Our hearts are with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Colorado and the Boulder, Colorado community. We offer support and comfort to all who are affected by the recent tragic shooting. The following resource may help young people navigate their feelings during this difficult time.
Our commitment to our community goes beyond a statement and words. When tragic events grip our communities, Big Brothers Big Sisters is there. After the recent events of anti-Asian hate and violence, we must be ready to stand with and speak out against hatred, violence, and xenophobia for anyone, no matter what race, ethnicity, religion, gender, identity, or community that they represent. Our young people are watching these events play out time and again in their communities. They need us to be present, active, and engaged in creating a better community in which they will inherit. We must not stand idly by; our youth require more of us in this moment and beyond. They are watching our response and demand us to be better stewards of our actions.
We must acknowledge the interconnectedness of injustice, racism, classism, sexism, and all other forms of marginalization in our communities. At Big Brothers Big Sisters, we hold space for our Asian staff, leaders, Bigs, Littles and their families that are processing grief, trauma, and fear during the recent events that took place in Atlanta and across this country.
Here’s how you can make a difference. Join local organizations that support justice, equity, diversity and inclusion work. Speak up when you see injustice. And commit to learning more about different communities, to create better understanding and appreciation of our differences. Here are additional resources:
One of the pillars of the program will include creating social justice incident response units that will be dispatched to neighborhoods impacted by racism, brutality, and other injustices.
Tampa, Florida (March 17, 2021) –Big Brothers Big Sisters of America (BBBSA) is one of the first national nonprofits to receive funding from The Starbucks Foundation to serve the Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) community. This is part of The Starbucks Foundation’s commitment to advance opportunity for all, and funding will allow the one-to-one mentoring organization to continue efforts to provide JEDI (Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion) training in local communities through their national network of 230+ agencies.
The Starbucks Foundation grant will support BBBSA to implement a three-pronged strategy to promote resilience, and advance racial and social equity:
“At Starbucks, we believe it is our responsibility to build bridges and advance social and racial equity on behalf of our partners and communities,” said Virginia Tenpenny, chief social impact officer at Starbucks and executive director of The Starbucks Foundation. “We are honored to partner with nonprofits that share our aspiration for thriving and equitable communities, and which have decades of experience empowering young people. The Starbucks Foundation looks forward to supporting continued innovation of programs that address systemic barriers to equitable outcomes and can contribute to closing the racial opportunity gap.”
“Big Brothers Big Sisters was founded more than 100 years ago as an organization focused on Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion,” said Artis Stevens, President & CEO of Big Brothers Big Sisters of America. “Our program grew out of a need to offer an alternative path for youth facing the juvenile justice system. We focus on the importance of the one-to-one mentoring connection, and when youth need support and our communities are hurting, we want to be a resource to help in the healing process.”
For more information about Big Brothers Big Sisters of America and our commitment to JEDI, please visit our website, bbbs.org.
Thank you #RolandSMartinUnfiltered for the opportunity to share our need for more Big Brothers. Most of the 30,000 youth on the waiting list across the country are boys, and having a mentor can empower them to navigate challenges they may face in life. #BiggerTogether
Jackson Lewis Lee and Satchel Lee are the first Black siblings selected to represent “Hollywood’s next generation.”
Satchel and Jackson Lewis Lee are headed to Hollywood, but not for long, they say.
The siblings are in town this weekend as this year’s Golden Globes ambassadors, a largely ceremonial role traditionally reserved for the children of Hollywood’s elite.
The progeny of the Oscar-winning director Spike Lee and his wife, Tonya Lewis Lee, they are the first Black siblings selected for the role.
Coincidentally or not, they were chosen the same year that Spike Lee was snubbed, for his Vietnam veteran drama “Da 5 Bloods,” alongside other prominent Black creators and actors like Michaela Coel. The siblings say they are used to their father not always being recognized for his work.
“When he was making movies that nobody was responding to or they weren’t as big as they have been, it didn’t really faze him,” Satchel Lee said, adding that he would just move on to his next project.
The Los Angeles Times recently reported that there are no Black members of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, the group of 87 journalists who choose the Golden Globe nominees and winners.
Earlier this month, the pair, who are both in their 20s, sat in their parents’ grayish blue living room on Manhattan’s Upper East Side, contemplating what is arguably their public debut.
“We’re excited to be the first siblings of color,” Ms. Lee said. “We’ll do it, so then you don’t have to say this again, because there’s going to be way more.”
The ambassadors each get a $25,000 grant to donate to an organization of their choice. Jackson Lewis Lee, 23, the first Black man to ever be ambassador, has chosen Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, a one-to-one mentoring organization.
Mr. Lee studied film and television at New York University, where his father is a tenured professor, and recently started a creative agency, Indigo212. He also has a director’s credit for “Thompson Farm,” a short film about a son who stands up to his bootlegger father, and filmed a short video for Coach that featured his father and sister, as well as the actor Michael B. Jordan.
“I want to have my hand in everything,” Mr. Lee said.
That certainly applies to Big Brothers Big Sisters. In addition to the grant, Mr. Lee has helped connect the nonprofit to his friends at Gucci.
“Through him, we got introduced to the Gucci scholarship impact line and now our Littles are having opportunities to apply for scholarships in the fashion industry and fashion schools because he made an introduction,” said Artis Stevens, the first Black president and chief executive of the 160-year-old organization.
Mr. Lee said he learned the importance of mentorship through his father, whom he closely resembles save for an extra few feet of height. “It shows you what the totality of a career really is, because obviously you’re able to have a front-row seat to the ups and downs and how things function,” he said.
His sister, Satchel Lee, 26, is the first openly queer ambassador. She studied film and television at N.Y.U.’s Tisch School of the Arts, and was the creative director of Drome, which she described as a “queer, art and culture, fashion magazine.”
“I am a photographer, filmmaker, writer, creative director and producer,” Ms. Lee said. “I want to be the Gertrude Stein of this generation.”
She donated her grant to Callen-Lorde, an organization in New York City that provides medical care to the L.G.B.T. community regardless of ability to pay.
“We are so incredibly touched and glad that she chose us,” Wendy Stark, the executive director at Callen-Lorde, said in an interview. “In just a few weeks that we’ve known her, she has showed such a great commitment to our mission and to the advocacy work, as well as the health care services that we provide.”
Ms. Lee participated in virtual sessions where she talked about how the power of personal storytelling can change policy. “It was such an incredible presentation and conversation,” Ms. Stark said. “It’s a beautiful new friendship.”
Ms. Lee is passionate about expanding medical care to those who lack access, especially people who have faced discrimination. “Everybody knows, going to the doctor can be really scary,” Ms. Lee said. “It’s even scarier when the doctors don’t even understand what you’re trying to tell them or make assumptions about you as a person because of your orientation or your gender presentation.”
Also important to Ms. Lee? Giving back to New York City. “I’m not a Hollywood person,” she said, as she petted her puppy, Otis. “L.A. is nice to visit, but this is my home.”
The Lightning honored Pam Iorio as the ninth Community Hero this season
The Tampa Bay Lightning honored Pam Iorio as the ninth Lightning Community Hero this season during the first period of tonight’s game against the Carolina Hurricanes. Iorio, who received a $50,000 donation from the Lightning Foundation and the Lightning Community Heroes program, presented by Jabil, will donate the money to Big Brothers Big Sisters of Tampa Bay and Big Brothers Big Sisters of America.
In 2003, Iorio was elected as Tampa’s mayor, and from day one, she committed herself to making the city a better and safer place to live. In her two terms as mayor of Tampa, she revitalized the downtown area and the neglected neighborhoods. She sharply reduced the crime rate in the city and led the charge on reducing drug use. Iorio was also responsible for the development of the Center for the Arts in downtown Tampa.
In 1985, at the age of 26, she became the youngest person ever elected to the Hillsborough County commission. After leaving office, she supported many Tampa Area non-profits, most notably, serving as president and CEO of Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, the organization famous for providing mentorship opportunities for young people. She’s led a steady trajectory of growth, including a renewed focus on diversity, equity and inclusion.
Iorio becomes the 420th Lightning Community Hero since Jeff and Penny Vinik introduced the Lightning Community Hero program in 2011-12 with a $10 million, five-season commitment to the Tampa Bay community. Through this evening’s game, in total, the Lightning Foundation has granted $21.95 million to more than 750 different nonprofits in the Greater Tampa Bay area. During the summer of 2016, the Viniks announced that the community hero program will give away another $10 million over the next five seasons.
Big Brothers Big Sisters of America and the NFL Inspire Change Initiative are teaming up to reduce barriers and ensure all kids have equal access to opportunities. While the NFL is drafting the next generation of players, Big Brothers Big Sisters is calling for the next generation of positive mentors to inspire change in communities nationwide. We need your help! Become a Big today by signing up! For more information about the Big Draft, watch the Big Draft Video, or visit the website.
By the way, did you tune in to watch the Super Bowl? The NFL aired a powerful new Inspire Change commercial reaffirming their commitment to advance social justice during the Big Game, and Big Brothers Big Sisters is proud to be included. In case you missed it, click here to see the full NFL Inspire Change commercial.
As we celebrate Black History Month, we invite you to join us for a National Conversation with Artis Stevens, President & CEO of Big Brothers Big Sisters of America (BBBSA), Cheslie Kryst, Miss USA 2019, and National Board member for BBBSA, and Dr. Nia Imani Fields, Maryland 4-H Program Leader and Assistant Director of University of Maryland Extension. They will share their insights about ‘The Black Family: Representation, Identity and Diversity’.
Tanya Gibson, VP of DEI & HR for BBBSA, will serve as a moderator for the discussion, focusing on breaking barriers— Artis, as the first Black CEO for Big Brothers Big Sisters of America; Cheslie, who is the first Diversity Advisor for Poyner Spruill, LLP; and Dr. Nia Imani Fields, who is the first Black Woman Program Leader for Maryland 4-H.
Join the conversation on Facebook Live: Friday, February 26th at 1pm EST!
Our own President and CEO Artis Stevens joins Merrell Ambassador Mirna Valerio, to kick-off a special series for Black History month. Listen in on their conversation to learn how people are driving change, connecting to the outdoors and the ways you can get involved to help our nation’s youth.
Sadé Muhammad
Chief Marketing & Impact Officer, TIME
Sadé Muhammad is the Chief Marketing Officer of TIME, where she oversees all integrated marketing and branded content.
She has over a decade of experience in marketing, digital transformation, ad products, and organizational change via DEI. She founded the Representation & Inclusion Practice at Forbes, a revenue-generating ad business centered on equity as a path to marketing innovation and cultural change.
A strong cross-functional leader and creative, her work has been celebrated in Digiday, Adweek, and PRSANY, and she has forged strategic partnerships with JP Morgan Wealth Management, UBS, LVMH, and more. She was awarded the 30 Under 30 Award by the INMA for Achievement in Advertising in 2020. Prior to Forbes, Sade held various roles at NBCUniversal and underwent the prestigious NBC Page Program.
A true magazine fanatic, Muhammad holds a degree in Magazine Journalism from the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University. She sits on the Newhouse 44 Advisory Committee, a group dedicated to equity and inclusion for journalism students at Syracuse University.
Michelle Bell
SVP, Head of Brand Partnerships, MACRO
Michelle Bell, SVP Head of Brand Partnerships @ MACRO is a creative force in the entertainment industry with a strong focus on licensing and brand partnerships. With a proven track record, she has secured hundreds of high-profile deals across music, film, TV, and gaming. Her expertise has been integral to collaborations with major brands such as EA Sports, NBA, NFL, Vodafone, Champion, NBC, HBO, Disney, Netflix, Paramount and Nickelodeon among others.
As a music publisher and A&R professional, Michelle has signed Grammy-nominated, multi-platinum songwriters, contributing to numerous hit songs, including “What’s Poppin” and “Loving on Me” by Jack Harlow and “Bodyguard” by Beyonce. Her personal songwriting and production credits span over 40 million albums sold worldwide, with highlights including Jennifer Lopez, Mary J. Blige, Britney Spears, and Nas.
Michelle’s unique ability to bridge the gap between creatives and commercial opportunities makes her a valuable asset in the entertainment business. Her extensive network and deep industry knowledge help artists and brands thrive in a rapidly evolving landscape. Beyond her professional achievements, she is passionate about travel, wine, yoga, Bitcoin, and discovering new music on KCRW radio.
Croix Bethune
Midfielder, Washington Spirit
A midfielder for the Washington Spirit (NWSL), Croix Bethune has made history in her rookie season. In just 17 matches of her first professional season, Bethune, the #3 overall selection in the 2024 NWSL Draft, recorded five goals and 10 assists. Her 10 assists are an all-time NWSL single season record, matching the long-standing total set by soccer legend Tobin Heath in 2016. This season, the Alpharetta, Georgia native won NWSL Rookie of the Month three consecutive times and earned four total honors – both of which are NWSL records. Bethune’s efforts at the club level earned her a call up to the U.S. Women’s National Team (USWNT) as an alternate for the 2024 Olympics where she won a gold medal. Bethune was just as impressive at the collegiate level, winning the following honors over five seasons at University of Southern California and the University of Georgia: three consecutive First Team All-Pac 12 (2020-2022), back-to-back Pac-12 Midfielder of the Year (2021-2022), MAC Hermann Semifinalist (2021), and SEC Tournament MVP (2023) honors.
Kardea Brown
Emmy Nominated Food Network Host and Author, Host of “Delicious Miss Brown,” Former BBBS Staff
Kardea Brown is an Emmy Nominated contemporary Southern Chef born in Charleston, South Carolina, and host of the Food Network series, “Delicious Miss Brown,” now in its eighth season. Of Gullah Geechee descent, Kardea was raised by her single mother and grandmother and spent much of her childhood on Wadmalaw Island among the Gullah community where she grew up with the foods, flavors, history and heritage of her culture.
The Gullah community formed when West Africans arrived in the Lowcountry as slaves and they developed a cuisine born of necessity, making use of local ingredients harvested from land and sea. It was through her grandmother that Kardea learned of and tasted the traditional foods of her ancestry, learning to prepare many of the dishes she cooks today. While dedicated to preserving her culinary roots and sharing the history of her culture, over time Kardea also began to infuse newer flavors that reflect her innate flair for cooking and exploration of diverse influences.
After graduating from Atlanta’s Oglethorpe University, Kardea accepted a job at a child placement agency and cooking became her therapy to work through the emotional toll of social work. When that toll became too great, Kardea moved to Newark, NJ for a fresh start and accepted a position with Big Brothers Big Sisters. There she thrived with exposure to different cultures and people that left her energized for a new journey.
Bringing Gullah Cuisine From the Lowcountry to the TV Screen:
While working in Newark, a former boyfriend learned of a casting call and submitted a lively and engaging tape of Kardea cooking which ultimately came to the attention of a production company who created a pilot with her for a Cooking Channel show. The producers subsequently connected with Food Network executives who responded that they loved her energy and personality but felt that she could benefit from more experience. This feedback proved to be a revelation to Kardea, who realized that she had finally found her true passion and decided to move back home to South Carolina and the food, family and traditions that are such an important part of her identity. Although she hadn’t yet mapped out her next career steps, inspiration struck on the return trip home, and she decided to create the New Gullah Supper Club pop-up in 2015. Born of a GoFundMe campaign, this traveling dinner series showcased Kardea’s heritage, with a menu that paid homage to the dishes passed down through her family for generations executed with her own signature flair.
Over time, Kardea stayed in touch with Food Network, appearing on several shows, and by fall 2018 she had filmed a proof of concept for her current show, Delicious Miss Brown. The show premiered on Food Network in July 2019 and is now in its tenth season. Filmed at Kardea’s home in Charleston, SC, the show celebrates the rich history of her Gullah heritage and the diversity of its cuisine, showcasing her passion for cooking and culture, while sharing stories as she prepares food for dinner parties and events for family and friends. On Delicious Miss Brown, Kardea shows loyal viewers – whom she affectionately refers to as her ‘cousins’ – another side of Charleston, and that the Gullah people and their cuisine are still thriving on the Sea Islands. Her take on traditional Gullah cuisine is lighter and more vegetable-forward, and part of Kardea’s mission is to show that Southern cuisine is much more than just fried food. In April 2023, she was nominated for a Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Culinary Host for her performance in Delicious Miss Brown.
Kardea also hosts The Great Soul Food Cook-Off, a series produced by discovery+ and OWN that premiered in November 2021 on the streaming service. The first-ever soul food cooking competition, The Great Soul Food Cook-Off spotlights the traditions of Black chefs and Black food, and the contributions soul food has had on American cuisine.
Kardea is also the newest Cohost of Kids Baking Championship on Food Network. She has also appeared in a range of other Food Network shows including Beat Bobby Flay, Chopped, Chopped Junior, Cooks vs. Cons, BBQ Blitz, Family Food Showdown, Cupcake Championship, Farmhouse Rules, Holiday Wars and Spring Baking Championship as a resident Judge.
From the Screen to the Page:
Kardea shares her multi-generational “passed down” recipes and innovative takes on Gullah classics with home cook in her cookbook The Way Home. “Gullah” and “GeeChee” refer to a distinct group of African Americans living in the coastal areas of South Carolina and Georgia who have preserved much of their West African language, culture, and cuisine. The Way Home is an unabashed love letter to her family’s roots, packed with dishes that combine West African herbs, spices, and grains with traditional Southern cooking. “Gullah people laid the foundation for Southern cooking. Before farm-to-table was a fad, it was what Gullah people did,” Kardea explains. “I want to show the world that soul food is not monolithic. It’s so much more than fried chicken and vegetables cooked in pork. It’s seasonal, fresh and delicious!”
Flavoring her recipes with cherished family anecdotes, memories, and helpful tips, The Way Home is a perfect blend of the modern and the traditional. Kardea honors her proud heritage and shows off her own signature class and sass. The result is a marvelous, big-hearted collection of recipes and stories that will nourish you, body and soul. The Way Home became an instant New York Times Bestselling Cookbook, making it to number 6 on the list.
Meredith O’Sullivan
Co-Founder/Co-CEO, The Lede Company
Meredith O’Sullivan is a Co-founder and Co-CEO of The Lede Company, a female-owned strategy, communications, integrated marketing and social impact consulting firm, specializing in corporate, entertainment, lifestyle, fashion, beauty, tech, consumer products, and nonprofit sectors founded in 2018. With dedicated Talent, Strategic Communications, Crisis, Brand, Content and Social Impact divisions, the firm works with a range of clients including Amy Schumer, Cara Delevigne, Charlize Theron, Emma Stone, Gael Garcia Bernal, Halle Berry, Halsey, Jennifer Garner, Jessica Biel, Lady Gaga, Mary J. Blige, Pharrell Williams, Penelope Cruz, Reese Witherspoon, Rihanna, Shakira, Will Ferrell, Will Smith, Anonymous Content, Candle Media, The Gotham Film & Media Institute, Hello Sunshine, Higher Ground, Illumination, Live Nation, Paramount, Westbrook, Nice Crowd (fka ABFF Ventures), content from Netflix, Hulu, Apple TV+, Freeform, as well as independent films and documentaries, ONE Campaign, The Global Fund, Thom Browne, Altuzarra, Kenzo, PANGAIA, Savage x Fenty, Tony’s Chocolonely, Blue Bottle Coffee, Essence Ventures, Violet Grey and WhatsApp, among others.
Shelley Zalis
CEO, Female Quotient
Known as the “Chief Troublemaker,” Shelley Zalis is a trailblazer for women in the workplace. She is an internationally renowned entrepreneur, a pioneer for online research, a sought-after speaker, a well-known thought leader, and a devoted mentor.
As founder and CEO of The Female Quotient, Zalis is in the business of equality™. Her mission is to change the equation and close the gender gap in the workplace. Together with Fortune 500 companies, impact organizations, and conscious leaders, The FQ curates experiences, media, and solutions that advance gender equality. The FQ has forever altered the business agenda through its signature Equality Lounges® advancing equality at the largest global business and industry conferences, including Davos, CES, SXSW, Cannes and more.
Prior to The FQ, Zalis became the mother of online research when she founded OTX (Online Testing Exchange), which quickly grew into one of the world’s largest research companies and earned Zalis distinction as the first female chief executive ranked in the research industry’s top 25. She sold OTX to Ipsos in 2010, where she led global innovation in over 80 countries.
With a bold approach to leadership, business, and life, Zalis is an acclaimed speaker and dynamic moderator who has interviewed top-level CEOs, notable celebrities, and prominent female figures. In addition to being an exclusive contributor to TIME, Zalis authors a Forbes column, and is one of LinkedIn’s Top Voices.
A firm believer in giving back with generosity, Zalis is the co-founder of #SeeHer, a movement led by the Association of National Advertisers (ANA) to increase the accurate portrayal of women and girls in advertising and media. Zalis is also on the Board of Directors for several organizations in the equality space. Over the course of her transformational career, Zalis has received the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award, Global Marketing Leadership Award, Matrix Award, She Runs It Game Changer Award, and ARF Great Minds in Innovation Award.
Michelle Wong
Chief Marketing Officer
Michelle graduated with a Grand Diplôme from Le Cordon Bleu in London and landed a job as a pastry chef at London’s Grosvenor House Hotel. The creativity and intensity of the culinary world provided a perfect training ground for the world of advertising – and an eye-opening experience for a woman finding her way in another male-dominated field.
Michelle’s advertising career took her from Leo Burnett in Chicago to Dailey in West Hollywood where she was the agency’s first female Managing Partner and President in its 50-year history.
Michelle has worked on iconic brands across categories, everything from Philip Morris and Qantas Airlines to Butterfinger and Panda Express. But the one constant has been her love of brands and their ability to connect with consumers’ hearts and minds, particularly when those brands embrace the power of creativity and authenticity.
During her time as the Chief Marketing Officer of Sprinkles, Michelle led all creative strategy and communication, product innovation, brand partnerships and launched Sprinkles’ first line of CPG premium chocolates nationally at over 6,000 Walmart and Target stores nationwide.
Michelle was named on the 2024 Forbes Entrepreneurial CMO 50 list, Brand Innovator’s Top 100 list of Most Innovative Women in Marketing and has spoken at SXSW, Forbes, Apple and the Cannes Lions. Other recent acknowledgments include a ColorComm Circle award in recognition of her outstanding leadership and mentorship to other women in the industry.
Sybil Wilkes
Media Maven, Former Co-Host of the Tom Joyner Morning Show
Sybil Wilkes has been an important listener resource for over two decades. Known as “The Voice of Reason” on the Tom Joyner Morning Show, she delivered news, information and entertainment with honesty, accessibility, and integrity, earning the trust of her nationwide audience. After the Tom Joyner Morning show ended, Wilkes created YoSy Media. YoSy Media is a full-service multi-media news and information platform developed specifically to Inform and Empower the African American community.
Led by the highly respected and revered Sybil Wilkes, YoSy Media is poised to become the information destination for Black people.
Establishing a news division for Urban One, Wilkes served as both Executive Director and Talent, providing content across multiple platforms for the network. In a climate often crowded with bias, hidden agendas and “spin,” Sybil provides a clear and concise break down of pertinent news developments, getting to the heart of the issues that matter most to listeners. What Sybil brings to news programming is an entertaining yet no nonsense approach to news reporting that cuts through the clutter of media muck and gets down to the important issues of the communities she serves and shares with her audience. She provides insight, intelligent dialogue, detailed analysis, cultural perspective, and historical context to issues. As an avid reader, she created “Sybil’s Book Club,” which features African American authors at live events and offers an opportunity for book lovers to meet and engage with their favorite writers. When you want to know the truth, when you want it broken down, when you want to know what’s really going on, when you want to be informed and entertained…tune in to “Sybil Wilkes: What You Need To Know.”
“Sybil is the voice of our community; we are so proud to get our information from her.”
– Barack Obama at the 2016 White House Christmas Party.
This native Chicagoan began her radio career in 1985 as a production assistant with WKQX-FM, Chicago. She eventually went on to news management and reporting jobs at WINK-AM/FM, Fort Myers, Florida; WRCC-FM, Cape Coral, Florida; and WCKZ-FM, Charlotte, North Carolina. In 1989 Wilkes joined WGCI-AM/FM, Chicago, as a talk show host. In 1990 she became a reporter for Chicago’s Shadow Traffic Network. While with Shadow, Wilkes delivered morning and afternoon drive traffic updates and worked as one of Tom Joyner’s WGCI-FM sidekicks. A noted news and political journalist, Wilkes has landed major interviews with some of today’s top newsmakers including joining Former President Barack Obama and Senator John Edwards on the campaign trail for exclusive one-on-one interviews as well as a candid interview with Former President Bill Clinton.
Being a celebrated radio personality and journalist, Sybil has received several accolades including The President’s Award from the NAACP Image Awards, and an honorary Doctorate Degree from Bennett College in Greensboro, NC. Wilkes has also served as a national ambassador for the Susan G. Komen Circle of Promise Campaign.
A graduate of Northwestern University, she received a Bachelor of Science in Political Science and Communication Studies. Wilkes lives by the biblical saying handed down by her parents, “To whom much is given, much is required.” When not using her “Big A Words” on the show, Sybil has an interest in politics, photography, and sports. Wilkes resides in Dallas, Texas.
Sybil is the distributor and editor of the daily newsletter, What You Need To Know. She can currently be heard delivering news updates daily on The DL Hughley Show as well as Radio One stations across the country. She is the news commentator for The Erica Campbell Show, Willie Moore Jr. and Darlene McCoy shows. She is on YouTube and Facebook Live Monday through Thursdays from 6:00pm until 7:00pm (CST). It’s Sybil can be heard on SIRIUS XM HUR VOICES on Friday, Saturday, and Sundays. For more information go to www.SybilWilkes.com.
Gabrielle Union
Actress, Producer, Author, Advocate
Gabrielle Union is an actress, producer, best-selling author, and TIME100 cover honoree. Union stars in and executive produced the Netflix romantic comedy THE PERFECT FIND, released in June 2023, which earned her a NAACP Image Award nomination for her performance. She also served as executive producer for Amazon MGM Studios’ THE IDEA OF YOU, starring Anne Hathaway and Nicholas Galitzine. The film was released on May 2, 2024 to 50 million worldwide viewers, becoming Amazon MGM’s highest romantic-comedy debut of all time. Union also executive produced her BET+ docuseries, “My Journey to 50” which chronicles her time in Africa celebrating her heritage and 50th birthday. Up next, Union stars alongside Bill Murray and Jennifer Coolidge in the crime comedy RIFF RAFF, which premiered at TIFF on September 9, 2024.
Lexi Underwood
Actress, Producer, Author, Changemaker
Lexi Underwood is an actress, filmmaker, author and changemaker. She is best known for her roles in Little Fires Everywhere, The First Lady, Sneakerellla and Cruel Summer. In 2018, she founded her production company, Ultimate Dreamer Productions, and made her directorial debut with the docu-short We the Voices of Gen-Z. Lexi is committed to using her voice to give back and raise awareness on issues that impact girls and all youth, both locally and globally. Lexi is originally from the greater Washington, DC, area and currently resides in Los Angeles. You can find her online @LexiUnderwood.
Sehr Thadhani
Chief Digital Officer, NASDAQ
Sehr Thadhani is a dynamic intrapreneur, strategic leader and inspirational team builder with a passion for driving change by finding opportunities in the whitespace to guide companies and leaders from big idea innovation to go to market activation. Sehr’s trajectory has been non-linear by design – she sees magic in the vectors and intersections that are often overlooked. She has a proven track record of pioneering what’s new and what’s next at some of the world’s top companies, using her skills to spur transformative growth. Everything Sehr does is mission-driven; her intuition and commitment to obsessive curiosity, radical transparency and solution finding lend to her ability to break down the root of institutional problems to not just innovate, but to also futureproof.
Today, she is Chief Digital Officer at Nasdaq, where she’s focused on long term growth, revenue and competitive differentiation for the exchange. She has held senior executive and advisory roles at Google, NBC, Viacom, Silicon Foundry and Edelman Digital and served as a trusted thought partner and advisor to executives at GE, Estee Lauder, Samsung, the Department of Education and the White House during the Obama Administration.
Sehr’s trajectory has been non-linear by design Sehr holds a BA in Marketing and Voice Performance from Indiana University, an MS in Global Affairs from NYU and an MBA from Columbia Business School. She’s a trained opera singer and the co-founder of a nonprofit that helped more than 150 women with physical disabilities build financial freedom. A true “third culture kid,” she currently resides in Miami after a childhood growing up in five countries and years of globe hopping.
Marissa Solis
Sr. Vice President – Global Brand and Consumer Marketing, National Football League
Marissa Solis is a magnetic business leader with over 25 years of expertise in business consulting, CPG, Retail, and Sports marketing. Currently, Marissa leads all global brand and consumer marketing initiatives for the NFL, including all national advertising, traditional and digital media initiatives, in-stadium marketing, and new fan development.
A graduate of Georgetown University with a B.S. in International Economics and the University of Texas at Austin with an M.A. in Public Policy, she began her career in brand management at Procter & Gamble Latin America, where she led marketing for brands like Ariel, Downy, and Pampers in Central America and the Caribbean.
Marissa spent a few years as a management consultant at Deloitte Consulting, leading change initiatives and communication consulting for Public Sector clients. She also spent time as a political consultant, contributing to the communication strategies of key campaigns in Texas and Mexico. In 2003, she took a role in marketing at Pepsico’s Frito Lay North America Division. During her 18-year tenure at Pepsico, Marissa led numerous brand marketing initiatives and national campaigns for globally renowned food and beverage brands like Doritos and Pepsi. She also held roles in shopper marketing and sales for key PepsiCo retail customers like Walmart, Target, and Costco.
In 2017, Marissa led the creation of a cross-functional Hispanic Business Unit – the first of its kind – winning Industry Recognition for work to engage Latinos in key brand initiatives. She went on to lead marketing for brands at Frito Lay North America, including the coveted relationship with the NFL. She won several Reggies, Sports Clios, and a Grand Prix Cannes Lion for her work on Cheetos, Doritos, and Tostitos brands. In 2021, Marissa was recognized by Adweek as one of the Most Powerful Women in Sports for elevating the football-watching occasion with the NFL and Frito Lay partnership. In 2023, Marissa and her team won a Sports Emmy for the “She Runs It” Superbowl campaign featuring star flag football player Diana Flores.
In addition to her full-time marketing position, Marissa serves on the Board of Directors of Consolidated Communications, a leading broadband and business communications provider that serves wireless and wireline customers across rural and metro communities. She is a new member of the Board of Directors of AIMM – Alliance for Inclusive and Multicultural Marketing. She also serves as a board member on the North Texas Chapter of the Make-a-Wish Foundation and The Melville Family Foundation, an organization dedicated to improving the lives of minority children in Dallas. She has a third-degree black belt in Tae Kwon Do and resides in McKinney, Texas, with her husband Juan and 18-year-old daughter Gabriela.
Paula Price
Former Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, Macy’s Inc.
Paula A. Price is an independent board director and strategic advisor who combines her extensive business expertise with a strong commitment to mentoring emerging leaders. She currently serves on the boards of several publicly traded companies, including Accenture (NYSE: ACN), Bristol Myers Squibb (NYSE: BMS), Mondelez (NASDAQ: MDLZ), and Warner Bros. Discovery (NASDAQ: WBD). Price previously served on the board of Reddit (NYSE: RDDT) as its IPO Readiness and Audit Committee Chair.
From 2018 to 2020, Price was the Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Macy’s Inc. (NYSE: M). As CFO, she was a principal architect of Macy’s transformation journey and, during the COVID-19 pandemic, led its financial restructuring including raising $4.5 billion to recapitalize and sustain the company. Since July 2018, Price has continued to contribute to academia as a Visiting Executive at Harvard Business School, following her role as a Senior Lecturer of Business Administration from 2014 to 2018. Price’s passion for mentorship is evident in her work with students and young professionals, guiding them through their career development and fostering leadership skills.
Before her time at Macy’s, Price served as EVP and Chief Financial Officer of Ahold USA, where she led Finance, Accounting, Strategy, Real Estate, and Information Technology. She also played a key role in the $26 billion CVS/Caremark merger as Senior Vice President, Controller, and Chief Accounting Officer at CVS Health (NYSE: CVS), and she held senior finance roles at JPMorgan Chase. Price began her career as an intern at Arthur Andersen & Co., later joining full-time to advise clients in the financial services, consumer packaged goods, and healthcare sectors.
With a career spanning finance, general management, and strategy roles across industries and locations including New York, Boston, London, and Chicago, Price brings a wealth of experience to her advisory work.
She earned an MBA in Finance and Strategy from the University of Chicago, and a BSc in Accountancy from DePaul University. She is a certified public accountant and served as Chair of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Eastern Massachusetts from 2014 to 2018, further demonstrating her dedication to mentoring and community leadership.
Price resides in Manhattan and Martha’s Vineyard with her family, where she enjoys painting and outdoor activities.
Jeannie Mai
Emmy Award-Winning TV Host and Producer
Jeannie Mai Jenkins is an Emmy Award-winner and host of America’s Test Kitchen: The Next Generation on Amazon Freevee. In addition, she can be seen as a sideline correspondent for ABC’s extreme mini-golf competition series “Holey Moley.” Previously, Mai Jenkins co-hosted the nationally syndicated talk show “The Real” for eight seasons. In May 2021, Mai was included in the Gold House A100 list, recognizing the most impactful leaders in the Asian community, and in 2020 she competed on season 29 of the hit ABC series “Dancing with the Stars.” Mai and her fellow “The Real” co-hosts received multiple accolades, including a Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Talk Show Host, multiple Daytime Emmy nominations for Outstanding Talk Series, and an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Talk Series.
In 2019, Mai launched her weekly web series, “Hello Hunnay,” which takes fans on her journey through fashion, fitness, food, finances and relationships. As a self-described foodie, she enjoys the art of cooking and often showcases cultural cuisines with her family across her social platforms. Mai also hosts the podcast “Listen Hunnay,” where she interviews everyone from sex therapists to divorce lawyers and morticians to crime scene investigators in an effort to understand the journeys at the heart of the human being behind the career. Mai partnered with Owl’s Brew, a leader in tea-based spiked and sparkling beverages, as chief brand officer, assisting with new product innovations and overall brand strategy. In addition, Mai recently launched her first fashion collection in collaboration with Macy’s, Jeannie Mai x INC.
In 2017, Mai executive produced “Stopping Traffic: The Movement to End Sex Trafficking,” a documentary that investigates the international crisis of human sex trafficking from a deeply personal point of view. The follow up, “Stopping Traffic 2: Surviving Sex Trafficking,” is now available on demand.
Gizelle George-Joseph
COO, Global Investment Research, Goldman Sachs
Gizelle George-Joseph, Partner, COO of Global Investment Research, Goldman Sachs
Gizelle is a partner and chief operating officer of the Global Investment Research division at Goldman Sachs. She has served in leading roles publishing research that addresses inclusive growth, including Black Womenomics , Equalizing Entrepreneurship, and Historically Black, Historically Underfunded: Investing in HBCUs. Gizelle is a member of the Goldman Sachs Firmwide Conduct Committee, the Americas Inclusion and Diversity Committee, the One Million Black Women Steering Council and serves as the firm’s HBCU Alliance Sponsor.
Gizelle joined Goldman Sachs in 2005 and was named managing director in 2017 and partner in 2022.
Gizelle serves as co-chair of the board of Salisbury Community Development, a nonprofit focused on hurricane relief and economic development efforts on the island of Dominica. Gizelle earned a BS in Business Management from South Carolina State University, a historically Black college/university, and an MS in Clinical Psychology from Georgia Southern University. In 2021, she was named a fellow of the Finance Leaders Fellowship as part of the Aspen Global Leadership Network.
A quote about the importance of mentorship/ what mentorship means to you, for future social media use – Without mentors at every junction of my life, I wouldn’t be where I am today. They have guided, prodded, believed, challenged, and supported. In turn, I have listened, been open-minded, taken feedback and walked in gratitude. I strongly believe mentoring can be life changing.
Gayle King
Co-Host, CBS Mornings, Editor at Large “Oprah Daily”
Bio coming soon!
Tammy Henault
Chief Marketing Officer, NBA
As Chief Marketing Officer of the NBA, Tammy Henault leads all global marketing efforts for the NBA and its affiliate leagues to engage fans and further the organization’s mission to inspire and connect people everywhere through the power of basketball. Additionally, she plays a leading role in the development of the NBA’s Next Gen platform, working alongside the product and content teams on the NBA App and NBA ID, the league’s global membership program offering fans benefits and rewards.
Prior to joining the NBA in November 2022, Henault worked eight years at Paramount Global, most recently as Senior Vice President, Marketing, Streaming of Paramount+. She managed a team of more than 150 employees responsible for brand, partnership and performance marketing as well as audience development, customer acquisition and retention. In 2021, Henault led the marketing strategy for the global launch of Paramount+, which was named the year’s No. 1 fastest growing brand in America by Morning Consult and drove record subscriptions. During her tenure at Paramount Global, she led award-winning campaigns for more than 100 original and exclusive shows and movies, including 1883, Halo, Star Trek: Discovery and The Good Fight, live sports programming and other original library content, and led the go-to-market strategy for CBS All Access, the first direct-to-consumer subscription service for a major U.S. television network.
Henault previously served as Managing Director of Consumer Marketing for Digital Products at The New York Times, where she led the acquisition and retention marketing team for the publication’s highly successful digital subscription business. She also held various direct-to-consumer and performance marketing positions at PEOPLE, TIME and InStyle magazine divisions.
A 2024 Forbes Most Influential CMOs honoree, Henault has also been recognized as a 2023 American Advertising Federation Hall of Achievement inductee, a 2023 CMO to Watch by Business Insider, a 2021 Ad Age 40 Under 40 honoree and an A100 List honoree by Gold House. Henault earned her MBA from New York University’s Stern School of Business and a bachelor’s degree from the University of Pennsylvania.
Eden Bridgeman Sklenar
Owner and CEO, EBONY & Jet
Eden Bridgeman Sklenar is an entrepreneur, media proprietor, and marketing executive who is currently the owner, Chairwoman and CEO of the iconic brands EBONY and JET since their acquisition in 2021. She also serves as the CMO of Manna, Inc., which is the parent company that incorporates over 500 restaurant franchises that include Wendy’s, Fazoli’s, Golden Coral, Jimmy Johns and Mark’s Feed Store, and has led in this capacity since 2016.
Eden was born in Los Angeles, California and grew up in Louisville, Kentucky where she attended the University of Louisville. She has been a part of Manna Inc since 2002, which is her family enterprise, founded by her father Junior Bridgeman in 1988. In 2013 Eden completed her MBA at Loyola University in Chicago where she graduated with honors and was inducted into International Business Honors Society. During this time, she also served as the head of marketing for ERJ Dining operating 125 Chili’s franchises spanning 13 states. Eden currently serves as a Board Member for The Speed Art Museum, Kentucky Derby Museum, Oxmoor Farm Foundation, Task Force for Funds for the Arts, and the Louisville Ballet.
In addition, she is the Program Director and Board Member for the Bridgeman Charitable Group which focuses on access to education for at risk youth and cancer research support. In 2017 Eden launched The Trifecta which she is also currently the CEO. The Trifecta is an arm of the Bridgeman Charitable Group that produces one of kind experiences at some of the most notable yearly events in the United States including the Kentucky Derby.
Eden is married to Greg Sklenar and is a proud mother to two children. She is the daughter of Ulysses L. and Doris Bridgeman and has two brothers, Justin, and Ryan.
Carey Arensberg
Educator, Trauma and Resilience Specialist, Social Media Influencer, Alumni Big
Carey Arensberg is a social-emotional behavior specialist from Mobile, Alabama. She has been teaching children from all backgrounds since 2012. She holds several certifications in Trauma and Resilience practices and believes that knowledge is the key to her success as an educator. In 2015, Carey made a strong connection with two of her students, which turned into a mentorship through Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Central Gulf Coast. She continued to mentor them through middle and high school and considers them part of her family now that they are in their sophomore year of college. Carey believes that mentorship has shaped who she is today, and strongly advocates for it through her social media platforms. Recently featured in People Magazine, she is most well known for the creation of her “Care Closet” which has sparked a movement in classrooms all over the world. Mrs. Arensberg is passionate about her mission of educating the masses on trauma-informed practices and spreading positivity, encouragement, and ideas for running compassionate classrooms.
La La Anthony
Actress, Producer, Entrepreneur
Actress, Producer, New York Times Best-Selling Author, fashion-and-cosmetics mogul, La La has cemented her name in the rapidly growing media as a multi-hyphenate. As an entrepreneur, La La has had extreme success in the fashion and beauty industries. No stranger to the red carpet, La La hosted VOGUE’s Met Gala live stream for her third year in a row.
Last summer, she collaborated with Pretty Little thing to create a brand new summer line which highlights size inclusivity. Continuing with her creativity, La Larecently created her own hair care line, Inala.
On the acting front, La La is most commonly known for her standout role as ‘LaKeisha’ in the hit Starz original drama series, “Power.” The series which was executively produced by 50 Cent broke records as being one of the biggest premiere weekends for STARZ. Additional TV credits include Paramount+’s ‘The Chi,’ as well as starring opposite Poppy Montgomery in the A&E series “Unforgettable” CBS crime drama, “NYC 22” and the popular Vh1 scripted show, “Single Ladies”. On the silver screen, La La can be seen in the critically acclaimed Spike Lee film “Chi-Raq” alongside a talented ensemble cast that includes Nick Cannon, Wesley Snipes, Angela Bassett and Samuel L. Jackson. Film credits include, “Think like a Man” and “Think Like a Man Too,” alongside Gabrielle Union and Taraji P. Henson and “Baggage Claim” alongside Paula Patton and Derek Luke, “Double Play” directed by Ernest Dickerson. On stage, LaLa starred in the off-broadway production of “Love Loss and What I Wore” and made her Broadway producing debut with “Eclipsed” the celebrated drama starring Oscar winner Lupita Nyong’o. Eclipsed made history as the first all-female, all-black Broadway show. She can currently be seen in Starz, “BMF (Black Mafia Family)” as Markisha Taylor. Anthony brings an audacious yet tender element to her role. The third season premiered this past spring and announced it will be returning for a season 4.
La La is also a best-selling author. In her first book The Love Playbook (2014), La Lashares how she found love and success on her own terms. Within the first week the book climbed to #1 on the Barnes & Noble Best Seller list and hit Number One on the New York Times Best Sellers List. La La followed with her second book The Power Playbook. It was recently announced that her bestseller, The Love Playbook is being turned into a series, Group Chat. Anthony is set to headline the comedy. It is currently in development for Hulu.
Multi-faceted, La La spearheads a mentorship program in New York city’s Rikers Island. She mentors young men ranging between the ages of 18–21 years old who are incarcerated, specifically in the Robert N. Davoren (RNDC) Complex. Weekly interactions and meetings focus on life-building skills that are helpful during their time incarcerated and instrumental to re-entry into the community upon release. The team works to develop one-on-one connections with each of the young men, building trust, and solid relationships among the group and with each other individually.
This year, Anthony announced her partnership with Aribnb as a creative advisor and Host! La La will lead strategic alignment and relationships with key entertainment partners, including celebrities, influencers, studios, production companies, and more to increase and sustain diverse representation, as well as incubate products and programs that connect talent and entertainment partners with their passionate communities. Her first project with them is La La Land, a unique and stylish listing in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, that’s been carefully designed and perfected by La La to host her favorite kind of trip: a getaway with besties. La La is inviting guests to La La Land to experience travel, her way – with some highlights of the stay including full, private access to the entire 2,491 square foot property with five customized bedrooms and a picture-perfect outdoor patio and pool for lounging; all the amenities needed for a luxurious stay like high-quality linens, a fully-stocked kitchen, and hair care products from La La’s own brand, Inala.
La La can now be seen starring as ‘Janet’ in Lifetime’s film, ‘The Bad Guardian.’ The film is guaranteed to pull on heartstrings as it follows a story which seems to be more prevalent than ever. The film premiered on Saturday, May 18th on Lifetime.
Trymaine Lee
Pulitzer Prize winning journalist, MSNBC Correspondent, Alumni Big
Trymaine Lee is a Pulitzer Prize and Emmy-award winning journalist and correspondent for NBC News and MSNBC. He’s also the host of the “Into America” podcast where he covers the intersection of race, power, and politics.
He’s covered uprisings, the fragility of freedom and democracy, and has been at the center of some of the country’s biggest news stories of the past two decades, including Hurricane Katrina and the Ferguson protests after the killing of Mike Brown. He is widely credited as the first national journalist to write about the shooting of Trayvon Martin, helping to elevate the case into national consciousness as a senior reporter at the Huffington Post. He’s also worked for the Philadelphia Tribune, the New Orleans Times-Picayune, and the New York Times. Since 2012, he’s been a correspondent for MSNBC.
Trymaine is a contributing author to the “1619 Project,” a 2023 Webby Award winner for a podcast series on the Reconstruction era’s unfulfilled promises, a 2021 Sigma Delta Chi Award winner for his documentary on the Tulsa Race Massacre, the winner of multiple NABJ Salute to Excellence Awards, a 3-time NAACP Image Award Nominee, and a past recipient of AdWeek’s Podcast Host of the Year. He is a former New America and Harvard Institute of Politics fellow and has been named to The Root 100 and Ebony Power 100 lists of most influential African Americans.
Trymaine is currently writing a book on Black life, death, and violence in America with St. Martin’s Press.
Ray Davis
Running Back, Buffalo Bills, Alumni Little
Ray Davis, born in San Francisco, California, emerged from the foster care system as one of 15 siblings, learning early the value of resilience and determination. Raised with steadfast support from guardians Lora Banks and Greg Ley, he cultivated a passion for sports and academics.
At Blair Academy in N.J., Ray excelled as a running back and defensive back, amassing 4,815 rushing yards and 59 touchdowns. Despite challenges, his path to collegiate football began at Temple University, where he earned Freshman All-America honors with 936 rushing yards and eight touchdowns.
Transferring to Vanderbilt University for 2020-2021, Ray rebounded from injury to rush for 1,042 yards, earning All-SEC recognition and becoming a Comeback Player of the Year semifinalist. In 2023, he joined the University of Kentucky, setting a school record with 21 touchdowns—14 rushing, 7 receiving—and totaling 1,129 rushing yards and 323 receiving yards.
Ray garnered Second Team All-America from Sports Illustrated and multiple All-SEC nods, graduating with a communications studies degree from Vanderbilt and a business certificate from Kentucky.
Beyond football, Ray loves poetry and aspires to pursue a career in sports broadcasting or coaching after his playing days are over. His journey from foster care to record-setting running back inspires athletes and children alike.
Selected 128th overall by the Buffalo Bills in the 2024 Draft, Ray advocates for foster care awareness while preparing for a promising professional football career, aiming to leave a positive impact on and off the field.
Osa Odighizuwa
Defensive Tackle, Dallas Cowboys, Alumni Little
Before Osa Odighizuwa was the starting tackle for the Dallas Cowboys, he was the youngest of four boys and was born In Dayton Ohio on a pile of clothes in his mother’s bathroom.
Osa spent most of his childhood in Portland, Oregon and it was during this time that Osa discovered the Big Brother Big Sister program. Osa eventually enrolled at David Douglas High School. Where he was a two-sport athlete in football and wrestling. OSA was a 3x state wrestling champion, and actually didn’t lose a match after his freshman year. That’s right; the youngest Odighizuwa family member was undefeated for three straight years.
After graduating from high school Osa followed in his oldest brother (Owa Odighizuwa) footsteps and took a scholarship to play football at UCLA. Osa would spend the next 5 years at UCLA where he became one of the best Defensive tackles in the pac-12 and finished his college career in the middle of the Covid pandemic.
Osa would follow in Owa’s footsteps again in 2021; when Osa was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys in the 3rd round ( going #75 overall). Owa was drafted #74 overall to the NY Giants in the 2016 NFL draft.
OSA was able to make an early impact as he arrived in dallas. OSA was listed as the starting DT during training camp, and he never looked back. As a rookie Osa anchored a very talented Cowboys defense line that helped America’s team win 12 games during Osa rookie season Osa was named to the nfl.com all-rookie team during the 2021-2022 season.
Osa’s impact was not just felt on the football field in Dallas as he quickly got involved with the community of DFW. Osa and his family started the Odighizuwa Foundation in 2022.
Hill Harper
Award-winning actor, New York Times bestselling author, Philanthropist, Alumni Big
Hill Harper is an eight-year Detroit resident and small business owner. He is an activist, humanitarian, cancer survivor, union leader, award-winning actor, best-selling author, entrepreneur, single father and he is currently a candidate to represent Michigan as its next United States Senator.
Harper served on the President’s Cancer Panel, which made cancer policy recommendations to the White House, having been appointed by President Obama in 2011.Additionally, Harper has authored four New York Times bestsellers: including his multiple award-winning book, Letters to a Young Brother: Manifest Your Destiny. Harper has been recognized with seven NAACP Image Awards, four for his writing and three as best lead male in a drama series for his portrayal of Dr. Sheldon Hawkes on CSI: NY. He is the founder of the Manifest Your Destiny Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to empowering underserved youth through mentorship, scholarship and grant programs; and has established The Pierce and Hill Harper Arts Foundation.
Harper graduated magna cum laude from Brown University with a Bachelor of Arts degree and was named Valedictorian of his department. Harper then graduated with a J.D. (cum laude) from Harvard Law School, as well as with a Master’s Degree in Public Administration, with honors, from the Kennedy School of Government. Harper also completed Marine Corps Officer Candidates School in Quantico, VA. He has been awarded 10 honorary doctoral degrees, including degrees from Howard University and Providence College.
As an investor and business owner, Harper owns a successful coffee franchise in downtown Detroit called The Roasting Plant, is co-owner of A-Frame Brands and the award-winning New Orleans hotel, International House. His passion for economic empowerment, financial literacy, job creation, and social justice keeps him as an in-demand thought leading consultant for public and private institutions. He is a proud Life Member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc
Michael McCullough
Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer – The Miami HEAT, Current Big
Michael McCullough’s role with the Miami HEAT could best be described as the “brand architect” for the club. Viewed as an extremely versatile and well-respected senior NBA business executive, he sports a 38-year track record of establishing new benchmarks and best practices for sports marketing and fan engagement while producing highly effective marketing, branding and results-oriented corporate partnership programs. McCullough oversees the Marketing, Digital Marketing, Social Media, Creative, Retail Marketing and Operations, Business Communications, Social Responsibility, Game Presentation and Events, Broadcasting, Content and Broadcast Services for the Miami HEAT and Kaseya Center.
As part of the 2022 NBA Sales and Marketing Awards, the Miami HEAT were named the “2022 Team of the Year”. The award recognizes demonstrated excellence in business performance across both key revenue drivers and operational focus areas such as people and culture, and community impact. The Team of the Year Award was determined by a selection committee comprised of team and league executives.
Additionally, McCullough and Steve Stowe, Vice President / Executive Director of the Miami HEAT Charitable Fund were the co-winners of the “Values of the Game” Award, which recognizes an individual or individuals who inspire and connect people everywhere, but specifically in their community, through the power of basketball. McCullough and Stowe won for their combined efforts in launching a first-of-its-kind partnership with the City of Miami Police Department and Dedication to Community (D2C) through a unique community policing program designed to help bridge the gap between Black and Brown city residents and local law enforcement. A pilot program was first announced on September 3, 2020, which consisted of approximately 75 officers participating in the training. The HEAT has since announced the expansion of the program to include training of the entire Miami Police Department, including approximately 900 uniformed officers. The program has since branched out to include a pilot program with the Miami-Dade County Police Department, one of the largest law enforcement agencies in the United States.
As “chief evangelist,” for the HEAT, McCullough guides and directs both internal and external brand communication and activation strategies, while acting as the “voice” of the franchise to employees and media alike, oftentimes assuming an alter ego personality to foster employee engagement.
McCullough and his team revolutionized NBA Playoff marketing campaigns by being the first team to successfully and consistently implement the fan engagement focused color-themed Playoff promotional programs for the HEAT. “White Hot” remains the most successful and well-known such campaign among NBA franchises.
We dig uniforms and integrated marketing campaigns! Under McCullough’s watch, the HEAT has implemented the NBA’s most aggressive and successful City Edition uniform campaigns, with the “Vice” uniform campaign re-writing the record books in terms of retail sales, media coverage and fan engagement, only to be followed by and topped by the “Miami Mashup Vol. 1 and Vol.2” uniform campaigns.
File under: “Things I Never Thought I Would Get To Do In My Career”: McCullough is the point-person for the HEAT Business Operations division for all Championship-related activities, including the design and distribution of the three HEAT Championship rings for players, staff and families.
“Bigs and Littles” – McCullough has been a “Big” in the Big Brothers Big Sisters Program since 2008. Since that time, McCullough has been fortunate enough to work with four outstanding young men, helping to shepherd them through their high school years, into college and beyond, maintaining relationships with each Little well beyond the formal end of the mentorship period.
Prior to joining The HEAT Group, McCullough was with the Sacramento Kings (1988-90; 1992-97) and the National Basketball Association (1990-92).
McCullough was a three-year starter for the Utah State Aggies basketball team (during the short-shorts era 1980-84). McCullough and his wife, Valeria, live in the Edgewater area of downtown Miami with their dog, Mateo. A certified “vinyl junkie”, McCullough maintains a large collection of vinyl records and has turntables both at home and in his office, where vinyl can be seen and heard playing loudly.
Scott Uzzell
GM, Nike North America
Scott Uzzell is the Vice President and General Manager of Nike North America where he leads a +$23B business with 25,000 employees across all aspects of Nike and Jordan Brand footwear and apparel including brand marketing, retail, digital engagement and e-commerce, sports marketing, and distribution. Nike North America is the largest reported geographic unit of NIKE, Inc.
Prior to this role Scott was President & CEO of Converse, Inc. for +4 years where he led all aspects of the business globally, and oversaw the brand’s return to basketball after a 10-year hiatus from the sport.
Scott joined Converse, Inc. from The Coca-Cola Company where he served as President and General Manager, Venturing and Emerging Brands Group (VEB) and led the development of a portfolio of high-growth brands, including Honest Tea, ZICO Coconut Water, Health Ade, Fairlife Milk and Body Armor.
Scott began his career within sales and marketing for elite consumer goods companies, such as Procter & Gamble, The Coca-Cola Company, and Nabisco, before returning to The Coca-Cola Company in 2001 to hold a number of leadership positions across its business including Global Vice President New Business Development, CEO ZICO Beverage Co and Vice President Marketing, VEB.
In addition, Scott serves on the board of SC Johnson Company. Scott is also a member of the Florida A&M University Foundation board as well as a member of the Executive Leadership Council (ELC). He is also a Trustee at Woodruff Arts Center and University of Chicago, Booth School of Business.
Scott received his B.S. in Business from Florida A&M University and his MBA from the University of Chicago, Booth School of Business. Scott has a personal passion for sports like skiing, golf, basketball and cycling, as well as spending time with his family. Scott and wife Sunda have two children – a son, Tanner and daughter, Sawyer.
Aloe Blacc
Singer, Songwriter, Philantropist
Raised on salsa, merengue, and cumbia, Blacc fell in love with hip-hop as a kid and started writing rap songs when he was nine. With his lyrics drawing influence from socially conscious artists like KRS-One, he put out his first hip-hop mixtape at age 17. Later developing a fierce admiration for such soul musicians as Donny Hathaway and Marvin Gaye, he also discovered an affinity for folk-rock singer/songwriters during his college years. “One of the most important factors in my transition from hip-hop to being a singer was listening to people like Joni Mitchell, James Taylor, Kris Kristofferson, and Cat Stevens,” Blacc says. “Their songs are full of emotion that’s expressed in strong lyrics, and that had a big impact on me.”
After inking a deal with indie label Stones Throw, Blacc released his solo debut Shine Through in 2006 and sophomore album Good Things in 2010. Boosted by the breakout success of “I Need a Dollar” (which was selected as the theme song to HBO’s How To Make it In America), Good Things reached gold status in countries around the world and paved the way for his signing to XIX Recordings/Interscope Records in 2012. Made in collaboration with groundbreaking producers like Pharrell Williams, Lift Your Spirit dropped on New Year’s Day in 2014, debuted at #4 on the Billboard 200 albums chart, and earned a Grammy Award nomination for Best R&B Album.
Looking back on his musical path so far, Blacc notes that landing a deal with XIX Recordings/Interscope prompted a major moment of reckoning, and led him to re-examine his artistic intentions. “When I signed a major-label contract, I recognized the power of having a larger audience, and I promised myself that I’d use my voice for social change,” he says. And in creating his upcoming album, Blacc has kept focused on making music meant to inspire a positive shift in mindset. “When things happening in the world seem so terrible and dark, it’s so easy to get stuck in all the negative,” he says. “But I try to do whatever I can to help people out of that. I want my music to be the light.”
“GRIFF”
Comedian, Motivational Speaker, Co-Host of Get Up! Mornings with Erica Campbell
Comedian, motivational speaker, and veteran on-air personality, “GRIFF” is the co-host of Get Up! Mornings with Erica Campbell! This author and father of five has forged his career at the intersection of faith, philanthropy and humor. With an infectious energy and unmistakable voice, “GRIFF” contributes laughter, sincerity and real world approach to living inspiration out loud
Nate Burleson
Co-Host, CBS Mornings and The NFL Today
Nate Burleson is an Emmy Award-winning studio analyst and sports personality. He is currently the co-host of CBS Mornings. He is also on CBS’s The NFL Today and NFL Slimetime on Nickelodeon. Burleson won the Emmy Award for outstanding sports personality/studio analyst for his work on The NFL Today back-to-back in 2021 and 2022. Prior to joining CBS’s News Division, Burleson served as a host on NFL Networks’ Emmy Award-winning show Good Morning Football. Burleson was selected by the Minnesota Vikings in the 2003 NFL Draft. During his career, he also played for the Seattle Seahawks and Detroit Lions.
Daymond John
CEO & Founder of FUBU
Star of ABC’s Shark Tank
CEO of The Shark Group
An entrepreneur in every sense of the word, Daymond John has come a long way from taking out a $100,000 mortgage on his mother’s house and moving his operation into the basement. John is CEO and Founder of FUBU, a much-celebrated global lifestyle brand with over $6 billion in product sales and a pioneer in the fashion industry. John is a celebrated entrepreneur having received over 35 awards throughout his career, including the Brandweek Marketer of the Year, Ernst & Young’s New York Entrepreneur of the Year, was named #2 on LinkedIn’s 2020 Top Voices list for US Influencers, and has won four Webby Awards for his event, Black Entrepreneur’s Day.
In 2023, John authored one of the “most anticipated children’s book of the year”, Little Daymond Learns to Earn. Instantly becoming a New York Times best-seller and ranking #1 on Amazon’s Top 100 Books, Little Daymond Learns to Earn teaches children the fundamentals of financial literacy and money management with a fun and engaging storyline. John is also the author of five best-selling books including his New York Times best-selling books, The Power of Broke (2016) and Rise and Grind (2018).
John’s marketing strategies and ability to build successful brands have made him a highly influential consultant and motivational speaker today. His marketing firm The Shark Group offers expertise in marketing strategy and connects brands with the world’s top celebrities for everything from endorsements to product extensions.
Finally, he is celebrating 15th season on ABC’s hit business show Shark Tank by acclaimed producer Mark Burnett. The show has gone on to win four Emmy Awards and consistently maintains millions of weekly viewers who tune in to the show every Friday night as John demonstrates his marketing prowess and entrepreneurial insights.
Wayne Brady
Emmy Award-winning Actor, Producer, TV Personality
Alumni Big
Multiple Emmy Award-winning and Grammy Award-nominated Wayne Brady has made his mark on stage and screen as an actor, producer, singer, dancer, songwriter, and television personality.
A true multi-hyphenate, Brady’s career path and personal life journey have helped him see the world in a unique way. His aspirations have always gone beyond solely starring in various entertainment projects, and under his A Wayne & Mandie Creative banner. He’s set out to create new content across different platforms that showcase innovation and inclusivity in fun and powerful ways.
A five-time Emmy winner (the first to win Daytime and Primetime awards in two consecutive years), Brady has an impressive TV resume including Whose Line Is It Anyway?, The Masked Singer, Dancing With The Stars, Black Lightning, The Good Fight, and Showtime’s American Gigolo– each spotlighting different aspects of his immense talent.
In February 2024, Brady will star in an upcoming Hulu docuseries following his blended family, alongside his ex-wife, best friend and business partner Mandie Taketa, their 20-year-old daughter Maile, and Mandie’s partner Jason. The series is produced by Wayne and Mandie’s joint production company, A Wayne and Mandie Creative, along with Fremantle.
In addition to being a force in front of the camera, Brady is heavily active behind the scenes wearing the hats of host & executive producer for Let’s Make A Deal, Game of Talents, and Comedy IQ, which he also co-created through his production company. All of this follows on the heels of the success of his award-winning daytime talk show The Wayne Brady Show.
Long an accomplished singer and performer, Brady’s musical acumen has always been a personal passion and he used that as fuel to help win the second season of The Masked Singer. Off his victory, Brady dropped a brand-new original single, entitled “Flirtin’ w/ Forever,” which quickly climbed the streaming charts, as well as an accompanying music video.
This follows the success of his debut album which was headlined by a version of Sam Cooke’s “A Change is Gonna Come” which earned him a Grammy Award nomination in the Best Traditional R&B Vocal Performance category.
Spring of 2024 Brady returns to Broadway in the all-new production of The Wiz, leading the cast as the titular character. The highly-anticipated musical features award-winning creatives and producers including Common, MC Lyte, Amber Ruffin, Hannah Beachler, Sharen Davis, among others.
Brady made his Broadway debut starring as legal showman ‘Billy Flynn’ in the long-running hit musical, Chicago. Soon after Brady starred as the ground-breaking character ‘Lola’ in Kinky Boots, Broadway’s Tony Award-winning Best Musical, with music and lyrics by Cyndi Lauper and a book by Harvey Fierstein. Brady would later headline as ‘Aaron Burr’ in the Chicago production of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s Tony Award-winning juggernaut Hamilton.
Brady again joined forces with Lin-Manuel Miranda, and the duo along with Thomas Kail and Anthony Veneziale, created Freestyle Love Supreme. The unique show combined the fusion of hip hop, improv, and comedy which won a special Tony Award for its innovation and contributions to the world of theater. The Freestyle Love Supreme team partnered with San Francisco improv company Speechless, Inc to create “freestyle+,” an educational training platform committed to making improv globally accessible.
Advocacy is core to Brady’s life. He champions the need for more resources and better understanding of mental health issues, especially in the Black community. Brady’s public announcement about his pansexuality brings awareness to an underrepresented community and he continues to support and promote LGBTQIA+ causes and organizations such as Broadway Backwards and Gay Men’s Chorus of Los Angeles. Brady is a longtime supporter of the Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, Alzheimer’s Foundation of America and SAY The Stuttering Association for the Young.
Brady currently resides in Los Angeles.
Raachad White
Running Back, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Alumni Little
Born in Kansas City, MO as the youngest of four boys, Rachaad has always been active. His mother, Rochelle, always emphasized respect for elders, honoring your word, being true to yourself, and being thankful for what you have. Rochelle enrolled all of her boys in the Big Brothers Big Sisters program, seeking additional mentorship and positive male role models for her sons. Naturally, Rachaad couldn’t wait to find his match after seeing the opportunities his older brothers had. Rachaad played multiple sports growing up but excelled most at basketball and football. At Center High School in Kansas City, he went on to become All State in football and All Conference in basketball. Surprisingly, he wasn’t recruited by any D1 schools so he committed to a Division II school, Nebraska Kearney. Once there, his teammates saw what a great player he was and suggested he transfer to a Junior College, which would then lead him towards his goal of playing for a Power 5, Division 1 school. He took their advice and transferred to Mt San Antonio College in Walnut, California. At Mt Sac, he became a top Running Back in the nation before committing to Arizona State. At Arizona State, his ascent continued, leading the team in both rushing and receiving which caught the attention of all 32 NFL teams. In April of 2022, his ultimate dream came true. He was selected as the 91st overall pick by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. In his first year in the NFL, he played alongside Tom Brady, took over the starting Running Back role, contributed to the team’s playoff berth, and lead all rookie Running Backs in receiving. Rachaad resides in the Tampa area, is a devoted father to a beautiful daughter named Nevaeh, and loyal friend to many.
Tony Coles
President, Black Information Network, iHeartMedia
BBBSA National Board Member
Tony Coles is regarded as one of the audio industry’s leading authorities. In addition to being known for his experience successfully leading and growing iconic media brands, Coles also founded and currently operates the groundbreaking Black Information Network. Recognized for his innovative approach to content creation, exceptional leadership style, and consistent results, he is one of the most respected executives in audio.
Coles currently holds dual roles at iHeartMedia, the #1 audio company in America. He serves as Division President of Metro Markets, a position that has given him P&L oversight for over 150 radio stations in 21 markets across the United States. Coles is also the Founder and President of the Black Information Network, a 24/7 All News Channel dedicated to serving the Black community. In less than three years BIN has grown to include a national streaming service, operates 34 dedicated broadcast stations, and provides content for more than 140 stations.
With over 35 years of media and marketing experience, Coles has discovered, developed, and managed an array of successful talent and leaders. He has also worked with many of the largest companies in the world to provide media and marketing solutions. His creative spirit and strong business acumen make him uniquely qualified for his current role as well as his growing commitment to board service. His expertise in strategic planning, management, marketing, and content creation, combined with his ability to build strong brand partnerships across the media sector, has delivered powerful results throughout his career.
His philanthropic work focuses on non-profit organizations dedicated to mentorship, youth development, as well as career advancement in media. Coles currently serves as national Board Vice Chair for Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, he is the Multicultural Committee Chair for the RAB, and serves as a board member for the National Association of Broadcasters Leadership Foundation.
Coles holds an MBA from Western Governors University. He also holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Communications from Marylhurst University. He currently lives outside of Chicago with his wife and two sons.
Terrance Williams
President and CEO, TruStage
Terrance Williams became the ninth president and chief executive officer (CEO) of TruStage on October 1, 2023. TruStage is a leading provider of insurance, investments, and technology solutions to financial institutions, advisors, and companies serving middle-market consumers. With more than 4,200 employees, the company has significant operations across the United States and operates international businesses in Canada and the Caribbean. The company headquarters is in Madison, Wisconsin.
As president and CEO, Williams is continuing to build on the company’s nearly century-long history of being an influential leader in the credit union system and broader financial and insurance industries. With his tenure and broad experience in insurance innovation and digital strategy, he’s moving the company’s vision forward, ensuring brighter financial futures are accessible to everyone.
Prior to joining TruStage, Williams was president, Protection Products and Services for Allstate, responsible for non-property-liability businesses that ranged from start-up ventures to mature businesses. These entities represented approximately $4 billion in revenue. In his previous role as executive vice president and general manager of Allstate Property-Liability Sales and Distribution, Williams was responsible for driving innovation in the company’s distribution channels, including 10,000 domestic agencies and more than 30,000 licensed sales professionals, direct-to-consumer call centers and web sales in the United States and Canada. These channels accounted for over $30 billion of written premium for the enterprise.
Before joining Allstate in 2020, Williams spent more than 20 years at Nationwide, where he most recently served as president of their Emerging Business Group, including a team of 1,300+ employees. There, he led innovation and digital strategy, served as the enterprise’s chief marketing officer, and established the company’s $100M venture capital fund. Williams has been recognized by many, including Forbes as one of “The World’s Most Influential CMOs” in 2017 and 2018 and Savoy Magazine as one of the most influential black corporate directors in 2021.
Beyond the office, Williams is a firm believer in philanthropic efforts toward the betterment of communities. He is an active participant and has served on many non-profit boards in multiple markets including Big Brothers/Big Sisters, the Urban League, and others. He is also actively involved in numerous mentor programs, including work as a mentor to undergraduates at the University of South Carolina.
Williams earned his bachelor’s in risk management and insurance from the University of South Carolina. He is an advisory board member for the university’s Risk and Uncertainty Management Center at the Darla Moore School of Business, which helps students and organizations improve decision-making. Williams is also on the board of directors for Encompass Health, the largest owner and operator of rehabilitation hospitals in the United States.
Solomon Thomas
Defensive Lineman, New York Jets
Solomon Thomas is a Defensive Lineman for the New York Jets and their 2022 Walter Payton Man of The Year nominee which is one of the league’s most prestigious honors. Solomon landed in New York after four seasons with the 49ers who drafted him as the #3 overall player in the 2017 NFL draft and spent the ‘21 season with the Las Vegas Raiders.
During his second season with the Niners, Solomon and his family experienced an unimaginable and tragic loss. On January 23, 2018, his big sister Ella died by suicide. This traumatic and personal loss impacted his next few years in the NFL. In 2021, Solomon with the help of his parents, Co-Founded The Defensive Line (TDL), a nonprofit organization focused on training, educating, and equipping leaders of young people of color, to be the mental health community that empowers a lifesaving connection. TDL’s vision is “A world where no young person of color dies by suicide.”
Off the field, Solomon has not only committed financially to the causes he believes in, but he also actively contributes his time, energy, and mind to the growth and success of his organization. His public speaking always centers around sharing Ella’s story and his own mental health journey to bring the hopefulness he carries and the belief he has that everyone has extraordinary value and deserves to live healthy lives. His message is positive and uplifting, and he shares it in public as much as he does privately with those around him. He doesn’t push, but he offers insight and experience, sharing a kind of wisdom that people crave and thrive on.
The work with The Defensive Line has included a partnership with The Super Football Conference in New Jersey to speak with high school students about mental health, the 988 campaign with Dak Prescott and the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, and an educational panel for all Paramount Global in October. Thomas has also worked with a myriad of nonprofit organizations to raise awareness, secure funds for mental health/suicide prevention research, and advocate for local and national politicians to improve mental health/suicide prevention legislation and policies. He has consistently demonstrated a generous and quiet giving mentality, donating to many organizations over the years, including The Golden Heart Foundation, Boys and Girls Club of Tracy Kipp Minnesota, Champion Charities Foundation, American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, Hui Aloha Kiholo, Mississippi Rapid Response Coalition, 22 And You Foundation, My Brother’s Keeper, Blue Dragon, and many others. When a member of the 49ers staff lost everything in the Paradise Fires, Solomon supported them financially.
Solomon expects to come into his own with the New York Jets and every game will be played in memory of his sister Ella.
Sway Calloway
Sway in the Morning with Heather B & Tracy G
An icon of hip-hop culture and a pivotal part of MTV, Sway Calloway has been a staple within music news for two decades. Already a vanguard radio personality, record producer and hip-hop artist, Sway joined the MTV News team in 2000 and has been front and center for some of music’s biggest moments.
Sway first caught the public’s eye when he and his partner King Tech (Tech) staged break dancing and rap performances in and around their hometown of Oakland, California. The duo won a local contest with landmark radio station KMEL-FM. The world-famous Wake Up Show is one of the longest hip-hop shows that has been in syndication all over the world. Hip Hop had the opportunity to launch their own mix show recognizing Sway’s instincts for great sound and promising talent. Interscope enlisted him and Tech to produce an album called This or That, featuring artists such as Eminem, KRS-One and RZA from the Wu-Tang Clan.
Sway has been a key correspondent for MTV’s Choose or Lose and Power Of ’12 campaigns for the channel. Since his involvement, he has interviewed various political leaders like Bill Clinton, Republican National Committee Chair Ed Gillespie, Hillary Clinton, Ron Paul, John McCain and Mitt Romney. He’s also sat down with President Barack Obama six times.
Sway’s other MTV News endeavors have included TRL, the All Eyes series which featured top artists like Kanye West and 50 Cent, MTV News Now: Jay-Z vs. Nas: Beats, Battles & Beef, MTV News Presents: After the Storm, RapFix Live, The Hottest MCs list and TRL-AM.
In addition, Sway is an integral part of MTV News’ annual live events that include red carpet coverage of the MTV Video Music Awards, MTV European Awards, and Grammys pre-show. Sway serves as an MTV Executive Producer and brings new programming ideas to the station. He’s also contributing talent to other ViacomCBS channels, MTV2, and VH1 networks.
His work continues throughout the nation and community where he has been a part of various panels and discussions hosting and moderating on important issues like Hate Crimes, Racism and Education.
Sway is the host of SiriusXM’s Shade 45 daily morning show, SWAY IN THE MORNING With HEATHER B and TRACY G from 8am to 12pm EST. He is also the Chief Navigator for his site, SwaysUniverse.com, that features celebrity interviews, music, entertainment and health news. Lastly, he is a recent inductee into the Radio Hall of Fame Class of 2020. @realsway
Makola M. Abdullah, Ph.D.
President of Virginia State University,
BBBSA National Board Member
“Serving as President of Virginia State University has been the highlight of my academic career. I have witnessed firsthand the transformative power of education. I work with amazing faculty and staff members who show an unwavering commitment to excellence in education. I extend my gratitude to the VSU Board of Visitors for their vote of confidence and for giving me the opportunity to continue the GREATER work at Virginia State University.”
Dr. Makola M. Abdullah began his VSU career in February 2016 with an unwavering dedication and commitment to excellence. As a new president, he outlined the core beliefs that became the foundation of his work for VSU: beliefs in God, family, the transformative nature of education, and in Virginia State University. With that foundation in mind, President Abdullah and his new administration began planning the 2020-2025 Strategic Plan: Preeminence with Purpose to chart the University’s path to continued growth and excellence. His plan set forth the next chapter for VSU, which focused on six areas: Student Opportunity and Access, Academic Excellence, The Holistic Experience for Students, Enhancing the Land Grant Mission of the University, Advancing the VSU Brand, and Financial/Operational Effectiveness.
Under President Abdullah’s leadership and guidance, VSU experienced the single largest year-to-year enrollment increase in over a decade and the highest retention rate in more than twenty years. The University also increased the 4-year graduation rate to the highest recorded rate in the University’s history. Virginia State University also placed in ESSENCE magazine’s top 20 “Best Colleges for African Americans” and U.S. News and World Report’s “Top 30 in the Best Overall HBCUs for 2022”. The University ranked in the top 30% in the “Performers on Social Mobility” list, the Top 10 in Student Retention Programs at HBCUs, and the top 15% of Bang-for-your-Buck institutions in the Southeast Region of the United States. The University has also extended its academic offerings with newly added undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral degrees. In addition, the University offers fully online programs/degrees and a free tuition program for students from area high schools.
Under Dr. Abdullah’s guidance, Virginia State University’s year-end financial reserves have tripled. The University also received a $30 million gift—the largest single donor gift in the University’s history—aiding the university in growing the investments from approximately $40 million to $80 million. In addition, under Dr. Abdullah, VSU has more new infrastructure happening concurrently than at any point in its 140-year history. This includes a new 30,000-square-foot admissions building, a research and cooperative extension facility, improvements to Rogers Stadium, and a new $120 million Alfred W. Harris Academic Commons—the largest building ever constructed on the VSU campus. In 2021, VSU also renamed four buildings to honor Black women who have made significant contributions to the University.
Under the leadership of President Abdullah, in 2018, Virginia State University successfully completed its reaffirmation of accreditation with the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC). The University was reaffirmed for ten years with no recommendations. The President has led the launch of several significant initiatives since taking office. These include the establishment of the John Mercer Langston Institute for African American Political Leadership to assess, develop and empower African American leaders; the establishment of The Center for Policing Leadership and Social Justice to address the critical divide between law enforcement and communities of color; and the establishment of the Office of Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging on campus to promote good relations toward and support those who may be subject to discrimination.
Boards and Committees
During his tenure at VSU, President Abdullah has become a national leader—fighting on behalf of the transformative work of Virginia State University and all HBCUs. He has served on a plethora of boards and committees, including the following:
Education and Background
Before he was appointed President of Virginia State University, Dr. Abdullah served as Provost and Senior Vice President at Bethune-Cookman University in Daytona Beach, FL (2013-2016), Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs at Florida Memorial University in Miami Gardens, FL (2011-2013), and Dean and Director of 1890 Land Grant Programs at Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University in Tallahassee, FL (2008-2011).
Dr. Abdullah is a Chicago native. He earned his undergraduate degree in civil engineering from Howard University and his doctorate and master’s degrees in civil engineering from Northwestern University. He is a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Incorporated.
Honors and Awards
President Abdullah was named the HBCU Male President of the Year in 2017 and was selected as the 2021 Recipient of the Howard University Alumni Award for Distinguished Postgraduate Achievement. He is also the youngest African American to receive a Ph.D. in engineering.
Family
President Abdullah is married to Ahkinyala Cobb-Abdullah, Ph.D. Dr. Cobb-Abdullah is the Dean of the School of Arts and Sciences and the Director of the Center for STEM Diversity at Virginia Union University in Richmond, Virginia. Dr. Cobb-Abdullah earned a Bachelor of Science in Biology from Tuskegee University. She is a two-time alumna of Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University, where she earned a Master of Molecular Biology and a Doctor of Philosophy in Environmental Biomolecular Sciences.
Dr. Abdullah and Dr. Cobb-Abdullah are the proud parents of a son, Mikaili, and a daughter, Sefiyetu. Mikaili is a graduate of Morehouse College and a current Ph.D. student at the Morehouse School of Medicine. Sefiyetu is a two-time graduate of Virginia State University with a Master of Science in Computer Science.
Kelvin Beachum
Offensive Tackle, Arizona Cardinals
Kelvin Beachum is a Texas native in his 12th NFL season, currently with the Arizona Cardinals. He is an SMU graduate (’10, ’12) an Executive Board member, and a member of the Players Inc. Advisory Committee, the Players Coalition, and the Donors Choose Advisory Board. He is a professional speaker, advisor, board member, and active technology investor. Along with his NFL and business commitments, Beachum is passionate about ending hunger, providing clean water access, advocating for education equity, and encouraging minority youth to pursue STEAM disciplines while addressing the digital divide. Beachum resides in Arizona with his wife, Jessica, and their three children.
Running Back, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Born in Kansas City, MO as the youngest of four boys, Rachaad has always been active. His mother, Rochelle, always emphasized respect for elders, honoring your word, being true to yourself, and being thankful for what you have. Rochelle enrolled all of her boys in the Big Brothers Big Sisters program, seeking additional mentorship and positive male role models for her sons. Naturally, Rachaad couldn’t wait to find his match after seeing the opportunities his older brothers had. Rachaad played multiple sports growing up but excelled most at basketball and football. At Center High School in Kansas City, he went on to become All State in football and All Conference in basketball. Surprisingly, he wasn’t recruited by any D1 schools so he committed to a Division II school, Nebraska Kearney. Once there, his teammates saw what a great player he was and suggested he transfer to a Junior College, which would then lead him towards his goal of playing for a Power 5, Division 1 school. He took their advice and transferred to Mt San Antonio College in Walnut, California. At Mt Sac, he became a top Running Back in the nation before committing to Arizona State. At Arizona State, his ascent continued, leading the team in both rushing and receiving which caught the attention of all 32 NFL teams. In April of 2022, his ultimate dream came true. He was selected as the 91st overall pick by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. In his first year in the NFL, he played alongside Tom Brady, took over the starting Running Back role, contributed to the team’s playoff berth, and lead all rookie Running Backs in receiving. Rachaad resides in the Tampa area, is a devoted father to a beautiful daughter named Nevaeh, and loyal friend to many.
Kelvin L. Buncum
Executive Vice President
Neighborhood Markets, Walmart U.S.
Kelvin L. Buncum is executive vice president of Neighborhood Markets for Walmart U.S. His responsibilities include overseeing all aspects of Neighborhood Market operations. Kelvin and his team are focused on creating a great experience that includes increased convenience for busy customers and high-quality fresh items that delight the entire family.
Prior to assuming his current role, Kelvin held several leadership positions at Walmart, including regional vice president of the Atlanta/North Georgia region, regional vice president of the North Central region, vice president of innovations and global business processes, vice president of operations strategy and integration and regional general manager for the Mid- South region.
Before joining Walmart, Kelvin held leadership positions with several companies and across multiple industries. Immediately prior to Walmart, he was President/CEO of International Medical Solutions, a start-up he launched with two partners. Kelvin’s professional experiences also include senior leadership roles at Pepsi Bottling Group, US Radio, and Joyner Communications.
In addition, Kelvin has worked for Digital Equipment Corporation, AT&T Bell Laboratories and Northern Telecom. With these companies, he held leadership roles in the areas of product development, marketing, sales management and applications planning.
Kelvin has been actively involved over the years in trade and community organizations. He has served as chairman of the Georgia Beverage Association and held board positions with the Safe America Foundation, APEX Museum, Georgia Food Industry Association, Warrick Dunn Family Foundation, Sigma Pi Phi Fraternity Foundation, Hughes-Spalding Children’s Hospital, Feeding America, Criminal Justice SVN and Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northwest Arkansas.
Kelvin graduated with a B.S. degree in Electrical Engineering and received an Honorary Doctorate from North Carolina A & T State University. He also earned an MBA from Harvard Business School.
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