2019 Dubuque Conference

Carly Fiorina

Carly Fiorina is a business woman, podcast host, public speaker and philanthropist. Her mission is to inspire, equip and connect individuals and teams to seize opportunities, face challenges, and accelerate impact in their communities and organizations. Through Carly Fiorina Enterprises and Unlocking Potential Foundation, Fiorina and her team strengthen the problem-solving and leadership capacity across America. She is a sought-after speaker and advisor who wants to see people and organizations achieve their highest potential.

Carly was appointed by President Bush and CIA Director Michael Hayden to serve as the Chairman of the External Advisory Board of the CIA after 9/11. In this capacity, she held the highest clearances available to a civilian, and focused her efforts on CIA recruitment policies, information technology capabilities and organizational integration.

In 2015, Carly launched a campaign for President, running as a political outsider. Fiorina is also a best-selling author of three books, including Tough Choices, Rising to the Challenge and her latest release, Find Your Way.

Jade Romagna

After graduating high school with twenty-four college credits Jade Romagna headed to the University of Nebraska-Omaha on a cross country and track scholarship to pursue a degree in Criminal Justice. After one semester the attraction of being closer to home and the reputable Pre-Law program at the University of Dubuque made the hometown institution the perfect fit to continue her education.

While at the University of Dubuque Romagna was a member of the cross country and track teams, achieving two school records on distance relay teams. Forgoing her final year of eligibility in athletics, Romagna focused her energy on the Pre-Law Moot Court and Mediation teams, twice achieving All-American honors in mediation.  Her success in the program was further awarded when she was tabbed a recipient of the Chlapaty Summer Fellowship in which her scholarly research produced “The Socioeconomic vs. Racial Impact of Driving Under Suspension.”  

Complimenting her academic work, Romagna served for two years as the Student Government Association class representative, interned at the law firm of Reynolds and Kenline and was also involved with County Attorney C.J. May’s election campaign.  

Additionally, Romagna was awarded Criminal Justice Student of the Year by the Criminal Justice Faculty and graduated in three years at the age of twenty with a Criminal Justice major and a minor in business (Cum laude 3.5 cumulative GPA).  During her last year of school Jade worked full time as an Assistant Personnel Manager at Platinum Supplemental Insurance, where she recently was awarded a promotion to Personnel Manager, a position that aids independent insurance agents across seventeen states prepare for their licensure.

Looking ahead, Romagna plans to become certified through the Iowa Association of Mediators, explore the application process to law school and continue growing her career with Platinum.  

Joyce Connors

Kate Mulgrew

A native of Dubuque, IA, Kate Mulgrew moved to New York City at 17 to pursue a career in acting. As an acclaimed fan-favorite actress, her performances span across television, film and stage. Shortly after she moved to New York, she landed her first role in the ABC soap opera Ryan’s Hope.

Mulgrew is internationally recognized for her famous portrayal of Captain Janeway, in which she made Star Trek franchise history as the first female captain in a leading role. She starred on Star Trek: Voyager for seven seasons and earned three Saturn Awards and one Satellite Award for her role. She is also well-known for her roles in Mrs. Columbo and currently as Galina ‘Red’ Reznikov in the hit series Orange Is The New Black.  

She is also an author of two memoirs, Born With Teeth and How To Forget: A Daughter’s Memoir. Mulgrew is an active member of the Alzheimer's Association National Advisory Council and the voice of Cleveland's MetroHealth System.

Nicole Gantz

Nicole L. Gantz is the marketing partner and chief marketing officer at Honkamp Krueger & Co., P.C. (HK).  

With over 22 years of experience in the marketing field, Nicole is responsible for the marketing strategy for Honkamp Krueger & Co., P.C. (HK). She leads her team in brand development and management, customer experience and retention strategies, direct mail and email campaigns, marketing automation, search engine optimization, social media marketing, media relations, content marketing, publication development, and more. She also provides marketing consulting services to assist businesses with their own marketing strategies and initiatives. 

Nicole joined the firm in 2007. In 2012, she took on the additional responsibility of being the director of the HK Alliance, which consists of CPA firms across the U.S. sharing best practices and optimizing resources.  

Nicole earned her B.S. in business administration with an emphasis in marketing from Marquette University and an M.S. in management from Cardinal Stritch University, both in Milwaukee, Wis. In 2018, she was named INSIDE Public Accounting’s Association of Accounting Marketing Marketer of the Year and Person of the Year for Camp Albrecht Acres in Dubuque.

For civic involvement, Nicole is an executive board member and marketing committee chair for Steeple Square, board member for the Dubuque Mercy Health Foundation, board member for the Dubuque Symphony Orchestra, secretary and board member for the Camp Albrecht Acres Foundation, a committee member for the Dubuque Oktoberfest fundraiser, and a former chair of the March of Dimes Northeast Iowa Signature Chef’s Auction. She is a member of the Association for Accounting Marketing, a former board member of the Women’s Leadership Network of Dubuque and the past president of the Wisconsin Direct Marketing Association.

Tiffany O'Donnell

Tiffany O’Donnell is the Chief Executive Officer of Women Lead Change. Prior to joining Women Lead Change, Tiffany spent 25 years as a reporter and anchor at stations across the state including WQAD in the Quad Cities, WHO-TV in Des Moines and, most recently from 2001-2014 was the face and voice of CBS2/Fox 28 in Cedar Rapids, serving as an Emmy award-winning television lead anchor. She is credited with launching two successful news programs there, Fox News at 9 and Live at Five. 

A lifelong volunteer, Tiffany is a Board Member of the school-choice advocacy group Reaching Higher Iowa.  She was a charter member of the Board of Directors of the state’s only year-round market, NewBo City Market, and fulfilled a 6-year term on the Board in December 2016. She is also an inaugural member of the Board of Directors of the Revival Theatre Company, now into heading into its fourth season in the Corridor. Other organizations where she’s held board leadership positions include the Iowa Children’s Museum, Kids First Law Center and the Alzheimer’s Association of East Central Iowa.

In 2016, the Corridor Business Journal named Ms. O’Donnell a Woman of Influence.

Raised in Bettendorf, Tiffany holds Bachelor of Arts degrees in Communications and French from DePauw University in Greencastle, Indiana and represented her home state in the 1989 Miss America Pageant after being crowned Miss Iowa 1988.