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Ms. Keeana Barber
President at WdbmarketingModerator
Keeana Barber is the current CEO of WDB Marketing, a design and printing agency that works with over 800 small businesses annually. She began her career as a graphic designer and helped build WDB to become a full-service marketing agency and printing manufacturer. To date, WDB has helped thousands of businesses develop their brand identity, marketing strategy, and presence within the marketplace. Keeana is also the founder of the WDB L.E.G.A.C.Y. Awards, an annual gala that celebrates the impact of Black entrepreneurs. In addition to her business endeavors, Keeana is passionate about giving back to the community. She is the editor of a community-based publication, Voice of the Chi Magazine, and sits on the board of Chamber 57, Africa Global Chamber of Commerce, and Neighbors capes. Her goal is to leave a legacy of helping entrepreneurs create sustainable businesses that will impact and improve their surrounding communities.
Hon. Charif Hachim
Honorary Consul General of the Comoros at ComorosSpeaker
In 2013 the U.S. State Department confirmed Mr. Hachim as the new Honorary Consul General of Comoros in Chicago. A few months earlier, the Comorian Government, under the leadership of His Excellency Dr. Ikililou Dhoinine, had formally informed the U.S. government of its intention to appoint Mr. Hachim as the first Honorary Consul General of Comoros in Chicago.
The Honorable Charif Hachim is the perfect person to promote, cultivate and sustain a relationship between Comoros and the Midwest Region of the United States due to his business background, as well as his passion and understanding for both cultures.
In addition to his status as Honorary Consul General, Mr. Hachim works full time as a Business Manager in the public sector. He is in complete compliance with the 1963 Vienna Convention on Consular Relations.
Dr. Aissetu Ibrahima
Professor at Northeastern Illinois UniversitySpeaker
Aissetu Barry Ibrahima, Ph.D., MSW, is an Assistant Professor at Northeastern Illinois University. Dr. Ibrahima’s research is focused on Indigenous social work, community-based grassroots development, international health policies, and maternal health behavior and practices. She is also actively involved in different programs that engage African immigrants and refugee communities in the greater Chicago area.
She is an executive board member at the African Diaspora Sixth Region Association of Illinois. Her publications include; Exploring Maternal Health in Ethiopia Using Indigenous Approaches: Policy and Practice Implications published in Research on Social Work Practice, 2021; Social Work in Africa: Decolonizing methodologies and approaches, published in International Social Work, 2019; and a book chapter entitled "Using Indigenous Approaches as a bridge between policies, interventions and the grassroots" in Global Social Work: Cutting Edge Issues and Critical Reflections (2020), edited by Bala Nikku. She earned her Ph.D. at the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC), MSW at Addis Ababa University, and BA in Sociology and Social Administration at Addis Ababa University.
Hon. Phumzile Mazibuko
Consul General at South Africa Consulate General in ChicagoSpeaker '
As of January 2018, Ms. Phumzile Mazibuko is the Consul General of South Africa in Chicago, where she is responsible for the overall management of the Consulate General. The Consul General is keen to promote trade and investments, enhance people-to-people cooperation in arts, culture, education, and effectively render consular services to South Africans in 14 states in the Midwest region of the United States. The Consul General’s consular jurisdiction includes the following states, Illinois, Wisconsin, Nebraska, Iowa, Missouri, Minnesota, Indiana, Oklahoma, Ohio, Michigan, North Dakota, South Dakota, Kansas, and Arkansas.
Ms. Mazibuko has served in different capacities within both the national and provincial governments in South Africa. Ms. Mazibuko is a career diplomat serving in the South African High Commission in New Delhi, India.
She is a graduate of the University of Johannesburg (UJ), formerly known as the Rand Afrikaans University (RAU), completed a Post Graduate Diploma in Humanitarian Law & Refugee Law.
Mr. Olivier Kamanzi
Chairman at Africa Global Chamber of CommerceSpeaker
Olivier Kamanzi is a Capital markets expert, International Financial Sector Development Consultant, Inspirational Speaker, and Philanthropist. He is Co-Founder and Chairman of the Africa Global Chamber of Commerce headquartered in Chicago. Kamanzi is the Founder and CEO of Globrock Group, a holding company of Globrock Financial, Globrock Trade, and Globrock Technologies. Globrock Financial is a global management consulting and investment advisory firm with its headquarters in Chicago and its subsidiaries in the US and Africa. He is former Deputy CEO of Capital Market Authority of Rwanda, former Senior Investment Specialist of Citigroup (Citibank), and Executive employee at JPMorgan Chase. He is the Founder and Chairman of The Olivier Kamanzi Foundation – a public charitable organization. Kamanzi is President of the Board of Saint Sabina Academy, an affiliate to Saint Sabina Catholic Church based in Chicago, United States.
Kamanzi assisted in the establishment of the Rwandan capital markets industry and the creation of the Rwanda Capital Market Authority and the Rwanda Stock Exchange. He initiated different policies, including the East Africa Regional Financial Market Infrastructure Development and Regional Capital Markets harmonization and integration. He assisted in developing and implementing the East African Central Depository Systems for securities and Securities Industry Training Institute (SITI East Africa).
Mr. Kamanzi is a current Doctorate Candidate in Philosophy Organizational Leadership and Entrepreneurship specializing in Entrepreneurship and Innovation. He holds MBA in Finance from Ashford University, the Forbes School of Business in Iowa, and a bachelor's degree in Business Administration from the University of Fribourg in Switzerland.
Mr. Kamanzi’s hobbies are running, reading, and serving the community by mentoring youth, providing financial literacy classes, and he teaches Stock Market Program to 8th Grade. He appeared in various radios, TV, and written media, including WVON Radio, BBC World Services, Voice of America, CNBC Africa, Reuters, Nation, East African, GhanaWeb, and many more. He has written multiples articles on AfCFTA, Covid-19, financial, and leadership matters.
Rev. Dr. Isaac Paintsil, MD
Internal Medicine at John H. Stroger, Jr. HospitalSpeaker
Dr. Harriet Lewis
Honorary Consul to the State of Illinois Republic of Cabo Verde at Cabo VerdeSpeaker
Dr. Harriet Lewis was appointed to Honorary Consul for the Republic of Cabo Verde for the State of Illinois in the fall of 2018. In this capacity, she shares her knowledge of Cabo Verde with entities in Illinois to further the country's interests in various areas of development. She is a member of the Chicago International Trade Commissioners' Association.
Dr. Lewis has an extensive background and expertise spanning over two decades in the community and economic development sectors. She welcomes the opportunity to speak to any firm or group interested in learning more about the country for travel and investment.