Beauty & The Bias: An All-Female Panel Discussion About Breaking Down Perceptions and Owning YOU at the Office, Online, and Everywhere In-between

Shifting the perception of female leaders in the workplace is a marathon, not a sprint. Get in the race now by joining a positive and empowering conversation on May 24th with AAFCM as we host a panel discussion with a diverse group of Minnesota business women.

It should go without saying that this is not about waging war against men. It’s about amplifying incredible female talent. It’s about understanding that we’re all in this together. From corporate America to small business ownership, we’ll cover what it takes to knock down both real and perceived walls women face at work, online and beyond.

This is one event you don’t want to miss!

PS: There will be wine, too.

Event Details

Location: Radio City Music Mall, St. Cloud
Doors Open: 4:30 pm
Panel Discussion: 5:30-7 pm

Panelists

Betsy Bonnema

Betsy Bonnema is a believer in the power of collaboration, especially when it comes to marketing and creativity. She has over 25 years of experience as an owner of Redstar, a full service advertising agency located in Willmar, Minnesota. In 2015, she founded the area’s first coworking space on the MinnWest Technology Campus called WORKUP. The collaborative, inspired atmosphere has helped she and her team grow the agency and launch a one-of-a-kind marketing and business planning workshop called STARTUP.

Kelly Sayre

Kelly Sayre has joined the IHL Group team to broaden its coverage of the retail, ecommerce and consumer package goods IT market.

Sayre will also take the lead in growing the company’s media marketing efforts through podcasts, short videos, and webinars showcasing IHL content.

Sayre has a long history of event management, business development, market analysis, and developing intelligent content via new media, including a podcast series on women’s leadership issues.  Sayre is an active member of her St. Cloud, MN community.  She has been recognized as one of the Top Ten Outstanding Young Minnesotans and serves as an Executive Board Member with both the Forum of Executive Women and the Tri-County Humane Society.  In her free time, she enjoys running, being outdoors and enjoying her time with her husband and two young boys.

Hudda Ibrahim

Hudda Ibrahim is an author, entrepreneur, speaker, and a faculty member at St. Cloud Technical and Community College, where she teaches diversity and social justice. Hudda graduated from the University of Notre Dame in South Bend Indiana and specialized in international peace studies, conflict resolution, policy analysis, and political change.  Hudda was named the 5 under 40, 2016 Difference Maker, 2016 Partners in Education District 742 Award for the Take Ten project, and the Women’s Group project. The Somali American National Institute awarded her a community champion.

Hudda is the founder and president of Filsan Consultant LLC, a company that works with local businesses and related entities to provide three revenue-generating ser­vices: consulting, speaking engagements, and training for the employer. Hudda is a change agent, providing necessary resources to bring the central Minnesota community and new American populations together.

Jill James

Vivid’s Chief Safety Officer Jill James holds a Masters of Industrial Safety. With 12 years of experience as a Senior OSHA Safety Investigator with the State of Minnesota, and a decade of private sector safety management experience, Jill brings an unrivaled perspective on risk, regulation, and liability.

Jill is a passionate advocate for workforce wellbeing and safety through prevention. Having personally worked through each one of OSHA’s regulations related to training and compliance, she’s got a particular talent for unwinding state & federal regulations. Jill is passionate about public speaking and training.  She takes complicated, dry or regulatory information and boils it down to, “What’s in it for this audience?” in a fun, exciting or inspirational way. Jill is a mother, Reiki Healer, and CrossFitter.  She enjoys collecting stories, drinking strong coffee from the Pacific Northwest, and exploring the amazing places her job takes her each week.

Kari Turkowski

Kari Turkowski has been a lifelong elite athlete; she was a three sport athlete at St. Cloud State University, with future hopes of pursuing professional and Olympic sports.  Kari completed an accounting degree, and later excelled at a CPA firm in Minneapolis for 7 years.  During her time at the firm, Kari continued to train at levels that would prepare her to be a top athlete at elite volleyball competitions.  However, Kari was faced with a life changing heart condition, which became the driving force for her to leave her promising accounting career at the age of 30 and pursue the medical field.  For the last eight years, she has been living with a heart condition that has no definite diagnosis.  Kari has been fighting to keep a piece of that athlete identity and has grown and accepted the changing pieces of her character that will allow her to fulfill her purpose in life.  With a team of doctors and researchers at the Mayo Clinic and St. Thomas, Kari will have support and guidance as she strives to be an Ironman; which has become one of her most challenging and exciting goals thus far. A competition that includes a 2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike and 26.2 mile run.  She will pursue this goal in Madison, Wisconsin, on September 10, 2017.  Furthermore, this remarkable story will exemplify the courage and perseverance of a woman who was not only challenged physically, but emotionally and spiritually, as well.   Meanwhile, Kari will put on her lab coat and study genetic heart diseases while working side-by-side with her team of doctors to study conditions like hers and find answers for those who may unfortunately encounter this same condition in the future. She is sharing her story of survival, perseverance, and determination after surviving the moment she thought would never happen: her heart stopped beating. Follow her story here.

Melissa Kruse

Melissa Kruse is the owner of J. F.  Kruse Jewelers.  She is a wife, a mom, and a black belt in karate.  She loves being outside, music, playing sports, reading, and long afternoons on the beach with a pina colada in hand.  Melissa graduated from Rasmussen College with a degree in Business Management with a minor in Sales and Marketing.  She began her career at J. F. Kruse Jewelers in 2003 with basic office duties and cleaning, from which she worked her way to General Manager and Owner.  Melissa earned a Graduate Gemologist degree from the Gemological Institute of America – a distinction that very few jewelers achieve because of the rigorous schooling, on-site training and high testing standards.  Melissa is qualified to assist clients with full jewelry appraisals and identification of all gemstones.  She has a passion for enriching the lives of other people and finds her greatest joy in working with and helping others.