Friday, Feb 24, 2023

Black Tech Summit & Black New Venture Competition

11:00AM - 11:45AM: Registration & Lunch

11:45AM - 11:50AM: Welcome & Opening Remarks

11:50AM - 12:20PM: breakout Session #1: “Tech Talks”

Tech Talk 1A: Blockchain, De-Fi, & Crypto

  • Olayinka Odeniran, Founder & CEO, Black Women Blockchain Council

Tech Talk 1B: Artificial Intelligence

  • Alex Sambvani (HBS'17), Co-Founder & CEO, Slang.ai

Tech Talk 1C: AR/VR

  • Stephanie Reaves, Lead Product Manager, BCG & Co-Founder, Neon Wild

12:20PM - 12:30PM: Break & Transition to Next Session

12:30PM - 1:30PM: breakout Session #2

Panel Session 2A: Financing Your Dreams: The Fundraising Journey

  • Songe LaRon, Co-Founder & CEO, Squire

  • Yasmin Cruz Ferrine, Co-Founder & General Partner, Visible Hands

  • Wemimo Abbey, Co-Founder & Co-CEO, Esusu

  • Brian Hollins (HBS'21), Co-founder & Managing Partner, Collide Capital (Moderator)

Panel Session 2B: Non-technical Roles in Tech

  • Ken Chestnut, Global Head of Technology GTM Partnerships, Stripe

  • Felecia Hatcher, CEO of Pharrell William’s Black Ambition Opportunity Fund and Co-Founder of the Center for Black Innovation

  • Alonzo Page, Head of Global Consumer Strategy, Peloton

  • Vanessa Williams, Senior Creative Marketing Manager, Prime Video & Amazon Studios

  • Neil Wusu, Director, Premium Subscription Strategy, Spotify (Moderator)

Panel Session 2C: Deep Dive into Tough Tech

  • Osahon Ojeaga, Founder & CEO, Aja Labs

  • Mesongo Sibuti, Co-Founder & CTO, Marketforce360

  • Jameel Feshitan, Co-Founder & CEO, Advanced Microbubbles

  • Joe Hurd, Global Managing Director, Corporate Development, Hax VC (Moderator)

1:30PM - 1:40PM: Break & Transition to Next Session

1:40PM-2:40PM: breakout Session #3

Panel Session 3A: Accelerating Your Business with Accelerator Programs

  • Kimberly Smith, Chief Capital Formation Officer, Tech Stars

  • Daniel Acheampong, Co-Founder & General Partner, Visible Hands

  • Damon Cox, Head of Next Practice and Inclusive Growth, Mass Challenge

  • Dominick Ard’is, CEO, ACT House

  • Maya Brooks (HBS'23), Founder & CEO, Privy Photos (Moderator)

Panel Session 3B: Entrepreneurial Pathways Beyond Tech with StockX

  • KJ Miller (HBS’14), Co-Founder & CEO, Mented Cosmetics

  • Cornell Scarborough, Power Seller, StockX

  • Vernon Simms, CEO, Hybrid Base

  • Ebehi Iyoha, Assistant Professor in the Entrepreneurial Management Unit, Harvard Business School (Moderator)

Panel Session 3C: Demystifying Product Management

  • Tyler Simpson (HBS'20), Product Manager, Amazon

  • Rotimi Opeke, Product Manager, Stripe

  • Auriel Wright, Product Manager, Google

  • Danielle Regis (HBS'22), Product, Lingo (Moderator)

2:40PM–3:05PM: Break & Transition to Klarman Auditorium

3:05 - 3:35PM: Closing Keynote

  • Sevetri Wilson, Founder & CEO, Resilia

  • Ashley Reid (HBS’23) (Moderator)

3:35PM-3:40PM: Black Tech Summit Closing Remarks

3:40PM-3:50PM: Break & Transition to Black New Venture Competition

3:50PM-3:55PM: Black New Venture Competition Opening Remarks

3:55PM - 4:10PM: Black New Venture Competition Keynote

  • Carla Harris, Senior Client Advisor, Morgan Stanley

4:10PM-5:55PM: Pitch Competition

5:55PM-6:00PM: Closing Remarks

saturday, Feb 25, 2023

H. NAYLOR FITZHUGH CONFERENCE

8:00aM-1:30pm: self-guided visit of cash house & AASU Through the Years exhibit

The AASU Through the Years Exhibit will be on display in the atrium of Klarman Hall. We have curated decades of AASU student photos for conference attendees to see first-hand how AASU as an HBS student organization has evolved over the decades. Baker Library staff will be on-hand with archival items from AASU and to answer questions.

8:00aM-9:15AM: Breakfast, Registration & career fair

9:15am–9:40am: Opening Remarks

  • Temi Olonilua & Lauren Thomas, H. Naylor Fitzhugh Conference Co-Chairs

  • Dr. James Cash, Professor Emeritus, Harvard Business School

  • Dean Srikant Datar, Harvard Business School

  • Quintin Haynes, HBS AASU Co-President

9:40AM-10:20AM: Opening Keynote

  • Byron Allen, Founder & CEO, Allen Media Group

10:20am–10:35am: BREAK & Transition to Panel block #1

10:35am-11:35am: PANEL Session #1

Panel Session 1A: Closing the Race Gap: Addressing Health Inequities

  • Dan Gebremedhin, MD, MBA, Partner, Flare Capital

  • Patricia Howard, Chief Operations Officer, Point32Health

  • J. Nwando Olayiwola, MD, MPH, Chief Health Equity Officer and SVP, Humana

  • Kym Lew Nelson, Senior Lecturer, Harvard Business School (Moderator)

Panel Session 1B: The Future of Hospitality 

  • Jason Crain, President, Slutty Vegan

  • Kevin Johnson, Founder, Black Capital

  • Dom Packer, Head of Connected Cities, The Gathering Spot

  • Chip Wade, CEO, Union Square Hospitality (Moderator)

Panel Session 1C: Black Wealth Creation

  • William M. Lewis, Jr, Partner, Apollo Global Management

  • Kedra Newsom Reeves, Managing Director and Partner, Boston Consulting Group

11:35am–11:40Pm: Transition to Spangler center

11:40am–12:30Pm: LuNch & Networking

12:30PM - 1:20PM: ceo roundtable: empowering black leaders

  • Christopher O Williams, Founder and Principal, Custament Partners LLC

  • John Lewis, CEO, Harbor Bank of Maryland

  • Telisa Yancy, President, American Family Insurance

  • Tawan Davis, Chief Executive Officer, The Steinbridge Group (Moderator)

1:20Pm–1:35pm: BREAK & Transition to Panel block #2

1:35pm-2:35pm: PANEL Session #2

Panel Session 2A: Acquiring Minds: The Entrepreneurship Through Acquisition Path to Generational Wealth

  • Brandon Jones, Founder, Gravy

  • Tarrus Richardson, CEO, IMB Partners

Panel Session 2B: Creating a Content Ecosystem to Authentically Amplify Black Voices

  • Eric Darnell, Agent, WME Agency

  • Maori Karmael Holmes, Film Director and Founder, BlackStar Studios

  • Jelani Johnson, Executive Vice President of Film & Production, MACRO

  • Talitha Watkins, President, ColorCreative Management

  • Chloe Gbai, Studio Executive, Netflix (Moderator)

Panel Session 2C: A Seat At The Table: Preparing for Board Leadership

  • Beverly Anderson, President and CEO, BECU

  • John Burt, Executive Search and Leadership Advisor, Spencer Stuart; former CEO and Co-Founder of JumpStart

  • Herman Bulls, Vice Chairman, Americas, JLL

  • Linda Hill, Professor of Business Administration, Harvard Business School (Moderator)

2:35Pm–2:50pm: BREAK & Transition to Panel block #3

2:50pm-3:50pm: PANEL Session #3

Panel Session 3A: Serving Black Communities Across Public Sectors

  • Phillip Jones, Mayor, Newport News, VA

  • Bithiah Carter, President and CEO, New England Blacks in Philanthropy

  • Segun Idowu, Chief of Economic Opportunity and Inclusion, City of Boston

  • Brian McClure, Racial Equity Policy Manager, Lyft

  • Gisele Garraway, CEO and Founder, THRIVEfunds (Moderator)

Panel Session 3B: Finding Joy in Your Career

  • Miriam Kudizia, General Partner, JMT Capital LLC

  • Myleik Teele, Founder, CURLBOX

  • Dr. Courtney McCluney, Assistant Professor of Organizational Behavior, Cornell University; Principal, Equiwell Partners

  • Dr. Richard Orbé-Austin, Co-Founder, Dynamic Transitions Psychological Consulting LLP

  • Brook Dennard Rosser, Ed.D, Associate Director of DEI, Harvard Business School (Moderator)

Panel Session 3C: 2023: The State of Venture Capital

  • Yasmin Cruz Ferrine, General Partner and Co-Founder, Visible Hands

  • Marlon Nichols, Co-Founder and Managing General Partner, MaC Venture Capital

  • Nasir Qadree, Founder and Managing Partner, Zeal Capital Partners

  • Adina Tecklu, Principal, Khosla Ventures

  • Cherae Robinson, Head of Community, Flybridge Capital Partners (Moderator)

3:50Pm–4:10pm: BREAK & transition to Klarman Hall

4:10pm–5:00pm: Closing Keynote

  • Tarik Brooks, President, Combs Enterprises

  • Jay Lundy, VP of Investments, Combs Enterprises

5:00pm–5:30pm: HBS African-american alumni association (AAA) Presentation & Alumni Awards Ceremony

5:30pm–5:40pm: Closing Remarks

  • Temi Olonilua & Lauren Thomas, H. Naylor Fitzhugh Conference Co-Chairs

  • Quintin Haynes, HBS AASU Co-President

8:00PM-1:30AM: HNF 50 Soirée & official afterparty

Attire: Black Tie Optional

Program:

Welcome Remarks & Champagne Toast at 9:00pm

Live Band playing jazz, soul and R&B from 8:00 PM to 11:00 PM

BigTunez The DJ from 11:00 PM to 1:30 AM

Join us for an unforgettable night of Black excellence celebrating 50 years of the H Naylor Fitzhugh Conference. Our evening programming will include cocktails, heavy hor d'oeuvres and display stations and live entertainment from 8pm to 11pm. After 11pm, the event will switch to a nightclub with current hip-hop and R&B. 

Conference attendees have access to the event; an open bar of premium refreshments and liquor; live entertainment; heavy hors d'oeuvres and canapes; open seating and a coat check on-site.