On June 3, the Center welcomed four new members to the board of directors: Dionne Gumbs, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, GenEQTY; Karen Hudson, Chief Sales Officer, Grant Thornton LLP; Elliot Jaffee, Executive Vice President and Head of Strategy, Corporate & Commercial Banking, U.S. Bank; and Samuel Yamoah Jr., Chief Strategy and Innovation Officer, Cambia Health Solutions, bringing the total to twelve.
“The Center for Economic Inclusion is uniquely positioned to drive shared accountability for closing racial wealth gaps,” said Tawanna A. Black, our Founder and Chief Executive Officer. “Our board, who serve as ambassadors for racial and economic justice, equity, and freedom, position us to fulfill this mission. We are honored to welcome and work alongside such accomplished leaders who have embraced the work of dismantling systemic racism in their respective sectors as a principal driver to fuel inclusive and equitable economic growth.”
“Dionne, Elliot, Karen, and Sam each offer compelling and diverse skills, experiences, and perspectives that will elevate our efforts to equip public- and private-sector employers with the tools, knowledge, and resources they need to create anti-racist and thriving organizations that build inclusive and equitable economies,” said Tawanna.
DIONNE GUMBS – Founder and Chief Executive Officer, GenEQTY
Dionne Gumbs is a visionary CEO, problem solver, and business-expansion leader with deep domain expertise in financial services and a passion for digital transformation and social impact.
After two decades in banking and a track record of success across sales, product development, and strategy, she founded GenEQTY. GenEQTY is a cloud-based financial technology platform delivering a smarter banking solution intentionally built to improve financial performance, business health, and capital access for owners and entrepreneurs. The minimum viable product set to launch this summer leverages artificial intelligence to eliminate bias and offer expedited access to financing built on real-time data, fully digital business accounts, dynamic data visualization of key financial ratios, sales and cash flow metrics, a proprietary business health score, and phenomenal, human-centered customer experience. Users save time and money and benefit from predictive analytics, push notifications, and data-driven insights that tells them how they are doing while also revealing potential pitfalls.
Her work has been highlighted in Wharton Magazine, The Business Journal, Bank Beat Magazine, George W. Bush Institute’s The Catalyst magazine, Yum Brands International, and many others. She has been featured on podcasts discussing leadership, inclusive finance, and equity. In 2021, Dionne was recognized by Twin Cities Business as a Notable Leader in Finance. She sits on various boards and is also a member of the Presidential Leadership Scholars program, a competitive executive leadership program.
Dionne earned her M.B.A. from Columbia University and her B.A. in Political Science and Economics from the University of Pennsylvania, where she was a Division I varsity athlete. She later obtained a post-baccalaureate degree in Accounting from the Wharton School. A native New Yorker, Dionne resides in the Twin Cities with her husband and two children.
”The Twin Cities has found itself at the epicenter of social change in the last year and a half due to the horrific murder of George Floyd. We now have a unique opportunity to be evolutionary change agents for social, racial, and economic justice,” said Dionne Gumbs, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, GenEQTY. “I am excited and honored to serve on the board with this committed group at the Center for Economic Inclusion. They and many other great organizations have been doing the hard work necessary to push us forward.”
KAREN HUDSON - Chief Sales Officer, Grant Thornton LLP
Karen Hudson is the Chief Sales Officer at Grant Thornton LLP, the U.S. member firm of Grant Thornton International Ltd, one of the world’s leading organizations of independent audit, tax and advisory firms. In this position, Karen leads the firm’s national business development team, which is responsible for building long-term client relationships, understanding client business strategy and challenges, and bringing the breadth of Grant Thornton’s expertise and services to provide client value. Her role includes sales recruiting, training, and enablement and sales compensation, as well as advising on broader growth strategies and initiatives. She serves on Grant Thornton’s Growth Committee and National Leadership Team.
Karen is a vocal advocate for diversity, equity, and inclusion. Through her leadership, her team has revised its approach to hiring and onboarding — ensuring that recruiters proactively reach out to diverse candidates and all hiring managers know that diversity is a priority. In addition, Karen has led unconscious-bias small-group discussions across the entire sales team, which has equipped her team with the tools they need to advance diversity, equity and inclusion at Grant Thornton and its clients, and within the broader community.
Karen lives in St Paul with her husband and has three young adult children. She also serves on the board of the Minnesota Technology Association and the board of Women Winning.
“This region has an unprecedented opportunity to seize the moment and create real and lasting change for our community and for the generations to come. Creating change requires businesses of all sizes to work hand-in-hand with government entities and community organizations. Only then can we bridge the pervasive racial, wealth and opportunity gaps that have existed for many years,” said Karen Hudson, Chief Sales Officer, Grant Thornton LLP. “That’s why I am honored to join the Center for Economic Inclusion and to play my part in its important work.”
ELLIOT JAFFEE - Executive Vice President and Head of Strategy, Corporate & Commercial Banking, U.S. Bank
Elliot Jaffee is Executive Vice President and Head of Strategy, Corporate & Commercial Banking, at U.S. Bank, one of the nation’s largest commercial banks. In this role, Elliot leads the development and implementation of strategic priorities for the Corporate & Commercial Banking lines of business, ensuring the business is positioned to succeed within the critical changes in the banking industry and the economy.
Throughout his tenure at U.S. Bank, Elliot has held senior leadership roles. Most recently, he served as head of Commercial Banking. In that role, he led a team of professionals that supported middle-market businesses across the entire U.S. Bank footprint. Additionally, he served as Twin Cities Market President, leading the bank’s local business activities. Prior to joining U.S. Bank, Elliot held corporate banking positions at Bank of America in New York and Chicago.
An active and dedicated member of the community, Elliot’s leadership extends to several civic organizations. Currently, he serves on the boards of directors of the Economic Club of Minnesota, as well as the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. He has also served as Executive Sponsor for the Special Olympics Polar Plunge and on the boards of the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce and numerous other community organizations.
Elliot earned his bachelor’s degree from Cornell University in Ithaca, New York, and his MBA from The University of Chicago Booth School of Business, where he graduated with honors.
“I’m looking forward to joining the Center’s board to address critical and urgent gaps in our social and economic systems. It’s the right thing to do and I believe our community’s prosperity depends on it,” said Elliot Jaffee, Executive Vice President and Head of Strategy, Corporate & Commercial Banking, U.S. Bank.
SAMUEL YAMOAH JR. - Chief Strategy and Innovation Officer, Cambia Health Solutions
As Chief Strategy and Innovation Officer, Sam Yamoah drives Cambia’s strategic framework to serve customers with groundbreaking health care solutions. With deep experience in strategic business building in health insurance, systems, and technology, Sam has a history of bringing teams together to solve some of health care’s toughest challenges.
Prior to Cambia, Sam worked for McKinsey and Company as an associate partner and leader in the health care and public sector providing counsel to clients on top-management agenda topics focused on strategy, profitable growth, and large-scale performance transformations. Passionate about service and improving health disparities, Sam was the health care leader for McKinsey’s Institute for Black Economic Mobility, a research institute and think-tank dedicated to advancing racial equity and inclusive growth globally.
Sam grew up in Liberia and Ghana and came to the U.S. to pursue his education. He received an MBA from The University of Chicago and a bachelor’s degree from Luther College. He is co-founder of Brain Builders, a nonprofit that distributes books to schools, libraries, and other learning centers in Ghana.
Sam serves on the Board of Directors for the American Heart Association Twin Cities and the alumni board of Luther College.
“I am very excited to join this amazing organization dedicated to advancing inclusive growth focused on racial equity and economic opportunity,” said Sam Yamoah, Chief Strategy and Innovation Officer, Cambia Health Solutions. “My aspiration is we can continue to accelerate the pace and scale impact of the Center.”