Guyanese-parented Ethiopia princess to participate in Annual Women’s Leadership and Business Conference

Last Updated on Friday, 6 September 2019, 2:15 by Denis Chabrol

Her Imperial Highness Princess Ariana Austin Makonnen of Ethiopia

WeLead Caribbean on Wednesday announced the inclusion of Her Imperial Highness Princess Ariana Austin Makonnen of Ethiopia as a speaker to the 3rd Annual Women’s Leadership and Business Conference, PowHERful: Transition from Inspiration to Action.

This year’s event will be held on September 18th – 19th, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre.

Her Imperial Highness Princess Ariana would be delivering a speech on cultural entrepreneurship which would be followed by a questions and answers segment and she is said to be excited to be addressing her Guyanese community.

“Princess Ariana is a philantropist and entrepreneur with invaluable experience and knowledge to be shared at this year’s conference. We are honored to have her and we look forward to learning from her said Abbigale Loncke, President, WeLead Caribbean. And to have Yvette Noel-Schure lead our lineup of speakers this year means that we are going to be in the company of really great women.”

Princess Ariana Makonnen was born on January 6, 1984 to an American father and Guyanese mother. She is a member of the Ethiopian imperial family and the House of Solomon through her marriage to Prince Joel Dawit Makonnen, the great-grandson of Emperor Haile Selassie I.

Her grandfather was former Georgetown Mayor John Meredith Ford. She began her career as a teacher and freelance journalist in Paris, France.

The couple and their wedding party pose for photos after the ceremony. When the two met, Mr. Makonnen didn’t tell Ms. Austin about his royal background. Credit Jared Soares for The New York Times

Inspired by the nighttime arts festival, Nuit Blanche, which she enjoyed while living in Paris, she founded and directed Art All Night, a festival that reimagined public space and enlivened the streets of Washington, D.C. with visual arts, live paintings, musical performances, poetry readings, and light projections.

The festival was an immediate success and attracted audiences of 30,000+ people. After 5 years, Ariana started her own creative agency, French Thomas where she produced dynamic cultural and educational experiences in Washington, D.C. New York City, and Camden, New Jersey.

Today, Princess Ariana works full-time in philanthropy where she continues to channel her passion for culture, education, and communities. In addition, she serves as the Goodwill Ambassador of Friends of Guyana, a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting education, cultural, and environmental programs in and about Guyana. She is a graduate of Harvard University.

The conference will be headlined by Yvette Noel-Schure. As Beyoncé’ Knowles publicist, Noel-Schure is responsible for managing Beyoncé’ public image since she was 14 years old. As both the owner of her own company, Schure Media Group, and the head of publicity for Beyoncé’s Parkwood Entertainment, she also represents Beyoncé’s activewear line, Ivy Park, and has worked with artists like Prince, John Legend, Maxwell, and former Destiny’s Child members Rowland and Williams.

Speakers include: First Lady of Guyana H.E. Mrs Sandra Granger, Kerensa Gravesande Bart – Strategic Recruitment Solutions, Shalini Beharry – RAMPREM Trinidad, Dr. Vishnu Doerga – ActionInvest Caribbean, John Housty – Housty Designs, Michelle A. Nicholas – The Nico Consulting/Girls Inc. Westchester, Jacequelyn Shipe – Global Ties Alabama, Maria Cordova Sanchez – ED Challenge, Latoya Blackwood – IPublish Consultancy, Sharon Lalljee Richard – Heal Guyana, Dr. Patricee Douglas – SRHR Adventures, among others.

Tickets cost GY$15,000 (US$75.00) and can be purchased in Guyana from Eco For Life, 7 North Rd, 592 Tees Courtyard Mall Robb St, Java cafe, Duncan St Campbellville, Beaton’s Boutique Reliance Essequibo and online via our eventbrite page via key phrase, Powherful Womens Leadership Conference.

Sponsors for this year’s Conference include Abbi’s Home Care Agency, Eco Atlantic Investment, Global Ties Alabama, Strategic Recruitment Solutions, The Nico Consulting, Inc, Camex Ltd, Regal Stationery and Computer Supplies and many more. For more information about sponsorship opportunities and tickets, please visit us our website www.weleadcaribbean.com, call +592.648.4302 (Guyana) / 800.200.4695 (USA) or email, abbigaleloncke@gmail.com. You can also follow the conference via the app “PowHerfulConference” on any android device.

WeLead Caribbean is a not-for-profit organization which provides a comprehensive and inclusive support for women development, business and philanthropy in Guyana and throughout the Caribbean. With over twenty-five members from Barbados, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, St. Lucia and Trinidad, WeLead Caribbean offers services such as business mentoring, training, marketing, internships and coaching. Welead Caribbean recently launched it’s Women Owned Platform that focuses on the development, support, advocacy and marketing of Women Owned Businesses.