Author Panel Hosted by Berkeley College Sparks Conversation on Inspiration and Advocacy

AUTHOR PANEL HOSTED BY BERKELEY COLLEGE
SPARKS CONVERSATION ON INSPIRATION AND ADVOCACY

Photo Caption (L to R): Busie Matsiko, Author of "Create the Life of Your Dreams"; Maria Rivera, Director, Continuing Education and Professional Development, Berkeley College, and President, Northern New Jersey Chapter of the Association for Talent Development; Lilian Ajayi Ore, Co-Author of "The Power of the Learning Mindset"; Melissa Gonzalez, Author of "The Purpose Pivot"; Michael Sheldrick, Author of "Ideas to Impact"; Nancy Robles, DM, Author of "The Many Pieces of Me"; and Zain Asher, Author of "Where the Children Take Us." The authors spoke during a Berkeley College Women's History Month celebration on Thursday, March 19, 2026, at Berkeley College in New York City, NY.

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See the Photos: Click here to view photos from the event.

A panel of six authors spoke about the importance of advocacy, community, and inspiration during a Berkeley College Women's History Month celebration held on Thursday, March 19, 2026, at Berkeley College in New York City, NY. Maria Rivera, Director, Continuing Education and Professional Development, Berkeley College, moderated the event.

The event covered topics including inspiration for each author's book, the importance of helping the next generation, and advice for up-and-coming entrepreneurs.

"Berkeley College values and promotes conversations about self-advocacy and empowerment," said Diane Recinos, EdD, President of Berkeley College. "In the long-standing tradition of promoting student success, we urge our students to use their voices to invoke positive change. Today's event is a powerful reminder of how the voice of a single person can create a long-lasting impact on individuals and generations to come."

The authors spoke about how their families empowered and encouraged them to pursue their dreams and how their personal journeys shaped their writing while fueling their commitment to create meaningful change in their communities.

"When students hear that successful people faced rejection, fear, or failure, it reframes obstacles as part of the process rather than signs of inadequacy," said Laurie McFadden, Senior Director, Berkeley College Library. "The relatable stories were so inspiring, and I hope students left with an increased willingness to take risks in their academic and personal lives."

AUTHOR PANEL HIGHLIGHTS

MODERATOR

"This Women's History Month celebration was a powerful reminder that our voices, stories, and presence matter - both 'in the room' and far beyond it. I left inspired by the collective wisdom, courage, and resilience shared, along with a deep commitment to mentorship, volunteerism, self-care, and continuous growth that will continue to shape and uplift our communities."

Maria Rivera
Director, Continuing Education and Professional Development, Berkeley College
President, Northern New Jersey Chapter of the Association for Talent Development

PANELISTS

"Step by step, person by person - that is the way to drive change."

Zain Asher
Journalist and Anchor, CNN International
Author of "Where the Children Take Us"

"We are blending together professional experience with the mindset that well-being is the infrastructure for sustainable success."

Melissa Gonzalez
Consumer Strategist and Principal, MG2
Founder, MG2 Advisory
Author of "The Purpose Pivot"

"I drew inspiration from my personal journey filled with challenges as well as triumphs, and my aim was to empower others, illustrating that they can shape their destinies, regardless of their backgrounds."

Busie Matsiko
Founder and President, New York Africa Chamber of Commerce
Member, Berkeley College Board of Trustees
Author of "Create the Life of Your Dreams"

"Leadership prowess is about managing in a way that reflects your values and your emotional well-being. … All the books that we have seen are about performance-based leadership, but it is never about nurturing ourselves, taking care of ourselves, making the necessary time to deal with us first."

Lilian Ajayi Ore, EdD
Founder, Global Connections for Women Foundation
Lecturer, Columbia University School of Professional Studies
Co-Author of "The Power of the Learning Mindset"

"Every day I feel inspiration with so many of the women that I get (to be around), whom I have the honor to engage with every day, even in this room right now. It is so powerful to be here."

Nancy Robles, DM
President and CEO, Eastern Funding LLC
Author of "The Many Pieces of Me"

"Sometimes we don't know where the journey will end, but if we can focus on one simple action that we can take, where we can simply begin, the momentum from that will spur us on and inspire others as well."

Michael Sheldrick
Policy Entrepreneur
Adjunct Associate Professor, Columbia School of International and Public Affairs
Author of "Ideas to Impact"

About Berkeley College

Berkeley College, founded in 1931, is a career-focused institution accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education that offers students Master's, Bachelor's, and Associate's degree and Certificate programs in more than 20 career fields. The College also offers Continuing Education programs to enhance career credentials.

Berkeley College has campuses in New York City and in Newark, Woodbridge, and Woodland Park, NJ, with more than 4,000 students enrolled. In addition, Berkeley College Online® serves a global population. U.S. News & World Report has named Berkeley College among the Best Colleges for Online Bachelor's Programs and among the Best Online Bachelor's Programs for Veterans for 13 consecutive years. Berkeley College is also ranked among the Best Regional Colleges/Universities in the North in the 2026 edition of the U.S. News & World Report Best Colleges survey. The website address is https://BerkeleyCollege.edu.

The mission of Berkeley College is to empower each student to achieve lifelong success.

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