SPEAKERS

1. Glenessa Gordon - Is the Assistant Director of Business Diversity Operations, in the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey’s Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. She currently develops and implements strategies to maximize opportunities, increase the capacity and ensure the success of Minority, Women-Owned, Small and Disadvantaged Business Enterprises (MWSBDEs) through opportunities within the Port Authority and with its business partners and tenants.
2. Jessica Garmon - Serves as the Chief Operating Officer & the Chief General Counsel of the Will Group, Inc., the pioneer company of several separate and distinct entities in the electrical, lighting, construction, technology, and energy related industries that all operate under the common philosophy, “Where There’s a Will, There’s a Way.”
3. Marjorie Perry - Is a lifelong resident of New Jersey, is the President and CEO of MZM Construction & Management Company, Inc. As importantly, she is widely recognized as an innovator, public speaker, writer and role model for women and minorities in business. Using her extraordinary path to success and 26 years of experience as fodder for inspiration, Perry finds her mission to be one who motivates nascent entrepreneurs to develop and pursue their dreams by sharing the lessons she has learned from her own success, which often meant taking life's lemons and making lemonade. Trained as an educator with a B.A. from Kean College, Perry’s path in teaching was diverted after she was caught in a series of layoffs in the Newark Public School system.

MODERATOR

1. Nikia Williams - Serves as Associate General Counsel for a nonprofit with a focus on Real Estate Development and Housing. Prior to her current role, Nikia was a Litigation Associate at a prominent New York City law firm and her practice focused primarily on construction law and commercial litigation. Nikia represented real estate owners, developers, design professionals, contractors and other members of the construction industry in litigation and transactional matters. Nikia dedicates much of her free time to addressing inequities within urban communities, mentoring youth and expanding access to legal services for low-income families.