The North Dakota Women's Business Center is celebrating Women's History Month with a panel that features five of North Dakota's leading ladies. Join us to learn from, connect with and be inspired by this network of visionary women.

Click here to learn more about Leading Ladies Luncheons.

Get your tickets early; this event sells out!

Register for your tickets by March 1st. Tickets will not be available at the door. Sorry, no refunds after March 1st.

**Table Sponsorships are available for $500 - tables seat 8. Interested parties may contact Christy at christy@trainingnd.com for more information.

Doors open at 11:00 AM and lunch will be served at 11:30 AM.

Meet the Panelists

Danielle Ta'Sheena Finn

The Honorable Danielle Ta’Sheena Finn is from Porcupine/Bismarck, North Dakota. She is Lakota, Dakota, Assiniboine, and Métis and is a citizen of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe.

Currently, Danielle serves as an Associate Judge for the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribal Courts and the External Affairs Director for the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe. Danielle obtained a Juris Doctorate Degree with high pro bono distinction from Arizona State University’s College of Law.

Danielle has been awarded many accolades including, but not limited to: 2017 S.A.G.E Award –Spirited Activists Greening the Earth, 2016 one of “50 Faces of Indian Country” by Indian Country Today, 2016 “40 Under 40” by the National Center of American Indian Enterprise Development, and 2016 Miss Indian World. Lastly, Danielle has been featured in the book “Sioux Women: Traditionally Sacred” and several publications including Glamour Magazine, Marie Claire UK, The New York Times and CNN.

Beth Slette

Beth Slette began her career in education in 1992 as an elementary teacher in Naytahwaush, Minnesota. She came to West Fargo Public Schools in 1994 and has since held multiple positions within the district: elementary teacher, transition coordinator, middle school assistant principal, elementary principal, Director of Assessments and Federal Programs, and Assistant Superintendent for Elementary Education. She accepted the position as the district’s Superintendent in the spring of 2018.

Mrs. Slette holds a Master of Science in Educational Leadership from North Dakota State University and a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education from Minnesota State University Moorhead. She and her husband, Bruce, have two daughters, Maria and Sophie.

Jodi Rae Ingstad

Jodi is an enthusiastic speaker sharing the sought after practice of Joyology. Audiences crave hearing how to change their J. O. B. 's in to J. O. Y.' s! The Blonde on the Prairie was awarded $100,000 from the Kind Foundation for her actions towards being kind to people who wouldn't ask for help though they needed it. Out of 5,000 nominations nationally she was one of 7 to receive the award. The Blonde on the Prairie also had a nationally syndicated radio show segment where she got to share her antics about learning to live on the North Dakota Prairie.

Jodi is an award winning weekly columnist for the Valley City Times Record and has been since 2002. She also writes a weekly column for the Griggs County Courier. Jodi is a former blogger with the Huffington Post and in 2009, she authored her book, "The Blonde on the Prairie - Life Is What Happens When You Dare To Leave Your Barn Door Open!" If that weren't enough, Jodi is a Joyologist at the Griggs County Care Center in Cooperstown and brings so many smiles to the residents there, by just being herself.

In Jodi's words, she's "just a girl stuck in a 52-year-old woman's Type 1 diabetic body attempting to find joy and lessons in every, single occurrence." She is a lover of Mondays and kind people.

Rhoda Elmi

Rhoda Elmi founded Jasmin Child Care and Preschool in 2015. The center works with New American and immigrant children providing and connecting them with resources within the community. Rhoda goes beyond providing care, she lives passionately and helps children develop social skills and teaches them how to thrive in our weather. She opened the center with the children’s future in mind and has partnered with local community organizations to ensure they can achieve their full potential.

Rhoda graduated with a degree in Healthcare Management from the University of Phoenix. She lived in Canada where she worked with the Somali Canadian Community in Edmonton where she empowered women and youth to pursue their dreams, and helped them integrate into the community. Rhoda is married with four children and enjoys gardening, cooking and travelling the world with her daughters.

"If someone doesn’t step up, who is going to do it?"

Deb Dawson

Dawson is a writer, photographer, filmmaker, businesswoman, teacher, humanitarian, and philanthropist. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Education and English and a Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing.

Dawson is the co-founder and executive director of African Soul, American Heart (ASAH), where she leads the organization’s mission to protect, educate, and empower orphaned girls from the Republic of South Sudan who would otherwise face a life of illiteracy and poverty, forced marriage at puberty, and early childbirth.

ASAH educates our students in school subjects and practical life skills, preparing them to support themselves and their families in the future, and empowers the students to be leaders and to give back to their communities so that they may help their troubled nation establish and maintain peace for all. Three ASAH students have completed college and are working. One ASAH student is in nursing school and is third of 153 classmates. Four others will go on to college or vocational training in 2019. Forty-three to go.

Andrea Larson

Andrea Larson has been with us from the beginning as our Leading Ladies Luncheon emcee and we're thrilled to have her back again! Andrea's broadcasting career has taken her all over North Dakota. She has had opportunities to track lawmakers as a Political Reporter in Bismarck, and chase convicted criminals across the country on a crime beat in Fargo. Andrea has garnered dozens of awards along the way and is an anchor for the 5, 6 and 10 PM newscasts on Valley News Live.