Philly Tech Week 2019

Technology and Lifestyle Expert Stephanie Humphrey’s mission in life is to show people how technology can make their lives easier. Stephanie spent two years as the technology contributor to the nationally-syndicated talk show The Harry Show, hosted by Harry Connick, Jr. and she is currently a contributor to Good Morning America and Strahan & Sara. She is the regular on-air tech contributor to Fox 29’s Good Day Philadelphia where she’s delivered tech news since 2012. Stephanie spent three years as the technology writer for EBONY.com and a contributor to EBONY magazine and spent two years as the spokesperson for HP, Inc. on the QVC shopping channel. And Stephanie uses social media to help people understand tech basics with her weekly 60-Second Tech Break on Instagram & Twitter.

‘Til Death Do You Tweet is a seminar for students, parents, or professionals that helps them understand the potential negative consequences of online behavior - especially through social media - and gives helpful advice on how people can maintain a positive reputation in cyberspace. Stephanie is a former engineer for Lockheed Martin with engineering degrees from Florida A&M University and the University of Pennsylvania.

Veniece Newton, is a true entrepreneur of today who has been connecting people and products through her relationship building for more than a decade. In her early years, while working in promotions and marketing in the music industry for Arista Records in NYC she learned the importance of people and how they connect the dots. Eventually, she developed an entrepreneurial spirit that could not be denied. Her innovative and unparalleled ability to harness the power of relationship building has given her tremendous respect in the business community. Always ahead of the curve, 15 years ago she founded an online fashion/lifestyle television in which she oversaw a production team of 30 from Hong Kong, Alaska, Los Angeles, Miami and New York City. While travelling the world, she interviewed A list celebrities, cover red carpets for many high-profile events. The years of varied experiences, allowed her to eventually find her way to what she truly loved, and that is being involved in the community. As a natural connector, she is a member of several committees and enjoys consulting others with their business ventures. She serves as the Diversity Liaison for the Philadelphia International Airport in which she works specifically to improve workforce while pursuing an Executive MBA at the Fox Temple School of Business. However, one of her strong passions lies in working with youth. She not only has a flair for business and connecting people, but she also has a heart of gold. For the past 10 years, she has devoted her time to empowering the next generation of leaders. She is a panel member for the District Attorney’s Youth Aid Panel and the Founder of Community Angel Foundation; a nonprofit organization that gives back by encouraging, empowering and educating our youth to be future leaders through 4 pillars focusing on volunteerism, education, career and culture. Everything Veniece involves herself with, always includes giving back. It wasn’t no different when she made it to the "Final Four" during the Camden Catalyst startup competition for her innovative idea of ENGAGEathon! And it wasn't farfetched in knowing that her startup would involve community engagement. ENGAGEathon is a customizable software platform that tracks and promotes community engagement, outreach and social impact which will be used by corporations, school districts and organizations. Veniece has a mission to bring our communities together in a positive and effective way; and she will not stop until her mission is complete. Her latest project, Cypher City is a nationwide livestreaming cypher competition in which the public votes through all social media platforms. Cypher City is a very exciting because it allows Veniece to acknowledge the importance of diversity & inclusion and provides a platform for aspiring lyricists to express themselves through words. Veniece is a woman of today and an inspiration for many to believe in yourself and have hope for all.

Lillian Dunn is a cultural organizer and poet in Philadelphia whose work explores the power of art to cultivate belonging, and, in the words of urbanist Mindy Fullilove, “unpuzzle the fractured city”. Lillian runs the SPACES Artist in Residence Program at The Village of Arts and Humanities, a 30-year-old community arts organization in North Philadelphia. A 2-time winner of the ArtPlace America award, SPACES connects neighborhood leaders with artists to create unique arts-based solutions to local challenges. She’s co-founder of APIARY Magazine, a free all-ages Philadelphia literary magazine; teaches poetry at New Pathways Project, an LGBTQ recovery space; and writes with the collectively-led Rogue Workshop.

With over 20 years of experience in healthcare operations, Devetta James offers a unique blend of leadership, vision and knowledge. She is the Senior Vice President of Customer Operations for AmerisourceBergen and her vision is to provide exceptional experiences through integrated service and support. Devetta has been with AmerisourceBergen since 2006 and has a passion for connecting people, process and technology. Devetta currently leads the customer service, customer integration and data management, customer system support, business enablement, and commercial analytics teams. In addition to her role as an leader, Devetta is one of the founding members of the Black Leadership Council and is active within the Diversity and Inclusion and Women in Network Committees at AmerisourceBergen. She is on the board of Imagine Well, a non-profit organization whose goal is to educate and empower its clients in their respective fields to refine their focus and production output within the community.

Devetta holds a Master of Science in training and development from Amberton University and a Bachelor of Science in business.administration from Northwood University. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her husband, family and friends, catching a good movie and listening to great music.

Sara Mohazzebi is the founder of Think Free Productions, a media and production company committed to promoting stories of diversity, equality, and thinking outside the box in a variety of formats including digital media content, documentary shorts and series, commercials, music videos, and scripted television and film projects. Known as a leading expert in social good, arts/subculture, and innovative entrepreneurial coverage, Sara has consulted for wide range of high-profile and award-winning nonprofit organizations, and advertising agencies including Saatchi and Saatchi’s Team One and Shine On Sierra Leone and is a speaker and moderator at popular media and tech conferences. At Think Free, she brings her expertise and experience as a former social good and culture journalist to her current directing and executive producing slate.

Prior to Think Free, Sara was the editor-in-residence for the launch of the digital division of Reese Witherspoon's production company Hello Sunshine. During her residency, Sara created and directed the original limited docu series Turning Point with co-producer and director of photography Alexis Casson featuring Amanda DeCadenet of Girl Gaze, designer Melody Ehsani, and Style Seat CEO Melody McCloskey. She also created the written series The Storytellers where she interviewed a spectrum of female storytellers about their creative process such as author Elizabeth Gilbert, television writer and director Gail Lerner of ABC’s Blackish, feature film and television costume designer Mona Many, EVP of Marvel Studios Victoria Alonso, director and activist Abigail Disney, and novelist Emily Giffin. Additionally, she created the monthly original essay submission series where the public can submit their personal essays and be published on Hello Sunshine's digital platforms.

For the past decade, Sara has been an international journalist and producer and has travelled the world covering the endeavors of social good activists, cultural influencers, icons, and A-list entertainment talent. With a reputation for reporting from refugee camps to red carpets, her work has been published in numerous popular domestic and international media outlets including The Daily Beast, Esquire, Marie Claire, Teen Vogue, Emirates Woman, + PopSugar. Sara was also the syndicated columnist + host of the series Up To Real Good, a column dedicated to socially conscious brands with a global give back to women and children’s health and development for TakePart World (Participant Media’s news division). Sara has also written for and been commissioned by the United Nations World Food Programme and the Montblanc Signature For Good initiative in addition to being a global culture correspondent for Puma Social.

Sara has an MFA in Film Producing from the American Film Institute and is the recipient of the Amy Bloch Producer Fellowship for producing excellence. She also has a B.S. in Film + Multimedia Production from Drexel University.

Her favorite word is yes.

OMAR GRANT DIRECTOR, CREATIVE – NEW YORK As Director, Creative, New York for Broadcast Music Inc. (BMI), Omar Grant is responsible for discovering, signing and fostering the growth of songwriters and producers in the R&B, hip-hop and gospel genres. In addition, Grant oversees showcases, workshops and panels aimed at educating and supporting the creative community. He reports directly to BMI Vice President, Creative, Atlanta, Catherine Brewton. Since joining BMI in 2017, Grant has been instrumental in signing and fostering the growth of decorated songwriters and producers in the R&B, hip-hop and gospel genres, such as 2019 GRAMMY-Award winning producer Ayo, Ari Lennox, Pi’erre Bourne, TrifeDrew, Lil TJay, Maddox Grayson, and STREETRUNNER. Grant has also spearheaded many of BMI’s signature programs including “How I Wrote That Song®” surrounding the 2018 GRAMMY Awards, “Songwriters Social Club”, and the hip-hop “Know Them Now” series where he was responsible for bringing the primarily Atlanta-based showcase to New York City. Before coming to BMI, Grant worked at BET Networks where he was the director of BET’s Music Matters, a broadcast and digital platform that promotes both emerging and well-established talent through original programming, monthly events and nationwide tours. Grant was responsible for scouting talent, managing all live events and the supervision of new marketing strategies and releases. Prior to BET Networks, he worked at AOL in Television Production where he developed, managed and executed creative show concepts for on-air programming. Grant received a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, Management and Operations from Nyack College.