For more than two decades Profiles in Diversity Journal has showcased and honored individuals who have blazed new trails, led the way, mentored others, advanced diversity and inclusion in the workplace and the community, and excelled in their chosen fields. PDJ is proud to recognize Black Leaders with our first-ever Black Leaders Worth Watching Awards.
The 53 profiles that appear in this issue recognize and celebrate the achievements of our inaugural group of Black Leaders Worth Watching. Each award recipient has also provided us with the answers to some questions and an essay that will give you, our readers, the chance to get to know these trailblazing individuals a little better.
Welcome to PDJ’s first annual Black Leaders Worth Watching Awards.
2020 Black Leaders Worth Watching™ Award Winners
- Aetna, a CVS Health Company – Mark W. Faulkner – Vice President, Medicaid Operations
- AMD (Advanced Micro Devices) – Olatunde “Ola” Gbolahan – Manager, Finance Process & Systems
- AMD (Advanced Micro Devices) – Kim Steele – Senior Manager, Global Planning & Strategy
- BrandEQ Agency – Nadine Spencer – CEO, president
- Charter School Business Management & FOREsight Financial Services for Good – Stephen B. Reid II – Chief Growth Officer
- Corteva Agriscience – Craig Reed – Chief Procurement Officer & Head of Corporate Real Estate
- Dechert LLP – Vincent H. Cohen, Jr. – Litigation Partner; Firm Management Committee Member; Chair of Black Lawyers Alliance
- Dickinson Wright PLLC – Aaron Burrell – Member
- Dickinson Wright PLLC – Lloyd Pierre-Louis – Member/Partner
- Fannie Mae – Danielle McCoy – Vice President, Deputy General Counsel & Fair Lending Officer
- Ferring Pharmaceuticals U.S. – Ayana Champagne – Vice President, Chief Human Resources Officer (U.S.)
- Fiserv, Inc. – Leslie Pearce – Senior Vice President, Inside Sales
- Fish & Richardson P.C. – Ahmed J. Davis – Principal
- FordHarrison LLP – Destiny Smith Washington – Counsel
- Fullscreen (a WarnerMedia company) – Carron Brown – Senior Vice President, Group Director Client Services
- GABA Inc. – Candice Blacknall – CEO and Cofounder
- Gibbons P.C. – Robert L. Johnson – Chief Diversity Officer & Director, Corporate Department
- Greenberg Traurig, LLP – Karen M. Kennard – Shareholder
- Greenberg Traurig, LLP – A. Michael Pratt – Shareholder
- HARMAN International – Sid Johnson – Vice President, Procurement and Automotive Sourcing
- Ivy Planning Group – Gary A. Smith – Co-Founder & Senior Partner
- Ivy Planning Group – Janet Crenshaw Smith – Co-Founder & President
- JND Legal Administration – Charles V. Lawson – Senior Vice President, Government Services
- Kasowitz Benson Torres LLP – Jonathan K. Waldrop – Partner
- Kindred Healthcare – Deidra L. Byrd – Senior Vice President & Enterprise Chief Employment Counsel
- Latham & Watkins LLP – Kevin Andrew Chambers – Partner, Co-chair Litigation & Trial Department in Washington, DC, and Global Chair Diversity Leadership Committee
- Latham & Watkins LLP – Laura R. Washington – Partner, Litigation & Trial
- Liberty Mutual Group – Bob Thomas – Senior Vice President & Regional Executive, Northeast
- Lincoln Financial Group – Allison Green Johnson – Senior Vice President, Chief Diversity Officer, and Head of Culture & Engagement
- Marshall, Gerstein & Borun LLP – Jonathan C. Hughley – Partner
- Mayer Brown LLP – Marcus A. Christian – Partner
- Mayer Brown LLP – Oral Pottinger – Partner
- MetLife Legal Plans – Ingrid Tolentino – CEO, MetLife Legal Plans
- Moss Adams – Terry Pierce – Regional Campus Recruiting Senior Manager
- Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough LLP – Michael A. Brown – Partner
- New American Funding – Anthony Holt – Branch Manager
- New American Funding – Dwayne A. Graham – Branch Manager
- New York Life Insurance Company – Eric B. Jackson – Corporate Vice President and Market Manager
- OneAmerica® – Karin W. Sarratt – Executive Vice President
- OPTrust – Audrey Forbes – Senior Vice President, Member Experience
- The Orange County Community Foundation – Tammy Tumbling – Executive Vice President & Chief Operating Officer
- The Procter & Gamble Company – Dara M. Kendall – Vice President & Associate General Counsel, Global Innovation and Brand, Fabric and Home Care
- S&P Global – Cheryl Lynn Baxter – Head of Corporate Advocacy Programs
- S&P Global – Mona-Lisa Chandler – Administrative Professional
- S&P Global – Cal Mathis – Vice President & Chief Security Officer
- S&P Global – Richard Rodney – Senior Director, Head of Content Systems Development
- Sanford Heisler Sharp, LLP – Saba Bireda – Partner
- Sanford Heisler Sharp, LLP – Vincent McKnight – Managing Partner (D.C office); Co-Chair, Whistleblower Practice
- Sterne, Kessler, Goldstein & Fox – Eldora L. Ellison, PhD – Director
- Ulmer & Berne LLP – Inajo Davis Chappell – Partner; Group Leader of the Nonprofit Practice Group; Chair of the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee
- University of Chicago Medicine – Brian Williams, MD, FACS – Associate Professor, Trauma and Acute Care Surgery
- Vortex Companies – Candace L. Strother – Director of Diversity and Inclusion
- WilmerHale – Danielle Conley – Partner and Co-Chair, Anti-Discrimination Practice