PIONEER valley Conference Speakers and Emcee

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2023 Keynotes & Special Guests

Keynote

Paulette Piñero
Keynote

Yvonne Williams
Emcee

Alison Maloni
Comedian

Jess Miller
Goddess Award

Dr. Latoya Bosworth

Keynote

Paulette Piñero

Paulette Piñero is an award-winning social entrepreneur, writer, leadership coach, and speaker who dedicated her career to closing the leadership gap for Latinas and Women of Color. Paulette has over 16 years of experience in the social impact field and is skilled in Anti-Racist Business Development, Equity-Centered Leadership Strategy, and Professional Branding.

Through her company Unstoppable Latina LLC, Paulette guides Latina CEOs to harness their strengths, amplify their voice, and live their purpose so they become unstoppable. Using an equity and justice-focused approach, her business consulting and leadership coaching services strive to create a world where leadership is diverse, purpose-driven, and joyful.

Paulette’s work has been featured in Telemundo, Meta, Muse Careers, Ladders News, Remezcla, The Mujerista, and more. She’s also the co-host of the Making Líder Moves Podcast and a weekly columnist for BeLatina News.

A proud Boricua born and raised, Paulette currently resides in Springfield, Massachusetts, and spends most of her weekends finding the best brunch spots with her kids Alex and Sofia.

Website: www.unstoppablelatina.com

Social Media Links:

  • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulettepinero
  • TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@unstoppable_latina
  • Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/unstoppable_latina/

Keynote

Yvonne Williams

Yvonne L. Williams is a commander of transformation.  She uplifts the human spirit and inspires change through positive messaging, bringing the body back in harmony and helping you maximize your potential. Thirty-three years ago, Yvonne was given less than 6 months to live after undergoing several hours of surgery for four cancers, three of which were simultaneous primary sites, double ovarian, colon and endometrial.  Yvonne considers herself a cancer victor and provides proven transformational techniques using her own life changing experiences as a blueprint.  Yvonne has been featured in Essence and Jet magazines and numerous print materials and TV.  She has presented at many conferences throughout the country and overseas. Yvonne is a published author of 2 books, Tested Faith and It’s All About The Shoes.

Emcee

Alison Maloni

Alison Maloni is the owner of Alison May Public Relations, news anchor for a national network and the best-selling author of Breaking in the News. Build Buzz for Your Brand.  Alison is an acclaimed keynote speaker, moderator, and media relations expert. The CEO and President of Alison May Public Relations is a well-respected publicist among reporters, producers, and editors around the world because of her understanding of what journalists want and need.

Alison emphasizes the importance of using social and digital media to deliver the message. She is not afraid to tell it like it is and pushes companies to do what everyone else is not doing. Her belief that confidence is key allows her to stand out among her competitors, along with her willingness to be bold. Alison is an extremely proud mother of three young girls who inspire her every day to be a better person. The business owner is very vocal about the real challenges of being a working mom while sharing her own solutions that have helped her maintain a work/life balance. Alison has been featured in Time Magazine, Daily Worth, Reputation Management, and on Dr.Oz.

Comedian

Jess Miller

Using her own life as her bedrock, Jess has built an act that shows the humor in every aspect of life.  Her fresh and friendly presence on stage makes her appealing to audience members from every walk of life. Her quick wit, ability to connect with the crowd and her on-the-fly creativity enables her to manipulate her material from an “every day girl” to brash and bawdy and back seemingly effortlessly. Her brand of comedy is a brilliant and fluid creation unto itself and it never fails to fill the seats wherever she appears.

Jess has performed at the Women in Comedy Festival, Boston Comedy Chicks, won the Ladies Room Comedy Festival, was a finalist at the Devil Cup Comedy Festival, Big Pine Comedy Festival, She Devil Contest and has worked all over the country at clubs such as Caroline’s, Broadway Comedy Club, Crackers, Off-the-Hook, Funnybone, The Coming Strip, The Punchline, Laugh’s Unlimited, The Comedy Factory Hollywood and many more. She recently headlined The No Nuts Comedy Tour which toured the country.

Jess ran a wildly successful monthly show called The “OMG! It’s Only Wednesday?” Comedy Show at the Hu Ke Lau in Chicopee, Mass before the venue permanently closed then turned the show into a pop up comedy club to collect toys for foster kids.

Since diving into comedy, Jess has helped raise nearly $500,000 for non-profits, groups and individuals with her FunnyRaising Comedy Shows, including her Annual Toy Drive for Foster Kids and Art Kits for Foster Kids which has brought in almost $100,000 worth of toys.

She facilitates of an anonymous group of individuals on a private Facebook group page called “The Kind Squad” whose mission is to perform small acts of kindness for people around their community and in the world.

Prior to winning The Ladies Room Comedy Festival in 2021, the only contest Jess had won was a karaoke contest against a 9 year old in which she had to sing “My Life Will Go On.” While Jess considers herself a relatively humble person and a good sport, she admits it was challenging not to gloat in front of a 9 year old, but managed to hold her jubilation in until she reached her car in the mall parking lot.

From host to headliner, Jess Miller will have you belly laughing from the moment the show starts!

Goddess Award

Dr. Latoya Bosworth

Latoya Bosworth, also known as Dr. Boz is a Free Black Woman who has done the work of confronting her trauma- childhood tragedy, adolescent eating disorders, body image issues &  adult interpersonal violence. Through reframing those experiences, she has transformed herself, and supports others in their transformation. She attributes her healing and evolution to writing as an outlet, strong mentors, spirituality, therapy and giving back.  Dr. Boz has worked to free and empower others for 25 years in various roles as a special educator, adjunct professor, columnist, and mentor to youth and women.  Dr. Boz  boldly & continuously spreads her message of  H.E.R.S – health, empowerment, resilience, and self-worth in workshops, as a keynote speaker, a life coach, in print and on stage.

PANEL DESCRIPTIONS

THE POWER OF PERSEVERANCE: UNLOCKING YOUR POTENTIAL AND BALANCING MOTHERHOOD, PASSION, AND BUSINESS

DESCRIPTION: Identifying work that you are passionate about – something that feels more like a calling than a career – can be both exhilarating and exhausting. You may be juggling competing demands from family, children, friends, and your current full-time job, and others may be openly questioning whether you are even capable of succeeding in building a business. How can you follow your passion and successfully generate a livable income when you feel like you are starting from scratch? Join three successful female entrepreneurs to learn how to unlock your potential through the power of perseverance.

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

  • Starting from scratch and turning your calling into your career
  • Integrating your family into your professional life
  • Building a supportive network around your business

PANEL COORDINATOR: Joy McGaugh

PANELISTS:

STEPPING INTO YOUR AUTHORITY

DESCRIPTION: Start walking your talk by Gaining next-level knowledge and tools to move beyond any circumstance and sit at any table with your head held high.

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

  • Inspiration to know that your life experience, no matter what the circumstance, is helping you get to the next level. (You’re not starting over, you’re starting from experience, stop playing it safe and realize that you are your own competition.)
  • Finding strength in your decisions & know where to draw the line; it’s easy for us to fall into uncertainty and sitting in the spiral.
  • Give yourself permission to let go so you can grow; stop the judgment; Tools to navigate uncertainty.

PANEL COORDINATOR: Kimberly O’Connor

PANELISTS:

YOU ARE YOUR GREATEST ASSET

DESCRIPTION: Society often sends a message that women can only thrive in man-designated and woman-perpetuated sectors of society. As a result, women often feel that to advance and attain success, they must accept the definition of success given to them by the world, suppress their innate feminine gifts and “play like a man.” In this panel we will discuss, explore and celebrate all facets of womanhood and invite guests to shed self-doubt and fear, show up fully and authentically and understand that our greatest asset is ourselves–and should be invested in and delicately maintained accordingly.

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

  • Let Go of…Your Fears
  • Let Go of…Your Inner Critic / Perfectionism
  • Let Go of…Your Pride and Ego

PANEL MODERATOR: Jenny Mackay

PANELISTS:

LEADING WITH YOUR EXPERTISE

DESCRIPTION: You don’t need a title or a corner office to be a leader. Leveraging your expertise and applying it to your career and business is essential to be successful on your own terms. This panel examines the connection between wellbeing, owning your story, and fully expressing your talents in order to cultivate your unique leadership style.

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

  • Become confident by showing up as a leader in your life and business
  • How to claim and aim your expertise at what matters most to you
  • Why your overall wellbeing is essential to a sustainable path of success

PANEL COORDINATOR: Maureen Sullivan

PANELISTS:

CREATING THE PAUSE: DEVELOPING A PATH THAT IS VALUE ADDED

DESCRIPTION: When you are called by your inner voice, you are then tasked to be courageous in developing your individual path and acknowledging your value. Women have so many responsibilities and sometimes their plates are overflowing. Which often means taking a pause to honor your worth, while embracing it, so that you can develop your value, claim your boundaries, and sync into your personal journey.

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

  • Developing your value by unconditionally embracing your worth
  • Learn how to create the pause to realize that your desires and needs matter
  • Identifying priorities and boundaries for impact through Monotasking

PANEL COORDINATOR: Aundrea Paulk

PANELISTS:

WE WILL SURVIVE: USING YOUR MIND, BODY AND SOUL TO SURVIVE

DESCRIPTION: Life is not always easy – but we are not alone and shouldn’t feel that way when dealing with a personal crisis or professional calamity. A panel of three women who are experts in the fields of Elder Care (specializing in Alzheimer’s and Dementia care), Mental Health (including pre/post- partum depression) and Developmental Disabilities (including experience with organizational crisis management) will share how to not only survive a crisis but thrive afterwards. This panel will focus on your whole well-being – body, mind and soul – and will offer insights for persevering through the most difficult of times.

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

  • Embrace mindfulness – learn how to “Let Go!”
  • Discover community resources – because we are not alone!
  • Listen to self-care strategies – ones that really work!

PANEL COORDINATOR: Cheri Burton

PANELISTS:

YOU DON’T HAVE TO BE PERFECT TO BE FABULOUS

DESCRIPTION: In today’s world you are constantly being asked to do more with less and be everything to everyone.  The number of tasks, responsibilities and roles you manage on a daily basis is impressive.  Sometimes it can all be overwhelming because on the days you use more energy than your body has to give, you are left feeling depleted and exhausted. Learn how to make small changes in your life that can create big impact by giving you the energy and balance you need to make better decisions, have healthier relationships and be happier.

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

  • Identifying your inner wisdom while quieting your inner critic.
  • Creating an environment that promotes balance and peace in your life.
  • Recognizing when you become depleted and how to refill your well.

PANEL COORDINATOR: Mary-Anne Schelb

PANELISTS:

FROM SURVIVING TO THRIVING: BUILDING COMMUNITY THROUGH ALL STAGES OF LIFE

DESCRIPTION: In self-care, community wellness, and overall support, how do we find what we need? When you don’t know what you don’t know, how do you help create positive change and connect to and with support? This panel will discuss and question what it means to find, create and uncover self and community support through the lens of authenticity – letting go of expectations, past experiences, and public internalized messaging and showing up to find what we need in our personal and professional lives and for those we have the honor to serve.

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

  • It’s Ok to not know – that is your superpower
  • Asking questions from a place of authenticity and vulnerability makes room for support in others
  • Listening is our best tool

PANEL COORDINATOR: Robyn Miller

PANELISTS:

LEADING WITH AUTHENTICITY AND INTEGRITY: HOW OUR VALUES SHAPE OUR BUSINESS, LIFE, & INFLUENCE

DESCRIPTION: Inspiring, authentic leaders are needed to drive change and innovation now more than ever. Women leaders are often focused on growing businesses and careers while also balancing work and life, keeping teams engaged, and staying current with marketplace trends. In this session, you’ll hear from three local leaders drawing from diverse experiences who will share tips to help you succeed while keeping values like integrity at the heart of what you do.

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

  • Lead with vulnerability to amplify your unique personal brand
  • Focus on your personal values to drive creativity and innovation in the workplace
  • Leverage your network in-person and through social media to drive growth

PANEL COORDINATOR: Meredith Courtney

PANELISTS:

INVEST IN YOURSELF: OWN IT! WORK IT! LIVE IT!

DESCRIPTION: Step into a panel where we become comfortable talking about money.  Our three panelists will discuss the importance of investing in ourselves as well as showcasing tips and strategies to create the most secure and prepared life possible.  Let go of the money myths and become the boss of your own financial wellness with confidence!

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

  • Leave with a clear understanding of your needs & wants
  • Discover helpful resources for achieving your financial well-being
  • Strengthen your toolbox for managing life’s challenges and changes

PANEL COORDINATOR: Meghan Hibner

PANELISTS: