Aisha I. DeBerry was born in Memphis, Tennessee and raised in Jackson, Mississippi. She has always had a love for the arts, learning to play the cello at the age of eight and being formally taught in the areas of dance and theater. Aisha considers herself a right and left brainer loving the arts but having a passion for business, logic, and justice. She majored in Economics at Northeastern University and went on to pursue her J.D. from Lincoln Memorial University where she was area president of the Black Law Student Association.

She currently serves as the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Manager for Gas South. Prior to this role, she was the Executive Director of Diversity and Community Partnerships for the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (Georgia Campus) pushing initiatives for equal access for diverse populations to pursue medical professions such as developing a strategic plan to enhance diversity from student admission, faculty recruitment, student/faculty/staff retention and all things in between.
She is the founder of AID Consulting- a consulting firm that provides Diversity and Inclusion strategies to include research, planning, training, and assessment and is the author of The Diversity Digest – A Beginner’s Guide to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.

Aisha and her dad, Roy DeBerry, co-host the Dad Daughter Dialogues podcast where they talk candidly about their father daughter relationship through the lens of being an African American Baby Boomer and Gen X-er.

Joann Gonzalez is the VP, of Human Resources for Comcast’s South Region based in Atlanta.  She is responsible for overseeing all human resources activities and services over 3,000 employees across 14 different markets.

She has more than 25 years of human resources experience, with more than 18 years at Comcast. Previously, she served as VP of Human Resources at the company’s national headquarters supporting Customer Care and in a variety of leadership roles in Comcast’s Central and West Divisions.

Joann earned her Bachelor of Science degree from Kean University and her Master of Business Administration degree from Union University. She is a member of Women in Cable Telecommunications’ Southeast Chapter and is a two-time recipient of their “Red Letter Award” which recognizes outstanding achievement and leadership. Additionally, she has served as a mentor for the South Region’s Black Employee Network. 

Outside of work, Joann and her husband, Wil, enjoy traveling and spending time outdoors with their three dogs. 

Lisa Guadalupe Clarke is a trailblazing figure in the realm of staffing and community advocacy. As the Founder and CEO of ATL Search Group, she spearheads a Women, DBE, and Minority certified staffing company, specializing in Bilingual Talent, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion initiatives. Additionally, Lisa is the driving force behind Latinas Rise, a 501c3 non-profit organization dedicated to empowering Latina-owned businesses with at least three years in business or $250K in yearly revenue.

Lisa’s journey is marked by resilience and determination. Born in Long Island, New York, and raised in Jucuapa, El Salvador, during the Civil War, she understands firsthand the challenges faced by immigrant families. Raised in a single-parent household, Lisa’s mother immigrated from El Salvador to provide her with greater opportunities and a brighter future.

With over 28 years of experience in Staffing and Human Resources, Lisa’s expertise is unparalleled. She is a proud graduate of both the Leadership Atlanta Class of 2022 and the Leadership Georgia Class of 2019. Lisa actively serves on prestigious boards, including the Georgia Chamber of Commerce Board, UGA SBDC State of Georgia Advisory Board, the Gwinnett County Foundation, Advisor Board member of Hispanic Scholarship Fund Atlanta Chapter, Chair for Staffing group for the MBEIC(Minority Business Enterprise Input Committee) and Superintendent’s Business Leadership Council for Gwinnett.

Lisa’s impact extends far beyond her professional endeavors. She has been recognized as one of the 500 Most Influential Leaders in 2023 by Georgia Trend Magazine and has been named one of the 50 Most Influential Latinos in Georgia. Her commitment to community service has earned her accolades, including a State Resolution by the Representative of District 9 Georgia House of Representatives for her service to the community.

Under Lisa’s leadership, ATL Search Group has garnered acclaim, receiving multiple recognitions, including being named Best of Gwinnett Employment Agency several times by Gwinnett Magazine and Best Employment Agency Regional by Georgia Biz Journal.

Lisa’s dedication to serving underserved communities and women entrepreneurs is evident in her leadership roles. She served as President of ALPFA, the largest Association for Latino Professionals in America for the Atlanta Chapter. Through her company, Lisa strives to provide better job opportunities and support to those in need, embodying her passion for uplifting others and fostering positive change.

Tonia Morris is an expert Multigenerational Speaker and a leading authority on understanding generations within the workplace. With her expertise, Tonia assists Senior Leaders in navigating the intricate challenges presented by multiple generations, ultimately saving them valuable Time, Money, and preserving their Sanity. Drawing upon her extensive experience, Tonia spent over two decades developing leaders on how to lead across generations, offering invaluable insights into the diverse dynamics of generations and employee engagement. Tonia is known as the Generational Connector, fostering cohesion, and understanding across age groups within organizations. She has collaborated with esteemed companies such as McDonald’s, Chick-fil-A, Oracle, PNC Bank, Guardian, and the FAA, enriching their workplaces with her transformative approach. Her exceptional contributions have earned her recognition, including the international Stevie Award for Maverick of the Year for her Generational Inclusion efforts.

Graduate of University of South Florida and certified Diversity Practitioner

Carl Hill is the Corporate Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion for Coca-Cola Bottling Company UNITED which operates distribution of all Coca-Cola trademarked products exclusively throughout the Southeast with 10,000+ employees.  In this role he is responsible for developing, leading, and implementing UNITED’s DE&I initiatives.   He has 10 years of Sales/Customer Management experience with T-Mobile US and 9 years of Coca-Cola System experience in Sales Operations, Customer Management, Marketing, and Community Affairs.  In these various roles he has led 200+ employee teams, managed $500K+ in revenue, and developed new organizational wide policies. 

Carl holds a Bachelors in Marketing from Xavier University of Louisiana.  He is a third generation HBCU graduate.  Continuing in his educational journey, he obtained his Executive MBA from Georgia State University and is a certified Project Management Professional from the International Project Management Institute.  Carl holds an Executive Leadership, High-Performance, and Change Management certificates from Cornell University as well.

Civically he is a Board member and the Co-Chair of the Programs Committee for the 100 Black Men of Atlanta.  He additionally serves on the Boards of the YMCA of Metro Atlanta and the Board for the City of Atlanta’s Worksource Agency. 

Carl is a fifth generation native of the city of Atlanta and a product of Atlanta Public Schools.  Carl and his wife Cherie have three children, Carter, Callie, and Ciara.

Keith L. Eakins Jr. is the Director Global Supplier Diversity for WestRock. He is responsible for implementing initiatives of WestRock’s Supplier Diversity program inclusive of minority and female-owned businesses. His responsibilities comprise of identifying qualified diverse suppliers, developing existing diverse suppliers, and expanding diverse suppliers through first-tier opportunities. In addition, Eakins encourages diverse sub-contracting with first-tier and second-tier suppliers, monitoring progress toward annual diverse supplier participation goals, and providing diverse supplier’s access to the WestRock Purchasing community.  He strengthens relationships with WestRock customers, diversity business development organizations, and communities across the country. 

A native of Cincinnati, Ohio, Eakins received his B.S. degree in Logistics and Procurement from Alabama A&M University.

Kim Hyde is a Sr Manager- Human Resources Business Partner with RealTruck, The Premier Authority in The Truck Accessories Aftermarket. She formally worked as an HR Generalist from 2005-2008 when the company was known as Lund International. During the period in between, she was the Benefits Coordinator with the Walton County School District.

Kim currently leads the HR activities for RealTruck’s Thermoforming and Injection Mold and Metals Center of Excellences which includes manufacturing facilities in Lawrenceville, GA, Brea, CA, Owosso, MI, Madison, TN, West Monroe, LA and Ontario, Canada. She is an enthusiastic, energetic employee advocate with credibility, compassion, and the ability to work effectively with all levels of an organization. She achieves measurable HR operational excellence and compliance by empowering, mentoring and encouraging the team to be the best they can be.

Kim has established strategic alliances in the community with agencies such as Partnership Gwinnett and actively participates in community programs like “Gwinnett Talent Council “and “Lean Breakfast”, as well as supporting local events and conducting plant tours. Kim also serves on the Gwinnett County Public School’s District Wide STEM Advisory Board and supports local high schools.

Born and Raised in Buffalo, NY; Kim relocated to Georgia in 1999. She is a mom to two wonderful children. Kim has a bachelor’s degree in management and a master’s in business administration. She also maintains both her PHR-Professional in Human Resources and SHRM-Certified Professional certifications.

Charlene Smart has over 25 years of combined Human Resources & Business Management experience, with an emphasis over the last 12 years in the Civil Design Engineering Industry. As the Director of Human Resources for CERM, she has the responsibility of directing the human resources function for the organization and lending support to all operational & administrative functions in accordance with industry standards and regulatory agencies. 

 Mrs. Smart is a proven strategist who has become a trusted advisor and partner who leverages the HR body of knowledge and transformative concepts of LEAN Six Sigma to strategically align human capital plans, strengthen management skills, streamline HR processes, and structure process-improvement initiatives.   She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration from Georgia State University. She is also SPHR, SHRM-SCP, 6σGB, and MBTI certified.

Keri Williams is the Vice President of Human Resources for Price Industries, a Canadian-owned manufacturer with 5 locations in the United States.  In this role, Keri is responsible for the human capital strategies and programs, heavily focused on recruitment, retention, and the employee value proposition.  Keri has worked for global organizations, including Solvay and Landis+Gyr, in HR leadership roles. Keri is on the Habitat for Humanity North Central Georgia board, leads a career ministry group, and serves on the advisory board for the manufacturing program and Maxwell High School.  She has a husband and 2 active children who keep her very busy in her free time.