Gloria Nauden
Gloria is a dynamic executive and creative growth strategist renowned for her marketing impact on local and national brands across diverse industries, including media, arts and entertainment; as well as community development banking and finance. Gloria has made significant contributions in both corporate enterprises and community initiatives spanning thirty years of service. Her extensive experience encompasses a distinguished career in the public, private, and philanthropic realms where she honed a double-bottom line approach to business. Most recently, Gloria founded a groundbreaking economic justice nonprofit, the DC Community Development Consortium. The organization's mission focuses on closing the 81x racial wealth gap in Washington, DC, by providing crucial support to credit-invisible Black entrepreneurs and small businesses through innovative economic equity strategies. Gloria has a track record of working with donors, businesses, and local government to manage effective community investments and create tangible, lasting change in the region.
Gloria's dedication to arts and economic development is evident through her executive leadership, board appointments and senior advisory roles in various professional and community-based organizations, including Viva Dance School, Words Beats & Life, Women of Color in Community Development, Anacostia Youth Media & Film Festival, Capitalbop.com, Ward8 Community Economic Development Plan, and 100 Black Women of DC (National Council of Black Women).
Professional Background
Gloria's impressive career history includes a pivotal role at City First Bank, the largest Black-led bank in the nation. As the Vice President of Marketing and Corporate Communications, she spearheaded brand development and growth initiatives, resulting in unprecedented visibility as the foremost Black-founded and led MDI (minority depository institution) in history. Under her leadership, City First Bank became a premier Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) and earned the distinction of being a rare Certified B Corp. At Broadway Financial Corp, the 75-year-old publicly-traded holding company (NASDAQ: BYFC) with over $1B in assets, Gloria expertly managed brand strategies and orchestrated new market expansion research efforts in the Washington, DC, and Los Angeles, CA regions. Her responsibilities extended to overseeing public, private, and philanthropic relations, making her a key figure in stakeholder engagement and educational outreach as an officer and Vice President of City First Foundation.
In 2008, Gloria held a significant role in the administration of District of Columbia Government, Mayor Adrian Fenty, as the youngest Commissioner cum Executive Director of the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities. As the head of this grant-making Economic Development agency, she skillfully managed an annual deployment of $14MM in funding and resources. Gloria's visionary leadership led to the launch of city-wide creative commerce brand activations that continue to flourish today, including Art202 (now 202Creates), Art All Night, and Digital Media Academy—a pioneering creative economy career pathways program for youth. Additionally, she played a pivotal role in establishing the first marketing & social media division within the DC Government.Under her guidance, the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities earned national recognition in the 2011 Fitch Report for achieving the highest digital citizen engagement among all state arts agencies in the nation.
During the golden era of Black Entertainment Television (BET Holdings), Gloria held various impactful roles, showcasing her versatility and expertise in creative, marketing, corporate affairs, and new business ventures. As a key contributor, she played a pivotal role in launching BET Soundstage and BET.com, revolutionizing the entertainment industry. Her responsibilities extended to managing sponsor and artist relations for the Rap City HBCU Campus Tour, solidifying her reputation as a skilled relationship-builder and strategist.
Subsequently, Gloria embarked on her entrepreneurial journey, establishing her own successful creative agency, Radar Marketing Group. Working with esteemed clients such as Radio One, Dream/Love, The Park at 14th, Red Bull, and MHUSA, she demonstrated an unwavering commitment to driving results and delivering excellence.
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Recognition and Awards
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Fitch Award, Telly Award, National Council of Black Women Economic Equity Champion Award, Center for Nonprofit Advancement I am the Change Women’s History Month Award, NAACP Local Image Awards, DC Lit Award, Words Beats Life Community Champion., 2021 PR Daily “Storytelling” Honorable Mention, 2022 Afro Newspaper Women in the Movement Award, 2022 Women of Color in Community Development Sustaining Member keynote speaker.
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Personal Commitment
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Gloria is committed to help strengthen communities through strategic alliances that fund the arts, youth development, and Black entrepreneurship. Gloria volunteers on numerous commissions, professional and community boards to achieve her personal mission. Gloria also served as an elected official in Washington, DC as Commissioner of ANC 6A-02, a vibrant residential and commercial district on the Capitol Hill side of H Street , where she resides with her young daughters.
Throughout her career, Gloria's innovative mindset and ability to navigate diverse industries have made her a formidable force in the executive landscape. Her exemplary track record and passion for creating lasting impact continue to shape her trajectory as a dynamic leader in the field.
Tendani Mpulubusi
Tendani was born in the District of Columbia and is an innovative and influential artist, entrepreneur and civic leader. His work has been featured in National Publications such as JET Magazine, and numerous local publications and broadcasts such as the Washington Post, EastoftheRiver Magazine, Fox 5 and NBC 4 news. His many leadership roles in the southeast community include grassroots advocate, Ward 8 Arts Commissioner of the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities, youth mentor, professional artist, filmmaker, painter, historical researcher, ordained minister, musician.
Today, Tendani not only operates Ward8Arts Collaborative and Crea8tiveCapacity, he owns a restaurant and special event venue Pop Social in downtown Washington, DC featuring live music and a full culinary experience. As well, he plays an important role as a founding board member, leading community outreach initiatives at DC Community Development Consortium (DCCDC) alongside Harvey Yancey and Gloria Nauden. In this role, Tendani is focused on providing equitable distribution of capital and resources to Ward 8 residents and entrepreneurs. Of note, his late grandfather Lloyd Smith, founder of Marshall Heights CDC and pioneer of the Community Development Finance industry as founding Chairman of the nation’s first CDFI, City First Bank, which is now the largest Black-led Minority Depository Institution bank in the nation with over $1.5B in assets under management, serving low to moderate income communities in both Washington, DC and Los Angeles California.
Tendani explains he discovered his purpose very early on in his life; he likes to share his experiences with others and give himself to his community. He explains what creativity means, his creative process, what hinders his creativity and productivity, and how Ward 8 inspires him. Tendani explains how he conveys the importance of art and the meaning of creativity to his community, and how he gets people involved in the arts in Ward 8. He discusses issues in the Ward 8, specifically the problems people have to overcome, and what could help Ward 8 residents overcome their issues and problems.
Tendani talks about connecting with the elders and youth in his community, and the residents and artists of Barry Farms. He talks about his efforts to have the artwork of Barry Farms art club displayed at the Kennedy Center Mayor Arts Awards, and the documentary about Hillsdale/Barry Farms, which he produced. Tendani also talks about the conflict between individualism and interdependence in society, and how nature demands interdependence for individuals to be successful. "I'm going to preserve this history. I'm going to show these young people no matter where you are, you can have some type of legacy. Knowing your history gives you life instead of death," said Mpulubusi.
Harvey Yancey
Durante más de 20 años, Harvey Yancey ha sido socio director y director ejecutivo de H2DesignBuild, con sede en Washington, DC. Su firma se ha dedicado a la construcción contemporánea de alto nivel y al desarrollo inmobiliario, al mismo tiempo que ha establecido una sólida presencia en viviendas asequibles con la intención de crear nuevas comunidades habitables. H2 es una empresa de construcción y desarrollo galardonada que continúa demostrando por qué es una de las empresas de más rápido crecimiento en el área metropolitana de DC. Desde consultorÃa y diseño hasta el desarrollo y construcción de proyectos comerciales y residenciales, H2 ha sido parte de todo tipo de construcción imaginable. La visión de Harvey es mantenerse a la vanguardia del diseño y desarrollo inmobiliario y al mismo tiempo contribuir a la comunidad.
Recientemente, Harvey inició una organización sin fines de lucro junto con Gloria Nauden de City First Bank y Tendani Mpulubusi de Ward8ArtsCollaborative, llamada DC Community Development Consortium (DCCDC) para ayudar a fortalecer los vecindarios más pobres pero prometedores de DC. DCCDC se centrará en un programa de microsubvenciones para pequeñas empresas para proporcionar capital inicial a los empresarios del Distrito 8; e iniciar el programa East of the River Career Pathways Accelerator que orientará a adolescentes en industrias de alto crecimiento como la construcción, la informática y la economÃa creativa, con énfasis en el espÃritu empresarial.
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Al trabajar con la ciudad, H2 Design Build se ha convertido en una parte integral de los planes de desarrollo de la ciudad, ya que se asocia con DCHFA en un programa de compra de viviendas (HIP) dirigido a familias trabajadoras que no podrÃan comprar una casa en condiciones normales de compra.
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El alcance de la empresa es regional, ya que ha podido captar una gran parte de la participación de mercado en el área metropolitana de Washington DC, mientras que actualmente crece a un ritmo que pronto permitirá que H2 crezca y establezca una fuerte presencia en Maryland y Virginia.
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El equipo de H2 es una familia y todos comparten la visión de su fundador de brindar hermosas casas, servicios valiosos a los clientes, crear asociaciones en la comunidad y brindar recursos importantes a quienes los necesitan.
La insistencia de Yancey en la calidad del producto, la eficiencia en los servicios, el trabajo duro y la capacidad de respuesta a las necesidades del cliente sigue siendo la doctrina de la empresa y ha llevado a su éxito en una industria competitiva.
John Whitman
John Whitman es un empresario veterano responsable de una serie de empresas emergentes, incluido el Museo para la Innovación y el Emprendimiento de los Negros, la empresa de bellas artes Cigarts, la galardonada editorial de educación para la salud Toothaccount, Inc., la empresa de software y consultorÃa de investigación de encuestas Surveytools Corporation, y
Oakland Group, Inc., una empresa internacional de herramientas de programación de software, adquirida por
Liant Software Corporation en 1991.
Su trabajo como cofundador del MUSEO PARA LA INNOVACIÓN Y EL EMPRENDIMIENTO NEGRO se inspiró en la organización del desarrollo económico y social comunitario para crear un ecosistema de innovación y emprendimiento en los distritos 7 y 8, al este del rÃo Anacostia en Washington, DC. El Museo es un escaparate de innovadores y emprendedores negros y un catalizador para la creación de nuevas empresas y la propiedad de activos por parte de los residentes de la comunidad en asociación con otras organizaciones.
John ha ocupado puestos de tiempo completo y de profesor y docente adjunto en instituciones como American University: Facultad de Administración, Kogod School of Business Babson College: Facultad de Emprendimiento, FW Olin Graduate School of Business, Universidad de Georgetown: Facultad de Administración, McDonough School of Business, Harvard Universidad: Facultad de Artes y Ciencias, División de Gestión, Escuela de Extensión Universidad Northeastern: Facultad de Educación, Facultad de Estudios Profesionales. Los cursos incluyen emprendimiento social; Organizaciones sin ánimo de lucro; Cooperativas; fundaciones filantrópicas; Inversión de Impacto; ClÃnica de ConsultorÃa; Desarrollo de planes de estudios y programas; Gestión de Inscripciones; Valoración y Evaluación de Programas; Raza y etnia; Análisis Social y Cultural de los Sistemas Educativos; Educación y TecnologÃa de las Comunicaciones de la Información; Dimensiones económicas y empresariales de las disparidades en salud; y ConsultorÃa de Gestión y Experiencia de Campo.
John ha realizado encuestas de investigación para clientes, incluidas numerosas empresas, bibliotecas y la Escuela de Negocios FW Olin de Babson College. Desarrollé metodologÃas de investigación y software para crear y medir la satisfacción del cliente. Creó una metodologÃa de investigación de encuestas para medir la satisfacción del cliente publicada por la Asociación Estadounidense de Bibliotecas. Impartió cursos para profesionales en planificación estratégica, satisfacción del cliente, redes sociales.
emprendimiento, cuestiones globales y gestión ambiental. Diseñé una herramienta de software de investigación de encuestas integrada.