Los Angeles Urban League YP

George B. Thompson currently serves as President of the Los Angeles Urban League Young Professionals (“YPs”). He joined the YPs in 2000 and was appointed Professional Development Chair that same year. Under his leadership, the YPs implemented such programs as Wall Street Day, in which the Los Angeles Urban League (“LAUL”) and Salomon Smith Barney hosted a day long program teaching young people the fundamentals of the stock market and discussing such topics as budgeting, stocks, bonds and mutual funds.

Tiffany Nichols is originally from Knoxville, Tennessee. She graduated from Spelman College in Atlanta with a B.A. Degree in Economics and a minor in French. Upon relocating to Los Angeles, she worked as an industrial engineer for five years before making a career change into the real estate arena, where she has been working for the past three years primarily focusing on investment properties.

Chrysta Wilson is the founder of Kiss My Bundt Bakery (www.KissMyBundt.net), a retail bakeshop specializing in southern bundt cakes and other confections. Chrysta founded Kiss My Bundt Bakery in June 2005 out of a life-long hobby of baking, a skill she learned growing up in North Carolina and Georgia. In addition to being the primary baker for the company, Chrysta created the design elements (such as the company name and logo) and all of Kiss My Bundt Bakery’s recipes.

Johanne Vaval is a licensed Speech Language Pathologist. She holds a B.S. Degree from the University of Illinois-Champaign in Speech and Hearing Science, and a Master of Arts from Northern Illinois University in Communicative Disorders. Employed by Progressus Therapy, she provides treatment to school age children attending the Los Angeles Unified School District. Through her private practice, Communication Keys Inc., Johanne facilitates early intervention treatment in the home setting for children less than three years of age diagnosed with a language delay.

Rashida Purifoy is originally from Indiana and has resided in Los Angeles for the past nine years. Rashida has worked in the project management and technology fields for over ten years, and is currently a Technical Program Manager for AOL. She earned a B.A. Degree in Political Science and Telecommunications from Indiana University.

Originally from Los Angeles , California, Latoya Lewis is genuinely passionate about serving her community. She graduated from California State University, Northridge, and majored in Music Industry. Thereafter, Latoya immediately began working at The Gary Group, an advertising agency specifically catering to the recording industry. From there she took a position at Universal Music Group, where she currently coordinates advertising initiatives for all labels under the UMG umbrella.

As Vice President/GM, Regional Voice Services, Time Warner Cable, Los Angeles, Wally Bakare is currently responsible for the Voice Services business for the Los Angeles Region of Time Warner Cable, serving approximately 4.4 million homes in the greater Los Angeles area. In this capacity, Wally oversees the region’s 250,000 subscriber telephony operation. Under his leadership, the Los Angeles region has seen Digital Phone subscriber and revenue growth of over 300 percent within 20 months.

Los Angeles native Gregory Mann holds a B.A Degree in Economics and Sociology/Anthropology from DePauw University in Indiana. He earned his Juris Doctor Degree from the University of Michigan Law School in 1998 and returned home to Los Angeles to practice law. After stints with Jones Day, LLP, and O’Donnell Shaeffer & Mortimer LLP, Greg currently works with O’Donnell & Associates, a boutique litigation law firm specializing in trial work.

Kimberly has worked in the health and science industry for more than ten years. Presently, she manages worldwide scientific product and ingredient communication for Herbalife’s Medical Affairs & Education department. Prior to this position, she secured product licenses and managed product registrations as a senior specialist in the Global Licensing and Regulatory Affairs department. Kimberly has also been a contributing writer for company health articles, the Black Women’s Health Initiative, and presented her own research at Temple University School of Medicine in cancer cell biology.

A Los Angeles native, Jevaillier Jefferson received a B.A. Degree in print journalism in 1994 from Southern University and A&M College in Baton Rouge, Lousiana. She is currently a project manager in the copy and content development department of a leading healthcare company.

Cory Wynn works for the Walt Disney Internet Group as a Software Release Engineer. A graduate of "The" Clark Atlanta University, Cory migrated to Southern California in the winter of 2005 for career advancement. As an Operations Engineer with Massive Multi player Online Gaming (“MMO”) pioneer Sony Online Entertainment, Cory was introduced to the exploding market of virtual world gaming.

Michelle Merriweather is an Area Manager with Menu Inspirations, a division of Heinz North America. Prior to working with Heinz, she spent several years with Coca Cola and with the American Heart Association as a Fundraiser. Two years ago she started a part time career as an Event Coordinator specializing in weddings and special events.

Attorney Daniel Prince is an associate in the Los Angeles office of Paul, Hastings, Janofsky & Walker LLP, and is a member of the firm’s Litigation and Intellectual Property practice groups. Daniel graduated, cum laude, and with departmental honors, from the Annenberg School at the University of Southern California, where he received a B.A. Degree in Communication and Broadcast Journalism in 2000. He completed his M.A. Degree in Communication Management from USC’s Annenberg School in 2002. Daniel received his J.D.