CRYSTAL L. WINSTON
Crystal L. Winston’s experience and advocacy in the field of HIV/AIDS started in 2002 with Cook County Health for a longitudinal HIV/AIDS study where she conducted research with women impacted by HIV. Personally, in conjunction with that role, she wrote and published a young adult novel called After I Met a Boy in which the theme promoted sexual health empowerment. Working with then, grassroots organizations like Assist Her Inc. she helped to launch the After I Met a Boy Conferences in 2010—hosting over 100 teens girls from various Chicago Public Schools for three years providing Health Education and free HIV testing. Her work then led her to Sexual Health Education and Prevention where she managed many STD/HIV granted programs for Cook County. She continued to utilize her background in writing to create marketing and social media Sexual Health tools—which included securing $25k for a Hepatitis Health Education marketing video she co-wrote in in three languages. The Hepatitis and You and Hepatitis Care and Management videos served as training modules for medical providers and students at Cook County Health. It was also a featured video on how to create media for health education and prevention at the 20th Annual IDPH STI/HIV Conference in 2016.
Ms. Winston’s later work included managing regional HIV testing for Cook County Health’s HIV programs and in the height of Covid-19 pandemic, she would leave her 19 year career in the field of HIV and Sexual Health, as the call came for those experienced to manage the vaccination efforts. She became the Manager of Cook County Health’s mobile vaccine team, servicing all of Cook County and the City of Chicago, with upwards of 20,000 vaccines administered in communities who experienced the most barriers to and access to care. She would spend her 20th year in Public Health at a school on a cold blistering Chicago night—having administered 300 vaccines to families who may not have access due to the lack of healthcare equity in many communities.
In 2022, Ms. Winston missed working in the community and more so in HIV work. She returned as a consultant for the Research Study where she started her long career as well as became a Community Captain for the Risk to Reasons Initiative with ViiV Healthcare. The goal of the Risk to Reason’s program is to reframe the word “risk” to the word reasons, setting a goal to develop new messages and methods in HIV prevention for Black Cis and Trans Women. Crystal has said her time in this work has been full circle. She needs to do the work until no work is needed.
Creatively, Ms. Winston continues to write, consulting and assisting other authors to compose their literary journeys.
Crystal holds a bachelor in Health Education and Communication and is now advancing her 20 year knowledge in Sexual Health and Prevention and expanding her brand to become a Certified Sexual Health Educator.
She lives outside of Chicago with her partner Eric as contributing author, sex positive advocate in public health,
LaToyia M. Strickland (Ledbetter)
LaToyia M. Strickland
operates at the powerful yet rare intersection of Marketplace mastery and Ministry influence. A respected marketing executive, brand strategist, and community leader, she brings more than 20 years of experience shaping culture-shifting narratives for some of the nation’s most respected medias, brands, and cultural institutions. With expertise spanning across marketing strategy, research and insights, advertising sales, social media leadership, account management, graphic design, community relations, and public relations, LaToyia is a rare blend of creative visionary and strategic operator making her equally skilled at building brands, mobilizing communities, and positioning organizations for lasting impact.
LaToyia began her career at Johnson Publishing Company, publisher of EBONY and Jet Magazines, where she rose from intern to full-time professional. From there, she built an impressive work portfolio across major media powerhouses including Condé Nast Publications (publisher of W, Vogue, and GQ Magazines), Clear Channel Communications (now iHeartMedia: WGCI-FM, V103-FM, Inspiration 1390-AM, and 103.5 KISS-FM), The Walt Disney Company, Yellow Pages, and the historic Chicago Defender Newspaper, among others. Across every platform, she has been known for her ability to translate culture and insights into ideas and strategy resulting in measurable growth.
Currently, LaToyia serves as Senior Director of Marketing for Shedd Aquarium, one of the largest and most recognized cultural institutions in Chicago and the third largest aquarium in the nation, with a global brand presence. As one of the most senior African American women in leadership within the organization, she leads the Marketing team responsible for all outward-facing communications distributed to audiences around the world. In addition to the creation of the current Marketing campaign recognized in advertising across the city of Chicago inclusive of radio, social, print, bus shelters, airport terminals, outdoor murals and billboard ads, her oversight also includes Shedd’s primary website, email marketing, newsletters, blogs, and all social media channels – platforms that have consistently achieved viral global engagement.
Her team spearheaded the institution’s current brand platform For Love of Waterkind, which helps to drive nearly 2 million visitors annually, including both Chicagoland residents and international tourists. In 2023, her team was awarded the “Excellence in Marketing” Award by the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) for the The Answer Lives at Shedd, named best marketing campaign in the City of Chicago for a major nonprofit organization.
Her leadership has earned prestigious individual recognition as well. In 2024, LaToyia was named a Millennial Mastermind by the United Negro College Fund (UNCF). In 2025, she was honored as a Chicago Defender Woman of Excellence selected from more than 400 nominations. This award recognizes extraordinary African American leaders in community, faith, business, and government who exemplify exceptional stature, poise, and grace.
Beyond her formal role, LaToyia is the visionary architect behind the HBCU/Divine 9-themed “Jazzin’ at the Shedd” night — an after-hours experience that has broken attendance records for three consecutive years and become one of the most sought-after annual events at Shedd.
A respected Faith and community leader for more than a decade, LaToyia has aided multiple churches in the building and advancing of their Administrative, Strategic, and/or Business functions in addition to multiple Women’s, Marriage, Media and Health Ministries, respectively. LaToyia is a sought-after speaker for business and entrepreneurship conferences, women’s Faith, Ministry, and Marketplace summits, business think tanks, and educational institutions nationwide. She speaks on both professional branding and personal brand development, helping leaders align their external presence with their internal purpose. Her passion lies in equipping women of all ages to embody leadership, confidence, style, and grace as they navigate both marketplace and ministry.
Her civic leadership extends further. In 2018, she was appointed by City of Chicago Clerk Anna Valencia to serve on the City of Chicago Status of Women and Girls Board, contributing to policy and advocacy efforts addressing Fair Housing, Gender Equality, Economics, Safety, Education, and Healthcare. In 2021, she was asked to serve as a Community Faith Leader on the Cook County Health and Hospital Systems’ Provident Hospital Board as an Advisory Council Member during the hospital’s rebuilding phase.
LaToyia earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a concentration in Management and a minor in Marketing from Olivet Nazarene University in 2006. She is currently completing a Professional Master of Science in Integrated Marketing Communications at Northwestern University and is on track to earn her degree in December 2026.
At her core, LaToyia is a builder — of brands, of movements, of people. She leverages her gifts, talents, and strategic acumen to help individuals, organizations, and nonprofits harness the power of media, marketing, and message to drive influence, growth, and lasting impact.
Dr. Brianna Gaynor, Psy.D.
Dr. Brianna Gaynor is a licensed clinical psychologist, TEDx speaker, and author with more than 15 years of experience helping teams navigate change, build resilient cultures, and develop strong leadership. She is renowned for an engaging, relatable style and for delivering practical tools and insights that attendees can apply immediately. Her work centers on empowerment, meaningful conversations, and leadership development, perfect for a department audience focused on growth and collaboration.
Dr. Brianna Gaynor, Psy.D., is a force to be reckoned with in clinical psychology and literature. As the Director of Peace of Mind Psychological Services in Atlanta, GA, she has dedicated her career to helping individuals of all ages find peace and healing in every situation. With a passion for stopping the stigma around mental health issues, Dr. Gaynor brings inspiration and energy into any room she enters, creating lasting change wherever she goes. A dynamic advocate for emotional wellness, she recently authored Nina’s Smile (available on Amazon), a heartfelt children’s book that blends her psychological expertise with storytelling to nurture resilience and joy in young readers.
Dr. Gaynor has worked in diverse clinical settings, including outpatient, residential, and mental health hospitals, guiding children, teenagers, and families through trauma recovery and emotional challenges. Her groundbreaking approach has earned recognition from TEDx, CBS, Parade Magazine, Yahoo News, Psych Central, and Verywell Mind, among other national platforms. She is also the author of Nina’s Smile, which distills her clinical insights into an accessible, empowering narrative for families.
In addition to her clinical work, Dr. Gaynor is a transformational speaker and host of The Dr. Gaynor Speaks Podcast, where she tackles mental health topics with candor and compassion. Her keynote talks—including The Culture of Resilience at the University System of Georgia and advocacy work with the Partnership for Domestic Violence—often weave in themes from her book, emphasizing how stories can heal and empower individuals to overcome adversity.
Dr. Gaynor’s commitment to fostering resilience extends beyond psychology. She champions diversity, inclusion, and emotional literacy in all spaces, using her book Nina’s Smile to spark conversations about overcoming adversity. Whether through therapy, speaking, or writing, Dr. Brianna Gaynor inspires all who know her with her unwavering dedication to creating a world where every individual thrives.
Explore her work at www.DrBriannaGaynor.com and www.peaceofmindpsychology.com.
Janora McDuffie
Janora McDuffie is a Durham native, actress, host, voice-over artist, speaker, and the announcer for the 94th Academy Awards. McDuffie is the first openly gay person to announce the Academy Awards in the show’s ninety-four-year history.
She continues to inspire and make a positive impact through her work and commitment to diversity and inclusion. For more information, please visit www.JanoraMcduffie.com.
Dr. Hadiyah-Nicole Green
Dr. Hadiyah-Nicole Green is a STEM pioneer, leader, humanitarian, and entrepreneur who is introducing the world to the next generation of cancer treatments, cancer charities, and affordable healthcare. She is one of the nation’s leading medical physicists and one of the first African American women to earn a Ph.D. in Physics.
Dr. Green developed a revolutionary cancer treatment that uses lasers and nanotechnology to eliminate cancer in mice after only one 10-minute treatment in just 15 days with no observable side effects. To ensure the affordability of this treatment, she founded a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, the Ora Lee Smith Cancer Research Foundation (OraLee.org), to raise the funding for human clinical trials. Further, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs awarded her a $1.1 million grant for her research. Her story has been featured in a variety of media outlets, including ABC News, NBC News, New York Times, Forbes, The History Channel, PBS, and NPR. Ebony and The Root named her one of the 100 Most Influential African Americans in the U.S.; Business Insider named her a Top 30 Under 40 in Healthcare; USA Today named her one of the 100 Women of the Century; and Forbes named her one of the 50 Champions.
We are still raising the funds needed to start clinical trials. To people who are currently in need of treatment, please click >here< to read a message from our founder, Dr. Hadiyah-Nicole Green.
john james staniszewski
Call him Mr. Fungitarian! Through food, medicine, and community. Not as a trend or a shortcut— but as infrastructure for how people actually live, eat, and recover.
Fifteen years a fitness coach. A back injury, a prescription, a dependency — and one night with a handful of mushrooms that ended the wanting. The story without the polish, and the honest account of what the medicine did and didn’t do.
A a garage lab became one of the Midwest’s largest indoor farms — the closed-loop systems, the rooms I killed, the substrate decision that cost me, and what actually scales in an industry full of people who’ve never grown anything.
Mycelium as infrastructure — feeding people, cleaning waste streams, regenerating soil. 3,000 lbs of mushroom marinara into Chicago schools is a small story that explains a very large one.
THE ART OF NOT BETRAYING YOURSELF
Why willpower fails, and systems don’t. The five pillars, the neuroscience of the window, and why the experience is twenty percent and what you do with it is the other eighty. The talk behind Micro Discipline.