The Union County Board of County Commissioners is pleased to announce the return of the much-anticipated 2025 Union County Women Means Business Summit (UCWMB). The event will take place on Wednesday, May 28th, from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at the Galloping Hill Golf Course, located at 3 Golf Drive in Kenilworth.
“This yearly seminar is an invaluable opportunity for professional women, managers, and aspiring entrepreneurs to come together, strengthen their networks, and equip themselves with the essential tools for success in our ever-changing world,” said Union County Commissioner Chairwoman Lourdes M. Leon. “I encourage all women seeking to transform their business and grow personally to sign up and not miss this opportunity to learn from our knowledgeable presenters. I can’t wait to see you there!”
Now in its 11th installment, the UCWMB Summit is a yearly conference dedicated to women that offers participants a truly empowering experience. Attendees will enjoy breakfast and lunch, choose from four engaging breakout sessions, and be inspired by this year’s keynote speaker, Dean Meghan Rehbein of Douglass Residential College at Rutgers University.
Thank you to our Sponsors!
Keynote Speaker – Dean Meghan Rehbein
Dean Meghan Rehbein
Meghan Rehbein serves as the eleventh Dean of Douglass, a role she has held since July 2022. As Dean, she has focused on setting new strategic priorities, building curriculum around leadership development, and aligning the College with Rutgers University and the Academic Master Plan.
Dr. Rehbein joined Douglass in 2018, serving most recently as Associate Dean for Strategic Initiatives where she developed new opportunities for collaboration, with a special focus on communications and sustainability.
Prior to that, she led the record-breaking conclusion of the highly successful Power of 100 Years Campaign on behalf of Douglass, and previously served as Vice President for Institutional Advancement at Georgian Court University.
She has a bachelor’s degree from Hampshire College, a master’s degree from Sacred Heart University, and an Ed.D. from Stockton University. Dr. Rehbein has more than two decades of experience in nonprofit leadership, higher education, and health and human services organizations, and her research focuses on gender and leadership development in the nonprofit sector.
Her recent publication, Embracing Ambition, is a collection of stories of women for whom challenge served as a catalyst towards a leadership identity.
Session One – 9:40 am to 10:40 am
The Power of Assertiveness:
Communicate with Confidence and Impact
Ballroom (upstairs)
Luz Gonzalez
Founder, EQ Refined Consulting
Have you ever been told you’re too assertive—or not assertive enough? Tired of walking that fine line?
In this interactive workshop, you’ll discover strategies to balance your assertiveness, shape the perception you want, and strengthen your professional relationships. Learn how to achieve your goals while leveraging emotional intelligence to adapt your approach for different situations.
OR
Tales from the Front Lines: How Local Women Business Owners Continue to Beat the Odds
The Hill Tavern (downstairs)
Moderator Kay Licausi
Founder & President, Hoboken Strategy Group
Maria Sparacio
CEO, The Pink Room
Amy Walsh
Owner, The Max Challenge
Alexis Henderson
Owner & Chief Operating Officer, Island Vibez
Are you considering opening your own business? Are you struggling to get off the ground with a business that you already own?
Join us as these local women business owners share their stories of success despite facing obstacles and challenges along the way. Learn from their experiences and discover how you too can realize your dream of owning a profitable enterprise.
Session Two – 10:50 am to 11:50 am
Step Into Your Strength: Building Resilience
and Balance in a Demanding World
Ballroom (upstairs)
Dr. Lorraine Maita
CEO, Founder & Medical Director, Vibrance for Life and the Feel Good Again Institute
Immerse yourself in an interactive wellness session designed for high-performing women ready to move beyond burnout and feel more present, focused, and empowered.
Participants will assess their personal stress patterns, practice a simple exercise to restore calm and focus, and learn science-backed strategies to boost energy, mood, and mental clarity.
You’ll walk away with practical tools to build resilience, stay energized, and set healthy boundaries without guilt. This session offers approachable, effective habits to nourish your mental, physical, and emotional well-being, helping you thrive both personally and professionally. Take this opportunity to pause, reset, and reclaim your calm.
OR
Networking with Purpose:
Turning Obligation into Opportunity
The Hill Tavern (downstairs)
Moderator Kay Licausi
Founder & President, Hoboken Strategy Group
Ferlie Almonte
Author & Coach, Resilient Life
Nadya Ramos
Owner, MRK Marketing Consulting
Christina Zuk
Strategic Advisor, Princeton Public Affairs Group
Does the thought of networking fill you with dread? You’re not alone.
While it’s often cited as essential to career growth, many professionals find networking to be uncomfortable, forced, or overwhelming. In this dynamic panel discussion, hear from seasoned professionals who have turned networking into a powerful and rewarding tool in their careers.
Panelists will share real-life stories, practical tips, and mindset shifts that helped them move from obligation to opportunity. Learn how to build authentic relationships, activate and maintain your network, and—yes—even enjoy the process. Walk away with a fresh perspective, confidence-boosting strategies, and actionable advice you can put to work immediately—whether you’re new to networking or looking to take your connections to the next level.
About our Speakers
Luz Gonzalez
Founder, EQ Refined Consulting
Session – The Power of Assertiveness
Luz is a Consultant, Coach, and Trainer specializing in professional development, helping organizations and individuals build skills, grow leaders, and drive lasting change.
Learn more
Using her proprietary G.A.I.N. Model™, Luz helps clients and organizations overcome challenges in authentic communication and relationship building. She equips them with self-directed tools and strategies to foster self-awareness, belonging, and emotional intelligence, both in life and the workplace.
Luz’s global facilitation, training, and speaking engagements address pressing professional challenges, including Communication & Change Management, Cultural Awareness, Leadership Development, Team Performance, Mentorship & Sponsorship, DEI, and Emotional Intelligence.
Luz serves as a Board Member of WCEC, further advancing her commitment to professional development and leadership excellence.
Kay Licausi
Founder & President, Hoboken Strategy Group
Sessions – Tales from the Front Lines & Networking with Purpose:
Kay LiCausi is a highly sought-after government and public relations strategic advisor and issues advocate. A creative and dynamic business leader with over 30 years of experience in government and politics at the local, county, state, and federal levels, Kay knows how public policy, politics and process intersect to craft and deliver personalized strategies to achieve client objectives.
Learn more
Kay is the founder and President of Hoboken Strategy Group, a boutique government and public relations firm and certified Women Business Enterprise (WBE). HSG represents a diverse client-base including Fortune 100 companies, pharmaceutical interests, brownfield developers, national associations, and government entities. HSG works with organizations in New Jersey to increase their business presence, solve regulatory challenges, or champion legislative issues. Kay has bipartisan reach and has guided her clients through five gubernatorial administrations.
Kay is the co-chair of the New Jersey Committee of the Regional Plan Association and was selected by Governor Murphy to serve on the Government Technology and Innovation Transition Team. Kay is a determined advocate for women and children. She believes that business and government entities are stronger when a diverse array of voices collaborate, which is why she dedicates her time to ensure the placement of women in key governmental positions and on boards and commissions. Kay serves as the co-chair of PAM’s List, a fundraising network for democratic women running for office and the board of Latina Civic PAC.
Kay earned her Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and American Studies from Rutgers University in 1993.
Maria Sparacio
CEO, The Pink Room
Session – Networking with Purpose
Maria Sparacio is an entrepreneur and the founder of The Pink Room, Inc., a leading shapewear business dedicated to empowering women through confidence-boosting solutions.
Learn more
Originally from Cali, Colombia, Maria studied law in Bogotá before moving to the United States in 2001 to improve her English skills. Inspired by the opportunities available in her new home. She transitioned from working various jobs, such as waitressing and advertising sales, to saving enough money to launch her own business.
In 2008, amidst one of the toughest economic downturns in U.S. history, Maria opened The Pink Room in Elizabeth, New Jersey. Driven by a passion for helping women feel their best, her company specializes in high-quality shapewear designed for comfort, versatility, and inclusivity.
Her mission is deeply personal, stemming from her desire to support women like her mother, who struggled with weight challenges. Maria believes in the power of community and personal transformation. She sees her work not just as selling products but as solving real-life challenges for women.
Through her business, she fosters confidence, self-love, and empowerment, helping customers improve their lives from the inside out.
A devoted advocate for entrepreneurship and personal growth, Maria has dedicated over 16 years to promoting diversity, inclusion, and self-confidence.
She firmly believes that success comes from uplifting others, building strong relationships, and using business as a platform to create positive change in the world, as a busy mom of two kids she’s trying to balance work and family creating meaningful memories with her kids.
Amy Walsh
Owner, The Max Challenge
Session – Tales from the Front Lines
Amy is a passionate fitness professional based in Morganville, New Jersey. Amy’s journey into the fitness industry began over a decade ago with a simple invitation from her sister-in-law to try a new fitness concept.
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What started as a personal interest quickly became a life-changing passion. After experiencing the profound physical, mental, and emotional benefits of the program, Amy was inspired to help others transform their lives as well.
Today, she is the proud owner of two fitness studios — THE MAX Fitness and Wellness Center of Springfield/Union and THE MAX Fitness Center of New Providence — where she is dedicated to building supportive, empowering communities.
Amy’s mission is to inspire individuals to look and feel their best while becoming the strongest versions of themselves.
Alexis Henderson
Owner and Chief Operating Officer, Island Vibez Dispensary
Session – Tales from the Front Lines
Alexis Henderson is the Owner and Chief Operating Officer of Island Vibez, a women- and minority-owned micro-retail dispensary located in Plainfield, New Jersey. A lifelong resident of Plainfield, Alexis proudly represents her community and advocates for the health benefits of cannabis, striving to bring awareness and education to those she serves.
Read more
Island Vibez distributes recreational, medical-grade cannabis products to qualifying customers across New Jersey, aged 21 and older. The dispensary offers a diverse selection of products, including cannabis flowers, concentrates, ingestibles, pre-rolls, live resin, topical treatments, vape pens, cartridges, edibles, and accessories.
Alexis is deeply committed to promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion. She is passionate about creating opportunities for individuals from all backgrounds, particularly supporting those with prior marijuana-related charges by offering second chances through employment opportunities. This mission reflects a broader dedication to social justice and community empowerment.
In addition, Island Vibez proudly recognizes the contributions of veterans and seniors by offering them special discounts as a token of appreciation for their service and wisdom. The dispensary also actively supports local charitable and nonprofit organizations, believing that a thriving community is built through collective support and involvement.
Alexis Henderson and the Island Vibez team look forward to welcoming customers to experience their vibrant, community-centered lifestyle.
Dr. Lorraine Maita
CEO/Founder/Medical Director, Vibrance for Life & Feel Good Again Institute
Session – Step Into Your Strength
Lorraine Maita, MD the Hormone Harmonizer and Detoxifier, specializes in helping you ditch weight gain, fatigue, brain fog, mood swings and hormone havoc to have boundless energy, stable moods, a lean body, sharp, clear mind, and balanced hormones so you can feel like yourself again.
Learn more
She helps you understand how your lifestyle choices impact your mind and body so you can choose what makes your feel great.
As a triple board certified and award-winning physician, writer, author, and speaker, her own struggles with hormone imbalance prompted her to become Board Certified in Anti-Aging Regenerative and Functional Medicine and Advanced Endocrinology.
Her programs impacted over 120,000 people in each of 3 Fortune 100 companies where she served as Chief Medical Officer or Medical Director of Global Health Services as well as thousands in her private practice.
Her patients call her a “miracle worker” “a revolutionary doctor” “a warm, caring, medical professional who listened, really listened and is extremely smart” “words cannot express how grateful I am to Dr. Maita for turning my life around” “feeling 20 years younger.”
As CEO and Founder of The Feel Good Again Institute, Vibrance for Life and How to Live Younger, she has been featured in ABC News, Forbes, WOR Radio and many media outlets to spread the word that you can live younger and healthier at any age.
Aging is inevitable but suffering is optional. Be good to yourself and get the support you need to Feel Good Again at TheFeelGoodAgainInstitute.com
Adult men and women are freed of the struggle to maintain their weight, lift the brain fog, stabilize mood swings, fight fatigue, increase their health span free of chronic conditions and harmonize their hormones. They reclaim their strength, vitality, libido, and more. She enables them to think, feel and live life fully with optimal health.
Ferlie Almonte
Author & Coach, Resilient Life
Session – Networking with Purpose
Ferlie Almonte is the reigning Ms. New Jersey Senior America 2023, and is the very first asian to win this title in its 40-year senior pageant history. Ferlie represented NJ and finished on the Top 5 out of 49 other state queens at the recent National Ms. Senior America pageant.
Learn more
Ferlie Almonte is multi-passionate and multi-talented. She is a Motivational Speaker, Inspirational EDUtainer, International Best Selling Author, Certified Life Coach, Image Consultant,TV/Podcast Host and is a Resilience and Confidence Authority. Ferlie is a retired Respiratory Therapist and Pharmaceutical Sales Representative. Ferlie had over 20 years of successful Sales Management experience in upscale retail sales, receiving top sales awards and many other accolades in Business Development.
Ferlie has triumphed over many adversities, including Breast Cancer, and have decided to Make her Mess her Message, inspires and leads others to live Resilient, Confident and Magnificent Lives despite life’s challenges. As a Ms. NJ Senior America queen, she serves the community by providing Motivational Talks and Inspirational Entertainment primarily in senior facilities. Ferlie also empowers patients and loved ones whose lives were affected by Breast Cancer by volunteering in various educational, empowerment and fundraising programs. She also provides private coaching on Life Reinventions, Image, Confidence and Public Speaking.
As a social media influencer, TV/Podcast host, Ferlie utilizes her own compelling stories of resilience and her wisdom to ignite possibilities and new beginnings in others.
Nadya Ramos
Owner, MRK Marketing Consulting
Session – Networking with Purpose
Nadya Ramos is a brand strategist, marketing consultant, and founder of MRK (mar-kah) Marketing Consulting.
With 10+ years of experience and a master’s in strategic communication, she helps solopreneurs and small business owners build trusted brands that attract dream clients and unlock growth opportunities.
Christina Zuk
Strategic Advisor, Princeton Public Affairs Group
Session – Networking with Purpose
Christina Zuk is a results-driven, well connected, and highly respected government affairs professional with expertise in regulatory and legislative policy, politics, and issue advocacy. With almost two decades of experience serving in leadership roles in the public, private, and nonprofit sectors.
Learn more
Ms. Zuk provides strategic guidance and government affairs services to a wide range of clients across numerous industries.
Prior to joining Princeton Public Affairs Group in 2015, Ms. Zuk served as the Director of Legislative and Political Affairs for JNESO, a labor union representing more than 5,000 health care workers in New Jersey and Pennsylvania.
Ms. Zuk previously worked in the New Jersey State Senate, serving as Chief of Staff to the Budget & Appropriations Committee Chair and later to the Senate Majority Leader where she began to hone her policy and political skills. She later served as the Political Director on the 2013 Democratic statewide gubernatorial campaign. Prior to that, Ms. Zuk worked in a number of government and campaign roles at the county and local levels across New Jersey.
Currently, Ms. Zuk serves as the 2nd Vice President of the Board of Trustees for 180 Turning Lives Around, a nonprofit organization serving survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault in Monmouth County as well as on the Board of PAM’s List, an organization supporting women running for office in New Jersey.
Christina received her undergraduate degree from Rutgers University with a double major in Planning & Public Policy and Political Science, was an Eagleton Undergraduate Associate at the Eagleton Institute for Politics, and a member of Pi Sigma Alpha, the national political science honor society. Ms. Zuk also holds a Master’s Degree in Public Affairs and Politics from Rutgers University’s Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy.
Ms. Zuk is regularly recognized as an influential operative in New Jersey business and politics, including on “ROI Influencers: Women in Business” list, InsiderNJ’s “Power List”, “30 Under 30” list, “100 Insider Policymakers”, “100 Millennials List”, and Senator Loretta Weinberg’s “Women’s Power List”. She was recognized by EmergeNJ at their “Build the Bench” reception, honoring women who have helped build the bench for Democratic women running for office, and by the Reed Autism Foundation with their “Changemaker Award.”
Show your Support – Become a Sponsor
Win Big! Check Out Our Amazing Raffle Lineup
Enjoy first-class roundtrip airfare for two valued at $10,950.00! Courtesy of our sponsor United Airlines
Enjoy a delicious meal at this renowned seafood restaurant. Courtesy of Limani Seafood Grill – Westfield, NJ
Savor a handcrafted cocktail or small plate at this stylish, high-end tavern featured on The Real Housewives of New Jersey. Courtesy of The Vine & Oak Tavern – Cranford, NJ
Indulge in a variety of authentic Italian specialties, from fresh pasta and sauces to imported cheeses and gourmet good. Don’t forget about the Ravioli’s! This is a Cranford Favorite! Courtesy of Pastosa Ravioli – Cranford, NJ
Enjoy $100 to spend at this beautifully curated shop offering unique home décor, gifts, and lifestyle treasures. Courtesy of Loblolly Curated Home & Gift– Summit, NJ
Enjoy $100 toward tickets to an upcoming show at this historic venue, known for its vibrant performances and cultural programming. Courtesy of the Union County Performing Arts Center- Rahway, NJ
Keep your floors spotless with this high-tech robotic vacuum. Courtesy of Lowe’s Home Improvement – Union, NJ
Ideal for your next outdoor gathering, party, or a trip to the Jersey Shore. Courtesy of Town Ace Hardware – Clark, NJ
Treat yourself to a luxury beauty experience at this top-rated salon. From glam blowouts to expert styling, Moxie delivers head-to-toe confidence. Courtesy of Moxie Salon & Beauty Bar – Garwood, NJ
Perfect for your home, dorm, or office space. Courtesy of Lowe’s Home Improvement – Union, NJ
Treat your car to a complete interior and exterior detail for a like-new shine- Valued at $299.99. Courtesy of Top Elite Auto – Springfield, NJ
Experience the joy of dance with a complimentary intro package of lessons. Courtesy of Arthur Murray Dance Studio – Cranford, NJ
Relax and recharge with a signature full-body detox treatment and a luxurious spa gift basket. A $300 value. Experience the serene, personalized care that makes Woodhouse Spa a Summit favorite. Courtesy of Woodhouse Spa – Summit, NJ
Includes a personalized shopping experience with champagne and a $300 gift card at the Tory Burch Outlet. Courtesy of Tory Burch – The Mills at Jersey Gardens – Elizabeth, NJ
Enjoy access to fitness, swimming, and more with a 3-month family membership. Courtesy of Gateway Family YMCA – Elizabeth, NJ
Get active with a premium piece of exercise equipment from Dick’s, where you’ll find everything from fitness gear and outdoor essentials to apparel and sporting goods for every athlete. Courtesy of Dick’s Sporting Goods – Union, NJ
Enjoy a complimentary foursome at Galloping Hill Golf Course and a $50 gift card to The Hill Tavern, courtesy of our sponsor, KemperSports- Kenilworth, NJ