Thank you for joining us for our August CTC Friday Conversation, “Celebrating National Black Small Business Month.”

In honor of National Black Small Business Month this August, AACUC was proud to host a virtual celebration recognizing the remarkable contributions of Black women entrepreneurs. Black women-owned businesses are among the fastest-growing segments of American enterprise — and credit unions are uniquely positioned to help them thrive. Our panelists shared their firsthand experiences navigating entrepreneurship, accessing credit union products and financial tools, and building businesses that strengthen our communities. Thank you for joining us as we celebrated the spirit of Black women's entrepreneurship and reaffirm our collective commitment — as credit union professionals — to championing the financial well-being of Black-owned small businesses, not just in August, but throughout the year.

Our esteemed panelists were:

• Cristian Hardy, Co-Founder & CEO, Grow Black Leaders, LLC
• Dohnia Dorman, Founder & CEO, Omnia Exec, LLC
• Kelli Holloway, Founder & CEO, Kelli & Co.
• Kelley Smith, Founder & CEO, CaffexaOS and Founder & COO of BaristaSource

Renée Sattiewhite, President/CEO of AACUC moderated this session. 

**RECORDING COMING SOON**

Keep reading to learn about the panelists and moderator. 

Cristian Hardy
Co-Founder & CEO
Grow Black Leaders, LLC

Cristian C. Hardy is an executive leadership coach, strategist, and dynamic speaker passionate about developing leaders who drive meaningful impact. As Training Manager for the African-American Credit Union Coalition (AACUC), she designs and facilitates executive leadership programs, including the Rosemary Brinkley C-Level Leadership Development Program, while advancing professional development initiatives across the industry. As co-founder and CEO of Grow Black Leaders, LLC, Cristian coaches high-capacity professionals and equips organizations through executive coaching, leadership development, and team-building workshops. A Maxwell Leadership Certified Coach, Trainer, and Speaker, she inspires leaders to grow with clarity, confidence, and purpose.

Dohnia Dorman
Founder & CEO
Omnia Exec, LLC

Dohnia helps leaders solve strategy execution breakdowns and align people, processes, and project management platforms.  She also serves as Chief Experience Officer for AACUC and brings over 15 years of credit union experience, including multiple executive roles. Her work has generated $63 million in savings and recovered 71,500 organizational hours. A highest-honors graduate of Western CUNA Management School, she is a Credit Union Development Educator and Filene i3 alumna. Dohnia holds an MBA. Named an Albuquerque Business First Woman of Influence, she has served on national, foundation, university, and community boards.

Kelli Holloway
Founder & CEO
Kelli & Co.

Kelli Holloway is the founder and CEO of Kelli & Co., a consulting firm offering strategic planning, leadership training, and one-on-one coaching focused on community outreach and financial empowerment. A UNC-Chapel Hill graduate and Credit Union Development Educator (CUDE), she brings over 14 years of credit union leadership—including her tenure as Senior Vice President of Outreach at State Employees' Credit Union—to her work as an entrepreneur. Kelli serves as Secretary of AACUC's Texas Regional Chapter, a Senior Advisor for its financial education initiatives, and a 2022 AACUC Commitment to Change Young Professional of the Year award recipient. She is also the creator and host of the Grief in the Raw podcast, exploring grief and healing within the Black community.

Kelley Smith
Founder & CEO of CaffexaOS
Founder & COO of BaristaSource

Kelley Smith is a high-impact founder and corporate executive with 25 years of operational mastery. As Co-Founder and CEO of CaffexaOS and Founder of BaristaSource, Kelley is currently scaling a vertical SaaS platform designed to revolutionize independent coffee shop operations. Her sharp execution is backed by nearly two decades in corporate leadership, including holding various key leadership roles at Starbucks. Concurrently serving as Chief Operating Officer for the AACUC, Kelley commands a powerful dual perspective. As a panelist, she delivers first-hand expertise on the high-stakes realities of building Black women-owned enterprises
and exactly how credit unions can fuel their economic power.

Renée Sattiewhite
President/CEO
AACUC

Renée Sattiewhite is the President/CEO of the African American Credit Union Coalition (AACUC). Renée brought both her unique vitality and a forward-looking vision in order to create one of the most dynamic organizations in the credit union movement. Her high energy, high expectations and high touch approach for leading the organization has created a momentum for growth and change and directs a strong commitment towards eradicating racism. Today, AACUC is the leading voice on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in the Credit Union Movement thanks to Renée. She has successfully propelled the organization forward to offer a credible voice that addressed today’s dialogue on race, equity, and inclusion for all.

Renée is a certified diversity professional, a credit union development educator, a motivational speaker, an executive coach, a mentoring trainer, a Master Trainer for the United Way of Atlanta’s VIP Board Development Program, and a recognized expert on marketing and branding. She currently serves as a Board Member of: Climate United, ACCOSCA Foundation, America’s Credit Union Museum, World Wide Foundation for Credit Unions, and CU4Kids.