2023-2024 IGNITE SERIES

Professionals and students of all ages hear from industry insiders in an intimate, small group educational forum in the heart of the Triangle. Through talks, interviews, and networking with local business and community leaders, Ignite attendees continue their education about corporate social responsibility, community building, and the direct issues that make or break business in the Triangle, beyond the headlines.  

Using a TED Talks format, each event includes an engaging presentation from a local business leader, Q&A and schmoozing, and of course drinks and appetizers.

Admission for each session:
$18 per event or
$60 for a Series Pass

GROUP PACKAGES AVAILABLE!

Bring your whole crew! We'll provide the topic, discussion, drinks, and vibes. Just bring your team for an evening of teambuilding, networking, and community engagement.

$15 per event for 2 people
$13 per event for 3 people
$12 per event for 4 people
$10 per event for 5 people

Got a bigger team? Get in touch for larger group discounts.

Be Open: How Inclusive Employment Creates Purpose
and Business ExcellenCE

WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 7, 9AM (Blue Hill Event Center, Chapel Hill)

Discover how inclusive employment practices create purpose and lead to business excellence. Explore the power of diversity in the workplace in this engaging event.

Lisa Kaylie, Executive Director of Extraordinary Ventures at Blue Hill Event Center
Lisa Kaylie is Executive Director of Extraordinary Ventures, a Chapel Hill nonprofiit that runs six sustainable businesses with the philosophy that all people are employable.  Extraordinary Ventures focuses on creating job opportunities for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities such as autism.  Lisa has an MBA from UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School and is a mother who has been active for many years in advocacy for public education and disability rights.

Community-minded capitalism

TUESDAY NOVEMBER 14, 5:30PM (Remedy Room, Durham)

Join us for an evening exploring how businesses can thrive while making a positive impact on our community. Discover the secrets of community-minded capitalism with a local business leader.

Shawn Stokes, Executive Chef and Owner, Luna
Shawn Stokes, with over 20 years' culinary experience, including stints at notable establishments like the Ritz Carlton and Komi, transitioned to international development for a decade. He worked with organizations like the US Peace Corps and CARE International, focusing on global food system improvement. Today, as chef and owner of Luna Rotisserie and Empanadas, as well as owner of two bars, he's dedicated to sustainability, work-life balance, and philanthropy, making a positive impact on Durham's community. Shawn holds degrees in Culinary Arts, International Business, and International Development Policy.

WORKING GLOBALLY, THINKING LOCALLY: LESSONS FROM A CYBER SECURITY PRO

TUESDAY DECEMBER 5, 5:30PM (Velvet Hippo, Durham)
113 ORANGE ST, 3rd FLOOR / DURHAM, NC 27701

With 19 years of cybersecurity expertise, Kendrall explores the future of online security, drawing from his extensive Fortune 500 and startup experience. Don't miss this dynamic perspective! 

Kendrall Felder, Co-founder & CEO, Cyber Alliance / Director of Portfolio Strategy, ISC2
Kendrall Felder is a seasoned leader with 19 years of experience across Fortune 500 firms and startups. He is the CEO and Co-Founder of CyberAlliance, a US-based cybersecurity firm, and concurrently serves as the Director of Portfolio Strategy at ISC2, a global cybersecurity certification body.

Before co-founding CyberAlliance, Kendrall was the Head of Global Centralized Services at Cisco Systems, including business operations, program management, and administrative services. He also led the IT Security Team, driving an enterprise security transformation.

Kendrall has a strong track record in international business development, operations, market development, and revenue enablement, contributing to over $1.5 billion in global revenue at Cisco Systems. His international experience spans across diverse geographies, collaborating with executives in various sectors.

Kendrall played football at Duke University, c/o 2006. He holds a B.A. and M.B.A. from Duke University and an Executive Leadership Certificate from Northwestern University.

GRIEF AND SUPPORT IN THE COMMUNITY

TUESDAY JANUARY 16, 5:30PM
(19Fifty-One)
Golden Belt, 800 Taylor Street Suite 9-152 Durham, NC 27701

Rebecca Feinglos, Founder of Grieve Leave

Rebecca Feinglos (pronounced fine-gloss) is a certified grief support specialist and founder of Grieve Leave. Rebecca founded Grieve Leave in 2021 as a way to document her experience on a year-long grief sabbatical, as a way to process her own grief and loss— she lost her mother in her teens, her father in 2020, and her marriage in a drawn-out divorce. Grieve Leave has grown into a community of 25,000 that provides tangible takeaways, resources, and a healthy dose of humor, creating an entire movement around taking intentional time to grieve. Rebecca has been featured in LA Times, Fortune, TIME, HuffPost, Slate, and ELLE for her raw and revolutionary voice, inspiring a more grief-informed world.

Before becoming a go-to resource on grieving, Rebecca's career spanned state and local government, as well as education. She was a senior policy advisor in the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services and served in the Chicago Mayor’s Office. Rebecca started her professional career in service as a bilingual kindergarten teacher in Fort Worth, Texas through Teach For America. She is a graduate of Duke University and earned her master’s degree in public policy from the University of Chicago. Rebecca is originally from Durham, North Carolina, where she currently resides with her two dogs, Daisy Duke and Ralphie.