Facilitators & moderators

Kayla Lewis Allen
Kayla Lewis Allen is the cofounder of Full Circle Television a digital network where she produces content that tell black stories. Her latest project to date is Relationship Goals The Series , a docu series that speaks to the highs and lows of romantic, familial and platonic relationships. In addition to  producing her television series Kayla  has been coined the cultural curator. As she produces engaging events for black  creatives, entrepreneurs and young professionals such as Love & Laughs couples retreat, FCTV GAME NIGHT, WE ALL GON’ EAT: A conversations with creatives. As well as hosting an abroad travel group to showcase the unlimited possibilities of travel. Last year hosted in Paris, France and Egypt in February 2023. Kayla took love for television, food , travel , culture and community and turned it into a career.

Ebony Lewis
Ebony Lewis’ mission in life is to inspire youth and youth advocates to aspire to achieve their dreams with passion, mental wellness and love. She is a proud mother, founder/CEO of E Inspires LLC, author of Dear Black Boy: It’s Ok to Cry, and director of Milwaukee Public Schools’ Gender & Identity Inclusion Department.   

After losing her cousin to suicide she was inspired to write a children’s book titled Dear Black Boy: It’s Ok to Cry, a book she hopes will serve as a part of the necessary conversations around the world about mental health. She also founded E Inspires LLC, where she serves as a mental health advocate, DEI champion and youth warrior working to ensure that families especially in black and brown communities have access to culturally relevant resources.  

Ebony is a mentor to many youth throughout the city, a graduate of the Cardinal Stritch University’s African American Leadership Program and was named one of Milwaukee’s 40 Under 40 by the Milwaukee Business Journal in 2019.  In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her family, traveling and writing.

Tanszar Veal
Tanszar Veal, LPC, CSAC, CS-IT is a Licensed Psychotherapist and a certified Clinical Substance Abuse Counselor in Milwaukee. She earned her Master's Degree from Mount Mary University in Clinical Mental Health. Tanszar is currently a doctoral student at Mount Mary University where she is obtaining a degree in Counseling Education and Supervision. 

Tanszar's experience ranges from Crisis Intervention, Depression, Grief, Anxiety, Phases of Life Issues, and etc. Tanszar is the founder and owner of Afiya Counseling Services where she provides psychotherapy and education to promote stability and overall wellness to individuals, adolescents, and couples. Tanszar, a native of Mississippi, not only brings her clinical experience, she also brings authenticity and sense of humor into her work.

Alahna Parker
Alahna Parker is the owner of Earth Angel LLC, a black woman and veteran owned wellness company centered around self care and community. After serving in the U.S. Navy, she was diagnosed with ptsd and dedicated her career to offering healing services and mental health advocacy. After briefly working as a peer specialist for milwaukee county, she opened Earth Angel Studio during the pandemic and has become a breathwork and guided meditation facilitator. Earth Angel Studio offers restorative yoga, breathwork, meditation and various other tools to strengthen our relationships with ourselves and our community. Visit the website

Shakkiah Curtis, Spinn MKE
Dr. Shakkiah Curtis is a graduate of Tennessee State University( proud HBCU Alum) with her  B.A. in English and Master in Instructional Design and Organization Development from Alverno College. She received her Doctorate in Business Administration focused on African American Women Entrepreneurs and how Emotional Intelligence aids in success. 

Dr. Curtis has cultivated many entrepreneurial ventures, including fashion, business, and fitness. My most current venture, SPINN MKE, breaks the cultural norms in boutique fitness and brings it to communities that traditionally are not included; SPINN MKE is built on culture, community, and wellness. Shakkiah is also the founder of The Pink Hustle, is a personal and professional development agency specializing in helping women build wealth.We have a high emphasis on first generation-builders. Focusing on three key areas: Personal Development, Health (spirit, mind and body), Wealth Principles ( financial literacy & generational wealth)

Dr. Curtis is a leader and expert in Emotional Intelligence and has published research in this field. Dr. Curtis's Work experience includes teaching in higher academia, business development, and building and working in the startup and tech ecosystem. Currently, Shakkiah is working with MKE Tech Hub to double the tech talent while creating transformational change in Milwaukee and surrounding regions.

As a mom of two amazing girls, Dr. Curtis's passion for community, entrepreneurship, and health continues to push her as a leader of change. Helping her community live purposefully, which she has noted, has been rewarding and life-changing. And she will continue to go after the greatness we all deserve. Dr. Curtis was recently honored as  one of WI 52 Most Influential Black Leaders 2022.

Tonda Thompson
As the CEO of J.R. Creative Holdings, the parent company for She Slangs Wood Co, Valor Creative Collective and Vogue Dreams Production, Tonda Thompson considers her life’s mission is to encourage others to walk with authority in everything that they do. Being a Runway model in Los Angeles taught Tonda how to accept rejection as a fuel to keep going. Following the tragic death of her first son, Terrell, Tonda spearheaded a career as a serial entrepreneur and community advocate. She took this path to find solutions and preventative methods to reduce Social Determinants of Health that have negative effects to the wellbeing of Black maternal, infant and fetal health within the United States. Tonda is the founder of The National Coalition for Healthy Black Families, Inc (NCHBF) and has created events such as the HaRUNbee 5K, that honors Terrell’s life. Tonda is a developer, a teacher, a model, sometimes a politician, and a mother who is aiming to find life changing solutions for the future.”

Trina Nicole
Trina Nicole is an award winning published author and the founder of “Fly Girl with Fibro,” a platform to bring awareness to the condition of Fibromyalgia, mental health & encourages all to engage in better self-care & self-love everyday. Her debut book of the same name, “Fly Girl with Fibro," hit shelves in November, 2018 to rave reviews. Deeply transparent and personal, it chronicles her journey of much trial and tribulation while battling chronic pain. She takes readers on her quest of self-love, self-care and overall healing of mind, body & Spirit. 

Trina was named “Glambitious Magazine’s “2020 Author of the Year” & one of the “POWER 20, 20 Powerful Women of 2020.” She has been featured on TMJ4, "Live 365 Empowerment Magazine", "Blk Girl Daily", "ENC Solutions Spotlight", "Blk Women Hustle" Podcast & the "Body Decor Boutique CEO Blog." 

She has penned articles for "Sheen Magazine", "Girl Friday Magazine", "Love Daring Greatly" & "Fiercely IT" Magazine as well.

Donna Gallardo
SheWolf MKE originated as a result of a woman's passion for the sport of boxing that provided a gateway into self-defense. The founder, Donna Gallardo, a former 10-year amateur female boxer, continues to break down gender barriers for the sport and now coaches others of all ages and skill levels, promoting fitness and self-defense. As a woman-owned business that develops individuals and companies, SheWolf MKE can provide a holistic approach to reshaping your fitness offerings. She is a Certified SPEAR self-defense instructor, teaching at Marquette University. She is also a Certified L1 Crossfit Trainer and a  10-year amateur boxer from Milwaukee. 

Kim Shine
Kim Shine is the current production manager for HYFIN Radio, under Radio Milwaukee. She edits audio and promotions, and also conducts interviews for the station. Kim spent 8.5 years working as a television journalist in various local markets -- most recently in Milwaukee. She has also been featured on national TV for some of her media coverage. When she’s not working, Kim's curiosity still gets her into the best of situations.

Danielle Bly, Vice President, WEC Energy Group
As an Award-Winning Board Leader and Vice President, Supplier Diversity, Danielle Bly delivers strategic leadership for Fortune 500 leader WEC Energy Group and numerous non-profit boards. Danielle is a Subject Matter Expert in supplier and workforce diversity with WEC Energy Group. She consistently exceeds business goals, driving a record-setting $303M in supplier diversity spend in 2020 in spite of the challenging COVID business climate. Danielle delivered WEC Energy’s first Supplier Diversity Economic Impact Report highlighting her team’s wins and commitment to the community. In addition to her leadership with WEC Energy, Danielle is also a pivotal leader in the Milwaukee area, earning awards including Wisconsin’s 48 Most Influential Black Leaders and Trailblazer in Women’s Leadership Award for her contributions.

In her current role as Vice President, Supplier Diversity Initiatives, Danielle drives supplier diversity for the $9.6B WEC Energy Group across 6 distinct utilities. She has built strategic alliances with 15+ business advocacy groups including the Milwaukee Metropolitan Association of Commerce, Illinois Utilities Business Diversity Council, and African American Chamber of Commerce. She has formed trusted relationships with woman, minority, and veteran-owned/operated businesses. Her commitment to the community has been clear as her team exceeded strategic targets with a $299.4M supplier diversity spend in 2022, surpassing the $272M goal.

Danielle consistently elevates both supplier and workforce diversity programs, leading numerous Diversity & Inclusion panels, forums, and conferences to drive awareness across WEC’s 7000+ employees. In previous roles, she skillfully transformed processes and led large organizations to deliver business growth. In recognition of her leadership throughout WEC Energy, she has been named to the Board of Directors for Wisconsin Public Service Foundation and WE Energies Foundation, supporting community development, health and human services, arts and culture, and education. Danielle is proud to annually deliver $250K of foundation contributions to local non- profit organizations in the Milwaukee area, reviewing up to 150 grant submissions throughout the year.

Danielle is a highly-sought board leader who has held board roles at 10+ non-profit organizations with balance sheet assets up to $20M. She is a current Board Member with the Greater Milwaukee Urban League, Black Arts MKE, Sherman Phoenix Foundation, and Pius XI Catholic High School. Danielle is also a current member and previous at-large Board Member for Professional Dimensions and has served as Board President of Danceworks, Inc. She is a proud member of the national women’s leadership Chief Network and the Milwaukee (WI) Chapter of the Links, Incorporated.

In recognition of her accomplishments, Danielle was named one of Wisconsin’s 48 Most Influential Black Leaders in 2021. In addition to being Milwaukee Business Journal Women of Influence, Community Supporter Recipient, she has earned the Trailblazer in Women’s Leadership Award and The PowHer Network Bridge Build-Her Award. Danielle is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin at Whitewater with her Bachelor of Business Administration degree in Human Resources Management.

Simran Kaleka
Simran is the Co-Founder of Made for the W. Before its’ inception in 2018, she has been well versed in this space. She is from Racine, WI, where she attended Marquette University for her undergraduate studies. She then moved to Atlanta, GA to attend John Marshall Law School to pursue an education in Sports/Entertainment Law. She has worked in the sports realm for 10+ years and saw a need for women in sports to be elevated and appreciated. She is committed to ensure that continues to happen with Made for the W, as she strives to make space for women in sports and sneaker culture to be able to showcase their stories and take up the room they rightfully deserve.

Angela Russell, Chief Diversity Officer, CUNA Mutual Group
Angela Russell is the Chief Diversity Officer and the Vice President of the CUNA Mutual Foundation at CUNA Mutual Group. In these roles, Angela provides strategic enterprise-wide leadership to ensure that CUNA Mutual’s commitment to DEI is reflected in the workplace, community partnerhips and marketplace in our products, processes and services.

In 2021, Ms. Russell was the recipient of the inaugural DEI Trailblazer Award from the African American Credit Union Coalition. In 2018, Ms. Russell was named as one of the nation’s most powerful diversity executives by Black Enterprise magazine.

Ms. Russell has 20 years of professional experience. Prior to joining CUNA Mutual she worked in various roles in public health including serving as a Health Equity Coordinator for Public Health Madison Dane County and she was the Community Engagement Lead for the national County Health Rankings & Roadmaps Program at the University of Wisconsin-Madison Population Health Institute.

Ms. Russell has also worked in a variety of roles in Wisconsin state government including Division Administrator for the Division of Early Care and Education, and Assistant Deputy Secretary for the Department of Children and Families, and Policy Advisor to Governor Jim Doyle. She was formerly an epidemiologist with Wisconsin AIDS/HIV and Hepatitis C Program at the Department of Health Services.

Angela serves on the Board of Directors for JustDane which is focused on providing programing for individuals returning to the Dane County community after incarceration. In 2023, she also joined Downtown Madison, Inc. Board (DMI)) that works through advocacy, research, planning, and community action to create and sustain a healthy and vibrant downtown Madison. She also hosts a Wisconsin based podcast called Black Oxygen, which was awarded the 2021 Wisconsin Innovation Award.

She holds a Master of Science in Population Health from the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health and a Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry from Beloit College. In 2021, Angela was awarded and honorary Doctorate of Science degree from Beloit College.

Angela has two children that are the loves of her life and are a regular source of feedback (the good, bad and often very funny).

Genyne L. Edwards, JD, Co-Founder, P3 Development Group LLC
Genyne Edwards is a skilled leader who has leveraged her passion for people and solving problems to work across diverse business sectors for more than 20 years. Known for her unique blend of strategic and creative thinking, Edwards brings valuable insights and experience as a hands-on practitioner and facilitator in the areas of organizational and leadership development, communications, and diversity, equity and inclusion.

Prior to co-founding P3 Development Group, Edwards served in leadership roles in corporate, nonprofit and government sectors, including serving as the first African American Deputy Secretary of Wisconsin’s Department of Tourism. She has been instrumental in developing impactful programs such as the Mosaic Partnerships Program, the African American Leadership Program, Radio Milwaukee's Cultural Commons and the City of Milwaukee’s Business Capacity Building Program. She recently launched a hospitality placemaking initiative - Black Pineapple, aimed at helping communities understand the importance of investing in their cultural and social context as an essential foundation for developing destinations of choice. 

Edwards is a sought-after thought leader and the recipient of many awards, including the United Way’s Driver of Diversity Award, the 2021 Milwaukee Business Journal’s Diversity in Business Award and Woman of Influence in Innovation. Edwards has also been recognized for her significant contributions by the Marquette University Alumni Association.

Edwards earned a Bachelor of Science in Organizational Leadership and Supervision from Purdue University and received her Juris Doctorate from Marquette University Law School. Edwards is certified in leadership coaching, contract compliance and commercial real estate development.  She loves travel, culture and music. She lives with her husband in Milwaukee's Halyard Park neighborhood.