PEOPLE
Board · Staff · Leadership

The Minds Behind
the Movement.

A board of industry leaders who didn't just lend their names. Staff who build the program from the inside. And a founding team that left comfortable careers to build something the industry hadn't figured out how to build for itself.

Board of Directors

A board that shows up
— and builds.

CMOs. Agency founders. Media executives. Entertainment leaders. These are not advisory-board names collected for optics — they are working board members who chose MGP because they believe the model is the best solution to a problem they see every day. Hover any card to learn more.

Danyel Surrency Jones
Danyel Surrency Jones
Board Chair
Surrency Jones Consulting
A marketing and brand strategy executive with decades of experience building consumer brands. Danyel joined MGP's board because she understands what happens to an industry that fails to invest in its own future leadership.
Eden Andu
Eden Andu
Board Member
VP, Employee Relations & Business Partner
A human resources and organizational leadership executive who understands the real cost of talent gaps at the executive level. Eden brings a people-first perspective to MGP's governance.
Ezinne Okoro
Ezinne Okoro
Board Member
Chief Inclusion & Culture Strategy Officer, VML Group
Ezinne operates at the intersection of culture, inclusion, and brand strategy — exactly where MGP operates. As CICO at VML Group, she has built one of the most sophisticated inclusion frameworks in global advertising.
Anika Grant
Anika Grant
Board Member
CEO & Founder, Idlewild Experiential
Anika built Idlewild Experiential from the ground up — understanding firsthand how rare it is for bold, culturally-fluent entrepreneurs to find the resources and networks they need.
Marc Simons
Marc Simons
Board Member
Co-Founder, Giant Spoon
As Co-Founder of Giant Spoon — one of the most creative independent agencies in the country — Marc knows what it takes to build something from scratch and make it matter.
Justin P. Grant
Justin P. Grant
Board Member
SVP, Head of Content – Wealth Management, BNY / Author
Justin leads content strategy at BNY's wealth management division while also serving as a published author. His dual career reflects exactly the cross-discipline thinking MGP develops in its Fellows.
Nicky Sparrow
Nicky Sparrow
Board Member
EVP of Multicultural Sales, iHeartMedia
Nicky leads multicultural sales strategy for one of the largest media companies in the country. She knows what culturally fluent talent can do when it's given the right platform.
Michael Barclay II
Michael Barclay II
Board Member
Chief Events Officer, Sundial Media Group
Michael orchestrates large-scale media and brand events at Sundial Media Group, where execution, relationships, and cultural awareness intersect at every turn.
Kevin W. McFall
Kevin W. McFall
Board Member
Chief Marketing Officer, PushBlack
Kevin leads marketing at PushBlack — one of the most innovative Black media companies in the country. His experience building culturally resonant digital content reflects the skill set MGP develops in Fellows.
Sherina Florence
Sherina Florence
Board Member
Co-Founder & Chief Creative Architect, IABM
Sherina co-founded IABM to address the same gap MGP has been working to close. Her experience as a creative architect and organizational builder brings rare aesthetic rigor to MGP's board.
Alison Draper Lolley
Alison Draper Lolley
Board Member
Chief Strategy Officer, T.D. Jakes Enterprises
Alison leads strategy for one of the most influential faith-based media enterprises in the country. Her experience operating at the intersection of culture, brand, and community brings deep practical clarity to MGP's governance.
Jarrett Nobles
Jarrett Nobles
Board Member
VP, Global Partnerships, Monumental Sports & Entertainment
Jarrett builds and manages global partnership portfolios for Monumental Sports & Entertainment — connecting MGP to the sports world's talent ecosystem and revenue development expertise.
Daniel 'DC' Cherry III
Daniel 'DC' Cherry III
Board Member
Global CMO, VANS
DC Cherry leads global brand strategy for VANS — one of the most culturally embedded brands in youth culture. As Global CMO, he operates exactly at the intersection MGP trains Fellows to navigate.
Christine Ngo Isaac
Christine Ngo Isaac
Board Member
Marketing & Brand Strategy Executive
Christine brings cross-cultural marketing expertise and brand strategy acumen to MGP's board — adding critical perspective to the governance of a program developing the next generation of multicultural marketing leaders.
Ian Conyers
Ian Conyers
Board Member
Policy, Public Affairs & Corporate Leadership
Ian brings a policy and public affairs lens to MGP's governance — a perspective that matters as the organization grows its footprint, pursues grant funding, and builds relationships with institutional partners.
Ryan Chappell
Ryan Chappell
Board Member
Creative, Brand & Innovation Leader
Ryan's background in creative strategy and brand innovation informs MGP's curriculum evaluation. His practitioner's perspective keeps the iCR8™ methodology sharp and current.
Michael C. Riley
Michael C. Riley
Board Member
Media, Marketing & Entertainment Executive
Michael brings media industry experience across entertainment, marketing, and content — ensuring MGP's curriculum and partner network reflect the full range of the media landscape.
Staff

The team running
the program every day.

Lincoln Stephens
Lincoln Stephens
Co-Founder & CEO
Lincoln Stephens spent his early career navigating agency rooms where he was often the only Black man present. In 2007 he outlined MGP. In 2008 he left his job and moved back to Dallas to build it. In 2009 he launched the first iCR8™ Boot Camp with seven participants. Those seven became 1,000+.
Larry Yarrell
Larry Yarrell
Co-Founder & COO
Larry Yarrell was among the first to believe in Lincoln's vision — and among the first to do something about it. As Co-Founder and COO, Larry built the operational infrastructure behind MGP's growth — the systems and structures that allow the mission to scale without losing its precision.
Clayton Pasley Jr.
Clayton Pasley Jr.
Program Director
An MGP alum who came back to run the program that changed his career. Clayton oversees day-to-day execution of the iCR8™ Bootcamp — and is the living proof of MGP's alumni flywheel.
Jason Garrett
Jason Garrett
Creative Director
Jason shapes the visual and creative identity of MGP — from the program environment to brand presence — ensuring every touch point communicates the culture and excellence MGP stands for.
Marcus Bracey
Marcus Bracey
Director of Digital Storytelling
Marcus leads MGP's digital narrative — capturing the Bootcamp experience, amplifying the alumni network, and translating what happens inside the program for the world outside it.
Brittany Allen
Brittany Allen
Mentorship Facilitator & Professional Coach
Brittany manages MGP's mentorship infrastructure — connecting Fellows with industry mentors, facilitating relationships that accelerate careers, and coaching Fellows through professional transition.
Kendra Croft
Kendra Croft
Program Facilitator
Kendra facilitates day-to-day program operations — ensuring the Bootcamp runs with the discipline and energy that the iCR8™ methodology demands throughout 11 weeks.
Imani Briscoe
Imani Briscoe
Program Facilitator
Imani works alongside Kendra to execute the Bootcamp experience — managing cohort logistics, workshop coordination, and the ongoing work of keeping a pop-up agency at full capacity for 11 weeks.
Get Involved

Want to be part of
what MGP is building?

Whether you bring skills, time, expertise, or resources — there is a way in. MGP's volunteer network, mentorship program, and board pipeline are all active and looking for people who show up with intention.