BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Executive Officers
Travis Townsend PRESIDENT
Travis Townsend is a Founding Partner of the law firm of Townsend & Lockett, LLC, in Atlanta, Georgia, and he leads its business law, corporate and securities transactional practices, and he is a Managing Consultant with Torinity Consulting Company. Travis is also an Adjunct Professor on Faculty at the Emory School of Law where he teaches Deal Skills transactional law practicum. Before co-founding Townsend Lockett and providing services to Torinity Consulting Company, Travis was a Senior Associate in Womble Carlyle Sandridge & Rice, PLLC’s corporate transactional group. Prior to joining Womble Carlyle, Travis practiced law with Morris, Manning & Martin, LLP where he was actively engaged in the Morris Manning Diversity and Legal Opinion Committees. Travis began his legal career with the law firm of Alston & Bird, LLP.
Outside of the professional arena, Travis is the President of the National Black MBA Association Atlanta Chapter, is a member of the 100 Black Men of South Metro (Atlanta) where he volunteers on the Education Committee, and serves as President of MAFDET, Inc., a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization whose mission is to eliminate disparities in education and employment opportunities in underserved communities. Travis also serves on the Board of Directors of the Serenbe Institute of the Arts, Culture & Environment as its Treasurer, is a member of its Executive and Finance Committees, and its ACE Program f/k/a South Fulton Area Initiative Advisory Committee. Travis has served in numerous leadership positions with the National Urban League Young Professionals, including as its National Programs Chair, and has been a Big Brother volunteer for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Atlanta as well. Fully committed to making a difference in the lives of others, he is a frequent speaker at community events and conferences. Travis is also a proud member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.
Travis is a well-respected business owner and community servant whose personal brand lends credibility to the mission of organizations he supports and serves. In 2017, he was a candidate for Mayor of the City of South Fulton, Georgia, and garnered votes and financial support from thousands of metropolitan Atlanta residents.
Travis attended the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor where he earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology. After graduating, Travis remained in Ann Arbor to study law at the University of Michigan School of Law, receiving his Juris Doctor degree in May 2003. During his law school tenure, he served as executive notes editor of the Michigan Journal of Race & Law.
Honors & Awards
Leadership Buckhead Class of 2020
Leadership Buckhead is a principle-based leadership program, focused on helping a select group of growth-oriented members of the Atlanta community become stronger, more authentic leaders each year.
Leadership Georgia Class of 2018
One of the nation’s oldest and most successful leadership training programs for young business, civic, and community leaders that have the desire and potential to work together for a better Georgia.
University of Michigan Black Alumni M.A.D. (Making A Difference in Your Community) Award 2018
The M.A.D. award was created to honor those who have made significant contributions to their community and/or career through their time, actions, talents and dedication. Selected for Making a Difference in Social Action for work in providing criminal law literacy to people of color and improving relations between police and the community.
National Black MBA Association, Inc. Award for Best Performing Chapter in Channel of Economic Development 2018
Recognized as best performing chapter across 30,000 professionals with MBAs, JDs, Ph.Ds or extensive executive or entrepreneurial experience, across 45 chapters across the United States in the area of Economic Development programming as the Atlanta Chapter's Director of Economic Development.
Atlanta Business Chronicle 40 Under 40 Class of 2017
Atlanta Business Chronicle's 40 Under 40 Awards honor young movers and shakers who are making a mark in their industries and leading in their communities.
Georgia Trend 40 Under 40 Class of 2017
For the last 21 years Georgia Trend has recognized the State of Georgia's best and brightest under age 40 in business, politics and government, nonprofit, science, healthcare and education.
Center for Civic Engagement, Small Business, Big Impact Finalist 2016
Center for Civic Impact Awards recognize individuals and organizations in Atlanta that are tackling inequality by empowering and fighting for people and communities in an exceptional way.
Georgia Trend's Legal Elite 2015
Each year Georgia Trend asks the attorneys of the State of Georgia to nominate their peers for recognition as one of Georgia’s Legal Elite. The list of lawyers come from all corners of the state in 10 different practice areas: Bankruptcy/Creditors’ Rights, Business Law, Corporate Law, Criminal Law, Family Law, General Practice, Labor & Employment, Personal Injury, Public Finance/Bonds and Taxes/Estates/Trusts. To compile this listing, attorneys submit their nominations via Georgia Trend's website. Respondents are not allowed to vote for themselves. Attorneys with the most votes from their peers who have recognized their abilities, work ethic, and overall performance are selected as Georgia's Legal Elite.
40 Under 40 Leadership Award for Entrepreneurship, New Leaders Council, March 2013
Each year, New Leaders Council (NLC) presents the 40 Under 40 Leadership Awards as a way to honor the work of young, professional leaders who have exemplified NLC's ideal of political entrepreneurship. First given in 2008 to outstanding leaders under the age of 40, the awards recognize achievements in four categories: Political Leadership, Media Leadership, Advocacy, and Entrepreneurship. The Entrepreneurship Award honors a business, social enterprise or non-profit leader who has created, led, or reformed an organization significantly.
Outstanding Atlanta Inductee, Outstanding Atlanta, October 2012
Outstanding Atlanta is one of Atlanta’s premier organizations with respect to recognizing and connecting top Atlanta business and community leaders. Outstanding Atlanta is devoted to recognizing some of the most actively involved and dynamic young people in Atlanta who, in turn, have helped to promote the leadership qualities that have made Atlanta such an outstanding place in which to live and work.
Uptown Magazine's "H" List, Uptown Magazine, April 2012
Uptown Magazine's “H” list is a list of movers and shakers in the business community and entertainment industry. The list includes peoples who are hot and who Uptown believes should be on the radar of the community at large.
Atlanta Tribune the Magazine "Up Next", Atlanta Tribune the Magazine, May 2010
Through its "Up Next" feature, Atlanta Tribune the Magazine identifies and recognizes up and coming professionals and civic leaders who have displayed outstanding accomplishment in their industry and/or civic service and who show potential as the next leaders in their respective areas of activity.
Heineken Rising Start Award, Heineken USA, November 2009
Heineken USA recognizes and celebrates emerging leaders in the National Urban League movement through its Rising Star Program. Through this award program, Heineken identifies and honors young professionals (age 21-40) for their commitment to community and their leadership in economic empowerment.
Outstanding Five Under Ten Award, University of Michigan Alumni Association African American Council, October 2009
This award is bestowed annually to five young U-M graduates for their professional achievements and/or contributions to the community-at-large. Award recipients symbolize the hope the U-M community all hold for our future.
Sonya Stallings Ward IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT
Sonya Stallings-Ward is an experienced Senior Sales Executive with a proven track record of $900M+ IT solutions. She promotes Digital Transformation for Business Modernization and Cloud Initiatives. Before joining SAP, Sonya worked for multiple Fortune 100 companies, including Intel, Hewlett-Packard, Microsoft, and Teradata, driving better business outcomes for large enterprise clients.
Active in the community, Sonya is the President of the National Black MBA Association, Atlanta Chapter (NBMBAA Atlanta), where she raised more than $1.8M for chapter programs. In this role, she works with top corporate leaders across North America. She has been recognized by Who’s Who and other organizations in the Atlanta community. Sonya is also a member of the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Kennesaw State University Advisory Board of Directors, Technical Association of Georgia Advisory, Women in Technology, and a host of additional community affiliations.
A native of Columbus, Ohio, Sonya began her matriculation at Ohio State University, transferring after two years to Central State University to attain a Bachelor’s in Computer Science and Mathematics and MBA from Portland State University.
Jennifer Christian VICE PRESIDENT OF ADMINISTRATION
Jennifer Christian is a Quality System Manager at Karna LLC, currently working at the Center for Disease Control and Prevention Center (CDC), where she creates systems and tools for laboratories. She has over 18 years of experience in the pharmaceutical and medical device industries. She utilizes her expertise in project management, change management, and process improvement to deliver support and solutions that enable organizations to become more effective and efficient. Jennifer Christian is a Biology major from Savannah State University and holds an Executive MBA from Mercer University.
Jennifer is an advocate for women and girls. She is a member of the National Coalition of 100 Black Women, Mecca Chapter, where she has served as Co-chair for the Annual Scholarship Fundraising Committee, Co-chair for Public Policy Committee, and member of the Grants and Funds Development Committee. She was awarded Member of the Year and Committee of the Year as Co-chair for Public Policy. She is also a founding member of Golf Women Means Business.
Jennifer is the mother of two sons. She is an animal lover who enjoys traveling, sports, and who desires to inspire others by living a legacy of servant leadership.
Michelle Marshall VICE PRESIDENT OF COMMUNICATIONS
Michelle Marshall is the Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion for PUMA Group North America, the first DE&I leader with the company. In this role Michelle oversees all diversity initiatives, programming, partnerships, diverse talent acquisition recruitment, and community advocacy for PUMA North America and Cobra PUMA Golf. Michelle is also work in partnership with counterparts globally to build diversity strategy in European and Latin American offices.
Prior to joining PUMA Group, Michelle was the Senior Director of Women’s Leadership Initiatives for The United Way of Greater Atlanta. In this role, she was responsible for developing strategy, programming, board development, volunteer management, and advocating for and providing resources towards United Way’s initiative of improving Child Well-Being in Metro Atlanta.
Michelle spent 11 years at Nationwide Insurance where she held a variety of roles in claims, underwriting, sales, and operations. In her last role as the regional lead for Corporate Citizenship and Diversity Outreach, she increased brand awareness in local markets through building and cultivating relationships with diverse and community organizations, government officials, overseeing sponsorships, volunteerism projects, and media placement. She executed 300+ marketing activations at major sporting events, diversity conferences, business expos, and other events across 5 states in the Southeast Region. During her time at Nationwide Insurance, Michelle was one of the first Diversity Council Chairs and launched Nationwide’s first Women’s Symposium which featured senior executive speakers and mentoring circles.
Michelle is currently the NBMBAA Atlanta Chapter Vice President of Communications overseeing the Marketing, Public Relations, and Technology committees. Michelle was previously the Director of Marketing and Director of Special Events. Under her leadership, the annual Holiday Soiree saw an 89% increase in revenue, making it the most profitable since inception. Michelle is also a member of the Retail Industry Leaders Association Diversity and Inclusion Leaders Council. She formerly served as a board member of United Way of Greater Atlanta, The American Cancer Society, a member of the UNCF Mayor’s Ball Planning committee, and a member of the Georgia Diversity Council.
Michelle has a Bachelor of Business Administration/Marketing from Middle Tennessee State University and received her MBA from Bethel University. She is from Tennessee, but currently resides in Boston, MA.
Eric Harrison VICE PRESIDENT OF FINANCE
Eric Harrison is an executive with 20 years of sales leadership experience. He most recently was a Vice President of Sales for the South Region at PepsiCo, a $65 billion consumer package goods company. Eric led a sales organization responsible for managing national foodservice customers within PepsiCo’s portfolio. Earlier in his career, Eric created the Center of Excellence for PepsiCo’s Foodservice Investment Strategy. He led the Foodservice Division’s investment planning with more than 135 national customers and $650 million in annual revenue, and multiple projects shaped the foodservice organization.
Eric was born and raised in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He is a graduate of Florida A&M University, where he obtained a BS in Economics and an MBA. In 2012, he completed the Leadership Development Program at Northwestern University Kellogg School of Business and was a former president of NBMBAA, Atlanta Chapter. Additionally, he is a member of the Leadership Atlanta Class of 2016 and a member of the 100 Black Men of America Atlanta Chapter. Eric is a proud father of two children Kennedy and Eric Justin.
Chandra Gaines VICE PRESIDENT OF OPERATIONS
Chandra Gaines has served on the Foodservice South Region National Sales Team for PepsiCo for five years. In this role, she is responsible for supporting national accounts in the North and South regions. Her primary responsibilities are to cultivate strong relationships with customers, activate national marketplace initiatives, and maximize revenue and growth.
Chandra has 16 years of experience in the automotive industry, where she spent the majority of her career at Ford Motor Co. She has held various roles in finance, procurement, manufacturing, supply chain, and operations. Previously, Chandra was also a senior manager at Walmart Headquarters, where she was responsible for project management on the Innovation and Strategy Team. She is a flexible leader with an outstanding track record in producing cost savings, revenue growth, and driving efficiency results. Chandra earned her MBA (Strategy and International Business) from J. Mack Robinson College of Business – GSU in Atlanta, Georgia, and holds a Bachelor of Business Administration (Accounting) from Marygrove College in Detroit, Michigan. Chandra is a native of Detroit currently residing in Atlanta with her family while pursuing acting and enjoys hiking, skiing, scuba diving, and traveling.
Tamara McLaurin VICE PRESIDENT OF RECORDS
Tamara McLaurin is a results-oriented, highly organized individual with more than 20 years of experience encom-passing hospitality, sales, and management positions. She is currently a Senior Event Planner for the Federal Re-serve Bank of Atlanta. She provides oversight and coordination of logistical arrangements for events.
She has been a member of the National Black MBA Association, Atlanta Chapter since 2012. She has served on the board as Director of Programs from 2017-2020. Currently serves as Vice President of Records 2021-2022 term. She is affiliated with Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc. and serves as International Sergeant at Arms. She served on the National Pan-Hellenic Council of Cobb County for four years. She also served as a Career Coach for the Posse Foundation by offering critical support to scholars and alumni as they transition from being leaders on campus to being leaders in the workforce.
Tamara received a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in Marketing from James Madison University, and DeVry University awarded her a Master’s of Business Administration in Project Management.
Charmaine Ward Board Advisor
Charmaine Ward- Millner is Corporate Relations Director for Georgia Power. She is responsible for building and maintaining key state and national relationships with diverse opinion leaders, forming strategic alliances with diverse segments of the company’s 2.5 million customers, corporate partners, and civic organizations to promote advocacy for important industry and company initiatives.
She is a noted speaker, adjunct professor at Georgia State, serial entrepreneur, John Maxwell Leadership Coach, andICF Professional Certified Coach.
Charmaine’s service to the community is widespread. She is a member of the Board of Trustees for Clark Atlanta University and Secretary for the National Black MBA national board. She also serves on the Urban League of Greater Atlanta Board, Atlanta Technical College Foundation Board, Atlanta Business League Foundation Board, Operation HOPE Regional
Board, NBAF Advisory Council and Alliance Theatre Advisory Board. She is also a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., The Links, Inc., Coalition of 100 Black Women, Inc., and National Council of Negro Women. She is also an alumna of United Way VIP, Education Policy Fellowship Program (EPFP), Leadership Georgia, and Leadership Atlanta.
Charmaine graduated Magna Cum Laude with a B.A. in Economics from Clark Atlanta University and earned an MBA with honors from Kennesaw State University.
A native of Chicago, she is an avid reader, loves the theatre, and enjoys international travel. She is married to Keith Millner.
Charmaine’s personal mission is “To be a CATALYST, creating positive change in individuals, organizations and communities by making connections, coaching and servant leadership”.
Board of Directors
KIM JOHNSON DIRECTOR OF CAREER NETWORK
Kim Johnson, is an accomplished and results-driven Strategy, Client Experience & Operations leader with broad-base expertise in building and leading effective strategies for business transformation and process improvement projects/programs, delivering results in leadership roles within a Fortune 10 corporation. She is Lean Six Sigma Black Belt Certified. Kim has over 20+ years in the Telecommunications Industry with a demonstrated record of success establishing relationships and motivating teams to produce consistent results in a series of leadership positions spanning business transformation, network engineering, process engineering, project/program management, wholesale operations, sales operations, quality assurance, call center operations, and contact/call center customer service.
Kim earned her Bachelor of Science in International Studies with a minor in Business Administration from the University of South Carolina – Columbia and her Master of Business Administration from Keller Graduate School of Management.
Kim is a native of Allendale, South Carolina and currently resides in the Atlanta Metropolitan Area. Kim currently serves as the Director of Career Network for the National Black MBA Association, Atlanta Chapter. She also serves on the Staff Parish Relations Committee with St. James UMC Alpharetta, GA.
OTIS THREATT DIRECTOR OF CORPORATE AFFAIRS
TRACIE MOORE DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY AFFAIRS
Tracie Moore is on a mission to help business owners and families reach their financial goals by maximizing their income and minimizing their taxes. Trained as an Accountant, she has a 20 year background in accounting/finance and currently holds a license as an insurance broker. She has worked for City of Atlanta government as a Sr. Pension Manager within the employee benefits department, managing a budget of $162 million.
She has helped several Fortune 500 companies develop and improve processes working as an Accounting Consultant on various projects. She is heavily involved in the community by serving on boards and as a member of several non-profit organizations who advocate and educate women and girls while raising funds to support them. She loves to travel, attending community events and meeting new people while building valuable relationships to make a difference in the community. She is dedicated to helping others succeed. She believes that when you help someone else reach their goals, you are also helping one’s self to make this a better world for everyone.
Melanie Cook-McCant DIRECTOR OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
Melanie Cook-McCant is the Chief Executive Officer of Veritas Management Group, Inc. (VMG). VMG is a professional services firm offering a full suite of public health, IT, staff augmentation, and management consulting services. Ms. Cook-McCant is VMG’s visionary and is responsible for providing strategic and operational leadership while driving business development and company growth. Her industry knowledge comes from roles as a Sr. Consultant for a Wall Street investment bank, Sr. Advisor to the US Secretary of Commerce and the Under Secretary for Technology, Attorney at the Securities and Exchange Commission, Sr. Consultant supporting the CDC (managing 30 contracts) and Manager of Business Development at DB Consulting Group.
Melanie Cook-McCant is ITIL® Foundation Certified. She is a graduate of Spelman College and Harvard Law School. She is the Director of Legal Affairs for the NBMBAA, Atlanta Chapter, Former Chairperson of the Board of Directors of the Fulton County Land Bank Authority. She is a member of Emory University’s Rollins School of Public Health Community Advisory Board. She is a former member of the Board of Directors for Community Health Charities of Georgia, Georgia College and State University, and Spelman College Board of Trustees.
CHRISTOPHER BRUCE DIRECTOR OF GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS
Christopher Bruce, Esq. is the Political Director for theACLUofGeorgia. Brucehasbeenaleaderinthe fight for civil rights and liberties across the state and country. He led a campaign against suppressing the Black vote in South Atlanta by preventing the closure of polling locations in majority black districts during the 2016 Mayoral election. In his first year as a lobbyist with the ACLU of Georgia, Chris defeated a bill which added sentencing enhancements purposefully targeting Black Lives Matter protesters. In that same year, he led a coalition to defeat legislation that would have labeled protesters
as domestic terrorists. Bruce has also led a coalition of civil rights leaders and organizations that defeated legislation which would have jeopardized early voting hours and eliminated Sunday voting or “Souls to the Polls” programs.
Bruce graduated Cum Laude from Georgia State University and obtained his law degree from the University of Georgia. Bruce has also held positions of influence outside of the ACLU of Georgia including being on the Policy Executive Board of the Atlanta Pre-Arrest Diversion Program, Executive Board for Gate City Bar Association which is one of the oldest black bar associations in the United States, Atlanta Council for Younger Lawyers, and New Leaders Council. Bruce is a member of the LEAD Atlanta 2016 class and a recipient of the 2016 Outstanding Atlanta Award, the highest award that can be bestowed to a young professional in Atlanta. He has been featured in publications such as the Wall Street Journal and National Public Radio and been a guest lecturer at many universities including Harvard Law School, University of Georgia School of Law, and Emory University.
JANET SCOTT DIRECTOR OF LEGAL AFFAIRS
Janet C. Scott, Esq. has been practicing law since 2007. Janet is cum laude graduate of Spelman College, and she holds a Master of Arts degree in Education from Mercer University. A graduate of Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School, she has practiced law in several areas, including criminal law, education law, employment, entertainment, and personal injury law. Presently, Janet practices personal injury law.
Janet is passionate about serving in the community. In addition to her service as Director of Legal Affairs for the National Black MBA Association-Atlanta Chapter, Janet is a Past President (2016) of the Georgia Association of Black Women Attorneys (“GABWA”). Presently, she serves as President of the GABWA Foundation, Inc., a non-profit 501(c)(3). Janet also served as Co-Chair of the Aspiring Youth Program Committee; Director of the American Bar Association Awards for the Georgia Young Lawyers’ Division (“YLD”); United States Selective Service Board for DeKalb County, Georgia; and Chair of the St. Jude Children’s Hospital, Southern Evening of Hope. Janet is a graduate of Leadership DeKalb, and she is a proud member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.
Janet has been recognized by the Georgia Young Lawyers’ Division, twice, for her outstanding service to the YLD and by the Georgia Association of Women Lawyers as a Scholarship Recipient and an Outstanding Law Student.
In 2015, Janet was named one of Rolling Out Magazine and the Steed Society’s Top 25 Women of Atlanta. Janet was also named in the Atlanta Business Chronicle’s 2016 Who’s Who in the Legal community and the Atlanta Business League’s 2016 100 Women of Influence.
She is also a 2016 and 2017 Georgia Superlawyer Rising Star.
TYEISHA MILLER DIRECTOR OF LEADERS OF TOMORROW
Tyeisha Miller graduated from Tennessee State University and Meharry Medical College’s Allied Health Sciences Program in Nashville, Tennessee, with a BS in Medical Technology. She started her career as a Clinical Laboratory Scientist and is a member of the American Society for Clinical Pathology and the Clinical Laboratory Management Association. She later combined her passion for science and business to become a healthcare leader. She received an MBA from Loyola University Chicago’s Quinlan Graduate School of Business and studied global business strategies at the John Felice Rome Center, Loyola University’s campus in Rome, Italy.
Tyeisha is currently the manager of Laboratory Operations at WellStar Kennestone Regional Medical Center in Marietta, Georgia. She also held leadership positions at Emory Healthcare and Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta. Tyeisha has been a member of the NBMBAA, Atlanta Chapter for seven years, and currently serves as Director of the Leaders of Tomorrow (LOT) Mentoring Program. She has also served as a mentor with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Metro Atlanta and Just Us Girls, Inc.
NINETTE MARTIN DIRECTOR OF MEMBERSHIP
Ninette Martin, born in Chicago, IL, is a Human Resources professional with 20+ years of experience. She received her BA in Psychology, her MBA and Graduate Certificate in Human Resource Management, and her MA in Industrial Organizational Psychology. She also received the PHR and SHRM-CP certifications in Human Resources. She currently works as a Senior Consultant in Talent Acquisition with a Global Professional Services Organization strategically focused on technology. She also owns Corporate Talent Pool LLC, a Human Capital Management Consulting firm that focuses on Talent Acquisition and Talent Management. As a Human Resources professional, she is dedicated to personal and professional growth, and is always interested in helping others in their careers. She is the Director of Membership with NBMBAA Atlanta Chapter, on the Board of the Ezekial Taylor Scholarship Foundation, enjoys serving the community through the Atlanta Community Food Bank and Open Hand Atlanta, and enjoys spending time with friends and family.
DEJORON CAMPBELL THORPE DIRECTOR OF PROGRAMS
Dejoron T. Campbellcurrently serves as a Program Manager, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion for Emory University’s School of Medicine. She is responsible for developing, implementing and managing DEI programs, communicationsand initiatives for faculty and staff. She also assistswith DEI strategic planning, benchmarking, employee engagement and is a part of Emory University’s Intercultural Advisory Group.Prior to this role, she servedas an Associate Director of StrategicLearningInitiatives forthe National Diversity Council and waswith the organization since 2015. As Associate Directorof Strategic Learning Initiatives, she is responsible for the development, implementation and administration of diversity and inclusion education programs, tools and services. She is also responsible for providing guidance and direction to National Diversity Councilpartners and the public seekingd&Ieducational resources and tools. At the start of her career with the council,she supported the Georgia and NDC Carolinas Diversity Councils. Where she securedevent funding andcorporate sponsorships, and was responsible for planning and executing diversity workshops, leadership conferences, and college diversity summits. She also oversaw themarketing and operations for the Strategy and Research department including the DiversityFIRST™ Certification Program, which prepares professionals in the D&I space, and the DiversityFIRST™Toolkit, an online resource for D&I. In addition, she offeredsupport to NDC Consulting, which provides strategic consulting in the areas of diversity and inclusion, leadership, and cultural competence. Dejoron has more than eight years of human resources experience with Pitney Bowes, a fortune 500 company in the business services industry. Her first role was an HR specialist, supporting all U.S. personnel inquiries and requests. Shortly after, she was promoted to an HRIS specialist, administering personnel data changes and ensuring data integrity. Lastly, she led a team of HR administrators and coordinators as an HR supervisor. Dejoron currently serve on the board for the National Black MBA Association –Atlanta Chapter, a non-profit organization that supports African American business professionals and entrepreneurs by providing scholarship and career growth and development opportunities. She received her bachelor of arts degree from Alfred University in 2006 and a master of business administration degree with a concentration in human resources management from the University of New Haven in 2009. She received her designation as PHR (Professional in Human Resources) in 2009 and CDP (Certified Diversity Professional) in 2016.
AISHA HARDIMON DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC RELATIONS
Aisha Hardimon graduated from Georgia State University (GSU) with a B. A. in Journalism and a concentration in Public Relations and a minor in Music Industry Management. She also received an MBA with a marketing concentration from Holy Names University in Oakland, California.
While at GSU, Aisha acquired an internship in the Marketing and Promotions Department at V-103 and WAOK radio stations. After completing the one-year training successfully, she pursued her long-time interest and passion for music by becoming a college radio DJ on WRAS 88.5 (GSU) and an intern at J-Records, founded by music mogul Clive Davis.
After graduating from GSU, she landed her first PR role at a Pharmaceutical and Biotechnology Agency in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. After only a year, she has recruited for the Promotions and Public Relations Manager role at V103 and WAOK radio stations. She has also held roles with several radio broadcast companies, including Cumulus in Stockton, California, Entercom in San Francisco, California, and Radio One in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and most recently served as the Promotions Director in the Marketing and Promotions Department at Entercom’s V-103 and WAOK radio stations in Atlanta. Aisha currently is the Station Manager for WRFG Atlanta 89.3 FM Radio Free Georgia Broadcasting Organization, Inc.
WRFG
Jametta Barden DIRECTOR OF SPECIAL EVENTS
Jametta Barden is a South Carolina native currently living in Atlanta, GA. Jametta earned her undergraduate degree in Business Management at the University of South Carolina (Columbia) and completed her MBA in Norfolk, VA at a satellite campus for Troy University.
She is a Project Management Professional (PMP) who leads HR and Financial deployments for Fortune 500 companies as a Senior Engagement Manager. She is a Global Belonging and Diversity liaison and the VIBE Leader for the Atlanta Workday office. VIBE means Value Inclusion, Belonging and Equity. She was recently selected to be a member of the Accelerator Team that was created to lead the diversity initiatives related to educating the entire workforce on DEI topics. She successfully chartered the first Employee Belonging Council in the Atlanta office in 2015, Black@Workday and also chartered the Atlanta Women@Workday chapter in the fall of 2019.
Jametta is a Board Member with the Keitt Institute providing programs to empower girls, college aged women, adult women, and executives. She is member of Word of Faith Cathedral. She loves the game of football and is a consummate volunteer with several organizations serving the community.
Jametta is an active member of the Atlanta Chapter of the National Black MBA, has served on the Programs and Special Events committees over the last 10 years, and is currently the Director of Special Events and former Director of Community Affairs.
She enjoys time with family and friends, reading with the Sister2Sister Book Club, and is most proud of being a grandmother to Chancellor Jr (CJ) who affectionately calls her Jama.
Natassha Chambliss DIRECTOR OF STUDENT AFFAIRS
Natassha R. Chambliss is a Sr. Business Analyst for Home Depot and a champion of the arts as the owner of Lines Gallery, Inc. She is a community stakeholder serving on several boards that strategically align with her values for helping others, supporting the arts community, and educating children. She also serves as Vice-Chair of the Atlanta Printmaker Studio Board of Directors.
Natassha earned her Bachelor of Science in Business Management with Honors and an MBA from Alverno College in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. She nurtured servant leadership early on to develop the “Successfully Suited” program enabling young women to learn the basics of job readiness while providing them professional wear (new and gently used). She consistently volunteers to give back to the community by donating her time and talent. The importance of family is paramount for her and her husband as proud parents who planted roots in Atlanta, Georgia. Natassha seeks to leave a legacy filled with philanthropy and a fantastic art collection.
