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Grit, Growth & Grace: Founders TALX with PR Founder & CEO Maurisa Potts
March 7 @ 5:30 pm - 6:30 pm
Calling all business women of DC and the DMV! In celebration of International Women’s Day and Women’s History Month, we’ve invited ALX Community founding member and local PR powerhouse Maurisa Potts! She was recently honored by her alma mater as the 2023 Virginia Tech Influential Black Alumni Entrepreneur of the Year Award. A very prestigious and well-deserved recognition. The Founder and CEO of Spotted MP will share her key insights, developed over a 25 year career in Marketing and Public Relations, on Grit, Growth & Grace: A candid conversation about breaking through barriers, propelling local female entrepreneurship, and key stakes for women in leadership.
Don’t miss this opportunity to network with local female entrepreneurs and leaders! We can’t wait to see what connection are made!
Moderated by Shelli Vasser Gilliam, CMP, SEPC
Q&A to follow.
More on Maurisa: Maurisa is the Founder and CEO of Spotted MP and has over 25 years of professional marketing, communications and events experience. Founded in 2008, Spotted MP is a Virginia-certified small, women and minority-owned boutique marketing consultancy that provides distinctive and innovative strategies that deliver impact and brand growth. Maurisa is known for her mission-driven work ethic, creativity, and expertise to deliver results for loyal firm clients. Her areas of focus include economic development, retail/hospitality, real estate, lifestyle, and non-profits, having orchestrated work for a variety of local and national businesses within those industries. Maurisa is experienced in all facets of marketing, communications, and event development – from concept shaping to strategic planning, to execution.
Although well-known and highly respected in the industry and the region for her signature style, tenacity, and creativity, the quality Maurisa is best known for is her strategic business savvy. Prior to starting Spotted MP, she was the Marketing & Communications Director for the Crystal City BID. She was part of the original founding team that launched Arlington County’s largest business improvement district. Prior to this, she worked for several well-known companies in the DMV region such as Microstrategy, Reed Smith, and previous global accounting firm Arthur Andersen in which she led firm-wide marketing and communication initiatives for each entity.
Maurisa is from Vienna, VA, and currently lives in Alexandria with her husband David, 14-year-old son Derek, and a pandemic pup named Lainey. She is a graduate of Virginia Tech University (1995) Outside of her day job, she is a member of various organizations, such as Women of Color in Communications, Public Relations Society of America, American Marketing Association, Fashion Group International and the Couture Circle to name a few. In 2021 she was featured in VIP Alexandria Magazine’s Power Women Issue as a 2021 Most Inspiring Women of Alexandria and in 2019 was a finalist for Best Small Business in Alexandria. She is also regularly sought after to provide expert commentary on news topics such as diversity and inclusion, women in media, marketing and pr strategies, and working-mom perspectives. Within the past year, she has been featured in the Washington Business Journal, District Fray Magazine and WTOP News talking about a variety of topics. When she is not working she is an avid sports fanatic, fitness fan, fashion lover, wine lover, and Prince lover – her favorite musical artist.
More on the Moderator: Shelli Vasser Gilliam is a Public Speaking Coach with Global Public Speaking, a professional skills training and communication firm. She has extensive leadership experience and passion for helping people build their confidence and use their voice to speak up. Her compelling personal history with public speaking forced her to overcome her fear and step into the spotlight.
With a heart for serving and an understanding of how to bridge resource gaps, Shelli launched Vasser Gilliam LLC, a management consulting firm in 2010. As an entrepreneur, she collaborated with nonprofit clients to raise awareness and develop corporate support, produced numerous meetings and events, and used her many skills and experiences to manage complex projects.
Currently, Shelli is serving as the Immediate Past President of Meeting Professionals International (MPI) Potomac Chapter. She graduated from Virginia Tech, is a Certified Meeting Professional, and holds certificates in Training and Facilitation, Sustainable Events, and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in the Workplace.
As an authentic and inclusive leader, connector, and mentor, Shelli enjoys nurturing relationships, storytelling, and using her voice and platform to inspire and empower people.