Janessa is a Partner in KPMG’s Deal Advisory and Strategy (DAS) practice specializing in financial due diligence (FDD). With 21 years of experience, Janessa leads our East & Southwest FDD practice, Women in Advisory efforts and serves as the Deal Advisory & Strategy People & DEI Leader. In 2018, Janessa established the Women in DAS initiative and leadership council. As part of that effort, she spearheaded the practice’s premier women’s leadership development program for high-performing DAS directors that has evolved into a broader Advisory-wide Momentum Leadership program suite for developing talent at the manager and director levels. Janessa also championed and successfully launched our exclusive KPMG Executive Leadership Institute for Women (KELIW) program in our Boston market, which is KPMG’s commitment to skills development, leadership training and network advancement for women executives that continues to be a market leader today.
René Brooks is a late-life ADHD success story. After being diagnosed 3 times as a child (age 7, 11, and 25), she was finally able to get the treatment she deserved. René decided that her passion for helping others should be put toward people with this disorder who are struggling in silence or shame. She started Black Girl, Lost Keys to empower black women with ADHD and show them how to live well with the condition.
Falguni Patel is a seasoned Customer Program Manager with over 20 years of distinguished experience in the technology industry. She excels in orchestrating the delivery of innovative products and services, driving value creation through innovative solutions, robust deployment strategies, and expert program management.
As a trusted resource and mentor at Cisco, Fal collaborates closely with leadership to identify and leverage opportunities that empower customers with transformative tools and solutions, fostering business growth and enhancing employee success.
Her commitment to nurturing talent is further exemplified by her long-standing leadership role within the Women of Cisco Employee Resource Group, where she has served as both a chapter leader and board member.
Fal holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology and is a certified Project Management Professional (PMP), underscoring her dedication to excellence and continuous professional development.
Cassie Pederson is an accomplished client leader with extensive experience in building and leading global teams, shaping strategic vision, and driving cross-functional collaboration to deliver impactful results. She is passionate about innovation and aligning strategies with both organizational goals and customer needs.
With a proven track record of executing growth strategies, Cassie maintains a sharp focus on customer success. She is widely recognized for her leadership, authenticity, and commitment to mentorship, empowering others to achieve excellence.
Cassie holds a Bachelor of Science in Psychology and Sociology, with a minor in Human Resources, from North Dakota State University.
Susan Smith is a dynamic leader with over 20 years of marketing experience in the travel and auto industry. As the Sr. Manager of Regional Marketing at AAA-The Auto Club Group, she excels in leading a remote team across 14 states, driving strategic marketing initiatives and fostering a culture of collaboration and excellence. Susan’s leadership extends to her role in developing, leading and now supporting the Women in Leadership ERG, where she champions talent retention and attraction through innovative programming and workshops. Her efforts have significantly enhanced company culture, promoting inclusivity and professional growth. Susan’s ability to inspire and guide her team has been instrumental in achieving consistent brand success and customer engagement.
Steve Pemberton’s journey is about defying seemingly insurmountable odds to become an award-winning author, trail-blazing corporate executive, world-renowned speaker and life transformation coach.
His first book, A Chance in the World became a USA Today best-seller and made him the subject of a film about his life. He has been profiled in numerous publications and talk shows, from CBS Evening News and People Magazine to The Today Show. The many stories of overcoming that he so often receives led him to write his best-selling follow-up, The Lighthouse Effect, which recounts the lives of ten seemingly ordinary people he met along his life journey. The overwhelming response to The Lighthouse Effect is what led Steve to create The Lighthouse Academy, the inspiring life-coaching platform that is transforming lives, each and every day.
Steve also brings another perspective to his work. In his professional life, he has served as a senior human resources executive in companies and organizations whose mission was to help people better their lives. From Monster.com to Walgreens, he was immersed in the daily work of driving higher levels of organizational performance, advancing diversity and inclusion efforts and helping employees achieve a healthy work-life balance while developing the leadership skills that would advance their career.
Wherever his travels have taken him, Steve has made a steadfast vow to help those in need-to be a lighthouse for those trying to find their chance in the world. For his extraordinary courage and his selfless commitment to helping others, Steve has earned extensive national recognition, from several honorary doctorates to the coveted Trumpet Award and the prestigious Horizon Award bestowed by the United States Congress. Steve is also the husband of Tonya Renee and the loving father of their three children, Quinn, Vaughn and Kennedy.
Anthony Romano is an Associate on the Assessment and Strategy team at Seramount. He is a successful higher education professional with extensive sales experience and is passionate about growth and continuously enhancing his skills.
Prior to joining Seramount, Anthony served as a Partner Development Representative at EAB for nearly two years. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Management from Stony Brook University.
Anthony is originally from Long Island, New York and currently resides in Richmond, VA. In his free time, he enjoys live music, discovering new restaurants, and photography.
Mija Lieberman (she/her) is an Associate Director of Advisory at Seramount, bringing extensive experience in Employee Resource Groups (ERGs), talent acquisition, and DEI strategy.
Mija began her career in the tech and gaming industries, starting as a recruiting specialist at Niantic, where she improved recruiting operations and enhanced the candidate experience. She was also a founding member of the company’s first ERG and DEI council, helping to cultivate a culture of belonging. She later transitioned into a full-time DEI role at Unity as an ERG program manager, launching new ERGs and implementing scalable structures to support global growth. With a strong background in talent acquisition and ERGs, Mija understands the critical connection between recruitment and retention in building effective DEI strategies, and believes in meeting individuals where they are on their DEI journey. Mija holds a bachelor’s degree in Psychology with minors in Spanish and Chinese from Vassar College and is a SHRM-Certified Professional (SHRM-CP). A Bay Area native, she currently lives in San Francisco with her partner. She loves traveling and hopes to visit every continent and wonder of the world someday.
Thelma Tamez is a Director of Research Development and Member Advisory at Seramount. A dedicated and experienced Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) leader, she brings over 15 years of expertise in fostering inclusive workplaces and advocating for equitable practices.
Fluent in English and Spanish, Thelma leverages her skills in strategic planning, training and development, and community engagement to drive meaningful impact. She actively serves on the boards of Easter Seals, SHRM, Comfort House, Junior League of McAllen (JLM), CASA, and TEDx McAllen, where her passion for building inclusive communities is evident.
A SHRM-certified professional and Certified Diversity Professional, Thelma remains committed to advancing DEI within organizations and the communities she serves.
Nicole is an experienced Inclusion, Diversity, and Equity (ID&E) professional with more than 20+ years of experience in managerial roles, strategic planning, change management, mergers and acquisitions (M&A), and risk management. She has a proven track record of driving organizational transformation and has designed and implemented multiple ID&E training series. Additionally, she established the organization’s first Employee Business Resource Groups and initiated a flexible holiday program to promote inclusivity.
Passionate about integrating ID&E principles into business strategy, Nicole excels at influencing leadership, driving cultural change, and fostering equitable workplaces. She holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration, minor in finance and is currently pursuing an MBA. Nicole employs a data-driven, people-centric approach to shape policies and programs with a lasting impact. Skilled in stakeholder engagement, program development, and change leadership, she thrives in complex environments and champions inclusive excellence, ensuring that diversity and equity remain central to business success and employee engagement.