Lance Gross is an accomplished actor, producer, and photographer. Notable credits include Fox TV series "Our Kind of People", opposite YaYa DaCosta, Nadine Ellis, Joe Morton, and Miles Chestnut.  Produced by Lee Daniels. “Hawaii 5-0” (CBS), a series regular on “Star" (Fox) as ‘Maurice Jetter’, the role of ‘Billy Colton’ on ‘MacGyver” (CBS), Amazon's "Too Old To Die Young" with Miles Teller (Dir. Nicolas Winding Refn), a series regular on “Sleepy Hollow’ (Fox) opposite Nichole Behari, and also the lead of the NBC drama “Crisis” opposite Dermott Mulroney, Gillian Anderson, and Rachael Taylor.

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Lance is the first actor to win four NAACP Image Awards for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series for his role on Tyler Perry’s "House of Payne."

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He has also starred on TV One’s “When Love Kills: The Felicia Blakely Story” directed by Tasha Smith; the BET anthology series “Tales: Trap Queen” directed by Benny Boom; and “The Bobby Brown Story” (BET).

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Lance created, produced, and starred in the MACRO digital series “I Turned My Camera On” (Essence), which combined his love of photography with a series of celebrity interviews. Season one featured Michael B. Jordan, Omari Hardwick, and Kelly Rowland, amongst others.

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Lance lives in Los Angeles with his wife, Rebecca, and their beautiful daughter, Berkeley, and son, Lennon.

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Alphonso David, one of the foremost civil rights attorneys and a life-long advocate for social and economic justice, serves as the President & CEO of the Global Black Economic Forum. Mr. David brings more than two decades of experience in the private, public, and not-for-profit sectors, where he has worked to advance the rights of marginalized communities through policy, legislation, litigation, and advocacy.

As a business leader and lawyer, Mr. David successfully defended the Fearless Fund and Fearless Foundation, a venture capital firm, and a charitable organization, in a federal court challenge that sought to shut down their business practice of helping under-resourced entrepreneurs. He was also instrumental in creating one of the most sought-after addiction treatment centers in the United States. In public service, he helped to transform broken systems that impeded the lives of the most vulnerable, including restructuring the workers’ compensation and unemployment insurance systems in the State of New York to reduce inefficiencies and deficits that had plagued these vital social safety nets for decades. As a non-profit leader, he created and expanded groundbreaking programs for marginalized communities, including an impact litigation program to advance the rights of LGBTQ+ people and an HIV and Health Equity Program to address the disproportionately high rates of HIV among Black and Brown communities throughout the nation.

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As an advocate, Mr. David has worked on a broad range of issues including racial and economic justice, immigrants’ rights, and LGBTQ+ equality. Notably, he and his legal team secured more than $23 million for immigrants who had been defrauded by illegitimate legal service providers, stopped a racially discriminatory rating system in broadcast radio from being implemented in the United States, and compelled all large pharmacy chain stores to provide language access services to customers. Further, during his time in public service for the State of New York, Mr. David was instrumental in drafting and advancing landmark legislation that removed legal barriers allowing same-sex couples to marry, paving the way for the United States Supreme Court to rule in favor of marriage equality nationally. His work helped actualize the Paid Family Leave Act, ensuring individuals receive paid leave to care for sick family members. His record of achievement also includes the Minority and Women Business Program, which tripled contracting opportunities for minority and women-owned businesses throughout New York State.

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As President & CEO of the Global Black Economic Forum, Mr. David engages with world leaders, business executives, policymakers, entrepreneurs, activists, and consumers globally on thought leadership; corporate and entrepreneurial career development; and advancing economic and social justice for marginalized communities across the globe. The Global Black Economic Forum’s innovative, multi-faceted organizational structure includes a strategic consulting practice that partners with major corporations and business leaders on leadership development, skill building, and organizational assessments; summits and conferences that bring together key leaders from all sectors; a foundation dedicated to social and economic justice policy; and an emerging technology platform focused on advancing equity. In the face of recent legal and political attacks on Black communities, the Global Black Economic Forum launched the Council for Economic Opportunity & Social Justice, which convenes major social justice and civil rights organizations in the nation. Mr. David, a resident of Brooklyn, New York, is a prolific writer, thought leader, and sought-after media commentator on a wide range of topics.

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Jacob Mitchell currently serves as the Vice President of Sales & Marketing for the California Region. Jacob joined us from the Oregon/SW Washington region, where he served as Vice President of Sales & Marketing. Prior to that, he served as Senior Director of Business Development for the California region.

Before Comcast, Jacob held several positions with AT&T, beginning as a Retail Sales Consultant in Seattle and steadily progressing to Area Retail Sales Manager in Colorado, Director of Sales and Distribution in Portland and San Jose, and then Director of Operations in Dallas.

Jacob earned his MBA from JWMI-Strayer University and his bachelor’s degree from Western Oregon University. In his free time, Jacob enjoys traveling with his wife and two daughters.

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Maria Garcia is a seasoned nonprofit leader with expertise in communication, community relations, fundraising, and philanthropy. In her current role as Vice President, Strategy & Programs, she leads the agency’s Grantmaking strategic planning, operations and communication strategy.

Maria serves as a Board Member for the Leo M. Shortino Foundation and has held leadership roles with the Latino Leadership Alliance, the Hispanic Foundation’s La Familia Committee, and the Santa Clara County Commission on the Status of Women. As Chair of the Crime and Violence Committee, she co-authored Female Inmates in Santa Clara County & the Need for a Gender Responsive Protocol, advocating for gender-responsive reforms at Elmwood Correctional Facility.

Her civic engagement includes serving as a National Delegate for her Congressional District and as a State Delegate for four years. A committed advocate for leadership development, Maria is a graduate of the Latino Leadership Alliance Academy (Cohort 2), Leadership San Jose, the Women’s Foundation of California’s Philanthropy & Public Policy Institute, and Grantmakers In Health’s Terrance Keenan Institute Fellowship.

Maria holds a B.A. in Communication from Santa Clara University and an M.A. in Speech Communication from San Jose State University.

Allan Madoc who joined Knight Foundation in 2023 brings over 15 years of distinguished experience in global capital markets and technology investment banking spanning regions across Asia Australia and the United States. In his most recent role as Managing Director of Technology Media and Telecommunications (TMT) US West Coast Coverage at HSBC USA he oversaw Fortune 500 public and private equity-sponsored companies based in the San Francisco Bay Area. Prior to this Allan held several senior positions in Australasia including Head of Origination and Sector Coverage at HSBC Australia.

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Notably Allan has been a fervent early-stage technology venture investor for more than ten years aligning his passion with his deep-rooted connection to the city of San Jose where he has garnered significant expertise in the technology sector over the course of a decade.

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As a native of Australia Allan holds distinguished degrees in Laws and Actuarial Science (with honors) from the University of Melbourne and an M.S. in Management from the Stanford Graduate School of Business where he was honored as a Robert Joss Scholar.

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Lynell Bevels is an accomplished financial industry professional dedicated to helping individuals, families and small businesses realize their financial goals.  She currently works at Umpqua Bank as VP Community Lending Manager covering the California, Nevada, & Arizona regions. A true financial advocate with strong community connections, Lynell believes in the power of team and collaboration.

Along with the community lending team, Lynell coordinates with local and regional leadership in the design of tactical marketing plans to maximize lending parity for under-resourced communities, including low-to-moderate income areas to support Umpqua’s $8.1 Billion Community BenefitsAgreement.  The team also works with nonprofit housing organizations,chambers of commerce, real estate trade organizations, and engages with local elected officials and state agencies to advocate toward affordable housing solutions.

References:

https://www.umpquabank.com/

https://www.umpquabank.com/our-impact/community-lending-team/

https://ncrc.org/ncrc-columbia-bank-and-umpqua-bank-complete-8-1-billion-community-benefits-plan-to-advance-economic-opportunity-for-underserved-communities/

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LaToya Rowell serves as the Vice President and National Community Affairs Manager for Comerica Bank. In this role, she is charged with overseeing external community initiatives and partnerships.

Rowell also helps develop and implement Comerica’s corporate affairs strategy by building and sustaining national community stakeholder relationships. She works in partnership with the External Affairs Market Managers to identify volunteer opportunities that strengthen the bank’s community outreach and financial education initiatives.

Rowell joined Comerica in 2006 holding various positions of increasing responsibility, including Business Affairs Coordinator, Contributions and Volunteer Coordinator, Corporate Contributions Budget Specialist, Contributions Officer, and Community Affairs Coordinator.

During her 19-year tenure at Comerica, Rowell has been honored for her outstanding service to the community.  In 2024 she was awarded Junior Achievement of Dallas’ Company Coordinator of the year award. She was instrumental in Comerica’s Hispanic Business Resource Group being named one of Latina Style Magazine’s 2024 Top 16 Employee Resource Groups.

In 2023 she led Comerica’s volunteer recruitment efforts in support Dallas-based nonprofit the Wilkinson Center’s education program, which resulted in Comerica being named their 2023 Volunteer Group of the Year. The year prior to that, the Wilkinson Center presented Rowell with its 2022 Great Volunteer Connector award for her ongoing efforts and contributions.

She received one of Rolling Out Magazine’s 2022 Sisters with Superpowers awards, which celebrates multi-generations of women in entrepreneurship, business, fashion, the arts and entertainment for their career accomplishments and contribution to society and culture as well as creating safe spaces for others. Under Rowell’s leadership, Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship South named Comerica its 2022 Corporate Volunteer of the Year.

Rowell recently completed McKinsey & Co.’s Black Management Accelerator program. Last year she joined Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship’s national board of directors. In March of 2024 she received a Certificate in Corporate Citizenship Management from Boston College’s Center for Corporate Citizenship.

In 2022, the National Diversity Council awarded Rowell with its Certified Diversity Professional designation after she successfully passed the DiversityFIRST™ certification program and examination. That same year, she also participated in the Hispanic Alliance for Career Enhancement’s Multicultural Leadership Program, receiving a Certificate in Intercultural/Multicultural and Diversity Studies.

A graduate of the 2022 Comerica Emerging Leaders Program, Rowell participated in the 2019-20 Communities Foundation of Texas Emerging Leaders in Philanthropy program. In 2018, the New Leaders Council invited Rowell to take part in its fellowship program, which recruits the next generation of leaders who aspire to create change in their communities. During her time with NLC, she served as the co-lead for their annual fundraiser and the 2019 finance co-chair.

Rowell, a proud University of North Texas Alumni Association member, earned a Bachelor of Applied Arts and Sciences degree (Cum Laude) and a Certificate in Volunteer and Community Resource Management from UNT. She also holds a degree in Multimedia Design with an emphasis in Multimedia Production from the Art Institute of Dallas.

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Founder of Black History Saturdays | National Geographic Explorer | Reparations Strategist | Cultural Historian

Mission Statement

The Kristi Williams Speakers Bureau exists to amplify truth-telling, memory-keeping, and justice-driven education. Through powerful storytelling, history, and grassroots insight, Kristi inspires institutions, communities, and individuals to take bold steps toward equity, healing, and transformation.

Signature Keynote Topics

• **Black History Is Under Attack: What Will You Do About It?**A passionate and powerful call to defend Black history in the face of book bans, curriculum restrictions, and cultural erasure.
• From Greenwood to Greatness: Building Beyond the ApologyCentering Tulsa's past and present through the lens of reparations, collective organizing, and community healing.
• We Were There Too: The Black Citizens of the Five TribesA powerful session on the legacy of Freedmen, the Trail of Tears, and why historical inclusion must include all Black stories.
• She's Just a Girl: Undoing the Adultification of Black GirlsChallenges bias, reclaims childhood for Black girls, and provides tools for justice-centered care.
• Thriving, Not Just Resilient: Reimagining Black Futures in EducationAn invitation to move beyond survival, with stories and models from Black History Saturdays and other radical Black-led learning spaces.

Workshops + Trainings

• Rebuilding the Village: Strategic Organizing for JusticeHands-on training for churches, schools, nonprofits, and coalitions looking to organize for racial equity and reparations.
• Curriculum Without Permission: How to Teach Black History BoldlyEmpowering educators to teach truthfully and courageously—even in states with restrictions.
• Mapping Memory: Community Archiving for the PeopleA place-based workshop where communities learn to collect, protect, and activate their history.

Audiences Served

• Educational Institutions: K-12, HBCUs, Universities
• Churches + Faith-Based Organizations
• Cultural Institutions + Museums
• Social Justice Organizations + Foundations
• Corporate DEI and Employee Resource Groups
• Youth Empowerment Programs
• Conferences + Retreats

Featured Engagements & Media Appearances

• Panelist with Dr. Khalil Gibran Muhammad at Harvard Kennedy School
• National Geographic Live – 'Greenwood: A Century of Resilience'
• National Geographic Explorer Classroom – Engaging 3,704 students across the U.S.
• Empowerment Network Annual Conference – Keynote: 'Culture and Resilience'
• OWN Network – Featured on programming highlighting Black history and community resilience
• CNN, MSNBC, PBS, ABC News – National appearances discussing Tulsa, Greenwood, and reparations
• Soul of a Nation (ABC) – National broadcast featuring Kristi's work on Black history
• The Fire and The Forgotten (PBS) – Featured expert on Tulsa Race Massacre
• Dreamland: The Rise and Fall of Black Wall Street (CNN Films) – Participant and community leader
• Who We Are: A Chronicle of Racism in America – Contributing voice and storyteller

Booking Inquiries

To bring Kristi Williams to your next event, contact:

Email: BlackHistorySaturdays@gmail.com

Phone: 539-664-2460

Website: BlackHistorySaturdays.com

Speaker Honorarium Range: Available upon request (Sliding scale available for grassroots, youth, and justice orgs)

Social Media & Impact

• Founder, Black History Saturdays
• Chair, Beyond Apology Commission
• 2024 National Geographic Explorer & Wayfinder Award Honoree
• Featured nationally across major television, academic, and documentary platforms
• Recognized thought leader on reparations, Black history education, and cultural memory work

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Moses joined Silicon Valley Community Foundation in September 2024 as executive vice president of community action, initiatives, and policy. Previously, he served as chief executive officer of San Joaquin Community Foundation, where he launched numerous initiatives to address housing needs, improve access to healthcare, and build more inclusive local economies. Under his leadership, SJCF cultivated a culture of collaboration and partnership-building with other organizations to attract outside philanthropic investment, including support from the James Irvine Foundation, the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative and the Gates Foundation.

Moses began his career in public service in 2012 when he was first elected to the Stockton City Council. There, he was a staunch advocate for greater transparency, elevating the community's voice in public discourse, and improving public safety through community policing. In 2016, former California Governor Jerry Brown appointed him to the San Joaquin County Board of Supervisors, where he was elected by his peers as chair of the board. During his tenure, Moses promoted government accessibility, co-chaired the county's first homelessness task force that led to reforms, and advocated for environmentally friendly transportation legislation.

Born and raised in Stockton, Moses is the son of Mexican American immigrants and the first in his family to graduate from college. He earned his bachelor's degree from the University of Southern California and his law degree from Humphreys University School of Law in 2010. He also holds a master's degree in public affairs from the University of California, Berkeley.

Vanessa is a Tulsa Native who graduated from Thomas Edison High School in 1989. Vanessa attended Jackson State University in Jackson Mississippi where she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science/Pre-Law in 1993. She also received a Certificate in Paralegal Studies from The University of Tulsa in 1995. In preparation for running for the office of City Council, District 1 (2014), Vanessa returned to school and earned her Master of Science in Management (MSM) degree in 2013 from Southern Nazarene University.

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Vanessa Hall-Harper has served as the Tulsa District 1 City Councilor since 2016. She is also a Political Science Adjunct Professor at Tulsa Community College as well as a private consultant. Vanessa worked for over 25 years in the Tulsa County system. She was employed with the Tulsa Health Department for over 20 years. Prior to working in public health, Vanessa was an Intake Counselor at the Tulsa County Juvenile Bureau for over 6 years. Vanessa has been married for more than 25 years to Lt. Marcus Harper (Tulsa Police Department) and they have one daughter, Kaylyn.

Vanessa is also a community activist who is passionate about uplifting her community.  She volunteers and serves on a plethora of boards and committees such as the:

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• City of Tulsa’s Sales Tax Overview Committee (2014-2016)
• The Institute for Developing Communities (TIDC)
• Community Food Bank of Eastern Oklahoma (2016-2019)
• North Tulsa Clean-up Campaign
• Theatre North
• Black Wall Street Chamber of Commerce (co-founder)
• Power Group Community Development Corporation
• Historic Greenwood District Main Street Board

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She has also been involved in several community initiatives such as the creation of the African American Affairs Commission within the City of Tulsa infrastructure, the rebuilding of B.C. Franklin Park, the creation of the Tulsa Expungement Expo, the District 1 Housing and Policy Committee, the Tulsa Black Contractor’s Association, Public Hearings on Tulsa’s Equality Indicators related to Policing and the need for an Independent Monitor Office to monitor the Tulsa Police Department. In addition, Vanessa led a successful campaign for a moratorium on discount dollar stores and the implementation of a Healthy Neighborhoods Overlay to address the proliferation of dollar stores in District 1. She further addressed the food security problem in District 1 by bringing a quality grocery to the area which opened in May 2021. Vanessa is a proud member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.

Vanessa also enjoys spending time with her family and friends, cooking, playing dominoes and spades, singing in her church choir at Paradise Baptist Church and watching her Dallas Cowboys!

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As Vice President – Community Impact & Systems Change, Camille Llanes-Fontanilla plays a key role on the Sobrato Philanthropies’ leadership team with responsibility for creating and implementing an overarching vision and strategy for impact across the Silicon Valley region, policy and systems change at the state level, and influencing place-based models and investments across the nation. She inspires and unites key stakeholders towards collective community-centered action and systemic, scaled outcomes.

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Previously, Camille served as the Executive Director of SOMOS Mayfair, working alongside community members to spur resident-led solutions in education, economic justice, and community development. During her tenure, Camille led sizable organizational growth; built deep community partnerships; and brought over $30M of investments into east San Jose. Camille serves on the advisory boards of SPUR San Jose, Housing Accelerator Fund, and San Jose Downtown Association, and is a founding member of the Si Se Puede Collective.

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Camille was born and raised in east San Jose and continues to raise two young children there with her husband, Ryan. She has a bachelor’s degree in Mass Communications and a minor in Ethnic Studies from the University of California, Berkeley and a master’s degree in Public Administration from San Jose State University.

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Meet Taylor-Rae West, a 22-year-old business consultant and‬ ‭ community organizer who proudly calls Tulsa, Oklahoma, home.‬ ‭ His love for exploring the incredible world God has crafted for His‬ ‭ people brings him immense joy.‬ ‭

Taylor's commitment to leaving no brother, sister, or youth behind‬ ‭ extends beyond his love for brotherhood connections. Taylor-Rae is‬ ‭ deeply involved in the AME church. For four years, he served as the‬ ‭ Vice President of the Young People's Division at Historic Vernon‬ ‭ AME, followed by a year as Parliamentarian in the Oklahoma‬ ‭ conference and a five-year tenure as Worship Director for‬ ‭ Oklahoma and Arkansas.‬ ‭

Beyond the church walls, Taylor's journey takes him into the heart‬ ‭ of Oklahoma's political landscape. Then a two term Chair and 1‬ ‭ term Vice Chair of the Young Democrats of Oklahoma Black‬ ‭ Caucus, he actively engaged in the political discourse, working on‬ ‭ various campaigns from US Senate and US House to the Oklahoma‬ ‭ Senate, House, grassroots initiatives, and within the Oklahoma‬ ‭ democratic party executive administration.‬ ‭

Currently on the academic front, Taylor is pursuing a degree in‬ ‭ Organizational Leadership at Langston University. Taylor is also a‬ ‭ member of the Langston University Marching Pride, the LU‬ ‭ National Association of Black Journalists Chapter, and the current‬ ‭ Chief Justice of the general counsel.‬ ‭

In 2021 Taylor began contributing to the Episcopal operations for‬ ‭ the Office of Bishop Francine Brookins, Esq. and the Office of‬ ‭ Mother Supervisor Dr. Miriam Burnett, overseeing 5 South African‬ ‭ countries from 2021 - 2024, and 2024 - Present states Alaska,‬ ‭ Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Kansa, Missouri,‬ ‭ Montana, Oregon, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah,‬ ‭ Washington, and Wyoming.‬ ‭

Professionally, Taylor wears many hats, he is currently a Content‬ ‭ Producer at Rolling Out Magazine of Atlanta, GA, elevating black‬ ‭ entrepreneur and black venture capital stories. Simultaneously, as‬ ‭ a Corporate and Community Relations Intern for Reworld Waste, a‬ ‭ world-leading waste-to-energy company, and the youngest‬ ‭ Commissioner serving on the City of Tulsa's Reparations‬ ‭ Commission. As the journey continues, Taylor is devoted to making‬ ‭ a sustainable impact one community at a time.‬

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Ken Cherry is a visionary and success-driven business leader, with a track record of delivering sustained business results through integrated balanced leadership and supply chains strategies. He joined Amazon in June 2022 from UPS, where he spent almost 38 years, most recently as President, US Operations Transformation, directing operations for numerous business units in U.S. Small Package, Supply Chain Solutions, and Information Technology. Ken’s accomplishments include leading transformation efforts, designing and implementing processes to improve the customer experience and drive efficiency in frontline operations. Ken built, from the ground up, a new operations training team, comprised of more than 130 team members, to design and administer curricula for every small package operations management role.

Ken Cherry is the Vice President of the newly formed Devices Planning, Logistics and Technology (DPLT) organization at Amazon Lab126 in Sunnyvale. Ken is a visionary and success-driven business leader who leads his organization to develop easy and seamless experiences for our customers, maximizing access to Amazon products and services.  Ken places heavy emphasis on “Character”, “Results”, “Change” and “Inclusion” as key tenets for his team success.  

In Ken’s Own Words:

Working with people and seeing them grow and succeed have been what I enjoy most about any job I’ve held. That’s why I am excited to be part of the Amazon team. I look forward every day to hear the ideas and ambitions of this exciting group of people and help guide the direction of things to come.
I’m motivated by my family. My wife, Shannon, and I have four children who remind us every day that amazing things are possible. I’ve lived in many parts of the United States and always treasure seeing and experiencing new people and places. I enjoy playing golf and exercising.

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