THRIVE Live: Presenters

Angie Bastian

Co-founder, Angie’s Boomchickapop

Bastian, co-founder of Angie’s Boomchickapop, turned a humble popcorn experiment in her Minnesota garage into a global phenomenon. Starting in 2001, she built a beloved brand known for its gluten-free, non-GMO popcorn that quickly gained national and international acclaim. In 2017, Conagra Brands acquired Boomchickapop, recognizing its incredible growth and loyal following.

Bastian’s entrepreneurial journey has earned her widespread recognition. She’s been named a Pioneer in Food and inducted into the Minnesota Women’s Business Hall of Fame. Beyond her own brand, she shares her expertise through board roles with Prospera Foods and Opportunity International Nicaragua. Before diving into business full time, Bastian worked as a psychiatric nurse practitioner. In 2011, she made the bold decision to leave health care and fully embrace entrepreneurship.

Together with her husband of 28 years, Bastian has not only built a thriving business but also raised two amazing children. Her story is one of vision, courage, and relentless drive—an inspiration to entrepreneurs everywhere.

Lisa Bragg

Author of Bragging Rights: How to Talk About Your Work Using Purposeful Self-Promotion

Bragg helps leaders and businesses gain the recognition they deserve in a world where talent alone isn’t enough. Too often, professionals assume their work will speak for itself, only to find themselves overlooked. A former broadcast journalist turned entrepreneur, Bragg has worked with Fortune 500 companies, global associations, and industry leaders to help them amplify their success and increase their influence.

She is the author of Bragging Rights: How to Talk About Your Work Using Purposeful Self-Promotion and a sought-after speaker across the U.S. and Canada. She teaches people how to claim credit for their work and turn visibility into new opportunities.

Kortne Harris

Chief of staff, business technology and product development, AT&T

Harris is responsible for supporting the business outcomes, employees, and strategy of the business technology and product development organization at AT&T. She sits at the intersection of technology and the customer. Over the past four years, her primary focus has been talent, recruitment, and organizational leadership. Her work has been instrumental in the growth of the organization, along with her partnership with talent acquisition to implement “Hiring With a Purpose.” This methodology is intended to set the standard for technical hiring in the technology services organization. Harris is a transformational and collaborative leader who has a passion for mentoring and developing others. As a board member of the NETwork Black Integrated Communications Professionals, she holds the role of chief development officer. She enjoys connecting individuals to enhance their network while providing exposure for employees from diverse backgrounds. Harris has worked for AT&T for 12 years, holding leadership roles in customer care, sales, loyalty, operations, and technical project management. Prior to joining AT&T, she spent nine years at Comcast leading large teams in sales and customer service. Her passion for leading and providing exposure has been evident in her work with career fairs and partnerships with organizations like the UNCF and the Urban League. Harris prioritizes her health and encourages others to do so by running and strength training.

Michelle Poler

Social entrepreneur, keynote speaker, fear facer, and branding strategist

“After almost a decade of delivering my keynote presentation, I've noticed that people don't see me on stage...they see themselves. Not their current selves, but their most accomplished selves, their bravest selves, their future selves. Crazy, right?

“I show them what could happen if only they had the courage to say ‘hello!’ to their fears; to embrace change; to say ‘yes’ to new opportunities; to trust their bold ideas; to ask for what they want, need, or deserve—to take risks aligned to their values and give themselves (their real selves) a chance.

“In 2015 I chose to change my life by facing 100 fears. I decided to go from ‘autopilot’ mode to living fully, from checking society's boxes to checking my own, and from running away from fear to seeing the opportunities behind it. What I didn't know was that changing my life could also impact millions along the way.

“Sharing my success story in a vulnerable, authentic, and genuine way inspires people in the audience to give courage a chance by reframing the question ‘what's the WORST that could happen?’ into ‘what's the BEST that can happen?’”

Sandra Quince

Co-chair and member of the board of directors, Paradigm for Parity

Quince is the former chief executive officer of Paradigm for Parity, assigned through Bank of America’s Leader on Loan program, responsible for leading all elements of the company’s strategic plan, programming, and operations. She currently holds the role of co-chair and board member for Paradigm for Parity. She has more than 15 years of experience in human resources, where she has driven work efforts in the areas of opportunity and inclusion (O&I), talent management, and development and learning across multiple organizations and industries. This includes previously serving as the opportunity  and inclusion executive for Bank of America, supporting the CEO and chief O&I officer in delivering the global strategy. Quince was also the head of O&I for the bank’s global human resources, an organization of more than 2,500 employees. As CEO of Paradigm for Parity, Quince was selected as one of 50 recipients of the Goldman Sachs One Million Black Women Impact Grant; was named as one of D&I’s most inspiring diversity and inclusion leaders for 2022; and was on the list of honorees in 2021 for Oklahoma’s Journal Record’s “50 Making a Difference.” She has been featured in Essence, CEOWorld magazine, and Fast Company in addition to interviews with radio and television outlets. She serves on several nonprofit advisory boards.

Gwen Young

Chief executive officer, Women Business Collaborative

Young is the chief executive officer of Women Business Collaborative. She is also a visiting scholar at the Elliot School of International Affairs, George Washington University, and former director of the Global Women’s Leadership Initiative at the Wilson Center. Young has worked across the globe to promote economic development, good governance, and peace. She has developed strategy, programming, and advocacy in the areas of humanitarian policy, international affairs, and international development. This includes developing public–private partnerships focused on public health, agriculture, gender equality, and access to finance. Further, she has advocated for and published on international criminal law and has designed sexual and gender-based violence guidelines. As an attorney, Young has worked as a professional advocate for women and human rights in corporate law settings with the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia and the Kroc Institute for Peace and Justice at the University of San Diego. Her career has encompassed a comprehensive array of international organizations, including the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Medecins Sans Frontieres, International Rescue Committee, and the Harvard Institute for International Development. An alumna of Smith College, Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government, and the University of California–Davis School of Law, Young has pursued a career of international public service focused on humanitarian relief, international development, and human rights, starting with gender equality and equity.