Donald H. Ogilvie '78 Colloquium Series

This year's theme, "A Community Coalescence" will honor Donald H. Ogilvie's legacy at Yale SOM and in New Haven, by celebrating the many communities that we belong to and the ways that we can and ought to work together. The keynote discussion will be moderated by Amy Kundrat '21 (EMBA) the Director of Innovation Community at Yale Ventures and feature panelists including activist and author Loretta J. Ross and Kimberly Goff-Crews, Secretary and Vice President for University Life at Yale. 

Event Recording Policy Statement
Pursuant to applicable state law, the recording of any conference sessions, activities, or interactions—whether explicit or covert—is strictly prohibited. This includes, but is not limited to, audio recordings, video recordings, photographs, and any other form of digital or electronic capture.

By attending this event, participants agree to respect this policy and the privacy of all attendees, speakers, and staff. Any individual found to be in violation may be asked to cease recording immediately and could be subject to removal from the event.

As part of the Donald H. Ogilvie '78 Colloquium series, the Office of Community Engagement and Dialogue, and the SOM Program on Entrepreneurship presents: Cultivating our Community: Entrepreneurship Panel. Our panelists will discuss how their work is shaped by the communities they belong to, and the different metrics for success that come with community-minded entrepreneurship. Refreshments will be served for registered attendees.

Panelists include: Aaron Rogers (Co-founder of The Breed Entertainment), Julianna Dawson (Co-founder of The Dawson Chess Academy), David Dawson, (Co-founder of The Dawson Chess Academy), MiChaela Barker '24 (Founder and CEO of Matcha Scrubs). Moderated by Markeshia Ricks, Communications Manager for the Center for Inclusive Growth.


Julianna Dawson
Julianna Dawson is co-founder of The Dawson Chess Academy, a community-centered organization in Milford, Connecticut that introduces children and families to chess in a welcoming, beginner-friendly environment.

David Dawson
David Dawson is co-founder of The Dawson Chess Academy, where he brings a lifelong dedication to chess and a passion for developing new chess players from the ground up. A former National Chess Champion of Barbados at age 17, David went on to represent Barbados in multiple Chess Olympiads and has competed internationally in chess. His experience as a competitive player informs his approach to coaching, particularly in working with intermediate and advanced students as they deepen their understanding of the game.


MiChaela Barker
MiChaela Barker is a founder, strategist, and creative working at the intersection of business, healthcare, and culture. She is the Founder and CEO of Matcha Scrubs, a healthcare apparel brand known for its satin-lined scrub caps designed to support diverse hair types while delivering comfort and functionality. Under her leadership, the company has gained national traction and secured institutional partnerships with Mount Sinai, Northwell Hospital, and Stonybrook Medicine.

Aaron Rogers
Aaron Rogers is a Grammy Award-winning music producer, entrepreneur, and cultural architect from New Haven, Connecticut. As co-founder of The Breed Entertainment alongside Rashad Johnson, he has worked with globally recognized artists including Chris Brown, Drake, and Eric Bellinger, translating creative excellence into scalable business ventures.

Markeshia Ricks
Markeshia Ricks is an award-winning journalist with more than two decades of experience in newsrooms in Alabama, Florida, Virginia, Washington, D.C., and Connecticut, where she covered everything from local boards of education to policymaking in two state capitals and on Capitol Hill. She is also the immediate past co-director of the Arts Council of Greater New Haven’s Youth Arts Journalism Initiative. A former Knight Fellow in Community Journalism, a 2022 graduate of the Yale Campaign School, and a graduate of the University of Alabama and Johnson C. Smith University, she is currently the communications manager for The Center for Inclusive Growth in New Haven.

Inspired by the Symposium for Black Studies in the University of 1968, led by Donald H. Ogilvie ’78 and his peers, attendees will gather for an exchange of ideas and perspectives that will contribute to a thoughtful and meaningful discussion over dinners at private, New Haven - based locations. To ensure a safe environment for potentially sensitive topics, attendance at these discussions is by invitation only.

We are joined by Donald H. Ogilvie’s cousin, Dr. dt ogilvie, to examine the investments required to enhance and maintain entrepreneurship and economic development in urban cities – and the projected financial and social prosperity that those communities can yield when that work is done well.

Dr. dt ogilvie is a Distinguished Professor of Urban Entrepreneurship and former Dean and Professor of Business Strategy at Saunders College of Business at the Rochester Institute of Technology. She was also the Founding Director of The Center for Urban Entrepreneurship & Economic Development (CUEED) at Rutgers Business School – Newark and New Brunswick.
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If you're interested in attending, please send an email to Zanaiya Leon zanaiya.leon@yale.edu by April 20th. 

Inspired by the Symposium for Black Studies in the University of 1968, led by Donald H. Ogilvie ’78 and his peers, attendees will gather for an exchange of ideas and perspectives that will contribute to a thoughtful and meaningful discussion over dinners at private, New Haven - based locations. To ensure a safe environment for potentially sensitive topics, attendance at these discussions is by invitation only.

Amidst rising conversations about individual consumption habits and a stronger push to support small businesses and local economies, this conversation led by Chinedum Nnodum will investigate the ways that we as individuals can make our “money talk”. Chinedum Nodum serves as the Social and Economic Mobility Director for Fairfield County’s Community Foundation. 
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If you're interested in attending, please send an email to Zanaiya Leon zanaiya.leon@yale.edu by April 9th. 

Inspired by the Symposium for Black Studies in the University of 1968, led by Donald H. Ogilvie ’78 and his peers, attendees will gather for an exchange of ideas and perspectives that will contribute to a thoughtful and meaningful discussion over dinners at private, New Haven - based locations. To ensure a safe environment for potentially sensitive topics, attendance at these discussions is by invitation only.

In the wake of the opening of her exhibition GLORY, now showing at NXTHVN, curator Juanita Sunday will lead this conversation with archivist and curator Arvia Walker to explore the different ways communities show up with and for one another, and the way that cultural family dynamics influence expressions of community care.

If you're interested in attending, please send an email to Zanaiya Leon zanaiya.leon@yale.edu