Speaker Series

Through vulnerable storytelling, brave women tell their stories of struggle and hope to inspire and empower attendees. Details on the next event coming in 2025!

 

About | Speakers | Support | Connect

 

About

What is BOLD?

BOLD is a unique speaker series designed by women. Each event will feature different topics to make up BOLD. They will discuss different equality-focused topics, taking us through women’s personal stories of struggle and hope. These BOLD stories will empower and inspire all.

This speaker series is a passion project of two prominent region leaders. These women want to see more equality in the workplace, home life, and everyday interactions. They believe that by creating a platform for women to be vulnerable with one another, our community will strengthen and real change can commence. BOLD intentionally includes at least 50% of speakers will be women of color.

BOLD Women

Next Event Coming in 2025

Check out some of the amazing BOLD speakers who’ve been featured in the past.

2023 Speakers
2023 Sponsors
Past Speakers

Call For Speakers

Be BOLD.
Speak Up!

Interested in being a BOLD speaker?

Email us HERE.

BOLD Women

Speakers

Check out some of the amazing BOLD speakers who’ve been featured in the past.

2023 Speakers
2023 Sponsors
Past Speakers

Support BOLD

Be a BOLD Business.

Looking to get involved with the BOLD Speaker Series?

Support Bold

Event Protocols

BOLD Safety

BOLD is committed to the safety of our attendees, speakers, and crew. We will continue to closely monitor and strictly adhere to the COVID-19 regulations from CDC and CDPH, as well as The Sofia.

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2023 Speakers

Jill Osur

B

Breaking Beyond

Founder and CEO, Teneral Cellars

A former UC Berkeley softball player, Jill Osur still draws on her athletic background to hone her leadership style and overcome obstacles. Deeply moved to elevate women and inspire meaningful change, her values have guided her career—first as a savvy political fundraiser, then in marketing with Special Olympics Northern California & Nevada, and now, as an entrepreneur. Jill has helped launch numerous consumer product companies and ventures focused on “doing well by doing good.” Jill founded a digital winery, Teneral Cellars, in 2020. Teneral Cellars is driven by Jill’s belief that wine can be a conduit for change; a force for gender equity and social justice within the wine industry and our culture at large. Jill is the new owner of the Wilderotter Estate in Amador County with a beautiful winery, vineyard, tasting room and five-star boutique hotel.

Jill is a captivating public speaker who helps female executives and entrepreneurs learn how to strengthen their leadership by tapping into the “head, heart, and gut.” As said by one attendee, Jill “puts a firecracker in the room” with her energizing, moving presence. A champion of female power, Jill coaches audiences and clients to embrace their brilliance, leverage full capacity thinking, and show up in alignment with their authentic selves.

Jill is a member of the Governor’s Entrepreneurship and Economic Mobility Taskforce, Women Presidents’ Organization, C-Sweet, was a founding board member of the John F. Kennedy University Institute for Entrepreneurial Leadership, and is a current advisory board member for Enterprising Women, Women Business Collaborative, and board member of Hilinski’s Hope Foundation, which provides integrative mental wellness programs for student athletes. Jill was the 2021 Winner of the Women President’s Organization Adrienne Hall Award for Breaking Down Barriers. She was the 2022 Winner of a Stevie Award for Women in Business for Best Female Entrepreneur – Consumer Products, the 2022 recipient of the Corporate Leader Award from Leadership California, 2023 Winner, NAWBO Sacramento OWL Awards – Woman Innovator, and 2023 Honoree as one of the 100 Women to KNOW in America.

Megan Morgan

O

Obituary

At the ages of 19, 25, and 28, Megan experienced three serious and death-defying events which resulted in the publishing of her first book “The End of Me” in 2019. Born in Bermuda, raised in Canada, and now with over a decade in the U.S. as a Californian, Megan spends her days differently after having been given some “extra chances” at life.

Today she’s a writer, artist, teacher and equity advocate who also hosts a bi-weekly podcast called MYA ~ My Yoga Audio, where in addition to audio-only meditations and yoga classes, she interviews creatives, wellness experts and people doing amazing things with their own lives who are finding ways to help others too.

After losing both of her biological parents as a very young child and navigating the subsequent terrain of adoption, along with familial and racial lineage connections, one of Megan’s favorite life accomplishments is being a mom to two incredible daughters and watching them flourish in this world.

Michele Foss

L

Legacy

Dr. Michele Foss was raised on television…in the most wonderful way. As a child, she’d watch Sesame Street and Reading Rainbow, along with reruns of Star Trek and The Twilight Zone (but always under the careful watch of her mother, who taught her to be curious and critical). No one predicted that her early appreciation of television, would blossom into a career, but that’s just what happened.

As an award-winning professor in the Department of Communication Studies at Sacramento State University, Dr. Foss draws upon her childhood love of media as she teaches classes on the intersections of television, film, culture, and social justice. She’s ruined television watching for hundreds of students, making their passive consumption of media an activity of the past. She considers herself a talent scout on a mission to recognize potential in the individual student, that others might not notice. She has a long roster of protégés, many from underrepresented communities, who have become leaders in academia and industry. It is this part of the job, this part of her LEGACY, that makes her most proud.

She is also proud to wear all the hats (creator, writer, producer, editor, host, and entire marketing department) for The TV Doctor, a podcast in which she “prescribes” the TV show you should watch to “heal” your emotional ailments. The podcast is currently in season number four and is ranked as one of the top 5% most popular shows globally, with no plans to slow down.

Meghan Phillips

D

Dungeness

With 20-plus years in the food and wine industry, Meghan Phillips, CEO and Founder of Honey, is a talented storyteller and a passionate advocate for community, food policy, and young entrepreneurs.

Her spirited stance on the power of creativity has been sought out by various national food and ag committees, economic development boards and sparks discussion from coast to coast. Meghan recently took the stage at SXSW to discuss the power of the Passion Economy with Adam Davidson - co-founder of Planet Money.

While passion exudes from her, this can also be a bit of a “double-edged sword”. Burnout, people pleasing, and often not seeing the forest for the trees, Meghan’s journey in navigating the dark waters and the spineless moments that she is learning to grow from, will unfold at BOLD as she shares more about her word, Dungeness.

Bold Speaker Series

2023 Sponsors

Beyond Bold Sponsors

Brave Sponsors

Media Sponsor

Past Speakers

B

Bravery

Rachel Zillner, 2019

Bias

Cassandra Pye, 2020

Begin

Bri Norberg, 2020

Between

Amanda Allen, 2020

Baby

Janette Cruz, 2021

Bold

Ruthie Bolton, 2022

Backseat

Taryn Grows, 2023

O

Optimism

Liza Trujillo, 2019

Obsession

Teal Gaydos, 2020

Original

Deneva Shelton, 2020

Opportunity

Lisa Wrightsman, 2020

Orgasm

Katie McCleary, 2020

Only

Tara Taylor, 2021

Overfunctioner

Becky Johnson, 2022

Overcome

Dr. Ashley Joves, 2023

L

Leadership

Gina Richardson, 2019

Loss

Beverly VanSanten, 2020

Love

Cherise Henry, 2020

Lesson

Phoebe Verkouw, 2020

Loneliness

Andrea L'Heureux, 2020

Lover

Kerri Naber, 2021

Lean

Bernadette Austin, 2022

Learning Ability

Bobbin Mulvaney, 2023

D

Depression

Verna Sulpizio Hull, 2019

Design

Christine Calvin, 2020

Determination

Jenine Smith Jenkins, 2020

Death

Maria Robinson, 2020

Daughters

Martha Lofgren, 2021

Details

Ginger Elizabeth, 2022

Defense

Lina Khalifeh, 2023

2023 Speakers

Jill Osur

B

Breaking Beyond

Founder and CEO, Teneral Cellars

A former UC Berkeley softball player, Jill Osur still draws on her athletic background to hone her leadership style and overcome obstacles. Deeply moved to elevate women and inspire meaningful change, her values have guided her career—first as a savvy political fundraiser, then in marketing with Special Olympics Northern California & Nevada, and now, as an entrepreneur. Jill has helped launch numerous consumer product companies and ventures focused on “doing well by doing good.” Jill founded a digital winery, Teneral Cellars, in 2020. Teneral Cellars is driven by Jill’s belief that wine can be a conduit for change; a force for gender equity and social justice within the wine industry and our culture at large. Jill is the new owner of the Wilderotter Estate in Amador County with a beautiful winery, vineyard, tasting room and five-star boutique hotel.

Jill is a captivating public speaker who helps female executives and entrepreneurs learn how to strengthen their leadership by tapping into the “head, heart, and gut.” As said by one attendee, Jill “puts a firecracker in the room” with her energizing, moving presence. A champion of female power, Jill coaches audiences and clients to embrace their brilliance, leverage full capacity thinking, and show up in alignment with their authentic selves.

Jill is a member of the Governor’s Entrepreneurship and Economic Mobility Taskforce, Women Presidents’ Organization, C-Sweet, was a founding board member of the John F. Kennedy University Institute for Entrepreneurial Leadership, and is a current advisory board member for Enterprising Women, Women Business Collaborative, and board member of Hilinski’s Hope Foundation, which provides integrative mental wellness programs for student athletes. Jill was the 2021 Winner of the Women President’s Organization Adrienne Hall Award for Breaking Down Barriers. She was the 2022 Winner of a Stevie Award for Women in Business for Best Female Entrepreneur – Consumer Products, the 2022 recipient of the Corporate Leader Award from Leadership California, 2023 Winner, NAWBO Sacramento OWL Awards – Woman Innovator, and 2023 Honoree as one of the 100 Women to KNOW in America.

Megan Morgan

O

Obituary

At the ages of 19, 25, and 28, Megan experienced three serious and death-defying events which resulted in the publishing of her first book “The End of Me” in 2019. Born in Bermuda, raised in Canada, and now with over a decade in the U.S. as a Californian, Megan spends her days differently after having been given some “extra chances” at life.

Today she’s a writer, artist, teacher and equity advocate who also hosts a bi-weekly podcast called MYA ~ My Yoga Audio, where in addition to audio-only meditations and yoga classes, she interviews creatives, wellness experts and people doing amazing things with their own lives who are finding ways to help others too.

After losing both of her biological parents as a very young child and navigating the subsequent terrain of adoption, along with familial and racial lineage connections, one of Megan’s favorite life accomplishments is being a mom to two incredible daughters and watching them flourish in this world.

Michele Foss

L

Legacy

Dr. Michele Foss was raised on television…in the most wonderful way. As a child, she’d watch Sesame Street and Reading Rainbow, along with reruns of Star Trek and The Twilight Zone (but always under the careful watch of her mother, who taught her to be curious and critical). No one predicted that her early appreciation of television, would blossom into a career, but that’s just what happened.

As an award-winning professor in the Department of Communication Studies at Sacramento State University, Dr. Foss draws upon her childhood love of media as she teaches classes on the intersections of television, film, culture, and social justice. She’s ruined television watching for hundreds of students, making their passive consumption of media an activity of the past. She considers herself a talent scout on a mission to recognize potential in the individual student, that others might not notice. She has a long roster of protégés, many from underrepresented communities, who have become leaders in academia and industry. It is this part of the job, this part of her LEGACY, that makes her most proud.

She is also proud to wear all the hats (creator, writer, producer, editor, host, and entire marketing department) for The TV Doctor, a podcast in which she “prescribes” the TV show you should watch to “heal” your emotional ailments. The podcast is currently in season number four and is ranked as one of the top 5% most popular shows globally, with no plans to slow down.

Meghan Phillips

D

Dungeness

With 20-plus years in the food and wine industry, Meghan Phillips, CEO and Founder of Honey, is a talented storyteller and a passionate advocate for community, food policy, and young entrepreneurs.

Her spirited stance on the power of creativity has been sought out by various national food and ag committees, economic development boards and sparks discussion from coast to coast. Meghan recently took the stage at SXSW to discuss the power of the Passion Economy with Adam Davidson - co-founder of Planet Money.

While passion exudes from her, this can also be a bit of a “double-edged sword”. Burnout, people pleasing, and often not seeing the forest for the trees, Meghan’s journey in navigating the dark waters and the spineless moments that she is learning to grow from, will unfold at BOLD as she shares more about her word, Dungeness.

Bold Speaker Series

2023 Sponsors

Beyond Bold Sponsors

Brave Sponsors

Media Sponsor

Past Speakers

B

Bravery

Rachel Zillner, 2019

Bias

Cassandra Pye, 2020

Begin

Bri Norberg, 2020

Between

Amanda Allen, 2020

Baby

Janette Cruz, 2021

Bold

Ruthie Bolton, 2022

Backseat

Taryn Grows, 2023

O

Optimism

Liza Trujillo, 2019

Obsession

Teal Gaydos, 2020

Original

Deneva Shelton, 2020

Opportunity

Lisa Wrightsman, 2020

Orgasm

Katie McCleary, 2020

Only

Tara Taylor, 2021

Overfunctioner

Becky Johnson, 2022

Overcome

Dr. Ashley Joves, 2023

L

Leadership

Gina Richardson, 2019

Loss

Beverly VanSanten, 2020

Love

Cherise Henry, 2020

Lesson

Phoebe Verkouw, 2020

Loneliness

Andrea L'Heureux, 2020

Lover

Kerri Naber, 2021

Lean

Bernadette Austin, 2022

Learning Ability

Bobbin Mulvaney, 2023

D

Depression

Verna Sulpizio Hull, 2019

Design

Christine Calvin, 2020

Determination

Jenine Smith Jenkins, 2020

Death

Maria Robinson, 2020

Daughters

Martha Lofgren, 2021

Details

Ginger Elizabeth, 2022

Defense

Lina Khalifeh, 2023

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