Maritza T. Adonis, J.D., MCIArb
MTA Visions Global CSR & Gov't Relations, CEO, MTA Center for Advocacy, Leadership, and Entrepreneurship (MTA-CALE), Acting Executive Director of Professional Development (moderator)
Maritza T. Adonis, J.D., MCIArb, Citizen Diplomat, U.S. Lobbyist, Global Advocate, Diplomacy, Diversity, and Political Thought Leader, Global Public Policy and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Executive, and International Arbitration and Faith Entertainment Professional, boasts over 15 years of experience amplifying diversity, equity, and inclusion in leadership, thought, and action across disciplines (ie. religious faiths, women and youth, healthcare, rule of law, diplomacy, performing arts, national security, education, and criminal justice) and geography (ie. North and South America, Asia, the Caribbean, Europe, Middle East and Africa).
Maritza currently serves as Chief Executive Officer of MTA Visions™ Global CSR & Gov’t Relations firm based in Washington D.C. that offers a full range of services on a project or outsourced basis and/or consulting engagement to nonprofits, IGOs, corporations, civil societies, universities, trade and professional associations, multilateral organizations and related entities seeking to MOVE with profit and purpose, AMPLIFY impact locally and globally, and PROTECT clean interests in sovereign States and on all levels of the U.S. government, including Capitol Hill℠.
Maritza also manages the firm’s professional development initiative, as the Acting Executive Director of Professional Development for MTA Center for Advocacy, Leadership and Entrepreneurship (MTA-CALE℠) that champions innovative professional development, leadership training, and continuing education for “change-agents committed to pioneering the future of social good,” where she leads the Inclusion (#Allyship #BeyondtheHashtag℠ #DEIinAction) trainings for corporations and organizations committed to using their platform to eradicate social injustice (with pilots in Singapore, Malawi, and UAE). Recently, Maritza adapted the #DEIinAction℠ “CSR in Public Policy” segment as faculty for WRAG’s Institute of Corporate Social Responsibility ‘s (iCSR) Class of 2020 at John Hopkins University in partnership with U.S. Chamber’s Corporate Citizenship Center.
Most notably, Maritza curated the Inclusive Global Advocacy and Diplomacy Initiative (iGAD℠) where she advances citizen, cultural (GAD Lingo), and business advocacy & diplomacy across the globe by: (1) elevating women, youth, and disenfranchised groups as influencers and change-agents; (2) integrating age, ethnic, and gender diversity in every public and private organization’s leadership and action through direct consulting, programming, and training; and (3) advocating for (and empowering others to do the same) transformational global empowerment policies and programs at all levels of government locally & globally.
Maritza has also advocated for and led #DiversityInTheProfession℠ initiatives in:
**Government Relations (via MTA-CALE “Lobbying 101” trainings and grass-roots recruitment efforts on Capitol Hill and White House);
**Diplomacy (via MTA Visions IGAD initiative and as founder and Chair of the Global Advocacy and Diplomacy WG for Women of Color Advancing Peace, Security, and Conflict Transformation;
**International Sports (as the first woman Assistant General Manager of an International Basketball Federation (FIBA), Federation Haitienne de Basketball)
**International Arbitration (as curator of the #InclusiveArb campaign for the appointment of ethnically diverse arbitrals and Vice Chair of Diversity, Policy and Rule of Law of the International Courts, International Arbitration, and Latin America & Caribbean Committees of the American Bar Association)
**Law (as 4th Circuit Governor and Vice-Chair of Policy at American Bar Association, host of HBCU Pre-Law Summits, Pre-Law Director for SRBLSA, and as Chief of Staff for NBLSA);
**Medicine (as founder of Minority Association of Pre-Health Students, Minority Men in Medicine, and as Health Policy Fellow and National Pre-medical Board Member of SNMA);
Highlights of global pilot Inclusion Initiatives in (Haiti, Peru, China, Russia, Norway, Guatemala, United Kingdom, Spain, Philippines, India, Argentina, Germany, UAE, Malawi, Singapore, Ghana, Dominican Republic, and more) include: Youth Disability in Education; Global Socially Responsible Trade and Commerce Initiatives for cities globally; SME and Social Entrepreneur Expansions in Global Marketplace; Cultural Diplomacy & Diaspora Engagement in International; Diversity in Diplomacy (via Embassy Diversity Project™ w/ Ministers of Foreign Affairs); Gender Equality in Private and Public Sector Leadership and Youth in Politics & Diplomacy (via WoEquity™ and YouthNow™); Police Social Responsibility; COVID-19 State Actor Accountability; and many more.
In addition to the visionary prowess behind Global Inclusion initiatives, Maritza has provided executive business coaching to over 100 entrepreneurs, engaged in speaking engagements on various topics of entrepreneurship, and was selected to join the White House delegation to the Global Entrepreneurship Summit in Hyderabad, India as United States delegate, and convened Millennial Leadership Summits and Seminars at the Obama White House, Cato Institute, U.S. Department of State, and Universities where Lara Trump and other politicos were featured. Maritza was also 1 of 50 U.S. entrepreneurs selected by the U.S. Department of State to serve as Global Innovation Fellow convening in Shenzhen, China (China’s Silicon Valley) with the goal of developing international business partnerships and exchanging business practices with Chinese entrepreneurs.
Maritza has also trained on “Pitching Impact” to UNITE 2020’s COVID-19 Solutions Hackathaon and served as judge for the National Invention Convention and Entrepreneurship Expo hosted by USPTO and 1st U.S.-China National Pitch Competition alongside Shark Tank casting director. Additionally, Maritza also provided technical assistance as Steering Committee Member and Contributor to Black Enterprise Entrepreneurs Summit covering topics like growing your business, leveraging technology, acquiring capital, securing contracts and most notably presented on behalf of the United States on U.S.. Policy Implications of the Sharing Economy at the U.S-China Entrepreneurship and Economic Opportunities Forum.
Maritza enjoys working with youth, engaging in corporate and youth speaking engagements, planning weddings, breaking into the Faith Entertainment industry as a business manager and on-air/radio talent; and pursuing her Ph.D. in Organizational Leadership with a focus on the social responsibility of corporations and political actors in government. Maritza has received numerous awards for entrepreneurship (ie. 2017 30 under 30 Chamber Award); law and leadership (Silver Key by American Bar Association.) Maritza earned a B.A. in Sociology with studies in Political Science, Social Work, and Health and Human Services from NC State and a Juris Doctorate (J.D.) with a concentration in International Business, Community Economic Development, and Global Arbitration from Charlotte School of Law and Queen Mary University School of International Arbitration in London, U.K.
Takes part in
Inclusive Infrastructure vs Inclusive Culture — Chicken and Egg Problem?
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Where does the inclusion start: from culture or infrastructure?
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What should be the role of government, private sector, NGOs, and individuals?
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Is there a difference in how the developed and developing countries should address the inclusion challenge?
Maritza T. Adonis, J.D., MCIArb
Monika Navandar
Bobby Umar
Anoushka Gungadin
Andreas Beavor
Juliet Bourke