Episode 19 - This episode of Organize Your Butterflies features a conversation between YWCA USA CEO Alejandra Y. Castillo and Lizette Williams, Head of Cultural Engagement and Experiences, McDonald’s USA. The discussion centers on the launch of the YWCA Women’s Empowerment Program powered by McDonald’s Black and Positively Golden movement. This exciting venture is designed to help women of color overcome barriers to starting, growing, and sustaining businesses while providing them with educational tools to increase their knowledge and confidence as entrepreneurs. These programs will be held at select YWCA Associations throughout the country.YWCA South Hampton Roads is this episode’s featured spotlight, and Alejandra talks with CEO Dr. Mary Kate Andris about the excellent work that they do to assist survivors of domestic and sexual violence. Of particular note is a shout out to the Norfolk Family Justice Center and how YWCA South Hampton Roads is providing free emergency counseling to survivors as a resource within this exceptional facility.Guest: Lizette Williams, Head of Cultural Engagement and Experiences, McDonald’s USAAs the Head of Cultural Engagement & Experiences for McDonald’s USA, Lizette Williams is responsible for developing the vision and plan for the organization to be culturally-relevant by connecting with consumers through their passion points.  She manages the team that leads music, sports and entertainment strategies, national events and promotional strategy, the national Ronald McDonald program, branded content integration, and multicultural advertising.Prior to her role at McDonald’s, Lizette served as Multicultural Marketing Leader, North America for Kimberly-Clark Corporation where she was responsible for driving the Company’s business objectives to win diverse audiences across the brands that encompass the $6 billion North America business, including Scott®, U by Kotex®, and Huggies®.An industry pioneer, Lizette has provided expertise as a speaker at several conferences, including SXSW, Advertising Week and multiple Association of National Advertisers conferences. She is one of the foremost-awarded marketing executives in the field and was inducted into the American Advertising Federation Advertising Hall of Achievement.  She has been listed in Crain’s Chicago Business “40 under 40,” Advertising Age’s “Women to Watch,” and Black Enterprise “Top Women Executives in Advertising and Marketing.”Lizette’s love of all things “culture” comes from being a born-and-raised New Yorker (and proud “Afro-Latina”,) though currently based in Chicago. She most recently served as President of the Board for the Chicago Advertising Federation.  Lizette has a passion for serving young people and women and as a result, has a countless number of mentees across the country.  She spends her free time inspiring college students and has keynoted events at Northwestern University and Lincoln University as well as guest lectured classes at several other universities.Lizette received her MBA from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University. She received her BA in Economics/ Political Science through a joint program with Columbia University in New York City and the London School of EconomicsYWCA Spotlight: Dr. Mary Kate Andris, CEO, YWCA South Hampton RoadsMary Kate Andris Ed.D. is the President and CEO of the YWCA South Hampton Roads where she has spent the past 3 years increasing revenue from philanthropic sources and building awareness of the YWCA South Hampton Roads brand.Prior to joining the YWCA, Dr. Andris served as the Philanthropy Director of the Girl Scouts of the Colonial Coast where she established a robust philanthropy department reinvigorating the planned giving society, evaluating special events and implementing a prospect management system.  For twenty years, Dr. Andris has worked in the fundraising arena, locally for Eastern Virginia Medical School and Virginia Wesleyan College.  She has extensive experience in major gifts solicitation and cultivation, planned giving and event planning.Dr. Andris holds a B.A. from Moravian College and a M.Ed. and Ed.D. from Widener University.For more information about YWCA South Hampton Roads, please click here.