More Than a Basketball Legend... Jalen Rose is the Embodiment of Versatility, Philanthropy, and Leadership

Jalen Rose is one of the few professional athletes to maintain a high-profile post-retirement. Long known for his post-game quotes and great relationship with the media, he continues to show his versatility in the multi-media space, entertainment world and as a philanthropist. Jalen was born and raised in Detroit where he was part of the University of Michigan’s legendary “Fab Five” who revolutionized the sport of basketball. In 1994, he was drafted in the first round and went on to have a successful 13-year NBA career.  Since then he spent 16-years as a lead ABC/ESPN analyst for a variety of network shows as well as partnered with the New York Post on Renaissance Man, a weekly column and podcast series. In 2015, he released a New York Times Bestseller, Got to Give the People What They Want.

A philanthropist who truly gives from the heart, Jalen has personally donated his time, talent and treasure for decades. His most substantial outreach initiative to date is the establishment of the Jalen Rose Leadership Academy (JRLA), an open enrollment, tuition free, public charter high school in the zip code where he grew up. He is currently the Head of Athlete Relations for Fanatics Collectibles and also serves as a Board Member for the National Basketball Players Association Foundation. Jalen has proved to be more than just a professional athlete making him an all-around superstar on and off the hardwood. 

Dr. Walter Kimbrough has built a distinguished career in student affairs, focusing on research on HBCUs and African American men in college. Originally from Atlanta, he excelled academically, earning degrees from the University of Georgia, Miami University, and Georgia State University. At 32, he became vice president for student affairs at Albany State University before being appointed as the 12th president of Philander Smith College at 37.

Dr. Kimbrough is an influential figure in advocating for social issues. Notably, he organized events such as the Black Male Summit in response to social injustices and has been active in debates on free speech on college campuses. His adept use of social media earned him national recognition, with features in various publications and podcasts.

His leadership has been widely recognized, including being listed in Ebony Magazine's Power 100 and The Grio 100. Dr. Kimbrough is also an authority on Greek life, authoring "Black Greek 101" and receiving awards for his contributions to fraternity research. He completed his education with a Ph.D. from Georgia State University. He and his wife, Adria Nobles Kimbrough, are proud parents of two children.

Dr. Rashad Richey is a multifaceted figure, acclaimed as an Emmy-nominated broadcaster, philanthropist, and author. As the President of Rolling Out, a prominent urban publication, and host of 'Indisputable With Dr. Rashad Richey', his nationally syndicated TV show, he reaches over 2.5 million viewers daily. He's also recognized for his radio shows, including the award-winning 'Dr. Rashad Richey Review' and 'Rashad Richey Morning Show'. Dr. Richey's podcast, 'Indisputable', ranks in the top 1% globally.

In academia, Dr. Richey is a respected Professor of Physics at Paris Graduate School and Business at Morris Brown College. He holds advanced degrees in law, political science, neuroscience, and agronomical physics, among others. Additionally, he's a managing partner at The Fairness Firm, LLP, focusing on human and civil rights litigation.

Active in policy and philanthropy, Dr. Richey serves as Sr. Policy Advisor for The Carter Center and holds leadership roles in organizations such as Piedmont Hospital and the GA Council for International Visitors. He's the founder of The Rashad Richey Foundation, mentoring youth affected by gangs.

Recognized for his contributions, Dr. Richey received the 2023 "Distinguished Alumni Award" from Clark Atlanta University and a Lifetime Achievement Award from President Barack Obama in 2016. He's the youngest inductee into the National Black College Alumni Hall of Fame. A member of various professional organizations, including the Atlanta NAACP and the American Bar Association, Dr. Richey's impact spans across broadcasting, academia, law, and philanthropy.

Reginald Beaty and Tony Owens stand as the visionary founders of the Foundation for Educational Success, bringing together an impressive cumulative experience of over 50 years in educational and military leadership. Revered for their expertise, they are affectionately recognized as "2 Men and a Stool," symbolizing their collaborative approach to educational excellence.

At the heart of their foundation lies a three-pronged strategy, aptly represented by the legs of a stool. Firstly, they prioritize Student Asset Development Mindset, recognizing the inherent strengths and potential within each individual student. Secondly, they emphasize deliberate Parent Engagement at-home, understanding the pivotal role parents play in supporting their children's educational journey. Lastly, they focus on Creating A High-Performing Culture And Climate at School, fostering an environment conducive to academic and personal success. With their collective dedication and strategic approach, Beaty, Owens, and their team are committed to driving positive change and nurturing a culture of excellence in education.

Their consulting firm offers a comprehensive three-legged systematic approach to school and college improvement, leveraging the expertise of a diverse team of educators, counselors, administrators, and professors across elementary, middle, high school, and college levels.

Prior to joining The Right Place in October 2021, TaRita served as the Director of the Career Center at Calvin University where she was responsible for the center’s overall mission to equip students to succeed on their lifelong vocational path. She oversaw the center’s career coaching, employer relations, event and marketing analytics, and assessment. She was responsible for cross-divisionally creating and launching a career and life skills program, Calvin LifeWork.

Before joining Calvin, TaRita was a Talent Acquisition Manager for corporate recruiting at Meijer. She oversaw recruitment for accounting, audit, finance, human resources, information technology, legal, properties, procurement, and real estate.

Previous to her work at Meijer, she was Vice President of College and University Relations at KeyBank where she developed, executed, and oversaw the bank’s college recruitment program for all lines of business.

Her other positions include adjunct Social Work professor at Calvin, Assistant Director of Admissions at Baldwin Wallace University, Enrollment Management Officer at Pennsylvania State University, Psychiatric Specialty Counselor at Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic, and Program Specialist for TRIO’s Educational Talent Search Program at Savannah State University.

A native of Cleveland Ohio, Dr. D. F. Arnold is the new Director of Player Development for LSU Football, as well as an author, consultant and motivational speaker. Dr. D.F Arnold provides training in leadership and motivation to a wide range of groups --- including professional athletes, executives, students and individuals across the United States.

Dr. Arnold understands success and failure. He also understands how to motivate others to achieve their dreams and discover their PURPOSE. After getting kicked-out of two different high schools and ultimately graduating from a continuation school, his message is simple “It’s not how you start, but how you finish that counts.”

With a Ph.D. in education administration from Washington State University, Dr. Arnold works with the National Football League’s Rookie Transition Program, the league’s onboarding program for drafted and undrafted rookies. He has been a facilitator at NCAA leadership conferences, and a panelist on discussions concerning the state of public schools. Dr. Arnold is the author of several books, including “The PyramIT of Purpose,” the motivational “Doc’s Daily Dose,” and the children’s superhero storybook “I AM/Mirror Mirror.”

Dr. D.F. Arnold has spent years motivating organizations, individuals, and college and professional athletes, to develop their unique purpose. He has a keen way of turning what he touches into gold. It isn’t just his great smile and his way with words that motivates people to take action like never before. Dr. D.F. Arnold’s candidness, transparency, passion, and high-energy motivates audiences to step beyond their limitations and into their greatness.

Dar Mayweather is the founder of doingthegoodwork.com and is a leadership studies faculty member at the University of North Carolina Wilmington. Dar is a first-generation college student. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice, a Master of Science in Education, and a Doctorate in Educational Leadership.

As a professional speaker, he helps students and professionals close the gap between their intentions and actions to engage, recruit, and retain people from under-represented communities. He uses inclusive leadership assessments and activities to help people understand the intersections of cultural identity and leadership behaviors. He helps people overcome the fears of doing inclusion perfectly by creating training that builds trust, empathy, and human connections.

As a faculty member, he helps college students identify their natural gifts and talents to articulate them to industry leaders to get a job before graduation. 100% of students who coach with him get jobs and into graduate school before graduation. He credits much of his professional growth and success to the Social Justice Training Institute (SJTI.org), the Program on Intergroup Relations at the University of Michigan, and Dr. Eric Thomas's Game Changers Speaker Certification Program