2014 CUP Fellows

Funmi Afonja Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services Director, Corporate Ratings Group

Funmi Afonja is a Director in the Corporate Ratings group at Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services. Based in , Funmi follows a portfolio of metals and mining companies, with a combined market capitalization in excess of $10 billion. Prior to this, she was the primary analyst on rated United States-based shipping companies and a select group of transportation equipment lessors. Before joining Standard & Poor’s in 2007, Funmi worked for National City Bank (now PNC Bank) as a Senior Associate where she was a key player in underwriting syndicated bank debt primarily focused on the retail industry. Before that, Funmi was a Business Analyst in the Commercial Finance division of GE Capital for several years working in Stamford, Bangkok and Mexico City.

In 2013, Funmi received an Employee Resource Group Recognition Award for leading Standard and Poor’s initiatives to connect the diverse analyst population with the executive leadership at the firm. In 2011, Funmi received the Gold ACE Award in recognition of her outstanding contributions to analytical excellence and thought leadership at Standard and Poor’s. Funmi holds a bachelor of science degree in Accounting from Rutgers University and a master of business administration degree from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University. Funmi is committed to civic activity and volunteers at the Young Women’s Leadership School in Harlem. She also mentors junior analysts to help them reach their goals.

Gabrielle Lyse Brown Bar Association Director of Diversity and Inclusion

Gabrielle Lyse Brown is the Director of Diversity and Inclusion for the New York City Bar, where she leads the Association’s efforts to enhance diversity in the legal profession across a broad range of legal employers through initiatives that foster diverse and inclusive work environments. Previously, she founded the City Bar’s Pipeline Initiative, which provides comprehensive programming for inner-city students to address academic support and enrichment, professional and substantive skill development, networking/mentoring opportunities and exposure to the legal profession.

Gabrielle is committed to diversity in the profession and is active in several like-minded organizations. She is a member of the Executive Board of Directors of Practicing Attorneys for Law Students, Inc. (PALS), The Association for Legal Career Professionals (NALP), The Council of Urban Professionals (CUP), and School of Law and Finance Advisory Board. She has spoken on numerous panels about professional readiness, mentoring, and developing diversity pipeline initiatives.

MyLinh Chau ESPN Manager, Event Marketing

MyLinh Chau is a Manager, Event Marketing at ESPN, Inc. In this role, MyLinh manages all aspects of sponsorship management for X Games, including onsite activation, digital, social and media obligations. Having built strong, respectful relationships with clients such as Ford, Jeep, Red Bull, Monster and GoPro, she has been integral in making the X Games a seamless and memorable experience for sponsors and fans alike. With over seven years of experience, MyLinh is no stranger to the sports and entertainment industry. Before joining ESPN, Inc. in 2013, MyLinh worked for AEG in multiple roles, event management, premium client services and arena operations. MyLinh’s varied background at AEG provided the perfect foundation for managing sponsorship fulfillment at ESPN.

Recognizing the need for minority leadership in sports and entertainment in her hometown of Kansas City, MyLinh co-founded The Triple L Foundation in 2010. The Triple L Foundation partnered with LINC, a Kansas City School District after school program, and brought the business of entertainment to kids in a fun and educational way. Through The Triple L Foundation, she was able to share her love of the sports and entertainment industry with youth.

Jazmin Chavez LatinoJustice PRLDEF Coordinator of Communications, Youth Leadership Network and New Media

Jazmin Chavez is the Coordinator of Communications, Youth Leadership Network and New Media. She is a passionate Social Media Strategist living in New York City. A lawyer by trade, she focuses on social media and movement strategies for LatinoJustice PRLDEF.

Born in Ciudad Juarez, Chihuahua, Mexico, Jazmin has lived a trans-national and bi- cultural experience. As an immigrant herself, Jazmin’s identity and ideological foundation stems from the experience of comprehending and navigating the U.S. legal system. From this foundation she serves as a passionate advocate and strategist for civil rights and has dedicated her professional life to becoming an effective justice innovator and movement entrepreneur for communities in need.

Her work focuses on utilizing critical race theory, marketing in the Latino community, social justice and legal theory to examine new tactics for communication, culture creation and social movements through social media platforms, community participation leadership and narrative power analysis. She is a graduate of the University of Denver Sturm College of Law where she focused on immigration, public interest and international humanitarian law.

Angelina Darrisaw Viacom Senior Manager, Digital Business Development

Angelina Darrisaw is a Senior Manager of Digital Business Development at Viacom. There she identifies and develops strategic and profitable new business opportunities for Digital Media properties (e.g. apps, mobile web, websites) across all brands. Additionally, she serves her company as a communications co-chair for Viacom’s EMERGE and on the professional development committee of Viacom’s BEAT, using both roles to create informative events and growth opportunities for her colleagues. Prior to joining Viacom, Angelina worked in Digital Business Strategy at ESPN. There, she informed her company on new media trends, executed digital distribution deals, and helped roadmap the strategy for monetizing content digitally.

Angelina completed her B.A. in Political Science at Davidson College and received her M.A. in Management at Wake Forest University, as a Hanesbrands Corporate Fellowship recipient. She was selected to represent Wake Forest in Managua, Nicaragua, where she created marketing and operations strategies for entrepreneurs needing assistance. Angelina is passionate about sharing business and professional skills and has been invited to speak on the topic at high schools and universities. She is a half-marathoner, an international traveler, a two-time Top 20 finalist at USA, and a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated.

Antonio Delgado Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP Associate

Antonio Delgado received his B.A. in 1999 from Colgate University, his M.A. (Oxf) in 2001 from Oxford University as a Rhodes Scholar, and J.D. in 2005 from Harvard Law School. After graduating from law school, rather than pursue a career in the legal field, Mr. Delgado co-founded an entertainment company and became its flagship hip hop artist. The company’s mission was to encourage political activism, heighten civic engagement, and inspire social change through the power of music and hip hop culture in particular. While Mr. Delgado pursued his music career, he developed workshops in partnership with schools and nonprofit organizations to empower youth through media, wrote and produced music featured on HBO, ESPN and Warner Bros. programming, and released a full length album on iTunes.

In 2009, Mr. Delgado transitioned back into the legal field and is now a fifth-year associate at Akin Gump. Mr. Delgado has become an integral piece of Akin Gump’s commitment to empowering young students of color by participating through the firm with organizations like PALS (Practicing Attorneys for Law Students Program) and SEO (Sponsors for Educational Opportunity) – two organizations that seek to provide professional development opportunities for minority students.

Tyler Falish Teach For America Manager, Constituent Strategy & Insights

Tyler is the Manager on the Constituent Strategy & Insights team at Teach For America. As a member of the broader Public Affairs & Engagement team, Tyler is responsible for conducting quantitative and qualitative research aimed at better understanding Teach For America's audiences in order to inform campaigns, outreach efforts, and public affairs strategy. Tyler has a demonstrated passion for social justice issues, and has devoted his career to that end.

Tyler grew up in Green Bay, Wisconsin, and went on to study economics and marketing at the University of Wisconsin. He studied abroad on two occasions: focusing on economics at Utrecht University and entrepreneurship at Copenhagen Business School. Upon graduating, he joined Schneider National, Inc.--a leading freight transportation company--as the Market Research Manager, and was responsible for strategic planning, commercial development, and managing the student intern program. In 2010, Tyler became a Peace Corps Volunteer and served as a small enterprise development consultant in Morocco for more than two years, working primarily with rural artisans. He moved to New York City in the spring of 2013.

Nicolet Gatewood Caribbean Cultural Center African Diaspora Institute Development Consultant

Nicolet Gatewood is an experienced museum professional versed in fundraising, communications, strategic planning, programming and exhibition development. Her work focuses on the marriage of culture and advocacy to promote equity and social advancement. She is currently a consultant for the Caribbean Cultural Center African Diaspora Institute (CCCADI), where she was brought in to help plan the creation of and strategies for development and communications departments.

Prior to joining CCCADI, she worked at the Museum for African Art, most recently as the Associate Director of Development. She is an emerging independent scholar and curator whose work explores the relationship between socio-political movements and mass culture; she has worked on many book, film and exhibition projects, including Posing Beauty: African American Images from the 1890s to the Present. Nicolet received her BA and MA from NYU; she earned her undergraduate degree in Africana Studies and History, and her MA in Social and Cultural Analysis. She is the recipient of many academic awards and distinctions, including the Opportunity Fellowship (2010, 2011 and 2012). In her spare time, she actively volunteers to support historical and social justice causes, including the archeological dig of a mid-19th century free African American community (Beman Triangle), and assisting with the fundraising and mobilization efforts for National Action Network's “Justice for Trayvon” Vigils and the 50th Anniversary March on Washington.

Fatimah Gilliam The Azara Group Founder and CEO

Fatimah Gilliam, Esq. is the Founder and CEO of The Azara Group, a consulting firm providing a broad range of negotiation and diversity services to companies, universities, student athletes, and private clients. Its mission is to improve the competitive advantage of institutions and individuals by helping them strategically use the art of persuasion and improved influencing skills to achieve objectives and enhance careers. TAG also specializes in offering services that promote diversity and inclusion in the workplace and improved career mobility for diverse employees.

Prior to starting The Azara Group, Ms. Gilliam was the Head of Finance and Fundraising for North America in the Private Partnerships Division of the United Nations World Food Programme. Prior to joining WFP, she served as the Director of Diversity Recruitment for Citigroup. In her role, she served on the Corporate Advisory Boards of The Consortium and NSHMBA. Ms. Gilliam began her career as a corporate attorney negotiating deals for her clients. She worked for Manatt, Phelps & Phillips LLP, and Cleary, Gottlieb, Steen & Hamilton LLP.

She holds a law degree from Columbia Law School, a Master in Public Policy from the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University, and an undergraduate degree from Wellesley College. Originally from Berkeley, California, Ms. Gilliam lives in New York City.

Porché Hardy New Jersey Performing Arts Center Associate Director for Arts Training

Porché serves as the Associate Director for Arts Training at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC). As Associate Director of Arts Training, she is responsible for executing innovative marketing and recruitment events to engage communities and alumni, developing arts education programming and managing the Star-Ledger Scholarship for the Performing Arts; a progressive college scholarship for high school students in Newark of which she is a recipient. She developed an alumni engagement platform that connects alumni performers with the organization by providing paid performance opportunities named NJPAC Brick City Booking.

Porché earned her BA in Sociology with a minor in Economics from Rutgers University. Additionally, she is a classically trained vocalist and a graduate of the William Esper Studio in New York City. Porché has shared the stage with legends such as Maya Angelou, Dionne Warwick, and Mandy Patinkin. She is active in various community organizations and serves as the Youth Choir Director at the Love of Jesus Family Church in Newark and Chair of the Youth Red Carpet Ball. Her aspirations are to combine her performing arts talents and arts administration experience to provide access to safe spaces where youth groups in underserved communities have access to quality arts education. She is elated to be a 2014 CUP Fellow and is thankful for the opportunity to gain the skills needed to become an effective and resilient leader.

Melissa Harris New York City Department of Education Deputy Chief Operating Officer

Melissa Harris has over a decade of experience in education policy and government relations. As a native New Yorker, Melissa has devoted her career to improving access to high-quality education for all residents of NYC regardless of zip code and economic background.

Melissa currently serves as the Deputy Chief Operating Officer for the NYC Department of Education (DOE) where she oversees a wide array of cross-functional projects as well as serves as an advisor to the Chancellor on number of key engagement initiatives. Prior to this role at the DOE, Melissa served as Chief of Staff to the Department’s family division where she played a primary role in reshaping the landscape of family engagement to support thousands of families served by the DOE.

Melissa received her Bachelor’s Degree in United States History and Urban Education and Master’s Degree in Education Administration and Policy from the University at Albany.

James Hendon BlocPower Chief Operating Officer

James Hendon is the Chief Operating Officer for BlocPower, a company that markets, finances, and installs energy efficiency upgrades in houses of worship, nonprofits, and small businesses in American inner cities. He previously worked as an Associate in the Real Estate Investment Banking Group at Deutsche Bank. Prior to that, James spent seven years in the US Army as an Active Duty Infantry Officer where, among other things, he deployed as a Mortar Platoon Leader and Battalion Public Affairs Officer to Iraq (2005), worked as a Minority Admissions Officer for West Point (2006-2007), and served as the Senior Advisor to the Afghan Border Police in Afghanistan (2007-2009).

James is a 2002 graduate of the US Military Academy at West Point, where he majored in Arts, Philosophy, and Literature and minored in Computer Science. James is also a 2012 graduate of Harvard Kennedy School and Columbia Business School, where he obtained dual masters degrees in Public Administration and Business Administration, respectively. James is a drilling reservist in the US Army Reserve; for his reserve duty, James serves as an Assistant Professor of Military Science for the CUNY Army ROTC Program. During his free time, he enjoys exercise, volunteering with the Sponsors for Educational Opportunity Scholars Program, and supporting the organizational life of his fraternity, Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Incorporated.

John Johnson Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer US LLP Associate

John K. Johnson is a litigation associate at the multinational firm Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP. His practice focuses on complex disputes, white collar criminal defense, and compliance risk management in connection with trade sanctions and regulations against fraud, bribery, and money laundering. John also provides strategic advice relating to the foreign reach of US law and multi-jurisdictional investigations.

During 2009-2011, John was a law clerk to the Honorable Vanessa L. Bryant, United District Court Judge for the District of Connecticut. In 2008, he received his J.D. from Columbia Law School, where he received the Samuel I. Rosenman Prize for academic excellence and leadership, was a Harlan Fiske Stone Scholar, and served on the Executive Board of the Columbia Journal of Asian Law. John graduated from Yale College in 2003 with a B.A. in Political Science.

Esther Kim BlackRock Vice President

Esther Hae-Eun Kim is a Vice President at BlackRock where she develops initiatives to advance the institutional sales strategy through product-specific tools, sales collateral, and competitive analysis. Prior to her current role, Esther was originally recruited for BlackRock's International Department to develop and maintain relationships with non-US institutional clients with a focus in the Asia Pacific region.

In addition to her work experience at Navigant Consulting and Vector Cucto, Esther was also a White House intern in the Office of Public Liaison, bridging the White House with various constituents including the Asian-American, Latino-American, and African- American communities.

Born in D.C., Esther stayed within the Metropolitan area living in both Maryland and northern Virginia before heading off to UVa to study Finance and International Business at the McIntire School of Business. While at UVa, she acted in Grounds for Discussion, served in Student Council, Army ROTC, and in the Asian Pacific American Leadership Training Institute (APALTI).She has traveled to 20 countries, performed at the Kennedy Center, and was a light-weight rower. Esther also volunteers with American Red Cross, Everbody Wins, and is working to establish BlackRock’s Multi-Cultural Network.

Arpita Mazumdar Goldman Sachs Vice President

Arpita (Arpi) Mazumdar is currently a Vice President within the Securities Division at Goldman Sachs where she supports the Chief Operating Officer of Global Sales. In her role as Franchise Manager for Fixed Income Sales, she focuses on business development by managing large-scale global change initiatives through implementing people management and franchise design strategies. In addition, Arpi is a Steering Committee member for the Americas Securities Division Women's Network, where she is an integral part of the leadership and networking pillar. Prior to her current position, Arpi was part of the Human Capital Management (HCM) Division where she was responsible for administering all global executive as well as employee deferred equity compensation plans. Before joining Goldman Sachs, Arpi worked at Citigroup, holding a variety of positions in the Asset Management business.

Arpi is very engaged in Women's rights and is currently a sponsor for “Women for Women International” - a nonprofit humanitarian organization that provides practical and moral support to women survivors of war. She is passionate about traveling, exploring culinary delights and reading. Arpi received her BS in Business Administration from the University of Albany - SUNY and lives in Park Slope, .

Jackeline Montalvo Ballet Hispanico Director of Marketing & Communications

Jackeline Montalvo is the Director of Marketing & Communications for Ballet Hispanico, the nation's first and oldest Latino dance organization, founded in 1970. She is responsible for developing and implementing marketing, sales, institutional branding, and audience development strategies for the organization's professional dance company, school of dance, and community arts education programs. Under her management, Ballet Hispanico has seen double-digit growth in enrollment numbers for the school and in ticket sales for the professional dance company. Formerly, she was an associate editor and publicist at Random House, where she was one half of the two-person team tasked with building the Vintage Español imprint into one of the leading U.S. Spanish-language book publishers. Her list of authors at Random House included Pulitzer Prize winner Junot Díaz and National Book Award winner Carlos Eire.

Jackeline holds an A.B. in Literature from Harvard University and is a 2013 fellow of the National Association of Latino Arts and Cultures (NALAC)'s Leadership Institute. Born and raised in Puerto Rico, she now lives in New York City and is a native Spanish and English speaker.

Carlon Myrick The Achievement Network Director of School Support

Carlon Myrick is a Director of School Support with the Achievement Network. The Achievement Network (ANet) is a nonprofit that helps schools strengthen their practice around using standards and data to accelerate student learning in underresourced communities. As a Director of School Support he provides tailored coaching to over a dozen New Jersey school leaders, building their capacity to systematically apply and scale effective practice. He also manages the strategic planning and delivery of network Learning and Professional Development for all 59 schools in the New Jersey Network.

A lifelong committed and passionate crusader for fair and equitable education in historically underserved communities, Carlon began in his career as an elementary school teacher in Brooklyn, NY, and prior to joining ANet, he earned an M.A. in Sociology and Education from Columbia University.

Juan Navarro-Staicos Federal Reserve Bank of New York Treasury Market Associate

Juan is currently a Treasury Market Associate at the New York Federal Reserve’s Markets Group, which implements monetary policy on behalf of the Federal Open Market Committee, and provides global market analysis. Juan specifically focuses on trends in U.S. government debt yields, especially in relation to global macroeconomic and financial market developments, and market expectations for the path of monetary policy.

Prior to the Federal Reserve, Juan worked at PIMCO, a global asset manager, and Austral University in Buenos Aires, Argentina’s top research institution. He also spent four years at Bain & Company, a global management consultancy where he worked with U.S. and Latin American clients on corporate strategy. Juan has a joint Masters degree in business administration and international development from Harvard University, and attended Rice University for his undergraduate studies. Born in Argentina, and raised in the U.S., he and his family have lived in Harlem since July 2012. Outside of work, he enjoys good food paired with Argentine Malbec, running, skiing, kitesurfing, and reading.

Nnamdi Okike 645 Angels Founder and CEO

Nnamdi Okike has extensive experience as a venture capital investor in Internet and software companies. He has been involved with over twenty venture investments over his career, including companies such as Photobox and Privalia. His historical exits include Folhamatic (acquired for $300 million), Hitwise (acquired for $240 million), and Astaro (acquired by Sophos).

He is currently the founder and CEO of 645 Angels, a seed stage investment fund focusing on Internet companies. His angel portfolio includes companies such as Keaton Row, Trendalytics, and AbbeyPost. Nnamdi was previously a Principal at Insight Venture Partners, a leading New York-based venture fund. He was also an investor at Kayne Anderson Private Equity and a management consultant at Boston Consulting Group.

Nnamdi received his BA, JD, and MBA degrees from Harvard University.

Tina Perez Charter School Business Management Director of Operations

Tina is a Director of Operations at Charter School Business Management, Inc. (CSBM), a Certified B Corporation and financial consultancy focused on equipping charter schools with financial knowledge and services, enabling the charter school sector to do what it does best - educate our country's children. Tina is involved in developing and managing key internal systems for CSBM, including building upon and creating efficient systems and processes and serving as an experienced charter school operations resource to CSBM team members and clients. Tina is a founding Board Member of Heketi Community Charter School, a Bronx elementary school whose mission is to provide an exceptional educational solution through a high level of family and community engagement.

Over the years, Tina has served as the founding Director of Operations at a charter school in the South Bronx and as an Associate TV Cable News Producer in Washington, DC. Tina has an MPA from Baruch College and a Bachelor of Science in Journalism from Howard University. She is an alumnus of National Urban Fellows, a leadership development organization that develops people of color and women who are committed to public service with a strong emphasis on social justice and equity.

Jerika Richardson U.S. Attorney’s Office, Southern District of New York Senior Public Affairs Officer & Director of New Media

Jerika Richardson has over a decade of experience in government, media relations, broadcast journalism, and production. She currently works for the Justice Department as the Senior Public Affairs Officer & Director of New Media for the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Southern District of New York. In this role, Jerika serves as a spokesperson for the U.S. Attorney’s Office, oversees the training of its Public Information Office staff in strategic communications and outreach to both the press and the public, and devises and implements the Office’s new media strategy. Prior to joining the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Jerika worked at ABC News headquarters in New York from 2007 to 2011, where she covered law and justice, financial, and breaking news as a Field Producer and Off-Air Reporter. She also served as a producer for the network during the 2010 midterm and 2008 general elections.

Jerika attended Spelman College, where she obtained a B.A. in English with a minor in History. Jerika’s passion for public service took root on Capitol Hill when she interned for Congressman and civil rights champion Rep. John Lewis. After graduating from Spelman, Jerika worked as a legislative aide to a member of the Georgia General Assembly. Jerika obtained a J.D. from the University of Michigan Law School, where she was actively involved in public interest work and, as an Equal Justice America Fellow, advocated on behalf of the poor and the elderly. Throughout law school, Jerika worked in public television and radio – honing her production and reporting skills on a legal/public affairs television program, a political talk radio show, and public radio news stories.

Paul Rodriguez Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP Associate

Paul R. Rodríguez is an Associate at Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP, specializing in large- scale M&A and corporate financing transactions, as well as intellectual property law. He serves on the firm's Diversity and Associates’ Committees, as well as the Young Lawyers' Committee of the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law and the Advisory Committee of the Yale Law Social Entrepreneurs.

Paul is a graduate of Yale Law School and is a former NYU School of Law Social Enterprise Fellow. Prior to attending law school, he served for four years as an aide to U.S. Senator Frank R. Lautenberg of New Jersey, where he focused on transportation infrastructure and national security issues.

Davon Snipes IBM Managing Consultant, Global Business Services Team

Mr. Davon Snipes is a Managing Consultant with IBM's Global Business Services Team specializing in Strategy and Change consulting within the Energy and Utilities Industry. Davon has over ten years of domestic and international energy experience serving in various functions such as consulting, strategy, project management, business development, and operations. Davon is passionate about education and working with youth and is a 2013 recipient of The Network Journal’s 40 Under Forty Achievement Award based on his professional achievement, contribution to the African-American community, leadership, and influence in the business world. He has been President of the Morehouse Manhattan Alumni Chapter for the past 6 years.

Davon holds an MBA from the New York University - Stern School of Business. His undergraduate education includes degrees in Chemistry and Chemical Engineering from Morehouse College and the Georgia Institute of Technology respectively. Davon grew up in Harlem, New York and continues to reside there today. He attends the both the First Corinthian Baptist Church and the historic Abyssinian Baptist Church. He is engaged to be married in the Fall.

Brian Song BakerHostetler LLP Associate

Brian W. Song is a litigation associate in the New York office of BakerHostetler LLP. Brian has broad experience as a general commercial litigator, but focuses his practice on securities litigation and white collar crime. He also currently serves as a co-chair of the New York office’s diversity committee.

Prior to joining BakerHostetler, Brian was an associate with two other prestigious national law firms. Brian began his legal career in the United States Army Judge Advocate General’s Corps and has continued his military service as a member of the United States Army Reserve, currently serving as the Deputy Chief, Military Personnel Branch, United States Army Litigation Division, and holds the rank of Major. Brian is a member of the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association and Asian American Bar Association of New York.

Brian received his B.S. from the Johns Hopkins University and his J.D., cum laude, from Boston University School of Law. Brian also received an L.L.M. in Securities Law and Financial Regulation with distinction from Georgetown University Law Center.

George Suttles U.S. Trust/Bank of America Private Wealth Management Vice President, Senior Philanthropic Relationship Manager, Philanthropic Solutions

George Suttles is a Senior Philanthropic Relationship Manager in the Philanthropic Solutions division of U.S. Trust, where he serves as a relationship manager for private family foundations and charitable trusts. He advises clients in grant-making mission and strategy, governance, and nonprofit best practices. He also manages several trusts where Bank of America, N.A. serves as trustee and makes grants in the areas of education, health care, medical research and social services.

George has been with the bank since 2013. Prior to joining U.S. Trust, he was a program manager at the WellPoint Foundation, the philanthropic arm of WellPoint Inc. and a Program Officer at the New York State Health Foundation, a statewide private foundation working to improve the health of all New Yorkers. He earned his B.A. in African American Studies from Wesleyan University, his M.P.A. at the Baruch School of Public Affairs (CUNY) through the National Urban Fellows Program, and his M.A. in Philanthropic Studies from the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy.

George volunteers with several non-profit organizations in New York and has participated in leadership programs geared toward foundation professionals, notably the Association of Black Foundation Executives “Connecting Leaders” fellowship program.