meet the 2026 speakers
dr. shi choong
Dr. Shi Choong is the founder and visionary behind Women Who Dare, an annual gathering celebrating courage, storytelling, and empowerment. With a Ph.D. in Analytical Chemistry and a career at Intel as a process engineer, Shi made the bold choice to leave corporate life and follow her calling as an event planner and community builder. Through Event Planner Shi LLC, she creates experiences that blend precision with artistry, from intercultural weddings to inclusive fashion shows. Shi also hosts Ignite with Shi, a YouTube storytelling platform where she shares her own journey of courage and invites others to reflect on the sparks that ignite transformation in their lives. As organizer and host of Women Who Dare, Shi curates a space where stories ignite courage, connection, and belonging.
Dr. Gerry Ebalaroza-Tunnell (dr. g)
Dr. Gerry Ebalaroza-Tunnell—affectionately known as Dr. G—is a Native Hawaiian scholar, cultural strategist, and visionary systems thinker. She is the Founder and CEO of Co3 Consulting, guiding organizations through her Guiding Principles of A.L.O.H.A.—Ask, Listen, Observe, Heart-focus, Adapt—to create cohesive and equitable communities. With a doctorate in Transformative Studies and Consciousness and a master’s in Whole Systems Design, Dr. G blends academic rigor with ancestral wisdom, offering a unique perspective on leadership and belonging. She also serves as Adjunct Professor at Western Washington University and as Senior Coordinator for the Oral History Project at the National Native American Boarding School Healing Coalition. Author of Let’s Live ALOHA, Dr. G’s life and work are a living ceremony, inviting us all to breathe deeply, lead wisely, and co-create a just future.
Goergina Miranda
Georgina Miranda is a global adventurer, entrepreneur, and changemaker working at the intersection of conscious leadership, gender equity, and planetary well-being. She is the CEO and founder of She Ventures and a board member of 1% for the Planet. Her career spans Fortune 500 consulting, entrepreneurship, and academia, where she teaches embodied leadership and inclusivity. As a mountaineer pursuing the Explorer’s Grand Slam, Georgina uses her expeditions as platforms for activism and storytelling. Featured by Forbes, BBC, NBC News, Mindful Magazine, and TEDx, she champions courage, equity, and a deep reverence for the Earth.
beach pace (mayor of hillsboro)
Beach Pace is the Mayor of Hillsboro, Oregon, and CEO of Big Brothers Big Sisters, where she has led social impact organizations for more than 18 years. A graduate of West Point with a master’s degree in Public Administration, Beach served in the U.S. Army as a Bomb Squad Commander before transitioning into corporate sales and marketing. Since moving to Oregon in 2012, she has dedicated herself to community service and leadership, guided by a passion for collaboration and resilience. Married to her wife of 23 years and a proud parent of two college students, Beach embodies the belief that strong communities are built on connection, service, and courage.
emily purry
Emily Purry is a nationally recognized speaker, trainer, and consultant specializing in disability awareness, accessibility, and workplace belonging. As the founder of Purry Consultants, she has guided schools, nonprofits, and Fortune 500 companies in creating cultures that strengthen recruitment, retention, and customer loyalty. Living with Stargardt’s Macular Degeneration, Emily brings a powerful combination of expertise and lived experience, grounding her keynotes in authenticity and empathy. Beyond her consulting work, she proudly represents Team USA in para surfing, using her platform to challenge stereotypes and expand conversations about equity and representation. With humor, storytelling, and practical tools, Emily inspires audiences to move from awareness to daily action.
susan sherman
Susan Sherman is a Boeing 737 captain with Alaska Airlines whose journey has been defined by courage and reinvention. Raised on a dairy farm in Georgia, she discovered aviation during college while also running cross country and editing the student newspaper. After working in Yellowstone and building a career in nonprofit fundraising, Susan made a bold leap—quitting her job, renting her house, and training to become a pilot. Now based in Alaska, she embraces the wilderness year-round and continues to live by her favorite mantra: “Be Alive!!” Susan’s story reflects resilience, adventure, and the pursuit of possibility at any stage of life.
arun storrs
Arun Storrs is an actor, activist, and nonprofit leader dedicated to empowerment through the arts. A graduate of Yale University with degrees in Theater Studies and Ethnicity, Race, and Migration, she has spent more than 15 years performing in theater, television, and film, with credits including Emmy Award-winning HBO Max’s The Pitt. Adopted from Nepal as a baby, Arun later founded The Kumari Project, a nonprofit supporting children—especially girls—living in group homes in Kathmandu. She has also worked extensively with domestic and international organizations using theater and education to advance immigrant rights and combat racism. Alongside her creative work, Arun runs a jewelry business on Etsy and serves as Director of Operations for IT Virtual Department, blending artistry, advocacy, and entrepreneurship into every part of her life.