Central Mass Conference Speakers and Emcee

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SPEAKERS

Keynote Speaker

Clementine Bihiga
Comedian

Bethany Van Delft
Emcee

Kate McEvoy
Keynote Speaker

Maria Milagros
2022 Goddess Award Recipient

Yesenia Arroyo

Keynote Speaker

Clementine Bihiga

Clementine Bihiga, a speaker of 5 languages, is a Certified John Maxwell Motivational Speaker, Trainer, Coach, Entrepreneur and Published Author of her award-winning book “Happily Broken: Discovering Happiness Through Pain and Suffering”.  She was only 8 years old when her family escaped from war-torn Rwanda. As her mother and youngest siblings piled into a car, she and her brothers had to walk beside the packed vehicle while bombs exploded beside them and bullets shot past their heads. She spent the next 5 years in refugee camps and settlements. She had to grow up quickly and become an adult-like 8-year-old. It is no surprise that at the age of 35, she has accomplished more than many.

Clementine has won many awards including 2020 Joe Belle Memorial Youth Alumni Award, Voice of the Year Award in 2016, Women in Action Award, Special Mayoral Recognition in Worcester, MA and has been recognized by the Massachusetts State Senate for her work with Refugees.

Clementine has appeared in numerous local and national publications and has shared the stage with influential people like Kim Kardashian, Cheryl Crow, Aisha Tyler and more. She has also appeared in business magazines with leaders like Mark Cuban and Jeff Bezos.

Clementine is a light in the darkness. Her powerful positive energy on stage along with her sparkling laughter in the face of tragedy and challenges is unparalleled. She has presented to audiences of all ages across the nation with rave reviews.

Her story of perseverance and grit motivates those going through challenging times. Her grace and poise on stage lights up the room and inspires audiences. She has transformed her life into a story to use as motivation for audiences across the world. When in Clementine’s presence, you have NO choice but to GROW!

During the conference, Clementine will share secrets on How to Never Lose.

Book Details:

Trailer: Happily Broken: Discovering Happiness Through Pain and Suffering

People can purchase books in 3 ways:

  1. Signed and shipped prior to conference: $21.79- Orders must be received by 4/4/2022
  2. Signed and picked up at the conference: $20.00- Orders must be received by 4/4/2022
  3. Bought at the conference: $20.00 (A limited number of copies will be available)

Payment Methods:

Website: Purchase Link

Venmo: @clembihiga

Cashapp: $clembihiga

Zelle: clembihiga@hotmail.com

Please visit www.globalimpactaca.com to learn more about Clementine Bihiga.

Comedian

Bethany Van Delft

Bronx-born Bethany Van Delft moved to Boston with her Marxist Dutch dad, black Puerto Rican mother and siblings, where she learned being called “zebra” did NOT mean she was weird but cool. At “19” she went to Paris to model, got kicked out, and ended up in Milan where she spent Sundays sitting on the ground in front of Duomo, eating gelato and speaking Spanglish with an Italian accent.

Bethany Van Delft’s “hip & grounded, laid back delivery” has earned her the honor of performing at the prestigious Just for Laughs Festival in Montreal, SF Sketchfest, All Jane Festival, Boston Calling, and made her a go to opener for some of her faves such as Phoebe Robinson, Michelle Buteau, Michael Che, Rob Delaney and Alonzo Bodden. She produces award winning comedy and storytelling shows in her home base of Boston; her series “38/7%” at the Women in Comedy Festival earned sponsorship from HBO; her monthly show “Artisanal Comedy” was named “one of the top indie nights to check out”; the hilariously cringeworthy live storytelling show/podcast she co-produced with Nick Chambers “Starstruck: Close Encounters of the Awkward Kind” was awarded Boston’s Best Comedy Show. In 2019 she was named Boston Magazine “Best Comic”, and her debut comedy album “Im Not a Llama” dropped Dec 2019 to good reviews and an impressive number of minutes at #2 on the iTunes charts.

She is a regular host for The Moth StorySlams & GrandSlams, her own Moth mainstage story, “Light & Hope”, sharing her post partem experience after her oldest child garnered 15 million views. She is thrilled to have the story included in The MOTH’s 2nd book “All These Wonders” and possibly just as thrilled to have had it re-posted by SULU! (aka George Takei) #ogtrekkie

Bethany is a fierce advocate for her daughter who was born with down syndrome. She’s completed leadership and advocacy trainings through Mass Families Organizing for Change; Interaction Institute for Social Change; Federation for Children with Special Needs Parent Consultant Institute, which also honored her with the 2017 Patricia Blake Parent Advocacy Award, given to an individual who exemplifies the belief in the potential of all children with disabilities to achieve. She delivers keynotes emphasizing the importance of storytelling in family engagement and advocacy at conferences across the country. She really enjoys emceeing for Best Buddies International gala and other prestigious fundraising events, where she merrily coerces the rich to give their money to much deserving socially conscious organizations and non-profits.

Her latest projects include hosting iHeart Radio’s kids news podcast, The Ten News, and co-hosting the digital series by NOVA/PBS “PARENTALOGIC” along side Dr. Alok Patel.

She manages to do these things while somehow keeping her kids and husband alive, and not very unhappy. She also bakes pretty good.

Emcee

Kate McEvoy

Kate McEvoy serves as Vice-President for Corporate Relations at UMass Memorial Health Care. In this role she serves as the primary liaison between the health care system and the business community, with a focus on growing UMass Memorial Health Care’s commercial market share. Additionally, Kate provides support for the system’s Anchor Mission initiative, which aligns institutional resources and corporate social responsibility to address social determinants of health challenges in central Massachusetts. Prior to joining UMass Memorial, Kate served as the Vice-President for Central & Western Massachusetts at Harvard Pilgrim Health Care, where she managed the organization’s growth strategies and Profit/Loss for the region. Kate formerly served as the Senior Director for Government & Community Relations at Fallon Community Health Plan, a role that included oversight of FCHP’s legislative affairs, issues related to public policy, as well as FCHP’s philanthropic activity. There, Kate also served as Sales & Marketing Director for Summit ElderCare, FCHP’s P.A.C.E. program, where she created and implemented a multiyear sales and marketing plan and led the entity’s rebranding effort. An active volunteer in central Massachusetts’ political and non-profit communities, Kate is well-known for her success in the arenas of fundraising, strategy development, marketing, and business planning. Kate has received several awards for her professional achievement and community involvement, including the: YWCA’s Katherine Erskine Award, and Worcester State University’s Distinguished Alumni Award, which is the highest non-degree honor bestowed by the institution. Additionally, Kate has received the Mohegan Council / Boy Scouts of America’s 12 Points Award, the Worcester Business Journal’s “40 Under 40” in 2002 and has also been named among Worcester Magazine’s “Most Powerful People in Worcester”, “Hometown Heroes” and “Worcester’s Leading Ladies”, as well as Worcester Business Journal’s” Power Players” in both 2016 and 2018. Kate is viewed as a key resource in community and business circles and has served as member of the Baker/Polito Administration Transition Team for Economic Development, as well as several other regional Task Force projects and other key initiatives to support municipal, regional, and state-wide needs. Kate currently serves on Boards of Directors for the Worcester State University Foundation, as well as serving the Regional Board for Berkshire Bank. She serves as a Corporator for the Greater Worcester Community Foundation, Worcester Art Museum, YWCA of Central Massachusetts and the Ecotarium, and sits on the Executive Committee for the Worcester Homecoming initiative where she co-chairs that project’s Finance Committee. In addition, Kate is serving as Committee/Event Chair for the City of Worcester’s 300th Anniversary Celebration, a role in which she will oversee the planning, fundraising and execution of a series of high-profile events to commemorate this historic occasion. In addition, Kate is currently involved with many other non-profit organizations. Past volunteer affiliations include service as a Board member for many central Massachusetts agencies including the Worcester Regional Chamber of Commerce, Boys & Girls Club of Worcester, Discover Central MA, Destination Worcester, Girls Inc, the March of Dimes, the Montachusett Girl Scout Council, the MetroWest Chamber of Commerce, the Worcester Education Collaborative, the American Red Cross, the AdClub of Greater Worcester, and Worcester State University’s Alumni Advisory Board. Kate received a Bachelor of Arts Degree from Worcester State University. She resides in her hometown of Worcester, MA with her husband, Michael Hickey and their two dogs, Hope and Holly.

Keynote Speaker

Maria Milagros

Maria Milagros (Vazquez) is an award winning keynote speaker, award nominated author, TEDx speaker, storyteller, empowerment life coach, and love activist. Whether sharing her life experiences and knowledge through impactful talks, workshops, leadership training, life coaching or videos, Maria uses stories to bring encouragement, education, and love to empower others to get out of their way and break free from hindering thoughts or beliefs, so that they can live amazing lives and leave their unique and positive mark on the world. She is passionate about (cultivating and teaching) living with intention, creating spaces of love, joy and fun, connecting with others, overall health, and empowerment. 

A survivor of abuse, depression, and a childhood accident that should’ve left her immobile, Maria embraces her past to create a present of health, happiness, fun, love, and abundance. She believes that she is able to thrive in life not in spite of, but because of, every aspect of her story. She knows that no matter where you come from, what you’ve been through, or what you have done, a healthy mindset shift, rooting into love, and taking personal responsibility, can change every area of your life, as it has for her. 

With over 15 years of leadership and personal development educating in her pocket, Maria leaves audiences with relevant tools and shifted mindsets that last well after she steps off the stage. Her authentic congruence, infectious energy, and ability to teach from a relatable and positive perspective leaves attendees feeling like they had a fun and deep conversation with a trusted friend. 

When not speaking or coaching, Maria can usually be found making memories with her incredible daughter, meditating, dancing in public places, leading group fitness classes, reading, or watching a Marvel movie.

To inquire about her speaking availability, one-on-one coaching, or book “Super Sparkly Everything”, or to sign up to get the free weekly email, please visit her website at www.mariamilagros.net.

You can also connect with her on Instagram, YouTube, or Facebook. 

2022 Goddess Award Recipient

Yesenia Arroyo

Yesenia Arroyo is an LCSW who has dedicated her life to serving her community which started with her family. Yesenia had a dream to create central hub for community resources to help serve our local community in Southbridge. Yesenia is dedicated to providing culturally competent resources to assist the most vulnerable populations in our community. The Wellstorm, Inc is focused on bridging the gap of poverty experience, mental health resources, and food insecurity in the community. Yesenia is currently a telehealth therapist at Attunement Counseling and Wellness Collective serving individuals and couples in MA and RI.

PANEL DESCRIPTIONS

Panel 1:  Using Your Most Powerful Tool – Your BRAND 

Description: Do you understand your brand and how to use it to help your business grow? Building a successful brand requires consistency and commitment. It is one of the most powerful tools in your marketing plan. In this panel, we’ll uncover tips on how to include your voice and visual message in your writing, social media, and videos. You will walk away with new ideas to keep your brand in front of your audience.

Key Take-Aways:

  • Understanding your brand: What it is, what it means, what it does. 
  • You can’t be everything to everyone and you shouldn’t be                                             
  • How to best represent your brand in video, writing, and social media.

Panel 2: Resilience, Growth, Social & Emotional Intelligence

Description: In this panel, the participants can expect to understand the journeys of the amazing women presenting, and also hear insights about:

Key Take-Aways:

  • Adopting resiliency as an aptitude.
  • Leveraging the right tools and techniques to achieve growth. 
  • How self-care is a key aspect of having social & emotional intelligence.

Panel 3: Promoting Diverse Cultures

Description: Guess what question our panelists hear all the time? “Of course I want a diverse and equitable workplace, but what can I actually DO?” It can be incredibly frustrating to have the best of intentions and still feel stuck. This panel will explore all facets of turning aspirations in to action when it comes to promoting diverse cultures in the workplace. They’ll cover how it looks as an individual, on teams, in leadership, and across organizations.

Key Take-Aways:

  • Discover what a diverse culture in action looks like.
  • Learn what steps you can take to contribute to a diverse culture whether you’re an ally or from a historically marginalized community.
  • Practical solutions for dealing with instances of inequity in the workplace.

Panel 4:  Creating Financial Freedom and Making a Social Impact

Description:  When you think of an abundance mindset, where does your mind go? Do you have limiting beliefs about how much money you can make, whether you are capable of building multiple streams of income, or what you can achieve? No matter what your idea of abundance looks like, the right mindset can help you live life on your terms. When women have more money, we have more choices, options, and the ability to make an impact on the social issues that we care about most in our communities and beyond. This panel of experts will explore how you can create abundance in your life by adopting the right mindset and creating multiple streams of income to become financially independent. 

Key Take-Aways:

  • Cultivating An Abundance Mentality.
  • Knowing Your Worth and Asking for What You are Worth.
  • Building Multiple Streams of Income.

Panel 5: Creating Sustainable Change

Description: Actualizing sustainable change requires bold vision, strong community, and consistent self-love. We will explore different layers of social change — within ourselves, our communities, and the world. Standing in our collective power, we will examine how women not only have the capacity to create, but to lead, sustainable change in a world that needs it more than ever.

Key Takeaways:

  • We can make a difference that makes a difference, despite the headlines.
  • Simply BEING can change the world.
  • Discover your true power then learn how to add it to our collective power.

Panel 6: The Female Financial Perspective: Accomplish financial security while you invest in your future and live in the now.

Description: Learn to overcome your money fears and take action to create a financial foundation. Get started with investing and learn how to protect your family and nest egg from unplanned and untimely events.

Key Take-Aways:

  • Face your money fears and start talking about money!
  • Establish your financial foundation and prepare for uncertainties – Long Term Care, Life & Disability Insurance.
  • Get started investing by defining your goals and time horizon, selecting your asset allocation and asset location, and then dollar cost average in.

Panel 7: How to Present Your Brand Online On Your Own or in a Team

Description: In this panel we will cover how individuals can showcase their personal brand in their digital footprint, whether you’re running your own company or are part of a team.

Key Take-Aways:

  • How to develop and elevate your professional or business brand.
  • Creating a strategy around your organic content in emails, posts, blogs, social media (including LinkedIn) and speaking engagements.
  • How to nurture and maintain your professional network in support of your brand.

Panel 8: Reinvent Yourself by Investing in Yourself

Description: During this program, you will learn how to hold yourself accountable for your own happiness and well-being…and maybe even how to influence others to do the same.  By taking responsibility for ourselves, we have the ability to impact those around us and become a better version of ourselves.

Key Take-Aways:

  • Our panel of subject matter experts will guide you through applying the 3 key pillars of wellness; Emotional, Nutritional and Physical wellbeing and how to use these pillars to get what you want out of life!
  • Learn how to prioritize self-care using tools, techniques and change behaviors from our team of professional health and wellness coaches to help connect the dots between self care and self-love.
  • Work-life, Home-life, School-life, or Social-life: learn some REAL-LIFE tips on incorporating healthy habits in all aspects of life!

Panel 9: Make SHIFT Happen: Fostering Diversity of Mind, Body & Spirit

This presentation will explore tools for integrating approaches to physical, emotional, and spiritual identities in the workplace and in our personal lives. Join us to push beyond traditional discussions of DEI (Diversity, Equity & Inclusion), Mental Health, and Weight Stigma by creating safe spaces. These new strategies will help turn negative thoughts, poor self-image, and doubt – from roadblocks into open doors and opportunities.

Key Take-Aways:

  • Why is Weight Stigma a social justice and leadership issue? How can we focus on our strengths as people not bodies?
  • How can divorcing toxic culture lead to opportunities? Learn three steps to vocalize and visualize a new self-image
  • How can we reconsider our unique minds and step fully in our authentic power?

Panel 10: Building Relationships in an Evolving World

Description: Our world is changing rapidly requiring our methods of forging and reinforcing personal and professional relationships to keep pace. We will discuss pre-pandemic versus current options for interactions and networking and their impacts, how to balance community involvement with self-care, and explore creative approaches to successful connections in 2022 and beyond. 
Three key take-away points:
  1. Live vs. virtual 
  2. The currency of time
  3. Leveraging your tool kit