultural identity and the challenges faced by underserved individuals and communities; supporting API communities globally through public advocacy, economic inclusion and community development.

Prior to joining JPMorgan Chase, Vivian spent 7 years at Charles Schwab Advisor Services, where she was responsible for strategy, execution and management of the Family Office and Investment Consultant client segment. She also served as business lead on new product initiatives for trust products, ETFs, mutual funds and separately managed accounts. Previous to Charles Schwab, Vivian was a relationship manager and team lead at U.S. Trust Company of New York providing financial planning services to high net worth individuals and families in the Wealth Management division.

Vivian Joined JPMorgan Chase in 2012 leading strategic initiatives for the Product and Platform team in the Private Bank and J.P.Morgan Wealth Management. She was responsible for product management, development and expansion of Trusts & Estates services, donor advised fund, and financial planning tools. She most recently was global head of Bank Product Marketing in Asset & Wealth Management, developing strategies to deepen client relationships and drive business growth. Working in partnership with Product leadership in banking, lending, mortgage, annuities, trusts and estates, and cyber and fraud, Vivian lead the content development and implementation of strategic marketing programs.

Vivian received a BA in Political Science from the State University of New York at Stony Brook. She is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional.

She resides in New York City with her husband and two children.

Learn more about Vivian:

⦁ Office of Asian & Pacific Islander Affairs at JPMorgan Chase https://www.jpmorganchase.com/...

⦁ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vi...

⦁ Bringing a cultural lens to her community: Women on the Move podcast

https://open.spotify.com/episo...

Todd Gray

Director, Supplier Diversity NFS
Kaiser Permanente

Todd A. Gray is Director of Supplier Diversity for Kaiser Permanente NFS. In this role, Gray is responsible for system wide Supplier Diversity for National Facility Services. The Nations largest vertically integrated healthcare delivery system. His responsibility include: Facility Development, Maintenance, Sustainability, and Social Economic Impact. Prior to, Gray served as Director, Supplier Diversity at Grady Health System. Where Gray’s responsibilities included the development, implementation, and facilitation of Grady’s corporate supplier diversity program. Grady Health System is the 5th largest public academic health system in the United States.

Prior to joining Grady Health System, Gray served as the Head of Supplier Diversity for CVS Caremark at their corporate headquarters in Woonsocket, Rhode Island. In this role, Gray led CVS Caremark’s supplier diversity program, and was an instrumental workforce diversity partner. Previously, Gray also served as Assistant Vice President of Wachovia, and Wells Fargo Corporate Diversity with responsibility for the implementation of processes, procedures, and tools that supported enterprise-wide Diversity initiatives with Wells Fargo. He actively promoted and encouraged the success, and inclusion, of minority and women-owned business enterprises as they sought supplier partnership opportunities within the institution. Gray was a certified HR workforce diversity practitioner for the company. Gray joined Wachovia in 2005 as Lease /Portfolio Administrator of Corporate Real Estate.

As a Metro Atlanta native, Gray is an active participant in civic, and state level initiatives impacting diversity, and community. Gray has partnered over the last decade as a mentor through the State of Georgia’s Mentor/Protégé Program for small business development. He also supports youth minority entrepreneurship through his partnership with the Greater Atlanta Economic Alliance Construction Skills Development Institute and other organizations that provide current and future entrepreneurs with education, awareness and technical assistance. Gray also founded an Atlanta community youth development initiative for young men ages 12-17 called P.O.L.I.S.H.E.D. to help young men in the Atlanta Community develop life, social and community involvement skills through ongoing tutoring and mentorship.

Gray contributes leadership by serving as Vice-Chair of the Georgia Minority Supplier Development Councils Board of Directors, Business Opportunity committee chair on The Atlanta Business League Board, and Board Co-Chair of The Villages at Carver Family YMCA. Where Gray represents his location for the collective YMCA of Metro Atlanta’s annual “Why it Matters” fund raising campaign. Gray also serves on the City of Atlanta Ethics Board and previously held board positions with the South Region Minority Supplier Development Council, the South Florida Minority Supplier Development Council, and the Atlanta Berean Church. Gray was recognized in 2008 by the Atlanta Business Journal as one of Atlanta’s Top 50 Rising Stars. Received the 2015 and 2017 Advocate of the Year Award from the Georgia Minority Supplier Development Council, 2016 Advocate of the year from the Greater Women’s Business Council, and in both 2016 and 2017, led Grady Health System to become the 1st Health System in the state of Georgia to receive the Corporation, and Local Corporation of the Year awards from the Georgia Minority Supplier Development Council. Mr. Gray is a featured public speaker, cover feature in the 2017 Who’s Who in Black Atlanta, and nationally recognized for his achievements in Diversity & Inclusion, and direct contributions in assuring stronger communities across the nation. Gray has founded The Gray Impact, a platform which empowers, and tools community stakeholders to be at the front line in assuring social, and economic equity in communities across the State of Georgia.

Gray received a Bachelor’s of Science in Network and Communications Management from DeVry University, and a Master of Business Administration with concentration’s in both Finance and marketing from DeVry’s Keller Graduate School of Management.

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.

Bruno Ceccarelli

Senior Managing Director Regional Executive
Lendistry

Itu Otu

Head, Global Supplier Diversity
Logitech

Itu Otu is the Global Supplier Diversity Lead at Logitech, responsible for developing, implementing and prioritizing a robust supplier diversity vision and strategy across the enterprise to meet the company’s business objectives.

Itu is a 25-year veteran of supplier diversity. He joined Logitech in November 2020 after a five-year career at Wyndham Destinations as the senior manager for supplier diversity, seven years at Mars Chocolate North America as the manager for supplier diversity. Prior to joining Mars, he had a lengthy career at the Walt Disney World Resort where he progressed through several roles from Merchandising to Minority Business Relations. He was instrumental in positioning Walt Disney World Resort as a choice destination for multicultural convention businesses.

Chris Bilton

Supplier Diversity Manager
MassMutual

Quinae J. Ewing

Supplier Diversity Manager
MassMutual

Doing Business with Corporations & Government Agencies Roundtables

Quinae J. Ewing is a MassMutual Supplier Diversity manager, supporting the company’s innovative supplier diversity strategy that aligns with MassMutual's core values, and was appointed to this position in July 2022. With more than two decades of manufacturing, engineering, global procurement and supplier diversity management experience at Xerox Corporation, Quinae has managed significant corporate initiatives across North America, Asia, and Europe.

Quinae is an active and visible member of his community. He has worked as an adjunct professor of Mathematics at Monroe Community College (Rochester, NY) and also served on the Board of Directors at the Carlson Metro Center YMCA (Rochester, NY). Quinae represented Xerox Corporation as a corporate member of the Portland Black Business Association (Portland, OR) and over the past ten years, has attended various Supplier Diversity and Sustainability conferences and activities nationwide.

Quinae holds a Master of Engineering degree in Mechanical Engineering with a concentration in Business from Rochester Institute of Technology (Rochester, NY). He earned Bachelor of Science degrees in both Interdisciplinary Science and Mechanical Engineering from Clark Atlanta University (Atlanta, GA) and North Carolina A&T State University (Greensboro, NC) respectively. Quinae is also a member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Incorporated (Gamma Kappa Chapter) and Pi Tau Sigma National Mechanical Engineering Honor Society

Cathy Carroll

Associate Director, Economic Inclusion & Business Diversity
Merck

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.

Andrea Arce

Specialist, Global Economic Inclusion & Supplier Diversity
Merck

Andrea Arce is a Specialist, Global Economic Inclusion & Supplier Diversity at Merck. Joining the company in 2019, as part of the Global Economic Inclusion & Supplier Diversity Team, Andrea has been responsible for supporting Research Development Sourcing & Procurement category when it pertains to sourcing diverse suppliers. Andrea also leads the Merck Drexel Advanced Leadership Program for Diverse Suppliers, along with external and internal communications. Prior to joining Merck, Andrea was the Site Manager at Express Employment Professionals, where she was responsible for large clients and their staffing needs. Andrea has a Bachelor of Arts from William Paterson University.

Meghan Schwartz

Director, Research & Development Sourcing & Procurement
Merck

Meghan Schwartz is a director in the Global Supplier Management Group at Merck. Meghan is responsible for outsourcing Global Regulatory and Clinical Safety (GRACS) and Global Medical & Scientific Affairs (GMSA)

Meghan joined Merck in 2013 from Procurian (acquired by Accenture), where she was a Procurement Operations Team Lead. She has 17 years of Procurement leadership roles.

Throughout her time at Merck, Meghan has been able to transform categories in the Research and Development Sourcing and Procurement (RDSP) organization by ensuring compliance and streamlining processes. Meghan started at Merck supporting the clinical functional outsourcing, then moving to support central labs and clinical trial specialty services. She then moved into Vaccines and Biologics as an Associate Director where she led many large initiatives including the large outsourcing project for process development and 3rd party analytical labs. Meghan then stepped into the Discovery Sciences space overseeing Disease Area Biology and Pharmacology where she partnered with a large stakeholder group to redefine the Procurement / Operations relationship. Her project and people management skills led her to her current role as Director supporting Global Regulatory Affairs and Clinical Safety (GRACS) and Global Medical Scientific Affairs (GMSA). Meghan has also served as the lead for RDSP’s Supplier Diversity stewardship throughout her tenure.

Meghan holds a bachelor’s in Human Resources from Temple University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Jess Liu

Partner
Nationwide

Jess Liu is a Partner at Nationwide Ventures, where she invests in early-stage companies in sectors such as fintech, insurtech and AI/ML.

Prior to that, she invested in both early stage and growth stage companies as Senior Principal at Blue Ivy Ventures and Vice President at Cathay Capital. Jess started her career as an investment banker at JPMorgan in New York.

She also worked in microfinance in Ghana, leading the strategy department at Women’s World Banking-Ghana. Jess has an MBA degree from Yale University and a B.A. in economics from Mount Holyoke College.

Hope Jacoway

Consultant, Supplier Diversity
Nationwide

Kimberly Proffitt

AVP, Procurement Strategic Sourcing
Nationwide

Kimberly is a professional Procurement and Supplier Relationship Management executive with 20+years of global experience working for Fortune 100 companies like JPMorgan Chase, Wells Fargo, CNA Insurance, Reed Elsevier and currently Nationwide Insurance. Her focus is enabling digital transformation and advancing automation within Procurement, leveraging data to create transparency to better inform our business, designing and implementing Procure2 Pay technologies, establishing third-party risk programs, advancing competitive advantage through strengthened supplier partnerships, while ensuring that diverse suppliers play a role in our supply chain strategy.

Currently, she leads the Nationwide Insurance Procurement Strategic Sourcing organization.However, led the Procurement Shared Services function prior to assuming responsibility for the Sourcing organization.

Marcella McCullough

Senior Manager, Supplier Diversity
Nissan

Bridget Carter

Manager, Supplier Diversity
Penn Entertainment

Timothy Evans

Supply Chain Responsibility Program Manager
PG&E

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.

Amira Gonzalez

Supplier Diversity Manager
RTX

Judge, What's Your Pitch?

She has been with RTX for 16 years leveraging roles of increasing responsibility within Operations and Supply Chain including Material Program Manager, Strategic Sourcing Manager, and Senior Manager Supply Chain. In mid-2018, Amira moved to her current role in Corporate Supplier Diversity where she is responsible for executing strategic outreach initiatives for collaboration to drive utilization of small and diverse businesses in procurement across RTX. Prior to joining RTX, Amira spent 13 years in the telecom industry in various roles in supply chain, operations, project management, and new product marketing & introduction.

Amira has a Bachelor’s degree from The Ohio State University. In the Dallas area where she lives, Amira serves on the Board of Directors for a local nonprofit, Helping Hands, Open Hearts, and actively serves the unhoused and elderly shut-ins in Dallas on her weekend time

Sarfraz Nawaz

Vice President, Supply Chain and CPO
RTX

Chief Procurement Officers Forum

Sarfraz Nawaz is Vice President, Supply Chain, for RTX. In this position, Nawaz is responsible for the company’s global supply chain activities across all RTX businesses (Collins Aerospace, Pratt & Whitney and Raytheon), including advancing ongoing Supply Chain transformation efforts, focusing on talent development as well as tools and process improvement. He also leads supply chain activities that drive supplier performance and cost reduction.

Nawaz previously served as Vice President, Global Operations & Systems (GOS) for Collins Aerospace. In his 24-year tenure, he has held various leadership positions within RTX (previously United Technologies Corporation) including, Vice President, Supply Chain for Collins Aerospace, Vice President, Operations, in the Asia Pacific, for UTC Aerospace Systems, Commodity Manager for Carrier, Director, Global Sourcing, for Hamilton Sundstrand and Director, Supply Chain, Global Fire Products for UTC Fire & Security.

Nawaz holds a master’s degree in business administration from Syracuse University and a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from Birla Institute of Technology and Science in India.

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.

Vaughn Williams III

Principal Supplier Diversity Advisor
SoCalGas

Vaughn M. Williams III currently serves as the Principal Supplier Diversity Advisor for SoCalGas Company. In this capacity he is responsible for ensuring the advancement of small, minority and underrepresented businesses. This position coincides with his passion of service and economic development. Previously he served as Category Manager for Southern California Gas Company (A Division of Sempra Energy), his responsibilities included management of all staff augmentation, contracts negotiation and management, fostering long-term client relationships in the areas of engineering, food services and Human Resources. Prior to assuming this role, Vaughn worked as the On-Site Client Services Manager (Sempra Energy Utilities) under the auspices of AgileOne Vendor Management Solutions. He was responsible for the management and integrity of all data utilized under the Vendor Management Tool (Acceleration VMS). While based in Los Angeles, the Sempra Energy Utilities Account covers all Southern California to include San Diego and San Luis Obispo.

Vaughn has worked in various roles of Human Development which include the management of a multi-million-dollar social service program designed to employ at-risk youth, non-custodial parents, ex-offenders and the chronically underserved. The program was successful in both training and employing over three hundred individuals who were classified as unemployable. Additionally, he served as one of five recruiters on the Nissan Relocation Project from Los Angeles to Nashville, staffing and on-boarding recruits in the areas of IT and Customer Service.

In the early years of his career, he worked in various areas of development, fundraising, and fiscal management. As a member of the American Society of Public Administrators, Vaughn not only challenges organizations to expand their vision and mission, but he also accepts the role of leadership and commitment to excellence.

Over the last 18 years of his career in management, he has had the distinct honor of implementing several manuals on Resource Planning, Career Strategies, Workplace Etiquette and Human Management, along with moderating various national panels on the topics of procurement and supplier diversity. In 2001 Vaughn along with a group of dedicated professionals in the service arena were awarded the Best Practices award by the State of California under the Davis administration. Vaughn is especially proud of his ability to navigate from small to large organizations while continuing to provide solutions that offer quality improvement and economic advancement.

Vaughn holds a master’s degree in organizational management from the University of Phoenix, a bachelor’s degree in public administration from the California State University at Dominguez Hills, and a Certificate in Public Speaking from the Los Angeles Announcers Guild. In addition, he is a graduate of both the FBI Citizens Academy, and Southern California Leadership Network (Leadership LA).

While there are several strengths’ that could be mentioned, Vaughn’s greatest attribute lies in helping people to manifest their skills, understand their goals and objectives, while continuing to advocate for personal mastery. Vaughn is extremely dedicated, detailed and could manage multiple projects simultaneously. He understands today’s global workforce and embraces new challenges.

He currently serves of the Board of Directors for IMPACT Media, Home -at – Last CDC (Board Chair), and South Los Angeles Regional Center Friends of SCLARC (Board Member). His daily mission is to ensure the advancement of people in underserved communities.

Vaughn currently resides in the Los Angeles area and enjoys outdoor recreational activities to include cycling, running and nature walks with friends.

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.

Karmin Bailey

Supplier Diversity Manager
Southwest Gas

Kimberly Bagwell

Supplier Diversity Program Manager/Analyst
State Farm

Christopher Stanley

Global Supplier Diversity, Vice President
State Street

Joyce Christanio

Senior Program Manager, Supplier Diversity
T-Mobile

Doing Business with Corporations & Government Agencies Roundtables

Accomplished leader with over 20 year's experience managing Supplier Diversity, Contract Negotiations and leading cross-functional teams of an organization to achieve cost savings. Write policy language, programs and processes to advance a corporation's Diversity, Equity and Inclusion goals. Joyce recently developed T-Mobile’s workforce development program - NextTech Diversity to nationally fund training and job placement for women and men of color to become network technicians and network equipment drivers.

Author of "Dressing Classy Doesn't Change" which provides women an overview of the do's and don'ts of proper workplace attire. Information that Corporate America doesn’t share with women is included in this book. One Reader Commented: The author has hit the "nail on the head" as she mixes humor, personal experiences and concrete advice regarding proper attire for women in any setting and at any income level. Women buy this fun and easy to read book for you and all the young girls you know. Men buy it for all the women in your life. It is a keepsake.

David N. Richardson

Director
T-Mobile

David Richardson is a seasoned professional in the telecommunications industry, with over two decades of experience in various technical, customer care, and sales roles. He currently serves as the Director of Customer Support for T-Mobile for Business Customers, where he leads a diverse and talented team of 200 technical specialists, engineers, and account managers.

David is a servant leader who believes in listening to and empowering his team members, and strives to deliver excellent service to his customers. His personal motto is "to whom much is given, much is required." He has a broad range of skills and knowledge in wireless and wireline engineering, consultative sales, customer experience center management, business development, and project management.

David is also passionate about supporting and promoting diverse voices in his industry and community. He is actively involved in non-profit board leadership and community engagement, and he has been recognized for his work and commitment.

Jon G. Muñoz

Senior Vice President, Environmental, Social, and Governance
Travel & Leisure

Lissa Miller

SVP, Head of Supplier Diversity
Truist

Angelique Alvarez

Assistant Vice President
U.S. Bank

Hector Martinez

Vice President Supplier Diversity
U.S. Bank

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.

Kim Hunter

Manager, Contract Supplier
Verizon

Nadine Mullings

Senior Manager
Walmart

Gigi Dixon

Executive VP, Head of External Engagements
Wells Fargo

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

Andrew Moy

Asian Segment Leader, Commercial Banking Diverse Segment
Wells Fargo

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.

Cynthia Sugiyama

Head of Communications for Diverse Segments, Representation and Inclusion
Wells Fargo

Cynthia Sugiyama is head of Communications for Diverse Segments, Representation and Inclusion at Wells Fargo. She leads a team responsible for developing and delivering an integrated communications strategy for the company’s work to advance diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Prior to this, Cynthia served as head of Human Resources Communications at Wells Fargo. Cynthia first joined the bank in 2017, leading the Communications Strategy and Corporate Media team. With more than 25 years of experience in public affairs, Cynthia has worked in public relations, issues management, community relations, executive communications, and employee communications. She has held senior communications roles at some of the world’s most recognizable companies – from global Fortune 500 retailers, such as Walmart and Gap, to industry-leading health care systems, like Kaiser Permanente. Cynthia began her career in journalism, as a reporter at the CBS affiliate in Fayetteville, Arkansas.

Cynthia serves on the advisory board of the Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center and the advisory council of the Asian Pacific Fund. She is also a founding board member of VOICES, which is dedicated to representing, promoting and advocating for Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in communications.

Cynthia received her bachelor’s degree from the University of Southern California.

Ron Tate

Head of Supplier Diversity & Supply Chain Sustainability
Wells Fargo

Trung Tieu

Supplier Diversity Global Procurement Manager
Wells Fargo