Program Agenda

This exclusive space is not just a lounge! Although equipped with convenient amenities, including comfortable seating areas, refreshments, and snacks, it’s a hub of opportunity where industry leaders, decision-makers, and influencers from our sponsoring companies gather to network and forge powerful connections. Sponsors will enjoy unparalleled visibility, with their logos prominently displayed, ensuring that every attendee recognizes their commitment to business diversity. The lounge offers a unique setting for brief conversations, allowing potential clients and partners to engage with you and your brand away from the hustle and bustle of the convention center. 

Sponsors Only

Back by popular demand, NMSDC will be hosting its second Golf Classic in the vibrant Miami, Florida area. With a premier course soon to be announced, attendees can expect a dynamic and rewarding golfing experience, complete with top-tier service, non-golfer activities, and unforgettable networking opportunities.

Click here to learn more and register today! 

This event is more than a networking opportunity, it’s a strategic platform designed to catalyze growth for MBEs by facilitating meaningful connections, access to capital, and strategic partnerships. Whether your goal is to secure funding, identify key business partnerships, or expand your network with influential stakeholders, this event is a must-attend.

By Invitation Only

This exclusive space is not just a lounge! Although equipped with convenient amenities, including comfortable seating areas, refreshments, and snacks, it’s a hub of opportunity where industry leaders, decision-makers, and influencers from our sponsoring companies gather to network and forge powerful connections. Sponsors will enjoy unparalleled visibility, with their logos prominently displayed, ensuring that every attendee recognizes their commitment to business diversity. The lounge offers a unique setting for brief conversations, allowing potential clients and partners to engage with you and your brand away from the hustle and bustle of the convention center. 

Sponsors Only

Join us for a morning of inspiration, connection, and community at the NMSDC Connections Breakfast, an exclusive gathering for all NMSDC program participants and alumni. This is more than a meal, it’s a moment to celebrate our shared journey, reignite relationships, and spark new collaborations across the minority business ecosystem.

Following the breakfast, dive into dynamic breakout sessions designed to deepen your understanding, expand your network, and equip you with actionable insights. Whether you're a seasoned MBE or just beginning your path, these sessions will fuel your growth and amplify your impact.

Let’s build legacy together. One connection at a time.

By Invitation Only

By Invitation Only

Schedule time with other attendees to connect and meet up at the Connect Lounge.

During a busy Annual Conference & Exchange, attendees may need downtime or a quiet place to stretch and relax. The Zen Room provides just that with massage chairs, yoga sessions, VR relaxation, and more. 

• Profile updates
• Certification guidance
• Recertification support
• Application status updates

Hosted annually by the National MBE Input Committee (NMBEIC), the Opportunity Accelerator is a dynamic pre-conference experience created by MBEs, for MBEs. This FREE event brings together minority business enterprises, NMSDC corporate members, and regional affiliate staff in a space built for connection, insight, and momentum.

Click here to learn more and register today! 

By Invitation Only

New to the NMSDC Annual Conference & Exchange? Join fellow first-time attendees to connect, ask questions, and start your journey with confidence.

By Invitation Only

This exclusive space is not just a lounge! Although equipped with convenient amenities, including comfortable seating areas, refreshments, and snacks, it’s a hub of opportunity where industry leaders, decision-makers, and influencers from our sponsoring companies gather to network and forge powerful connections. Sponsors will enjoy unparalleled visibility, with their logos prominently displayed, ensuring that every attendee recognizes their commitment to business diversity. The lounge offers a unique setting for brief conversations, allowing potential clients and partners to engage with you and your brand away from the hustle and bustle of the convention center. 

Sponsors Only

Start your day with meaningful connections, light snacks, and a cup of coffee before the mainstage sessions begin.

Conference Kickoff & Welcome

Message from the Mayor

Game Changers: The Business of Sports in a New Economy

Leading Through the Shift: How CEOs Are Navigating Transformation, Innovation, and Belonging in the New Economy

By Invitation Only

This exclusive roundtable brings together the nation’s top technology leaders from diverse industries for an elite “meeting of the minds.” It’s a rare opportunity for CIOs to engage with peers, share valuable insights, and explore groundbreaking strategies that drive both personal and professional growth. 

By attending, participants gain access to an unparalleled platform to connect with the brightest minds and actively contribute to the strategic advancement of our MBEs. 

By Invitation Only

Speaker:

Moses Harris, Client Growth Segment Leader, Wells Fargo 

John Henderson, Executive Vice President, Walker SCM

In a time when budgets are tighter than ever, buyers are more cautious, and competition is everywhere, Minority Business Enterprises (MBEs) are under pressure to do more with less.

But within that challenge lies a major opportunity.

The rise of generative AI tools is opening new doors for businesses to work smarter, not harder.

In this practical and engaging session, MBE business owner Marc Carroll shares how minority owned businesses can use AI based tools to simplify marketing, reduce costs, save time, and consistently connect with the right customers.

Whether you are just starting out or looking to scale, this session offers clear, real world guidance on how to apply AI to everyday business needs.

Drawing from nearly 30 years of experience in marketing and business development, Marc shows how small and midsized businesses can leverage tools like ChatGPT, Canva, and marketing automation to stay visible, build trust, and generate leads without needing a large team or technical expertise.

You will get a firsthand look at how these tools can fit into your existing operations and how to build a simple, repeatable process that supports consistent growth.

Business owners will leave with a clearer understanding of what is possible, what to prioritize, and how to start using AI based tools in a way that aligns with their goals and capacity.

If you have been looking for a realistic, actionable path forward in today’s economy, this session is designed to help you take that first step with confidence and clarity.

Speaker:
Marc Carroll, Founder/Principal, Carroll Communications Group

Speaker:
Dr. Berkley Baker, Founder & CEO, CIMI Soultions

In today’s fast-moving business environment, contracts are won with numbers—but kept with trust. This session explores how deep human relationships, forged through adversity, healing, and shared values, are often the most powerful assets in business. Coach Jean’ Austin, a veteran, cancer survivor, and founder of ABS/BANKREADY®️, shares how the strength of authentic connections not only saved his life, but also saved his company.

Whether you're an MBE navigating procurement pipelines, a corporate executive managing supplier networks, or a government official aligning policy with performance your ability to build and sustain real relationships is your greatest differentiator. Coach Jean’ will guide attendees through a dynamic, deeply personal, and practical framework showing how personal wholeness fuels professional excellence, and how companies grow best in environments of trust, alignment, and human connection. Why This Matters Now: As economic and social pressures continue to mount, minority business leaders are carrying more than spreadsheets they’re carrying trauma, pressure, and isolation.

We must cultivate a new culture that doesn’t separate personal health from professional excellence. This session helps attendees reconnect to the heart of why they started and who they’re building for.

Speaker:
Jean Austin, CEO /Managing Partner. Austin Business Strategies

Speaker:
Raj Ramesh, Chief Growth Officer, Xforia Care

In today’s rapidly shifting economic landscape, procurement leaders are navigating a complex web of inflationary pressures, supply chain disruptions, and evolving ESG expectations.

These forces are not only reshaping sourcing strategies—they’re redefining how organizations approach supplier diversity.

This session, led by experts from the Institute for Supply Management® (ISM®), will explore how economic volatility is influencing corporate procurement behavior and what that means for diverse suppliers.

Drawing on ISM’s proprietary economic indicators and procurement research, we’ll examine how organizations can adapt their supplier diversity strategies to remain resilient, inclusive, and competitive.

Attendees will gain insights into:

• The latest economic trends impacting procurement and supply chain decision-making.

• How supplier diversity programs are evolving in response to cost pressures and risk mitigation.

• Data-driven strategies to advocate for and sustain diverse supplier engagement during economic downturns.

• Case examples of companies successfully aligning economic resilience with inclusive sourcing.

Speaker:
Tom Derry, CEO, Institute for Supply Management (ISM)

Achieving $1 million in EBITDA is a significant milestone, but for many founders, it’s a confusing middle ground—too mature for early-stage programs, but not yet on the radar of institutional investors.

This panel explores how knowledge becomes a key differentiator at this stage.

Drawing from the concept of “Economies of Knowledge,” we’ll demonstrate how data, performance, and insight transform into capital, influence, and opportunity.

Panelists will unpack the practical and often-overlooked competencies entrepreneurs need to scale beyond $1M in EBITDA—governance systems, investor engagement, reporting discipline, and strategic deal structuring.

Using real-world stories, including a founder who bootstrapped to $10M in revenue and secured their first institutional investment, this conversation offers a transparent look at what it takes to move from a profitable business to an investable one.

Designed for business owners on the cusp of institutional readiness, this session connects the dots between performance and perception—showing how the right knowledge, at the right moment, opens new doors.

Speaker(s):
Sophia Harris, Founder, CEO, Chairwoman, ODRG, LLC

Kayin Barclay, Vice President, Empower the Change/Advantage Capital

Claudell Germain, President & COO, Walker SCM

Sandra Moore, Chief Impact Officer and Managing Director, Empower the Change/Advantage Capital

Speaker(s):

Speaker(s):
Kyra Renel Hardwick, Managing Consultant, The Kyra Company Business Development Services Group, LLC

Speaker:
Aaliyah Haqq, Chief Operating Officer, Academy for Advancing Excellence LLC

Speaker:
Sarah von der Lippe, Pro Bono Chief Counsel and Acting CEO, MBELDEF

Don Roberts, CEO, Caracal Products and Services

Speaker(s):
Aquila Leon-Soon, Founder and CEO, ATS+Partners

Cristina Miller, CEO and Co-Founder, Intermedia Touch

Cheryl McCants, President & CEO, Impact Consulting Enterprises

Pamela Nelson, CEO and Founder, Bracane Company

Speaker(s):
Don Cravins, Jr., President & CEO, NMSDC

Sharon Pinder, President & CEO, CRMSDC

Carlton Oneal, President, LightSpeedEdu, and Chair, National MBE Input Committee

Speaker(s):
Andrew Jessup, Chief Technology Officer, Capital Energy Solutions, Inc.

Dino Rodwell, CEO, Capital Energy Solutions, Inc.

Speaker:
Jeremy Ureche, Senior Manager Procurement, Customer and Products, BP

Natacha Maddox, Senior Manager Procurement, Wells, BP

Speaker(s):

Taimera Connley, Senior Analyst, Walmart

Marie Sapoznik, Senior Manager, Small Supplier Development Team, Walmart

Chrissy Britton, Senior Manager, U.S. Small Supplier Development, Walmart

Sherry-Lee Singh, Senior Director, U.S. Small Supplier Development, Walmart

Remarks

Remarks

Speakers(s):

Speaker(s):
Natalie Madeira Cofield, President, Association for Enterprise Opportunity

Maria Prince, Global ESG, Supply Chain Risk and Procurement Operations Leader, DuPont

Ted Archer, Global Head of Business Partner Diversity, JPMorgan Chase

Speaker(s):
Emanuel Basnight, Jr., VP of Integrated Strategy, Flowers Communications Group, Inc.

Helen Rabadan, Art Director, Flowers Communications Group, Inc.

Jasmine Mazyck, Managing Partner,  Flowers Communications Group, Inc.

Speaker:
Taniesha Thomas, Head of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, Populus Group

Speaker(s):
Kimberly Ayers, Director of Supplier Diversity, AARP

Yanyn San Luis, CEO + Social Impact Expert, The Win Woman

Speaker:
Sophia Harris, Founder, CEO, Chairwoman, ODRG, LLC

This exclusive space is not just a lounge! Although equipped with convenient amenities, including comfortable seating areas, refreshments, and snacks, it’s a hub of opportunity where industry leaders, decision-makers, and influencers from our sponsoring companies gather to network and forge powerful connections. Sponsors will enjoy unparalleled visibility, with their logos prominently displayed, ensuring that every attendee recognizes their commitment to business diversity. The lounge offers a unique setting for brief conversations, allowing potential clients and partners to engage with you and your brand away from the hustle and bustle of the convention center. 

Sponsors Only

In an era defined by economic disruption, technological advancement, and shifting societal values, the Supplier Inclusion ecosystem is being called to reimagine its role—not only as mission-driven actors, but as a convener of meaningful, cross-sector collaboration. This timely discussion brings together national leadership, from our NGO partners to explore how we collectively navigate and lead in the new economy.

Speaker(s):

Don Cravins, President and CEO, NMSDC

As global supply chains evolve, a new model is emerging—one that invests in local talent, uplifts underserved communities, and delivers enterprise-grade performance. Xchange Chicago, launched by SDI Presence, is a powerful example: an onshore IT delivery center built in Chicago’s Southside that has already trained and placed dozens of apprentices into full-time IT roles while generating over $20M in local economic impact.

This panel will explore how corporate leaders are using inclusive procurement, impact sourcing, and public-private collaboration to strengthen their supply chains while driving measurable value. Learn how your organization can tap into overlooked talent, reduce reliance on offshore delivery, and scale a model that benefits both business and community.

Speaker(s):

Artificial intelligence is reshaping every sector of the economy. How can leaders ensure that innovation drives inclusion, growth, and long-term prosperity? In this forward-looking conversation, leaders explore how AI is transforming enterprise software, capital markets, and the future of work—and what it means for business and the workforce in the years ahead.

Speaker(s):

Join us in giving back to our host community by filling bags with essential school supplies. These will be distributed to local schools and educational programs to support students in need.

This presentation explores “The Onus of Leadership,” focusing on the weight of responsibility that comes with holding a leadership position. It delves into the ethical, emotional, and strategic demands leaders must navigate, emphasizing that leadership is not just about authority or influence, but about accountability, integrity, and resilience.

Through real-life examples and practical frameworks, the session highlights how leaders can responsibly carry the burden of their roles while inspiring those they lead. Participants will be challenged to reflect on their own leadership styles and consider how they can lead with greater purpose and responsibility.

By the end of this session, participants will gain a nuanced understanding of the concept of the “onus of leadership,” exploring its implications from both practical and ethical perspectives. They will examine the primary responsibilities leaders hold, as well as the personal and professional challenges inherent to leadership roles.

Through analyzing real-world case studies, attendees will assess the outcomes resulting from both responsible and irresponsible leadership behaviors. Additionally, participants will reflect critically on their own leadership approaches, specifically in the context of accountability and ethical decision-making.

Finally, the session will equip attendees with strategies to implement responsible leadership principles effectively, empowering them to foster trust and achieve meaningful impact within their organizations or personal lives.

Speaker: 

Elizabeth Caulder, President | Chief Brand Strategist, Phoenix Lifestyle Marketing Agency

Innovation is always a challenge. When you are trying to create something that has never been done before, how do you make it happen?

In this session, we will use case study discussions that involve some of the most transformational industry creations prior to the latest advent of generative AI. We will look at the actual situations and the choices presented.

Audience members will have a chance to break into small groups based on a set of choices regarding which direction they prefer and will have the opportunity to talk through how they would attempt to tackle the challenge.

Because the discussion is based on real-life situations, there will be ample opportunity to explore the keys to success for creating a new industry.

Speaker: 

Kirk Holmes, President, Holmes and Associates, Inc.

Speaker: 

Durecia Moorer, Managing Partner and Chief Marketing Officer, ABCD

Speaker: 

Neelima Parasker, CEO, SnapIT Solutions®

New this year, these five-minute, industry-specific meetings are designed to spark new connections and opportunities. 

Learn more about Fast Match here.

Breathing New Life Into Iconic Brands

The CPO Summit at the NMSDC Annual Conference & Exchange is an elite, invitation-only forum exclusively for Chief Procurement Officers or their equivalents. It's a unique opportunity for these top leaders to connect, collaborate, and lead. Join fellow procurement leaders from across the NMSDC network for high-impact conversations on current market dynamics, inclusive procurement strategies, and innovative solutions shaping the future. This is a must-attend session for procurement leaders looking to exchange insights, elevate best practices, and influence the direction of supplier inclusion and impact in the new economy.

High Level Agenda:

• NMSDC Interim President Update
• Fireside Chat:  Reinvention: Driving resilience to profitability and economic impact
• Break-out tabletop discussions resulting in key takeaways including a position paper.

By Invitation Only

Speaker: 

Speaker: 

Speaker: 

Speaker(s): 

Shene Commodore, Founder, Commodore Consulting

Desmond Brown, CEO, Desmond A. Brown LLC

New this year, these five-minute, industry-specific meetings are designed to spark new connections and opportunities. 

Learn more about Fast Match here.

Sponsors and Global Partners Only

This exclusive space is not just a lounge! Although equipped with convenient amenities, including comfortable seating areas, refreshments, and snacks, it’s a hub of opportunity where industry leaders, decision-makers, and influencers from our sponsoring companies gather to network and forge powerful connections. Sponsors will enjoy unparalleled visibility, with their logos prominently displayed, ensuring that every attendee recognizes their commitment to business diversity. The lounge offers a unique setting for brief conversations, allowing potential clients and partners to engage with you and your brand away from the hustle and bustle of the convention center. 

Sponsors Only

As part of the year-long Emerging Young Entrepreneurs (EYE) program, participants hone their pitch to investors for a chance to showcase their company at the NMSDC Annual Conference & Exchange. Five finalists will enter the EYE Pitch Competition for a chance to win a grant to support expanding their business.

All attendees are welcome to attend.

In today’s rapidly shifting economy, the pressure on women—especially Black and Brown women leaders—to perform, produce, and persevere has intensified. But in this new economy, sustainability—not sacrifice—is the true competitive edge.

All attendees are welcome to attend.

Join us for a night of star power and inspiration as we celebrate the achievements of MBEs and corporate members driving impact.

The Awards Ceremony will begin promptly at 7:00 p.m. 

Emcee:

Laz Alonso, Actor, Producer, Founder & CEO, Abundancia Pictures