Archives: Speaker

Scott J Prendergast is a Professional Speaker, Certified Coach, Author,
College Professor and Mental Health Advocate based in Philadelphia, PA
and owner of Scotty P Inspiration LLC. A graduate of Temple University,
Scott speaks about the importance of acknowledging mental health in
society, and encourages techniques to overcome the everyday mental
obstacles that hold us back in life. Scott travels across the country speaking
to audiences ranging from college students and faculty, to corporate leaders and executives, while sharing his own story of hope and resilience in learning to overcome depression. He uses a practical approach of mindful strategies combined with a compassionate touch to help others validate their own feelings, and work towards moving past them. Scotty P has participated in speaking events across 38 different states totaling over 150,000 people in six plus years. Scott has also been featured on Fox 29 Good Day Philadelphia on multiple occasions, and has appeared as a keynote speaker for multiple prominent organizations including for the Philadelphia Phillies “Strike Out The Stigma Event.” In addition, he just released his first published book titled; From Rock Bottom to rock solid: Learning to Navigate Life Through The Lens of Hope, in March of 2024.

Merrick Rosenberg, affectionately known as The Bird Guy, is not just an
author, keynote speaker, and entrepreneur. He is a true visionary! In 1991, he
founded Team Builders Plus, one of the first companies in the United States. His
groundbreaking work laid the foundation for today’s team building industry.

But Merrick didn’t stop there! After transforming the lives of hundreds of
thousands by creating positive work environments, he took his mission a step
further by connecting classic DISC styles to Eagle, Parrot, Dove, and Owl. In 2012,
he launched his second venture, Take Flight Learning, to share these powerful
insights with the world.

His impressive client roster includes two-thirds of the Fortune 100 companies,
showcasing his expertise across small, mid-sized, and large organizations, as well
as non-profits and government agencies. He’s penned eight award-winning
books, including The Chameleon, Which Bird Are You?, and Personality Wins,
empowering individuals to harness the strength of their personalities.

Merrick is also an acclaimed filmmaker. His personality styles movie, BirdBrains,
Inc., has won an astounding 23 film festival awards, including Best Short Film,
Best Original Song, and Best Educational Film. If you haven’t seen it, go watch it
today! And good luck getting the song, Personality, out of your head.

Armed with an MBA in Organizational Development from Drexel University,
where he was honored as Alumni Entrepreneur of the Year, Merrick’s accolades
don’t end there. He’s been recognized as New Jersey CEO of the Year by AI magazine and Delaware Valley HR Consultant of the Year by the Society for Human Resource Management.

Merrick not only understands how to grow a business but also knows how to create an organization where people love to work. Under his leadership, Take Flight Learning was named New Jersey Business of the Year by NJ Biz magazine and recognized by the Philadelphia Business Journal as one of the Fastest Growing Companies and Best Places to Work in the region.

Merrick captivates audiences at major conferences and events, including TEDx, the Society for Human Resource Management, the Association for Talent Development, Vistage International, Commercial Real Estate Women, the Project Management Institute, the International Society for Performance Improvement, the Young Associates, President’s Club, and countless others for organizations and associations.

He’s also a sought-after media guest, gracing the airwaves of ABC, NBC, CBS, PBS, SiriusXM, iHeart Radio, and Radio Disney, with interviews in prestigious publications like The New York Times, Fortune, The Wall Street
Journey, Forbes, Newsweek, Fast Company, Inc., Parents, and Glamour.

And when he’s not inspiring others, you might find Merrick unwinding in a yoga studio, meditating on a serene beach, or strumming his guitar with friends. His passion for personal growth truly sets him apart!

Dana Scarcella is a high energy leadership consultant, specializing in creating
high performance cultures. Dana is on a mission to help people achieve their
impossible goals and help leaders get extraordinary results. After an illustrious
corporate career spanning nearly two decades, Dana set out to redefine
leadership consulting by incorporating a holistic framework that considers not
just professional success, but also individual happiness and fulfillment. Her
methodology emphasizes the importance of self-awareness, building on
strengths, and creating systems and habits to achieve personal and
professional goals.

As a sought-after speaker and workshop facilitator, Dana leaves her audiences
both inspired and ready to take action. Whether working with Fortune 500
companies, emerging startups, or non-profit organizations, Dana delivers
tailored programs that encourage self-discovery and sustainable success.
Committed to continuous learning, Dana stays at the forefront of industry
trends, incorporating the latest research and methodologies into her training
programs. Every program has science to back it up, while understanding that
because everyone’s journey is unique, different strategies are required.

Armed with a passion for empowering individuals and organizations to achieve
their full potential, Dana’s purpose is to ignite possibilities in others and help
people live an inspired life.

Dana has coached leaders at all levels, from first time managers to the C-suite,
and holds a Level 7 Certification from The Institute of Leadership &
Management (ILM). She also holds certifications in Six Sigma, Myers-Briggs
Type Indicator, Predictive Index, Korn Ferry Leadership Architect, and change
management. Dana holds a Master’s Degree in Human Resource Management
and a Bachelor’s Degree in Industrial Relations from Rutgers University. She
resides outside of Philadelphia with her spouse and two children.

Cherise V. Stewart, MS, SPHR, is a Human Resource Leader with over 15 years of experience designing and implementing people-centered strategies that drive employee engagement and retention initiatives. As VP of Human Resources at Valley Youth House, Cherise leads the HR, Training, and Development function for 400 plus employees who work everyday as a catalyst for youth to achieve their desired futures through genuine relationships that support families, ensure safe places, and build community connections.

Cherise’s work-life harmony includes travel with her most recent travels being St. Kitts, Indonesia, Taiwan, and Greece. She is shares her home with her furry feline family Siena “aka” Pretty Kitty and has one son, Rasheed “the family’s first attorney”. She is a member of the Philadelphia SHRM Thought Leadership Team, serves as an executive team member of the ibBIG investment club, and a member of the National Coalition of 100 Black Women – Pennsylvania Chapter and is dedicated to improving economic empowerment in the African American community. Her most recent endeavor is the start of her coaching services through her company StewartHR.

Jennifer F. Terry serves as Executive Vice President, Chief Human Resources Officer at The Bancorp Bank, N.A. She is responsible for the development and implementation of the strategic plan for all Human Resources (HR) functions. She leads objectives in implementing automation in all aspects of HR to ensure a superior employee and candidate experience. Jennifer’s HR technology, employee benefits, workforce planning, talent management, and succession planning have set the company’s HR strategic direction to increase overall operational efficiency and effectiveness.

Jennifer brings a successful track record spanning more than 25 years of Human Resources experience. Previously, she served as TD Bank’s Vice President, Senior Manager of HR Operations and Delivery. In this role, she set strategic direction, offered solutions to improve employee engagement, and maintained the company’s top position in the marketplace for overall employee experience by rolling out a competitive and successful paid parental leave employee benefits plan.

Jennifer has also held several senior management roles at Canon Business Process Services and Xerox focusing on various aspects of HR, such as Talent Acquisition & Management and Employee Benefits. Jennifer received a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting from Montclair State University and a Master of Business Administration degree with a concentration in Leadership from Rosemont College. She has attained multiple professional recognitions and certifications (SHRM-SCP and SPHR), such as: Strategic HR Leadership Certificate from Cornell University and the ImpactED / DiverseForce on Boards – Board Leadership & Governance Program at the University of Pennsylvania.

Jennifer serves as an Alumna Mentor on Montclair State University’s Feliciano School of Business Soar to Success Program. Jennifer is currently a member of The Philadelphia Orchestra and Ensemble Arts Board of Trustees.

Celeste Warren is Vice President, Global Diversity and Inclusion Center of Excellence. As the leader for Merck’s Global Diversity and Inclusion Center of Excellence, she is responsible for working with Merck’s global leaders to advance and embed diversity and inclusion throughout the organization to enhance the employee experience and maximize business performance. Celeste is one of the more tenured Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officers in the Fortune 100 companies having held the role for 10 years.

She has been recognized for her work in diversity, equity and inclusion including:
• Black Enterprise’s “Top Executives in Global Diversity and Inclusion”
• Savoy Magazine’s “Most Influential Women in Corporate America”
• Diversity Global Magazine’s “Influential Women in Global Diversity”
• Diversity Woman Magazine’s: “Elite100” List

She was also recognized as the Chief Diversity Officer of the Year by the National Minority Supplier Development Council.

She serves on the boards of RWJBarnabas Health Systems and Paradigm for Parity. She is also a member of CNBC’s Workforce Executive Council and World 50’s Inclusion and Diversity Impact Community.

Celeste is a published author and her articles on diversity, equity and inclusion have been featured in numerous national and global publications and she has had the opportunity to speak at various events across the world.

Celeste attended the University of Kentucky where she earned her B.S. degree. She received her master’s degree from Carnegie Mellon University.

She is the wife of John Warren and the mother of two children, Christina-Celeste and John Steven, Jr.