Using Technology to Improve Access

Shanna Johnson is the CEO of cielo24, a technology start up that turns unstructured online media into structured data to drive accessibility, discoverability and reach. Previously, she served as President & COO of Tot Squad, a marketplace connecting new and expecting parents with health & wellness services. A self-professed start-up junkie with 20+ years experience in scaling startups and streamlining business operations, she is passionate about technology and managing small teams to achieve meaningful outcomes. She studied English and Philosophy at Barnard College of Columbia University and currently lives in Los Angeles with her husband, 2 boys, 2 dogs and 2 cats. She is a long suffering New York Knicks fan and enjoys wine, reading, and planning her next vacation.

During her undergraduate experience, Natalie Gillard found that support for individuals from diverse backgrounds was rather limited. The latter ignited her desire to pursue diverse professional opportunities and a self-designed graduate study in Race and Ethnic Relations. Natalie has held various inclusion roles over her 13 year career, most recently serving as Stevenson University's Assistant Vice President for Multicultural Experience. Natalie is the creator of FACTUALITY, a facilitated dialogue, crash course, and interactive experience, that simulates structural inequality in America. FACTUALITY has supported the diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives of Fortune 500 company Google, Lockheed Martin, Bloomberg Industry Group, the College Board, the American Heart Association, the National Institutes of Health, Bill Gates Millennium Scholars, Princeton, UCLA, and The University of Arizona, where author and civil rights activist, bell hooks participated. FACTUALITY has reached over 20,000 participants and was featured in Amazon Best Seller | The Memo: What Women of Color Need To Know To Secure A Seat At The Table, Baltimore Magazine’s Best of Baltimore issue, the Afro American Newspaper, The Johns Hopkins Newsletter, and The Baltimore Jewish Times. Factuality is listed in the Kellogg Foundation's Racial and Equity Resource Guide and became an ice cream flavor through a partnership with social justice ice cream brand, Taharka Brothers.

Sarah caught the startup bug when she moved to Seattle a decade ago and hasn’t looked back since! She has worked as a mobile application developer for young, innovative companies across multiple industries including gaming, home renovation and autonomous vehicles. She now lives in Washington, DC and leads Floreo’s all-female engineering team as they develop virtual reality technology for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder.

My name is Nicole Felter and I am a graduate from the State University of New York (SUNY) at Plattsburgh. I am originally from a very small town in New York State called Kerhonkson. Being from a small town with limited opportunities, I never imagined that I would have accomplished all that I have to this day. Being one of the only people in my family to pursuit a college degree has demonstrated the importance of positivity and perseverance.

Through the different organizations I have been a part of and the different things I have experienced in my college career I have gained multiple valuable skills. Speaking Spanish is the most important skill I learned while studying abroad and I am proud to say I am fluent. Event planning, team work, fundraising, marketing and work delegation are skills that have carried me through the execution of various successful philanthropy events. These skills have ultimately shaped me into a leader who embodies enthusiasm, optimism, fervor, drive and ambition.