“Gaming is the world’s biggest cottage industry. People can name their favorite game, but it is unlikely that they know someone who professionally works in gaming.”   With the gaming industry now surpassing the revenue of movies and music combined, it is a tremendous opportunity for nearly all brands to reach their core consumers, whoever it might be.  Yet, it is a space that is difficult for most brands to break into and many are turning to Jamin Warren and his team for help.

Jamin founded Twofivesix, a strategic consultancy that helps brands engage in the world of gaming. His work helps you reach the right gaming audience on the right platform with the right message. He has an incredible career story to share and has built on his passion for gaming to build a remarkable company.  Prior to founding Twofivesix, Jamin covered arts and entertainment for the Wall Street Journal.

Guest Bio

Jamin Warren

Founder & CEO

Twofivesix

Jamin Warren founded Twofivesix, a strategic consultancy that helps brands engage in the world of gaming. His work helps you reach the right gaming audience on the right platform with the right message. He also served as an advisor for the Museum of Modern Art’s design

department, acted as cluster chair for the Gaming category for the Webbys, and hosted Game/Show for PBS Digital Studios. Prior to founding Twofivesix, Jamin covered arts and entertainment for the Wall Street Journal.

He knows all things interactive from metaverse to esports to gaming communities. As a strategic consultancy Twofivesix’s past and present clients include Intel, SoundCloud, YouTube, Warby Parker, Tribeca Enterprises and more. He’s produced events such as the Versions conference for VR arts and creativity, in partnership with NEW INC. He also programmed the first Tribeca Games Festival, the groundbreaking Arcade at the Museum of Modern Art and the Kill Screen Festival which Mashable called “the TED of video games.”

Links 

To learn more about Lead With Your Brand and the Career Breakthrough Mentoring program , please visit LeadWithYourBrand.com

To book Jayzen for a speaking engagement or workshop at your company, visit Jayzenpatria.com

Please connect on Linkedin and all platforms @jayzenpatria

Jayzen is excited to welcome Derrick Noble to the show. Derrick is a highly sought after leadership coach helping young leaders take it to the next level. He is living proof of how far your career can take you when you truly recognize that value that you bring to people. Once noted as “the least likely person to be a professional speaker,” Derrick overcame a severe speech impediment as a child and has gone on to be an award winning professional speaker and trainer. His career story and sage leadership advice is helpful for leaders of all levels.

Guest Bio

Dr. Derrick Noble

“America’s Leadership Authority” 

Derrick has been helping business leaders take their leadership and communication skills to the next level of excellence for two decades. His passion has led him to support those from all walks of life to become more influential leaders and more confident communicators.

Throughout his youth, Noble endured years of speech therapy for a severe stutter and speech impediment. Once quoted as stating he was “the least likely person to be a professional speaker,” Dr. Noble has since gone on to become an award-winning TEDx speaker, speech coach, and trainer. He now famously quips “At first, I couldn’t talk, and now they can’t shut me up!”

Noble works directly with leaders, speakers, business owners, CEOs, non-profit organizations, and governmental agencies. His clients throughout the years include The United States Air Force, The United States Navy, The United States Forestry Service, The FBI, the City of Los Angeles, and so many more. 

In 2020, Noble was one of only 12 Black entrepreneurs admitted into the Greater Los Angeles African American Chamber of Commerce’s prestigious Business Evolution Program – an intense 12-month program in which he was personally mentored by some of the most successful Black entrepreneurs in the city. In 2021, he was featured in the Los Angeles Business Journal as an influential African American business leader. He currently serves as the featured Leadership Expert for BizTV, a national broadcast network for entrepreneurs and business owners.

In December 2022, Noble released his highly-anticipated first book, Leadership Launch: Essential Skills for New Leaders. The book includes a foreword by Civil Rights hero Dr. Melba Pattillo Beals, a member of the Little Rock Nine, a group of African-American students who were the first to integrate Little Rock Central High School.

Noble has a Bachelor of Arts degree in English - with a double minor in Speech Communication and Psychology - from Angelo State University (1994), a Master of Divinity degree from Morehouse School of Religion (1997 Class Valedictorian), a Doctor of Ministry degree from Ashland Theological Seminary (2008 Class Valedictorian), and completed Ph.D. coursework in Educational Curriculum at Emory University.

Links 

To learn more about Lead With Your Brand and the Career Breakthrough Mentoring program , please visit LeadWithYourBrand.com

To book Jayzen for a speaking engagement or workshop at your company, visit Jayzenpatria.com

Please connect on Linkedin and all platforms @jayzenpatria

The final week  of Women’s History Month!

Here at the Lead With Your Brand! podcast, we are amplifying the voices of women during Women’s History Month, and beyond.  Each Tuesday in March we’ll be featuring a guest with a fantastic career story to share, and who just happens to be female. In addition, be sure to check out LeadWithYourBrand.com/womenonbrand to listen to our collection of shows featuring amazing executives, business leaders and innovators who continue to share their wisdom and move their industries forward.  So, celebrate women's achievement, raise awareness against bias and take action for equality.  And, to all of the women who lead with their brand everyday, we salute you.

This week, Jayzen is thrilled to welcome Lita Richardson as his guest.  How does one go from wanting to be a judge, to becoming the go to contract lawyer for all of her up and coming friends like Vivica Fox, Regina King and John Singleton, to starting a talent agency with Magic Johnson,to becoming a film and TV producer, to now a senior executive at Paramount?  If you ask Lita Richardson, it is all about having the courage to try something new when the opportunity presents itself and listening to what the universe is telling you.  Lita has an incredible career story to share and, in addition to everything else, has been behind some of the most iconic television shows.

Guest Bio

Lita Richardson, Esq.

Executive Vice President, Content & Brand Strategy, Paramount Global

As Executive Vice President of Content and Brand Strategy for Paramount, Lita expands brand partnership opportunities for Viacom corporation as it relates to syndicated programming for CBS Media Ventures (CMV). Those shows include The Drew Barrymore Show, Dr. Phil, Rachael Ray, Sherri Shepard, Inside Edition, Entertainment Tonight, Wheel of Fortune, and Jeopardy.

Lita works with all CMV productions to create linear and digital integrated marketing campaigns across all CBS brands and platforms and is responsible for creating additional growth opportunities for CMV brands in the digital and social media space. Lita is also involved in the creation and development of original content from CMV brands for distribution across all platforms, including CMV’s Dabl multi-cast network, and the development of the creation of multiplatform content for CMV and our partners. An attorney by trade, prior to joining CBS Lita practiced entertainment law in Beverly Hills, California. She then went on to head a talent management and entertainment company for Magic Johnson. Over the years, she has produced several television and film projects, and has been nominated 4 times for a Daytime Emmy award. Her most recent endeavor was overseeing all integrated content from inception to air for Dr. Phil and The Doctors television shows.

Lita received her undergraduate degree from Rice University and Juris Doctorate from University of Houston Law School.

Links 

To learn more about Lead With Your Brand and the Career Breakthrough Mentoring program , please visit LeadWithYourBrand.com

To book Jayzen for a speaking engagement or workshop at your company, visit Jayzenpatria.com

Please connect on Linkedin and all platforms @jayzenpatria

Welcome to Week 3 of Women’s History Month!

Here at the Lead With Your Brand! podcast, we are amplifying the voices of women during Women’s History Month, and beyond.  Each Tuesday in March we’ll be featuring a guest with a fantastic career story to share, and who just happens to be female. In addition, be sure to check out LeadWithYourBrand.com/womenonbrand to listen to our collection of shows featuring amazing executives, business leaders and innovators who continue to share their wisdom and move their industries forward.  So, celebrate women's achievement, raise awareness against bias and take action for equality.  And, to all of the women who lead with their brand everyday, we salute you.

This week, Jayzen is excited to welcome Marlys Rodgers to the show.  As she likes to say, she “runs the team that knows what to do when you click on that random email that you’re not supposed to.”  Marlys has an incredible career story to share, as she is one of the few women in the information security industry and in the CISO role.  She is a big believer in the power of building your network to advance the level of success in your career, especially with new challenges.  She has won multiple industry awards, including being named Security Executive of the year by the Cyber Security Excellence Awards in 2021.

Guest Bio

Marlys Rodgers 

Chief Information Security Officer, Circle

Marlys is the Chief Information Security Officer at Circle.  Most recently, she held the same position at CSAA Insurance Group and was also responsible for Technology Oversight.  Her path to leading security organizations came via stints leading technology development, compliance, enterprise operational risk and IT/security risk oversight teams at global fintech and financial services firms including PayPal and American Express.

In 2021, she was awarded Security Executive of the year by the Cyber Security Excellence Awards.   She was recently presented the 2022 Gold for Women in Cyber and Info Security by the Globee Cyber Security Global Excellence Awards.

She is currently an advisory member for the Informed Defenders Council for AttackIQ.  Marlys is a passionate champion for diversity in the technology and security fields and is vice president for the Alliance of Women and Technology, Southwest.

Links 

To learn more about Lead With Your Brand and the Career Breakthrough Mentoring program , please visit LeadWithYourBrand.com

To book Jayzen for a speaking engagement or workshop at your company, visit Jayzenpatria.com

Please connect on Linkedin and all platforms @jayzenpatria

Welcome to Week 2 of Women’s History Month!

Here at the Lead With Your Brand! podcast, we are amplifying the voices of women during Women’s History Month, and beyond.  Each Tuesday in March we’ll be featuring a guest with a fantastic career story to share, and who just happens to be female. In addition, be sure to check out LeadWithYourBrand.com/womenonbrand to listen to our collection of shows featuring amazing executives, business leaders and innovators who continue to share their wisdom and move their industries forward.  So, celebrate women's achievement, raise awareness against bias and take action for equality.  And, to all of the women who lead with their brand everyday, we salute you.

This week, Jayzen is thrilled to welcome Lorna Little to the show with a truly remarkable career journey to share, as her background melds an interesting mix of social services leadership and media entertainment.  In addition to running a major social services agency, she is also a media producer and television personality, previously hosting her own local television show with national guests and celebrities…and a published author.

Guest Bio

Lorna Little, MSW  

President and CEO, St. Anne’s Family Services

A driving force behind the organization’s “Thriving Families: Brighter Futures” motto, Lorna Little, MSW serves as the President and CEO of St. Anne’s Family Services where she has developed innovative programs for children and families since 2018. With a focus on underserved communities that often live in the shadows, she has a successful history of leading and developing exceptional programming that addresses the physical, behavioral, and emotional components that lead to an optimal life trajectory. Lorna has extensively worked with parenting youth, youth in foster care, and in all aspects of adoption. Leveraging her Master’s Degree in Social work, licensure as a clinical social worker, and a Post Masters Certificate in Foster and Adoption studies, she creates quantifiable results for those who St. Anne’s serves. Further demonstrating her diverse expertise, she has served as a training professional, adjunct college professor, and cultural diversity program manager, which helps her lead during this time of change and evolution in our world. She continues to advocate to remove systemic barriers to ensure success for children and families. In order to work effectively and have an impact, Lorna believes that you have to care for the children and families wholeheartedly—believing that the work and the resiliency of the program participants can bring about life-changing transformation.

What makes her even more of an exceptional ally is that Lorna’s background melds an interesting mix of social services leadership and media entertainment. She is the author of Mums the Word!, her personal story of late discovery adoption. She is also a media producer and television personality, previously hosting her own local television show with national guests and celebrities. Understanding the power of communication and connection from sharing our stories, Lorna sees the golden thread that connects her media experience, public speaking and her work in the field of social services. With an unwavering belief that we are all connected, her efforts bring about hope, joy, healing and empowerment. She unapologetically uses her purpose and voice to provide “A Little Guidance.” 

A member of the Board of the California Alliance of Child and Family Services, Black Women Leaders of Los Angeles, and the Membership Committee for Association of Community Human Service Agencies, Lorna finds time to give back outside of St. Anne’s. She is also a member of The Links, Inc. and Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated. Lorna proudly utilizes her professional and lived experience to provide the leadership and guidance to carry out vision and strategy for St. Anne’s Family Services. 

Links 

To learn more about Lead With Your Brand and the Career Breakthrough Mentoring program , please visit LeadWithYourBrand.com

To book Jayzen for a speaking engagement or workshop at your company, visit Jayzenpatria.com

Please connect on Linkedin and all platforms @jayzenpatria

It’s Women’s History Month!

Here at the Lead With Your Brand! podcast, we are amplifying the voices of women during Women’s History Month, and beyond. Each Tuesday in March we’ll be featuring a guest with a fantastic career story to share, and who just happens to be female. In addition, be sure to check out LeadWithYourBrand.com/womenonbrand to listen to our collection of shows featuring amazing executives, business leaders and innovators who continue to share their wisdom and move their industries forward. So, celebrate women's achievement, raise awareness against bias and take action for equality. And, to all of the women who lead with their brand everyday, we salute you.

To kick off this special month, and in honor of Oscars week, Jayzen is thrilled to welcome Christine Simmons to the show. Christine Simmons is an accomplished President, COO, Business Executive, Entrepreneur, and Board Director. She was the first African American and first woman to serve as Chief Operating Officer for the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences where she led 200+ global employees and a $130M budget for this iconic brand. While in the role, she also created the organization’s first Office of Representation, Inclusion, and Equity. She’s managed a championship WNBA team, held senior leadership positions and top entertainment brands and now advises start-up, mid and large size businesses on operational excellence, strategic planning, business development, and representation initiatives.

Guest Bio

Christine Simmons  

Strategist | Impact Maker | Operator | Speaker I Entrepreneur | Creator

Christine Simmons is an accomplished President, COO, Business Executive, Entrepreneur, and Board Director with 20+ years’ experience devising strategy and leading transformational change for iconic B2B/B2C leaders such as: the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, Los Angeles Sparks, NBCUniversal, Inc., The Walt Disney Company, and Magic Johnson Enterprises. She has delivered market growth and triple bottom line impact across media, TV, film, sports, shared services, finance, manufacturing, food, and facilities management.

Simmons’ strategic consulting firm, Alis Volat Propriis, LLC (which means “she who flies with her own wings” in Latin), advises start-up, mid and large size businesses on operational excellence, strategic planning, business development, and representation initiatives, among other things. Simmons also speaks globally on these topics as well as leadership and empowerment. Her firm helps bring stories, ideas, and economic impact to life, that empower and inspire.

Christine is formerly the COO of the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences, leading 200+ global employees and a $130M budget for this iconic brand with $1B AUM and 10K global members. In this highly strategic role, she facilitated the process with the Board, PwC, and senior leadership to gain buy in on the Academy’s strategic plan while leading daily responsibility for the organization. In her 3.5-year tenure, Christine created the organization’s global strategic plan and led a multi-phased reorganization across all entities and 500 employees. She solidified and communicated the Academy's key annual business priorities and the next phase of the Academy's business strategy. She created the first office of representation, inclusion and equity, and led the Academy’s strategic inclusion initiative, Aperture 2025.

As President and COO of LA Sparks for five seasons, she achieved 66% increase in ticket sales, leading to a #1 ranking in the league’s attendance, and50% increase in viewership in A25-54 ratings. Under her tenure, the Sparks won the championship in 2016. 

Links 

To learn more about Lead With Your Brand and the Career Breakthrough Mentoring program , please visit LeadWithYourBrand.com

To book Jayzen for a speaking engagement or workshop at your company, visit Jayzenpatria.com

Please connect on Linkedin and all platforms @jayzenpatria

Happy Black History Month!  

We are proud to amplify Black Voices on the Lead With Your Brand!™ Podcast by celebrating the powerful voices and career journeys of Black executives, leaders, and innovators. Each Tuesday in February we’ll be featuring a guest with a fantastic career story to share, all who happen to be black.  In addition, be sure to check out LeadWithYourBrand.com/BlackVoices to listen to some of our favorite episodes from past seasons.

Once again, Jayzen is joined by Ingrid Hadley. This week they take on the topic of promoting yourself, which is the fifth step in the Lead With Your Brand! system.  In your career, what “advertising” do you have control over?  Are you maximizing the impact of LinkedIn and other brand builders?  What are influential people saying about you?  Do you have champions in your network to add to your advancement?  Tune in for this insightful conversation.

Jayzen is thrilled to welcome Amy DuBois Barnett to the show.  Amy has had an amazing career in publishing and media, taking her first role as editor-in-chief for a major magazine at just thirty years old.  She has been an executive at top media companies including Paramount where she had P&L responsibility for BET’s digital platforms. She was an adjunct professor at Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management and a noted author.

Guest Bio

Amy DuBois Barnett

Senior Advisor

Bravo Mondo

Media Executive/Private Equity Investor/Author

An award-winning media executive and author, Amy DuBois Barnett has held senior leadership roles at Time Inc, Hearst and Disney, and has also successfully grown several independently owned media brands. She is currently a Senior Advisor for the newly formed growth capital firm, Bravo Mondo. Barnett joined Bravo Mondo from Outside Interactive, Inc., the world’s leading platform for active and healthy lifestyle content and experiences, where she oversaw the company’s 16 media brands and Outside Studios as their first-ever Chief Content Officer.

Formerly, Barnett was an SVP and General Manager at Paramount where she had P&L responsibility for BET’s digital platforms. In 2021, she grew BET Digital’s following to 62 million, generated 2 billion annual video views, and drove an unprecedented 10x increase in operating income. In her prior years as EVP, Digital of Entertainment Studios and theGrio, Barnett increased monthly video views by 600% and the social footprint by 250%. She was also a senior executive at ESPN where she led the development and launch of ESPN’s critically acclaimed digital brand, The Undefeated. Before ESPN, Barnett was Editor-in-Chief of Ebony where she redesigned and modernized the magazine and website to critical acclaim. Under her leadership, Ebony won a record-breaking 28 awards from the National Association of Black Journalists and was listed as one of the 25 Fastest Growing Magazines in the Country by Ad Age. Prior to Ebony, Barnett was the Deputy Editor-in-Chief of Harper’s Bazaar where she oversaw their digital relaunch. As Chief Editor, Barnett grew Teen People’s print and digital audience to category leadership. As Editor-in-Chief of Honey magazine, she doubled the rate base and earned national recognition for the young brand. Barnett has a B.A. from Brown University and an M.F.A. from Columbia University.

In 2014, she served as an Adjunct Professor at Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management. Barnett is also the author of the NAACP Image Award-nominated book, Get Yours: How to Have Everything You Ever Dreamed of and More.

Links 

To learn more about Lead With Your Brand and the Career Breakthrough Mentoring program , please visit LeadWithYourBrand.com

To book Jayzen for a speaking engagement or workshop at your company, visit Jayzenpatria.com

Please connect on Linkedin and all platforms @jayzenpatria

Happy Black History Month!  

We are proud to amplify Black Voices on the Lead With Your Brand!™ Podcast by celebrating the powerful voices and career journeys of Black executives, leaders, and innovators. Each Tuesday in February we’ll be featuring a guest with a fantastic career story to share, all who happen to be black.  In addition, be sure to check out LeadWithYourBrand.com/BlackVoices to listen to some of our favorite episodes from past seasons.

Once again, Jayzen is joined by Ingrid Hadley in conversation to share her wisdom and insight.  This week, Jayzen and Ingrid discuss the importance of not only bringing your full authentic self to work, but seeking out career opportunities where you are truly celebrated for who you are and the value that you share.

Jayzen’s guest this week is the incomparable Chris Witherspoon.  In addition to interviewing some of the biggest celebrities in the world as an entertainment correspondent, Chris is revolutionizing the business as founder and CEO of PopViewers, the platform that helps you find what to watch next, invites you to react to the TV and movies you’ve watched, and encourages you to share the experience with fellow content-lovers.

Guest Bio

Chris Witherspoon

Entertainment Contributor for NBC News/MSNBC

Founder & CEO of PopViewers

Chris Witherspoon is an entertainment journalist, producer, and entrepreneur with a signature, accessible approach to media and culture. He’s currently an Entertainment Contributor for NBC News/MSNBC. Additionally, Chris is the Founder & CEO of PopViewers, the platform that helps you find what to watch next, invites you to react to the TV and movies you’ve watched, and encourages you to share the experience with fellow content-lovers.

Chris served as an entertainment correspondent for Fandango and CNN and was the Entertainment Editor for NBC’s theGrio.com. He’s interviewed the likes of Meryl Streep, Tom Hanks, Oprah Winfrey, Will Smith, Viola Davis, Hugh Jackman, Denzel Washington, Harrison Ford, and Kerry Washington.

Witherspoon got his first taste of media as an intern with ABC’s Good Morning America and has never looked back. He is an alumnus of the prestigious NBC Page Program and of Ohio University.

Links 

To learn more about Lead With Your Brand and the Career Breakthrough Mentoring program , please visit LeadWithYourBrand.com

To book Jayzen for a speaking engagement or workshop at your company, visit Jayzenpatria.com

Please connect on Linkedin and all platforms @jayzenpatria

Happy Black History Month!  

We are proud to amplify Black Voices on the Lead With Your Brand!™ Podcast by celebrating the powerful voices and career journeys of Black executives, leaders, and innovators. Each Tuesday in February we’ll be featuring a guest with a fantastic career story to share, all who happen to be black. In addition, be sure to check out LeadWithYourBrand.com/BlackVoices to listen to some of our favorite episodes from past seasons.

Again this week, Jayzen is thrilled to welcome Ingrid Hadley in conversation to share her wisdom and insight. This week, Jayzen and Ingrid take on the topic of “imposter syndrome” and talk about how to not only overcome the problem, but leverage it to propel yourself forward.

As a special guest this week, Jayzen is excited to welcome a young woman who has created her career and is forging a path with her own social media empire, which she started when she was just 14 years old. Tiara Willis leads a community of nearly half a million devoted supporters and followers. Her vibrant and well-respected brand empowers and motivates diverse women of color to be their best selves inside and out.

Guest Bio

Tiara Willis

World-Renowned Influencer, Entrepreneur & Culture Expert

Tiara Willis is a world-renowned influencer. Upon graduating high school early with high honors at the age of 16, Tiara had already built a social media empire providing tips, trends, insights, and information to her loyal followers. 

Starting her Influencer career at just 14, now a 21-year-old Gen Z culture expert, Tiara leads a community of nearly half a million devoted supporters and followers. Her vibrant and well-respected brand empowers and motivates diverse women of color to be their best selves inside and out.

Tiara is a diversity, equity and inclusion champion who is committed to supporting all women, especially in terms of entrepreneurship, as she became a business owner as a teenager. Tiara’s brand continues to grow daily, as she’s also known for her dynamic content supporting personal finance and money empowerment. 

Leaning into the new generation’s appetite for economic transparency, Tiara is a trusted Gen Z voice. Whether she's posting product reviews, inspirational messages, or makeup tutorials, Tiara provides diverse women with honest feedback and entrepreneurship expertise. 

As a licensed New York esthetician and beauty and skincare influencer, leading beauty and fashion industry giants continue to tap Tiara to lead compelling and influential digital campaigns. 

To name just a few, Tiara’s brand campaigns have included HSN, Soko Glam, CeraVe, Target x Ulta Beauty Launch, POPSUGAR x Garnier Green Labs, Paula’s Choice, Topicals, Twitter’s The Creator Sessions Blue Jeans Event, Harvard Black Health Matters Conference, Burt’s Bees and multiple collaborations with Twitter which #BeautyTwitter Unfiltered Blue Jeans Event, Twitter Spaces x InStyle and Twitter Beauty x BHM Creator Spotlight. Tiara was nominated for a Shorty Award for her Burt’s Bees campaign, which also led to her being the first ever beauty influencer to host a paid spaces Twitter chat. 

 Tiara has been featured in iconic beauty media outlets, including Vogue, Teen Vogue, Allure, Elle, Yahoo! News, Pop Sugar, I-D, Glossy, Skincare by L’Oréal, In the Know, Stylecaster, ESSENCE, Variety, The Zoe Report and more.  

You can follow and connect with Tiara on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and TikTok @TheTiaraWillis and visit her website at TheTiaraWillis.com.

Links 

To learn more about Lead With Your Brand and the Career Breakthrough Mentoring program , please visit LeadWithYourBrand.com

To book Jayzen for a speaking engagement or workshop at your company, visit Jayzenpatria.com

Please connect on Linkedin and all platforms @jayzenpatria

Happy Black History Month!  

We are proud to amplify Black Voices on the Lead With Your Brand!™ Podcast by celebrating the powerful voices and career journeys of Black executives, leaders, and innovators. Each Tuesday in February we’ll be featuring a guest with a fantastic career story to share, all who happen to be black.  In addition, be sure to check out LeadWithYourBrand.com/BlackVoices to listen to some of our favorite episodes from past seasons.

Extending our celebration of the month, Jayzen is thrilled to welcome Ingrid Hadley as a to the top of each show to share her wisdom and perspective.  This week, Jayzen and Ingrid share their top tips on networking and how to best build and leverage your network.

To kick off Black History Month, Jayzen is excited to speak with the amazing Dr. Nii-Quartelai Quartey.  Dr. Quartay has an incredible career story to share from now returning to his roots as a journalist, to being a professor to his life long work in advancing narrative, culture, and policy change in pursuit of social and economic justice. Dr. Quartey served as Senior Policy Advisor to Biden-Harris Presidential Campaign and was formerly AARP's first Senior Advisor & National LGBTQ Liaison.

Guest Bio

Dr. Nii-Quartelai Quartey

Political Journalist, Professor, and Changemaker

National News Anchor, Fox Soul’s Black Report

Dr. Nii-Quartelai Quartey is a journalist, educator, and trusted community leader who has been featured over the years on programs ranging from the Oprah Winfrey Show to MSNBC’s Sunday Show with Jonathan Capehart. In his most exciting chapter yet Dr. Quartey serves as National News Anchor for Fox Soul’s Black Report, Moderator of "A More Perfect Union" Radio Show and Chief National Political Analyst for the new KBLA Talk 1580. In fall 2022, this double alum returned as an Adjunct Professor in the Social Entrepreneurship and Change program at the Pepperdine University Graduate School of Education and Psychology. This former National Affairs Contributor for theGrio and highly regarded changemaker has dedicated his life and career toward advancing narrative, culture, and policy change in pursuit of social and economic justice. 

Dr. Quartey has honed his expertise in organizational leadership, corporate social responsibility, and street credibility in community engagement, over two decades as an effective advocate and organizer on a wide range of issue campaigns related to racial equity, human rights, and elections. During the 2020 election cycle Dr. Quartey served as Senior Policy Advisor to Biden-Harris Presidential Campaign and prior to this he supercharged AARP's community, state, and national multicultural affairs work as the first AARP Senior Advisor & National LGBTQ Liaison. His commitment to facilitating social change led him to complete his Doctorate in Organizational Leadership and Masters in Social Entrepreneurship and Change at the Pepperdine University Graduate School of Education and Psychology. He earned his Bachelor of Arts Degree in Political Science and Critical Approaches to Leadership from the University of Southern California.

Until summer 2022, Dr. Quartey served as Chair of Mayor Muriel Bowser’s LGBTQ Advisory Commission.

He currently serves as Board Secretary for the National Foster Youth Institute, and recently joined the

Boards of Outfest and Native Son. This husband of Married at First Sight Executive Producer Montre`

Burton, films Fox Soul’s Black Report in Detroit but maintains a residence in Washington, D.C., and Los

Angeles

Links 

To learn more about Lead With Your Brand and the Career Breakthrough Mentoring program , please visit LeadWithYourBrand.com

To book Jayzen for a speaking engagement or workshop at your company, visit Jayzenpatria.com

Please connect on Linkedin and all platforms @jayzenpatria