Real Talk

Zachary Ritter received his Ph.D. in higher education from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), focusing on Asian international students’ cross-racial interactions. He is currently an adjunct professor at UCLA, La Verne, and Redlands, teaching social justice history. Additionally, he is a diversity and inclusion consultant for Organic Communications. He was most recently the interim associate dean of the…

Julie Larson, CEO/President of YWCA QUAD CITIES, has been employed with the YWCA QUAD CITIES for over 20 years.  She served as Co-Executive Director for six years and assumed the role of CEO in 2005.  Under Julie’s leadership, YWCA QUAD CITIES’ revenues increased from $300,000 in 1999 to $1.4M in FY18.  Julie is an experienced grant writer…

At the age of 25, Paul Rumler ran for Illinois State Senate Seat. In 2015, Rumler was recognized as a “40 Under 40 Leader in Economic Development” by Development Counsellors International. In April 2018, at the age of 38, Paul Rumler became the Quad-Cities Chamber of Commerce’s new president and CEO.  Paul’s goal was to…

Altease Ramsey, also know as alteasethepoet, Is a 22 year old writer and poet. He was born in Chicago and lived there until he was 8, months before his 9th birthday he and his family moved to Moline, Illinois. Growing up without a father and being the youngest of the siblings he had a great…

Ravi Sharma’s experience has predominantly been in structured finance and banking (e.g. Western Asset Management Company). He is also a repeat founder with exits in healthcare and cleantech. After having family struggle with mental health and losing a friend to suicide, Ravi has embraced the challenge to democratize mental healthcare. OOTify is a mental health community that…

Evolving is an event created by The Mandala Foundation. The vision of this event is to educate, inspire and motivate women by giving you tools and strategies to create a healthy mind and healthy habits! Today in part two, I speak to two women n the panel.   Heidi Huiskamp Collins: Just a little over a…

Evolving is an event created by The Mandala Foundation. The vision of this event is to educate, inspire and motivate women by giving you tools and strategies to create a healthy mind and healthy habits! Today in part one, I speak to two women on the panel. Katie Thompson: Founder of The Market: Journey to…

Heidi Huiskamp Collins has over 38 years of investment experience. Heidi grew up in Rock Island, IL and graduated from Augustana College, with honors, with a B.A. in Business Administration and a minor in Economics. After graduation, she re-located to the Chicagoland area where she went to work for a large bank. She later moved…

Maitreyi Shrikhande is a freshman at Davenport Central High School and is interested in health science careers. She is a cellist in the Quad City Youth Philharmonic Orchestra and an active tennis player. At school, Maitreyi participates in Girls Learn International and the Athletic Leadership Program. Maitreyi has had a strong passion for volunteering ever…

Cassaundra Dunbridge is the Lead 2 year old Preschool Teacher at Rivermont Collegiate.  Dunbridge is also a Children’s Book and magazine genre Illustrator. Cassaundra enjoys engaging the minds of little learners, and the concepts of “learning through play” and Reggio/Project Approach. She describes, “The terrific Twos are full of possibility and eager learners”. The Only 2-Year-Old…