David W. Brown:

David W. Brown, with over 40 years in Philadelphia’s advertising and public relations industry, founded BrownPartners, one of the city’s most acclaimed minority-owned ad agencies. During its decade-long run, the firm earned numerous prestigious awards, including PRSA Pepperpots, a Gold Addy and a Mosaic Award from the American Advertising Federation.

Brown is a past recipient of PRSA’s national David Ferguson Award for outstanding contributions to the advancement of public relations education and is the first African American to be so honored. He is also the recipient of the Ofield Dukes Educator Award conferred by the National Black Public Relations Society (NBPRS) recognizing the best African Americans in the public relations industry who are making positive contributions in the community. Additionally, he serves as Founder and Managing Director of CommonSoul Communications, a nonprofit offering strategic marketing services to mission-driven organizations. In this role, he led a team collaborating with the Philadelphia Inquirer to support its efforts in becoming an anti-racist institution.

 Currently serving as Assistant Dean at Temple University’s Klein College of Media and Communication, where he has pursued PhD-level work in the Media and Communication program, Brown was named a “Champion of Change” by the Obama Administration for his work empowering nonprofits. He also leads as Executive Director of the Civic Coalition to Save Lives, addressing gun violence in Philadelphia. An ordained United Methodist Reverend, Brown is a frequent contributor to the Philadelphia Inquirer and WHYY, offering insights on urban and social issues.

Veronica Rae Adams:

Veronica Rae Adams is a nature enthusiast, community-focused resource mobilizer and advocate of mutual aid. She has worked in community spaces, nonprofits, grassroots movements and gardens for over ten years and is the founder of Veronica Anne Rae Consulting, a community-centered resource mobilizing consultancy. Her life’s work is to mobilize resources into the hands of those who are fostering community growth. With wide range, Adams has executed and led campaigns ranging from $5,000 to $10 million for national non-profits, community spaces, grassroots movements, individuals and more. Using her personal ethos of equity, her holistic and unique education and her lived experience, Adams strives to strengthen community bonds and help shape the just and thriving world we all deserve.

Amanda Finnell:

Amanda Finnell has nearly 20 years of experience in the nonprofit sector, focusing on development, fundraising and community impact. Her career began at Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, partnering with major brands on cause marketing initiatives. Amanda has since held leadership roles with organizations like Summer Search, Philadelphia Futures and the American Heart Association, addressing youth education, health access and food insecurity.

More recently, Amanda was the Director of Development at Bebashi - Transition to Hope, the first Black-led organization to address the HIV/AIDS epidemic in urban communities. She secured funding to launch a family planning clinic, expanded food pantries and supported LGBTQ+ initiatives, including Philadelphia’s first Trans Necessities Closet. Now, as External Affairs Director at New Voices for Reproductive Justice, she leads communications, fundraising and development efforts to support the holistic wellbeing of Black women, girls and gender-expansive people.

Heather Maneval

Christina Reardon:

Christina Reardon, MSW, LSW, serves as a Level 3 Research Associate at Temple University’s Harrisburg Campus, bringing a unique combination of expertise in writing, social work and research that allows her to communicate complex information effectively to diverse audiences. She also serves as senior research associate at Temple Harrisburg, where she specializes in qualitative methods and contributes to various evaluation projects. Her recent projects have focused on evidence-based practices in community supervision, the training needs of probation and parole officers and the prevalence of racial and ethnic disparities in pretrial justice. A former full-time journalist, she has written articles on many topics, including behavioral health, aging, criminal justice and social work education. She earned her master’s degree in social work from Temple University and her bachelor’s degree in journalism from Marquette University. 

Timothy Welbeck, Esq.:

Timothy Welbeck is an assistant professor of instruction in the Department of Africology and African American Studies at Temple University. A civil rights attorney by training, Welbeck is a scholar of law, race, and cultural studies. He earned his JD from Villanova University Charles Widger School of Law and his BA from Morehouse College. Welbeck’s scholarly work focuses on contemporary issues of racial identity in America, the intersection of racial classifications and the law in the American context, contemporary African and African American cultural transmissions, retentions, expressions and evolutions, hip-hop as a microcosm of the Black experience and more.

Welbeck's forthcoming book, No City for Young Men: Hip-Hop and the Narrative of Marginalization, examines how hip-hop reflects the lived experiences of marginalized urban communities, particularly Black men. His peer-reviewed articles include topics like the 1994 Crime Bill's role in mass incarceration and hip-hop's African origins and rhetorical traditions.

A frequent contributor to media outlets such as BBC Radio 4, The Washington Post, The Philadelphia Inquirer, NPR and REVOLT TV, Welbeck's work bridges academia and public discourse, shedding light on critical contemporary issues.