WILMA’s 2024 Leadership Accelerator: The Speakers
Meet the Speakers
Dive in to WILMA’s Leadership Accelerator: Her Story is Our Story
Brush up on our 2024 speaker line-up by reading through their bios below.
WILMA’s half-day leadership conference is back and this year we’re bringing you a jam-packed day of personalized programming that includes hands-on leadership workshops, a keynote lunch with several TED-Style talks, and the opportunity to make meaningful connections with other like-minded women in our community.
WILMA’s Leadership Accelerator
Thursday, July 18
9am-2pm
Wilmington Convention Center
Visit W2WLeadership.com to learn more and register today
The Keynote Speakers:
ANNETTE FREEMAN
Owner, The Goddess Portal
Quiet Your Inner Critic & Unleash the Power of Pleasure
Annette Freeman is the owner and headmistress of The Goddess Portal. The Goddess Portal’s purpose is to teach professional women the art of pleasure that leads them to know themselves deeply and manifest their deepest desires.
Freeman is also an Emmy-award-winning producer, journalist, and communications professional. She was also an adjunct professor at Columbia University’s Graduate School of Journalism and a visiting professor at NBC News/New York Film Academy’s Digital Journalism Program. She is a graduate of Columbia University’s Graduate School of Journalism, a graduate of Howard University, and a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.
STEPHANIE MANN
Chief Strategy Officer, Live Oak Bank
Coast to Coast: Making the Most of Your Journey
As Chief Strategy Officer at Live Oak Bank, Stephanie Mann is responsible for corporate strategy, embedded banking, and strategic investments, including Live Oak Ventures, and Live Oak Private Wealth. She has over 20 years of experience in advising companies on capital structure, growth strategy, M&A, and capital raising. Stephanie received her MBA with honors from The Wharton School and her BA from Stanford University.
CASEY ROMAN
Author of “Looking Up”
Starting From the Last Page
Casey Roman is an Edward R. Murrow award-winning investigative reporter and videographer, author, speaker, and entrepreneur. Originally from New Jersey, she has lived coast-to-coast and now calls Wilmington home. Last year, she published her memoir and travelogue “Looking Up,” a personal story from the road that navigates loss and depression with the inspiring message to keep your eyes on the horizon.
HOLLY SEGUR
Strategist, Coach & Accountability Parter, Lead Intuitively
What’s Your Favorite Cake?
Holly Segur spent 30+ years forging a successful career path – working her way up to become a senior corporate executive at a Fortune 300 company and CEO of a real estate holding company while being responsible for 50M square feet of real estate, global contracts, a $250M operating budget, and 700+ employees globally. Now she supports CEOs, entrepreneurs and aspiring leaders understand key elements of business strategy, operations and leadership. She’s engineered successful scale-up and turnaround projects in corporations and nonprofit organizations by focusing on market driven value propositions and proven performance management systems. Segur is particularly passionate about creating leadership legacies that support engaged talent and dynamic workplace experiences.
Holly volunteers her time guiding nonprofits through the business strategy development process. She also donates her time as a coach with The Honor Foundation.
TIFFANY D. TUCKER
Deputy Athletic Director, UNCW Athletics & Owner, Tiffany D. Tucker Speaks LLC
Swipe Right to Lead: Six Leadership Lessons from the World of Dating
Tiffany D. Tucker, recognized as one of Sports Illustrated’s 100 Influential Black Women in Sports, is currently serving as the Deputy Director of Athletics at the University of North Carolina Wilmington.
Tucker’s exemplary leadership has been acknowledged through various prestigious awards, including the NIKE Nell Jackson Executive of the Year Award and the UNCW Kathleen Berkeley Inconvenient Woman Award. She was also honored with the WILMA Women to Watch Award in the Education category. Additionally, she was named the 2023 recipient of the Channel Powered By Live Oak Woman Owned Business of the Year.
Beyond her role in athletics, Tucker is the founder of Tiffany D. Tucker Speaks LLC, where she empowers audiences globally through dynamic speaking engagements centered on unapologetic leadership, confidence, resiliency, and embracing personal power.
The Workshop Speakers:
STEFANIE ADAMS
CEO, WNY People Development & Author, “CheerLEADERship: Strategies to Build & Support Human Centric Workplaces for the Future”
Use Your Voice, Share Your Story, Inspire Others
Stefanie Adams is a leadership training facilitator, keynote speaker, adjunct university instructor, former elected official, entrepreneur, wife, and mother; for those who know her best, she is “Cheerleader Stef”, which personifies her personality and leadership style. She has over 20 years’ experience leading and training in corporate, nonprofit, and government settings. In 2024, she adds “author” to the resume, publishing her first book, “CheerLEADERship: Strategies to Build and Support Human Centric Workplaces for the Future”.
In early 2020, Stefanie founded WNY People Development, a leadership training and coaching company that provides highly engaging, interactive, and customizable experiences. She provides virtual and in-person sessions for leaders at all levels, and organizations of all sizes. Adams is also a graduate of WILMA’s Leadership Institute and has served on WILMA’s Women to Watch Advisory Board.
KALINDA BOGUE
Owner, Kalinda & Co.
Become Your Own Strategist
Kalinda Bogue is a brand strategist and catalyst who synthesizes analytical precision with creative vision to drive transformational growth. Her multi-decade professional journey traversed entrepreneurship and executive leadership in sales, marketing, and operations roles working with iconic sporting goods brands like Nike, Under Armour, and Rollerblade.
Today, Bogue helms her own agency, Kalinda & Co, expanding her innovative impact across industries including fashion, technology, health, and wellness sectors developing purposeful strategies for clients like Weber Grills and Robert Talbott.
Coupling penetrating strategic insights with boundless creative energy, Bogue nurtures the collaborative drivers of human potential and catalyzes individuals, teams, and organizations to achieve transformational growth and impact. Her superpower? Uniting diverse teams to map purposeful visions that meet both consumer needs and business objectives.
CARESS CLEGG
Communications & Outreach Coordinator, New Hanover County
Your Personal Brand: Leveraging for Professional Growth
Caress Clegg, with a rich academic background from the University of North Carolina Wilmington, holds a bachelor’s degree in History and a master’s degree in Conflict Management & Resolution. Currently, she serves as the Communications Coordinator of Emergency Services for New Hanover County Government. Her extensive experience includes over 15 years at New Hanover County Schools in various capacities such as Public Relations Coordinator and Communications & Outreach Supervisor. Clegg has been honored with three National School Public Relations Awards of Excellence, recognized as part of Wilmington Chamber of Commerce’s 2023 40 under 40, and named a 2023 WILMA Woman to Watch. A graduate of the 2022 WILMA Leadership Institute, she is also a lifelong member of Alpha Xi Delta Fraternity. Serving on the United Way of Cape Fear Board of Directors, Clegg is a devoted mother to her spirited daughter and cares for three cats and a four-year-old Husky. Having lived in Wilmington for almost two decades, she is deeply embedded in her community.
MAGGIE BLACKHAM
Owner, Elevate Coworking
Small Business Panel
Maggie Blackham is the owner of Elevate, a cozy, feminine coworking space for women in Wilmington. The space offers distraction-free workspaces, private offices, monthly events and even a photo studio onsite. As a seasoned entrepreneur, Blackham is passionate about building a community of women who can cheer each other on in both life and business.
KENDALL HURT
Owner, Meadowlark
Small Business Panel
Originating from the mountains of Virginia, Kendall Hurt moved to Wilmington in 2016 to take a risk and invest in herself, opening Meadowlark, a women’s clothing boutique. She graduated from WILMA’s Leadership Institute in 2018, served on WILMA’s Advisory Board, and served as a mentor in WILMA’s inaugural Future Leaders program.
BROOKE SKIPPER
Vice President, Salt Air Heating, Cooling, and Electrical
Small Business Panel
Brooke Skipper owns Salt Air Heating, Cooling & Electrical with her husband, Devin. They recently celebrated 12 years in business. Salt Air has been featured in national HVAC publications for company culture and its leadership. Skipper is a UNCW alumni and is actively involved in her community. She served on the board of directors for the Wilmington Area Rebuilding Ministry, where she was also board chair for two years. Skipper is actively involved in the Wilmington Chamber of Commerce where she is currently serving as co-chair of the Women’s Business Owners Council as well as a member of the chamber’s board of directors.
ROZ WILLIAMS
Senior Customer Marketing Manager, nCino & Founder, What’s Up Wilmington
Small Business Panel – Moderator
Christine (Roz) Williams is a multi-passionate marketing professional and graduate of the WILMA Leadership Institute. Currently, Roz leverages her expertise in customer marketing at nCino, crafting compelling narratives, videos, and strategic marketing campaigns. But her marketing efforts extend beyond the boardroom!
Roz is also the founder of What’s Up Wilmington and co-host of What’s Up Wilmington – the podcast where she shines a light on local businesses. Through engaging interviews and insightful discussions, she aims to showcase the innovative spirit and inspiring stories of Wilmington’s small business owners.
Visit W2WLeadership.com to learn more about WILMA’s Leadership Accelerator.
