Meet these amazing speakers
Meet your host, Amanda!
As a third culture kid, Amanda’s interest in navigating cross-cultural spaces and identity started young. Her American-born, African raised perspective continues to influence her as she leads the creative direction of The Black Expat and tells the stories that need to be told. She also hosts the Global Chatter podcast which takes a deeper dive into these conversations.
Her varied career has also included serving as founding director of a college access center for underrepresented students in Richmond, VA, piloting and implementing a university career services program in Qatar, and teaching English as a second language in Cameroon. Currently, Amanda is an employer branding professional, where her work focuses on employee branding efforts to identify diverse, best in class talent.
Amanda completed her M.Ed in Counselor Education at Virginia Commonwealth University and a Master in Business Administration at the University of Mary Washington.
Amanda has been featured in a number of publications including the Wall Street Journal & Global Living Magazine discussing the intersections of black identity and living abroad. She has traveled to five continents, lived on three and is most proud of her uncanny ability to recite 1990s music lyrics in the most random situations.
Day 1
Juanita Ingram: "Embracing Change: Finding Purpose in the Unknown"
Juanita Brown Ingram, Esq. is an accomplished attorney, author, actress, filmmaker, and fashion philanthropist. She made history as the first Black woman crowned Mrs. Universe (R) 2022/2023. Currently residing in Singapore with her family, she has previously lived in London and Taiwan.
Juanita is the CEO of Purpose Productions Inc., a nonprofit production company dedicated to amplifying BIPOC narratives and empowering women and youth globally through film. As a voting member of the Television Academy, Juanita judges for the Daytime and Children’s Emmy Awards. She has been honored with numerous awards, including the 2021 NAACP Ruby Hurley Image Award for Global Ambassadorship, multiple Telly Awards, and accolades from international film festivals.
Juanita is the Creator and Executive Producer of the docuseries “The Expats International Ingrams,” which streams on Amazon Prime US/UK, Tubi, and Roku. The show highlights the lives of Black Americans abroad, challenging stereotypes and earning Emmy eligibility in multiple categories.
An advocate for women and girls, Juanita speaks globally on law, diversity, equity, expat issues, confidence-building, women’s wellness, sustainable fashion, and empowerment. She is a member of the Black Entertainment and Sports Lawyers Association, The Links Incorporated, and Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Incorporated.
Vangile Makwakwa: "Decoding Your Financial DNA"
Vangile Makwakwa is an author, entrepreneur, nomad and money trauma coach. She has authored three books, “What’s your money personality?: Changing the way Black families manage their finances”, "Heart, Mind & Money: Using Emotional Intelligence for Financial Success” and “The Next Level You Womb and Money Journal.”
She has an Honors degree in finance from the University of Cape Town and an MBA from the Simmons School of Management. She founded wealthy-money.com, a company dedicated to helping women of color heal ancestral money trauma and improve their financial well-being through online coaching, courses, podcasts, and retreats.
Vangile also hosts two popular podcasts, "The Money Magic Podcast" and "The Property Magicians Podcast," the latter being a top-ranking show in business and investment segments. In addition, she chairs the Property Magicians Stokvel, a
successful investment group that has raised over R3 million in its first year of operations in 2022. As an avid traveller, Vangile has lived in over 12 different countries as she builds her business. You can learn more about her at: wealthy-money.com.
Janice Chaka: "Success Strategies for Expats: Navigating the Side Hustle Journey"
Janice Chaka is a trusted authority in guiding professionals who are introverts towards achieving career success without compromising their introverted nature. With a wealth of experience as a Reframing Impostor Syndrome Coach Practitioner, 15+ years in HR, and expertise as a DEI Consultant, Janice has empowered countless individuals through personalized coaching, group sessions, and workshops within organizations. Her impressive milestones including running DisruptHR Denver, authoring three books, creating the renowned RECHARGE Energy Management Framework™, and hosting a podcast
Janice's passion for travel, cocktails featuring rum or vodka, and the vibrant world of speakeasies adds a unique touch to her coaching approach. With a positive, encouraging, and knowledgeable demeanor, Janice Chaka is the go-to authority for introverts seeking to unlock their full potential and thrive in their careers. Introversion is a feature NOT a bug.
Kentia McLemore: "Pivoting To An Independent Contractor"
Kentia McLemore is an entrepreneur and owner of a medical billing
business. She leveraged her HR background, specifically her benefits
knowledge, to start her medical billing business. Also, she is the
owner of Biller Academy which educates and teaches new
and experienced medical billers how to build a business an independent
contractor.
Kentia holds a Bachelor of Arts in Business and Spanish from
Southwestern University in Georgetown, Texas. Kentia has studied in
Mexico and lived abroad in Dominican Republic and Taiwan.
Karen Ricks: "To Balance, or Not to Balance? Building Sustainable Work to Support Your Dream Life!"
Karen M. Ricks is a Christian wife, Worldschooling mom, a nomadic chef, and a certified yoga instructor. Teaching for over 25 years, she has been a Montessorian since her own preschool days. She holds Montessori teaching certifications for guiding children from infancy through elementary. She has cooked professionally, in restaurants, commercial kitchens, and private homes on four different continents over the last decade and a half.
After 10 years of teaching in central Japan, where Karen founded and operated her own international Montessori school, she sold it all to begin a nomadic life of full-time travel with her family. Karen spreads her message of embracing a Slow Food Lifestyle, a lifelong love of learning, and education for peace by teaching people of all ages how to #PLAYwithYourFood & #PLAYinYourLife, and why they need to share that gift with those they love. You can learn more about her, her family’s edible exploits, and the lessons they are learning on their Culinary Worldschooling Adventures as they gallivant around the globe over at ourkitchenclassroom.com.
Day 2
Lori Tharps: "Building the Business You Love with the Audience You Want"
Lori Tharps is an award-winning author, journalist and educator. She is a recognized voice in the areas of race, identity politics and African-American culture. She has written for The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Philadelphia Inquirer, Glamour and Essence magazines.
In 2021, Lori moved with her husband and children to Spain, where she launched her new podcast and platform, Reed, Write & Create, a virtual and IRL hub that celebrates and supports BIPOC stories and storytellers with content, coaching, and community.
Christine Job: "Global Expertise, Global Impact: Building a Remote Consulting Business"
Christine Job is a dynamic catalyst, strategist, and connector dedicated to empowering women entrepreneurs. With an impressive blend of storytelling passion and strategic acumen, Christine transforms her clients' passions into profitable, thriving ventures. Her extensive experience as a business strategist ensures a roadmap for success that aligns with individual values and aspirations.
As the award-winning host of the podcast "Flourish in the Foreign," Christine amplifies the voices of Black women living and thriving abroad. She provides a platform for inspiring stories that resonate globally, showcasing how living abroad can be a pathway to comprehensive wellness.
Diamond Crystal: "Nomadic Hustles: Mastering Side Gigs for Ultimate Freedom"
I am Diamond Crystal aka Gallivanting Grandma™️
As a global nomad and international 5-star housesitting professional, I’ve successfully created a rich community of global connections through intentional effort.
A citizen of the world, I am purposed to help others create a fulfilling life for themselves and their families. My continued work as an intentional connector, organizational specialist and empathetic listening specialist assists others to recognize their full potential and live life unapologetically.
Shaughnessy King: "Skillsets to Leverage as a Virtual Assistant"
Shaughnessy is the founder of Success by Ness, a Toronto-based Virtual Assistant agency providing virtual executive business support across North America. Known for her feisty yet loving nature, Shaughnessy is an introvert who enjoys boosting her mood with soca music and immersing herself in audiobooks. She is passionate about learning new skills, enjoying delicious food, and exploring the outdoors in warm weather. Beyond her business, Shaughnessy supports aspiring Virtual Assistants through her course, The VA Guide, and loves spending time with her family, discovering new cities, watching Hallmark movies, and indulging in pizza.
Tracy Oyekanmi: "The Art of Creating a Successful Career Abroad"
Tracy is a Tech Communications professional with over a decade experience working with multicultural teams across Europe, Asia, The Middle East, and Africa. This exposed her to coaching C-Suite executives to adapt to their new environment. Then, she experienced firsthand the realities of global mobility herself while combining a Graduate degree, having a baby and moving to 2 countries in 3 years that led her to understand both sides of the divide.
She is the host of Visible At Work Podcast where she shares actionable insights and brings guests with similar stories to discuss their unique experiences of working abroad. She offers intercultural training and career coaching solutions for foreign professionals to navigate workplace issues in a new country with her clients earning over $10,000 - $50,000 on top of what they earned before.
Dianni Hall: "Getting Paid to Podcast: Becoming A Freelance Podcast Producer"
Dianni is a queer solo budget backpacker, second-generation Latina, and digital nomad who has been living a nomadic lifestyle for nearly six years. Her journey began with a solo trip to India, and she hasn't looked back since.
Currently, Dianni is a freelancer specializing in podcast production, having launched her own podcast, While She's Away, in 2020. On her show, she interviews women about their travel experiences and expertise, aiming to inspire others to live their best lives while exploring the world. She also currently works for two podcast production companies while simultaneously managing her own clients and sharing her travel adventures on her own social media channels! Dianni's passion for travel has driven her to see as much of the world as possible, and she's excited to share her knowledge and experiences with you!
Day 3
Andrew Rotz: "Financial Foundations: How to get your finances in order for your side business"
Andrew has worked in financial services since 2012. He loves seeing the relief that comes when he helps his Members alleviate a major stressor in their financial lives. He's worked at Fidelity Investments, built a bespoke financial wellness program at NC State University, and his own firm while also serving in the US Navy. He loves exploring the Star Wars world with his two boys, traveling around the real world, and history!
MaCara Santiago: "From Local to Global: Tax & Business Considerations For Your Business Abroad"
I'm MaCara, your Traveling Accountant! After years in the corporate nonprofit sector, a layoff prompted me to rebuild my career and deepen my understanding of personal finances. This led me to enroll in a financial literacy class, become a financial coach, and eventually teach financial literacy within my community. During the global pandemic, while completing my accounting degree, my passion for organizing finances and problem-solving flourished marking a significant career shift.
While traveling extensively, I noticed the lack of representation of minority women in the international finance industry which prompted me to create Around the World Ledger, a boutique accounting agency specializing in assisting US expat entrepreneurs and aspiring global entrepreneurs to strategically manage their business finances while ensuring compliance with the US tax code. Like you, I aspired to live abroad and build a small business.
Zoe Andall-Brown: "Find Your People & Make $1000 In Your First 3 Months"
My name is Zoe and I am a Tech and Launch VA for the prolific course creators and creatives out in the online world. I help persons reveal their brilliance through courses, challenges, webinars, websites and launches to get their community converting. After more than 20 clients and 100 projects in 3 years, I’ve got it down on what it takes to make sure my clients are taken care of and the most tech-clumsy client’s business a smooth experience.
Rosie Bell: "How to transform your travel experiences into revenue streams"
Rosie Bell is a location independent travel writer who has worked remotely all around the world for almost a decade. She is the author of ‘Escape to Self’ and has written for publications on both sides of the Atlantic including BBC Travel, BBC Worklife, Condé Nast Traveler, Fodor’s, Travel + Leisure, National Geographic Traveller, Cosmopolitan, and Lonely Planet. She helps portable professionals travel, work online, and thrive via articles, courses, and 1:1 mentoring at DiscoverySessions.com. Follow her travels on Instagram (@TheBeachBell) and read more of her writing at RosieBell.net.
Corri Golden: "How to Achieve the Three Degrees of Freedom By Passively Investing in Multifamily"
Corri is a full time real estate investor. His portfolio consists of (10) single and small multifamily properties across Tennessee and Kentucky. He also invests as general partner (GP) in over 500 units in multifamily in Tennessee, Kentucky, and North Carolina.
Corri’s experience in the real estate industry stems back to 2004, where he worked as a commercial real estate affiliate broker, while earning his degree in Business and Real Estate Urban Development. Later, he transitioned into Commercial Real Estate Property Management, where he managed over a million square feet of retail, office, and industrial properties.