Georgette “Gigi” Dixon is an executive vice president at Wells Fargo and head of External Engagement for Diverse Segments, Representation, and Inclusion. She is a member of the NAACP board of directors; U.S. Black Chambers, Inc. corporate advisory board (vice-chair);
Vicki Miles is the Diversity and Inclusion Senior Consultant for Volkswagen Group of America. She has worked in DEI for more than 12 years and currently oversees their diversity strategy, including managing corporate partnerships, consulting on diversity training, talent acquisition
Ashley M. Fox took a big risk, leaving her Wall Street analyst position to begin her own fintech brand. There were all kinds of ways she could have fallen on her face and missed the mark. Big risks, however, can
Fifty years after leaving an indelible mark on Major League Baseball and the American sports landscape, a legendary figure is being honored with his own U.S. Postal Service stamp. Henry “Hank” Aaron, the Atlanta Braves Hall of Famer and baseball’s
Marla D. Thrower is the matriarch of the Thrower Organization and the CFO of Jamjomar d/b/a McDonald’s. This is the managing company for several McDonald’s locations in southeastern Michigan. Marla and her husband, Jim, made a dream become a reality
Kendra Davenport-Cotton is a seasoned professional with more than 20 years of experience building and cultivating relationships in order to advance a favorable public image and positive strategic agenda for the individuals and organizations that she serves. Kendra is currently
Natalie King, a visionary in clean energy, is the driving force behind Dunamis Clean Energy Partners, LLC, and its subsequent venture, Dunamis Charge, Inc. Her leadership has propelled Dunamis to a multimillion-dollar status, employing over 150 individuals in southeastern Michigan.
TeShayla Coates, fondly known as “Everyday Shay,” is a ground-breaking serial entrepreneur and owner of multiple businesses across multiple industries. She is notably the founder and CEO of Coates Communications, a marketing agency. Alongside her valuable expertise in marketing and
K.C. Wilbourn-Snapp is a turnaround specialist in the industries of education, corrections, and non-profits. She is responsible for violence interruption and program facilitation in the Richmond City County Jail and has provided engagement for low-to-maximum security classified inmates in correctional
Shanna Johnson, FACHE, is the President of Henry Ford West Bloomfield Hospital, joining Henry Ford Health in April 2022. Johnson leads the 191-bed acute care medical campus in the Metro Detroit suburban area. In her role as president, Johnson works
As a Trust Advisor for Comerica Bank in Detroit, LaShawn Jimenez plays an invaluable role with the ability to be the highest quality trust provider, while growing the business in Wealth Management and the Trust division. In her role, she
Cassandra Kirk is the first Chief Magistrate Judge of Fulton County appointed by Governor Nathan Deal. With over 30 years in legal roles, including as a jurist, administrator, prosecutor, defense attorney, and civil litigator, Kirk spearheaded the creation of the
A major art collector, Sharon Gamblin of Detroit has been supporting countless local artists and galleries for over 25 years. She is influential in the art world and in the community at large. Even out-of-town collectors respect her opinion on
Oronike Odeleye is an event production professional with over 20 years of experience creating meaningful public engagement with the Art & Culture of the Black Diaspora. She serves as the Artistic Director of the National Black Arts Festival, the oldest non-profit
A former educator in the Los Angeles Unified School District and having served as the executive director of the Steve and Marjorie Harvey Foundation, Brandi Harvey has lived the life of a change maker. As the founder of Beyond Her,
Alisha Bell has been chair of the Wayne County Commission since 2000, succeeding her mother, who had served since 1991. As an active member of the community, Commissioner Bell has served as chair of the National Council on Alcohol and
Chantel Ross Francois stands as an esteemed International Travel and Tourism Sales Professional, having transitioned from a notable career with the Canadian Consulate in External Affairs to empower communities through tourism, travel, and destination branding. With more than two decades
At the core of Res’ musical journey has been the most valuable quality that can be ascribed to anything music-related – authenticity. It’s a quality that has empowered Res (pronounced like “Reese”) to navigate a more-than-two-decade career in music despite
Vibrant, victorious, vital and vivacious, Venus J. Brown believes in the voluminous rewards of diversity. Because “If I can see it, I can be it,” is true, she says, we must have diverse employee representation. What is non-negotiable is an
A lot of psychology goes into banana pudding. Just ask Genesis Bencivenga Sr. She went from Chicago’s LeClaire Courts neighborhood to Illinois College, down in Jacksonville, Ill., graduated in 2011 with a bachelor’s degree in psychology. And then, in what
