Keynote

Minessa Konecky

Minessa Konecky is a passionate advocate for joyful, human-centered work, with a specialty in research administration and grants management from smaller biotech organizations to large academic health centers. With 25 years of experience managing the chaos behind the scenes of academic and clinical research, they bring clarity, strategy, and an unwavering enthusiasm to every room they’re in. As President of the South Shore Women’s Business Network, Minessa champions community-driven leadership and connection among women in business across the South Shore. Through their YouTube series Commitment to Clockout and consulting work, they help professionals reclaim their time, set better boundaries, and find fulfillment without burning out. A proud member of the Queer community with deep Desi roots, Minessa lives in a cozy seaside cottage in Plymouth, MA on unceded and occupied lands of the Wampanoag people, with their wife Allie and three tiny huskies. 

GODDESS

Tara Vargas Wallace

Social Justice Activist and Nonprofit Leader

Tara Vargas Wallace is a dynamic community leader and social justice advocate based in Hyannis, Massachusetts. She is the Founder, CEO, and President of Amplify POC, Inc., a nonprofit she established in 2020 to champion racial equity, support POC-owned businesses, and bridge the racial wealth gap on Cape Cod.

Early Life & Journey

Born in the Bronx to Puerto Rican parents, Tara became a homeless single mother shortly after moving to Cape Cod with her young daughter. With critical support from Housing Assistance Corporation, she overcame this hardship and embarked on a 20‑year career serving individuals affected by housing & food insecurity, trauma, addiction, and domestic & sexual violence. 

Career & Community Leadership

Over two decades of experience working with nonprofits such as Housing Assistance, Independence House, Homeless Prevention Council, and the Department of Transitional Assistance as a social worker.

Former Commissioner on the Cape Cod Commission on the Status of Women & Girl’s and also a graduate of INP with a certificate in Social Impact Management & Leadership. 

Leads and collaborates with organizations like the Massachusetts Women of Color Coalition, the NAACP, the MLK Jr. Action Team, and served on the boards of Housing Assistance Corporation and CCYP.

Active board member of the People of Action and Pop Up Street Cape Cod.

Honors & Awards

2025 Alumni of the Year Award from Cape Cod Community College

Latino Excellence Award Honoree from the Massachusetts Black & Latino Legislative Caucus (2024)

Paul Harris Fellow recognition for leadership and service (2022)

Barnstable County Human Rights Advisory Commission’s “Unsung Hero Award” (2021)

Emerging Community Leader Award from CCYP (2020)

Cape & Plymouth Business Magazine’s “40 Under 40” (2020)

Community Advocacy Award from Eastern Bank (2022)

Advocacy & Impact

Delivered a powerful TEDxProvincetown talk in 2022 on five ways to close the racial wealth gap, including “wallet activism” and policy reform.

Featured on WCAI’s Morning Edition and other local media as a leading voice on racial and economic justice in the Cape Cod region.

Amplify POC Mission

Under Tara’s leadership, Amplify POC has:

Built a regional business directory and organized vendor events centering POC-owned enterprises.

Hosted workshops on entrepreneurship, financial empowerment, and systemic change.

Led civic engagement initiatives and supported policies aimed at closing racial equity gaps.

Tara Vargas Wallace’s inspiring journey—from overcoming homelessness to becoming a catalyst for justice and economic empowerment—embodies resilience, vision, and the transformative power of community. Her work continues to uplift and mobilize historically excluded voices while creating pathways toward a more equitable future.