Julius Caranda is an adjunct professor at BMCC. He has worked in banking, public policy, and cyber security. Prior to Uplift Communities Julius gave his time back by speaking to students and mentoring.

John Jay College, M.P.A.

John Jay College, B.A.

Achumboro Ataande is a 4x entrepreneur and investor. He is a licensed lawyer, angel investor, and owns a marketing and branding company based in NYC. Prior to Uplift Communities, Achumboro volunteered his time in advising 70 business owners bimonthly and speaking to various groups of teenagers.

J.D. from Vanderbilt Law School

B.A. from the University at Albany

Jeff Lindor served on the Board of the NYC Tech Alliance, Kingsborough Community College, the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce, and the Fund for Public Housing. He is also an angel investor supporting black-owned startups.

Jeff Lindor is the Founder and CEO of the Gentlemen’s Factory Inc., a dynamic membership community offering physical locations that house co-working spaces, Think Tanks, Barber & grooming stations, and incubators dedicated to empowering men of color. With a strong presence across multiple sites in NYC and a diverse membership base, The Gentlemen's Factory serves as a central hub for Black and Brown men, facilitating connections to career opportunities, investors, and a forward-thinking community.

Master's in Urban Policy Analysis & Management from The New School.

Bachelor’s from The City University of New York

BeNgum is a final year candidate for a BBA in Data Analytics and Digital Marketing from Baruch College, Zicklin School of Business. Maintaining her honors as a Deans Scholar for all four years of her undergraduate education, BeNgum has excelled in her pursuit of marketing, research, and e-commerce analytics. Through her coursework and internships with Ataande & Advisors and other private sector firms, she is confident that she can provide a well-rounded perspective to students from her community who aspire to join her in the realm of business. She looks forward to joining the Uplift Communities team as a mentor and facilitator.

2021 BBA Candidate from Baruch College, Zicklin School of Business

Graphic designer, entrepreneur & teacher with more than 10+ years of professional experience in printed and digital media. Fluent in Spanish, Carolina was born and raised in Medellin, Colombia.

BA Graphic Designer - Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana

Advertising Graphic Designer - Institución Universitaria Bellas Artes

Branding Management - EAFIT

Web Design - Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana

Umaru Barrie is in the 5th year of his MD PhD program at the University of Texas. He has been invited to speak at countless events and was co-president of the medical students association. Umaru has published a dozen medical journal articles.

Umaru has helped dozens of black and brown students gain admittance to medical school and secure scholarships.

Texas University Medical School

B.S. from the University at Albany

Andres is working on his Associate in Science (A.S.) for theatre and Music. He is a trained mentor at BMCC. Andres loves helping, guiding and informing people. He is a native level spanish speaker.

BMCC candidate 2022.

Annette Kabia is a Business and Trademark Attorney. Her mission is to help creatives establish businesses and protect their brands so they can create generational wealth! Annette is an entrepreneur, she has her own law firm, Kabia Law.

J.D. from North Carolina Central University School of Law

Amel is an actress, producer, entrepreneur, and executive director of a nonprofit. One of the newest shows she has worked on is on HBOMax.

B.A. Montclair University

Catriona brings London to NY. She is studying finance and economics at Columbia University. Catriona has years of experience teaching young children.

Candidate for B.S. at Columbia University

Justin has worked in the U.S. and Costa Rica. He brings international experience in educating across cultures and at all age ranges. Justin is fluent in Spanish.

Justin has a nontraditional education background. He brings a wealth of cross cultural experience to experience in the our team.

Jasmine is the owner of a private practice called Therapy For The Culture. She is a licensed professional counselor based in NJ. Jasmine is a National Board Certified Counselor (NCC), Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC), and Approved Clinical Supervisor (ACS).

Jasmine brings expertise in the field of life skills, college and career development and overcoming mental and emotional hurdles. Jasmine is currently writing her dissertation for her PhD.

Montclair State University, Ph.D Doctoral Candidate, Counseling

B.S. from Montclair State University

Ritha Pierre is a zealous social activist, attorney, entrepreneur, radio personality, producer,and CEO of Black Ivy Media. Native to Brooklyn, NY, she always had an incredible passion for serving the community and empowering the masses. Ritha is an alumna of St. John’s

University and holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Government & Politics with a minor in Africana Studies. Her passion for representing the community and advocating for justice and human rights inspired her to pursue a Juris Doctor Degree from Fordham University School of Law. Following this, Ritha went on to obtain a Master’s Degree in Bioethics from Columbia University and is an avid seeker of knowledge who is always on the lookout for an opportunity to achieve furtherance in life.

B.A. St. John’s University

J.D. from Fordham University School of Law.

PK Kersey is a professionalism expert. He focuses on teaching people how to dress for success and define their personal style.

He published various books on entrepreneurship and life skills: “Suited for Success” contains inspiring stories on entrepreneurship; “Still I Thrive” talks about evolving in unexpected crisis; and “That Suits You, Kid!” a heartwarming story about how feeling confident can help children rise to any occasion.

Aaliyah Duah is a financial freedom activist. Growing up in Brooklyn, NY, Founder of Financial Revolutionn, she has seen many people, including herself make poor financial decisions because of the lack of knowledge. Instead of depending on others to break this generational curse, she wanted to provide a way for people in the black community to be exposed to financial literacy and the concept of generational wealth. She focuses on teaching people how to develop their financial independence.

As time progresses, Aaliyah plans on releasing creative & fun ways for Black people of all ages to become financially literate through music, films, courses, books, podcasts & many more.

Ijangmarie Abam-DePass is a business economics graduate, with honors, from the University of Exeter Business. Ijangmarie, brings a unique experience of studying in the United Kingdom.

Miyoshi Days is an entrepreneur with fashion industry experience. She is a menstrual advocate, activist, thought leader, and founder of Hate the Dot, a pre-launch tech startup that empowers women, girls, and menstruators to prioritize their health and self-care through education + community.

Andrea Augustus is a Spoken Word Artist and Social Entrepreneur from New York. She is an educator who uses art to empower individuals and teams to slay their challenges. She is dedicated to have a positive impact on individuals in business and schools. As a result of hearing Andrea speak or attending one of her creative workshops, people feel inspired and ready to take actionable steps towards their goals.

Hayford Kesse is a graduate of Baruch College. He is a 23-year-old, Ghanaian-American, UX designer, photographer, and illustrator from Brooklyn, New York. He spent his toddler to school-aged years with my Grandmother in Ghana, where he discovered his innate artistic abilities, love for storytelling, and passion for adventure and creativity.

Client Relations Manager

Procurement Manager

Dr Kenechukwu Ikebuaku is an award-winning researcher, educator, and entrepreneur with over 12 years of experience in teaching, mentoring, business, and youth development. His expertise spans across talent development, youth entrepreneurship, business development and partnerships. Kenechukwu serves as an editorial board member of the Journal of Entrepreneurship in Emerging Economies. He also sits on the selection board of the prestigious Mandela Rhodes Scholarship.