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