Amina a. yamusah

Amina has more than ten years of experience in social entrepreneurship, coding and artificial intelligence, program development, and career coaching in diverse communities. She is the founder of OurBloc, a career coaching company that uses artificial intelligence to build programs and products that address workplace barriers in the new economy. 

She has been recognized as a Forbes 30 under 30 Social Entrepreneurship Listee, an Echoing Green Social Entrepreneurship Fellow, and a Camelback Ventures Fellow. She received her Bachelor of Science from Princeton University where she worked in Business Development at the Center for Equality and Cultural Understanding. 

She combines her background in entrepreneurship, specifically social entrepreneurship and enterprise, with her wealth of experience connecting collegians to employment opportunities to perfectly lead Make A Play’s Entrepreneurship Committee. 

She currently resides in New York City, New York and is a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated. Connect with Amina on LinkedIn here! 

Andre retired from the National Football league (NFL) in 2019 following a standout career with the Houston Texans. During his time in the Bayou City, he started 40 games, recorded 189 tackles, and led the team to the playoffs in 2016 and 2017. He is currently pursuing his MBA at the University of Houston and splits his time as a realtor with United Real Estate. 

Before joining the Texans, Andre attended Vanderbilt University, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Human Organizational Development and earned Second-team All-SEC honors during his senior season. 

Andre’s success as a player and now as a professional gives him unparalleled insight into the player experience and the needs of MAP’s student-athletes. His unique insight—coupled with his passion for empowering younger students and student-athletes—allows him to lead Make A Play’s Player Engagement Committee successfully. 

He currently lives in Houston, Texas. Connect with Andre on LinkedIn here! 

Brandon has more than five years of experience in NCAA compliance and rules education. He received his Juris Doctor from Mercer Law School where he worked in the Compliance Office on NCAA Eligibility and recruiting bylaws. He currently serves as the Assistant Director of Compliance at the University of Maryland-College Park and also has experience working for the NCAA in the Enforcement Investigations Group and the ASUN Athletic Conference in the Compliance Office.

He holds a Bachelor of Arts from Morehouse College where he was a four-year letterman and the captain of the football team during his senior season. While there, Brandon was named Student-Athlete of the Year and was an active member of Morehouse's Business Association. 

He combines his wealth of knowledge and experience in the law and compliance with his experience as a former athlete to lead Make A Play’s Compliance team. 

Brandon currently resides in Washington, D.C. Connect with Brandon on LinkedIn here! 

Briana has a wealth of experience in college athletics and life and career coaching. She currently serves as an Assistant Volleyball Coach at St. Francis College and previously worked as a Care Manager for Circle of Care for Families and Children of Passaic County and a Human Resources Analyst at the Children's Place. 

Briana graduated from St. John's University with a Bachelor of Arts in Sports Management. While there, she starred on the varsity volleyball team, where she earned four varsity letters and was named to the Big East All-Academic team three years in a row. After graduating from St. John's, she was selected as one of only 230 athletes to participate in the U.S. Women's Volleyball National Team Tryouts. She then went on to receive her Master's Degree in Field of Study Organizational Leadership with a concentration in Life and Career Coaching from Rider University. 

She blends her experience as a stand-out athlete and career coaching professional to co-lead Make A Play's Strategic Partnerships Committee. 

She currently resides in Passiac, New Jersey. Connect with Briana on LinkedIn here!

Bryce has multiple years of experience in coaching and college athletics. Currently, he serves as the Quality Control Coach for Vanderbilt's football team, where he specializes in defensive strategies and statistical analysis. Before joining the staff as a full-time coach, he assisted the coaches of Vanderbilt's secondary unit as a graduate assistant. 

Bryce graduated from Vanderbilt University with a Bachelor of Arts in Special Education, where he earned three varsity letters as a defensive back on the football team and served as parliamentarian of the Kappa Theta Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Incorporated. After graduating, he earned his Master's in Learning, Diversity, and Urban Studies from Vanderbilt's Peabody College. 

He combines his experience in education and college athletics with his background as a former college athlete to co-lead Make A Play's Programs Committee successfully. 

Lewis currently resides in Atlanta, Georgia with his wife, Kryslynn, and their son. Connect with Bryce on LinkedIn here!

Cherise has over five years of experience working in brand strategy, finance, and consulting. She currently serves as a Business Solutions Consultant at LinkedIn where she works to address opportunity and network gaps by creating economic opportunities for underrepresented members of the global workforce. Before joining LinkedIn, Cherise worked in Investment Banking, Public Finance, and Sales and Trading, and interned for the likes of Wells Fargo, Fifth Third Bank, and Google. 

Cherise received her Bachelor of Arts from Hampton University where she graduated with honors and served as a Presidential Scholar. There, she also founded a full-service brand marketing firm, “Resourceful Reese,” which specializes in career development and business strategy. The vision of the firm is simple—"to take people and brands from where they are to where they desire to be." 

She combines her experience in branding and passion for connecting talented students with great  opportunities to effectively lead Make A Play’s Resource & Development Committee. 

She currently resides in Chicago, Illinois. Connect with Cherise on LinkedIn here! 

Chigbo retired from the National Football League (NFL) in 2016 following a successful four-year career with the Indianapolis Colts, Washington Redskins, Minnesota Vikings, and Tennessee Titans. Currently, he works as an athlete manager for the National Basketball Association (NBA) where he represents 2019 NBA champion, OG Anunoby, and a growing list of other clients. 

Prior to joining the NFL, Chigbo attended Lincoln University in Missouri where he earned a Bachelor of Science in Biology. He later transferred to Morehouse College, where he earned Southern Intercollegiate Athletic (SIAC) and HBCU All American honors. 

Chigbo draws from his experience as a former college athlete, professional football player, and current talent manager to provide valuable insights into the player experience and the skills required to make plays on and and off the field. His experiences to date have also exposed him to the workings of professional teams and the business of professional sports—from contract negotiations to day-to-day responsibilities—and enable him to specially lead Make A Play's Programs & Digital Content Committee. 

He divides his time between Atlanta, Georgia, London, U.K. and Toronto, Canada, and is a member of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity Incorporated. Connect with Chigbo on LinkedIn here! 

Chris has a unique background as a former collegiate athlete at the highest level that has successfully transitioned to a career as a top medical and sales representative off the field. Currently, he works as a National Account Manager for Ferring Pharmaceuticals where he builds relationships with key accounts. Since joining, he has helped his region increase sales and profitability by over 30% and has received recognition for his efforts in multiple publications. He has also worked for top companies across the healthcare industry including global communications company Sudler & Hennessey, QuintilesIMS, and Smith & Nephew.

Before working in sales and marketing, Chris played Division 1 football at both Temple University and the University of Cincinnati and graduated from the latter with a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration and Organizational Leadership. He also minored in marketing and was a member of the Fox School of Business and Management's Marketing Club.

Chris combines his experience as a former athlete with his background in marketing and sales to uniquely lead Make A Play’s Marketing Committee.

He currently resides in Cincinnati, Ohio. Connect with Chris on LinkedIn here! 

Chris is an experienced finance professional with over four years of experience in Sales and Trading and Financial Services. Chris currently works as an Associate at Bank of America, where he manages long-term relationships with more than 3,000 large U.S. and multinational corporations. Before rising the ranks as an Associate, Chris served as a Sales and Trading Analyst for two years at Bank of America.

Chris graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from Harvard University, where he starred on the football team for four years as an All-Ivy League Cornerback. At Harvard, Chris also served as a member of Harvard's Investment Association and Marketing & Business Strategy Club, and also mentored younger teammates on the importance of academic excellence. 

He combines his experience in various sectors of the finance industry with his background as a former student-athlete at a top university to uniquely lead Make A Play's Strategic Partnerships Committee. 

Chris currently resides in New York City. Connect with Chris on LinkedIn here! 

Chris is a seasoned Diversity and Inclusion professional with over five years of experience in building robust talent pipelines and coordinating recruitment efforts for various stakeholders. Chris currently works as a Recruiting Manager for Coney Island Prep, a Brooklyn-based K-12 preparatory school. Before joining Coney Island Prep, Chris worked as an Associate of Campus Recruiting at Jopwell, Program Manager at Georgetown University's School of Medicine, and an Analyst of Investor Services at J.P. Morgan. 

Chris graduated from Morehouse College with a Bachelor of Arts in Economics. While there, he served as a Presidential Ambassador and Program Director of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Incorporated's 'Go to High School Go to College' Mentorship Initiative. 

He draws from his varying professional experiences within the private sector, the public school system, and college recruitment to successfully lead Make A Play's Student Support Committee. 

Chris currently resides in New York City and is a proud member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Incorporated. Connect with Chris on LinkedIn here!

DeShaun has a diverse background in information technology, education, consulting and entertainment. Currently, he works as a Data Scientist for IBM where he converts complex business problems into analytics to determine appropriate solutions methods. Before joining the Data Science group, he consulted with IBM for multiple years where he worked proactively with clients to refine the company's business strategy. He has also consulted for the likes of UPS, Chick Fil-A, the United Negro College Fund, and the Boys & Girls Club of America where he focused on Programs, Trainings, and Youth Development Services (PTYDS). He recently founded Sovereign Sounds, a full service entertainment agency, that specializes in production, distribution, marketing, digital content, business development, and brand development. He is responsible for managing all executive and administrative functions of the company. 

DeShaun earned his Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from Morehouse College with a Mathematics minor and graduated as a Gates Millenium Scholar. There, he curated programs  for multiple organizations, including the Student Government Association, Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Incorporated, Boys & Girls Clubs of America, and Men of Valor & Excellence. He later received both his Master's in Education Policy and Master's in Public Administration from the University of Pennsylvania. 

Deshaun merges his broad range of educational, programmatic, and corporate experiences in both the non-profit and for-profit sectors to co-lead Make A Play’s Programs & Digital Content Committee.

He currently resides in Atlanta, Georgia and is a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Incorporated. Connect with DeShaun on LinkedIn here! 

Isis has a blend of experience in sports, media relations, event planning and corporate law.  She currently serves as Counsel, Business and Legal Affairs for the LA Clippers. Prior to joining the Clippers, Isis practiced at Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP in New York City, where she focused primarily on mergers and acquisitions, corporate finance, and intellectual property transactions. She received her Juris Doctor from Harvard Law School in 2017. 

In law school, Isis interned in the legal departments of the Minnesota Vikings and the Nashville Predators. She holds a Bachelor of Arts from Vanderbilt University where she worked in the school's Football Department under then Head Coach James Franklin. While at Vanderbilt, Isis completed public and media relations internships with Under Armour and the Tennessee Titans.

She combines her experience as an in-house sports attorney with her background in media, public relations and event planning to uniquely lead Make A Play’s Media Relations Committee.   

She currently resides in Los Angeles, California and is a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated. Connect with Isis on LinkedIn here! 

Josh has a wide range of experience in sales, finance, and compliance analytics. Currently, he serves as a Financial Analyst for Wells Fargo where he is responsible for reporting on financial performances, performing DCF and Debt Reduction Payback Analyses, and performing Cash Adequacy Testing. Before joining the bank, Josh worked as a Sales and Leasing Consultant at Lexus and was responsible for helping the budding media company, the AUCcam, increase its productivity by developing and implementing new internal operational codes. 

He graduated cum laude from Morehouse College where he earned his Bachelor of Arts in Accounting and played football for four years. Soon thereafter, he worked in the financial sector for Aldi UK and the global payment processing company, Worldplay, where he acquired valuable managerial experience, in addition to experience guiding cost analysis processes and vaulation comps. 

Josh combines his experience as an analyst with his proficiency with Access, SQL, Business Objects, and Zelle, to effectively lead Make A Play’s Finance Committee. 

He currently resides in Atlanta, Georgia and is a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Incorporated. 

Connect with Josh on LinkedIn here! 

After establishing himself as a Software Engineer at a Fortune 100 Company, Jordan recently made a career change and now serves as a Creative Executive with Gidden Media in Los Angeles, California. Before settling in at Gidden, Jordan worked in production on television and movie sets such as Homecoming, Hustlers, High Fidelity and Genius: The Aretha Franklin Story. 

Jordan graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Business Marketing from Morehouse College, where he served as the Co-Chair of Morehouse's Marketing Association. 

In Jordan's previous philanthropic endeavors, he served on the Executive Committee of the Boston-based organization, 'Minds Matter,' where he helped high achieving, low-income minority students successfully navigate the high school and college admission process. He combines his experience in event production and marketing to co-lead Make A Play's Special Events Committee. 

Jordan currently resides in Los Angeles, California, and is a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Incorporated. Connect with Jordan on LinkedIn here!

Jonathon is an experienced accountant with over eight years of experience in compliance-based transaction services. He currently serves as the Senior Manager of Transaction Services at Aprio, Aprio is a premier full-service, CPA-led business advisory firm based in Atlanta, Georgia. Before joining Aprio, Jonathon worked as a Manager of Transaction Services at Frazier & Deeter, LLC, a Senior Consultant at FTI Consulting, and a Staff Auditor at Ernst and Young. 

Jonathon earned a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration with an Accounting concentration fom Morehouse College, and a Master's Degree in Accounting from Wake Forest University. While at Morehouse, Jonathon served as the President of the Alpha Rho chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Incorporated. 

Jonathon lends his experience in regulatory and compliance-based accounting to lead Make A Play's Finance Committee. 

He currently resides in Atlanta, Georgia. Connect with Jonathon on LinkedIn here!

Lawrence has a blend of experience in music and entertainment and social media marketing. He currently works as a Contract Consultant for Global Music Rights and previously worked at National Geographic and SiteCore where he drafted agreements for writers, producers, and talent; and negotiated software licensing agreements. Additionally, he manages two social media pages that he has scaled to attract more than 60,000 followers.  

Lawrence received his Bachelor of Science in Psychology from the University of Alabama, where he earned four varsity letters as a member of the Crimson Tide’s 2015 National Championship team. Soon thereafter, he received his law degree and Masters of Law (JD/LL.M.) in Business Transactions from the University of Alabama School of Law. He has been recognized for his strides on and off the field in Bleacher Report, 24/7 Sports and ESPN. 

Lawrence’s personal experience as a student-athlete and champion, coupled with his professional experience in transactional and point of sale marketing, uniquely qualify him to co-lead Make A Play’s Marketing Committee. 

He currently resides in Los Angeles, California. Connect with Lawrence on LinkedIn here! 

Malcolm has over 5 years of experience in television/film and live event production. He launched his career in event production by producing panel discussion events to help aspiring musicians and soon-to-be music executives learn about the entertainment business directly from grammy-award winning producers, world renowned entertainment lawyers and business savvy executives. 

Malcolm has since worked on the production teams for some of the biggest events in the world, including the Super Bowl Half Time Show in Atlanta GA, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame at the Barclays Center, and events at the Kennedy Center and the White House. He has also worked behind the scenes in television and film where he has won an Emmy Award for his work on Jenna Bush’s NBC show “Give.” He currently works on the production team for the National Geographic anthology series “Genius” which follows the life of the late Aretha Franklin. 

Farrar combines his broad experience in production and event planning with his built-in relationships in the media and entertainment industry to lead Make A Play’s Special Events Committee. 

He currently resides in. Atlanta, Georgia. Connect with Malcolm on LinkedIn here! 

Nick is a marketing and media expert that leads strategy & content development for comprehensive marketing & digital communications campaigns. Currently, he serves as the Director of Brand Social Media for IceBox Diamonds & Watches, the largest jeweler in Atlanta, Georgia, and guides the company's marketing and branding efforts. Before joining IceBox, Nick worked as an Account Executive for years, where he developed media, social, advertising and sales strategies for companies ranging from boutique technology organizations to Fortune 100 companies. 

Nick received his Bachelor of Arts in Marketing from Morehouse College, where he graduated cum laude as an Executive member of Morheouse's Marketing Association. Nick also has professional licesnes in HubSpot Content Marketing, HubSpot Inbound Marketing, Google Ads, and Google Ads - Display & Video 360.

His unique background allows him to leverage his experience in sales, marketing and public relations against his passion for athletics and community service to help MAP achieve its mission and lead its Marketing Committee. 

A native of. Detroit, Michigan, Nick currently resides in Atlanta, Georgia, and is a. member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Incorporated. Connect with Nick on LinkedIn here! 

Shea has more than 5 years of experience in finance, accounting and software engineering. He currently serves as a Client Relationship Manager for Weeks Design Studio in Atlanta, Georgia, and works with clients to create sales plans that generate revenue. Before joining the firm, Shea worked for years as a Financial Analyst for Northwestern Mutual and National Agents Alliance. 

He graduated with his undergraduate degree in Finance from Morehouse College, where he was a 4-year starter on the football team and team captain during his senior season. During this time, he was named to the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic (SIAC) All-Conference team, and was also a member of Morehouse’s prestigious Finance Club. 

Through his work as a Client Relationship Manager, Shea has developed innovative strategies to help scale growing businesses and help them achieve their revenue goals. This, coupled with his experience as a former student-athlete, allows him to competently lead Make A Play’s Finance Committee. 

He currently lives in Atlanta, Georgia. Connect with Shea on LinkedIn here! 

Will has a wealth of experience in Project Management, Operations, Finance, and Industrial and Systems Engineering. He currently works as an Associate for Goldman Sachs where he prepares short-range and long-range profitability analyses for the digital finance department, explains trends and results, and facilitates partnerships, strategic discussions, and external communications with different stakeholders. He previously worked at ERIKS North America and Bank of America where he led teams to develop, evaluate, and revise project processes.

Will graduated from Morehouse College and North Carolina A&T where he graduated with a Dual Degree (BSS) in Engineering Physics and Applied Physics, and Industrial and Systems Engineering. At Morehouse, Will was a member of the football team and also served as a Mentor for the US Coast Guard Command Program. 

Will blends his background in project management and operational leadership with his experience as a a former student-athlete to co-lead Make A Play's Fundraising team successfully. 

He currently lives in Dallas, TX and is a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Incorporated. Connect with Will on LinkedIn here!