Dr. Mark Lawson
Mark has 15+ years of experience in the pharmacy industry, including work in retail, research, managed care and hospital pharmacies. He earned a Pharm.D. from the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy and Science and a Masters in Business Administration and Healthcare Management (MBA-HCM) from Widener University. He is also certified as a Diabetic shoe fitter and a licensed vaccinator.
Mark’s clinical areas of interest include Asthma, Diabetes, HIV, and Immunology. He has worked in Managed Care and understands how the cost of healthcare is balanced by clinical practice. This experience is what drove Mark back into clinical practice, with the goal of empowering patients to take control of their own health and working in support of underserved populations.
Steve Bauer
Steve is an entrepreneur, strategic advisor, skilled facilitator and provocative thinker. He founded Tier 1 Group in 2010 as a platform to deliver high impact growth solutions on behalf of small and mid sized organizations. Steve possesses the unique ability to synthesize concepts and paradigms into clear frameworks that help clients understand obstacles and make strategic choices. His career experience includes founding The Preeminent Growth Collaborative and The Referral Academy. He also served as Vice President of Client Services at The Three Marketeers and as a Credit Officer with CIT Group.
Steve’s frameworks are rooted in community building and the idea that both success and joy happen when we build meaningful relationships. He is blessed to have been mentored by his father Leigh, an attorney and Wharton professor, as well as his father-in-law Ken Erdman, a CLIO award-winning target marketer. Bauer earned an MBA from Villanova University and a BA in Economics from Bucknell University. He has served as President of the Entrepreneurs Roundtable, Executive Committee Member of The Business Leadership Forum, and Chair of Business at Daybreak, all with The Union League of Philadelphia. In addition, he is the Founder and Past President of the Rotary Club of Chestnut Hill, Assistant Governor of Rotary District 7450, and Scoutmaster Emeritus of Boy Scout Troop 177 in Wyndmoor, PA.
Dr. Amany Mansour-Awad
Amany is the president, founder, and pharmacist-in-charge at Chemistry RX. She has over 20 years of experience working in pharmaceutical manufacturing and regulatory affairs, hospital and clinical pharmacies, as well as specialty pharmacies. She has extensive operational and quality assurance expertise within various pharmaceutical practice settings.
Amany’s career began as an international GMP consultant, where she worked in Tokyo, Japan for over 3 years specializing in pharmaceutical engineering. After she returned to the U.S., Amany served as a Business Development Manager and Pharmaceuticals Strategy Consultant with mid-sized pharmaceutical engineering and validation firms. She earned a patent for her work in pharmaceutical validation software technology. Amany has worked at some of the region’s leading healthcare institutions, including Jefferson Neuroscience Hospital and the Health System at the University of Pennsylvania. Amany is a proud graduate of the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy and Sciences (now the University of Sciences, Philadelphia) with a BS in Pharmacy and received an MBA with distinction from the Fox School of Business, Temple University.
Malyka Sankofa
Malyka serves as a director at The Enterprise Center (TEC) and Norristown Small Business Assistance Center, responsible for education and technical assistance to support prospective and current business owners. She also supports the minority, disabled and woman-owned business certification process and helps contractors and construction managers in the matchmaking process. Malyka served as director of TEC’s Youth + Entrepreneurship = Success classroom, where after and summer school participants learned how to start and run their own business. She also led entrepreneurship and leadership programs serving survivors of domestic violence and citizens returning from incarceration.
Malyka has worked as a classroom teacher and professional development trainer for teachers and law enforcement officers. Prior to becoming a full-time instructor and business coach, she was a successful entrepreneur in the hair and bridal industries. Malyka works to help people improve their lives and give back to their community. She is passionate about equity and diversity in education. She is a national recipient of the 2016 True Inspiration Award for emerging leadership development and entrepreneurship education. Malyka holds a B.S. in Education from West Chester University, certification in Applied Positive Psychology from the Flourishing Center, and Entrepreneurial Mindset Profile and Financial Coach Training certifications.
Dr. Benjamin Alouf Aetna/CVS
Dr. Benjamin Alouf is an experienced Chief Medical Officer with a demonstrated history of leading change in the clinical and managed healthcare industry. He is a strong healthcare services professional with a Master of Business Administration (MBA) focused in Health/Health Care Administration/Management. Skilled in medical necessity, value based contracting, provider-health plan collaboration, clinical transformation, fee for service and bundled service contracting, population health, managed care and strategy. As a Pediatrician,
Dr. Alouf provided primary care to underserved communities. As a clinical leader he was Division Chief of Pediatrics at Albany Medical Center and Director of Primary Care at duPont Hospital for Children where he launched several clinical programs as well as directed the training clinic for Pediatric Residents. He has held academic appointments at Albany Medical College, Temple University and Jefferson Medical College. His work on child advocacy with the American Lung Association, the New York Legislator and other not for profit and government agencies has brought about improvements in children's health and wellbeing.
Rick Simmons
Rick brings 30+ years of professional experience in sales and marketing to each project. He works closely with mid sized companies to develop comprehensive, scalable online marketing solutions. His marketing experience includes online and offline strategies, from brochures and direct mail to online advertising. Rick has 20+ years of digital sales and marketing work, supporting a diverse range of startups and companies with revenue up to $50 million dollars.
His experience using traditional internet marketing strategies such as Search Engine Optimization, Pay-Per-Click and social media has been honed in-house at several digital agencies. As a founding member of Dinkum Interactive, Rick helped build a company that moved the needle for small companies with website and SEO support. Most recently, Rick founded Simmons Online Solutions, where he created keyword based messaging plans that increase online traffic. Rick loves to share what he knows as a seasoned public speaker at business groups, team meetings, and academic institutions, including La Salle University and Temple University. He earned a Bachelor’s Degree from Temple University.
Nicole Fields
For over ten years, Nicole Fields has served as a leader in her field. She worked as a Social Service Director at a skilled nursing home for eight years, before moving into a community social work position supporting elderly and disabled clients and families in the Philadelphia area. While holding formal social work positions, Fields assisted in the implementation, operations, and facilitation of all aspects of creating Camp Endeavor, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization providing aftercare and summer camp programs to support inner city youth, working alongside her husband.
Fields’s desire to make a positive impact came from her father, a Philadelphia firefighter, fire educator, and entrepreneur. Her parents both made a conscious effort to support their community throughout her upbringing. Nicole earned a Master’s Degree and Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work from Temple University, gaining a license in her field. At Temple University, she interned in the heart of Kensington, sparking a desire to provide youth with safe havens and places of growth, acceptance, and opportunities. In 2013, Nicole and her husband would officially embark on making that dream a reality, launching Camp Endeavor, Inc.
Patty Jackson
A South Philadelphia native, is a thirty nine year radio and multi-media veteran.
Patty is currently the midday host on WDAS, and listeners can enjoy her iconic voice 10am - 3pm, Monday through Saturday. Ms. Jackson who was recently induced into the Philadelphia Broadcast Pioneer hall of fame, is an entertainment writer for the Philadelphia Tribune Magazine as well as the Philadelphia International Airport’s official voice of welcome and information! Jackson continues to strive for greatness on-air, and continues to reinvent herself with her YouTube channel, and her “Patty and the Millennials” podcast!
Dr. Veirdre Jackson
Veirdre is pursuing her purpose, passion, and life’s priority to share her belief that all children deserve the best education available. She is an award-winning author, educator, and entrepreneur, recognized as a leading educational trainer in trauma-informed practices and cultural competence. She is a veteran educator with over 20 years of experience supporting non-profit and executive leadership.
Dr. Jackson is the CEO and Founder of Living Strong Consulting LLC and Co-Founder of Fresh Fountain of Life Counseling and Wellness. She provides training, consulting and support for parents, educators, administrators, clinicians and youth development staff who desire to impact children from the inside out.
Veirdre serves on the educational executive boards of the Black Women’s Educational Alliance and Camp Endeavor. A highly sought-after speaker and consultant, she has worked with organizations like Lakeside Global Institute, Penn State Extension, Pennsylvania Early Head Start, Zero to Three, and various K-12 public and charter school districts.
Christyn Mitchell
Christyn Mitchell has over 13 years working as an occupational therapist, specializing in working with children 5-21 years old with special needs including autism and emotional/behavioral challenges. Prior, to teaching at a local university, she served as a program coordinator in an autistic support program located in an approved private school and as a director of student support services in a charter high school in Philadelphia. Christyn has a B.S. in Psychology from Loyola University Chicago, a M.Ed. in elementary education from Chestnut Hill College in Philadelphia and a M.S. in Occupational Science from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Christyn also served a 2-year commitment in Teach for America teaching in the School District of Philadelphia.