WOW Forum Speakers
Check back soon for 2022 Speakers and Bios
We would like to express our sincere gratitude and our highest appreciation for the following speakers who made our 2023 conference such an amazing and memorable event:
Master of Ceremonies:
Karen Thomas
Karen Thomas is a certifies etiquette expert enjoying 21+ years of continued success creating leaders and powerful business practices throughout the Tri-State area. She offers unique training that strengthen communications, company, and entrepreneurial image; all while increasing the bottom line. Karen’s powerful training techniques allow participants to emerge with a new sense of confidence knowing their leadership skills are on point in any given situation. Her unique ability to engage an audience is what allows Karen to enjoy a long and continued presence on television, radio, and at colleges and universities across the US.
Karen is a published author of Poised, Polished, Professional – the Experts’ Guide to Executive Presence which is used as her teaching tool in CT colleges and universities including Quinnipiac and UCONN where she lectures each semester. She resides in NW CT with her husband and 3 children.
Cathy Coyle
Cathy Coyle will entertain and inspire our audience with personal stories, lessons, self-improvement strategies and career advice. She will make you laugh she may make you cry, and she will definitely provide you with at least one new aspiration for your journey!
With a career spanning more than 30 years of executive leadership, Cathy is currently the Executive Director at Brooker Memorial, a non-profit children’s organization in Torrington. Cathy holds a bachelor's degree in health care administration from Providence College and an MBA from UCONN.
Keynote Speakers:
Coryse Villarouel
Coryse Villarouel is an educator, dancer, actor, and human rights consultant with over 20 years of experience in various fields. She has a passion for arts & culture, human rights, and insurance, and she has used her skills & creativity to inspire & empower others.
As a proficient ballet dancer and an awarded choreographer, Coryse has motivated young black and brown individuals to pursue their dreams, regardless of societal constraints. She received her training at The Hartford Ballet and Alvin Ailey and danced professionally for several dance companies in CT. She has also served on the student advisory board for Jorgensen Center for Performing Arts, the West Indian Students Awareness Organization at UCONN, and the West Indian Carnival Committee in Hartford, CT.
After suffering a debilitating ankle injury during her dance career, Coryse didn’t give up on her artistic aspirations. She transitioned to becoming an actor and has appeared in over 20 films, television shows, and commercials and has been a proud member of the Screen Actors Guild since 2008.
As a seasoned brand ambassador and outreach coordinator, Coryse has traveled the US representing brands such as Petco and Unilever. She has also helped raise awareness of Access Health CT, the state’s health insurance marketplace, by educating people about the benefits of health coverage. She has a knack for simplifying complex terms and helping people make informed decisions.
Coryse has faced racial & gender-based discrimination in her professional journey, which motivated her to become a human rights consultant. She studied the Universal Declaration of Human Rights through the US Institute of Diplomacy and Human Rights and became passionate about spreading the work about this crucial document. She believes that education is the key to understanding and promoting human rights.
Coryse is currently a member of the non-profit organization Culture 4 a Cause, where she is the events, marketing, and production coordinator. She is also a devoted mother of two handsome energetic boys, ages 12 and 2. Her 12-year-old son is currently following in her footsteps and is also an actor who has appeared alongside his mother in several Hallmark Christmas movies.
Frederique Poulain
Frederique Poulain attended L’Ecole des Beaux Arts in her native county, France, an academy art school which led her to specialize in creating murals and Trompe L’oeil (trick the eye). Additionally trained and perfecting the art of hand painted ceramics, she started creating a variety of home décor accessories.
Frederique moved to Southwest Florida in 1993 and opened “Frederique’s Studio” which filled the demand of a rapidly growing list of clients. Over the past 25 years, she has been commissioned to paint for a “Who’s Who” list of clientele from New England to Florida, and shows annually at the Boston Flower and Garden Show, the Chatham Festival of the Arts, the CT Flower Show, and the Newport Flower Show. Add to these her Equestrian show lineup at the Land Rover 3 Day Event in Kentucky, Dressage at Devon, and Equine Affaire at the Big E.
Throughout Frederique’s life she has learned how to embrace her talents and learn how to live fearlessly!
Christina Geist
Christina Geist: In work and life, Christina Geist tries to leave a positive footprint on her corner of the world using the simplest of tools: her words. Whether it’s as founder and CEO of Boombox Gifts, a service that helps friends and families collaborate digitally to create an heirloom-quality memory box, co-founder of True Geist, a branding and design firm, or as a New York Times bestselling picture book author, Christina helps create moments and emotional connections through storytelling. Christina will be sharing her journey developing big ideas into successful brands and businesses and engaging in an open and interactive discussion. Christina is married to her high school and college sweetheart, Willie Geist, who you may know from the TODAY Show. They live in New York with their teenaged children, Lucie and George.
Brooke A. Goff
Brooke A. Goff is a personal injury lawyer dedicated to improving the lives of accident victims throughout CT. With a proven track record, Attorney Goff only works for the injured or those suffering injustice – not for insurance companies. As a prominent personal injury attorney in Hartford, Attorney Goff has never shied away from a challenge, regardless of who the opponent may be. Notably, Attorney Goff pursued sexual abuse cases against the Boy Scouts of America, which were covered by TIME and CNN. Attorney Goff also earned Super Lawyers Rising Stars recognition in 2017, marking 2018 as her second consecutive year. Attorney Goff…breaking barriers, glass ceilings and living into your purpose!