OUR COACHES
Her Corner is a community of women business owners dedicated to growing our companies and working together to get there. We believe in the power of collective intelligence which has no boundaries.


Naomi D. Brown
CEO
Naomi Brown’s passion lies in building resources that support other women in their professional ambitions through coaching. She is also the newly announced owner of Her Corner, a community of over 7,000 women entrepreneurs supporting each other through networking, resource sharing, and education to help grow their women-owned businesses.
STAR Enterprises, the company she founded and currently leads, is an 8(a), EDWOSB supplemental solutions provider for private, commercial, and government entities.
Quirky fact:
Was a high school exchange student in Russia
I can’t live without:
Three Musketeers Candy Bars

Naomi D. BrownCEO

Susan Apgood
Accelerator Facilitator
Susan Apgood is Founder and Executive Vice President at News Generation Inc., a media relations firm in Bethesda, MD. She earned her MBA from American University and BA from George Washington University.
Quirky fact:
I am obsessed with Scrapbooking!
I can’t live without:
Exercise

Susan ApgoodAccelerator Facilitator

Jennie Blumenthal
Accelerator Facilitator
Jennie Blumenthal is an entrepreneur, guest lecturer at UVa, executive coach for female entrepreneurs, Board Member, and a former Partner at PwC. She thrives at the intersection of entrepreneurship, customer insights, innovation, and tech. With over 20 years of experience across hospitality, technology, entertainment, public sector, and telecommunications industries, Jennie’s specialty is counseling executives in Sales, Marketing, and Digital transformations, powered by technologies including Salesforce and Adobe.
Quirky fact:
I sing constantly around the house and change the lyrics to make my kids laugh
I can’t live without:
Connection

Jennie BlumenthalAccelerator Facilitator

Chris Gelnaw
Accelerator Facilitator
Chris McGarry Gelnaw is a Founder, Strategic Thinker, Problem Solver, and Mentor. She has over 25 years of entrepreneurial, management consulting, and corporate sales experience. She provides innovation and commercialization guidance and validates product/market fit through customer discovery for all startups looking to scale their businesses – existing businesses looking to launch new products/features – existing businesses exploring additional growth opportunities.
Quirky fact:
I remember envying my dad’s forehead wrinkles at 11 years old and working my expressions for early-onset. Be careful of what you wish for!
I can’t live without:
Humor

Chris GelnawAccelerator Facilitator

Towanda Livingston
Accelerator Facilitator
Towanda R. Livingston is a successful and award-winning Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Executive. She is the Chief Business Strategist at Livingston Worx, a company she founded in 2017 which delivers innovative and transformational Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion solutions to the government, public and private sectors.
Quirky fact:
I am 17 years older than my little sister, who I call “My Potato.” My little sister’s daughter, my awesome niece, I call her “My French Fry.”
I can’t live without:
My Sister Circle – They are my Destiny Builders

Towanda LivingstonAccelerator Facilitator

Randye Kaplan
Accelerator Facilitator
Randye Kaplan CFP®, CPA, has been a Financial Educator with Down-to-Earth Finance for over 14 years. Her background also includes years as a Wealth Advisor and Investment Advisor. She brings a deep understanding of how to work with small businesses to help them better understand their financials, growth strategies, and best practices for access to money for both growth and profit.
Quirky fact:
I use cloth napkins exclusively and recycle with gusto!
I can’t live without:
NY Times Crossword puzzle, every day

Randye KaplanAccelerator Facilitator

Galia Gichon
Accelerator Facilitator
Galia Gichon is an independent personal financial expert with more than 20 years in financial services, including nearly 10 years on Wall Street and an MBA in Finance. She is an angel investor and has worked with Pipeline Angels, Astia, Topstone Angels, and Refinery CT. She has been widely quoted in The New York Times, NBC, CNN, Real Simple, and more.
Quirky fact:
I’m one of two girls. I’m a mother of two girls. My sister has two daughters. I have two step-sisters on each side. My sister-in-law has two daughters.
I can’t live without:
Coffee (anyway anyhow anytime)
