President and CEO of NatureSweet, Ltd.

Bryant Ambelang is the President and CEO of NatureSweet, Ltd., the largest greenhouse producer of tomatoes in North America. Currently, NatureSweet operates seven facilities—six in Mexico and one in the U.S.—and pursues its mission of “unleashing the power of people” through a vertically integrated production model that offers full-time direct employment to over 8,000 associates. NatureSweet’s products are distributed in major grocery stores in all 50 states and across Mexico and Canada. Bryant holds a B.A. from the University of Texas-Dallas and an MBA from the University of Denver.

Bryant and his wife, Mary, have five children and live in San Antonio.

CONTRIBUTIONS TO FAITH DRIVEN ENTREPRENEUR

CEO and Principal Designer of CR Hill Design Group

Award winning interior designer and inspirational strategist, Carnela Renée Hill, is the CEO and Principal Designer of CR Hill Design Group (CRHDG), LLC.  She is a 2015 White House Decorator and a top designer in the North Carolina area. She has been a guest on the HGTV White House Christmas special. 

Carnela is a social media influencer with three podcast shows. She has been identified in The Wall Street Journal as “One of the 111 Most Promising Business Leaders“. Carnela’s book “Walking Afraid” and the “Walking Afraid – Action Plan”, chronicles Ms. Hill’s journey from Corporate America to full time entrepreneurship, health issues, depression and relationships. The action plan helps you document your journey and face those hard areas while giving you the “Courage to Act”. 

Carnela shares her 20 years of corporate and entrepreneurial experiences on a global level.  She challenges her audience to stop settling and walking in fear. She enjoys coaching business owners. Carnela has an electric way of attracting people to her across various platforms. She is passionate about mentoring the youth and young adults and spends time encouraging and guiding them through life issues.  The other hat, Carnela wears is advising candidates and speaking to legislators on various topics impacting entrepreneurs and interior designers. 

Carnela’s desire is to keep going into the marketplace to spread the Word of God in those nontraditional places by inspiring people to walk life out by faith. One of her favorite scriptures, “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.” keeps her grounded in her faith. People describe Carnela as resilient, a true fighter, and a humble servant that helps others WIN.

LINKS

• LinkedIn

CONTRIBUTIONS TO FAITH DRIVEN ENTREPRENEUR

CEO and Founder, Amplio Recruiting

In 2013, Chris and his wife Sarah moved to the fringe of a refugee resettlement community in the Atlanta metro area. After a year of learning from their refugee neighbors, they believed there were an ample amount of refugees looking for good jobs and knew there were an ample amount of companies looking to hire dependable employees. They launched Amplio Recruiting in 2014, to help great companies hire dependable employees for the refugee workforce.

Chris is focused on achieving Amplio’s vision of staffing companies in 25 locations by 2025 and provides operational and financial support to the Amplio team.

LINKS

• Amplio Recruiting

CONTRIBUTIONS TO FAITH DRIVEN ENTREPRENEUR

a co-founder | Academic Programs International

Brittany Fowler Norman is a mom, wife, mentor, entrepreneur, investor and philanthropist. She is a co-founder of Academic Programs International, one of the leading Study Abroad organizations in the United States, and has helped manage, lead and support the mission of international education for over 20
years.

Along with her husband, Michael, she has invested in many emerging companies in the U.S. and globally, with the purpose of investing in people and enterprises that affect change in the world on all scales. She enjoys mentoring women on
the topics of family, life and business, and hopes to encourage other women as they weave together the roles and identities of being a child of God, a wife, mother and entrepreneur. Together with her family, she strives to impact these forums through the local and global church, strategic projects and investments,
relationships and business.

Brittany is the mother of 5 and active in the lives of each member of her family and many in the community. She is passionate about languages and cultures, the global issues of poverty, adoption, education and international education and the empowerment of people to be functioning, successful members of their families and communities.

CONTRIBUTIONS TO FAITH DRIVEN ENTREPRENEUR

Global Head | Board Engagement

Byron’s career has focused on developing efficiencies in the areas of management, technology and business development. His experience includes roles as a CEO, directorship, and in finance.  His board experience consists of both corporate and not-for-profit director roles.  Along with corporate governance and management expertise, Byron has worked in England, Europe, post-war Balkan countries, and Australia. Byron is a member of the Society for Corporate Secretaries, ICSA, NACD, and IOD.Byron is a graduate of Harvard Business School (OPM) and James Madison University (BA – History and Literature).

LINKS

• Center for Board Excellence

• LinkedIn

CONTRIBUTIONS TO FAITH DRIVEN ENTREPRENEUR

Founder & Executive Chairman, Akola

Brittany is the Founder and Executive Chairman of Akola, “She Works”, the premiere social impact brand in the luxury space that sells high- fashion jewelry retailing at Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue, and Nordstrom. At Akola, with every unit sold, a woman’s life changes and her family is transformed.

Akola offers employment, economic mobility, and empowerment for women in need in Uganda. Over the past 15 years, Brittany and the Akola team have worked to build Akola’s manufacturing business in rural Uganda, exclusively employing women in poverty who care for an average of 9 dependents. Back in the states, Brittany and the Akola team have built a retail brand selling in top retail brands throughout the country. Simultaneously, the organization operates Akola Academy, a non-profit, teaching Akola women to use their income to transform the lives of their families and communities.

Brittany is honored to be a part of creating a high-impact hybrid model paving the way for other businesses that seek to change the world. Akola’s model aligns with strong market trends including women’s empowerment, vertical integration, transparency, sustainable sourcing, and social impact.

Brittany has been featured on the Katie Couric Show, CNN, Fox Business and in Modern Luxury. Akola jewelry has been featured on the pages of Vogue, Town and Country, Harper’s Bazaar, and People Style Watch.

Brittany has a Master’s degree in Inter-cultural Studies and worked for over 4 years as an Adjunct Professor of Social Innovation at Souther Methodist University. Today, Brittany continues her work at Akola as Executive Chairman and Founder and serves on the U.S. President’s Advisory Council on Doing Business in Africa to advise the U.S. President, through the Secretary of Commerce, on ways to strengthen commercial engagement between the United States and Africa.

LINKS

• LinkedIn

• Akola

Awards:

• 2018: Named one of 25 people reshaping the future of retail by the National Retail Federation

• 2017: Named one of the World’s Top 10 CEOs by Inc Magazine

• 2016: Awarded a silver medal from the Business & Interfaith Peace Award given by the Religious Freedom & Business Foundation

• 2014: Named the ‘Best Person in the World” by Yahoo

• 2014: Honored by clothing manufacturer Levi as one of 50 women around the globe who have changed the political, cultural, and spiritual shape of the future

• 2014: Awarded the Young Leader Award by the Dallas Women’s Foundation

• 2013: Awarded the Emerging Leader Award by Southern Methodist University