Capital Region CATALYZE

This Fresh Take interview featured Ruth Williams-Brinkley, Regional President of Kaiser Permanente (Mid-Atlantic states). Ruth joined Francesca Ioffreda (VP, Inclusive Growth & Talent Initiatives) to discuss supporting inclusive growth initiatives, Kaiser’s role in the community, and the importance of mental health.Hosted by Francesca Ioffreda.  Produced by Jenna Klym, Ramir Cena, , Nina Sharma, and Christian Rodriguez. Edited by Christian Rodriguez. and Ramir Cena Learn from leaders doing the work across the Capital Region and beyond. These conversations will showcase innovation, as well as history and culture across our region, to bridge the gap between how we got here and where we are going.About our guest:Ruth Williams-Brinkley is president of Kaiser Foundation Health Plan of the Mid-Atlantic States, Inc. In this role, Williams-Brinkley oversees all of Kaiser Permanente’s care delivery and health plan operations in Washington, D.C., and suburban Maryland, Baltimore, and Northern Virginia. The Mid-Atlantic States Region operates 36 medical office buildings and has 825,288 members.Williams-Brinkley has more than 40 years of executive experience in health care. She joined Kaiser Permanente in November 2017, serving as president of Kaiser Foundation Health Plan and Hospitals of the Northwest. She oversaw all of Kaiser Permanente’s care delivery and health plan operations in Oregon and markets in Vancouver and Longview/Kelso, Washington.Prior to that, she served as CEO of KentuckyOne Health, Kentucky’s largest integrated health system. KentuckyOne was a division of CommonSpirit Health, one of the nation’s largest nonprofit health systems.Before joining KentuckyOne, Williams-Brinkley served as president and CEO of Carondelet Health Network in Tucson, Arizona, and as president and CEO of Memorial Healthcare System in Chattanooga, Tennessee.Williams-Brinkley serves on the boards of Travere Therapeutics, DePaul University, University of Phoenix, and the Clinical Center Research Hospital Board of the National Institutes of Health. She has been recognized by Modern Healthcare as one of the 100 Most Influential Leaders in Healthcare, one of the Top 25 Women in Healthcare, and one of the Top 25 Minority Executives in Healthcare, as well as one of Becker’s most admired CEOs in health care.She holds a bachelor’s degree and Master of Science degree from De Paul University, and an honorary doctoral degree from Spaulding University in Louisville, Kentucky.

This Fresh Take interview featured Diane Hoskins, Co-CEO of Gensler. JB Holston and Diane discuss the future of talent, Gensler’s goals as an organization, and their commitment towards inclusive growth within the Capital Region.Hosted by JB Holston.  Produced by Jenna Klym, Ramir Cena, Christian Rodriguez, and Nina Sharma. Edited by Christian Rodriguez. Learn from leaders doing the work across the Capital Region and beyond. These conversations will showcase innovation, as well as history and culture across our region, to bridge the gap between how we got here and where we are going.About our guest:Diane Hoskins is one of two Gensler co-CEOs whose collaborative leadership is fundamental to setting the company apart as a leading design firm. For her innovative leadership, Diane, along with Co-CEO Andy Cohen, ranks on Business Insider’s elite “Creators” list, a who’s who of the world’s 100 top creative visionaries. As a hands-on leader, Diane oversees Gensler’s global platform and its day-to-day operations, with some 6,000 people networked across 50 offices, serving clients in more than 120 countries. Diane is focused on Gensler’s global talent strategies, performance, and organizational development to ensure that we serve our clients with the world’s top talent. She is the catalyst for Gensler’s Research program, for which Diane is committed to delivering value to clients through strategies and innovations like Gensler’s Workplace Performance Index® (WPI).A registered architect, she graduated from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and holds an MBA from the Anderson Graduate School of Management at UCLA. Diane received an Outstanding Impact Award from the Council of Real Estate Women and is both a Regent of the American Architectural Foundation and a Fellow of the American Institute of Architects. Her insights have appeared in the Financial Times, Harvard Business Review, the Washington Post, and The Economist; and she was a featured speaker at Bloomberg BusinessWeek’s CEO Conference.In her role, Diane serves as a key contributor to what is acknowledged, by its peers, as the most admired and largest architecture firm in the world, pioneering project types and design innovation strategies for the next century and acknowledged by Fast Company as one of “The World’s Most Innovative Companies.”

This Fresh Take interview featured Neelima Rao, Vice President Human Resources, Global R&D and North America HUB Leader, AstraZeneca. JB Holston and Neelima discussed the business imperative of inclusive growth, her focus on developing a skilled and diverse talent pool to drive innovation, and more.Hosted by JB Holston.  Produced by Jenna Klym, Justin Matheson-Turner, Christian Rodriguez, Nina Sharma, and Ramir Cena. Edited by Christian Rodriguez. Learn from leaders doing the work across the Capital Region and beyond. These conversations will showcase innovation, as well as history and culture across our region, to bridge the gap between how we got here and where we are going.About our guest:Neelima Rao is Vice President of Human Resources for Global Oncology R&D and North America Country Lead at AstraZeneca. In this role, Neelima is responsible for defining and implementing workforce and workplace strategy across multiple geographies globally. Neelima serves as the HR Chair of the AstraZeneca North America Governance Committee.Neelima brings over 20 years of experience driving successful change, growth, and innovation across complex and global organizations in the Life Sciences industry. She has led large-scale transformational agenda in acquisition, ramp-up, turnaround and integration environment. Neelima is passionate about driving business outcomes through designing fit-for purpose organizations, building high performing teams and shaping desired cultures.Neelima has a Master’s degree in human resources from Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai. Neelima currently serves on the board of AWIS (Association for Women in Science), passionately promoting women around the world to pursue their STEM education and professional goals. Neelima has been serving as an Inclusive Growth Committee Advisor for Greater Washington Partnership, a civic alliance focused on catalyzing equitable solutions that make the region the best place to live, work, and thrive.

This episode features a discussion about Access to Capital across the region. Host JB Holston is joined by Robby Moser (CEO, Clark Construction Group), in conversation with Cheo Hurley (Founder, President and CEO, THG Companies, LLC.).Hosted by JB Holston. Produced by Maribeth Romslo and Nina Sharma. Edited by Christian Rodriguez. Engineered by Micah Johnson. With support from Jenna Klym, Justin Matheson-Turner, and Christian Rodriguez.SPEAKER BIOSROBBY MOSERRobby Moser is responsible for setting the strategic priorities for Clark Construction Group and its subsidiary and affiliate companies, which includes Guy F. Atkinson Construction, Shirley Contracting Company, S2N Technology Group, C3M Power Systems, Edgemoor Infrastructure and Real Estate, Clark Civil, Clark Concrete, and Coda. As chief executive officer, Robby provides executive direction for the company's national operations, which total $5 billion in revenue per year.Throughout his tenure in the industry, Robby has led efforts to secure and build all manner of projects from professional sports venues to hospitals to transit infrastructure.Under Robby’s leadership, Clark has partnered with clients to create monumental and critical assets – including the National Museum of African American History and Culture, Fort Bliss Replacement Hospital, SR-91 Corridor Improvement, Salesforce Tower, CSX Virginia Avenue Tunnel, and Chase Center.Robby is passionate about providing a superior client experience where customers feel engaged, keeping the safety of craftworkers at the forefront of every project, ensuring that the quality of Clark products is unparalleled, creating opportunities for Clark team members to grow, and ensuring the Clark team has the resources necessary to execute brilliantly in all that they do.Robby earned his bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University.CHEO HURLEYCheo D. Hurley currently serves as Founder, President, and CEO of THG Companies LLC. In this role, Mr. Hurley has grown a startup idea into a full-service construction subcontractor and building and real estate advisory/planning company completing over $10 million in projects in the Baltimore Metro Region.Mr. Hurley has extensive expertise in urban planning, development, and construction that he gained through positions as Executive Director for Park Heights Renaissance Inc. (PHR); Real Estate Development and Leasing Manager for the Forest City-New East Baltimore Partnership LLC (FC-NEBP); and as a Senior Associate with Deloitte Tax LP. In addition, Mr. Hurley served five years as member of the Baltimore Planning Commission. Mr. Hurley graduated with a Bachelor of Business Administration (B.B.A) in Finance from Howard University. He subsequently earned a Master of Public Administration degree from American University and a Master of Science in Real Estate from the Johns Hopkins University Carey School of Business.A Baltimore native, Mr. Hurley has served on numerous gubernatorial and mayoral transition teams for the state of Maryland and the City of Baltimore. A graduate of the Gilman School, Mr. Hurley is the past President of the school’s Alumni Board of Governors as well as a current member of the Gilman Board of Trustees. Mr. Hurley also serves on the Baltimore Educational Scholarship Trust (B.E.S.T) board of trustees, and the board of WYPR Radio. In 2012 Mr. Hurley was honored by the Maryland Daily Record as a top 40 VIP under 40 and by the Baltimore Business Journal as a Rising Star under 40 years old a member in addition he was a member of the Greater Baltimore Committees (GBC) LEADership 2012 class.

This Fresh Take interview featured Chike Aguh, Chief Innovation Officer & Senior Advisor for Delivery, United States Department of Labor. JB and Chike discussed opportunities for collaboration among private sector and government employers to support and grow inclusive & diverse skilled workforces.Hosted by JB Holston.  Produced by Jenna Klym, Justin Matheson-Turner, Christian Rodriguez, and Nina Sharma. Edited by Christian Rodriguez. Learn from leaders doing the work across the Capital Region and beyond. These conversations will showcase innovation, as well as history and culture across our region, to bridge the gap between how we got here and where we are going.About our guest:Chike Aguh  is the Chief Innovation Officer of the U.S. Department of Labor. He is also a 2020-21 Technology and Human Rights Fellow at the Harvard Kennedy School’s Carr Center for Human Rights where he will focus on the future of work and its impacts on racial equity. Previously, he has served as a member of the Council on Foreign Relations’ Taskforce on the Future of Work, inaugural Future of Work Fellow at the International Society for Technology in Education and expert advisor to the American AI Forum.Previously, he worked as an education policy official under the Mayor of New York, 2nd grade teacher and Teach For America corps member, Fulbright Scholar in Thailand researching education and skills, director of corporate strategy at the Advisory Board Company’s higher education arm, and CEO of a national social enterprise which helped connect 500,000 low-income Americans in 48 states to affordable internet and digital skills. He is a Partner at Maryland-based Inncuvate which grows innovation businesses and ecosystems, particularly in communities that need them most.Chike is a 2017 Presidential Leadership Scholar; Council on Foreign Relations term member; 40 under 40 honoree from the Wharton School and Washington Business Journal; past member of the Harvard Kennedy School of Government's Alumni Board of Directors; and Advisory Board Chair of the Prince George’s County Social Innovation Fund. Chike and his work have been featured at or in the White House, Harvard, CNNMoney, Forbes, Wired Magazine, and Fast Company. Chike lives in Glenn Dale, MD with his wife and their son.

This Fresh Take interview featured Jamie McDonald, CEO of UpSurge Baltimore. JB and Jamie discuss Upsurge’s ‘Equitech’ framework, which anchors its work in a belief that diversity of teams, leadership, and perspectives are a force multiplier for tech company growth. They will also discuss the broader need for equity and inclusivity to power innovation ecosystems across the Capital Region.Hosted by JB Holston.  Produced by Jenna Klym, Justin Matheson-Turner, Christian Rodriguez, and Nina Sharma. Edited by Christian Rodriguez. Learn from leaders doing the work across the Capital Region and beyond. These conversations will showcase innovation, as well as history and culture across our region, to bridge the gap between how we got here and where we are going.About our guest:Jamie Mcdonald is the CEO of UpSurge Baltimore. She is an experienced entrepreneur, movement builder, and speaker. Prior to joining UpSurge, she was an advisor to global entrepreneurs, social innovators, and impact-focused executives. She’s been deeply involved in work on behalf of Baltimore throughout her career.Jamie has been featured in publications including the Wall Street Journal, the Huffington Post, the Chronicle of Philanthropy, the White House Social Innovation Blog, NTEN, The Baltimore Sun and many others. She is featured in the recently released book, Women Make Great Leaders, by bestselling author, Jill Griffin.Jamie places a high priority on civic engagement.  She has been a longtime Board member of the Center for Urban Families.  She was the founding Chair of Light City, an international festival of innovation and light, that attracted more than 470,000 people in 2017.  She continues as Chair of the Labs@LightCity, one of the country's largest and most unique urban innovation conferences. She also serves on the boards of Open Society Institute, Impact Hub Baltimore, Venture for America, Johns Hopkins Social Innovation Lab, and #MarylandGivesMore. She has previously served on the boards of The Leadership, the Family Tree, Live! Baltimore, The Fund for Educational Excellence, and the Police Athletic League (PAL), among others.  She is a past co-chair of the Tocqueville Campaign ($10,000 gifts) for the United Way of Central Maryland and sat on the national board of the Keewaydin Foundation. Jamie was named Maryland Innovator of the Year in 2012.  She is a graduate of the 1997 class of the Greater Baltimore Committee’s Leadership program.  She was named one of Baltimore Business Journal’s “40 under 40.” She received the SiloBreaker award from Betamore in 2016. She received the Downtown Partnership's award for impact on Baltimore in 2016. She received the William Donald Schaefer award for the City of Baltimore in 2017. She was recognized as an Activist to Watch in 2017.Jamie McDonald attended Cornell University for graduate school, focusing on International Development in a joint program between the College of Human Ecology and the Johnson Graduate School of Management.  She graduated Summa Cum Laude from Philadelphia University.

This Fresh Take interview featured Dr. Gregory Washington, President, George Mason University. JB and Dr. Washington discussed the state of higher ed in the Capital Region and beyond, increasing the diversity and inclusivity of digital tech pathways, and the evolving role of education in today’s economy.Hosted by JB Holston.  Produced by Jenna Klym, Justin Matheson-Turner, Christian Rodriguez, and Nina Sharma. Edited by Christian Rodriguez. Learn from leaders doing the work across the Capital Region and beyond. These conversations will showcase innovation, as well as history and culture across our region, to bridge the gap between how we got here and where we are going.About our guest:Gregory Washington became Mason’s eighth president on July 1, 2020, taking leadership of the largest and most diverse public university in Virginia, a Carnegie Tier 1 research institution, and a beacon of access for students of all backgrounds.The former dean of the Henry Samueli School of Engineering at the University of California, Irvine (UCI), and former interim dean of the College of Engineering at Ohio State University, Washington immediately put his skills as a strategic and collaborative solutions-oriented leader to work to guide Mason’s successful management of the COVID-19 pandemic.In his seven years at UCI, Washington expanded undergraduate enrollment in the engineering school by 1,100 students and graduate enrollment by more than 200. He established the University of California’s first student makerspace and helped establish the OC STEM Initiative, one of the nation’s first STEM ecosystems, in Orange County, California, engaging more than 100,000 students.The first African American dean of engineering at any University of California campus, and the first African American president at Mason, Washington recruited and hired one of the most diverse engineering faculty cohorts in the country at UCI, with more than 45 percent of his more than 60 hires being women or from underrepresented groups.Washington launched his academic career in 1995 as an assistant professor in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering in the College of Engineering at Ohio State University. He became an associate professor in 2000 and a professor in 2004. He began serving as the college’s associate dean for research in 2005 and also led the university’s Institute for Energy and the Environment. From 2008 to 2011, Washington served as interim dean of the Ohio State engineering school, one of the largest in the country.His current board service includes S&P Global, Internet2, Sandia National Laboratories (Engineering Sciences Advisory Board), Northern Virginia Technology Council, Northern Virginia Chamber of Commerce, Consortium of Universities of the Washington Metropolitan Area, and Octane. Previous board service includes the U.S. Air Force Scientific Advisory Board, NSF Engineering Advisory Committee, and the Institute for Defense Analyses.A first-generation college graduate, Washington is a New York City native who attended high school in North Carolina. He earned bachelor’s (1989) and master’s degrees (1991) and his PhD (1994), all in mechanical engineering, at North Carolina State University. He is a member of the NC State Engineering Foundation’s Board of Directors.

This Fresh Take interview featured Jim Dyke, Sr. Advisor, State Government Relations, McGuireWoods Consulting LLC. JB and Jim discussed the business community’s role in influencing and driving inclusive growth and opportunities to partner with state and local governments to drive meaningful change.Hosted by JB Holston.  Produced by Jenna Klym, Justin Matheson-Turner, Christian Rodriguez, and Nina Sharma. Edited by Christian Rodriguez. About our guest:Jim Dyke is a partner in the law firm of McGuireWoods LLP.  His broad practice covers corporate, legislative, education, governmental relations, and municipal law. He previously served as Virginia’s Secretary of Education under former Virginia Gov. L. Douglas Wilder, and as Domestic Policy Advisor to former Vice President Walter Mondale.He is an active leader in the Northern Virginia business community, having served as chairman of the Fairfax County Chamber of Commerce; chairman of the Northern Virginia Business Roundtable; President of the Northern Virginia Community College Educational Foundation; and chairman of the Emerging Business Forum, an organization focused on enhancing minority and women entrepreneurs’ businesses.He was elected Chairman of the Greater Washington Board of Trade for 2010. The Board of Trade is the largest regional business organization in the Washington, D.C., area, advocating for the business community in Virginia, the District of Columbia and Maryland.  During his term, he was Co-Chair of the Joint WMATA Governance Review Task Force.He has served or is serving on various commissions and committees, including the State Council of Higher Education in Virginia (SCHEV), the Commission to Restructure Virginia’s Tax Structure, the Board of Directors of the Maryland Chamber of Commerce, the Governor’s Commission on Economic Development and Job Creation (VA), the Governor’s Independent Bipartisan Advisory Commission on Redistricting (VA), and as chairman of the Board of Trustees of the University of the District of Columbia.  He is a frequent speaker on educational, political, and legal issues.Jim graduated with honors from Howard University (including first in his Army ROTC class) and the Howard University School of Law and has earned honorary degrees from the University of Richmond, Virginia State University, St. Paul’s College, Randolph Macon College, Marymount University and Northern Virginia Community College. He served as law clerk to the Honorable Spottswood W. Robinson III of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia.

This Fresh Take interview featured Rosie Allen-Herring, President & CEO, United Way of the National Capital Area. JB and Rosie discussed the intersection of public-private partnerships, philanthropy, and business strategy in building an inclusive Capital Region and the United Way NCA’s ongoing work to promote inclusive growth across the region.Hosted by JB Holston.  Produced by Jenna Klym, Justin Matheson-Turner, Christian Rodriguez, and Nina Sharma. Edited by Christian Rodriguez. Learn from leaders doing the work across the Capital Region and beyond. These conversations will showcase innovation, as well as history and culture across our region, to bridge the gap between how we got here and where we are going.About our guest:Rosie Allen-Herring is a national expert on public private partnerships, philanthropy and business strategy.  She currently serves as the President and Chief Executive Officer of United Way of the National Capital Area (United Way NCA). Rosie is recognized as a thought leader who demonstrates the ability to convene public private entities to leverage talent and resources and create collective impact in communities across the region and beyond.Formerly, Rosie was the Managing Director of the Community Investment and Engagement Division at Fannie Mae. In that role, she led Fannie Mae’s corporate philanthropic strategy and oversaw the organization’s social responsibility investments and employee-engagement efforts nationwide. Prior to Managing Director at Fannie Mae, she served as the National Regulatory Compliance Manager, Housing & Community Development. She was also the Senior Deputy Director, Washington, DC Community Business Center.Rosie holds key leadership roles with several business and civic organizations, including serving on the Board of Directors for the Greater Washington Board of Trade, MedStar Health, Inc., WesBanco (formerly Old Line Bancshares, Inc.), Board of Trustees at A.T. Still University, Prince George’s Community College Foundation and several additional organizations. She also served as a board member for Washington’s exploratory Olympic committee, Washington 2024She earned a B.A. in Economics from Howard University, an M.B.A. from Strayer University and was an International Fellow of the United States-Southern Africa Center for Leadership and Public Values at the University of Cape Town (SA) Graduate School of Business and Duke University Graduate School of Public Policy.  She is also a graduate of the Harvard Business School’s Strategic Perspectives in Non-profit Management Program.

This episode features a discussion about Access to Capital across the region. Host JB Holston is joined by Peter Scher (Vice Chairman, JP Morgan Chase & Co.) founder and the Chairman of the Greater Washington Partnership, in conversation with Ellis Carr (President and CEO, Capital Impact Partners & CDC Small Business Finance).Hosted by JB Holston. Produced by Maribeth Romslo and Nina Sharma. Edited by Christian Rodriguez. Engineered by Micah Johnson. With support from Jenna Klym, Justin Matheson-Turner, and Christian Rodriguez.SPEAKER BIOSPETER SCHERPeter L. Scher is Vice Chairman of JPMorgan Chase & Co. and a member of the firm’s Operating Committee. Scher is the firm’s senior business executive for the Mid-Atlantic Region and oversees the firm’s global Corporate Responsibility department, including its public policy efforts, the J.P. Morgan International Council and Morgan Health, a new business unit focused on improving the quality of healthcare for the firm’s employees and creating new models for employer-based healthcare.Scher led the firm’s $200 million investment in the revitalization of Detroit, which has been featured on 60 Minutes, profiled by Fortune Magazine in ranking JPMorgan Chase number one on its list of companies “Changing the World” and chronicled by Harvard Business School as a case study for inclusive capitalism.Business Insider named Scher as one of 10 people “transforming how we think about capitalism” and Washington Life Magazine called him one of the most influential people in the U.S. Capitol. The Washington Business Journal recognized him as one of the top business executives in the Washington, D.C. region.Scher spent nearly a decade in public service. He was confirmed by the United States Senate as U.S. Special Trade Ambassador and served as one of the lead U.S. negotiators on China's entry into the World Trade Organization. He served as the Chief of Staff for the U.S. Trade Representative and the U.S. Department of Commerce, Staff Director for the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works and Chief of Staff to former U.S. Senator Max Baucus.Scher is a founder and the Chairman of the Greater Washington Partnership and serves on the Board of Trustees of American University and a member of the Board of Directors of the Economic Club of Washington, D.C., the Council on Foreign Relations and the Policy Advisory Board of the Biden Institute at the University of Delaware School of Public Policy.  Scher received his B.A. from American University and his J.D. from American’s Washington College of Law.ELLIS CARRCarr has served as Capital Impact Partners’ President and Chief Executive Officer since 2016. He became President and Chief Executive Officer of CDC Small Business Finance in 2021.Carr originally joined Capital Impact in 2012 as the Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer. Prior to joining Capital Impact, he held various positions in the investments, capital markets, strategy, and corporate finance areas within Freddie Mac, and in fixed-income fund management both domestically and abroad at Deutsche Bank.Carr is an Aspen Institute Finance Leader Fellow; serves on Morgan Stanley’s Community Development Advisory Board; is the Board Chair for Martha’s Table, Board Treasurer for HPN (the Housing Partnership Network), and a board member for the Marguerite Casey Foundation. In 2018, he was recognized on Washington Business Journal’s list of “Top Minority Business Leaders,” as well as being named among their “Top 40 under 40” business executives in 2015. Carr graduated from Towson University with a bachelor’s degree in Accounting, and from Georgetown University with a master’s degree in Real Estate with a concentration in Finance.

This interview featured Beth Cobert, Chief Operating Officer, Markle Foundation. JB and Beth discuss the importance of skills-based hiring, training, and education practices through innovative cross-sector collaboration in the digital economy. Much like the Partnership's Capital CoLAB, it seeks to bridge the skills gap between employers and educators.Hosted by JB Holston.  Produced by Jenna Klym, Justin Matheson-Turner, Christian Rodriguez, and Nina Sharma. Edited by Christian Rodriguez. Learn from leaders doing the work across the Capital Region and beyond. These conversations will showcase innovation, as well as history and culture across our region, to bridge the gap between how we got here and where we are going.About our guest:Beth Cobert is the Chief Operating Officer of the Markle Foundation and the Chief Executive Officer of Skillful, a Markle Foundation initiative, to create a skills-based labor market that empowers all Americans to succeed in the digital economy. Cobert is leading Skillful’s efforts to convene employers, educators, workforce centers, state government, and others to help job seekers and workers keep pace with the transformations automation and technology are bringing to the workforce landscape.Her deep experience in talent management and partnership development, as well as her acumen for harnessing the constructive potential of new technologies, uniquely positions her as an ideal leader for Skillful as the initiative seeks to foster skills-based hiring, training, and education practices through innovative cross-sector collaboration in the digital economy.Previously, Cobert served as Acting Director of the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) under President Obama. During her tenure, OPM not only embraced new technology to improve customer service and cyber security but also championed recruiting, development and advancement practices to support a talented and diverse federal workforce amidst rapid technological advancement. Before joining the Federal government, Cobert worked for nearly 30 years at McKinsey & Company as a Senior Partner in their New York and San Francisco offices, where she worked with clients across a range of sectors, including financial services, health care, real estate, telecommunications, and philanthropy. Cobert is currently a member of the Board of Directors of CBRE Group, Inc. (NYSE:CBG) and the Princeton University Board of Trustees. She has served as both board member and board chair of the United Way of the Bay Area, and as a member of the Stanford Graduate School of Business Advisory Council. Cobert received a bachelor’s degree in economics with high honors from Princeton University and an MBA from Stanford University with honors.

This interview featured Stephen Moret, President & CEO, Virginia Economic Development Partnership. JB and Stephen discuss Virginia consistently high ranks as a "top state for business" due to its high-ranking universities, workforce, and business-friendly regulations. Learn more about the Commonwealth's future and its intrinsic link to the Capital Region.Hosted by JB Holston.  Produced by Jenna Klym, Justin Matheson-Turner, Christian Rodriguez, and Nina Sharma. Edited by Christian Rodriguez. Learn from leaders doing the work across the Capital Region and beyond. These conversations will showcase innovation, as well as history and culture across our region, to bridge the gap between how we got here and where we are going.About our guest:Stephen Moret is the President and CEO of the Virginia Economic Development Partnership. Before joining VEDP in January 2017, Moret served as chief executive of the Baton Rouge Area Chamber and Louisiana Dept. of Economic Development, as well as the LSU Foundation and its real-estate development arm. At VEDP, he has collaborated with state, regional, and local partners to craft an ambitious vision focused on transformational goals, including accelerating employment growth; enabling every region to grow; and moving back to the top of national business climate rankings. He led Virginia’s successful state-and-local team bid for Amazon’s HQ2 and is launching a world-class, custom workforce program along with the Virginia Community College System.For seven years, Moret served as secretary of Louisiana Economic Development, transforming it into one of America’s top state economic development agencies. While there, he led business development efforts and built higher ed partnerships that helped secure a variety of projects in urban and rural areas, including software/IT centers, food/agricultural processing facilities, and a few of the largest FDI projects in U.S. history. Prior to LED, Moret was CEO of BRAC, which he and his team transformed into a nationally competitive, regional EDO. He also served as a consultant with McKinsey & Company; a public policy fellow with the Public Affairs Research Council of La.; and a consultant to Harvard Business School.

This episode features a robust conversation about Inclusive Growth across the Capital Region. Host JB Holston is joined by Tony Pierce, a GWP board member, in discussion with Sheila Johnson and Jason Wright, Co-Chairs of GWP's Inclusive Growth Strategy Council.Hosted by JB Holston. Produced by Maribeth Romslo and Nina Sharma. Edited by Maribeth Romslo. Engineered by Micah Johnson. With support from Francesca Ioffreda, Jenna Klym, Justin Matheson-Turner, Joe Maloney, Giardy Ritz, and Christian Rodriguez.SPEAKER BIOS TONY PIERCE Tony Pierce is the partner in charge of the Washington DC office of Akin Gump Strauss Hauer Feld LLP.  His clients span an array of industries, including technology, telecommunications, health care, energy, media and entertainment, financial services and government contracting. An experienced trial lawyer, Tony brings well-honed litigation skills, ingenuity and a vigorous presence.Throughout his career, Tony has been an active force in legal organizations, including the Legal Aid Society of the District of Columbia.  He is the past chair of the Greater Washington Board of Trade and serves on the board of the Greater Washington Partnership, a group of civic-minded business leaders investing in solutions that drive growth and create economic opportunity. He is also the General Counsel of the Economic Club of Washington and a member of the Executive Committee of the Federal City Council.SHEILA C. JOHNSONSheila Johnson is Founder and CEO of Salamander Hotels & Resorts, a collection of properties along the east coast and in the Caribbean that includes Salamander Resort & Spa in Middleburg, Virginia, which has been awarded the distinguished Forbes Five Star rating.As Vice Chairman of Monumental Sports & Entertainment, Ms. Johnson is the only African-American woman to have ownership in three professional sports teams: NBA’s Washington Wizards, NHL’s Washington Capitals, and the WNBA’s 2019 World Champions Washington Mystics, for which she serves as President and Managing Partner. Ms. Johnson is a member of the Collective Bargaining Committee of the WNBA. In 2016, she spearheaded WE Capital, a venture capital consortium that invests in female-led enterprises.Ms. Johnson is a founding partner of Black Entertainment Television. Ms. Johnson is founder and chair of the Middleburg Film Festival.  A supporter of education, the Sheila C. Johnson Fellowship at the Harvard Kennedy School supported a cohort of 50 fellows – emerging leaders dedicated to improving the lives of the underserved.JASON WRIGHTJason Wright is the President of the Washington Football Team. He is the first Black team president in the history of the NFL and currently is the youngest team president in the League. He is the fourth former NFL player to become president of a team.Prior to joining the Washington Football Team, Jason was a partner in McKinsey & Company's Washington DC office. His work focused on expanding the value of large, complex organizations through operations and culture transformations. Jason also led McKinsey's global inclusion strategy and recently spearheaded the rollout of McKinsey's anti-racism and inclusion strategy. He co-founded the Black Economic Institute, a research entity that analyzes the racial wealth gap, and is a prominent voice in public discussions regarding racial equity in corporate America. 

This interview features Mark Ein, Chairman of Kastle Systems. JB and Mark discuss growing the inclusive innovation economy in the Capital Region, Mark’s work with SPACs and Kastle, and other related topics for the region.Hosted by JB Holston. Produced by  Jenna Klym, Ian Lutz, Nina Sharma, and Justin Matheson-Turner. Learn from leaders doing the work across the Capital Region and beyond. These conversations will showcase innovation, as well as history and culture across our region, to bridge the gap between how we got here and where we are going.About our guest:Mark Ein is a native of the Washington area, Mr. Ein actively supports many community, charitable and cultural organizations.  Through both his professional and philanthropic activities, he is committed to bringing his community together as well as helping those in need with a particular focus on the youth of the city.  Mr. Ein has been frequently recognized and honored for his contributions to his community including being named Business Leader of the Year by the Washington DC Chamber of Commerce in October, 2011 and the region’s Entrepreneur of the Year by the National Foundation for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE) in 2009. He received his BS in Economics with a concentration in finance from The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and his MBA from The Harvard Business School.

This interview features Ellis Carr, President & CEO of Capital Impact Partners. JB and Ellis discuss inclusive growth, CDFIs, and economic empowerment in underserved communities.Hosted by JB Holston. Produced by  Jenna Klym, Francesca Ioffreda, Ian Lutz, Nina Sharma, and  Justin Matheson-Turner.Learn from leaders doing the work across the Capital Region and beyond. These conversations will showcase innovation, as well as history and culture across our region, to bridge the gap between how we got here and where we are going.About our guest:Ellis Carr has more than 20 years of experience in the financial services and mortgage industries. Mr. Carr served as Capital Impact’s Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer from July, 2012 until his appointment as President and Chief Executive Officer in May, 2016.Prior to joining Capital Impact, he held various positions in the investments, capital markets, strategy and corporate finance areas within Freddie Mac and in fixed income fund management both domestically and abroad at Deutsche Bank.Mr. Carr is a trustee of the NHP Foundation; the Treasurer and Board member of Martha’s Table; a Board member of Housing Partnership Network (HPN); and a Board member of the Opportunity Finance Network (OFN). In 2015, he was recognized as one of the “Top 40 under 40” business executives by the Washington Business Journal. Mr. Carr graduated from Towson University with an undergraduate degree in accounting, and from Georgetown University with a master’s degree in real estate with a concentration in finance.

This week’s interview features Jeff Cherry, Executive Director of Conscious Venture Lab. JB and Jeff discuss the start-up community in Baltimore, conscious capitalism, the role of accelerators, and innovation across the region.Hosted by JB Holston. Produced by  Jenna Klym, Ian Lutz, Nina Sharma, and Justin Matheson-Turner. Learn from leaders doing the work across the Capital Region and beyond. These conversations will showcase innovation, as well as history and culture across our region, to bridge the gap between how we got here and where we are going.About our guest:Jeff Cherry has roles as a CEO, hedge fund manager, designer, entrepreneur, educator, mentor and consultant Jeff has a diverse and unique career spanning more than 25 years of executive leadership. During his time as an executive and business consultant he has developed significant expertise in a broad range of operational disciplines and industries including: technology, design and construction, finance, hospitality and professional services.In his capacity as an executive and business strategist, Jeff has helped organizations from start-ups to established middle-market companies and government agencies create operational strategies and business ecologies aimed at inspiring knowledge worker performance. His diverse background and experience has helped companies create everything from new office environments and online offerings to completely new innovative business models.As a thought leader in the areas of stakeholder management and the emerging discipline of Conscious Capitalism®, Jeff had the honor of consulting with authors David Wolfe and Raj Sisodia on their book Firms of Endearment, How World Class Companies Profit from Passion and Purpose, which was published in 2007. Jeff later expanded on the ideas of Conscious Capitalism® to form Concinnity Advisors, a hedge fund focused on identifying and investing in companies operating from a more holistic, long-term value mindset.Prior to forming Concinnity Advisors Jeff was the co-head of research for Multi stakeholder investment strategies for a multi-billion dollar hedge fund based in Stamford, CT. Immediately before that Jeff spent 20 years as founder and CEO of Lloyd Lamont Design, Inc. a multifaceted management, architecture and technology consulting firm, which, after being named as one of the fastest growing privately held companies by Inc. Magazine was acquired by a strategic investor in 2006.Jeff received his Bachelors of Architecture and Masters of Science in Architecture from The Catholic University of America in Washington, DC. He also completed extended executive study courses at the Stanford Graduate School of Business, Program for Growing Companies. Jeff is currently a member of the Society of Human Resources Management, ANSI Investor Metrics Workgroup as well as the Industry Working Groups (IWG) for the Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB).

This interview features Carol Thompson Cole, President & CEO, Venture Philanthropy Partners. JB and Carol discuss inclusive growth in the Capital Region, impact investing, and economic empowerment in underserved communities.Hosted by JB Holston. Produced by Jenna Klym, Francesca Ioffreda, Ian Lutz, Nina Sharma, and Justin Matheson-Turner. Learn from leaders doing the work across the Capital Region and beyond. These conversations will showcase innovation, as well as history and culture across our region, to bridge the gap between how we got here and where we are going.About our guest: Carol Thompson Cole is President and CEO of Venture Philanthropy Partners (VPP), a philanthropic investment organization that makes the future brighter for young people living in Greater Washington by tackling the largest barriers to their success and forging partnerships that bring the expertise, passion and reach necessary to achieve life-changing results.Under Cole’s leadership for the past 10 years, VPP aligns resources and actions to strengthen nonprofits to serve more youth. VPP’s philanthropy uses its convening power to work across sectors to create systemic change to help more young people succeed in school and gain the skills and confidence to attend college or start their career.Prior to VPP, Cole served in a wide range of leadership and management roles in both the public and private sectors. She served as Special Advisor to President Clinton on the District of Columbia and Executive Director of the DC Inter-Agency Task Force. Prior to serving in the Clinton administration, she was the Vice President for Government and Environmental Affairs at RJR Nabisco. Cole spent 12 years holding major management and staff positions in DC government, most notably as the only woman appointed as City Administrator.She is a member of numerous boards, including the Raise DC Leadership Council, the Greater Washington Advisory Board of SunTrust, the Kaiser Permanente Regional Advisory Board, the Federal City Council, and the Board of Trustees of Friendship Public Charter School. She also serves as a Lifetime Trustee of the Urban Institute. Cole has been recognized for her outstanding leadership and dedication to the region through service in government, business and the social sector.Cole earned a B.A. from Smith College, a master’s in public administration from the Robert F. Wagner School of Public Service at New York University, and attended the Senior Executives in State and Local Government Program at Harvard University.

This interview features Dr. Kavita Patel, Nonresident Fellow at the Brookings Institution. JB and Dr. Patel discuss the federal government’s COVID-19 response, vaccine rollout, and ensuring our health systems are equitable and accessible to all.Hosted by JB Holston. Produced by Jenna Klym, Justin Matheson-Turner, and Colie Touzel.Learn from leaders doing the work across the Capital Region and beyond. These conversations will showcase innovation, as well as history and culture across our region, to bridge the gap between how we got here and where we are going.About our guest:Kavita Patel is a Nonresident Fellow at the Brookings Institution. Previously, she was the managing director of clinical transformation at the Center for Health Policy at Brookings. Dr. Patel is an advisor to the Bipartisan Policy Center and a member of Health and Human Services Physician Focused Payment Model Technical Advisory Committee.Dr. Patel is a primary care physician in Washington, D.C. She also served in the Obama administration as director of policy for the Office of Intergovernmental Affairs and Public Engagement in the White House. As a senior aide to Valerie Jarrett, President Obama’s senior adviser, Dr. Patel played a critical role in policy development and evaluation of policy initiatives connected to health reform, financial regulatory reform, and economic recovery issues.She also has an extensive research and clinical background, having worked as a researcher at the RAND Corporation and as a practicing physician in both California and Oregon. She currently advises healthcare technology and services organizations through New Enterprise Associates.Dr. Patel is a previous Robert Wood Johnson Clinical Scholar, and while at Brookings returned to providing clinical care as an internal medicine practitioner. She earned her medical degree from the University of Texas Health Science Center and her masters in public health from the University of California Los Angeles.

This Fresh Take interview features Tonia Wellons, CEO, Greater Washington Community Foundation. JB and Tonia discuss Greater Washington Community Foundation’s extensive work in the pandemic relief and recovery efforts and insights on how the region is doing as we work towards a more inclusive and equitable future for the region.Hosted by JB Holston.  Produced by Jenna Klym, Justin Matheson-Turner, Christian Rodriguez, and Nina Sharma. Edited by Christian Rodriguez. Learn from leaders doing the work across the Capital Region and beyond. These conversations will showcase innovation, as well as history and culture across our region, to bridge the gap between how we got here and where we are going.About our guest:Tonia Wellons is the President & CEO of the Greater Washington Community Foundation, leading an organization with a $335 million in assets under management, and $60 million in annual grants, Tonia oversees the day-to-day business of the organization, serves as chief development officer, and works with the Board of Trustees and staff to determine the strategic priorities of The Community Foundation. Tonia has successfully launched and led programmatic and development efforts for several key initiatives at The Community Foundation, including VoicesDMV, the Resilience Fund, and the Partnership to End Homelessness.Previously, she served as a political appointee for the Obama Administration as head of global partnerships at the Peace Corps. Tonia was responsible for leading the agency’s relationships with other federal agencies, the private sector, international NGOs, and donors. Tonia previously served as fund manager of a multi-donor initiative focused on financial access and inclusion at the World Bank Group. She also spent a significant part of her career working on USAID-funded capacity development initiatives during the immediate post-apartheid era in South Africa and the broader sub-Sahara region. In 2010, Tonia founded the Prince George’s County Social Innovation Fund (PGCSIF) in an effort to 'shift the narrative' and build social capital in the County.Tonia has a master’s degree in Public Administration and International Development Policy from the University of Delaware, and a bachelor’s in Political Science from North Carolina A&T State University. 

This interview features Carmine Di Sibio, Global Chairman and CEO of EY. Carmine and JB discuss the COVID-19-era prevalence of remote work in the Capital Region. While this will likely not be maintained once the pandemic has subsided, data collected through external surveys as well as the Greater Washington Partnership (the Partnership) and EY Capital COVID-19 Snapshot shows greater levels of remote working will continue even after herd immunity is reached, relative to pre-COVID-19 levels.Hosted by JB Holston. Produced by  Jenna Klym, Ian Lutz, Nina Sharma, Justin Matheson-Turner. Learn from leaders doing the work across the Capital Region and beyond. These conversations will showcase innovation and business, as well as history and culture across our region, to bridge the gap between how we got here and where we are going.About our guest:Carmine Di Sibio is the Global Chairman and CEO of EY, one of the largest professional services organizations in the world with over 280,000 people in more than 150 countries. Prior to being elected to his current post, Carmine served as EY Global Managing Partner – Client Service, leading the execution of the global strategy in our four geographical areas and four service lines.Carmine has spearheaded our innovation efforts, including leading a US$1 billion investment in new technology solutions over a two-year timeframe announced in August 2018. He helped to create the Global Innovation team to redefine how EY uses technology to both transform existing services and create new solutions. As a leader of our acquisitions and alliances strategy, he has helped expand EY offerings in a wide range of new and emerging fields.Since joining EY in 1985, he has served as an Advisory and Assurance partner for many of our largest financial services accounts. He held several leadership positions, including Chair of the Global Financial Services Markets Executive and Regional Managing Partner for the Americas Financial Services Organization (FSO), where he started EY Risk Management and Regulatory Services.Carmine earned a BA in Chemistry from Colgate University as well as an MBA from New York University’s Stern School of Business. He is a practicing CPA.