Keynote Sessions (In-Person)
October 17 - 19, 2023
October 17, 2023
Time Session Speakers 7:30 a.m. - 9:00 a.m. Defend Democracy Hon. Adrienne Eadie Adams
Speaker, New York City Council12:00 p.m. - 1:30 p.m. Colgate-Palmolive Deon Hines
Principal Scientist, Colgate-Palmolive
October 18, 2023
Time Session Speakers 7:30 a.m. - 9:00 a.m. Demand Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Michelle Thornton Ghee
Founder and CEO, The Expectant Group12:00 p.m. - 1:30 p.m. Marc H. Morial Keynote & WMY Jr. Awards Luncheon Marc H. Morial
President & CEO
October 19, 2023 Time Session Speakers 7:30 a.m. - 9:00 a.m. Book Banning Dennis M. Walcott
President and Chief Executive Officer, Queens Public Library12:00 p.m. - 1:30 p.m. Defeat Poverty Kirsten John Foy
Founder of The Arc of Justice, Host of The Justice Clapback Radio Show and Podcast
Board Development Track (Virtual Closed)
October 17, 2023
Tuesday | October 17, 2023
Time Session Speakers 3:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. Board Member Development Training (Virtual - Closed) Herman Lessard
SVP, Affiliate Services
Sue Chen
President
Council of Board Chairs
Urban League Chief Executive Officer Track (In-Person Closed)
October 17 - 18, 2023
How to Meet the Moment: Threats to Racial Justice
Tuesday | October 17
Time Session Speakers 9:00 a.m. - 10:00 a.m. Legal Advocacy for Racial Justice Damon Hewitt
President and Executive Director, Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law10:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. Economic Policy for Equity Samantha Tweedy
Chief Executive Officer, The Black Economic Alliance11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Strategies
Valerie Rainford
CEO & Founder, Elloree Talent Strategies1:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. Media and Messaging for Racial Justice Rhonda Spears Bell
Chief Marketing Officer and SVP Marketing & Communications, National Urban League
Wednesday | October 18, 2023
Time Session Speakers 9:00 a.m. - 10:30 a.m. Next Level Financial Management Strategies Michael Gellman
Co-founding Principal Partner, Fiscal Strategies 4 Nonprofits, LLC
Sidney Evans
Chief Financial Officer and SVP Finance, National Urban League10:45 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Local DEI Initiatives Christie Kuhns
President and CEO, Urban League of Greater Southwestern Ohio
Dr. Seanelle Hawkins
President and Chief Executive Officer, Urban League of Rochester
Marsha Mockabee
President & CEO, Urban League of Greater Cleveland
Arva Rice
President and CEO, New York Urban League
Chief Marketing Officer and SVP Marketing & Communications, National Urban League
Urban League Chief Financial Officer Track (Virtual Closed)
October 17 - 18, 2023
Tuesday | October 17, 2023
Time Session Speakers 1:00 p.m. - 5:30 p.m. CFO Roundtable: Moving Forward - The Future of Accounting and Reporting
Richard Fischer
Managing Director, O'Connor Pagano & Associates
Wednesday | October 18, 2023
Time Session Speakers 1:00 p.m. - 5:30 p.m. CFO Roundtable: Moving Forward - The Future of Accounting and Reporting Sidney Evans
Chief Financial Officer and SVP Finance, National Urban LeagueMichael Gellman
Co-founding Principal Partner, Fiscal Strategies 4 Nonprofits, LLC
Emerging Leaders Track
October 16 - 17, 2023
October 16, 2023 Time Session Speakers 9:00 a.m. - 6:30 p.m. ELP Final Presentations (In-Person Closed) 2023 ELP Class
October 17, 2023 Time Session Speakers 9:00 a.m. - 6:30 p.m. Georgetown Module 4 (In-Person Closed)
Wanda Jackson
SVP, Human Resources & Chief Talent Officer
National Urban League
2022 ELP Class
Education & Youth Development Track (In-Person Closed)
October 16 - 19, 2023
During the conference, the Education and Youth Development Division will present professional development workshops focused on youth development, youth voice, civics for youth, volunteer and mentor practices, social and emotional learning, college, and career advising, program success stories, and a sneak peek of the Project Ready 3.0 curriculum. Our goal is to provide a full range of education and youth development content and promising practices to Project Ready Managers in order to ensure that they are fully prepared to take advantage of the opportunities ahead as the Movement works towards having every American child ready for college, work, and life by 2025.
October 16, 2023 Time Session Speakers 2:00 p.m. - 3:15 p.m. Opening Session – The State of Education in America Hal Jackson
SVP, Youth Development, and Health, National Urban League3:20 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. Sneak Peek Into Project Ready 3.0 Darlene Marlin
Vice President, Education Access & Opportunity, National Urban League4:00 p.m. - 5:30 p.m. Reclaim Civics: What Problems Do you Want to Solve Lorenzo Vicente
Associate, Strategic Initiatives, National Urban LeagueAdia Turner
Manager, Youth Development & Mentoring, National Urban League
Jamal Burns
Equitable Justice Innovator, National Urban League
October 17, 2023 Time Session Speakers 9:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. Creating Transformative Learning Experiences
Karen Pittman
Partner, Knowledge to Power Catalysts, Co-founder and former CEO of Forum for Youth Investment
Merita Irby
Partner, Knowledge to Power Horatio Blackman, Vice President of Education Policy & Advocacy, National Urban League11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Amplifying Impact: The Significance of Success Stories in Affiliate Reporting Simone Jones Tyner
Founder of True Integrated Marketing Agency1:45 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. Youth’s Greatest Power is Their Voice John Robinson
Director of Education & Youth Development, Houston Area Urban League
October 18, 2023 Time Session Speakers 9:15 a.m. - 11:50 a.m. Best Practices from the Field in Implementing Project Ready (Part 1) Brian Sales
Principal Owner, Transformative Training and Technical AssistanceDr. Janis Kupersmidt
President, Innovation Research & TrainingDr. Rebecca Stelter
Research Scientist II, Innovation Research & Training1:45 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. Best Practices from the Field in Implementing Project Ready (Part 2) Brian Sales
Principal Owner, Transformative Training and Technical AssistanceDr. Janis Kupersmidt
President, Innovation Research & TrainingDr. Rebecca Stelter
Research Scientist II, Innovation Research & Training
October 19, 2023 Time Session Speakers 9:15 a.m. - 10:45 a.m. Enhancing Impact & Transforming Lives: Maximizing Outcomes with Kuder Tools Tanya Essien
Partner Solutions Sr. Manager, Kuder, Inc.
Elizabeth Moore
Enablement Manager for Kuder, Inc.
11:00 a.m. - 11:45 a.m. Movement Team Building Presentations
Certified Professional, CliftonStrengths Certified, DEI in the Workplace
Entrepreneurship Center Program Track
October 17 - 19, 2023
This track will focus on topics that promote growth and development including advocacy, contract procurement, increasing supplier diversity opportunities, financing alternatives, improvement of client management systems and marketing techniques. Attendees will be asked to share best practices and challenges that may have impeded business performance and engage in peer-to-peer networking. Participants will be Entrepreneurship Center Directors.
Tuesday | October 17, 2023 Time Session Speakers 10:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Entrepreneurship Center Program Update (In-person Closed)
Stephanie DeVane
VP, Entrepreneurship and Business Development, National Urban League1:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. Entrepreneurship Center Director’s Exchange (In-person Closed) Stephanie DeVane
VP, Entrepreneurship and Business Development, National Urban League
NUL Staff and Entrepreneurship Center Directors
Wednesday | October 18, 2023 Time Session Speakers 10:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Welcome & Overview of Entrepreneurship Center Program (Hybrid-Open)& Small Business Policy & Advocacy Priorities Session Stephanie DeVane
VP, Entrepreneurship and Business Development, National Urban League
Shayla Moon
Senior Director, Housing & Economic Policy, Washington Bureau
Imani Augustus
Director, Alliance for Entrepreneurial1:00 p.m. - 2:30 p.m. New & Innovative Ways to Access SME Capital 2:30 p.m. - 3:30 p.m. The Urban Empowerment Fund Oseremi Adekoye
Vice President of Lending, Urban Empowerment Fund3:30 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. Capital Access Strategies
NUL Staff and Entrepreneurship Center Directors6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. Entrepreneurship Center Program Dinner (In-Person Closed)
NUL Staff and Entrepreneurship Center Directors
Thursday | October 19, 2022 Time Session Speakers 10:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Entrepreneurship Center Program Best Practices
NUL Staff and Entrepreneurship Center Directors1:30 p.m. - 2:30 p.m. CNPP Fiscal CloseOut Process
Triva John
Vice President, Budgets and Grants, National Urban League
Bethsabee Joseph
Manager, Budgets and Grants, National Urban League2:30 p.m. - 3:30 p.m. Wrap UP/Questions/Concerns (In-Person Closed)
Stephanie DeVane
VP, Entrepreneurship and Business Development, National Urban League
Equitable Justice & Strategic Initiatives Track
October 16, 2023
Introduction to systems design provides participants with the opportunity to engage with the processes of design thinking; empathy, define, ideate, prototype, and test as a problem-solving modality. The session prioritizes empathy and reinforces iteration and a tolerance of failure on the way to solving some of society’s biggest challenges such as racism and white supremacy.View Full Agenda
TaWanda Stallworth
Program Manager of the Antiracist Development Institute at Penn State Dickenson Law
Health Equity Track
October 17 - 19, 2023
The strength of the Urban League Affiliate Movement is in its ability to identify and tackle the multiple social determinants of health in the services, supports, and advocacy activities established to improve the health of African Americans and vulnerable urban community members. In the Health Equity track at the Whitney M Young Leadership Conference this year, we will continue to build the capacity of the Affiliate Movement to understand these determinants, leverage the power of multi-sector coalitions to find local solutions, and discuss policies and programs at the local, state, federal, and institutional levels with the potential to create health-promoting environments for our communities.
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Dr. Lydia Isaac
Vice President of Health Equity & Policy, National Urban League
Karen FreemanWilson
President & CEO, Chicago Urban League
Michelle Merriweather
President & CEO, Urban League of Metropolitan Seattle
Parris Smith
President & CEO, Lorain County Urban League
James Clark
Division of Public Safety and Community Response, Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis
Dr. LaDonna N. Butler, LMHC, MCAP
President & CEO, The Well for Life, New Visions of The WellMr. Ulas D Butler
Co-Principal & Co-Founder, The Well For Life
Marshae Brown
Director of Operations & Administration, Pinellas County Urban LeagueTatyana Gardner, MPH, CHES
Director of Health Initiatives, Springfield Urban League
Melissa Spikes-Archer, PMHNP-BC, BSN
Chief Operating Officer, Buffalo Urban LeagueMhariel Summers
ACA Lead Navigator, Pinellas County Urban League
Marcus E. Johnson, MPH
President & CEO, Springfield Urban LeagueLaShon Webb
Crisis Counselor Buffalo Urban League
Housing Track
October 17-19, 2023
October 17, 2022
Time Session Speakers 3:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Virtual Financial Empowerment Toolkit "VFEC" Introduction Silky Misra
Senior Director, National Urban League
Tameeka Colon
Consultant, National Urban League
Wednesday | October 18, 2023
Time Session Speakers 9:15 a.m. - 10:30 a.m. The State of Housing Overview Silky Misra
Senior Director, National Urban League
Cy Richardson
SVP, Housing & Community Development
Michael Collins
Vice President, National Urban League
Shayla Moon
Senior Director, Washington Bureau, National Urban League10:45 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Intro to NUL’s Virtual Financial Empowerment Center Toolkit “VFEC” Michael Collins
President, National Urban League
Dr. Alisa Valentin
Senior Director of Technology and Telecommunications Policy, Washington Bureau, National Urban League
Cy Richardson
Senior Vice President, Economics & Housing Programs3:00 p.m. - 9:30 p.m. Housing Tour & Reception
Thursday | October 19, 2023
Time Session Speakers 9:00 a.m. - 10:00 a.m. Appraisal Bias: According to an Appraiser (Hybrid)
Michael Collins
Vice President, National Urban League
Stephanie DeVane
Vice President, Entrepreneurship and Business Services, National Urban League
Hem Merriman
Senior Vice President and Head of Residential Valuation Quality Assurance, Wells Fargo
10:10 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. OCC Session (Hybrid) Cy Richardson
Senior Vice President, Economics & Housing Programs
Adenike Huggins
Senior Director, Education Policy and Advocacy, National Urban League
Will Spisak
Senior Program Associate, New Economy Project
Barry Wides
Deputy Comptroller for Community Affairs, Office of the Comptroller of the Currency's (OCC)
Consultant, National Urban League
Consultant, National Urban League
SVP, Financial Access Partnerships Manager, Citi
Urban Youth Reentry Program Track
October 17 - 19, 2023
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10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Getting the RAP Down: Employment Strategies for Job Seekers with Criminal Histories (Virtual - Closed) Justin Collins
Director of Field Building & Engagement
Workforce Professionals Training Institute
Christopher Lynn-Logue
Program Manager, WPTI
2:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. Utilizing Data to Analyze, Measure, and Improve Program Results (Virtual - Open) Christopher Lynn-Logue
Program Manager, WPTISabeen Pirani
Chief Learning Officer, WPTI4:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. Planning, Design, Delivery, and Evaluation: Applied Labor Market Justin Collins
Director of Field Building & Engagement
Workforce Professionals Training Institute
Christopher Lynn-Logue
Program Manager, WPTI
10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Employer Engagement: Securing Quality Job Leads and Deepening Employer Relationship (Hybrid) Justin Collins
Director of Field Building & Engagement
Workforce Professionals Training Institute
Christopher Lynn-Logue
Program Manager, WPTI
Guild Track (Virtual)
October 17 - 19, 2023
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WFDD Urban Youth Pathways Track
October 17, 2023
This track will future a discussion of youth workforce trends and interests, the future of workforce, how to engage youth in conversations about career pathways, emerging careers, career exploration and employment. This session will also brainstorm and strategize on best practices in youth workforce.
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2:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. The Future of Youth Workforce Quintrel Lenore
Certified Professional, CliftonStrengths Certified, DEI in the Workplace
Jonathan Quash
University Executive Director, CUNY Black Male Initiative
Certified Professional, CliftonStrengths Certified, DEI in the Workplace
University Executive Director, CUNY Black Male Initiative
Washington Bureau Track
October 17, 2023
The Washington Bureau track provides policy and advocacy resources that can be utilized by Urban Leaguers at every leadership level to drive change and enhance the local program experiences of our more than 90 affiliates throughout the U.S.
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11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Exploring Federal Grant Opportunities - Agency Level (Virtual) Angela Ohm
Vice President Appropriations, National Urban League Washington Bureau
David Berenbaum
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Housing Counseling, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
Robin Keegan
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Economic Development, Office of Community Planning and Development, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
Kylie Patterson
Senior Advisor for Opportunity for CHIPS for America, U.S. Department of Commerce2:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. All Policy is Local: Connecting Your Federal and State Level Policy Strategy (Open Virtual) Shayla Moon
Senior Director, Economic and Housing Policy, National Urban League
Waikinya Clanton
Mississippi State Director, Southern Poverty Law Center
David Ferreira
Senior Government Affairs Manager, Center for Responsible
Renita Marcellin
Advocacy and Legislative Director, Americans for Financial Reform
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Housing Counseling U.S. Department Of Housing and Urban Development
State Director, Southern Poverty Law Center, Mississippi
Deputy Assistant Secretary For Economic Development, Office Of Community Planning And Development, U.S. Department Of Housing And Urban Development
Advocacy and Legislative Director Americans for Financial Reform
Senior Advisor for Opportunity for Chips for America U.S. Department of Commerce
WFDD Urban Energy Jobs Program
October 18, 2023
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10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Securing Quality Job Leads and Deepening Employer Relationships (In - Person Closed)
Justin Collins
Director of Field Building & Engagement
Workforce Professionals Training Institute
Christopher Lynn-Logue
Program Manager, WPTI
2:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. Clean Energy Summit Panel (In - Person Closed)
Missy Henriksen
Executive Director, Center for Energy Workforce Development
Cornell Johnson
Center for Energy Workforce Development
Director of Project Management Workforce, Professionals Training Institute
WFDD Rework America Alliance Track
October 19, 2023
This track will provide insight to Urban League affiliates on upcoming funding opportunities and how to best prepare to compete. The track will culminate in an information session about a phenomenal upcoming funding opportunity that will be released by the end of the year. Note attendance at this information session is required in order to apply for funding.
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10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. The Fight for Federal Funding
Traci Scott
Vice President of Workforce Development National Urban League2:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. Rework America Alliance Session (Hybrid) Traci Scott
Vice President of Workforce Development National Urban League
Lakindra Askew
Senior Director, Workforce Operations National Urban LeagueJordan Haynes
National Urban Fellow National Urban LeagueAngela Bowens-Gamble
Manager Delivery Partners- Markle Foundation
Jacob Vigil
Director, Delivery Partnerships Markle Foundation
Eric Valentine
Senior Director of Workforce Development- Austin Area Urban League
Cherie LaCour Duckworth
Director, Workforce Development, Urban League of Louisiana
Vice President, Center for Workforce Development Urban League of Louisiana
WFDD Growth Opportunities
October 17, 2023
The National Urban League, Growth Opportunities Grant funded through the Department of Labor provides resources to justice system-involved youth and young adults ages 18-24 that live in communities experiencing high instances of violent crime. The National Urban League will work with its affiliates in Buffalo, Chicago, and St. Louis to deploy the program and expand on existing reentry programs. Growth Opportunities program will feature wrap around social services including expungement, violence prevention workshops, occupational skills training, and placement into work experiences such as internships, apprenticeships, and part-time and full-time employment.
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10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Disaster Behavioral Health Training (In-Person Closed)
Courtney M. Grey
Director, Disaster Behavioral Health
WFDD Upskilling Track
October 18, 2023
Upskilling and Reskilling: As jobs are transformed by the technologies of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, we need to reskill more than 1 billion people by 2030. This track and session will identify high-tech skills the infrastructure plan requires. specialized interpersonal skills, including skills related to sales, human resources, care, and education.
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2:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. Upskilling/Reskilling the Workforce of the Future
President Customer Experience & Services Operational Transformation
WFDD Urban Tech Track
October 18, 2023
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10:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. Artificial Intelligence and Employment
WFDD Urban Seniors Job Program Track
October 17-18, 2023
Urban Seniors Jobs Program- PY 23 Kickoff is designed to provide program specific training and development for the current Urban League affiliates operating the USJP Program. Throughout the three-day training series, Urban League affiliates will review past performance, increase familiarity with the Grantee Performance Management System and strategize around enrollment, expansion and targeted employment.
Emmanuel Miller
Program Associate, USJP National Urban League
Lakindra Askew
Senior Director, Workforce Operations Director, USJP National Urban League
Emmanuel Miller
Program Associate, USJP National Urban League
Lakindra Askew
Senior Director, Workforce Operations Director, USJP National Urban League
Lakindra Askew
Senior Director, Urban Seniors Jobs Program
National Urban League
Bari Khan
Director, Fiscal Grant Operations National Urban League
Pascale Jean Louis
Manager, Fiscal National Urban League
Lakindra Askew
Senior Director, Urban Seniors Jobs Program
National Urban League
Young Professionals Track (Virtual Open)
October 17-19, 2023
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7:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. History of YP:Joint Learning Session Jodi Brockington
Culture Futurist, Sustainability Genius | DEI & ESG Strategist8:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. Communications Chair Breakout Session – In Depth review of storytelling with YPs
Brittany Marshall
President, Urban League of Greater Atlanta
Young Professionals
Genaro Stewart
President Emeritus, Thursday Network8:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. Presidents And VPs – In Depth review of Data Submission
Tyler Litt
President, Urban League of Louisiana Young Professionals
Harper Mathews
NULYP Membership Chair
7:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. Fundraising Overview Keith Cornelius
Executive Director, Urban Enrichment Institute
Travon Talley
Vice President, Investments / Senior Advisor, Wells Fargo Advisors
Sean Lowe
1st Black Councilman in Wauwatosa/Consultant/Civil Rights Advocate
7:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. Building Guild, Affiliate, and YP Relations Cynthia Stokes Murray
President Milwaukee Urban League GUILD
Shalima McCants
Chief Program Officer, New York Urban League Brenda Morrison, Immediate Past President, Urban League of Broward County Young Professionals
Kelly Doucet
President, the Exchange (Indianapolis Urban League)
