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learn more about the be bold now 2026 sEATTLE
Speakers
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MJ DePalma
EVENT HOST
MJ DePalma is a trailblazing thought leader and consultant in business strategy, leadership, and innovation. Recognized by Forbes, WARC, IAB, Cannes Lions, the 4A’s, and the ANA, she is known for pioneering the trust-based framework Marketing with Purpose. She has recently served as keynote speaker coach and author for Microsoft Advertising’s senior AI leaders, helping them secure earned mainstage visibility across global industry events. Her lifelong passion is empowering people to design emotionally intelligent products, services, and storytelling that benefit all species and the planet. While writing her forthcoming book, she also leads Maxa Jaguar Syndicate, a consultancy for leaders and brands ready to cut through the noise and create meaningful impact.
Jen Barnes
Jen Barnes is the founder and CEO of Rough & Tumble, the world’s first company purpose-built to promote gender equity in sports viewing and fandom. Since launching in 2022, she has led Rough & Tumble to become a national leader in the women’s sports sector—transforming how we watch, celebrate, and come together around the game.
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With over 25 years of experience building vibrant, award-winning companies, Jen brings deep entrepreneurial expertise and a lifelong passion for sports and equity. A former athlete and avid fan, she most recently partnered with NWSL players and WNBA owners to co-found Salmon Bay FC, Seattle’s first pre-professional women’s soccer team—expanding opportunities for women athletes and fans alike.
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Jen was recently named one of Seattle’s 25 Most Influential People and honored as a Seattle Reign FC Legend for her lasting contributions to the future of women’s sports. She currently sits as the Co-Chair of the Seattle FIFA World Cup Pride Match Inclusion Committee, and a Commissioner for the Seattle Sports Commission. Jen speaks regularly as an expert on the women’s sports industry sector and the business of women’s sports, including most recently as a TEDTalk speaker.
Lei Wang
Lei Wang is a leadership development strategist and the first Asian woman to complete the Explorer’s Grand Slam—climbing the highest peak on each continent and skiing to both the North and South Poles. But she didn’t begin as an adventurer. She grew up in Beijing as an unathletic book nerd who followed a traditional, high-achieving corporate path and was taught to be capable, prepared, and modest.
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In her 30s, Lei felt an unexpected pull toward the mountains—pursuing a dream that made no logical sense and required her to step into visibility, uncertainty, and fear long before she felt confident. That decision reshaped not only her life, but her understanding of courage: that bold action doesn’t come after confidence—it creates it.
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Today, Lei shares the deeper lessons behind achieving the “impossible,” especially for women navigating moments when the path forward feels risky or unclear. Through her story, she invites audiences to challenge inherited limits, claim their ambition unapologetically, and pursue goals that expand who they become—no matter the terrain.
Rebekah Bastian
Rebekah Bastian is a tech leader, entrepreneur, writer, and artist who builds at the intersection of technology, creativity, and impact. She is Chief Marketing Officer at mpathic, where she leads brand and go-to-market strategy for the company keeping humans safe in the AI era. Rebekah served as SVP of Product and Marketing at Glowforge, spent 15 years at Zillow in leadership roles, and founded OwnTrail, which was acquired by Teal. She is the author of the award-winning book Blaze Your Own Trail, a board member at Bellwether Housing, and an angel investor and advisor to early-stage startups.
Rowaida Janbaz
Rowaida Janbaz is a Youth Specialist with the International Rescue Committee (IRC), where she supports immigrant, refugee, and multilingual youth through education, mentorship, and skill-building programs. Alongside her professional work, she runs a creative side-hustle business that reflects her entrepreneurial spirit and passion for design and innovation. Rowaida is also on a Chemical Engineering journey, where she is building strong analytical, problem-solving, and technical skills. Her work and studies are guided by a deep commitment to equity, creativity, and creating meaningful impact in her community.
Kristen Smith Dayley
Kristen Smith Dayley knows the power that personal stories have to change hearts and minds and replace feelings of helplessness with a determination to act. Kristen is a partner at Scale LLP and co-lead of Scale’s Corporate & Securities group. She began applying her law training to work with refugees in the Seattle, Washington area in 2016. Focusing initially on the legal needs of asylum seekers, Kristen soon became involved in issues and services around the resettlement of individuals from various countries to new homes in Washington state. Bearing witness to the burdens, barriers and trauma that these resilient and determined individuals and families carry and confront inspires Kristen to find ways to open doors and find solutions that can alleviate these challenges. Since 2021, Kristen has served as Executive Director of Their Story Is Our Story, a nonprofit that collects and shares first-hand refugee stories to move people to act. Kristen received her law degree from Harvard Law School and loves deep discussions, good food, exploring new places, and learning from others. She and her husband have four children and one puppy acquired during the pandemic.
Nwando Anyaoku
Nwando Anyaoku, MD, MPH, MBA, is a physician executive, strategi advisor and coach based in Seattle, Washington. A board-certified pediatrician, Dr. Anyaoku most recently served as the inaugural Chief Health Equity and Clinical Innovation Officer for Providence, where she led efforts to improve health outcomes and equity with a particular focus on AI, technology and clinical innovation. With over 20 years of experience, she serves as a strategic advisor to healthcare startups and global technology companies to accelerate adoption and identify growth opportunities for new and existing products. Dr. Anyaoku is a much sought after keynote speaker and she serves as an active Board Member for several regional and national organizations.
 
Dr. Anyaoku serves as adjunct faculty at Carnegie Mellon University Master of Medical Management program and on the advisory board of WSU Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine Master’s in Healthcare Leadership program. As a strategic advisor, consultant and certified executive coach, she provides leadership development for leaders and supports physicians and executives in every aspect of their leadership journeys
Dr. Anyaoku holds a medical degree from the University of Nigeria College of Medicine, an MPH from Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, and an MBA from the University of Washington Forster School of Business. She is a proud mother of two young men and an avid reader and traveler.
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CYPHERQueenz
PERFORMER
CYPHERQueenz’s mission is to create a space for Bgirls to learn, session, cypher and build community elevating women in the Seattle Hip Hop breakin scene.
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Beginning in 2019 afterseeing an need for more community, they’ve created a space for Bgirls to learn, session, cypher and build community elevating women in the Seattle Hip Hop breakin scene.
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We give props to all the Bgirls who have been holding it down for a long time, but have observed many women briefly coming into the scene and then quickly leaving because of lack of support.
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There is an explosion of talented Bgirls all over the world now and there is so much more to come. In Seattle, we want to provide that space for them.