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Lelia Gowland
Speaker, Writer, & OptimistWith a Master’s in Public Policy and a BA in Sociology, Lelia applies her understanding of political, professional, and cultural systems to support professional women.
Her approach combines academic expertise with experience from an eclectic career. In her past lives, she raised money for nonprofits, oversaw a juvenile detention center, managed a political campaign, and developed and implemented a sex education curriculum for middle schoolers.
Now she writes regularly for publications including Forbes, NBC News, and Harper’s Bazaar. As a former teen magazine fan, she was particularly delighted when Cosmopolitan and Marie Claire profiled her for her strengths-based approach to negotiation.
Regardless of the setting, she is committed to fostering a sense of confidence in the people she serves by helping them connect deeply to one another. After a recent program, one of her clients told her that she was “the confidence fairy godmother everyone needs”. Hell yes.
A New Orleans native and enthusiast, she freely uses the word y’all in professional correspondence and has an entire closet dedicated to costuming. She strives to bring the city’s joyful vibes to everything she does.
Katie Goodman
Comedian, Author, Speaker & Life CoachKatie Goodman is an award-winning comedian, author, speaker, and life coach. She has been seen on Showtime, Current TV, and TruTV, has toured internationally as a comedian and speaker for over 20 years, and her comedy show ran Off- Broadway. Her comedy has amassed over 3 million views online.
Katie has taught over 30,000 people the art of bringing the tools of improvisational comedy into their work and everyday life. Katie holds a philosophy degree from the University of Pennsylvania.
Katie writes for O, The Oprah Magazine, The Huffington Post, and is the author of Improvisation For The Spirit: Living A More Creative, Spontaneous and Courageous Life Using The Tools of Improv Comedy.
Katie was nominated for the MacArthur Foundation Genius Grant for her unique work in theatre.
Henry Nutt, III
Preconstruction Executive at SouthlandHenry currently serves as the Preconstruction Executive for Southland Industries, after serving as the Sheet Metal General Superintendent for over 12 years. He is responsible for developing business with new clients and supporting preconstruction efforts for new projects. He has been a member of Local 104 Sheet Metal Workers in Northern California since 1987.
Henry currently sits on the Associated General Contractors of America’s (AGCA) Board of Directors and is their current Chair for the Diversity & Inclusion Steering Committee, which he has served on since its inception in 2016. He has helped develop initiatives designed to support, educate, and promote a diverse and inclusive culture for AGC member companies while being on both committees. His approach to the complexity of the current climate is one of calm, courage, and commitment. He is a consistent voice of reason even in the worst of times and is not afraid to have uncomfortable conversations that have the potential to bring about positive change. He is also a State Board member for AGC CA.
As the Sheet Metal General Superintendent for Southland, Henry was responsible for over 200 Sheet Metal Workers during his tenure and led Lean implementations on projects throughout Northern California on Southland projects.
Henry is the current Chair for Lean Construction Institute’s (LCI) Board of Directors and has been a Lean Champion for Southland for 15 years. He currently leads a LCI task force designed to encourage the adoption of Lean practices and continuous improvement for Trade Partners, through the development of a new YouTube channel called the Field Crew Huddle. Henry was the 2018 recipient of the prestigious LCI’s Pioneer Award.
Henry is the author of a recently published book called, Seven Principles: Creating Your Success in the Construction Industry, which is designed to help the new-to-the-industry folks successfully navigate through their careers and bring impactful awareness to the more seasoned veterans, which will promote a better outcome for new construction professionals. He resides in Northern California with his family.
Jill Sorenson
Owner & President at Jill Sorenson Enterprises, LLCJill Sorenson is the Owner and President of Jill Sorenson Enterprises, LLC., a construction materials supplier and supply chain manager. JSE, LLC is a certified Woman Owned Small Business in multiple states and jurisdictions.
In her role as owner of JSE, Jill provides her clients of all trades with detailed, full service materials purchasing and oversight, from the estimating phase through project delivery. She specializes in project specific management, ensuring constant communication, as well as organized and on-time supply chain management.
Before embarking in entrepreneurship, Jill was Director of Marketing and Business Development for a group of commercial construction subcontractors in the DC Metro area. She nurtured new and current client relationships, spearheaded all social marketing and website content, and led all marketing efforts. During her tenure, the group of subcontractors built a collective $100M revenue base.
Prior to starting her career in commercial construction in 2017, Jill was an Emmy Awarding winning sports broadcaster. Throughout her two decades as a broadcaster, she covered countless sporting events, including the Men’s and Women’s NCAA basketball championships, as well as the NFL, NBA and NHL Stanley Cup playoffs. Jill is a graduate of Brown University where she played varsity soccer. She lives in Pennsylvania with her husband and two daughters.