Archives: Speakers

Jessica Naga is a FinTech barrister and entrepreneur. She is a barrister of the Roll of the England & Wales Bar (2004) and Mauritian Bar (2007). She is the Group CEO of the Mauritian headquartered MINDEX Group of companies, which includes MINDEX Digital Custodian Limited, the first licensed Virtual Asset Service Provider of Mauritius, and MINDEX Limited, the first digital securities exchange of Mauritius. Jessica co-founded the MINDEX Group with the goal of addressing financial infrastructure deficiencies in Africa and using blockchain technology to optimise the creation, storing and trading of assets. In 2020, Jessica was the laureate of Women In Africa 54 (WIA 54) in the digital sphere, and in 2021 and 2022, formed part of the 100 International Women in FinTech Power list of Innovate Finance, UK. She was also the winner of the Most Innovative FinTech CEO 2024 award, by APAC Insider Magazine. In January 2025, she won the Crypto Infrastructure CEO of 2024 award for Africa.

BJ Shaneman is a positive and strong community nurse advocate. The first Native American/Black female student to attend the nursing program at the University of Virginia, she graduated with honors. She continued her education in nursing, sociology, and psychology by attending Coppin State University and Catonsville Community College with several degrees obtained.

Now retired, BJ volunteers her time, health care skills, and knowledge, providing free health care services and is the accredited developer and/or founder for several community health care programs. She wears many hats to bring and to assure partnerships of health care services will benefit the community residents and clients she serves.