Featured Speakers
Denise Moore
Denise is an entrepreneur, community advocate and trailblazer who graduated from Illinois State University and retired from State Farm Insurance. In Bloomington/Normal, Denise founded the Black Business Alliance in 1997 and in 2007, the only African American community radio station, WXRJ LP-FM.
Denise became the first African American woman elected to the Peoria City Council serving from 2013 - 2021. After ten years owning and operating retail stores in Normal and Peoria, in 2013 Denise became the Founder/CEO of the Black Business Alliance Peoria Chapter, Inc. (a 501c3 non-profit corporation), and established its’ affiliates, WPNV 106.3 LP FM, Peoria's only African American owned community radio station; the Minority Business Development Center that is helping build minority businesses, contractors, and professionals; and the Regional Workforce Solutions Center bridging the gap between 21st century opportunities and the minority community.
Denise is also the President of UpSouth Energy, LLC, a company devoted to connecting minority communities to renewable energy. She is married to Garry and has a daughter and two beautiful grandsons.
joyce gillie gossom, EdD
Born in Chicago, Illinois, Dr. joyce gillie gossom has spent her life going against the grain. At the age of 16, she felt so connected to the poetry and style of e.e. cummings that her mother let joyce legally change her name to all lowercase letters, which is frequently met with resistance.
joyce’s more than 40 years of professional experience range from special education teacher to elected official, organizational consultant, leadership coach and higher education administrator. Throughout her career, she has almost always served as an active member or officer with civic, professional, and community organizations.
Currently, she serves as The Princess of Best Gurl Inc., providing customized solutions for corporations, education, and non-profits that lead to improved performance. She is the author of Why Are They Following Me? A Guide to Effective Leadership and What Am I Supposed To Say? An Unconventional Guide to Transformative Leadership.
joyce and her husband have lived in Fort Walton Beach, Florida since 1999, they have one son. She served as the 2021 President for Impact100 of Northwest Florida, is a Member of the Illinois State University Foundation Board, and is the Past Chair of the Jule Collins Smith Museum Advisory Board. She likes butterflies, the colors purple and yellow, Winnie the Pooh, The Wicked Witch/Elphaba, and large bodies of water.
Kathleen Savio
Kathleen Savio serves as an independent director on the boards of Brown & Brown—the sixth largest insurance broker in the US—and Farmers Group, Inc. She retired from Zurich Insurance Group on December 31, 2023, serving for the previous three years as Zurich Group Chief Transformation Officer. While in this role, she also held the dual role of Zurich Group Chief People Officer. Prior to this, Kathleen was CEO of Zurich North America (ZNA), board chair of Zurich American Insurance Company and Zurich Holding Company of America, and Group Executive Committee member.
During her 30 plus-years with Zurich, she was President of ZNA Alternative Markets, providing insurance solutions through diverse operating and distribution models. She led the integration of Rural Community Insurance Services, a top-three US crop insurer, following acquisition of the business from Wells Fargo. She also held key roles including Chief Administrative Officer, VP of Corporate Marketing & Communications, and management positions in Strategic Initiatives, Diversified Products, and more. Kathleen was a trustee of the Z Zurich Foundation from 2010-2023, serving as chair in 2016 and 2017.
Kathleen earned master’s and bachelor’s degrees in communication from Illinois State University. She also completed the Advanced Management Program at Harvard Business School and the Executive Management Program at Northwestern University.