Do you sense a call on your life to lead transformational change to unify your community? Are you not seeing positive change in the lives of the people you serve? Do you continue to experience resistance to change?
Join us March 9, 2024, 8 a.m. - 2 p.m. at YMCA Camp Thunderbird in this new experience as we strive to restore and repair unity in the community by thriving in Christian leadership. Hear from RVA leaders who will challenge you to participate in soulful conversations, share strategies to build bridges and breakthrough barriers, and model Christian Leadership impacting our lives and those we serve. The day will be facilitated by masters of ceremonies Jasmine Turner, NBC12 and Jordan Maroon, Needles Eye.
Dress in layers. Some engagement may be outside, weather permitting.
Keynote speaker - Sheila Battle
TEDx Speaker, Author, and Executive Coach Sheila Battle, is a transformational leader, change agent, and human services advocate. Her passion is to see people grow from the inside out, through the application of practical and personal teachings. Whether managing teams or leading workshops, her enthusiastic style motivates and inspires to the boardroom and beyond. Sheila's fusion of real-life stories and her conversational techniques connect with her audience at an intimate, intense, and individual level. Sheila and her husband, Frank, host a podcast called Soulful Conversations with Frank & Sheila, and are the visionaries of The BattleStation and 15 Minutes of Grace.
Panelists
Jonathan Cotton
With a background in account sales and the relocation business, Jonathan became a business owner in January of 2014 when he purchased The Good Feet Store in Richmond, Virginia. In 2012, he first visited The Good Feet Store due to suffering from plantar fasciitis. He found so much relief from Good Feet arch supports that he ran his first marathon that year. He returned the following year and told the owner that he loved the product. The owner looked at him and said, "You wanna buy the place?" He did and has loved the experience of owning a business that truly helps people. Since then, the franchise has expanded into the Tidewater, Washington, DC, Maryland, North Carolina, and Ohio markets, and looks forward to what God has in store for us in the future. When he is not working on the business, Jonathan enjoys reading, running, and spending time with his five children and 12 grandchildren.
Monica Murray
Monica Murray has spent her career helping students and staff reach their fullest potential through mastery of learning, establishing an environment of building relationships, and providing immediate feedback to employ optimum student engagement on a daily basis.Prior to her role as an Assistant Principal, Monica served the Richmond Public School (RPS) system as a teacher at Thomas C. Boushall Middle, Onslow Minis Middle School, George Wythe High School, and John Marshall High School where she was named a RPS Teacher of the Year Finalist and a R.E.B. Awards for Teaching Excellence Finalist. Monica earned her Bachelor's of Science Degree from Virginia Union University and both her Master's and Certificate of Educational Leadership from Virginia Commonwealth University.
Sara Kennedy
Sara Kennedy is the Founder and Executive Director at Imago Dei Neighborhood School, an ethnically and economically diverse Christian, liberal arts school in Richmond. Sara’s background is primarily in K-12 education, serving seven years in operations, communications, and marketing on the leadership team at Veritas School, and prior to that with Tianjin International School in China. A resident of Northside’s Battery Park, she’s served a board member of the Richmond Christian Leadership Institute, taught a Richmond-centric high school level leadership course for eight years, and has served in roles with the Attorney General of Virginia and on Capitol Hill. Sara and husband Dan have four adult children.
Susie Fife
Fueled by a passion for business excellence, genuine relationships and social impact, Susie Fife founded Red Orange Studio in 2005 and has grown the company into a team of top-notch designers, illustrators, developers, copywriters, marketing strategists, content creators, photographers and other creative professionals. Susie believes that every business can serve as a catalyst for good in their community so she launched The PIP Project in 2018, an intentional community outreach initiative in collaboration with other agencies in Virginia. A wife, mother and community leader, Susie balances business, family and friendships with grace and style. You can expect a warm hug and a hot cup of coffee from this Iowa girl when you stop in to visit the Red Orange family in their co-working studio they branded as “Hybrid House,” located in Richmond’s Northside.
Van-Neisha Johnson
Van-Neisha was born and raised in Richmond, Virginia and she is a PROUD graduate of THE Varina High School class of 2009 . She then graduated from Virginia State University with a bachelors degree and Liberty University with a masters degree in educational leadership. Van-Neisha’s career started as a teacher in Richmond Public School System. She is the creator and voice behind the Well Talk Podcast that can be found on iTunes, Google Play and Sound Cloud.Van-Neisha is a top producing realtor and investor right here in RVA where she is dedicated to helping families build wealth and legacy through homeownership ! Daily, Van-Neisha’s goal is to grow deeper in God and to love people well helping them know that they are called , equipped and loved .
Nicole Mason
Nicole Mason is a dynamic entrepreneur and community advocate, celebrated as one of Richmond's Top 40 Under 40 by Richmond Magazine in 2022. Graduating from the University of Richmond's Minority Business Program in 2023, an alum of the Richmond Christian Leadership Initiative, and Elder at her church- Chosen Generation Ministries , Nicole hones her passion into Glean, a social enterprise specializing in commercial cleaning. A servant- leader committed to excellence and social impact, Nicole hopes to land at the intersection of business innovation, Christian servant leadership, and social responsibility.