Caroline A. Wanga is Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer and Vice President of Human Resources at the Target Corporation. She leads Target's strategic intent to champion an inclusive society with accountability for inclusive guest experiences, a diverse and inclusive work environment, and societal impact. As a cultural catalyst, she fuels Target’s business objectives through the company’s first-ever performance based D&I goals. Launched in 2015, Supplier Diversity, Marketing, Philanthropy, Retention, Hiring, Representation and Engagement have significantly improved. Caroline began her Target career in supply chain in 2005, serving in a variety of transformational leadership roles, including modernizing Supply Chain, Business Intelligence,Digital and Strategy capabilities prior to joining the Diversity & Inclusion team, in 2014. Caroline earned her bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Texas College, and is an inspirational thought leader and public speaker. Her innovative shared accountability approach to driving business results is featured in The Innovation Mentality by Glenn Llopis, Our Search For Belonging by Howard Ross, and The Multiplier Effect of Inclusion by Dr. Tony Byers. She is a Kenyan Citizen, Top Executive in Diversity by Black Enterprise, a member of the Executive Leadership Council (ELC), the Talladega College Board of Trustees, the Intersectionality, Culture, and Diversity Advisory Board for Twitter, and a co-chair of the Retail Industry Leaders Association (RILA) Diversity & Inclusion Initiative. Her greatest life accomplishment is her daughter, Cadence.
 
Irene Quarshie is a Vice President in Target Corporation’s global supply chain and logistics organization. In this role she has general management responsibilities for a $2B+ P&L, leading the indirect, reverse and returns logistics functions. Indirect supply chain operations include the forward movement of all non-sellable items procured to enable Target operations in all Stores, Distribution facilities and corporate offices. Reverse and returns logistics include developing and executing against final disposition strategies to maximize gross margin recovery rates and removing consumer friction points related to product returns. Her responsibilities also include leased and owned facility operations management. Previously, Irene was a vice president in Target’s global sourcing organization.  She led a global team of 300+ team members and was responsible for product quality and responsible sourcing.  Her team’s purpose was to ensure Target’s vendors and suppliers operated efficient, safe and ethical factory environments where they could produce safe, reliable, high-quality products. She had direct accountability for overseeing the production of nearly $30B in sales. Irene was also Target’s Director of Government Affairs where she oversaw all government affairs activities at state and local levels nationwide.  She has held other leadership positions during her tenure at Target, including Senior Group Manager of Corporate Risk and Responsibility and Group Manager of Supplier Diversity. Prior to Target, Irene spent five years as a strategy and management consultant at Booz Allen Hamilton, and three years in the government affairs industry. Among her many affiliations, Irene serves on the Board of Directors of Meet Minneapolis, The Cowles Center for Dance and the Performing Arts, and the Humphrey School of Public Affairs. Her graduate paper on juvenile justice was published in A Comparative Perspective on Major Social Problems. She holds a B.A. in political science from Adelphi University and Master’s in Public Policy from American University.
 
Jacques Apaloo is Senior Vice President, Chief Audit Executive, with MetaBank, a federally chartered savings bank headquartered in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Jacques is an Internal Audit professional who has been recognized for adding value to teams of some of the most reputable companies in and out of the State of Minnesota for about 20 years. His expertise is in governance, risk and control. Prior to working with Meta, he worked with several Minnesota companies, including UnitedHealth Group, Alianz Life, Jefferson Wells, Ceridian, and TCF Bank. Jacques received his MBA in Finance from the University of St. Thomas and a bachelor’s degree in Economics. Jacques is often described as genuine, smart, kind and highly productive---the kind of person you definitely want on your team, but wouldn’t want to go up against. Outside of work, Jacques is involved with his church, community-based boards and committees, and lending a helping hand to family and friends in whatever ways he can. Jacques is a native of Togo, West Africa. He’s mostly a homebody and enjoys spending time with family.
Godson Sowah is a leading Advisory Executive and Senior Manager in the Advisory Services practice of Ernst & Young LLP. With over a decade of professional services experience, Sowah is a high-performing executive, instrumental in providing Internal Audit, Enterprise Risk Management, and Integrated Financial Reporting services to Fortune 500, middle-market and multinational organizations. Additionally, Sowah advises executive management and leadership teams at public and private companies, including providing thought leadership for Board of Directors and Audit Committees. He has an extensive scope of responsibility and a track record of delivering exceptional client service. He has global experience leading international teams and engagements in North America, Europe, Asia and Latin America. He was awarded the  2016 Young Professional of the Year by the St. Paul Area Chamber of Commerce for exemplary contributions to the business sector and community and further named a 2016 Titan of Technology – Community Hero honoree by the Minneapolis-St. Paul Business Journal. In 2017, Governor Dayton appointed Godson to the State Board of Accountancy. This past June, Godson represented the Greater Twin Cities in the Harvard Business School – Young American Leaders Program to collaborate with 11 other cities across the country, to develop solutions that address challenges facing major cities. Godson is originally from Accra, Ghana. He is an alumnus of Luther College (Decorah, IA) and moved to Minnesota to start his career with Ernst & Young, LLP.
Lulete Mola is committed to social change that is intersectional, asset based, and led by communities most impacted. As Vice President of Community Impact at the Women's Foundation of Minnesota, Lulete puts this commitment to action as she leads the implementation and management of the Foundation’s grantmaking, evaluation, leadership, and field-building programs that enable large-scale systems change. In this role, Lulete also leads the Young Women’s Initiative of Minnesota, a multi-million-dollar public-private partnership to achieve equity in opportunities and improve the lives of young women of color and American Indian young women. Lulete is devoted to engaging in and supporting community organizing, movement building, and work to advance women's leadership, she was previously a Community Engagement Organizer with VoteRunLead. Lulete leads engagement and professional development initiatives in Minnesota’s East African community and is active in the movement for Black lives. Lulete is the recipient of the Humanity in Action Fellowship, Ibrahim Leadership and Dialogue Project Fellowship, and the Scholarly Excellence in Equity and Diversity Award. In 2017, Lulete was named Young Professional of the Year Finalist by the St. Paul Chamber of Commerce. Lulete graduated summa cum laude from the University of Minnesota
Teddy Bekele is the Chief Technology Officer at Land O’ Lakes. He has a passion for researching, developing and implementing innovative technology solutions to help retailers and farmers produce more food while using fewer resources in new and sustainable ways. Working within Land O'Lakes, Teddy offers a unique farm-to-fork perspective, with insights and visibility into all aspects of food, from the seed planted to the food we consume on the table. Teddy has been featured in several radio shows and technology publications including Fortune, ComputerWorld, MIT Sloan Management Review, Hoosier and RFD radio. In 2016, he was named in the inaugural PrecisionAg Magazine Top 10 people driving forward the adoption of precision agriculture. Teddy has also presented at South by South West and Google Next on the utilization of technology to optimize farming decisions. In 2017, was selected as a “Minnesotan to Meet” by WCCO. Teddy was born in Ethiopia, moved to Italy in 1985, finally immigrating to the US in 1993. He holds an MBA from Indiana University and a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from North Carolina State University.  He has lived in three different continents and speaks fluent Ethiopian and Italian. He currently lives in Minneapolis, MN with his wife Michele and 5-year-old son, Teddy Jr.
 






    • Amira Adawe is a Manager at Minnesota Children’s Cabinet Office of Governor Mark Dayton, where she works on early childhood in all policies and systems using equity lens. Amira previously worked at Minnesota Department of Health as a Legislative Liaison and Saint Paul – Ramsey County Public Health as a Planner, health educator and community engagement coordinator of Family Health and Community Engagement Division. She is a public health researcher and her research interests include women and children’s health in the areas of access to health care, skin-lightening practices and mercury exposures. Amira is the founder, Executive Director of the Beautywell Project, a campaign to combat the skin-lightening practices and chemical exposures in the immigrant and refugee communities in Minnesota and Nationwide. Amira is the host of Beauty-Wellness Talk at KALY Radio. She is the founding member of SoLaHmo – Somali, Latino and Hmong Partnership for Health and Wellness. Amira has undergraduate degree in Family Social Science and Master of Public Health from University of Minnesota School of Public Health. She was also a Policy Fellow 2015-2016 at Humphrey School of Public Affairs at the University of Minnesota. Amira’s work has been featured on local and national media including Minnpost, STAT, National Public Radio (NPR) and Matter of Fact with Soledad O’Brien.  











    • Nelima Sitati Munene is a Community Development professional and strategist working to advance racial, economic and social equity. She currently serves as the Executive Director of the African Career Education & Resource, Inc. (ACER) – a grassroots issue based organization working in the Twin Cities to advance equity especially within the African Immigrant community. Her work is driven by her desire to see everyone live to their fullest potential. Nelima is passionate about public service and civic engagement. She has served on various non profit boards and government commissions. She currently serves as on the boards of prg – a nonprofit housing developer, Women Venture – a Women’s Business Center that helps women grow profitable and sustainable businesses and the Alliance for Metropolitan Stability – a coalition of community based organizations and advocacy groups building shared power. Nelima served on the Metropolitan Council’s Housing Policy and Planning Work Group and is the current Co-Chair of the Council’s Equity Advisory Committee. She is an Alumni of the Humphrey Public Policy Fellow and the James P. Shannon Leadership Institute. Nelima is committed in developing the next generation of leaders, especially African female leaders and is currently invested in connecting youth to leadership roles. She is an avid reader and writer and also loves traveling and the outdoors. Her most important role in life is being a mother and wife.










    • Stefanie G Asante-Totimeh is an ICU trained registered nurse who works in the Pre op/ Pacu unit at United Hospital in St Paul. She owns her influencer brand, Stylishmomnurse. As an influencer, she promotes businesses, blogs as well as models. Her brand is inspired by style and self-esteem. Some of her modelling/influencing works can be found on many local and international commercial campaigns including Target, Fedex, YMCA, Dugo at the Galleria, Xcel Energy, among others. She is currently the face of her alma matter Inver Hills Community College’s nursing program on Metro transit buses in Minnesota.  Her platform encourages women to be confident, beautiful, and think outside the box in both their personal and professional lives.  She is also passionate about volunteering and is the Executive Director of the African Healthcare Workers United.  In every facet of her life as a mother to 2 children, wife, registered nurse, or influencer she walks with confidence as she tells her story in her own words. Stefanie has an associate in nursing from Inver Hills Community College and a Baccalaureate in Nursing from Bemidji State University.  She also holds both a Public Health Nurse and Medical Surgical Certifications. She loves to go to the gym, read, dance, and socialize. She is of Ghanaian heritage and has so much pride in being connected to the continent of Africa.












    • Daniel Sopdie is the Regional Strategy Manager at Greater MSP, where he builds, supports and guides teams and coalitions of partners to execute the regional economic development strategy. Before joining Greater MSP, Daniel was the Senior Program Manager at the Office of University Economic Development (UED) at the University of Minnesota. Daniel's other experience includes working as International Missions Communication Officer and International Programs Officer for the Starkey Hearing Technologies Corporate Foundation. Daniel has also served as a Social Entrepreneurship Fellow at The Resolution Project Inc., where he developed and implemented small enterprises in communities that link private and public funding to develop local and regional economies. Daniel earned bachelor’s degrees in Economic, Political Science, and International Relations from Wartburg College and his MBA from the Opus College of Business, University of St. Thomas.










    • Donald Joseph is a passionate and seasoned executive in the diversity, inclusion, and equity space who is focused on driving results through meaningful partnerships and leveraging data insights to enable leadership to critically interpret and understand business impacts. 
       Donald currently serves as the Senior Diversity and Inclusion Program Manager at C.H. Robinson.  In this role, he partners with executive leadership and human resources colleagues to shape the strategic focus to increase people of color and women in management roles to improve team performance, foster breakthrough results, maintain competitive advantage, and positively impact financial performance through a comprehensive measurement and accountability framework.  
       Donald has worked for complex, multinational companies such as IBM, Citigroup, and Target as well as organizations with social agendas, and has developed an understanding of the unique challenges that these organizations face. 
      Donald Joseph has a bachelor’s degree in Finance from Pace University and earned a master’s degree in Human Resources Management from New York University. Don has extensive board leadership experience, serving on the boards of One2One, which provides mentoring programs to students struggling with school, and the Network for the Development of Children of African Descent (NdCAD), which offers literacy and cultural enrichment programs and services for children, youth, and adults. 










    • Ann Taylor is Director of Talent Acquisition at Land O’Lakes, and in this role, leads recruitment for the organization as well as oversight for College Relations recruitment services for our member owners.   She contributes to the broader talent management initiatives for the Land O’Lakes enterprise, including as a member of the Talent Management Steering team at Land O’Lakes, as well as an active member of the Diversity Enrichment Council and part of the Recruitment Advisory Board for Minorities in Agriculture, National Resources, and Related Sciences.  Prior to her current position, she held the role of Human Resources Director for Dairy Foods, Purina Business to Business, and the Corporate Centers for Land O’Lakes, Inc.
      In addition to spending more than 18 years in her career at Land O’Lakes and through various roles within the HR organization, she previously held roles as Division Director for Robert Half, International and in Human Resources for Merrill Corporation.  Ann holds a College of Liberal Arts degree from the University of Minnesosa.      ​
    • Ebenezer S. Norman, is the founder and president of A New Dimension of Hope. He obtained a bachelor degree in organization development and working on his Master of Development Practice  from Regis University. Norman has served as a leader for many organizations including the “Father’s Project.” In 2013, he was a nominee of the “World of Children” award. He has aspirations that extend beyond personal success, and is deeply invested in his non-profit endeavors. His passion and commitment to change the world is what drives Norman daily.  He has sacrificed tremendously to launch and maintain A New Dimension of Hope, and has dramatically impacted the future scholastic opportunities for his first, chosen Liberian community. He has been recognized for his work with children both nationally and internationally.











    • Caroline Karanja is a software developer who is passionate about helping organizations and individuals grow towards cultural inclusion. She is the co-founder of 26 Letters, a SaaS solution that helps companies understand and incorporate, diversity, equity and inclusion. Her deep experience working in the technology space gives Caroline a unique perspective that has helped define and refine 26 Letters’ approach. Prior to founding 26 Letters, Caroline guided culture and inclusion initiatives as a consultant at large organizations and fast-growing startups. She focuses on helping individuals grow professionally and personally towards cultural competence. Her academic background is rooted in cultural and social studies and its application in the private sector.
















    • Jackie O, is the Assistant Nurse Manager for Labor and Delivery at second largest Birth center in the State of Minnesota. She is also the Director of Events for the African Nurses Network. 










  • Amira Adawe is a Manager at Minnesota Children’s Cabinet Office of Governor Mark Dayton, where she works on early childhood in all policies and systems using equity lens. Amira previously worked at Minnesota Department of Health as a Legislative Liaison and Saint Paul – Ramsey County Public Health as a Planner, health educator and community engagement coordinator of Family Health and Community Engagement Division. She is a public health researcher and her research interests include women and children’s health in the areas of access to health care, skin-lightening practices and mercury exposures. Amira is the founder, Executive Director of the Beautywell Project, a campaign to combat the skin-lightening practices and chemical exposures in the immigrant and refugee communities in Minnesota and Nationwide. Amira is the host of Beauty-Wellness Talk at KALY Radio. She is the founding member of SoLaHmo – Somali, Latino and Hmong Partnership for Health and Wellness. Amira has undergraduate degree in Family Social Science and Master of Public Health from University of Minnesota School of Public Health. She was also a Policy Fellow 2015-2016 at Humphrey School of Public Affairs at the University of Minnesota. Amira’s work has been featured on local and national media including Minnpost, STAT, National Public Radio (NPR) and Matter of Fact with Soledad O’Brien.  











  • Nelima Sitati Munene is a Community Development professional and strategist working to advance racial, economic and social equity. She currently serves as the Executive Director of the African Career Education & Resource, Inc. (ACER) – a grassroots issue based organization working in the Twin Cities to advance equity especially within the African Immigrant community. Her work is driven by her desire to see everyone live to their fullest potential. Nelima is passionate about public service and civic engagement. She has served on various non profit boards and government commissions. She currently serves as on the boards of prg – a nonprofit housing developer, Women Venture – a Women’s Business Center that helps women grow profitable and sustainable businesses and the Alliance for Metropolitan Stability – a coalition of community based organizations and advocacy groups building shared power. Nelima served on the Metropolitan Council’s Housing Policy and Planning Work Group and is the current Co-Chair of the Council’s Equity Advisory Committee. She is an Alumni of the Humphrey Public Policy Fellow and the James P. Shannon Leadership Institute. Nelima is committed in developing the next generation of leaders, especially African female leaders and is currently invested in connecting youth to leadership roles. She is an avid reader and writer and also loves traveling and the outdoors. Her most important role in life is being a mother and wife.










  • Stefanie G Asante-Totimeh is an ICU trained registered nurse who works in the Pre op/ Pacu unit at United Hospital in St Paul. She owns her influencer brand, Stylishmomnurse. As an influencer, she promotes businesses, blogs as well as models. Her brand is inspired by style and self-esteem. Some of her modelling/influencing works can be found on many local and international commercial campaigns including Target, Fedex, YMCA, Dugo at the Galleria, Xcel Energy, among others. She is currently the face of her alma matter Inver Hills Community College’s nursing program on Metro transit buses in Minnesota.  Her platform encourages women to be confident, beautiful, and think outside the box in both their personal and professional lives.  She is also passionate about volunteering and is the Executive Director of the African Healthcare Workers United.  In every facet of her life as a mother to 2 children, wife, registered nurse, or influencer she walks with confidence as she tells her story in her own words. Stefanie has an associate in nursing from Inver Hills Community College and a Baccalaureate in Nursing from Bemidji State University.  She also holds both a Public Health Nurse and Medical Surgical Certifications. She loves to go to the gym, read, dance, and socialize. She is of Ghanaian heritage and has so much pride in being connected to the continent of Africa.












  • Daniel Sopdie is the Regional Strategy Manager at Greater MSP, where he builds, supports and guides teams and coalitions of partners to execute the regional economic development strategy. Before joining Greater MSP, Daniel was the Senior Program Manager at the Office of University Economic Development (UED) at the University of Minnesota. Daniel's other experience includes working as International Missions Communication Officer and International Programs Officer for the Starkey Hearing Technologies Corporate Foundation. Daniel has also served as a Social Entrepreneurship Fellow at The Resolution Project Inc., where he developed and implemented small enterprises in communities that link private and public funding to develop local and regional economies. Daniel earned bachelor’s degrees in Economic, Political Science, and International Relations from Wartburg College and his MBA from the Opus College of Business, University of St. Thomas.










  • Donald Joseph is a passionate and seasoned executive in the diversity, inclusion, and equity space who is focused on driving results through meaningful partnerships and leveraging data insights to enable leadership to critically interpret and understand business impacts. 
     Donald currently serves as the Senior Diversity and Inclusion Program Manager at C.H. Robinson.  In this role, he partners with executive leadership and human resources colleagues to shape the strategic focus to increase people of color and women in management roles to improve team performance, foster breakthrough results, maintain competitive advantage, and positively impact financial performance through a comprehensive measurement and accountability framework.  
     Donald has worked for complex, multinational companies such as IBM, Citigroup, and Target as well as organizations with social agendas, and has developed an understanding of the unique challenges that these organizations face. 
    Donald Joseph has a bachelor’s degree in Finance from Pace University and earned a master’s degree in Human Resources Management from New York University. Don has extensive board leadership experience, serving on the boards of One2One, which provides mentoring programs to students struggling with school, and the Network for the Development of Children of African Descent (NdCAD), which offers literacy and cultural enrichment programs and services for children, youth, and adults. 










  • Ann Taylor is Director of Talent Acquisition at Land O’Lakes, and in this role, leads recruitment for the organization as well as oversight for College Relations recruitment services for our member owners.   She contributes to the broader talent management initiatives for the Land O’Lakes enterprise, including as a member of the Talent Management Steering team at Land O’Lakes, as well as an active member of the Diversity Enrichment Council and part of the Recruitment Advisory Board for Minorities in Agriculture, National Resources, and Related Sciences.  Prior to her current position, she held the role of Human Resources Director for Dairy Foods, Purina Business to Business, and the Corporate Centers for Land O’Lakes, Inc.
    In addition to spending more than 18 years in her career at Land O’Lakes and through various roles within the HR organization, she previously held roles as Division Director for Robert Half, International and in Human Resources for Merrill Corporation.  Ann holds a College of Liberal Arts degree from the University of Minnesota.  










  • Ebenezer S. Norman, is the founder and president of A New Dimension of Hope. He obtained a bachelor degree in organization development and working on his Master of Development Practice  from Regis University. Norman has served as a leader for many organizations including the “Father’s Project.” In 2013, he was a nominee of the “World of Children” award. He has aspirations that extend beyond personal success, and is deeply invested in his non-profit endeavors. His passion and commitment to change the world is what drives Norman daily.  He has sacrificed tremendously to launch and maintain A New Dimension of Hope, and has dramatically impacted the future scholastic opportunities for his first, chosen Liberian community. He has been recognized for his work with children both nationally and internationally.











  • Caroline Karanja is a software developer who is passionate about helping organizations and individuals grow towards cultural inclusion. She is the co-founder of 26 Letters, a SaaS solution that helps companies understand and incorporate, diversity, equity and inclusion. Her deep experience working in the technology space gives Caroline a unique perspective that has helped define and refine 26 Letters’ approach. Prior to founding 26 Letters, Caroline guided culture and inclusion initiatives as a consultant at large organizations and fast-growing startups. She focuses on helping individuals grow professionally and personally towards cultural competence. Her academic background is rooted in cultural and social studies and its application in the private sector.
















  • Jackie O, is the Assistant Nurse Manager for Labor and Delivery at second largest Birth center in the State of Minnesota. She is also the Director of Events for the African Nurses Network. 

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