Reston, Virginia, April 25, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Future Business Leaders of America, Inc. (FBLA), the nation’s largest business career and technical student organization, announced today that CLA (CliftonLarsonAllen LLC) CEO Jen Leary and Chief Culture Officer Cathy Clarke will be the featured speakers at the opening session of its Collegiate National Leadership Conference (NLC) in Atlanta, Georgia on June 22. Youth motivator and leader Jordan H. Davis will be the featured speaker at the opening session of the Middle School & High School NLC, also in Atlanta, on June 27.
Leary leads the nation’s eighth-largest accounting and professional services firm. A sought-after public speaker and industry leader, Leary was previously Chief Strategy Officer, Client Service Leader, and Managing Partner of the Carolinas for CLA. Clarke, a member of the CLA leadership team, leads the firm’s Quality & Risk, Internal Communications and Public Relations, People Solutions, Learning & Development, and Connection teams. Prior to assuming her current role, Clarke served as Chief Quality Officer, Chief Assurance Officer, and Managing Principal of National Assurance at CLA.
Davis, an FBLA alumnus, runs the speaking firm JDSpeaks, where he delivers speeches and workshops on youth leadership, professional development, and communication skill building to the corporate, nonprofit, and education sectors. He placed first in Maryland in the Public Speaking II competition and in the top 10 at the NLC in 2017. Davis serves as a project coordinator at the Center for New Designs in Learning and Scholarship at Georgetown University and is finishing his master’s degree in learning, design, and technology at Georgetown.
“I am delighted that FBLA will host such esteemed speakers to motivate our students and advisers,” FBLA President & CEO Alexander T. Graham said. “Hearing firsthand from the leaders of CLA will be especially helpful to our Collegiate members as they prepare to enter the workforce. I am also thrilled to welcome back Jordan to the FBLA national stage so our students can learn how a young professional and FBLA alumnus is thriving in today’s ever-evolving work world.”
“FBLA and CLA are closely aligned in our missions to help open doors and create pathways for the next generation of business leaders and entrepreneurs,” Leary said. “The students who take part in FBLA will change the way we look at the business world, and Cathy and I could not be more excited to share our insights on career, culture, and leadership.”
Davis added, “I believe that the NLC is one of the grandest celebrations of youth achievement there is, convening some of the most talented and driven students from across the country. As a high school student at the 2017 NLC, I was inspired by a keynote speaker. I'm humbled to be that igniting speaker for these students, and to pass the torch of leadership.”
FBLA’s Collegiate NLC will take place June 22-25, and the Middle School & High School NLC will be held June 27-30. The conferences will feature more than 100 competitive events with cash prizes, educational workshops for students and advisers, and a Future Leaders Expo. To learn more, visit fbla.org/nlc.
Future Business Leaders of America, Inc. is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) education association with active middle school, high school, and college chapters worldwide. FBLA inspires and prepares students to become community-minded business leaders in a global society through relevant career preparation and leadership experiences. The association is headquartered in Reston, Virginia, just outside Washington, D.C. For more information, visit fbla.org.
