2023 Keynote Speakers

Former WNBA Executive and Equity & Inclusion Strategist, Co-Founder & Partner, The Dignitas Agency, LLC.

Angela Taylor is an entrepreneur, creative strategist, consultant, leadership coach, DEI practitioner, TV Sports Analyst for the Pac-12 Network, and podcaster whose mission is to help leaders and organizations reach their full potential. Taylor’s entrepreneurial endeavors include NetWorks Sports Consulting, Indulge Boise Food Tours, the award nominated Unlocking the Club podcast, and The DIGNITAS Agency. The Dignitas Agency is a boutique global consulting firm focused on leadership development, change management, executive coaching and Diversity, Equity & Inclusion strategy. The firm consults with global clients in corporate, government, health care, academia, tech, and the startup space. Taylor also launched Indulge Boise Food Tours, the first food tour established in the Treasure Valley that provides food & walking tours. Indulge Boise is the top-rated Food Tour in Idaho.

Prior to pursuing her entrepreneurial dreams, Taylor was an executive in the sports & entertainment industry. Her career in sports & entertainment included stops as President & General Manager of the Atlanta Dream and a 10-year stint at the WNBA/NBA League Office. A native of Mountain Home, Idaho, Taylor graduated from Stanford University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics and earned her MBA from New York University’s Stern School of Business.  She was a member of two NCAA National Championship Women’s Basketball teams at Stanford University (1990 & 1992). Her philanthropic endeavors include being Vice-Chair of The Salvation Army-Boise Board of Directors, Chair of the Saint Alphonsus Regional Medical Center Board, Saint Alphonsus Health System Board, College of Idaho Advisory Board, Blue Sky Institute Advisory Board, and Boise CVB Board.

In her free time, Taylor enjoys golfing, reading and gardening

Former Special Adviser to the President and Senior Vice President for University Development and Alumni Relations at New York University

Debra LaMorte served as Senior Vice President for University Development and Alumni Relations at New York University from 2001 to 2016.  Ms. LaMorte began her career at NYU in 1990 when she joined NYU School of Law where she ultimately served as Associate Dean for External Affairs.  LaMorte had an illustrious 30-year career at NYU which resulted in her raising over $7B on behalf of the University. She was known to have raised over $1M per day during her time with NYU.   As the University’s main fundraiser and alumni liaison, Ms. LaMorte was directly responsible for delivering the philanthropic resources necessary for NYU to meet its academic and programmatic goals and for engaging alumni, parents, and friends of the University worldwide.  When she stepped down from her role as Senior Vice President in 2016, she stayed on with NYU for and additional two years as Special Advisor to the President.

In her role at NYU, LaMorte successfully completed a $3.2B comprehensive campaign in 2008 which at the time was the largest campaign in the history of higher education.  LaMorte was directly responsible for helping to secure 15 transformative gifts ranging from $25M to $150M.  In 2010, LaMorte led a $1B campaign to exclusively support scholarships at NYU.  That campaign successfully closed at $1.2B in 2017.

LaMorte was also a member of the adjunct faculty at NYU’s Robert F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service where she taught Professional Fundraising for 10 years.  LaMorte was presented with the “Woman of the Year Award” by the New York City Women and Development Association in 2016.

Currently, LaMorte is Of Counsel with the International Consulting Firm of Marts & Lundy. LaMorte received her B.A. from Antioch College in 1975, and her J.D. from the Salmon P. Chase College of Law in 1979.  She is currently engaged in service on several non-profit boards and lives with her husband in Stanley, Idaho.

Associate Chief USDA Forest Service

Angela Coleman serves as the Associate Chief of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Forest Service. Prior to this assignment, she served as Forest Service Chief of Staff beginning in 2015, where she oversaw the Chief’s Office daily operations and staff, issues management, and Office of Communication and Legislative Affairs programs. She provided senior-level support to the Chief of the agency and the Executive Leadership Team to advance and deliver the agency’s natural resource conservation mission.

Angela has served in numerous leadership roles with the Forest Service, to include Washington Office roles as associate deputy chief of Business Operations, and associate deputy chief of Research and Development. Before that, she served as deputy regional forester for the Pacific Southwest Region for national forests located in California and parts of Nevada. She also served for 7 years as regional communications director for the Southern Region in Atlanta. A native of Phenix City, AL, Angela has amassed more than 27 years with the Forest Service. She launched her career as a professional journalist with news media conglomerate Knight-Ridder, serving as a news reporter for the Pulitzer Prize-winning Columbus Ledger-Enquirer.

Angela has served as a member of both the natural resource conservation and communications communities, including the National Wild Turkey Federation and Sigma Delta Chi Society of Professional Journalists. She is currently a member of the World Forestry Congress. A summa cum laude graduate of Troy University, she completed postgraduate course work at American University in Washington, DC. She also served as a Senior Executive Fellow for Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government. In 2010, Angela was sworn in as a member of the Senior Executive Service.