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President & Founder
Akua Soadwais the Founder and Director of the Gye Nyame Empowerment Project. Since her undergraduate years at Mount Holyoke College, Akua has always had a desire to marry her two passions - event planning and empowering people of Pan-African descent. Upon graduating from MHC, Akua returned to her hometown of Cleveland to pursue a Masters in Urban Planning, Design and Development from Cleveland State University. While there, she re-instated and served as the President of the Black Graduate Student Association, and co-founded Health, Wellness and Happiness, a bi-monthly African-American newsletter, with the Glenville Health Foundation. These two mediums enabled Akua to empower members of her community through the sharing of untapped resources and vital information. This concept of sharing information and resources with the community rather than having them go through the daunting task of “figuring it out alone” would eventually serve as the underlying premise for GNEP.
Upon receiving her Masters degree in 2005, Akua moved to New York to work for the New York State Banking Department as a Public Management Intern. After a year of relentless, yet unanswered requests to volunteer her time and skills to organizations that catered to people of Pan-African descent, Akua decided to take a leap of faith and start her own organization in October of 2006. Her motivation and unwavering dedication to ensuring that her dream was not a dream deferred proved apparent when four months later, GNEP was officially incorporated as an organization in the State of New York, and five months after that, it had acquired its 501(c)(3) tax-exemption status. With the help of countless friends, family and other supporters, Akua is now able to give back the way she always envisioned – through events and the sharing of information.
Akua is also the Director of the Community Affairs Unit at the New York State Banking Department; the owner of A Touch of Soadwa, a decorative pillow company that incorporates a host of vibrant African fabrics in its designs; the Assistant Director of the Lil’ Raggamuffin Summer Camp; and the Young Alumnae Representative for the Alumnae Association of Mount Holyoke College.
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Vice President
Panin Soadwa Humphrey is currently a practicing pediatrician. Panin's commitment to providing health care to underserved populations both domestically, and internationally are evident through her numerous participation in health fairs, her volunteer work at the health department, and two medical mission trips to Ghana, West Africa. While in Ghana, Panin worked in the children's unit where she examined patients, assisted with diagnosis, and helped to triage patients. She graduated from Northeastern Ohio Universities College of Medicine in 2004 and completed her pediatric residency training at Columbus Children's Hospital/The Ohio State University in 2007. During Panin’s residency, she was recognized for her commitment to teaching medical students and interns; her enthusiasm in working with, treating and educating children and their families; and providing professional and personal support to minority medical students and colleagues.
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Secretary
Kakra Soadwa Gyambibi is currently a first year internal medical resident at Cornell University Hospital. As an Internist, Kakra hopes to focus on women’s health or infectious disease. She graduated from the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and while there, was extremely involved in various activities. Kakra served as a member of the admissions committee for three years; was the former Community and Public Health Chair of the American Medical Student Association; served as the Social and Fundraiser Chair of the Student National Medical Association; and was a Student Advisor. In addition, Kakra participated in numerous public health outreach programs.
After earning a bachelor's degree in neuroscience from Wellesley College, Kakra earned her Master of Public Health from Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health. During this time, Kakra combined her passion for health care and people of Pan-African descent by participating in outreach programming and conference presentations in Ghana, Haiti and Brazil. In addition, Kakra has also worked at an Non-Government Organization (NGO) that focused on hospital-advocacy and community-based programs; interned at Senator Edward Kennedy's office in Washington, DC; and was an HIV/AIDS Program Communications intern at UNICEF.
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Treasurer
Kwasi Gyambibi is currently the Coordinator of the Center for Academic Programs/Student Support Services at the University of Connecticut, Stamford campus. In this position, Kwasi performs academic advising, counseling, mentoring and coordinates supplemental instruction efforts for first generation college students. Kwasi is also charged with providing educational and cultural experiences to the program participants. Prior to this position with UCONN, Kwasi was a Manager of Ben Gordon’s (Chicago Bulls) BG4 Inc.’s. Kwasi received his B.A., B.S. and M.A. from the University of Connecticut.
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PR & Marketing Strategist
Danita King has a solid background in conceptualizing and executing out-of-the box, progressive and results-driven campaigns for an array of fashion, beauty, luxury and lifestyle brands. Highly driven, self-motivated and armed with an innate talent for PR, Danita began her career as an apprentice at a contemporary sportswear fashion showroom in London, followed by in-house positions for fashion and luxury brands Joseph Abboud and Coach in New York. Prior to launching her own venture, Danita held the position of Account Director at a boutique agency, where she was the primary strategic planner and media relations director for such notable brands as Bill Blass, Fabrikant Diamonds, Simmons Jewelry Company (Russell Simmons) and Disney, among other noteworthy fashion, beauty, luxury timepiece and fine jewelry brands.
In 2007, with years of industry experience and equipped with a vision to fill the void for innovative, brand-centric PR, Danita launched PR Noir, a boutique PR firm with a solid client roster in the fashion, beauty, luxury goods and lifestyle categories. Employing new, integrated media tactics, coupled with established industry and media relationships, PR Noir has quickly become one of the forerunning boutique agencies in New York, and—in fact— the agency of choice for some of the leading brands in fashion and beauty. Since its inception, the company— outside of its core client roster— has produced a number of special events, trunk shows, store openings, fashion shows and media events during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week, trade shows, celebrity gifting suites and other industry-related events.
PR Noir’s inventive media relations campaigns have laid the foundation for fostering strong relationships with key fashion editors, writers, reporters, television producers, celebrity stylists and industry executives. The company boasts an impressive portfolio and strong track-record of product placement press coverage, feature articles, celebrity-driven features, magazine covers and national television features in an array of top-tier media outlets across platforms.
Character and quality relationships are essential to me, no matter the business opportunity. I started my company with the premise that a good company keeps ‘good company.’ Whether we are working with a start up company, national brand, or forging a relationship with a media outlet, we put forth our best efforts and work diligently to produce the highest quality work. The most important principals to me in business are: a good reputation, consistent track-record and letting your work speak for itself.
Danita King holds a B.S. in English, Spanish and African Diaspora Studies from Tulane University and an M.S. in Corporate Public Relations from Boston University.
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