Speakers 2020

Valerie Smaldone is a 5-time Billboard Magazine Award winner and well known for her unprecedented success holding the #1 on-air position in the New York radio market. She has hosted, produced and created several nationally syndicated programs featuring in-depth interviews with top recording artists such as Elton John and Mariah Carey. She is an accomplished interviewer, always interested in procuring each individual’s unique story. Valerie has also been the “Voice” for numerous prestigious live events, e.g. The Clinton Global Initiative, The Emmy Awards, The Tony Preview Concert on CBS and many more. She is a sought after motivational speaker, and calling on her years of speaking experience, coaches individuals on their presentational skills. Additionally, she consults companies and experts on their brand strategy. Valerie is proud to be able to help others accomplish their personal goals.

Joanne Heyman, Founder and CEO of Heyman Partners, is internationally recognized as an innovator and key advisor within the pro-social sector. A highly-sought after coach, facilitator and strategic advisor, Ms. Heyman has led organizations and counseled leadership on all sides of the table – non-profit, foundation and business.
Since launching Heyman Partners, she has worked with leaders and institutions across the US and abroad. Clients include C-Suite executives, founders, boards of directors and leadership teams for whom she designs bespoke engagements, including one-on-one and group coaching, retreats and workshops, and strategically-focused roadmaps for growth and transformation.
As a member of the Forbes Coaches Council, Ms. Heyman’s work is often published on related platforms. She is also a Guide at Chief, the premier private women’s network serving C-Suite women. She serves on the Board of Directors of The GroundTruth Project, The Dinner Party and The Center for Motivation and Change: Foundation. She also is on Advisory Board of LitWorld and is a Senior Advisor to the Wealth and Giving Forum, and is a member of NationSwell. She is a regular lecturer at Columbia University.

Gina Diez Barroso is a successful entrepreneur and philanthropist committed to the development of design and innovation projects. With more than 30 years of experience. She is the founder and CEO of Grupo Diarq, one of the most important international design, architecture and real estate development companies in the country, with more than 600 employees, having offices in Mexico and the United States.  She is the founder and president of CENTRO, the first University in Mexico focused on creative studies with a strong emphasis in business and entrepreneurship.
President and founder of Dalia Empower, a global initiative created to empower women under a unique educational methodology, enabling their soft and hard skills, Dalia is the first international integrated platform with a global network for women. Gina Diez Barroso is also the founder of the Diarq Foundation, a non for profit, dedicated to eradicating domestic violence and bullying in schools.
She is the only Latin American member of C200, Global Women Business Leadership Organization, also a member of WPO, Women President Organization. Mrs. Diez Barroso is the representative of Mexico at the W20, women initiative of the G20. Also named the Mexican woman in charge of the Business Leader Task Force “WBL” which reports directly to the G-20. 

Euphoria Retreat is the vision of founder Marina Efraimoglou, who after following a personal path of inner development, sought to create a special healing retreat. Having a successful career in the financial sector, Marina Efraimoglou was awarded with the Kouros Award for Growth and Innovation, in recognition of her role as the only woman major shareholder, acting as President and co-Managing director of a bank. For the last 14 years, Marina Efraimoglou has shifted her attention from the financial world into the worlds of wellbeing, holistic medicine and self-actualization. She is committed to leading a holistic and spiritual life, has studied in depth with very well-known pioneers in the field including Deepak Chopra, and travelled all over the world sourcing knowledge and experience in its most authentic form. Marina has created her own line of workshops which she has led for the past five years and recently brought into the corporate world. Today, Marina Efraimoglou has chosen to bridge her entrepreneurial background with her holistic and socially responsible approach to life, supporting and nurturing entrepreneurial initiatives from small and young entrepreneurs. 

Diana is one of the original pioneers of the raw food movement, an award winning author, motivational speaker, leading raw food chef, health and wellness educator as well as an expert spokesperson for alternative healing. She has coached over 1,000 people back to good health. Diana has created many successful products in health and wellness, and currently has turned her energies toward an international endeavor, The Retreat Costa Rica, a lifestyle hotel that opened May 2015 and already dubbed “Best wellness Spa in the Americas”. Diana is also the creator and lead formulator of the Truth Bar, an innovative probiotic/prebiotic bar and is passionately involved with every part of its development. She currently splits her time between Southern California and Costa Rica.

The California spirit is deeply rooted in Heidi Kuhn, as her pioneer family from the 1850’s taught her respect for the land and its people. The stewardship of the Earth is violated when landmines are planted, and the land is held hostage for future generations. Inspired by the peace movement on her campus at U.C. Berkeley during the 1970’s, she majored in Political Economics and set forth her footsteps for peace. Bridging borders from Alaska, Heidi was a CNN producer/reporter on the melting of the ‘ice curtain’ between US/Soviet Relations. In the midst of her career in journalism, while raising three children, Heidi was diagnosed with cancer. In 1997, she realized that ‘Cancer was a landmine, and landmines were a cancer to the Earth,’ and made a prophetic toast that the world may go from ‘MINES TO VINES’–replacing the scourge of landmines with bountiful vineyards and orchards worldwide. From the basement of her family home, she reached out to Napa Valley vintners to support her vision, which grew to the United Nations, World Bank, and international governments and leaders. For the past two decades, with support from her family, Heidi has truly planted the Roots of Peace on Earth.

She is a trained Auricular Acupuncturist, Reiki Master, and iRest yoga nidra practitioner, with many miles travelled in the healing field. A life-long student, she is currently furthering her qualifications in psychotherapy, trauma recovery, and Integrative Health Coaching. Jasmine is honored to be considered a Peace Ambassador for two ‘transform-action’ global SDG initiatives close to her heart, Roots of Peace and Dr. Scilla Elworthy’s The Business plan for Peace. In a former life, she spent 10 years as the Founder & Creative Director of award-winning fashion label, Jasmine di Milo. She lives in the UK with her partner and their 13-years-old daughter. When she is not knee-deep in the throes of motherhood, business, and study, she can be found freestyling around the dance-floor to her favorite tunes, much to the bewilderment of her beloved Papillion Leo.

Molly Melching has lived and worked in Senegal since 1974 and founded the international NGO, Tostan, in 1991. Tostan, meaning “breakthrough” in the Wolof language of Senegal, implements a holistic, three-year empowering education program that has engaged over 3,000 rural African communities in cross-cutting themes of democracy, human rights and responsibilities, peace and security, problem-solving, hygiene and health, literacy, project management skills, and early childhood development. The program has supported millions of African adults and youth to achieve life-transforming results in the areas of governance, health, education, economic growth and the environment, and has led to more than 8,500 communities in eight African countries declaring their intention to abandon female genital cutting and child/forced marriage.
Molly and Tostan have received international recognition for their groundbreaking work in the areas of social norm change and human rights education and have received numerous awards including: The Conrad Hilton Humanitarian Prize, The Skoll Award for Social Entrepreneurship, UNESCO’s King Sejong Literacy Prize, and The Thomas J. Dodd Award for Justice and Human Rights. A New York Times best-selling book by acclaimed author Aimee Molloy, However Long the Night, vividly relates Molly and Tostan’s story and they are also featured in Melinda Gates’s 2019 book, Moment of Lift.

Prior to joining Roots of Peace in May 2018 as Senior Vice President, she served as the Director of Agribusiness, Trade and Health for the Corporate Council on Africa. Through her leadership, Ms. Sheikh helped developing countries around the world improve their agricultural systems thereby improving their standard of living and their capacity to engage in two-way trade. Before, she was the Deputy Administrator of International Trade Policy, the World Cotton Coordinator, and a Trade Analyst at the Office of Foreign Economic Policy.
Mrs. Sheikh holds a B.A . in History and Political Science with a minor in Economics from Notre Dame of Maryland University and an M.A. in International Relations from the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies in Washington, D.C. She currently serves on the Advisory Council of the Millennium Challenge Corporation and is a board member of The National Industrial Hemp Council.
Ms. Sheikh has numerous awards acknowledging her accomplishments, including the Presidential Meritorious Executive Award and the Presidential Rank Award.

Dr. Shruti Nada Poddar or Saudaryaambika is a Globally recognized Nada (Vibrational) Healer, a Musician, Educationist and Mentor, a Cultural Exponent and Teacher of Indian Wisdom and Intangible Heritage, a Poet, a Heritage Conservationist, and Entrepreneur. Dr. Shruti is Pioneer of the “Nada Vibronics” a Wellness Ecosystem, which uses various firms of Nada Yoga and Indic Vibrational technologies to heal and empower people Worldwide. She was awarded the Delhi Ratna Award in 2003 for her pioneering work with Spiritual healing sound and music, followed by an NRI award for enhancing international cultural relations. Dr. Poddar was conferred with an Honorary Doctorate in December 2017 for her Global Contributions in Education and Wellness. As a Global Educationist, she has conducted Mentoring workshops for thousands of teachers, administrators, and students in India and abroad.

Born in the Far East Bronislav Vinogrodsky graduated from the Faculty of Oriental Studies of the Far Eastern State University. He has been studying ways and techniques of forming concepts, meanings and devices of consciousness on the postulates of «The Book of Changes» and is an expert on China and traditional systems of healing. Bronislav is advisor of several major Russian corporations in regards to their activities in China and a strategic management consultant. His research on creative thinking, the study of the Book of Changes as well as the Chinese culture have lead him to diverse cultural and artistic activities. Bronislav is the author of numerous articles and interviews in various publications.

Robert D. Henry Architects (RDHA) is an international “wellness design” firm prioritizing wellbeing for its users, promoting personal health and longevity. Founder Bob Henry was inducted into Hospitality Design’s Platinum Circle for innovative wellness design for both hospitality and residential projects and is called the “sensuous architect for serenity”. The design firm integrates the (5) senses in their work, while creating an experiential journey for guests. RDHA integrates evidence-based design systems to promote the quality of air, water, natural light, noise mitigation, and human centric comfort for a sustainable future. Clients include: Mandarin Oriental, Canyon Ranch, Steve Wynn, Setai-NY and the royal family of KSA. Bob regularly presents to hospitality and wellness conferences internationally. RDHA strives for an architecture that not only looks good, but feels, sounds, and even smells good.