The HACSA Sankofa Summit is a gathering of diverse participants from across the globe, including Africa experts and enthusiasts, community, opinion and thought leaders, creatives, captains of industry, academics, scholars, influencers and HACSA Sankofa Network members. A rich tapestry of activities offers participants an exciting and immersive experience into all things African. The Summit includes keynote speeches, panel discussions, exhibitions, heritage tours, film screenings and a gala dinner dance. It is a showcase of excellence and culture from both the continent and the diaspora, featuring cuisine, dance, fashion and music.
The purpose of the HACSA Sankofa Summit is to have open and meaningful debates on crosscutting issues that concern communities both in Africa and the Diaspora. It seeks to link, reunite, reconcile and evoke healing in communities through reflection and consciousness and to share creative and innovative strategies among participants. The HACSA Summit includes keynote speeches, panel discussions, exhibitions, film screenings and a gala dinner-dance showcasing African culinary delights, fashion, music and guided tours of heritage sites.
Keynote Speaker
Panel Discussions
Networking/Coffee Break
Keynote Speaker
Panel Discussions
Apollo Theatre
Schomburg Centre
The Africa Centre
Soul Food with Chef Alexander Smalls
Dinner-Dance
Auction
Music Concert
The Conference offers a platform for participants to deliberate on critical topics that are related to African Diaspora communities worldwide. It provides opportunities for learning, insightful discussions, collaborative opportunities and networking for all participants. Discussions cover a wide range of topics, including investment, financial inclusion, technological innovation, the creative arts, youth skills, leadership and career development, women’s empowerment, physical and mental wellbeing, and healing from trauma. The purpose of the conference is to have open and meaningful debates on cross-cutting issues that concern communities both in Africa and the Diaspora. It seeks to link, reunite, reconcile and evoke healing in communities through reflection and consciousness and to share creative and innovative strategies among participants.
The Charity Gala is our annual flagship fundraising event, held for the benefit of the programs and projects of the HACSA Foundation. Contributions enable HACSA to continue its impactful work and make a positive difference in communities both on the continent and in the diaspora. It is an elegant and festive celebration of African talent and creativity, instilling a sense of shared purpose, camaraderie and community engagement. The gala is a cultural night of live music, fashion, food, and dance, celebrating African heritage. It fosters unity within and appreciation of the global diaspora, nurtures a collective commitment to HACSA’s goals, and strengthens the ties that bind diverse communities. All are welcome for a night to remember!
The gala is a cultural night of live music, fashion, food and dance, celebrating African heritage. It symbolises the unity of the global diaspora, nurturing a collective commitment to HACSA’s goals and fortifying the ties that bind our communities.
The grandeur and intimacy of the Harvard Club of NYC will be the backdrop to the HACSA Charity Gala this year. The Harvard Club is a historic landmark which offers the ideal setting for the Gala, ensuring a seamless experience for guests. The venue offers a range of amenities, including accommodation, valet or self-parking and cloakroom services. Our guest of honour and keynote speaker will be actress and director Adjoa Andoh a.k.a. Lady Danbury from Netflix’s Bridgerton. Join us for an unforgettable evening of networking, fine-dining, dancing and an exclusive, operatic performance by award-winning, Nigerian-French soprano Omo Bello for her first ever New York performance, in a prestigious, festive and elegant setting. Tables of 12 can be purchased for $6000. Individual tickets are $500 each.
Adjoa Andoh, is a distinguished British actress who has enjoyed a versatile career spanning stage and screen. Her notable theater credits include leading roles with the Royal Shakespeare Company, National Theatre, and Almeida Theatre. On television, she has appeared in popular series such as Doctor Who, Casualty, and EastEnders. Andoh made her Hollywood debut in Clint Eastwood’s Invictus (2009) alongside Morgan Freeman. More recently, she has played the esteemed Lady Danbury in Netflix’s hit Regency romance series Bridgerton. In acknowledgment of her significant contributions to literature and the arts, Andoh was honored with an appointment as an Honorary Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature in 2022. Her talent and versatility continue to solidify her place as one of Britain’s most respected actresses.
Omo Bello is an acclaimed Nigerian soprano who has made her mark on the international opera scene. After studying Cell Biology and Genetics at the University of Lagos, she pursued music at the Conservatoire de Paris. Bello’s talent has been recognized with numerous awards, including first prizes at the Luciano Pavarotti Giovani Competition and the Anselmo Colzani Singing Competition. She was also nominated for the Victoires de la Musique Classique. Bello has performed in prestigious venues in several countries, such as the Philharmonie de Paris and the Teatro Palladium. Her repertoire spans significant roles in operatic and concert settings. Beyond her performances, she founded the Omo Bello Music Foundation to nurture young musical talent in Nigeria. Bello also serves as a goodwill ambassador for Rotary International.
Former MD, JP Morgan
Board Member, CBG, Ghana
Strategist & Thought-leader
Former US Diplomat
Strategy & Operations Lead
Senior Vice President
PEX
Chief of Medical Services
Turks & Caicos Islands Hospital
Democratic Press Secretary
U.S. House of Representatives
Founder & CEO
BlackBand
Director, Corporate Comms
Headway
Chief, Resource Mobilisation &
Donor Relations, UN
Founder & Executive Producer
“I of Africa”
We are delighted to offer exclusive discounted airfares for travels to the HACSA summit through our airline partner, SKYTEAM GLOBAL MEETINGS, allowing Summit attendees to access reduced rates from almost anywhere in the world. To take advantage of this offer, please email us at info@thehacsa.org for your discount code.
Osu Mantse
HRM Notse Nii Nortey Owuo IV is the current customarily enstooled Osu Mantse and President of the Osu Stool Council. Notse was born in to the Owuo We Principal Royal Family and ascended the stool in January 2022.
Notse attended The Additrom School and Galaxy International School where he focused his studies on science related subjects but maintained an aptitude for the humanities and social sciences. Whiles at Galaxy he represented the school and country at the prestigious ISWEEEP Science Olympiad in Houston, Texas USA where he won bronze
He pursued His undergraduate education at Colby-Sawyer College in New London, New Hampshire. Notse was a member of the Wesson High Honors Society, the Alpha Chi Honors society and repeatedly made the Dean’s List. Notse was the first ever black Class President and the first ever black Student Government President at Colby-Sawyer College. In addition, he was awarded the Barbera Johnson Stearns Leadership Award for his leadership excellence during his time at the university. During those same years he was awarded a Resolution Fellowship at UN Youth Assembly at UN headquarters in New York City, USA. Notse attained his doctoral degree in law from the prestigious University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill in North Carolina, USA. His joint paper on the Venezuelan debt crisis is published and cited.
Notse is a practicing lawyer by profession and a lecturer. He has worked at various global Fortune 100 companies. He continues to find time to teach including helping with classes at his alma mater. In 2020 Notse was inducted to into the NC Pro Bono Honour Society. Notse is also an Associate Fellow of the Royal Commonwealth Society. His Royal Majesty was on the board of Colby-Sawyer College for 3 years, making him again the first black person to hold a board seat. He is a member of the American, North Carolina, and Mecklenburg County Bars.
Notse’s focus areas since enstoolment have been on education, sustainability, youth empowerment and entrepreneurship.
Actor/Producer/Co-Founder, Bel-Air (Peacock)
Jimmy Akingbola can be seen in the coveted role of ‘Geoffrey’, trusted advisor to Phil and the Banks family and the link back to his humble roots in the UK in BEL-AIR, the acclaimed serialized one-hour dramatic analogue of the ’90s sitcom The Fresh Prince of Bel Air. He has also completed filming Freegard alongside James Norton and Gemma Arterton.
Actor/Writer/Director
Adjoa Andoh won acclaim as Lady Danbury in the Netflix smash Bridgerton – a role that has seen her nominated twice for Outstanding Supporting Actress at the NAACP Image Awards.So far in 2024, she has received a TV Performance Of The Year nomination at The People’s Choice Awards, as well as a third NAACP Image Award nomination for Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story.
Recent roles on the small screen include Dr Isaacs in the psychological thriller Fractured, DI Nina Rosen in BBC1’s Silent Witness, Nenneke in the Netflix blockbuster fantasy drama, The Witcher, and in 2023 she made her prequel debut as Lady Danbury in the Netflix/Shondaland collaboration Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story. Adjoa also starred in the new mystery thriller TV series The Red King, which aired in the spring (2024). Her many other television appearances include regulars in Dr Who, Casualty and Law & Order UK.
In a career of almost 40 years, Adjoa has had lead roles at the National Theatre, Royal Shakespeare Company, Royal Court Theatre, and in 2019, she conceived, co-directed and played Richard II at Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre in the UK’s first all women-of-colour production. 2023 also saw Adjoa direct and star in a new theatre production of William Shakespeare’s Richard lll.
Adjoa made her Hollywood debut in 2009, starring alongside Morgan Freeman and Matt Damon in Clint Eastwood’s biographical sports film Invictus. Other film appearances include Adulthood, Brotherhood, and I Is A Long Memoried Woman. She’s also an award-winningBBC radio actor and audiobook narrator of over 150 audiobooks.
Adjoa Andoh is an Associate Artist at the Royal Shakespeare Company. She’s an Honorary Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature, British Shakespeare Association, Rose BrufordCollege, Arts University Bournemouth and the Shakespeare Association of America. She was appointed as the Cameron Mackintosh Visiting Professor of Contemporary Theatre (University of Oxford) for 2022/23, and was a judge for the Booker Prize, 2023.
Adjoa is a proud patron of the International Rescue Committee (IRC), and Tree Aid.
Founder & CEO
Sand Technologies
Fred is the Founder and CEO of Sand Technologies. He was honored in 2019 as one of the “100 most influential people in the world” by TIME Magazine and again in 2023 with a “TIME 100 Impact Award.” Fred has been recognized as one of the top 15 emerging social entrepreneurs in the world by Echoing Green, as a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum, as a TED Fellow, and as an Aspen Institute Fellow. He has been honored with doctorate degrees from Macalester College in Minnesota, Middlebury College in Vermont and Nelson Mandela University in South Africa. He sits on the boards of the Rhodes Trust and is a member of the International Advisory Board of Waterloo University. He began his career at McKinsey & Company and has an MBA from Stanford University.
Former Premier
Turks & Caicos Islands
Dr. Rufus Washington Ewing is a native Turks and Caicos Islander. He is a General Surgeon with over 15 years experience, having practiced in United Kingdom, Jamaica, and Turks and Caicos Islands, and being exposed to various cultures and working in widely divergent environments, ensures his comfort level in working with a wide variety of people and organizations.
He graduated from the University of the West Indies in Mona, Jamaica where he earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Medicine and Surgery and later the Doctor of Medicine in General Surgery. During his years of training, he also studied in the Bahamas, USA and Canada. Upon returning to the Turks and Caicos, Dr. Ewing played a key role in shaping the evolution of health care at the national and policy level through numerous appointments in the Ministry of Health including Deputy Chief Medical Officer and Director of Health Services.
After pursuing a Masters of Public Health Degree from the Bloomberg School of Public Health,Johns Hopkins University he continued to be instrumental in advocating for the establishment of critical policy, regulatory and strategic units within the Ministry of Health and later played a pivotal role in the development of the National Healthcare Renewal Project. During his years in the public service Dr. Ewing established links with regional counterparts as the TCIs representative on numerous regional health bodies including an appointment as Director of the Caribbean Health Research Council.
Dr. Ewing entered a career in politics in 2012 with his Presidency of the TCI Civil Service Association, advocating for the rights of Civil Servants under the Interim British Administration. Later that year following his resignation from the Public Service he won the Leadership of the Progressive National Party (PNP).
On November 12, 2012, Dr. Rufus Ewing was sworn in as the third Premier of The Turks and Caicos Islands after leading his Progressive National Party to victory in the general elections of November 9th, 2012. Hon Dr. Rufus Ewing held the portfolio of Premier and Minister of Tourism.
As Premier, Dr Ewing has extended the work which he begun in the Civil Services Association in his new role, working to improve the lives of his native people. Dr. Ewing is engaged and committed in furtherance of the economic development of the Turks and Caicos Islands and enhancing the lives, health and continued safety of its people and those which have made TCI their home. He orchestrated systems and programmes aimed at advancing the economic resilience of the people of the Turks and Caicos Islands with regards to various global perils to which the country is exposed.
Member of Parliament
Clapham and Brixton Hill
Bell Ribeiro-Addy MP is a British Labour Party politician who has served as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Streatham since 2019. Born on March 1, 1985, in London, she is of Ghanaian heritage and is known for her strong advocacy on social justice, racial equality, and migrant rights. Before entering Parliament, Bell worked as the Chief of Staff to Diane Abbott, the first Black woman elected to Parliament in the UK, and as a political adviser in the Labour Party.
In Parliament, Bell has been a vocal supporter of progressive causes, including the Black Lives Matter movement, anti-racism campaigns, and policies that promote equity and diversity. She is also a member of the Socialist Campaign Group of Labour MPs and has been involved in advocating for workers’ rights, environmental justice, and anti-austerity policies.
Bell Ribeiro-Addy has consistently used her platform to champion underrepresented communities and tackle issues such as police violence, housing inequality, and the rights of migrants. She remains a prominent voice in British politics, committed to challenging systemic injustices and promoting inclusive policies.
Vice President Engineering
Gavin Leo-Rhynie is a highly accomplished technology leader, currently serving as Vice President of Engineering at Google. In this role, he oversees engineering teams and contributes to the development of Google’s innovative technologies. Gavin’s expertise spans both computer science and economics, having earned dual degrees in these fields from the University of Pennsylvania.
Throughout his career, Gavin has demonstrated a strong commitment to supporting diversity in tech. He is actively involved with organizations like All Star Code, where he serves on the board, helping to create pathways for young men of color to enter the tech industry. He also engages in nonprofit work with organizations like CFY New York, focusing on educational initiatives for underprivileged students in low-income communities.
Gavin’s influence extends beyond technical leadership, as he has been a visible advocate for diversity, equity, and inclusion in the tech sector, inspiring the next generation of leaders
Paramount Queen Mother
Assin Atandansu Traditional Area
Nana Abena Gyamfua II is the Paramount Queen Mother of Assin Atandansu Traditional Area. She was enstooled on May 19, 2008 onto the Tibu Kwagyan Abandwa stool on which NANA SIR TSIBU DARKO IX was enstooled within the Central Region of Ghana. She was born to Obaapanyin Rose Ashiboe-Mensah, a royal to the Tibu Kwagyan Abandwa dynasty and Efo Kojovi Bokor Dablah in Aflao in the Volta Region of Ghana. She grew up in Konongo in the Ashanti Region of Ghana before finally settling in her hometown, Nyankomasi Ahenkro. Her education led her to the University of Education, Winneba, where she obtained a diploma in Early Childhood Education and a degree in Guidance and Counselling.
As the queenmother of Assin Atandansu Traditional Area, she has over the past sixteen years helped in managing diverse issues on women, girls and children including forced early marriages for girls and general marital issues, parenting, teenage pregnancy and care, and child abuse.
In recognition for her meaningfully contribution and forthright fullness, she was given the ‘Paramount Queen Mother Award for Health in 2021 and Education in 2022 in Chieftaincy. She has also been the Folklore Ambassador for Central Region for the past two years. Nana Abena Gyamfua is married with one child. Her hobbies include listening to traditional music and customary dance and reading.
Professor
Columbia University
Yolanda Sealey-Ruiz, Ph.D. is a Professor of English Education at Teachers College, Columbia University. Her research has appeared in several top-tier academic journals. She is co-editor of four books and is co-author of the multiple award-winning book Advancing Racial Literacies in Teacher Education: Activism for Equity in Digital Spaces (2021) where she examines her concept of Archeology of Self ™ in education. For three years in a row, she was named one of EdWeek’s EduScholar Influencers — a list of the Top 1% of educational scholars in the United States — a highly selective group of 200 scholars (chosen from a pool of 20,000). At Teachers College, she is the founder of the Racial Literacy Project @TC, and the Racial Literacy Roundtables Series, where for 14 years, national scholars, teachers, and students facilitate conversations around race and other issues involving diversity. Yolanda appeared in Spike Lee’s “2 Fists Up: We Gon’ Be Alright” (2016), a documentary about the Black Lives Matter movement and the campus protests at Mizzou, and “Defining Us, Children at the Crossroads of Change, a documentary about supporting and educating the nation’s Black and Latinx males youth, and the forthcoming “Black Girls”, a documentary about Black girls and women in society, the film will be released in 2024. Yolanda’s first full-length collection of poetry, Love from the Vortex & Other Poems, was published in March 2020. Her sophomore book of poetry, The Peace Chronicles, was published in July, 2021. Yolanda opened the 2022 TEDx UPENN conference at the University of Pennsylvania with her TEDx Talk: Truth, Love & Racial Literacy.
CEO
The Equity Alliance
Claude Grunitzky is CEO and Managing Partner at the Equity Alliance, a New York-based fund of funds that invests in venture capital firms and early-stage ventures run by women and people of color.
Born in Togo, Claude is also the founder of two media companies, TRACE and TRUE Africa. Over the past two decades, TRACE, which was funded by Goldman Sachs and successfully sold to European investors in 2010, has become one of the most popular youth culture media brands focused on Black culture. TRUE Africa is a Google-funded media tech platform championing young African voices and innovators all over the world. Claude also launched TRUE Africa University as a remote learning platform, which is currently incubated at MIT’s J-WEL (Jameel-World Education Lab), because he wants to help nurture Africa’s talent, those young people who will accelerate the continent’s sustainable development.
Growing up, Claude, who speaks six languages and carries three passports, was exposed to many different cultures. These foreign interactions shaped his transcultural philosophy and informed the creative energy of his ventures.
Claude is a graduate of London University and MIT, where he obtained an MBA as a Sloan Fellow. He is also a visiting social innovator at Harvard Kennedy School’s Social Innovation + Change Initiative, where he lectures, leads workshops, and helps graduate students develop business ideas for social enterprises. Claude is also an angel investor who has helped many young entrepreneurs launch their startups over the past decade. Claude sits on the board of Humanity in Action, a foundation that works internationally to build global leadership, defend democracy, protect minorities and improve human rights.
Director, Centre for Africana Studies
UPenn
Wale Adebanwi is Presidential Penn Compact Professor of Africana Studies at the University of Pennsylvania and holds a secondary appointment in the Department of Political Science. His research and teaching interests are in the broad area of the social mobilization of power and interests in Africa as manifested in and/or through ethnicity, nationalism, racial and urban formations, elites, state, and civil society, media, intellectual history, and social theory.
President
Robin Hood Foundation
Richard Buery is CEO of Robin Hood, a New York poverty-fighting organization. Advancing equal opportunity throughout his career, he was previously CEO of Achievement First, a charter-school network across New York, Connecticut and Rhode Island. As deputy mayor of New York City from 2014 to 2018, Buery was the key architect of the free Pre-K for All program and launched the mental health reform initiative ThriveNYC, among other achievements. Prior to that, he was CEO of child-welfare organization Children’s Aid, led public policy for KIPP; founded a support organization for public-housing residents in Brooklyn and co-founded the national college persistence nonprofit iMentor. Earlier, Buery was a staff attorney at the Brennan Center for Justice, a teacher in Zimbabwe, and founded his first nonprofit while still in college.
CEO
Niche Chocolate
Mr. Edmund Poku is the founder and Chief Executive Officer of Niche Cocoa Industry in Ghana. Niche Cocoa produces high-quality cocoa liquor, cocoa butter and cocoa powder for export. The company has won the award of “Ghana Exporter of The Year” for three Consecutive Years (2013, 2014 and 2015) given its high commitment to the value addition of cocoa.Prior to the company’s start-up, he served as manager of Strategic Business Development at Home Depot and as an investment banker at Goldman Sachs. He received his MBA from Columbia Business School in 2002 and a masters in Engineering Management from Dartmouth College in 2000. Prior to graduate school, Mr. Poku worked as a management consultant at PricewaterhouseCoopers and earned an Industrial Engineering degree from Columbia University and a B.A. in Liberal Arts from Bowdoin College. He is passionate about industrial and economic development in Africa.
First Lady of Newark, Principal, BOLD Newark
Linda J. Baraka is a highly skilled government affairs professional and a strong advocate for the Newark community. Linda Baraka serves as the First Lady of Newark, alongside husband, Mayor Ras J. Baraka. In addition, she implements campaigns for small business, non-profits, municipalities and elected officials. With experience as a family service worker, Linda has long understood the importance of community and social responsibility.
Most recently, Linda worked to turn downtown Newark’s Mulberry Commons, and the nearby Ironside Building into a winter wonderland for the Newark Winter Village event. Over 10,000 community members visit Newark Winter Village event annually. In addition to Newark Winter Village, Linda also produces AfroBeat Fest. New Jersey’s largest celebration of African food, music and culture.
As an entrepreneur herself, Linda Baraka also supports Newark’s local businesses. She recently launched BOLD Newark at Newark International Airport Terminal A. BOLD Newark is a boutique gift shop that features items from black owned and local businesses from Newark and the surrounding areas.
She currently holds a Master of Public Administration from Rutgers University School of Public Affairs and Administration
Chair
Acosta Institute
Dr. Angel Acosta is a leading voice in the field of healing-centered education. With a doctorate from Teachers College, Columbia University, his research explores innovative frameworks for leadership development and community care. As the Director of the Garrison Institute’s Fellowship Program, a Fellow at the Mind & Life Institute, and a Global Advisory Board Member at Keio University’s Center for Contemplative Studies in Tokyo, Dr. Acosta bridges the fields of leadership, social justice, and mindfulness.
He chairs the Acosta Institute, a digital learning and research hub fostering innovation in healing-centered education and slow work. His current focus includes expanding the healing-centered paradigm in education, business, and artificial intelligence.
Dr. Acosta has fundraised over $2 million for healing-centered education programming and projects, including a multi-year grant from the Kellogg Foundation. He served as the chief curator for the Wounded Healer Portrait Series, a national healing arts project focused on empowering educators. He has given over 500 keynote speeches and presentations, both in the United States and internationally, with notable engagements in the Czech Republic, Japan, Portugal, and Ghana. His international experience started while directing a global leadership study abroad program in Rome through Leadership exCHANGE, fostering cross-cultural communication and social entrepreneurship skills in students worldwide.
As a consultant, he has worked with diverse organizations, including SYPartners, B Lab U.S. & Canada, Salesforce Foundation, SYLVAIN, Accenture, Google Applied Digital Skills Lab, Stanford University’s Life Design Lab, Silicon Valley Community Foundation, Center for Policing Equity, NYC Department of Education, UNICEF and the House of Beautiful Business. As an educator, Dr. Acosta has taught at Omega Institute, Esalen, and 1440 Multiversity, and has spoken at the Asia Pacific Forum on Holistic Education in Kyoto, Japan.
A proud first-generation Dominican-American and graduate of SUNY Plattsburgh, Dr. Acosta brings a unique perspective to his work. As a member of the 400 Years of Inequality Project, he designed the Contemplating 400 Years of Inequality Experience, supporting communities in understanding structural inequality through mindfulness-based approaches. Lately, he has become curious about the ways in which technology can be used as a force for advancing racial equity and dismantling structural inequality.
Professor
NYU School of Law
Deborah Archer is the President of the ACLU and a nationally recognized expert on civil liberties, civil rights, and racial justice. She is also the Margaret B. Hoppin Professor of Clinical Law and Faculty Director of the Community Equity Lab at New York University School of Law. Deborah is an award-winning teacher and legal scholar whose articles have appeared in leading law reviews and national publications, and she has offered commentary for national and international media. Prior to fulltime teaching, Deborah worked as an attorney with the ACLU and the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc., where she litigated in the areas of voting rights, employment discrimination, educational equity, and school desegregation. Deborah previously served as Chair of the New York City Civilian Complaint Review Board, the nation’s oldest and largest police oversight agency. She is also the author of the forthcoming book Dividing Lines: How Transportation Infrastructure Reinforces Racial Inequality and an elected member of the American Law Institute. Deborah is a graduate of Yale Law School and Smith College.
Director, Analytics & Planning, Google
William is Director, Planning & Analytics for the Devices & Services Division at Google. His remit is to design, build and maintain advanced analytics and machine learning based data science capabilities that streamline the customer experience.
William joined Google in 2011 and has held various strategy and operations roles in Google Cloud, Adwords and Devices divisions. Before Google, William worked at Salesforce.com, Seagate, Brocade and 3Com in various sales operations and Finance roles.
William spent his formative years in Accra, Ghana then moved to London where most of his family resides. He earned his chartered management accountancy qualification in London and was relocated to Silicon Valley by a previous company. He and his wife Stella live in Menlo Park, California.
A couple of fun facts about William: he is an avid golfer with a single digit handicap and he and Stella enjoy ballroom dancing.
Senior Advisor
Transnational Strategy Group LLC
Camille Richardson is Senior Advisor for International Strategic Marketing where she focuses on assisting clients to achieve their cross-border business goals, identify opportunities and mitigate challenges. She began her career in government in 1993 with the International Trade Administration (ITA) at the U.S. Department of Commerce and became an accredited diplomat with the U.S. Commercial Service in 1998. Camille served seven successive tours of duty in Miami, Florida; Buenos Aires, Argentina; Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Nairobi, Kenya; Mumbai, India, Sao Paulo, Brazil; and Washington, D.C. facilitating commercial partnerships between U.S. companies and international partners. In her last position in government, she led 18 Commercial posts with 175 team members as the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Commerce for the Middle East and Africa region from August of 2021-August of 2023. A decorated officer with a 30-year tenure at Commerce, Camille received various awards for excellence in public service and for several innovative initiatives that helped the Commerce Department to better serve minority and women-owned companies. She has also been recognized as a distinguished public speaker and professional coach. A native of Washington, D.C., Camille earned a B.A. in International Relations from Brown University in 1989, and an M.A. in International Relations from Johns Hopkins/SAIS in 1993. She speaks Portuguese and Spanish along with a bit of Hindi, Swahili, and French.
Founder & CEO
Coda Societies
Garance Choko is the Founder and CEO of Coda Societies, a strategic advisory firm that works with the leadership of national governments, non-profit organizations, foundations, and cultural institutions to shape their visions and implement their programs. Through her expertise in organizational management, public policy and social impact, Garance has led multiple executive teams and Boards of Directors through the development of their strategic plans, fundraising strategies, program implementation, organizational design, and performance evaluation. Some of her notable clients include the Sundance Institute, the Africa Center, Columbia University, the Mastercard Foundation, the Aspen Institute, the National Ministry of Planning of the Democratic Republic of Congo, the National Health System (NHS) of the United Kingdom, the MacArthur Foundation, and the Royal Society for Arts (RSA).
While she was born and raised in Paris, France, Garance is also of Caribbean descent by way of Martinique. She speaks French, Spanish, and English fluently. Garance is also a classically trained concert pianist, a public speaker, and hosted A propos, a podcast in English of the Consulate General of France in New York, where she interviewed entertainers, artists, and corporate executives.
Garance is a board member of Sing for Hope, a council member of the Association of Corporate Treasurers (ACT), a member of the advisory council of the Centre for Sustainable Finance and Private Wealth (CSP), and a founding member of Chief.
She received her Masters in Public Policy and Public Administration from Cornell University; her Bachelors of Music, Political Science, and Piano Performance from University of Miami; her Bachelors of Art History and Spanish from University Pantheon Sorbonne; and resides in NYC with her husband.
Vice President, Moors & Cabot Inc.
Mark Magnusen is a Vice President of Investments at Moors & Cabot, established in 1890. Mark has over 30 years of experience in Finance, Investments and Accounting. He works closely with his clients to plan and implement solutions so they can achieve their goals.
Prior to his wealth management career, Mark was an International Tax Advisor for Pwc, Arthur Andersen and EY, and a Finance Officer for the United Nations in New York and Baghdad, Iraq.
Mark is a graduate of Columbia Business School (MBA) and Bernard Baruch College, CUNY (BBA), both in New York. He lives in Norwalk, CT and has two daughters in college. In his spare time, Mark enjoys playing tennis and squash, and coaching youth soccer. He also serves on the boards of several non-profit organizations including the Norwalk Senior Center, Norwalk Junior Soccer Association and First Presbyterian Church of New Canaan.
People & Culture Lead, Google
Director People Partner, Google Cloud
STELLA COKER is an accomplished human resources executive with a track record of partnering with C-suite leaders to grow businesses and create an environment for all employees to do their best work. Stella joined Google Cloud as Director, People Partner Lead for the Global Data Center organization in November 2020.
Prior to joining Google, she was Vice President People Operations at Sumo Logic with responsibilities for leading the global HR Business Partner team, HR Operations and Learning and Development. She was a member of the HR executive team that took Sumo Logic public in September 2020. Prior to Sumo Logic, she was at Visa where she was the Vice President HR Business Partner for the Technology organization. Before Visa, Stella spent 12 years at Juniper Networks where she held senior HR Business Partner roles and was a trusted advisor to senior executives reporting to the CEO. Her last role at Juniper was leading a global team with responsibilities for HR Operations; HR Compliance and HR Technology for a 9,000+ employee population. Stella started her HR career at 3Com where she held various HR roles including Talent Acquisition, HR Business Partner and HR site leadership roles for the Santa Clara campus.
Stella holds a Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources Management and Psychology from De Montfort University in the UK and a Masters degree in Human Resources Management from Kingston University also in the UK. She is a member of the Chartered Institute of Personnel Management (UK). She is a certified Executive Coach from the Hudson Institute of Coaching Santa Barbara, California. Stella was born in London, grew up in Ghana and attended Saint Mary’s Secondary School in Accra. She currently lives in Menlo Park California with her husband William. She enjoys reading, hiking, traveling and ballroom dancing.
Lecturer
Western Illinois University
Dr. Gblerkpor is the 2023 C.T. Vivian Lecturer in Sociology and Anthropology. He is an archaeological anthropologist, cultural heritage specialist, and museum studies expert. His research and writing explore the dynamic role of material culture and landscapes in the historical and contemporary construction and maintenance of social identities and livelihoods in West Africa. He is interested in the archaeology of identities, cultural resource management, digital archaeology, environmental archaeology, climate change, biocultural and biodiversity heritage conservation, landscape archaeology, and conservation photography. He is the Director of the Krobo Mountain Archaeological Project and the West Africa Biocultural Heritage Conservation Program. Gblerkpor is the founding Director and Curator of The Museum of Natural and Cultural Heritage at Shai Hills.
Partner
Lowenstein Sandler LLP
Rossie Turman chairs the firm’s international finance practice and co-chairs the firm’s Africa Practice, advising corporations, start-ups, investors, financial institutions and government entities around the globe on their most complex, high-profile matters. For over two decades, he has negotiated and executed complex business transactions and financings, including equity capital raising, debt financing, mergers and acquisitions, and joint ventures, throughout North America, South America, Europe, Asia, Australia, and Africa. He has comprehensive understanding of how to navigate and conduct business across international borders and execute transactions while building effective teams across language and cultural differences. Rossie often counsels clients from “cradle to grave,” guiding technology and other companies from startup through IPOs, going-private, serial acquisitions, and in-court and out-of-court restructurings, in addition to cross-border expansions. Rossie has extensive leveraged finance and other complex cross-border transaction experience spanning decades of work. He has served a broad range of industries, including financial services, technology, pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, consumer retail, insurance, hospitality, health services, and natural resources. Rossie represents both borrowers and issuers (e.g, start-ups and emerging companies, private equity funds and their portfolio companies, and public and private corporations) and investors (investment banks, commercial banks and other financial institutions, venture capital funds, private equity funds). Rossie also has broad experience dealing with government agencies, supra-national entities, global citizens and other international investors. Passionate about creating opportunities for underserved communities, people of color, and women, Rossie serves on the Board of Directors of the Council of Urban Professionals and is a Trustee of the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law. He served on the board of the New York City United Way and the Committee for the New York City Bar Association’s Vance Center, and he was Vice Chair for the Board of Trustees of the historic Abyssinian Baptist Church of Harlem, New York.
President/CEO
Score in Communities
Project and Program Director with over 25 years of achievement across diverse sectors, including Business, Government, Legal, and Education. Builds strong community and government partnerships while driving internal culture change. Consistently demonstrates exceptional financial stewardship, managed with foresight and strategic planning. Sets the example for work ethic and fosters an environment of high achievement. As a volunteer, serves as president of SCORE in Communities a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation located in Virginia.
Executive Director & Co-founder
The Brotherhood Sister SOL
Khary Lazarre-White, a social entrepreneur, novelist, educator, activist, and civil rights lawyer, focuses on the intersection of race, class, gender, education, organizing, and law. Born and raised in New York City, he co-founded The Brotherhood Sister Sol (BroSis) at 21 in 1995, a nationally recognized Harlem-based organization that addresses education, social justice, and youth development.
Over 29 years, Khary has received awards such as Oprah Winfrey’s Angel Network Use Your Life Award, and recognition from the Ford Foundation, Black Girls Rock, and Brown University, among others. He’s an accomplished writer, with his debut novel “Passage” published in 2017, and serves on multiple boards, including the Community Service Society and as Chair of the Elba Hope Foundation.
Khary has a BA in Africana Studies from Brown University and a JD from Yale Law School, specializing in international human rights and constitutional law, and is a member of the Bar in New York and New Jersey.
Special Needs Teacher,
Merrimack School Department
Angi Perron, M.Ed, C.A.G.S., is an Early Childhood and Early Childhood Special Education expert, teacher mentor and aspiring writer whose passion it is to integrate child-led, project-based instruction with an equity and justice lens. She utilizes the patterns of nature, stories, traditions and global concepts to inspire young learners and colleagues to recognize and honor both the diversity and the commonalities of the human experience. Ms. Perron’s post graduate degree in Curriculum Administration explores the responsibility of predominantly white communities to examine not only their curriculum, but their processes and procedures with an anti-racist, anti-bias lens.
Ms.Perron has been teaching for 30 years, with the last 23 in early childhood special education in a public school. She received her B.S. in Early Childhood Education at Worcester State College, her Master’s degree at Plymouth State College in Special Education & Early Childhood, and Certificate of Advanced Graduate Study in Curriculum Administration at Southern NH University
Mrs. Perron’s passion for equity and justice were born and nurtured through her family culture of resilience, resistance, personal responsibility and respect. She is the daughter (by marriage) of an 8th generation descendant of Broteer Furro (aka Venture Smith) and a WWII East German refugee. Broteer, the son of an African king, watched as his father was killed by those who would later sell him into slavery at Anomabo, Ghana, at the tender age of 7. But that was not to be his final fate. His narrative tells us the story of how he worked his way back to freedom and success in Colonial America. Her family heritage, her experience growing up in a multi-racial family, and her own visits to Anomabo and Germany have solidified Ms. Perron’s commitment to preserving these stories. These same experiences also deepened her understanding of the profound impact of early childhood experiences and their potential to harm or heal communities.
Director, Corporate & Institutional Banking
Fidelity Bank Ghana
John-Paul is the Director, Public Sector Group within Corporate and Institutional Banking at Fidelity Bank Gh. Limited. The Public Sector Group strives to be the preferred partner for all big-ticket Government transactions as well as providing structured trade solutions and value addition services to institutions within the Public Sector of Ghana.
With 15 years of experience in Banking, John-Paul has a wealth of experience in managing banking relationships with major Multinational & Local firms operating in Africa, Ghana. He has been instrumental in structuring and executing big ticket financing deals for key Multinational businesses over the period as a Credit Analyst, Relationship Manager, Team Lead for Multinational Corporate, Head of Local Corporate with Fidelity Bank before his appointment to his current role.
John- Paul has a total of 18 years working experience in Public Policy, Investment & Corporate Banking having worked for the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning, Ghana prior to joining Fidelity Bank in 2009. He can be described as an expert on Multinational & Local client acquisition for the Bank and he has a diverse knowledge in Structured Trade & Commodities Financing, Telecommunications Business, Budget and Public Policy.
John-Paul holds a Bachelors degree in Economics/Information Studies from the University of Ghana, a Postgraduate Certificate in International Banking and Finance from the University of Salford UK, an Executive Certificate on Oil, Gas and Mining Governance from Blavatnik School of Government, University of Oxford UK, as well as a Masters Degree in Economic Policy Management from the University of Ghana.
Pediatrician, Atrium Health Levine Children’s Shelby Children’s Clinic
Dr. Morkor, Newman is a pediatrician with a passion for enhancing children’s health and well-being. Originally trained in Ghana, she completed her residency at the Mount Sinai Children’s Hospital in Chicago, IL. Now residing in the Charlotte, NC region, Dr. Newman is affiliated with Atrium Health Levine Children’s Hospital, where she has served as a general pediatrician for more than a decade. As the Specialty Regional Medical Director for the western Charlotte outpatient pediatric clinics, she is committed to supporting a growing team of over 25 physicians in developing efficient processes and workflows to deliver outstanding pediatric care.
Dr. Newman has a special interest in newborn care, asthma, and nutrition. She has also developed a significant partnership between Levine Children’s Hospital and Korle Bu Hospital’s Child Health Department, facilitating educational exchanges, mentorship, and research opportunities for residents.
Her contributions extend beyond medicine; she actively participates as the fundraising chair for the Charlotte region of the Ghana Physicians and Surgeons Foundation of North America and champions young girls in Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math through the South Carolina based Girls for STEAM. Additionally, Dr. Newman serves as the Chair of the Board of Trustees for Gaston Day School, a prestigious K-12 college preparatory institution.
A mentor at heart, Dr. Newman enjoys guiding young adults in the medical field, teaching residents, nurse practitioners, and physician assistant students. Outside of her professional life, she is involved in the Be HER Champion movement, where she advocates for the upliftment and support of women around the globe. In her leisure time, Dr. Newman loves to worship with her local church community, read, hike, cook, travel, and cherish moments with her family.
Associate Director, MBA Admissions, Columbia Business School
Michael Robinson is an Associate Director of MBA Admissions at Columbia Business School. Michael is a graduate of Baruch College (BBA ’87) and Columbia Business School (MBA ’01). His professional experience includes a seven-year tenure running a profitable music publicity firm where reggae stars Buju Banton and the platinum-selling Grammy winner Shaggy were former clients, Business Development Analyst work in Panasonic’s Strategic Alliances Group and independent media consulting. He co-authored a comprehensive media study on the state of public service broadcasting in the Caribbean and is a former freelance writer who has completed three New York City Marathons.
Head of Partnerships
Fidelity Bank, Ghana
Afriyie Ofori-Koree boasts over 20 years of experience driving impactful change at the intersection of business, finance, and sustainability. Currently, she leads Partnerships, Sustainability, and CSR at Fidelity Bank, shaping the corporate landscape through strategic initiatives that create and deliver value to diverse stakeholders. Her impressive career spans various jurisdictions, with roles at the UK Department for International Development, Tullow Ghana, and Vodafone Ghana. In each position, she demonstrably maximized social benefits and left a lasting positive impact. Afriyie holds multiple degrees, including a BSc.(Hons) in Natural Resources Management, an MSc. with Distinction in Health, Development, and Environment and recently an MA. in Law and Development. A Fellow at the Institute of Corporate Responsibility and
Sustainability (UK) and a member of esteemed organizations like the Institute of Directors, her expertise is further validated by her Sustainability and Climate Risk Specialist certification. She’s the first Vice-President of the Institute of Sustainability Professionals in Ghana. Afriyie extends her influence beyond boardrooms, actively embodying the ethos of a high-ambition leader who seamlessly balances financial success with social good. She’s a Rotarian, a board member of an autism foundation (40 to 40 Foundation) and a member of the Global Impact Council for Pencils of Promise (USA).
Founder & CEO
Bara Homes
With over six years at Bara Ex Nihilo Holdings and a pivotal role on the HACSA Foundation’s Advisory Board, my expertise in sustainable urban planning and ethical development shapes the core of my professional identity. Our team champions initiatives that prioritize environmental stewardship, regulatory compliance, and community upliftment.
At the intersection of strategic leadership and urban sustainability, I am committed to fostering fairness and collective success. By embracing innovative solutions and knowledge sharing, we strive to inspire and create a thriving, equitable community that sets a benchmark for sustainable development.
Co-founder and President
SISJBTC
Susi Ryan is a Fiber Artist, Performance Artist, Author and Speaker. Born in Connecticut, she is the first American born citizen in her maternal family from Germany and the descendant of Enslaved Africans in her paternal family. Since 1997 Susi has been creating and exhibiting her symbolic story quilts throughout the United States. Shr has been inspired by artists such as Roland Freeman, Liz Scott, Ashley Bryan and Faith Ringgold. Susi’s work focuses on acknowledging and documenting the rich culturally diverse history of her Enslaved ancestors, family members, Indigenous People, and other notable persons throughout the African diaspora.
All that Susi does is interconnected with the story quilts that she creates to reclaim and honor her family histories depicted in cloth and to peacefully advocate for Social Justice and Equality, eliminate racism and empower women.
Susi studied at Clark University, UMASS Dartmouth and is a graduate of the Clemente Courses for the Humanities at the Worcester Art Museum, Worcester. MA
President
Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Ghana
Anthony Biney-Amissah is a highly accomplished finance executive with a distinguished career spanning over two decades. His expertise in accounting and financial management has been honed through leadership roles in both the for-profit and non-profit sectors.
Anthony’s professional journey includes tenure as a senior accountant for music industry giants Sony and Universal Records, as well as managing accounting duties for Synergos, Inc.’s African country offices. Currently, he serves on the Financial Literacy team at Union County TEAMS Charter School.
A seasoned educator, Anthony holds an Executive MBA from Texas Southern University’s Jesse H. Jones School of Business and a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from Jersey City University. He has been a proud member of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. since pledging in Fall 1987 at SUNY Brockport.”
Chief Operating Officer
VG Platform Inc.
Lola Eniolorunda is a seasoned technology operations executive with over 15 years of experience scaling high-growth tech companies. Her expertise spans product development, strategy implementation, business performance, people operations, and technology execution. As Co-founder of Exequi.io and Partner at Seedle Partners, she focuses on tech start-ups in emerging industries. Previously, Lola served as Vice President of Operations at Hugo Technologies and COO at Venture Garden Group, driving millions in annual recurring revenue.
Lola holds an MBA in Strategic Planning from Edinburgh Business School, UK, and has completed coursework in Innovation and Operational Excellence at Stanford Graduate School of Business, as well as Strategy Implementation at Lagos Business School. She’s a certified Agile Product Manager and Product Owner (APMPO), and mentors at the Founders Institute, serving on the boards of two high-growth African tech companies.
Passionate about venture building and coaching founders, Lola co-founded Hacer Leaders, preparing undergraduates for global tech careers, and co-sponsors the Hacer Foundation, supporting underprivileged communities. She’s also a project lead with Compass Pro-bono and a board member of the Red Clay Dance Company in Chicago.
Fashion & Costume Designer
Xorlali Plange is a Ghanaian Costume and Fashion Designer with notable recognition in Arts and Academia.
He is an MFA Design candidate at New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts. He has 27 production credits including “The House That Will Not Stand”. His academic work revolves around African and African American Women’s art and material culture history and inventions.
Osu Mantse
MASI ASARE is a Tony-nominated composer, lyricist, and dramatist. Her musicals and plays include PARADISE SQUARE (Broadway, Chicago), MONSOON WEDDING (Off-Broadway, international), and ODYSSEY (SF Bay Area, national tour), as well as several more in development. Her shows MARIAN, OR THE TRUE TALE OF ROBIN HOOD: THE MUSICAL and MIRROR OF MOST VALUE: A MS. MARVEL PLAY are published by Concord Theatricals, and her secret agent musical SYMPATHY JONES is published by Broadway Licensing. Her awards and honors include the Ziegfeld Award for a woman composer of musicals, a Theater Hall of Fame Grant, and the Women to Watch on Broadway list. Masi is also a theatre professor and researcher at Northwestern University. Her book Blues Mamas and Broadway Belters about Black women singers in musical theatre history will be published in October 2024. She divides her time between New York City and Chicago.
Founder, For Women By Women
Social entrepreneur
Born in Lisbon, a descendant of Guinea Bissau Sonia Silva is passionate about the personal and professional development of young professionals and women.
She studied European Politics and has been working for more than 17 years in the Financial Sector. Sonia’s Leadership experience stems from her 17 years in the Financial Sector where she led, drove and implemented different teams and initiatives. Sonia is currently an Executive Director, Regional Head Investors Client Management at Standard Chartered, New York.
Prior to joining SC, she worked for 5 years years at JP Morgan and prior to that she spent 2 years at Bank of New York Mellon and 2 years at GFI Brokers.
Sónia was named one of the “Top 100 Female Leaders 2022 by Involve” sponsored by Yahoo Finance. This merit was mentioned in several news outlet’s including Bloomberg News.
In 2023 she received an award from “Opportunities in Africa” for her work through For Women by Women on the African continent and appeared on a Billboard in the iconic Times Square in New York.
Sonia is also a social entrepreneur; she is the Founder and Director of “For Women by Women”. An initiative whose main objective is to empower women and youth through education. The platform aims to encourage, elevate and celebrate women across the globe and in particular from the Lusophone community. FWBW’s premise is to leave a legacy for the next generation.
