Devyn Gillette | Winston Salem State University (10)
Devyn Gillette, PhD was born in New Jersey, however, she only lived there for a short period of time before she relocated to Columbia, SC where she was raised. As early as High School, she became involved in a numerous educational and extracurricular activities which didn’t stop once she begun college. While attending Winston Salem State University on a full academic scholarship, she became an undeniable leader in multiple arenas. She served as Co-Caption for the Lady Rams Softball Team, member of the Student Athlete Advisory Committee, a member and later turned President of the Gamma Phi Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc and a supplemental instructor within the Biology department. Her deep passion for diversity and science education was instilled in her during her early years at WSSU, and she has always remained committed to her University’s mantra-“Enter to Learn, Depart to Serve”.
This recently culminated into her being a named an inductee of the 2017 WSSU Top 40 under 40 class. Immediately after she obtained her BS in Biology from Winston-Salem State University in 2010, Dr. Gillette matriculated into a PhD program at The Ohio State University. She studied immunology and infectious disease and graduated in a stunningly impressive 3.5 years, racking up 4 original publications. In efforts to continue her work, Dr. Gillette worked on her project during a post-doctoral position at the University of North Carolina. Upon observing that there were few that looked like her along her trajectory, she redirected her career in efforts to make an impact in STEM diversity. She currently directs a $2.1 million dollar grant at Duke University where she designs, implements, and creates programmatic interventions to enhance the training of underrepresented students in the biomedical sciences. The greatest evidence of her work is seen in the reflection of the mentorship of students, and she has won numerous awards recognizing her commitment to diversity, mentoring, advocacy for all in STEM.
Kiki Ayers | Howard University (9)
Ke’Andrea “Kiki” Ayers is the C.E.O of Ayers Publicity and a multi-media
Entertainment Journalist. Through her experiences in Journalism she has built
a foundation of media contacts. Stemming from the Howard University John
H. Johnson School of Communications, she majored in Journalism and
minored in English. She spent all her time in school interning for major outlets
such as MTV, BET, NBC and CBS Radio.
All her internships turned into jobs. She worked in Production and
Programming Departments and helped to develop shows such as “Wild N’
Out,” “Girl Code,” “Guy Code,” and “Jerry Springer.” It wasn’t until she was
offered a position in Music Programming to help launch REVOLT TV in Los
Angeles that her career started to take off. She worked full-time at REVOLT
and then reported on red carpets immediately following her work shifts. She
worked for outlets such as Black Hollywood Live and Entertainment Scoop
while writing for XXL Magazine. Her level of reporting was taken to new levels
when she started working with Global Grind, Bossip! and EURweb.com.
To date, she’s interviewed everyone from Ben Affleck, Ryan Gosling and Will
Ferrell to Nas, Kevin Hart, Jamie Foxx and Samuel L. Jackson. She was
invited by L’Oreal Paris to attend the Black Women in Hollywood Event where
she had the opportunity to meet Oprah. Inspired by that event, Ayers
combined her skills, media connections and relationships with talent to start
Ayers Publicity.
Her first PR opportunity was granted by Russell Simmons All Def Digital
company for the release of their first movie “Major Deal.” The film starred King
Keraun, Simone Shepherd and Juhahn Jones. It was written, produced and
directed by the internet comedic sensation Kevin Fredericks. Coverage from
the movie included The Shade Room, Baller Alert, The Source Magazine,
Bossip!, Thisis50.com and Hip Hollywood. To date, her clients have been
featured in major publications from Ebony Magazine to FORBES. She takes
pride helping the light within her clients to shine brighter.
Shae Ashe | Norfolk State University (8)
Shae Ashe is a graduate of Norfolk State University c/o 2014 with a degree in finance. While studying finance, he developed a passion for meaningful budget reform in our public schools. This passion led him to make the decision in 2017 to run for public office, School Director of Norristown Area School District in Pennsylvania. On May 16th, 2017 he won his Primary along with his three running mates in a field of 12 opponents and will face off in the November election. In 2010, Shae had the opportunity of a lifetime to intern with The Walt Disney Company in Orlando, FL. This internship led to a 5-year career with the company working for several divisions such as Walt Disney World, Disney Casting, ESPN, and Radio Disney. Between being a full-time student at Norfolk State University and working for Disney, Shae started an organization called The Norristown Project in 2013. Living in Virginia and Florida after high school allowed him to see some of the great opportunities for development happening in similar communities like Norristown. The organization started as a block-by-block cleanup project and has since grown to large community service projects every quarter. Today, Shae’s group has expanded to support outreach in the community and beyond. Their website features initiatives, events, and development happening in Norristown for the surrounding community to see. During the day, Shae currently works as a Constituent Services Representative for Congressman Brendan F. Boyle (D-PA) and volunteers for an after school program in his community
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Ro’chelle Williams | Tougaloo College (7)
Democratic political operative and educational activist, Ro’chelle Williams is a 2010 graduate of Natchez High School. As a student at Natchez High School, Mr. Williams served in many leadership capacities including Student Body President, Mr. Senior, Head Drum-Major, and President of the National Beta Club, just to name a few. After graduation, Ro’chelle went on to study political science at Tougaloo College. While at Tougaloo, he became immersed in collegiate politics, as well as, local, state, and federal politics. In addition to his political background, Mr. Williams was extremely active throughout his matriculation at Tougaloo College. He served in many capacities of leadership; Sophomore Class Vice-President; Tougaloo College Concert Choir President; Yearbook Editor and Chief; Special Assistant to the President, Vice-President and Student Advisor to the Pre-Alumni Council; Tougaloo Ambassadors for Meritorious Scholars President and President Emeritus and lastly, Senior Class President for the Class of 2014. In 2014, he was awarded the Chase L. Gayden Leadership Award by the United Negro College Fund (UNCF) for his outstanding contributions to Tougaloo College, the United Negro College Fund, The National Pre-Alumni Association and the Tougaloo College National Alumni Association. In 2016, he was also inducted into the Tougaloo College 40 Under 40 Society for his major contribution to the field of politics and education.
During his freshman year of college, he interned with the National Transportation Center of Excellence and from there, he worked his way up through various internships. In the summer of 2013, Ro’chelle took his political enthusiasm to the halls the United States Congress, where he interned in the Office of Congressman Bennie G. Thompson. Since his departure from Capitol Hill, the Congressman frequently requests his assistance and engagement through the mentorship of incoming interns, to ensure they are working to the best of their ability. In 2014, he was selected, along with 39 other young political leaders to become a Hope Fellow for the Democratic National Committee (DNC), where he worked with leaders from across the country on campaign finances, political leadership, and management.
Ro’chelle has worked for the Democratic National Committee in the Office Community Engagement and Office of the Chair, the Climate Action Campaign as Operations Director, the Pivot Group as Senior Account Associate, and is currently the Associate Director for Brazile and Associates, LLC., a consulting firm created by Donna Brazile, the former Chair of Democratic National Committee. Mr. Williams holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Political Science, Master of Science Degree in Higher Education Administration and is currently preparing to submit the necessary paperwork for Ph.D. programs at Howard University, Teacher College at Columbia University, and George Washington University. Ro’chelle plans to one day become a University President/Chancellor. He currently serves on the Board of Director for the Cassius L. Rudolph Scholarship Fund, the Recruiting and College Fairs Committee for the Washington Area Tougaloo Alumni Chapter, National Membership Chair of the Tougaloo College National Alumni Association, Co-Chair of the 1869 Annual Fund, and other boards through the Washington- Metropolitan Area.
Michael Bonner | Winston-Salem State University (6)
Mr. Bonner is a 2nd grade teacher at South Greenville Elementary School in Greenville, NC, working hard every day to make a profound impact on his students with his vision to teach them to become productive global citizens. Michael was honored in early 2017 by Ellen DeGeneres in recognition of his positive and innovative approaches to education for children struggling with the challenges of poverty. Ellen presented Bonner and his school with technical equipment to help them continue creating music videos as aids to education. Wal-Mart presented the school with $25,000, and the Ellen show set up a Go Fund Me site for South Greenville, which has raised over $88,000 for the Title I school. A month after he first appeared on her show, Ellen flew Mr. Bonner and his entire second grade class to visit with her again. Check out the video below.
Mr. Bonner spent two years as a student-athlete at Winston-Salem State University before transferring to Elizabeth City State University, where he graduated in 2013. He has been teaching for 4 years, and is currently working on his degree in School Administration from Liberty University.
Tarik Cohen | North Carolina A&T University (5)
Tarik Cohen is a running back for the NFL, playing for the Chicago Bears. He proved to be a strong player of much value back in 2013, during a game against Hampton, where he carried the ball 22 times for 180 yards and a touchdown. Cohen became the first freshman at AT&T to break the 1000 yard mark and 3rd freshman in history to do it!
It’s no wonder how two years ago Cohen’s Youtubehttps://www.youtube.com/ vidoes of him doing catches and backflips simultaneously not only went viral but led him to appear on ESPN’s SportsCenter to demonstrate the catches live. Cohen’s 2015 season was highlighted by record-setting performances including a career-best 295 yards, and offensive MVP recognition, at the Celebration Bowl. Other accomplishments of his include: multiple single-season school records with 1,543 Total rushing yards, 264 Carries and 15 Touchdowns, equaling the record he set the season before. In his final season, he continued to break records including becoming the first player in A&T history to rush for at least 200 yards in three consecutive games and ending his career at A&T as the MEAC’s all-time leading rusher with 5,619 yards. Cohen became the first player in A&T history to rush for at least 200 yards in three consecutive games. Cohen’s A&T career would end with him becoming the MEAC’s all-time leading rusher with 5,619 Yards
Cohen, 1 of only 4 athletes from an HBCU, was among the 330 NFL hopefuls invited to participate in the 2017 NFL Scouting Combine at a height of 5 ft 6, serving as the smallest running back in attendance. He ran the third fastest 40-yard dash time among the running backs at 4.42 second and was drafted by the Chicago Bears in the fourth round, 119th overall, of the 2017 NFL Draft. He was one of three non-FBS players taken by the Bears in the draft, the first time since 2002 that the team took three non-FBS players in one draft.
David Bullock | Howard University (4)
Hailing from Anchorage, Alaska and now residing in Beverly Hills, California, David Bullock is reshaping the landscape of digital marketing strategy. After traversing North America on Kanye West’s Saint Pablo Tour, David founded the 907 Agency, a digital marketing firm servicing a plethora of noteworthy clientele, including Grammy Award winning artists, Teen Choice Award Nominees, professional athletes, globally recognized brands and more.
His company prides itself on offering an unmatched array of services and utilizing a holistic approach to fulfill clients’ needs. David’s prominence has landed him on the red carpet of the industry’s most exclusive events from the Cannes Film Festival in France to the Grammys in Los Angeles. During his tenure at Howard University, Bullock worked with several companies including Warner Music Group, Revolt TV, Allied Integrated Marketing and Atlantic Records.
Nakaiya Turk | Spelman College (3)
Nakaiya Turk is a young working professional & Youtuber with roots in Knoxville, Tennessee. After graduating from the illustrious Spelman College in 2012 with a Mathematics degree, Nakaiya began her professional career at Hewlett-Packard Enterprise where she has remained for the last 5 years. She started at the company as a data analyst and now currently serves as a Customer Experience Leader, where she manages top global account’s customer experience.
Nakaiya is also the host of Kandid Kaiya, a YouTube talk show that highlights millennial black women on their different pathways to success; nearly all of her videos feature Spelman graduates and other HBCU graduates. As a career activist, Turk hopes that her talk show will empower young black women to go after their dreams while providing them with the tips and skills necessary to WIN! Thus, not only is she a young woman trailblazing through corporate America but she is also a blossoming talk show host.
Nakaiya is the definition of a Spelman woman committed to changing the world. She is a member of National Black MBA-Atlanta, she serves as the Young Alumnae Chair for the National Alumnae Association of Spelman College Atlanta Chapter, and she volunteers at Girls Inc., Marietta where she helps to further instill confidence and courage into young girls who are already “strong, smart, and bold!” She is also currently a Management Leadership for Tomorrow MBA Prep Fellow and was recently selected as one of Jezebel Magazine’s Most Eligible Atlantans 2017.
Nakaiya is passionate about her dreams, being an active contributor to her community, and providing young black women with true role models. Her mission is to inspire others to realize their fullest potential. She currently resides in midtown Atlanta, GA with her twin sister Nakeisha.
Charles Scott | Hampton University (2)
Charles (Chazz) Scott is a published writer, motivational speaker, and an accomplished computer security technologist from Ellicott City, Maryland. Charles attended Hampton University and obtained his Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Computer Science and was awarded a full ride scholarship by The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and The National Science Foundation (NSF) to pursue his Master of Science (M.S.) in Cybersecurity. While attending Hampton, Charles published his Cybersecurity research in multiple respected peer-reviewed journals, including the Scientific Research Publishing (SCIRP), Journal of Computer Science & Communications and The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). In addition, he has traveled across the country presenting his Cybersecurity research at numerous conferences, and National Labs, which include Department of Energy (DOE) National Nuclear Security Laboratories and The National Institute of Standards of Technology (NIST). Charles is a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Incorporated, Beta Kappa Chi National Scientific Honor Society, Upsilon Pi Epsilon Honor Society, and The NASA Virginia Space Grant Consortium. Currently, he works for The National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency as a Cyber Data Analyst defending our nations Cybersecurity infrastructure while also providing critical national security intelligence to Congress, Department of Defense (DoD), and the President of the United States.
While obtaining his M.S. degree, he found time to pursue his passion to inspire others to accomplish their dreams and live a purpose driven life. Charles is the Founder & CEO of a 501(c)(3) non-profit called Positively Caviar, Inc. seated in the Baltimore Washington metropolitan area. The nonprofit focuses on empowering, inspiring, and motivating all human beings, with a special emphasis on youth, through the imperative mindset of positivity and optimism. Positively Caviar, Inc. tackles the importance of mental strength and resilience through various digital media mediums which include email newsletters, motivational videos, photography, and music that promote a positive message in our communities. Additionally, the organization provides unique and fun self-empowerment workshops to youth that focus on the importance of staying positive through times of adversity while discovering their unique character traits. Charles and his team have traveled all over the Mid-Atlantic region delivering motivational speeches that focus on the science of positivity. His most recent themed speech was entitled “Ingraining Faith into the 21st Century Youth”, given to churches and community organizations in the Baltimore area.
With the given success of his nonprofit, he and his team were invited to give a presentation to clinical psychologists at Hope Health Systems, Inc., sharing how they are practically combatting mental health issues with 21st-century youth. Positively Caviar, Inc. has partnered and worked with The Boys and Girls Clubs of the Virginia Peninsula (BGCVP), Baltimore City Health Department, Maryland Family Network, University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES) of Pharmacy & Health Substance & Opioid Abuse Awareness and Response (S.O.A.A.R.), and The University of Maryland, School of Pharmacy’s A Bridge to Academic Excellence (ABAE). Recently, his nonprofit secured a collaboration with The Baltimore Times, where the team publishes a monthly column that focuses on mental and physical health tips, scientific studies, nutrition facts, and stories that are positive in nature to support a purposeful and positive lifestyle.
Tamara Wilkerson | Morgan State University (1)
Tamara Wilkerson Dias is the Executive Director of African American Teaching Fellows, a nonprofit based in Charlottesville, VA. After four years in the classroom, where she designed district-wide curriculum, implemented new assessments, and supported district wide initiatives to support diversity in the schools; she decided to transition to the nonprofit sector.
At African American Teaching Fellows, Tamara works to eliminate the large racial disparity amongst faculty in public education. She believes that in order to truly reach children and change their lives, teachers and staff should share cultural and sociological roots. Tamara is passionate about the educational experiences of students and aims to improve educational outcomes as she nears the completion of her Doctor of Education at Morgan State University.
When she is not working to impact public education, Tamara is passionate about health and wellness for public servants. She has worked with dozens of men and women, from all walks of life, empowering them to take control of their health.Tamara has turned her hobby into her legacy impacting lives inside and outside of the classroom. She is also a proud member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. and the National Alliance for Black School Educators. She resides in Charlottesville, VA with her husband Jermaine, who is also an educator
