2nd row: Damaune Y. Journey, Paul Alexander, and Gail Peterson.
3rd row: Will Smith, Shannon Watkins, Candace Matthews (Board Member & Founding Member), Sharon Harris, and Ukonwa Kuzi-Orizu Ojo.
4th row: Lesleigh Irish-Underwood, Diane Primo, Dara Treseder, Lauren Kelly, Sanyu Dillon, and Kirk McDonald.
5th row: Julie Spencer Washington, Vicky Free Sistrunk (Tampa Bay Buccaneers), Rudy Wilson, and Julius W. Robinson.
Not photographed: Anton Vincent, Esi Eggleston Bracey, Kenny Mitchell, Maurice Cooper, Nadja Bellan-White, Najoh Tita-Reid, Ralph Santana, Ramon Jones, Sean Tresvant, and Susan Somersille Johnson.
In November, BECA Members came together in the heart of NYC for our year-end meeting. Experience the essence of the meeting by delving into the snapshots below.
Arrivals
BECA Members and special guests stepped into the member meeting with excitement, ready to connect and learn from our esteemed panelists.
(From L to R): BECA Founding Members Dara Treseder and Ukonwa Kuzi-Orizu Ojo.
BECA Member Diane Primo
BECA Founding Member Will Smith.
BECA Member Rudy Wilson
(From L to R): BECA Founding Members Remi Kent, Candace Matthews (also a Board Member), and Sharon Harris, and Member Shannon Watkins.
BECA Founding Member Kimberly E. Paige
BECA Founding Member Bozoma Saint John.
BECA Founding Member Remi Kent
Navigating Into and Out of C-suite Roles Panel Discussion
Lisa E. Davis (Partner; Frankfurt, Kurnit, Klein, and Setz) and Kerry Chandler (BECA Board Member/former CHRO leader/Board Director) brought a wealth of wisdom to a thought-provoking panel discussion. Moderated by BECA Founder Jerri DeVard, the discussion focused on the strategy behind identifying and negotiating into and out of C-suite roles.
(From L to R): Jerri DeVard (Founder), Lisa E. Davis (Partner at Frankfurt, Kurnit, Klein, and Setz), and Kerry Chandler (BECA Board Member & former CHRO at Bombas, Under Armour, and Endeavor).
(From L to R): BECA Founding Members Will Smith and Sharon Harris, Member Lesleigh Irish-Underwood, Founding Member Paul Alexander, Members Kenny Mitchell, Damaune Journey, and DeLu Jackson, Founding Member Lauren Kelly and Member Rudy Wilson.
(From L to R): Lisa E. Davis (Partner at Frankfurt, Kurnit, Klein, and Setz) and Kerry Chandler (BECA Board Member & former CHRO at Bombas, Under Armour, and Endeavor).
BECA Members applauded the panelists.
(From L to R): Jerri DeVard (Founder), Lisa E. Davis (Partner at Frankfurt, Kurnit, Klein, and Setz), and Kerry Chandler (BECA Board Member & former CHRO at Bombas, Under Armour, and Endeavor).
(From L to R): BECA Member Damaune Journey, Founding Members Lauren Kelly, Bozoma Saint John, Janice Tennant, Gail Peterson, Kirk McDonald, and Remi Kent.
BECA Members engaged in panel discussion.
(From L to R): BECA Founding Members Kimberly E. Paige and Sharon Harris.
BECA Member Rudy Wilson
(From L to R): BECA Founding Member Will Smith, Member Lesleigh Irish-Underwood, Founding Member Paul Alexander, and Members Damaune Journey and Rudy Wilson.
(From L to R): Jerri DeVard (Founder), Lisa E. Davis (Partner at Frankfurt, Kurnit, Klein, and Setz), and Kerry Chandler (BECA Board Member & former CHRO at Bombas, Under Armour, and Endeavor).
(From L to R): BECA Member Damaune Journey, Founding Member Bozoma Saint John, Vicky Free Sistrunk (Tampa Bay Buccaneers), and Founding Member Remi Kent.
Effectively Landing Board Roles Panel Discussion
Panelist Chuck Gray (Partner & Co-Head of U.S. Practice, Egon Zehnder) and Moderator Candace Matthews (Board Member & Founding Member, BECA and Former CRO, Amway) shared insights and stories on finding the right board role. They emphasized the significance of aligning oneself with organizations that resonate with your values and interests.
Generative AI: Guidance and Implications Panel Discussion
Suzanne Kounkel (Global and US CMO, Deloitte) and Jacqueline Woods (BECA Founding Member & CMO, Teradata) facilitated a panel discussion sharing wisdom on the technology, the application, and the implications surrounding the evolving landscape of Generative AI.
(From L to R): Suzanne Kounkel (Global and US CMO, Deloitte) and BECA Founding Member Jacqueline Woods.
(From L to R): Suzanne Kounkel (Global and US CMO, Deloitte) and BECA Founding Member Jacqueline Woods.
(From L to R): Suzanne Kounkel (Global and US CMO, Deloitte) and BECA Founding Member Jacqueline Woods.
BECA Members applauded this panel discussion.
(From L to R): BECA Member Shannon Watkins and Founding Members DeLu Jackson and Kimberly E. Paige.
BECA Founding Member Lauren Kelly
Geopolitical Landscape Panel Discussion
Chris Foster (BECA Founding Member and CEO, Omnicom Public Relations Group) moderated an engaging panel discussion with Jim Margolis (Partner, GMMB) and Terry Nelson (Managing Partner, PLUS Communications). Together, they unpacked the impact of upcoming elections, global conflicts, and political discourse on the narratives that define brands today.
(From L to R): Jim Margolis (Partner, GMMB), BECA Founding Member Chris Foster, and Terry Nelson (Managing Partner, PLUS Communications)
(From L to R): BECA Founding Members Kimberly E. Paige, Sharon Harris, Gail Peterson, and Member Rudy Wilson.
(From L to R): Jim Margolis (Partner, GMMB), BECA Founding Member Chris Foster, and Terry Nelson (Managing Partner, PLUS Communications)
(From L to R): BECA Founding Member Paul Alexander, Kimberly E. Paige, Sharon Harris, and Gail Peterson, Member Rudy Wilson, and Founding Members Lauren Kelly, Jacqueline Woods, and Candace Matthews (also a Board Member).
(From L to R): Jim Margolis (Partner, GMMB), BECA Founding Member Chris Foster, and Terry Nelson (Managing Partner, PLUS Communications)
(From L to R): Jim Margolis (Partner, GMMB), BECA Founding Member Chris Foster, and Terry Nelson (Managing Partner, PLUS Communications)
Unboxing the Power of Black Media Panel Discussion
Industry luminaries Earl “Butch” Graves (President & CEO, Black Enterprise), Joe Anthony (CEO & Founder, Hero Collective), Louis Carr (President of Media Sales, BET), Michele T Ghee (CEO, Expectant Group), and Pauline Malcolm Thornton (Chief Revenue Officer, Essence Communications Inc.) joined forces to delve into the heart of Black media today – sharing stories and insights with BECA Members and special guests.
(From L to R): Pauline Malcolm Thornton (Chief Revenue Officer of Essence Communications Inc.), Louis Carr (President of Media Sales at BET), Earl “Butch” Graves (President & CEO of Black Enterprise), and Joe Anthony (CEO & Founder of Hero Collective).
(From L to R): Earl “Butch” Graves (President & CEO of Black Enterprise), Joe Anthony (CEO & Founder of Hero Collective), and Michele T Ghee (CEO of Expectant Group).
(From L to R): BECA Founder Jerri DeVard, Pauline Malcolm Thornton (Chief Revenue Officer of Essence Communications Inc.), Louis Carr (President of Media Sales at BET), Earl “Butch” Graves (President & CEO of Black Enterprise), Joe Anthony (CEO & Founder of Hero Collective), and Michele T Ghee (CEO of Expectant Group).
BECA Members applauded the panelists.
Michele T Ghee (CEO of Expectant Group)
BECA Members and special guests.
BECA Members engaged in panel discussion.
(From L to R): BECA Founding Member Ramon Jones and Members DeLu Jackson and Shannon Watkins.
(From L to R): Louis Carr (President of Media Sales at BET), Earl “Butch” Graves (President & CEO of Black Enterprise), Joe Anthony (CEO & Founder of Hero Collective), and Michele T Ghee (CEO of Expectant Group).
Post-Meeting Cocktail Reception
As the meeting concluded, BECA Members, panelists, and special guests came together to fellowship and continue the dialogue.
(From L to R): BECA Founding Member Kimberly E. Paige, Michele T Ghee (CEO of Expectant Group), and Joe Anthony (CEO & Founder of Hero Collective).
(From L to R): ###, ###, and ###.
(From L to R): Michele T Ghee (CEO of Expectant Group) and
(From L to R): Louis Carr (President of Media Sales at BET) and ###.
(From L to R): BECA Member Rudy Wilson and ###
BECA Founding Member Lauren Kelly
