Sarah Harris is the first woman to lead the Black Business Association in its 55-year history. With over 25 years of experience as a business owner and advocate, she is also founder of SuiteEvents and publisher of Suite Life SoCal. Sarah serves as a Commissioner on the LA County Small Business Commission and co-chairs BizFed Institute’s Arts & Sports Committee. A UCLA Anderson MDE graduate and mother, she is a tireless champion for equity in entrepreneurship.

Kevin Harbour leads the BizFed Institute, advancing cross-sector solutions for regional economic resilience. With over 30 years in IT and communications at Fortune 100 companies and former leadership roles at UCLA and BizFed, Kevin brings a deep understanding of public-private collaboration. He was the inaugural Steering Committee Chair of California Jobs First for the LA Region and continues to serve on advisory boards including UCLA Extension and AV College.

Cynthia Mitchell-Heard is the first woman in over 90 years to lead the LA Urban League. With 25 years in nonprofit leadership, she has launched equity initiatives including the State of Black LA and the IDEAS financial literacy program. Cynthia led disaster recovery efforts after the Eaton Canyon wildfires and has secured national partnerships to support underserved communities. A USC and Howard University alumna, she serves on multiple national boards.

A longtime civic leader, Robert Sausedo has led Community Build Inc. since 2019, tripling its budget and expanding its youth and family programs. He founded the Community Response System of South LA (CRSSLA) during the pandemic, now a vital resource hub. His initiatives, including the healthcare outreach program CURE LA, reflect a commitment to equity and resilience. He also serves on several boards and advisory committees, including BizFed Institute and LADWP.

Jason Foster is a champion of place-based revitalization and cultural equity. He leads Destination Crenshaw’s work to celebrate Black LA through public art, economic development, and community empowerment. A former Director at River LA and real estate project manager in Brooklyn, Jason holds an MBA focused on redevelopment and a B.A. in Finance from Howard University. He resides in South LA with his family.

Kellie Todd Griffin is a leading strategist in equity, public affairs, and community engagement with over 25 years of impact. She leads the CA Black Women’s Collective and secured $5 million investment from the CA Legislature to launch the nation’s first policy think tank focused on Black Women and Girls at CSU Dominguez Hills. A political trailblazer and founder of Crenshaw Chick LLC, Kellie has worked with elected officials at every level of government as well as Fortune 500 companies including Aramark, Centene and American Honda. She is a published author and is nationally recognized for her work on chronically the state of Black Women and Girls as well as galvanizing over 25,000 Black women to be engaged in the political process.

Tunua Thrash-Ntuk is a recognized expert in economic and community development, currently leading The Center by Lendistry and serving as a Long Beach City Councilmember. Formerly Executive Director of LISC LA, she expanded programs in housing, small business, and racial equity. A graduate of MIT and UC Berkeley, she has been honored with awards for leadership in DEI and community revitalization.

Jermaine Hampton leads regional workforce strategy at LAEDC, aligning education, industry, and workforce systems to promote inclusive economic growth. Appointed to the LA County Workforce Development Board, he previously led equity-centered employment programs in Washington, D.C., and Atlanta. An award-winning workforce leader, Jermaine specializes in systems transformation, dislocated worker services, and industry-aligned talent pipelines.

Dr. Keith Curry is President of Compton College and CEO of the Compton Community College District, overseeing all departments and serving as secretary to the Board of Trustees. He co-founded and chairs Black Student Success Week, leads national efforts to boost Black student enrollment, has chaired multiple ACCJC visiting teams, and has been honored with the 2024 Diverse Champion Award and CCEJ’s 2023 Humanitarian Award. He holds an Ed.D. from UC Irvine and a B.A. from UC Santa Cruz.