An innovative solution to building the next generation of board leaders

Take the Next Step

Take the next step in your leadership journey and be part of a movement to bring more diverse perspectives to the boardroom. Apply now to join our Board Accelerator Program and make a lasting impact. 

The Board Accelerator Program

In 2023, we featured a robust discussion on Board Readiness at this very Summit.  We committed to coming back to you this year to share that we have created a program to address the key findings that were shared from Dr. Latricia Frederick's research and the hard-won wisdom of featured panelist including Dr. Frederick, Debra Lee, Andrew Davis, Michelle Campbell, and moderator Ceci Kurzman.

We are pleased to announce that Diverse Talent and GBEF’s Academy for Advancing Excellence have joined forces to create the Board Accelerator Program. The program's vision is to create a pipeline of mid to senior leaders below the C-Suite ready to take on a Board of Directors seat by building the skills, relationships, and Board engagement knowledge to be ready to step into a board position (non-profit, private and/or public) within 2 years of completing the program.

Why are we doing it?

Research shows that in order to ensure that Boards are diversified with leaders from the communities and consumers that are serviced we must address proximity, opportunity, skills, and cultural nuances.

What's different about the program?

The Board Accelerator Program is designed to create the pipeline of next-generation Board members. There are not enough people of color at the C-suite level or above to close the representation gaps that exist on Boards. We must build a new approach to resolve this challenge. The program has been designed based on research and includes engagement from Board members who represent the face of the participants along with mentors, coaching, resources, and a capstone project.

Program Highlights

The Board Accelerator curriculum is designed to deliver a transformative experience that cultivates a professional candidate pipeline. The 6 module curriculum introduces various methods that engage; self-paced, personal mentors, and virtual sessions to complement all active learners. The ideal participants are mid to senior-level professionals who desire to gain board development knowledge.

Skill Development

Elevate your proficiency in crucial areas such as financial acumen, governance, strategy, risk management, culture, and enterprise leadership. Gain the expertise needed to navigate and succeed in boardroom roles. 

Motivation to Serve

Explore the intersection of personal values and professional aspirations in the context of board service. 

Community Building

Become part of a network of leaders dedicated to supporting each other’s professional aspirations and advancing collectively.

Expert Access

Engage with thought leaders, subject matter experts, and experienced coaches.

Network Expansion

Develop a robust personal board of support. Foster relationships with advocates, ambassadors, and sponsors who will champion your journey towards board placement. 

Market Insight

Learn innovative approaches to assess and respond to market trends, ensuring your decisions drive business success.

Program Format

Live Teaching

Independent Self-study

Webinars

Coaching

Discovery Assessments

Alumni Community

  • In 1990, Michelle Campbell leveraged her engineering degree and became the founder of MD Campbell & Associates, LLC., an engineering firm with a focus of engineering systems and operations. In addition, was instrumental in recruiting diverse candidates for available engineering positions. As a woman of color in the engineering space, the call to assist clients with their technical and human resource staffing issues was a unique yet necessary business aspect. Her commitment to support clients to recruit diverse candidates for engineering positions was a critical decision during that time.


    Michelle later founded Diverse Talent, an executive search and placement firm that prides itself on supporting the notion that a pipeline issue exists. Diverse Talent is intentional in their efforts to assist organizations with their diversity initiatives and goals through their recruiting efforts.


    To assist organizations with their diversity and equity training efforts, Michelle brought REACH (Respecting Ethnic and Cultural Heritage) a non-profit since 1976 committed to education/training around equity standards to Colorado. REACH partners with organizations around the country to bring theater, education and experiential learning DEI education and training. Colorado REACH partners with Diverse Talent to ensure diversity initiatives and training goals are achieved.


    Michelle earned her engineering degree from Kansas State University, where she was awarded numerous academic honors. Additionally, she has a master’s degree in counseling, where she vowed to utilize her academic success to provide a platform for others to excel. Michelle is committed to continuing her life passion of community engagement, leadership and providing access to all.

Meet Our Leaders

  • Aaliyah Haqq is an exceptional leader whose career journey exemplifies resilience, adaptability, and a commitment to excellence. As the Chief Operating Officer of The Academy for Advancing Excellence, Aaliyah partners with leaders worldwide, guiding them through transformative shifts and empowering them to reach new levels of success. With a career that spans Health & Human Services, Commercial Real Estate, and Executive Leadership Development, Aaliyah brings a rich tapestry of experience to her role, allowing her to connect with individuals on multiple levels and communicate with clarity and empathy.

    Aaliyah's passion for equity and equality in the workplace is not just a belief but a driving force behind her actions. By integrating well-researched programs and tools into her work with clients, Aaliyah empowers leaders to unlock their full potential and achieve better business results. Her business acumen and ability to translate complex data into actionable strategies have enabled her to drive substantial business growth and create sustainable solutions that benefit all stakeholders.

    Aaliyah's impact extends far beyond her current role, as she has successfully led projects for major corporations such as AT&T, Intel, Cisco, and Amazon. Her ability to blend intuition with facts to generate innovative outcomes has been consistently acknowledged by clients, who value her subject matter expertise and adaptability. Her contributions extend beyond projects; she has developed original content and curated learning materials that have catalyzed personal and organizational transformation.

    To maintain her own peak performance, Aaliyah embraces a holistic approach to life, engaging in activities like running, yoga, meditation, soccer, and cycling. Her commitment to well-being is not just a personal choice but a testament to her belief in the power of balance and self-care.

    Aaliyah holds a BS from Hofstra University in Community Health and a certificate in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion from the University of South Florida. She is also a budding author, currently writing a book slated for publication in Q1 2025. Aaliyah's journey is an inspiring testament to what can be achieved through dedication, passion, and a relentless pursuit of excellence.

  • Trudy Bourgeois is one of America's leading experts on transformational leadership and a highly regarded leader in the field of leadership and diversity, equity, equality and inclusion. An expert at developing managers and leaders on how to unleash the greatest potential of every employee, Bourgeois is a highly sought-out resource. She is the founder and former CEO of the Center for Workforce Excellence for nearly two decades. In 2022, the firm was acquired by Essence Ventures and is now called the Academy for Advancing Excellence.

    Dollars and Sense Magazine honored Bourgeois as one of the "Best and Brightest Women Leaders”. In her various roles as author, speaker, teacher, and researcher, Bourgeois continues to utilize her superb management and interpersonal skills. Known as the “truth teller”, Bourgeois has a rare ability to tackle very difficult subjects such as race and bias without triggering negative emotions. Drawing on her own life’s experience of being born into segregation, she operates from a principle that “everyone has something to learn” on the journey to accepting each other across differences and building workplaces that are truly inclusive.

    Trudy has authored four leadership books, HER CORNER OFFICE: A Guide to Help Women Find a Place and a Voice in Corporate America and Her Corner Office (2nd Edition) and THE HYBRID LEADER: Blending the Best of Male and Female Leadership Styles, her latest book entitled, EQUALITY: Courageous Conversations About Women, Men, and Race To Spark a Diversity and Inclusion Breakthrough has served as a strategic resource to many leaders who want to understand how to become an inclusive leader.

    She has received numerous awards for her contributions in advancing equality including the Network of Executive Women’s 2016 Pioneer Award, the National Black MBA Dallas Chapter Empowering Visionary Entrepreneur of the Year 2020 and D Magazine’s most powerful business leaders in North Texas 2021. She has been featured in many national publications including the Harvard Business Review.

    She has been married to her husband (Mike Bourgeois) for almost 44 years and is the mother of Adam and MaryEllen. The family embraced Ryan Brence as their son-in-law in 2017. Trudy relishes her new role that started in 2019 as “Grand Mere” of her first grandchild-Grace Elizabeth Brence. In August of 2021 “GrandMere” welcomed a second grandchild Avery Prescott Brence. Trudy resides in Prosper Texas.

  • LaTricia “LT” Frederick is a Director of People & Communities (P&C) focused on driving Workforce Planning, Organization Design and People Strategies across the Cisco enterprise. In this role, LT provides strategic consultation with global leaders by ensuring organizations optimally align their talent investments with the people and business strategy. She is also a Certified Executive Coach, a recent graduate of the McKinsey Black Executive Leadership program and the Executive Leadership Council’s C-Suite Academy program.

    A 17-year veteran of Cisco, LT has extensive experience leading operations, talent management and organizational transformations while driving inclusion and collaboration and developing successful leaders and teams. Prior to her current role, she served as a Program Leader as part of the Office of Inclusion and Collaboration and held positions in the People Planning Design & Analytics organization, Cisco Services HR organization, and Cisco Sales Associates Program. LT has also worked in the higher education and technology sectors with a focus on talent management, learning and organizational development, coaching and mentoring. She is best known for helping people discover their true passions, overcome barriers to achievement, and establish a plan for personal and professional success.

    With a lifelong commitment to learning, LT recently completed her Doctor of Education in Leadership and Learning in Organizations at Vanderbilt University. She is also a graduate of North Carolina State University with a B.S. degree in Business Management and a graduate of Meredith College with an M.B.A., both located in Raleigh, NC. She enjoys genealogy, traveling the world, watching ACC Sports (in particular, NC State Wolfpack) and spending time with family & friends. She resides in Alexandria, VA.

Accelerate Your Leadership

Discover the transformative results of our visionary Board Accelerator Program. Are you ready to pioneer the future of governance?