Khalia Collier St. Louis Surge Women's Professional Basketball Team An entrepreneur, pioneer and trailblazer Khalia Collier is owner and general manager of The St. Louis Surge, a professional women’s basketball team. At 23 years of age, Collier took on the challenge of building the first women’s sustainable basketball franchise in the Gateway City. Two-time National Champions, The Surge also earned the National Champion Runner-up title in 2012, 2015, 2017 and 2018. The team transitioned from the Women’s BlueChip Basketball League (WBCBL) to the highly competitive Global Women’s Basketball Association (GWBA) in 2019. The Surge now in their off-season is set to return to the Field House Athletic Complex at Washington University to complete a successful ninth season in 2020. A St. Louis native, Collier has taken on the task of re-branding the face of women’s athletics through the St. Louis Surge. She developed a strategic business model partnering with prominent executives, corporations and non-profits to build the Surge brand and develop new initiatives, while encompassing the community. Instilling the notion that all Surge players are leaders and mentors; they are redefining winning on and off the court through their community engagement and impact. Collier has represented the Surge organization through personal community service by giving back to young people and providing a platform for women’s leadership. Denise Naughton Authentic video storytelling





Denise Naughton, is an Emmy Award winning and multiple Emmy nominated producer with more than 20 years in the industry. Denise is a storyteller, who uses video to connect viewers to causes, people and organizations. Her work has been featured on top television networks and cable channels all over the country. She also works closely with local businesses and nonprofits to create compelling stories for fundraising and marketing. Denise is also the Co-Founder of Femme Ascend, a female empowerment meetup group; the producer of Cliterally Speaking The Podcast and Founder of STL Verified a video storytelling series about St. Louis culture and Owner of Brand You Media.





Michelle Higgins Faith for Justice People of faith pursuing justice in the public sphere. Michelle serves the Electoral Justice Project of the Movement for Black Lives, she is the co-founder of Action St. Louis and mom of two children.



Amy Rivera Ninjas Fighting Lymphedema Foundation Non-profit organization for lymphatic diseases Amy Rivera was born with a rare disease called lymphedema. Due to the lack of education on the lymphatic system, Amy was misdiagnosed for over 30 years leaving her disabled. She soon realized the lymphatic community needed a voice. This became her focus for founding Ninjas Fighting Lymphedema.

Yamelsie Rodriguez Planned Parenthood of the St. Louis Region and Southwest Missouri Yamelsie Rodriguez is the new President and CEO of Planned Parenthood of the St. Louis Region and Southwest Missouri and of Reproductive Health Services of Planned Parenthood, the only abortion provider in Missouri. PPSLR operates 9 health centers in Missouri and Illinois which served more than 33,00 patients last year. Rodriguez brings to the position over 15 years of health care and management experience, serving most recently as Chief Operating Officer of Planned Parenthood of Illinois. She has a track record of collaboration with public health organizations, healthcare providers and educational institutions to expand access to reproductive health services. For almost two decades at Planned Parenthood she has conceived strategies to expand family planning and abortion care services in Illinois and Missouri, managed new infrastructure initiatives, launched new business ventures, and developed partnerships with large public school systems to empower young people to take control of their reproductive health. Yamelsie is a strong advocate for women’s healthcare, reproductive rights, and diversity, equity, and inclusion. She believes that access to comprehensive sexual and reproductive health is a fundamental human right and imperative to achieve equity and gender equality. Mrs. Rodriguez is a recipient of the 2019 National Latino Leaders Award by the National Diversity Council. The list recognizes individuals who have achieved success in their careers while paving the way for other Latinos to advance in the professional arena by creating and promoting a culture where Latino talent is supported and leveraged for organizational success. A native of Puerto Rico, Mrs. Rodriguez lived in Chicago prior to relocating to St. Louis in 2019. She studied Industrial Engineering at the University of Puerto Rico.



Alicia Hernández ACLU of Missouri, STL DSA Alicia Hernández is the Eastern MO organizer for the ACLU of Missouri where she works to protect civil liberties through advocacy, organizing, and public education. Alicia is also Co-Chair of the St. Louis Democratic Socialists of America, an organization that fights for reforms that increase the power of working people. She is co-creator of the STL ICE Rapid Response Line, a response hotline that supports community members concerned about ICE enforcement in their neighborhoods. Alicia believes in the innate dignity, worth, and power of all people.



Laurie Shannon Touchy Topics Tuesday Forum for Frank conversations about race, religion and other touchy topics for the betterment of communities. Laurie Shannon is an Ambassador for Touchy Topics Tuesday, a speaker, a restaurant owner, a Veteran and a super fun Nana.



Mojda Sidiqi Council on American Islamic Relations Civil Rights and Advocacy Organization for Muslims and other Minorities CAIR-MO vision is to be a leading advocate for justice and mutual understanding. Our Mission is to enhance the understanding of Islam, encourage dialogue, protect civil liberties, empower American Muslims, and build coalitions that promote justice and mutual understanding. As a female Executive it’s an essential priority to serve as a source of support to empower not only females but all individuals who are faced with systemic struggle.