Inspiration, Hope, Action: Tools for a Better Tomorrow
Oprah Winfrey
Dr. Jane Goodall
Malala Yousafzai
Nellie Borrero
About Us
Dr. Johnnetta Betsch Cole stands as one of America’s most respected public intellectuals and a pioneering force in education, cultural leadership, and social justice. An acclaimed anthropologist, educator, author, and speaker, Dr. Cole has spent more than six decades advancing inclusion, diversity, equity, and accessibility.
With a Ph.D. in anthropology, Dr. Cole began her groundbreaking academic career as a professor of anthropology, African American studies, and women’s studies. But it was her transformational leadership that broke barriers and set new standards: She is the only person ever to serve as president of both of the United States’ historically Black colleges for women: Spelman College and Bennett College.
Dr. Cole was appointed Director of the Smithsonian National Museum of African Art and has served as a senior advisor to major institutions including Cook Ross and the Mellon Foundation. In 2004, she made history again as the first African American to chair the national board of United Way of America.
Dr. Cole most recently served as Chair of the Board and Seventh President of the National Council of Negro Women. She also serves on the board of the A. L. Lewis Museum on Historic American Beach in Fernandina Beach, Florida, a place with deep ties to her family’s legacy.
In 2023, she was named a Senior Fellow at the Kettering Foundation and in 2024, an Honorary Fellow of the Foreign Policy Association. That same year, she was appointed one of four co-chairs of the United Negro College Fund’s ambitious $1 billion campaign.
Dr. Cole’s extraordinary contributions have been recognized with 73 honorary degrees and dozens of awards. In 2023, she received one of the nation’s highest honors: the National Humanities Medal, presented by President Joseph Biden at the White House.
Throughout her life, Dr. Johnnetta Betch Cole has stood on the frontlines of the fight against racism, sexism, and all forms of inequality. A fierce advocate, a transformative leader, and a lifelong mentor to generations of changemakers, she continues to elevate voices and expand opportunities for people of all identities and cultures.
Snowden McFall is a nationally honored advocate, award-winning keynote speaker, and three time entrepreneur with a 30-year track record of igniting growth, purpose, and impact. As a consultant to Fortune 500 companies and SMBs, she is also an executive coach to CEOs and high-performing leadership teams. Snowden is known for solving complex challenges, building stakeholder alignment, and executive development.
Founder of Brightwork Advertising & Training and 30 year Fired Up! Professional Speaking & Coaching, Snowden McFall brings deep marketing acumen and visionary strategy to her work. Her contagious enthusiasm, practical wisdom, and emotionally intelligent leadership have inspired thousands, from boardrooms to national stages for companies like Fidelity National Financial, Pepsico, Johnson and Johnson and Edward Jones.
A six-time author and co-author, Snowden McFall’s book Fired Up! has sold over 65,500 copies. Her latest, Stress Express: 15 Instant Stress Relievers, underscores her commitment to mental well-being and resilience in leadership. In 2024, she was named the Top Public Speaking Coach of the Year by the International Association of Top Professionals.
As co-founder of the nonprofit Success for Women Entrepreneurs, Snowden McFall’s advocacy for women earned her national recognition, including the Small Business Administration’s National Women in Business Advocate of the Year award, a White House ceremony, and a Congressional luncheon in her honor. She was later named a New England Entrepreneur of the Year finalist by Inc. Magazine.
Snowden McFall has appeared on 366 radio interviews, CNN Financial News, Bloomberg Television, and Success Magazine, and in Investors Business Daily as an expert on burnout prevention.
A two-time Small Business Leader of the Year (PWC, 2009 & 2021), Snowden McFall also received the President’s Volunteer Service Award under President Obama. Her service spans more than 20 nonprofit boards over three decades. Since 2017, she has served as Chair of the ATHENA PowerLink Governing Body in Northeast Florida, helping women entrepreneurs grow to the next level. She served as an Athena panelist for the previous ten years. It was at an ATHENA International event in 2023 that Snowden McFall first met distinguished honoree Dr. Johnnetta Betsch Cole, who received the Global Athena Leadership Award.
A long time board member of PWC, she co-founded, and orchestrated the Women Connecting Women Awards event for four years, honoring Unsung Sheroes in the community. Past Chair of Community Involvement for many Chamber councils, she also serves on the Jacksonville Chamber South Council Board and is a volunteer for 904ward, an organization committed to ending racism. Like Dr. Cole, Snowden McFall has a passion for mentoring and making a difference in the lives of others. She is deeply committed to advancing women of all ethnicities, cultures, identities and backgrounds. She believes the world needs the emotional intelligence of women now more than ever.
Learn more about Snowden at www.firedupnow.com