Change the World for Women Business Owners

National Leadership

I constantly hear success stories, best practices, new ideas for partnerships and new approaches to business from our amazingly talented members.

It’s my honor to be able to work alongside NAWBO leadership in helping women business owners become certified. 

It is such a unique opportunity to be part of the team launching the NAWBO Institute Certification program and I am extremely grateful. Helping to elevate women-owned businesses and assisting them in acquiring the WBE/MWBE certification is a step toward more inclusion and opportunity. 

Becoming a part of the NAWBO HQ team has undoubtedly filled a need I had in my life to be a part of something bigger than me. 

Sertrice is chief consulting officer and co-founder of Mattingly Solutions, a diversity, equity and inclusion consulting firm. Sertrice is passionate about helping organizations use their metrics to create data-backed DEI strategies. 

Working with the membership team at NAWBO HQ is such a great connection to NAWBO. I’m a problem solver by nature and enjoy helping our members and chapters untangle the knots, celebrate the wins and connect the dots. I am super excited to meet each and every one of you and discover your inner smile spot (mine is baby giggle—you can’t not smile when you hear a baby giggle).  

I have worked with adventurous startups to growing small and medium-sized entities in industries that include importing, manufacturing, technology, services and hospitality. These experiences throughout my career have combined to create the seeds of understanding various business backgrounds and leadership needs.

I couldn’t be more excited to be a part of the NAWBO HQ team and and support our women business owners.

Communication is the key to healthy relationships and a sustainable business. NAWBO stands as the most valuable organization for women business owners, and for this very reason, everyone should know about NAWBO.

Our team’s hobbies vary from snow skiing, shopping and basketball to spiritual retreats, kayaking and waterskiing. Our kids range from 3 to 29-year-old college graduates and lots of ages in between. 

I’m constantly looking for adventure—in life, business and personal growth. I’m a bit of a loner, a fun fact that is in drastic opposition to my life as a social media advocate/professional. Thankfully, I manage to excel and balance both. I can’t remember the last time I was bored.

I first became part of NAWBO in 2008, handling member services for the NAWBO-LA chapter. I had previously been a general manager of a restaurant chain with three locations where I did a lot of customer service

I am deeply involved in my community and am a cause-driven leader. My personal mission of being an agent of positive change and leading by example has been a driver for me as I have taken on many community projects locally and internationally.

As a member of the NAWBO team, I am able to relay exciting news about events and corporate partnerships and share members’ successes with the entire NAWBO world. 

BUSINESS Melanie Dunlap was introduced to NAWBO like most new members—as a woman business owner through another woman business owner, Lynda Bishop, who was part of NAWBO Phoenix at the time. “I […]

NAWBO National Board of Directors

2023-2024 Officers

Chair

Lisa Coppola
The Coppola Firm
Buffalo Niagara Chapter
Read biography

Treasurer

Megan Patton
Beyond Strategy Partners, Inc.
Cleveland Chapter
Read biography

Chair Elect

Dr. Janis Shinkawa
Ohana Pet Hospital
Ventura County Chapter
Read biography

Immediate Past Chair

Karen Bennetts
Little Red Bird, LLC
Charlotte Chapter
Read biography

Secretary

Thresette Briggs
Performance 3, LLC (P3)
Indianapolis Chapter
Read biography

Chair, Presidents Assembly

Sherrie Barr Mack
The MackBarr Group LLC
Buffalo Niagara Chapter
Read biography

Directors

Jacqueline Hayes
Crayons & Marketers
Nashville Chapter
Read biography

Krista M. Martinez
Krista M. Consulting
New Mexico Chapter
Read biography

Lesa Seibert
Mightily
Kentucky Chapter
Read biography

NAWBO Institute of Entrepreneurial Development

2023-2024 Board of Directors

Chair

Jeanette Armbrust
Greenlight Leadership Consulting Group, LLC
Pacific Palisades, CA
Read biography

Chair Elect

Shauna Huntington
Fortiviti
Olathe, KS
Read biography

Immediate Past Chair

Kelly Scanlon
Interrobang Solutions, LLC
Overland Park, KS
Read biography

Treasurer

Deanna Novak
The Write Journeys
Orlando, FL
Read biography

Directors

Dr. Theresa Ashby
Kaleidoscope Media Services
Long Beach, CA
Read biography
Lisa Brunet
DLPZ Group
Richmond, TX
Read biography
Wendy Goldstein
Studio Creative LLC
Columbus, OH
Read biography
Lena Graham-Morris
HORUS Construction Services, Inc.
Orlando, FL
Read biography
Lisa Coppola – Ex Officio
The Coppola Firm
Buffalo, NY
Read biography

Jen Earle – Executive Director
NAWBO
Washington, D.C.
Read biography

2023-2024 National Advisory Council

Corporate Partners

Diamond

Cultivate Advisors

Stephanie Guerre
Chicago, IL

Gold

Bank of America

Jill Calabrese Bain
Charlotte, NC

Meta

Diana Doukas
Washington, DC

Silver

Dell Technologies

Amy Henry
Dallas, TX

UPS

Stephen Hewitt
Atlanta, GA

Bronze

Verizon

Emilio Gonzalez
Washington, D.C.

Master Your Card

Mercedes Garcia
Purchase, NY

Copper

Wells Fargo Bank

Val Jones
Charlotte, NC

Frost Brown Todd, LLC

Kandi Hidde
Indianapolis, IN

Underwriting

Southwest Airlines

Melanie Obrien
Dallas, TX

 

Community Partners

Darla Beggs

Abba Staffing and Consulting LLC
Bedford, TX 

Monica Smiley

Enterprising Women
Cary, NC

Bill Sorenson

Heritage Capital Group
Jacksonville, FL

Katie Vlietstra Wonnenberg

Public Private Strategies
Washington, DC

2023-2024 Presidents Assembly Steering Committee

The Presidents Assembly Steering Committee is responsible for serving as “voice of the chapters” on the National Board and facilitating communications between National and the chapters, facilitating chapter collaboration/information sharing via webinars, creating a community of chapter leaders and helping chapter leaders with strategic planning, problem resolution, etc.

Presidents Assembly Steering Committee

Committee Chair

Sherrie Barr Mack

The BarrMack Group
Buffalo Niagara Chapter

Immediate Past Chair

Ellen Linares

HF Financial
Charlotte Chapter

Committee Members

Trisha Barita

Barita Law Firm
Houston Chapter

Paula D’Amico

Paula Damico Productions
and Blessings by Nature
Buffalo Niagara Chapter

Ana Fernandez-Parmet

Parmetech, Inc.
Philadelphia Chapter

Brenda Harris

BPN Staffing Solutions
Charlotte Chapter

Mindy Hinson

M3 Real Estate Group
Charlotte Chapter

Jo Ann Kirby

Communication Coaching and Consulting LLC
North & Central Jersey Chapter

Andrea Schillaci

Hurwitz & Fine
Buffalo Niagara Chapter

Sarah Sladek

XYZ University
Richmond Chapter

Victoria Stevenson

Allied-SCSS
Dallas/Ft. Worth Chapter

Amber Wallace

Dowitcher Designs
Santa Barbara Chapter

Past Chairs & Presidents

2022-2023

Karen Bennetts
Little Red Bird, LLC
Charlotte Chapter

2020-2022

Cristina Morales Heaney
U.S. Safety Services
San Antonio Chapter

2019 -2020

Jeanette Armbrust
Greenlight Leadership Consulting Group, LLC
Los Angeles Chapter

2018 -2019

Molly Gimmel
Design to Delivery
Greater DC Chapter

2017 -2018

Kathy Warnick
Warnick Consulting
Columbus Chapter

2016 – 2017

Teresa Meares
Cass Information Systems, Inc.
Virtual Chapter

2015 – 2016

Crystal Arredondo
MPACT Financial Group
Dallas / Ft. Worth Chapter

2014-2015

Darla Beggs
Abba Staffing
Dallas / Ft. Worth Chapter

2013-2014

Billie Dragoo
RepuCare Inc.
Indianapolis Chapter

2012-2013

Laura Yamanaka
Team CFO
Los Angeles Chapter

2011-2012

Evelyn Strange
AES Advanced Electrical Systems, Inc.
Louisville Chapter

2010-2011

Kelly Scanlon
Interrobang Solutions, LLC
Kansas City Chapter

2009-2010

Wendy A. Lopez, P.E.
URS Corporation
Dallas / Ft. Worth Chapter

2008-2009

Cynthia McClain-Hill
Strategic Counsel PLC
Los Angeles Chapter

2007-2008

Lisa Kaiser Hickey
Douglass Screen Printers
Lakeland Metro Chapter

2006-2007

Carol Kuc
Complete Conference Coordinators, Inc.
Chicago Chapter

2005-2006

Gayle Watson
Performance Solutions, Inc.
Dallas/Ft. Worth Chapter

2004-2005

Beverly Inman-Ebel
TLC, Talk Listen Communicate, LLC
Chattanooga Chapter

2003-2004

Suzanne Pease
Ampersand Graphics
Central Jersey Chapter

2002-2003

Mary MacRae
MJM Enterprises
Nashville Chapter

2001-2002

Sandra Hernandez Adams
Strategic Micro Partners
Greater Miami Chapter

2000-2001

Barbara G. Stanbridge
Change – HRD
Greater Detroit Chapter

1999-2000

Whitney Johns Martin
Capital Across America
Nashville Chapter

1998-1999

Diahann W. Lassus, CFP, CPA
Lassus Wherley
North Central Jersey Chapter

1997-1998

Phyllis Hill Slater
Hill Slater Group, Inc.
Long Island Chapter

1996-1997

Suzanne F. Taylor
Safety Alert
Orange County Chapter

1995-1996

Margaret A. Smith
Domus Contempo, Inc.
Silicon Valley Chapter

1994-1995

Patty L. DeDominic
PDQ Personnel Service, Inc.
Los Angeles Chapter

1993-1994

Joyce M. McLaughlin (Deceased)
Global Enterprise Group
At Large

1992-1993

Grace McGartland
GM Consultants
Greater Pittsburgh Chapter

1991-1992

Janet E. Harris-Lange
Agenda Dynamics, Inc.
Boca Raton/Ft Lauderdale Chapter

1990-1991

Terry Neese
Terry Neese Personnel Services
Oklahoma City Chapter

1989-1990

Carey I. Stacey (Deceased)
Raleigh Chapter

1988-1989

Peggy M. Leonard
Peggy Leonard & Associates
Chicago Chapter

1987-1988

Gillian Rudd (Deceased)
Capital Area Chapter

1986-1987

Mary Del Brady
Tissue Informatics, Inc.
Pittsburgh Chapter

1985-1986

Mary E. Kelley
Sovereign Financial Services
Denver Chapter

1984-1985

Virginia Littlejohn
Exponentials.com
Capital Area Chapter

1983-1984

Sharon Poindexter (Deceased)
Kansas City Chapter

1982-1983

Lourdes R. Miranda
Miranda Associates, Inc.
Capital Area Chapter

1981-1982

Marlene Johnson
Minnesota Chapter

1980-1981

Denise E. Cavanaugh
Cavanaugh, Hagan, & Pierson
Capital Area Chapter

1979-1980

Marge Rossman
Minnesota Chapter

1976-1979

Dona O’Bannon
O’Bannon & Company, Ltd.
Capital Area Chapter

1975-1976

Mary E. King
Global Action, Inc.
Capital Area Chapter

1974-1975

Susan K. Hager (Deceased)
Hager Sharp, Inc.
Capital Area Chapter
Susan Hager Tribute Book

Skip to content