*NEW YORK – Celebrating 23 years of service to young people of color and recognizing two influential women who embody the spirit of giving, Usher’s New Look (UNL) announced its 2022 Women of Influence honorees at a Spring Tea held at Columbia University’s historic Faculty House.
The festive gathering, an annual and signature UNL event, has a serious mission: to shine a spotlight on UNL’s standard-bearing youth development programs, inspire meaningful and productive inter-generational networking, and to honor the work and contributions of women of influence. The 2022 Usher’s New Look Women of Influence honorees are Beverly Bond, celebrity DJ and Founder of Black Girls ROCK! and Sandra L. Richards, Managing Director, Morgan Stanley Wealth Management. WABC-TV anchor Sandra Bookman served as Mistress of Ceremonies.
Featuring remarks and special presentations by Careshia Moore, UNL’s president and CEO and Renea Pierre, chief engagement officer, more than 80 women attended from a cross-section of the business, civic and education sectors. The event was co-chaired by UNL Board Member and financial literacy advocate Sue Hrib and Helen C. Shelton, global chief diversity officer, Finn Partners.
Organized by UNL’s vice president of partnerships and programs Latoya Henry, the 2022 Women of Influence Tea was held to benefit UNL’s Moguls-in-Training Program that promotes financial literacy and provides access to opportunities for young people. Guests were also able to witness first-hand the impact of UNL’s programs by introducing active students in the program, including Nyya Collins, Sophie Schultz and Brianna Jean, who shared their experiences on how UNL has impacted their lives and helped them realize their educational and professional goals.
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“Usher’s New Look is dedicated to promoting excellence and empowerment in underrepresented youth, and we could not be more delighted to recognize the contributions of Beverly Bond and Sandra L. Richards,” says Careshia Moore, president and CEO of Usher’s New Look. “Sandra and Beverly embody the true meaning of women of influence – not only do they excel in their respective careers as leaders in finance and entertainment, but they also use their positions as a platform and springboard to give back to our community, helping to foster a new generation of leaders. Sandra and Beverly both lead with purpose and with an eye towards opening doors for others.”
“It is a deep honor to be recognized by Usher’s New Look and to be named a 2022 Woman of Influence,” says Sandra L. Richards. “I am so inspired by UNL’s work to support the next generation of leaders and moguls-in-training.”
UNL Founder and noted recording artist, entertainer and philanthropist Usher Raymond IV – known as Usher to the world – made a surprise virtual appearance at the event and offered his congratulations and appreciation for the honorees and their work in advancing and fostering the leadership development of young people.
Another highlight of the event was the announcement of the Usher’s New Look Women of Influence Society. Extending opportunities for all women to get involved, the UNL Women of Influence Society raises money and offer opportunities for networking and collaboration. More information can be found here: » Women of Influence Giving Society (ushersnewlook.org)
Among the notable attendees were Michelle D. Grady, Esq., Eckert Seamans; investor, financial literacy advocate, UNL Board Member and Host Committee Co-Chairs Sue Hrib and Helen Shelton; Jessica Washington, UNL’s director of financial literacy, Kimberly Williams, UNL’s director or marketing; DeDe Brown, Senior VP of Multicultural Marketing and Publicity Paramount Pictures; Pamela Alexander, Head of Corporate Citizenship KKR & Co.; Atinna Smith, Principal DEI Leader Amazon Devices & Services; Ife Davis, Cybersecurity Consultant; Morgan Stanley’s Tyres Jones, Associate Complex Manager (NYC) and Gerty Simon, Regional Diversity Officer; and, members of the Operations team from Goldman Sachs including Yetunde Durotoye, Audrey Zvinavashe and Daveda Browne.
“The Usher’s New Look Women of Influence NYC Spring Tea is a reminder of how there is no replacement for human touch, the sound of laughter and community. I am so grateful that we were able come together to honor two pillars of philanthropy and community, Sandra L. Richards and Beverly Bond,” concludes Careshia Moore. “Listening to our students, I am reminded of the impact of our work and how important UNL is to our youth reaching their potential, building relationships and gaining the confidence and skills they need to be successful. Through the generous support of these women and our stakeholders, we are able to continue to offer this support.”
About Sandra L. Richards
Sandra L. Richards is a Managing Director at Morgan Stanley, where she is Head of Global Sports & Entertainment and Segment Sales & Engagement with the Firm’s Wealth Management division, based in Purchase, NY. She plays a significant role in the growth of the GSE unit and its strategic leadership for over 200 Financial Advisors with the Global Sports & Entertainment Director/Associate designation, as well as the NFLPA Registered Institutional Player FA designation in the Firm’s Wealth Management business. Working in partnership with national and regional management teams, Sandra leads a business with a strategic, targeted, and creative approach to engaging high and ultra-high net worth client segments and prospective clients, in addition to expanding the brand presence via experiential events, sponsorships, social media campaigns and dynamic content.
Sandra was named a MAKER @ Morgan Stanley in 2015 and has been recognized with numerous awards for her professional accomplishments including, Variety’s Women of Impact List in 2019, The Network Journal’s 25 Influential Black Women in Business Award in 2018, The New York Women’s Chamber of Commerce 2018 Women of Excellence Honoree, and the 2018 Vanguard Award Recipient from the Seton Hall Black Alumni Association. In June 2022, Sandra received an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters from Medgar Evers College, CUNY, alongside NBA legend and longtime friend, Earl “The Pearl” Monroe.
Holding numerous roles in her 15 years with the Firm, Sandra joined Morgan Stanley in 2007 on the Diversity & Inclusion team for the Global Wealth Management Group.
Prior to joining Morgan Stanley, Sandra spent five years at the Jackie Robinson Foundation, a national non-profit organization based in New York with strong ties to individual professional athletes and entertainers, as well as professional sports teams and owners, where she spearheaded national fundraising, sponsorship, and marketing campaigns as Director of Corporate and Foundation Relations.
Sandra completed both her undergraduate and graduate studies at Seton Hall University. She is also a graduate of the Rutgers University/United Way of Essex and West Hudson County Project Leadership, and the National Forum for Black Public Administrators’ Young Leaders Program. In 2015, Sandra completed the ASCENT Leadership Program at Tuck Executive Education at Dartmouth College and in October 2021 was awarded a certificate of completion of Digital Marketing Strategies – Date, Automation, AI & Analytics- from Northwestern Kellogg School of Management. In December 2021, Sandra successfully completed the globally renowned Executive Education program, “The Business of Entertainment, Media and Sports” at Harvard Business School in Cambridge, MA.
In 2016, Sandra made her debut as a children’s book author, Rice & Rocks, a story celebrating culture and diversity for families seeking to teach their children about the value of their heritage and the importance of cultural diversity. “A beautiful, amusing tribute to family traditions.” – Kirkus Reviews.
Born to Jamaican parents, Sandra hails from Long Island, NY, where she was an avid basketball and volleyball player. She credits Sport and its tremendous impact on her upbringing for giving her a true understanding of team dynamics and collaboration that has shaped her leadership style and professional journey throughout her career.
About Beverly Bond
Beverly Bond is a producer, author, DJ, cultural curator, entrepreneur, thought leader and the founder and CEO of the women’s empowerment organization BLACK GIRLS ROCK! Bond has blazed trails in music, entertainment, and social justice. In 2006, Bond expanded her focus beyond the turntables and created the annual BLACK GIRLS ROCK! Awards to celebrate the dynamic accomplishments of Black women. In 2010, Bond took the BLACK GIRLS ROCK! Awards to BET where the show debuted with over 2.7 million viewers. Bond has also released a best-selling book BLACK GIRLS ROCK!: Owning Our Magic, Rocking Our Truth, published by Simon & Schuster. Her BLACK GIRLS LEAD non-profit global leadership program for teen girls has mentored over 3,000 girls over the last 10 years. Beverly is a highly sought-after speaker and has spoken at prestigious universities and institutions nationwide. She has earned four NAACP Image Awards, three Gracie Awards and four Root 100 Awards. For four consecutive years, Bond has been listed on EBONY Magazine’s Power 100 list of “Most Influential Blacks In America.” In 2021, Bond launched the BGR!TV Network, an OTT content and streaming platform catering to women of color. Beverly Bond has created a paradigm shift in culture and has crafted a winning blueprint for women’s empowerment that stretches far beyond ordinary boundaries.
About Sandra Bookman
Sandra Bookman joined Eyewitness News in 1998 as a reporter and shortly after was named Weekend Anchor. Since joining the Eyewitness News team, she has covered some of the biggest stories of the last two decades, including the terrorist attacks on September 11th, 2001, the Northeast Blackout in August of 2003, and several Presidential Campaigns – the historic election of Barack Obama among them.
In 2011, Sandra became the host of the WABC-TV public affair’s show “Here and Now”, which covers issues important to the African American community. Be it a hurricane, a tornado or forest fire, Sandra has hit the road to cover it. She has also reported from two Olympic Games: Barcelona in 1992 and Atlanta in 1996. And she counts among her most memorable assignments a series of reports from South Africa following the release of Nelson Mandela from a South African prison. Sandra has received numerous awards and honors that reflect her outstanding abilities, including six Emmy Awards.
Before coming to New York, Sandra worked at stations in Atlanta, Georgia; Raleigh, North Carolina and Beaumont, Texas. Sandra is a native of Texas and is a proud graduate of the University of Texas at Austin with a Bachelor of Journalism Degree.
About Usher’s New Look
Usher’ New Look was founded 23 years ago by musical performer Usher Raymond as a young man barely out of his teens to give young people a “new look” on life and its possibilities. Since then, UNL has been at the forefront of driving conversation into action and mobilizing communities – including the private sector and the public – to work together around the issues of community empowerment, youth development, economic disparities and health. To date, UNL has served more than 50,000 young people in 25 countries and has galvanized a movement towards positive change in how young people of color perceive themselves and the world around them.
UNL offers comprehensive programming that develops passion-driven, global leaders from middle school through college. This is achieved through educational and professional development, mentorship and support. UNL is on a mission to transform the lives of underserved youth through a 10-year comprehensive program that develops passion-driven, global leaders. UNL’s peer-to-peer program model and curriculum provides Access, Awareness and Empowerment to youth in underserved communities, in order to guide them on a pathway to leadership and help them make educational and career choices that match their passions.
source: Helen Shelton – finnpartners.com
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