Theme: WHAT's NEXT

The theme of the conference and our TEDx Gary WOMEN is WHAT NEXT?! This ambiguity allows our speakers to explore this concept (or notion) according to their respective disciplines.

Marshall Gardner Center for the Arts
510 South Lake Street
Gary, Indiana, 46403
United States

Chelsea Whittington

Chelsea (Stalling) Whittington is a native of Gary, IN and proud graduate of West Side High School (salutatorian), Howard University (B.A. Broadcast Journalism, Magna Cum Laude) and Purdue University (M.A. Organizational Communications, Summa Cum Laude). Chelsea’s career in communications spans more than 25 years having worked in non-profit, governmental, publishing, educational and telecommunications spaces. Most recently, Whittington served as the Director of External Affairs and Special Events for the Chicago Urban League. She continues to serve as an adjunct professor at Indiana University Northwest teaching courses in Communications, Computers and Social Networking. In Spring 2019, she began operating her PR Consulting firm, C WHITT PR, on a full-time basis. There she and her team develop public relations, email marketing and social media strategies for clients as well as present workshops and trainings on social media, marketing, public speaking and more. She is married to her husband Terrell, and they reside in Gary, Indiana.

Dr. Tanice Foltz

Tanice Foltz is a Professor of Sociology and director of the Women’s and Gender Studies Program at Indiana University Northwest, where she’s been teaching for over 30 years. Her research has focused on deviant behavior, from middle class prostitution to rape and victimization, to alternative healing, women’s spirituality, spiritual drumming and drumming circles for special populations. She loves engaging, educating and empowering her students, which is why she’s still teaching, beyond retirement age. Her motto is this: “as long as I’m still having fun and the students enjoy learning from me, why would I want to retire? “ Tanice has been running The Clothesline Project™ at I.U. Northwest from 2013-2021, with the exception of 2020, due to Covid-19. She views students’ contributions to this public art project as profoundly healing, as evidenced by their graphic expressions and narrative comments. Exhibit viewers witness the support offered by many, as well as the t-shirt makers’ assertion of self-worth, as they break the silence about violence and start their healing journey.

Eve Gomez

Ms. Eve Gomez came to the United States as a young girl, eager to learn so much about a strange country. She quickly adapted to the American culture and learned the English language. In her teenage years, she interpreted for her parents and siblings and took a liking to helping people because she desired to make a difference. She attended a private High School and paid for most of her school tuition. Ms. Gomez felt that it was important to receive a good education, so, at fifteen years old, she worked to remain in school and succeed in her education. She comes from a family of eight and is second to the youngest, so it was exceedingly difficult for her father to afford three of her school years due to a layoff in the steel mill in Gary, Indiana. In her junior year of high school, she started working at a night school with the children of migrant parents that were taking ESL classes (English as a Second Language). She felt happy to serve in the community as she helped tutor those children. After taking some time off from school, Ms. Gomez later worked her way through her college education. For over thirty five years, Ms. Gomez has served in leadership service through activism and advocacy for the youth and elderly and participating in different committees with the local universities and city colleges. With a passion for business and community, Eve Gómez is a successful business leader, media personality, motivational speaker, author and advocate for the youth and a social activist. She is the owner of EG Spanish Interpreting & Consulting, LLC, which provides Spanish translations and interpretation services. Eve also consults agencies and companies on ways to reach the Latino market, offering over 35 years in Customer Service/ Sales experience, and is also now an Insurance Agent building a team to help in the Latino community. She is a proud single mother of two adults a 27 yr. old son and 22 yr. old daughter, and a graduate of the LNI 38 (Leadership Northwest Indiana) class as well an Elder at her church. Ms. Gomez is very energetic, positive, and powerful to the community. As a community leader/activist and radio host on WLTH, a TV Host, it enables her to reach out in the broader community and help to improve the quality of life and education and bring solutions to her audience. Through her profession, she reaches out to businesses, nonprofits, and schools throughout the state of Indiana, Illinois and across the nation. Her purpose is to motivate and inspire people. Ms. Gomez’s public speaking, co-authoring books, and visiting students in schools, has been a gratifying experience for her. Her quest to change the educational system and to better the lives of others will never cease. Her love for God has given her the platform to do just what she is supposed to do, to live her purpose! Ms. Gomez is one powerful spirit that makes a difference. Anyone that comes in contact with her will certainly win her love. She loves to love! She is based in Northwest Indiana.

Joslyn RW Kelly

Joslyn RW Kelly is the owner of Divine Strategy LLC, a conglomeration of services focused on building legacies while converting dreams into reality that include restaurant ownership, restaurant management, event planning and business development consulting. Joslyn is from Gary, Indiana and is committed to giving back to the community as much as it has afforded her the ability to dream, aspire to achieve and ultimately achieving many of those dreams. She is a graduate of Gary's Lew Wallace High School. Joslyn completed her Bachelor's Degree majoring in Economics with a minor in Management and Organization from Spelman College - Atlanta, Georgia in 1996. She also attained her Masters of Business Administration Degree with a concentration in Finance from Keller Graduate School of Management - Chicago, Illinois 2014. Her professional experience spans over 20 years in the financial services industry and over 10 years in the restaurant and hospitality industry. Her professional experience has fostered a customer centric foundation that recognizes not only the needs of customers, but also the importance of incorporating the fulfillment of the needs of her team through encouragement and development of their talents. She believes that everyone is a piece of the puzzle and is vital to overall success. Joslyn's most recent accomplishments includes the opening of the first location in 2015 of J's Breakfast Club, then moved into a larger location in Gary June 1, 2017 and most recently, soon to break ground for very own facility also in Gary. Joslyn is married to James E. Kelly, Jr. She is the mother to the Late Pvt2 Jalyn D. Jones. It is important to note that although her son is deceased, she devotes a great amount of time to upholding his legacy and promoting life through services provided through the Love For Jalyn Foundation, a not for profit foundation focused on empowering youth transitioning into adults. Joslyn's motto is dare to dream, but make it happen. But her mantra has become love to live and live to love.