ABWA is pleased to announce that Jeannine K. Brown and Renea J. Pierre of Forje, Inc. will be keynote speakers and facilitators for the September 12, 2026, Professional Women’s Kickoff Event.
ABWA’s Professional Women’s Kickoff Event will be hybrid, designed to create an engaging environment for reflection, dialogue, and feedback from professional women whether attending in person or online. Both members and nonmembers are welcome. The event is designed to introduce attendees to ABWA’s professional development initiatives. The intended outcome is for attendees to leave with greater clarity, renewed momentum, and confidence that ABWA is creating an expanded professional membership association designed to support their leadership growth, visibility, connection, and long-term success as experienced professional women in accounting and finance. Women with five plus years of professional experience may register to attend virtually or in person here.
Jeannine K. Brown is an executive coach, leadership consultant, speaker, author, and cofounder of Forje, Inc., a national community designed for executive women who are shaping the future of leadership through strategy, connection, and legacy. Jeannine spent nearly 18 years as a state and local tax and economic development professional. At Deloitte she led teams in both the local and national practices, rising to senior manager. She also led in her role as Tax Director in industry and with the Alabama Department of Revenue where she started her accounting career. Jeannine created the Everyday Lead System to help leaders and teams manage people, pressure, and pace so they can sustain high performance without burnout, disengagement, or culture damage. Her work sits at the intersection of leadership performance, psychological safety, career strategy, and sustainable execution. Jeannine is also the author of the book Unstuck and Unstoppable, named best career book in 2023, and a TEDx speaker known for helping women stop shrinking to fit rooms they were meant to shape.
Renea J. Pierre is cofounder of Forje, Inc. She began her career at Deloitte, where she worked in the consulting real estate practice, with experience connected to economic development and business growth initiatives. Her early consulting foundation shaped her ability to think strategically, manage complex relationships, and support work that connects business, community, and long-term impact. Since leaving Deloitte, Renea has built extensive experience in events, not-for-profit fundraising, development, and relationship-centered engagement. She brings a strong understanding of how to create experiences that are not only well-executed, but meaningful, intentional, and aligned with mission and outcomes. Renea’s work focuses on helping women and men support their health, vitality, and overall well-being. Her leadership reflects a deep belief that success should not come at the expense of wellness, and that leaders need spaces that support both their professional growth and their personal sustainability.
Forje, Inc. is based in Atlanta, GA and serves women who are already leading at a high level and are ready for deeper strategic connection, stronger executive perspective, and more intentional spaces to think, grow, and lead.
Forje partners with women and women-led organizations to curate leadership communities for women who sit at decision-making tables and understand the weight, complexity, and opportunity of leading in today’s world. The group supports women executives by creating trusted rooms where they can sharpen their thinking, expand their influence, navigate complexity, and build meaningful relationships with peers who understand the level of leadership they carry.
