EMERGE 2023 SPEAKERS

Jaclyn Badeau is the Founder and President of Badeau Consulting. She specializes in employee engagement initiatives that help companies inspire confidence back into their team for innovation and growth.

Kerry Boudreaux currently works with small and medium size businesses on go-to-market strategy with a focus on messaging. He is also a published author, with his book Prism, Seeing the World Through the Hearts of People with Special Needs.

Until recently, Kristen Pflum had a long TV news career, covering several major local and national news stories as a reporter and anchor. In 2022, she took a major career leap from TV news to join Dinsmore & Shohl LLP as media relations manager and now handles outside media requests, the firm’s social media platforms and enjoys telling the success stories happening with Dinsmore’s 750 attorneys across the country.

Mark Keene is a master coach and communicator who specializes in creating transformation through community and coaching. No matter what the environment, Mark is passionate about helping people take back their power and experience lasting transformation.

From humor-based leadership coaching and beyond, David Horning and Water Cooler Comedy are committed to transforming your workplace into one people look forward to coming to. Because work is the time and place to laugh.

Collectively, Keionna and Cherena have years of experience cultivating and working in diverse workspaces. With experience working in education, on diverse teams and, with an array of students, from Kentucky to California, Keionna and Cherena have gained the skills, experience, and knowledge to create highly effective and interactive workshops.

For the past three decades, David has been working with healthcare leaders and teams to achieve results by bringing more clarity, compassion, and authenticity to their work. As a coach, he builds on this experience and creates a supportive environment anchored in Values Alignment, Emotional Intelligence, and Positive Psychology.

Rayann White has worked for various corporations and nonprofits gaining extensive experience through each position. She is the Founder and Owner of Rayann’s Popcorn Company and her daily focus is the growth and expansion of this business allowing her to grow and expand our outreach within this community.

Adina Tatum is currently the Executive Director of Northside Common Market dba Julietta Market. She has been a leader in economic and community development and has sat on multiple panels sharing her knowledge on women in leadership, market development and building sustainable communities.

Amanda Nighbert is a registered dietitian specializing in weight loss nutrition. Her passion and purpose is to empower others to break the all or nothing mindset and find sustainable change for long term weight loss success.

Gathan D. Borden is the Senior Vice President of Marketing & Communications for Destinations International. In this role, he is responsible for the strategy and implementation of all marketing and communications initiatives for Destinations International that facilitate engagement opportunities for partners and members, and positions Destinations International as an industry thought leader across the globe.

Uncovering the contributions African Americans made to the industry and realizing the need for a platform for people of color to learn about bourbon without judgement, Michael Adams Jr. partnered with other enthusiasts to co-found the Kentucky Black Bourbon Guild Inc. (KBBG). KBBG bridges the gap between African Americans and the bourbon industry through institutional and distillery partnerships, education, networking, scholarships and workforce development.

Sean Edwards is a pioneer in the area for African American entertainment options and has always been on the cutting edge of the culture. He and His wife Tia founded Fresh Bourbon Distillery in 2017, to create a "Fresh" approach to the bourbon industry.

Ashley Smith is the Co-founder and COO of Black Soil: Our Better Nature, a statewide agritourism company with a mission of reconnecting Black Kentuckians to their legacy and heritage in agriculture.

Hallie Hardy is the Executive Director of Visit Horse Country, the member organization that helps to promote and organize tour experiences in the equine industry in Central Kentucky. She is thrilled to be promoting one of the state’s signature industries.

For the past 40 years, Jim’s influence in the private sector has led to the creation of thousands of high wage jobs. He is a Fortune 500 executive, economic developer and owner of the Coleman Crest Farm in Lexington, Kentucky.

Wylie Caudill is a young Lexington-based artist specializing in imaginative, wildly colorful, often clever, and downright magical murals located throughout central Kentucky. His work can be seen prominently in downtown Lexington at places such as High Knoll on Short Street, Crank and Boom and The Grove.

Devine Carama is a nationally renowned, 2022 Emmy Award-winning hip-hop artist, educator, community activist, & motivational speaker from Lexington, KY. He is the new director of the Mayor of Lexington's youth gun violence reduction program, ONE Lexington, which has launched several new initiatives in its first year under his direction.

Larry Johnson works in the Mayor's office addressing gun violence and substance use related issues. He began this work as community activist addressing racial justice, and youth violence and drug use and trade.

The author of two Amazon best selling books, Chris currently focuses on speaking, training, and mentoring those who are hungry to become their best selves.

Ms. Kayla Bush is a student scholar and historian for the Kentucky Black Bourbon Guild Inc. (KBBG) headquartered in Lexington. Her passion for history, journalism, and bourbon has inspired her to uncover and report on the African American contributions to the bourbon industry dating pre-prohibition to the current era and beyond.

Andi Johnson serves as the Chief Policy Officer and Director of Regional Engagement for Commerce Lexington. She was named to the Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives’ 2020 list of the Top 40 Chamber Executives Under 40.

John Bevington is responsible for directing all aspects of LG&E and KU’s business and economic development strategies and implementation. Before this role, he was with the Kentucky Cabinet for Economic Development and held a number of roles with increasing responsibility in project management, business and community relations and business development.

Betsy Dexter is the Executive Director of The Business & Education Network (BEN) at Commerce Lexington. BEN’s mission is to create, attract and sustain a globally skilled workforce to meet the needs of the region's existing and target industries.

Kenneth Payne has joined the One Lexington team in the Mayor’s Office. Payne serves as a Community Outreach Advocate, leading the One Lexington Crisis Response efforts, which is a component of its Strategic Violence Prevention Plan.

Gina Greathouse has been working in the field of economic development for over 30 years, as well as in that role here in Lexington/Central Kentucky since 1995. She is currently the Executive Vice President for Economic Development for Commerce Lexington.

Ame Sweetall has dedicated the “twilight” of her professional career to arts and community leadership. Under her leadership, LexArts has been successful in outpacing the fundraising trends during and coming out of the pandemic, acquired a permanent home for the arts in downtown Lexington, increased local, state and federal funding, and leading community-wide arts initiatives and advocacy.

Terry and his wife own Joy Nuts, a gourmet candied nut business located in Julietta Market. Since launching in 2020 as a home based business, Joy Nuts now operates out of a retail space that includes a commercial kitchen space that allows for wholesale distribution.

Nathan Zamarron is the Vice President of Community Arts at LexArts where he manages LexArts General Operating Support and Community Arts Development Grants programs. He has organized the LexArts HOP, Arts Showcase Weekends, exhibits in ArtsPlace Gallery, an independent film series, community murals and several contemporary outdoor sculpture exhibitions in Lexington.