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 third Black Leadership Awards.
The 53 profiles that appear in this issue recognize and celebrate the achievements of our third group of Black Leaders. 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 third annual Black Leadership Awards.
2022 Black Leadership Award Winners
- AARP – Shani W. Hosten – Vice President, Audience Strategy–Office of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
- Abbott – Karl E. Analo – Counsel, Labor & Employment Counseling and Litigation
- AMD (Advanced Micro Devices Inc.) – Dr. Pierre Maillard – Radiation Effects & RAS Architect
- AMD (Advanced Micro Devices Inc.) – Mark Wadlington – Senior Vice President and General Manager, Core Markets Group – AECG, Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.
- Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP – Terence Rozier-Byrd – Partner
- Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP – Tiffanye Threadcraft – Counsel
- Axinn Veltrop & Harkrider LLP – Leslie C. Overton – Partner and Chief Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Officer
- Corteva Agriscience – Cheryl H. Curbeam – Vice President, Chief Risk and Compliance Officer
- Corteva Agriscience – Karis Gutter – Vice President, Government & Industry Affairs, North America
- Coston Consulting – Michael Coston – Chief Executive Officer
- Crimson Wealth Strategies LLC – Chauvon L. McFadden – Principal
- Davis Wright Tremaine LLP – Christopher D. Ford – Partner
- DiCello Levitt – Diandra “Fu” Debrosse Zimmermann – Managing Partner, Birmingham and Co-Chair, Mass Torts – DiCello Levitt
- Enact Mortgage Insurance – Dina Fleurima – Senior Manager, Lender Services
- Freddie Mac – Tinesha C. Richardson – Equitable Housing Manager
- Givelify – Wale Mafolasire – Founder and CEO
- Harman International Industries, Incorporated – Fred Owens – Vice President, Global Intellectual Property
- Heartbeat – Christopher Cocking – Vice President, Solutions Architect
- Kasowitz Benson Torres LLP – Nefertiti J. Alexander – Partner
- Latham & Watkins – Sarah Fortt – Partner
- Latham & Watkins – David Ziyambi – Partner
- Levain Bakery – Kutina Ruhumbika – Chief People Officer
- LexShares – Cayse Llorens – CEO
- Mayer Brown LLP – Jeremiah A. DeBerry – Partner and the Director of Diversity & Inclusion at Mayer Brown
- Moss Adams – Shaunté Kinch – Consulting Director
- Nelson Mullins – Kraig B. Long – Partner
- Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough LLP – Alicia N. Ritchie – Partner
- New American Funding – Kenol Cadet – Sales Manager
- New American Funding – Albert “AJ” Nunnally, III – Branch Manager
- New American Funding – Ken Smith – Sales Manager
- New American Funding – Micheline St. Fleur – Sr. Loan Originator
- New American Funding – Wonida Welch – Branch Manager
- New York Life – Martin King – Managing Director, NYL Investors LLC
- NorthEast Electrical – Deshawn Fentress – Director of Project Management
- Norton Rose Fulbright – Vincent Dunn – Co-Partner-in-Charge, New York
- Novavax, Inc – Talitha Hampton, PhD – Senior Director, Supply Chain Production Planning & Systems
- Partnership for Inclusion Leadership – Youlanda Gibbons – CEO and Founder
- Patterson Belknap Webb & Tyler LLP – H. Gregory Baker – Partner
- Patterson Belknap Webb & Tyler LLP – Peter C. Harvey – Partner
- Point32Health – Cain A. Hayes – President and CEO
- REVOLT – Detavio Samuels – Chief Executive Officer
- RWJ Barnabas Health – Suzette Robinson, MHA – Vice President of Diversity and Inclusion
- Saxena White – Omar D. Davis – Special Counsel
- Sonepar USA – Ron Harper – SVP Supply Chain & Logistics
- Strativia – Kenneth Kelly – President & CEO
- Sullivan & Cromwell LLP – Kamil R. Shields – Partner
- Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center El Paso, Paul L. Foster School of Medicine – Charmaine A. Martin, M.D. – Interim Associate Dean Student Affairs, FSOM, Associate Professor, Department of Family and Community Medicine
- Union Pacific Railroad – Kenny Rocker – Executive Vice President – Marketing and Sales
- Webster Bank – John L Guy Jr. – EVP, Director Business Banking
- WilmerHale – Monya M. Bunch, Esq. – Director, Diversity Equity and Inclusion
- WilmerHale – Peggy Otum – Chair, Energy, Environment and Natural Resources Practice; Partner
- Wind River – Kevin Dallas – President and Chief Executive Officer
- Withum – Adrienne Smith, PMP, ITIL – Assistant vCIO & Project Manager
- WithumSmith+Brown, PC – Jasmina Woodson, CPA/ABV/CFF – Manager, Forensic Valuation Services