The Future of Work is Diverse, Inclusive, Just and Equitable

GlobalMindED closes the equity gap by creating a capable, diverse talent pipeline through connections to role models, mentors, internships for low-income students, returning adults, First Gen to college and inclusive leaders who teach them, work with them and hire them.
From Global Wealth Management to Global Summits: Meet Senior VP Marti Awad, JD, LLM

At Wealth Enhancement Group, Marti specializes in holistic financial planning and works closely with client's other advisors — attorneys, accountants, and family office practitioners — to ensure that the collective advice is integrated. Marti is a dedicated Denver civic and nonprofit community member and has served on numerous boards and committees. Currently, she is a member of the Boards and Directors for the following organizations: the Metro State University of Denver Foundation (Treasurer), WorldDenver (Treasurer), and the Rose Community Foundation. In addition, Marti was appointed by Colorado Governors John Hickenlooper and Jared Polis to the Colorado State 529 Plan Advisory Board and currently serves as Chair. She received her BA at the University of Texas, Austin, and her JD at Southern Methodist University.

What is your personal story?

My parents are my heroes. Both emigrated as teenagers from the countries in which they were born. They had difficult childhoods because of WWII – my mother in Germany and my father in China. Despite the hardships they faced, they are resilient and optimistic. They instilled in me and my two sisters a strong personal and work ethic – pay your dues, think of others, always tell the truth, etc. I credit them with the success I've attained in life. They supported me through college, law school, and then a master's of law in taxation. I began my career in NYC as a tax attorney at a top international law firm and ultimately switched to wealth management, an area I've worked in for over 20 years. I love my job because I feel like I'm making a difference in the lives of my clients and their extended families. It's also a profession where I learn something new daily, and lifelong learning is essential. 

Serving on nonprofit/civic boards and committees has also given me tremendous satisfaction. My primary interests are healthcare, education, international relations, and women's issues. Volunteering allows me to learn new things, meet incredible people who are improving the world, and feel connected. You always get back more than you give. I love to travel, especially to places that have not been fully westernized, such as Myanmar, Azerbaijan, Iran, Papua New Guinea, and Bhutan. And I love to hike – it is my zen – I've hiked Machu Picchu, Mount Kilimanjaro, and Mount Rainier and have summited all of Colorado's 14ers.  

Finally, age brings wisdom – and I've adopted a few fundamental tenets I'd like to share. Be grateful! Be a positive person who lifts others! Don't compare yourself to anyone else. Be impeccable with your words (from the 4 Agreements). You never know what someone else is going through, so always be kind. Be confident – even the most confident people have insecurities, and it's okay.  

What drew you to finance and wealth management?

My father worked in finance, and I have always looked up to him. Also, I have always loved numbers, economics, and business studies, so it was a natural fit.  

What is the most challenging barrier you have had to overcome, and how can women who follow in your footsteps avoid that challenge?

Women are underrepresented in the finance industry, making up 17% of financial advisors. This is a shame because women, on average, are arguably better listeners, which is critical when dealing with family dynamics/life goals. When I started as a young woman, it was challenging to be taken seriously – mainly when the stereotype of an advisor was an older white man. And there were many instances when I was treated disrespectfully by colleagues. However, I believe that the industry, while not perfect is better now. My advice is to be persistent, not let anyone else define your self-worth, and work harder than your male counterparts. And don't be afraid to speak up – you need to be seen to be recognized. And always look to promote and support other women, even those who are seemingly your competitors.

What do you most want to achieve as a global leader through your impact and influence?

Most important to me is helping others who were not as lucky as me. Yes, we all work for our success, but luck is the defining factor – who were your parents, where were you born, what intellectual gifts were you given, do you have good health – too often, people don't recognize how little their own efforts factor into the equation. So to me, access to a good education and closing the education gap for economically disadvantaged people is my top priority.  

How can the GlobalMindED community help you personally and professionally?

Access to a good education is not enough. In a world where wealthy kids start to think about their resumes in middle school, lower-income kids are at an even more significant disadvantage. I love GlobalMindED's mission to close the equity gap by connecting these students to role models, mentors, and internships with inclusive leaders who will teach them, work with them and hire them. Diversity is not just a woke buzzword – I've learned through experience that we get the best results in society and at work when we consider different perspectives. It truly is the only way to get the best results – so it benefits the community to ensure we all have an opportunity to participate and succeed.  
Join us in Denver June 7-9 for GlobalMindED 2023
Early Bird Registration Open Now
Register here

GlobalMindED 2023 June 7-9 Denver Sheraton



To get a feel for the conference experience, please see this brief video by The PhD Project from the 2022 GlobalMindED Conference, and the Complete 2022 Program

The 2022 Conference:
  • 800+ attendees
  • 140 students from 41 universities/colleges
  • 300+ speakers from 65 universities/colleges and 47 businesses
  • 130 universities/colleges represented
  • Majority of panels featured at least one student
  • 74 % diverse speakers
First and Ten from the One Yard Line - Moving the Educational Justice and Reparations Ball Forward in the Black Community

Hear from champions and leaders doing the work to eliminate educational equity and exploring how to realistically attain the “Forty Acres and a Mule.”  Learn about efforts, obstacles, and opportunities to ensure educational and economic equity become a true element of the lived experience of Black and African Americans.

First and Ten from the One Yard Line - Moving the Educational Justice and Reparations Ball Forward in the Black Community, a Get Comfortable Being Uncomfortable presentation
Dr. Ryan Ross; Assoc. V. Chancellor Student Affairs, Equity, & Inclusion, Colorado Community College System
Eric McDonnell; Chair, African American Reparations Advisory Committee, City and County of San Francisco
Dr. Christopher Mathis; Visiting Assistant Professor, University of Iowa, College of Law Professor
Sadé Cooper; Co-Founder & CEO Collaborative Healing Initiative within Communities
The GlobalMindED Inclusive Success NetworkTM had another banner year of growth, impact, and outcomes for First Generation, poverty-affected and minoritized students. Here are some of the highlights: 
 
  • Return of in-person GlobalMindED conference with record attendance and the largest First Gen Leadership Class ever of 122 student leaders. See PhD Project brief video of the event. 
  • Our fourth annual Inclusive Leader Awards recognized 15 DEIB leaders across sectors.
  • Almost all our 100+ panels and sessions of 2022 featured a student. 
  • Of the 300+ speakers, 73% were diverse leaders sharing their thoughts. 
  • We held our first Industry Marketplace Career Exploration Arena at GlobalMindED 2022 with 40 companies, giving K-12, college students, educators, and leaders a way to learn about emerging fields and careers. Join us for the next one at GlobalMindED 2023. 
  • Our first satellite event at Georgia Institute of Tech was livestreamed via the Atlanta PBS affiliate. 
  • We became an official initiative of the Foundation for the Support the United Nations (FSUN) and will hold our first UN event on March 22, 2023. 
  • ·We served ten colleges with the GlobalMindED Success Collaborative connecting students at each HBCU, MSI, HIS and Tribal College with role models, mentors, internships, and jobs. 
  • We had partners/volunteers from Microsoft, Salesforce, Rubrik, HP, Stanford MBA and more. 
  • We spoke at the White House Initiative for HBCUs with sponsor Hewlett Packard. 
  • Our team, Board, Colorado Board and Executive Leadership Council are all majority diverse serving a majority diverse population of emerging leaders. 
  • We continued to publish our daily newsletter and conduct monthly virtual Equity events, led by people of color with majority diverse panelists and students. These are the role models for our students.
  • Our annual operating budget increased by 67% emerging COVID strong. 
  • We doubled our staff from four to eight as we grow to scale our impact. 
  • Our Young Professionals grew to 40 strong, with a ten-person leadership cabinet made up of, but not limited to, graduates of our programs who are now working professionals.  
  • Since 2015, we have successfully connected 1,200+ students to internships and jobs. 
  • Our founder, Carol Carter, was recognized as one of the Most Powerful Women in Denver by the Colorado Women’s Chamber of Commerce and one of the Most Admired CEOs by the Denver Business Journal. 
 
We are grateful for the support, inclusive leadership, and financial contributions of our community and sponsors who work tirelessly to open doors for the students we serve, the institutions who support them, and the businesses and non-profits who are committed to hiring a capable, diverse talent pipeline.  We look forward to seeing all of you June 7-9 at our best event yet, GlobalMindED 2023 - Transforming Boundaries: Creating Systemic Access and Equity. The Inclusive Leaders Awards Dinner is June 7, followed by the conference June 8- 9 at the Denver Downtown Sheraton.  
GlobalMindED | 303-327-5688 | contact@globalminded.org | www.globalminded.org
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