The Advanced Leadership Institute and Carnegie Mellon University Announce The 2024 Cohort of TALI’s Emerging Leaders Program

With great anticipation, The Advanced Leadership Institute (TALI) kicked off its third year of the Emerging Leaders Program with a new cohort of Black professionals. TALI has engaged Tepper Executive Education to develop and deliver content for the Emerging Leaders Program in collaboration with the University of Pittsburgh, Robert Morris University, and Duquesne University. TALI’s Emerging Leaders program 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.

“Congratulations to all the talented individuals who have been selected to participate in this year’s cohort! The Emerging Leaders Program plays an important role in helping define the future of corporate Pittsburgh – and in creating greater diversity and inclusion; we are giving these emerging leaders the tools to continue creating success stories throughout our communities,” says Evan Frazier, President and CEO of The Advanced Leadership Institute.

“We are eagerly looking forward to a third year of the Emerging Leaders Program. As we provide world-class executive instruction to this year’s cohort, our goal is to provide the tools needed to advance their careers for next-level success,” says Isabelle Bajeux-Besnainou, Dean, Richard P. Simmons Professor of Finance, Carnegie Mellon University Tepper School of Business.

TALI’s Emerging Leaders Program promotes diverse talent at earlier career stages by preparing, developing, connecting, and positioning Black professionals for higher levels of leadership responsibility. Candidates selected for the Emerging Leaders Program 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 2023 through April 2024. 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, TALI’s 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 22 participants selected for TALI’s 2024 Emerging Leaders Program Cohort:

• Alena Anderson - Director, Moving Toward Financial Stability, United Way of SWPA

• Ariell Antonio - Counsel, Highmark Health

• Jenn Bejin - Manager – Vendor Partnerships, Supplier Diversity & Strategy, Giant Eagle

• Blessy Bellamy - Senior Clinical Study Manager, Highmark Health

• Brandon Davis - Community Space Coordinator, ACTION-Housing

• Eric Giles - Performance Materials Scientist, Covestro

• Amstrid Gomez - Quality Analyst, American Eagle Outfitters

• Asraiel Harewood - Officer Director/Senior Project Manager, Carnegie Mellon University

• Marla Hines - Senior Systems Analyst, FHLBank Pittsburgh

• Sharnel Jackson - Employee Relations Area Manager, PNC

• Chris Johnson - Print and Fulfillment Strategist, UPMC

• Jean-Pierre Nsanzabera - Senior Cloud Architect, UPMC

• Joseph Oyatta - Senior Audit Manager, PNC

• Seth Phillips - Vulnerability and Compliance Engineer, Wabtec Corporation

• Charles Potter - Assistant Business Development Leader, Giant Eagle

• Travis Roache - Digital Product Manager, PPG

• Derrick Shoffner - Sr. Director of Programs & Services, Vibrant Pittsburgh

• Tuesday Simok - Universal Service Analyst IV, Duquesne Light Company

• Deja Starks - Inventory Planner, American Eagle Outfitters

• Waris Wade - Area Manager, Koppers

• Rashana White-Bey - Merchandise Operations Specialist, American Eagle Outfitters

• Jennifer Whitley - Executive Special Projects Manager, Allegheny County Housing Authority

About The Advanced Leadership Institute (TALI)

The mission of The Advanced Leadership Institute (TALI) is to cultivate Black executive leadership to strengthen companies, institutions, and communities. 

TALI is supported by major corporations and foundations 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: Giant Eagle, Highmark Health, PNC, and UPMC. Gold Sponsors: American Eagle Outfitters, Bank of America, Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney PC, CNX, Covestro, Dollar Bank, Duquesne Light Company, FedEx Ground, FHLBank Pittsburgh, Golub Capital, Koppers, PPG, and Wabtec Corporation; Silver Sponsors: Pittsburgh Legal Diversity and Inclusion Coalition; and Bronze Sponsors, which can be found on TALI’s website.