The Advanced Leadership Institute Announces the Second Cohort of the Emerging Leaders Program

PITTSBURGH, Oct. 25, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The Advanced Leadership Institute (TALI) is pleased to announce an impressive roster of professional Black talent for its second year of the Emerging Leaders Program. The program is delivered through a partnership with Carnegie Mellon University Tepper School of Business and in collaboration with the University of Pittsburgh, Robert Morris University, and Duquesne University. It is designed to reach high-potential Black professionals seeking to advance their careers as strong individual contributors and early managers. The Emerging Leaders Program compliments TALI's flagship program, the Executive Leadership Academy—launched in 2019. 

"As TALI enters the 2022-2023 programming year, we are excited to usher in a new Emerging Leaders Program cohort full of talented Black leaders. In 2021, we launched the program in hopes of building a strong network of rising Black professionals," says Evan Frazier, President and CEO of The Advanced Leadership Institute. "With the new Emerging Leaders cohort, TALI continues to drive towards its mission and vision by helping our region become a more diverse, inclusive, and prosperous community."

"We are proud to be able to deliver another year of the Emerging Leaders Program through our continued partnership with TALI. Through the program, we have the distinct pleasure of providing the region's rising Black leaders with a world-class executive education. We congratulate the fine individuals who have been accepted into this year's Emerging Leaders Program and hope this experience positively impacts their professional and personal development," says Isabelle Bajeux-Besnainou, Dean, Richard P. Simmons Professor of Finance, Carnegie Mellon University Tepper School of Business. 

The Emerging Leaders Program promotes diverse talent at earlier career stages by preparing and positioning Black professionals for higher levels of leadership responsibility. Candidates selected for the Emerging Leaders Programs include individuals with a minimum of three to five years of professional work experience in the corporate, nonprofit, government, or entrepreneurial sectors and who are seeking to grow in leadership. The program will run from October 2022 through April 2023. Participants will sharpen the hard and soft skills necessary for effective leadership within the context of the rising Black professional. They will also master topics such as executive presence and managerial effectiveness, organizational culture, negotiation strategy, mentorship, feedback, and building successful teams – all while addressing relevant potential roadblocks and how to surmount them. Most importantly, The Emerging Leaders Program also helps each participant develop a sense of community and belonging, which gives them an incentive to remain in the region.

Congratulations to the 26 selected participants for the 2023 Emerging Leaders Program Cohort:

Darla Brown- Manager, Patient Experience, Allegheny Health Network
Quinten Brown- Executive Administrator, Carnegie Mellon University, Office of the Provost
Ebonie Chestnut- Financial Analyst, Wabtec Corporation
Arthur Chileshe- Distribution Engineering Manager, Duquesne Light
John Cunningham- Internal Business System Consultant, Highmark Health
Courtney Davenport- Senior Analyst / Community Impact Program Administrator, BNY Mellon
LaNee Davis- Procurement Manager, Federal Home Loan Bank of Pittsburgh
Denise Hughes- Senior Manager, Public Relations, UPMC
Miguelina Javier- SR Analyst- International Support, American Eagle Outfitters, Inc.
Sharlene Lewis- Process Chemistry Expert, Covestro LLC
Juanita Lomax- Enterprise Change Delivery, Readiness and Change Consultant, Highmark Inc.
Tami Mack- Assistant General Counsel – Innovation and Business Development, American Eagle Outfitters, Inc.
Derrick L. Maultsby Jr., Esq.- Associate Attorney, Frost Brown Todd LLC
Jordon McMichael- Branch and Business Center Manager, PNC
Ariel Meadows- Credit Analyst, Bridgeway Capital
BreAnne Middleton- Human Resources Business Partner II, Giant Eagle
Babatunde (Tunde) Ogunjobi- Lead Geoscientist, CNX Resources
Oluwaropo (Abbey) Omodunbi- Senior Economist, PNC Financial Services
Audia Robinson- Operational Support Analyst, Federal Home Loan Bank of Pittsburgh
LaToya Sawyer-Ndizeye- Counsel, Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney PC
Veronique Scullion- Financial Advisor, Northwestern Mutual
Shana Shields- User Experience Designer, American Eagle Outfitters, Inc.
Monique Smith- Faculty Affairs Manager, The University of Pittsburgh
Ashten Walker- Executive Store Leader, Giant Eagle
LaNita Whittle- Manager, Aerospace Project Management Office, PPG
Eria Young- Accounting and Administrative Manager, Koppers

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 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 Contributors: BNY Mellon, Eden Hall Foundation, and The Heinz Endowments. Presenting Sponsors: FHL Bank Pittsburgh, Giant Eagle, Highmark Health, PNC, and UPMC. Gold Sponsors: American Eagle Outfitters, Bank of America, Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney PC, CNX, Covestro, Duquesne Light Company, Dollar Bank, Koppers, The Pittsburgh Foundation, Pittsburgh Penguins, PPG and Wabtec Corporation; Silver Sponsor: Highmark Wholecare, Northwestern Mutual and Pittsburgh Legal Diversity and Inclusion Coalition; and Bronze Sponsors: ARCHO, CS McKee,  Eat'n Park Hospitality Group, EY, FedEx and MSA Safety.

To learn more about The Advanced Leadership Institute, visit www.taliinstitute.org

SOURCE The Advanced Leadership Institute