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Herby Duverne is President and CEO of the Windwalker Group, a physical and cybersecurity firm. The company possesses a Defense Security Services secret clearance, operates in multiple states and currently holds contracts with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and several with the U.S. Department of Defense.
Before becoming an entrepreneur, Mr. Duverne held positions as Director of Emergency Management and Deputy Director of Aviation Security at the Massachusetts Port Authority (Massport), which oversees Logan International Airport. Before Massport, he served as the Regional Security Manager at State Street Corporation and also worked as a security professional and manager for several national retail corporations, including Kmart and the TJX Companies.
Mr. Duverne is the recipient of multiple awards and recognitions, such as the 2003 State Street William S. Edgerly Community Service Award, the 2005 Northeastern University Medallion Award, the 2005 YMCA Black Achievers Award, the 2016 Boston GK25 and the 2016 ILC Immigrant Entrepreneur of the Year Award for Business Growth.
He earned both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees at Northeastern University. He and his wife, Mrs. Claire Duverné, reside in Woburn, MA, and have three children, Ashley, Jayden, and Ashden.
Lamont Clemons is a Springfield native and a business leader in the region. He is the Executive Vice President of S-Cel-O-Painting, his family’s 30-year-old business. In this position, Mr. Clemons was involved with the opening of MGM Springfield, where his company was contracted for painting on-site. He has also held positions at Dominion Power, Wachovia Securities, Capital One and American Express.
Mr. Clemons is president of the Springfield Rotary Club and has served as president of the McKnight Neighborhood Council and Assistant Treasurer of the Greater Springfield YMCA. He is credited with launching programs at the Dunbar Community Center, including one that teaches teens essential financial and business skills.
He holds a BS in Electrical Engineering, an MBA in Finance, and an MS in Project Management.
Chiderah Okoye is the Executive Director of the Venly Institute, a Cambridge-based applied learning and certification organization that helps local businesses grow through social media, web-based applications, and cybersecurity best practices. Venly’s methodologies combine high-touch delivery via a Chamber of Commerce-supported fellowship program, with high-tech open-source systems to strengthen each community it serves.
Ms. Okoye earned her BS in Biomedical Engineering from Case Western Reserve University and began her career in industrial controls with Rockwell Automation, the world’s largest automation company. She has been a long-time leader within the National Society of Black Engineers and served as the Boston chapter’s President from 2015 to 2018. She currently sits on the organization’s board as President Emeritus. Ms. Okoye also joined with leaders of diverse Boston-area professional organizations to form the Affinity Leadership Consortium (ALC) and served as its Founding Co-Chair. In recognition for her ongoing community-based efforts, she was selected by the World Economic Forum to join the Boston Hub of the Global Shapers in 2015, where she is still an active contributor.
In February 2017, Chiderah was appointed by Governor Charlie Baker to serve on the then-newly commissioned Black Advisory Commission for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Hilina D. Ajakaiye Executive Vice President of Meet Boston (formerly the Greater Boston Convention & Visitors Bureau). Hilina D. Ajakaiye brings more than 15 years of sales, marketing and operations expertise as well as an international perspective to her position.
A native of Ethiopia, she immigrated to the United States in 1987, perfected English as a second language, and simultaneously graduated with her high school diploma and an associate degree at age 17. She went on to pursue her undergraduate studies at the University of Massachusetts and later earned her MBA in International Marketing Management from Northeastern University in 2017.
Previously, Ajakaiye worked for more than 15 years for Ahold Delhaize, an international grocery retail company servicing more than 54 million shoppers weekly. She was promoted throughout her tenure, during which she led 150+ direct reports across 22 stores with 3,600+ employees and received national recognition for her success in leading multiple teams and overseeing an operating budget of $805 million in annual revenue. Ajakaiye is passionate about initiatives and causes to advance young women and women empowerment overall, especially in underserved communities. She has been called on to serve on The Network of Executive Women (NEW), as board director for Big Brothers, Big Sisters and Progreso Latino, as a board trustee for the Woodward School for Girls, and currently as co-chair for the Equity, Diversity & Inclusion Committee for Destination International. Ajakaiye is an inductee into the Big Brothers, Big Sisters “People We Admire” program and is a graduate of The Partnership, Inc.’s Leadership Program in Boston and of Leadership Rhode Island. She was named 2019 “Rhode Islander of the Year” by Rhode Island Monthly for her work as the Founder of the R.I.S.E. Women’s Leadership Conference. Ajakaiye enjoys traveling and spending time with her two children and husband.
Responsible for growing Boston’s market share of visitors, Ajakaiye has specific oversight of the day-to-day operations across a variety of functions including: human resources, membership development, finance, leisure destination services (including two Visitor Information Centers), marketing and operations, operating budgets, financial practices and revenue generation.
Daren Bascome, is the founder and the creative director of Proverb, an award-winning place-branding agency that partners with innovative real estate developers, institutions, cities, and destinations to build groundbreaking brands and campaigns. Under Daren’s leadership, Proverb has become a recognized partner for brands seeking to apply strategic design thinking to their businesses, products, and communications. A native Bermudian who cut his teeth in exhibit design, Daren set out to create the type of agency that the industry tends to lack—one that is dynamic, inclusive, effective, and culturally relevant.
Dana Mendenhall currently serves as Senior Vice President, Global Head, Commercial and Portfolio Strategy at Takeda . Dana has over two decades of experience in the pharmaceuticals and therapeutics industry, orchestrating strategies that have improved patient experiences, expanded global market penetration, and improved top and bottom line performance. With diverse expertise in marketing, sales, strategic planning, engineering, and operations, Dana is a charismatic leader with a strong record of achievement in the healthcare sector. Dana also serves as an active board member of the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce (GBCC) and the Black Economic Council of Massachusetts (BECMA).
Tom Sands is Interim Divisional President, Community Care for Beth Israel Lahey Health, and President of Beverly and Addison Gilbert Hospitals.
As Interim Divisional President, Community Care, Tom oversees BILH’s community hospitals and their ambulatory sites: Anna Jaques Hospital, Exeter Hospital, Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital–Milton, Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital–Needham, Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital–Plymouth, and Winchester Hospital, as well as Beverly, Addison Gilbert and BayRidge Hospitals. In this role, he leads efforts to expand the delivery of exceptional care in community settings.
As President of Beverly, Addison Gilbert and BayRidge Hospitals, Tom leads the organizations in their mission to deliver innovative, high-quality, patient-centered care to communities across the North Shore.
Prior to joining Beth Israel Lahey Health, Tom served as President of Carney Hospital, a 159-bed hospital in Dorchester, where he was responsible for day-to-day operations. Previously, Tom was Chief Operating Officer at Good Samaritan Medical Center in Brockton, where he expanded patient services offerings, increased volume and implemented initiatives to strengthen the patient-family experience.
Tom came to Massachusetts from Georgia, where he spent 20 years in successive leadership roles at Navicent Health, a 637-bed teaching hospital. There, he oversaw customer service, diagnostic and therapeutic services, hospitality and support services and operations.
With a proven commitment to his communities, Tom has led and served on the boards of many community-based organizations, including the Conservatory Lab Charter School in Boston, the United Way of Central Georgia, the Tubman Museum, and 100 Black Men of Macon-Middle Georgia.
Tom earned master’s degrees in business administration and health administration from Georgia State University and his bachelor’s degree in biology from Morehouse College. He is board certified in healthcare management as a Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives.
Keith Chaney is a business leader who strives to drive results through an innovative and collaborative approach. In 2017, he had the opportunity to purchase City Sealcoating, Inc., a company that had been servicing Merrimack Valley for 10 years. Mr. Chaney had a vision to expand the company to service all of New England. He used the knowledge and relationships he had made working for the state and as a VP at State Street Bank to become a preferred vendor on the MA Asphalt Maintenance TRD02 Contract. City Sealcoating is now a trusted company, servicing government, commercial and residential customers. Since purchasing the business in 2017, Mr. Chaney has grown it 300% by focusing on solid workmanship, effective operations and exceptional customer service.
City Sealcoating offers a full range of asphalt maintenance services, including sealcoating, crack sealing, line striping, asphalt repairs, paving and snow plowing. Its sole mission is to provide customers with comprehensive asphalt maintenance services, leveraging the company’s many years in the industry to their benefit and allowing them to make informed decisions regarding their parking lots. Mr. Chaney and City Sealcoating view clients’ parking lots as an investment and take steps supported by data and experience to beautify, protect, and extend the life of the asphalt.
Mr. Chaney lives in North Andover with his wife and two children. He is an active member of his community but also believes in volunteering his time all around the Merrimack Valley area. He is a member of the Lawrence Leads Program, which is part of the Lawrence Partnership, and is an active member of the Merrimack Valley Chamber of Commerce. City Sealcoating Inc. hosts an intern annually from Lawrence Public High School and has had the opportunity to aid Lawrence residents through the gas explosion crisis and COVID-19. Recently, City Sealcoating, Inc., has been involved in the Business Equity Initiative (BEI) program through the Boston Foundation. Mr. Chaney is a former member of the Board of Trustees at Roxbury Community College and is now serving as a Board Member on the Alliance for Business Leadership. He has been invited as a speaker and moderator at many events to share his inspiring story and is passionate about giving back to his community.
Gary Evee is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Evee Security Consulting Group, whose vision is to be the most successful cybersecurity provider in securing organizations and companies from cyberattacks. Evee Security’s mission is to enable clients to reduce risk by proactively developing a more secure and resilient cybersecurity environment.
A 25-year technology industry veteran, Mr. Evee most recently served as an executive inside of IBM’s Cybersecurity Business unit, during which time he led the sales, business development and go market for IBM’s mobile and financial services cybersecurity solutions. Before this, he was the Executive Chief of Staff for the General Manager of IBM Security, helping to lead the company’s growth significantly faster than the overall security market to become the number one enterprise security provider in the world with almost $2B in annual revenue.
Mr. Evee has a proven track record of managing and scaling new enterprises globally. He has held several leadership positions during his 22 years at IBM in the areas of sales, business development and operations. In addition, he has served as a technology and cybersecurity advisor to a number of higher education institutions, including Bridgewater State University, Cambridge College, Massasoit Community College, Johnson C. Smith, and Endicott College. He believes that collaboration between academia, industry, government and community is critical to driving innovation and creating pathways to opportunities for the underserved.
Mr. Evee was responsible for holding the very first Cybersecurity and Technology Diversity Conference in the Commonwealth. He has been a staunch voice and advocate for diversity and inclusion in the area of STEM, and he holds a BA in Political Science from Hampton University in Hampton, VA. In addition to his services in the technology industry, he is also a member of the Board of Trustees for Dedham Savings Bank and MassInsight.
As a 1997 graduate of the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, Charran Fisher earned her BA in English and Journalism with a minor in African American Studies. She started Fisher Contracting in 1998 after working part-time in the field and recognizing a need for women and minorities in construction. Fisher Contracting has historically provided carpentry, demolition, dismantling, interior renovation, abatement, site remediation and asset recovery services to owners, developers, municipalities and state and federal agencies, both as a prime and subcontractor.
In 2011, Ms. Fisher was recognized by the Small Business Administration as the Minority Business Person of the Year for the entire New England region. In 2017, while working on the Encore Casino project, she received a Diversity Recognition award for exceeding goals for minority and women’s participation. Most recently, Fisher Contracting was selected as Gilbane Building Company’s M/WBE partner for the Worcester Red Sox project in 2019, and in October 2020, the company was the recipient of the Minority Business of the Year award from the Chamber of Commerce.
Ms. Fisher is a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. She also serves on the Boards of Directors for the Associated Subcontractors of Massachusetts and the Boys & Girls Club of Worcester.
Dálida Rocha (she/her) is the Executive Director of Renew U.S., an organization building state-based, multi-racial grassroots power to combat our overlapping crises of climate change, economic inequality, and racial injustice.
Renew combines deep coalition building, policy development and electoral organizing to win multi-racial, working-class governing power and enact ambitious climate justice, racial justice, and economic justice legislation in states nationwide. Renew works with local grassroots organizations and coalitions that share its commitment to bold politics grounded in deep local organizing and base-building to recruit and support state and local candidates and win urgent policy victories and sustained transformation.
Renew piloted its program in 2020, supporting over 200 legislative candidates in six northeastern states, each of whom committed to fight for Renew’s ambitious policy platform and to refuse donations from the fossil fuel industry. 64% of Renew’s candidates won, and those 129 Renew legislators have already worked with the Renew coalition to pass ambitious environmental justice legislation in multiple states. Under Rocha’s leadership, Renew is expanding from its successful New England pilot to 12 states in 2022 – endorsing and supporting more than 300 candidates – and 24 states in 2024.
Prior to joining Renew, Rocha served as the Political Director for SEIU 32BJ New England District. This is the largest property service workers union in the nation, with 175,000 members. The New England district represents 20,000 janitors, security officers and other property service workers at office buildings, universities, convention centers and other major institutions. In her role as the Political Director, Rocha convened and served as the Co-Chair of the Driving Families Forward coalition. The coalition was convened with the purpose of passing the Work & Family Mobility Act legislation also known as driver’s license. If passed, this legislation will enable all qualified state residents to apply for a standard driver’s license, regardless of immigration status.
The work of justice is not one that she takes lightly and whether it is immigrantion, climate, racial and/or economic justice, we can always count on Rocha’s commitment to a world where everyone has access to their basic needs.
When she is not busy caring for her 3 children, Rocha is serving on boards such as Black Economic Council of Massachusetts and Episcopal City Mission. As a member of the Democratic State Committee and co-chair of the African Descendant Caucus, Rocha is working tirelessly to ensure that the issues of African descendants are included in the Democratic Party Platform and championed by Democratic elected officials. Rocha is a proud African immigrant from Cabo Verde.
Michele Courton Brown is an entrepreneurial senior executive with over 30 years of diverse industry experience. With a remarkable aptitude for combining strategy development, thought leadership, and operational execution, she has consistently generated increased shareholder value. Michele possesses extensive expertise in governance, financial oversight, and leadership, having served on the boards of prestigious nonprofit organizations such as the Museum of Fine Arts Boston, YouthBuild USA, the Boys and Girls Clubs of Boston, and Health Resources in Action.
Currently, Michele holds the positions of Vice President of Business Development at Blue Cross Blue Shield of MA and Managing Director at Zaffre. In her current roles, she is entrusted with the responsibility of expanding and diversifying revenue streams through strategic partnerships, joint ventures, and strategic investments made through BCBSMA’s $200 million venture fund, Zaffre Investments. In 2021, Michele launched the Health Equity Business Accelerator program, demonstrating her commitment to investing capital and providing technical assistance to companies led by underrepresented CEOs. She also serves as an executive board member of Quality Interactions, where she previously held the position of CEO. During her tenure, Michele led the company’s strategic growth, product development, marketing, and administration. Quality Interactions is a renowned provider of cultural competency training in the healthcare industry, serving top-tier health plans, hospitals, and governmental entities.
Michele Courton Brown is known for her decisive leadership style, guided by a profound understanding of business priorities. Her exceptional abilities enable her to design and execute transformative business strategies that unlock enterprise value and align with organizational objectives. Throughout her career, she has honed her leadership skills and achieved remarkable success in team building, talent development, and delivering measurable outcomes. Michele’s innate ability as a problem-solver and catalyst for change, coupled with her talent for fostering enduring professional relationships, has played a pivotal role in converting challenges into opportunities and driving numerous achievements.
