Team

FOUNDERS

Randy Cousin is Global Senior Vice President of Lab (Collaborations and Partnerships) and Creative Direction VIP Dressing at Tommy Hilfiger. As the lead of People’s Place, Randy champion’s the brand’s mission to amplify the voice of the next generation of BIPOC Creatives and Thought Leaders. Having been with the brand for just over ten years, Randy has held various Merchandising/Creative roles in New York City and Amsterdam, Netherlands.

Randy started his fashion career at Abercrombie and Fitch, as the lead Merchandiser for Accessories, before moving to Tommy Hilfiger.

Having a passion for increasing Representation for Black creatives in the Fashion Industry, Randy recently co-founded the philanthropic organization Creatives Want Change. CWC is dedicated to the talent cultivation of Young Black Creatives, linking them to Pre-College Training at some of the top Fashion Universities in the United States.

TEAM MEMBERS

Namasha Schelling is the Program Director at Creatives Want Change (CWC). She has over 15 years of professional experience in nonprofit communications, operations, and fundraising. As a mission-driven professional, and volunteer on several Boards and Committees, Namasha believes that a strong public education system is essential to the prosperity of our country and to the development of an informed and engaged democracy. Originally from Switzerland and Tanzania, she brings her global perspective to the table and embraces the concept of Ubuntu, an African proverb that states: “I am because we are: we are because I am.” It speaks to the interconnectedness and responsibility that we have for each other and a shared community that doesn’t leave anyone behind. For too long, Black creatives have been left behind, CWC wants to change this by cultivating Black talent beginning at the high-school level and continuing into early professional development.

Asanté Matlock is the Communications Coordinator at Creatives Want Change (CWC). He was the social media intern at CWC for over a year, working hard to earn a permanent position. He has over 5 years of communications experience, including creating content for multiple businesses, and designing websites. In 2016 he became a published photographer, being featured in educational books for deaf children. After graduating from the University of Maryland in 2022, Asanté set out to use his unique skillset to help aid intercultural understanding. “Black voices and Black art are often utilized without due credit or acknowledgment for too long. It is crucial to change the faces of leadership in the art industry to mirror its diverse creators. We must ensure Black artists receive rightful recognition, representation, and appreciation they deserve.”

ADVOCATES

Marcus LeBlanc is the Senior Performance Design Director at Calvin Klein. A graduate of our Academic Partner Otis College, Marcus began his career at John Varvatos after a mentorship program through the school with its namesake designer. Prior to Calvin Klein, Marcus worked as the Global Creative Director at The North Face and designed at Theory and Lululemon, launching their Lab collection in New York City.

Kiana Miree is the Chief Merchandising Officer at Spanx, leading the Apparel, Active, and Mens categories. Prior to joining Spanx, she worked in NYC at J. Crew and Tory Burch, where she launched the Tory Sport label. Kiana started her career at Abercrombie & Fitch and is a graduate of Harvard University.

Ernest is the Chief Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Officer at Ford. Ernest holds a BS in Industrial Engineering & Management Sciences from Northwestern University (Evanston, IL, USA). Ernest was the first Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer for Danaher Corporation – a Fortune 150 science and technology innovator. Over the course of his career, he has held progressive roles in Human Resources, within the life sciences, MedTech and retail sectors. Prior to Hustle with Heart LLC, Ernest joined Ralph Lauren with global responsibility for the corporation’s global talent function which includes strategic oversight of talent acquisition, talent management, talent operations, learning and development and performance management. In this role the work is focused on a renewed, refreshed and holistic view of talent with a focused lens on diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging for the global organization and its over 20,000 employees. “At Ralph Lauren, we are focused on ensuring the culture and organization support the aspiration for each of our employees ‘to inspire the dream of a better life through authenticity and timeless style.’ We are continuing to innovate through our talent function to unleash the full potential that each of our employees has to offer.”

Keisha Golding is the Vice President of Talent Acquisition, DEI & Corporate Giving at J.Crew. In her previous role at Gap as Head of Community Belonging she focused on opportunities to create early career access for youth and underserved communities.

Lauren Guthrie is the Vice President of Global Inclusion, Diversity, Equity & Action for VF Corporation.

Lauren is responsible for developing and operationalizing the strategic framework, guardrails and program development that drive VF’s commitment to building a culture anchored in allyship, advocacy and belonging.  She works closely with key talent management and business leaders to amplify social impact initiatives within VF, in direct support of the diverse associates, communities and consumers served by the VF portfolio of brands.

 Prior to joining VF, Lauren has held progressive merchandising and general management roles with global brands such as The North Face, Nike, Levis and Abercrombie across a variety of businesses. She is a vibrant team leader and coach, who is passionate about developing powerful teams and fostering high integrity work environments where each player is celebrated for their unique contributions.

Abdul Abasi is the Design Director at Nike Design Exploration. He also co-founded the highly acclaimed brand, Abasi Rosborough, in 2012. He believes that good design is functional, emotionally responsive, affirming one’s identity, and connecting humanity to nature. Abasi serves as a guest lecturer and mentor for several design schools in the US. His primary mission is to support creatives and use design as a platform to empower diverse voices, cultivate inclusivity and foster sustainable innovation.

Wilbert L. Cooper is a storyteller whose work touches on everything from music and style to race and politics. In front of the camera, he has hosted and produced documentary films, travel shows, and live programs for platforms like Vice, HBO, Mic and Sony that have garnered millions of views. He's also written scores of reported long-reads, personal essays, and news articles for publishers like Guardian, NY Times, The Wall Street Journal and Vice. He's currently reporting on issues of race and policing in his hometown of Cleveland, Ohio for the Marshall Project, the Pulitzer Prize-winning non-profit news organization that focuses on criminal justice.

Sun Choe is the Chief Product Officer at lululemon, an athletic apparel company, where she leads the merchandising and design teams. Ms. Choe has been instrumental in elevating merchandising capabilities and partnering with design leadership to deliver the lululemon vision to guests through best-in-class product assortments. Prior to joining lululemon, Ms. Choe served as Chief Global Product Merchant at Marc Jacobs and worked in multi-channel merchandising at brands including Westelm, Madewell and Urban Outfitters.

Mark Little is the Global Product Line Director for Men’s Lifestyle and Surf Apparel at Patagonia.

He began his 20-year apparel career at Abercrombie & Fitch, where he met CWC co-founders Randy Cousin and Joe Medved. He’s also worked for Charlotte Russe and Pac Sun and brings years of industry expertise and connections both in the fashion and outdoor industries.

Joshua Myrie is senior designer at Nike Jordan brands, where he launched and leads the Jordan brands women’s apparel collections. A Brooklyn native with a passion for higher education within the arts, Joshua is a graduate of the Fashion Institute of Technology BFA womenswear program and The new school MFA Fashion design and society program.