The Advanced Leadership Institute Announces the 2022 Cohort of the Executive Leadership Academy

PITTSBURGH, Jan. 28, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The Advanced Leadership Institute (TALI) and Carnegie Mellon University will officially kick off the 2022 cohort of the Executive Leadership Academy. This virtual event will feature Keynote Speaker Kevin Walker, President and Chief Executive Officer, Duquesne Light Holdings and Duquesne Light Company. Mr. Walker assumed this position in June of 2021, and he made history by becoming the first African American person to hold this title at DLC. He brings with him over 30 years of leadership experience.

Other noteworthy participants at the opening event will include Evan Frazier, President & CEO, TALI; Marsha Jones, TALI Board Chair & Executive Vice President/Diversity and Inclusion Executive, PNC; Isabelle Bajeux-Besnainou, Dean, Tepper School of Business; Eric Boughner, Chairman, BNY Mellon Pennsylvania; Tishekia Williams, Director, Regulatory Legal, Duquesne Light Company; and Shelly Hammond, VP, Programs, TALI.

Each year, experienced Black leaders are selected to participate in the Executive Leadership Academy, a 7-month, world-class executive education program through TALI and Carnegie Mellon University's Tepper School of Business. The program provides leadership development training and addresses the specific challenges that Black professionals face in the workplace. Cohort members are also matched with a professional coach and an executive mentor to help them build relationships and maximize their experience.

There are 25 distinguished participants in this year's cohort who represent a diversity of corporate, government and nonprofit organizations throughout the City of Pittsburgh. Here is this year's line-up of participants:

Alaine Allen, Associate Dean, DE&I, CMU
Caren Caldwell, AVP/General Manager Government Products, UPMC Health Plan
Holly Cundieff, Vice President Marketing & Communications, ARMADA
Clark Delanois, Head of Credit Risk, Private Banking Division, BNY Mellon
Justin Denham, Director, Information Security & Business Resiliency, Gateway Health
Tija Hilton-Phillips, Director, Regulatory Affairs, Highmark Inc.
Yarra Howze, Principal, Pittsburgh Public Schools
Traci Jackson, Director, Contact Center, Duquesne Light
Darryl Jones, Chief, Pittsburgh Bureau of Fire, City of Pittsburgh
Cynthia Lester-Moody, Director, Operations Delivery, Highmark, United Concordia Dental
Lee Lewis, Jr., Director, Supplier Diversity & Inclusion, Highmark Health
Ida Luchey-Ballard, Plant Manager, Koppers  Inc- Koppers Performance Chemical Group
Badel Mbanga, SVP, Data Science Group Manager, Digital & Innovation, PNC
Tammi McMillan, Faculty, Early Childhood Apprenticeship Director, Carlow University
Daillard Paris, Director of Supply & Trading, Sheetz, Inc.
Renee' Richardson, Senior Manager, Community Relations, Giant Eagle, Inc.
Ronelle Robinson, IT Director, Human Resources Business Partner, Giant Eagle, Inc
Tenecia Ross, Director of Human Resources, Mt. Lebanon School District
Frank Tunstall IV, SVP, Internal Audit Director, PNC
Chaton Turner, Senior Associate Counsel/Senior Director Disabilities Services, UPMC
Melissa Wade, Director of Constituent Relations, Allegheny County - Office of the County Executive
Kuyba Washington, Director, Human Resources, Federal Home Loan Bank of Pittsburgh
Michael Watson, Vice President Legal, Compliance & Regulatory , Wabtec
Karen Weiss, Senior Manager, IT Technical, Federal Home Loan Bank of Pittsburgh
Angela Williams, Director, Call Center Strategy, Portal Admin, UPMC Health Plan

"We are pleased to welcome the 2022 TALI Cohort as we kickoff our fourth year of the Executive Leadership Academy! This year's cohort is an impressive group of senior leaders  who have tremendous potential for executive advancement." – Evan Frazier, President and CEO of The Advanced Leadership Institute 

"It's encouraging to see our corporate community investing in the careers of Black professionals. Their commitment will help TALI fulfill its vision to create a more diverse and inclusive community." – Marsha Jones, The Advanced Leadership Institute Board Chair and Executive Vice President/Diversity and Inclusion Executive of PNC

About The Advanced Leadership Institute (TALI)
The mission of The Advanced Leadership Institute is to cultivate Black executive leadership to strengthen companies, institutions, and communities. Its primary focus is to educate, develop, connect, and position Black leaders for executive advancement. TALI has a portfolio of leadership programs, which include the Executive Leadership Academy (a program for Black leaders with at least 10 years of professional work experience in corporate, nonprofit, government or entrepreneurial sectors); an Emerging Leaders Program (addressing the needs of Black leaders with a minimum of 3-5 years of professional work experience); and ongoing programming and support for TALI alumni.

The Advanced Leadership Institute is supported by major corporations and foundations in the Pittsburgh region, including Founding Underwriters: BNY Mellon Foundation of Southwestern Pennsylvania, Highmark Foundation, and Richard King Mellon Foundation; Excellence Partners: Henry L. Hillman Foundation and Highmark; Lead Annual Contributors: BNY Mellon and The Heinz Endowments. Presenting Sponsors: Giant Eagle, Highmark Health, PNC, and UPMC. Gold Sponsors: Bank of America, Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney PC, Covestro, Duquesne Light Company, FHL Bank Pittsburgh, Gateway Health, Koppers, and Sheetz; Silver Sponsor: Wabtec; and Bronze Sponsors: CS McKee, Dollar Bank, Eat'n Park, EY, and Northwestern Mutual. For information about how you can be involved, visit www.taliinstitute.org.

SOURCE The Advanced Leadership Institute