Speakers | XChange | BMW Supplier Diversity Group

David Garibaldi

David Garibaldi's journey began in Sacramento, California, where his early interests included playing the trumpet, graffiti, animation, and dance. Encouraged by a high school animation teacher, Garibaldi aspired to pursue art as a career and attend college. However, a setback with insufficient high school credits forced him to reconsider his path. Between the ages of 18 and 20, he worked various odd jobs while figuring out his next steps. At 20, he started live painting at local jazz clubs, which evolved into a performance art inspired by Denny Dent.

From 2003 to 2012, Garibaldi dedicated himself to making performance painting a recognized art form, performing over 100 shows annually for corporations, schools, nonprofits, and even touring with Blue Man Group. He achieved his goal of raising $1 million for charity through his art by age 30. To date he has raised over $7.5 million to charities all over the world. His finalist status on America’s Got Talent in 2012 propelled his career to new heights, leading to collaborations with Disney, Cirque Du Soleil, and opening for KISS’s Farewell World Tour. Post-2020, Garibaldi expanded his online presence, launched a podcast, and started teaching art techniques online, culminating in the founding of PAINT +, an on-demand course and coaching platform for artists. This initiative embodies his philosophy of guiding others through their artistic journeys.

Janice Bryant Howroyd

Janice Bryant Howroyd – affectionately known as JBH – is an entrepreneur, educator, author, mentor, Presidential special appointee, Founder, and Chief Executive Officer of the ActOne Group. As the leader of a multi-billion dollar, award-winning, international workforce management and technology enterprise, JBH is passionate about education and what we can accomplish when we invest in each other.

Born in North Carolina, JBH is one of 11 children and credits her parents for instilling in her the strong values that fueled her success. Today, ActOne Group operates in over 35 countries and is a tech aggregator, utilizing its own technologies that speak over 50 languages alongside others; thereby, offering clients a full service for human resource and procurement solutions.

Breakout Session Speakers

Nikki
Pounds

"Interrupting Unconscious Bias in Supplier Diversity"

9:15 am, 10:15 am | Room 202C

Session Information

Nikki Pounds, MHRD, SPHR, SHRM-CP is an accomplished business executive with over 25 years of Human Resources expertise. Nikki is a speaker, award winning author of the book, The Leader Who CARES: Guiding Human Resource Practitioners to Navigate Workplace Environments, and she is the CEO of HR Unequivocally^®.

HR Unequivocally^® partners with organizations to create sustainable HR strategies and they provide a variety of customized training, coaching, and talent development solutions for current and emerging leaders. She is a certified DiSC^® partner, Emotional Intelligence practitioner, and DEI professional. Nikki’s passion is empowering leaders to success by equipping them with the tools they need to meet and often exceed their goals.

Kathy
McAfee

"Accelerate Your Career with Fearless Leadership"

9:15 am, 10:15 am | Room 202B

Session Information

Kathy McAfee is an accomplished author and keynote speaker, creative entrepreneur, and business coach. She thrives on helping professionals advance their careers and influence, and partners with organizations to cultivate leadership diversity. Known as America’s Marketing Motivator, Kathy is the creator of The Fearless Leader™ program and book series. She has published five business books, including her latest release, Fearless Females Leaders: Stories and Strategies to Empower More Women to Lead. For the past 19 years, she has operated a woman-owned business, Kmc Brand Innovation, LLC, a talent development, and empowerment company offering coaching, training, mentoring and accountability to emerging leaders of all kinds. She is a graduate of Stanford University in Economics and holds certifications in Actualized Leadership Performance and Neuro Linguistic Programming. A resilient person, Kathy is also an ovarian cancer survivor and holds a second-degree black belt in Taekwondo.

Monique
Russell

"Impactful Interactions: Elevating your Communication Game"

9:15 am, 10:15 am | Room 102A

Session Information

Monique Russell has significantly impacted both individuals and organizations globally with her insightful approach to enhancing communication skills and leadership abilities. She teaches leaders and teams how to upskill and keep top talent engaged through strategic leadership development. Raised in the beautiful islands of The Bahamas, with Nigerian roots, her multicultural upbringing profoundly shapes her empathetic and strategic leadership methodologies. Russell is the CEO of Clear Communication Solutions, a global training, coaching and consulting firm. Organizations like Amazon, Microsoft, Google, the Centers for Disease Control, Verizon, Intel, Equifax, and the world’s busiest airport, Atlanta Hartsfield Jackson International, trust Monique and her team to guide them in implementing effective communication strategies. m. She is the author of the Ultimate Speaker's Guide, the book, Intentional Motherhood: Who Said it Would Be Easy, and host of the Bridge to U podcast. Visit the website at

https://clearcommunicationsolutions.com/

Precious
Williams

"Pitch Bold, Profit Gold"

9:15 am, 10:15 am | Room 102C

Session Information

Precious L. Williams is a 13-time national elevator pitch champion. She has also been featured on "Shark Tank," CNN, WSJ, Forbes Magazine, Black Enterprise Magazine, Essence Magazine, the movie "LEAP." Her current clients include Microsoft, LinkedIn, Google, eBay, and more. Precious is a dynamic speaker, effective trainer and bestselling author. Precious busts norms and shifts perspectives to help teams own their awesome and bring out their “wow” factor. Your leaders, and teams will up their game — on their terms — in order to develop the cunning, clarity and confidence that’s been inside them all along. Convert conversations into currency. Get the tools and tenacity to pitch with power, sell with storytelling and develop a masterful mindset for communication. It’s time for you to learn how to #SlayAllCompetition. Learn the simple steps to wowing your customer with a perfect pitch with Precious L. Williams the #KillerPitch Master.

Marco
Rios

"Conectando Culturas: El Poder de la Diversidad en el Marketing Global"

1:15 pm, 2:00 pm | Room 202A

Session Information

Marco Ríos is a seasoned Business Consultant and captivating Speaker. With over 14 years of strategic leadership, Marco has established himself as an authority in guiding businesses through cultural barriers towards inclusive growth. His forte lies in evaluating project financial viability, and steering businesses towards sound investment decisions with confidence. Currently serving as the Hispanic Business Consultant at the South Carolina Small Business Development Center (SCSBDC), Marco provides invaluable consultancy services, empowering Hispanic business owners with strategic marketing, negotiation strategies, financial projections, and more. As a dynamic speaker, Marco inspires actionable change, empowering organizations to reach their full potential. Whether it's breaking through cultural barriers or optimizing business strategies, Marco Ríos is your trusted partner for driving sustainable growth and fostering inclusivity within your organization.

Learn more about the SCSBD at www.scsbdc.com

Learn more about Marco at www.marcoriosgrowth.com

Terrell
Turner

"Winning Big in Business"

9:15 am, 10:15 am | Room 104

Session Information

Terrell Turner is the managing partner of a NY Times-recognized accounting firm, 40 Under 40 Black CPA an two time 40 under 40 Global Finance Influencer. Terrell and his firm are focused on making accounting and finance less complicated for business owners through bookkeeping, CFO services and consulting. Outside of running the firm Terrell host two podcast “Stuff Your Accountant Isn’t Telling You” and “Law Firms & Finance” to help create more resources to aid business owners. In the 2020 while starting his firm Terrell realized that a lot of business owners did not have the same access to business leaders like he did.

Prior to starting the accounting firm and media company Terrell refined his finance, accounting and business skills over 13+ years through various finance leadership roles. His career started in public accounting with Ernst & Young and progressed with multiple Fortune 500 companies that led to his last role of Director of Finance for a private equity backed tech company. All of this experience are being used to help his small and mid-market sized clients win while creating a company where his staff can develop and grow as professionals.

Nathan
Brown

"The Power of Failure: A Path to Authentic Leadership"

9:15 am, 10:15 am | Room 102B

Session Information

Nathan has a passion for transforming businesses and empowering people. Voted one of Greenville's 50 Most Influential people, he’s spent the last twenty years working in the world of analytics, strategy, technology and international business, bringing to life smarter ways to get things done. He is the founder of Kiona Technologies, a global data science company operating in North America and Europe. Nathan is also the co-founder and executive advisor of the Upstate SC LGBT+ Chamber of Commerce, which fosters safety, prosperity and empowerment for the Upstate LGBTQ+ community.

Previously, he led award-winning technology teams at DuPont and BlueCross BlueShield, guiding enterprise systems from concept to implementation. As a serial entrepreneur, Nathan builds companies with the guiding principles of inclusiveness, excellence and empowerment.

A graduate of Duke University Graduate School and the USC School of Business, Nathan has a boundless curiosity and lifelong fascination for the weird and wonderful world around us. He is the co-parent of a lovely 13-year-old munchkin who attends 9th grade in Greenville County. As a bisexual human who often feels like an outsider, he utilizes his own experiences to give voice and strength to folks who may otherwise feel.

Ramón
Nieves-Lugo

"Driving Success: Leveraging Account-Based Marketing to Connect with a Diverse and Multicultural Audience"

9:15 am, 10:15 am | Room 202A

Session Information

Ramón leverages his extensive branding, strategic, and marketing expertise to champion the power of a multicultural approach for his clients. Born and raised in Puerto Rico, he deeply understands the cultural dynamics necessary to forge strong, meaningful relationships that elevate brands. Ramón is committed to giving back and strengthening his community, aligning with his goal of building a lasting legacy.

Currently, Ramón serves on the Board of Directors for the Greenville Chamber of Commerce, Public Education Partners, and Prisma Health Upstate Foundation. He has also served on the Advisory Council for USC Upstate’s Johnson College of Business and Economics and was the chair for Fall for Greenville, the largest food and music festival in the Upstate. A proud graduate of Bob Jones University, Ramón lives with his wife and their two children, the youngest born in 2023.

Carl
Gould

"Become a Master of Rapport and Influence"

9:15 am, 10:15 am | Room 101

Session Information

Carl Gould is a worldwide leading authority on business and entrepreneurship. As an entrepreneur, he built three multi-million dollar businesses by age 40; and as a consultant, he has helped companies like Allstate, American Idol, USA Olympic Track, IBM, McGraw-Hill and the US Army. His company, 7 Stage Advisors has mentored the launch of over five thousand businesses and is one of the farthest-reaching business mentoring organizations in the world. Carl has worked with multiple Inc. 500/5000 fastest-growing companies and is a founding member of the International Association of Coaches. Gould has been the recipient of many awards including 2 prestigious Stevie Awards for – Entrepreneur of the Year. Carl has written multiple books on the subject of business strategy, leadership and sustainable growth. He co-authored “Blueprint for Success” with Stephen R. Covey and Ken Blanchard; and his best-selling book, “The 7 Stages of Small Business Success”, lays out the formula for HyperGrowth. In 2016, ‘Biz Dev Done Right” became a #1 Best Seller on Amazon.

Regional Supplier Diversity Councils Moderated by Ron Harvey

"Supplier Diversity Certification 101"

1:15 pm, 2:00 pm | Room 202C

Session Information

Moderator, Ron Harvey, is the Vice President/ COO of Global Core Strategies & Consulting LLC. They work with organizations and leadership teams to assist them with creating a winning culture, where people and productivity are a number one priority. As a result their clients experience higher retention rates, business growth, increased profitability and distinguish themselves as the best place to work.

They provide real results real time while giving you the freedom to focus on your business, be creative and impactful... without losing sight of what is important or the process.

Meet Our Speakers

David Garibaldi

Janice Bryant Howroyd