 | Maribeth Kuzmeski is the President of the consulting firm, Red Zone Marketing. Maribeth and her firm focus on designing and improving sales and marketing strategies, customer service programs and branding and differentiation strategies for companies from high producing entrepreneurial firms to Fortune 100 companies and business units. The one goal: to increase the consistent flow of sales.
Maribeth is the author of 4 books including, "The Connectors” and “Red Zone Marketing.” She has frequently appeared on TV and radio, and has written articles on marketing strategies for hundreds of publications including Business Week and Entrepreneur. She regularly speaks to audiences on topics relating to business development, marketing, and sales strategies.
Maribeth graduated with a degree in journalism from Syracuse University and has an MBA from The George Washington University. She lives in the Chicago, IL area with her husband Rich and 2 children. |
 | Dr. Dana Lightman is an accomplished motivational keynote speaker and trainer specializing in the field of optimism and positive psychology. She brings over 20 years experience as a presenter, psychotherapist, coach and educator to a wide range of audiences at conferences and conventions, corporations, hospitals, non-profits, universities and schools. As the founder of POWER Optimism in 2001, Dana published her first book, POWER Optimism: Enjoy the Life You Have…Create the Success You Want in 2004, followed by Power Optimism Playbook in 2007.
After obtaining a Master's Degree in Education and teaching for ten years at the University of Pennsylvania, Dana turned her focus to psychological services. Earning her Doctorate in Behavioral Science, Dana is an expert in positive psychology. As a practicing psychotherapist, Dana has worked with a wide range of clients on issues including self-esteem, marriage and family, relationships, eating awareness and body image, substance abuse and grief. As a consultant and trainer, she has designed and conducted psychoeducational training programs, workshops and seminars. Topics include stress management, adjusting to change, building self-esteem, resiliency, maintaining healthy relationships, substance abuse prevention and sexual harassment awareness and prevention. As an educator, Dana has lectured at the University of Pennsylvania, Temple University and Arcadia University.
Dana currently focuses her energies on POWER Optimism. Her mission is to increase and release the optimist in each of us. She is a member of The National Speakers Association, an Advanced Toastmaster and past president of the Professionally Speaking chapter of Toastmasters International, and has studied dramatic presentation techniques at the Walnut and Wilma Theaters in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Dana has been a guest speaker on television and radio. |
 | Barbara Talley is a speaker, poet, author, and publisher of many value-based living products. She is a wife, mother of six, and has been an entrepreneur for over twenty years. She has had her own business since 1987 training, inspiring, or encouraging thousands of people on various meaningful topics.
Barbara speaks nationally and specializes in Goal Setting, Time Management, Balancing Work and Family, Vision, Values, Virtues (Spirituality), Diversity, Leadership, Personal Empowerment, Effective Communications, Women’s Issues and other motivational topics for businesses, associations, community groups, colleges, and government organizations.
Barbara’s high energy, honesty, and special talent for “inspiring” her listeners makes her a much sought after keynote speaker and workshop leader. Barbara even has the ability to inspire all those techie types, since she has been one herself for over thirty years.
Barbara has launched her own publishing company this year to produce value-based books and products. She also created a Diversity game called Crossworlds™ which is a non-verbal communications/ diversity presentation. It is fun, interactive, highly educational and great for team-building. Many have experienced Barbara’s unique, heart warming, and highly educational programs.
Barbara's past clients include Booz Allen Hamilton, Clemson University, USDA Graduate School, Society for Human Resource Managers (SHRM), National Association of Negro Business Professional Women’s Clubs, US Postal Service, Department of Commerce, Department of Agriculture, Naval Academy, U.S. Marine Corps (Quantico), The State of Delaware, Blacks in Government, The Department of Homeland Security, The Girl Scouts, Johns Hopkins University, among others. |
 | Lena L. West is an award-winning social media consultant, blogger, speaker, journalist and technologist.
She is also the CEO & Chief Strategist at xynoMedia, a consulting and web development firm that helps fast-growing companies effectively navigate the new world of blogs, podcasts, widgets, online communities and social networks. West says, “What makes xynoMedia different is we don’t just offer some of the best marketing ideas and strategy in the industry, we have a full-scale development team and anything that we recommend to our clients – you can bet we can build it.”
As a certified technical expert, West learned about the intricate aspects of computers and networking while consulting with Fortune 500 companies such as IBM, Pitney Bowes, Philips Magnavox, Hyperion Software and MasterCard International. After cutting her ‘technical teeth’, she founded xynoMedia in 1997.
West’s expertise has been widely acknowledged. She is the winner of several business awards, among them: The Network Journal’s “40 Under Forty”, AlleyCat News’ “25 Women of Silicon Alley”, The Women’s Congress’ Entrepreneurial Champion for Women in Business and was dubbed an “Entrepreneurial Hero” by NCWIT. West has also been featured as the cover story for publications such as The Westchester County Business Journal and Black Enterprise.
A sought-after writer and speaker, West writes and speaks regularly about the merits and potential pitfalls of technology. She communicates her expertise about social media, web 2.0 and online technologies through Social Media 360, her blog on FastCompany.com; her Social Results column and blog for Entrepreneur Magazine; as well as feature articles for both InfoWorld and Jupitermedia. She has spoken for the Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC), National Investor Relations Institute (NIRI) and Syracuse University.
A firm believer in the adage, “To whom much is given, much is required”, West is deeply committed to her pro bono work as well. She sits on the BlogHer Business Advisory Board, the Center for Women’s Business Research Advisory Council and the National Advisory Board for The Women’s Congress.
She is a member of the Women Presidents’ Organization (WPO), 85 Broads, Guru Nation, Technology Executives Networking Group (TENG) and the Downtown Women’s Club (DWC).
West strongly believes that social media is a catalyst to uniting the world’s people and will continue to lead businesses and individuals toward greater levels of environmental accountability, social responsibility and corporate transparency - hence her passion for the medium. |
