Cheryl is a Certified Life Coach (since 2018) and a graduate of Western New England University School of Law in Massachusetts. With over 25 years of combined experience as an attorney, life coach, entrepreneur, and mother of two daughters, Cheryl brings a unique blend of skills and perspectives to er coaching practice.​

Cheryl empowers women to analyze their situations, make effective decisions, and take meaningful steps toward achieving their goals. Drawing on her experience as a legal advocate, Cheryl is passionate about guiding professional women to stand up for themselves, reclaim their power, and create happy, fulfilling lives.

Heather Port holds over 18 years of marketing and business development experience including her previous roles as a Director of Marketing and Business Development and as a Regional Marketing Director for various Property Management firms. She later gained experience in the DoD arena in a variety of roles, most recently with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers as a Program Analyst. 

A North Carolina native, Heather joined the North Carolina Military Business Center (NCMBC) business development team in August 2021. With NCMBC, she specialized in helping interested parties to better navigate and compete in the federal market by building relationships between NC small businesses, community partners, and both state and federal resources, as well as advising on best practices and methods in federal contracting and procurement. In this role, Heather helped NC businesses successfully procure an upwards of $53M in federal contract dollars. Now working with the U.S. Small Business Administration as an Outreach and Marketing Specialist for the NC District team, Heather has taken her skills to assist small businesses on a wider scale, by providing counseling, training, and outreach to small business owners and entrepreneurs and continuing to grow relationships with partner agencies and resources. 

In addition to her work experience, Heather holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Fayetteville State University and a Master of Arts in Intelligence, Security Studies, and Analysis from Angelo State University. She is currently a member of the Order of the Sword and Shield, as well as the Public Relations Society of America and the American Marketing Association. Heather currently serves as the Vice President of Community Partnerships for the Fort Liberty Chapter of the Association of the U.S. Army.

Karen “Kaitlyn” Richards is currently the Deputy County Attorney in New Hanover County.  She received her undergraduate degree from the University of South Carolina and law degree from Ohio Northern University.  Kaitlyn has worked with Legal Aid of North Carolina handling domestic violence protection orders and the District Attorney’s Office handling homicides and sex crimes.  She has been teaching Business Law & Ethics at local community colleges for over 20 years.  At part of her duties with New Hanover County, she advises the Sheriff as well a multiple boards and departments.

C. Renae Simon is gifted at training aspiring and existing business owners in developing practical strategies to ensure their brilliant ideas thrive in the marketplace.  Her education includes a Master’s degree in International Business Development Consulting from Novancia (No-von-ci-a) School of Business in Paris, France, and an MBA from UNC Wilmington. She has over 19 years of experience in consulting, event management, business development, customer service, marketing, and sales.  An entrepreneur at heart, she utilized her experience to start her own company, Step-by-Step Businessolutions, which has touched the lives of thousands of entrepreneurs over the last nine years.  

Finally, Renae is passionate about being a mother and an inspirational speaker who authentically shares her story of how she stopped being a statistic and changed the trajectory of her life by embracing her “Power to Decide.” [email protected]

 Dr. DeShondra Smith is the Founder & She-EO of Cultured Innovations, which was created to address many of the organizational issues she has experienced in her career. She uses those experiences as fuel to help others reclaim their voice, live intentionally, and lead authentically. She doesn’t just teach empowerment—she lives it. 

Dr. D, as she is affectionately called by her clients, is a purpose-driven leader with a heart for people. Clients say she is a multifaceted professional—part strategic consultant, part coach, and part nurturer working at the intersection of personal development, leadership, and organizational transformation. 

Her expertise includes organizational development, leadership development, evaluation, personal development, workplace learning, facilitation, coaching, and motivational speaking. 

Prior to becoming a womanpreneur, Dr. D worked in Durham, New Hanover, and Brunswick County schools for 13 years, supporting critical stakeholders within the public school system as an educator, advisor, and member of district leadership teams. She then worked in higher education as an Evaluator at Western Governors University and a University Supervisor at East Carolina University. Deciding to shift her focus upon receiving her doctorate in leadership and professional practice, she worked as a consultant and Training Manager for a consulting firm where she was the driving force that developed the firm’s training arm by building, facilitating, and delivering customized training and cohort programs for nonprofits of all sizes across the country. 

She is a Brunswick County native, having grown up on the beautiful coast of Southport, NC. Today, she lives in Bolivia with her amazing husband. 

Cheryl was born and raised in Pennsylvania and earned a bachelor’s degree in business from Penn State University. She spent 13 years as a business consultant with the Pennsylvania Small Business Development Center at Shippensburg University, where she provided strategic guidance to both emerging entrepreneurs and established small businesses.

In addition to her consulting work, Cheryl was co-owner of three restaurants in Pennsylvania with her husband, a professional chef. This hands-on experience as a small business owner deepened her understanding of the challenges and opportunities entrepreneurs face.

After relocating to Wilmington, North Carolina in 2020, Cheryl began working with the North Carolina Small Business and Technology Development Center (SBTDC) at UNCW. She later spent a year as Program Manager at the UNCW’s Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (CIE), before returning to her current role as a Business Counselor with the SBTDC where she continues to support and empower local business owners and innovators. Her expertise includes business planning, financial analysis, marketing strategy, and startup development.

Outside of her professional life, Cheryl enjoys the beach, fishing, and gardening—activities that reflect her appreciation for nature and coastal living.

As Portfolio Manager and Director of Underwriting for Carolina Community Impact (CCI)—a Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) serving all of North Carolina—Diane Lantz plays a key role in supporting small business growth across the state. With extensive experience in both CDFI and nonprofit economic development lending, Diane has dedicated her career to helping entrepreneurs access the financial tools they need to thrive.

Her expertise spans small business and commercial lending, with a strong focus on fostering equitable access to capital and empowering local communities through sustainable economic development.

Passionate about serving small business owners and strengthening North Carolina’s economic landscape, Diane believes in the power of collaboration and education to turn good ideas into lasting impact.