2021 For(bes) The Culture Culturally Accountable Summit

Asahi Pompey

Global Head of Corporate Engagement & President, Goldman Sachs Foundation

Goldman Sachs

Asahi is Global Head of Corporate Engagement and President of the Goldman Sachs Foundation. She is a member of the Management Committee and the Global Diversity Committee.

Asahi leads Goldman Sachs’ community engagement programs: 10,000 Small Businesses, 10,000 Women, One Million Black Women, Goldman Sachs Gives and Community TeamWorks.

Prior to assuming her current role, Asahi was co-chief compliance officer of Goldman, Sachs & Co and global head of Investment Banking Division Compliance, and had responsibility for conduct risk. She joined Goldman Sachs in 2006 and was named managing director in 2010 and partner in 2018.
Prior to joining the firm, Asahi was an associate at Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton, where she worked in the New York and Frankfurt offices.
Asahi serves on the Board of Managers for Swarthmore College. She also serves on the Advisory Boards for Forbes Next 1,000, Glamour Women of the Year and on the Advisory Council for the Milken Center for Advancing the American Dream.

Asahi graduated from Swarthmore College and earned a JD from Columbia University. She was born in Guyana, South America and attended high school in Tokyo, Japan, and worked as a corporate attorney in Frankfurt, Germany.

Melissa L. Bradley

Cofounder

Ureeka

Melissa L. Bradley is a co-founder of venture-backed Ureeka, a community where small businesses gain unprecedented access to the expertise needed to grow their business. The Ureeka mission is to democratize economic opportunity by enabling community and by reducing the cost and risk associated with growing a small to medium business (SMB). She is also Founder of 1863 Ventures, a business development program that accelerates New Majority entrepreneurs from high potential to high growth. In this role she created a community of over 10,000 New Majority entrepreneurs in three years. Melissa serves as General Partner of 1863 Venture Fund, Venture Partner at NextGen Ventures and serves an advisor the New Voices Foundation and New Voices Fund, as well as the Halcyon Fund. She is also a member of the Goldman Sachs’ One Million Black Women Advisory Council, Launch with GS Advisory Council, Fast Company Executive Board, Square & Forbes Small Business Advisory Team, as well as the Target Accelerators Entrepreneurs Advisory Council. Melissa is the former Co-Chair, National Advisory Council for Innovation and Entrepreneurship and was named one of The Most Entrepreneurial Women Investors in 2018.

Melissa is a professor at the McDonough School of Business at Georgetown University where she teaches impact investing, social entrepreneurship, P2P economies and innovation. In 2021 she was awarded Peter W. Gonzalez, Jr. Award for Excellence in Adjunct Faculty Teaching. In 2020, Melissa received The Ideas Worth Teaching Award which celebrates exceptional courses that are preparing future business leaders to tackle society’s largest challenges and create a more inclusive, just, and sustainable version of capitalism.

Melissa's educational background includes graduation from Georgetown University in 1989 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Finance from the School of Business, and a Master’s degree in Business Administration in Marketing from American University in 1993.

Trisha Sakhuja-Walia

Cofounder & CEO

BrownGirlMagazine.com

Trisha Sakhuja-Walia is a digital content creator and social media strategist with a knack for event planning. She manages more than 200 contributors, oversees business development and on-going marketing initiatives at BrownGirlMagazine.com. With a passion for publishing meaningful content, she's always on the hunt for the next big story.

Since 2018, she launched a few new initiatives — Brown Girl's debut apparel line 'Ladki Power,' Brown Girl's second podcast, 'The Chaat Room,' which highlights South Asians in Hollywood, and the first-ever Slashie Summit in New York City, a purpose-driven one-day summit that empowers creators and doers to challenge the stigma behind creative aspirations.

Raised as an Indian-American in the suburbs of New York City, she is proud of her hyphenated identity and continues to find unique ways to empower young womxn living in the diaspora.

Doug Melville

VP, Head of Diversity & Inclusion

Richemont North America, Inc.

Doug Melville is a 5th generation leader, executive and diversity change agent.

His family before him worked under 10 different Presidential administrations to help create more opportunities for Americans in the public sector.

Doug is an extension of their work in the private sector.

Melville is currently the Head of Diversity at Richemont, which owns several of the world’s leading companies in the field of luxury goods.

Previously he was the Chief Diversity Officer of TBWA, a top ten global ad Agency collective.

Prior to that he worked on the Exec. Team of Magic Johnson Enterprises, and on the business development team of T Capital Management, Tommy Hilfiger's Capital Management Firm.

When not in the office, he works with the US Military and various institutions of higher learning to teach, inspire and help evolve issues relating to equity and inclusion.

He is a graduate of Syracuse University.

NOOR TAGOURI

Journalist, Producer & Podcaster

At Your Service Imprint

NOOR TAGOURI is an award-winning Journalist, producer, and touring speaker blazing a trail across mainstream media. With an aware and engaged community of over 2 million followers, Noor has garnered international praise as one of new media’s most influential voices.

Noor’s innovative storytelling spans across media, emphasizing subcultures and marginalized communities in the U.S. Her documentary and podcast series, Sold in America received a Gracies award for Best Investigative Series.

In 2019, Noor founded At Your Service (AYS), her production company and consultancy, telling stories through a lens of service.

Noor is a sought-after touring speaker, focusing on identity, inclusion, proper representation in media, and breaking barriers through storytelling. She’s spoken around the world, on college campuses and at corporate
summits.

Noor’s consistency, transparency, and philanthropy have given her a platform with millions of loyal supporters trusting her voice across platforms. From viral stories, to global speaking tours, to releasing her own line of fashion, Noor is raising the bar every step of the way.

Nivea, Google, Prada, and SAP are a few of the many partners turning to Noor to build bridges that connect communities.

Ryan Wilson

Cofounder & CEO

TGS Holdings

Ryan Wilson is the Co-Founder and CEO of TGS Holdings, a consumer lifestyle and hospitality company based in
Atlanta, Georgia. The company's holdings consist of The Gathering Spot, a private membership club; and A3C, a
music, tech, and film conference and festival.

At the age of 24, Ryan and his business partner raised private capital from investors to open their first Gathering
Spot location in Atlanta. The club has established itself as a home for creatives, business professionals, and
entrepreneurs and regularly hosts notable and culturally impactful events. Responsible for the company’s overall
management and strategic vision across all holdings, Ryan is leading the club’s physical expansion to Washington
D.C., Los Angeles, and forthcoming markets as well as the digital expansion of the company’s platform TGS
Connect.

Ryan has been honored as the Small Business Person of the Year by the Atlanta Business Chronicle, selected as
one of the 2020 Atlanta Business Chronicle’s 40 under Forty honorees, was the recipient of the John Lewis
Emerging Leader Award by the 100 Black Men of Atlanta, and was selected in the inaugural class of Shea
Moisture's Social Justice Coalition. Atlanta Magazine named him one of “Atlanta’s 500 most powerful leaders” in
2019 as well as 2020, and he was awarded as Atlanta’s Best Influencer by WXIA-TV. He has also been named as one
of the country’s most influential African-Americans in The Root 100 and the Ebony Power 100.

Ryan has been featured in notable national publications such as Fast Company, Forbes, Inc, Black Enterprise,
Bloomberg Businessweek, The Huffington Post, and USA Today. He is a trusted speaker and regularly moderates
conversations with thought leaders and other notable figures. His work has also led to keynote presentations at
some of the nation’s most prestigious universities including Georgetown University Law Center, the Fuqua School
of Business at Duke University, Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth University, and The Kellogg School of
Management at Northwestern University.

A native to Atlanta, Ryan is currently an active participant in several Atlanta civic and community organizations. He
proudly serves on the boards for Hands on Atlanta, Usher's New Look, The Woodruff Arts Center, The Atlanta
Business League, The Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta, and Peace Preparatory Academy. He is a
member of the Atlanta Chapter of the 100 Black Men, Atlanta Rotary Club and serves as Co-Chair for Black Men
Count Initiative of Fair Count. Ryan graduated from Georgetown University and Georgetown University Law Center.
He currently resides happily in Atlanta, Georgia, with his wife and daughter.

Tiffany Dufu

Founder & CEO

The Cru

Tiffany Dufu is founder and CEO of The Cru. Their algorithm matches women in accountability circles to help them meet their life goals. She’s the author of the bestselling book Drop the Ball: Achieving More by Doing Less. According to foreword contributor Gloria Steinem, Drop the Ball is “important, path-breaking, intimate and brave.” Her writing has appeared in The Oprah Magazine, ESSENCE and the New York Times.

Named to Entrepreneur's 100 Powerful Women and Fast Company’s League of Extraordinary Women, Tiffany has raised over $25 million toward the cause of women and girls. She was a launch team member to Lean In and was Chief Leadership Officer to Levo, the fastest growing millennial women's professional network. Prior to that, Tiffany served as President of The White House Project, which trained thousands of women across the nation to run for political office.

Tiffany is a Trustee of Simmons University, a member of Delta Sigma Theta, Sorority, Inc. and a Lifetime Girl Scout. She lives in New York City with her husband and two kids - but home is Seattle.

SHAVONE.

Musician & Ford Model, Founder, Future Of Creatives Group and Director, Communications & Creative Partnerships

VSCO

SHAVONE. is a multi-hyphenate creative and force in music, fashion and tech. She’s known across industries as a renaissance woman who continues to disrupt the norm as a classically-trained musician, model and change-maker in tech, named on Forbes’ 30 Under 30 Marketing & Advertising list. SHAVONE. is dedicated to disruptive thinking, supporting women in creative fields and amplifying the stories of underrepresented voices. Whether it’s SHAVONE.’s influence in fashion or her pursuit to break the mold as a millennial who’s trailblazing a new path for future generations of women in tech and entertainment, SHAVONE. is disrupting industries as a champion of creativity and inclusion. Her influence in fashion, tech and music have been profiled in outlets like Billboard, Coveteur, DAZED, Complex UK, Hypebeast, PAPER, ELLE, and EBONY, noting her history-making moves as the first African-American woman and trailblazer to create roles held at both Twitter and Instagram. SHAVONE. also currently heads up Creative Partnerships and communications at VSCO out of Los Angeles. As a tastemaker and founder of her own consultancy and creative group, Future Of Creatives, SHAVONE. has collaborated with top brands across industries, ranging from Nike to Google, Spotify, Dapper Dan, Twitter and Instagram.

Hayet Rida

Founder

That Hayet Rida

Hayet Rida is the founder of That Hayet Rida, a lifestyle blog created as a self love haven, sprinkled with decor, fun and boss babe tips. When she isn’t interacting with her audience she runs an influencer learning platform The Rida Collective, and is a full time creative Strategist at Instagram & Facebook. She recently founded both Aiya Candle Co. and The Rida Book Co. through which she continues to build her message of authenticity and excellence.

Candace Marie

Founder

Black In Corporate

Candace Marie is a highly sought out social media consultant in the luxury arena, newly appointed Adjunct Professor at Parsons School Of Design teaching their first Masters Social Media Course, as well as founder of Black In Corporate – a much-needed resource for Black individuals looking for relief, support, and guidance in their jobs. While the digital expert has received many accolades in her career, most recently, she was featured in American VOGUE’s September issue, where she was recognized as an ‘unsung hero of the fashion industry’—in which they highlighted both her profession as well as her non-profit Black In Corporate.

Marie serves as a distinguished creator and authoritative across an array of elite industries – having worked with companies such as Prada, Parkwood, Barneys NY, Refinery 29 and many more. She is a proven leader with a MBA as well as diverse knowledge in social media, influencer marketing, partnerships, communications, PR and content. Responsible for captivating and engaging millions of people in the luxury, entertainment, fashion and editorial space through 10+ years of experience, measurable performance outcomes and creative messaging for both a domestic and international market.

Ultimately, Candace prides herself for being both an advocate and curator of minority creatives in the luxury fashion space. And overall uses her respected voice in the industry to champion for people of color behind corporate walls – where change is often needed the most.

NOTABLE HIGHLIGHTS
RECENT PRESS:
Vogue: September 2020 Hope Issue
Business Insider: Here's How A Former Finance Major Became One Of Fashion's Most Sought-After Social Media Consultants
CFDA: With Black In Corporate, Candace Marie Is Helping Black Individuals In Corporate Spaces
WWD: Who Will Regulate The Influencer Industry
Cosmopolitan: October 2020 Issue

RECENT PANELS:
Instagram: Building A Career In The Digital Media Space
Parsons School Of Design: Branding & Communications
SCAD University: Behind The Lens
Essence Festival: Diversity In Luxury Fashion
Nordstrom: The Futures -Black In Corporate
INSTAGRAM: Launch Of IG”s @Creator’s Account ESSENCE FESTIVAL: Diversity In The Luxury Arena
BET’s LEADING WOMEN DEFINED: Diversity in Fashion. Notable speakers included Michelle Obama, Debra Lee, and more.

Porter Braswell

Cofounder & CEO

Jopwell

Porter Braswell is the CEO and co-founder of Jopwell, an HR tech platform that helps diverse students and professionals unlock opportunities for career advancement. Under Porter's leadership, Jopwell has formed partnerships with more than 300 of America's leading companies and has facilitated tens of thousands of connections between the Jopwell community members and its clients. In 2017 alone, the company was recognized as Entrepreneur Magazine's "100 Most Brilliant Ideas," Fast Company's "World's Most Innovative Companies," and Business Insider's "One of The Hottest NYC Companies to Watch."

Porter is also host of Race at Work with Porter Braswell (an HBR podcast), author of Let Them See You (published by Penguin Random House), and has received countless awards/recognitions from major publications including Fast Company's 2017 "100 Most Creative People In Business," Crain's 2018 "40 Under 40," Vanity Fair's 2018 "Future Innovators Index," Ernst & Young’s “Entrepreneur of the Year New York Winner 2020 and National Finalist,” and most recently LinkedIn’s 2020 “Top Voices.” He started his career at Goldman Sachs on the foreign exchange desk after graduating from Yale in 2011.

Regina Gwynn

Cofounder & CEO

Black Women Talk Tech, TressNoire

Regina Gwynn is the Co-Founder & CEO of TresseNoire, Beauty Tech Startup that empowers women of color to celebrate their textured hair with a personalized beauty routine that works. Its virtual beauty coach takes the guesswork out of finding the right natural hair products & services by matching your individual hair profile to a beauty regimen designed by experts (so you can get the best twist out or the perfect wash n go style the first time, every time!) Since its launch in 2014, TresseNoire has been featured in Black Enterprise, Essence, Elle, Google, Madame Noire & ABC News as well as styled celebrities including Soledad O’Brien, Mikki Taylor, Lion Babe, Jamele Hill and more. Regina has been named to the 100 Most Powerful Women by Entrepreneur Magazine and Top Ten Women in Tech by Essence Magazine.

Regina is also the Co-Creator of Black Women Talk Tech, the largest membership organization of black women tech entrepreneurs and only conference designed for that community. This collective has a unique understanding of the challenges faced in the technology ecosystem, but also of the advantages they can bring. Its mission is to identify, support and encourage black women to build the next billion dollar business.

Regina started her career in the Product Development Executive Training program at Federated Department Stores (now Macy’s Inc.), and successfully launched several exclusive brands during her tenure. After graduating from the Kellogg School of Management with her MBA, Regina was a management consultant with the Monitor Group (now Monitor/Deloitte Consulting) and worked with clients within the beauty, media and healthcare industries. She was then tapped to lead marketing at The Apparel Group, where she built the department from scratch and launched the company’s first ecommerce site for its signature brand, Foxcroft Collection.

Regina loves to travel, dance and watch football (Go Giants?!). She’s on the Cabinet for Black Entrepreneurship for the City of New York, and a former Board Member of BRAG, a nonprofit for diverse retail professionals & Rising Tide Capital, an entrepreneur development program based in Jersey City, NJ.

“A girl should be two things: Classy & Fabulous.” – Coco Chanel

Vinasia Miles

Cofounder

For(bes) The Culture

Vinasia Miles is an innovative and accomplished creative strategist and cultural change agent. She prides herself in her ability to assist businesses, organizations, individual professionals, and students enhance their goals in the areas of leadership, career and life. As well as her love for impacting global communities at large. Her strength to genuinely connect and influence has been recognized by Forbes, BET, Essence, Afrotech, Whyy and others.

Vinasia is from Coatesville, PA and graduated from the nation’s first Historically Black College and University, Cheyney University as her class Valedictorian. She holds her Masters in Business Administration and Masters in Leadership Development from Pennsylvania State University. Also, she has certifications in Project Management, and Youth Mental Health.

She is a Professor, Co-Founder of For(bes) The Culture and Entrepreneur.

Torrey Smith

Two-Time Super Bowl Champion, Philanthropist & Rose Health Ambassador

Two-time Super Bowl Champion Torrey Smith established himself as a leader both on and off the field during his decorated NFL career. Smith has been active in the community since he was in middle school and has always advocated for those in need. He began speaking on the importance of mental healthcare when he was at the University of Maryland. In 2020, Smith teamed up with Rose Health.

The Baltimore Ravens drafted Smith in the second round of the 2011 NFL Draft. Smith had an immediate impact in Baltimore as a rookie before becoming one of the Ravens’ most successful all-time receivers and earning his first Super Bowl ring during his second season. In 2015, the San Francisco 49ers signed Smith; and he spent two years with the 49ers. In search of another championship, Smith came back to the East Coast and signed with the Philadelphia Eagles in 2017 and earned his second Super Bowl Championship ring. After a year with the Eagles, Smith signed with the Carolina Panthers where he played his final year in the NFL.

Smith’s accomplishments off the field were as impressive as on the field. He was a three-time Walter Payton Man of the Year team nominee (2016-49ers, 2013, 2014-Ravens) and was a two-time NFLPA Byron “Whizzer” White Award team nominee (2016-49ers nominee, 2014 Ravens).
Smith met his wife, Chanel, in college and the two began their philanthropic work. Their nonprofit, LEVEL82 (Leadership, Education, Vision, Effort, Love), strives to create a gathering space at the Hilton Recreation Center for those who live, work and play in Baltimore City while developing strategically-curated programming to empower the community. To that end, their mission is to leverage the power of collaboration to enable families to reach their full potential.

Smith’s passion to learn and create a lasting impact goes well beyond the field and his nonprofit. In 2013, Smith interned for the late Congressman Elijah Cummings. He later earned his MBA at the University of Miami. Smith is an active Task Force Member of the Players Coalition and he successfully lobbied for the Clean Slate Act in Pennsylvania. Torrey and Chanel have been ambassadors for BARCs (Baltimore Animal and Care Rescue Center).
Smith currently co-hosts The Opening Drive on SiriusXM NFL Radio on Mondays, co-hosts NBC Sports Washington Football Team Kickoff Show, co-hosts WJZ Baltimore’s Purple Playbook Show, and hosts Trending Thoughts Podcasts.

Smith is a proud ambassador for Rose Health which is a comprehensive technology solution that provides a HIPAA compliant mental health monitoring platform based on clinical trials and research by Johns Hopkins University. The Rose Health platform is powered by patented artificial intelligence (AI) and Natural Language Processing technology, which enables it to identify key indicators and warning markers for the presence and/or advancement of mental health symptoms in a user’s responses to questions and prompts. Rose offers a mobile app for Americans experiencing mental illnesses and an AI-powered tool for health care providers to monitor and support their patients.

Shanti Das

Founder & CEO

Silence The Shame

Shanti Das is an accomplished entertainment industry veteran, speaker, author, and Philanthropist.
Shanti worked in the entertainment business for over 25 years. Her music industry career (from intern to Executive Vice President) included positions at Capitol Records, LaFace Records, Columbia Records, Sony Urban Music and Universal Motown where she worked directly with some of music’s top talent like OutKast, Usher, Prince, TLC, Toni Braxton, Erykah Badu, and more.

As a result of Shanti’s extensive community work in the 2000 decade, she decided to establish her very own nonprofit, The Hip-Hop Professional Foundation, Inc. The foundation was rebranded under the name Silence the Shame, Inc., the mental health movement that lead the way since 2016.

Shanti has suffered from depression/anxiety over the years and has also experienced love ones affected with mental health disorders.
Silence the Shame, Inc. has received global awareness and has become a commonly used hashtag to normalize the conversation in America. Shanti’s foundation curates community conversations, offers wellness trainings, creates content and broadens awareness & education around mental health and wellness. (In 2019, Silence the Shame was awarded one of five awards by the American Psychiatric Association Foundation for advancing minority mental health).

In addition to running her nonprofit, Shanti formed a new brand called Yeah Wellness! She speaks live at companies/universities sharing her inspiring story and now facilitating virtual webinars around mental wellness with licensed mental health clinicians. Companies include: Warner Chappell Publishing, National Geographic, SB Projects, Translation, NBA, Sony ATV, Sony Music UK, Warner Media, Warner Music Group, Def Jam, Dillard University, Syracuse University, Alabama A&M and more.

Awards and Honors
• 2019 - Shanti was named a Top Changemaker in the World (#7 out of 100) by a UK publication called The Big Issue!
• 2019 - The American College of Neuropsychopharmacology (ACNP) has named Shanti Das as the recipient of the 2019 Media Award for her program entitled, Silence the Shame, which openly addresses the stigmas and misconceptions on mental health.
• 2020 – NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Health) awarded Shanti Das their 2020 Multicultural Award.
• 2020 Named an Essence magazine Essential Hero in Mental Health

Dr. Jessica Clemons, MD.

Founder

Ask Dr. Jess

Dr. Jessica Clemons, a Board-Certified Psychiatrist, has been recognized by Forbes as a leader in making mental health and wellness a part of the current zeitgeist. Dr. Clemons received her medical degree from Weill Cornell Medical College of Cornell University and completed her residency training at New York University. While her work is primarily in providing direct clinical care, her mission is to reduce stigma associated with mental illness.
Her work in mental health advocacy consists of using social media, primarily Instagram via @AskDrJess to hosts Weekly Live Q/A sessions to educate her following, as well as engage with them in real life events, specifically #BeWell, her community based conversation series featuring prominent guests intended to inspire attendees and normalize conversations about mental health.

Her efforts have gained national attention including being selected to provide the first live televised therapy session on VH1, “In Session Live: With Dr. Jess”, recognition as the first spotlight story for Beyonce’s 2019 WeGood Black History Month campaign, as well as the attention of First Lady of NYC, NYC Department of Mental Health, The American Psychiatric Association and several global brands.

Corey Lewis

Cofounder & CEO

1AND1 LIFE

Corey Lewis is the Co-founder and CEO of 1AND1 LIFE, a Black-Owned wellness and fitness platform whose mission is to help you become your best self through detailed editorial on the seven dimensions of wellness (spiritual, social, emotional, intellectual, environmental, physical, and occupational health). Before founding 1AND1 LIFE, Corey played football in the Big Ten Conference at The University of Illinois. He was part of the Academic All Big-Ten for three years and won the Big Ten Distinguished Scholar Award. Afterward, he played a short stint as a professional football player and persevered through four ACL surgeries and seven knee surgeries. These trials ultimately strengthened Corey -- and the life lessons and practical advice he gained during those years have been integral to his role at 1AND1 LIFE. Corey is extremely passionate about health, wellness, and fitness -- but there is also a side of Corey that’s deeply committed to building a community. Through 1AND1 LIFE’s platform, Corey engages with people from all walks of life and pushes them to reach their fitness and mental health goals. Corey once also served as the president of the Illinois chapter of Uplifting Athletes, where he raised over $10K for rare disease research. It was an experience that helped Corey put his own life into perspective—and now he’s excited to motivate his community to find their true purpose in life.

Brittany Alexandra

On-Air Host & Senior Executive Producer

A woman of many hats, Brittany Alexandra is an On-Air Host, Podcaster, Social Influencer and Senior Executive Producer. Brittany has worked with companies such as E! News, NBC Universal, Radio One, Sirius XM, TMZ and currently Podville Media, a premier TV, digital and podcast production company located in Washington, DC, with clients including ESPN, The Lincoln Project, Donnie Simpson and more.

You can catch “B” regularly on FOX5 DC entertainment segments, co-hosting with DC’s top anchor Angie Goff on “The Oh My Goff Show” - found on all major podcast platforms and YouTube - and hosting events, panels, conferences, other TV shows, digital content and music festivals such as Broccoli City.

Brittany is all about the hustle, keeping it real, inspiring others and creating consciously cool content. To keep up with “B” follow on Instagram @B.On.Top, Twitter @BeginWithBritt and/or Facebook @BeginWithBritt.

Taylor Culliver

Founder

Brother Box

Taylor Culliver is the founder of Brother Box and an account executive at Brains on Fire, a creative marketing firm. Founded in 2018, Brother Box exists to inspire Black boys to dream big and embrace their authentic selves. Brother Box has raised more than $100,000 over the past three years to build products, tools, and resources to invest in the potential of Black boys across the country. Taylor graduated from the University of Pennsylvania in 2015 with a degree in marketing and economics, and he has worked for a number of different media and marketing firms, including Forbes.

Airen Washington

Social Media Coordinator

The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts

Airen Washington is a For(bes) The Culture member whose strong roots in Washington DC have afforded her the opportunity to have internships with the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation, Capitol Hill and the White House during the Obama administration. Her political aspirations led to her work at an international lobbying organization where she gained live event and video production skills. She has worked on social media strategy for Broccoli City Festival in partnership with Live Nation Urban, and most recently the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts where she supported the mission of both organizations and bridged the digital divide.

Mendell Grinter

Founding Member

For(bes) The Culture

Mendell prides himself on his dedication to community and deep roots in achieving school equity for students of color. His involvement with non-profit advocacy group Black Alliance for Educational Options as State Director in Tennessee and Kentucky, paired with his tenure at StudentsFirst New York as Deputy Chief of Staff, solidified his passion and unwavering commitment to children's education. As an experienced advocate, Mendell’s leadership guided his work as the Executive Director for Campaign for School Equity in their fight to ensure access to quality schools. In addition to his education advocacy career, Mendell previously served as a Field Organizer in Washington State on the Obama for America campaign in 2012. In 2017, Mendell was named to Forbes 30 Under 30 list for his work in Education. Currently, Mendell serves on the CMA Foundation board as they lead the nation in investments and support for music education.

Paulana Lamonier

Multimedia Journalist & Social Media Strategist

Paulana is a multimedia journalist and social media strategist who has written for Fast Company, ESSENCE, Complex, Forbes, and more where she is highlighting women in male-dominating industries. She's interviewed some of your favorite celebrities such as Queen Latifah, Naturi Naughton, Lala Anthony, and Loni Love. Her five to nine is teaching Black people how to swim through her program Black People Will Swim

Brianne Garrett

Reporter & Editorial Lead

Forbes

Brianne is a reporter at Forbes covering budding entrepreneurs of color, women and leadership—and, when she can, food. She's also the editorial lead for Forbes' For(bes) The Culture community aimed at creating equitable business pathways for Black and Brown professionals. She's originally from Bay Shore, Long Island, N.Y., but she spent her undergrad years at Boston University, where she studied journalism and Spanish. Beyond her passion for storytelling, she's a lover of all things food and wine—just not Chardonnay. Prior to joining Forbes, she worked at Wine Spectator where she covered wine, food and pop culture.

Rashaad Lambert

ESVP & Director, Culture & Community and Founder, For(bes) The Culture

Forbes

Rashaad Lambert is ​an award-winning marketing architect (or marketect ®), philanthropist, and community builder​. For more than 15 years, Lambert has aimed to level the playing field for Black professionals and create more equitable pathways via his expertise in marketing, diversity & inclusion, and corporate consulting.

In his role as Director of Culture and Community for ​Forbes​, Lambert is establishing the media brand as the preeminent community for young Black and Brown entrepreneurs. ​Prior to his appointment, Lambert founded ​For(bes) The Culture​, an organization that helps current and future leaders of color to connect, collaborate and drive change within underrepresented communities. Since its inception in 2017, ​For(bes) The Culture ​has grown organically to welcome thousands of members, and expanded its popular in-person #CultureTalks platform to Instagram where high-profile leaders across diverse industries and sectors are featured.

In addition to serving as ​Strategic Partner of Social Impact at TD Bank, Lambert is founder of Sporty Marketing Group, the world’s only six sigma marketing agency. For over a decade, Lambert has worked with multi-million dollar brands and companies including Villa, Club Corp, and MyPhillyLawyer, as well as multi-billion dollar companies such as Uber, JetSmarter, Adidas, the NBA, and the NFL. ​A serial entrepreneur, Lambert ​founded CultureMakers Inc., a global agency executing cultural initiatives for institutions, and co-founded Trifecta MMM which focuses on sports and entertainment media, marketing, and management.

Lambert’s traits as a passionate, fearless, and strategic leader are also reflected in his approach to experiential philanthropy. In 2010 he founded Lambert Legacy Charities, a nonprofit organization created to help alleviate deep poverty in Southeastern Pennsylvania. The nonprofit has served over 50,000 people, providing food and clothing through ​The Annual Philadelphia Inter-Communal Giveback, a​ signature event in the city​. His nonprofit work led to Lambert receiving the NAACP Image Award (Hometown Champion) in 2016.

Over the years, Lambert has been recognized for his impact in the innovation economy. In addition to being a 2016 ​Forbes​ 30 Under 30 nominee, Lambert received a Congressional Proclamation, U.S. Senate Resolution, and the ‘Entrepreneurial Excellence’ award from the Pennsylvania House Of Representatives. He was also selected to serve as a 2016 ​Democratic National Convention Delegate​.

In his beloved hometown of Philadelphia, PA, Lambert has served on several advisory boards for entities such as The Franklin Institute, the Philadelphia Museum of Art, EducationWorks, and the Bethesda Project.

Ali Jackson-Jolley

Assistant Managing Editor for DEI

Forbes

As an Assistant Managing Editor at Forbes, with a focus on DEI, Ali Jackson-Jolley oversees initiatives aimed at diversifying recruiting and hiring in the newsroom and cultivating a pipeline of diverse business journalists at Forbes and beyond.

Prior to this, she dedicated her career to driving policy and cultural change surrounding inequity. On Capitol Hill, in her role as a legislative staffer, Ali worked with the Women’s Congressional Caucus, tackling issues involving women and underrepresented groups and enacting reform in government, business, and education.

In addition, she worked as a government relations advisor on the National Women’s Business Council, a non-partisan federal advisory panel created to serve as an independent source of advice and counsel to the President, Congress, and the Small Business Administration on economic issues of importance to women business owners.

Over the past decade, Ali has worked as a journalist focused on issues related to race, ethnicity, diversity, and society for a wide range of outlets. Most recently, she worked as a communications professional at New York Medical College, where she cultivated an emerging body of diverse editorialists and thought leaders for the college.

Ali earned both her BA in government and her MBA from the College of William & Mary in Virginia.

Jessica Charles

VP, Programming & Events

Forbes

Jessica Charles is the VP of Programming & Events for Forbes Live where she oversees the team which is responsible for the content and logistical creation of Forbes events. Jessica’s motto is “I never met a story I couldn’t tell.” She brings her passion for storytelling to every event no matter the size and is a staunch believer in the power of Live events to change the world through the spread of knowledge and information. Jessica holds her degree in journalism from Boston’s Northeastern University but is a proud New Yorker.

Chardia Christophe - Garcia

Executive Director, Audience & Community Marketing

Forbes

Chardia Christophe - Garcia, is a marketing & events professional with over 13 years of experience working in publishing and media. She is currently the Executive Director, Audience & Community Marketing at Forbes focusing on event audience development, where she manages the strategy, marketing and delegate recruitment for approx. 20+ ForbesLIVE events (virtual and in-person) - highlights include the Forbes Women's Summit, The Forbes Under 30 Summit, The Forbes Healthcare Summit and many more.

Prior to her role at Forbes, she worked as the Associate Director, Event Marketing at NewBay Media (now Future plc.) where she managed the marketing campaigns for multiple events including NYC Television Week, The Broadcasting & Cable Hall of Fame, The Multicultural TV Summit, The Hispanic TV Summit, The Multichannel News Wonder Women Awards Luncheon, the Government Video Expo and more! From postcards, brochures, and email creation, to partnerships, banner ads, social media, market research, and reporting, she was constantly working on something new. While in this role she managed two direct reports, as well as, the department's interns.

Prior to joining NewBay Media, she worked at American Express Publishing where she managed all the loyalty marketing for three affinity membership clubs (100,000+ members). This included brands like The FOOD & WINE Connoisseur Club, The SkyGuide Executive Privilege Club, and the Departures Magazine Wine Reserve Club.

Chardia received her Master’s Degree in Communication Studies from The College of New Rochelle and her Bachelor’s Degree in English and Business from the State University of New York at Albany. Born in the Bronx and raised by two Guyanese parents, she accredits her hard work ethic to her family. She believes that if you work hard, never give up, and treat people with kindness and respect, you will succeed. As it stands, she continues to enhance her skill-set through education as she strives towards excellence to achieve her goals, as well as, the goals of the company she works for.

Rashaad Denzel

Project Manager, Content Partnerships

Forbes

With several years of experience working within the marketing and public relations industry Rashaad Denzel currently serves as a project manager on the content partnerships team at Forbes Media. His work is essential in propelling the successful delivery of content partnership programs on Forbes.com that include companies like Cole Haan, MasterCard, Zoom and many more.

Outside of Forbes, Rashaad resides in Brooklyn, NY as multidisciplinary artist and producer currently leading a small creative production collective called Studio Simile.

Sahara Gipson

Content Partnerships Coordinator

Forbes

Sahara Gipson is a Content Partnerships Coordinator at Forbes Media focusing on site production, social promotion, and campaign reporting for partners across industries. This past year, Sahara was selected as a 2020 ADCOLOR FUTURE and joined a talented class of rising industry leaders. In addition to her work with the Partnerships team, she enjoys working with young adults in the community and volunteers with the Harlem Education Activities Fund in support of their professional development programs.

Prior to joining Forbes, she completed the renowned NBCU Page Program in New York City and worked across departments including marketing, sales, and production for SNL, CNBC, and NBC News. Sahara graduated from Temple University and received her Bachelors degree in Media Business and Public Relations. At Temple, she competed for the university's Division 1 Gymnastics team and is committed to upholding her relationship with the student-athlete community.

Sahara is a dedicated team-player, charismatic leader and change-agent. With every new opportunity, she is often reminded that “to whom much is given, much is required” and she hopes to continue to leverage her experiences both professionally and personally to lift others up along the way.