Women Who Lead Volume 1

• Stephany DeBerry
• Crystal Kelly
• Valonda Calloway
• Sonya Johnson
• Dr. Lisa M. Gonzalez
• Angela Marshall
• Tonia Glymph Walker
• Deborah Sharpe
• Dr. Emma Fraser Pendeleton
• Monique Ross
• Maria Howell
• Dr. Ayana Cooper
• Nekia Foxx
• Dr. Jarita Hagans
• Anglea Alston
• Dr. Jocelyn L. Hughes
• Michelle Hauser
• Devay Campbell
• Serena Wiggins
• Lyndosha Jamsion

An entrepreneur, female founder, marketer, brand expert, women’s leadership advocate and authenticity guru, Karen Maria Alston is a proven expert. She is affectionately known as The Advertising Diva or for her hashtag #beingkarenalston. In 2002, Karen stepped out on faith, left her job at America Online to follow her passion and create Alston Marketing Group now d/b/a, AM+G Marketing Communications. (www.alstonmarketing.com)

Alston Marketing Group based in Washington, DC has a large roster of current and former clients, created several notable advertising campaigns in the Washington, DC area including the red bikes known as Capital Bikeshare. In 2015, Karen added to her entrepreneurial endeavors and founded the innovative women’s empowerment and professional educational leadership development platform, The Spectrum Circle. (www.thespectrumcircle.com)

Born as a 3rd generation entrepreneur and a 4th generation college graduate Karen knew early on in her career she would eventually work for herself and become an entrepreneur as previous generations. AM+G has carved a niche working with government, public & charter schools and non- profits developing stellar marketing and branding campaigns. The Spectrum Circle is growing exponentially and has held several notable events in the Washington, DC area featuring a plethora of local and nationally recognized exceptional women sharing authentic leadership stories of navigating the glass ceiling and learned experiences. Karen is a content expert that articulates the brand voice of women with an emphasis on millennials who need experiences and educational opportunities to expand their lens of possibility.

In addition to her success as an entrepreneur, Karen enjoyed an illustrious professional career which included stints at JP Morgan Chase, America Online and Bank of America. She has been featured in several print and online publications, radio, internet webinars and TV shows. She is a public speaker and panelist on a range of topics including authentic leadership, women’s empowerment, marketing & branding, government contracting, gender bias & inclusion, the glass ceiling, design thinking, blue ocean strategy and creative entrepreneurs. Her favorite speaking topic the “burdens of the driven superwoman” was the motivating pre-cursor to founding The Spectrum Circle.

In 2015, The Annenberg Center at Sunnylands asked Karen to participate on a panel of experts on emergency communications, alongside technology luminaries such as Vint Cert and Adam Clayton Powell, III. In 2015, Copa Style Magazine named her its inaugural “Woman of the Year.” In 2016, American Enterprise Institute (AEI) asked her to participate in its Leadership Forum on urban policy and poverty in Washington, DC.

Karen Maria Alston received a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in Finance from Howard University, an Executive Education Certificate in Branding and Design from Harvard University, an Executive Education Certificate in Non-Profit Management from Kellogg School of Business at Northwestern University, and in 2017 an Executive Education Certificate from Harvard Business School for completion of the Women’s Leadership Forum. An exclusive program that accepts 60 female participants annually from a worldwide pool of applicants.

Women Who Lead Volume 1 spotlights Women who Lead! Women who have done amazing things and made extraordinary achievements! It empowering and inspiring! Each of these amazing women have a beautiful and unique story! As you read each of their phenomenal chapters you will be inspired to strive to achieve greatness in your life!