Darrell came to Capital from California State University East Bay, an NCAA Division II program located in Hayward, California, where he most recently served as Assistant Athletics Director for Development. 

He began his tenure with Cal State East Bay in 2009. He was initially brought into the department as the Athletic Business Manager, where he operated the entire athletic department operating budget and fundraising accounts. 

After a successful stint as the Business Manager, Bailey was promoted to the position of Assistant Athletic Director for External Operations within the Pioneer’s athletic department. In this role, Bailey took on a greater responsibility of increasing revenue through fundraising and corporate partnerships while also enhancing the marketing and promotion efforts of all 15 of East Bay’s athletic programs. 

Once more, Bailey showed a significant rate of success internally and was again promoted, this time to the Assistant Athletics Director for Development. In this role, Bailey directly managed and increased membership for the Pioneer Athletics Club, increased scholarships, endowments, and improved the department’s Day of Giving, while he strategically managed all departmental fundraising and revenue generation efforts. 

Prior to entering collegiate athletics, Bailey served in many roles for the City of San Diego. These roles included being a Contract Administrator, an Associate Management Analyst, and a Senior Management Analyst.  While living in the San Diego area, Bailey also served as an Assistant Basketball Coach with Mater Dei Catholic High School. 

Bailey served in the military with the United States Air Force for nine years before kick starting his professional career. While serving, he participated in the Military Athletics program coaching and playing in various sport and recreation events. 

He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Management and Marketing from the University of Phoenix, a Master’s Degree in Sports Management from the United States Sport Academy, and a Doctorate Degree in Philosophy in Education with a specialization in Sports Management from Northcentral University. 

Professionally, Bailey is a member of numerous professional development associations, including the National Society of Leadership and Success, the National Association of Athletic Development Directors, the Minority Opportunities Athletic Association, and the United States Sports Academy Alumni Association, among others. 

Courtney Baker is a proud Bexley resident. She and her husband Jonathan moved to
Bexley in 2005, as it reminded them of Courtney’s hometown, Oak Park, IL.
Throughout her years in Bexley, Courtney has been involved in various Bexley projects;
from the Town Halls after the murder of George Floyd and subsequent Police Listening sessions, to the establishment and planning of yearly Bexley’s Juneteenth celebrations.

Currently, Courtney is an executive board member of Bexley Minority Parent Alliance.
Professionally, Courtney works as a Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner at Nationwide
Children’s Hospital.  Courtney’s greatest joy is being the mother of three beautiful
daughters – Sophia, Lydia, and Naomi.

Jonathan has had a career rooted in teaching and helping others enhance their own skills in the classroom. Dr. Baker was an Assistant Professor at Columbus State Community College for 10 years. He then served as Mathematics Department Chairperson for 7 years where he managed the largest department on campus for seven years and expanded online course offerings.

Dr. Baker then went to OSU in a hybrid faculty-staff appointment within the Department of Statistics where he developed the department’s first online course and served as coordinator for tutoring and transfer credit. He then joined the Michael V. Drake Institute for Teaching & Learning as a Faculty Fellow; and has now become an Associate Director within the Institute overseeing the educational consulting staff and continues to teach statistics during the academic year.

Diversity & equity work has been a passion of Jonathan’s both professionally & personally. He served as co-Principal Investigator for the STEM Ability Alliance while at Columbus State, was a part of OSU’s Advocates & Allies (for gender equity) program, and was the Inaugural President of the Bexley Minority Parents Alliance.

Dr. Baker, his wife, Courtney, and daughters (Sophia BHS ’20, Lydia BHS ’23, Naomi BHS ’26) have been proud Bexley residents for well over a decade. Dr. Baker has spent several seasons coaching youth basketball, and even assisting with soccer & cheerleading. Dr. Baker has been active with music & theater programs. He has worked on the Technology Committee & has been a member of the Bexley Middle School PTO since 2014. He has been a proud member of the Big Brothers/Big Sister mentoring program. Dr. Baker has served his church in numerous speaking, teaching, and service capacities. He was even a former board member.

Dr. Baker brings his experience as a trained statistician, school administrator, innovative educator, and passionate ally for ALL students to continue to propel Bexley City Schools ahead.

Natalie Coles moved to Bexley in 2005 and was shocked to discover at that time, that the school district wasn’t celebrating Black history month! 

As a result, Natalie connected with numerous school administrators, legislators and then Superintendent Michael Johnson to begin district wide acknowledgement of the sacred month. As a result of that passion project, Natalie became the first African American in Bexley to run for a school board seat, which gave her a platform to share the critical need and impact of diversity programs broadly. Although she didn’t win her seat, she did work with Superintendent Johnson to formally request a Social, Emotional and Diversity position at Bexley City Schools from the school board which was approved and is a thriving position to this day to support all students in Bexley Schools. 

Natalie also launched the “Bexley Black Parent Alliance” with teachers in the district and with support from the Bexley Teachers Union.  Modeled after the Worthington Black Parent’s Alliance, (which her parents were active members of when she was in school), the Alliance morphed to a larger group, first “Success for All” and now the Bexley Minority Parent Alliance. 

Natalie began her career in the music industry, working for Fortune 500 Bertelsman Music Group (BMG) but quickly found her passion in the non-profit sector. For just under a decade, she served The United Negro College Fund where she launched the first Columbus Mayor’s luncheon and first Masked Ball in the state to help young people of color achieve their educational goals and create a sustainable funding source for historically black colleges. Natalie is the former Vice President of Wilberforce University, the nation’s first HBCU where she tripled the fundraising budget in 1- year and worked tirelessly with the President and Board of Trustees to restore full academic accreditation to the 166 year old University steeped in rich history. Currently, Natalie serves as a Senior Philanthropic leader at The Obama Foundation, where she works with President Obama and Executive Leaders to raise the funds that will build the Obama Presidential Center on Chicago’s South Side as well as to support programs that impact global leaders and girls and boys of color. 

Natalie believes in volunteer service, and is the President of the Bexley Public Library Board of Trustees and serves on the board of the ACLU-Ohio. In 2016 she became the first African American President of the Bexley Women’s Club. 

She is married to local artist Derrick Coles and the couple have three children, Angelina, Christopher, Alexander and a busy dog named Baxter.

Marmaduke Nathaniel Carter followed in his father’s footsteps as a Lutheran pastor. He was the first African American student at Capital University from 1901 -1903.  He was unable to complete his degree when his father died unexpectedly.   In 1906 he began serving as a teacher for the Synodical Conference’s Board for Colored Missions and taught in mission schools in North Carolina, Georgia and Alabama. In 1917, while teaching in Rosebud, Alabama, Carter was ordained in the Synodical Conference and became the pastor at Rosebud. He was called on to tour the member churches of the Synodical Conference, preaching and lecturing (often in German) about mission work among African Americans in the South before settling in Chicago in 1924.  He remained at that congregation – Saint Philip – until his retirement. Marmaduke Carter’s mission work spanned more than fifty years, thirty-three of which were at Saint Philip.

Carter was the author of Lutheran Customs: A Popular Presentation of Some Practices of the Lutheran Church.   He explained many Lutheran practices that might be unfamiliar to those new to the church, especially African Americans.

Bryan Drewry currently serves as the Executive Director of the Bexley Area Chamber of Commerce. The Bexley Area Chamber to set a record of new chamber members in 2023. Bryan is also a board member of the Chamber of Commerce Executives of Ohio. Bryan served as the co-coordinator of the Nationwide Corporate Connection scholarship committee. During his tenure, the committee raised over $250K for Ohio State and Franklin university students as well as set up endowments at each university.   

Bryan has a BS Degree from Miami University and Master’s Degree from Boston University. He also holds a Chartered Financial Consultant, Chartered Property and Casualty Underwriting and Chartered Life underwriter designations.   

Bryan and his wife, Erica, are the proud parents of two sons – Marshall and Isaiah. He is heavily involved in various community groups including the Bexley Minority Parents Alliance, Bexley Historical Society, Bexley Celebrations Committee, Co-Founder of the Columbus Community Coalition for DEI, Bexley Land Use Commission, Bexley Police Citizens Academy Alumni Association, Ronald Cooper Foundation board supporter, One Bexley committee member, Past President of the Bexley Athletic Boosters, Youth Coach and Referee, Basketball Statistician, and Bexley Public Library Advisory Committee. He is also the co-founder of Bucking the Trend Sponsorship at Ohio State University.  

Bryan is a community leader, mentor, civic entrepreneur, bridge builder, and humble servant. The City of Bexley recognized him with Bryan Drewry day on April 22nd. He was also as volunteer of the year for the Bexley City Schools. In his downtime, he enjoys sports, historical research, mentoring youth, and reading.

Bowles Ford was a 1929 Bexley graduate and the first black athlete at the school
as he ran track for the school. Later the graduated from Ohio State University
with a degree in Podiatric Medicine. He moved to Savannah GA, where he
became an Executive Vice President for Guaranty Life Insurance Company. Mr.
Ford B became the first African American Alderman in Savanna since
reconstruction.

He was a successful businessman, public servant and community leader.
Bowles served on a number of community, church and social organizations. The
city named a city park after he retired from city council. He also became a friend
to then governor, Jimmy Carter, as they worked together to help navigate the
1960’s and 1970’s in Georgia.

Cecil Gouke has been a member of Bexley Community Foundation since 2021. Cecil grew up near Bexley and has been a resident of Bexley since 2005. Twin sons Alexander (16) and Nicholas (16) who both attend Bexley.

Currently works in Strategy for Nationwide Insurance in their $1.5B Agribusiness division, which is the largest Farmowners insurance company in the US. 

Went to school at the Columbus Academy, holds a bachelor's degree in Finance from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania and a MBA from the Darden School at the University of Virginia.

Active in a variety of nonprofit organizations. In addition to serving on BCF, Cecil is a founding member of a community advocacy group that works with Bexley city leadership to reimagine public safety and equity in partnership with law enforcement. Cecil also serves as a food pantry manager with the Vineyard Church Food Pantry.

Thea Barbour-Harms is currently in her 32nd year as an elementary school teacher.  She is from Columbus, Ohio, and a graduate of Columbus City Schools. She began her teaching career with Columbus City Schools and was hired at Bexley City Schools in 1997. Thea graduated from The Ohio State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Elementary Education in 1992. She received her master’s degree in Reading, Language, and Literacy in 1997. Thea always wanted to be a teacher. She was inspired by her grandmother who was a high school librarian, as well as other family members who were Changemakers, often the “first” or “only” African Americans in predominantly white spaces. Thea has been married to Seth Harms, a Bexley High School graduate and high school theater teacher, for 29 years. She has two sons, Bryce (24) and Jackson (21). Thea is currently teaching second grade at Maryland Elementary School. 

Dr. Jennifer Faison Kelly is Dean of the School of Education at Capital University. Dr. Kelly is a tenured full professor of education, and has served on the faculty at Capital since 1999. Her appointment as the first African American Dean of the School of Education at Capital highlights a career of distinguished administrative and service contributions to the university. Most recently, she served as Associate Dean of Clinical Partnerships for the School of Education where she was instrumental in growing key partnerships with various schools in Central Ohio. She earned her undergraduate degree in physical education from North Carolina Agricultural & Technical State University and she holds a Master of Arts degree in Adapted Physical Education and a Ph.D. in Sport and Exercise Education from the Ohio State University.

Prior to joining Capital University, she worked as a health and physical educator and coach in North Carolina. She has earned a commendable record of international, national, and state publications, presentations, and impactful community grants. Dean Kelly has served on numerous local, state, and national advisory councils and boards, including co-chairing the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards in Physical Education and serving on the editorial advisory board for the Journal of the Alliance of Black School Educators. She is a member of the African American Advisory Board for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Ohio and the Columbus City Schools Afrocentric Early College Advisory Board. Over the last year, she has served as a substitute teacher in Columbus City Schools. Dean Kelly is committed to preparing teacher educators to see the worth and value of ALL P-12 students regardless of their race, ethnicity, or social economic status and establishing mutually beneficial partnerships in underperforming schools. She is a respected voice of reason and integrity throughout the Central Ohio community. 

Gary D. Lewis Jr., is the 10th Chief of Police for the City of Bexley, Ohio and has served I this role since 2022. Previously, he was the Assistant Vice President/Chief of Police at the University of Louisville and provided administrative leadership and operational management for departments to include e.g. Police, Dispatch, Emergency Management, Fire Marshal, Parking Office, Marketing Communications, and Business Services while since August of 2018. The daily functions include implementing and maintaining a Campus Security Master Plan and while ensuring enforcement of Campus Security Rules and Regulations to meet federal guidelines.

Previously, Lewis served as the Chief of Police at Cleveland State University from 2015-2018 and prior to that, he spent 22 years with the Ohio State Highway Patrol as a Commander where he retired from in 2013. During his tenue within the organization, Lewis also served as the Division's Public Information Officer (PIO) and handled crisis communications, media/marketing, public records, and statewide communications. 

Additionally, Lewis served as the Senior Director of Media and Public Relations at The Ohio State University from 2013 to 2015 where he acted as spokesperson for all University-related matters. His responsibilities included handling the day-to-day operations within Media & Public Relations, strategic communications and planning for senior leadership, along with managing public records.

Lewis holds a Master's degree in Criminal Justice from Michigan State University, a Bachelor's degree in Public Safety Management from Franklin University, an Associate’s Degree in Visual Communications, Art Institute of Pittsburgh, and is a 2003 F.B.I. National Academy graduate. In 2017 Gary completed the Executive Leadership course, which focused on Crisis Communication at Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government. He is married to wife Krysta, and the proud father of five children, Cameron, Gary III, Nathanael, Ross, whom all are or have proudly serving in the United States armed forces, and his beautiful daughter Ivy.

Sam’s family moved to Bexley from a suburb of Boston, Massachusetts in 2001. He graduated from Bexley High School in 2005 and went on to attend the University of Kentucky (B.A.) and the University of Toledo College of Law (J.D.). Currently, Sam is a Partner at the law firm of Nager, Romaine & Schneiberg Co., L.P.A.

In addition to his work as an attorney, Sam serves on various boards throughout central Ohio, including Wexner Heritage Village and Klarity Medical Products. Prior to being elected to Bexley City Council in 2021, Sam was appointed to serve as a Bexley Complaint Liaison and was a member of the Bexley Charter Review Commission.

Sam and his wife, Brittany, moved back to Bexley in 2016 to start their family. The first family addition was their dog, Walter, and in 2021 they welcomed their daughter Francesca to the world.

Alissha Mitchell was unanimously appointed to serve on the Bexley Board of Education in 2015 to serve an unexpired term. She was the first African-American in the 100-plus year history of the schools to receive an appointment to the Board of Education and later made history again when elected later that fall to complete that the unexpired term. She became the first person of color to ever serve elected office in Bexley.

In her first term, the Board of Education voted to hire the district’s first Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and Community Engagement, one of the first in central Ohio. This role now serves as a Leader of Diversity for the district. The board also went on to hire a new Superintendent in over 20 years, treasurer in over 30, a chief academic officer and several other vital roles for the district.

She helped to lead the district’s first strategic plan in two decades, Bexley Bold, which began a process of better aligning district approaches to learning and from a lens of a Bexley graduate, not which school a student attended in elementary. From her seat, Alissha engaged her board colleagues in pivotal and transformative dialogue around addressing district challenges with implicit bias, improving outcomes for all students and focusing district efforts around supporting students in special education.

Alissha also actively supported codifying the Bexley Minority Parent’s Alliance as an official PTO Having supported this work in it’s infancy, the Alliance has since grown to support not only the Bexley community but lead efforts in Districts across Central Ohio. Additionally, Alissha along with the board voted to adopt the district’s first ever policy on gender identity and expression. Alissha lost her re-election to the seat in the fall of 2017, but did not stop serving her Bexley community. She went on to serve as a member of the Board of Governor’s to the Bexley Education Foundation, appointed to serve on the board of Building and Zoning and Planning, and continue to support district efforts with hiring as an active community member. As a former cheerleader herself, she supported expanded cheer skills for Bexley and the program grew to over 60 participants winning 5 state titles as a result. She is a huge lions fan and will often be seen at a sporting event!

In 2019, Alissha was reelected for a four year term, and served as the first African-American Vice President during the 2022 session, and later appointed President during the 2023 session. During her new four year term, the Board  hired the current Superintendent, Chief Academic officer, helped to personally recruit the first African-American assistant principal, leading an initial recruiting fair to attract more educators and administrators of color with the BMPA. That effort continues today and has expanded to include several other groups vital to Bexley’s learning community.

Alissha drafted a current resolution and district commitment to equity during the George Floyd tragedy, supported student engagement and discussions that led to co-authoring the current policy on Equity voted in 2019. From that work the district built and drove its current strategic plan Championing our Future, focusing on learning with Curiosity, demonstrating Kindness and Embracing Equity. While Alissha is most proud of her work with her board colleagues and friends she is moved daily by the community support to help further it in classrooms and throughout our community. 

Alissha manages a massive portfolio of commercial real estate for one of the 5th largest real estate holdings in Central Ohio for OhioHealth, with nearly 30 years of building facilities, property management and real estate expertise. Alissha and her husband Brian have 5 children, 3 Bexley graduates, Miles, LeAnna and Christopher. The remaining Mitchell’s, Aedan, is a sophomore at the high school and Bria is in 7th grade at the middle school.

After seven years on the board, Alissha retired from board service on 12/31/2023 and said goodbye presiding as President one final time on her 20th anniversary.

I am the only child of Teri and Wayne Roberts. We moved to Bexley the summer of 1988  before the start of 5th grade. Athletics, Industrial and Visual Arts kept me engaged while attending Bexley.  I earned multiple letters in football, basketball and track and field.  I played baseball as a freshman but just could not handle a curve ball. In 1996 I was a member of the 4x100 meter relay that ran in the state finals in one of the last state meets held at Ohio Stadium.  
I began my coaching career as a freshman at Capital University.  While I was on the football team there in the fall, I was Co Head Coach of the middle school track team.  A few years later I became head coach and built a staff of collegiate athletes from the area to help coach. Soon after that, I became the varsity throws coach here at Bexley.  Moving from throws, I coached relays, jumps and sprints.  In 2012 I was named the boys head coach of track and field.  

I never knew it, but coaching is in my blood.  As a kid at Bexley I never saw a coach who looked like me.  But for one season, Brent Johnson, was a coach of our freshman football team and he poured into any football player willing to accept his knowledge and coaching. I have taken a lot from that. My goal for everyone under my charge is to be better when they leave our staff each day.
I have been blessed to work with amazing coaches in the area while coaching football and basketball at other schools.  From 2002 to 2012 I coached football and later, basketball at Whitehall.  From 2002 to 2005 I coached freshman basketball at Franklin Heights.  Learning from coaches throughout my experiences has allowed me to take the best from them and help form the coach that I am trying to be.

We have been blessed to develop a family instead of a coaching staff for boys track and field.  We have a number of Bexley alumni on the staff giving back what they learned while at Bexley. Youssef Abouhashish, Eric Acton, Derek Cain, Matt Cavallero, James Hubbard, Chris King, Jeff Landis, Tyler Mansfield, Steve Podlaziak, Doug Pryor Jr, Kim Ranft & Michael Vincent, thank you for being a part of the family.  We have walked these halls, sat in the classes, competed in the same stadiums and traveled the same streets here in Bexley.  It’s what we have done in the past that helps us do what we do now.

Leisan C. Smith is a mom, an educator, a wife, and a social justice advocate She was born and raised in Columbus, Ohio, but is a proud Bearcat, earning her B.A. in Communication and a Masters in Educational Foundations with a graduate certificate in Women’s Studies from the University of Cincinnati. Ms. Smith has served in management positions in the Cincinnati area at a charter high school, a pre-college program and at the university level. She was the inaugural Director of the University of Cincinnati’s LGBTQ Center, serving in that role for 5 years.

In 2015, she moved back to Columbus and joined Bexley City Schools as the Director of Student & Community Engagement. In this expansive role, Ms. Smith was tasked with ensuring that the academic programs of the Bexley schools were culturally responsive and student-centered. She partnered with the administrative team to address the overall wellness of students, led the district-wide school climate committee in identifying and mitigating non-academic barriers to success for students, and provided strategic leadership in the area of diversity and inclusion as well as social emotional learning. Ms. Smith also created diversity, equity, and inclusion programming for students, faculty and staff, and parents.

In January 2021, Ms. Smith was hired as the inaugural Chief Equity Officer for Columbus School for Girls (CSG). As the mom of a daughter, Ms. Smith was drawn to CSG’s mission to “empower girls to discover their distinct potential as learners and leaders”. In this role, she provides strategic leadership in the area of diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging. This work includes professional development for staff and faculty, community learning opportunities and most importantly, supporting and advocating for students and their families.

Leisan values being involved in her community. She serves on the Bexley Public Library Community Engagement Advisory Committee and as a community thought partner with the Wexner Center for the Arts in their Diversity, Equity, Accessibility, and Inclusion work, as they work to engage in transformative practices that are grounded in equity and anti-racist practices. She is a graduate of the African-American Leadership Academy, cohort 19, a past Board of Director for Kaleidoscope Youth Center, an organization in Ohio dedicated to serving and supporting queer youth and a member of Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority Inc.

Ms. Smith is dedicated to helping communities that are often marginalized find their voice and have a place at the table. She works to make sure that conversations about diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging are intersectional and she is passionate and committed to doing work that directly supports students and their families. In her free time she enjoys a good book, music, and teaching and taking Zumba.

David D. White was Capital University Law School’s first African-American graduate and was an influential figure in the Central Ohio legal community his entire professional career.

Born in Winston-Salem, N.C., White came to Columbus at an early age and attended local schools where he was an outstanding athlete. He graduated from the Columbus School of Law (now Capital University Law School) in 1931 and became the first African-American attorney licensed to practice in Columbus. He practiced for more than 57 years as a partner in the firm of Bell, White and Ross.

White was a member of the Columbus Bar Association Board of Governors, the Ohio Public Defender Commission, the Ohio State Bar Association’s Council of Delegates and the Ohio Civil Rights Commission.

The African American Law Alumni Association established the David D. White Scholarship Award in his honor. The award has been presented annually since 1989.

David D. White was Capital University Law School’s first African-American graduate and was an influential figure in the Central Ohio legal community his entire professional career.

Born in Winston-Salem, N.C., White came to Columbus at an early age and attended local schools where he was an outstanding athlete. He graduated from the Columbus School of Law (now Capital University Law School) in 1931 and became the first African-American attorney licensed to practice in Columbus.

He practiced for more than 57 years as a partner in the firm of Bell, White and Ross. White was a member of the Columbus Bar Association Board of Governors, the Ohio Public Defender Commission, the Ohio State Bar Association’s Council of Delegates and the Ohio Civil Rights Commission.

The African American Law Alumni Association established the David D. White Scholarship Award in his honor. The award has been presented annually since 1989.

Manika Williams, is a dedicated community leader and advocate, hailing from Cincinnati, Ohio. She is a proud graduate of Tuskegee University in Alabama, where she earned her degree in education.  She is also a veteran of the United States Air Force, where she served as a Protocol and Services Officer. Her military experience, combined with her passion for public service, has shaped her into a compassionate and effective leader.

While serving in the Air Force she led the team that fostered healthy morale and welfare for the Airmen and their families on four installations.  She was also responsible for ensuring the logistics for military ceremonies, conferences and events for senior government and international leaders were in alignment with military protocol.

Manika is currently a key member of the Ohio National Guard Adjutant General’s team, as the Director of Community Outreach. She plays a vital role in fostering awareness of the Ohio National Guard's impact within the community, as well as the benefits of serving in uniform. Her career extends beyond the military, having held leadership positions in government, nonprofit organizations, and private real estate ventures.

Manika’s passion for civic engagement and inclusive leadership inspired her to establish the Bexley Minority Parent Alliance (BMPA) in 2015, an organization committed to building a supportive community for minority families within the local school district. She is also a founding member of the Columbus Coalition of Communities for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. With certifications from Georgetown University’s Leading Inclusively program and Cornell University’s Diversity and Inclusion program, Manika is a certified facilitator dedicated to creating inclusive environments where everyone can thrive.

Her dedication to service is reflected in her active involvement in Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., Jack and Jill of America’s Columbus chapter, and her volunteer work with the Ohio New Immigrant Commission. She also serves on the board of a local community charter school.

A loving and compassionate mother of two, Manika's commitment to service and leadership is guided by her belief in the importance of a human-centric evolution of the mind. She is dedicated to advancing opportunities for all and helping organizations foster inclusivity. Manika blooms where she is planted and continually strives to uplift those around her.