Amelia Johnson is a wedding photographer turned 2020 food and home enthusiast! From taste-testing every fast food chocolate chip cookie to tiling and renovating her bathroom, Amelia boldly and positively navigates the home front with style and relatability.

Dr. Altreisha Foster is a Jamaican born Howard University public health professional living in MN.

Altreisha moved to Minnesota with her family in 2018 and is married to Dr. Oladi Bentho and they share two children Kende and K'nedy.

She is the owner of Sugarspoon Desserts and Cake Therapy Minnesota. Sugarspoon Desserts was launched in late 2017 and Cake Therapy was launched in early 2020 as an outlet to share and highlight the therapeutic properties of baking.

Sugarspoon Desserts make cakes and desserts for all social events.

The perfect marriage of art and science – the French macaron, a naturally gluten-free dessert that will melt in your mouth. With flavors inspired by the seasons, including the best chocolate ganache you have ever tasted, each macaron is an epicurean delight.

Nikkolette has always been passionate about baking; she’s been making desserts for family and friends for years. Embracing her natural drive for perfection, she set her sights on one of the most challenging French patisserie—the macaron!

Thousands of macarons later, Nikkolette offers nationwide shipping, elegant packaging, and the option for a custom message or logo printed on each macaron.

Nikkolette's Macarons are a sweet and sophisticated luxury, perfect for weddings, corporate gifts, or a treat for you and your loved ones.

Founder of Master Connection Associates, Cindy Novotny is an icon in the hospitality industry. Her specialties are leadership, sales and customer service excellence. A ‘Radical Mentor’ for many, Cindy’s straightforward, no-nonsense leadership approach delivers results and changes behavior. Her style, expertise and approach led to a Board of Directors position with The Miss America Foundation to assist in moving the organization to a new level.

Cindy is recognized by the Association for Talent Development (ATD), as one of nine most powerful, innovative passionate speakers in the industry. HSMAI awarded Cindy the 2019 Lifetime Achievement Award in Hospitality for her exemplary contribution to the industry. Her ability to close the “gap” with senior executives and line employees has earned her firm a revered reputation. Her exposure includes a feature in ‘The Wall Street Journal’, broadcasting on the BBC and sharing the stage with global leaders at luxury events. Energy, passion, and drive guarantee Cindy’s message captivates an audience.

Dr. Marwa Forest has always loved science, art, and working with her hands. Combine these with her love for people and you have the perfect fit for dentistry. What’s more, she has taken this a step further by showcasing the link between your oral health and overall wellness.

She finds true satisfaction in making a difference to each patient’s overall health and enjoys establishing lasting relationships.

Dr. Forest has created a dental experience which adapts and evolves according to the individual needs of each patient. When you visit our two offices, this uniqueness is felt right from the get-go.

For James X Schulze, collaboration truly is the whole game. It is their business model inside and out. It is their belief that the truly exceptional is always a collaborative effort. And specifically for them, how they can add value to their collaborative relationships in the event industry beyond just photography.

A nuptial maestro for a decade, José Rolón specializes in bringing comfort to a process that’s famously filled with tough decisions and mounting stress. After his time at the Foundry, a luxury wedding venue in NYC, José went out on his own with the goal of leveraging his storytelling and relationship building abilities to create emotional and visual experiences for his clients. He quickly made a name for himself with his chill vibe and generous command, and his planning and design aesthetic has made him one of the top rising wedding planners in NYC. He is frequently sought for his expertise on The New York Times, Brides, Wall Street Journal, NACE, and more, as well as his work featured with Martha Stewart, Essence Magazine, Sophisticated Weddings Magazine, New York Weddings, and the Best of The Knot.



José lives in Brooklyn Heights with his three children, and as a single dad, has learned how to keep his cool under pressure. Currently, he is writing a book to share his knowledge and story of building his business during a time of loss when his husband unexpectedly passed. During COVID, José and his family chose to take TikTok by storm during quarantine. As a result, he has been featured and had appearances on NowThis News, CBS AtHome Videos with Cedric the Entertainer, Ellen’s Game of Games, Tamron Hall Show, Univision Se Habla USA, and The Drew Barrymore Show.

Katy Burke is the Executive Director of TeamWomen, an organization focused on empowering female leaders from the classroom to the boardroom, providing unwavering encouragement every step of the way. A premiere professional women’s organizations, the over 600 members of TeamWomen are made up of key business, sports, civic and community leaders who are committed to developing the future generations of women leaders. In addition, TeamWomen provides youth leadership development through its Empower Leadership Academy, coaching kids 5th-12th grade on mental wellness, resilience, confidence, and leadership.

Vanessa Berrueta was born and raised in Venezuela, moved to the and moved to the United States in 2013. Initially, she dedicated a lot of time to learning the local language and worked hard to make a name for herself in the fashion community. Vanessa quickly learned that being a Spanish speaker in the Midwest wasn’t easy, but thanks to many wonderful Minnesotans, she learned to embrace the cold and her new home.

Vanessa’s resume includes serving as an emcee for national and international events, commercial modeling for numerous well-known brands, and being a Brand Ambassador and Director of the non-profit, Project Healthy Smile.

Vanessa’s aim is to leverage her modeling platform in support of larger causes that give back, and to inspire others to follow their dreams and to live everyday with intention.

Dr. Artika R. Tyner is a passionate educator, author, sought after speaker, and advocate for justice. At the University of St. Thomas School of Law, Dr. Tyner serves as the founding director of the Center on Race, Leadership and Social Justice. She is committed to training students to serve as social engineers who create new inroads to justice and freedom.

Tyner received her B.A. from Hamline University (Major: English; Certificate: Conflict Studies). Due to her passion for advocating for social justice and educational policy reform, she decided to pursue graduate studies at the University of St. Thomas. She began her journey with law school since she recognized that the law is a language of power and therefore she sought to become well versed in the law.

Subsequently, Tyner earned a Master of Public Policy and Leadership in order to gain tools for effecting social change through policy reform efforts. Later, inspired by the legacy of W.E.B. Dubois, she obtained a Doctorate in Leadership. Her doctoral studies provided her with key tools for serving in her community and promoting social justice.