2023 Speakers
Mary Bono
A successful businesswoman and well-known political leader, Congresswoman
Mary Bono was hailed as the "embodiment of powerful American womanhood"by the Washington Times, rising to become Chairman of the influential House Energy and Commerce Committee’s Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing and Trade.
Congresswoman Bono was elected in 1998 to serve California's 44th (later
changed to 45th) Congressional District after the untimely death of her husband, entertainer turned Congressman Sonny Bono.
Bono established herself as a respected and closely-watched leader on a wide
range of critically important issues while serving 8 terms in Congress
(1998-2013). She focused her chairmanship on technology, job creation, and
intellectual property. Mary has been at the forefront of the nationwide fight
against opioid and prescription drug abuse. Over her career, Bono became one of Congress’s strongest advocates for mental health and substance addiction treatment. Today, she is widely recognized as a national leader for issues important for overdose and addiction prevention, treatment, and recovery.
Bono's selection as Subcommittee Chairman for the 112th Congress was
historic, and made her the first Republican woman in American history to hold a gavel on the powerful Energy and Commerce Committee, one of the oldest
standing committees in the U.S. House of Representatives, dating back to 1795.
Mary also served on the House Armed Services Committee, the Judiciary
Committee and the Small Business Committee. Over her years in Congress, she authored legislation that was signed into law by Presidents Clinton, Bush and Obama, proving to be a true bipartisan consensus builder.
Currently, Mary is a consultant, the Chairman and CEO for Mothers Against
Prescription Drug Abuse (MAPDA), and has served on numerous boards, both
non-profit, and for-profit. She is married to former astronaut Admiral Steve
Oswald (U.S. Navy, Retired).
Jennifer McCoy
Jennifer McCoy is an executive at a multimillion-dollar oil and gas production company, a certified trainer in three Crucial Learning® courses and a Society for Human Resource Management Senior Certified Professional (SHRM-SCP®) who has a passion for helping people learn tools to grow both personally and professionally. As an honorably discharged US Air Force Veteran, she was able to use her benefits to obtain a Bachelor of Business Administration Degree in Information Technology and a Master of Business Administration Degree in Human Resource Management.
Jennifer learned the value of goal-setting and hard work during her time in the military and as a single mother. Jennifer’s commitment to her goals led her to research and self-teach methods of handling everyday stressors like time management and handling conflict. Through over 25 years of supervisory experience, 10 years of human resource management, and a commitment to life-long learning, Jennifer has accumulated real-world experiences that she strives to share with others so they, too, can reach their goals.
Barbara Tedrow
Meet Barbara Luna Tedrow, a visionary leader and passionate advocate for early childhood education. With an unwavering commitment to fostering a bright future for young minds, Barbara is the proud owner of four nationally accredited childcare centers, setting a standard of excellence in San Juan County. Recognized as a trailblazer in the field, Barbara made history as the first community provider to introduce NM Free PreK to Farmington, ensuring that all children have access to quality education regardless of their socioeconomic background. Her dedication to early childhood development extends beyond her centers as she served on the Governor Appointed Early Learning Advisory Council, lending their expertise and insights to Governors Susanna Martinez and Governor Michelle Lujan-Grisham. As the Policy and Advocacy Chair for the New Mexico Child Care and Education Association, Barbara plays a pivotal role in shaping policies that positively impact children's lives statewide. Her unwavering passion, tireless advocacy, and transformative contributions continue to inspire a generation of educators and elevate the future of early childhood education in New Mexico. Barbara was appointed to the Farmington Municipal School Board in April 2023, where she can contribute her expertise and passion to address education issues and empower students' growth and success.
Megan Cullip
Megan Cullip has significant caregiving experience. As a professional, she has worked as a chemical dependency counselor, a chaplain in a psychiatric hospital, a minister, and, currently, as a chaplain and bereavement coordinator at Basin Home Health and Hospice. Megan has had the experience of being a caregiver in her personal life, as well, when, at the age of 22, her mother was diagnosed with breast cancer.
She’s made a home in four different states in the US, before landing in Farmington.
Megan holds a Masters of Divinity from Princeton and is currently finishing up her Masters in Public Health from Johns Hopkins University. She is also a certified death doula.
When she is not helping other people, Megan likes to rock out. She is a musician and a radio personality on KSJE. She is also highly committed to volunteerism and cares deeply about our local nonprofits and the work they do. In her leisure time, she enjoys the company of loving friends and unathletically pursuing outdoor activities.
Ceceilia Tso
Ms. Tso’s family is from Lukachukai, Arizona. Ceceilia created her own company, Tso Consultants, LLC, which works with tribes in Indigenous leadership, as a trainer and facilitator. Ceceilia taught leadership in China at the World Academy for the Future of Women at Sias University. She has gone to South Korea working with their universities and businesses to create economic development with tribal communities. Previously, she was at the University of Utah for almost 15 years in various capacities working with faculty and staff to develop programs and funding for American Indians across campus.
While at the College of Education, she was the Director of the American Indian Teacher Education Collaboration (AITEC), working with American Indians to become teachers. Since 2008, Ceceilia has worked with the federally registered model evidenced based program, Strengthening Families Programas the only American Indian trainer of trainers/evaluators. She works with tribes in Canada and the USA to assist in obtaining funding to implement the SFP Program to Indigenous communities. She has one daughter and one son and one beautiful granddaughter.
She is a profound influence on developing Indigenous leaders and currently working on her doctoral degree in Leadership for Change. Currently working with Change Labs as the Incubator Director and Business Coach and writing curriculum for the Kinship Loan Program and Idea and Business Incubator.
Sarah Elkins
Sarah is your guide to uncovering the right personal stories for the right audiences so executives, leaders, advocates, public speakers, and job seekers can clearly and effectively demonstrate their character, values, and vision. She is a storyteller, keynote speaker, Gallup certified workplace communication coach, author, and professional musician.
Her podcast and book, Your Stories Don’t Define You, How You Tell Them Will, help listeners and readers understand that the stories they choose to tell, and how they choose to tell them, influence their internal messages and how they are experienced by others.
Her workshops and coaching packages are known to address and reduce miscommunication – the most common cause of tension and stress in the workplace. Using results from the StrengthsFinder assessment, she guides conversations to ensure work relationships are based on knowing & valuing each other’s strengths, and connecting with each other on the most basic level through enhanced self-reflection, story sharing, and effective listening.