Request for an NMSDC Speaker

Ying McGuire
CEO and President

As leader of America’s most influential and successful minority business development organization, Ms. McGuire sets the vision to support the economic development of more than 16,000 certified minority business enterprises (MBEs) and grow the business diversity programs of over 1,700 corporate members.

Prior to her appointment at NMSDC, Ms. McGuire served as the Global Vice President at Technology Integration Group (TIG), an NMSDC certified minority owned technology company with 25 offices in the US, China, Canada, and a global partner network covering 4 continents. As a corporate leader at Dell Technologies, a Fortune 500 company, she built and sustained high impact global initiatives across many functions and mentored numerous entrepreneurs and CEOs.

Ms. McGuire holds a variety of leadership roles in the community. In 2016, she was appointed by the United States Secretary of Commerce to the United States Investment Advisory Council. She served as the first woman chair of an advisory board of the International Trade Center (ITC), a joint agency of the United Nations and WTO based in Switzerland. Ms. McGuire is a founding board member of the Greater Austin Asian Chamber of Commerce (GAACC) and a board of advisor of the George H.W. Bush Foundation for U.S.-China Relations. In 2021, Ms. McGuire was appointed to the Council of Underserved Communities (CUC) which is tasked with providing advice, ideas and opinions on SBA programs and services and issues of interest to small businesses in underserved communities.

During her career, Ms. McGuire has been acknowledged for her work as an advocate for supplier diversity: named “Twenty-Five Influential Women in Business” by MEA Magazine; “America’s Top Diversity Advocate” by DiversityBusiness.com; and “Best of the Decade” by Minority Business USA. Ms. McGuire was a featured speaker at many regional, national and international conferences including the World Export Forum.

Born and raised in China, Ms. McGuire immigrated to the U.S. with one suitcase and $1,000 to pursue her American dream. She received a Masters’ degree in Business Administration of International Management from Thunderbird School of Global Management in Phoenix, Arizona.

Please note, due to Ms. McGuire’s demanding schedule, NMSDC may recommend another member of the Executive Leadership Team member to speak on her behalf.

Lisa Morris
Vice President of Strategic Alliances and Programs

As leader of NMSDC’s advocacy program, Ms. Morris sets policy initiatives to support the economic development of more than 16,000 certified minority business enterprises (MBEs).

Before joining NMSDC, Ms. Morris was the founder and President of LWM Enterprises, A Life Work Synergy, LLC company that focused on helping clients streamline processes to make things happen. She has been a longtime advocate for women and minority-owned businesses and has mentored and coached individuals and companies on how to break down barriers that have them stuck.

Ms. Morris spent over 35 years in the Technology industry and has a wealth of diverse experiences, perspectives, and thought leadership. She has worked across the spectrum in executive leadership roles in technology startups, small businesses, and large corporations such as IBM, where she rose through the ranks to become a vice president during a time when there were very few black women at that level.

Over her career, Ms. Morris has received many awards recognizing her work as a leader, including: “Women Who Make a Difference in Technology” by US Black and Hispanic Engineer Magazines. Outstanding Woman in Business – NYC Project Legacy, and Woman of Excellence – NAFE Magazine. She is the author (under the pen name Lisa J. Whaley) of Reclaiming My Soul from the Lost and a contributing author to Chicken Soup for the African American Woman’s Soul.

Ms. Morris received a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Management from Hampton University, where she became a member of the Gamma Theta Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority. In addition, she participated in Harvard University’s Executive Leadership Symposium and the Women Executive Leadership Program at UCLA Anderson School of Management through IBM.

Ms. Morris lives by the motto that when you are passionate about the work you do, you never have to work another day in your life. In her spare time, she relishes riding her Can-Am Spyder and feeling the wind on her back, and total freedom from any stressors in life!

Jetheda Hernandez
Senior Director, Strategic Partnerships and Programs

Jetheda Hernandez is a passionate and experienced leader in the field of minority business development and supplier diversity. With over 15 years of entrepreneurship and economic mobilization advocacy, she has created a reputation for her business savvy, natural leadership, and selfless partnership-creation. She currently serves as the Senior Director of Strategic Partnerships and Programs at NMSDC, one of the country’s leading corporate membership organizations that matches over 16,000 certified minority-owned businesses to its vast network of corporate members.

In her role, Jetheda manages relationships with corporations and organizations across the country, working to build strong alliances that aid in the growth, sustainability, and success of minority businesses. She also oversees the development and implementation of strategic marketing, community engagement, and revenue generation initiatives that support the mission and vision of NMSDCHQ. Additionally, Jetheda is an inspiring and influential speaker and advocate for women of color in business, as well as an adjunct business professor at Coppin State University in Baltimore, MD. Jetheda holds an MBA from the University of Miami and a BBA from James Madison University, and has received multiple honors and awards for her outstanding work and leadership.

Pauline Gebon
Vice President, Member Success

As leader of NMSDC’s membership, Ms. Gebon sets the strategy that helps build and grow the business diversity programs of over 1,700 corporate members.

Constance Jones
Senior Director, Network Success

As leader of NMSDC’s certification program, Ms. Jones oversees the certification guidelines that support the certification of more than 16,000 certified minority business enterprises (MBEs).

The Houston native, wife and mother of three believes in empowering others. While her job keeps her plate full, Constance still makes it a point to continue that love of business after hours. She participates in several different organizations outside of NMSDC in order to promote minority businesses. She has volunteered with the Minority Business Development Agency, United States Small Business Administration, Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, NAACP and the Urban League.

Constance has a true love and devotion for education. She works closely with higher learning institutions and private sector organizations to offer practical educational courses for minority business owners. For her commitment and dedication to education, she was recently elected to the advisory board of the University of Houston Bauer School of Business. Constance has engaged in partnerships with Microsoft to facilitate the teaching and utilization of their products within the minority business community.

Her hard work has not gone unrecognized. She is a recipient of the YMCA Young Minority Achiever Award, Top 30 Influential Women of Houston, nominated as a 2020 Woman of Business for the Houston Business Journal, and named as one of Houston’s Top 50 Black Professionals and Entrepreneurs. She is a graduate of the America’s Leader for Change program and a proud receipt of the SBA’s Houston District Minority Small Business Champion of the Year Award. Because of these designations, Constance has been honored with several proclamations from the State of Texas.

Constance is a proud member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. and earned a B. S. in Business Administration and a B. A. in Political Science from the University of Southern California.