Tiana Buford, M.Ed, Founder of Imaginative Minds

My name is Tiana Buford and I am the founder of Imaginative Minds. I have been in the field of education for almost ten years and love the work that I do. I currently hold a Masters Degree in Curriculum and Instruction: Early Childhood Education and am currently in the process of completing my Doctoral Degree in Educational Leadership. I take pride in being able to connect with the children I work with on a deeper level. I provide the children with not only someone to learn from, but someone to talk to as well. I see humans first! No one likes to just sit and be lectured to, so this is why I mix in rigorous instruction as well as fun and pure conversation. I want all children to feel seen and heard. Not only do I believe in connecting with the children, I connect with the families and educators as well. We are all in this together and it truly takes a village.

Follow her to learn more @imaginativeminds20

Raioni Madison-Jones, Founder of 3D Girls, Inc.

Raioni Madison-Jones is the founder and Executive Director of 3D Girls, Inc., a 501(c)(3) organization with a mission to educate and empower young women and girls to be advocates for themselves and their families. As a youth development professional and former educator, she has been a pillar in the community for over 10 years, serving at-risk populations and Title-I schools. Raioni holds a BS from Clayton State University and an MS Family Studies and Human Services from Kansas State University. Ms. Madison-Jones dedicated her life to the children as Teach for America alum. It is through this affiliation that she has served as an Induction Team Leader for incoming Corp Members, a member of Leadership for Educational Equity (LEE), 2019 Social Innovation Fellow and a 2021 Social Innovation 2.0 Fellow where she is engaged in individualized development experiences designed to cultivate a community of equity-minded entrepreneurs towards solving educational inequity. Raioni was awarded the 2020 Social Innovator of the Year award by Plywood People for her work and leadership supporting families during the COVID-19 Pandemic. Under her leadership, 3D Girls, Inc. has supported over 500 women and girls through mentoring and outreach efforts.

Follow her to learn more @3dgirlsinc

Corinthia Dixie, Founder of Daddy’s Heiress

Mrs. Corinthia Dixie was born and raised in St. Louis, MO. Corinthia confessed her love for Christ at an early age, and her journey with God began at Greater Fairfax Missionary Baptist Church in North Saint Louis. Greater Fairfax would serve as fertile soil for her spiritual growth. Corinthia’s early roles in church would serve as a catalyst for her future endeavors. At the age of 19, she began serving in youth ministry; shortly thereafter she was named Youth Director and began to teach the word of God. In 2006, she embraced her anointing and answered her call to preach. She joined Life Changing Christian Fellowship Church, where she was molded to deliver God’s word. She was licensed to preach and began to spread the word to all that would listen. During the day, Corinthia serves as an Assistant School Leader at an elementary school. In this role, she manages a team of seven fabulous first grade teachers and over 100 students and their families. She enjoys working with a team of people who are committed to teaching children. Corinthia is happily married to Mr. Kevin Dixie and is the mother of two wonderful children Donovan and Kaitlynn. She is enjoying the launch of Daddy’s Heiress and looking forward to building this brand to serve women all over the world. It was created to allow her to do what she has been commissioned to do; preach, teach, and write.

Follow her to learn more @daddysheiress

Natasha Harrison, CEO of Community Build Ventures

After realizing that her education in Mathematics and Information Technology was not her calling, she quit her lucrative job to become a counselor helping girls coming out of abusive backgrounds like she once did. From there, she continued to develop her skill set and career and went on to lead and establish non-profits while continuing to be a positive force for community development in Black communities. In 2011, she founded CommunityBuild Ventures with a commitment to provide coaching, training, and consultation to foundations, businesses, and government agencies with the goal of impacting Black communities for the good and healing the hurt caused by racial inequity. She continues to make herself available as a speaker covering topics such as racial equity, Black philanthropy, and community-led grantmaking. She also educates leaders about the services provided by CommunityBuild Ventures and how Brave Space Building™, THRIVE Design, Learn and Practice, and healing and self-care can make a difference in their organizations and communities. Her primary topics for her speaking engagements are “Creating a Culture of Healing and Self-Care to Disrupt White Supremacy” and “How You Are Going to Help Us When You Don’t Know Us: Centering the Voice and Experiences of Black People in Grantmaking”.

Follow her to learn more @communitybuildventures

Lauren “BK” Watler, Founder of BK Tutoring Sessions, LLC

Lauren is a passionate educator and an award-winning teacher with a love for bettering our future leaders. Noticing the need to fill the gap for supplemental education services, she naturally gravitated to tutoring and now has several students that she mentors. Seeing this as a movement that goes beyond herself, she started BK Tutoring Sessions to help even more educators connect with students in need. Lauren has over 13 years of experience as an educator which includes work with KIPP Public Charter Schools, Teach for America, Virginia Beach Public Schools, and District of Columbia Public Schools. She has a Bachelor's Degree in Sociology with a focus on race, class, and gender from Hampton University, a Masters Degree in Education from Regent University, and an Educational Leadership certification from Longwood University.

Follow her to learn more @bktutoringsessions

Sharmaine S. Brown, Founder & CEO of Jared's Heart of Success, Inc.

Sharmaine Brown is the founder of Jared's Heart of Success, Inc. (JHOSI) a 501 (c) 3 Nonprofit providing gun and group violence intervention to the communities in Georgia and South Carolina. Mrs. Brown is a passionate leader for change in her community, partnering with local school districts and after school programs to provide programs and counseling for youth. Mrs. Brown is an advocate for public safety measures with a strong desire to protect people from all forms of violence, As the CEO, Mrs. Brown also partners and advocates with other organizations locally and nationally.

Follow her to learn more @jaredsheart

Melissa Cooper, Co-Founder of Good Community LLC

Melissa and Jamal Cooper are the Co-Founders of Good Community LLC. Melissa is the Chief Executive Officer and Jamal is the Chief Operations Officer.Good Community was birthed out of their desire to marry their love for bringing people together and passion for bridging division by creating dynamic community experiences and socially-conscious apparel.

Melissa Cooper is a 2008 Teach for America Charlotte Alumni, where she taught 8th-grade mathematics and Algebra 1. She graduated from the University of South Carolina-Upstate with a Bachelor’s in Sociology and her Master’s in Curriculum and Instructional Leadership from the University of Memphis. She has worked with numerous non-profit organizations, public schools, and a public charter school in roles such as partnerships, research and accountability, instructional leadership and coaching, and professional learning.

Jamal Cooper graduated from the University of Tennessee-Chattanooga with a Bachelor’s in Biology and his M.Ed in Educational Leadership from Georgia State University. He has over ten years of experience in education, including instructional leadership, curriculum design, and international teaching in Africa and Belize. Jamal is also a licensed expert Real Estate Agent with Better, where he focuses on building wealth, residential and investment properties, and other speciality areas.

Both Melissa and Jamal reside in Georgia and are proud parents of their son, JC3.

Follow her to learn more @goodcommunityllc

Melanie Dillett-Dukes, Ed. D., CEO of BeyondFree, LLC

Dr. Melanie Dillett-Dukes is passionate about creating brave spaces for diverse groups of people to engage in discussions, empower action, and create change. Growing up outside of the United States for 15 years of her life, as a United Nations baby, gave her great insight into the intricacies of varying perspectives and their connection to practices and ideologies of people.

With 20 plus years in the educational arena, Melanie has taught school-aged children from preschool to high school, founded her non-profit Creative Community to ignite student voices, coached teachers on culturally relevant pedagogy, designed curriculum, analyzed statewide data systems, and facilitated diversity, inclusion & equity workshops for adult professionals. To deepen her contemplative practices, she has completed intense training on Cognitive Based Compassion Training (CBCT) through Emory University. Her experience as an Equity Facilitator Fellow through CREATE, deepened her skills to facilitate conversations and create actionable items around identity, systemic oppression, and anti-racist work. In her current role, she is leading equity work with over 110 teachers and staff members and the parent/guardian community. Melanie’s ability to listen for understanding, empathize, and to connect with others translates easily into developing organic and holistic coaching strategies that fosters growth mindsets and stimulates environments for people to thrive.

Follow her to learn more @maddukes

Jenna Mobley, Director of Education for Community Farmers Markets

An alumna of the University of Georgia, Jenna began her career in education in 2008 and since then has become one of the leading proponents (and providers) of increasing educational resources in the areas of social justice, food access, and environmental education, earning her the Presidential Innovation Award for Educators, received at the White House in Washington, DC in 2015. At present, she develops curriculum and trains teachers around the world with partner organizations including FoodCorp, Georgia Organics, Life Lab, Whole Kids Foundation, Captain Planet Foundation, and Small Bites Adventure Club . She also continues to play a large role in Atlanta Public Schools, her pilot school being a school-based rooftop gardening program that has garnered local and national press coverage, as well as numerous grants and awards. Beyond the school walls, she serves as the Director of Education for Community Farmers Markets, developing programs to educate neighborhoods of Atlanta on the community health, economic, and sustainable benefits of local farmers markets.

Follow her to learn more @tendingourcommonground

Tuere Butler, Director of Operations at Plywood People

Tuere K. Butler grew up in Washington, DC but now calls Atlanta, GA home. She and her husband Nate reside in the Old 4th Ward. She is a proud alumna of Spelman College where she received her BA in English. Tuere attends Passion City Church, where she and her husband helped to lead the PCC College Ministry as they both have a heart for 18-25 year olds and mentorship. Her former professional career was in the world of politics. She was the longest serving employee for Congressman John Lewis as District Director. Tuere recently transitioned into the non-profit world as the Director of Operations for Plywood People. Plywood People is a non-profit in Atlanta leading a community of start-ups doing good. When she is not working, she devotes her time and giftings to her mentees, friends and family. Tuere is a strong believer in empowering others, she is continually inspired by the question Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. asked “Life’s most urgent question is, What are you doing for others?”

Follow her to learn more @plywoodpeople

Lakeysha (Key) Hallmon, Ed.D., Founder & CEO of The Village Market

Affectionately known as “Dr. Key,” she moves businesses from sales to success, and inspires them to become doers, supporters and leaders of change. The mission-forward visionary advocates and empowers artisans, creators, and burgeoning Black businesses who want to thrive. After founding the Village Market ATL in 2016, she has reached and served 1440 businesses and facilitated 5.3 million dollars of direct sales to Black-owned businesses. Now with several verticals under the Village Market moniker, Dr. Key has recently expanded her village to include her storefront The Village at Ponce City Market, a curated collection of premier Black businesses. She has cultivated a team of her own, employing 100% Black people, over 90% of them women. From Atlanta all the way to the Bahamas, the Mississippi-bred thought leader helps businesses with big ideas turn them into even bigger profit. Her goal is to build a Black mecca, where Black businesses can build and grow anywhere, and with several market storefronts on the way, she’s just getting started.

Follow her to learn more @drkeyhallmon

11 Women You Need to Know About!