Brooke Huckabee is the Senior Director of Global Revenue Enablement at SAS, where she leads a global team focused on building scalable programs that empower go-to-market teams, strengthen collaboration, and fuel sustainable revenue outcomes. Her passion lies in equipping customer-facing roles with the resources, tools, and insights they need to deliver exceptional value throughout the customer journey.

Honored as one of Triangle Business Journal’s 40 Under 40 in 2021, Brooke remains committed to driving positive change and championing excellence, both within SAS as a Brand Champion and across the industry as an advocate for Women in Analytics. Beyond work, she serves as Secretary on the board of the Identity Theft Resource Center, dedicated to empowering and guiding consumers, victims, business and government to minimize risk and mitigate the impact of identity compromise and crime. She is also on the board of directors at GiGi’s Playhouse Raleigh, a center of excellence for children and teens with Down syndrome in Raleigh, NC, where she also teach monthly ballet classes. 

Brooke’s leadership philosophy is shaped by her early training as a ballet dancer at the NC School of the Arts, where discipline, presence, balance, and resilience were foundational. She brings these principles into her work through her signature “Leading with Grace” framework, helping individuals and teams navigate change with clarity while stepping courageously into their next level of growth.

A storyteller at heart, Brooke blends business strategy, creativity, and emotional intelligence to inspire leaders to stay relevant, embrace continuous evolution, and lead with intentionality. She is a frequent speaker on professional growth, change leadership, and the power of curiosity, known for her ability to make complex transformation feel human, accessible, and energizing.

Krupa Patel is a global talent management and leadership development expert with over 15 years of experience driving organizational effectiveness and cultural transformation. Currently serving as Senior Manager of Global Leadership Development at NetApp, she designs and executes strategies that strengthen leadership capability and align with business goals. Previously, Krupa led enterprise-wide talent, change management, and leadership programs as Senior Director at Abt Global, and held key roles at Align Technology, IBM, and Red Hat, earning recognition such as a Brandon Hall Award and serving on Harvard Business Publishing’s Advisory Board. An ICF-certified coach and PHR professional, Krupa combines data-driven insights with inclusive practices to build high-performing, psychologically safe workplaces.

Megan Oteri, the visionary founder of Brick Scholars, has dedicated over 15 years to transforming education through her innovative approach to STEM learning. As a certified LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® facilitator, Megan spearheads transformative workshops and events for businesses, schools, and organizations. With a passion for fostering collaboration and creativity, Megan’s mobile innovation lab, Brick Scholars, provides tailor-made programs to elevate teams and promote innovation.

With a background in Special and Elementary Education, Megan holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Providence College. Complementing her teaching expertise, she earned a Master’s degree in English, specializing in Creative Writing, from East Carolina University. Megan’s educational journey extends beyond traditional classrooms; she is a certified North Carolina Educator in Special Education (K-12), Elementary Education (K-6), and Language Arts (6-9).

Megan serves as the ambassador for the Agency for Cultural Diplomacy’s “Let’s Brick” platform in Vienna, Austria. Through her work, she connects creativity, communication, and cultural diplomacy. Megan has successfully facilitated programs in the United States that leverage creativity as a powerful means of communication.

Lauren Ansley is passionate about connecting ideas and audiences, helping individuals and organizations strengthen their communication, leadership, and professional skills.

Lauren is the founder of Ansley Corporate Entertainment, a corporate entertainment company specializing in audience engagement, connection, humor, and presentation skills development. Her professional career spans roles in marketing and sales, event
management, and workforce development across a range of industries.

She is committed to making training fun, interactive and memorable. She earned her B.S. in Business Administration with a concentration in Marketing from Winthrop University and has called Charlotte home for more than 15 years.

Dr. MariaRosa Rangel is a distinguished education leader with more than 30 years of experience in K–12 education and family and community engagement. As Director of the Family and Community Engagement (FACE) program at Wake County Public Schools (WCPSS), she leads initiatives that strengthen school-family partnerships and support student success.

She earned a bachelor’s degree in Bilingual/Bicultural and Elementary Education from Northeastern University and both a master’s and doctorate in School Administration and Education from NC State University. Over the course of her career, Dr. Rangel has served as an elementary teacher, bilingual teacher, ESL and Spanish teacher, GED instructor, assistant principal, and district-level leader in multilingual education and Latino outreach.

In her current role at WCPSS, Dr. Rangel provides coaching and professional development on effective strategies for engaging families. She oversees the Family Academy Program, which offers free multilingual workshops to caregivers, and directs the Saturday Family Academy School, which provides ESL classes, reading tutoring for elementary students focused on the Science of Reading, and parent workshops to support learning at home.

Dr. Rangel also serves as a part-time adjunct professor at Peace University and is a sought-after speaker on effective teaching and family engagement practices. Beyond her district work, she holds leadership positions in several organizations, including the NC Society of Hispanic Professionals, Wake PTA Council, NC Education Corps, and NCREADS. From 2017 to 2023, she chaired the NC Governor’s Advisory Council on Hispanic/Latino Affairs.

Her contributions have been widely recognized with numerous awards, including the Ohtli Award, Latino Diamante Award, Hispanic Woman of the Year, and the LIFT Innovator Award. In 2023, she was also nominated by the Lieutenant Governor for her leadership in expanding the Family Academy Program to serve families in eight languages.

Dr. Rangel remains dedicated to advancing programs and strategies that bring schools, families, and communities together to ensure student success across North Carolina.

Angela Martin is an Advisory User Experience Designer and certified Humane 

Technologist at Lenovo, where she leads enterprise software, innovation workstreams, and inclusive product design impacting millions of users worldwide. She chairs Lenovo’s ABLE disability advocacy ERG, advancing accessible design, disability inclusion, and culture change with strong executive sponsorship. Angela is the co-founder of Design Storming, a UX education and design strategy consultancy focused on mentoring emerging creatives, and the author of This Is Not A Dream: From Daydream to Day Job. Recognized as a Future CX Leader by Reuters and a recipient of multiple awards for professional and volunteer leadership, she is a mentor, speaker, and writer dedicated to advancing inclusive, ethical technology.

Erica Anderson Rooney is a C-suite executive, keynote speaker, bestselling author, and unapologetic ceiling-shatterer. With over 15 years of HR and leadership experience—including her role as Chief People Officer—Erica has built her career helping organizations transform cultures and helping women claim their rightful seat at the table.

She’s the founder of HER Collective, a thriving digital community designed to help women advance their careers, amplify their voices, and unlock their full potential—without sacrificing authenticity or well-being. Erica also hosts the top-rated Glass Ceilings & Sticky Floors podcast and is the author of the bestselling book Glass Ceilings & Sticky Floors: Shattering Limiting Beliefs and Toxic Behaviors to Uncover Infinite Possibilities.  Her upcoming book, The AI Gap: Women, AI, and the Next Great Leap Forward, is highly anticipated and expected in May of 2026.

Her work has been featured in Forbes, SUCCESS Magazine, and CBS News, and she’s taken the stage at SXSW, SHRM, and CHIEF. Recognized with multiple leadership awards, Erica is known for her dynamic storytelling, tactical takeaways, and ability to ignite change.

Whether in the boardroom, on stage, or behind the mic, Erica is on a mission to empower women everywhere to rise above the sticky floors, break through the glass ceiling, and lead with limitless possibility.

Fractional CMO | GTM Strategist | ATHENA Board Member & Certified Leadership Facilitator

Michele Reister is a seasoned Fractional CMO and go-to-market advisor with more than 25 years of experience leading marketing transformation for high-growth, high-tech organizations—including B2B SaaS companies in the AI, cybersecurity, data, and health tech sectors. As the Founder & CEO of Confidence GTM, Michele helps emerging and scaling companies build clear, efficient, and human-centered go-to-market engines that accelerate revenue and strengthen customer connection.

She is a GTM Partners consultant, certified on the GTM Operating SystemTM, a graduate of the CMOx Accelerator, and a trusted advisor known for bringing clarity, alignment, and confidence to fast-moving executive teams.

Michele serves on the Board of Directors for ATHENA International and is a Certified ATHENA Leadership Institute Facilitator, where she teaches and amplifies the eight core ATHENA leadership principles. Her work sits at the intersection of AI innovation and human leadership, helping leaders embrace technological change without losing the irreplaceable human traits—empathy, authenticity, courage, and connection—that define extraordinary leadership.

Michele holds an MBA from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She lives in Apex, North Carolina, with her two teenagers and their goldendoodle.

Brooke Huckabee is the Senior Director of Global Revenue Enablement at SAS, where she leads a global team focused on building scalable programs that empower go-to-market teams, strengthen collaboration, and fuel sustainable revenue outcomes. Her passion lies in equipping customer-facing roles with the resources, tools, and insights they need to deliver exceptional value throughout the customer journey.

Honored as one of Triangle Business Journal’s 40 Under 40 in 2021, Brooke remains committed to driving positive change and championing excellence, both within SAS as a Brand Champion and across the industry as an advocate for Women in Analytics. Beyond work, she serves as Secretary on the board of the Identity Theft Resource Center, dedicated to empowering and guiding consumers, victims, business and government to minimize risk and mitigate the impact of identity compromise and crime. She is also on the board of directors at GiGi’s Playhouse Raleigh, a center of excellence for children and teens with Down syndrome in Raleigh, NC, where she also teach monthly ballet classes. 

Brooke’s leadership philosophy is shaped by her early training as a ballet dancer at the NC School of the Arts, where discipline, presence, balance, and resilience were foundational. She brings these principles into her work through her signature “Leading with Grace” framework, helping individuals and teams navigate change with clarity while stepping courageously into their next level of growth.

A storyteller at heart, Brooke blends business strategy, creativity, and emotional intelligence to inspire leaders to stay relevant, embrace continuous evolution, and lead with intentionality. She is a frequent speaker on professional growth, change leadership, and the power of curiosity, known for her ability to make complex transformation feel human, accessible, and energizing.

Megan Oteri, the visionary founder of Brick Scholars, has dedicated over 15 years to transforming education through her innovative approach to STEM learning. As a certified LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® facilitator, Megan spearheads transformative workshops and events for businesses, schools, and organizations. With a passion for fostering collaboration and creativity, Megan’s mobile innovation lab, Brick Scholars, provides tailor-made programs to elevate teams and promote innovation.

With a background in Special and Elementary Education, Megan holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Providence College. Complementing her teaching expertise, she earned a Master’s degree in English, specializing in Creative Writing, from East Carolina University. Megan’s educational journey extends beyond traditional classrooms; she is a certified North Carolina Educator in Special Education (K-12), Elementary Education (K-6), and Language Arts (6-9).

Megan serves as the ambassador for the Agency for Cultural Diplomacy’s “Let’s Brick” platform in Vienna, Austria. Through her work, she connects creativity, communication, and cultural diplomacy. Megan has successfully facilitated programs in the United States that leverage creativity as a powerful means of communication.