Black Founders Initiative
The Black Founders Initiative is a statewide Advisory Council that plans to provide opportunities for resources and networking to assist Ohio black founders in gaining access to services and funding to help them become successful entrepreneurs.
JobsOhio is leading this collaboration with other state entities in consultation with a council of business and industry experts who serve as the Black Founders Advisory Council. Our goal is to connect and collaborate to provide resources including databases and networking opportunities for underrepresented and underserved populations to utilize and access within Ohio.
Less than 1% of American venture capital backed founders are black. This lack of diversity within investment firms ultimately translates to a lack of diversity in the companies that they invest in. Our vision for the Black Founders Initiative is to make Ohio a destination for Black founders to create legacy and build wealth.
Black Founders Advisory Council
The advisory council meets bi-monthly and consists of professionals representing corporations, academia, commerce, and government to assist the leadership of JobsOhio in creating, implementing, and managing the structure and content for the Black Founders Initiative.
Current Advisory Council Members:
Mr. Mike Flowers (Chair) Â
Business & Real Estate Attorney
Steptoe & Johnson PLLC
Columbus, OhioÂ
Dr. Osie Appiah
Professor
College of Communication
The Ohio State UniversityÂ
Columbus, OhioÂ
Ms. Jennifer Hurd
Senior Vice President
Local Market Executive of Ohio
Bank of America
Cleveland, Ohio
Mr. Christopher Thomas
Executive Director, Head of Diverse
Talent Experiences and DEI Lead
JPMorgan Chase
Columbus, OH
Mr. Steve Stivers
President & CEO
Ohio Chamber of Commerce
Columbus, OhioÂ
Mr. Ron Todd
Chief, Social Impact and Opportunity
Department of Development
Columbus, Ohio
Ms. Keena Smith (Co-Chair)
Founder & CEO
Women’s Center for Economic Opportunity
Columbus, Ohio
Ms. Monica Womack
Chief, Minority Business Division
Department of Development
Columbus, Ohio
Mr. Eric Troy
Founder & CEO
Eficionado LLC
Columbus, Ohio
Other guests that have attended past meetings:
Ms. Candice Matthews Brackeen
General Partner, Lightship Capital
Cincinnati, Ohio
JobsOhio Team Members
Terry Slaybaugh
Vice President, Sites and Infrastructure
Hannah Baumgartel
Program Manager, Sites
Kristi Tanner
Senior Managing Director, Inclusion
Darnita Bradley
Senior Manager, Local Government Affairs
Questions
Contact Hannah Baumgartel