GrowthCon 2024

Conference Agenda

Explore all our sessions below!

• 10:00am: Welcome & Opening Remarks

  Dr. Kenneth A. Jessell 
  President, Florida International University 

• 10:10am: Keynote Speaker - Carmen Ibarra '14

  Keynote Speaker:

  Carmen Ibarra '14 
  Co-Creator of Atomica Roots 
  Finalist on Gordon Ramsay's Hell Kitchen: The American Dream (Season 22) 
  Founder of Mango Mama Salsa  

  Moderated by:  

  Leo Cosio '18 
  FIU Young Alumni Chair 
  Chief of Staff at North Bay Village

  An alumna of FIU’s Chaplin School of Hospitality & Tourism Management, Ibarra brings passion and a positive attitude to everything she does. As a finalist on Gordon Ramsay’s Hell’s Kitchen: The American Dream (S22), Ibarra has not only made a name for herself in the hospitality field, but she has also embodied the entrepreneurial Panther spirit, honoring her family and Peruvian roots creating an iconic mango salsa with locally sourced ingredients.

• 10:30am: Networking and Professional Development Session

  Networking is an integral part of your professional development, in this session, you’ll learn tips & tricks from the Panthers who know how to do it best. We’ll explore development of leadership and soft skills, identifying and learning how to combat impostor syndrome, and how collaboration and the ins and outs of recruitment for professional opportunities come together to give you the tools necessary to continue to grow your professional skills as a young professional or take the first step.

  Moderated by:  

  Jose David "JD" Melendez '17 
  Onboarding Facilitator at Lennar 

  Panelists:  

  Melissa Cancio '18, MBA 
  Executive Director at ChamberSOUTH 

  Daniela Cadena '15 
  Director of Corporate Development at Chiper 

  Malcolm Jones '18 
  Owner and Principal Architect at MAJ Architecture + Design 

  Richard Lopez '10, MBA '13 
  Chief Learning Officer at FounderFuego 
  Principal at Rich Lopez Consulting 

  Daniel Torrens '14 
  Strategic Partnership Growth Lead at SAP SuccessFactors 

• 11:00am: Financial Preparedness Session

  Panthers are money-savvy, ambitious, and incredibly hard-working. This session will focus on understanding and articulating your value when entering the workplace and navigating salary negotiations, understanding benefit packages, and simple budgeting tips to keep you on track.

  Moderated by:  

  Jimmy Egas '18 
  Director of Charter Memberships at Family Office Club 

  Panelists: 

  Jose A. Garcia '12, MBA 
  Senior Private Wealth Investment Manager at Wells Fargo Private Bank 

  Anthony Rodriguez '13 
  Talent Acquisition Leader at Wix 

  Charlomae Wathington '02 
  Human Resources Director at Westgate Resorts

• 11:30am: Wellness: Creating Space for Work and Life Session

  Join distinguished FIU Faculty experts in the health and wellness fields for a discussion on work/life balance and mental health. As we see our reality through the lens of social media where you have the same hours in a day as Beyoncé and keeping up are sentiments that reign supreme, stress levels can be through the roof as we attempt to lead successful careers, drink enough water, practice mindfulness, and binge the latest shows on streaming platforms, all while giving off good vibes. During this session, we will focus on identifying common stressors and help you develop skills to help manage and reduce stress to live a happier, healthier, and more productive life. We’ll get you ready to live and thrive in your wellness era.

  Moderated by: 

  Carlos Rivero '20 
  Business Development Manager at Park Street 

  Panelists: 

  Mihaela Plugarasu, M.S. '11 
  Associate Teaching Professor at FIU, Global Strategic Communications 
  NeuroMindfulness® Institute Master Practitioner Coach 

  Dr. Nancy Richmond 
  Associate Teaching Professor at FIU, Department of Marketing & Logistics

• 12:00pm: Giving Back and Mentorship: Paying it Forward.

  We know Panthers love to give back with their time, talent, and treasure. Our growing Panther community contribute billions into the local economy, stay involved with FIU for life, and continue to exemplify the values they learned on campus as they set off into their professional journeys. In this session, you’ll hear from alumni across different stages in their careers and why they choose to give back to pave the way for future Panthers and to make their communities better and brighter. In this session, you’ll be sure to be inspired, and identify the ways in which you’d like to be involved in the future!

  Moderated by: 

  Marlon Velez '14, JD '17 
  Attorney at Akerman LLP 

  Panelists: 

  Ashley Alvarez '14, MPA '20 
  Development Manager at Alzheimer’s Association 

  Veronica Bernace '09 
  Associate Director at United Way Miami 

  Melissa Lopez '16, MBA '21 
  Manager, Sports Communications at Telemundo Deportes 

  Rahul Mittal '21 
  Data Scientist at Dell Inc. 

  Hector C. Lans Jr. '13, JD '17

  Vice President of Business Development and General Counsel at Crosswell International 
• 12:30pm: Closing Remarks

  Sara DuCuennois 
  Chief Alumni Officer and Associate Vice President for Alumni Relations 

  Introduced by: 

  Keandre Blount ‘20 
  Associate Customer Technical Support at Beckman Coulter Diagnostics

  GrowthCon 2024 concludes at 12:45 p.m.