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Arlene Blake, a dynamic entrepreneur and sales leader, is renowned for crafting strategies that enhance sales and engage audiences. Passionate about teamwork, she specializes in fostering professionals to surpass goals. Arlene founded Women on the Rise International, Inc., promoting educational empowerment for women. Over six years, she's transformed it into a career advancement hub. An accomplished speaker, she’s led workshops on communication, resilience, and career building. Arlene earned accolades including Orlando Business Journal's 'Woman Who Means Business' and 'Most Influential People in Orlando'. She's a Leadership Orlando alumna and was hailed 2022's 'Woman of the Year' by Orange Appeal Magazine. Arlene envisions globally empowering women to shatter barriers.
Founder & Executive Director
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Board Chair
Deloria “Dee” Nelson Streete is the Founder & President of Authentic Culture & Engagement (ACE) Solutions, Inc., a coaching and consulting firm focused on transforming workplace culture through authentic engagement, inclusion, and leadership development. As Chief Rest Officer, she champions her 3R’s—Rest, Resilience, and Resistance—as a model for sustainable success. A 2024 Woman Who Means Business and one of Orlando’s Top Coaches (2022 & 2023), Dee brings 25+ years of HR leadership with Fortune 500 companies, including Walt Disney World and Charles Schwab. She is the author of REST, Resilience, and Resistance, and specializes in DEI assessments, leadership training, and coaching. Dee holds a B.A. in Mass Communications and an MPA from Clark Atlanta University. Outside of work, she enjoys poetry, farming with her husband, and spoiling her grandkids.
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When you’re as passionate and knowledgeable as Valerie Carmel Dorsainvil, guiding high-achieving Black women over stress and trauma to their highest selves is all in a day’s work. As a licensed clinical social worker (LCSW) and founder and CEO of Valerie Carmel Therapy, LLC, Valerie has provided countless African-
American and Caribbean-American professional women with the tools they need to reclaim control of their own narratives. Her uncanny ability to deeply see, hear and guide her clients empowers them to thrive mentally and emotionally well beyond their therapy sessions.
No stranger to the heavy burdens Black women shoulder every day, Valerie draws on nearly two decades of counseling expertise and her own struggles with anxiety to show clients how to prioritize their mental well-being and successfully navigate life’s toughest challenges. With certifications in trauma and anxiety work, Valerie has developed a unique therapeutic approach that integrates self-awareness, self-care and self-led growth to achieve breakthrough results for her clients. Her work has been featured in VoyageMIA, ThriveGlobal, Authority Magazine and ShoutOut Miami.
Vice Chair
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Michele Hamilton is a seasoned professional with 35 years of distinguished service at the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), where she held key roles as a Tax Auditor, Supervisor of Tax Auditors, and HR Associate Director. Her early career focused on ensuring tax compliance through detailed audits and taxpayer education. As a supervisor, she led a team of auditors, streamlining processes and fostering professional growth. She later transitioned into senior leadership as an HR Associate Director, where she successfully managed a $15 million health services contract and oversaw various human resources initiatives.
Michele holds a Bachelor of Science degree with a concentration in Business Administration from the University of Maryland European Division. Her expertise spans financial oversight, contract management, personnel development, and organizational efficiency. With a proven track record of leadership, collaboration, and fiscal responsibility, she continues to be a trusted advisor and a respected leader in her role on the WOTR Board as Treasurer.
Treasurer
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Partnerships Tech Exec & Inclusion Leader
Secretary
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Christina Hartfield is a Banker in the Orlando office of J.P. Morgan Private Bank and advises a diverse base of clients across Central Florida, including athletes, entertainers, business owners and entrepreneurial women. She serves as a powerful gateway to deliver the extensive resources of J.P. Morgan that help highly successful families pursue their distinctive wealth management goals.
When Christina works with women, she finds that many of them are enjoying financial independence for the first time. She makes it a personal priority to empower them along their wealth journey, delivering financial literacy that lends a layer of confidence and comfort.
With a career that began in 2004, Christina has a significant background in the ultra-high-net-worth space and is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional. She is a member of the CFL chapter of 100 Women Strong and a former board member of Central Florida’s African American Chamber of Commerce. She has several family members in the U.S. military, and has been involved with the Central Florida Veterans Council and the VA Hospital of Lake Nona.
Outside of private wealth, Christina relishes time with her husband and five children and is an avid listener of audiobooks.
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Shashondalyn “Shonda” Sparrow Upson has built a dynamic career across nonprofit, private, and government sectors. Since 2020, she has served as Senior Program Manager with Orange County Government’s Youth and Family Services Division, and in 2023, stepped in as Interim Division Manager, overseeing programs and services for youth and families. Previously, she spent over 15 years with Orange County Public Schools, advancing from paraprofessional to certified Exceptional Student Education teacher. Shonda has also led community-based initiatives with Aspire and the Neighborhood Center for Families, focusing on substance abuse prevention and intervention. She holds a B.S. in Exceptional Student Education and an M.S. in Brain-Based Teaching from Nova Southeastern University. Shonda enjoys traveling, music, cultural arts, and sports, and cherishes time with her husband, three adult children, and three grandchildren.
Board Member
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Trae Ransome is a Program Manager at the University of Central Florida
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Chantel Carter is a Higher Education professional and community builder with over 21 years of Student Affairs experience. Chantel focuses on amplifying voices and increasing visibility and representation for diverse communities. She believes that effective relationship building is essential for collaborations and partnerships. Chantel champions the importance of well-being and self-care. She has experience in event planning/programming, marketing, diversity/equity/inclusion education, training as well as staff development. She strives to create environments where people are empowered, encouraged and equipped to be and perform at their best. Chantel is the proud wife of a wonderful husband and mother to two amazing children.
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Reshell Smith is the Founder and President of AMES Financial Solutions, a virtual firm offering comprehensive financial planning for Gen X and Y clients, including divorcees, executives, and first-generation wealth builders. Her mission is to guide clients toward financial clarity and long-term confidence.
A respected voice in financial media, Reshell is a regular finance contributor for WESH2/CW18 and WOKB 1680 AM. She’s been featured on national stages and outlets including the CFP® Diversity Summit, Financial Advisor Magazine, HuffPost, and The Tom Joyner Morning Show. She’s also a three-time Investopedia Top 100 Financial Advisor.
Reshell is the author of A Woman’s Worth: 7 Key Essentials to Financial Independence and CEO of RS Smith Consulting, home to her “She’s So Wealthy” brand—an academy, podcast, and YouTube channel focused on empowering women through financial education.
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Samí Haiman-Marrero is the President & CEO of URBANDER, a multicultural communications agency helping organizations build trust with diverse stakeholders through culturally relevant marketing, workforce development, and community engagement strategies.
A leading voice on the U.S. Hispanic market, Samí holds a master’s in Communications from the University of Puerto Rico and brings 28+ years of experience across PR, publishing, and cause-driven campaigns. She’s a multiple Telly Award-winning podcast host, was named a Central Floridian of the Year finalist by the Orlando Sentinel, and recognized as a top Latinx marketer by Orlando Weekly.
Samí serves on several nonprofit boards, including the Puerto Rican Foundation for the Humanities, UnitedLatinas, and the East Orlando Chamber of Commerce. She is also the founder of SOS Orlando, a nonprofit focused on economic mobility, arts equity, and support for marginalized communities.
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Valerie Edgecombe, Esq. is a dedicated and trusted real estate attorney with over 20 years of experience guiding clients through foreclosure prosecution, legal and regulatory compliance, title, and closing matters with expertise and integrity. A graduate of the University of South Florida with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, a Masters in Public Administration from the University of Central Florida and a Juris Doctorate from Stetson University, she combines her legal acumen with a passion for community service and provides pro bono legal services throughout the community. Beyond her career, she is a devoted mother of two girls and an active supporter of legal and philanthropic initiatives throughout Florida.
Board Member
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Michele Badie is a Professional Development Strategist and a practicing PMP-certified Program Manager who has worked in financial and legal services and retail industries. She champions helping professionals to keep their skills recharged, competitive, and hire-ready. Michele advocates for others to evolve to their career best by assessing and developing skills that inspire creativity, innovation, and implementable solutions through her professional development platform, Skills Recharged®, and encourages professionals like yourself to Keep Your Stride® by nourishing your mental health and supporting your wellness through juicing. These resources extend Michele's work with her podcast, Career Tipper®, which bloomed from her tenure in Career Services in for-profit higher education.
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