Iyandra is a trailblazing leader and advocate for women in finance, based in both Nassau, The Bahamas and Miami, Florida. With more than 14 years of financial services experience, she excels in leadership, transformation, stellar execution, and innovation.

Currently she serves as the Chief Operating Officer of a global fintech brokerage with users in more than 56 countries. As Chief Operating Officer, Iyandra is a strategic partner to the Founder and the CEO, providing strategic oversight across business lines, while spearheading global expansion efforts,  and managing trading operations, financial audits, legal and regulatory matters, contract & project management, human resources matters, strategic partnerships & communications, as well as sustainable and impact investing. She oversees and manages primary business development initiatives, from development through successful implementation, and coordinates the execution of key strategic initiatives in line with the corporate mission. 

A sought-after speaker and media contributor, she has been featured in CNBC, Kiplinger, Fortune Magazine, and many more. She is dedicated to promoting diversity and inclusion and has championed initiatives supporting women in male-dominated fields. In addition to her professional success, Iyandra is deeply committed to community service and serves on the Boards of numerous nonprofit organizations. She has also initiated her own endowment, the Dr Iyandra Smith Bryan Global Leaders Fund, to provide funding for female students pursuing undergraduate or graduate studies in male dominated fields, finance or technology.

As a mother of three—Avery, Justice, and Marshall—and a dedicated wife to Mel, Brianne Hughes understands the challenges of balancing family and financial goals. Her interest in personal finance developed when she realized she lacked the necessary knowledge and skills to manage money effectively.

Brianne is a Certified Public Accountant with 15 years of Tax experience, specializing in helping businesses navigate complex tax regulations. In her current role at a leading hospitality and restaurant industry company, she develops educational content to enhance leaders' financial business acumen.  This also allows her to facilitate workshops for diverse audiences.  She is a proud member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated. She is also the treasurer for the Good News Community Kitchen and the PlanNet Cares Foundation.   She holds a Green Lean Six Sigma Belt, enhancing her ability to streamline and optimize financial processes. 

Brianne is passionate about empowering women to achieve financial independence.  She combines her personal experiences and professional knowledge to offer practical and actionable advice for managing money better and building a secure financial future.

A tenured healthcare entrepreneur, Veronica Smith Southerland, also known as Vee The NP, has dedicated her career to raising up the next generation of healthcare entrepreneurs. She has watched businesses grow, fail, and grow again. Her mission is to empower and embolden healthcare professionals to think outside of their 12, 14, and 16-hour shifts and into fulfilling their professional calling of serving others as well as their personal desire to be financially independent and emotionally secure

Vee creates space and opportunities for minorities in healthcare. It's with the vision, she can serve both the healthcare provider and patient. Vee The NP opens minds to the seemingly impossible and teaches how to make the opportunity you want possible, profitable, and powerful.

Healthcare goes beyond the States and into the global world for Vee. Through her relationships throughout the world, her work has impacted millions. Yet, her personal passion has always been for nurses.

Vee The NP is driven by a desire to create opportunities through enlightenment, education, and empowerment. Her passion and drive mixed with Veronica's swagger and knowledge enable her to be a healthcare entrepreneur star.

It's this star power that has led Vee to be a CEO, speaker, mentor, and author ready and available to impact the next generation of millionaire nurses..

Known as The Purpose Profitess ®, Dr. Melissa Alexander Bedford, Ed.D, MAC is a counselor/therapist turned Success coach. As the CEO of a thriving behavioral health agency, Dr. Melissa has served thousands of individuals with a mental health challenges and substance abuse disorders in multiple locations throughout Virginia.

As a success coach and business strategist, Dr. Melissa is helping individuals discover and embrace their life's purpose, while learning new strategies, structure and accountability so they can become their own boss and launch a successful profitable business in order to gain financial freedom and create a legacy of generational wealth for themselves and their families.

After experiencing a traumatic transition in her own life after a 31 year marriage, she understands the mindset of women who find themselves grappling with a new normal, a new identity, and trying to determine if its possible to attain the hopes and dreams that they silently locked away in order to meet the demands and expectations of others.

Rafeeqa Williams is a dynamic entrepreneur dedicated to empowerment and innovation. As a proud Black woman, she owns three synergistic businesses—Activ8 Total Wellness, Nurse2Nursepreneur Consulting, and ComfortingHands Health Agency—each reflecting her passion for uplifting individuals and communities.

Through Activ8 Total Wellness, Rafeeqa promotes holistic health and well-being. Her wellness programs, fitness regimes, and health coaching empower individuals to take control of their physical, mental, and emotional health, fostering a culture of proactive health management.

Nurse2Nursepreneur Consulting supports nurses transitioning to entrepreneurship. Rafeeqa offers tailored strategies, mentorship, and resources, helping nurses build successful businesses and achieve financial independence, cultivating a community of nurse leaders.

ComfortingHands Health Agency provides compassionate, high-quality home healthcare. By employing skilled healthcare professionals, Rafeeqa ensures personalized, professional care for patients, enhancing their quality of life and affirming their dignity.

Rafeeqa Williams' entrepreneurial spirit and dedication to empowerment drive her diverse ventures. Through her work, she inspires transformative change and uplifts communities, proving that with vision and determination, lasting positive impact is possible. Rafeeqa is more than a business owner; she is a true champion of empowerment, committed to making the world a better place.

Dr. Hope E. Rivers, President of Piedmont Technical College (PTC), has been a driving force in the community. Her tenure at the college has been marked by significant progress in advancing its mission to provide accessible, high-quality education and training opportunities. Under her leadership, PTC serves the largest area in South Carolina's technical college system. Additionally, she has shown over two decades of commitment to education in South Carolina.

Dr. Rivers' visionary leadership has propelled PTC to new heights. Under her guidance, the college has seen an impressive 11% increase in enrollment and secured funding commitments for ten renovation and capital improvement projects. These include a new health science facility in Greenwood and advanced manufacturing centers in Saluda and Edgefield counties. Her innovative initiatives, such as establishing The Hope Pantry food bank on campus, reviving the Honors Program, expanding work-based learning opportunities, redesigning math and English curricula, and implementing new technology systems to enhance student services and communications, have not only drawn interest from other technical colleges but also set a new standard for excellence in the field.

Dr. Rivers' influence extends far beyond the walls of PTC. She serves on several high-profile governing boards and committees at the local, state, and national levels, including the South Carolina Governor's School for Agriculture at John de la Howe, Greenwood Chamber of Commerce, Greenwood Together, Laurens County Development Corporation, South Carolina Department of Commerce Upper Savannah Regional Education Center Advisory, Ten at the Top, Upstate Alliance, SC State Chamber of Commerce, SC Arts Foundation Board, and the USC National Center for First-Year Experience Advisory.

Her outstanding leadership and contributions have been recognized with several awards, including the University of South Carolina Distinguished Black Alumni Award, the 2019 SC Woman on the Move Award from the American Association of Community Colleges, and a feature on the NEWS19 WLTX, Columbia series, "A Seat at the Table." Rivers was also honored with a commemorative brick in the historic University of South Carolina Horseshoe, a testament to her trailblazing contributions in the field of education. Her exemplary work even earned her an invitation to the White House to speak with First Lady Jill Biden about the role of technical colleges in supporting economic development and workforce needs.

As a first-generation college student herself from a small rural town, Dr. Rivers serves as an inspiring and relatable role model. With an inclusive, innovative, and authoritative approach, she tirelessly works to enhance student experiences and success at PTC, driving accessible, impactful technical education that supports economic mobility and workforce development in South Carolina.

Yolande Grill has over 30 years of experience working in the Information Technology and Computer Industry.  She is an entrepreneur and currently the COO of InfoSol Inc. -a Worldwide Business Intelligence Solutions Provider. Yolande is passionate about transforming corporate culture and working towards making our workplaces worthy of our children.  She is a champion of mindfulness, social justice, peace, and a world that works for all.

“As the COO at InfoSol Inc. I like to think of myself as the Chief Transformation Officer. My favorite quote to ponder is one from Trina Paulus: 'How Exactly does one become a butterfly? You must want to fly so badly, that you are willing to give up being a catterpillar'. Here's a question for you: "What would flying look like?" 

I love feeling inspired. I love how no matter what job we do, when we show up as who we truly are, we can make the choice to be the catalyst that brings about a positive change. I see my role in Operations as one of Co-leadership with our CEO where I am true to my purpose of working towards World Peace and doing that by focusing on measuring what counts and by creating a workplace that is worthy of our children.”