SUMMIT
ABOUT
The Rising Leaders Summit curates a cohort of up to 25 aspiring women, between the ages of 25 and 35 years old, who are excelling early in their careers, representing diverse industries, including both founders and emerging executives across the private, public, and nonprofit sectors. Through this intimate gathering, LWD creates a sacred space that will empower and elevate these leading women who are navigating rare air in their respective journeys, as they learn how to lead and make great impact in the world.
This experience provides the opportunity to build connection and community, while focusing on the importance of holistic wellbeing and the power of vulnerability. Cohort members will interact with seasoned leaders from the LWD sisterhood during their time together, as well as post event. From January to June 2024, each Rising Leader will be custom matched with an LWD mentor based on area of focus, professional goals, and needed support.
COHORT MEMBERS
CLICK HEADSHOTS FOR BIOS
FOUNDERS
Arielle Winfield
Founder & CEO, Sessions
Los Angeles, CA
Camille Bell
Co-Founder & CEO,
Pound Cake Cosmetics
Philadelphia, PA
Elisa Johnson
Owner + Designer,
Elisa Johnson Eyewear
Los Angeles, CA
Ivy Walls
Owner & Visionary, Ivy Leaf Farms
Sustainable Agriculture
Houston, TX
Jasmine Jones
Founder & CEO,
Myya Health Tech / Retail
Washington, DC
Dr. Kalisha Dessources Figures
Founder & Chief Strategist,
KDF Strategies,
Political Research & Policy
Washington, DC
Kendall Reynolds
Founder & CEO, Kendall Miles
Luxury Footwear / Accessories
New York, NY
Lara Adekoya
Founder & CEO, Fleurs et Sel
Bakery
Los Angeles, CA
Tatiana Freeman
Founder & CEO, Nosh Posh
Arden Hills, MN
EXECUTIVES
Adi Tesfalul
VP & Strategic Partner, Office of CEO, Warner Bros. Discovery
New York, NY
Alex Cuevas
SVP/Dir of Talent, BBDO Ad Agency
New York, NY
Brooke James
Publicity Lead,
Prime Video Amazon Studios
Los Angeles, CA
Devin Burks-Beaford
Vice President, Marketing,
Siebert Williams Shank
Philadelphia, PA
Fafa Segbefia
Private Banker,
JPMorgan Private Bank
New York, NY
Na’Kia Channey
Research and Partnerships Manager,
Google
New York, NY
Naomi Thomas
Head of Digital,
Stemuli Ed Tech / AI / Gaming
Dallas, TX
Nina Simone Meyers
Growth Equity Investor, One Million Black Women, Goldman Sachs
New York, NY
Raisa Lopez-Rhoden
Assistant Vice President, Brand and Consumer Engagement,
L’Oréal USA
New York, NY
Tyler Lanier
Sr. Sales Director,
P&G Fabric Care
Cincinnati, Ohio
CREATIVES
Arielle King
Environmental Justice
Educator & Strategist
New York, NY
Brooke DeVard Ozaydinli
Naked Beauty Podcast Host and Creator / Creator Marketing Manager – Video Lead, Instagram
LOS ANGELES, CA
Chisom Ude
Independent Film Producer
Los Angeles, CA
Gia Peppers
Entertainment Journalist,
Content Creator, & Podcaster
Los Angeles, CA
Samantha Garong
Events Manager, Blackbird House /
DJ & Co-Founder, Ladies of Sound
Los Angeles, CA
AGENDA
THURSDAY – NOVEMBER 30, 2023
4:00pm – 6:00pm
RISING LEADERS CHECK-IN
(The Shay Hotel / The Box)
7:00pm – 9:00pm
WELCOME RECEPTION
(The Shay Hotel / Presidential Scene)
Presented by Chase Sapphire
Welcome Remarks:
Debra Lee, Founder & Board Chair, Leading Women Defined Foundation
Debra Langford, Managing Director, Head of Black Wealth Initiatives, JPMorgan Chase
Gia Peppers, Entertainment Journalist, Content Creator, & Podcaster
FRIDAY – DECEMBER 1, 2023
7:00am – 8:00am
WELLNESS JOURNEY
(The Shay / Ivy Ballroom I)
Tai Beauchamp, Founder, Morning Mindset with Tai
Monique Bell, Lifestyle Fitness-Enthusiast and Instructor
8:00am – 9:30am
BREAKFAST
(The Shay / Ivy Ballroom II & III)
TRANSITION BREAK
10:00am – 10:45am
LEADING THROUGH ADVOCACY
(The Shay / Ivy Ballroom II & III)
Janki Lalani Gandhi, Managing Director, Parkwood Ventures
Kara Hollis, Investor, Leonard Green & Partners
10:45am – 11:30am
LEADING IN WORLDLY WAYS
(The Shay / Ivy Ballroom II & III)
Presented by Chase Sapphire
Derby Chukwudi, Miss New Jersey USA / Global Investment Strategy, JPMorgan Private Bank
11:30am– 11:45am
TRANSITION BREAK
11:45am – 12:30pm
LEADING WHILE WELL
(The Shay / Ivy Ballroom II & III)
Heather Primus, MA, MFT, Psychotherapist, Paula E. Bruce, PhD & Associates
12:30pm – 1:45pm
LUNCH
(The Shay / Ivy Ballroom II & III)
1:45pm – 2:45pm
LEADING IN THE BOARD ROOM
(The Shay / Ivy Ballroom II & III)
Debra Lee, Board Director: Burberry, Marriott International, Procter & Gamble, Warner Bros. Discovery
Matrice Ellis-Kirk, CEO, Ellis Kirk Group
2:45pm – 3:00pm
TRANSITION BREAK
3:00pm – 4:30pm
BREAKOUT TRACKS
(The Shay / Helms & Hayden)
Leading As Founders
Anne Sempowski Ward, CEO, CURiO Brands / Board Director: SPS Commerce, Vanda Pharmaceuticals , The Lip Bar, Inc.
Leading As Executives
Maria Weaver, President, Warner Music Experience (WMX) of WMG
4:30pm – 5:15pm
PRESIDENTS ON PRESIDENTS
(The Shay / Ivy Ballroom II & III)
Presidents On Presidents
Tilane Jones, President, ARRAY
Tina Perry, President, OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network
5:15pm – 6:15pm
YOUR TIME
6:15pm – 6:30pm
TRANSITION TO BLACKBIRD
Meet at Valet
6:30pm – 8:00pm
CANDY CANE LANE
CLIPS & CONVERSATION
Presented by Amazon Studios MGM
(Blackbird)
Sharen Davis, Costume Designer, Candy Cane Lane
Stacey Morris, Barber-Stylist, Candy Cane Lane
Yvette Shelton, Hair Department Head, Candy Cane Lane
Moderated By: Latasha Gillespie, Head of Global Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion, Amazon Studios
8:00pm – 10:00pm
CURATED DINNER WITH CHEF NYESHA ARRINGTON
(Blackbird)
10:00pm – 10:30pm
CROWNING THE COHORT
Rising Leaders Group Photo
10:30pm – 10:45pm
TRANSPORT BACK TO THE SHAY
SATURDAY – DECEMBER 2, 2023
8:00am – 9:0am
WELLNESS JOURNEY
(The Shay / Ivy Ballroom I)
Tai Beauchamp, Founder, Morning Mindset with Tai
Shantani Moore, Embodiment Coach & Energetics Practitioner
9:00am – 10:00am
HOTEL CHECK-OUT / LUGGAGE STORAGE
10:00am to 11:00am
FAREWELL BRUNCH
(The Shay / Ivy Ballroom II & III)
11:00am – 11:45am
LEADING WITH SISTERHOOD
(The Shay / Ivy Ballroom II & III)
Bridgid Coulter, Founder, Blackbird House
Marissa Nance, Founder & CEO, Native Tongue Communications
Sheila Marmon, Founder & CEO, Mirror Digital
11:45am – 12:00pm
CLOSING REMARKS
Debra Lee, Founder & Board Chair, Leading Women Defined Foundation
Gabrielle Glore, Executive Director, Leading Women Defined Foundation
12:00pm to 1:00pm
COHORT DEPARTURES
(The Shay Valet)
FEATURED GUESTS
CLICK HEADSHOTS FOR BIOS
Anne Sempowski Ward
Bridgid Coulter Cheadle
Debra Langford
Debra L. Lee
Derby Chukwudi
Gabrielle Glore
Gia Peppers
Heather Primus
Janki Lalani Gandhi
Kara Hollis
Latasha Gillespie
Maria Weaver
Marissa Nance
Matrice Ellis-Kirk
Monique Bell
Chef Nyesha Arrington
Shantani Moore
Sharen Davis
Sheila Marmon
Stacey Morris
Tai Beauchamp
Tilane Jones
Tina Perry
Yvette Shelton
×
Chef Nyesha Arrington has been in love with working in the kitchen since she was just a little girl cooking from the age of five alongside her grandmother. Born in Southern California to a multi-cultural family, she was introduced early on to diverse foods such as bulgogi, octopus, and homemade kimchi. These first stages of culinary experiences definitively shaped her palate and her ideas. By integrating flavors and techniques from around the world, Nyesha has been able to create a style that is both personal and unparalleled.
After graduation from the prestigious Culinary School at the Art Institute of California in Los Angeles in 2001, Nyesha built an impressive resume working with Josiah Citrin at the acclaimed 2 Michelin Star Mélisse in Santa Monica, and legendary French chef Joël Robuchon at his Michelin Star restaurants in Las Vegas, L’Atelier and The Mansion. She then went on to helm Leona and Native in Los Angeles where she was celebrated for using farm fresh, locally, and responsibly sourced ingredients. In 2012 she was named to Zagat’s 30 Under 30 and in 2015 was recognized as LA’s Chef of the Year by Eater.
Nyesha hit the national stage as a fan favorite on “Top Chef” Season 9, and is currently a co-star of the hit culinary competition show “Next Level Chef.” She is also the host and producer of “Plateworthy,” a digital series on Eater.
Chef Nyesha draws inspiration from art, human connection, and culture. She is passionate about the intersection of food and nutrition and storytelling. In her spare time, Nyesha can be found at the beach and also enjoys travel and fitness.
×
Debra Langford is a Managing Director and the Head of Black Wealth Initiatives for J.P. Morgan Private Bank. In her leadership function, Debra champions the development of opportunities that guide affluent members of the Black community in the growth and preservation of their wealth, and in leaving generational legacies. She draws from her vast network and seasoned background to make J.P. Morgan the right partner for clients.
Debra has found that culture often shapes wealth decisions, and she creates content, sponsorships and events that position Bankers and families of color to engage. Accustomed to being the “first” in many roles, she excels at building strategic connections and inclusive environments, especially for underrepresented groups. Debra’s experience in attracting top talent is invaluable in making the Private Bank the employer of choice for Black advisors at all levels of the firm.
Following a career of producing outstanding results in media and entertainment content, Debra pivoted to deliver enterprise-level outcomes in diversity initiatives. This was manifest at Time Warner, where she designed innovative strategies to align hiring managers with skilled and diverse talent for senior positions. Similarly, at NBCUniversal, Debra was instrumental in showcasing best practices for reaching the multicultural audience. The entirety of her background brought her to J.P. Morgan in 2020 to lead Business Development for Advancing Black Pathways. She is proud to couple the strength of her skill set with the reputation of an industry leader.
Debra is Governor Edmund Brown’s appointee to the California Film Commission and was President Barack Obama’s appointee to the USO Board of Governors for both terms. Philanthropic by nature, she is the Secretary for the Leading Women Defined Foundation.
A longtime entertainment industry leader and pioneer in Black executive leadership, Debra was the 2022 NAACP Changemaker Award honoree. She was also named to Diversity Woman Magazine’s 2022 Class of Elite 100, selected in recognition of their impact and influence on their respective industries.
A Los Angeles native, Debra earned a B.S. from the USC Marshall School of Business, where she later became the first Assistant Dean of Diversity at the Business School. She also created the Women’s MBA Conference series before moving to the USC Race and Equity Center as Chief Strategy Officer.
Debra is a family person, and is an avid photographer, plays tennis and supports a wide group of friends.
×
Derby Ozioma Chukwudi is the current Miss New Jersey USA and a 1st generation Nigerian-American born in Dallas, TX, raised in Lagos, Nigeria, and now resides in Hoboken, New Jersey. She is a member of the Global Investment Strategy Team where she partners with market strategists, investment specialists and senior leadership to shape the narrative of business priorities, best practices, and highest conviction ideas.
Derby has spent her entire career at J.P. Morgan. She joined J.P. Morgan in 2018 as a Summer Analyst and returned full-time in 2019 after graduating with a BSc. Degree in Business Administration and B.A. degree in Economics from Berea College.
At age 15, Derby embarked on her first international trip outside of Nigeria to the USA, and ever since traveling has become a lifestyle for her. Having visited four continents (Africa, North America, Europe, and South America), 10 countries and 31 states in the USA, Derby has leveraged the transformative power of travel to broaden her perspective of how she views the world, connects with people, and adapts to diverse cultures.
Derby is also an award-winning Toastmasters public speaker passionate about creating awareness for financial education, storytelling, and making connections. She invests her time in volunteering within her community, mentoring young adults, and empowering people, reminding them that their dreams are valid. In 2022, Derby was named a Women of Inspiration Award Finalist – the Women of Inspiration Award recognizes the achievement of women who lead, inspire, and motivate. In 2018, she was selected as one of the Forbes 30 Under 30 Scholars.
×
Anne Sempowski Ward serves as a Board Director of SPS Commerce (NASDAQ: SPSC), Vanda Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: VNDA), and The Lip Bar, Inc. and is CEO of CURiO Brands, a high growth, private-equity backed portfolio of beauty, wellness and home fragrance brands.
Anne has spent half her 30 year career leading billion-dollar brands and architecting key corporate growth strategies in Fortune 100 corporations. The other half has been focused on building high growth, middle market companies. She is recognized as a well-rounded, astute and transformational leader who guides people, brands and organizations through major growth and cultural change.
In her current role as a Board Director, Anne brings her experience in public and private company governance, building passion brands, developing commercial strategies, and scaling fast-growing companies.
As current CEO of CURiO, Anne has more than quadrupled the company’s revenues and profit. She has led two highly successful founder and private equity exits and two transformative acquisitions. She is also chair of the CURiO board where she provides strategic leadership, financial reporting and focuses on governance matters.
Prior to CURiO, Anne held key leadership positions at Procter & Gamble, Coca-Cola and Johnson Publishing Company. Over a decade and a half, her experiences were highly strategic and diverse. She worked as a process engineer in a manufacturing plant, led billion-dollar brands, integrated large-scale acquisitions, spearheaded CEO-sponsored growth strategies, and orchestrated turnarounds.
A native of Detroit, Anne is a Duke University graduate receiving both her Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering and MBA from the Fuqua School of Business. She has been a very active volunteer, voice and leader on various Duke Boards for more than a decade and currently serves on Fuqua’s Board of Visitors. She is also a Trustee at the University of St. Thomas, Minnesota’s largest private university.
×
Debra L. Lee, Founder of Leading Women Defined, Co-founder of The Monarchs Collective and author of I AM DEBRA LEE, is one of the most influential female voices in the entertainment industry, with a trailblazing career spanning over 3 decades. For 13 years, Lee served as the Chairman & CEO of BET Networks, the leading provider of entertainment for the African-American audience and consumers of Black culture globally.
During her tenure, Lee helmed BET’s reinvigorated approach to original authentic programming that led to hits such as The Game, The New Edition Story, Being Mary Jane, The BET Awards, Black Girls Rock!, BET Honors and many more.
In September 2009, Lee managed the launch of Centric, a 24-hour music and entertainment network. Under her guidance, Centric was rebranded in 2014 as the first network designed for Black women. She also oversaw the company’s current growth initiatives, including international distribution of the brand in Canada, the Caribbean, the United Kingdom, France, the Middle East and sub-Saharan Africa.
Prior to her being named Chairman and CEO, Lee was President and COO of BET Networks for almost 10 years, during which she guided the company to consistent increases in viewership, revenue, and earnings. She first joined BET as Vice President and General Counsel in 1986 after serving more than five years as an attorney with Steptoe & Johnson, a Washington D. C. based corporate law firm. Prior to that, she served as a law clerk to the late Honorable Barrington Parker of the United States District Court for the District of Columbia.
Named one of The Hollywood Reporter’s 100 Most Powerful Women in Entertainment and Billboard’s Power 100, Lee’s achievements in her 30+ year career in the industry have earned her numerous accolades from across the cable industry, as well as recognition as one of this country’s most respected business executives. Lee was honored with the Distinguished Leadership Vanguard Award by the National Cable & Telecommunications Association and was inducted into the Broadcasting & Cable Hall of Fame, and The Advertising Hall of Fame.
In February 2017, the GRAMMY Organization recognized Lee with the Industry Icons Award, in recognition of her major contributions to American music and culture. Lee is currently the first and only woman to receive this distinguished honor.
Lee is a committed philanthropist, a Brown University Trustee emeritus; and sits on the Board of Trustees for the American Film Institute, The Paley Center for Media, and Cedars Sinai Hospital Board.
In 2011, Debra was appointed by President Obama to the White House Management Advisory Board during his tenure. Lee also currently sits on the Board of Directors for corporations including, Burberry Group, Plc, Marriott International, Procter & Gamble, and Warner Bros. Discovery.
In March 2023, Lee published I AM DEBRA LEE: A MEMOIR, which profiled her trailblazing career and experiences as a high-powered Black female executive in the entertainment industry. I AM DEBRA LEE was lauded by Kirkus Reviews as “a provocatively frank and inspiring memoir.”
Lee earned her Juris doctorate at Harvard Law School, while simultaneously earning a master’s degree in public policy from the John F. Kennedy School of Government. She graduated from Brown University with a bachelor’s degree in political science with an emphasis in Asian politics. In 2014, Debra was awarded with a Doctor of Humane Letters (L.H.D.) from her alma mater, Brown University.
×
Gabrielle Glore navigates the film and television space as Emmy-nominated producer (SYLVIE’S LOVE), executive producer (DIRTY LAUNDRY), and film financier (THROUGH THE FIRE). She produced 2 seasons of THE ROUND for CENTRIC (now BET HER), a TV show providing a platform for women of color giving inspiring TED-style talks. Under the GLORIFIED production banner, she is developing a slate of episodic and feature projects, spanning the scripted, unscripted, and animation genres.
She recently served as a consulting producer for Warner Bros. Discovery 150’s artist studio, with an eye on sourcing and supporting undiscovered stories, while surfacing projects for development opportunity across the company’s portfolio of brands. Gabrielle formerly served as Festival Director and Head of Programming for Urbanworld, a 25-year-old NYC based festival providing a platform for inclusive storytellers from around the globe and a launching pad for some of Hollywood’s most successful talent behind and in front of the camera.
Alongside being a Creative Producer of film & TV, Gabrielle currently serves as the Executive Director of the Leading Women Defined Foundation, established by Debra L. Lee, former Chairman and CEO, BET Networks, focusing on the empowerment of Black and brown women through professional advancement, personal health and wellness, and collective community impact. She collaborates closely with Debra, LWD’s Board of Directors, and the LWD team to create impactful experiences that elevate and differentiate conversations and content catering to both established and rising leaders across industry sectors.
Gabrielle sits on the Board of The Moth, a nonprofit dedicated to the art and craft of storytelling, and MoCADA (Museum of Contemporary African Diasporan Arts).
×
Gia Peppers is an award-winning on-air talent, entertainment journalist, content creator, and podcaster. She is most known for her nationally syndicated RadioOne show and podcast, “More Than That with Gia Peppers.” This year, after broadcasting in over 100 radio markets in the US, the show expanded to television with a limited series on Revolt TV with the same name. Gia is also the host of Amazon Music’s “R&B Rotation in DJ Mode” channel and contributes to NBC’s “Today Show.” With over a decade of experience on camera, she is one of the leading voices in pop culture, lifestyle, and entertainment. Whether she is hosting events for Michelle Obama, moderating a panel with Kamala Harris, interviewing Kobe Bryant or amplifying Black owned businesses on her shows, she loves using her voice for good.
The Washington DC native continues to carve out a lane of her own while balancing life as a creative entrepreneur and a journalist. In addition to her host work with other brands like Essence, BET, the NBA and more, she also launched an original interview series on YouTube titled, “Give You the Game,” where she has inspiring conversations with impactful leaders like Debbie Allen, Erica Campbell, and Jasmine Jordan- The daughter and heiress to Michael Jordan’s empire. In all that she does, she hopes to remind every viewer of the innate greatness that exists in each one of us.
×
Maria Weaver is a change-maker who transforms brands and helps companies grow. As President of Warner Music Experience (WMX), the global artist services, creative content, commerce and media division of Warner Music Group, Maria is focused on creating potent new opportunities for artists and brand partners through WMX’s key verticals: Commercial opportunities across digital and physical such as E-commerce, Retail, Licensing and Tour Merch, Content Development and Distribution, Media & Brand Partnerships and Nurturing and Developing Fan Communities.
Under Maria’s leadership, WMX made WMG the only major music company with an increased overall physical market share in 2022. Maria and her team oversaw 320 worldwide tours with leading artists, sold nearly three million pieces of merch, and established three music-related FAST channels on The Roku Channel.
Maria has a track record of transforming culturally embedded legacy companies. At Comcast, Maria rebranded the advertising sales division Comcast Spotlight as Effectv and spearheaded Comcast Rise, a $100M pledge to support 10,000 Black-owned small businesses. She was also a founder at Interactive One, the digital division that brought Urban One, the country’s largest distributor of content to Black America, fully online. At HBO, she rebranded Cinemax as a family-friendly network and she led game-changing marketing segmentation focusing on LGBTQ, Latino and women viewers.
Maria serves as Co-Chair of PTTOW!’s Social Justice Task Force, and as a board member for She Runs It as well as the Frederick Douglass Family Initiatives. Her long list of accolades includes a place on Diversity Woman Magazine’s Elite 100 list, a World Women Hero Honoree, a National Association for Multi-Ethnicity in Communications Award of Excellence, a Council of Urban Professionals Catalyst Award, inclusion in Variety’s Power of Women New York list for 2023, and a spot on Billboard’s Women in Music list in 2022 and 2023.
×
Experience and Expertise
She has over 20 years’ experience in the executive search industry with deep knowledge in governance. Before founding Ellis Kirk Group, Matrice led board and CEO assignments at two large global search firms and a boutique search firm. She began her search career in the Consumer Goods and Services and Private Equity Practices, as well as the Financial Officers Practice. Her early career was as an officer in commercial banking at MBank, the vice president of the Office of Management and Budget at Dallas Area Rapid Transit and leading the Dallas office of investment banking firm Apex Securities.
Outside the Company
Matrice graduated from the University of Pennsylvania. She and her husband, Ron, are empty nesters mostly living in Dallas, Texas. Her interests span the arts, education, and transportation. Matrice is the chair emeritus and life board member of the AT&T Performing Arts Center and is a board member of the Jefferies Financial Group.
×
Lifestyle Fitness-Enthusiast and Instructor
Monique is a natural athlete and as a trainer, helping people change their bodies is the ultimate reward. This former collegiate Track & Field and Cross Country athlete now brings her high energy and passion to the fitness industry helping educate and support individuals on their fitness journey.
×
Bridgid Coulter Cheadle is an award winning, serial entrepreneur and philanthropist with a decades long history of advocating for access to education and protection of the environment. Bridgid is celebrated for her family’s philanthropic work with a focus on climate change, social justice, political decency, women’s equity and education for the historically marginalized.
In 2018 Bridgid founded Blackbird Collective, a for-profit public benefit corporation and the preeminent private membership collective for women of color and allies to create positive social and economic change for each other and the world. The pilot location launched in 2019 in a Culver City warehouse, which closed in 2020 and immediately pivoted to digital through the pandemic, producing over 500 distinct programs. Last year, Blackbird moved back to physical space with an exquisitely designed new Culver City Flagship location which celebrated its grand opening on Juneteenth 2022. Blackbird is a curated network of work, wellbeing and creative programming studios offering inspired space for entrepreneurs, makers, storytellers, executives, practitioners, trailblazers, content creators and change makers to gather and work both individually and together, both in person and virtually — grounded by a love of storytelling. With professional resources shared with aligned peers, experts and practitioners to support productivity, wellbeing, creativity and advocacy; Blackbird is a joy-filled place in aligned community where you don’t have to go it alone — where wellbeing includes the full spectrum of wellness to include nourishment of the physical, mental self with societal belonging. In 2020, Bridgid founded Blackbird Alliance, the non-profit sister organization to the collective, to further support advancement through sponsorship, mentorship and technical training.
A native of Berkeley, California, Bridgid earned an undergraduate degree in Theatre Arts from the University of California at Los Angeles, where she later completed their prestigious post-graduate, masters-level UCLA Arch_ID program with distinction. She can still be seen on the occasional screen or stage in comedy, drama or as a lifestyle expert; and is most proud of being the mother of two young adults with a most supportive husband. She enjoys travel, fine art, cappuccino and poker home games.
Bridgid has received numerous awards for her work as a producer, designer and trailblazer, including the National Distinguished 400 Award from the 400 Years of African American History Commission; Stewardship of Sustainable Design from City of Santa Monica, Woman of the Year by the County of Los Angeles District 2 and most recently a recipient of a prized Tony Award as one of the producers of A Strange Loop, winner of best Broadway musical.
×
Embodiment Coach & Energetics Practitioner
Shantani Moore has been mentoring clients & teachers in fitness, wellness and embodiment for 10 years. As the Holistic Hype Woman, Shantani inspires thousands of people every day to make passion their purpose, activate authenticity, and create the lives they want – rather than living into the lives they’ve been sold.
×
Sheila Marmon has a passion for launching new businesses in the digital media industry and has created innovative platforms for over 20 years. With a focus on growth markets, her expertise delivers meaningful ROI for publishers, creators, investors, and multinational clients.
As Founder + CEO of Mirror Digital, a technology-enabled media and advertising company, she helps leading global brands tap into the fastest growing U.S. consumer base – the multicultural and LGBTQ+ market. An innovator in this space, Sheila and her team have executed over 1000 digital media programs for clients including Amazon, AT&T, Clinique, Comcast, Disney, General Motors, Pfizer, Procter & Gamble, Universal Pictures, and Walmart, among others for over 10 years.
Sheila has been featured in global publications including the Financial Times and has received numerous industry and civic awards including being named a Top Woman in Media and Ad Tech by Ad Monsters & Ad Exchanger, and leading Mirror Digital to be recognized as a “Best Place to Work” by Ad Age and to earn a spot-on Inc. 5000 list of America’s fastest-growing companies.
Sheila graduated with a B.A. from Princeton University, cum laude and an MBA from the Harvard Graduate School of Business. She resides in Los Angeles with her husband Steven F. Heuer.
×
Tai Beauchamp is an award-winning TV host, producer, and serial entrepreneur who innately connects and empowers women. Tai is the founder of Morning Mindset with Tai, a wellness community that began as an IG Live and now draws thousands of people daily virtually. Morning Mindset with Tai also hosts Morning Mindset with Tai: The Hike & Experience in Los Angeles–which has partnered with brands like lululemon, AG1, BET Networks, Thrive Causemetics, Walmart, and Bumble. Morning Mindset with Tai is a transformational wellness content company that has been featured in Essence, Travel Noire, BET, NBC LA Live, and Hoda & Jenna. Tai is on a mission to support women on their wellness journeys helping to elevate their mindsets, improve their health, and build their confidence. After more than 20+years as a Magazine Editor and media entrepreneur, in 2020, Tai co-founded BROWN GIRL jane with her Spelman College sisters. She serves as the brand’s Chief Brand Officer. With more than 39 Billion in media impressions, BROWN GIRL jane is the first and premier functional fine fragrance and has won numerous Best in Beauty Awards from Allure, Essence, O, and Cosmopolitan. BROWN GIRL Jane is sold at Nordstrom, Saks Fifth Avenue, Bloomingdales and at BROWNGIRLJane.com.
Tai lives in Los Angeles.
×
From financial modeling as an equity derivatives analyst at Goldman Sachs, to scaling a hyper-growth SaaS security startup at Signal Sciences, Kara partners with management teams across industries to grow the earnings and profile of businesses across their life cycles. Kara left her job at Goldman Sachs to pursue a dual JD/MBA degree at Stanford and went on to join Leonard Green & Partners to work on traditional buyouts, going-private transactions, recapitalizations, growth equity, and selective public equity and debt positions. She has worked across industries including consumer, business services, healthcare, and others. Outside of work, Kara serves on the board of the Downtown Women’s Center in Los Angeles, which is focused on serving and empowering women experiencing homelessness in the greater LA area. She has also worked extensively with the formerly incarcerated population as an active volunteer at the Doe Fund in NYC and Project ReMADE in Palo Alto. She was also a founding member of the Alvin Ailey Young Patrons group, as well as founding and leading Leonard Green’s philanthropic efforts.
×
From financial modeling as an equity derivatives analyst at Goldman Sachs, to scaling a hyper-growth SaaS security startup at Signal Sciences, Kara partners with management teams across industries to grow the earnings and profile of businesses across their life cycles. Kara left her job at Goldman Sachs to pursue a dual JD/MBA degree at Stanford and went on to join Leonard Green & Partners to work on traditional buyouts, going-private transactions, recapitalizations, growth equity, and selective public equity and debt positions. She has worked across industries including consumer, business services, healthcare, and others. Outside of work, Kara serves on the board of the Downtown Women’s Center in Los Angeles, which is focused on serving and empowering women experiencing homelessness in the greater LA area. She has also worked extensively with the formerly incarcerated population as an active volunteer at the Doe Fund in NYC and Project ReMADE in Palo Alto. She was also a founding member of the Alvin Ailey Young Patrons group, as well as founding and leading Leonard Green’s philanthropic efforts.
×
Yvette Shelton served as the Hair Department Head for CANDY CANE LANE. She has been in the union since 2005 and has been licensed since 1992. Shelton has worked on the Netflix show THE UPSHAWS and served as the Hair HOD of the HBO show INSECURE for 4 seasons. She was the Personal Hair stylist for John David Washington on three films including MALCOLM AND MARIE, AMSTERDAM and THE CREATOR.
×
During more than 30 years in advertising, Marissa Nance has invested into her own very special personal quest – driving representation in the industry’s workforce AND work. She creates pathways for BIPOC communities to have a seat at the table. In 2019, she left a 30-year career at Omnicom, where she was one of their first Black/Female, Managing Directors, to launch the FIRST and ONLY minority and female certified media agency, Native Tongue Communications (NTC). Built on her decades of success, NTC is THE place where Marissa and her team can now advocate for clients that have included Amazon, Pine-Sol, Burt’s Bees, Peanuts, Nike, Microsoft, Intel, Eli Lilly, McDonald’s and Clorox. She serves as protector, advisor and champion for countless women and BIPOC people, all through the lens of media, branded content, DEA&I and marketing communications. She is an industry leader and a voice for the future. Perhaps most importantly, NTC is 100% owned by Marissa, which means no matter the challenges faced as a small independent agency, she is able to remain steadfast in her NTC commitment to empower those who need it.
In 2022/23 alone, some of Marissa’s award-winning achievements include:
– $1,000,000 invested in Black Female entrepreneurs by creating “The Legacy Program” with Essence Magazine and Pine-Sol.
– Launching, “The Armstrong Project”, named in honor of Peanuts character Franklin Armstrong, to establish six-figure endowments at multiple HBCUs.
– Creating the first ever MICROcultural™ native campaign for Burt’s Bees, which drove their year-to-year product sales growth. Throughout her career, some of Marissa’s more iconic work includes:
– Launching reality TV’s two longest running competition series, “Survivor” and “Top Chef”.
– Launching the two highest-grossing independent films in recent decades, “My Big Fat Greek Wedding” and “Castaway” with Tom Hanks.
Marissa has continuously been recognized by her peers during her career. This includes:
– Elections to the Boards of “She Run’s It”, “GLAAD” and “The Harlem YMCA”
– Winner, Cup Catalyst Award
– 3x Black Enterprise Top Woman in Advertising
– Member, Cannes Lion and Effie Juries
– Reggie Award Winner
– ANA Multicultural and Reggie Judge
– Campaign’s 40 Over 40 and Female Frontier Awards
– Creative Media Award Finalist
– Cynopsis Model D and IT List Awards
– Forbes Women “50 Over 50” Honorable Mention
– Ad Age “Leading Women” Honoree
Marissa’s writing appears in the anthologies “International Sponsorships,” “What I Know is Me,” “Digital Marketing Tactics” and “The Art of Branded Entertainment.”
Marissa has appeared on several Podcasts and Interviews. Here are a few:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zOZRTg3kWhc | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xtxGhYUihXY |
https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-own-it-94081287/episode/how-marissa-nance-of-native-tongue-
110008856/
×
Tilane Jones has worked with award-winning filmmaker Ava DuVernay for fifteen years. In 2019, she was appointed President of ARRAY, leading ARRAY Alliance and The ARRAY Creative Campus. She continues to oversee ARRAY Releasing, the company’s film distribution arm, where she has been responsible for the acquisition, booking and marketing of the collective’s 40+ independent films by filmmakers of color and women of all kinds.
×
Janki Lalani Gandhi is a Managing Director of Finance and Business Strategy at Parkwood Ventures, and primarily oversees new business ventures (outside of music, entertainment, and production), as well as direct investments and deals.
Prior to joining Parkwood Ventures, [Janki or Ms. Gandhi] spent her entire career as an investment banker. She was a Managing Director at Goldman Sachs in the Cross Markets and Consumer Retail Groups, specializing in mergers & acquisitions in beauty and personal care, and apparel and accessories. She joined Goldman after being a Managing Director/Partner at Lincoln International and also at The Sage Group.
A Southern California native, she started off her college education at the University of California, Los Angeles, and transferred as a junior to The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, where she graduated with a B.S. in Finance.
×
Stacey Morris, who does business under the pseudonym Stacey Kutz, is oftentimes referred to as the “Stylist to the Stars” Stacey spent most of her early youth in New York City, where she was born. Since 1988, Stacey has been an established Barber-Stylist based in Los Angeles catering to the demands of high-profile clientele that spans across the music, sports, television and film industries worldwide.
In the beginning of Stacey’s career, she became the personal barber for familiar names like Kid-n-Play, Teddy Riley and Guy, New Edition, Doug E Fresh, Kwame, Mike Tyson, Martin Lawrence and Will Smith. These professional relationships mushroomed into an even greater demand for her services. In addition to those previously listed, Stacey soon became the barber for other A-list clientele such as Eddie Murphy, Heavy D, Puffy, Sean and Marlon Wayans, Jamie Foxx, Riddick Bowe, The R.O.C and Dwayne Wade. Since then, Stacey’s demand and career has only continued to grow.
In 2020, Stacey was Oscar shortlisted and nominated for a Critics Choice Award for her works on the filmDolemite. Over the years Stacey’s accolades include nine Emmy nominations and seven Guild Award MUAHS nominations, with two of those seven nominations being wins. Stacey was an honoree for the 2020 Hollywood Beauty Awards, 11th annual Hamilton Behind the Camera Awards and also won the 2021 American Influencer Award for Barber Influencer of the year. Most recently, Stacey was the Co-Department Head for the sequel,Coming 2 America which earned her a 2022 Oscar nomination recognizing her Afro-Punk inspired hairstyles created for the film. Thus, naming her as one of the African American hairstylists to ever be nominated in the category, during the only two times a nomination of an African American hairstylist has ever occurred in the entire history of The Academy.
To date (2023), she is the backup barber for Will Smith and the personal Barber-Stylist for Eddie Murphy, Anthony Anderson, Lil Nas X, Alfonso Ribeiro, Marcus Scribner, Miles Brown, Method Man, Brian White, Columbus Short, Brandon T. Jackson, Derek Luke,
Anthony Mackie and many more. Stacey has been the standing barber-stylist on countless productions including, but not limited to, the most current productions such as, Beverly Hills Cop 4, You People, Americas Funniest Videos, Black-ish, Grownish, The Voice, To Tell The Truth, Sylvies Love, King Richard, Dolemite and Coming 2 America. Due to her superb body of work, her styles executed on Dolemite were on exhibit at the newly curated Academy Museum of Motion Pictures in Los Angeles California from 2021-2022.
Stacey Kutz is the inspirational linchpin amongst her circle of preferred stylists and peers in the industry and a mother to her three beautiful daughters! She has been a member of I.A.T.S.E. (international Alliance of Theatrical & Stage Entertainers) since 1999 as well as MUAHS, the Makeup Artist and Hair Stylist Guild, Local 706, is where she serves her 2nd term as an executive board member. At the peak of the 2020 pandemic Stacey was one of the seven members of Local 706’s safety task force who co-authored the Make-Up and Hair Back-to-work Covid-19 Safety protocols for the industry standard to, consulting Governor Gavin Newsom during this venture. Those protocols have since been adopted across the U.S. and Canadian television industries. Stacey has been a member of the Academy Motion Picture Arts & Sciences for the Oscars since 2022 & also serves on the Makeup Artists & Hairstylists Branch Executive Committee. Broadening her talents, in all things hair industry connected, Stacey associate produced the talent portion of the 2021 MUAHS Guild Awards star-studded gala, honoring the outstanding achievements of make-up artists, hair stylists and on camera celebrity talent in motion pictures, television, commercials, and live theater. Stacey has also appeared as a cast member on screen for season 5 of LA Hair, the barbershop scene in You Peopleand appeared as herself for an episode of Red Table Talk. These investments attest to her full commitment and devotion to her craft and all things surrounding the business.
As a screen-stylist, Stacey remains dedicated to excellence by shaping the perspectives of appearances on and off the big screen, beyond the highest standards of fashion, trend and grooming. Represented by Alicia DeAnda of First Team Management, vital energy and order are contributed to Stacey’s success. Stacey Kutz is truly a top-tier artisan.
×
Latasha Gillespie is the Global Head of DEIA for Amazon Studios, Prime Video, MGM and Freevee. She is responsible for the development and management of all content related and customer facing DEIA work for the organization. Under her leadership, Amazon Studios created the entertainment industry’s first Inclusion Policy and Playbook, and standardized DEIA into its Greenlight Process. Latasha also created the Howard Entertainment Program, the first of its kind partnership between a major studio and an HBCU.
Latasha is a celebrated speaker, host, and moderator who has spoken around the world at CES, Essence Festival, Cannes, AFRIFF, the Recording Academy, the Television Academy, Rio2C, AdColor, Sundance and more. She has been featured on Variety’s 2021 Women’s Impact Report and 2022 Inclusion Impact Report, was recently honored as a 2022 Multichannel News Wonder Woman and received the Black Women Film Network 2023 Beacon Award.
×
Sharen Davis is an Emmy Award-winning and two-time Academy Award-nominated costume designer whose discerning eye for detail has created some of the most memorable costumes in film and television. She most recently worked on Candy Cane Lane directed by Reginald Hudlin and starring Eddie Murphy and Tracee Ellis Ross.
She received her Emmy Award in the Fantasy/Sci-Fi Costume category for her work on HBO’s critically acclaimed Watchmen, starring Regina King, Jeremy Irons, Jean Smart, and Louis Gossett, Jr. Her two Oscar nominations honored Davis’ work in period costume design for the Ray Charles biographical film, Ray, directed by Taylor Hackford and starring Jamie Foxx, Regina King, and Kerry Washington, and the 1960s-set musical feature, Dreamgirls, directed by Academy Award-winner Bill Condon and starring Jennifer Hudson, Beyoncé Knowles, and Jamie Foxx.
For her designs on HBO’s critically acclaimed series, Westworld, Davis earned an Emmy nomination and went on to receive the Costume Designers Guild Award—the fifth such honor bestowed by her fellow designers following The Help, Dreamgirls, Watchmen, and Ray. The Costume Designers Guild even bestowed Davis with the Career Achievement Award in 2022.
Davis’ costumes have been an integral element of the storytelling of groundbreaking features spanning historical, contemporary, and fantasy genres, such as Denzel Washington’s The Great Debaters, Antwone Fisher, Fences, and A Journal for Jordan; Quentin Tarantino’s stylized western, Django Unchained; Tate Taylor’s feature adaptation of The Help and his James Brown biopic, Get on Up; Rian Johnson’s time-bending Looper; and Antoine Fuqua’s remake of the classic The Magnificent Seven.
Her other noteworthy credits include the feature films The Pursuit of Happyness, The Book of Eli, Alpha, Akeelah and the Bee, and Devil in a Blue Dress. Sharen’s most recent work can be seen in the Oscar-winning film King Richard, starring Will Smith and Aunjanue Ellis and directed by Reinaldo Marcus Green.
In addition to her accomplishments in costume design, Davis has acted as producer or executive producer on numerous short films and independent features, in part as an extension of her service as mentor to countless up-and-coming young filmmakers from diverse backgrounds. She has also served on the Board of Governors for the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences and is a member of the Television Academy.
×
Named president of OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network in 2019, Tina Perry oversees all operational and creative areas of the network, reporting to OWN Chairman and CEO Oprah Winfrey. Her leadership is a driving force behind the network’s ongoing evolution to become the leading destination for Black audiences. She also oversees OWN’s robust digital division including the network’s TVE Everywhere product, WatchOWN, award-winning website Oprah.com, and flourishing podcast business. She also oversees OWN on Max and d+, WBD’s direct-to-consumer streaming services.
Perry was instrumental in OWN’s successful launch into scripted programming with popular drama series Queen Sugar, Cherish the Day, Greenleaf, The Haves and the Have Nots, the Peabody Award-winning David Makes Man, The Kings of Napa, and the upcoming All Rise. She oversees the continuing success of the network’s lineup of unscripted hits that includes, Love and Marriage: Huntsville, Love and Marriage: Detroit, Love and Marriage: DC, Ready to Love, Speak Sis, Family or Fiancé, Black Love, and Put A Ring On It in addition to the Daytime Emmy-award winning Super Soul Sunday. Perry has spearheaded the development of OWN’s annual holiday movies block, OWN For The Holidays. She has also shepherded the creation of special OWN Spotlight programming that tackles important issues affecting Black women today. Perry is a champion of OWN’s social good initiatives including OWN’s award-winning, get-out-the-vote and registration campaign OWN Your Vote, OWN Your Health, and most recently OWN Your Shine, launched along with OWN’s first-ever Juneteenth activation. She is a passionate advocate for the nuanced representation of Black women in media, spearheading OWN’s collaboration with the ANA’s SeeHer.
Perry serves on the OWN Board of Directors, The Paley Center for Media’s Los Angeles Board of Governors, The Television Academy Foundation’s Board of Directors, the Board of Directors of The Friends of the Saban Community Clinic, the Board of the Hollywood Radio and Television Society (HRTS) and in 2021 was elected to the Board of Directors of Avantax (NASDAQ: AVTA).
She has a passion for art and serves on the California Institute of the Arts (CalArts) Board of Trustees, Stanford University’s Cantor Arts Center Advisory Board, and is a founding board member of The Mistake Room, LA’s independent, non-profit global platform for contemporary art and ideas.
Perry has received multiple honors and awards. in 2022 she was inducted into the Cable Center’s Cable Hall of Fame. She received the Women in Telecommunications LEA Award in 2019 and the Stanton Award from The Center of Communication in 2021. In 2019, she was named to the Cablefax 100 list and has received that recognition, five times consecutively. she has also been recognized by the Cablefax Diversity list, Most Powerful Women list and the Variety Inclusion Impact Report.
Perry holds a Juris Doctor degree from Harvard Law School, a Master of Science in Comparative Social Policy from the University of Oxford and graduated with Honors from Stanford University.
×
Heather Primus is an experienced psychotherapist working in one of the most prestigious and diverse private practice firms in Los Angeles. Using an individualized, relationship-based approach, Heather works collaboratively with women, couples, families, and children to address a range of concerns impacting well-being including anxiety, depression, trauma, relational issues, and school-based challenges. She supports clients in their therapeutic goals by centering their lived experiences as a path to personal growth and healing. She is particularly attuned, and deeply committed, to the distinctive needs of clients of color. In addition to individual therapy, Heather leads workshops for parents that help repair and improve parent-child relationships, and groups for Black girls that promote positive self-identity and cultural confidence. She recently authored a program entitled Emotional Inheritance: Everyone is an Heir exploring the connection between our generational legacy and personal narrative.
Beyond her clinical practice, Heather actively engages with organizations and initiatives championing equity and diversity. She serves on the Board of Trustees and chairs the DEIJ committee at Park Century School, an independent school educating neurodiverse students with language-based learning differences; co-chairs the Trustee Leadership Program for Private School Village, a nonprofit organization dedicated to “positively transforming the private school experience for Black families;” and partners with nonprofits to provide therapy and psychoeducation to underserved communities of color. To maximize her impact, she earned a Board Leadership Certificate from the African American Board Leadership Institute (AABLI).
Heather is a proud alumna of Howard University where she earned her bachelor’s degree in English, and of Pepperdine University where she graduated magna cum laude with a master’s in clinical psychology. She also holds a Master Teacher designation in early childhood education.
Heather lives with her husband, son, and daughter in View Park, the nation’s largest Federal Historic District based on African American history.
×
×
×
×
×
×
×
×
×
×
×
×
×
×
×
×
×
×
×
×
×
×
×
×
×
