International
Women's Think Tank
Our mission is to build a think tank community, foster engagement and inspire action as we stimulate global awareness about concerns related to women and girls through research, critical thinking, and innovative solutions
Board of Directors
The IWTT Board of Directors comprises a diverse range of seasoned thought leaders with broad experience in key areas of focus for the International Women’s Think Tank.
Brenda Morant - Honoree Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award
The Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to Brenda Morant, Founder/CEO of the International Women’s Think Tank, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization serving women and girls, at a ceremony honoring Veterans and Business Owners. The event was sponsored by Women of Wealth Magazine in Atlanta, Georgia on Veteran's Day Friday, November 11, 2022.
The Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award is the highest honor in the country issued by the President of the United States, recognizing people who have made remarkable volunteer contributions to their communities, our nation, and the world.
IWTT is an innovative think tank devoted to issues related to women and girls, thus making it a pioneer and forerunner for the empowerment of women and girls. Our mission is to promote research, critical thinking and innovative solutions on issues related to women and girls.
As a thought leader, I have always been committed to conscious conversations that foster women’s sense of empowerment and unveil their impact on the world stage. Founding the International Women’s Think Tank (IWTT) was a natural in that it supports my social entrepreneurial intentions and champions my quest for innovative strategies and solutions to empower people's lives.
IWTT is one of a very few think tanks devoted to issues related to women and girls, thus making it a pioneer and forerunner for the empowerment of women and girls. IWTT is a women and girls’ centric think tank that provides a platform to address the critical issues and challenges faced by women and girls. We encourage and facilitate the discussion of ideas in support of improving the status of women and girls. And we encourage the discovery of solutions to women centric issues and problems.
The global outbreak of COVID-19 has created strategic opportunities for women and girls to be empowered with resilient mind-sets. We are positioned to write our future and shape it in a reflective way that mirrors us post COVID-19. And we must take opportunities such as this to determine our response and strategies moving forward. I believe it is time for bold prioritization, we must move to put women at the forefront of recovery.
Moving forward post COVID-19, we will continue our focus on strengthening multi-sector partnerships, professional and leadership development training, supporting caregivers through our Child Well-Being initiatives, planning the Women’s Empowerment Roundtable Summit 2022, optimize, support and increase the global mandate of promoting gender equality and empower women leaders by connecting communities from across the globe with clearly defined goals centered on critical issues as addressed in the Sustainable Development Goals.
Our soon to be published book IWTT presents "Women Leading The Way: Stories of Vision, Courage, and Hope".
Founder
Georgia State Senate Resolution 5
Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award
Dr. Girish Kumar Panicker – FMAS - Certified Professional Agronomists - Certified
Crop Advisor – Authority C-factor research
Dr. Girish Kumar Panicker, tenured Professor of Plant and Soil Sciences and Director of Conservation Research at
Alcorn State University, Mississippi. He is an authority on cover and management (C-factor) research and is an
internationally renowned agricultural scientist.
His research center has the world’s largest C - factor (cover and management) databank on horticultural crops with
work done on 45 crops with over 140,000 readings at an investment of $6.5 million. The information generated is
used around the globe for erosion prediction, nutrient management, conservation planning and to prevent soil
erosion and climate change. His groundbreaking research on C-factor technology, including his 42-page technology
transfer bulletin is available on the websites of prominent land grant universities and the Library of Congress in
Washington, D.C.
Dr. Panicker has been a Certified Professional Agronomists (CPAg) and Certified Crop Advisor (CCA) for several years.
He has worked in the conservation field in Asia, Africa, and North America. He has succeeded in increasing Vitamin C
and anthocyanin levels in organic blueberries and melons and producing organic fertilizer with animal waste in
collaboration with the U.S. Army that traps ammonia and prevents groundwater pollution. His 25+ years of research
work with animal waste on soil health studies has been rated by the National Soil Health Lab, Cornell University, as
‘Excellent’.
He holds B.S. (Ag. Science), M.S. (Agronomy), and Ph.D. (Horticulture). He the recipient of the Pride of India Award,
2020 Lifetime Organic Achievement Award, and 2023 International Conservation Research Award.
Manori de Silva, Esq.
Manori de Silva is an Attorney at Carreras & Lemoine, LLP, Atlanta, Georgia. She assists small to medium-sized businesses to do business in the U.S. and advises on various aspects of employment law. Manori regularly represents businesses in lawsuits in state and federal courts. Manori is familiar with many aspects of European culture having lived in Europe for many years. She speaks fluent Dutch and is proficient in French. Manori is also President of the Netherlands-American Chamber of Commerce for the Southeast U.S.
Dr. Mary Lou Bryant-Frank - Licensed Psychologist - Educational Consultant -
Mediator
Dr. Mary Lou Bryant Frank, Ph.D., M.S., M.Ed., is a psychologist, court approved mediator, mediation trainer, and
consultant. She has completed conflict resolution training programs from Harvard University, Georgia State
University, and the Georgia Office of Dispute Resolution. She is co-founder of the consulting group Transforming
Mediation, LLC and has served as president of the International Academy of Dispute Resolution as well as
serving as a university vice president, dean, professor, fellow, and adjunct professor. She currently teaches at
Brenau University, Mercer Law School, Middle Georgia State University, and Mykolas Romeris University. Her text,
“The mind of a peacemaker: The psychology of mediation” in its 3rd edition. Her publications also include national
and international journals and textbooks on peacemaking, psychology, negotiation, and mediation. She
continues to serve on the board of directors for the International Academy for Dispute Resolution, the International
Women’s Think Tank, as well as other international boards and research councils. Her work has resulted in
numerous awards as well as an international honorary doctorate from the University of Georgia in Tbilisi for her
work in conflict resolution. She has provided conflict resolution training in over twenty countries and continues
to speak at events ranging from conferences, international programs on peace and negotiation, and specialized
advanced degree programs.
Dr. Linda Gray - DCL Community Advocate - Federal Grant Specialist
Dr. Linda Gray is a nonprofit and small business consultant with more than 25 years of experience with expertise in
small business mentoring, nonprofit start-ups, nonprofit management, grant research and development for
community-based nonprofits and faith-based organizations. She brings a legacy of community outreach and
engagement experience in multiple jurisdictions. Dr. Gray has an extensive background in training and hands-on
experiences from a legacy of volunteerism and community service in both the faith based and nonprofit
community. She has been a Collin Community College Instructor for 7 years during which she developed the
syllabus and curriculum for the Nonprofit Management Certificate Series. She has assisted with the development of
more than 150 start-up nonprofit organizations, guiding them through their initial set-up and launch. Dr. Gray brings
extensive community mobilization skills, grant writing and administration experience. She has over 25 years in
nonprofit management and assisted hundreds of nonprofit organizations and Churches with technical assistance to
earn their IRS 501(c)(3) certification.
Judge Angela T. Butts - Municipal Court Judge of the Recorder's Court of Dekalb County
Georgia (USA)
The Honorable Angela T. Butts was appointed to the Recorder’s Court of Dekalb County as an associate Judge in
March 1997. She has presided over thousands of Bench Trials in one of the busiest courts in the State of Georgia.
Judge Butts also sits by designation in Dekalb County State and Superior Courts. She presently serves on the
Executive Committee of the Council of Municipal Court Judges as the Fourth District (Stone Mountain)
representative; as a member of the Dekalb County Mental Health Task Force and the Advisory Board of the Dekalb
County Task Force for Runaway, Homeless and Sexually Exploited Youth; and serves on the Academic Support
Committee of Decatur High School.
