Stephan Ricardo Reeves is a Jamaican-born entrepreneur with over 18 years in diversity & inclusion, education and technology consulting. His journey led him from Jamaica in 1987 where he attended New Canaan Country School followed by Westminster School and ultimately Lehigh University where he achieved a BA/BS in International Business/Careers with minors in Asian Studies and Social Psychology in 1998.

Following Lehigh where Stephan was a recipient of the ACE Entrepreneurship award, he moved to Philadelphia, PA and started a successful sales and consulting career in the software and telecommunications industries. Stephan founded Montage Diversity Consultants, LLC in 2001 to empower organizations to leverage diversity and inclusion strategic planning to increase competitive advantage. The venture led to a multi-year initiative with the School District of Philadelphia, resulting in the creation of the district's minority/women business enterprise (M/WBE) compliance program.

Stephan and his team recognized the inequity that existed for certain student populations (predominantly those poor or of color) in education. Montage Education was born to help address that inequity through the delivery of professional development and training as well as online, personalized and blended learning solutions.

Always committed to personal and organizational development, Stephan’s focus continues to be, helping individuals, organizations and boards leverage diversity & inclusion and supplier diversity to provide economic impact; where they live, where they work and where they play! Montage Diversity Consultants, LLC was awarded the honor of ‘MBE of the year in Palm Beach County- 2015’ and has again received that honor in 2018! Stephan sits on the board of the African Caribbean Business Council, Young Caribbean Professional Network, and is seeking a position on a school board.

Ervin Lee stands at the forefront of the fastest moving on the go retail space and innovative brand product development. He’s spent the past five years evangelizing an industry-wide shift to private label brands, technology, and internal ecosystem development. This has helped position his retail stores and products as a leader in brand incubation, retail sales solutions and consumer delivery services.

A calculated risk-taker with deep brand, distribution and retail industry knowledge, Ervin has grown his retail stores to impressive growth over the last five years with a hyper focus on the “intimacy of the sale”, being customer involved and driving consumer engagement through real time feedback.

Throughout his 23-year tenure with Bacardi USA, Pepsi, MIllerCoors and Gillette, Ervin has built a reputation for developing business strategies, incubating new innovative brands, and building out channel programs.

Ervin holds a Bachelor of Science from Brigham Young University and is currently enrolled at The King’s University pursing a Master of Theology. He is also a member of The Board of Directors for the Texas Package Store Association, which is made up of 3,000 plus liquor stores and owners. Additionally, he is a founding member of Hampton Ministries that helps those who suffer from drug and alcohol addiction.

Mary Banks is the founder and president of WOW Consulting Group, a firm that specializes  in executive coaching and leadership development training. Mary has a passion for  "connecting people to purpose" and building strong leaders. 

For over twenty years, Mary developed expertise in leadership development, organizational  design, employee relations, and teambuilding. Her background includes coaching executive  management teams on the people agenda for mergers and acquisitions, transition planning and  change management. She has comprehensive experience in leading teams through national  change initiatives resulting in organizational and job redesigns.  

Mary enjoyed a successful 25 year career in both the financial services and energy industries prior to launching her own firm. She was the Senior Vice President and National Director of  ER Compliance & Leadership Training at JP Morgan Chase. Prior to that she was the Senior  Vice President of Employee Relations at Bank One. 

Mary enthusiastically serves others and has demonstrated this by her involvement in the  leadership of several non-profit and civic organizations including serving on the boards of the  Holocaust Museum Houston, Leadership Houston, Spaulding for Children, and on the Board  of Trustees for ORU in Tulsa Oklahoma. She was one of the founding directors of the Bible  Museum in Washington D.C. and served on the Board of Directors for nine years. Presently  she serves on the American Bible Society Board of Directors in Philadelphia. Mary served as  President of the Houston Human Resource Management Association, one of the largest HR  associations in the nation with over 2400 members. She was also appointed to the Texas  Commission on Human Rights by the governor of Texas where she served a six year term as  chairman of the Commission. 

Mary is the author of The Multi-Faceted Woman, Living by Faith 9 to 5, and 52 Weeks of  WOW Faith and a frequent speaker on topics such as Increasing Your Personal Effectiveness  and Discovering Your Purpose.  

Ms. Banks is married to her college sweetheart Melvin, they have one daughter and reside in  Houston, Texas.

Dr. Tamara Bennett is the founder and senior pastor of This is Pentecost International Fellowship  Ministries (affectionately known as “The TIP”), in Sacramento, CA.  

From humble beginnings over 20 years ago, Dr. Bennett has fostered the growth of “The TIP” from a  handful of attendees to its current global outreach through both in-person ministry and via social media to more than two million people annually.  

Despite being situated in an area riddled with gang violence and poverty, “The Tip” has become a  beacon of hope in the Sacramento community. Dr. Bennett and her husband Quentin Bennett have established several successful outreach ministries, partnerships, and programs to address homelessness,  provide aid for seniors, alleviate food insecurity, and fight gang violence. In recognition of Dr. Bennett’s tireless efforts to improve the lives of those around her, in 2017 she was honored on the court of the  Sacramento Kings with the Walmart Community Playmaker Award.  

Dr. Bennett’s overwhelming passion for developing and mentoring people to become their best is palpable. In 1998, she founded not one, but two non-profit organizations: The Daughters of Zion (DOZ)  Enterpryz and Space of Grace Youth Academy. She and her husband have dedicated their lives to serving  others through these organizations as well as “The Tip.” Under their leadership, thousands of individuals and families have been empowered spiritually as well as physically through programs that have provided food, clothing, housing, and job/leadership training. In celebration of her achievements, World Harvest  University awarded Tamara an Honorary Doctorate of Humanitarianism. 

In 2020, when the global Pandemic caused the world to push “pause,” the Bennetts valiantly marched forward. Although they had just launched their “Q 1227” restaurant months earlier, instead of shuttering  it, they made the Roseville suburban restaurant into a safe haven and developed an innovative concept  called “California Comfort Food.” Quentin’s vast culinary skills (over 30 years in the field) combined with  Tamara’s administrative excellence quickly caused the restaurant to become a favorite in the region and landed it among Yelp’s top 15 restaurants. 

Tamara is a trailblazer and a shining example of what it means to be a servant leader and business icon. 

Jillian started her love for business and entrepreneurship at the age of 10 with a paper route in Detroit, MI.  Now with over 20 plus years of professional business development and marketing experience, Jillian has held various positions at some of the top Fortune 500 companies such as Xerox, AT&T, Microsoft and Amazon.  She also has international experience working for Saatchi & Saatchi in Europe.

Jillian is currently the Global Sr. Marketing Manager for Amazon Brilliant Basics Leadership Development supporting leaders globally for Amazon Air,  Logistics, Transportation Services, Customer Fulfillment, Global Specialty Fulfillment, Physical Stores & Amazon Pharmacy.  This leadership training allows Amazon to manage, lead, and engage our workforce and improve the employee experience, drive business results, and foster an Amazon's culture that honors our past and advances our future.
Prior to her role at Amazon, Jillian was a Business Consultant for Microsoft Department of Defense (DoD) where she helped the United States Navy and Army with their go to market and digital transformation strategy..
Jillian is passionate about serving her community and is currently on the Global Board for Amazon Black Employee Network (BEN) and is the President for BEN Detroit, member of Amazon Women in Engineering and a board member for Code313.

Jillian has held several leadership positions acting as the Worldwide Chapter Lead for Blacks at Microsoft (BAM), Chapter lead for BAM Michigan, Executive Board for "The Circle" , past President of NAWBO Excel a nonprofit affiliated with the NAWBO and a member of NewME helping to bring together entrepreneurs working on innovative technology in the Metropolitan Detroit area,

She is most passionate about helping women and youth find their unique voice in business and technology, which drove her to establish, MERG-E (Michigan Employee Resource Group for Equity) Friends in Technology, Jill Talk, Brilliant in Business and The C.E.0. Women organizations.

Kareim R. Cade is a native Detroiter and a 1994 graduate of Clark Atlanta University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration, focusing on Insurance and Risk Management.   

Kareim obtained his Life and Health Insurance license from the State of Michigan and began his independent insurance career with New York Life Insurance Company in 1995.  He was later recruited by Colonial Life and Accident Insurance Company in 1996 where he served in several sales and sales management positions.  During his tenure with Colonial he won several national sales awards and qualified for the company’s prestigious President’s Club and Leaders Conference. 

Mr. Cade launched Great Lakes Benefit Group, (GLBG), in 2006 to address the growing demand of an “one stop shop” approach for small to mid-size employer groups.  GLBG currently provides benefits consulting for K-12 traditional public and charter school districts, public/private sector, associations and national union organizations in Michigan, Maryland, Georgia, Washington D.C, and Florida. He was BenefitsPro 2019 Broker of the Year Finalist. 

Kareim previously served as National Sales Director for Great American Financial Resources and also partnered with 4 educators to establish Transitions Consultants, LLC which supported and managed 3 charter schools in the Metropolitan Detroit area.  

In addition to his business interests Mr. Cade is a graduate of Leadership Oakland XV and has held several leadership positions in community organizations.  Selective Service System, Metro Detroit Association of Health Underwriters, National Association of Black School Educators, 

National Technical Honor Society, honorary member; Playworks Michigan, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Michigan; board member; Ron Clark Academy, board member; Aspire Detroit, board member; and New Paradigm for Education, board member. 

Green-hearted Sister, Urban Steward, Environmentalist, Detroit Lover, and Chief Beautification Strategist are some titles used to describe Audra D Carson and her work. She has been at the forefront of Environmental Justice since 2009 when she founded De-tread as a solution to tire waste/blight that plagues communities around the globe.

Currently, Audra leads Izzie LLC (named in honor of her mother) where she has designed a subscription Strategic Beautification service that addresses the need for cleanliness maintenance for community corridors, commercial campuses, and public shared space. Additionally, her company provides Environmental Adaptation Landscaping and Sustainability consulting to universities and organizations.

Her parents were community advocates and Audra has continued their legacy through community engagement work that includes the Joe Louis Greenway Community Leadership team. Audra is a distinguished alumnus of The University of Olivet and a member of the Board of Trustees, host of the CommuniD podcast, and a Keep Michigan Beautiful and three-time Spirit of Detroit award recipient.

Mark J. Chironna has been in the people-helping business for more than four decades. With a media presence spanning almost 175 nations, his message of wholeness through the integration of the spiritual and psychological is heard across the globe. He has a father’s heart for emerging generations and serves as the Presiding Bishop of Legacy Edge Alliance, a worldwide fellowship of senior apostolic leaders and churches. Bishop Chironna is regarded as an influential leader whose global reach, clarion voice, and prophetic insight are respected by leaders and followers alike. As an avid student, Dr. Chironna is a Theo-Semiotician, holding a Doctorate of Ministry in Future Studies as well as an MA in Psych. He is also an author, BCC Certified Coach, and is currently seeking a Ph.D. as Postgraduate Researcher at the University Of Birmingham, UK and is the founder and senior pastor of Church on the Living Edge in Orlando, Florida.

Brandon holds 16 years of experience in the banking industry. He is known for his integrity and dedication to his clients. A Detroit native, he has a deep-rooted commitment to his community, demonstrated through his active involvement in numerous projects aimed at promoting financial literacy and financial freedom. Brandon's approach has always been about making organic connections and nurturing them to produce.

Brandon currently serves as the Board Director of the Detroit Executives Association at the Detroit Athletic Club. There his leadership and vision contributes to the organization’s continued success. His professional journey is marked by a continuous drive to create a lasting impact, particularly within Black communities, through dedicated volunteerism and community engagement.

Brandon is the proud father of two wonderful children, Brandon Jr. (6) and Bria (5). He has been married to his beautiful wife, Tiana, since 2016. Brandon's career and personal life reflect his ongoing commitment to growth, community service, and making a positive difference in the lives of others.

Bob Dickerson has spent his career finding ways to get money into the hands of people. For years, he did it as both a commercial and consumer lending officer, working at several large financial institutions. Today, he does it as the Executive Director of the Birmingham Business Resource Center and Chief Executive Officer of Foundation Capital, a Small Business Administration Certified Development Company.

​Bob founded the BBRC in 1996 after realizing no program in Birmingham combined loan programs with capacity building and advocacy – three things every business needs to succeed. Bob secured the support of Birmingham elected officials, and various development companies and boards to start the BBRC. What he ended up with was an organization that has become a “one-stop” for small business financing and related technical assistance. The programs the BBRC manages have produced over $1 billion in loans to small businesses since 1996.

 Bob graduated from Tuskegee Institute in 1973 with a degree in business administration. He has worked at several financial institutions but said that working for Birmingham business icon, A. G. Gaston may have been the greatest moment in his career. Gaston made such an impression on Bob, that he and others started the A.G. Gaston Economic Empowerment Conference in 2005. The annual conference focuses on the challenges and achievements of black and other minority businesses and discusses ways to strengthen them. The conference is held in February in Birmingham, Alabama.  Recently, Bob founded Building Alabama Reinvestment (BAR), a statewide coalition of non-profit organizations that works to make sure that banks’ efforts under the Community Reinvestment Act pay dividends to the community.

 Bob is a member of several foundations, boards, and civic organizations.  He serves as Chairman of the Board of the National Community Reinvestment Coalition (NCRC) and he also serves on the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute’s Board of Directors. In addition to those, he serves on the boards of the Birmingham Business Alliance, the A. G. Gaston Boys & Girls Club, the Talladega (Alabama) College Board of Trustees, the Hispanic Interest Coalition of Alabama, the city of Birmingham’s Commercial Development Authority,  Community Capital Trust Board of Trustees, and the Fair Housing Center of Northern Alabama.

 His efforts in helping people have recently earned him the NAACP Medgar Evers Award and the Tri-County Links President’s Award. In addition to these, Bob is a past recipient of the Birmingham Chamber of Commerce’s Jesse J. Lewis Jr. Community Service Award and the Birmingham Business Journal’s Minority Business Executive of the Year. Bob and the BBRC received the National “Access to Capital” Award from the Department of Commerce Minority Business Development Agency in 2009, and in 2013, Dickerson received recognition as “Executive of the Year” from the Birmingham Business Alliance.

 Bob currently serves on community advisory boards for several financial institutions including BBVA, IBERIABANK, Valley Bank, Truist Bank, and Cadence Bank where he helps guide executives with support in creating more successful high impact community development programs. Bob was honored as the 2018 recipient of the Keeper of the Dream Award presented by the Southern Christian Leadership Conference for his work to achieve economic justice for all.

Michael Finley moved to Johannesburg, South Africa in 1995 and served as a volunteer basketball coach for a year in South Africa’s notorious Alexandra township.  After sending South Africa’s 1st black student to the USA on a basketball scholarship then sending the 1st delegation of African players to an NBA camp his vision was formed. Michael knew his life’s mission was to contribute to helping improve young people’s lives through the sport of basketball and to developing the industry of basketball on the continent of Africa.  Michael founded Miles & Associates International in 1996 and led a team that built hundreds of basketball courts, trained thousands of coaches and hundreds of thousands of African basketball players in more than 15 countries over the next two decades. Continuing his mission, Michael joined the NBA in 2018 and currently heads Basketball Business Development for NBA Africa. NBA Africa recently announced the launch of their first league outside of North America and Michael will be working with a dedicated team to establish this as one of the world’s top basketball leagues.

Dr. Flowers serves as the inaugural Chief Diversity and Social Responsibility Officer for LCMC Health, leading a comprehensive diversity, equity and inclusion strategy for the organization and its member hospitals. She served in a similar capacity for the St. Joseph Mercy Oakland Hospital in Pontiac, Michigan. In 2018 and 2019, Becker’s Hospital Review named Flowers one of its 50 “Great African American Health Administrators to Know.” Dr. Flowers also formerly served at Roper St. Francis Health, a health system is comprised of four hospitals, 125 outpatient facilities and a workforce of 5,000; as the organization’s Inaugural Vice President and Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer.

Dr. Flowers is the President & CEO of Maritime Executive Consulting LLC a consulting, leadership development and coaching firm. The consultancy specializes in Strategic Change Management. It assists clients with various strategies to navigate through the processes of organizational or professional change.

Flowers is a Registered Nurse, medical anthropologist and executive coach. She is the co- chair, a member of the Executive Committee and faculty of the American Hospital Association’s, Institute for Diversity and Health Equity’s: American Leadership Council for Diversity in Healthcare. This Award-winning Diversity Professional also serves as faculty and lecturer with the Institute for Diversity Certification in Diversity Management Program. In this capacity, she serves health care executives across the country in the creation of organizational diversity/disparities strategic action plans.

Toni has a passion for learning and teaching. This passion drives her to continuously hone and expand her skill set and to share her knowledge with others. She fulfills the role of recurring guest lecturer, trainer and keynote speaker to national audiences. She has dedicated nearly 25 years in service by teaching adults at an Institute for Women in Ministry as Associate Provost and Instructor. Toni has been an exclusive member of the Human Capital Executive Research Board of Talent Management and Diversity Executive.

In addition, Toni served on the American Medical Association Foundation’s Health Literacy Advisory Council. She is a former research-fellow with the National Institutes of Mental Health: Career Opportunities in Research and has traveled as a medical missionary and trainer for over twenty-five years, working in many countries throughout Africa, South America, and the West Indies. She has been a licensed minister for over 30 years. Toni’s global perspective of diversity & Inclusion, health & health care inequities and her experiences as a cultural specialist enables her to provide training sessions that are both enlightening and educational. Toni received cultural competency training from the National Multicultural Institute, health literacy training from the American Medical Association Foundation and diversity training and certification from Georgetown and Cornell Universities as well as the New Detroit’s Multicultural Leadership Series. Additionally, she is a Crucial Conversations® Trainer, Just Culture® Facilitator and an Executive Coach. She is recognized both locally and nationally as leader in the work to reduce health and health care inequities among underserved populations. In her previous role, she was a member of the health system’s senior leadership team working to ensure quality, safety and health equity for all patients and implementing diversity and inclusion strategies with the end result of a highly qualified, effective and efficient talent bank reflective of their service community.

Toni has addressed the issue of inclusion from various perspectives including talent management strategies such as, creating pipeline programs to develop interest in careers in healthcare for high school students and career advancement and growth opportunities for entry-level healthcare workers.

In previous roles, by collaboration with community partners, Toni created the organization’s first Student Co-Op Program. These students participate in a comprehensive training, development, coaching and mentoring program. The organization is hosting its second cohort of this 8-month pipeline program to provide low-income high school juniors and seniors exposure to careers opportunities in healthcare. She built upon the success of this program and designed and implemented The Workforce Enhancement (WE) Program, an adult – workforce development/enhancement program for unemployed or under-employed individuals.

She also implemented and designed other city-wide projects with a focus on faith – based delivery and community education. Her interests are in the areas of women’s health, mental health, equity, health and health care disparities, policy, racial & social justice, organizational culture change and leadership and workforce development.

She holds doctorates in education and humane letters and a master's degree in business administration from Christian University of Southern Indiana, as well as a Bachelors in Anthropology from Wayne State University.

Dr. Ray Johnson has earned the distinction of being one of the country’s top educational consultants and specializes in cross-sector collaboration and partnership building. Dr. Johnson has founded and assisted in the development of schools across the country.  He has been a pioneer in the realm of character education, accelerated learning, and multicultural curriculum through his groundbreaking, site-based management. He has elevated parental and community involvement to record-breaking levels.

As the former Chair of the Neighborhood Service Organizations Board of Directors, he worked closely with community stakeholders, governmental agencies, and investors to restore the historic Michigan Bell Building on Oakman Blvd. in Detroit.  This $50 million community investment is providing 155 safe, fully furnished, one bedroom apartments for formerly homeless adults.

Dr. Jones is the Assistant Dean of Community Engagement, and Chair of the Public Safety Programs at Franklin University.  She also oversees the Center for Public Safety and Cybersecurity Education (CPSCE), and the Global Center for Healthcare Education (GCHE) at Franklin University.  Dr. Jones received her Ph.D. in the Administration of Justice from Texas Southern University in Houston, Texas.  Her research interests include race and crime, policing, and juvenile delinquency.  She is particularly interested in issues of police/community relations, disproportionate minority contact (DMC), mass incarceration, and the intersection of race and gender in the criminal justice system.

Dr. Jones currently serves as the National Director of Research for the Teen and Police Service (TAPS) Academy, a federally funded program designed to reduce social distance between police officers and youth.  As the Director, she is responsible for establishing the research agenda, analyzing data, and serving as a consultant for best practices in improving relations between teens and the police. She has written numerous articles and book chapters on public perceptions of the police, race, and the administration of justice.  She is also the co-editor of A Critical Analysis of Race and the Administration of Justice.

Dr. Jones is a highly sought-after speaker, and has conducted several presentations, keynotes, and media appearances on issues of race, police/community relations, and disproportionate minority contact.  She is a reviewer for the U.S. Department of Justice Office of Justice Programs, the National Institute of Justice (NIJ), and several academic journals including the Journal of Juvenile Justice, the Journal of Offender Rehabilitation, and Race and Justice.  She is a crime analyst for TV One’s hit show “For My Man.”  She was appointed by Columbus Mayor Andrew Ginther to serve on the Columbus Community Safety Advisory Commission. She is a member of the Juvenile Detention Facility Assessment Team for Franklin County.  She is an ambassador for the Ohio Office of Criminal Justice Services’ Change Starts Here campaign.  She is featured in “An Unfinished Documentary…Change Starts with You” which highlights law enforcement and community-wide efforts to improve police/community relations.  Dr. Jones founded Come Together Columbus, which is a loose collective of organizations and individuals committed to racial justice, community empowerment, and police reform in Columbus, Ohio.

Dr. Jones is the recipient of numerous awards including Franklin University’s Dean’s Award Recognizing Excellence, the Central Ohio Social Justice Award for Education Advocacy in Higher Education, Columbus Business First’s 40 Under 40 Award, the Conley Award for Excellence in Teaching, the Sankofa Award for Education, and the Visionary Award by Columbus City Council and the Create Columbus Commission.  Dr. Jones is the 2018 recipient of the Emerald Literati Award for Most Outstanding Author Contribution for her book chapter The New Jane Crow: Mass Incarceration and the Denied Maternity of Black Women.  She serves on the Board of the Grant Foundation for Grant Medical Center, the Columbus Impact and Inclusion Advisory Board for Columbus Young Professionals, and the Advisory Board for the Black Legacy Advancement Coalition (BLAC), which is a national policy think tank organization established to advance and defend African American interests for life and legacy.  Dr. Jones is also a member of several community and professional organizations including Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated, the Create Columbus Commission, the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences, the American Society of Criminology, the National Association of Blacks in Criminal Justice, and the Racial Democracy and Criminal Justice Network.

His bold, vibrant images can be spotted throughout the Detroit metropolitan region. Chances are if you’ve visited Mexicantown, Greektown, the Cultural Center, Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History, Detroit Athletic Club or any number of other landmark community attractions, you’ve encountered the remarkable work of master artist Hubert Massey.

An award-winning Kresge Fine Arts Fellow, his distinctive fresco murals grace the halls of such visible Michigan destinations as the Flint Institute of the Arts, Detroit Athletic Club, and his alma mater, Grand Valley State University, where he earned an honorary doctorate of fine arts in 2012. In 2014 the Detroit Regional Convention Facility Authority commissioned Hubert to create the first large-scale mural completed for Cobo Center since 1987. A fresco painting, the mural will feature images and tell stories of Detroit community pride.

Hubert studied at the University of London’s Slade Institute of Fine Arts and later learned the centuries-old fresco technique from former assistants of legendary artist Diego Rivera. Today Hubert is the only known, African American commissioned fresco artist in America.

“Public art begins with the community it will serve. In fact, after nearly 20 years of creating large-scale public works of art for various cities, communities and neighborhoods throughout the Midwest, it is my belief that public art should be, first and foremost, meaningful to those who surround it.” – Dr. Hubert Massey

Michelle May is a Licensed Professional Counselor, professional musician and coach for creative professionals residing in Detroit, MI, where she was born and raised.  She earned a Bachelor of Arts in Language Arts (Elementary Education) with a minor in music from Marygrove College (Detroit, MI) and a Master’s in Counseling and Post-Master’s work in Instructional Technology from Wayne State University (Detroit, MI).  She has a Certificate in Music Recording Technology from Schoolcraft College.

Michelle has worked in mental health since 1988, beginning with working at Adult Learning Systems, an organization committed to mainstreaming adults with physical challenges and mental illness.  Michelle also served on the Board of Adult Learning Systems. In 1996, Michelle and her sister, psychologist Dr. Angela May, co-founded A.M. May & Associates, a counseling and consulting firm in Detroit.  Michelle was a counselor in higher education from 1991 to 2021, working at both Wayne State University and Oakland Community College (Oakland County, MI).

Michelle is a member of the American Counseling Association, the Association for Multicultural Counseling and Development and a past member of the American College Counseling Association, where she served on the Community College Counseling Taskforce.  She is a past board member of the Centers of Wellness for Urban Women, based in Indianapolis, Indiana.  She is a past President of the Michigan College Personnel Association, a Division of the American College Personnel Association.  She is a past Board member of the Marygrove College Alumni Association, serving as its Vice-President and a past Board member of the Historic Boston-Edison neighborhood association. Michelle is a current Advisory Board member for the Charles W. Reid Community Help Center in Detroit, MI.

Michelle has presented numerous workshops on higher education topics, stress management, time management, diversity, self-esteem and motivation.  At Oakland Community College, she was responsible for developing and presenting workshops related to community health and wellness, including founding and facilitating an on-campus women’s group known as “Celebrating Sisterhood”.   Michelle is a passionate advocate of women, Black people and the issue of diversity in the arts and is often called upon to lend her voice to these causes as a blogger, speaker and panelist.

Michelle is a professional violinist and flutist and is the manager and bandleader of Musique Noire, a women-led strings and percussion ensemble performing world jazz music. She is the Executive Producer of the ensemble’s three CD releases and music films. She has performed with numerous high-profile, Grammy-award winning musicians, such as Stevie Wonder, Aretha Franklin, Donnie McClurkin, Richard Smallwood, and KEM to name but a few. Michelle has made numerous appearances at festivals and concert halls including the Detroit International Jazz Festival, Orchestra Hall in Detroit, Detroit’s Concert of Colors, the Chicago (IL) String Summit, Arts Beats and Eats (MI), the former Comerica Tastefest (Detroit), Detroit River Days and Kerrytown Concert House in Ann Arbor, MI, to name but a few. Michelle is a 2018 Kresge Artist Fellow, a program of Kresge Arts in Detroit, sponsored by the Kresge Foundation. She is a 20-year plus member of The Recording Academy, which annually produces the GRAMMY Awards. Michelle founded, produces and directs “Concerts in Boston-Edison” and “Concerts in Indian Village” which has presented house concerts in these historic Detroit neighborhoods since 2011 and 2021 respectively. As a coach and educator for upcoming and professional creatives, she has worked with private clients as well as the Detroit Public Schools, the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, Wayne State University, the University of Michigan, Marygrove College, Kresge Arts in Detroit, Chamber Music America and the Sphinx Organization.

Pastor Meredith has been a Senior Pastor for 18 years. He was Ordained Chairman Deacon at the age of 22. After years of devoted and faithful service, he was ordained an Elder at the Dunamis Outreach Ministries Worldwide, Inc. Tyran served as Pastor over The Helps Department as well as Pastor of the Integrity Campus Ministry.

Pastor Meredith has been very instrumental in the planning of many churches and organizations. He was blessed to be the recipient of numerous awards honoring his demonstration of effective leadership. Pastor Meredith has a passion for ministering love and support to those who are homeless and hungry all over the world. He was ordained an Apostle on August 31, 2018 by Kingdom Global Ministries, Inc.

Pastor Meredith has been blessed with a beautiful family. He is a devoted husband and father to his sons, Tyran, II and Aaron. His former Pastor said, “If I had 50 men like Tyran Meredith, I could take the world for Jesus”.

Joey Odom is a commercial real estate professional who has has been  with Stan Johnson Company since 2006. He leads and manages the  company’s Southeast region, which has a major presence in the net lease market. In 2015, his team was honored with the Stan Johnson  Company award for the fastest-growing team within the company, based on transaction volume. Joey has participated in the sale of in excess of $2 billion of retail transactions in his career. He has been a recipient of Stan Johnson Company’s Sales Excellence Award in each year since its inception and is a multi-year recipient of the company’s Core Values Award.  

From 2015 to 2020, Joey served on the board for Covenant House Georgia (CHGA), which exists to eradicate youth homelessness and to support youth who have experienced homelessness. Through his involvement with CHGA, he helped to raise $100,000 towards the organization's fight to end the epidemic of youth homelessness. His participation centered largely  around the annual Covenant House Sleep Out for which he recruited many other real estate  professionals and raised funds toward the event. In addition, he initiated an internship program for  Covenant House youth at Stan Johnson Company.  

Though originally from Oklahoma, Joey and his wife Cristin currently live in Marietta, Georgia with their two children, Harrison and Gianna. The family are actively involved at Buckhead Church, serving as  volunteers and as small group leaders. In addition to his previous board involvement at Covenant  House Georgia, he has also served on the board of advisors for the Metro Atlanta Chamber of  Commerce, as well as the alumni board for his alma mater, Oral Roberts University. He is an avid  Chicago Cubs, Oklahoma City Thunder, and most recently, Atlanta Braves fan. 

Kenisha has been in the Commercial Real Estate Industry since 2006 with various roles and experiences within her tenure. She has an undergraduate degree in Chemistry and Spanish, and a Master's Degree in Real Estate Development.

She spent 5-years as a Tenant Rep with UGL-Equis, a company who has since merged with Cushman & Wakefield. It was there that she became known as a tenacious negotiator for end-users of space, as she represented clients such as: the General Service Administration, DaVita, Sodexo, the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society and more. Kenisha later transitioned to Corporate Real Estate at Walmart headquarters, where she was responsible for an $8 Billion portfolio and conducted: lease negotiations, excess land sells, she generated revenue from carve-outs, curb-cuts, easements, and helped develop new stores. She managed well over 44 million sf of real estate within her portfolio.

In 2017, Kenisha returned to full-time brokerage and joined RE/MAX Commercial in Atlanta, Georgia representing companies such as the WinShape Foundation (a subsidiary of Chick-fil-A), H.J. Russell Development and many other corporate users, private clients and even international companies establishing a United States presence in Atlanta. Kenisha holds the prestigious CCIM designation, and in 2019 became one of the first black female CCIM Course Instructors in the institute’s history. She currently serves on the Georgia CCIM Chapter Board as the President-elect, and previously served as Treasurer and chaired the University Outreach & Scholarship Committee. She is passionate about paving the way for others, and has been a mentor with the Atlanta Commercial Board of Realtors for over 2 years. She is on the REAP Atlanta Advisory Council and was influential in establishing the CCIM/ REAP Mentorship program to promote diversity within commercial real estate, and assist new C.R.E professionals within their first few years in the business.

Kenisha is an educator, and very active within her community. Annually she teaches in the Georgia State University’s real estate class, and also gives back to share valuable information in an Atlanta Public high school. She even makes it her mission to educate her clients throughout the entire process of their real estate transaction. Therefore, due to her industry proficiency, and community service, she was named “Broker of the Year” and a 2020 Commercial Real Estate Woman of Influence by GlobeStreet; and in 2019 she was a recipient of the Connect Media’s "Women in Commercial Real Estate Award;" recognized as a Regional and National Leader in the Industry.

Dezi Santiago is a purpose-driven Christian, mother, serial entrepreneur, and orator. As host and co-creator of the nationally syndicated television show “Ask Anything Dezi” on The Word Network and founder of both Sway’d Style Lounge and Virtuoso Home Healthcare, Dezi has not only built a life she loves, she is also sharing her knowledge with the world.

With a servant’s heart and a myriad of life experiences to teach from, Dezi shares the raw truth of her life’s journey with God. From lost to found, her testimony can only be summed up in one phrase - “Nothing, but God”. From that center, Dezi has chosen to share her story and steer others to a more fulfilling and God-centered life.

Cheryl Thompson is the founder of the Center for Automotive Diversity, Inclusion & Advancement (CADIA).  CADIA is a 501(c)3 nonprofit that supports Diversity, Equity and Inclusion for the Automotive Industry by providing professional development for individuals, along with resources, programs and tools that drive organizational evolution.

A veteran of the automotive industry, Cheryl has over 30 years of experience at Ford Motor Company and American Axle and Manufacturing in positions ranging from tool and die, operations, manufacturing engineering and global leadership. 

She is a Certified Diversity Professional through the National Diversity Council, a Certified Six Sigma Black Belt and is trained in Leadership Coaching. She received her undergraduate degree in Manufacturing at Siena Heights University, and her MBA from Michigan State University.

Cheryl has been recognized as a 2019 Influential Women in Manufacturing Honoree, a 2019 Corp Magazine Salute to Diversity award winner, Marketing and Sales Executives of Detroit Platinum Award, and is the recipient of two Diversity and Inclusion Awards from Ford Motor Company. 

A sought-after voice and speaker in the automotive, manufacturing and aerospace & defense industries, Cheryl has performed keynote addresses, workshops and breakout sessions for a number of companies and events, including TEDx Windsor, Women in Manufacturing (WiM), the American Automotive Summit, Society of Women Engineers (SWE) and CADIA’s annual Rev Up 2030 event.  

Derene Turner is a Software Engineering consultant.  In this position, Ms. Turner serves as a Senior Integration Engineer where she directs, manages and leads project staff to administer the design, development, coordination, and implementation of systems software, devices, conversions and integration initiatives for healthcare information technology systems.

A native of Detroit, Turner holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Wayne State University.  She is a Certified Integration Engineer. Derene is married to her husband Robert and has two adult children, Troy & Portia.