Please join the Chamber Leadership Alliance (CLA) for the CLA Solidarity 3A Action Series - Acceptance on Tuesday, September 14, 2021! This Action Series will be followed by trainings on Solidarity & Allyship on Tuesday, October 12, 2021 and Solidarity & Activism on Wednesday, December 15, 2021.
The program will feature a special panel discussion from the CLA chambers’ affiliate leadership network around the topic of acceptance. You will hear directly from these leaders on issues around discrimination, exclusion, and racism/ethnocentrism faced by our diverse communities, and addressing issues of intersectionality that creates different modes of discrimination and privilege. In addition, this 90-minute live interactive program will focus on how we can better understand the unique needs and challenges of one another's communities.
Meet Our Panelists
AJ Shaikh (He/Him) | Chairperson | Colorado LGBT Chamber of Commerce
Abdul-Jabbar (AJ) Shaikh started his commercial lending career in 2005. AJ focuses on helping the local business community maximize their Banking opportunities. He does this through beneficial debt restructures, financing working capital, financing commercial real estate and funding business growth. AJ thrives on helping business reach their goals no matter the company or project size utilizing the SBA 7(a) and 504 programs.
AJ proudly joined the Colorado LGBTQ Chamber of Commerce in 2016, and he brings his dedication to serving the business community with him. He is passionate about equality, and he hopes to share the mission and vision of the Colorado LGBTQ Chamber of Commerce and be a positive influence in the LGBTQ business community and at large.
AJ moved to Colorado in 2005, embracing the Colorado lifestyle. He enjoys everything outdoors. When he is not hiking or cycling, he enjoys cooking and spending time with family & friends. As an active member in the community, and serves on the Board of Urban Peak and the Colorado Minority Business Advisory Council.
Susan Vanderbilt (She/Her) | Board Chair | Nashville Black Chamber
A graduate and post-graduate of Tennessee State University, she studied social science and speech and hearing science, and proceeded to hone her knowledge and skills as a communication specialist. Passionate about helping people grow and connect, her transition to business development and diversity inclusion was a natural fit. With encouragement from local, national, and international project executives, Susan started Entrée Savvy in 2013. She has had the pleasure of performing successfully as the diversity inclusion manager on the construction management teams for the Music City Center Project and the First Tennessee/Nashville Sounds Ballpark Project.
Her natural leadership is evident, as she has been nominated for the 2019 Best in Service & Philanthropy Power Moves Award, named to 100 Leading Women 2018 by NashvilleBusiness.net, she has been awarded as a 2017 Nashville Business Journal Woman of Influence, a 2016 Nashville Black Chamber Rising Star, is a member of the SBA Emerging Leaders Class of 2017, and she is a 2018 ATHENA International Leadership Award Nominee.
Personifying her belief that “Service is the Greatest form of Leadership”, Susan Vanderbilt contributes in the community as a member of AEC Power Women, MiTech Partners Advisory Board Member, and immediate past Director of Mentorship for Ladies Nashville Ladies America. She is also a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., in which she serves as President of Rutherford County Alumnae Chapter.
Mayra Pineda (She/Her) | President & CEO | Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Louisiana
Mrs. Pineda is a local businesswoman and the President & CEO of the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Louisiana, where over the years, she has worked tirelessly to develop strong and long-lasting business relationships between Louisiana, the Hispanic Community and Latin America. She is a former Consul General of Honduras in New Orleans, Arkansas, Tennessee, Mississippi and Alabama. Mrs. Pineda has been the recipient of the Leadership Award by the New Orleans Hispanic Heritage Foundation, the High Achievement in Compliance by Subway Corporation, and Honoree of NOBA’s Men and Women of Fashion/Prix de Elegance.
Most recently, Mrs. Pineda was recognized at the 2020 Diversity in Scouting Gala, receiving the “Vale la Pena Award.” Ms. Pineda was also recognized as a 2019 Role Model by the Young Leadership Council, 2018 Top Female Achiever by New Orleans Magazine, 2018 Minority Business Champion by the US Small Business Administration, CityBusiness Women of the Year Honoree, 2017 Partner of Year of WBEC South, and accepted the 2017 Chamber of the Year Award on behalf of the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Louisiana.
Porter Wong (He/Him) | Director | USPAACC Western Regional Chapter
Mr. Wong is an executive in residence of Plug and Play Technology Center, Mentor at the U.S. National Laboratory Entrepreneurship Academy, the University of California Entrepreneurship Academy, and Clean Tech Open. Porter is also an executive in residence at Alley/Verizon Ventures Palo Alto. He is a consultant of the US Department of Commerce MBDA (Minority Business Development Agency) Northern California Business Centers and California Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development’s Small Business Technical Assistance Expansion Program. Porter is also a member of Ontario, Canada PV Caucus. Ontario, Canada PV Caucus is a working body that provides influential inputs to the government to shape solar photovoltaic governmental industry wide regulation and policy. Mr. Wong served as Chairman of IEEE Computer Society Santa Clara Valley Chapter. Prior to actively working with startups, he held c-level and senior management positions with four successful technology startups, two went IPO and two were acquired by Fortune 500 companies.
Meet Our Moderator
Deepti Dawar (She/Her) | COO & Partner, Diya TV | Co-President , USPAACC Western Regional Chapter
Deepti Dawar is the Vice President of Major Market Broadcasting, an independent media group that owns television stations and networks airing to 70 million people in more than 20 markets around the United States. A published designer, Deepti spent over a decade at major apparel brands including Gap Inc., Kenneth Cole & Donna Karan working in design and management.
In addition to her design & branding career, she pursued her interest in technology and has consulted as a technical advisor to publicly traded, television & broadband conglomerates such as New York Broadband/CMMB America & Geodesic.
In 2016, Deepti was awarded a fellowship by the National Association of Broadcasters for Broadcast Leadership Training. Deepti serves as the Co-President of US Pan Asian American Chamber of Commerce, for the Western region & is a Founding Limited Partner at Neythri Futures Fund, a springboard for South Asian women to come together, deploy capital and share their expertise.
Deepti is fluent in 4 languages, conversant in 6 and spent parts of her career living in India and China.