Debra Albert is the longest, consistently running Lean In Circle Leader in the world (104,000 Circles in 184 countries) and is also the Leader of the NYC Network of more than 6,200 women in 32 Circles.

Debra is a Partner and Chief Development Officer at Sequent, with overall responsibility for Sequent's growth and development strategies and execution. Debra has 15 years of experience in sales, marketing, and professional development in the information services industry and ten years of experience in the advertising industry.

Prior to joining Sequent, Debra was Senior Vice President at TNS, a global market research company where she established a business development function and coached the organization through a very dramatic change. She was also a Vice President at Datamonitor where she started up the U.S. operation and set up five industry practice areas. Previous to her career in the Market Research industry, she spent 10 years in Media (television and print), and at an Advertising Agency.

Debra is a graduate of The George Washington University in Washington, D.C., and also studied at The American University of Paris, in Paris, France. She currently holds two Professional Certificates from New York University – in Organizational Development and Leadership, and the other in Executive and Organizational Coaching.

Philanthropically, Debra was on the Board of Trustees of the Kaufman Music Center for 3 years. Also on the Career Services Committee of The George Washington University Alumni Association. Debra lives in Manhattan (but loves to travel).

Vonetta Young is an investment readiness and fund formation advisor who helps start-up founders and their investors raise capital confidently and successfully by creating a clear business plan and memorable messaging.

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She previously worked on the investment team at Abbott Capital, a private equity fund of funds in New York City, and at the Small Business Investment Company (SBIC) Program at the U.S. Small Business Administration. She holds a BA in English and an MBA in Finance from Georgetown University.

Vonetta is also a writer whose short stories and personal essays have been published in numerous publications online and in print. She is a Fiction Editor for The Rumpus and Insight (nonfiction) Editor of The Offing literary journals. She serves as treasurer of the board of the Voices of Our Nations Arts Foundation, a literary arts organization empowering writers of color. Vonetta lives with her spouse in Washington, DC.