Ryan Johnson is the founder and CEO of Cxmmunity Media, a media-tech company focused on future-proofing diversity in the esports and gaming industry by creating engaging, educational, and entertaining programming. After graduating from HBCU Oakwood University, Ryan’s passion for advancing the Black community in the sports and entertainment industries led him to evangelize education and economic advancement in these spaces. With this vision, he founded Cxmmunity Media, and then the HBCU Esports League, one of few Black-owned sports leagues, that provides students from Historically Black Colleges and Universities a safe space to compete and monetize in esports.

Ryan began his professional career as an Account Executive with Vonage Business. He was responsible for maintaining a client base that met monthly and quarterly metric goals. Shortly after he accepted a role as an IT Consultant with Adapture. Adapture is an award-winning IT firm located in Sandy Springs, GA. Winning CRN Tech Elite and Atlanta Business Chronicle Pacesetter Awards, Ryan was able to quickly develop skills around business development, project management, and customer experience with corporate organizations.

Ryan’s dedication to equal access in esports and gaming garnered a partnership between Cxmmunity Media and Twitch, leading to over 45 million viewers and corporate sponsors such as Verizon, Discover, Hot Pockets, Nike/House of Hoops, and MTN Dew. The HBCU Esports League has provided over $1.2M in scholarships and gaming equipment to students and HBCU gaming programs.

In addition to the HBCU Esports League, Cxmmunity Media launched The Kickback. The Kickback continues to build visibility for underrepresented creators and gamers through innovative partnerships with brands like Spotify, Amazon Games, and Microsoft.

Michael leads the Innovation practice at Carat and works with clients and teams to build strategies that help prepare brands for the future consumer (near & far). He is a specialist turned generalist with experience and deep interest in emerging trends, youth culture, gaming, nascent tech, AI, branded content, data driven solutions, and decentralized experience implications.

His role is to anticipate the ever-changing value dynamic between brands, consumers, and media and help take measured steps to experiment and learn. He has lately been focused on exploring new forms of incentive structures, consumer connection points, and new business models for brands via AI, spatial experiences, and blockchain applications.

Sadé Muhammad is the Chief Marketing Officer of TIME, where she oversees all integrated marketing and branded content.

She has over a decade of experience in marketing, digital transformation, ad products, and organizational change via DEI. She founded the Representation & Inclusion Practice at Forbes, a revenue-generating ad business centered on equity as a path to marketing innovation and cultural change.

A strong cross-functional leader and creative, her work has been celebrated in Digiday, Adweek, and PRSANY, and she has forged strategic partnerships with JP Morgan Wealth Management, UBS, LVMH, and more. She was awarded the 30 Under 30 Award by the INMA for Achievement in Advertising in 2020. Prior to Forbes, Sade held various roles at NBCUniversal and underwent the prestigious NBC Page Program.

A true magazine fanatic, Muhammad holds a degree in Magazine Journalism from the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University. She sits on the Newhouse 44 Advisory Committee, a group dedicated to equity and inclusion for journalism students at Syracuse University.

Courtney is the CMO at Kicksarter where she oversees all aspects of Kickstarter’s marketing strategy, including product and life cycle marketing, creative, communications, content, social, experiential, partnerships, and sponsorships. She also oversees Kickstarter’s sales and community outreach strategy, focusing on developing integrated, full-funnel approaches that cultivate a passionate, engaged and empowered community on the Kickstarter platform.

Courtney has over two decades of experience working with global brands across diverse industries like tech, media, entertainment, and more. Before Kickstarter, Courtney served as Twitter’s Global Head of Brand, managing a global team across go-to-market brand strategy, brand campaign management, talent, and emerging markets as well as digital, content, and editorial strategy. Prior to that, she was Head of Creative at Audible, where she launched two high-growth subscription startups and revenue streams—Audible Escape and Audible for Business.

Courtney has also held key roles at L’Oreal, WarnerMedia (Time Inc.), and the Madison Square Garden Company. She holds an MFA from the School of Visual Arts in New York City and studied Disruptive Strategy at Harvard Business School.

As the agency’s Chief Creative Officer, Whitney Michel serves as lead of the creative and production department, tasked with empowering and inspiring a new generation of cultural storytellers at UWG.

This first-generation, Haitian American creative has nearly 15 years working on impactful creative content and campaigns with clients from ESPN, Cadillac, Walgreens, Nike, Weight Watchers and more. Her work has landed her in Vogue, GQ, British GQ, The New York Times and more as a Black talent to watch.

Whitney holds a bachelor’s degree in design and management from the prestigious Parsons, The New School for Design, in New York City.

Ayiko Broyard joined Walton Isaacson in September 2007 as the lead for the Lexus Black marketing and advertising business. This position was extended to include the automaker’s LGBTQ+ marketing when it was awarded to WI in 2008 and its Hispanic marketing business in 2009. Services for Lexus include national and local advertising, digital/website development, events and experiential, public relations and social media. Broyard has spearheaded the award-winning 360 campaign for Marvel Studios’ “Black Panther” and Lexus integration.

Amira Martin is an art director with a background in design. She’s an empath who finds the most fulfilling work to be projects rooted in human stories and insights. She joined VMLY&R in April 2022 as an art director with prior experience as an art director and senior designer at Manifest and a designer at USA Today. Amira is a proud alumna of Howard University where she earned her BFA and is also a proud alumna of The One School, an intensive portfolio program created for the advancement of black and brown creatives. She credits the One School and many mentors along the way for her transition into the world of advertising.

Olajuwon Ajanaku, the Founder of Eastside Golf grew up in East Atlanta. He gained a golf scholarship to Morehouse College and won a National Championship alongside his co-founder. After graduating with a degree in accounting, he worked in Commercial Finance for many years. Olajuwon left the corporate world however to fully embark on entrepreneurship that would support his own dream to turn pro in golf. As a result, Eastside Golf was formed.

Earl Cooper is the CEO and Co-Founder of Eastside Golf. He joined the company back in 2020 with his business partner and Founder, Olajuwon Ajanaku. Since then, the company has skyrocketed to one of the top in the golf apparel business, while also being a disruptor for what the stereotypical golfer represents. His goals are to show people that you can be involved in golf while also being authentic to who you are. Eastside provides the community with clothes that are not only trendy to the culture but fit within the outlines of golf. By tying in hip-hop culture, streetwear, and the game, he has been able to merge all spectrums of his life into a business that not only speaks to who he is but also to the community that he represents.

Prior to his work with Eastside, he maintained a long career working in the golf industry. He started his career with the PGA of America and then became an Assistant Golf Professional at the PGA Golf Club, Detroit Golf Club, and the Wilmington Country Club. He worked as the first African American golf professional at Detroit Golf Club and Wilmington Country Club. He also spent time working in Wilmington’s Mayor’s office where he Co-founded HBCU Week.

Earl started playing golf at a young age after being exposed to the game when his father signed him up for a Junior Golf Program at six years old. He was born in Michigan but grew up in Wilmington, Delaware. From there he played in many tournaments throughout his life until he landed a scholarship to play and attend Morehouse College. While being a part of the golf team, he helped lead them to a National Championship for D11. He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts
in Political Science.

Amongst his growing career in golf, he became a PGA Professional and was currently ranked as one of the best young teachers in America by Golf Digest. This will be the 7th year in a row he has been awarded this recognition. He has also written three children’s books. In his spare time, he continues to teach and give back to the community.