Started by impassioned Black professionals who desired to drive change in their communities
Our story
empowering the black community
+
developing inspired leaders
Coalition of Black Excellence was started by Black professionals from over 40 organizations with the goal of building community among Black professionals. The entirely volunteer-led team launched CBE Week, a gathering designed to highlight excellence in the Black community, bring together talented Black professionals across different sectors, and strategically discuss advancing the Black community.
After a successful inaugural event, CBE formalized as a 501(c)3 and expanded its programming to include a Summit for Black professionals across sectors. In August 2019, CBE merged with The Recharge Group, an organization of Black professionals connecting to share unique experiences and strengthen African American Bay Area social bonds.
CBE activates its vision with its events at the Battery, featuring panel discussions across CBE’s professional development tracks, and through CBE Week. With partnership events, CBE Summit, Code Black Gala, and more, CBE programming serves as a platform for uniting, celebrating, and uplifting the Black community as a whole.
we envision a
unified & thriving
Black community
CBE is dedicated to unifying and elevating the Black community.
Our collective approach to racial equity and justice focuses on the (1) nonprofits dedicated to the Black community, (2) majority owned Black businesses, and (3) Black professionals across sectors.
"As an organization, our mission is to unify and elevate the Black community. We started our journey focused on bridging gaps in the Black community and creating spaces for Black professionals across generations, backgrounds, and industries to come together to support each other in our careers and business. Now, more than ever we need to break down silos, come together and find ways to leverage our collective expertises to elevate our community."
Angela Johnson & Marc Spencer
coalition of black excellence Co - CEOs
coalition of black excellence Co - CEOs
CBE Goals:
Build
- To build coalitions that leverage assets effectively and efficiently to achieve collective impact across the Black community.
- To build an ecosystem that supports majority black owned businesses by providing access to human and financial capital.
- To build networks that provide opportunities for career mobility and help establish diverse talent pipelines across industries.
Promote
- To promote and celebrate nonprofits for the purpose of attracting human and financial capital and amplifying their impact.
- To promote and celebrate majority owned Black businesses, founders and entrepreneurs for the purpose of increasing access to capital and customer base.
- To promote and celebrate Black professionals across sectors by supporting their career growth, personal brand, and networking opportunities.
Inspire
- To inspire Black professionals to give their time, talent and treasure to deserving nonprofits.
- To inspire the circulation of Black dollars into Black businesses.
- To inspire the continued professional and personal growth, and to highlight Black professional excellence in the community at large.
"I recently moved to the Bay Area for a new job and hadn't had much interaction with black professionals until the CBE Summit. It was refreshing and reinvigorating to meet and learn from so many like-minded professionals."
our
executive
team
ANGELA JOHNSON
LITIGATION COUNSEL, UBER
FOUNDER & CO-CEO
FOUNDER & CO-CEO
DR. MARK
SPENCER
CEO of Summer Search
CO-CEO
CO-CEO
SHANNON
NASH
CFO, INSIDE SOURCE
CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER
CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER
NAKEENA TAYLOR
SR. COUNSEL, ATRIUM
CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER
CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER
MICHELE
ROSS
ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR OF INTEGRATED MARKETING, FORBES
CHIEF MARKETING OFFICER
CHIEF MARKETING OFFICER
JULIAN
ROSS
PRODUCT MANAGER, APPLE
CHIEF TECHNOLOGY OFFICER
CHIEF TECHNOLOGY OFFICER
our
cbe
team
LESLIE
SPENCER
PARTNER, ROPES & GRAY LLP
TECH & LIFE SCIENCES CHAIR
CBE SUMMIT
TECH & LIFE SCIENCES CHAIR
CBE SUMMIT
BEN
WANZO
PITCH DAY CHAIR
CBE SUMMIT
KATHRINA
WEEKES
ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR OF ADMISSIONS, HEAD-ROYCE SCHOOL
EDUCATION & SOCIAL IMPACT CHAIR
CBE SUMMIT
EDUCATION & SOCIAL IMPACT CHAIR
CBE SUMMIT
ROBERT WHITE
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, CALIFORNIA MINORITY COUNCIL PROGRAM
LEGAL PITCH DAY CHAIR
CBE SUMMIT
LEGAL PITCH DAY CHAIR
CBE SUMMIT
ROBYN E. CROSS
SENIOR CLAIMS & HEALTH ADVOCATE, ABD INSURANCE AND FINANCIAL SERVICES, INC.
HEALTH & WELLBEING CHAIR
CBE SUMMIT
HEALTH & WELLBEING CHAIR
CBE SUMMIT
JAMAL THOMPSON
MANAGER OF ENGINEERING PROGRAMS, BART
TECH & LIFE SCIENCES COMMITTEE
FINANCE & ENTREPRENEURSHIP COMMITTEE
CBE SUMMIT
TECH & LIFE SCIENCES COMMITTEE
FINANCE & ENTREPRENEURSHIP COMMITTEE
CBE SUMMIT
MICHAEL FLANIGAN
ASSOCIATE, REICHMAN JORGERNSEN LLP
FINANCE & ENTREPRENEURSHIP COMMITTEE
CBE SUMMIT
FINANCE & ENTREPRENEURSHIP COMMITTEE
CBE SUMMIT
Y'ANAD BURRELL
OWNER/CEO, GLASS HOUSE COMMUNICATIONS
MUSIC, ART & ENTERTAINMENT CHAIR
CBE SUMMIT
MUSIC, ART & ENTERTAINMENT CHAIR
CBE SUMMIT
LIKU MADOSHI
ATTORNEY, BLEDSOE, DIESTEL, TREPPA & CRANE LLP
GOV'T & LEGAL COMMITTEE MEMBER
CBE SUMMIT
GOV'T & LEGAL COMMITTEE MEMBER
CBE SUMMIT
DREA ALPHONSO
HEAD OF PARTNERSHIPS, BLACK TECH WOMEN
GALA COMMITTEE MEMBER
CBE GALA TEAM
GALA COMMITTEE MEMBER
CBE GALA TEAM
IMANI BORDEAUX
SENIOR SALES COORDINATOR, THE RITZ-CARLTON, LAGUNA NIGUEL
GALA COMMITTEE MEMBER
CBE GALA TEAM
GALA COMMITTEE MEMBER
CBE GALA TEAM
MONICA MONROE
PARTNER, TUCKER ELLIS
IMPACT NONPROFIT PROGRAM DIRECTOR
CBE PROGRAMS & OPERATIONS
IMPACT NONPROFIT PROGRAM DIRECTOR
CBE PROGRAMS & OPERATIONS
SIMONE DAVIS
EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT, ALPHABET
CORPORATE OUTREACH CHAIR
CBE PARTNERSHIPS TEAM
CORPORATE OUTREACH CHAIR
CBE PARTNERSHIPS TEAM
JEREMIAH TOLBERT
PRINCIPAL, TOLBERT DESIGN ARCHITECTS
COMMUNITY OUTREACH CO-CHAIR
CBE PARTNERSHIPS TEAM
COMMUNITY OUTREACH CO-CHAIR
CBE PARTNERSHIPS TEAM
KEVIN COLEMAN
MANAGING PARTNER, URBANFARMERS, INC.
COMMUNITY OUTREACH CO-CHAIR
CBE PARTNERSHIPS TEAM
COMMUNITY OUTREACH CO-CHAIR
CBE PARTNERSHIPS TEAM
KIMBERLY GANT
WEB & DIGITAL MARKETING MANAGER, ABD
SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING DIRECTOR
CBE MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS TEAM
SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING DIRECTOR
CBE MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS TEAM
TRACEYLYNN COUNTS
CREATIVE LEAD - DIGITAL PRODUCER, CREATIVITYCOUNTS
DIGITAL MEDIA DIRECTOR
CBE MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS TEAM
DIGITAL MEDIA DIRECTOR
CBE MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS TEAM
SHAUNTRICE MARTIN
ASSOCIATION OF BLACK ARGUMENTATION PROFESSIONALS
GRANT RESEARCH; EDUCATION & SOCIAL IMPACT COMMITTEE MEMBER
CBE FINANCE & SPONSORSHIPS TEAM
GRANT RESEARCH; EDUCATION & SOCIAL IMPACT COMMITTEE MEMBER
CBE FINANCE & SPONSORSHIPS TEAM
EVA PULLIAM
ASSOCIATE, ARENT FOX LLP
SPONSORSHIP DIRECTOR, GOV'T & LEGAL COMMITTEE MEMBER
CBE FINANCE & SPONSORSHIP TEAM
SPONSORSHIP DIRECTOR, GOV'T & LEGAL COMMITTEE MEMBER
CBE FINANCE & SPONSORSHIP TEAM
our
advisory
board
SHELLYE ARCHAMBEAU
BOARD MEMBER OF VERIZON AND NORDSTROM
FORMER CEO OF METRICSTREAM
ADVISORY BOARD MEMBER
CBE ADVISORY BOARD
FORMER CEO OF METRICSTREAM
ADVISORY BOARD MEMBER
CBE ADVISORY BOARD
TONY WEST
CHIEF LEGAL OFFICER, UBER
ADVISORY BOARD MEMBER
CBE ADVISORY BOARD
ADVISORY BOARD MEMBER
CBE ADVISORY BOARD
MELANIE GROSS
AGC & GLOBAL PRACTICE GROUP LEADER, GENENTECH
ADVISORY BOARD MEMBER
CBE ADVISORY BOARD
ADVISORY BOARD MEMBER
CBE ADVISORY BOARD
CHRISTOPHE MOSBY
VP & ASSOCIATE GENERAL COUNSEL,
HP, INC.
ADVISORY BOARD MEMBER
CBE ADVISORY BOARD
HP, INC.
ADVISORY BOARD MEMBER
CBE ADVISORY BOARD
JEREMIAH TOLBERT
PRINCIPAL, TOLBERT DESIGN ARCHITECTS
ADVISORY BOARD MEMBER
CBE ADVISORY BOARD
ADVISORY BOARD MEMBER
CBE ADVISORY BOARD
ACHIA
SWIFT
LEGAL DIRECTOR, UBER
ADVISORY BOARD MEMBER
CBE ADVISORY BOARD
ADVISORY BOARD MEMBER
CBE ADVISORY BOARD
SAAFIR
RABB JR.
CEO, INTERCULTURAL, INC.
ADVISORY BOARD MEMBER
CBE ADVISORY BOARD
ADVISORY BOARD MEMBER
CBE ADVISORY BOARD
ROBERT
WHITE
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, CALIFORNIA MINORITY COUNSEL PROGRAM
ADVISORY BOARD MEMBER
CBE ADVISORY BOARD
ADVISORY BOARD MEMBER
CBE ADVISORY BOARD
TAJ
CLAYTON
PARTNER, WINSTON & STRAWN
ADVISORY BOARD CHAIR
CBE ADVISORY BOARD
ADVISORY BOARD CHAIR
CBE ADVISORY BOARD
WILSON
WHITE
DIRECTOR, GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS & PUBLIC POLICY CORE PRODUCT, GOOGLE LLC
ADVISORY BOARD MEMBER
CBE ADVISORY BOARD
ADVISORY BOARD MEMBER
CBE ADVISORY BOARD
JOHN
WHITE
MANAGING DIRECTOR, CARDINAL SYSTEM
VENTURE HOLDINGS
ADVISORY BOARD MEMBER
CBE ADVISORY BOARD
VENTURE HOLDINGS
ADVISORY BOARD MEMBER
CBE ADVISORY BOARD
STRATEGIC COLLABORATIONS