September President’s Message: Small Steps Towards Greatness
September 30, 2020
November Monthly Meeting with Lisa Ingram
October 12, 2020
Join NAWBO Columbus and the Ohio Equal Opportunity Division to learn how you can grow your business with the new Ohio WBE certification, the process to get started and resources to leverage your certification.
We know you have questions and we are here to answer them!
“I will be an early adopter of this certification! I understand the benefits of providing products and services to the great state of Ohio. It is a great way to make a difference in your state and community.”
Theresa Harris, TMH Solutions
“Government contracts, set asides for women can make the impossible dreams come true for a WBO. It allows us to think BIG and compete in a world that DOES make room for women!”
Merry Korn, Pearl Interactive Network
About our presenters:
Deonna Barnett, CEO & Managing Consultant of Aventi Enterprises
Deonna Barnett, CEO & Principal Consultant of Essentia Strategy Group. Essentia is a diversity and inclusion consulting firm that helps organizations turn their diversity commitments into business strategies by providing services in certifications, compliance, outreach and strategy/planning. Deonna has over 12 years of experience in small business development with an emphasis on developing minority and women-owned businesses. She is also the founder of Aventi Academy, an online school for business planning and preparation for financing. For more information about Essentia Strategy Group, visit www.essentiasg.com.
Bobbi Bell-Bartholomew, Program Administrator, Equal Opportunity Division of the Ohio Department of Administrative Services
Bell-Bartholomew has served the Equal Opportunity Division of the Ohio Department of Administrative Services (DAS) for 20 years. She served as the assistant to the deputy director post for more than 16 years before her recent reassignment to management of the research, reporting and recruitment unit. The mission of the unit is to ensure equal opportunity to government contracting by consistently providing accurate and timely program data for the Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) and Encouraging Diversity, Growth and Equity (EDGE) programs. Her duties also include assisting the Business Certification and Compliance Unit with promotion of the MBE, EDGE and newly established Veteran-friendly Business Enterprise (VBE) programs. She has assisted with more than 30 MBE outreach events, including the event planning of the Ohio Business and Career Expo at the Ohio Expo Center in Columbus.
Bell-Bartholomew also serves as the liaison to the Ohio Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday Commission, coordinating the commission’s MLK commemorate celebration held each January and its statewide oratorical contest held each April.
Before joining DAS, she worked for the Home Energy Assistance Program of the Ohio Development Services Agency for five years.
Bell-Bartholomew has received two DAS Superior Accomplishment Awards and the 2015 OhioMBE Top Advocate Award.
