Host
Nephthalie Careen is the founder of Careen Coaching, a Self-Care Initiative and platform that “serves as a safe space to gain tools to help foster positive holistic health for continued success”. Holding a bachelor’s degree in Developmental Psychology and Education, she has over a decade experience in counseling the transitional growth of youth and young adults.Currently, Nephthalie works at Boston University as the Assistant Director of Undergraduate Career Advising in the Questrom School of Business.
As a proud Haitian American from Cambridge, MA she utilizes her academic expertise to champion Mental Health advocacy in her community and beyond. You can find Nephthalie hosting various events throughout the city or spending quality time with her huge family that she loves and adores.
To learn more about Nephtalie Careen follow Nephtalie.Careen on Instagram
Moderator
Amaka Ubaka anchors 7NEWS Today in New England every weekday along with 7NEWS at Noon. She joined 7NEWS as a reporter in May 2016.
Amaka is Nigerian-American and her name means “beautiful” in one of the many languages spoken in Africa’s most populous country. She was named “Best News Anchor” by Boston Business Women two years in a row and was one of Boston Magazine’s “100 Most Influential Bostonians.” One of her proudest moments was being chosen by the Regis College class of 2023 to be their commencement speaker and receiving an honorary doctorate.
She loves using social media as a way to connect with viewers and inform them about the news of the day. Before arriving in Boston, Amaka was a reporter in Orlando, FL, Omaha, NE and Redding, CA. She is a graduate of the University of Miami.
Amaka enjoys meeting new people, learning their stories and being involved in the community. She spends much of her free time supporting charities including West End House, the Cambridge YWCA, the International Institute of New England, The One Mission Buzz Off, Rosie’s Place, BMA TenPoint, Cradles to Crayons and the Igbo Organization of New England. She is also a member of the National Association of Black Journalists.
Amaka is a Florida native who has fully embraced living in New England – even the snow! When she’s not on the anchor desk, you’ll find her in the gym, hiking, watching sporting events and traveling.
To learn more about Amaka Ubaka follow amakaubakatv on Instagram
Featured Speakers
“Pinky" Cole Hayes is a Jamaican-American restaurateur, author, community activist, and owner of the Slutty Vegan restaurant chain and Bar Vegan in Atlanta, Georgia. Cole Hayes is a culinary disruptor in the industry, transforming America's view of plant-based fast food and striving to make plant-based eating delicious, accessible, and enjoyable for vegans and flexitarians alike.
In addition to her work in the food industry, Pinky is also a philanthropist and head of The Pinky Cole Foundation, which is committed to uplifting marginalized and underrepresented communities and breaking the cycle of poverty by providing access to resources and education to pursue their entrepreneurial goals. Pinky has been named to Restaurant Hospitality’s 2021 Power List, Forbes Next 1000, Entrepreneur Magazine’s Top 100 Powerful Women in Business List, LA Wire Influential Women of 2020, PETA’s 2021 Most Beautiful Vegan Celebrities List and Atlanta Business Chronicle’s 40 Under 40 List, and was a 2023 TIME100 Next List honoree. Most recently, Pinky was a finalist for the 2024 EY Entrepreneur of the Year Award.
In November 2022, Cole Hayes released her first cookbook, Eat Plants, B*tch — a compilation of 91 vegan recipes plus a selection of tips and tricks for vegan cooking and other plant-based substitutes — that is now available for purchase online and at bookstores across the country. Pinky’s latest book with HarperCollins Leadership, called I Hope You Fail details how her failures have driven her successes.
To learn more about Pinky Cole Hayes, visit iampinkycole.com and follow @pinkycole on Instagram and @pinky907 on X (formerly Twitter).
Jude Bernard is a Brooklyn-based entrepreneur, real estate broker and general contractor who founded the nonprofit The Brooklyn Bank in 2017 to provide financial literacy, asset-building and wealth-education programs to underserved communities.
After buying his first property at age 25, Bernard built a multi-unit real estate portfolio, experienced significant setbacks during the Great Recession, and now uses those lessons to guide others toward generational wealth and economic empowerment.
His mission: close the racial wealth gap by equipping Black and brown communities with the tools to invest, own property, and build financial freedom.
Beyond his roles as a leader of BKBNK INC an entrepreneur, Jude is also a Licensed Real Estate Broker, Licensed General Contractor, business consultant, landlord, public speaker, philanthropist, and wealth educator.
To learn more about Jude Bernard, follow @mr.judebernard on Instagram and @mr.judebernard on X (formerly Twitter)
Royale L’radin is a nationally recognized Reinvention Expert, Entrepreneur, and Transformational Speaker dedicated to helping people navigate change with intention, courage, and clarity.
Through his signature mantra, “LET’S GET IT, ON PURPOSE,” Royale empowers individuals and organizations to interrupt limiting patterns, embrace accountability, and step boldly into who they are becoming.
His reinvention framework blends mindset, behavior change, resilience, and self-awareness — offering practical tools that help people turn setbacks into strategy. Royale’s teachings are deeply rooted in lived experience. After serving time in prison and confronting the patterns that led to his setback, he committed to rebuilding his identity from the inside out.
Determined to turn his transformation outward, Royale began speaking to at-risk youth, schools, and community organizations. But when resistance and closed doors surfaced due to his past, he forged his own path by launching the RTI Empowerment Center — a space dedicated to personal development, mentorship, empowerment workshops, and community elevation. This center became the foundation for the impact work he continues today.
Now, Royale leads keynotes, reinvention experiences, and comprehensive programs that help people rise from complacency, reclaim their power, and move from surviving to fully thriving.
His mission remains unwavering: To help people reinvent themselves — on purpose.
To learn more about Royale L'radin, follow @royalelradin on Instagram and @royalelradin on X (formerly Twitter)
Featured Panelists
SÀNDRA Louis-Charles is a Boston-based personal stylist, image consultant, and the visionary founder of Vanguard Style Suite, a premier styling and image consulting agency dedicated to redefining how individuals present themselves to the world.
With a background in nursing, SÀNDRA bridges wellness and style, teaching that transformation begins with how you show up. Her philosophy centers on the belief that style is not vanity, it’s strategy. It is both a form of self-expression and a powerful business tool that influences perception, builds confidence, and creates opportunity.
Through Vanguard Style Suite, SÀNDRA empowers her clients to become the person they’re destined to be before the world catches up. Guided by her signature approach, healing through style, she helps professionals, entrepreneurs, and visionaries align their inner evolution with an outer presence that commands respect, authenticity, and success.
SÀNDRA’S mission is to inspire individuals to dress with intention, confidence, and purpose because people invest in what they can see.
To learn more about SÀNDRA follow @sansan1214 on Instagram and visit Vanguard Style Suite
Nicolette Quashie is a Board-Certified Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner and co-founder of Silver Lining Integrative Psychiatry, a Black, women-owned mental health clinic serving clients across Massachusetts. With over 11 years of nursing experience, she brings both clinical expertise and cultural insight to her practice. Deeply connected to her Caribbean roots, Nicolette champions culturally responsive, stigma-free mental health care. After years in bedside nursing, she boldly stepped into entrepreneurship to create a space where compassion, representation, and healing intersect. Her work centers on empowering women to embrace their wellness, break generational barriers, and live boldly. By blending evidence-based treatment with empathy and lived experience, she aims to redefine what holistic, inclusive mental healthcare looks like. Nicolette’s mission extends beyond her clinic, she seeks to inspire other women in healthcare to lead fearlessly, prioritize self-care, and pursue purpose without compromise.
Allysa Cambra has dedicated her life to caring for others, beginning her healthcare journey at just 16 years old. Over the years, she has worn many hats, starting as a home health aide, becoming a Certified Nursing Assistant, advancing to a Registered Nurse, and now serving as a Board-Certified Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner. Born and raised in New Bedford, MA, Allysa comes from humble beginnings and proudly identifies as Portuguese, Cape Verdean, and Native American. Her cultural heritage and lived experiences have shaped her passion for equity and representation in healthcare. Allysa’s mission is deeply personal, inspired by witnessing the impact of mental illness within her own family. She is devoted to reducing stigma, breaking barriers to care, and ensuring culturally sensitive services for all. Through education and empowerment, Allysa helps individuals reframe challenges, embrace healing, and transform adversity into personal growth.
To learn more about Nicolette Quashie (@nicki_q), Allysa Cambra (@fab_allys), and Silver Lining Integrative Psychiatry, follow @slip_psych_services on Instagram
Coach Dre is the founder of LiveFitArmy, a Boston-based fitness community and business dedicated to promoting health, consistency, and personal growth. LiveFitArmy offers personal training, boot camps, and a free public run team, all centered on building a supportive, community-driven approach to fitness.
Known for its signature mantra — “One Percent Better” — LiveFitArmy has been featured by Boston Voyager Magazine and Heartbreak Hill Running Company for its impact in the local fitness scene.
Dre started the company through his own fitness journey and a desire to create an inclusive, empowering community where people of all fitness levels could thrive together.
LiveFitArmy’s mission emphasizes discipline, consistency, and connection. The organization provides tailored one-on-one programs, year-round bootcamps (indoor and outdoor), and free public run clubs that foster both cardiovascular health and community engagement. Beyond classes, LiveFitArmy hosts and participates in local events, including its annual 5K/10K race and free community boot camps all aimed at inspiring others to live “one percent better” every day.
To learn more about Coach Dre, follow @Dre_LiveFitArmy on Instagram and visit LiveFitArmy
