Hook the Deal | Can your team members sell your idea to our panel of judges?

Brianna Fornaro

Production

Brianna is passionate about bringing people together. Working in the hospitality and events industry for 10+ years has brought out her desire to plan fun and memorable events for everyone around her. She specializes in facilitating diverse events, both in person and virtual, for each client and handling stressful event situations with ease. Her perfectionist mindset and work ethic has made her a person that clients and attendees can depend on. 

Shannon Meincke

Assistant Facilitator

Shannon is a certified Elementary Teacher with a Masters in Curriculum and Instruction. She owned a performing arts school for 17 years. The most complimentary contributions to your events are her exceptional organizational and communication skills. If Shannon can get a room full of second graders to listen and have fun, your team will be effortless!

Janet O'Brien-Huff

Accounting

Janet has been with Munich Reinsurance America for 30 years. She works with six companies that all require financial reports to be filed with regulators, securities moved and replaced as required by state, as well as constant reviewing of regulations to make sure we are prepared for upcoming changes as we do business in 50 states. Your invoicing needs are a piece of cake and Janet is here to make the process as easy as possible. 

Heidi Nicholson

Facilitator

Heidi Nicholson is a Marketing and Advertising professional with over twenty years of experience directing national and global communications strategies, campaigns, and events for AT&T, Verizon Wireless, and the Interpublic Group of Advertising Companies.  During this time, Heidi designed, directed, and facilitated corporate events and promotions ranging from local charity auctions, fun-run marathons, to national media tours. She championed consumer and brand advertising campaigns as well as authored and conducted employee brand identity training at corporate global brand conferences.  More recently Heidi has applied her expertise as a Marketing Communications Consultant and a 360 Employee Talent Assessor.

Heidi’s depth of experience provides her with unique leadership qualities, which inspires how she connects, engages, and interacts with people. With this, she brings a fresh and creative approach in developing compelling solutions as a team building facilitator. Her global marketing perspective affords her the ability to impart a comprehensive outlook to the venue of engaging and leading diverse audiences. 

Heidi is certified as a Literacy Volunteer of America for English as a Second Language and lives in Mendham, New Jersey with her family.  She enjoys international travel, spending time with her family, and supporting her daughter’s many activities. 

Shana Lory

Facilitator

Shana Lory is an executive coach and professional workshop facilitator. Her passion in life is to help people feel more alive, aligned and connected to their purpose. Shana’s unique background reflects several diverse experiences coming together into a deep understanding of, and love for, humankind.

Her childhood fascination with theater, acting and performing led to an early career as a casting director where she would coach actors into giving confident auditions and steer directors to make the right choice for each role. She spent 15 years in the advertising industry studying consumer behavior to dial-in brand strategy for companies like Intel, Evian, Panasonic, and SC Johnson. Shana turned her incisive eye away from “target audiences” and toward real people, earning her coaching certificate from CTI and opening a coaching practice. Shana has found her deepest fulfillment in this latest life stage, helping individuals and teams get more out of their careers, team experiences and potential.

When not revving up clients with her energy and insight, Shana can be found dancing 5Rhythms, attending the annual Burning Man arts festival, and playing dragons with her 6-year-old daughter.