Christele Nicolas-Parham MBA is a visionary leader of Ham Designs, dedicated to creating safe spaces for community members in the Middle Georgia area and beyond through technology and innovation. With a background in human-centered design and a passion for community empowerment, Christele curates processes for various initiatives at the intersection of healthcare and social impact. In addition to her extensive community involvement, Christele has co-founded Macon Black Tech, where she spearheads ecosystem-building efforts and provides tech and innovation resources through programming and strategic partnerships.

Erin Horne McKinney is the inaugural National Executive Director of the Howard University & PNC National Center for Entrepreneurship. Before joining Howard University, Erin served as the Executive Vice President of Innovation and Strategy for the Association of Enterprise Opportunity (the national trade association for micro businesses and the financial institutions that support small businesses), CEO of WomenVenture (a Small Business Administration designated Women’s Business Center and Community Development Financial Institution), Managing Partner of Inclusion for JumpStart Inc. (a nonprofit venture and economic development firm), and as Senior Advisor on Innovation and Entrepreneurship in the Executive Office of the Mayor of Washington D.C.

Fay Horwitt serves as President and CEO of Forward Cities, where she oversees organizational and programmatic strategy. In that role, she specializes in developing collaborative, entrepreneurial ecosystems, narrative change frameworks, and artificial intelligence strategies for social impact. Additionally, Fay engages nationally as a keynote speaker, presenter, truth-teller, and ecosystem-building thought leader. She has a personal goal to see the racial wealth gap close in her lifetime and is committed to the deep, multifaceted, and collective work it will take to make that happen.

Jade Lockard is the Program Manager for the Nex Cubed HBCU Founders Fund, an accelerator fund investing in and jump-starting pre-seed and seed startups founded by Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) students, alums, and faculty members. She is also the Founding Program Director for the HBCU Founders Initiative (HBCUFI), the non-profit arm of Nex Cubed. HBCUFI accelerates idea-stage startups developed by HBCU founders through grants, programming, and events. Throughout her career, Jade has driven transformational social change through innovative initiatives, increasing access to capital for historically marginalized communities. Jade is a DE&I champion and is committed to creating long-lasting social impact.

Kunbi Tinuoye is an award-winning British-born journalist based in the United States. She founded UrbanGeekz, a tech blog covering content from a diverse and multicultural perspective. Kunbi is a former correspondent for NBC’s theGrio.com. Before that, she was a senior broadcast journalist for the BBC in London and graduated from the University of Cambridge. She also studied for a post-graduate diploma in print journalism and is an NCTJ-qualified UK professional journalist. In 2022, Tinuoye and her team launched Geekz Ventures, a pre-accelerator for underestimated entrepreneurs launching their first tech-enabled startups.

LaKisha Greenwade is the Founder and CEO of Wearable Tech Ventures and Senior Coach at Lucki Fit coaching for startup founders and leaders. She leads the charge to support 100 wearable startups by 2030 led by underrepresented founders and has grown the Baltimore-based organization to representation in 4 continents. Affectionately known as “Coach L,” she teaches ambitious entrepreneurs, experienced professionals, and senior-level managers how to push past their self-imposed limits, unleash their innovative spirit, and design the life of their dreams.

Servola Frazier is an accomplished business strategist, author, keynote speaker, and entrepreneur. She proudly carries forward a legacy of service as the spouse of an Air Force Retired Colonel and child of an Army Retired Master Sergeant, serving in civilian roles with the Army and Air Force. After her civil service, Servola launched Motivate Enterprises LLC, a premier organizational training and development firm. She is also the creative mind behind Motivate Positive Products and the founder of the Success Center of Brevard, a nonprofit business incubator. Servola’s professional portfolio boasts 21+ years in Business, Training, and Development and over a decade in contracting.

Shemekka Stewart-Isaacs is an activist, a community researcher, a best-selling author, a business owner, and a consultant passionate about advancing well-being and equity on a foundation of racial justice. She is the founder of Black Girl Magic Market, which celebrates and supports Black women entrepreneurs. She co-founded I Am Brilliant, PLE Leaders, and the CROWN Campaign. These initiatives empower people with lived experience to share their stories and advocate for change. Shemekka Ebony is an inspiration to many and a voice of lived experience expertise.

Tunji Fadiora is an entrepreneur and startup champion passionate about empowering underserved founders. For over a decade, he’s been dedicated to fostering diversity and innovation in the startup scene, primarily across the Southeast. His journey started in 2009 with Sensorium, a consultancy started after kickstarting his career by winning an elevator pitch competition. He founded Creative Culture Media, a creative agency serving clients nationwide in 2014. In 2017, he founded ELEV8 Ventures, a movement committed to providing diverse founders with the resources they need to thrive.