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Meet the 2022 Cohort

Jhmira Alexander

President & Executive Director, Public Narrative

Jhmira Alexander MPA

Jhmira Alexander, MPA is the president and executive director of Public Narrative, Chicago's Premier Communications and Media Literacy Resource. Jhmira is also an adjunct lecturer at Medill, teaching Foundations of Interactive Journalism. She is a trained journalist committed to improving community health and well-being through media and civic engagement. Under her leadership, Public Narrative uses storytelling to implement narrative change strategies addressing harmful narratives related to public safety, health and education.

Jhmira is a resourceful, solutions oriented visionary and social impact leader highly skilled in diverse stakeholder engagement. She is an innovative & goal oriented strategist with over15 years of proven leadership experience training and consulting in the private and public sectors. She’s worked with the Chicago Police Department’s Youth District Advisory Council (YDAC), the Obama Foundation!s My Brother’s Keeper Alliance (Chicago) and the Alliance for Research in Chicagoland Communities (ARCC) located in Northwestern’s Feinberg School of Medicine.

Jhmira is the board vice president of the Journalism and Women’s Symposium (JAWS), a member of the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) and is a global member of the Project Management Institute (PMI).

Jhmira holds a masters degree in public administration from Strayer University and a bachelor of science degree in broadcast communications from Bradley University.

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Rev. Dawnn M. Pirani Brumfield

Clinical Psychotherapist

Rev. Dawnn M. Pirani Brumfield

Dawnn earned her Doctor of Ministry in Pastoral Care and Counseling from Chicago Theological Seminary (2016). She holds a Master of Divinity from Vanderbilt Divinity School (2009); and an advanced certificate in Counseling from The Center for Religion and Psychotherapy (2015).

From her doctoral thesis, Rev. Dawnn has developed a leadership clinic and counseling practice designed for individuals, businesses and religious organizations. It is intended to stretch a person’s competence, confidence and cultural awareness.

She is a passionate counselor, teacher, and consultant who engages her clients in ways that matter. Her personal mission is to journey with people toward wholeness. She is most proud of the opportunities she’s been afforded to consult, teach and preach in South Africa and in Ghana, West Africa; and serve in Atlanta, GA as a chaplain at the Metro State Women’s Prison and at the Atlanta Medical Center.

Dawnn works tirelessly to make counseling accessible to everyone. She does this by offering varying fee schedules, various times and multiple practice locations. Dawnn feels strongly that wholeness should be available to ALL people regardless of race, gender, class or culture, sexual orientation, family design and physical, emotional or mental conditions.

Dawnn enjoys reading, writing, watching sports and spending time with her partner, family and friends. Most of all, she loves connecting with people; helping to bring purpose for an individual’s life to fruition.

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DeShawna Hill-Burns

Medical Program Director, Health Information Technology Program, Malcolm X College

DeShawna Hill-Burns, RHIA, MPA, CHTS-CP

DeShawna Hill-Burns is a proud Chicagoan, wife, mother of 4, loves to travel, and is passionate about uplifting her local and global communities.

DeShawna started “Seed to Flower” to create a space to allow young girls to be mentored by various professionals over 20 plus years ago.

DeShawna attended Chicago State University where she earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Health Information Administration. This was a proud moment for her family because she was a first-generation college student. She has dedicated her time to being devoted to the development of her field and being a mentor and teacher to many students.

Mrs. Hill-Burns started her career as a Registered Health Information Administrator, for over 20yrs. in various leadership roles including Chicago Read Mental Health, Illinois Psychiatric Institute, John Sengstacke, Provident Hospital, Advocate Trinity, and South Suburban Hospitals. She has served as Part time Lecturer at The Jordan’s Evans Institute, Harold Washington, and Kennedy King College.

She is currently the Medical Program Director for the Health Information Technology Program at Malcolm X College. Leading the program to become the first accredited Health Information Technology Program within the City Colleges of Chicago.

DeShawna is actively involved in the American Health Information Management Association, currently serving as the Chair Elect for the AHIMA CEE, she has also served on the board for the Illinois HIMA, and the Chicago Area HIMA, in various elected board positions including but not limited to President of both associations, as an active board member for over 25 years.

DeShawna is also a published author.

DeShawna Hill-Burns hopes that her legacy to make a mark in the lives of African Americans that will ensure their success regardless of the challenges they may face, They shall overcome.

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LaTrice "Elle" Davis

Founder, The Ellevate Group, LLC

LaTrice "Elle" Davis

Through a career and life committed to serving others, LaTrice "Elle" Davis is a steadfast professional striving to make organizations and people better. With nearly two decades of experience in non-profit management, program development, grant writing, and staff training and facilitation, Elle has honed her ability to assess and create viable and results-driven solutions that positively impacts her clients.

Elle’s first love is for children - especially providing opportunities and increasing positive experiences for underserved youth, as evidenced by her work with the Boys & Girls Clubs of Chicago. Her passion for improving the lives of children and adults was only fueled higher during her eight years of service. Being downsized only inspired Elle to grow her influence and led her to establish The Ellevate Group, LLC in 2009, an independent consulting firm specializing in empowering professionals by providing interactive training, meeting facilitation, coaching and fund development solutions. With a proven track record of results, Elle garnered a robust clientele, understanding what organizations need to help children. She used this know-how to help a select clientele secure more than $20 million in grant funding.

Through the many personal losses and hurdles that Elle has experienced, she learned that every obstacle can be turned into an opportunity to live a greater, fuller life, filled with purpose. Instead of allowing loss to overtake her, Elle began to share her story by encouraging others who were facing their own obstacles. Born of Elle’s challenges and her ability to rebound is her signature talk, Being Resilient in Troubling Times in which she has shared both in-person and virtually, providing participants with tools to utilize toward living a more resilient life. Her story of resilience has been featured on BlackDoctor.org.

Elle holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work from Creighton University, and a Master’s from New York University also in Social Work. Elle has previously served on the board of Reflections Foundation, the governing body for Polished Pebbles Girls Mentoring Program, Henry Booth House and other organizations. She is a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. and serves as a charter member of the Chicago Metropolitan Alumnae Chapter.

Elle lives in the Bronzeville community with her school-aged daughter, Simone.

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Dr. Zaria Davis

Director of Advocacy, Chicago Community Bond Fund

Dr. Zaria Davis

Dr. Zaria Davis is a mentor, educator, and advocate. She serves as the Director of Advocacy with the Chicago Community Bond Fund addressing pretrial policy and community engagement. Zaria is also a Senior Consultant for nonprofits and businesses through New Direction Coaching & Consulting, LLC. Her focus is leadership development, policy within the criminal legal system, and transitional coaching. She is trained as a racial healing circle and Love and Logic facilitator.

Dr. Zaria is passionate about working with women in reentry and launched Filling The Gap Reentry Services in 2019, addressing many of the voids of services in her community for formerly incarcerated women. Filling the Gap serves on the UnlockHigherEd Steering Committee which advocates for the removal of barriers for incarcerated and formerly incarcerated scholars.

She serves on the Ed Trust's Justice Fellows Advisory Board. Zaria holds a DSW from Capella University, MSW from the University of Cincinnati, and BA in
Sociology from Wilberforce University. She is currently enrolled in Eden Theological Seminary pursuing her MDiv. Zaria is a member of various local and national organizations. Dr. Davis is a JustLeadershipUSA Leading with Conviction 2019 Graduate, Community Leaders Institute 2019 graduate, and Excel XIV 2019-20 graduate, and Leadership Cincinnati Class 44. She serves as a board member for Dress for Success Cincinnati, Ohio Justice & Policy Center, ReNforce, and the Robert O'Neal Multicultural Art Center (ROMAC).

Dr. Davis is the recipient of the Restored Citizen Award in 2019 and the Mary Ivers Success Award in 2020. She is actively engaged in her local community in developing and training new advocates, especially those impacted by the criminal legal system. Zaria has a wide range of experiences which reflects her advocacy, training, and consulting. Dr. Davis is a Subject Matter Expert with Jamii Sisterhood and Dignity LeadHerShip Alliance. Dr. Zaria has served as a panel participant and moderator. She is passionate about reducing the prison population, fully restoring directly impacted people’s citizenship, and access to higher education during and after incarceration. Dr. Davis conducts workshops and presentations, facilitation, as well as public and keynote speaking engagements throughout the country.

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Nikki Hopewell

Director of Multicultural Marketing, Susan G. Komen

Nikki Hopewell

Nikki Hopewell (she/her) is the director of multicultural marketing for Susan G. Komen. She earned her undergraduate and graduate degrees in journalism from Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism. Nikki has spent more than two decades crafting content in digital marketing and healthcare marketing and is a passionate diversity, equity and inclusion advocate. She’s also a former OpEd Project fellow who penned national pieces on bias in health care and sports. Nikki is committed to creating connections through storytelling, bringing marginalized folks into the mainstream and championing health equity for all.

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Camesha L. Jones

Sista Afya Community Care NFP

Camesha L. Jones

Camesha L. Jones, LCSW is a Community Mental Wellness Changemaker who serves at the intersection of culture, community, and social justice. She is the Executive Director of Sista Afya Community Mental Wellness, a social enterprise providing low-cost mental wellness care that centers the experiences of Black women in Chicago. Since Sista Afya's founding in 2017, they have served over 1000 Black women through their innovative, community-driven programs. In 2020, she launched Sista Afya Community Care NFP, a nonprofit that provides free mental wellness care and education to women experiencing multiple barriers to care.

Camesha's work at Sista Afya has been featured in the Chicago Tribune, Vogue, Allure, TEDx, and Rolling Out. Camesha is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in Illinois who graduated from Spelman College with a Bachelor's in Sociology and received her Master's in Social Work from the University of Chicago. Camesha strongly believes in eliminating barriers in the mental health field that people of diverse cultural backgrounds experience by creating affordable and accessible care that centers on the well-being of the whole person.

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Dr. Shana Jones

Director for Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion, Jesuit Volunteer Corps (JVC)

Dr. Shana Jones

Dr. Shana Jones, born and raised on Chicago’s south side in the Englewood community, spends her time listening, learning, repairing, and building relationships, while strengthening the platforms of Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI) within any space that she enters. From developing and facilitating programming that invites Black Indigenous People of Color (BIPOC) to the table and keeps them there, mentoring historically underrepresented populations so that they never forget their worth in a world that tries to diminish it every day, to facilitating JEDI dialogue and leading the embodiment of racial equity in her consultancy with non-profit organizations, and institutions of higher education, Shana leads and serves with authenticity. She currently serves as the Director for Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion with the Jesuit Volunteer Corps (JVC), one of the largest lay, Catholic, full-time volunteer programs in the world, where she works as an office of one to embed JEDI throughout the organization. When she comes up for air, you will find her practicing some self-care, feasting on some rendition of seafood or soul food, listening to some R&B, and thinking about the perfect getaway for rejuvenation.

Shana earned her Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Criminal Justice from Aurora University, her Master of Arts (M.A.) in Organizational and Multicultural Communication (OMC) from DePaul University and her Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) in Higher Education and Organizational Change (HEOC) from Benedictine University. Her research focus on the wellness experiences of Black women student affairs professionals, grounded in Intersectionality, Strong Black Woman Schema and Black Feminist Thought, has strengthened her passion and desire to support her own communities and center wellness and BIPOC voices every chance that she gets.

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Jasmine Knowles

Managing Director, Black Educators Initiative, Urban Teachers

Jasmine Knowles

Jasmine Knowles is the Managing Director of the Black Educators Initiative at Urban Teachers, a national education nonprofit organization dedicated to creating a pipeline of culturally competent and highly-effective career teachers who accelerate student achievement and disrupt systems of racial and socioeconomic inequity. In her role, she leads a national initiative specifically designed to recruit, train, and retain Black educators, while securing funding and partnerships to ensure the longevity of this work.

Jasmine began her career as a middle school teacher and has spent over a decade as a strategist in education organizations and the private sector. Throughout her career, she has focused on driving transformation through strategic planning, organizational effectiveness, designing and leading large-scale professional development, and managing high-impact teams.

Before joining Urban Teachers, Jasmine worked at Chicago Public Schools. In this role she led the full build, design, and relaunch of the talent management & development framework and evaluation process for central office staff; and drove the cultural and operational transformation to align the performance management process with talent pipelining, leadership development programs, and orgwide succession planning.

Earlier in her career, Jasmine worked as a management consultant at Accenture. She holds a BA in Urban Studies from Washington University in St. Louis, a Master’s in Education from the University of Pennsylvania, and an MBA from the University of Michigan- Stephen M. Ross School of Business. Jasmine is a member of the Chicago Foundation for Women’s Women of Color United Giving Council.

Elle lives in the Bronzeville community with her school-aged daughter, Simone.

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Janice Boyd-Layne

Community Engagement & Retention Coordinator, Rush Alzheimer’s Disease Center

Janice Boyd-Layne

Janice Boyd-Layne is a Community Engagement and Retention Coordinator for several studies in the Rush Alzheimer’s Disease Center at Rush University Medical Center. Her primary focus is to retain participants of color in the longitudinal studies on memory and aging. She is also the treasurer for One Roof Chicago whose organizational mission is to build intergenerational housing for LGBTQ seniors and youth on Chicago’s south side. She has been a freelance writer for over 20 years contributing to Windy City Media family of papers, the Chicago Defender, Fisk University Almanac of Popular Culture, to name a few. With a passion for how music and sports intersect with cultural behavior, her library of reading has expanded around sports, hip hop music, and its impact on successive generations.

Janice has worked in social marketing on sexual health and behavioral actions to help inform and empower youth and adults in making educated choices by creating interactive workshops and materials that were relatable. To date, she has given over 350 educational talks to people of various cultural backgrounds and sexual orientations. Janice plans to use the tools of social marketing to help make Chicago a more peaceful place to live. She has an insatiable curiosity, enjoys photography, videography and exploring the city’s architectural and public art installations.

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Evelyn Mensah

Executive Director, African American Christian Foundation

Evelyn Mensah

Evelyn Mensah is dedicated to empowering women and girls in her fight to serve our low-income community members. A lifelong humanity champion, Evelyn brings a deep commitment to community and public service to everything she does. Serving as Executive Director of the African American Christian Foundation (AACF), Evelyn works tirelessly to provide low-income women and girls with education, vocational skills, internships, job placements, and financial aid to support program participants' economic growth and empowerment. Through Evelyn’s leadership, 150 youth have succeeded in completing vocational training, pursuing educational pathways, and securing employment in the past year, in spite of the current COVID-19 pandemic.

She holds a master's degree with a certificate in Finance from the Keller Graduate School of Management with over 20 years of experience leading and overseeing youth and adult workforce development programs. As a financial professional, academic administrator, and community leader, Evelyn lends her extensive experience and skills to AACF, increasing access to opportunity and creating safe, thriving communities for women and girls. Evelyn has built strong relationships to connect community residents with resources and make government more available to the people it serves. As an administrator of the AACF vocational school, KAM Institute of Healthcare and Technology, Evelyn has worked to create an environment in which students and staff are able to achieve all of their goals and succeed. In her own words: “Maybe I can help a participant get a clear idea of where they want to go, identify an expansion of opportunities that they have not considered before, or perhaps foster business relationships. Together we will work to discover the next level which is about progress and add to our skill level.” Evelyn Mensah thrives on building a community and world in which all youth especially women and girls have the opportunity to achieve their full potential and live in safe, just, and healthy communities. Evelyn enjoys spending time with family and has a passion for travel.

 
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Africa Perrin

Human Resources Executive

Africa Perrin

Africa has a wealth of strategic human resources leadership experience and a strong background in HR infrastructure, talent management and development, and succession planning. Her background includes working with large organizations such as Lincoln Park Zoo as well as small boutique companies like Obani & Associates Accounting Firm. While at Obani & Associates, she served as the Human Resources Executive, where she spearheaded the human resources department, collaborating with partners and senior executives to develop strategic plans, which significantly increased the company’s presence in the accounting industry.

Prior to launching her career in human resources, Africa spent over 10 years working in the healthcare industry assisting Ambulatory Surgery Centers and the United States Air Force in obtaining accreditation. Her work includes working closely with United States Air Force Pentagon Officials to meet the standards in healthcare. Through this experience, Africa has traveled to Guam, Turkey, Greece and other countries to assist the United States Air Force Medical Facilities gain accreditation.

Africa holds a Master of Business Administration in Finance from Roosevelt University and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Business Management with a minor in Human Resources Management from DePaul University. Africa has served as a member of the Board of Directors with Youth Job Center of Evanston (YJC) and the Advisory Committee with the YWCA Metropolitan of Chicago.

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Sherisse N. Muse-Prince

IT Project/Program Manager, Chicago Housing Authority

Sherisse N. Muse-Prince

Sherisse N. Muse-Prince, IT Project/Program Manager | Sherisse is a seasoned Project Manager who is committed to excellence in strategic planning, execution, and relationship building. For the past 15 years at Chicago Housing Authority, she has garnered experience in continuous improvement, software implementation, and pioneering special initiatives that impact current and future CHA residents seeking fair and decent housing opportunities in Chicago. Sherisse is a motivated and solutions-driven professional leading cross-collaborative teams by day and shares that same passion and drive for ensuring equitable services and impactful programming remains a priority in underserved communities.

Sherisse has a strong background in chairing committees, mentoring, and volunteering with various organizations including United Negro College Fund (UNCF), Big Brothers Big Sisters (BBBS) of Chicago, National Black MBA, and other community affiliates. She holds several professional certifications and is a proud graduate of Florida A& M University. She pursued a Master’s in Business Administration (Economics) and Master’s in Project Management to broaden her opportunities. Her work is not done, Sherisse aspires to return for a doctorate in organizational leadership with a goal to reduce impediments faced by women of color within the Information Technology arena.

As a Washington, DC native, Sherisse proudly considers Chicago as her home. She is a mother of two and resides south of Chicago. She enjoys travelling, tennis, food pairings, listening to live music, and interior decorating. Her passion is curating and selecting unique design elements and furnishings that positively impact her clients' lives through Aksents by Muse, LLC. Sherisse is excited to add an additional component to her company’s mission as a licensed Illinois Real Estate Broker.

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Talibah Moore

Community Organizer, Community Organizing and Family Issues

Talibah Moore

Talibah Moore is a Community Organizer with Community Organizing and Family Issues (COFI). She is a proud mother of four beautiful children (Mustafa, Jamilah, Jamal, and Madinah-Corey – ages 17, 15, 13, and 10 months respectively). Born in Chicago and raised in Memphis, Tennessee, Talibah is raising her kids as a single mother on the South Side of Chicago. In 2013, Talibah’s journey as a parent leader at COFI began after learning about the organization from a flyer in her son’s cubby. After completing COFI training and joining POWER-PAC IL (the cross-cultural, statewide membership organization of COFI-trained parents), she became even more actively involved, most notably as a key leader of the Early Learning Campaign Strategy Team.

Her efforts were pivotal in POWER-PAC IL’s Early Learning work. Talibah played a crucial role in winning the simplification of Chicago’s Early Learning application forms and granting more access to Early Intervention for families on the Southside of Chicago. Alongside her fellow parent leaders of Southside Parents United Roundtable (SPUR), she has also been actively involved with local Early Learning partnerships. Additionally, she has also served as a Head Start Ambassador, Peer Trainer, and Team Builder. She was eventually promoted to the staff position of Community Organizer in 2018, and nowadays, she spends her days in support and collaboration with parent leaders who are continuing to make a difference in their communities. She remains highly active in her children’s schooling, serving on the PTO of her two eldest children’s high school.

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Anika Sterling Florez

Community Engagement Director, Chicago Alliance Against Sexual Exploitation

Anika Sterling Florez

Anika Sterling Florez is one of the founding members and President of Sisters Speak. Sisters Speak is the Chicago Coalition to End Sexual Violence Against Black Girls and Women. Anika is also the Community Engagement Director for the Chicago Alliance Against Sexual Exploitation. Anika has over 20 years of experience in social services including work in youth development, domestic violence and sexual assault. Anika completed her undergraduate degree at the University of Illinois at Chicago where she majored in African American Studies and researched the problem of colorism within the Black community.

She also earned a master’s degree in Inner City Studies from Northeastern Illinois University where she researched misogyny within the faith community and its impact on men’s violence against women in the Black community. Anika is passionate about drawing the connection between privilege and oppression to sexual violence. She facilitates many of the anti-oppression trainings for The Illinois Coalition Against Sexual Assault and is a past chair of it’s People of Color committee.

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Katrina Thompson

Mayor, Village of Broadview

Katrina Thompson

Katrina Thompson is the First elected the seventh Mayor of the Village of Broadview in a five-person race with 44% of the vote on April 4, 2017, Katrina Thompson became the first African American female mayor of the village. In the 2021 election contest against a former mayor, Mayor Thompson was elected to a second term with 71% of the vote. As Mayor, Thompson has fully embraced the power of partnership and alliance building with ordinary citizens as well as the major stakeholders within Broadview and with surrounding communities, including the City of Chicago, and the State of Illinois. In that spirit of collaboration, Mayor Thompson has committed both her time and her energy to serving the community of Broadview. The mayor is promoting and creating unity. She is aiming to develop a vibrant local economy of thriving businesses. She is working to build strong and safe neighborhoods.

Beyond the Village of Broadview, Ms. Thompson has served and serves on multiple boards and commissions in multiple regional organizations, including: former President of the Proviso Municipal League; Cook County Land Bank Board of Directors; Triton College Foundation Board; West Central Municipal League Executive/Legislative Committee; Visit Oak Park Board; Proviso Leyden Council for Community Action, Inc. (PLCCA) Board of Directors; Secretary of the 2 Woodlake Specialty Hospital Advisory Board; Black Men United Board of Directors; NLC National Black Caucus Local Elected Officials Regional Director; Metropolitan Mayors Caucus Housing Committee Chair/Environmental Committee; and Co-Chair the Broadview-Westchester Water Agency and the IKE 911 Center. Prior to becoming Mayor, Ms. Thompson served as the Executive Director of West Humboldt Park Development Council and as the Executive Director at Broadview Park District. Ms. Thompson received her Bachelor of Arts Degree from Concordia University and Master of Arts Degree from Roosevelt University.

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Melody R. Waller

Account Director, Burrell Communications

Melody R. Waller

Born and reared and always representing the South Side of Chicago, Melody R. Waller is the proud daughter of parents who instilled a strong foundation of kindness, service, courage, faith, and love. Throughout her professional journey, she’s been inspired by brands that connect with the hearts and minds of people and their desires to create meaningful lives. This purpose and why ultimately led her to weave a narrative that demonstrates focused attention within the health and wellness communications space.

From championing corporate social responsibility efforts for childhood nutrition, to creating mammogram screening campaigns for African American women, to navigating literacy around mental health stigma and judgement in the workplace, Melody is passionate about amplifying awareness of the social determinants of health. This work creates solutions towards reducing healthcare disparities in marginalized communities.

Currently, Melody is an Account Director with Burrell Communications and oversees the Health and Wellness business for a major retail organization. Most notably, she led team efforts that launched the African American marketing communications for Walmart Health Centers in Chicago, and a successful launch of the first-ever private brand analog insulin, providing greater access to people managing diabetes care.

Prior to Burrell, Melody built strategic partnerships and facilitated organizational development efforts for the YMCA, Northwestern’s Kellogg School of Business, P&G, Kraft Foods, General Mills, McNeil Nutritionals, and General Motors.

Melody earned her M.S. in Managerial Communication and Organizational Development from Northwestern University and her B.A. from Oberlin College. She also holds certifications in Leadership Coaching from Harvard University, and Mental Health First Aid from the National Council for Mental Wellbeing. She is a Life Member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated® and is a charter member of the National Coalition of 100 Black Women-Chicago Metropolitan Chapter, thus, she is always wearing her pearls.

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