Presenters and Speakers



Mara Brock Akil
Mara Brock Akil
Story27
Writer & Producer
Mara Brock Akil has written and produced nearly 400 episodes of television, truly leaving her mark on Hollywood. Groundbreaking in many ways, Akil created the seminal television series Girlfriends in 2000. The series was a witty, intelligent and honest exploration of the many facets of black womanhood. During its 8-season stint on air, it was one of the highest-rated scripted shows among African-Americans ages 18-34. Additionally, Akil developed the spin-off series The Game, which premiered in 2006 as a quick fan-favorite as well. In fact, loyal fans of The Game rallied behind the series upon its cancellation in what was then an unprecedented way, taking to social media to launch a campaign to save the series. Taking notice, BET stepped up and struck a deal to renew the series and develop additional episodes. When season 4 of The Game premiered on BET in 2011, the series exceeded all expectations drawing in 7.7 million viewers, becoming the most-watched scripted-series premiere ever on ad- supported cable. The series continued on for a total of 9 seasons, earning praise throughout its run for its verisimilitude and, during the reality television boom, was one of the few shows on television that felt truly specific to its moment. In 2013, Akil developed her first one-hour drama, BET’s Being Mary Jane, further cementing her ability to tell powerful and engaging stories that speak to women through honest, true-to-life reflections. Unquestionably, Akil’s work put BET scripted series on the map for the first time ever with back-to-back hits gleaning such large audiences. Akil has continued that legacy and passion through her most recent projects, including The CW’s Black Lightning and OWN’s Love Is__. Beyond her work as a writer and producer, her peers have consistently recognized Akil as a leader in the industry. In 2019, Akil was honored with the prestigious Brandon Tartikoff Legacy Award by NATPE for exhibiting extraordinary passion, leadership, independence and vision through her work, as well as for her contributions to the medium of television as a content creator. In 2017, she was inducted into Northwestern’s Medill Hall of Achievement and received the distinguished Northwestern Alumni Medal, the highest honor bestowed unto alumni by the Northwestern Alumni Association. She garnered both of these awards from her alma mater within the same year. Some of her prior accolades include Essence magazine’s Visionary Award during their annual Black Women in Hollywood luncheon, being named to Variety and The Hollywood Reporter’s Showrunner Power Lists, as well as The Hollywood Reporter’s Women in Entertainment Power100, multiple times.
A Conversation about Motherhood: Creating Sanctuary


Randi Bryant
Randi Bryant
Freshworks
Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer
Randi Bryant is the Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer of Freshworks, where she develops and leads the strategy to create an environment where all employees, customers and constituents feel as if they belong. During her Ph.D. studies at the University of Virginia, Randi was recruited by a technology company in Northern Virginia, CAIS internet, to help guide it from its early stages through its IPO. Randi later founded Bryant Consulting Group, LLC where she served as President for almost twenty years. During that period she contracted with Fortune 500 companies and several Federal agencies to provide DEI services both domestically and internationally. She is the author of two books, including the acclaimed DEI (Diversity, Equity & Inclusion) book Neversays ;and Truthing, a book written to encourage Black women to live and speak their truths. Randi holds a B.A. in English from Tuskegee University and a M.A. in Curriculum & Instruction from the College of William & Mary. She runs Randi B., an online affinity group, designed to educate and celebrate Black people and provide them with a safe space to discuss us that gets over 1 million views per week. Randi is an avid traveler, wife, and mom to two sons, who currently attend Hampton University.
Know Your Worth and Act Accordingly



Denise Eaton May
Denise Eaton May
Far West Region
Regional Five Star Chair and Past National Corresponding Secretary
Five Star Excellence--Raising the Bar


Shalonda Glass
Shalonda Glass
Far West Region
Regional Protocol Chair
Protocol Matters



Sydney K. Kamlager
Sydney K. Kamlager
30th Senate District, California State Senate
Senator
Senator Sydney K. Kamlager represents the 30th Senate District, which includes the diverse communities of Culver City, Ladera Heights, Westmont, and the Crenshaw, Downtown, and Florence neighborhoods of Los Angeles.

Elected to the California State Senate in the March 2021 special election, Senator Kamlager has spent her career prioritizing equity and access for Californians, especially for Angelenos. She has authored landmark legislation in the areas of criminal justice reform, health care equity, environmental protections, and affordable housing – including the most transformative probation reform law in the country and legislation requiring implicit bias training for health care professionals, law enforcement, and court employees.

Senator Kamlager currently serves on the Appropriations, Budget and Fiscal Review, Governmental Organization, Human Services, Public Safety, and Rules Senate committees. She is Vice Chair of the California Legislative Black Caucus and chair of the Los Angeles County Delegation, and has previously served as chair of the Assembly Select Committee on Incarcerated Women.
Prior to being elected to the California State Assembly in 2018, Kamlager served as District Director for California State Senator Holly J. Mitchell while also serving as President of the Los Angeles Community College District (LACCD). She is a member of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority and earned a B.A. in political Science from USC and a M.A. in Arts Management and Public Policy from Carnegie Mellon University.
Senator Kamlager lives in View Park with her husband, Austin Dove, her two step-children, and their dog Kush and cat Kisi Whitepaws.
Leadership Luncheon & Oratorical Competition Part II
Leadership Luncheon & Oratorical Competition Part II


Florence Lankford
Florence Lankford
Jack and Jill of America, Inc.
National Editor
National & Regional Officer Reports


Kevin Liles
Kevin Liles
300 Entertainment
Co-Founder and CEO
When unique business scenarios call for leaders who can bring reinvention, revitalization and rebirth, Kevin Liles is the right person for the job. For more than 20 years, he has been instrumental in helping companies to persevere through uncertainty—market shifts, industry evolution, consumer habit changes and technology integration—and reach significant business and revenue growth. Repeatedly, he has emerged as an innovator, business strategist and risk taker who transformed startup and emerging brands into well-recognized, respected market leaders.

Stabilizing internal operations, developing the right infrastructure and fostering inclusive work environments that support deliver sustainable, profitable growth are among his many leadership pillars. In his current role as the CEO for 300 Entertainment, Kevin is executing forward-thinking, market-relevant ideas, concepts, programs and services in a constantly shifting industry. Since his taking over full reign in 2017, the company has experienced a consistent trend of business, market and revenue growth and other successes that are well documented in industry highlights. Prior to taking on that role, Kevin launched a new business venture that embodied his vision for niche brand management solutions,focusing on emerging artists, athletes, celebrities and high-profile businesses. Pioneering what he called the “COO of the brand” approach, he quickly built a successful, fast-growing multimillion-dollar operation in just five years.

When Warner Music Group needed an infusion of strategic innovation and business reinvention, Kevin was selected for a newly created leadership role. Making swift, market-driven decisions, he was pivotal in helping the company to survive and thrive in a time of industry turbulence, intense market competition and consolidation. One of his major initiatives was laying the foundation and operational structure for a new business vertical (artist ancillary services) that blossomed into what is now a $200M business. In addition, he orchestrated critical cultural and operational shifts that bolstered the company’s value proposition and market distinction when the industry was being encroached by a “do-it-yourself” movement.

Kevin’s tenure with Island Def Jam Music Group is vast and impressive—from his early days as an intern to diverse management roles and later being selected as the President—he influenced many aspects of business operations and organizational culture. Through new initiatives, he established an infrastructure that propelled business growth, brand elevation and market expansion including new business verticals and global offices in Germany, United Kingdom, France and Japan. He was a key strategist during the negotiations surrounding the company’s sale to Universal Music and later oversaw all operational integration and cultural assimilation efforts.

Today, Kevin’s reputation as thought leader and disruptive innovator is chronicled in top media outlets including New York Times, CNN, MSN, Wall Street Journal, Forbes and Crain’s. He is very active in the philanthropic world and is routinely engaged with political and business leaders at the local, national and international levels. In 2015, he launched the Minority Male Makers in partnership with Verizon to encourage young middle-schoolers to pursue STEM careers.

Kevin’s global work on education and entrepreneurship culminated in the 2010 Medaille de la Ville de Paris award, the highest honor for individuals making contributions to Parisian culture. In addition, he received an honorary Doctor of Law degree from his alma mater, Morgan State University where he originally studied engineering.
A Conversation with Music Label Executive Kevin Liles (Megan Thee Stallion)


Tracy Mack-Askew
Tracy Mack-Askew
Far West Region
National Policies and Procedures Chair
Flex Your Governance Muscle


Sherida McMullan
Sherida McMullan
Far West Region
Regional Community Service Chair
It Takes Two



Carol Nealy
Carol Nealy
Far West Region
Regional Bylaws Chair
Flex Your Governance Muscle



Tanisha Porter
Tanisha Porter
Natural Born Organizers, LLC.
Founder & Owner
Tanisha is the founder & owner of Natural Born Organizers, LLC. Since starting her business in January 2013, she has guided countless amount of clients through the declutter process in a fraction of the time & frustration than when they do it themselves.

Tanisha is an active member of the National Association of Productivity & Organizing Professionals (NAPO), Past President of the Los Angeles Chapter, the National Association of Black Professional Organizers, the Institute of Challenging Disorganization & on the NAPO Diversity Task Force.

She has been featured on Good Day LA, and in popular publications such as Better Homes & Gardens, Real Simple, The Washington Post, the Los Angeles Times, Costco Connections Magazine, & online platforms like Parents.com & Goop.com to name a few.

She spent the first 8-weeks of the pandemic in Spring 2020 building a community with women across the country who not only wanted to create order in their lives but needed to due to the immediate shift with everyone and everything being at home.

Tanisha is a proud alumna of Howard University, wife of 19 years, mother of 4, & lives in her hometown of Los Angeles, California.
A Pandemic Check In


Radiah Rhodes
Radiah Rhodes
Evók, LLC
Managing Partner
Radiah Rhodes is a visionary, entrepreneur, designer, engineer, and coach. After two decades of experience leading in small businesses and Fortune 100 companies in the beauty and information technology industries, Radiah became known for her strategic insights, impeccable design aesthetic, and natural ability to connect, lead, and get results. She has led and coached many executives and organizations to deliver exceptional business results and launched a strong portfolio of multi-million dollar products and services around the globe.

Most recently Radiah authored the book, Being is the New Doing: A Divine Guide to Owning Your Energy, Time and Peace of Mind. She also launched a collection of brands and products designed to transform and expand your intention and well-being. As an entrepreneur, corporate leader, wife, and mother of two amazing and active children, Radiah knows what it takes to be extraordinary in life and leadership. She trains clients on how to tap into and leverage their intention as the fuel and fire to create any desired outcome with ease and authenticity.

Whether it’s personal expansion programs, business launches, or products on the shelves of Target and Walmart, her expertise can be seen, touched, and felt in the client experience and results
Women's Wellness & Mental Health: Owning Your Energy, Time, and Peace of Mind



Soraya "DJ Blue" Walker
Soraya "DJ Blue" Walker
San Fernando Valley
DJ
Soraya Walker is the San Fernando Valley Chapter's Teen Vice President, and she has always had a passion for music. Growing up in Florida, Soraya began singing and dancing with a local Performing Arts Troupe at the age of 9. Soon after moving to Los Angeles almost 5 years ago, Soraya became involved with the “Girls Make Beats" organization, where she learned how to produce, and write music in a professional setting. At just 17 years old, this talented high school senior has already co- produced and written her 1st song and has had the opportunity to work with some of the top producers in the music industry. Going by the name DJ Bleu, she currently Hosts and Deejays local parties, and virtual events. Recently she was hired by the Disney Channel to keep the music flowing at their red-carpet Premier Event for their new movie “Spin”.
The Art of Hydro Dripping & Flicker Game Night With Music by JJ Teen Soraya "DJ Blue" Walker