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CBCF Announces New Officers and Members with Exceptional Expertise to its Board of Directors and Corporate Advisory Council

WASHINGTON—The Congressional Black Caucus Foundation, Incorporated (CBCF) elected new officers and appointed new members to its board of directors and Corporate Advisory Council (CAC) during its 2017 annual meeting. The new members bring a cross-section of talent in fields spanning academia, Fortune 500 firms, technology, capital management and private equity. Each individual has been successful in disrupting the status quo and being a positive agent of change. New board members include: a woman principal and president of a commercial real estate investment firm, a millennial aerospace engineer and CEO of a groundbreaking technology company, and an Emmy-Award winning filmmaker.

The CBCF leadership welcomed the new board and CAC members, noting that they represent the commitment to leadership and public service that drives the Foundation’s mission. In addition, their areas of expertise align closely with the organization’s policy initiative to advance minority business development and entrepreneurship.

“We look forward to learning from the experiences and leveraging the expertise our new board members bring to the CBCF,” said Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee, chair of the CBCF board of directors.

“The CBCF is privileged to have these individuals as talented additions to our esteemed Board and CAC and appreciate their willingness to serve,” said A. Shuanise Washington, president and CEO of the CBCF. “While each CBCF board member brings diverse perspectives and accomplishments, we are united in our passion for impact.”

2017 officers of the CBCF Board of Directors include: Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee, chair; A. Shuanise Washington, president and CEO; Cathy Hughes, vice chair; Earle Jones, secretary; Kevin Brown, treasurer; and Chaka Burgess; CAC chair.

Board members beginning their three-year terms on May 9, 2017, are as follows:

  • Aisha Bowe is an aerospace engineer and the co-founder and CEO of STEMBoard, LLC in San Francisco, California. She leads development, expansion and management of STEMBoard’s multimillion defense-contracts and private sector clients. She is also the first Millennial to join the CBCF board of directors.
  • Kevin Brown is the vice president and chief procurement officer for Dell, Inc. in Texas. In this role, he oversees the company’s strategic procurement and supply chain-related initiatives to propel, foster, and solidify Dell’s reputation as a leading global systems and services company.
  • Henry Louis Gates, Jr.Henry Louis Gates, Jr., is the Alphonse Fletcher University Professor and Director of the Hutchins Center for African and African American Research at Harvard University in Cambridge, MA. He is also an Emmy Award-winning filmmaker, literary scholar, journalist, cultural critic, and institution builder, who has authored and co-authored twenty-one books and created fifteen documentary films.
  • Tammy Jones is both principal and president of Basis Investment Group, a multi-strategy commercial real estate investment platform she founded with JEMB Realty Corporation that acquires and originates a variety of senior and subordinated loans, preferred equity and joint venture equity positions on behalf of its investors. Under her leadership, Basis has succeeded in closing nearly $2.5 billion in commercial real estate debt and structured equity related investments across the United States.

Corporate Advisory Council members beginning their three-year terms on May 10, 2017, are as follows:

  • Chanelle Hardy is the strategic outreach and external partnerships director for Google in Washington, DC. She is a member of the Public Policy team, focusing on strategic outreach and external partnerships.
  • Marie Long is assistant vice president of federal relations for AT&T in Washington, DC. In this capacity, she is responsible for representing AT&T’s legislative interests before the United States Congress.
  • Dontai Smalls is vice president of global public affairs for UPS in Washington, DC. He coordinates all international issues on Capitol Hill for UPS. He also coordinates UPS’ global aviation portfolio in DC.
  • Nigel Stephens is director of government affairs for Accenture in Washington, DC. In this role, he serves as the firm’s primary liaison with members of Congress, service and technology industry associations, regulators and other policy makers.
  • Phillip Wallace is government relations manager for Intellectual Ventures in Washington DC. He manages federal government affairs and political relationships for intellectual Ventures, LLC, a venture capital and private equity firm based in Belleview, WA.
  • Cherie Wilson is director of federal and administration affairs for General Motors in Washington, DC. In this capacity, she is responsible for developing and executing the legislative and political engagement strategy for GM and the company’s captive finance arm, GM Financial.

ABOUT CBCF

The Congressional Black Caucus Foundation, Incorporated (CBCF), established in 1976, is a non-partisan, nonprofit, public policy, research and educational institute, committed to advancing the global black community by developing leaders, informing policy and educating the public.

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CONTACT

Anne Williams
202.263.2812
media@cbcfinc.org

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