Guest Speaker: Yvonne Davis from Davis Communications

Where: AC

When: Thursday, September 23

Some background on Yvonne:

Yvonne R. Davis is an internationally recognized business and leadership development coach, speaker, and award winning journalist. She is an expert in cross-cultural and global emerging markets, working with government, private sector, and non-governmental organizations to bring insight and viable solutions. Throughout her remarkable 20-year career, she has spearheaded initiatives that produce social and political change, both domestically and internationally. Ms. Davis has visited 56 countries and is passionate about critical economic and socio-political issues in the Middle East & North Africa Region, Africa, Central and South Asia, the Balkans and Eastern Europe.

With an impressive background in communication theory, application, leadership and business ethics and comparative politics, Ms. Davis drives crisis management and negotiation strategy initiatives that are utilized by the public and private sectors. It was through her highly intuitive capabilities and relationship building that she gained great respect as the first woman to teach negotiation skills to Palestinian women leaders. She brings this same ability to her business as a coach and consultant where she works closely with high level officials and key stakeholders to create a unique vision, develop strong leadership, and effect sustainable results.

Ms. Davis worked with the White House from 2001 to 2005 on housing, small business, HIV/AIDS, the Africa Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), global trade, welfare reform and women's issues. She travels regularly under the U.S. Department of State Speaker's Bureau Program. Ms. Davis planned, organized and executed a major trade mission to Senegal, Mali, Ghana, Cote D’Ivoire and Nigeria in support of Africa Growth and Opportunities Act (AGOA).

Ms. Davis has won several business and journalism awards, and is a columnist for the Huffington Post and Arab News. Her work has been featured in The New York Times, The Jerusalem Post, The Palestinian Times, and Black Enterprise Magazine. She is a member of board of directors for the Connecticut World Affairs Council and a member of the Board for the Al Waref Foundation (A Middle Eastern Policy and Public Affairs think tank in Washington, DC, Lebanon and Morocco).

A doctoral candidate at the Thierry Graduate School of Leadership, Ms. Davis holds an M.S. in Leadership and Business Ethics from Duquesne University. She earned an M.A. in Political Science from the University of Connecticut and a Bachelors of Arts in Political Science and Mass Communications from the University of Connecticut (Magna Cum Laude). She completed The Art Practice of Leadership at the John F. Kennedy School of Government Executive Leadership Program at Harvard University.