Dr. Milpha Blamo is a seasoned leader in organizational development with over 20 years of experience. As Vice President of Talent and Culture(Head of HR) at the Minneapolis Foundation, she leads talent strategy, learning and development, and HR systems—shaping a values-driven and inclusive workplace culture. Her work reflects a deep commitment to mentoring and empowering current and future leaders. She brings her passion for leadership into the classroom, teaching graduate students at Saint Catherine University and undergraduates at the University of Minnesota–Twin Cities. She also serves on the Normandale Community College Business Advisory Council, aligning business programs with workforce needs. Milpha is a member of the Forbes Human Resources Council, where she shares insights on talent management. Her research has been published in the Journal of Leadership Education and presented at the Black Industrial/Organizational Psychology Conference. She is an alum of the prestigious Women of Color Leadership Program at Harvard Business School and a former board member of the Minnesota Council of Nonprofits. Milpha holds a B.A. in Economics from the University of Minnesota–Twin Cities, an M.A. in Nonprofit Management from Hamline University, and an Ed.D. in Leadership from Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota. She and her husband John, fellow Hamline and Saint Mary’s Alumni, are proud parents of three beautiful children who inspire them daily.
Ian Oundo is a first-generation African immigrant, entrepreneur, and community leader dedicated to advancing equity and opportunity. With a background in project management and business development, he has worked across sectors to connect professionals, employers, and policymakers, ensuring immigrant voices are represented in critical spaces. Currently a candidate for the Minnesota State Senate in District 35, Ian brings expertise in navigating change, fostering leadership, and building strong communities rooted in innovation and resilience.
Jenkins Vangehn is Agency Policy Specialist, Legislative Liaison, and Data Compliance Official at the Minnesota State Retirement System (MSRS), the premier retirement agency for public employees in Minnesota. MSRS manages assets of over $34 billion. Jenkins previously served as a Commissioner, Recreation and Parks Advisory Commission (RPAC) in the City of Brooklyn Park. He is a member of the Brooklyn Park Rotary Club. He also previously worked for the U.S. Department of State for more than 19 years at the U.S. Embassy in Monrovia, where he served as Political Assistant (January 2001 – March 2010) and Political Specialist (March 2010 – July 2020). During his time at the Embassy, Jenkins served under six U.S. Ambassadors and several chargés d’affaires.
In August 2003, he drafted the local ceasefire agreement that ended the second Liberian Civil War. Jenkins also played a prominent role in rehabilitating and reforming state institutions destroyed during the conflict. He worked with the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Transitional Initiatives (OTI), the International Contact Group on Liberia (ICGL), the Governance and Economic Management Program (GEMAP), Security Sector Reform (SSR), among others. Jenkins also helped organize free, fair, and democratic national elections in 2005, 2011, and 2017.
He received numerous honors and awards from the U.S. State Department, including the prestigious global Hero of U.S. Diplomacy Award (2021), Foreign Service National of the Year (2002), Superior Honor Award (2004 and 2011), Meritorious Honor Award (2005, 2006, 2010, 2012, 2016, 2018), Eagle Award (2015), and Franklin Award (2017).
Jenkins was an Edward S. Mason Fellow at the John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University (June 2021 – May 2023). He holds a Master in Public Administration (MPA) degree from Harvard University (2022) and a Bachelor of Arts degree in History and Political Science from the University of Ghana (1998). He also holds a graduate certificate in Public Leadership, Negotiation, Management, and Decision Sciences from the Kennedy School (2022).
In addition, Jenkins holds several certificates and diplomas from the George P. Shultz National Foreign Affairs Training Center in Arlington, Virginia. He also attended the Institute of Management Studies (IMS) in Accra, Ghana, where he completed the Ordinary National Diploma program (1993).
In August 2003, he drafted the local ceasefire agreement that ended the second Liberian Civil War. Jenkins also played a prominent role in rehabilitating and reforming state institutions destroyed during the conflict. He worked with the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Transitional Initiatives (OTI), the International Contact Group on Liberia (ICGL), the Governance and Economic Management Program (GEMAP), Security Sector Reform (SSR), among others. Jenkins also helped organize free, fair, and democratic national elections in 2005, 2011, and 2017.
He received numerous honors and awards from the U.S. State Department, including the prestigious global Hero of U.S. Diplomacy Award (2021), Foreign Service National of the Year (2002), Superior Honor Award (2004 and 2011), Meritorious Honor Award (2005, 2006, 2010, 2012, 2016, 2018), Eagle Award (2015), and Franklin Award (2017).
Jenkins was an Edward S. Mason Fellow at the John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University (June 2021 – May 2023). He holds a Master in Public Administration (MPA) degree from Harvard University (2022) and a Bachelor of Arts degree in History and Political Science from the University of Ghana (1998). He also holds a graduate certificate in Public Leadership, Negotiation, Management, and Decision Sciences from the Kennedy School (2022).
In addition, Jenkins holds several certificates and diplomas from the George P. Shultz National Foreign Affairs Training Center in Arlington, Virginia. He also attended the Institute of Management Studies (IMS) in Accra, Ghana, where he completed the Ordinary National Diploma program (1993).
Dr. Lyna Nyamwaya (Lee-Na Nyum-Wire) is an inspirational speaker, award-winning RN, educator, and entrepreneur who transitioned from hospital nurse leader to Million Dollar Round Table life insurance agent, serving thousands of families. As a Doctor of Education in Leadership, business strategist, and coach, Dr. Lyna empowers professionals, especially immigrants and women, to move from employment to entrepreneurship with purpose, strategy, and confidence.
Author of Leading with Cultural Humility, founder of The African Nurses Network Inc., and CEO of Bold Impact Group, Dr. Lyna’s journey from selling bananas in Kenya to coming to America with just 68 dollars to building a successful business in the U.S., inspires audiences to rise, lead, and profit with impact.
Based in Minneapolis, Lyna continues to lead with boldness and purpose.
Author of Leading with Cultural Humility, founder of The African Nurses Network Inc., and CEO of Bold Impact Group, Dr. Lyna’s journey from selling bananas in Kenya to coming to America with just 68 dollars to building a successful business in the U.S., inspires audiences to rise, lead, and profit with impact.
Based in Minneapolis, Lyna continues to lead with boldness and purpose.
Felix Okoth, PMP®, is an Executive Leadership Coach, Global Engineering Leader, Keynote Speaker, Author, and Podcast Host dedicated to transforming professionals from invisible to influential. With over 200,000 professionals already empowered, Felix's mission is ambitious: to inspire 1 million individuals to accelerate their career growth, reclaim their confidence, and lead with purpose. As the founder of Locus Leadership Group, Felix equips leaders with his proprietary 3-Phase Transformational Journey™ (Clarity → Action → Impact) and the 7 Pillars of Self-Leadership Mastery™, frameworks that deliver clarity, strategy, and measurable results. His personal journey from an orphanage in Kenya to leading multimillion-dollar engineering programs in the United States showcases the power of resilience and vision, serving as a testament to his leadership philosophy.
Felix’s signature talks are distinguished by three powerful differentiators:
Felix’s signature talks are distinguished by three powerful differentiators:
- The Precision of Engineering Leadership: Bringing clarity, strategy, and measurable results by translating complexity into actionable insights.
- The Inclusivity of a Multicultural Perspective: Enriched by his cross-continental experiences in Kenya, Ghana, and the U.S., Felix helps audiences navigate diverse environments with confidence.
- The Power of Proprietary Systems: Delivering proven frameworks for personal and organizational transformation.
Dr. Vera Ndumbe is an esteemed organizational development consultant with a profound commitment to nurturing talent and fostering leadership and teamwork skills. Her journey in this field originated from her experience as a direct care worker to a senior leadership position within a nursing home, where she discovered her passion for enhancing the capabilities of individuals and teams. Dr. Ndumbe is deeply dedicated to forging cross-disciplinary partnerships and emphasizes the importance of quality and responsibility in both personal and professional development.
As a mother of three college students, Dr. Ndumbe draws from her own life experiences to break down barriers and support other students through tailored one-to-one teaching experiences. She recognizes the significance of personalized education and its transformative impact on individuals.
Dr. Ndumbe's work extends across the State of Minnesota, where she champions equitable perspectives in advocacy, regulatory compliance, and strategies for addressing challenges related to the intergenerational workforce. Her compelling speaking engagements are marked by thought-provoking examples and effective methods that encourage reflective thinking among her audience, leaving a lasting impression on every room she enters.
As a mother of three college students, Dr. Ndumbe draws from her own life experiences to break down barriers and support other students through tailored one-to-one teaching experiences. She recognizes the significance of personalized education and its transformative impact on individuals.
Dr. Ndumbe's work extends across the State of Minnesota, where she champions equitable perspectives in advocacy, regulatory compliance, and strategies for addressing challenges related to the intergenerational workforce. Her compelling speaking engagements are marked by thought-provoking examples and effective methods that encourage reflective thinking among her audience, leaving a lasting impression on every room she enters.
Nkechi “Kiki” Gillman is the CEO and partner at The Gillman Immigration Law Firm, an Inc. 5000 Fastest Growing Company in America. She is a zealous and fierce immigration attorney who is creative and unconventional in her lawyering style. She is affectionately referred to by her followers as “The Fiercest ONE” for her edge, style, and coloring outside the line. Her legal career representing immigrants and immigrant survivors spans over 15 years.
She is a partner at The Gillman Immigration Law Firm and experienced in marriage-based green cards, VAWA, federal litigation, immigrant labor trafficking, and victims of crime. Through this process, she uplifts and empowers her clients to take back control of their lives. As an immigrant, it has always been an honor and privilege to walk her clients through this life-changing journey—one that is very personal and rewarding for her.
She has won numerous awards for her advocacy and humanitarian work, including being recognized as one of the “Top 100 Black Lawyers” in the United States. She is a wife and a "boy mom" to three beautiful boys. She is an athlete, loves running and traveling. Fluent in three languages—English, Spanish, and Krio—she has built a vibrant community across social media and continues to inspire young immigrants as they journey to achieve their American dream
She is a partner at The Gillman Immigration Law Firm and experienced in marriage-based green cards, VAWA, federal litigation, immigrant labor trafficking, and victims of crime. Through this process, she uplifts and empowers her clients to take back control of their lives. As an immigrant, it has always been an honor and privilege to walk her clients through this life-changing journey—one that is very personal and rewarding for her.
She has won numerous awards for her advocacy and humanitarian work, including being recognized as one of the “Top 100 Black Lawyers” in the United States. She is a wife and a "boy mom" to three beautiful boys. She is an athlete, loves running and traveling. Fluent in three languages—English, Spanish, and Krio—she has built a vibrant community across social media and continues to inspire young immigrants as they journey to achieve their American dream
Judy Osei is a strategic business leader with decades of experience driving high-impact transformational initiatives across Fortune 100 and 500 organizations. As Senior Director of Human Resources at Best Buy, Judy leads enterprise-wide programs focused on mentorship, immersive learning experiences that champion inclusive leadership and other employee development and engagement initiatives. With a career rooted in Change Management and Organizational Effectiveness, Judy has built and led capabilities in highly matrixed environments, particularly within retail and supply chain sectors. She’s led many strategic and transformational initiatives driving behavioral, cultural and mindset changes, focusing on organizational health and efficiencies. Judy is passionate about leading the transformation of organizational culture and is committed to enabling an environment where people authentically model behaviors that promote inclusive leadership as drivers of business success.
Judy’s professional journey began as a Broadcast Journalist in Accra, Ghana. After migrating to the U.S., she pivoted into Corporate Communications, where she discovered her passion for leading transformational change and driving strategic communication initiatives for retail organizations. Her unique blend of experience in media, communications, transformational change, organizational leadership, business strategy and change leadership has shaped her approach to leading and driving high-impact initiatives that enable purpose-driven organizational change.
She holds degrees in journalism and professional communication from the Ghana Institute of Journalism in Accra and Metropolitan State University in St. Paul, MN. Outside of work, Judy proudly embraces her most cherished role as a mom to 16-year-old twins. Whether cheering at her daughter’s volleyball games Go Trojans] or her son’s soccer games and supporting his entrepreneurial ambitions, Judy brings the
same energy and heart to her personal life as she does to her professional one.
Judy’s professional journey began as a Broadcast Journalist in Accra, Ghana. After migrating to the U.S., she pivoted into Corporate Communications, where she discovered her passion for leading transformational change and driving strategic communication initiatives for retail organizations. Her unique blend of experience in media, communications, transformational change, organizational leadership, business strategy and change leadership has shaped her approach to leading and driving high-impact initiatives that enable purpose-driven organizational change.
She holds degrees in journalism and professional communication from the Ghana Institute of Journalism in Accra and Metropolitan State University in St. Paul, MN. Outside of work, Judy proudly embraces her most cherished role as a mom to 16-year-old twins. Whether cheering at her daughter’s volleyball games Go Trojans] or her son’s soccer games and supporting his entrepreneurial ambitions, Judy brings the
same energy and heart to her personal life as she does to her professional one.
Leo Cardoso has been at Land O’Lakes, Inc. for over 14 years, where he is currently the HR Enablement Director. During his tenure at Land O’Lakes, he has held a variety of roles, including several years directly supporting parts of the business as an HR Business Partner. In his current role, his teams are responsible for HR’s digital strategy and execution, including HR technology support and deployments, people analytics, talent marketing, and HR’s early career development program. As part of the HR leadership team, he is also involved in broad cross-functional initiatives—including the strategic prioritization of Gen AI use cases, as well as advisement on general education and policy development related to it.
Leo earned his Master’s Degree in Human Resources and Industrial Relations from the Carlson School of Management at the University of Minnesota and is also a proud UW–Madison graduate, where he earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology along with a Certificate in Business.
Leo earned his Master’s Degree in Human Resources and Industrial Relations from the Carlson School of Management at the University of Minnesota and is also a proud UW–Madison graduate, where he earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology along with a Certificate in Business.
Tim O'Neill is DEED's regional analyst for the seven-county Twin Cities region of Minnesota. He has a bachelor's degree in history and political science from St. Olaf College in Northfield and a Master's degree in Public Policy from the Humphrey School of Public Affairs at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis.
