Facilitator: Marie Hale
Location: Downers Grove
Marie Hale is a self made woman who turned a life of poverty and struggle
into the inspiration that she needed to support and uplift the women around
her. Starting at the age of 12 she has worked for others and worked
for herself, eventually opening her first business in 2003 at the age of
22. She is currently the Managing Director for the Chicagoland area
for eWomenNetwork, a media/PR company specifically focused on building, connecting
and educating women in business. She was recently awarded the Woman
to Watch award for 2007 and promoted to Executive Director level within eWomenNetwork. Marie
is currently co-authoring a book and speaking under her company, Lipstic
Logic, an education and inspiration focused marketing collaborative that
believes in doing business like a woman, with guts and passion!
Marie facilitates events, emcees, speaks and educates small and large groups of woman on the subjects including marketing and PR, networking, establishing ones self as an industry expert, and working from your center of passion. Her style, savvy and enthusiasm create a safe and inspirational environment that facilitates personal and professional growth.
Marie is also the owner of Shimmy Shock Entertainment, an entertainment and education agency focused on the art of Middle Eastern Dance and family friendly performances. She started her performance career at the age of 15 in Las Vegas, NV and headlined the Sahara Casino and Hotel for their New Years Eve Gala in 1996. After relocating to Chicago in 1997 she continued her education and opened Shimmy Shock in 2003. Marie is very dedicated to creating a healthy body image and connection for pre-teens and hosts several classes and workshops specifically focused on the empowerment of young women and helping them build deeper relationships with their mothers during the turbulent teenage years.
Marie actively supports many local charities and has been an active participant and team leader in AIDSWALK since 1995. She actively raises funds for eWomenFoundation, a non-profit focused on providing funds to other non-profits focused on women’s health, career and wellness initiatives.
Facilitator:Amy L. Riley
Amy L. Riley, Vice President of Leadership Development, is passionate about people leveraging their strengths and reaching their full potential. Amy helps individuals and organizations to do just that – achieve balance, achieve their full potential and achieve exceptional results. She works with organizations in a variety of ways to close the gap between their strategy – what they want - and performance – what they’re getting. She works as a coach with individuals who are ready to think about what really matters to them, get in touch with their dreams, and create and live a life which inspires them.
Amy is a skilled professional in the disciplines of leadership development, coaching, execution, planning, training, and facilitation in organizations. Amy earned a Bachelor’s Degree in International Business from the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign, and a Master’s Degree in Training and Development, with an emphasis in Organization Development, from Loyola University in Chicago. She is certified as a Development Dimensions International (DDI) Facilitator, a Best Year Yet® Program Leader, a Best Year Yet® Coach, a PDI Profilor Facilitator – qualifying her to facilitate the Profilor 360-degree feedback and development process - and as a Certified Professional Behavior Analyst (CPBA) – qualifying her to administer the DISC Personal Profile Tool.
Amy has provided her expertise to organizations in a variety of industries including manufacturing, transportation logistics, banking, social services, non-profit and human resources consulting. She tailors each solution to the organization – meeting the organization and the people where they are.
Amy is in the process of authoring a book entitled, Expect the Best while You’re Expecting. Inspired by women who take on powerful and empowering perspectives during pregnancy and childbirth, she is interviewing women and telling their stories through her blog and book. Amy is a wife and mother of 2. She supports her communities in many ways and is a volunteer member of the Clearbrook Associate Board of Directors – an organization that supports adults and children with special needs.
Facilitator:Maureen Gasek
Since early childhood, Maureen Gasek has identified herself as a person who treats others as she wants to be treated. She has carried that philosophy throughout her education, corporate career and successful business endeavors.
Maureen's independent and entrepreneurial spirit became clear at age 5 when her father died and she began pet sitting, babysitting and doing odd jobs. She was only 10 years old when she started working during the summer and on weekends at a relative's craft store where she helped paint display items, waited on customers, rang up sales and helped customers choose colors for their craft projects. Maureen continued working part time during high school and put herself through college, graduating with honors. Education – both practical and experiential – has been the key to her success.
Her corporate successes include developing highly effective marketing teams and marketing strategies for several senior living companies in the U.S. Working from the ground up, she developed an internal marketing department for the largest senior living company in the U.S., with directors in 27 states. She later pursued her dream of running her own business, Epsilon Design & Consulting. Her company's primary focus is to help businesses improve or establish their image in the marketplace by providing marketing strategies, branding and consulting.
Maureen also is an assistant director for BNI, Business Network International. She trains business professionals how to network by word-of-mouth referrals. She has been a director for over five years, facilitates monthly member training, has successfully started three chapters and currently manages seven.
Maureen is an active member of the Greater Aurora Chamber of Commerce. She has been a Women in Business Committee member for more than four years and currently chairs the Spotlight on Business Expo Committee.
An award-winning artist who has worked with clay, metal and paint, Maureen's paintings earned Best of Show, second and third place awards at juried exhibitions in 2008. She often donates her work to charitable organizations, and for the past two years participated in the Alzheimer’s Unforgettable Art Live Paint where her work raised over $1,900 at auction.