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- Kelvin Baggett |
- Rico Beans |
- Brian Bell |
- Daman Blakeney |
- Yvette Bonaparte |
- John Burt |
- Ken Burton |
- Kareem Cook |
- Tonya Day |
- Eva De La Rosa |
- Eric Higgs |
- Jacqueline Hodge |
- Michael Lupton |
- Terald Melton |
- Prentis Murphy |
- Kecia Paredes |
- Michael Sherman |
- Kevin Thibodeaux |
- Tyrone Thomas |
- Mark Williams |
- Anne Sempowski Ward |
Kelvin Baggett
Daytime MBA 2006
Past Chair, Minority Alumni Advisory Board
Tenet Healthcare Corporation, Senior Vice President and Chief Medical Officer
Dr. Kelvin A. Baggett is Tenet Healthcare Corporation's senior vice president, clinical operations and chief medical officer, reporting directly to Tenet's president and chief executive officer. Dr. Baggett is the chief clinical officer and strategist, responsible for efforts to improve clinical outcomes and the efficiency associated with achieving those outcomes in all Tenet inpatient and outpatient settings.
For the past 10 years, Dr. Baggett has been at the forefront of an effort to improve clinical quality and outcomes. Before joining Tenet in 2009, Dr. Baggett served as vice president, clinical strategy and chief operating officer of HCA's Clinical Services Group, a leadership team focused on developing and executing strategies to improve quality, safety and clinical performance throughout HCA's inpatient and outpatient facilities.
Certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine, Dr. Baggett completed his training in internal medicine at the Yale University School of Medicine. He completed dual fellowships as a general internal medicine fellow at the Duke University School of Medicine and as a Robert Wood Johnson Clinical Scholar at the Johnson Hopkins University School of Medicine. His fellowship work focused on improving the quality, safety and efficiency of clinical care.
He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in biology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, a Doctor of Medicine degree from the East Carolina University School of Medicine, a Master of Public Health degree from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and a Master of Business Administration degree from the Fuqua School of Business at Duke University.
Dr. Baggett is a fellow of the American College of Physicians and a member of the American College of Healthcare Executives. He is active in the Dallas community and serves on the finance committee of the Perot Museum of Nature & Science and St. Philips School and Community Center Boards. He also serves on the advisory board of HLM Venture Partners, a venture capital health care investor firm, and is a member of the Duke University Fuqua School of Business' Capital Campaign Committee.
back to topRico Beans
Daytime MBA 2012
Walmart, Associate Marketing Manager
Rico Beans is 2012 graduate of the Daytime MBA program. He is currently an Associate Marketing Manager for Walmart Home Office in Bentonville, AR. He is also an Advisory Board Member for the Creating Nothing Other Than Excellence (C.N.O.T.E) Foundation, a non-profit with the goal of closing the achievement gap within the under-represented minority community. During his time at Fuqua, Rico served as Co-President of Black and Latino MBA Organization, Center of Leadership and Ethics Fellow, and member of the Marketing Club.
Before Fuqua, Rico was a Supply Chain Supervisor for the Commercial Distibution Business Unit of Eaton Corporation. He also served as an officer in the United States Air Force, where he deployed to Bagram Afghanistan. Rico received his bachelors degree from North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University in Greensboro, NC. Rico enjoys traveling, painting, and southern barbecue.
Brian Bell
Daytime MBA 2005
Admissions Task Force Chair, Minority Alumni Advisory Board
Texas Instruments, Manager - Sales and Market Analysis
Brian Bell is a Manager in Sales Operations for Texas Instruments, specializing in business analytics. In his four years at TI, he has also held positions in the areas of Finance, Logistics, and Capacity Planning. He began his career as a Chemical Engineer in Research and Development for Frito-Lay before returning to Duke to obtain his MBA in Finance. He was the 2005 recipient of the Fuqua Dean's Recognition Award for Exemplary Service. He is currently a member of the National Black MBA Association, Inc.
Daman Blakeney
Daytime MBA 1998
Director Portfolio Manager/Equity Research Analyst, Brown Capital Management
Daman Blakeney is a Director in Brown Capital Management’s Large/Mid Investment Team, which actively invests in domestic large-cap and mid-cap equity securities. Prior to Brown Capital, Daman worked as an Equity Research Analyst with Voyageur Asset Management, Inc. in Chicago, Illinois and as an Equity Research Analyst with Victory Capital Management Inc. in New York City, NY and Cleveland, OH. He is a member of the CFA Institute.
Outside of work, Daman is a member of the Pratt Contemporaries, a group that aims to raise the awareness of the Enoch Pratt Free Library in Baltimore. He is also an advisory board member of Higher Achievement – Baltimore, an afterschool and summer academic program that provides middle school youth with a learning environment which will enable them to advance to top academic high schools. Daman earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and an MBA at Duke’s Fuqua School of Business. He resides in Baltimore, where he enjoys being a member of both The Rams Club and the Iron Dukes.
Yvette Bonaparte
Daytime MBA 1987
Bonaparte Consulting, Inc., President
Yvette Bonaparte, is President of Bonaparte Consulting, Inc, a strategic marketing consulting company. She brings to clients over twenty years of corporate experience as a business strategist, practitioner, and facilitator. She began her marketing career as a brand assistant at Procter and Gamble. Additional companies at which Yvette has worked include GlaxoSmithKline, The Body Shop, Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina, and Quintiles Transnational, the world's largest pharmaceutical services organization.
Throughout her career Yvette has been known not only for her excellent work and her ability to build collaborative working relationships, but specifically for her ability to successfully apply marketing frameworks and best practices to various business situations. As the president of Bonaparte Consulting, Inc, Yvette prides herself on taking this same approach in delivering focused support to clients and helping ensure the success of their initiatives.
Yvette also shares her expertise with others in the classroom as an adjunct faculty member at various colleges and universities in the area. She is a native of Durham, North Carolina and is an active participant in the community. Yvette has served on the Board of Directors for the St Joseph's Historic Foundation, the African American Dance Ensemble and the National Black MBA Association. Yvette earned her BA degree in economics from Brandeis University and is currently pursuing her PhD in Leadership Studies.
John Burt
Daytime MBA 2003
Boston Consulting Group, Director of Diversity Recruiting
John Burt is the Director of Recruiting for BCG's diversity efforts across North America. His responsibilities include campus and experienced candidate recruiting strategies, managing a budget and staff, and partnering with colleagues on development and retention efforts. Prior to his current role, John was a CEO of MBA JumpStart, a consulting firm he co-founded, focused on increasing minority presence in consulting and financial service industries. Over a 7-year career at Eli Lilly, John was the CFO of a $2B business unit, co-created a business model for an internal consulting group, and led Asian operations/Africa Middle East strategies to secure more than $30M of working capital. After attaining an MBA from Duke, John was employed as an associate consultant by Booz & Co. His experience included mergers and acquisitions, industry best practices, and cost reduction & productivity initiatives. Separate from his Booz & Co. experiences, consulting engagements also include post-merger integration at Hewlett Packard after their acquisition of Compaq and growth strategies for firms up to $30M in revenue.
Ken Burton
Daytime MBA 1998
Careers Task Force Co-Chair, Minority Alumni Advisory Board
Bank of America, Senior Vice President
Kareem Cook
Daytime MBA 2000
Managing Director, Towerview Capital Management, LLC
Kareem Cook is a Founder and Managing Director at Towerview Capital Management (TCM), a private equity firm specializing in leveraged buyouts of middle-market companies focused on preventative medicine, healthier products and healthier lifestyles. Having recently acquired Naturade, a leading nutraceutical company which sells vitamins and supplements, he has assumed the position of Chief Operating Officer within the company.
Prior to founding TCM, Kareem co-founded Healthy Body Products (HBP), a healthy beverage and snack distribution company based in Los Angeles. HBP was the first company to place vending machines which exclusively serve healthy snacks and beverages in the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD). HBP was instrumental in the banning of "junk food" in LAUSD and later in banning the sale of junk food in the state of California. Within two years of the company's founding, HBP was awarded the contract to supply all of the high schools and middle schools in Los Angeles, totaling over 130 schools. He and his partner were invited by President Bill Clinton and Governor Mike Huckabee to present to the Alliance for a Healthier Generation in Arkansas on HBP's story and best practices.
Kareem earned his BA from Duke University and his MBA from Duke University's Fuqua School of Business. In addition to serving on the Fuqua Minority Alumni Board, he is also Vice President of the Duke Club in Los Angeles and serves on the American Heart Association Health Equity Task Force.
Eva De La Rosa
Daytime MBA 2005
American Express, Client Manager
Eva De La Rosa has over ten years of professional experience in marketing, sales, and business development in the financial services, retail, and consumer goods industries. Eva has held various leadership positions at Coca-Cola, BP, and American Express.
Previously as Director of Marketing for BP, Eva developed and managed the advertising and marketing strategy for 1,200 convenience retail merchants in North America. In this capacity, Eva managed a multi-million dollar marketing budget and advertising plans including TV, radio, social media, out of home, and entertainment partnerships.
Additionally, Eva has worked for Coca-Cola in both the eastern and southern U.S. markets as head of sales and business development. Eva was responsible for developing and executing regional marketing strategies for beverage portfolios including Dasani, Minute Maid, Coca-Cola Classic, Coke Zero, Powerade, and vitaminwater. In this role, Eva managed a multi-million dollar marketing budget and led cross-functional efforts in marketing, pricing, and sales in partnership with retailers Walmart, Target, and 7-Eleven.
During her tenure with American Express, Eva has held several leadership roles. Currently, as Client Manager in the Merchant Services group, Eva manages B2B client relationship in the Western U.S. In this role, Eva manages multi-million dollar business accounts and advises clients on their payment strategies, customer loyalty plans, and acquisition opportunities within the multi-media, entertainment, and retail industries. Prior to her current role, Eva was a Senior Marketing Manager and launched The Platinum Card in Latin America. In this capacity, she was responsible for developing the value proposition, acquisition strategy, and sales plans for premium products in emerging markets.
Eva enjoys volunteering her time with grassroots organizations in Southern California. Currently, she serves on the Advisory Council for Community Lawyers, Inc., a non-profit organization located in Compton, that provides affordable legal services to the Latino community. As well, Eva volunteers with the Mar Vista Family Center in Culver City, which provides low-income families with quality early childhood education, youth enrichment, and professional services.
Eva earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree from Stanford University and an MBA from The Fuqua School of Business at Duke University in 2005. She was born and raised in Los Angeles and currently resides in Newport Beach, California.
Eric Higgs
Cross Continent MBA 2004
Bounty North America, Brand Manager
Eric Higgs joined Procter & Gamble in 1994 and currently serves as a Brand Manager for Bounty North America. Previous work assignments with P&G include - 2/3E Papermaking Department Manager, Charmin L National Project Leader, and Brand Manager, Multicultural Business Development Organization (MBDO). Eric received his MBA from Fuqua in 2004 and also holds a BS in Chemical Engineering from University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana.
Eric, his wife, Jennifer, and their three children live in Cincinnati, OH. Personal hobbies of Eric's include portrait photography and photo journalism.
Michael Lupton
Daytime MBA 1996
Wells Fargo Advisors, Vice President - Investments
Michael is a Vice President-Investments in Wells Fargo Advisors, LLC Private Client Group. Prior to joining Wells Fargo Advisors, Michael worked at Lehman Brothers in both the Fixed Income Division and Private Client Group, having begun his career at JP Morgan as a corporate bond trader. He holds Series 7, 63 and 66 registrations. Before embarking upon his Wall Street career, Michael was a helicopter pilot in the United States Marine Corps, serving in Operations Desert Storm and Restore Hope. He holds a BS in Computer Science from the United States Naval Academy as well as a MBA in Finance from Duke University (Fuqua). While attending Fuqua, Michael served as MBAA President and was awarded a Rollins Scholarship. He and his wife Michele (Fuqua '96) are residents of South Orange, NJ with their two children, Alejandra and Michael Jr.
Terald Melton
Weekend Executive MBA 2003
Sterling Gabriel, Managing Director
Mr. Melton is the Managing Director of Sterling Gabriel, Inc., a business and real estate consulting and investment banking firm that serves small and middle market business clients. He received his Masters in Business Administration with a Concentration in Finance and General Management from the Fuqua School of Business at Duke University, Durham, North Carolina; and a Bachelor of Science degree in Finance and Accounting from the Bryan School of Business and Economics, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Greensboro, North Carolina. Mr. Melton received a certificate from the University of Shopping Centers on the campus of the Wharton School of Business, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and a certificate on 'Dealing with an Angry Public', a Program on Negotiation, at Harvard Law School, Cambridge, Massachusetts. Mr. Melton is active with several local and regional community and educational Boards. Mr. Melton is also approved as a Part-time Instructor in the Department of Finance at the J. Mack Robinson College of Business, Georgia State University, Atlanta, Georgia. He lives in Smyrna, Georgia and is married to Tamara and has three children: Ckalib, Logan and Olivia. Mr. Melton enjoys tennis, golf and traveling with his family.
Prentis Murphy
Daytime MBA 2003
Deloitte Consulting, LLP, Senior Manager
Prentis Murphy is a result oriented, motivated professional with strengths in strategic planning, process improvement and analytical and business skills. His 12-year career in management consulting has provided his clients, primarily within the energy space, with value driven insight relating to market assessments, mergers and acquisitions, new market entry, benchmarking and performance improvement. Prentis joined Deloitte Consulting, LLP in 1998 as a business analyst. In 2012, Prentis is a Senior Manager with Deloitte Consulting, LLP serving as an executive advisor, leveraging the full-service capabilities of the organization and capitalizing on his strength of providing executable solutions for his clients.
Prentis holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Mathematics from Clark Atlanta University and an MBA in General Management from Duke University, The Fuqua School of Business.
Prentis lives in Dallas with his wife Sherry and two kids, Landon and Reese. He enjoys reading autobiographies, coaching T-Ball and teaching a youth group at his church.
Kecia Paredes
Daytime MBA 2004
The Dannon Company, Inc., Brand Manager
Kécia joined Dannon in 2005 and worked on several yogurt brands, Light&Fit™, Danimals®. Kecia is now managing Dan-o-nino™ kids brand and Hispanic marketing initiatives across all the yogurt brands. Her projects include the standard brand strategy assignments, with the addition of yogurt reformulation, and working on kid promotions such as Hannah Montana, High School Musical which has provided for her unofficial title of "Coolest Godmother." Prior to Dannon, Kécia interned at Wal-Mart (Bentonville Arkansas) and later joined Procter & Gamble (San Juan, Puerto Rico) as an Assistant Brand Manager on Charmin, focusing on U.S. Hispanic marketing. She received her undergraduate degree from Boston University majoring in Economics and Mathematics with a minor in International Relations. Kécia enjoys spending time with her friends, traveling, exploring new restaurants, and volunteering with NY Cares kids projects. She currently resides in her hometown of Queens, NY.
Michael Sherman
Global Executive MBA 2006
Careers Task Force Co-Chair, Minority Alumni Advisory Board
Boston Consulting Group, Principal
Michael Sherman is a Principal with The Boston Consulting Group based in Dallas, Texas. Since joining BCG in 2007, Michael has worked in a variety of sectors, including telecommunications, energy and retail. In 2009, in addition to Michael's client facing responsibilities, Michael was the recruiting director for MBA consultants. He holds a BS degree in electrical engineering and computer science from Duke University and a MBA from Duke University's Fuqua School of Business. Prior to BCG, Michael was a founder and corporate officer for Viewlocity, a publically traded supply chain software management company. In addition, Michael has been an advisor to venture capital firms helping them optimize their technology investments. In his free time, Michael enjoys soccer, martial arts, technology, and spending time with family and kids - he recently completed his first half marathon.
Kevin Thibodeaux
Global Executive MBA 2005
Development and Alumni Relations Task Force Chair, Minority Alumni Advisory Board
Kimrick Performance Group, LLC, Founder and CEO
Mr. Thibodeaux is the founder and CEO of Kimrick Performance Group, LLC. He has more than 15 years of experience in management, construction, and consulting. As the CEO, he is responsible for setting the strategy and vision, and establishing the company's culture of superior performance in a safe and reliable manner. His specialty is facilitating strategic teaming relationships, overseeing construction projects, and assembling cross-functional teams for solutions delivery. He has worked in both commercial and heavy civil operations, and has developed a comprehensive understanding of successful operations after contract award.
Prior to starting Kimrick, Mr. Thibodeaux was employed as a Project Manager with Accenture, a global business-consulting firm. He consulted with global multi-national client companies to provide expertise in the areas of strategic planning, operations, information technology, sales and customer service.
Mr. Thibodeaux completed his MBA from Duke University's Fuqua School of Business in 2005 and his BS in Civil Engineering from Prairie View A&M University in 1996.
Tyrone Thomas
Daytime MBA 2004
Vice Chair, Minority Alumni Advisory Board
Citigroup, Vice President
Tyrone Thomas is a Vice President in Credit Sales and Trading at Citi. Mr. Thomas is responsible for providing sales coverage to high yield and distressed bond and leveraged loan institutional investors for primary market issuance and secondary market trading. He is Series 7, Series 63 and Series 3 licensed and holds a Certified Public Accountant designation.
Prior to Citi, Mr. Thomas received an MBA from the Fuqua School of Business at Duke University. While at Fuqua, Mr. Thomas served as the Diversity Chair of the Finance Club and studied abroad at the University of the Witswatersrand in Johannesburg, South Africa. He also earned a merit based JP Morgan Scholarship and the Dean's Recognition Award for outstanding service to the student body.
Prior to Duke, Mr. Thomas worked for Ernst & Young LLP in New York as a Senior Auditor in the Financial Services Group. At Ernst & Young, he primarily focused on providing audit services to private equity and hedge fund clients. His clients included Credit Suisse Asset Management, Amerada Hess Corporation and the National Basketball Association.
In addition to his professional experiences, Mr. Thomas enjoys traveling, running marathons and participating in organizations such as Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Newark, NJ, and NextGen Network .
Mark Williams
Daytime MBA 1996, Engineering 1992
Chair, Minority Alumni Advisory Board
Bank of America Merrill Lynch, Managing Director - Debt Private Placements
Mark Williams is a Managing Director in Bank of America Merrill Lynch's Private Placements Group. He is responsible primarily for structuring and marketing private corporate bond offerings in North America, Australia, and Europe. During his 13 years at Bank of America Merrill Lynch, Mark has been involved in the placement of senior and subordinated debt securities aggregating in excess of $25 billion. Prior to joining the Private Placements Group, Mark worked in Bank of America's Atlanta Corporate Finance Group as well as the Procter & Gamble Company and IBM.
Outside of work, Mark has served on several boards, including the National Advisory Board for the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation's Urban Health Initiative. He also is a United States-Japan Leadership Program fellow. Mark earned a BSE in Civil and Environmental Engineering at Duke University and an MBA at Duke's Fuqua School of Business. He and his wife, Stacey, reside in Chicago with their son, Mark Jr., and daughter, Gabrielle.
Anne Sempowski Ward
Global Executive MBA 2004
President and CEO of The FORWARD Group
Anne Sempowski Ward is a business strategy, operations, marketing and branding executive who has spent nearly two decades in corporate leadership at major companies such as Procter & Gamble, Coca-Cola and Johnson Publishing Company.
Mrs. Ward has consistently spearheaded strategic innovation and organizational efficiency and is especially adept at developing winning operational models. Her career has been defined by her ability to successfully lead business turnarounds, high-profile acquisitions, classic re-branding efforts, corporate reorganization and restructuring, and multicultural marketing.
In her current role as President and CEO of The FORWARD Group, Mrs. Ward oversees company strategy and operations while personally consulting with business leaders on developing winning corporate, operational and marketing strategies. Anne also coaches executives and speaks to a diverse group of audiences including Fortune 500 corporations, private companies, non-profit organizations, and educational institutions. She commonly addresses topics related to business, career and various aspects of The FORWARD Group's signature PLAYMAKER For LifeTM series. She has a broad base of clients from several different industries including technology, media, advertising, consumer products, digital entertainment and education.
A native of Detroit, Mrs. Ward has a bachelor's of science degree in Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science from Duke University. She also earned a Global MBA from Duke's Fuqua School of Business.
She stays active in the civic and business communities and has been recognized for her business leadership by the YMCA and YWCA. Mrs. Ward's achievements have been written about in numerous magazines and The Go-Getter Girl's Guide: Get What You Want in Work and Life and she has appeared on many esteemed business panels.