SPEAKERS
The Elevate+ Speaker Series
Each summer, Elevate+ interns are invited to attend interactive sessions with accomplished people of color who have achieved success and are making a difference in the world. Recordings of these conversations are available here by clicking on each speaker's name.
Click images for recordings:
2025
Shirel Jones
Shirel shares her education and career journey in the perfoming arts. Some early-career discoveries about her professional strengths surprised her, but they set the stage for her life's work that blends ballet, childhoog education, content creation, and entrepreneurialism.
Rev. Rod Williams
Rod took a winding road ro find his ulitmate career. He is the co-founder and managing principal of B.E.S.T. Talent Management providng advice and guidance for individual in career transitions. Rod discusses ihis career path and lessons learned along the way, offering listeners pearls of wisdom with every step.
Richard Sun
Richard is Transportation Counsel, Office of the Democratic Leader of the U.S. Senate. Previously, he served as Transportation Advisor to the Governor of New Jersey, and was the youngest person elected to the City of Summit (NJ) Common Council.
He'll join us on August 6, 2025
2024
Bill Tipacti
After a career in journalism at Univision, Bill has transitioned to serve as its Senior Director of Community Empowerment, positively influencing the futures of the people Univision serves
Nora Ali
Nora obtained her undergraduate degree from Johns Hopkins University and her Juris Doctorate degree from Cornell University, She is currently a corporate lawyer with Adobe.
Stacy Huston
Stacy is the Executive Director of SixDegrees.com, a nonprofit organization which supports impactful initiatives to sustain and enrich local communities.
2023
Janine Brown
Janine shares her experience pursuing a career in a field that lacked diversity and cultural sensitivity before pivoting into education and community activism.
In addition to working in the Jersey City Public School System, she leads Brown Brilliance LLC providing teacher training and character-building workshops for youth.
Dr. Marilu Marcillo
Dr. Marcillo provides a candid view of the challenges of growing up in Spanish Harlem, overcoming family expectations in pursuit of an education, and key insights into what drove her to achieve greatness in business and academia.
Dr. Marcillo is the Dean of the School of Business & Information Sciences at Felician University.
Chris Langford
Chris discusses his personal journey to become a licensed professional counselor, including how his early work experience helped him to pivot into his chosen career and persevere through academic and financial challenges.
Chris earned two Masters Degrees and is an accomplished therapist helping individuals overcome anxiety and trauma.
Anthony Gonzales'
Anthony, a sales and marketing leader and an Eleven+ board member, briefly shares his experience overcoming an unsettled childhood and the secrets to his professional success. He then provides practical advice on how to maximize the effectiveness of your LinkedIn profile.
Anthony is an entrepreneurial force with a knack for driving business success.
2023
Curtis Goodwin
Curtis discusses growing up in and out of public housing in New London, CT, becoming a community advocate, and a champion for helping underserved young adults achieve their potential.
He has worked over the last decade as a national sales and advertising account executive focusing on Diversity & Inclusion initiatives. He produced the documentary, "Those People".
Lisa Davis
Lisa shares insights and lessons from her life growing up in Washington, DC, attending college in North Carolina, obtaining a Master's Degree from Howard University, and her career climbing the corporate ladder.
She is a Senior Managing Director at a global CEO advisory firm, developing strategies and communications plans for the world's leading CEOs.
Nzingha Prescod
Nzingha, a Brooklyn native, spoke to us about her path to athletic success, becoming one of the United States most decorated fencers and starting the PISTE Academy to introduce Brooklyn youth to the sport.
Nzingha is a 2x Olympian, World Champion and 4x Senior World Medalist. She became the first Black woman to win an individual medal at the Senior World Championships.
