Speakers and Performers

Part 1: Little Girl

The Sparklers

A Banana is Hard to Light: Finding the Spark and Other IT Moments. Did you ever wonder where you first learned about IT and how your definition of IT defines your life? Come experience the wonder of IT as it’s being formed in our youth’s minds and lives today. What’s similar or different than how you discovered IT? What is life to these young souls? It is a firefly flashing in the night. It is the kindergarten song about the love of learning and education. It is learning to share when you really want the whole thing. It is the smile with a twinkling eye and sometimes the tear that emerges. It is the dance in their souls and the beat they choose to walk to. Life if here…and it is now. Let’s live it for a short time through their youthful eyes.

Alexis Grace Parra

Alexis Parra brings her joy, faith and enthusiasm for life to everyone she meets. She is the principal of The Sparklers, a young girls’ ensemble.

When this 9-year old is not researching new topics on the internet or practicing a new role for a play, she enjoys piano, salsa dancing with her dad, and taking in a good movie.

Alexis is future oriented as she’s already building her college fund by serving as talent for print and video. Lexi has been in catalogs for Fingerhut, United Way , Target and Mindware; she’s been on billboards and in TV commercials for St. Luke’s Hospital, and even acted in training videos for Best Buy. She was a finalist and won in talent with the National American Miss-MN Pageant.

As a 4 th grader at Island Lake Elementary, she loves writing and illustrating stories. She counts among her family a sister (younger), a mom (ageless) a Dad (older) and another 4-legged sister of a different species (her dog Misha with whom she sleeps every night).

She shares her parents’ love of travel and this has allowed her to visit 5 continents in her first decade of life. She remembers some of the adventures, but says she remembers most the meeting of so many diverse people and their lives. Lexi has a huge heart that she loves to share with everyone she meets!

 Part 2: Teenage Girl

TvByGirls

TVbyGIRLS partners with girls through:

• Media workshops
• Visual literacy curriculum
• Individual mentoring
• Development of a weekly national television series 

We believe the best way to combat destructive media images is to create work that explores diverse ideas inspired by girls experiences. The adults behind TVbyGIRLS are media professionals whose experience includes over two decades of publishing nationally acclaimed magazines for girls (New Moon), producing Emmy award-winning TV and film programs, and developing innovative youth leadership models.

Since 2004, TVbyGIRLS has worked with 11 amazing girls and young women. These CORE GIRLS have been creating video work expanding the vitality of images about girls and women. Through individualized mentoring relationships we encourage the development of self-expression, critical thinking and building of skills to plan the National Television series. These CORE GIRLS will be the Editorial staff, responsible for making the content decisions for the show.  Their creations screened at the Minnesota Institute of Arts: Art of Democracy Exhibit, MCP Minnesota Girl Culture Exhibit, the Walker Art Center's: Girls in the Director's Chair and in February they were featured in Women's Business Minnesota magazine.  Click here to find out more.

  Part 3: Young Woman

Panel of Women

Amy Hyatt-Blat

As a successful, older woman, Amy Hyatt had “tried everything” to find a kind, decent man—and was a little resentful at how hard she felt she had to try. Amy was “beyond reluctant” to accept a leadership position on her Singles Board at her church. Her journey led her to meaningful and purposeful relationships with others, including meeting her husband who she married last May. Through humor reflections of rejection and acceptance, Amy’s story will inspire and touch you.

“Amy is a professional Events Planner, working for the 2000 Sydney and 2002 Salt Lake Olympics, City of Minneapolis , and University of Minnesota . Amy is currently the Events Manager of American Public Media, the national distribution arm of Minnesota Public Radio. She and her husband Ben live in southwest Minneapolis —near church.

Marci Heerman

Marci will share her story of integration and living her life’s purpose through personal and professional transformation. She combines her passion to bring balance to her family-life with a desire to lead others, particularly women, in finding and living from their soul’s intention. Her leadership development company is Soul Intentions, LLC, and she is a Founding Mother of Awesome Women, non-profit whose vision is a world in which “every woman’s voice makes a difference”.

Barbara Greenberg

Barbara Greenberg is the author of Hope Grew Round Me: a personal story of how her daughter’s life threatening accident planted the seeds of her own self-discovery. Because of the powerful response to her story, Barbara has been asked to speak to a wide variety of audiences including health care providers, chambers of commerce, women’s groups from churches and synagogues, as well as networking organizations and book clubs. Her audiences have called her talks absolutely uplifting…powerful and healing…articulate and heartfelt…wonderful! Click here to find out more about Barbara.

Jane Smith

Jane has been a teacher and personal confidant/coach much of her life, starting before she finished grammar school. She taught high school and community college level students, often coaching students in order to enable them to learn and move forward.

In addition, she has worked as a training developer, consultant, and facilitator in a variety of organizations. She has nearly 20 years in instructional design and training as well as over 15 years in teaching. Her strength lies in the ability to listen to each person’s needs and to respond quickly to those needs on many levels, whether she’s teaching or coaching.

As a coach, she is committed to helping individuals work through personal, professional, and spiritual concerns in order to grow and move towards a more fulfilling life.

She lives in Sedona , Arizona , with her husband, Demetri. She has two grown children and one grandchild on the way. Find out more about Jane at www.jemcommunications.com.

  Part 4: Wise Woman

Amy Tolbert, PhD, CSP

The Princess Principle: Discovering your Royal Spirit Within

Are you aware of your Royal Spirit? One local co-author of The Princess Principle: Women Helping Women Discover Their Royal Spirit, will share insights for awakening your own Royal Spirit. She will lead you on an adventure into self-discovery for finding IT –breaking through old patterns and boundaries that limit your potential. Awakening our Royal Spirit and sharing our stories will allow you the wisdom to see life from new perspectives.

As a Fellow at the Carlson Executive Development Center, Dr. Tolbert is the founder and principal of Effecting Creative Change in Organizations (ECCO International), which specializes in helping individuals expand their productivity and organizations increase their profitability.

When she is not chasing around her 6- and 9-year old girls…she consults and trains in the areas of multicultural education and development, managing within a diverse workforce, communication, and leadership skills.

As a best-selling author with HRD Press, Dr. Tolbert has also authored a top-selling diversity assessment tool and an actionable book on diversity, “Reversing the Ostrich Approach to Diversity: Pulling your head out of the sand!” She has also co-authored, “The Princess Principle: Women Helping Women Discover Their Royal Spirit.” She earned her Certified Speaking Professional designation with NSA this year as well.

Her diverse experiences take her from Latin America, to non-profits and when possible to warm sunny climates. Although she has many accomplishments, she considers her family and 15-year marriage to be at the top of the list.Click here to find out more about Amy.

Performers

Musical Emcee

Arlene Vernon, PHR

"Alive, enthusiastic, riveting, realistic and knowledgeable" is what Arlene's audiences say about her engaging keynotes, training and seminars on managing our human resources - our people, our practices and our selves. Arlene Vernon, MEd, MBA, PHR shares over 25 years of human resource expertise with her audiences and clients. Her unique interweaving of message and music entertains and inspires us to reach within and discover how to achieve new heights in all aspects of our lives. Arlene's music touches that place in our hearts that words alone cannot reach. Described as a combination of Dion, Streisand and Midler, Arlene's eloquent combination of speaking and singing will skyrocket your people to discover their gifts and achieve their dreams.Click here to find out more about Arlene.

Interpretative Dancer

Susan Germanson

Susan Germanson is a Spanish teacher and an athletics coach. She has resided in Minneapolis for 25 years. Currently she lives in Brooklyn Park with her daughter Ana Maria. Susan studied Health and Physical Education at the University of Wisconsin - LaCrosse. Later she earned two more degrees in Spanish and International Relations at the University of Minnesota . She has traveled extensively through Central America , South America and Europe . Susan has written two books: Ouch! Life Can Hurt, but Healing is Your Choice and You Can Be the Ultimate Athlete. Susan chooses to dedicate her life by helping people realize that they can become victorious over tragedy. She does this by dancing, coaching us through our healing process, and using practical solutions and exercises.