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Keynote Speakers |
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Judge Glenda Hatchett
Host, "Judge Glenda Hatchett Show"
Jurist and Best-Selling Author
After graduating from Emory University School of Law and completing a coveted clerkship in the U.S. Federal Courts, Glenda Hatchett accepted a position at Delta Air Lines, as the company’s highest-ranking African-American woman. She served in dual roles as a senior attorney for Delta, litigating cases in federal courts throughout the country, and Manager of Public Relations, supervising global crisis management, and media relations for all of Europe, Asia and the United States. In fact, her outstanding contributions were recognized by Ebony Magazine, which named Glenda Hatchett one of the “100 Best and Brightest Women in Corporate America.” She made the difficult decision to leave Delta Air Lines in order to accept an appointment as Chief Presiding Judge of the Fulton County, Georgia Juvenile Court. Upon accepting the position, Glenda Hatchett became Georgia’s first African-American Chief Presiding Judge of a state court and the department head of one of the largest juvenile court systems in the country. Glenda Hatchett is a graduate and has been recognized as a distinguished alumni of Mt. Holyoke College and Emory University School of Law.
Because of her commitment to excellence and service within the community, Glenda was awarded the Emory Medal, (the highest award given to an alum by the university.) Currently, Glenda Hatchett presides over the syndicated show, “Judge Hatchett” (Sony Pictures Television), and is author of national best-seller, “Say What You Mean, Mean What You Say” (HarperCollins). She has previously served on the Board of Directors of Gap, Inc. and The Service Master Company . Presently, Glenda Hatchett is a board member of the Hospital Corporation of America (HCA), serving as chair of the Ethics, Compliance, Patient’s Safety Committee. She is also a board member of the Atlanta Falcons Football Organization and is the mother of two sons. She currently resides in Atlanta, Georgia. |
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Marta Sahagún de Fox
Former First Lady of Mexio
World Peace Activist
Preeminent Activist: Marta de Fox has used the visibility afforded to the wife of Mexico’s President to take strong stands on social issues. She has been effective in her support of a wide array of causes, including involvement in one program that reduced the incidence of physical handicaps in Mexican newborns by 70 percent. She has helped provide access to computers to underprivileged youth, and has chaired numerous organizations that work on behalf of women, children, healthcare, and education.
A Professional and a Mother: Marta de Fox is a mother of three. Prior to her marriage to Vicente Fox, she served as his communications director as he rose from governor to presidential candidate to president, and was the first woman to act as the federal government’s spokesperson. A brilliant innovator, Marta de Fox revolutionized the way the Mexican government
communicated with the public, and ushered in a new era of transparency in the government’s dealings with the press.
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Colonel Eileen Collins
First Woman to Pilot and Command an American Spacecraft
The first woman to pilot and command an American spacecraft, astronaut Eileen Collins has led an inspiring life of adventure, leadership, and achievement. Recognized as one of America’s most admired women, she is now sharing her experiences as a test pilot, astronaut, and space flight commander with audiences around the world.
In July 2005, Collins commanded Space Shuttle Discovery’s historic “Return to Flight” mission. This was NASA’s first manned flight following the February 2003 loss of the Shuttle Columbia.
Collins dreamed of becoming a pilot during her childhood in Elmira, New York. Her parents nurtured her dream, often taking her to Elmira’s “soaring field” to watch gliders take flight. She read every book she could on aviation, and when she got her first job at 16, she started saving up money for flying lessons. “I had saved up $1,000, and I took that to my local airport, at age 19,” she said. “I asked them to teach me how to fly.”
Collins achieved her dream of becoming an astronaut in July 1991. She flew on her first Shuttle mission, STS-63 Discovery, in February 1995, as the first woman ever to pilot a Space Shuttle. She also served as pilot on her second Shuttle mission, STS-84 Atlantis, in May 1997. In July 1999, she achieved another milestone by becoming the first woman ever to command a Shuttle mission, STS-93 Columbia. In July 2005, she flew her final NASA mission as commander of STS-114 Discovery. Over the course of her four Shuttle flights, she logged over 872 hours in space.
Her many medals, awards, and honors include a Defense Superior Service Medal, Distinguished Flying Cross, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, French Legion of Honor, NASA Outstanding Leadership Medal, the 2005 Al Neuharth Free Spirit of the Year Award, and the National Space Trophy. She retired from the U.S. Air Force as a colonel in January 2005.
Upon receiving the National Space Trophy in March 2006, Collins spoke of a new dream: “My dream, now, is that people will discover and invent new ways to fly higher, faster, and farther, and that someday humans will travel beyond our solar system. It will be expensive, it will be risky, and we will make mistakes as we go. But we will do it because we are explorers by nature.” |
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Jim Huling
CEO of MATRIX Resources
Leadership Consultant and Author
As CEO, Jim Huling has led MATRIX Resources, Inc., to industry-leading financial growth while receiving numerous national, regional and local awards for its customer service excellence, values-based culture and work-life balance programs. MATRIX was recently named one of the 25 Best Small Companies to Work for in America for the second year in a row by the Great Place to Work Institute and the Society for Human Resource Management. In 2005, Mr. Huling was awarded the Turknett Leadership Character Award for his outstanding demonstration of integrity, respect and accountability. |
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