Activities & Speeches

I enjoy sharing information with communities around the nation.  My particular passion is rural and inner-city economic development and providing information, research and strategies on building entrepreneurship ecosystems.  The following are some of my speeches and activities.  

2019 - Keynote Firestarter, Kauffman EShip Summit, Topic - The Evolution of Economic Development, from Attraction to Ecosystems

2019 - Panelist, Leadership Africa Conference, Topic - Things to Consider as an Entrepreneur

2019 - Panel Facilitator, South by Southwest, Topic - Financing Entrepreneurship Ecosystems

2019 - Panelist, Kenan Institute Frontiers of Entrepreneurship, Topic - Diversity in Entrepreneurship

2018 - Panelist, National Mainstreet Conference, Topic - Entrepreneurship Led Economic Development on Main Street

2018 - Panelist, Washburn Housing and Financial Markets Diversity Symposium Panel

2018 - Keynote, Black Business Investment Fund Conference, Topic - Black Women Entrepreneurs and the Black Community

2018 - Presenter, Nebraska Entrepreneurship Entrepreneurship Best Practices Summit, Topic - Mobilizing Entrepreneurs in Nebraska

2018 - Keynote, Wyoming Working Together Conference, Topic - The Power of Entrepreneurship Led Economic Development

2018 - Presentation, Addressing Health Disparities Seminar, Topic - The Intersection of Public Health and Economic Development

2017 - Keynote, Lincoln Startup Week - Topic - Inclusive Entrepreneurship

2017 - Panelist, Tech Week Kansas City, Topic - Diversity in Tech Entrepreneurship

2017 - Keynote, Urban Financial Services Coalition Annual Leadership Summit, Topic - The Importance of the Urban Financial Professional

2017 - Kauffman 1 Million Special Q & A, Topic - Inclusive Entrepreneurship

2016 - Presenter, International Economic Development Council Leadership Summit (New Orleans), Topic - Inclusive Economic Development

2016 - Special Speaker,  US Small Business Administration, Topic - African American Businesses: Past, Present and Future

2016 - Presenter, Heartland 2050, Topic - Inclusive Economic Development

2016 - Presenter, Greater Fremont Development Council, Topic - Grow Your Own: Entrepreneurship Based Economic Development

2015 - Keynote Speaker, Breakthrough Solutions Conference (Little Rock, Arkansas), Topic - Revitalizing Communities through Entrepreneurship

2015 - Keynote Speaker, Rural Matters Conference (Waco, TXO, Topic - Revitalizing Rural Communities through Entrepreneurship

2015 - Presenter, Illinois Institute for Rural Affairs, Topic - Grow Your Own Strategies for Rural Communities

2015 - Keynote Speaker, South Dakota Extension, Topic - Rural Economic Development

2015 - Special Speaker, US Sourcelink Conference (Kansas City, MO), Topic - Social Capital and Entrepreneurship Ecosystems

2015 - Special Speaker, Kansas City Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. Topic - The Critical Importance of Hispanic Entrepreneurship

2014 - Keynote Speaker, National Community Development Society Conference (Dubuque, Iowa), Topic - Community Development and Empowerment through Entrepreneurship

2014 - Keynote Speaker, Thrive Level NEXT Conference, Topic - 1 out of 280 Zillion

2014 - Panelist, CAMEO 20th Anniversary Conference, Topic - Reframing the Microbusiness Message

2014 - Speaker, Holdrege Rotary Club

2014 - Speaker, KC Black Business Conference, Topic - Why Entrepreneurship Is Critical to Developing Black Communities

2014 - Speaker, National US Sourcelink Conference, Topic - Empowering Communities Through Entrepreneurship

2014 - Presenter & Facilitator, AEO National Microbusiness Conference

2014 - Special Speaker, AAYP Luncheon, Topic - Why Values Drive Leadership 

2014 - Speaker, Midwest Teachers Conference, Topic - The Importance of Youth Entrepreneurship

2014 - Speaker, Thayer County Development, Topic - Why Can't Rural Thrive?

2014 - Speaker, South Central Economic Development District, Topic - Entrepreneurship and Rural Growth

2013 - Planned and Held the Financial Empowerment Conference 

2013 - Speaker, Rural Futures Conference, Topic - Why Entrepreneurship is Critical to Rural America's Future

2013 - Speaker & Facilitator, Black Business Investment Fund, Florida, Topic - How to Grow Black Businesses in Florida

2013 - Keynote Speaker, National Economic Gardening Conference, Topic - Future Trends in Economic Development

2013 - Speaker, US Sourcelink Conference, Topic - The Dimensions of the Entrepreneurship Ecosystem

2013 - Panelist, National Workforce Investment Board Conference, Topic - Workforce and Self-Employment

2013 - Small Business Administration  Keynote Breakfast Speaker - Black Entrepreneurship for Black Economic Growth

2012 - Presenter, UNO Black Studies Class, Topic - Eliminating Black Disparities Through Black Entrepreneurship Economic Development

2012 - Organizer, Grow Your Own - Entrepreneurship Based Economic Development Conference, Kearney, NE

2012 - Organizer, Small Biz Day event in Omaha, NE, Kansas City, MO, Denver, CO, Oklahoma City, OK participants

2012 - Presenter, Association for Enterprise Opportunity National Conference, Topic - Building capacity through entrepreneurship provider networks

2012 - Presenter, US Sourcelink Conference, Topic - Developing the collaborative entrepreneurship ecosystem

2012 - Panelist, Eastern Nebraska Community Action Partnership, Topic - Addressing Systemic Poverty

2011- Organizer,Small Biz Day event in Omaha, NE with over 250 participants

2011 - Presenter, Metro Community College Student Leadership Conference, Values and Leadership

2011 - Speaker, Empowerment Network Conference, Topic – Black Business in Omaha

2011 - Presenter, Men of Distinction, Topic – Youth in Business

2011 - Presenter, University of Nebraska Omaha – Social Entrepreneurship and Funding Diversification

2010 - Presenter, Creighton Social Impact Conference, Topic – Philosophies of Social Change

2009 - Presenter, Appleseed Workforce Development Conference, Topic Entry Level Health Care Career

            Opportunities

2009 - Presenter, ASPA Network, Topic Health Care and Social Entrepreneurship

2008 - Academic Travel Award,   Diversity in Academia, PHD Scholars, Rutgers University

2008 - Presenter, Opportunities for Diversity in the Health Care Workforce, Girls, Inc.

2006 - Blogger, Dellgines.com, 200,000 hits and republished articles in numerous internet news sites

2005 - Special Presenter, First National Bank Intro to Business Program

2005 - Presenter, North Omaha Empowerment Conference – Community and Business

2005 - Editorialist, Omaha Star

2005-Featured Editorialist, North Omaha Crusader

2005-Founder of CEED, Inc. a 501C3 Non-Profit Dedicated to Increasing Urban Entrepreneurship

2005-Designer & Convener, Omaha’s first Young Black Entrepreneur Conference

2004-Special Speaker, Service Core of Retired Executives (SCORE) Luncheon

2004-2005 Television Show Host, Cox 22, Small Business & Economic Development Omaha, NE

2001-2002 Television Show Host, Cox 23, Personal Health & Growth Omaha, NE


 

---