Buwa Binitie is the CEO and Founder of Dumas Collective where he directs the acquisition, development, management, and financial activities of the firm. Under the development division Dantes Partners, Mr. Binitie obtained extensive tax credit financing experience (LIHTC, NMTC and HTC) and has closed on financing from nearly every public capital source available including HOME, HPTF, NSP, CDBG and NIF. Mr. Binitie maintains a narrow focus on creatively structuring deals that strive to address the need of his clients, community stakeholders as well as various government agency partners. By narrowly focusing on efficiently financing community development transactions, Mr. Binitie has been successful in adding value beyond the numbers. His career is underscored by a commitment to creating and preserving affordable and workforce housing. Since founding Dantes Partners, Mr. Binitie and the collective have closed nearly $1.6 billion of unconventional real estate transactions that utilize low-income tax credits, new market tax credits, tax-exempt bonds, and various other forms of alternative financing. Mr. Binitie is the former Chairman of DC Housing Finance Agency Board of Directors and a Board Member of DC Building Industry Association.
Jeremy Herte is a Digital Marketer and Content Creator. After graduating from Hampton University in 2013, he began his career in management consulting before switching to a career in social media and content creation. From 2016-2017 Jeremy hosted and produced the podcast, “For The Culture Radio” interviewing up and coming DC hip-hop and r&b artists. Now focusing completely on black masculinity, Jeremy hosts the podcast, "Let's Talk Bruh".
Tara is Founder and Chairwoman of Impact Profit, which is a nonprofit dedicated to making entrepreneurship more accessible to Black Founders. Tara has been a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) for over a decade and founded Impact Profit to use her skillset to do some good in the world. She received her undergraduate degree from Cornell University and her Masters in Accounting and MBA from Northeastern University. She's a New Jersey native, but currently resides in Washington, DC.
Kevin Flowers is the owner of Pew Pew Guru LLC a training and education company that trains in concealed carry, firearm safety and firearm sales. Our mission is to empower women not to be victims. We are a women focused company.
Michelle Mekky has more than 20 years of experience as a broadcast journalist and public relations executive, leading award-winning marketing and PR campaigns for some of the nation’s biggest and most diverse brands and businesses. After her years as a veteran journalist, Michelle launched her own company, Mekky Media Relations Inc., in 2016, to bring her brand of PR to the market and deliver powerful publicity. Michelle has led her company through a fast-paced launch and high-profile successes, including winning a prestigious 2018 Stevie Award for Women in Business, receiving a bronze medal in the Entrepreneur of the Year category. In 2020 Mekky Media won a Stevie Award for Public Relations Agency of the Year receiving a bronze medal and Bulldog Award for Best Not-for-Profit/ Association Campaign for Komen Chicago's Race for the Cure. Also in 2018, Michelle and Mekky Media were selected to be part of the Forbes Agency Council, a prestigious organization for owners and executives of PR, media strategy, creative and advertising agencies. In 2019, Michelle was named a Crain’s Chicago Business Notable Entrepreneur, and Mekky Media was honored with two Publicity Club of Chicago Golden Trumpet Awards, in the categories of Advocacy (for its work with Komen Chicago) and Media Relations (for its work with Abt Electronics). The agency also was named a PR News Agency Elite Award Finalist for Media Relations in 2019.
Dr. Bindiya Gandhi is double boarded by the American Board Family Medicine as well as the American Board of Integrative and Holistic Physicians. She completed her family medicine training from Georgia Regents University/Medical College of Georgia June 2014. She completed her undergraduate training at the University of Georgia with Bachelors of Science in Biology and Psychology in 2004 and her Doctor of Medicine at American University of Antigua College of Medicine in 2010. She completed an Integrative medicine fellowship at the University of Arizona with Dr. Andrew Weil in 2016. She also completed Functional Medicine Training with the Institute of Functional Medicine in 2017.
For 20 years, Matt was an executive in the radio industry, before becoming an investor and the founding CEO for the School of Rock. In five years, Matt grew that franchise from five locations to 55 schools – the largest of music schools in the world. In 2012, he opened the first One River School of Art + Design in Englewood, NJ. He franchised the concept in 2017 and currently has 12 locations, with up to five more expected to open this year. For more information go to http://oneriverschool.com/franchise
Leslie H. Tayne, Esq., is a consumer and business debt-related attorney. She founded Tayne Law Group, P.C., concentrating solely on debt resolution and alternatives to filing bankruptcy for consumers, small business owners and professionals. Leslie has over 20 years’ experience in debt relief.
Passionate about helping people and businesses achieve their dreams of success, Troy has worked with hundreds of businesses to deliver value to their customers. With a background in Finance and Marketing, Troy dedicated the last few years to developing the website division of a marketing company in the Washington DC Area. His successes led him to focus in on those skills with Red Clay Creative. Troy believes that hard work, communication and integrity are integral to any relationship and strives to help businesses with those core values at his foundation.
Kristen Harcourt is an Executive Coach and Professional Speaker. For more than a decade, she has helped executives and emerging leaders in hundreds of organizations worldwide achieve extraordinary and sustainable results through increased self-awareness, emotional intelligence and mindfulness. A big believer in compassion, authenticity and conscious leadership, Kristen’s mission to help leaders transform from the inside out, creating a meaningful career and purpose-driven life where they reach their full potential.
