

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 21
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 22
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 23
A THREE-DAY VIRTUAL EVENT FOCUSED ON DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION
IN THE ISSUES IMPORTANT TO WOMEN
Unstoppable women from the
AAPI, Black, Disability, Indigenous,
Latinx and LBQTQ+ communities come together to discuss how their diverse groups are affected by the pressing issues women face today.
Panelists include thought leaders,
founders of women-owned small businesses, activists, advocates, artists, coaches, educators and more.

Early Bird Tickets Coming Soon!

Soraya Chemaly
2022 Passionistas Persist Trailblazer Award Recipient
Soraya Chemaly an award-winning author and activist. She writes and speaks frequently on topics related to gender norms, inclusivity, social justice, free speech, sexualized violence, and technology. The former Executive Director of The Representation Project and Director and co-founder of the Women’s Media Center Speech Project, she has long been committed to expanding women’s civic and political participation. Soraya is also the author of Rage Becomes Her: The Power of Women’s Anger, which was recognized as a Best Book of 2018 by the Washington Post, Fast Company, Psychology Today, and NPR and has been translated into multiple languages. Soraya currently serves on the national board of the Women's Media Center and is a former board member of Emerge America, Women, Action and The Media, and the DC Volunteer Lawyers Project.
More Passionistas Persist Award recipients to be announced soon!
PASSIONISTAS PERSIST AWARDS 2022

Rebecca Cokley
2022 Passionistas Persist Humanitarian Award Recipient presented by Cara Reedy
Rebecca Cokley is a Program Officer, developing the U.S. disability rights program strategy at the Ford Foundation. Prior to joining Ford, Rebecca was the co-founder and director of the Disability Justice Initiative at the Center for American Progress (CAP). She was responsible for organizing a campaign that resulted in an unprecedented 12 Presidential candidates developing disability policy platforms. Prior to her work at CAP, she served as the executive director for the National Council on Disability where she worked on sexual violence on college campuses, policing reform, and the civil rights of disabled parents. A three time Presidential Appointee, Rebecca served in key policy roles at the Department of Education and the Department of Health and Human Services, as well as a successful stint at the White House where she oversaw diversity and inclusion efforts for the Obama Administration.
POWER OF PASSIONISTAS 2022 CONFIRMED PARTICIPANTS

Dr. Melissa Bird
Founder of Natural Born Rebel
As a clairvoyant coach, author, and fiery public speaker, Dr. Melissa Bird has traveled around the world speaking to audiences at universities, conferences, and churches. Her combination of education, real life experience, and practical advice makes her a powerful force of change in the lives of the people she speaks to. Past audience members have described her as “fierce,” “revelatory,” “life-changing,” “enthusiastic,” and “inspirational.”

Gabrielle Claiborne
Co-founder & CEO,
Transformation Journeys Worldwide
Gabrielle Claiborne, Co-founder & CEO, Transformation Journeys Worldwide, has been honored by the US Small Business Administration and recognized in Forbes. She is a dynamic TEDx speaker, author of Embrace Your Truth: A Journey of Authenticity, and co-founder of Transformation Journeys Worldwide. From her own journey as a successful transgender woman, she inspires audiences with actionable steps for moving more fully into their own unique truths and living their most authentic lives — for their own well-being and the healing of our world.

JJ Ferrari
Change Agent and Keynote Speaker
JJ Ferrari was 53 with a successful career in business when she transitioned her gender from male to female. It was the biggest challenge she had set for herself, yet there were many more to overcome. JJ tells her story to audiences around the country. In the process, she teaches people to harness the power of transitions and rethink life’s rules in both their personal and professional spheres. With passion and conviction, JJ Ferrari provides strategies, models and formulas drawn from her 30 plus years as a successful business leader, combined with her incredible life experiences.

Dana Kaplan
Founder and Owner of Developing Empathetic Education with Dana (DEED)®
Dana Kaplan, Founder and Owner of Developing Empathetic Education with Dana (DEED)®, is an award winning Gifted and Early Childhood Educator and Social Emotional Intelligence expert. Dana's niche approach propels rich self-awareness while purposefully empowering children and adults to masterfully and confidently communicate and create the world they crave. Dana leads 1:1, small and large group workshops, and speaks internationally on how to empower and engage in hard conversations.

Selene Luna
Actress (“Coco”), Comedian and Activist
Actress and comedian Selene Luna has taken on multiple roles in movies and TV shows including Margaret Cho’s The Cho Show and the voice of Tía Rosita in Disney-Pixar’s Coco. She can currently be seen as Soledad on Mayans M.C. In 2019, the Mexican-American performer, who lives with a physical disability took to Washington, DC to advocate for disability rights and spoke at a rally on Capitol Hill alongside U.S. Sen. Chuck Schumer.

Cara Reedy
Director at Disabled Journalists Association
Cara Reedy, Director at Disabled Journalists Association, is a journalist, an actor, a director and a photographer. Perviously she was the Program Manager for DREDF’s Disability Media Alliance Project (DMAP). In her role as Program Manager for DMAP, Cara’s mission is to have disabled people control our own narratives. The world is missing out on some of the best stories on the planet, the journalist in her knows that can’t stand. She is former CNN and NPR producer and is currently developing two comedy pilots that focus on social justice.

Sheila V
Founder, Empowering Intuition
Corporate leader and intuition expert. Sheila V is the founder of Empowering Intuition. She is an expert psychic medium, a powerful manifestor and has written the play book on how to break the rules. Sheila V has studied under renowned American medium James Van Praagh and appeared on Australian television, Psychic TV. She left the corporate world as a C Suite Finance Director and has mastered the art of blending two diametrically opposite careers. She is a spiritual teacher, mentor, intuitive guide and executive coach. In working with Sheila V you will experience transformation, inner healing and a true clarity around your life purpose. Sheila V is also the author of Brave: Courageously Live your Truth.

Sonali Perera Bridges
Founder and President of Shero's Rise
Sonali Perera Bridges is an award-winning, dynamic, innovative leader with over 20 years of progressive experience in a wide breadth of educational settings. and the driving force behind Shero’s Rise. Sonali holds a BA from Mount Saint Mary’s University and an MBA from The University of Redlands. She is the Founder and President of Bridges Educational Consulting which provides college counseling for students, curriculum development and training for school districts and strategic enrollment management planning to institutions of higher education.

Elena Christopoulos
Sustainability & Political Consultant
Elena Christopoulos is a Climate Scientist who implemented the first North American urban wind turbine in Toronto in 2000. She has managed over 40 political and environmental campaigns worldwide. Throughout her career, as a woman in science and politics, Elena has actively worked to bring more women and BIPOC to the table and be a voice for the LGBTQ2+ community. As the founder of ECMC management-consulting firm, she has helped create 500,000+ green jobs, 60% of which have gone to women and BIPOC. It is her goal to increase the percentage of female environmental scientists from 28% to 50% over her lifetime and to continue to develop STEM and STEAM programs.

Morning Star Gali
Project Director, Restoring Justice for Indigenous Peoples
Morning Star Gali is a member of the Ajumawi band of Pit River Tribe. From 2016-2018 she was a Rosenberg Leading Edge Fellow focusing on the disproportionate impact of the criminal and juvenile justice systems on Native Americans. She has worked as the Tribal Historic Preservation Officer for the Pit River Tribe. She continues to lead large-scale actions while helping organize Native cultural, spiritual, scholarly and political gatherings throughout California. Morning Star is deeply committed to advocating for indigenous sovereignty issues such as missing and murdered indigenous women, climate justice, gender justice and sacred sites protection on behalf of the tribal and intertribal communities that she was raised within.

Treya Klassen
CEO, Design House Collective
Treya Klassen is the CEO of Design House Collective. They are a business engineering and creative firm based in Vancouver. Treya has over 30 years of experience creating brands and has built numerous successful companies. Her latest brand just launched in Vancouver, "Respect Your Universe". Ryu.com. She is also a communication course leader and public speaker, speaking on creating your life and having it all. Discover how to live the life you want and create your best future.

Raquel Medrano
Transformational and Leadership Coach
Raquel Medrano is a Transformational and Leadership Coach with over two decades experience in building and reinventing businesses from the ground up. She works with corporate executives and business owners, helping them expand their leadership, align their organizations, transform their relationship with what is possible and achieve unprecedented results. Raquel often takes the stage as a speaker/facilitator on a variety of business related topics. She has recently joined the team at Vanto Group, a boutique global consulting firm, named one of the "Best Management Consulting Firms" in 2021 and 2022 by Forbes. She recently completed Harvard's online program, Disruptive Strategy.

Kylee Stone
CEO — Brand Builder, Leadership Coach and Storyteller, The Performance Code
Kylee Stone is a descendant of the Karendali, Wakka Wakka and Kulluli First Nations with 25 years in the business of storytelling and an intrinsic talent in the power of personal stories to create meaningful connections. Certified in the neuroscience of resilience, Kylee’s mission is to disrupt the status quo on the traditional view of leadership and enable people with the courage to take action in direct accordance with their Vision, Values, Passion and Purpose.

Crystal Walker
Senior Director of Racial Equity at Work at Management Leadership for Tomorrow
Crystal Lynese Walker has been creating outcome-driven equity solutions across various industries, including tech, higher education, and retail, for over 15 years. She's currently the Senior Director of Racial Equity at Work at Management Leadership for Tomorrow and the founder of Crystal Clear Consulting. She believes it's overdue that we free the potential of Black women within businesses and organizations while also striking a balance so Black women can thrive and live a fulfilled and free life.

Shona Bernard Chandler
Consultant at Catalyze
Shona is a Consultant at Catalyze. Her expertise is in communication, project and team management. She has 30 years experience in human resources and cultural change management. Her skills include facilitation, training and development, analysis and strategic design. Shona’s experience includes consulting internationally throughout Asia, India and America. She has delivered programs and workshops to more than 20,000 people and has worked closely with all levels of management to design and implement strategies, plans, processes and systems. Shona has worked extensively with government departments, the private sector, charities and not-for-profit organizations. She has a degree in HR from the Sydney NSW University of Technology.

Julie DeLucca-Collins
Founder, Go Confidently Services
Julie DeLucca-Collins is the Founder and CEO of Go Confidently Services and the host of the popular Casa DeConfidence Podcast®. As a Business and Life Strategist Coach, Julie helps women business owners launch or grow their businesses, get clients, be productive, and achieve their dreams. Julie helps her clients create simple habits to achieve goals and change lives. Julie is also the best-selling author of the newly released book Confident You (simple habits to live the life you've imagined). Julie is a sought-after public speaker trainer and course creator. She is certified as a CBT Holistic Coach and Tiny Habits Certified. She is also certified as a Social Emotional Learning Facilitator and has completed her 200-hour Yoga Teacher Certification.

Judith Halbreich
Founder, Home of Champions
Judith Halbreich’s lifetime of advocacy work is focused on the importance of all children having a home base and continuous mentorship. She is a licensed clinical social worker and psychotherapist with a successful executive career in social services, clinical research and mental health. Judith is the founder of Home of Champions, a unique program in Upstate New York that identifies leaders emerging from the foster care system and supports them towards becoming champions of their best selves.

Georgiana Kovell
Sales Expert and Marketing Strategist
Deep in my soul I KNOW women like us are here to change the world. We are revolutionizing the game. Running heart-led businesses that heal, inspire, and improve lives. Refusing to shrink down, hold back, or play small any longer. Serving from a place of LOVE and leveraging our superpowers for the benefit of all. Trusting in the universe and our own intuition to guide us into a life of expanding abundance. We know we are here to BE more, DO more, and yes—HAVE more. More clients, more ease, more success, more impact, more MONEY, more joy.

Angela Philp
Founder, Queen of Possible
Angela Philip is the founder of Queen of Possible. With a focus on women's leadership and personal transformation coaching, Angela’s clients reconnect with their creative energy and accomplish what's really important to them with greater power, joy and ease than they ever thought possible.

Alison Tedford
Author and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Consultant
Alison Tedford is an author, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Consultant and a mom. She is Indigenous (Kwakiutl First Nation) and based in Abbotsford, BC. She has over a decade of government experience and seven years of private sector experience creating information products that educate, inform and delight. Alison has helped executives, governments and brand leaders design their visions of inclusion, strategize about how to get there with practical, concrete action and find the words to talk about it.

Luhui Whitebear
Assistant Professor, School of Language, Culture, & Society and Center Director of the Kaku-Ixt Mana Ina Haws at Oregon State University
Luhui supervises and mentors both undergraduate and graduate students. She also manages a cultural resource center (the Native American Longhouse Eena Haws) and the budget for the center. She teaches courses through the School of Language, Culture, and Society in Ethnic Studies, Women Gender & Sexuality Studies, and Queer Studies. She also serves on campus-wide committees which have included Faculty Senate, the President & Provost's Leadership Council on Equity & Inclusion, and the Bias Response.
Check out the 2021 Summit here.
SUMMIT SCHEDULE
Wednesday, September 21
5pm Power of Laughter
Thursday, September 22
8am Expo and Networking
9am Welcome
9:15am Sonali Perera Bridges from Shero’s Rise
10am Keynote
11am Expo and Networking
11:30am Morning Sessions
12:30pm LUNCH — Expo and Networking
1:30pm Afternoon Sessions 1
2:30pm Expo and Networking
3:00pm Afternoon Sessions 2
4:00pm Expo and Networking
5:00pm Passionistas Persist Awards
Schedule subject to change
Friday, September 23
8am Expo and Networking
9am Welcome
9:15am Sonali Perera Bridges from Shero’s Rise
10am Keynote
11am Expo and Networking 1
11:30pm Morning Sessions
12:30pm Wrap-Up and Giveaway Announcements
Schedule subject to change
During breaks between sessions, hop in to a SPEED NETWORKING room and spend five minutes getting to know other summit attendees.
Also, VISIT THE EXPO to interact live with exhibitors, watch videos about the vendors and learn more about products, services and charitable organizations. And you can get great deals only for attendees.
If you would like to BE AN EXHIBITOR in the Expo please CONTACT US HERE
for more details.
EXPO and SPEED NETWORKING
POWER OF PASSIONISTAS 2022 PANELS AND EVENTS
Passionistas Persist Awards
Humanitarian Award: Rebecca Coakley, Disability Rights Program Officer for the Ford Foundation
Trailblazer Award: Soraya Chemaly, Activist and Author of "Rage Becomes Her: The Power of Women’s Anger"
Power of Authenticity
Focus on embracing your authenticity and facets of your own unique truths — whatever those look like for you.
Moderator: Gabrielle Claiborne, Co-Founder & CEO of Transformation Journeys Worldwide
Power of Confidence
Rocking confidence, one simple habit at the time.
Moderator: Julie DeLucca-Collins, Founder of Casa DeConfidence
Power of Decolonization
A discussion about the ways in which Indigenous peoples are taking the lead in speaking out about land preservation, repatriation, and ways that we can work together to build better ecosystems for the earth and our families.
Moderator: Luhui Whitebear, Assistant Professor, School of Language, Culture, & Society and Center Director of the Kaku-Ixt Mana Ina Haws at Oregon State University
Panelists: Morning Star Gali , Project Director, Restoring Justice for Indigenous Peoples; Kylee Stone, Founder, The Performance Code; Alison Tedford, Author and DEI Consultant
Power of Knowledge
Focus on the importance of education in traditional schools and beyond in programs that are educating girls outside of the classroom.
Moderator: Sonali Perera Bridges, Founder of Shero's Rise
Panelist: Dara Barlin, Center for Transforming Culture; Selene Luna, Actress (“Coco”), Comedian and Activist; Judith Halbreich, Founder of Home of Champions; Dana Kaplan, Educational Coach, Consultant and Advocate
Power of Laughter
A night of comedy featuring an all female line-up. Details to come.
Power of Media
Focus on diversity, equity and inclusion in the media. Where do they get it right and where are they falling short?
Moderator: Cara Reedy, Disability Activist
Power of Mentorship
Focus on using mentorship to provide young girls with the essential skills, experiences, tools and support needed to become empowered agents of change in the world.
Moderator: Sonali Perera Bridges, Founder of Shero's Rise
Power of Rebellion
A discussion about rebelling against established beliefs, spirituality and religion, and not staying silent when we feel deeply about issues that affect us.
Moderator: Dr. Melissa Bird, Founder of Natural Born Rebel
Panelist: Cara Reedy, Disability Activist; Crystal Lynese Walker, Senior Director of Racial Equity at Work at Management Leadership for Tomorrow
Power of STEM
Focus on the importance creating space for women within the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics
Moderator: Elena Christopoulos, Sustainability + Political Consultant
Power of Transformation
Focus on igniting our passions, growing our influence and amplifying the impact we have in life no matter who we are, what we do or where we come from.
Moderator: Kylee Stone, Founder, The Performance Code
Panelists: Shona Bernard Chandler, Consultant, Catalyze; JJ Ferrari, Change Agent and Keynote Speaker; Treya Klassen, CEO, Design House Collective; Georgiana Kovell, Sales Expert and Marketing Strategist; Raquel Medrano Clemente, Transformational and Leadership Coach and Angela Philp, Founder, Queen of Possible; Sheila V, Founder, Empowering Intuition
Power of Voting
Focus on the 2022 mid-term elections and the issues affecting women's rights throughout the country.
Moderator: TBD

OUR CHARITABLE PARTNER
A portion of the proceeds from the summit will be donated to SHERO’S RISE,
an organization that empowers girls in underserved communities through educational programming and meaningful mentorship to activate their inner strengths and guide their journey of internal discovery.
TICKET PRICES
Tickets for the 3-day event — $199
$99 Early Bird Tickets Go on Sale On June 21
to stay informed about ticket sales and more.
OUR TEAM

Amy & Nancy Harrington
Co-Founders and Executive Producers
Amy and Nancy Harrington founded The Passionistas Project to shine a light on women are following their passions to inspire other women to do the same. The project started with The Passionistas Project Podcast and expanded to include The Passionista Project Pack — a quarterly subscription box filled with products made by women-owned businesses and female artisans to inspire other women to follow their passions. In August 2020, they launched the Passionistas Project Women's Equality Summit to empower women to create a world in which there is equality for all.

Dr. Melissa Bird
Event Producer/Sponsorships
As a clairvoyant coach, author, and fiery public speaker, Dr. Melissa Bird has traveled around the world speaking to audiences at universities, conferences, and churches. Her combination of education, real life experience, and practical advice makes her a powerful force of change in the lives of the people she speaks to. Past audience members have described her as “fierce,” “revelatory,” “life-changing,” “enthusiastic,” and “inspirational.”

Selene Luna
Event Producer
Actress and comedian Selene Luna has taken on multiple roles in movies and TV shows including Margaret Cho’s The Cho Show and the voice of Tía Rosita in Disney-Pixar’s Coco. In 2019, the Mexican-American performer, who lives with a physical disability took to Washington, DC to advocate for disability rights and spoke at a rally on Capitol Hill alongside U.S. Sen. Chuck Schumer.

Julie DeLucca-Collins
Event Producer
Julie DeLucca-Collins is the Founder and CEO of Go Confidently Services and the host of the popular Casa DeConfidence Podcast®. As a Business and Life Strategist Coach, Julie helps women business owners launch or grow their businesses, get clients, be productive, and achieve their dreams. Julie helps her clients create simple habits to achieve goals and change lives. Julie is also the best-selling author of the newly released book Confident You (simple habits to live the life you've imagined).

Cara Reedy
Event Producer
Cara Reedy, Program Manager for DREDF’s Disability Media Alliance Project (DMAP) is a journalist, an actor, a director and a photographer. In her role as Program Manager for DMAP, Cara’s mission is to have disabled people control our own narratives. The world is missing out on some of the best stories on the planet, the journalist in her knows that can’t stand. She is former CNN and NPR producer and is currently developing two comedy pilots that focus on social justice.

Karen Herman
Event Producer
Karen Herman is the former Vice President and Chief Curator at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame & Museum. Before joining the Rock Hall, Karen served as the Vice President of The Archive of American Television at the Television Academy in Hollywood.