Adrienne, a College Access Champion, was born and raised in Benton Harbor, MI. She graduated from the University of Michigan with a B.A. in Sociology and Women Studies and Western Michigan University with a M.A. in Educational Leadership: Higher Education Student Affairs. Currently, she is the Director of the TRIO Upward Bound Program at Lake Michigan College. She has a passion for helping students to achieve their post-secondary educational goals and has continued to serve students by teaching at the undergraduate and graduate level, working with foster care youth in higher education, advising students interested in STEM careers, engaging students who are racially and culturally diverse and advocating for students that are historically marginalized. Adrienne enjoys spending time and watching classic movies with her family which includes her husband, two sons and bonus daughter. Adrienne currently resides in Kalamazoo, MI.

Ricqel graduated from the College of Engineering at the University of Michigan with a B.S.E in Electrical Engineering in 2013. She is a native Detroiter and has worked internationally doing work as a Field Service Engineer, Application Engineer and Technical Project Manager. Ricqel's passion is the creation and production of music. Under the moniker, Ricqielles, she has produced, and performed numerous singles. She enjoys writing, rapping, reading, music production and spending time with her family and dog, Mason. She currently lives in Detroit, MI.

Veronica graduated from the University of Michigan with a Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education. She is currently enrolled in Central Michigan University to earn a Master’s of Business Administration with a concentration in Value-Driven Organization. Veronica has spent the majority of her career in the mortgage industry and is currently working in Business Strategy to enhance transformational technology that impacts the entire enterprise. Veronica enjoys cooking, traveling, and reading. As a budding entrepreneur, she makes time to create candles for Chemistry Boxes. She resides in Detroit with her loving husband and three busy boys.

Semhar graduated from the University of Michigan with a B.S. in Brain Behavior and Cognitive Science in 2012. She received her Doctorate of Medicine from Rush Medical College in 2018. In 2021, she completed her residency in Emergency Medicine at the University of Chicago. Her career and medical interest are addressing health disparities and medical education. In her free time, she travels, tries new restaurants, and enjoys being a dog mom and spending time with her extended family.

Kristen earned a dual B.A in Spanish and International Studies from the University of Michigan and a M.S in Executive Leadership and Organizational Change from Northern Kentucky University. While a proud Detroit native, in 2012 she relocated and currently resides in Cincinnati, Ohio with her husband, two daughters, and two rescue dogs. Kristen is currently the Community and Citizenship Manager at Turner Construction Company. She also co-founded and co-leads Turner’s Ohio Inclusion Action Team, the first regional model at Turner designed to enact an anti-racism strategy. Kristen is in her element when she contributes her time to supporting and advocating for improved health and well-being of those who are most vulnerable, underrepresented, and often forgotten.

To align her community work with her personal passions, she serves on the City of Cincinnati Human Services Advisory Council, the St. Elizabeth Healthcare Strategic Planning Committee, and the Library Foundation of Cincinnati & Hamilton County Board of Directors.

Ryanna graduated from the University of Michigan with a B.A. in Psychology & Sociology. She received her doctorate of dental surgery degree from Meharry Medical College School of Dentistry in 2020. She is now completing a dual degree residency program where she will receive her MBA while also attaining a speciality certificate in Orthodontics. Ryanna’s interests include mentorship, traveling, the arts, and Grey’s Anatomy. She has a lovely son that is the light of her life. Ryanna currently resides in Henderson, NV. As a native of the southside, Chicago will always have her heart but it is still to be determined where she will practice dentistry long term.

A native of Detroit, Cheatham earned her bachelor’s degrees in business administration and sport management with a minor in community action and social change in 2013 from the University of Michigan. She received a master’s degree in 2015 at Oklahoma in adult and higher education. Tangela has spent her career in intercollegiate athletics advocating for student-athletes from marginalized communities. Tangela has interests in community engagement, athletics, professional development and music. She is a proud graduate of Cass Technical High School and loves her Eastside of Detroit heritage! She currently resides in Morgantown, WV.

Dayna graduated from the University of Michigan with a B.S.E. in Industrial & Operations Engineering & minor in African/African American studies. She received her M.S. in Engineering Management from Duke University in 2014. Dayna has spent her career working in a myriad of industries including FinTech consulting, supply chain operations at Microsoft and currently works as a Product Manager in Data Quality at Spotify. Dayna’s career interests lie at the intersection of music, technology, business and Black culture. She is proud to be a product of Detroit (Eastside) and enjoys traveling, music, reading, co-hosting & producing her podcast, mentoring young women in STEAM and supporting Black owned businesses. Dayna currently resides in Brooklyn, NY.

Ebony graduated from the University of Michigan with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and minor in Community Action & Social Change. She received her Master of Social Work from the University of Michigan in 2013 with a concentration in Interpersonal Practice & Health. Ebony began her career as a Social Work Case Manager, working with the orthopedic and neurosurgery population. She currently works as a Transplant Clinical Social Worker at Michigan Medicine Hospital with liver and kidney transplant recipients. Ebony was born and raised in Detroit, MI and keeps God at the center of all that she does. She loves quality time with family and friends, swimming, photography and exercising. She’s a proud wife and mommy to the sweetest little boy.

Celeste graduated from the University of Michigan with her B.S. in Nursing in 2013 and obtained her M.S. in Nursing from the University of Texas-Arlington in 2021. Celeste started her nursing career 8 years ago in the intensive care unit and is now a certified critical care RN and soon to be Nurse Practitioner. She has spent time as an ICU travel nurse in California and is now a full-time RN and Charge RN in the medical ICU at Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital in Dallas. Her passion lies in working towards eradicating health disparities, promoting health literacy, and improving healthcare access. Celeste is a Detroit native, but currently resides in a suburb of Dallas, TX with her husband and dog. She is a soon-to-be mom and enjoys all things art, fitness, & music!

As a native Detroiter, Nina Idemudia, AICP, understands firsthand how the built environment shapes the lives of society’s most vulnerable populations. This fuels her passion for empowering people to be change agents through planning. Nina started her career as a planner for the City of Los Angeles but currently serves as an Chicago Recovery Plan Director for the City of Chicago's Department of Planning and Development. She specializes in equitable community development, inclusive outreach strategies, and organizational innovation for planning agencies. Nina is a graduate of the University of Michigan and the University of Southern California. Nina has two awards from the American Planning Association, is Vanguard Fellow, a New Leaders Council Fellow and was also honored with a SHEro award by Los Angeles Council member Curren D. Price, Jr. for her community leadership. Nina was recently elected the first Black President for the Illinois Chapter of the American Planning Association.

Erika graduated from the University of Michigan in 2012 with a B.A in Psychology and minor in Community Action and Social Change. She received her Master of Social Work from the University of Michigan in 2013. Erika has spent her career working in healthcare as a Clinical Social Worker, which includes engaging with an interdisciplinary medical team, patient discharge planning, and case management services. She is currently a Licensed Clinical Social Worker on the Inpatient Rehabilitation Unit at the WellStar Atlanta Medical Center. Erika’s interests include health services and impact within the Black community. Erika enjoys traveling, listening to music, spectating sports, attending live concerts, and spending quality time with loved ones. Erika is originally from Detroit, by way of Southfield, MI. She currently resides in Atlanta, GA.

Jasmine, founder of JMB Advising and current Dean of Academics at Voyageur College Preparatory High School in Detroit, MI, is a proud educator since 2012 both professionally and personally. As a graduate of the University of Michigan with a Bachelor’s of Arts in Sociology and African American Studies and her Master’s in Educational Leadership from Wayne State University, education is a huge part of who she is and what she stands for. Jasmine created JMB Advising, LLC which is an educational consulting company to assist scholars and families with post-secondary decision making and support. Aside from being an educator, and business owner she is a proud wife and mother of two sons, Jordon and Jackson. She loves traveling with her family, listening to music, and dancing.