Meet the Team Behind the Movement
Dedicated leaders driving economic equity in Detroit
OUR TEAM
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Tiana London-Harris
Community & Events Coordinator
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Jazmine Johnson
Executive Assistant
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Mario Dewberry
Building Fund Project Director
Anthony Will
Senior Marketing & Communications Manager
Dwan Dandridge
CEO/Founder
Sharea Ayers
COO
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Larenz Studavent
Senior Loan Officer
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Jarod Pratt
Director of Communications
and Development
Tiana London-Harris
Community & Events Coordinator
Tiana London-Harris is an inspiring community advocate, business entrepreneur, and creative visionary with a strong foundation in finance and a project management certification from Spelman College. She currently serves as the Membership Growth and Events Coordinator at Black Leaders Detroit, where she leads with intention—designing events and strategies that foster connection, equity, and impact.
As the founder of Pretty Productive Lifestyle, Tiana empowers women through curated content, experiences, and storytelling rooted in intentional living and aligned productivity. Her apparel line was featured in the 2021 New York Fashion Week, and she was honored with the Business Women Empowerment Award in 2023.
With a growing passion for content creation and visual storytelling, Tiana uses her creativity to build meaningful spaces, inspire bold action, and uplift her community with heart and purpose.
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Jazmine Johnson
Executive Assistant
Jazmine Johnson is a Detroit native with experience in marketing, business development, healthcare administration, and the beauty industry. She earned her Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business in Marketing and Sales and is currently pursuing her MBA at Wayne State University with a concentration in Marketing. Jazmine is the Founder and CEO of Beau'Det Artistry, a beauty brand focused on empowering women through confidence and self-expression. She began her entrepreneurial journey while attending the University of Michigan through the OptiMize Fellow Program and Zelle Lurie Institute. Her professional background includes roles at Intuit Inc., Ryder Inc., Michigan Medicine, and Black Leaders Detroit, where she currently serves as Executive Assistant. Jazmine is passionate about community impact, entrepreneurship, and uplifting women through beauty and leadership.
Mario Dewberry
Building Fund Project Director
Coming Soon
Anthony Will
Senior Marketing & Communications Manager
Anthony (Tone) Will is a Creative Producer, Cultural Strategist, and marketing professional whose work sits at the intersection of storytelling, technology, music, and community impact. As Senior Marketing & Communications Manager at Black Leaders Detroit, he brings a multidisciplinary background in brand development, creative direction, live event production, and strategic communications to support equitable economic growth across Detroit.
A Detroit-area native with global experience across the United States and Asia, Tone has spent over a decade developing campaigns, events, and cultural initiatives across music, fashion, entertainment, nonprofit engagement, and emerging technology. His work includes collaborations with brands and organizations such as Warner Music Group, New Balance, and Atlantic Records, as well as experience producing international artist activations, cross-cultural campaigns, and live events. He also contributed to a Cannes Lions award-winning campaign for Adidas, reflecting his focus on culture-driven storytelling and audience engagement.
Tone holds a Bachelor of Science in Industrial and Labor Relations from Cornell University with a focus in Human Resource Management and Organizational Behavior. Through his work at BLD and beyond, he remains committed to building innovative pathways for collaboration, entrepreneurship, and community empowerment in Detroit and globally.
Dwan Dandridge
CEO/ Founder
Dwan Dandridge is the Co-Founder and CEO of Black Leaders Detroit (BLD). Born and raised in Detroit, his leadership journey is grounded in grassroots activism, successful entrepreneurship, and a significant tenure as a UAW union representative. Dwan is deeply committed to creating pathways to shared power and strongly appreciates unconventional skill sets as catalysts for impact.
He approaches disparities in access to capital through a multifaceted lens, developing and implementing equitable solutions that expand opportunities for entrepreneurs of African descent. Under his leadership, BLD has deployed over $7 million in funding to more than 900 businesses and organizations across Detroit, directly supporting local entrepreneurs and strengthening the city’s economic ecosystem.
Dwan has further strengthened his leadership through executive education at Harvard Kennedy School, where he completed programs in Executive Leadership and Nonprofit Management and Leadership. He was also appointed by Gretchen Whitmer to serve on the Commission Board of Community Action and Economic Opportunity, and co-chaired the Economic Development/Small Business and Workforce Development Committee for Mary Sheffield. These experiences have equipped him with advanced strategies and insights to drive meaningful, systemic change.In recognition of his leadership and community impact, Dwan is also a recipient of the NAACP’s Great Expectations Award. With a deep-rooted commitment to Detroit and a keen ability to recognize untapped potential, Dwan Dandridge continues to be a driving force in advancing equity, empowerment, and sustainable community development.
Sharea Ayers
COO
Community advocate, educator, counselor, entrepreneur, and student are just a few titles associated with Sharea Ayers. She is a product and former employee of Detroit Public Schools Community District. She attended Renaissance High School and went on to acquire a Bachelor of Science
degree from Bowling Green State University and a Master of Arts degree from Michigan State University.
Furthermore, she comes from a strong family of educators and community influencers that encouraged her spiritually, academically, and professionally. Given their support she has been blessed to do a plethora of things throughout the years. She has received 3 Spirit of Detroit Awards for community efforts, a Real McCoy Award for teaching in STEM, the IIMD African American Achievement Award, and more. She was also editor and chief of F.L.Y magazine; a magazine that celebrates female entrepreneurship and empowerment. She produced and co-wrote a play entitled Parenting on the Edge. She was also a recurring panelist for Councilman Roy McCallister’s District 2 Mental Health Task Force. Ayers is the creator of Blackout Trivia, the proprietor of Aster Consulting and Event Planning LLC, and the founder and director of Juneteenth Jubilee Detroit. Additionally, she has been honored to work with several community partners including the Charles H. Wright Museum, Metro Detroit Black Business
Alliance, Downtown Detroit Partnerships, The Livernois Business Association, and the well-versed members of the Juneteenth Jubilee Detroit Committee. Presently, Ayers is the Director of Events and Membership for Black Leaders Detroit; a funding vehicle for Black-led businesses and nonprofits that
operate in the city. She’s an alumnus of New Leaders Council and a current member of Leadership Detroit Class 44. Lastly, she sits on the board for Umoja Debate Team, Isaiah 58, and Grace Learning Village.
Larenz Studavent
Senior Loan Officer
Larenz Studavent is a son, brother, and husband raised in Detroit. A product of King High School and Tennessee State University, possessing over a decade of experience in sales and financial services. Known as "The Urban Monk," Mr. Studavent has cultivated a unique expertise in integrating the Spiritual Community with the Corporate World to significantly redefine the concept of "success" in contemporary American society.
Currently, he serves as the Senior Loan Officer at Black Leaders Detroit (BLD), where he has been instrumental in disbursing over $5,000,000 in loan volume and $200,000 in grant volume. He is also an upcoming graduate of Leadership Detroit.
BLD provides an ideal platform for Mr. Studavent to leverage his natural abilities as a networker and a convener of like-minded individuals, all working toward the shared objective of improving the trajectory for Black Indigenous People of Color (BIPOC).
Jarod Pratt
Director of Communications and Development
Jarod Pratt is a native Detroiter and graduate of Michigan State University. He joined Black Leaders Detroit (BLD) in its early stages, starting as a volunteer and contract team member in 2019 before transitioning to a full-time role in 2021. He currently serves as Vice President of
Communications and Development, where he leads grant strategy, fundraising, marketing, and communications.
Since joining BLD, Jarod has helped secure nearly $10 million in grant funding to advance the organization’s mission. He holds cybersecurity and nonprofit technology readiness certificates
from NTEN, as well as a certificate of completion in digital marketing from Grand Valley State University.
Jarod is also a published graphic novelist, having written The Lemonade Code, a middle grade graphic novel published by Oni Press. He is an alum of DC Comics’ Milestone Initiative, a talent development program created to expand opportunities for underrepresented comic book writers,
illustrators, and creatives. A father of two daughters, Jarod’s work is rooted in expanding access to capital for entrepreneurs of African descent, strengthening community-centered storytelling, and driving equitable
economic growth in Detroit and beyond.
Danielle North
Founder | Dream Studio Detroit
Founding Executive Director | Bottom Line Detroit
North is a wife, mother of three, long-distance runner, children’s book author and founder. North is a first-generation college graduate and holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Sociology from Central Michigan University, and a Masters of Science in Management from Walsh College. North is a cradle to career education and strategic consultant and specializes in driving ideas from paper to process to implementation.
As a visionary and strategist, North has successfully founded several initiatives: Kidz Kingdom, Detroit’s first indoor playground, which is also a licensed childcare center; Detroit Women’s Leadership Network, which has grown to over 14,000 members on its Facebook platform; Biz Kidz – to enhance her commitment to mentoring future entrepreneurs, Degree Forward to contribute to closing the college completion gap, and Dream Studio Detroit to culminate all of her initiatives under one umbrella.
North currently serves as the Founding Executive Director of Bottom Line Detroit. A national nonprofit spanning across sites in Boston, New York, Chicago, and Dayton. Bottom Line partners with degree-aspiring students from first generation and low-income backgrounds as they get into college, graduate, and go far in life. Bottom Line Detroit serves over 200 students across 10 local high schools for up to 7 years which sets them on a path to economic sustainability after college.
North has received many awards and honors for her advocacy and commitment to children, women, diversity, equity, and inclusion. She is a 2012 alumni of the prestigious German Marshall Memorial Fellowship; a 2018 Race Relations & Diversity Task Force Diversity Champion; a 2019, Detroit Free Press, Shining Light Mayor Dave Bing Future Leader Awardee and in 2021, North was awarded the honor and distinction of Crain’s 40 under 40. North is a member of the Board of Directors of Black Leaders Detroit, a Kresge Thrive Leader Fellow Alumnus, founding board member of MBBA and former Vice President of the board.
Leona Medley
Executive Director
Leona Medley’s work is rooted in a lifelong commitment to community, shaped by her upbringing on both Detroit’s west and east sides in a family grounded in service, education, faith, and public leadership. From an early age - serving as class president at Finney High School, she developed a deep sense of responsibility to people and place that continues to guide her work today.
As Executive Director of the Joe Louis Greenway Partnership, Leona brings together public agencies, nonprofits, philanthropy, and neighborhood voices to advance a transformative public space that connects communities across Detroit. Her leadership is collaborative and people-centered, focused on building trust and aligning partners around shared goals and long-term impact.
Leona is a leading voice in advancing resident-centered neighborhood development throughout Southeast Michigan. She is a fierce advocate for equitable access to public space and a committed champion for the region and its communities—blazing trails along the Greenway while shaping a bold, resident-centered vision for inclusive public spaces across the region
Previously, Leona held senior leadership roles with the Rock Family of Companies and spent more than 17 years in leadership with The Home Depot, where she led community development and economic mobility initiatives across Southeast Michigan. Over the years, she has served on boards and advisory groups including Habitat for Humanity Detroit, StreetWise Partners of Michigan, Neighborhood Legal Services of Michigan, and Detroit Means Business. Her work has been recognized by organizations such as Crain’s Detroit Business, the Michigan Chronicle, and Who’s Who in Black - acknowledgments that reflect not only her accomplishments, but her ability to work across sectors to create meaningful change.
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Nando Felten
COO of Building Successful Bridges
Nando Felten has dedicated his life to transforming education into a tool for liberation. He is the co-founder and COO of Building Successful Bridges, a nonprofit that helps Detroit youth develop the career skills, networks, and self-knowledge they need to move beyond the general narrative of what’s possible for them. He previously served as Community Manager for Google’s Code Next Detroit, where he built partnerships with local tech companies, nonprofits, and schools to break down systemic barriers in STEAM education. Nando played a key role in developing the LEAPS program at U-M’s Marsal School of Education. An undergraduate degree built around problem-based learning and deep community engagement in Detroit. He sits on the Board of Directors for the Umoja Debate League, YouthTank Detroit, and the Skillman Foundation, and serves as a one of the founding board members of ToolBank Detroit. He is an alumnus of the Obama Change Collective and the New Leaders Council Detroit Fellowship, and holds a bachelor’s in education policy and a master’s in educational design and technology from the University of Michigan. He is currently a doctoral student at the Marsal Family School of Education, where his research centers on the experiences of Black youth in under-resourced urban schools. Detroit adopted Nando, and he has spent every year since paying that forward.
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Danielle North
Founder | Executive Director
Dream Studios Detroit |
Coming Soon
Orlando P. Bailey
Award-Winning Journalist
Orlando P. Bailey is an Emmy Award-winning journalist, community engagement strategist, and storyteller from Detroit, Michigan. A lifelong Detroiter, he is known for his work amplifying the voices and experiences of Black communities and neighborhoods through journalism, public dialogue, and community development initiatives. Bailey currently serves as Executive Director of Outlier Media and previously worked as the Engagement Director for BridgeDetroit. He is also the co-host of the podcast Authentically Detroit and host of Urban Consulate.
Throughout his career, Bailey has focused on shifting the narrative surrounding Black cities and advocating for residents as experts of their own lived experiences. He previously served as Chief Development Officer for Eastside Community Network and has appeared on platforms including SXSW, The Aspen Institute, and Detroit Public TV. He earned his bachelor’s degree in broadcast journalism from Eastern Michigan University and has received honors including the Martin Luther King Humanitarian Award and recognition as a BMe Vanguard Fellow.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
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Shannon Gaston
Divisional Learning Manager | MidwestYoung Life
(Board Chair)
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Quan Neloms
Founder
I Am In Demand
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Duan’te Anderson
Area Manager
Ford Motor Company
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Dominique Campbell
Founder
Rise Up Higher
FUNDING BOARD
April Anderson
Owner
Good Cakes and Bakes
(Board Chair)
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Verne Perigord
Partner
PWC Consulting
Shalece Daniels
Entrepreneur
Certified Mindset & Business Coach
Kathy Morgan
President
Flagstar Foundation
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Jason Allen
Regional Claim Manager
The Auto Club Group
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Kamilia Landrum
Executive Director
Detroit Branch NAACP
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Jason Barnett
Senior Vice President
Invest Detroit
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LaTrice McClendon
Detroit Director
Knight Foundation
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Sarida Scott
Vice President, Program
The Skillman Foundation
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Leon Petty
Owner
Go Green
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Tosha Tabron
Investment Officer
The Kresge Foundation
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Aprila Ringo
Education Assistant
Central Detroit Christian
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Sean Williams
CEO
Detroit Vs. Everybody
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Terri Weems
President
Detroit Employment Solutions
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Kishon Harbert
Broker, President + CEO
Evolve Global
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Richard Hosey
Owner
Hosey Development LLC
ALLY COUNCIL
Though the group that we are looking to provide financial support for is very specific, the supporters of the work come from varied backgrounds. We are glad to have committed allies that are invested in the work that we are doing. We have asked some of them to serve on an ally council. This council will serve as a vital piece when it comes to BLD creating access to capital for Entrepreneurs of African descent.
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Chris Lambert
Founder/CEO
Next Level Nonprofit
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Marcus Lyon
British Artist and Social Entrepreneur
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Steve Cato
Owner
Integrity Partners, LLC
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Kate Levin Markel
President
McGregor Fund
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Doug Stewart
Executive Director
Max M. & Marjorie S. Fisher Foundation
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Cindy Eggleton
Co-Founder and CEO at Brilliant Cities
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Jim Tenzillo
Venture Capitalist
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Jack Elsey Jr.
Partner & CEO
Detroit Children's Fund
Want to Join Our
Team?
Email:
bld@blackleadersdetroit.org
Have a question? We're here to help.
Phone:
313.550.4343
8425 W. McNichols Rd, Detroit, MI 48221
Get in Touch
Have a question? We're here to help.
Phone:
313.550.4343