Amy Kesselhaut Rice earned her Bachelor of Science from USC’s Marshall School of Business and her Master of Arts from UC Santa Barbara.  As a seasoned Entrepreneur Advisor with a solid foundation in finance, Amy is renowned for her commitment that transcends traditional advisory roles, embracing mentorship and motivation. Recently she launched Alumni Emporium, a platform dedicated to celebrating and supporting entrepreneurs.

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Damien Dwin is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Lafayette Square, a private credit firm lending capital to growing middle market companies in working-class places. Previously, Damien served as Co-Founder and Co-CEO of Brightwood Capital Advisors from its founding in 2010 to October 2020.  

Damien began his career as a trader with Goldman Sachs, New York & London, there earning the Michael P. Mortara Award for Innovation. At Credit Suisse, he was the Co-Founder and Head of the North American Special Opportunities business until 2010. Damien also served on the Vice President Selection Committee and led the Fixed Income Division Credit Training Program.  

Damien serves on the non-profit boards of Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Studio Museum in Harlem, National Trust for Historic Preservation, and Boys’ Club of New York and Vera Institute of Justice. He is a Council Member of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture. Damien received a B.S./B.A. from Georgetown University. 

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Eda has 15+ years of entrepreneurial, advisory and investment experience in the U.S. and Africa and has executed capital markets and M&A transactions with an aggregate value of over $8 billion. Her past roles include Principal at an early stage investment firm, Vice President in Citigroup’s Investment Banking division and co-founder and operator of food service and agribusiness ventures in West Africa. She is a Georgetown and Columbia Business School alumna, Trustee of the Emmanuel Baptist Church in Brooklyn, NY and an executive board member of the Brooklyn Kindergarten Society. She is a gardener, lifelong runner and finisher of 4 NYC marathons.

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As Senior Vice President of Strategic Financial Services and WBE Engagement, Laura leads the WBENC Financial Center of Excellence. The Financial Center of Excellence, known as LIFT, seeks to break down access to capital barriers for women entrepreneurs by providing comprehensive financial support and resources, including instructor-led education, eLearning, coaching, networking, and funding opportunities.

Laura also leads the WBE engagement and recognition efforts including WBE Stars, the Women’s Enterprise Forum, and Procurement Opportunities programs. In addition, she is accountable for the WBENC Capstone program, the pinnacle executive education offering, as well as the corporate member recognition program, America’s Top Corporations for Women Business Enterprises. Prior to her current role, Laura was accountable for WBENC Certification and the organization’s strategic partnerships with its Regional Partner Organization Network.

Before coming to WBENC in 2018, Laura was a senior leader in the Global Supply Chain organization at Pitney Bowes with additional leadership roles in Procurement, Finance, and Customer Service.

Laura is a former Chair of the Board of Directors for the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council. Laura is a William J. Alcorn Leadership Award recipient and is in the AIDC Women’s Business Enterprise Hall of Fame.

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Vistage Coach, Vistage Worldwide, Inc.

Judith Goldkrand is a Vistage Coach and a strategic business leader with broad experience in finance. She has a proven track record of scaling teams, leadership development, execution, and risk mitigation. She leads with vision and creates a culture of caring. Coaching and mentoring are in her DNA. She strives to make an interconnected, compassionate world for entrepreneurs/business owners to achieve their dreams.

Judith’s five wisdoms:

1. Ask Questions – It is always ok not to know. What is not ok is not to ask. Help is available and you are not alone. Join a network of trusted advisors and leverage their knowledge. Stay curious and willing to learn.
2. Believe in Yourself – You are worth it. Own your ideas and stand up for yourself. Trust yourself and be open to learning and growth. Be strong and have courage.
3. Learn the Rules of the Game – Do the work. Educate yourself. Show up every day to make a difference. Learn from good examples and those you would not repeat. Surround yourself with experts and diverse voices.
4. Let People Know They Matter – Care about others. Create a safe environment of equity and inclusion: a place where all belong and matter for who they are as their authentic selves. Listen generously and be empathetic. Make space for all voices in the room because this is where creativity and life will thrive.
5. Build Community – There is value in community, in being together, sharing ideas, knowledge, and experiences. When we collaborate and work together, we grow more effectively, faster, and elevate each other. Know your community is there for you even when you are not there for yourself.

Be generous, kind, and open. Listen with your whole heart. Care deeply about others. Share your connections, network, and resources. Make an impact every day.

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