CBE was started by professionals from Black employee resources groups and community organizations who were moved by desire to build community and give back.
how it
all started
Coalition of Black Excellence is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization whose mission is to unify and elevate the Black community. It was started after Black professionals from over 40 organizations came together with the simple goal of building community among Black professionals from employee resource groups, nonprofits, and small businesses. The entirely volunteer-led team launched Coalition of Black Excellence Week, a week-long gathering comprised of various activities designed to highlight excellence in the Black community; bring together talented Black professionals across different sectors to exchange ideas and business opportunities, and to strategically discuss advancing the Black community. In their first year, the team hosted 14 events and raised funds to donate to nonprofits positively impacting the Black community. After the success of their inaugural week, they formalized as a 501(c)3 and expanded its programming to include a two-day Summit for Black professionals across sectors.
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The week long summit
was designed to connect and support Black professionals, business owners, and community members living throughout the Bay Area. It attracted hundreds of attendees to various events, including panel discussions, a gala, and a parade led by Black Joy Parade.
Due to the summit’s success, a team of volunteers decided to launch Coalition of Black Excellence (“CBE”) as an official San Francisco Bay-Area based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization; incorporated in June 2018. The organization is powered by a team of volunteer Black professionals who are passionate about, and dedicated to, CBE Week becoming an annual gathering that continues to grow and expand its reach beyond the Bay Area, and serve as a platform for uniting, celebrating and uplifting the Black community as a whole.
Our goal is to continue to be a space where individuals and organizations dedicated to elevating the Black community can come together, give back, amplify our collective impact, and celebrate excellence in the Black community.
Angela Johnson
Founder & Co-Ceo
Founder & Co-Ceo
Our
Mission
Our mission is to unify and elevate the Black community.
WITH CBE
CBE is powered entirely by a team of volunteers who are passionate and dedicated to, uniting, celebrating and uplifting the Black community as a whole. CBE’s annual gathering will continue to grow and expand its reach beyond the Bay Area. And we need your help!
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It was an honor to be part of such a powerful and unique experience supporting the black community.”
Our
Executive Team
Angela Johnson
Litigation Counsel
Uber
Founder & Chief Executive Officer
Shannon Nash
CFO
Inside Source
Chief Financial Officer
Nakeena Taylor
Sr. Counsel
Atrium
Chief Operating Officer
Michele Ross
Associated Director of Integrated Marketing
Forbes
Chief Marketing Officer
Julian Ross
Product Manager
Apple
Chief Technology Officer
Our cbe
committee members
cbe summit team
Ben Wanzo
Pitch Day Chair
Kathrina Weekes
Associate Director of Admissions
Head-Royce School
Education & Social Impact Chair
Leslie Spencer
Partner
Ropes & Gray LLP
Tech & Life Sciences Chair
Robert White
Executive Director
California Minority Counsel Program
Legal Pitch Day Chair, Advisory Board Member
Robyn E. Cross
Senior Claims and Health Advocate
ABD Insurance and Financial Services, Inc.
Health & Wellbeing Chair
Jamal Thompson
Manager of Engineering Programs
BART
Finance & Entrepreneurship Committee, Tech & Life Sciences Committee Member
Michael Flanigan
Associate
Reichman Jorgensen LLP
Finance & Entrepreneurship Committee
Y'Anad Burrell
Owner/CEO
Glass House Commumications
Music, Art & Entertainment Chair
Liku Madoshi
Attorney
Bledsoe, Diestel, Treppa & Crane LLP
Gov’t & Legal Committee Member
cbe gala team
Drea Alphonso
Head of Partnerships
Black Tech Women
Gala Committee Member
Imani Bordeaux
Senior Sales Coordinator
The Ritz-Carlton, Laguna Niguel
Gala Committee Member
cbe Programs & Operations
Monica Monroe
Partner
Tucker Ellis
Impact Nonprofit Program Director
CBE Partnerships Team
Simone Davis
Executive Assistant
Alphabet
Corporate Outreach Chair
Jeremiah Tolbert
Principal
Tolbert Design Architects
Community Outreach Co-Chair
Kevin Coleman
Managing Partner
UrbanFarmers Inc.
Community Outreach Co-Chair
cbe Marketing & Communications team
Kimberly Gant
Web & Digital Marketing Manager
ABD
Social Media Marketing Director
TraceyLynn Counts
Creative Lead - Digital Producer
CreativityCounts
Digital Media Director
cbe Finance & Sponsorship Team
Shauntrice Martin
Association of Black Argumentation Professionals
Grant Research; Education & Social Impact Committee Member
Eva Pulliam
Associate
Arent Fox LLP
Sponsorship Director, Gov’t & Legal Committee Member
Our
Advisory board
Taj Clayton
Partner
Winston & Strawn
Advisory Board Chair
Shellye Archambeau
Board Member of Verizon and Nordstrom
Former CEO of MetricStream
Advisory Board Member
Tony West
Chief Legal Officer
Uber
Advisory Board Member
Melanie Gross
AGC & Global Practice Group Leader
Genentech
Advisory Board Member
Robert White
Executive Director
California Minority Counsel Program
Legal Pitch Day Chair, Advisory Board Member
Christophe Mosby
VP & Associate General Counsel
HP Inc.
Jeremiah Tolbert
Principal
Tolbert Design Architects
Community Outreach Co-Chair
Saafir Rabb Jr.
CEO
Intercultural Inc.
Advisory Board Member
Achia Swift
Legal Director
Uber
Advisory Board Member
Bruce Jackson
Assistant General, Global Sales, Marketing, & Operations
Microsoft
Advisory Board Member
Our
strategic partners
