RiseUp Wealth Summit Main Stage Speakers

La’Shondra Johnson, a Miami native, former educator, award-winning orator, and upcoming TEDx speaker, is revolutionizing the world of public speaking and leadership development through her company, Pitch It LLC. With a mission to promote excellence and client success, Johnson’s passion lies in helping leaders across all ages and careers discover their voice, build confidence, and master the art of public speaking. passionate about helping leaders across all ages and careers discover their voice through confidence training, leadership development and public speaking coaching. 

She founded Pitch It LLC  where she coaches business leaders on how to cultivate the voice of their brand through coaching on speaking engagements, training for pitch competitions (including creating her own branded/sponsored competitions), and more. As a previous secondary educator with a passion for youth, she also has a nonprofit, EXTRAordinary Youth Inc. where she helps teenagers develop confidence in public speaking and overall self-esteem as well through oratory and theater techniques.

As a young girl, she was able to develop her talents for speaking after her grandmother introduced her to theater and oratory competitions. She had no idea that public speaking was something most people feared until college when she began hosting events across her college campus, running into peers who would often ask for help and guidance when they had a speech to deliver or needed her to deliver one. It wasn't until she started teaching that she realized how much public speaking techniques had helped her develop transferable skills in her adult life and how many of her students seemed to lack confidence in themselves, as well as how many adults twice her age still feared and struggled on stage. 

Many did not understand their voice, and after careful consideration and a few years of coaching during summers, La’Shondra left teaching secondary schools and began coaching and teaching teens as well as adults on public speaking and owning their brand, message, and overall confidence to be who they need to be while speaking with pride!

Jamaica-born attorney Tamar Hamilton is married to Gregory Hamilton, and together they have two children, Shaneil and Gregory II.

As the founder and lead attorney at Tamar N. Hamilton, P.A., her legal career began after earning a Bachelor of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies with a focus on communication and writing from Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton. She then graduated with honors from St. Thomas University School of Law in Miami Gardens, where she now serves as an adjunct law professor.

Driven by a desire to impact others with her knowledge and experience, Hamilton returned to Jamaica, where she earned her Legal Certificate from the Norman Manley Law School, allowing her to practice law in the Eastern Caribbean. She is currently practicing in Jamaica, while also helping Floridians connect with legal resources in Jamaica, aiming to strengthen the confidence of the Jamaican community in their domestic legal system.

Hamilton has developed significant expertise in estate planning, wills, probate, property law, real estate transactions, litigation, mortgage foreclosures, quiet title actions, contract law, and business transactions.

In addition to her legal practice, Hamilton is passionate about mentoring and serving others. As a Broward County Court Judge candidate and professor at St. Thomas University, she dedicates her time to guiding and inspiring her students. Her philosophy is rooted in the belief that everyone has a unique treasure within them; once discovered, it leads to a more enriched and fulfilling life.

Genevieve Carvil-Harris is an author, philanthropist, community developer, the U.S. United Queen of Queens (2021), Assistant Pastor at The Living Word Family Enrichment Center and proud wife of Brian C Harris.  A graduate of the University of Miami with a prelaw degree,  Genevieve developed a passion for community development and decided to pursue business development coaching. Genevieve reached back into her community to create classes and training events to empower others to create generational wealth through her Built By Gen brand.  Genevieve has been able to coach hundreds of entrepreneurs using capacity-building strategies to help guide her clients to their fortunes and increase their revenue to over $5 million. She has also implemented programs in low-income areas through grants and fundraising initiatives. She is the Co-Founder of Crowd Wallstreet Rewards along with LaShondra Johnson, Shanta Hereford, Tavaris Williams and Jamsky French, which is a rewards based crowdfunding platform that helps Founders raise capital for their businesses.

The company is proudly affiliated with Crowd Wallstreet Inc. Crowd Wallstreet was just named as the 3rd Black Owned Equity Crowdfunding Platform in the Nation.

Genevieve’s passion infused with her dedication to the business is why she was chosen as one of the 40 under 40 Black leaders of Excellence in South Florida and recently awarded an Honorary Doctorate in Ministry. She hopes to inspire other leaders to use their ideas and platforms to influence change within their communities and the world.

Adawna Bell has been in the Social Services field since 1999. During this time, she has worked with Child Welfare, providing Parenting and Therapy. She has helped parents reunite with their children after they were removed by the state and prevented children from being removed from their families. She then worked as a Family Therapist, providing services both in the home and at a local homeless shelter. 

For the last 10 years, Adawna has been in practice for herself at After Happily Ever After,LLC. She has also been an adjunct professor in the psychology department at Trinity International University. Adawna received her Bachelor’s of Science in Psychology from the University of

Connecticut in 1999. She received her Master’s of Science in Marriage and Family Therapy from Nova Southeastern University in 2009. 

Adawna is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in the states of Florida and Alabama as well as a Qualified Supervisor in Florida. Adawna is the author of three books. Her most recent book is “Heal Sister Heal, A Sister’s Guide To Wholeness.

In her spare time, Adawna enjoys reading, exercising, and music. Adawna has been a widow for five years and is the mother of two children.