Jeanne Wardford is a program officer for Family Economic Security at the W.K. Kellogg Foundation in Battle Creek, Michigan.

In this role as a member of the Family Economic Security team, Wardford is responsible for identifying and nurturing opportunities for affecting positive systemic change within communities aimed at creating conditions in which children can develop, learn and grow. She works closely with staff to ensure integration and coordination of efforts.

Prior to joining the foundation in 2015, Jeanne was director for National Partnerships at NeighborWorks America in Washington, D.C. In this role, she built strategic collaborations with public and private investors and secured resources for the implementation of a national asset development program, which included financial education, literacy, coaching and community development strategy. She has also worked in community development, fund development and evaluation consulting for TaylarMade Consulting, Inc., where she worked with public, private and academic sectors and their funding partners.

Jeanne holds a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from Michigan State University and a master’s degree in educational leadership from Marygrove College in Detroit. She also has a National Congress of Community and Economic Development Finance certification.

Sylvia Rhone is the President of Epic Records and founder/CEO of Vested in Culture, her label with Epic Records.

A pioneer of the diversity-driven business model, Ms. Rhone has succeeded for more than three decades as one of the most influential female executives in the history of music business. Currently overseeing a roster of breakthrough, best-selling artists, the Epic lineup includes Meghan Trainor, Michael Jackson, Future, Sara Bareilles, KONGOS, A Great Big World, Fifth Harmony and OutKast, among many others. Additionally, her Vested in Culture lineup boast a diverse roster of young, fresh and new talent, including Latin pop singer-songwriter Kat Dahlia, rapper Casey Veggies and soulful Danish chanteuse CoCo (formerly of Quadron).

Rhone’s previous 10-year tenure as Chairman/CEO of the Elektra Entertainment Group (EEG) saw her transform the boutique label into one of the most eclectic rosters in the history of the music business, with her historic appointment in 1994 as Chairman/CEO of EEG establishing her as the only African-American and the first woman in the history of the recording industry to attain such a title. Among many other artists, Rhone was largely responsible for the breakout success of Missy Elliott, Metallica, Busta Rhymes, Natalie Merchant, En Vogue, Staind, Tracy Chapman, Jason Mraz, Yolanda Adams, Third Eye Blind, Gerald Levert, Ol’ Dirty Bastard and Fabolous.

Generally regarded as the most influential female executive in the history of the music business, Sylvia Rhone began her career with Buddha Records in 1974. She also held positions at ABC Records and Ariola Records, as well as previously being part of the Elektra family, eventually promoted to Director/National Black Music Marketing. She took on broader responsibilities in A&R and Marketing in 1986 with her promotion to Senior Vice President/General Manager of Atlantic Records.

Born and raised in New York City’s historic Harlem, Ms. Rhone holds a B.S. in Economics from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.

Vera Moore, former actress turned entrepreneur is President & CEO of the highly competitive family owned business, Vera Moore Cosmetics. Established in 1979, Vera Moore Cosmetics was developed from the guidance of a licensed esthetician, her husband. VMC maintains the position that women should “clear it up” vs. “cover it up.” The brand is anchored in the belief that skincare is the focus coupled with the usage of cosmetics. Thus, our mantra “SKINCARE is the TRUE foundation.”As VP of Digital Media at GV, Katie Bofshever crafts innovative and creative solutions for the digital space, specializing in minority consumers.

As a passionate advocate for women owned businesses Vera knocked down barriers that impede their growth by leveling the playing field. In 1982, Vera broke through the color barrier when her company became the first black-owned business to set up shop in the 50 year history at the prestigious Long Island Green Acres Mall. Vera spoke at the first Urban Economic Council presented by the White House Business Council, the White House Council on Women and Girls and the US Small Business Administration. She was recently featured on the Dr. Oz show, Secrets of People Who Look Half Their Age. Her products can also be found in select Duane Reade/Walgreens drug stores nationwide.

Dyana Williams is an entertainment powerhouse. A broadcasting professional for more than four decades, Williams is currently heard weekly on Radio One Philadelphia's 100.3 WRNB. where she co-hosts Soulful Sunday with Derrick Sampson. In addition, Williams is CEO of Influence Entertainment, where she has helped to engineer media strategies for a diverse clientele. Past and present clients include, Rihanna, Justin Bieber, T.I., members of the Dave Matthews Band, Janelle Monae, A$AP Rocky, The Zac Brown Band, three American Idols, one Real Housewife of Atlanta and one Love and Hip Hop cast member, among many others.

Ms. Williams is also a community activist, print journalist, documentarian, and lecturer at colleges, universities, and corporations across the country, and internationally. In her role as a music advocate, Dyana successfully lobbied Congress, and helped to enact House Concurrent Bill 509 to recognize African-American music as a viable economic and cultural entity, establishing June as Black Music Month. For her activism, she was recognized in the White House by Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush.

Currently Dyana serves with pride and enthusiasm as President of the Philadelphia chapter of The Recording Academy, also known as the GRAMMY organization.

Advocate and political strategist Glynda C. Carr is recognized for her innovative leadership style, commitment to expanding the civic participation of communities of color and advancing progressive public policies that build sustainable communities.

Carr is the former Executive Director of Education Voters of New York, a leading independent voice for school reform in the state. She joined Education Voters in 2008 where she became New York’s youngest African-American woman to run a statewide advocacy organization.

Carr has held senior management positions with key national organizations including: the Thurgood Marshall Scholarship Fund and Big Brothers Big Sisters of America. Following these roles, she went on to cofound Higher Heights for America with Kimberly Peeler-Allen.

 She is also a contributor on The SPIN: All Women’s Media Panel and has appeared on Fox News Live, MSNBC and several other media outlets. She was named a “Rising Star” in The Capitol’s 2009 40 under 40 edition. 

A highly skilled political fundraiser and event planner, Kimberly Peeler-Allen was the Principal of Peeler-Allen Consulting, LLC from 2003 to 2014, the only African American full-time fundraising consulting firm in New York State.

After completing the 2002 gubernatorial campaign of H. Carl McCall where she served as the deputy finance director, Kimberly founded her New York City-based consulting firm to help develop capital for clients, organizations, and issues affecting people of color that have historically been kept outside of the mainstream. She built her company to help ensure that systemic change would be created for the causes in which she believes.

In 2010, Kimberly was named to the Crain’s New York Business 40 Under 40 list as well as named one of The Feminist Press’ 40 Under 40: The Future of Feminism.

Kimberly took her commitment to women candidates and candidates of color one step further. In 2011, she founded with Glynda Carr, Higher Heights, a nation organization seeking to elevate Black women’s voices to shape and advance progressive policies and politics. 

Jodie Patterson is a mother of five, an entrepreneur, social activist and writer. She’s widely known as a distinctive voice in the beauty industry, having cofounded two companies: Doobop, and Georgia by Jodie Patterson. Her brands have been profiled in five issues of O Magazine, and appeared in almost every major mainstream publication, including the New York Times, Glamour, Vogue, Japanese Vogue, Teen Vogue, More, Essence, Ebony, Uptown, and Domino.

She is an active LGBTQI ally who has been recognized by Hillary Clinton, GLAAD, Family Circle magazine, Cosmopolitan magazine, Yahoo, Refinery29, and numerous other websites. She sits on the boards of Human Right Campaign, Gender and Family Project and Community of Unity. She is currently writing a memoir for Balantine/Random House centered around her transgender son Penelope.

Many years ago, Jodie was the Director of PR for the fashion designer Zac Posen and most surprisingly, an acrobat in the Big Apple Circus.

Aletha Maybank, MD, MPH currently serves as a Deputy Commissioner in the New York City Department of Health and is the Founding Director of the Center for Health Equity.  The Center’s mission is to bring an explicit focus to health equity in all of the Department’s work by tackling structural barriers, such as racism, ensuring meaningful community engagement, and fostering interagency coordination in neighborhoods with the highest disease burden.

Prior to this role, she was an Assistant Commissioner in the NYC Health Department and served as the Director of the Brooklyn Office, a place-based approach.  Dr. Maybank also successfully launched the Office of Minority Health as its Founding Director in the Suffolk County Department of Health Services in NY from 2006-2009.

Dr. Maybank holds a BA from Johns Hopkins University, a MD from Temple University School of Medicine, and a MPH from Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health. She is pediatrician board certified in Preventive Medicine/Public Health and currently serves as Vice President of the Empire State Medical Association, the NYS affiliate of the National Medical Association.

La-Verna J. Fountain serves as the Vice President for Strategic Communications and Construction Business Initiatives at Columbia University within the Facilities and Operations Department. Since joining Columbia in 2006, La-Verna has received numerous city, state and national awards for her efforts in communications and business development. She was a columnist for Harlem Community News and Women-Connect, a quarterly women's magazine, served as a co-host on the radio program, Urbanology on WHCR 93.7 FM focusing on MWBE services and served as the Chairperson of New York City's Construction Mentorship Advisory Panel under Mayor Bloomberg.

For the past 25 years, she has provided motivational speeches, training and facilitation on conflict resolution, cultural diversity, nonviolence as a way of life, working with teenagers, spirituality in the workplace and staff and organizational development.