The next USA by the Bay Speaker Series event will feature Dr. Andi Kent, executive vice president and provost of the University of South Alabama, who will serve as the guest moderator for a talk titled "Leading with Impact: Distinguished Women’s Panel." The panel will feature Tanya Fratto Blair, Dr. Constance Dabezies, Mayor Sherry Sullivan and Dr. Gia Wiggins.

MEET THE PANELISTS

Tanya Fratto Blair grew up in Bay Minette, Alabama, and earned a B.S. in Electrical Engineering from the University of South Alabama. She joined General Electric’s Manufacturing Management Program, which took her through various assignments in operations with GE’s Aerospace Businesses in Daytona Beach, Florida, and Pittsfield, Massachusetts. After completing the two-year program, Fratto Blair continued her corporate career with GE becoming one of the few women GE officers in July 2000. Her 25 plus years with GE included roles in GE Aerospace, GE Plastics, Corporate Sourcing, GE Appliances, GE Consumer Service and GE’s Superabrasives’ businesses. 

Fratto Blair became president and CEO of GE’s Superabrasives’ business in July 2000. During her 11 plus years running this industrial diamond business, Fratto Blair led the business through three ownership changes. 

Currently, Fratto Blair is a non-executive director on a number of publicly traded companies. Her board assignments include Advanced Drainage Systems (ADS) and Ashtead Group. She is active on the audit committee for Ashtead and ADS. In addition, she sits on the governance committee for ADS and the compensation committee for Ashtead Group. Fratto Blair's business affiliations include Women Corporate Directors, C200, IMPACT 100, St. Margaret’s Women’s Club, Foley Woman’s Club, and Baldwin County and Alabama’s Distinguished Young Women’s programs. She was inducted into Alabama’s Distinguished Young Women’s programs. She was inducted into Alabama’s Engineering Hall of Fame in 2019 and named a University of South Alabama National Alumni Association Distinguished Alumni in 2019.

Dr. Constance Collins Dabezies is a board-certified OB-GYN who joined USA Health in 2022. She is among a select group of healthcare providers in Alabama to hold the NAMS Certified Menopause Practitioner designation from the North American Menopause Society. 

Dabezies treats patients at USA Health Eastern Shore OB-GYN, located at the Eastern Shore Centre in Spanish Fort. Her practice focuses on women’s healthcare, including menopausal medicine, hormone consultations and gynecologic cancer prevention. 

A native of New Orleans, Dabezies earned her medical degree from Tulane University School of Medicine. She completed an OB-GYN residency at Alton Ochsner Medical Foundation in New Orleans. A member of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, she has enjoyed practicing medicine in the private and public healthcare sectors, working in academic medicine and leading clinical research in women’s health. 

Sherry Sullivan, mayor of Fairhope, is serving her first term. Prior to running for mayor, Sullivan worked for the City of Fairhope for nearly 17 years. She also worked for Riviera Utilities as director of governmental affairs and economic development.

Sullivan was awarded the designation as a Certified Municipal Official by the Alabama League of Municipalities. She also serves as a member of the American Public Power Association Policy Makers Council, Policy Board for the Eastern Shore Metropolitan Planning Organization, and Electric Cities of Alabama Executive Committee. She is vice president of the Alabama League of Municipalities.

Since taking office, Sullivan has worked with the City Council and City Staff to complete or are currently managing approximately $60 million in utility upgrades and quality of life projects.

Dr. Gia M. Wiggins' management career has spanned more than 25 years. A native of Mobile, Alabama, she earned a B.A. in Psychology and Sociology from Grambling State University, MBA from California State University and Ph.D. in Business Administration from the University of South Alabama. She also holds SPHR and SHRM-SCP human resources certifications.

Wiggins has held human resource management roles in companies such as AT&T (formerly Southwestern Bell), Cintas, Target and BAE Systems Southeast Shipyards. She has served on several committees and boards, including the Mobile Area Chamber of Commerce (Board of Directors and Board of Advisors), Eastern Shore Chamber (Board of Directors and Leaders Council), Innovation Portal (Board of Directors), Executive Advisory Council for the USA Mitchell College of Business, USA National Alumni Association Board, Victory Health Partners Board of Directors and Mobile Area Museum of Art Board of Directors. Wiggins was the vice president of advocacy for the National Association of Women Business Owners Alabama Chapter. 

Wiggins was honored among Forbes Next 1000 and is an alumnus of the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Business program and Leadership Alabama. In 2021, she was named a USA Mitchell College of Business Alumni Fellow and Distinguished Alumni for Grambling State University.

In 2016, Wiggins founded Morale Resource LLC, a boutique human resources compliance consulting firm specializing in building and repairing human resources programs. In 2021, she founded Auditocity, a human resource compliance and best practice auditing software, adding tech founder to her growing portfolio. Gia and Auditocity has been featured in Entrepreneur.com’s Real Entrepreneur series. She also served as a panelist during Inc. Founders House Black Tech Week 2022.

USA by the Bay is free and open to the public. Seating is limited and registration is required.

Please Register at SouthAlabama.edu/SpeakerSeries