2026 Speaker List
- Rally de Leon | Broker & Advisor | Transworld Business Advisors
- Katie Smith | CEO | PHC Restoration
- Jessica Boone | Department Chair, Accounting & Finance and Assistant Professor | Lundy-Fetterman School of Business | Campbell University
- Renee Green | Director of Leadership Development & Student Success | Lundy-Fetterman School of Business | Campbell University
- Mike Barefoot | Keynote/Motivational Speaker | RedZone Resources
- Kendra Sumler | Assistant Director of Graduate Programs | Lundy-Fetterman School of Business | Campbell University
- Chandler Rose | CEO, Rosewood Family of Companies | Cofounder, Helmwise
- Scott Kelly | Director of Entrepreneurship and Instructor of Business and Entrepreneurship Coordinator | Campbell University
- Dr. Karen Mishra | Department Chair, Business Administration & Economics and Associate Professor | Lundy-Fetterman School of Business | Campbell University
- Abby DeHaas Brittle | Associate Athletic Director for Student-Athlete Support | Campbell University
- Dr. Allison Lee | Interim Assistant Dean & Assistant Professor | School of Engineering | Campbell University
- Dr. Justin Nelson | Associate Professor of Sociology | School of Education & Human Sciences | Campbell University
- Dr. Rachel Nelson | Director of Hallmarks and Character Education | Student Life | Campbell University
Speakers are continuously updated upon confirmation.
Rally de Leon
Keynote Speaker
9:00 am Ballroom B
Arthur “Rally” de Leon graduated from The Citadel in 1986 with a BS in Biology and an MBA from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.
Currently, he is a business broker, SCORE mentor, on the board of Triangle Area Fellowship of Christian Athletes, and attends Providence Church in Raleigh, NC.
Rally served as a Chick-fil-A franchisee for over 22 years in Raleigh, NC. Before owning his own business, Rally held various industry positions with the US Air Force, NATO, MCI Telecommunications, and IBM.
In April of 2024, he completed a decade service as a trustee with Gateway Seminary in Ontario, CA and he currently serves on a committee with the Southern Baptist Convention in Nashville, TN.
His hobbies include bicycling, camping with his wife of nearly 40 years, and enjoying time with his 2 daughters, son-in-law, and grandson.
Katie Smith | CEO | PHC Restoration
Values First: Finding a Culture Where You Can Lead with Purpose
10:00 am Ballroom A
Katie Smith earned her BA in Communication Studies from Campbell University in 2004. She’s the second-generation owner and CEO of PHC Restoration, a property damage restoration company that’s served Central North Carolina for more than fifty years. With twenty years in the restoration industry, Katie has built a reputation for developing strong, values-driven teams and leading with purpose. In 2021, she received the national Women in Restoration Award, and the following year, she made history as the first woman elected President of the Restoration Industry Association, the nation’s oldest and largest trade association for restoration contractors. She gives back through volunteer service with her community, church, and industry, and proudly serves Campbell University on both the Alumni Board of Directors and the Presidential Board of Advisors.
Jessica Boone | Department Chair, Accounting & Finance and Assistant Professor | Lundy-Fetterman School of Business | Campbell University
Business & The Bible: People with Purpose
Renee Green | Director of Leadership Development & Student Success | Lundy-Fetterman School of Business | Campbell University
Business & The Bible: People with Purpose
10:00 am Ballroom B
Renee Green is a leader in higher education who is passionate about helping students discover that their work, leadership, and everyday lives can be shaped by purpose and faith. As Director of Student Success & Leadership Development for Campbell’s Business and a longtime leader in student success, mentorship, and leadership development, Renee has spent her career investing in people and creating spaces where students can grow in confidence, character, and calling. Through her work with Business & the Bible, she brings together biblical wisdom and real-world experiences in business, leadership, family, and community, inviting audiences to consider not only what they are called to do, but who they are called to become.
Mike Barefoot | Keynote/Motivational Speaker | RedZone Resources
Kaizen: The Pillars of Success
10:00 am Ballroom C
Mike Barefoot has a Bacher’s degree in Business Management as well as an MBA from Campbell University. Involved in sports all of my life including 37 years as a martial artist (Karate, Kickboxing and Ju-Jitsu) and combining this with 27 years in the staffing industry. Was a top performer (Rookie of the Year, multiple Performer of the Year awards and President Club acknowledgements) as a permanent placement specialist, recruiter and account executive. Proceeded to open a boutique, IT staffing firm that was profitable all 15+ years of the company’s existence. During staffing career, placed over 1,000 professionals and generated over $50 million in revenue. Has spoken to various organizations including NC State University’s MBA program’s students multiple years to better prepare them to reach new heights after graduation. Met with thousands of executives regarding projects and positions they needed filling to help themselves and their companies be more successful. Been featured over 60 times as a columnist, podcast guest, industry expert and a successful entrepreneur by periodicals and podcasts including Staffing Industry Analyst, CareerBuilder, USA Today, Small Business Technology Development Center as well as several others. Married the discipline and regimented lifestyle it took to achieve milestones in one and used those tools to help be successful in my professional life. Currently speaking to audiences through various mediums to help people tap into their abilities and achieve the types of success they are trying to gain on multiple levels.
Kendra Sumler | Assistant Director of Graduate Programs | Lundy-Fetterman School of Business | Campbell University
Business as a Calling: Leading with Integrity and Kingdom Vision
11:00 am Ballroom A
Kendra N. Sumler serves as Assistant Director of Admissions and Graduate Programs within the Lundy-Fetterman School of Business, where she facilitates matriculation into the Master of Business Administration and Master of Trust and Wealth Management programs and serves as a program advisor to enrolled students. Prior to joining the business school, she spent six years in progressive admissions and recruitment roles within the College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences.
Drawing from her experience in ministry and higher education, Kendra is particularly interested in spiritual formation and the ways culture, language, and embodied practice shape how people understand themselves and the world around them. Her interdisciplinary work draws from theology, psychology, and arts and culture, with a particular interest in semiotics, identity, ethics, and theological anthropology.
Kendra holds degrees from Fayetteville State University and Campbell University and is a Princeton Theological Seminary Black Theology and Leadership Institute (BTLI) Fellow (2025). Most recently, she presented “Mirror or Mirage: AI, Personhood and the Imago Dei in Reflective Interaction” at Baylor University’s annual Symposium on Faith and Culture (2026).
A creative and curious thinker, Kendra is happiest in thoughtful conversation, with a good book, a strong cup of coffee, and a blueprint for her next interdisciplinary endeavor.
Chandler Rose | CEO, Rosewood Family of Companies | Cofounder, Helmwise
The Paradigm Shift that AI is Causing: A Curated Conversation
11:00 am Ballroom C
Chandler Rose is CEO of the Rosewood Family of Companies and cofounder of Helmwise, where he advises CEOs and leaders on strategy, wisdom, and the rapidly evolving implications of artificial intelligence for leadership. Driven by a Spirit of Excellence, Chandler has built a values-centric culture across his companies, measuring success not just by growth but by giving back to the community and helping employees build meaningful careers.
Through Helmwise, Rosewood, and portfolio technology companies including Nucleus, Cruxos, and Fusion Cyber, Chandler has built a deep network of entrepreneurs, technologists, and thought leaders shaping the future of AI. He cohosts The Powerhouse Perspective podcast and leads Helmwise conversations on what this paradigm shift will demand of today’s leaders.
His work has been recognized by the Triangle Business Journal with the CEO of the Year Award, 40 Under 40, Fast 50, and Book of Lists honors. He also maintains close ties to higher education through Rosewood’s longstanding relationship with Campbell University’s Lundy Fetterman School of Business.
Chandler holds a BS in Criminology and Psychology from Florida State University and a J.D. from Wake Forest University School of Law.
Scott Kelly | Director of Entrepreneurship and Instructor of Business and Entrepreneurship Coordinator | Campbell University
The Paradigm Shift that AI is Causing: A Curated Conversation
Dr. Karen Mishra | Department Chair, Business Administration & Economics and Associate Professor | Lundy-Fetterman School of Business | Campbell University
Lunch Panel
12:00 pm Ballroom B
Dr. Karen Mishra is the Department Chair of Business Administration & Economics in the Lundy-Fetterman School of Business at Campbell University in Buies Creek, NC. Dr. Mishra is the co-author (with her late husband, Aneil) of two books on trustworthy leadership; the most recent book published in 2022 is “Intentional Leadership”, by Routledge/Taylor & Francis. Her research focuses on how leaders and teams use internal communication to build trust with employees. She is also a Gallup-certified CliftonStrengths Coach. In her leadership and team consulting and coaching, she helps organizations and teams build trust and improve employee communication and engagement. Prior to her academic career, she was the first female and youngest National Account Manager for Johnson Control’s $75 million Pepsi-Cola account. She has helped launch three NC healthtech startups, raising $1.5 million in seed funding, and was CMO of the third, a healthcare analytics company. Karen has served on the board of the Carolina Headache Foundation to improve migraine diagnosis and care, and on the board of Preston’s League, a nonprofit serving children with cancer and their families at Duke Hospital. Her M.B.A. is from the Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan, and her Ph.D. is from the Hussman School at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Abby DeHaas Brittle | Associate Athletic Director for Student-Athlete Support | Campbell University
Lunch Panel
12:00 pm Ballroom B
Dr. Allison Lee | Interim Assistant Dean & Assistant Professor | School of Engineering | Campbell University
Lunch Panel
12:00 pm Ballroom B
Dr. Justin Nelson | Associate Professor of Sociology | School of Education & Human Sciences | Campbell University
Lunch Panel
12:00 pm Ballroom B
Dr. Rachel Nelson | Director of Hallmarks and Character Education | Student Life | Campbell University
Lunch Panel
12:00 pm Ballroom B
2025 Speaker List
- Teena Piccione | Secretary & State CIO | N.C. Department of Information Technology
- Dr. Nan Zhang | Business Insights Leadership | Instinct Science
- Dr. Sarah Adams | Assistant Professor, English | Campbell University
- Brian Bowman | Assistant Professor, Communication Studies | Campbell University
- Dr. Thomas Dixon | Associate Professor, Christian Studies| Campbell University
- Laura Graham | Assistant Professor, Management | Campbell University
- David Mulford | Academic Technology Manager | Campbell University
- Dr. Douglas Kline | Partner | NC Capital Group
- Dr. Emi Barresi | Founder, HEARTH Team Leadership | Senior Technology Project Manager, Optum
- Scott Kelly | Director of Entrepreneurship and Instructor of Business and Entrepreneurship Coordinator | Campbell University
- Dr. Kat Spradley | Founder | K. Cradley & Co
- Jenny Nicholson | Founder | Queen of Swords
2024 Speaker List
- Mary Willis | President & CEO, Fidelity Bank
- Melanie Regner | SVP & Financial Advisor RHO Group, Morgan Stanley
- Kevin Mills | Wealth Planner, First Citizens Bank
- Matt Brubaker | President, Greenfield Communities
- Amanda Hoyle | Director of Land Acquisition, Tri Point Homes
- Phillip Neuhart | SVP Director of Market & Economic Research, First Citizens Bank
- Phillip Strickland | Executive Director Trust & Fiduciary Services & SVP, First Citizens Bank
- Ron Duffer | Business Advisor, NC Small Business & Technology Development Center
- Tyler Britton | Professor of Trust & Wealth Management, Campbell University
- Michelle Osborne | Director of the Risk Management Institute, Campbell University
2023 Speaker List
- Teena Piccione | C-Suite Executive | Global Transformation & Operations Executive at Google
- Paul Levering | Certified EOS Implementer
- Dr. Katherine Spradley | Partner, K. Cradley & Co.
- Aaron Lympany | Owner, Rhymes Video
- Dr. Michael Rodriguez | Associate Professor of Marketing
- Lisa Bamford | Director of Global Marketing and Sales, Sciencix
- Dr. Amanda Parker | Associate Professor of Homeland Security and Cybersecurity
- Dr. Sherri Yerk-Zwickl | Vice President of Information Technology, CIO at Campbell University
2022 Speaker List
- Jenny Hofler | Recruiting Manager, Amazon
- Doug Stewart | Author of 5 1/2 MENTORS, TEDx Speaker and certified Dale Carnegie Coach
- Chris Deshazor | Director of Talent and Organizational Development, Harness.io
- Dr. Michelle Osborne | Chair of Business Administration and
Economics, Campbell University - Lindsay Wrege | Co-founder and CEO, 321 Coffee
- Dr. Patricia J. Carter | CEO of Breakpoint Coaching, LLC
- Rebecca Brock | Senior Vice President and Fiduciary Director, Truist Wealth
2021 Speaker List
- Bryan McGann | Clinical Professor of Law and Director of Start-Up Ventures Clinic, Duke University
- Coach Mike Minter | Football Head Coach, Campbell University and CEO of Minter Enterprises
- Alison Sikes | President and CEO, Strategy Performance Business Solutions
- Dr. Laura Lunsford | Professor and Chair of Psychology Department, Campbell University
- Vicky Ismail | Co-founder, Carroll’s Kitchen
- Chris Bingham | Entrepreneur in Residence at Campbell University and Owner, Ship Simply
- Dr. Jenna Carpenter | Dean and Professor of Engineering, Campbell University
- Dr. Sherri Yerk-Zwickl | Vice President for Information Technology and CIO, Campbell University
- Sandy Connolly | Vice President for Business and Chief Financial Officer, Campbell University
- Dr. Faithe Beam | Vice President for Student Life and Christian Mission, Campbell University