Month: May 2020

Antoinetta Maria Hairston-Stallings lives by the famous Ralph Waldo Emerson quote, “Do not go where the path may lead, instead go where there is no path and leave a trail.”

Born and raised alongside her twin brother in Flint, Michigan, Antoinetta left home in 2001 to pursue her degree in Radio, Television and Film from Howard University in Washington, DC. She was involved in many activities and organizations on campus and in the District, including membership in Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. While at Howard, she launched her television and film career early on, with consecutive summer internships at CBS in Hollywood, CA.

After graduating with honors from Howard University, Antoinetta decided to begin her career in entertainment in Los Angeles, CA. She packed up all her belongings and headed west with little more than $800, undying passion and her faithful vision of success. Her first job in Hollywood was as a receptionist for A. Smith & Co. Productions. Shortly after, she began working as a Talent Production Assistant on Nick Cannon’s Wild N Out series for two seasons. She also did freelance work as a production coordinator for music videos and award shows and gained experienced in television commercials.

In 2007, Antoinetta worked with Cossette Productions to produce the Black Entertainment Television (BET) Awards show and subsequently met Stephen Hill, then Vice President of Music Programming for the African-American focused network. He immediately became a mentor, offering invaluable professional advice and an industry network. Antoinetta relocated to New York City and served as Stephen’s assistant for three years. Some of her notable achievements at BET were co-producing the 30-minute special “Crank That Vote” prior to the historic 2008 Presidential Election and writing and producing an on-air promotional voting campaign. She has also served as an Associate Producer on BET specials “Rising Icons” and, most recently, “Black Girls Rock.”

 Post BET, Antoinetta moved on to become a freelance producer for film and TV. Currently, Antoinetta owns and operates Eye Create Productions, which produces the compelling docu-series “Being” for Centric TV.

Cassaundra Cumbess Hawkins is a passionate vocalist and music enthusiast with 10 years of experience in business development, strategic account management and corporate communications. Cassaundra has led the successful creation and retention of long term partnerships and recurring revenue streams from top-tier clientele across diverse industries – including digital media, commercial real estate and entertainment. Her expertise includes B2B and SaaS sales, contract negotiation, client facing, project management, account planning and team leadership. 

Cassaundra holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science with a minor concentration in Public Relations from Howard University. Upon graduating magna cum laude in 2005, she began her career as a Writer-Editor on behalf of the Director’s Office of the District Department of Transportation in Washington, DC. Her exceptional communications and strategy skills, coupled with her competitive drive, led Cassaundra to accept a private sector opportunity in 2007 as an International Sales Management Trainee for Meltwater Group. This move led to her career in business-to-business sales and account management, which has spanned from Atlanta to New York City to Los Angeles over the years. 

Cassaundra is currently a Senior Strategic Account Management Specialist at Entertainment Partners (EP), Hollywood’s leading payroll and production services company. In this senior management role, Cassaundra maintains and strengthens the relationships between EP and some of the entertainment industry’s most notable brands, such as CBS, SONY, Disney, Netflix and Fox.

Cassaundra was initiated into Alpha Chapter, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc. in 2004. She is also one of the founding members of Girls With Gifts, Inc., serving as both Board Vice President and Staff Director of Communications. In addition to currently pursuing her real estate license, Cassaundra’s interests include singing, traveling, mentoring, writing, yoga and culinary arts. She resides in her hometown of Los Angeles with her husband, Kellye.

Dr. Ashley Green is originally from Flint, Michigan. She obtained her Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Michigan State University in 2005, her Master’s degree in Higher Education from the University of Toledo in 2007, and her Doctorate degree in Educational Leadership with an emphasis in Higher Education Administration from Western Michigan University in 2015. Her research interest is First Generation College Students and the internal and external challenges they face in college. 

Currently, Dr. Green serves as Assistant Dean of Administration at Michigan State University. Formerly, she was the Director of Scholarships and Fellowships with Michigan State University ‘s Honors College where she managed the daily operations and assisted students in pursuing some of the most prestigious and competitive national and international funding awards. She has also served as Assistant Director of Career Services at Grand Valley State University, as well as Career Program Manager and Adjunct Career Instructor for the Eli Broad College of Business at Michigan State University. Dr. Green also brings experiences in College Admissions, Multi-Cultural Affairs, International Relations and TRIO Support programs and has taught courses at the university level including: Leadership and Career Development, and Career Preparation and Job Search Strategies.

Committed to her faith, Dr. Green has been an active member of Ebenezer Ministries in Flint, Michigan for over 20 years where she is currently the Chair of the Executive team and has served and led in many other capacities. She also currently serves on the Advisory Board for “Hightower Financial Solutions”, is a student-athlete mentor for the MSU men’s football team and previously served as a mentor for MSU’s MAGIC (Maximizing Academic Growth in College) program for more than 5 years. 

Dr. Green’s diverse background in student affairs includes experience in career development, academic advising, project management, program implementation, event planning, teaching, leadership development, youth outreach, and mentoring. She is committed to helping all students have a successful and positive educational experience and has a passion for helping youth strive towards a successful career. She finds great satisfaction in taking advantage of opportunities to work with youth as they pursue their goals and dreams “one gift at a time.” Dr. Green resides in Lansing, Michigan with her husband and two children.

Natara Sampson is the epitome of a southern woman.  Bred in the city of Houston, TX, she developed a love for philanthropy at a young age.  She studied Electrical Engineering at the esteemed Howard University in Washington, DC and there continued her work with a host of non-profit agencies and schools focused on the education and mentorship of underserved youth, a passion of Natara’s from her high school days. During her tenure at ‘The Mecca’ she was awarded a research grant for the ‘Digitization of Breast Cancer’, was a dancer for the Howard University Ooh La La! Dancers of the Showtime Marching Band, and pledged Alpha Chapter, Delta Sigma Theta Incorporated.

After graduating from the College of Engineering in 2006, Natara moved to Indianapolis to launch her career by joining Rolls-Royce Corporation. She was an active leader in the Rolls-Royce Early Professionals Network and other engineering societies.  In 2008 she became an award winning engineer for her work on a civil aerospace design project, which was recognized in Berlin, Germany.  Outside of the office Natara served on the Board of the Directors for the non-profit Trusted Mentors, an organization that services Indianapolis homelessness prevention by increasing the support network for individuals and families struggling to stay housed.  She remained motivated to continue her education, as well as focus on upward mobility, and in the Fall of 2009 she successfully completed her Masters degree in Business Administration (MBA) from Indiana Wesleyan University.

Natara’s career as an Engineering and Management Professional spans over 10 years with expertise in Product Management, Engineered Solutions, Process Improvement, Cost Management, Project Management, Contract Management, Management Consulting, Sales and Operations, and Client Management. She currently resides in Houston, TX and serves as the Long Term Programs Project Manager at Siemens Energy Inc.  During her personal time Natara enjoys international travel, running, cooking and entertaining family and friends.