-From East Elmhurst, NY (Born & Raised)
-Currently: Private practice in Hollywood, Florida
-Undergraduate: Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA (B.S. Biology, 1992)
-Medical School: Universidad Iberoamericana (UNIBE) School of Medicine, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic (MD, 1999)
-Residency: University of Oklahoma; Southwest Oklahoma Family Practice Residency Program, Lawton, Oklahoma (Family Medicine, 2003)
-Board Certified in Family Medicine (2003-Present)
-Special interest in Cannabinoid Medicine and Therapeutics

Tashara Similien, is an award-winning author, entrepreneur, instructor, business developer and connoisseur who has distinguished herself in the hospitality industry. An expert in restaurant inception, franchise creation and acquisition, and liquor licensing, Tashara was instrumental in the opening and business inception of Los Tacos and the I Love Tacos franchise, along with currently guiding the successful opening of the Hotel Morrison in Dania Beach, Florida. Her experience and vast knowledge of the restaurant industry and regulatory issues were gained from years working as a regulatory specialist for the state of Florida on liquor and tobacco licensing where she would transition and open her own consulting business for food and drink and hospitality entrepreneurs. Tashara provides workshops throughout the Florida where she advises small businesses and startups on what is needed to get started, choosing the right structure, obtaining needed licenses, writing effective business plans and guiding entrepreneurs on the dos and don’ts of the industry. In short, she is a one stop shop for anyone interested in starting a food and drink business with no know how! Tashara is the author of, “Quick Step: Start up Guide to Opening Your Own Restaurant” in addition to another untiled how to guide on growing your hospitality business.

Delius Shirley, has been in the restaurant business since he was a child, getting his start as a dishwasher for his mother, Norma Shirley, in Stockbridge, Massachusetts in 1978. In 1992 he moved to Montego Bay, Jamaica to open his mother’s third gourmet restaurant on the island. The restaurant received recognition around the world and Norma Shirley was touted as “The Julia Child of the Caribbean” by Vogue and other prestigious publications. In 1994, Shirley moved to Miami, Florida where he and his business and life partner, Chef Cindy Hutson, opened their first restaurant, Norma’s on the Beach. It was immediately written up as Miami’s new hot spot with Norma’s touted as “the best Caribbean restaurant in South Florida” by publications such as USA Today, The New York Times, The Times (London) and Chicago Tribune. In 1996 they were awarded the coveted “5 Star Diamond Award, and have continued to hold that same prestigious award at their current location, the 18 year-old Ortanique on the Mile in Coral Gables. He has consulted and opened numerous conceptual restaurants, Tres Jazz in Las Vegas, BET Soundstage, Pleasure island Walt Disney World, Orland, BET on Jazz in Washington DC. His own restaurants, Ortanique Las Vegas and Washington DC, Bogwalk in Destin, FL, and Copra Restaurant, Baltimore, MD. In 2010 the couple embraced their love of the Caribbean when they opened Ortanique Camana Bay in Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands. In 2012, consulting and running the F&B at The Dunmore Beach Club in Harbour Island, Bahamas and most recently the dynamic power duo opened a Cindy Hutson restaurant concept at the boutique hotel The Cliff in Negril, Jamaica on Dec. 1st 2015. On February 29th, 2016, they opened their newest concepts, Zest and Zest MRKT, in downtown Miami.

Trinnette Morris, is CEO of Trindy Gourmet and is a Personal Chef, Caterer, and Restaurateur along with developing artisanal seasonings and sauces. Certified with the American Personal and Private Chef Association, Ms. Morris departed her corporate career to pursue life as an independent Educational Consultant. Her consulting business has worked with several entities such as: The City of West Palm Beach, City of Miami Gardens and the City of Riviera Beach in expanding her food empire. Her father, who has been a Chef, and mother, who oversees the family's 15-year old catering business was at the core of Trinnettes passion for food and drink. Trinnette has been instrumental in assisting Black owned products grow their brands through selling them in her critically acclaimed restaurants throughout West Palm Beach. Her ability to teach and guide early stage food and drink entrepreneurs has is unrivaled as seen through her many successful mentees who have gone to open thriving food and drink businesses.

His Excellency Neter is an innovative, multiple award winning product creator and serial entrepreneur. He’s Founder of Billion Dollar Brands 101, and the Creator and Founder of Banana Wave® BananaMilk the world’s first non dairy banana-based milk alternative category. His products are found in stores across the United States including Whole Foods, Walmart, and Albertsons. Neter was a Certified Personal Trainer and is an advocate of healthy living. Neter has won multiple business plan awards, and is a genius when it comes to strategically building innovative, scalable, and exciting brands. Come here how he can help you get your brand off the ground and take flight!

Hi, dahling. I'mChef Jenn, owner of DaJen Eats, where we focus on vegan living with a Jamaican flair. I am the owner of DaJen Eats Cafe & Creamery in Orlando - the first vegan restaurant in a gas station. I proudly create Irie Cream, my line of deliciously dairy free ice cream - recently listed as one of the Top 50 Desserts in the US, by VegNews Magazine. I came to America alone at 16, quickly learning to continue enjoying certain luxuries like eating and living inside, I needed to stop eating out. That started my love-affair with cooking and food science. I've learned some great tips and techniques along the way. I'll share them with you. Let's cook together.

ROHAN RAMAKANT PATANGE has over 11 years of information technology experienced and building kick ass apps! He is an accomplished executive with experience in Technology Consulting, Project Management, Operations, Finance, Strategic Marketing, Business Expansion and Innovative Product Development. Focused leader, recognized for delivering large Technology Projects. A true visionary, with a track record for finding innovative ways to grow revenue and increase profit margins. An Exceptional business leader with a distinguished career and demonstrated success developing a million-dollar growth in a highly complex and competitive business environment. He will show you how technology can help and increase your profits of any food and drink business!

Abdul Hodge was born in the Virgin Island and relocated to Florida with his mother and brothers at the age of ten. Abdul attended Boyd Anderson High School in Fort Lauderdale, Florida and earned a full scholarship to the University of Iowa where he played under head coach Kirk Ferentz. While at Iowa, Abdul accomplished many accolades both on and off the field. Abdul led the Big Ten and ranked third in the nation in tackles per game and was a three-time selection to the team's Leadership Council. Abdul maintains an impressive record of third all-time in career tackles (453) and second all-time in single season tackles (158) at the University of Iowa but accounts earning his Bachelor's degree in Mass Communications as his greatest accomplishment during his college career.

Abdul was selected by the Green Bay Packers in the 3rd Round (67th pick overall) of the 2006 NFL Draft. Abdul played five seasons in the NFL and retired from the National Football League in 2011. In 2012, Abdul founded Professional Interactive Solutions (PIS). PIS is a digital agency that provides website and mobile application solutions for small businesses. As founder and Creative Director, Abdul Communicates the organization’s creative and strategic direction to emphasize the structural values and goals of the organization while ensuring business strategies aligning with short-term and long-term objectives. Abdul has the ability to Pinpoint innovative solutions to complex technological problems while organizing and supervise team members both domestic and abroad.

In 2014, Abdul founded Shop ‘N Teams Loyalty. Shop ‘N Teams allow businesses to create and customize a digital rewards program for their customers. As a sports enthusiast, Abdul identified that there was a need to create a team base rewards system...that allow friends and family members to create rewards teams and earn points for shopping at the same places. Shop ‘N Teams officially launched in October 2017 and are currently Onboarding new businesses.

Chef Cindy Hutson, passion for cooking but with no formal training defied all the odds, and with the help of her partner Delius Shirley, opened Norma’s on the Beach—one of the most successful and memorable eateries on Miami Beach. Rave reviews touted Hutson’s cuisine as “the best Caribbean restaurant in South Florida” and international support from USA Today, The New York Times, London Times, Chicago Tribune, Chef Magazine and Eater, who named Hutson “Chef of the Year” (2012), helped set the pace for what would develop into a thriving culinary future. More than 20 years later Hutson and Shirley have built a culinary empire with the successful opening and operation of more than eight award-winning concepts. Currently, the dynamic duo run their seventeen-year-old love-child, Ortanique on the Mile in Coral Gables, Florida, which opened with Esquire and Bon Appétit acknowledging it as one of the “Best New Restaurants” and Condé Nast Traveler awarding it as one of their “Hot Table” concepts; and their six-year-old Ortanique on the Crescent at Camana Bay on Grand Cayman Island, which has been praised by Caribbean Journal as one of the “Top 50 Best Restaurants” in the Caribbean and In February 2016, Hutson along with Shirley opened Zest, a contemporary fine dining concept, and Zest MRKT for “grab and go” in downtown Miami’s Southeast Financial Center. Hutson published her first cookbook, From the Tip of My Tongue (Story Farm), which received the prestigious 2015 Gourmand World Cookbook Award for “Best Woman Chef Cookbook in the United States.”

is a distinguished culinary professional who recently served as the guest Chef in the tenth annual “Dominican Gastronomic Festival of Miami”, which, with the support of the Council of the Dominican Republic among other organizations, took place this past 28th day of February in Central Broward Regional Park in the city of Miami, Florida. Danny Manuel Peñaló Dominguez is the Executive Chef of the prestigious restaurant “Yarumba” a Dominican Restaurant located in Miami Gardens, whose menu is characterized by the combination of traditional recipes, the development of modern plates and a fusion of flavors gathered from the best that our cuisine has to offer, in order to please even the most demanding of customers. Yarumba was recently rated by the Hungry Black Man as “Best Dominican Restaurant in South Florida” Yarumba Restaurant and Lounge, located at 4740 NW 167th St., offers a safe, family-friendly environment, with good and authentic Dominican dishes. He will serve as our resident chef throughout the conference!

Mandi Buckner, is a serial entrepreneur, risk taker, and branding expert. She is the founder of SLICE Academy, a culinary media firm providing education, resources, and support for culinary entrepreneurs and food based businesses. She has contributed her expertise to several online publications including Eating London, Black and Married with Kids, and most recently and currently, Southern Living Magazine; and has worked in partnerships with trusted brands such as Tyson Foods, Toyota, and Coca-Cola. Often seen wearing pearls and heels, even when she's working the grill, the spirited foodie has found the balance between executive chef and digital influencer, and is a skilled educator in teaching others how to navigate that fine line. Through running the award-winning blog Chewsy Lovers, and a successful local catering company (Buck A. Roux's) with her chef-husband Buck, Mandi has discovered a love for helping Black chefs and culinary entrepreneurs grow their digital influence, create signature products, and serve their communities on larger platforms. In 2014, her business Potstickers, a cooking subscription box for kids, was selected as a Wells Fargo Perfect Pitch Finalist. Always innovating, Mandi is planning to add a mobile unit to her culinary collective in the next year. The expansion will help create income for her goal, to open a teaching kitchen and entrepreneurship academy for underprivileged youth. When Mandi isn't teaching branding to chefs, or helping food businesses create their signature, you can find her on the beach dreaming with Buck, having brunch, or "momming it up" to the three most awesome kids on the planet.

Jorge Roza –Director of Marketing for Quirch Foods. Over the past 7 years, Jorge has directed the company marketing and brand positioning for their retail food brands. Jorge has helped solidify the company positioning and has implemented and driven the company profile through a strong acknowledgement of B2B and B2C marketing.

Jorge Roza is an award-winning creative with over 23 years’ experience in U.S. Hispanic and Latin American markets. Throughout his career, he’s held creative/art direction positions at BBDO Latina America, Accent Marketing, Imagen the Marketing Agency, Publicaciones Creativas (Puerto Rico), and the Yellow Butterfly Project before going on his own to start his own marketing firm, Idesign Group in 2003.

Jorge has led marketing campaigns for some of the world’s leading brands including Chiquita, Visa International, Discovery Networks Latin America, FedEx Latin America, and Pepsi Latin America.

His experience as a director for such a vast group of clients has allowed him to be flexible to markets and medias allowing his versatility to expand into international markets. From brand development and consumer product launches, to ad campaigns, social media campaign, corporate identity development, and brand management, Jorge continues to drive key marketing initiatives with success in Miami and in both the Hispanic and General Markets.

Scheril Murray Powell, Esq. is now Senior Partner at Scheril Murray Powell, PA a Cannabis , Agriculture, and Civil Law firm. She is also General Counsel for Minorities for Medical Marijuana, General Counsel for Patience with Patients, and In House Counsel for Green Roads World. She is a graduate of Florida International University College of Law. She is a member of the Florida Bar, Dade County Bar Association, Broward County Bar Association, Palm Beach County Bar Association, and National Bar Association, and was selected by her peers to speak at the FIU Law Commencement Ceremony. She has been selected to present at several Cannabis Conferences including the Canna-Ed Conference hosted by the Florida Cannabis Coalition. Scheril is the regular Cannabis Law expert on Cannabis Law Radio every Sunday morning on 850 WFTL Radio in Florida. She presented at the National Association of Black Journalists and National Association of Hispanic Journalists Joint Conference in August 2016 on the topic of: “Exposing the Truth: Getting Access to Audio and Video Evidence in Police Involved Shootings”.

Sherria Williams, is an attorney, entrepreneur, and community supporter who graduated cum laude with a Bachelor of Science degree in Criminology, from The Florida State University, and later earned her Juris Doctor from The Florida State University College of Law in 2009. During law school, Sherria worked for the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation in the Division of Professions where she prepared and argued cases at the Division of Administrative Hearings. Williams practiced as a litigation attorney with Butler & Hosch, P.A., and is presently at United Automobile Insurance Company​ in the Office of the General Counsel. However, it is her business savviness and knowledge of business regulatory issues, organization, and structure that propelled her to provide small to mid-size businesses with consultation and business advice on growing, developing, and expanding business operations. Additionally, Ms. Williams provides small businesses with a complimentary business guide and checklist assisting them in creating a stronger foundation for growth.

Chef Keith Lorren, is a classical trained chef, who attended the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York and is one of the World's Premier Spice Designer. Traveling and cooking around the globe in countries such as China, Japan, the UAE and Greece, while exploring cultures and traditional cuisines has resulted in Chef Lorren developing culinary products for major corporations and celebrity households. Working and managing various restaurants in Miami, Florida, Shanghai, China, Dubai, UAE, and studying the art of flavor, Keith spices are sold in over 200 Stop & Shop Stores in New York, New Jersey, Rhode Island, Connecticut and Massachusetts. Other Stores include 77 Big Y World Class Market Grocery Stores in Connecticut and Massachusetts, and Country Corner Produce in Miami Gardens, FL. In 2018, Chef Lorren Spcie Line is slated to be sold in an astounding 2,000 major outlets.

Judith Williams is a third-year Ph.D. student in social anthropology. A former chef and caterer, her research interests involve food labor, racial hierarchy, colorism, and the negotiation of racial inequalities. Her dissertation will explore the practices, traditions and socio-cultural beliefs, that reproduce and justify continued anti-black discrimination, within Miami’s restaurant industry, as well as the ways in which this discrimination is resisted and contested. Judith is a McKnight doctoral fellow and holds a master’s degree in Hospitality Management. Prior to pursuing her PhD, she was a Chef instructor at FIU’s Chaplin School of Hospitality Management.

Chef Ron Duprat is best known as one of the top competitors on Bravo TV’s“Top Chef”. and Bar Rescue. During that season’s competition in Las Vegas, Duprat, amazed judges with is exotic flavors, combining rich Caribbean heritage flavors with French Accents. Duprat was featured on the View, BET, Gourmet, Elle Magazine; Bon Appetites, Essence Magazine Ebony Top Chefs 2015; Huffington post recognized him as one10 Black Chefs That Are Changing the Food World .The Root recognized himHow 12 Black Chefs Cooked Their Way to the Top of the World” In 2010, Oprah magazine named Chef Duprat Recipe Her Favorite Butternut Squash and Sweet Potato Bisque. Chef Ron has prepared amazing meals for President and First Lady Obama, Jay Z and Beyoncé’, Usher and many more. ChefRon has used his cooking skills to also become actively involved in fighting child obesity and healthy kids eating. He’s affiliated with several major causes, including the First Lady Michelle Obama’s ‘Let’s Move’ campaign, No Hungry Kids, the Black Culinarian Alliance (BCA), The Word and Actions, World Central Kitchen, Clean Cook Stove. Since his days on Top Chef, Chef Ron has been traveling the world sharing his culinary prowess in cooking demonstrations, working as a celebrity chef a numerous restaurants, resorts and companies. He’s currently a consultant for the international food company Rastelli Direct and working as a consulting executive chef at the Sugar Bay Resort and Spa in St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands. Chef Ron has prepared amazing meals for President and First Lady Obama, Jay Z and Beyonce’, Usher and many more.

Educated at theCollege Aime Cesaire,La Varenne Ecole de CuisineChef Ron has used his cooking skills to also become actively involved in fighting child obesity and healthy kids eating. He’s affiliated with several major causes, including the First Lady Michelle Obama’s ‘Let’s Move’ campaign, No Hungry Kids, the Black Culinarian Alliance, the College of Culinary Arts in Miami, Chef’s Table and Basil Magazine’s Chef Council. Chef Ron is a Caribbean Black Elk Ambassador at Black Elk Wine and former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton named him a “Culinary Ambassador”. Recently, the HuffingtonPost named him as one of the “10 Black Chefs That Are Changing the Food World as We Know It” and the Washington Post along with TheRoot.com included him in a list of the “How 12 Black Chefs Cooked Their Way to the Top of the World” along with Marcus Samuelsson, G. Garvin, B. Smith and Tre Wilcox.