Board Member, Marion P. Thompson Academy
New Jersey

Briana is a dedicated entrepreneur and advocate for community empowerment. As the host of a weekly podcast, she inspires and guides others in transforming their ideas into actionable goals. A certified Sisterlocks™ consultant and holistic loctician, Briana is the CEO of Lerato Beauty LLC and Master Loctician at Lerato Locs Beauty Salon in the DMV area. She founded Lerato Locs as a social enterprise, with a percentage of each service supporting scholarships for low-income students.

With a background in political communications and education reform, Briana has worked with organizations including the Walton family, the U.S. Department of Education, and the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools. She holds dual B.A. degrees in Public Policy and Africana Studies from Rutgers University and currently serves as Vice Chair of the Board of Trustees for Marion P. Thomas Charter School.

Briana embodies the McLeod Society Fellowship’s commitment to developing and connecting leaders who believe in the power of transformative leadership to create educational environments where children are valued, supported, and empowered to reach their full potential.