ELC Board Director Bio Book

Board Director Bio Book

Tameka Alsop

CHIEF ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER, MOODY’S CORPORATION

Tameka Alsop is Managing Director, Chief Administrative Officer at Moody’s Corporation and a member of the Executive Leadership Team. In this role, Ms. Alsop leads a range of strategic and operational initiatives that are vital to the company’s success. This includes leadership of the company’s global enterprise technology team.

Ms. Alsop has more than 20 years of experience helping drive positive change and business results at Moody’s. Previously, Ms. Alsop was Managing Director, Head of US Financial Institutions Relationship Management at Moody’s Investors Service, where she built customer relationships with institutions to grow coverage and revenue, as well as expanded relationships with existing issuers and intermediaries. She also held various leadership positions across the organization including roles in Business Process Management and Ratings Operations, Investor Relations, Structured Finance Surveillance, Public Finance, Business Planning and Revenue Accounting.

Ms. Alsop currently serves on the Trident American Dreams Advisory Board, she is a founding member of the Women’s Business Resource Group at Moody’s, and she’s the current global executive sponsor for Moody’s Veterans Business Resource Group. She is also a key contributor to various diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives at the company – this includes serving as executive sponsor for Moody’s CORE (Creating Opportunities for Racial Equity) initiative.

Ms. Alsop holds a B.A. from Pennsylvania State University and is a certified project management professional.

Nancy Armand

HEAD OF PORTFOLIO MANAGEMENT, UNSECURED LENDING-HSBC BANK USA, HSBC

Nancy Armand is the Head of Portfolio Management at HSBC Bank USA, where she brings more than 30 years of global experience in marketing strategy and brand transformation, leveraging behavioral economics, product performance improvement, and customer engagement. She oversees all customer retention and engagement activities for Card and Unsecured Lending. She has led major initiatives such as the complex communications strategies required in response to changing regulatory environments on tax matters and financial crime across multiple jurisdictions.

In late 2017, Armand returned to the United States after five years in the UK, where she was the Executive Vice President and Interim Regional Head of Marketing for Wealth & Personal Banking Europe. In that role, she was responsible for the country marketing teams of Europe and the First Direct and M&S Bank brands driving customer engagement and revenue growth. She joined HSBC in 2006 to lead Premier, the mass affluent proposition and subsequently served as SVP Customer Propositions & Segment Marketing, where she revitalized a compelling customer proposition, and improved revenue by 10%.

Armand has extensive experience leading marketing and product development efforts with well-known Fortune 500 companies. She has served as VP Marketing and Brand for Dun & Bradstreet, where she led a 3-year transformation that included creating a revolutionary model designed to predict customer attrition. Prior to Dun & Bradstreet, Armand worked as a Senior Marketing Consultant for Mastercard, building the strategy and framework for engaging customers, and developing new product offerings. Armand began her career at American Express and AT&T, serving in strategic marketing roles.

Recognized as a dynamic and transformational leader, Armand has led cultural, operational and regulatory change initiatives, and has delivered significant gains in corporate value. She works closely with executive management on business strategy and implementation, and has led large global teams, inspiring and harnessing creativity and collective insight with outstanding results.

Tiffany Atwell

SVP, GOVERNMENT RELATIONS , ECOLAB INC.

Tiffany Atwell is currently the Senior Vice President of Government Relations for Ecolab as of November 2020. Prior to this role she was the VP of global government and industry affairs for Corteva Agriscience. She had global responsibility for government and industry engagement strategies to advance the business goals of Corteva Agriscience. She managed a global team focused on shaping government policies and regulations that impacted Corteva’s freedom to operate in the United States, Asia, Latin America, Europe, Middle East and Africa.

She started her business focused career at Abbott as a Director of Global Government Affairs in 2006 focused on global trade policy’s impact to Abbott’s freedom to operate and was later promoted to Senior Director for Strategic Programs. She had responsibility for developing external engagement strategies for India, Russia and China to promote market access for key products. Atwell was the recipient of the Abbott President Award in 2010, 2011 and 2012. She also received the Commercial Excellence Award in 2011, and considered a rising leader prior to her departure.

Atwell spent over a decade in the U.S. Government with a variety of international policy roles, first as a U.S. State Department Presidential Management Fellow. During her tenure she was awarded a U.S. State Department Meritorious Honor Award. Her final post was as the International Trade Policy Advisor for Senator Grassley, Chair of the Senate Finance Committee.

Tiffany lives with her family in Washington, DC. She enjoys volunteering and mentoring young professionals in her spare time, noting the kindness she received from so many to help her be successful professionally. Growing up economically disadvantaged in North Carolina with mom as the primary financial provider that worked three jobs to keep a roof over their heads inspired her interest in giving back to society and helping people that face some of the same barriers she faced while trying to accomplish financial independence.

Agnes Bundy Scanlan,

Esq. PRESIDENT, TRUIST FINANCIAL

Agnes Bundy Scanlan, Esq., is the President of The Cambridge Group LLC, a strategy and risk management advisory firm consulting with financial services firms, fintechs, and other companies.

Recently, Agnes was a senior adviser for Treliant LLC where she counseled financial services firms on various matters including strategy, governance, cybersecurity, regulatory and risk management.

Previously, Agnes served as the Northeast Regional Director of Supervision Examinations for the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (“CFPB”). As Regional Director, Agnes oversaw the regional NYC office, and represented the CFPB Supervision mission on all matters relating to conducting consumer financial protection supervision and examinations at a variety of complex depository financial institutions and non-depository consumer financial services companies. The 32 financial institutions and 25 companies under her regulatory authority had assets totaling over $6 trillion.

Earlier, Agnes was the chief regulatory and compliance officer, and global chief privacy officer at TD Bank. She worked in similar roles at Bank of America and its predecessors. Agnes also served as counsel at Goodwin Procter and for the United States Senate Budget Committee; and, was a defense lobbyist for Fairchild Republic Company.

Agnes is an independent director with Truist Financial Corporation; AppFolio, Inc., (chair of its risk and compliance oversight committee); and, R1 RCM, Inc. She is a fellow of the American College of Consumer Financial Services Lawyers and is vice-chair of the American Bar Association’s Business Law Section’s Compliance Management Subcommittee. Agnes is an advisor with the Paul, Weiss ESG & Law Institute and a member of the Executive Leadership Council. She was selected for inclusion in Boston Business Journal’s Most Powerful Women, and in Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business. Agnes is the former vice chair of the Smith College and Bryant University Boards of Trustees, former chair of the Federal Reserve Board of Governors’ Consumer Advisory Council, former (and founding) chairman of International Association of Privacy Professionals, and former chair of Fannie Mae’s Housing Impact Advisory Council.

Agnes holds a J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center and an A.B. from Smith College. She is a member of the Bar of the Supreme Court of the United States, the Bars of the Commonwealths of Massachusetts and Pennsylvania, and the Bar of the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. Currently, Agnes is enrolled in Oxford University’s Advanced Digital Transformation certification course. She completed certification courses with the University of Cambridge on Digital Disruption: Digital Transformation Strategies; Harvard University and NACD on Cybersecurity Oversight; and, MIT on Artificial Intelligence.

Agnes was raised on a small livestock farm in eastern Pennsylvania. She has traveled extensively including residence in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Earl Burns Jr.

SR DIRECTOR & MD, RENEWABLE FUELS PBF ENERGY

Earl Burns Jr is the Senior Director of Renewable Fuels at PBF Energy where he is the executive responsible for global segment commercial delivery; until September 2022 he served as GM and lead executive of ADM’s GPTN Crush & Fiber (biomass) business in the Americas. He has more than 25 years of global commercial experience in the commodity sector serving in various optimization, trading, marketing, supply, compliance and risk management roles.

From 2008 - 2020 Earl successfully led both commercial and functional organizations as the executive leading hydrocarbon (Crude Oil & Distillates) trading, marketing and supply businesses for Phillips 66 in Europe and the Americas, as well as leading the Marine Freight Trading effort for the company (then ConocoPhillips). Earl also served in commercial trading and leadership roles at BP and PwC Consulting prior to joining ConocoPhillips. He began his career with ExxonMobil (then Mobil Oil Corporation) where he served in a variety of leadership positions in the US, Africa and Latin America inclusive of F/X trading, logistics, sales and marketing.

Earl holds a BS in Marine Engineering from the United States Merchant Marine Academy, an MBA from Purdue University’s Krannert School of Management, and an MS in Technology Management from the University of Pennsylvania (Wharton School/Penn Engineering). He is also a proud member of the Executive Leadership Council, a board member (elected director) of the United States Merchant Marine Academy Foundation (USMMAAF) and a member of the Global Association of Risk Professionals (GARP) Energy Oversight Committee. Earl is also a member of NACD, achieving NACD Certified Director status in March 2022. Earl is a veteran of the US Naval Reserves, serving his country as a Commissioned Officer (Lieutenant). He values time with loved ones and friends, and his favored leisure pursuits are community service, golf, and travel.

Carlton Charles

SVP, TREASURY & RISK MANAGEMENT, HEARST

Carlton J. Charles, Senior Vice President, Treasury and Risk Management, serves as global treasurer, oversees risk management and insurance, leads the company’s Risk Working Group and Supplier Diversity Programs and is Chairman, Level Up Ventures. Carlton was also elected to the Hearst Board of Directors in 2020. Carlton is also a member of the Executive Leadership Council and National Association of Corporate Directors, where he is a Governance Fellow and Certified Board Director. In the community, Carlton serves on the board of Build. org, a non-profit focused on teaching entrepreneurship to youth in underserved communities and has provided significant support to the Madison Square Boys and Girls Club, which made him a Youth of the Year honoree in 2021.

Carlton has demonstrated financial acumen throughout his 30 plus year career in treasury and risk management. Carlton developed the operational risk management program for Hearst and is chair of the company’s Risk Working Group. Among the focus areas for the group are cybersecurity and data privacy. Carlton also created Hearst’s Risk Summit, which is an annual convening of CFOs and CTOs from across Hearst’s businesses to discuss the key risks facing the company. Carlton used his experience on the investment committee for HearstLab, a business accelerator focused on early-stage female founders, to establish a venture capital company in 2021 called Hearst Level Up Ventures, which is focused on early-stage Black and Latinx founders. He also established Hearst’s first-ever, supplier diversity program and is Chair of the Supplier Diversity Council.

Carlton was an early architect of the Enterprise Risk Management program for Moody’s Corporation, an SEC regulated company and one of the largest rating agencies in the world. Carlton regularly reported to the Moody’s board on treasury and enterprise risk topics.

Prior to Moody’s, Carlton held increasingly responsible positions in treasury and risk management for International Paper, Joseph E. Seagram and Sons, Viacom (Paramount Global) and Philip Morris (Altria). Carlton’s board service includes being a member of the Hearst Board of Directors. His non-profit board service includes his present role on the board of Build.org, where he is on the Development Committee and the Executive Director search committee. Carlton also was recently on the Board of Trustees of St. Thomas Aquinas College, where he served on the Planning and Investment Committees. Prior to that Carlton served on The Board of the Bronx Preparatory Charter School.

Carlton holds an MBA in Finance from the University of Chicago and a Master’s in Public Policy and a Bachelor of Science in Economics from SUNY at Stony Brook.

Keith Dorsey

MANAGING PARTNER - U.S. PRACTICE LEADER, CEO & BOARD SERVICES, BOYDEN

Dr. Keith D. Dorsey is a researcher, author, advisor, and active board member focused on issues of diversity, governance, and strategic growth for private and public corporate boards. His recent research examined the pathways Black women executives took to secure corporate board seats, yielding powerful insights about the barriers and facilitators unique to diverse candidates seeking these positions. His forthcoming book, Charting an Intentional Path Toward Corporate Board Service: Practical Guidance for Women at Every Career Stage to Secure a Seat at the Table, combines his research insights with his extensive executive, board, and industry experience.

Board Experience and Certification

Keith is a National Association of Corporate Directors (NACD) Certified Director. He serves as a board member at Vimly Benefit Solutions, private technology and third-party administration company, Pepperdine University’s Graziadio Business School, and the City of La Quinta’s Financial Advisory Commission. Keith is also a member of the Executive Leadership Council (ELC) and a graduate of Santa Clara University’s Black Corporate Board Readiness program. Former Board Member, Orion Talent, a recruitment process outsourcing and talent acquisition firm.

Corporate Experience

Keith is currently a Managing Partner and the U.S. Practice Leader of CEO & Board Services at Boyden, a global executive search firm with 75 offices in 45 countries. His work focuses on helping clients recruit board directors and executives.

In his former role as President and Executive Advisor for Dorsey Management Consulting, he mentored and advised CxOs on their sales growth and go-to-market strategies, helped businesses align their strategy with sales expectations, aggressively grow their bottom line and shareholder value during significant periods of change, optimize leadership and sales team effectiveness.

He has over 25 years of sales leadership experience in the Human Capital Management industry, such as at Alight Solutions (formerly Aon Hewitt and Hewitt Associates), a $2.3B leading provider of human capital solutions where he served as the Executive Vice President, Global Head of Sales responsible for the overall sales growth strategy and execution. Under Keith’s executive leadership, his sales teams consistently produced double-digit annual growth.

Prior to joining Hewitt Associates, Keith worked with Paychex, Inc., a Fortune 1000 payroll and HR outsourcing company, for 16 years. He was a Zone Sales Manager responsible for the growth and delivery of revenue in their Human Resource Service Division. Before Paychex, Keith spent three years in the insurance industry and five years serving his country in the U.S. Air Force.

Education

Keith has a Doctor of Education in Organizational Change and Leadership at the University of Southern California. His dissertation research is around the lack of gender and ethnic diversity on corporate boards. He also has an MBA from Pepperdine University and BS in Business Administration from Charter Oak State College.

Diallo Dphrepaulezz

HEAD OF A&D TRANSITION MGMT OFFICE (HR A&D), JOHNSON & JOHNSON

Diallo is an accomplished executive with more than 20 years of experience implementing enterprise-wide strategic initiatives which drive top- and bottom-line profitability, promote operational excellence, and enable the enterprise’s vision. His leadership experience includes roles within business development, alliance management, product development, change management, risk management, and special operations within the U.S. Army Special Forces.

He utilizes his unique hybrid capabilities as Green Beret, lawyer, and proven operator to enable the fulfillment of strategic objectives through grit, adaptability, and out-of-the-box thinking. Diallo is an engaging team leader who inspires teams to perform at high levels, develops individuals and works well beyond his authority to influence positive outcomes.

In his current role at Johnson & Johnson, Diallo heads the Transition Management Office (TMO) managing employee transitions for new acquisitions (integrations) and divestitures globally (HR A&D).

In his previous role at the Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies (Johnson & Johnson subsidiary), Diallo was recruited for his hybrid special forces-private sector background to use agility and determination to solve complex problems. He directed enterprise-level strategic and operational projects and managed multibillion-dollar alliance partnerships.

In his previous role as Senior Analyst, SME at Macauley Brown, Diallo leveraged his deep “operator” experience to drive materiel testing and assessments to inform purchasing decisions for US Special Operations Command. He managed classified assessment projects on time and within budget by directing a team scalable to 40+.

As a VP and Risk Management Consultant at Hub International Insurance Services, Diallo managed a team developing a complex risk management solution(s) practice for defense and national security clients.

Diallo spent seven and a half years in the U.S. Army as an active-duty Special Forces Communications Sergeant, Green Beret. Beginning as an enlisted intelligence analyst, he successfully completed the Special Forces Assessment and Selection (SFAS), he went on to complete the Special Forces Qualification Course (“Q-Course”), earning the coveted Green Beret by demonstrating physical ability, grit, determination, and adaptability within volatile environments. Together with his Special Forces Operational Detachment-Alpha teams, he trained, enabled and led battalion-sized (200+) indigenous forces in light infantry combat operations and unconventional warfare over multiple deployments.

Currently, Diallo continues his service within the U.S. Army National Guard as a Senior Intelligence Analyst. He focuses on targeting and intelligence analysis products to enable mission success.

It’s no surprise that Diallo began his career in the education sector. As one of fourteen children from a single parent home, he attended nine K12 public schools across multiple states. A number of his older siblings entered foster care and adoption. Today Diallo and his wife have served for years as foster parents and adoptive parents. He worked in public policy promoting education policy reform issues by publishing opinion articles in national newspapers. He then managed sales teams to market SchoolNet.com data-driven software for K12 schools. He also worked served as a founding leadership team member for a charter school in East Harlem, New York, established and turned around underperforming K12 schools for Edison Schools, Inc.

Deborah Elam

PRESIDENT AND CEO, CORPORATE PLAYBOOK

Deb Elam is a visionary senior executive and one of the country’s foremost experts in Leadership, Diversity & Inclusion. In 2017, Deb retired from a dynamic, thirty-year career at General Electric (GE), and launched her own company. She is now President and CEO of Corporate Playbook™, a company that provides leaders and organizations with strategic direction to elevate diversity, inclusion and culture in the workplace. In addition to Corporate Playbook™, Deb is also Executive Vice-Chairman of CNEXT, a highly-diverse global community for leadership exchange, development and advancement of high-impact leaders. Deb helped to design CNEXT’s Emerging Leaders Forum, which provides development for women and people of color who are in the pipeline at the director/senior director level in corporations.

In 2018, Deb launched Dining with Deb™, an innovative dining experience that brings together professional women across racial, religious and political lines to drive meaningful connections and conversations. The inaugural event sold out at 200 attendees. In 2019, it grew by fifty percent to 300 women, sold out again and had a long waiting list.

As GE’s first-ever black female corporate officer, Deb’s role as Global Chief Diversity Officer placed her in the top 185 of 300,000 employees. In Deb’s decorated career at General Electric (GE), she led the company’s philanthropic efforts through the GE Foundation’s $130 million dollar budget and GE Volunteers, to tackle some of the world’s most critical challenges in health, education and skill attainment.

Deb’s journey with GE began in 1986 as an intern. She quickly became recognized for her business intuition. She was highly regarded for her ability to “see around corners” by anticipating problems, synthesizing data, developing solutions, and then connecting the appropriate resources. Deb’s experience and leadership spanned multiple businesses and industries across GE including Global Exchange Services (Computer Technology), Aviation, Consulting Services, Capital Mortgage Corporation, Insurance Services, Capital Markets Services, Commercial Finance and the company’s corporate headquarters. Deb oversaw all talent management from succession planning to organization design and leadership development. She led HR programs and practices overseeing compliance with applicable employment laws and effectively managed complicated variable incentive compensation plans.

Deb constantly endeavored to elevate those around her. She oversaw a course specifically for women called Leadership Practices which had an 85% retention rate of participants 5 years later. The course was taught by Deb’s team, 10 times annually, across the globe and became one of GE’s most highly rated courses.

In 2010 Deb led (with other African American leaders and members of the GE Board of Directors) a global expansion strategy on the continent of Africa. This was a hinge moment for GE as she and the team laid the groundwork by meeting with national leaders, customers, employees and media in Rwanda, Ghana, South Africa and Nigeria. In just four years GE Africa expanded from a couple hundred employees to 1,200 and from $3B in revenue to $12B.

In 2013, Deb was appointed President of the GE Foundation and retained the role of Global Chief Diversity Officer, combining what had previously been two officer level roles. She was then given four weeks to manage 30% budget cuts. Deb did so with precision and was able to simultaneously lower costs and increase efficiency in both organizations, while remaining compliant with 501(c)(3) tax regulations.

Bennett Gaines

SR. VICE PRESIDENT CORPORATE SERVICES ANDCIO, FIRSTENERGY CORP (RETIRED)

Bennett Gaines is a visionary and results-driven senior executive with 18 years leading IT and cybersecurity organizations for Fortune 500 energy companies. Skilled at seeing big picture, working across organizations to implement strategy and ensure goals met, and inspiring teams to achieve exceptional results. Known as quick learner and masterful communicator who translates complex technologies and issues for all audiences. Received national recognition through multiple industry awards, including being named to SAVOY Magazine’s Most Influential Blacks in Corporate America. Acquired global perspective by living and working in Europe.

• Gained deep understanding of board structure and roles, collaborating with board and committees on technology and cybersecurity issues and serving in leadership positions on nonprofit boards, including Baldwin Wallace University Board of Trustees, Urban League of Greater Cleveland, and Akron Community Fund.

• Achieved zero security breaches over tenure as CIO and head of cybersecurity and protected energy grid (top-3 target for hackers) by leading best-in-class technology and security practices.

• Testified before Congress as cybersecurity expert and attained high-level security clearance, working with multiple presidential administrations and local, state, and federal government agencies such as DHS, FERC, DOE, and FBI to establish cybersecurity legislation, standards, policies, and operational practices.

• Played key role in transforming change-averse utility into adaptable, high-performing company, leading large-scale systems development to drive shareholder value and profitability, transitioning enterprise to cloud-based architecture, and enabling all business functions to work remotely during pandemic.

Derric Gregory

FOUNDER AND CEO, THE BRIDGE BUILDER GROUP

Derric Gregory is a highly accomplished accounting leader and corporate executive with in-depth expertise in auditing, risk monitoring, corporate governance, and compliance. Serve as strategic and valuable resource to boards of directors to inform decision-making, assess investment scenarios, design internal controls, measure performance, and provide assurance. Gatekeeper of governance and financial reporting across multiple industries, including healthcare, manufacturing, financial services, and government entities. Add value to ongoing business prosperity by ensuring operational efficiency, transparency, and adherence to policies, rules, and regulations. Expertise includes coaching and managing CEOs, succession planning, budgeting, ESG, and human capital matters. Seeking board appointments where purpose, excellence, inclusivity, and diversity are core tenets.

Ike (Isaac) Harris

Ike Harris is Corporate Vice President, Global Supply Chain Operations for ZT Systems. Headquartered in Secaucus, New Jersey, ZT engineers and manufacturers hyperscale storage and high performance compute infrastructure solutions for the world’s largest cloud service providers. ZT is one of America’s fastest-growing private companies and Ike’s responsibilities include Customer Operations, Global Manufacturing, Procurement, Logistics, Import/Export Compliance, and Corporate Social and Environmental Responsibility. Ike leads a global team based in the USA, Taiwan, China, and the Netherlands.

Ike serves on the Board of Directors for Lumentum Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ: LITE) as an independent board member and Compensation Committee member. Lumentum is a market-leading designer and manufacturer of innovative optical and photonic products enabling optical networking and laser applications worldwide. Ike is also a board director for Trajectory Foundation, a non-profit organization founded in 2017. Trajectory’s aim is to help Black students accelerate the trajectory of their lives through scholarships to attend Historically Black Colleges and Universities.

Previously, Ike held multiple senior leadership roles at Cisco Systems, including Vice President, Global Planning and Fulfillment for all Cisco hardware and software products ($39B). Prior to this role, he was Vice President, Global Manufacturing Operations, APJC and the APJC Regional Supply Chain Operations leader based in Hong Kong. Site accountabilities included Hong Kong, China, Taiwan, Malaysia, Thailand, and India.

Ike also held global leadership positions at HP, including Vice President, Supply Chain for the Notebook Global Business Unit. He was part of the executive team that grew HP’s laptop computing business from $7B to $22B. Ike had team members in the US, China, and Taiwan. He was based in the USA and Taiwan.

Ike is a passionate advocate for diversity, inclusion, and equality in the workplace and has made a career of creating opportunities and making positive change. He is an active member of the Executive Leadership Council. He previously served on Howard University’s Business School Advisory Board. He was recognized by Savoy Magazine’s 2020 list of Most Influential Black Executives in Corporate America.

Ike holds an MBA from The University of Chicago Booth School of Business (Finance and Strategic Policy), an MBA from Katholieke Universiteit Leuven in Belgium (School of Applied Economic Sciences), and a BBA from Loyola University Chicago (Finance).

CVP, GLOBAL SUPPLY CHAIN OPERATIONS, ZT SYSTEMS

Thomas Harvey PRESIDENT, FLOZENDA CONSULTING

Thomas Harvey is a Senior Executive with 38 years of experience supporting enterprise customers globally. He is a provocative, strategic and growthoriented leader with extensive experience in Cyber Security Operations and Compliance; Enterprise Customer Operations and P&L Management within the telecommunications sector.

Thomas’ personal career highlight was designing and overseeing the implementation of the first cellular network in the territory of Poland. This experience helped shape him as a leader and understand how critical diversity and inclusion is in building engaged and high performing teams. He is known for cultivating strategic relationships; providing award winning enterprise customer experience; and delivering exceptional business results.

Thomas retired in December of 2021, serving as the Senior Vice President of Network Sourcing where he led a team of over 5000 employees in 45 countries; supporting AT&Ts largest and most strategic customers; and representing over $1.2B in revenue. In this role, he owned the end to end client experience to include Cyber Security Delivery and Compliance; Service Delivery and Incident Management. He also served as AT&T’s Executive Advocate for Black suppliers. Helping AT&T Supply Chain exceed its $3B two year commitment with Black owned businesses.

Thomas was the Senior Vice President of Sales Excellence where he led a major technology transformation. Deploying two industry leading Software as a Service (SaaS) platforms. Improving seller productivity by 10%; increasing operational efficiency by 35% and Customer Satisfaction (NPS) by 9 points

He also led AT&Ts $3B Government Solutions Business Unit where his team delivered customized IT Solutions to the U.S. Federal Government. Growing revenue 7% and expanding margins by diversifying revenue mix and streamlining operations.

Thomas currently serves on the board of the Executive Leadership Council, where he served as Co-Vice Chair and chaired the Audit Committee. He is a member of the National Association of Corporate Directors.

Prior Board Director Positions:

• Dallas Theater Center (Nominating and Governance Committee)

• Thurgood Marshall College Fund (Finance Committee)

• Boy Scouts of America-National Capital Region (Director)

• The Ladder Alliance (Chair)

• YMCA Metropolitan Dallas (Director)

Thomas received his B.S., Electrical & Computer Engineering from the University of Wisconsin-Madison

Janice Innis-Thompson

SVP, LITIGATION AND OPERATIONS, NATIONWIDE INSURANCE COMPANY

Janice is an attorney and senior executive with experience in government, manufacturing, financial services and technology. She brings deep knowledge of governance, privacy & data protection, cybersecurity, and globally-regulated companies.

Business Experience

SVP, Litigation & Legal Operations, Nationwide, 2020present

• Responsible for all corporate litigation and counsel to HR, IT, Marketing, and Finance

C-Suite Executive

Chief Compliance Officer, Samsung Electronics, 2017-2020

• Built Compliance, Privacy & Data Protection programs.

Chief Compliance & Ethics Officer, TIAA 2006-2016

• Achieved virtually 100% regulatory compliance; created award-winning ethics program.

Chief Compliance Counsel, Tyco International 2004-2006

• Created global compliance program for all businesses following scandal.

Litigation & Chief Compliance Counsel, International Paper Company, 1998-2004

• Saved millions in litigation expenses and launched first compliance program.

Assistant U.S Attorney – 1991-1998

Board Experience

Executive Leadership Council, 2021-present

• Premier organization for Black Executives

• Members Committee

BridgeBuilder Mutual Funds, 2013-2020

• Edward Jones Mutual Funds Complex with more than $100 billion in assets under care.

• Inception member and Chair of the Governance & Nominating Committee.

The Wardlaw-Hartridge School, 2012-2020

• Independent K-12 School in Edison, NJ

• Chair – Committee on Trustees

• Committee Memberships: Executive, Audit, Strategy, & Risk Management.

Hale House, 1999-2015

• Child Care and Family Housing Support Organization founded by Claire Hale

• Audit Committee Member

Advisory Boards:

• New York Police Department – Independent Audit Advisory Board member, 2013-2017

• Board IQ, 2017-2020

Lauren Kelly

CHIEF COMMERCIAL OFFICER, THOUGHTEXCHANGE

Lauren Kelly is Chief Commercial Officer for ThoughtExchange, the only EX (employee experience) and CX (customer experience) SaaS platform powered by patented anti-bias technology. ThoughtExchange’s collective intelligence platform enables leaders to quickly and inclusively gain critical insights, solve complex problems and unlock performance across large public sector and enterprise organizations. In 2021, Lauren Kelly also joined global consulting firm, Prophet, as the newest member of its board of directors.

Prior to ThoughtExchange, Lauren has 20+ years experience successfully launching new, innovative platforms and repositioning established businesses for sustainable growth. A pioneering business executive and digital marketing expert whose leadership roles span consumer and B2B, she helps companies across industries thrive in an uncertain landscape.

Lauren was previously SVP and CMO at Irvine Company, where she repositioned the company’s 50 million square foot workplace portfolio to meet evolving Millennial workforce needs via industry-leading digital and account-based marketing, new product and experience innovation and a comprehensive rebrand. Irvine Company is a founder-led, multi-billion dollar enterprise and California’s largest private land owner and developer.

Previously, Lauren also led commercial strategy for two Fortune 50 companies: Dell, representing nearly $60B in global revenue and PepsiCo Americas Foods, a $22B division of PepsiCo. Prior to her CMO and corporate strategy responsibilities, she held progressively increasing Marketing and P&L ownership roles at PepsiCo, including two $1 billion+ portfolios.

Lauren began her career as a consultant with Monitor Group (now Monitor-Deloitte). She was the engagement leader on several long-term strategic consulting projects for pharmaceutical, vaccine, beverage, packaged food and utility clients.

As a complement to her go-to-market and brand positioning expertise, Lauren helped establish the firm’s Organizational Strategy practice with senior Monitor leadership.

In addition to her commitment as a founding member of the Black Executive CMO Alliance (BECA), Lauren serves on the Internet Marketing Association advisory board and is a member of The Executive Leadership Council.

Lauren holds a BA (1998) and an MBA (2004) from Harvard University. In 2020, she was honored as a Top Diverse Leader by California Diversity Council and the Internet Marketing Association’s CMO of the Year.

Rodney McKenzie CONTROL MANAGEMENT EXECUTIVE CONSUMER AND SMALL BUSINESS BANKING WELLS FARGO & COMPANY

Rodney McKenzie is Executive Vice President and Control Management Senior Executive for Consumer and Small Business Banking (CSBB) at Wells Fargo.

Rodney leads the team primarily responsible for ensuring effective front-line risk identification, measurement, monitoring, controls, and mitigation for the CSBB businesses.

Rodney joined the company in 2021 as chief audit director leading the teams covering the CSBB lines of business. He has 33 years of experience in the financial services industry across various risk management disciplines and was previously with USAA where he led Business Risk and Controls as part of their Consumer Lending business. Prior to that, Rodney held a number of roles at Capital One, such as chief risk officer for the Canada Credit Card business and business risk officer for the Retail and Direct Bank.

Rodney holds a CPA and Certification in Risk Management Assurance, earned an MBA in Finance from the University of North Carolina Kenan-Flagler School of Business, and a bachelor’s in Accounting from Morehouse College. He is an advocate for youth and education, serving on the board of trustees for the Reid Temple Christian Academy and the board of directors for the Metropolitan Kappa Youth Foundation. Rodney is a member Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc.

Michael C. McNeil

SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT, GLOBAL CHIEF INFORMATION SECURITY OFFICER

McNeil is responsible for enhancing and overseeing McKesson’s information and operational technology security strategy program, as well managing information security governance. He also ensure the execution of McKesson’s cybersecurity strategy across the enterprise.

McNeil has an extensive background in cybersecurity and significant experience in the healthcare industry. Most recently, he served as the Global Product & Security Officer for Royal Philips where he deployed consistent processes across the entire portfolio of healthcare products and services. He has also held senior leadership positions at Medtronic, Liberty Mutual Group, Pitney Bowes, and Reynolds & Reynolds.

Michael holds several board and executive member positions, including MedCrypt, Healthcare and Public Health Sector Coordinating Council (HSCC) Executive Committee, the Health Information Sharing and Analysis Center (H-ISAC), the National Black MBA Association (NBMBAA) and the Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation(AAMI). He has also provided expert testimony before Congress on matters concerning cybersecurity and data privacy.

Michael holds an MBA from Northwestern University, J.L. Kellogg Graduate School of Management and a Bachelor of Science Degree from the University of Illinois, Gies College of Business.

Michael and his wife, Devita, are the proud parents of two children and are doting grandparents. Michael is an avid listener of Smooth Jazz and he loves traveling to jazz festivals in his spare time.

Kim Newton

INDEPENDENT BOARD DIRECTOR, BIG LOTS, INC.

Kim is a global marketing and strategy executive who brings a unique ability to guide executive teams in driving transformation. She has a long-standing history of engaging employees, driving measurable profits, and optimizing results. Kim brings extensive experience in consumer marketing, corporate strategy, business development, omnichannel consumer experience, P&L management, and digital transformation. Kim advises several female tech startups and currently serves on the board of Big Lots (NYSE: BIG) Inc.

Kim enjoyed a long and distinguished career at Hallmark Cards, one of the world’s largest privately held and family run companies, where she demonstrated, across multibillion-dollar businesses, markets, and industries, the ability to help organizations modernize by reimagining strategies and capabilities through a future and consumer-focused lens. She practices an authentic leadership style that values intense partnership, visionary communication, and inspires teams. Kim has deep social expression, gifting, and emotional wellness knowledge as well as the ability to navigate the everchanging consumer marketplace to scale a brand.

In her most recent position, Kim was Senior Vice President, Consumer Experience for the $3B Hallmark brand reporting to the CEO. Kim advanced a customer-centric culture transformation working collaboratively with the CEO, executive team and board of directors. Kim led the development of new growth choices to build the brand as well as execution of connected experiences across all business, including entertainment, retail, and wholesale.

Previously, at Hallmark Cards, Kim was Vice President, Corporate Strategy and Business Development where she directly influenced global corporate strategy by advising on enterprise risks, other business issues, and new opportunities within Hallmark’s diversified $4B portfolio which includes a global greetings business distributed in more than 100 countries, 47K US mass and specialty retail outlets, licensing, Crown Media Family Networks, and Crayola. Kim initiated new digital capability and distribution partnerships generating $100M+ in incremental annual revenues and improved competitive intelligence which aided a +20pt market share gain.

Before that, Kim held increasingly responsible positions at Hallmark Cards, including Vice President of Strategy and Planning, General Manager – of Everyday Greetings, a $1B business unit. Business Transformation Leader – Innovation & Commercialization, Senior Marketing Manager – Retail, a 4,000-store network. Vice President Marketing - William Arthur and Marketing Director - Multicultural.

Kim was selected to The Executive Leadership Council, a prestigious global network of African American executives and the 2017 class of the Henry Crown Fellowship of the Aspen Institute. Kim was also recognized as one of the 2018 “Most Influential African-Americans in Corporate America” and 2019 “Most Influential African-American Women in Corporate America” and was named one of the Most Influential Black Corporate Directors in 2021 by Savoy Magazine.

Kim has a Master of Business Administration, Marketing from Vanderbilt University, Owen Graduate School of Management, where she was named young alumnus of the year, and a Bachelor of Applied Science, Accounting cum laude from Fisk University. Kim has 20 years of nonprofit board experience, including TEDxKC one of the world’s largest and longest-running independent TED events and the Kansas City Arts Institute. She has served in numerous board leadership roles and led several committees including strategic planning, governance, nominating and resource development. She lives in Kansas City with her husband Nikki and daughter Piper.

Jackie Parker

CHIEF DIVERSITY OFFICER & SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT, TALENT MANAGEMENT GLOBAL PAYMENTS

Jackie Parker serves as Senior Vice President and Chief Diversity Officer for Global Payments. In her current role, Ms. Parker is responsible for leading Global Payments’ overall talent management strategy, global talent acquisition, leadership development, diversity, equity and inclusion, organizational design and cultural development, and employee education and development.

As Chief Diversity Officer, she has changed the culture, and impact of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion across the Company to support its business goals and strategies and the needs and aspirations of its 24,000 employees around the world. She has worked with leaders across Global Payments and many lines of business to build and manage an integrated talent management process through a lens of inclusion.

Ms. Parker has overseen efforts that have resulted in more effective and streamlined company-wide talent acquisition practices that better utilize technology; a company-wide diversity, equity, and inclusion strategy, the launch of a global workplace and women’s initiative, a redesign of the Employee Resource Groups focused on maximizing business results. One of Ms. Parker’s significant contributions as SVP Talent Management has led

the RFP and implementation process to replace the MSP/VSP provider. Post-merger, Ms. Parker has transformed Global Payment’s HR function by identifying new Leadership Capabilities, standardizing succession planning across the organization, and introducing career pathing and internal mobility.

Prior to joining Global Payments, Jackie served as the President and Founder of JWP Consulting LLC., a strategic advisory firm that helped the C-suite improve its brand and reputation by developing Equity & Inclusion and Corporate Giving Strategies. Before that she served as President, GM Foundation and Director of Global Corporate Philanthropy.

She has held various positions over the course of her career at Newell Rubbermaid, PepsiCo, Nabisco Foods, Campbell Soup Company and Quaker Oats. Jackie holds a Bachelor’s degree in marketing from Hampton University and an MBA from John Hopkins University. She also received a Corporate Citizenship Certificate from Boston College’s Center for Corporate Citizenship. Jackie serves on the board of Habitat for Humanity and is a member of Leadership Atlanta and the Executive Leadership Council.

Keith Pigues

CEO & FOUNDER, LUMINAS STRATEGY

Mr. Pigues has expertise as a senior executive and board member guiding business transformations and company growth strategy, while improving financial performance and providing sound governance – leveraging his deep experience developing customer-driven growth strategies, building powerful technology-based brands, leveraging organizational talent and culture thought leadership, and developing enterprise-wide strategic marketing and sales capabilities to accelerate organic growth.  He is CEO and founder of Luminas Strategy – a strategic advisory firm that provides value proposition to services to support growth strategies for Fortune 1000 to mid-market companies in a range of industries, and Chairman and CEO of CulTRUE – an early-stage SaaS enterprise software and professional services company delivering talent and culture alignment solutions to Fortune 1000 companies. He is the co-author of Winning with Customers: A Playbook for B2B (Wiley & Sons) – an inaugural selection of the C-Suite Book Club and feature on Best Seller TV.

His board experience includes private company board service since 2010 for information technology, marketing services, personalization technology and workforce outsourcing companies, including:  a high growth enterprise software and consulting services company - Prometheus Group (Board of Directors 2010 – 2012) and early-technology personalization company - ReflektMe (Board of Directors 2020 - Present).  His board experience includes nonprofit board service for a range of organizations, including:  NACD Research Triangle Chapter (2022 – Present), Research Triangle Foundation – a commercial real estate and development organization for the Research Triangle Park in North Carolina (Board of Directors 2014 – 2020) and Frank Hawkins Kenan Institute of Private Enterprise at the University of North Carolina Kenan-Flagler Business School (Advisory Board 2013 – 2020).  He served as a board member in the financial services industry for the Office of Mortgage Settlement Oversight – providing oversite for the U.S. Government $25B settlement with five of the largest mortgage servicing companies (2012 – 2018) – serving from the organization’s inception through dissolution. His board committee experience includes audit, nominating, public policy and executive committee, as well as CEO search committee.

His corporate experience includes senior-level marketing and business development roles in a range of global technologybased companies ranging from the Fortune 100 automobile products manufacturing to a $1B private-equity portfolio building products company. His range of industry experience includes: Agriculture biotechnology, healthcare products distribution, automotive engine performance components manufacturing, information technology products and services, commercial printing, cementitious construction technologies, and residential exterior building products.  He served as VP of Marketing and Global Chief Marketing Officer for the automotive sector of Honeywell International, Division VP of Strategy, Marketing and Business Development for Automatic Data Processing (ADP) Dealer Services Division - now CDK Global, VP of Marketing and U.S. Chief Marketing Officer for Cemex and Global Chief Marketing Officer for RR Donnelley and Ply Gem Industries.

He held roles of increasing responsibility in the agricultural industry at Monsanto supporting the business growth of crop and dairy farmers, including: Strategic Planning Manager in Crop Ag Biotechnology, Market Manager for the Great Plains States, Market Manager for Corn and Soy and Director of Marketing for Dairy Biotech. He was a member of the first cohort in the Baxter Healthcare executive development program, where his team launched the innovative Procedure Based Delivery System (PBDS) offering that revolutionized healthcare products distribution to hospitals. His experience in higher education includes MBA Executive Coach and Adjunct Professor of Leadership at UNC’s Kenan Flagler Business School, as well as Senior Academic Officer and Dean of the School of Business at Nor th Carolina Central University.

He is a sought-after global speaker and consultant for companies and associations on the topic of customer-driven business growth, leadership and culture, including: Cisco, Dropbox, Roche, Eastman Chemical, Invitae, Milliken and Company, WL Gore, Altria, Northwestern Mutual, ITW, WestRock, Convey Health Solutions, BASF, Consolidated Edison, GE, Sealed Air, Aliant Energy, Clorox, Google for Entrepreneurs, Young Presidents Organization, Association for Corporate Growth, Executive Leadership Council, National Minority Supplier Development Council, Professional Pricing Society, Strategic and Competitive Intelligence Professionals (SCIP) and others.

Damon Porter

VICE PRESIDENT, FEDERAL AFFAIRS, MCKESSON

Damon Porter, NACD.DC, offers nearly three decades of public affairs experience with a 360-degree perspective on politics and public policy. He has deep insight and understanding of the geopolitical environment, expanding the aperture of business development to identify new market opportunities. Damon is known for connecting dots, leveraging relationships, building culture, and ensuring all stakeholders are represented when positioning companies for sustainable, long-term growth.

Currently, Damon leads federal affairs across the McKesson (Fortune 8) enterprise and with the executive leadership team. In addition, he supports the company’s ESG science-based climate and workforce diversity initiatives. A global professional, Damon participates in triennial discussions (Beijing 2013, Munich 2016, and Merida 2019) as a World Responsible Leader, challenging leaders to advance the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development through social entrepreneurship and innovation.

As a senior advisor and leader to elected officials and corporate executives, he has partnered with clients and institutions facing complex regulatory challenges - particularly through disruptive innovation – to propel heritage brands into future customer segments. Damon has held multidisciplinary roles inside Fortune 100 companies and trade associations undergoing marketplace transformation: telecom in content delivery; automotive in electrification; and healthcare in data transparency. During his tenure at Time Warner, he earned six Beacon awards for excellence in brand reputation. He was tapped by Governor Nixon as “broadband czar”, securing the first Google Fiber gigabit infrastructure project. His efforts were profiled by TechNet and Governing. Governor Walker named him to a blue-ribbon steering committee establishing the model protocol for deploying autonomous and connected vehicle technology.

Damon has served previously on several non-profit, civic, and quasi-governmental boards as a trustee or director with an emphasis on arts and culture (Kansas City Symphony), land conservation (Great Rivers Greenway), education (University Academy), and global changemakers (Atlas Corps). His governance leadership includes chairing the finance committee and conducting a national CEO search. He is a Life Member of the Council on Foreign Relations, a Marshall Memorial Fellow of the German Marshall Fund, and admitted to the bars of the Missouri Supreme Court and the Supreme Court of the United States. He is a supporter of LGBTQ+ and human rights, health equity, and art enrichment.

Damon’s lifelong passion for politics began as a Congressional Black Caucus Foundation Fellow and White House Intern in the Clinton Administration before entering the public arena as a campaign manager, candidate, and transition chairman. He is always up for a conversation on current affairs and history.

Al Reid

FOUNDER / CEO, CALYPSO INVESTMENT PARTNERS LLC

As a Board Director at Farmers Insurance Group (OTCMKTS: ZURVY) and former VP Corporate Development at Abbott Laboratories (NYSE: ABT), Al Reid is an expert at providing strategic, operational, and financial business intelligence to multiple enterprises. During his multi-decade professional career, he has steered exponential company growth with managed risk, executing strategic business imperatives that elevate market position and generate sustainable profits.

Al leads business transformation, jumpstarting growth by asking, “where are our opportunities to do better, and what do we need to do to make us best in class?”

He guides companies to unlock the potential of data-based decision-making, with expertise in integrating digital transformation initiatives to gain superior competitive market positioning.

While at Abbott, Al was a team recipient of Fortune’s “Change the World Award” for his business efforts in leveraging capitalism to address society’s unmet needs. He is noted for his outstanding excellence and contributions as an inspiring and motivational leader, bringing diverse personalities to work together towards a common goal, and leading by example with integrity, composure, and energy.

During his 20+ year tenure at Abbott, Al brought an international perspective toward expanding and launching multimillion-dollar products and services. He helped scale the company from a 60% US market presence to a 70% overseas presence and was lead architect for driving consensus for global corporate development on special M&A projects. He expanded into new markets and established global competitive positioning in Africa, China, and India.

As Director of Business Development, World Trade Division at Baxter Healthcare (NYSE: BAX), Al helped guide the $700M emerging market groups to determine opportunities for new market penetration via joint ventures and acquisitions.

Al currently provides strategic guidance on environmental and social efforts as a member of the Farmers Insurance BOG. Additionally, he is a frequently invited panelist on executing responsible global citizenship (ESG) and building diverse and inclusive organizations (DEI) as the founder of Abbott’s DEI Affinity Group.

Al is passionate about enhancing quality of life for all. He is an active civic member and has a vast network that supports a variety of causes, from STEM education to chronic disease prevention and responsible economic development.

James Rosseau

FOUNDER AND CEO, THE CORELINK SOLUTION

James Rosseau brings 20+ years of expertise creating growth and driving transformation, leveraging his unique blend of revenue generation and business acumen with his ability to skillfully assemble and lead highperforming teams. He is often called upon by C-Suite executives for advice and counsel, given his diverse set of experiences as an executive on both sides of the P&L and across several industries, including insurance, healthcare, and financial services.

As President of LegalShield Business Solutions, James was responsible for the organization’s B2B strategy. He led the brand launch, drove double-digit membership, revenue, and profit growth, and helped the organization achieve a successful sale to a new private equity owner.

James was also Senior Vice President of Chase Card Services Affinity Partnerships at JPMorgan Chase. He was responsible for a portfolio of more than 300 partners and $1B+ in receivables. He drove a 30% increase in profits through product improvements, deeper consumer relationships, partnership rationalization, and improved risk strategies.

Before his time in Card Services, he served as the SVP of HR Service Delivery North America, leading the provision of products and services to over 160,000 employees. He and his team delivered 35% in expense reductions while expanding services and developing best practices that evolved into global capabilities. He led vital globalization initiatives, the implementation of employee self-service, the establishment of a global Hub in India for NA, and numerous merger and acquisition initiatives.

His boardroom experience includes serving on the DeVry University Board of Trustees, where he chairs their Audit and Finance Committee. He participates on their Academic Quality and Student Success Committee helping shape and direct its core product. Leading DeVry’s Transition Team comprising of several board members and management members, they started a CEO search when the CEO left toward the end of 2020 that was completed.

Lynton Scotland

VICE PRESIDENT SUPPLY CHAIN & CHIEF PROCUREMENT OFFICER, CONSOLIDATED EDISON - NEW YORK

Lynton Scotland is the Vice President Supply Chain and Chief Procurement Officer at Consolidated Edison (Con Edison) one of the largest investor owned energy companies in the United States with approximately $12 billion in annual revenues and over $48 billion in assets. In that role he is responsible for Procurement, Supply Chain and Stores Operations functions in support of Con Edison of New York and Orange and Rockland.

Prior to joining Con Edison, Lynton held several executive positions with major US Corporations. Lynton was the Chief Procurement officer at W.L. Gore and Associates, a global material science company, with responsibility for Procurement, Strategic Sourcing, and Logistics & Global Trade. He was the Global Strategic Sourcing Leader for the DuPont Protection Solutions business within DuPont; Vice President of Operational Excellence at NRG Energy Incorporated with responsibility for the corporate project management office and the “FORNRG” (Focus On Return of Invested Capital @ NRG) program, and was co-founder of Sustainable Star, a renewable energy company engaged in the development of large scale solar photovoltaic systems and the sale of gas and electricity in deregulated markets.

Lynton is a Trustee Emeritus at the University of Dayton in Ohio. He served on the Board of Trustees of the University for three consecutive three-year terms. He is the former Chairman of the Board of Urban Promise Wilmington (an organization focused on youth education and leadership development in Wilmington, Delaware).

Lynton is a member of the Executive Leadership Council (ELC), an organization of senior level black business executives in corporate America; co-chair of the Community Impact initiative and a former board member of the Executive Leadership Foundation.

Lynton earned a BSCHE degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Dayton; a Master of Science in Statistics from Rutgers University and an MBA from the University of Pittsburgh.

Lynton was featured in the March 2018 issue of Savoy Magazine for his work with the Executive Leadership Council, Urban Promise Wilmington and the University of Dayton in Driving Community Impact with respect to mentoring and support for academically gifted but economically disadvantaged students of color.

Savoy Magazine also recognized Lynton as one of the 100 Most Influential African American in Corporate America in 2018.

Harold Singleton

INDEPENDENT DIRECTOR, WISDOMTREE, INC.

Harold currently serves on the board of directors at WisdomTree, Inc. [NYSE: WT]. His governance experience also includes serving as an independent director and on board committees at Vantagepoint Funds; a member of PineBridge Investments’ Senior Management Committee (formerly AIG Investments); Chairman of PineBridge Taiwan and PineBridge East Africa; nearly a decade of audit committee experience; and his diverse strategic work on numerous subsidiary and nonprofit boards throughout his career. Further, his strategic and operational value is backed by a 30+ year career of global and domestic leadership positions in the investment management/ financial services and manufacturing sectors. Harold has deep expertise in investment leadership with 17+ years working as a portfolio manager and/or senior equity analyst, including industry expertise in fin’l services, materials, aerospace, media, homebuilders, REITs and transportation; Chair of Lincoln Financial’s Asset Allocation and Derivatives Committees, member of its Investment Committee and Head of its Manager Selection/Research and Portfolio Construction team while also being a key player in restructuring a successful ESG fund. Additionally, Harold developed extensive global market perspective leading PineBridge’s non-U.S. asset management company subsidiaries in Asia (China, Taiwan, India) and Africa (Kenya) while he was simultaneously the Global Head of Retail and Intermediary Sales. He has also focused on influencing corporate culture by promoting diversity, equity and inclusion (DE&I) initiatives at Lincoln Financial, PineBridge and UBS.

In his recent role as Vice President, Managing Director/Head of Manager Selection and Portfolio Construction at Lincoln Financial Group [NYSE: LNC], Harold led a team in manager selection, due diligence and portfolio construction for a $200 billion investment platform, covering all asset classes. He joined Lincoln as Vice President/Head of Client Portfolio Management, which also included overseeing the Investment Marketing function. Prior to Lincoln, Harold served as an Independent Director and Member of the Investment Committee on the Vantagepoint Funds Board.

Previously, Harold had a 5½ year career at PineBridge Investments (formerly AIG Investments), most recently as Managing Director/Head of Asset Management Companies and Global Head of Retail and Intermediary Sales. In this role he was on the Senior Management Committee, Chairman of the Board of PineBridge East Africa and PineBridge Taiwan, managed four asset management company subsidiaries in Asia and Africa in Shanghai, Taipei, Mumbai and Nairobi, and managed a global retail and intermediary sales force in the U.S., Europe, Japan and Asia. Earlier PineBridge positions included Managing Director/Global Head of Equity and Fixed Income Products Specialists where he helped the Executive Committee redesign the firm’s distribution capability. He joined the company as Managing Director/Equity Product Specialist (Client Portfolio Manager).

Earlier financial services career positions include Executive Director/Co-Manager Small Cap Value Equity/Senior Investment Analyst at UBS Global Asset Management where he co-managed U.S. small cap value and core portfolios totaling $2.75 billion; Senior Vice President/Small Cap Value Portfolio Manager/Investment Analyst at Metropolitan West Capital Management, an SEC registered asset management firm.

He received his MBA in Finance from the University of Chicago, Booth School of Business; his B.S. in Chemical Engineering (Minor: Management) from the Illinois Institute of Technology; and a certificate from the University of Cambridge Judge School of Business in Digital Disruption: Digital Transformation Strategies. Harold is also NACD Directorship CertifiedTM, a Chartered Financial Analyst and FINRA licensed (Series 7, Series 24).

Harold serves on the Illinois Institute of Technology Board of Trustees (Member of the Executive Committee, Chairman of the Investment Committee), is affiliated with numerous high-profile national associations including the Executive Leadership Council where he chairs the Investment Committee, the National Association of Corporate Directors and has been recognized as one of Savoy magazine’s Top 100 Most Influential Blacks in Corporate America (2012, 2016 and 2018).

Goya Spry

FOUNDER/OWNER, GMAC SERVICES LLC

Goya Spry is a motivated professional with management proficiency and extensive director experience. She has an industrialist drive to achieve goals not only for herself but for those whom she has been poised to assist. She strives for positive results through the application of her abilities in business operations. Additionally, she possesses expertise in community outreach and an aptitude for optimizing performance and motivating any team. She purposely visualizes success and identifies innovative and effective strategies for achieving it.

In addition to being the co- owner of GMAC Services LLC, Goya is a published author, literary coach and podcaster. She’s a mother of two and a grandmother. Lastly but certainly not least, she takes pleasure in encouraging and supporting anyone who crosses her path.

Josie Thomas

EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT, CHIEF DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION OFFICER, VIACOMCBS (RETIRED)

At the forefront of the intersection of business and inclusion with extensive knowledge of media, ESG, diversity and equity across industries, Josie Thomas identified new markets to expand brand outreach, loyalty and viewership with new revenue opportunities. She also provided guidance on crisis management, consumer-facing marketing and communications.

• As a C-Suite change agent, Thomas had a transformative influence over business, culture and programming, from partnering with key members of the board to creating platforms for every level of internal and external engagement.

• Created CBS Supplier Diversity Initiative, expanding qualified contractors and reducing cost of goods and services.

• Served on the Executive Sustainability/ESG Council, providing high-level governance and oversight of environmental policies and social responsibility.

• Led innovative news content development through licensing, digitization and marketing.

• Key executive responsible for high level news talent, management and content negotiations.

• Principal negotiator on team that launched CBS News cable ventures.

OUTCOME-FOCUSED

• Increased revenue from news content by 200% while reducing budget 25%.

• While enhancing cost efficiencies, increased spending with under-represented businesses by 95%.

• Increased minority representation in creative and business roles: on-air talent (+73%), producer assignments (+29%), director assignments (+67%) and executive ranks (+53%).

• Increased representation of women executives overall, and women of color by 58%

Bruce Thompson

PRESIDENT, HOSPITALITY DEVELOPMENT COMPANY GROUP

A global executive and qualified Audit Committee Financial Expert, Bruce Thompson has decades of public and private company experience in Manufacturing, Automotive, Aerospace Components, Hospitality, Metals & Mining, and Global Industrials as well as extensive Board and Audit Committee exposure. His broad Finance background encompasses Internal Audit, Sarbanes-Oxley Compliance, Financial Planning & Analysis, Treasury, and Data Analytics.

Bruce’s background includes roles as President, CFO, Chief Separation Officer (CSO), and Chief Internal Audit Officer (CIAO). He has served in leadership roles for organizations with annual sales ranging from $10 million to over $150 billion, including Ford, Johnson Controls, Alcoa and Arconic.

His board experience includes working closely as an executive with the Alcoa and Arconic Boards of Directors in the midst of activist investors, restructuring, M&A, and frequent leadership changes. Bruce has distinguished himself as a Board leader with his analytical rigor, focus on strategic priorities, collaborative approach, and openness to input.

Bruce has extensive cross-functional experience, having worked in senior Strategy, Business Development, Marketing, Manufacturing and Finance roles for Tier 1 automotive suppliers. Leading global teams of up to 200 employees, he has built new customer relationships, spearheaded profit improvements, fostered financial controls and innovation, launched Enterprise Resource Planning systems, and advanced employee engagement in a wide range of businesses.

A champion of and speaker on diversity, equity and inclusion, Bruce has been quoted in the Wall Street Journal, Reuters, and Black Enterprise. His civic involvement includes community and church volunteer work as well as charitable fundraising efforts. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree (Phi Beta Kappa) in Economics from Howard University, a Master of Public Affairs from Princeton University, and a Master of Business Administration from Stanford Graduate School of Business.

Brian Tippens

Brian Tippens is Senior Vice President and Chief Social Impact Officer of Cisco. In this role, Brian oversees leadership of our inclusive future work including social justice, advocacy, accessibility, and community impact to advance Cisco’s purpose to Power an Inclusive Future for All.

Brian is a sought-after speaker and thought leader in the fields of social justice, diversity and sustainability. He is a World Economic Forum (WEF) Contributor, a proud member of the Executive Leadership Council (ELC), and he has served as a director or advisor to several organizations including Operation HOPE, the Hispanic IT Executive Council (HITEC), Corporate Eco Forum (CEF) and the National Action Council for Minorities in Engineering (NACME).

Brian’s career spans over 25 years of leadership in the IT industry. Brian served as Chief Sustainability Officer at HPE and President of the HPE Foundation. He previously spent five years as HP/HPE’s Chief Diversity Officer, reporting to the Chief People Officer. He was a member of HPE’s Political Action Committee (PAC) and AI Ethics boards, and a member of HPE’s Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Executive Council. Prior to joining HP in 2000 he spent three years at Intel Corporation providing legal support for the manufacturing and IT organizations.

Brian is a purpose-driven leader who is committed to social justice and broad advocacy on the most pressing issues facing our communities. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Information Systems Management from the University of San Francisco, and a Juris Doctor from the University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law in Sacramento, California. He lives in Texas with his family.

SVP, CHIEF SOCIAL IMPACT OFFICER, CISCO SYSTEMS, INC.

Telisa Toliver

GM RENEWABLE POWER, CHEVRON

A dedicated senior executive with extensive experience driving business development through capital project management, market analysis and joint venture performance, Telisa has a proven track record of delivering results across the energy value chain (upstream, midstream, downstream, corporate). She possesses a keen ability to identify, evaluate, pursue and capitalize on strategic opportunities that drive shareholder value and improve infrastructure in domestic and international locations. Having sought out increasing levels of responsibility throughout her non-linear path into leadership, she has consistently built, motivated and managed teams comprised of O&M personnel, engineers and professional staff committed to meeting and exceeding defined goals and objectives. Fellow leaders, internal and external stakeholders, and boards of directors turn to Telisa for her:

• Extensive knowledge of strategic and business planning, commercial negotiations, acquisitions and divestitures, joint ventures, and supply chain and operational risk management;

• Ability to quickly and concisely analyze situations and offer valuable insight for navigating them successfully;

• Commitment to fostering trust and building lasting relationships with colleagues, customers and communities;

• Collaborative yet decisive approach to moving people and projects forward under a unified vision; and

• Passion for supporting, mentoring, growing and uplifting diverse and underrepresented talent.

Currently the GM of Renewable Power for Chevron, Telisa was handpicked to lead the strategic development of incorporating increased renewables into the company’s global operations. In addition to developing and recommending an energy transition strategy in a non-core area of business to the CEO, she has built a new virtual team to define investment solutions that are projected to exceed $500MM in the near term, determined the project approach, established a governance model and executed related projects on the ground. This role comes as a result of strategically navigating and delivering transformational leadership across four corporate mergers, seven location transfers and various sector assignments throughout her dynamic career.

Prior to her current position, Telisa led business development and commercial functions in the pipeline and power business for Chevron as vice president. She was the primary decision-making executive for projects from origination to FEED ranging from $50MM to $700MM, leading the management and business outcomes of all pipeline and power non-operated joint venture assets and delivering oversight as director on various NOJV boards. In addition, she was responsible for evaluating power markets and power supply alternatives to support commercial operations in the Americas, Europe, Middle East and Africa.

Telisa previously managed all aspects of Chevron’s Corporate Business Performance Review Process to glean an understanding of leading business drivers and accelerate growth. She also led the Management Committee Process for the top 60 corporate executives, developing content and communications for both internal and external audiences. Having been responsible for boots-on-the-ground leadership in various settings, from refineries and plants to professional offices, Telisa is adept at understanding critical cross-sections of corporate strategy and building relationships with business partners, key influencers and identified stakeholders at all levels of the business hierarchy. She is also well respected for her ability to encourage divergent views, consensus build, and serve as a champion for the teams she leads.

A native of Oklahoma City, Telisa has a deep love and respect for the oil and gas industry, frequently mentoring others — with a heightened focus on women and minorities — in seizing the leadership opportunities it affords. She frequently presents at industry events, partners with organizations that promote STEM education and devotes time to organizations that support diversity, equity and inclusion industrywide. She is a proud co-author of “The Energy Within Us,” an inspirational tale of five African American women in energy who have broken barriers and blazed trails on their journeys to the top of corporate America. In her spare time, you can find Telisa enjoying a smooth glass of wine with friends and family, traveling, listening to music, and keeping her career and life in perspective.

Gregg Walker

MANAGING DIRECTOR, MULLER & MONROE

Gregg Walker joined Muller & Monroe Asset Management (www.m2am.com/) as a Partner and Managing Director in July 2021 and leads the co-investment efforts of the firm as well as the firm’s New York City office.

Gregg founded G.A. Walker, LLC in July 2016 when he left his position as the Senior Vice President for Corporate Development at Sony Corporation of America (Sony), a position he had held since March 2009, and he has been the Managing Member of G.A. Walker, LLC (www.gawalker.co) since its inception.

Gregg is currently a member of the Board of Gorilla Technology Group Inc. (Ticker Symbol: GRRR) and a member of the Board of Blue Whale Acquisition Corp I (a SPAC sponsored by Mubadala Capital; Ticker Symbol: BWCAU). Gregg was previously a member of the Board of Last Lion Holdings (Vewd Software).

While serving as the Managing Member of G.A. Walker, LLC, Gregg also served as the President and COO of Remarkable, LLC, a live entertainment company based in New York City, from 2017 until January 2021. When Remarkable, LLC invested in the Big Apple Circus in 2017, Gregg added the role of CEO of the Big Apple Circus to his list of responsibilities and served as the CEO of the Big Apple Circus until January 2021. During Gregg’s tenure as CEO, the Big Apple Circus achieved record levels of revenues.

At Sony, Gregg worked across all of Sony’s business units including PlayStation, Sony Pictures, Sony Music, and Sony Electronics, and Gregg had helped lead many major transactions and strategic efforts, including the acquisition of EMI Music Publishing and the acquisition of Ericsson’s stake in smartphone manufacturer Sony Ericsson (now Sony Mobile) as well as Sony’s purchase of the 50% of Sony/ATV Music Publishing previously owned by the Michael Jackson Estate. Gregg served on the Board of Directors of movie studio Metro-Goldwyn- Mayer (MGM) as well as on the Boards of EMI Music Publishing and Sony/ATV Music Publishing. In 2010, he was chosen by Crain’s New York Business as one of New York City’s 40 Under 40 Rising Stars (https://www.crainsnewyork.com/awards/gregg-walker).

Prior to joining Sony, Gregg was the Vice President of Mergers and Acquisitions at Viacom for three years. Before, Viacom, Gregg was a Vice President at Goldman Sachs in the investment banking division. Gregg was at Goldman Sachs for nearly a decade.

Gregg earned an undergraduate degree from Washington University in St. Louis and a law degree from Yale Law School.

In 2012, Gregg was honored by Washington University as one of six alumni to receive a Distinguished Alumni Award (https://source.wustl.edu/2012/10/founders-day-event-honors-alumni/), and Washington University honored him again in 2016 with the Alumnus of the Year Award for the New York City metro area.

Gregg is the former President of the Levitt Foundation, the former Chairman of the Harlem YMCA (where his leadership resulted in the Harlem YMCA achieving the Transformational Leadership Award from the YMCA of New York City – an award that had only ever been awarded once before), and a member of the Board of Harlem RBI (now called “Dream”).

Jeffery Weaver

CHIEF QUALITATIVE RISK OFFICER, KEYCORP

Jeffery J. Weaver is a 30-year Finance and Risk Management Executive and qualified financial expert with extensive financial, fiduciary, and operating experience. He brings a climate leadership certification from Diligent and broad recognition for enabling sustainable growth using innovative digitalization strategies, transformative change in highly regulated environments and the creation of high-performance cultures resulting in scaled growth and prudent risk taking. Success creating new enterprise capabilities, he has demonstrated expertise in climate risk, enterprise risk management and leverage finance from extensive leverage and cross-border finance in natural resources including metals & mining, industrial chemicals, healthcare, and other regulated segments. Mr. Weaver leads with a clientcentric mindset acquired from more than a decade structuring and originating debt financings at companies such as TD Bank, Bank of New York, JP Morgan, and Citigroup. He also brings strong governance experience with certification as a National Association of Corporate Directors Governance Fellow.

Mr. Weaver is currently an Executive Vice President & Chief Qualitative Risk Officer at KeyBank (NYSE:KEY), a $190B commercial bank, where he leads the company’s qualitative risk assessment including climate-related risks across the enterprise. The developer and former leader of KeyBank’s credit portfolio management function, he is the architect of its risk appetite framework which quantitatively determined the level of risk the company is willing to undertake in pursuit of its financial goals ensuring adherence to its moderate risk profile, a key strategic priority of the corporation. He serves on the company’s Executive, Corporate Responsibility and Strategic DE&I Councils and the Qualitative Risk and Model Risk Committees and leads the Climate Risk Oversight Council.

A collaborative working style, inclusive leadership skills and a passion for corporate and community philanthropy have enabled his service on corporate, institutional, and non-profit boards that include the Board of Directors of Fusion Risk Management, an operational resilience enterprise SaaS company that is part of the Vista Equity Partners portfolio where he is one of three external directors. He has also served as a Board Advisor to West Pharmaceutical (NYSE: WST) a leading manufacturer of packaging components and delivery systems for injectable drugs and healthcare products where his advice has focused on the use of enterprise risk management and integration of ESG risk factors in an integrated risk management framework.

Mr. Weaver is a sought-after industry influencer, who is recognized for his multinational regulatory advocacy and record of developing risk solutions for global organizations as a former Chairman of the Board and 11-year Director of the International Association of Credit Portfolio Managers (IACPM), a multinational industry association with member financial institutions from 24+ countries. He maintains membership on the Board of Trustees of the Community Service Society of New York; the Musical Art Association (Cleveland Orchestra), University Circle, Inc., and the St. Vincent Charity Medical Center.

A thought leader in the area of DE&I with a 15-year membership in the Executive Leadership Council, he is a member of the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland’s Equity and Inclusion Advisory Council with multi-year recognition as one of the Most Influential Blacks in Corporate America by Savoy Magazine; and has been featured by Black Enterprise Magazine as one of “100 Most Powerful Executives in Corporate America”.

He holds a BA in Economics and Government from Cornell University where he was elected a Life Member of the Cornell University Council and an MBA in Finance from its Johnson School of Management, where he received the 2009 Wilbur Parker Distinguished Alumni Award.

John Webb

PRESIDENT, TRI-SOUTH, CIGNA

John Webb is the President, Tri-South Region, comprised of Tennessee, Arkansas and Mississippi. This entails P&L responsibility for all healthcare and ancillary products, while also acting as an executive ambassador for Cigna on all civic, philanthropic and public relations activities.

Immediately prior, he served as CEO and Managing Partner of Quantum Reach, a venture capital and consulting hybrid focused on growth strategies for early stage/medium sized companies. He also advised large corporations, private equity/venture capital firms and other organizations looking to transform their industry or market sector. In addition, he assisted academic institutions on enhancing their capabilities for technology transfer, as well as working with distressed regions to drive economic prosperity/job creation.

Before Quantum Reach, John was a Fortune 100 senior executive, having oversight for P&L units of up to $5.0 billion in annual revenue. As a Senior Vice President at Aetna, he managed all Government programs, as well as having responsibility for growth through M&A and internal incubation of various entrepreneurial endeavors. Prior to this, he had various executive roles at Unum Corporation, including an international assignment leading Unum Canada while based in Toronto. Earlier in his career, he worked for Rockwell International on the Space Shuttle and other Advanced Technology Programs. So, the term “rocket science” does apply!

John is a Board member for Trust Risk Management Services(TRMS) and past board participant for the Taubman Medical Research Institute(U-M). He also serves on the Board of Visitors(Advisors) for the University of Memphis and the Chairman’s Circle for the greater Memphis Chamber of Commerce. Initiated in 2019, he was the lead business consultant on a significant urban development project for Michigan State University. John is also a long term guest instructor for Pepperdine University’s MicroEnterprise Program and advisor to several early stage companies. Besides academia, he is very active in community related activities concentrating on youth related STEM programs and resolving homelessness. In addition, he makes speaking appearances on various aspects of entrepreneurship nationally and has a speaker series called “Living in the Venture Lane!”.

John holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from Michigan State University and an MBA from Pepperdine University. He is a current member of the Executive Leadership Council(ELC). From a community standpoint, he was awarded 2018 Father of the Year by the American Diabetes Association in Atlanta. He recently was bestowed the honor of “Healthcare Hero” in 2022 for his work in enabling the wellbeing and vitality for the city of Memphis.

Mike Wright

INDEPENDENT BOARD DIRECTOR, MOBIQUITY TECHNOLOGIES

Michael A. Wright, 59, is a senior C-suite executive with global experience reporting to the CEO. A veteran of the consumer goods and environmental service industries, Mike is adept at providing strategic vision, business process improvement and technology utilization. He also has a track record of developing human capital strategies involving a large workforce aligned to targeted business results in periods of accelerated change and cultural transformation. He is an industrial engineer with an MBA, vast labor relations expertise, a commitment to leadership development and diversity, and broad experience in mergers, acquisitions and integrations. He is intellectually curious with demonstrated flexibility and agility.

Mike has developed a reputation for having a participative leadership style with effective communication, motivation and management skills. He builds cohesive management teams dedicated to service delivery and strategic objectives, and he has had strong working relationships with company boards and compensation committees while driving complex succession planning processes. His recent appointment to the Mobiquity Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ: MOBQ) Board as an Independent Director and Chair of the Compensation Committee is illustrative of the value-add of his skillset on a Board. He also serves on the Audit and Nominating & Governance committees. He specifically was the company liaison with the Board at Covanta as it related to executive compensation and talent management. He facilitated the annual market review analyses for the named executive officers and made recommendations involving the cash and equity programs. His direct involvement in the annual report and proxy processes for compensation-related items gave him exposure to the entire Board while attending every Board of Directors meeting during his 9-year tenure as CHRO. In addition, he developed and facilitated an annual succession planning review with the entire Board involving successor discussions for the entire executive leadership team and key talent which had never been accomplished prior to his joining the organization. Those experiences provided a sound understanding of corporate governance in addition to his non-profit Board work.

Mike was Senior Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer at Covanta (NYSE: CVA). At Covanta from 2009 to 2018, Mike was a member of the executive leadership team, responsible for strategically improving the HR function as the company grew through acquisition and service expansion. He spearheaded the company’s first employee satisfaction survey, a revealing exercise that led to an intense focus on leadership development for line supervisors and other managers, with an overall participation rate of 85%. He brought labor negotiations in-house, saving over $1M on an annual basis for outside counsel and delivering ~$3M of hard savings, primarily through health care cost reductions. Mike led HR due diligence and integration on $2B of assets for more than a dozen acquisitions resulting in 25% revenue growth. He also drove the set-up of a separate business unit, Covanta Environmental Solutions, which included the consolidation of 10 businesses into one primary business line where revenues increased to $225M. Covanta grew from 3,000 to 4,000 employees primarily in North America under his leadership, with a small but growing base in Ireland, UK and China.

Mike was a 25-year veteran of the Altria family of companies (Kraft and Philip Morris), actively involved in transforming the HR function with improved technology and service delivery. As Vice President of Human Resources and HR

Technology for Altria Corporate Services (2006–2008), Mike led a staff of generalists supporting functional organizations around the world, with additional responsibilities for support and security of data in the worldwide HRIS (SAP) system, as well as functional responsibility for leadership development and diversity. Mike was Vice President for Human Resources and Administration Service Delivery (2002–2006), responsible for the structure and services of the Employee Benefits Center at Fidelity Investments and for building an integrated services organization providing health, medical, fitness and facilities support.

Mike has a BS in Industrial Engineering from North Carolina State University where he played Division 1 football and an MBA from Columbia University, where he was a recipient of the Distinguished Service Award. Mike serves as Chair-HR/Legal committee and Vice Chair of the Board of Directors of the YMCA of Greater Monmouth County, member of the Board of Trustees and President of the Advisory Council for Lunch Break, Chair of the Strategic Planning committee and a member of The Executive Leadership Council, a membership organization committed to increasing diversity in C-suites and corporate boards. He has been included in Savoy magazine’s list of the Top 100 Most Influential Blacks in Corporate America for 3 years and Black Enterprise’s list of 100 Most Powerful Executives for 2 years. He is also a lifetime member of the National Black MBA Association and the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity in addition to being active with the NJ/NY chapters of the National Association of Corporate Directors.

Board Director Bio Book