Omi Bell — Keynote Speaker
Founder and CEO, Black Girl Ventures

Omi Bell is a multi-talented computer scientist, business strategist, successful author and serial entrepreneur. She also has a background in performance, K-12 Education, and IP Strategy. Her innovative approach to creating access to social and financial capital has earned her recognition as a leading voice in the industry, as well as praise from prominent figures such as Robert F. Smith and Daymond John.

As the founder of and CEO of Black Girl Ventures, Omi has made it her mission to provide resources and support to underrepresented entrepreneurs, funding over 300 women-owned businesses. She has also testified in front of Congress and rang the Nasdaq closing bell, highlighting her dedication and commitment to creating positive change. Omi also authored a book: Originate, Motivate, Innovate: 7 Steps to Building a Billion Dollar Network; that teaches entrepreneurs how to find mindsets, tools, tactics, and strategies to succeed.

Omi has been named one of the Top 100 Powerful Women in Business by Entrepreneur Magazine, Top 40 Power Women in Tech by DCA Live, and one of the Top 25 Black Leaders for the Black Voices for Black Justice Fellowship. She has also partnered with brands such as Nike, Visa, PayPal, and has been featured in various publications including Forbes, AdWeek, Fast Company, Entrepreneur Magazine, and Refinery29.

Under Omi’s leadership, Black Girl Ventures has funded over 300 women founders representing about $10MM in revenue, creating over 3,000 jobs for the US economy and raising $5M in financial and social capital. Her impact extends beyond her organization, as she continues to be an advocate for social justice and equity in the business world.

Omi Bell is more than the woman behind the Black Girl Ventures brand, she is a force to be reckoned with in the space of building social capital not just for black and brown women, but she stands in the gap for all women.

Jane L. Campbell
President/CEO, U.S. Capitol Historical Society

Jane L. Campbell, the first and to date only woman elected Mayor of Cleveland, Ohio, is currently the President/CEO of the United States Capitol Historical Society. Founded in 1962, the 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization was chartered by the Congress to educate the public on the history and heritage of the U.S. Capitol in a “manner that inspires informed patriotism.” In addition to her time as Mayor, Ms. Campbell’s elected life included five years as county commissioner for Ohio’s largest county, six terms in the Ohio House of Representatives and a term on the Regional Transit Authority Board. Her public service focused on economic development, fiscal stability, child welfare, and health and human services policy. She established Ohio’s first Brownfield Loan program and carried the legislation to finance both Cleveland sports stadiums. After successfully implementing welfare reform, Governing Magazine honored Campbell as 2000 Public Official of the Year. Ms. Campbell also served as President of the National Conference of State Legislators. Following her time in office Ms. Campbell served Senator Mary Landrieu of Louisiana as Chief of Staff From 2009-13, leading efforts to recover from both Katrina and the Gulf oil spill and serving as the Senator’s principal advisor on health care. She then served as Staff Director for the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, where she directed policy to support small businesses’ access to capital, federal contracting opportunities, business counseling, and engagement in international trade. Later, as Senior Advisor to Senator Maria Cantwell of Washington, Ms. Campbell led the committee’s work on access to capital and women’s entrepreneurship. Ms. Campbell’s Senate work consistently involved building bipartisan policy partnerships. Campbell also sits on the Board of the Lincoln Land Policy Institute, the Faith and Politics Institute, and is the proud mother of two accomplished daughters and best of all a granddaughter and a grandson.

Jess Morales Rocketto — Keynote Speaker
Co-Founder and Chief of Moonshot Strategies, Equis

Jess Morales Rocketto is a civil society leader, community organizer and media entrepreneur. Jess is Co-Founder and Chief of Moonshot Strategies at Equis, leading their efforts on new, bold, and long-term efforts to build Latino power and influence in the US. In 2022, Jess and Stephanie Valencia launched Latino Media Network, an audio focused media company for Latinos, with one of the largest capital raises for a Latina-owned startup in history.

Previously, Jess was honored to serve America’s domestic workers at the National Domestic Workers Alliance and Care in Action, establishing and leading the movement's political efforts, turning it into one of the largest women of color political organizing programs in the country and introducing the first federal legislation for domestic workers in history. She is a leader in immigration reform, most notably against Trump’s Muslim Ban and family separation policies as the Co-Chair of Families Belong Together, and the fight for comprehensive immigration reform. As a champion for gender equity, Jess is also the co-founder of Supermajority and Poderistas. Jess stuffed her first envelope in a campaign office at 14 and hasn’t stopped since, with a distinguished career working for President Obama’s re-election campaign, Hillary Clinton’s historic presidential campaign, at the Democratic Party, and for America’s unions at the AFL-CIO.

Amy Showalter
Principal, The Showalter Group, Inc.

Catch her speaking at How to Survive and Thrive When Influencing Hostile Audiences

What do International Paper, Bayer, the National Corn Growers Association, and the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America have in common? They have all turned to Amy Showalter for her expertise and motivation to improve their government relations influence by elevating their grassroots advocacy and PAC performance.

She is the author of “The Underdog Edge: How Everyday People Change the Minds of the Powerful. . . and Live to Tell About It.” (Morgan-James) and “The Art and Science of the BFF: 105 Ways to Build Relationships on the Hill, at the State House, and in City Hall”, which has sold over 16,000 copies.

She has been a guest lecturer at the University of Texas at Austin’s LBJ Graduate School of Public Affairs, where her “Underdog Edge” book is on the school curriculum, as well as George Washington University's Graduate School of Political Management.

Despite not being a registered lobbyist, Amy was named to the National Institute of Lobbying & Ethics “Top Lobbyists” list for her innovations that equip clients to apply scientific influence principles to their advocacy challenges. The Society for Advancement in Consulting awarded her the 2021 Corrie Shanahan Memorial Award for Creativity and Innovation in the consulting profession.

Amy has a BA in Political Science from Wright State University and an MSA from Central Michigan University.

She and her husband, Randy Boyer, reside with their dogs Eli and Finn in the greater Cincinnati area. Finn is a registered Pet Partners® therapy dog. He and Amy are regular visitors at the Cincinnati Ronald McDonald House and the Clermont County Library “Barks and Books” reading program.

Suzanne Swink
Vice President of Government Relations, KORE Power

Suzanne Swink is Vice President of Government Relations for KORE Power, the leading U.S.-based developer and manufacturer of battery cell technology for the clean energy industry. In this role, she is responsible for the company’s legislative and regulatory strategy for federal and state affairs.

Ms. Swink joined KORE Power from bp, where she spent over 11 years as a government affairs and strategic communications leader. She has almost 20 years of government, advocacy, and policy communications expertise, having led integrated campaigns on priority issues across the entire energy value chain as well as working on sanctions, trade, infrastructure, and appropriations policy.

Prior to joining bp, Suzanne was Senior Legislative Assistant to Congresswoman Susan A. Davis (D-CA) and served as the Congresswoman’s lead advisor on a broad domestic portfolio, including energy, environment, infrastructure, trade, tax and judiciary issues. While on staff, she played a key role in securing transportation, infrastructure, and energy appropriations for municipalities and universities.

She received her bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Southern Mississippi and her master’s in Public Relations and Corporate Communications from Georgetown University, where she now serves as adjunct faculty, teaching a Government Affairs and Lobbying course.

Suzanne currently serves on the Board of Trustees for the American Council of Young Political Leaders, the Board of the Public Affairs Council, and is a past president of Women in Government Relations. She and her son live in Arlington, Virginia.

Amber Nichole Yanez
PAC Manager, The Home Depot

Amber Nichole Yanez serves as the PAC Manager for The Home Depot, the nation’s largest home improvement retailer. Since starting with the company in 2022, she has taken the PAC from the 9th largest corporate PAC to the 4th. In this role, she is responsible for managing the company’s Political Action Committee and developing effective political & fundraising strategies to enhance and support the retail industry’s priorities.

Prior to being with The Home Depot, Amber was Senior Vice President at Grand Valley Consulting, one of the most successful fundraising firms in Washington where she directed fundraising efforts and raised millions of dollars in PAC support for multiple leaders in Congress.

Amber grew up in Houston, Texas and received a bachelor’s degree in business marketing from Texas Tech University. She currently lives in Washington, DC.