Is your business ready to take it to the NEXT LEVEL? Join us on September 23, from 6:00 - 7:30pm., to meet, mingle and hear some pitches from seven to eight outstanding entrepreneurs who are making waves in the minority community.

Donna Terrell, from Fox 16 will be our emcee for the evening. NEXT LEVEL is a "Shark Tank" Inspired event for established businesses to bring their innovative ideas in front of our Little Rock "sharks." Pitch applicants will be judged and hand selected by our partners at The Venture Center. This event will feature libations, dinner and networking with our minority business community. The winner of the NEXT LEVEL pitch competition will win a prize package designed to help take their business to the NEXT LEVEL. Tune in both in-person or virtual to vote for your Audience Choice favorite!

Little Rock Sharks

Brian E. Gittens, Ed.D, MPA
Vice Chancellor for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
Associate Professor, Department of Health Policy and Management
Fay W. Boozman College of Public Health
University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences

Dr. Brian Gittens specializes in organizational and leadership development, strategic diversity and inclusion, and change management. Brian is a diversity and inclusion executive, human resource professional, researcher, educator, and consultant with more than 30 years of operational and administrative experience. He has successfully led and collaborated on the design and implementation of organization-wide diversity and inclusion initiatives and organizational development programs.

Brian is a graduate of the George Washington University (EdD and Virginia Tech (B.A. Communications and Masters in Public Administration). He is a Certified Senior Professional of Human Resources and graduate of the AAMC Healthcare Executive Diversity and Inclusion Certificate program. He has held leadership roles at the University of Virginia School of Medicine and the School of Medicine and Public Health at UW-Madison. Brian is an executive board member of the Arkansas STEM Coalition. He is currently serving as the Vice Chancellor for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion for the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences.

Mimi San Pedro

Mimi San Pedro, The Venture Center's Chief Strategy Officer, is responsible for designing and implementing strategies that will help shape the future of entrepreneurial support in Arkansas and ensure The Venture Center's success with corporate partners, community stakeholders, and participating founders.

She has more than thirty years of successfully starting and growing a wide range of companies through her strategic marketing efforts for private, public, and corporate institutions. Ms. San Pedro and her family moved to the U.S. forty-five years ago, and she has been an active Arkansas community leader and committed non-profit volunteer ever since. Mimi is a traveling queen, loves to collect art, and is The Venture Center's resident foodie.

For San Pedro, supporting entrepreneurs and innovation at The Venture Center comes from a love for Arkansas and a full-throated belief in entrepreneurs' creativity to build a thriving community. San Pedro is a guide to Arkansas's best, regularly "wowing" heavy hitters in the fintech and innovation industries.

Dr. Laza Razafimanjato Ed.D.
Executive Director of Institutional Effectiveness, Strategy & Innovation (IESI)
Philander Smith College

After pursuing and completing an undergrad degree in Arts and Design at Abilene Christian University, he moved to Little Rock, AR to pursue a doctorate degree in education at UA-Little Rock. He has been working in the field of Higher Education for much of the past ten years in different areas such as multcultural enrichment and diversity, development, student affairs, student life research, institutional research and effectiveness, assessment, accreditation, and community engagement. He started working at Philander Smith College in 2017 and currently holds the position of Executive Director of Institutional Effectiveness Strategy and Innovation.

He enjoys serving in community-oriented activities as well through his church, workplace, non-profit organizatoins, and in any volunteer opportunities connected with building community and bettering the city. He is also a proud graduate of Leadership Greater Little Rock Class XXXIV.

Package Sponsors:
CustomXM
The Diversity Booth
Frost, PLLC
Performance Tax Group
Rose Law Firm
Jimenez Photography
Philander Smith College
Arkansas Business Publishing Group
Lamar Outdoor Advertising

Emcee
Donna Terrell anchors FOX16 News weekday evenings at 5:30 and 9. She joined FOX16 in February of 2004. Throughout Donna's broadcast career, Donna has been honored with several awards. Most recently earning Regional Emmy Award for her work as a News Anchor and for FOX16 News promotional campaign. She also won the National American Legion Fourth Estate Award and an Associated Press Award for her special reports on Grieving a Child. She garnered two more Emmy Awards for her work bringing light to cosmetic surgery and breast cancer issues. She has been nominated for numerous other Emmy Awards including a special report on a father who left his son in a hot car, a story on her daughter’s battle with colon cancer and Arkansas’ Little Rock 9. Donna also earned an Associated Press Award for her story on the controversial patients’ Right To Die.

Ms. Terrell is fully committed to community service. She created ‘Donna Terrell’s Yoga Warriors Fighting Colon Cancer’, a 501(c)(3) non profit organization that raises money for yoga classes for cancer survivors, patients and caregivers. The organization also provides funds for liquid nutritional supplements for survivors of colon and other cancers currently in treatment and in need of financial assistance. Yoga Warriors is in memory of her daughter Queah (pronounced: Quaya) who died from colon cancer at a young age, but during her battle found health benefits from yoga. The organization has at least one free community-wide yoga fundraising event each year. In addition, Donna is a current board member for Women and Children First, a domestic violence facility. She is a former board member for Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation and the Ronald McDonald House. She has also served as an Ambassador for the American Cancer Society.

Donna has a Bachelor of Applied Arts Degree in Broadcast and Cinematic Arts from Central Michigan University. She is a member of the National Association of Television Arts and Sciences, the National Association of Black Journalists and the Little Rock Chapter of The Links, Incorporated.

Look for Donna around Central Arkansas making various appearances at community events. When she first arrived here she told everyone Arkansas is a beautiful state and the Little Rock area is a well-kept secret. She still feels that way.

PITCH APPLICATIONS ARE CLOSED

Table Sponsors
EF Group

SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES ARE AVAILABLE! Please contact Stacy Wilson, Director of Programs and Investor Development at swilson@littlerockchamber.com or 501.377.6004.

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