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Title graphic for the 2023 Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging Advancement Summit with a background of the Purdue University campus

Speakers

Opening Session

Jeannie Rapstad

(MA PNW’18)

President // Jeannie Rapstad Enterprises

Rapstad is an award-winning international speaker, entrepreneur, speaker coach, pitch coach, working actress, and comedian. She teaches online English and educational classes, which are broadcast worldwide. At Purdue University Northwest, she was previously an adjunct lecturer and a contract instructor for the Commercialization and Manufacturing Excellence Center’s PitchMasters Workshop. Rapstad’s presentation is called “Take Your Power Back.”
Christina Piper

(LA’05)

Vice President for Workplace Design // JLL

Piper has 17 years of experience in commercial interior design and project management, working with clients across the U.S., the Middle East, and India. She serves on the executive council for the American Cancer Society’s Taste of Hope. Piper and Annalise Dum will present “Leading With Purpose: Influencing Positive, Impactful Change Through Design and Sustainability.”
Karen Mellen

(HHS’87)

Coach, Speaker, Trainer, and Entrepreneur // Rising Phoenix Leadership

Mellen is a coach, speaker, DiSC consultant, and member of the Maxwell Leadership Certified Team. She helps companies and individuals grow more efficiently and effectively. Mellen has presented twice at the Learning Summit for the Central Indiana Chapter of the Association for Talent Development and has led online webinars. She previously worked in human resources for 25 years. She supports her community by serving on the board of directors for Teachers’ Treasures. Mellen’s presentation is called “Exploring Personal Interactive Styles.”
Vickie Maris

(A’86, MS EDU’08)

CEO and Founder // Teach Inspire Connect

Maris is a speaker, author, recording artist, podcaster, and consultant. She is an authorized partner for Everything DiSC and the Five Behaviors and holds certifications as a trainer and facilitator for Everything DiSC. She is also a Lean Six Sigma black belt. Maris’s presentation is called “Moving From Employee to Full-Time Entrepreneur.”
Giovanna “Spice” Krozel

(ChE’99)

Strategic Initiatives Lead // U.S. Region Global Real Estate, Facilities, and Procurement // Takeda Pharmaceuticals

Krozel is a certified Lean Six Sigma master black belt and supplier diversity champion. She was previously in the General Electric Leadership Program. As an active member of the Chicago community, Krozel serves on the development committee of the Adler Planetarium, supports UNICEF Next Generation and Little Wish Foundation, and is the president of the Purdue Alumni Club of North/Northwest Suburbs of Chicago. She is also a founding member of the Purdue Women’s Network. Krozel’s presentation is called “Grit, Grateful, and Golden.”

Additional Speakers

Jeannie Rapstad

(MA PNW’18)

President // Jeannie Rapstad Enterprises

Rapstad is an award-winning international speaker, entrepreneur, speaker coach, pitch coach, working actress, and comedian. She teaches online English and educational classes, which are broadcast worldwide. At Purdue University Northwest, she was previously an adjunct lecturer and a contract instructor for the Commercialization and Manufacturing Excellence Center’s PitchMasters Workshop. Rapstad’s presentation is called “Take Your Power Back.”
Christina Piper

(LA’05)

Vice President for Workplace Design // JLL

Piper has 17 years of experience in commercial interior design and project management, working with clients across the U.S., the Middle East, and India. She serves on the executive council for the American Cancer Society’s Taste of Hope. Piper and Annalise Dum will present “Leading With Purpose: Influencing Positive, Impactful Change Through Design and Sustainability.”
Karen Mellen

(HHS’87)

Coach, Speaker, Trainer, and Entrepreneur // Rising Phoenix Leadership

Mellen is a coach, speaker, DiSC consultant, and member of the Maxwell Leadership Certified Team. She helps companies and individuals grow more efficiently and effectively. Mellen has presented twice at the Learning Summit for the Central Indiana Chapter of the Association for Talent Development and has led online webinars. She previously worked in human resources for 25 years. She supports her community by serving on the board of directors for Teachers’ Treasures. Mellen’s presentation is called “Exploring Personal Interactive Styles.”
Vickie Maris

(A’86, MS EDU’08)

CEO and Founder // Teach Inspire Connect

Maris is a speaker, author, recording artist, podcaster, and consultant. She is an authorized partner for Everything DiSC and the Five Behaviors and holds certifications as a trainer and facilitator for Everything DiSC. She is also a Lean Six Sigma black belt. Maris’s presentation is called “Moving From Employee to Full-Time Entrepreneur.”
Giovanna “Spice” Krozel

(ChE’99)

Strategic Initiatives Lead // U.S. Region Global Real Estate, Facilities, and Procurement // Takeda Pharmaceuticals

Krozel is a certified Lean Six Sigma master black belt and supplier diversity champion. She was previously in the General Electric Leadership Program. As an active member of the Chicago community, Krozel serves on the development committee of the Adler Planetarium, supports UNICEF Next Generation and Little Wish Foundation, and is the president of the Purdue Alumni Club of North/Northwest Suburbs of Chicago. She is also a founding member of the Purdue Women’s Network. Krozel’s presentation is called “Grit, Grateful, and Golden.”
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Purdue Alumni Association

President’s Council

John Purdue Club

Patsy J. Mellott

BS College of Health and Human Sciences, 1969
Fishers, IN

Patsy earned a bachelor’s degree in food and nutrition in business from Purdue in 1969, in addition to an MBA in food marketing from Michigan State University in 1970. She retired from Kraft Foods in 2006 after 36 years in corporate food marketing and marketing communications management.

A community volunteer, Patsy serves on the Women’s Fund of Central Indiana Advisory Board and the Purdue College of Health and Human Sciences Dean’s Leadership Council, in addition to the President’s Council Advisory Board. She is a former member of the Health and Human Sciences Alumni Board. Patsy held several offices from 2006 through 2013, including president and treasurer. She serves her community’s Discover Indianapolis Club in Fishers, holding several leadership roles for over 10 years.

Patsy has received several honors, including the Purdue University Nutrition Science Department Hall of Fame recipient in 2009 and the Purdue University College of Health and Human Sciences Distinguished Alumni Award in 2016. She also received the college’s Gold and Black Award in 2016, an honor reserved for donors who have moved the college forward by committing exceptional financial resources.

In addition to endowing two scholarships, the Patsy J. Mellott Scholarship and Patsy J. Mellott HHS Scholarship, she established the Patsy J. Mellott Teaching Innovation Award in the College of Health and Human Sciences in 2013. In 2015, she endowed the Patsy J. Mellott Women’s Tennis Coach Performance Award. She is a lead donor in the Christine M. Ladisch Faculty Leadership Award and the Purdue Women’s Network Virginia C. Meredith Scholarship for the College of Health and Human Sciences.