Meet our Workshop Speakers

Paloma L. Santiago, District Director of Southern Arizona.

Paloma has built strong connections among individuals, corporations, and communities through her extensive experience in media, nonprofit, and business sectors. Her expertise includes marketing, public relations, special events, strategic planning, relationship building, and fundraising. Currently, she serves as the District Director of Southern Arizona for Junior Achievement, impacting over 26,000 students annually providing skills in financial literacy, work readiness, and entrepreneurship.

As a single mother, Paloma has delivered workshops on creating healthy lifestyles for professional women. Her dedication to empowering others has earned her numerous accolades, including being named Woman of Impact by Impact of Southern Arizona and a finalist for Woman of Influence in 2018. In 2016, she competed in Social Venture Partners’, “Fast Pitch”, winning the Grand Prize and People's Choice awards with cash prizes for the Girl Scouts of Southern Arizona. She has also received the Community Champion Award from the National Association of Women Business Owners and was recently recognized for the 2024 Greater Tucson Leadership (GTL) Alumni Excellence Award.

Paloma is an active volunteer with Charter 100 and Junior League, teaching financial literacy and work readiness skills to students. She has served as an emcee for YWCA’s Pop Event and Social Venture Partners’ Fast Pitch, as well as a keynote speaker for Impact of Southern Arizona in 2018. In her free time, Paloma enjoys traveling with her two boys, attending the arts, and learning to golf. She also finds joy in hiking, painting, cooking, and practicing yoga with friends.

Nicole A. Vienneau MSN, RN, NC-BC

Restoration Room Founder

Nicole A. Vienneau, MSN, RN, NC-BC, holds a Master’s degree in Nursing Science from the University of Arizona and is a board-certified Integrative Nurse Coach™. With over 20 years of nursing experience and 30 years in lifestyle medicine, Nicole is the Founder of Blue Monarch Health, PLLC, and Tucson-based Restoration Room, PLLC, where she is dedicated to supporting mid-life women’s wellness.

As a board-certified Integrative Nurse Coach, Menopause Fitness Specialist, Functional Aging Specialist, yoga teacher, Reiki and sound healing practitioner, group fitness instructor, and retired Reebok-sponsored fitness athlete, Nicole designs unique, holistic programs to help women recover from burnout and reignite their joy and passion for life!

CEO of VerveSimone Consulting

Teniqua Broughton is a renowned speaker, author, and nonprofit

executive with over 20 years of experience in the nonprofit sector.

Known for igniting creativity and challenging mediocrity, she

specializes in driving impactful outcomes through public speaking and

facilitating workshops on leadership empowerment and equity capacity.

In 2014, Teniqua founded VerveSimone Consulting to take charge of her

work’s impact and expand her influence as a community leader. Under

her leadership, VerveSimone Consulting continues to drive change,

fostering impactful partnerships and guiding organizations from

inception to scale. Her collaborations include the State of Black

Arizona (SBAZ), Arizona Impact for Good, and Arizona Opera: LOUD!

(Living Opera Understanding Diversity).

She is the author of the book My Leader, Myself which is a call to

action for professionals to recognize and embrace their unique voices

as powerful tools for leadership. The collection of reflections and

best practices within its pages offers a roadmap for personal and

professional growth, empowering individuals to become the leaders they

were meant to be.

Pronouns she/her

Founder and CEO, Sotelo Synergies, LLC

Diane Sotelo is a dynamic presenter, award-winning leader, and CEO of Sotelo Synergies, LLC, where she empowers individuals and organizations to unlock their full potential. With over 30 years of experience in learning and leadership development, Diane is known for her authentic approach, cultivating thriving teams, and driving organizational success. She holds a Master’s Degree in Public Administration and two degrees in education, which have laid the foundation for her impactful career.

Previously serving as HR Manager for Employee Leadership & Development at the City of Tucson, Diane led programs that enhanced the skills and engagement of over 4,500 employees. She is a 2023 SHRMGT Leadership Award recipient and was honored with the 2024 Ronald L. Kurth Leadership Award. Diane also contributes as a facilitator at the Eller College of Management and a key figure at the Eller Center for Leadership Ethics. An alumna of Greater Tucson Leadership’s 2024 ""Lead Tucson"" program, she is deeply committed to fostering growth in her community.

An 8th generation Tucsonan and descendant of the Pascua Yaqui Tribe, Diane is passionate about creating a brighter future through education and development. In her free time, she enjoys outdoor adventures with her family.

Dr. Sofía Ramos is the President and Consultant for Luminario Education Strategies, specializing in career advancement, leadership development, and fostering inclusive environments. With over 30 years of experience in higher education across two- and four-year institutions, she is an expert in advancing the success of diverse populations. Her research focuses on overcoming challenges and identifying success strategies for underrepresented groups.

Dr. Ramos has served as a diversity officer at college, university, and system-wide levels, gaining extensive national experience. Her collaborations include the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU), the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute (CHCI), and institutions across Arizona, California, and New Mexico. She was also a founding fellow of the prestigious California Berkeley-Executive Leadership Academy.

In addition to her professional achievements, Dr. Ramos has contributed to numerous local boards and commissions, reinforcing her commitment to equity and inclusion in education and beyond.

 Immediate Past President, AAUW Tucson

Diana Charbonneau, a native Tucsonan, is passionate about reinvesting in her community. As the Corporate Learning Facilitator at Tucson Electric Power, she supports employees globally by facilitating impactful learnings on topics such as Emotional Intelligence, Unconscious Bias, and Building Trust.

A dedicated volunteer, Diana has contributed her time to over 25 local nonprofit organizations. She currently serves on the Board of Directors for the American Association of University Women (AAUW) Tucson as Immediate Past President and is part of the Leadership Team for 100+ Women Who Care Tucson.

When she’s not volunteering or speaking in the community, Diana enjoys spending quality time with her family, especially her adventurous 5-year-old daughter.

Co-director and Producer of Three (Extra)Ordinary Women 

In the heart of adversity lies the remarkable potential to transform tragedy into triumph. This documentary unveils the powerful journey of three women who have harnessed their indomitable spirit to conquer the towering peaks of Mount Kilimanjaro and elevate the cause of social justice.