Click below for more information on this year's keynote speaker, panelists, and industry leaders. The keynote speaker, panelists, and industry leaders are listed in alphabetical order by last name.
Click below for more information on this year's keynote speaker, panelists, and industry leaders. The keynote speaker, panelists, and industry leaders are listed in alphabetical order by last name.
Senior Advisor/Life Coach
Co-Pastor of Ignite JHDC
Pastor Yemisi Odusanya (“PYem”), is a leader that wears several shoes. Faith, culture, family, and education are her anchors and have been her core values from childhood. With a Bachelor's degree in Psychology/Pre-med from DePaul University and a Master’s in Public Health from University of Illinois at Chicago, she naturally developed a passion for people, healthcare, and wellness. Born and raised in Chicago, she relocated to the DMV to start her career in public health in 2006. She is a trained epidemiologist and currently a senior advisor.
Several years of being mentored and mentoring others impressed PYem to value and prioritize mentorship. Her passion for seeing others succeed has led her to becoming a certified life coach. Her goal is to encourage others to focus on their whole self, including the physical, spiritual, mental, and emotional parts, while helping them discover who they are and guiding them to where they want to be - their place of Serenity.
After joining Jesus House, DC (JHDC) in 2007, she became active in various ministries: the Prison Ministry, Special Events Department, Young Adults and Singles Ministry, Haggai Business Ministry, Teenage Mentoring Program, Young Professional Mentoring Program, Global Mentoring Program, the Children’s ministry, and Believer’s Academy, to name a few. She met her amazing, multi-talented, tailormade husband, Pastor Wale Odusanya (PWal) in 2007 at JHDC and they were subsequently married in 2010. They are blessed with wonderful twin boys who bring so much joy into their lives. PWal and PYem were ordained as ministers within the Redeemed Christian Church of God in 2016 and have served as the Pastors of the Ignite JHDC church since. PYem never expected to be a minister despite her involvement in church activities since her toddler years, participating in various denominations and anchoring her love for Christ on the Word. Her goal has always been to serve God and to be used as a vessel.
PYem values family time and understands the importance of building generational wealth through various avenues. Outside of ministry and her professional career, she is an entrepreneur, has a YouTube talk show, and is a public speaker on an array of topics. She has also been invited to speak at conferences, on panels, podcasts and events. She enjoys self-care routines frequently and prioritizes finding time to relax in the midst of her busy schedule. PYem is blessed to be surrounded by amazing women, strong mentors, and inspiring coaches who have guided her through her professional, spiritual, and relational journey. In turn, she uses what she has received to serve others as a pastor, mentor, and coach.
Founder
Omolewa Cosmetics, Fruit Art USA, RendezVenue Studios, Beauty & Culture Fest, Lady Boss Movement
Irene Dele-Adejumo is an award-winning, multi-faceted entrepreneur, founder of Omolewa Cosmetics, creator of Fruit Art USA, Co-Owner & Executive Director of RendezVenue Studios, curator of Beauty & Culture Fest and visionary leader of the Lady Boss Movement. Above all her titles, she proudly cherishes her role as a devoted wife and mom of three. Irene is driven by a passion for empowering women, fostering creativity, and celebrating diversity across multiple industries, from beauty and design to community empowerment.
A graduate of The College of William and Mary in Virginia with a degree in Political Science and Sociology, Irene began her entrepreneurial journey in 2009 when she founded Labellezza Group Makeup artistry as well as Fruit Art USA, offering bespoke fruit displays and artistic catering for weddings, events, and corporate gatherings. Through her talent for turning simple ideas into thriving ventures, Irene gained recognition as a creative leader and business innovator.
In 2013, driven by the challenges women of color faced in finding makeup that complemented their skin tones, Irene took a bold leap and founded Omolewa Cosmetics, an inclusive, cruelty-free and all day-wear beauty line. Known for its bold pigments, waterproof, smudge-proof wear, and luxurious yet weightless formulas, Omolewa Cosmetics empowers women to embrace their inner and outer beauty with confidence. Today, it stands as a global beacon of empowerment for women seeking to enhance their beauty routines without compromise.
In addition to her entrepreneurial ventures, Irene acquired RendezVenue Studios, a creative content and event space that serves as a collaborative hub for artists, entrepreneurs, and dreamers. As Co-Owner and Executive Director, she champions the mission of creating spaces where creators can bring their visions to life.
As a vocal advocate for entrepreneurship and community building, Irene is the driving force behind the Lady Boss Network, a community for aspiring and seasoned women entrepreneurs. The network brings women together to learn, connect, and collaborate, offering a platform where they can share their struggles, celebrate their successes, and receive support to build thriving businesses. Irene’s mission is to provide women with the tools, mentorship, and encouragement they need to achieve financial freedom and reach unparalleled heights in business.
Her influence has touched organizations, celebrities, and leaders, including the Congressional Black Caucus, Jackie Appiah, Vivica A. Fox, Pastor E.A. Adeboye, and many others. Her work has been featured in major outlets such as Forbes, Allure Magazine, ELLE Magazine , Fox 5, NBC, Yahoo Finance, The Food Network, Brydie, Bella Naija , Ghana web, Black Enterprise , VOA and so much more.
Irene’s legacy is one of empowerment, creativity, and community. Whether she’s crafting high-performance beauty products, spearheading innovative events, or mentoring women entrepreneurs, Irene’s mission is clear: to inspire women everywhere to see that with faith, passion, vision, and determination, every dream is possible.
Founder
GDI Insurance Agency
Felicia Oluwapemi “Pemi” Adereti is a distinguished leader, philanthropist, and entrepreneur whose cross-continental career spans three decades across Africa, Asia, Europe, and North America. She has earned both national and international acclaim for building high-performing enterprises in insurance, real estate, construction, and energy. Recognized for her success in complex negotiations, cross-border transactions, and infrastructure development in convoluted environments, Pemi’s work has garnered widespread endorsements and public support from respected figures in the United States and Nigeria.
In 2005, Pemi founded GDI Insurance Agency, Inc. in Maryland, starting with one client and expanding the agency through direct engagement with families and small businesses in the community. Today, GDI Insurance serves over 6,000 customers annually, operates a satellite office in Washington, DC, and generates approximately $8 million in annual revenue. In a field where most new agencies fail in the first year, Pemi excelled and is the only woman from her 2005 cohort still in operation. Her vast success and credibility led to a rare appointment to the Allstate Regional Growth Council as the representative for Washington, DC, along with invitations to represent the Fortune 500 company at national forums. She is also the CEO of GDI Construction & Management Company, a full-service real estate investment firm with a portfolio exceeding 100 commercial properties and 7 million square feet. Internationally, she is also the CEO of Quantum Royal Cosmopolitan Investment Ltd. in Nigeria, where she oversees projects in engineering, construction, property development, and energy investments.
As a seasoned leader and trusted consensus builder, Pemi has served on the Boards of Trustees and Directors for high-impact nonprofits and private companies for over 15 years. In these roles, she has empowered organizations to refine strategy, improve governance, and expand their impact. Motivated by the financial challenges facing families in her community, Pemi ran a formidable campaign for the seat of Prince George’s County Council At-Large in Maryland, where she has resided for the past 25 years. In 2016, she coordinated the Oodua Economic Leadership and Transformation US Summit, a platform established to catalyze trade and investment for regional development.
She earned a Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Economics from Obafemi Awolowo University and completed an MBA in Finance at the University of the District of Columbia, Washington, DC. Pemi remains committed to championing sustainable growth, poverty eradication, and equitable opportunities for women and underserved communities worldwide.
CEO and Senior Partner
HillHouse Advisory
Tosin Okojie is a seasoned business leader and finance professional with more than 25 years of experience driving growth across Africa, Europe, and North America. He has held senior leadership roles at global firms including Accenture, Unilever, and Schneider Electric, where he consistently delivered business growth and profitability.
As Global Vice President of Finance at Andela, one of Africa’s leading unicorns, Tosin played a pivotal role in scaling the business and helping raise over $200 million in Series E funding. He also served as CFO of Niche, one of the world’s largest education marketplaces.
An accomplished entrepreneur, Tosin has founded and successfully exited multiple ventures in the technology space. His passion lies in startups and scaling businesses, where he brings deep expertise in business strategy, investor readiness, capital raising, and organizational growth.
He is CEO and Senior Partner at HillHouse Advisory, where he has advised dozens of startups and high-growth companies on unlocking sustainable success and building enterprise value. Tosin holds an MBA from Yale University and a BSc in Electronic and Electrical Engineering from Obafemi Awolowo University.
Director of Joint Replacement Howard University Hospital
Assistant Professor of Orthopedic Surgery
Howard University
Dr. Suraj Bolarinwa is a distinguished fellowship-trained joint replacement surgeon with a specialized focus on innovative surgical techniques, including direct anterior approach total hip replacement, same-day discharge total joint replacement, robotic-assisted total joint replacement, and complex/revision hip and knee replacements. His expertise is instrumental in advancing patient outcomes and enhancing recovery experiences in joint replacement surgery.
Dr. Bolarinwa earned his undergraduate degree from North Carolina State University, where he laid a strong foundation for his medical career. He pursued his medical degree at the Indiana University School of Medicine, followed by an orthopedic surgery residency at the prestigious University of Virginia. He further honed his skills and knowledge by completing an adult reconstruction fellowship at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia.
As a dedicated educator, Dr. Bolarinwa serves as an Assistant Professor of Orthopedic Surgery at Howard University, where he is committed to training the next generation of orthopedic surgeons and contributing to the field through research and clinical excellence.
Dr. Bolarinwa is happily married and the proud father of three children.
Senior Director of Information Security
Divisional Chief Information Security Officer
Capital One Financials
Gbenga Lasisi is a Cyber Security and Technology transformation leader, with years of experience in Cyber security and Technology Consulting. Gbenga is Currently a Senior Director of Information Security and Divisional CISO at Capital One Financials in the USA.
Prior to his recent role he was a Director of Cloud Computing & Networking at PricewaterhouseCoopers where he was focused on helping business leaders and technology executives with IT infrastructure & Security transformation strategy, design and implementation. He has also worked in Nigeria in various roles within the Telecommunications industry.
Gbenga holds a Bachelor of Technology degree (Electrical and Electronics Engineering), from Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Nigeria, and a Master of Science degree (Telecommunications and Computer Engineering), from The George Washington University, USA.
He is happily married and has two lovely children.
Head of Compliance
Palantir Technologies, Inc.
Funmi Olorunnipa Badejo has been a lawyer and strategic advisor to corporate executives, government leaders and non-profit managers for more than 15 years.
Funmi currently serves as Head of Compliance at Palantir Technologies, Inc., a global public technology company. In that role, she manages the company's compliance department, maintains responsibility for ensuring company compliance with laws, regulatory requirements, policies, and procedures in all 30 countries it operates in and advises company executives on compliance, risk management, business ethics, financial audit, and environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues.
Funmi previously served as Special Assistant to the President and Associate Counsel in the White House Counsel's Office, where she advised former President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris and other White House officials on a myriad of complex government compliance, ethics and financial disclosure issues.
Prior to that, Funmi served as an advisor to former House Majority Whip Jim Clyburn as General Counsel of the U.S. House of Representatives Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis. Funmi's former government service also includes as Counsel for Policy to the Assistant Attorney General in the Civil Division at the U.S. Department of Justice, Ethics Counsel at the White House Counsel’s Office and Attorney Advisor at the Administrative Conference of the United States, all during President Barack Obama's Administration. Funmi began her legal career advising private sector clients as an associate with the law firm of Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP.
Funmi currently serves on the Board of Directors of BeyGOOD, the public charity founded by award-winning recording artist Beyonce Knowles-Carter, Funmi also serves on the Council of the Administrative Conference of the U.S., a federal advisory board she was appointed to by former President Joe Biden. Funmi also serves on the Board of Directors of Reach, Inc., a D.C. based education non-profit.
Funmi is a member of the Wall Street Journal’s Chief Compliance Officer Council, a member of the Society of Corporate Compliance and Ethics, and a member of the Association of Corporate Counsel.
Funmi holds a J.D. from the University of California, Berkeley School of Law, a M.P.A. from Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government and a B.A./B.S. from the University of Florida.
She lives in McLean, Virginia, with her husband and two children.
Dapo Adeniranye
Certified Product Owner & Scrum Master / Realtor
Volanno
Michael Adenuga
Senior Director and North America Business Transformation Lead
Capgemini
Fadesola Adetosoye
Senior Expert and Associate Partner
McKinsey & Co
Funmi Agunbiade, PharmD
Drug Use Management,
Clinical Utilization and Intelligence
Kaiser Permanente Company
Gbenga Ajakaye
Security Architect
Sedetos
Michael Akinwumi, PhD
Chief AI Officer
National Fair Housing Alliance
Queenstar Akrong
Chief Executive Office
No Debt Degree and Queenstar Media
Akuffo Amankwah
Sr Economist
The World Bank
Dennis Anidi
Chief Executive Office
Archon Talent Associates, LLC
Kunle Elebute, PhD
Professor of Information Technology & Real Estate Coach
University of Maryland Global Campus
Ronke Gbadamosi
Manager, Federal Advisory
KPMG
Tosin Gbadamosi, Esq.
Partner/Attorney
AWO Law & Title
Pastor Wale Odusanya
Chief Technology Officer
Tailor Made Solutionz
Uzi Ogbuokiri
Real Estate Advisor
Long & Foster
Jess Okeze
Regional Lead HR Operations, Americas
Software AG
Femi Olumoko
Senior Manager
Accenture
Tosin Oluokun, Ph.D. DCNc
Clinical Nutrionist/Founder
Dr. Ohhh Juice
Oladapo Onijala, PharmD
Manager, Pharmacy Strategic Services
Kaiser Permanente Mid-Atlantic States Inc.
Wale Oyebanji, MD
Group Medical Director
Johnson & Johnson
Sola Sodeinde (Sodex)
CEO, Licensed Financial Professional
Sodex Konsult LLC.
Kenny Tijani-Padonu
Founder/Broker
Home Bridge Mortgage LLC