Catalyze: Inclusive Growth

This episode features a robust conversation about Inclusive Growth across the Capital Region. Host JB Holston is joined by Tony Pierce, a GWP board member, in discussion with Sheila Johnson and Jason Wright, Co-Chairs of GWP's Inclusive Growth Strategy Council.

Hosted by JB Holston. Produced by Maribeth Romslo and Nina Sharma. Edited by Maribeth Romslo. Engineered by Micah Johnson. With support from Francesca Ioffreda, Jenna Klym, Justin Matheson-Turner, Joe Maloney, Giardy Ritz, and Christian Rodriguez.

SPEAKER BIOS 

TONY PIERCE 

Tony Pierce is the partner in charge of the Washington DC office of Akin Gump Strauss Hauer Feld LLP.  His clients span an array of industries, including technology, telecommunications, health care, energy, media and entertainment, financial services and government contracting. An experienced trial lawyer, Tony brings well-honed litigation skills, ingenuity and a vigorous presence.

Throughout his career, Tony has been an active force in legal organizations, including the Legal Aid Society of the District of Columbia.  He is the past chair of the Greater Washington Board of Trade and serves on the board of the Greater Washington Partnership, a group of civic-minded business leaders investing in solutions that drive growth and create economic opportunity. He is also the General Counsel of the Economic Club of Washington and a member of the Executive Committee of the Federal City Council.

SHEILA C. JOHNSON

Sheila Johnson is Founder and CEO of Salamander Hotels & Resorts, a collection of properties along the east coast and in the Caribbean that includes Salamander Resort & Spa in Middleburg, Virginia, which has been awarded the distinguished Forbes Five Star rating.

As Vice Chairman of Monumental Sports & Entertainment, Ms. Johnson is the only African-American woman to have ownership in three professional sports teams: NBA’s Washington Wizards, NHL’s Washington Capitals, and the WNBA’s 2019 World Champions Washington Mystics, for which she serves as President and Managing Partner. Ms. Johnson is a member of the Collective Bargaining Committee of the WNBA. In 2016, she spearheaded WE Capital, a venture capital consortium that invests in female-led enterprises.

Ms. Johnson is a founding partner of Black Entertainment Television. Ms. Johnson is founder and chair of the Middleburg Film Festival.  A supporter of education, the Sheila C. Johnson Fellowship at the Harvard Kennedy School supported a cohort of 50 fellows – emerging leaders dedicated to improving the lives of the underserved.

JASON WRIGHT

Jason Wright is the President of the Washington Football Team. He is the first Black team president in the history of the NFL and currently is the youngest team president in the League. He is the fourth former NFL player to become president of a team.

Prior to joining the Washington Football Team, Jason was a partner in McKinsey & Company's Washington DC office. His work focused on expanding the value of large, complex organizations through operations and culture transformations. Jason also led McKinsey's global inclusion strategy and recently spearheaded the rollout of McKinsey's anti-racism and inclusion strategy. He co-founded the Black Economic Institute, a research entity that analyzes the racial wealth gap, and is a prominent voice in public discussions regarding racial equity in corporate America.