More than doubles size of DEI Advisory Team

C Street, a this-generation strategic advisory firm, today announced the appointment of Bre Pressey and Dr. Thomas Ogorzalek as Co-Heads of the firm’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Advisory practice. Together, Bre and Tom will lead the group at C Street advising clients on how to best invest in DEI and make DEI systemic in their organizations.

Bre, previously a Managing Director, DEI at C Street, has spent nearly two decades in the nonprofit, education, and social impact sectors. Bre joined the firm from the Institute on Race and Political Economy at the New School. Prior to that, she founded and served as the Executive Director of The Dr. Doretha Pressey Southern Scholars Initiative, a scholarship and college completion program developed to honor the legacy of her late mother by creating access, equity, and success for students of color from low-income communities in the rural South. Bre began her career at the New York Public Library's Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture.

Tom, previously C Street’s Lead Research Scientist and Managing Director, DEI, has more than 15 years of experience analyzing public opinion, policy, and race in the U.S. His work applies data and rigorous empirical research to help organizations address intractable challenges and confidently implement pragmatic solutions. Prior to joining the firm, Tom was Principal and Research Coordinator at TKO Research, a community-oriented collaborative providing expertise for advocacy campaigns, program evaluation, and corporate accountability efforts. An accomplished academic researcher, he has held appointments at Northwestern University, Princeton University, Sciences Po, and the City University of New York. Tom’s book, The Cities on the Hill: How Urban Institutions Transformed National Politics, won the Best Book prize from the Race and Ethnic Politics section of the American Political Science Association.

“We are thrilled to have Bre and Tom lead our DEI Advisory group as we continue partnering with new and existing clients to advance DEI in Corporate America,” said Jon Henes, Co-Founder and CEO of C Street. “C Street combines data-driven insights with deep expertise across DEI, strategy, communications, and talent to offer holistic and value-maximizing solutions for long-term success. Since the launch of our firm six months ago, Bre and Tom have drawn on their extensive experience to help clients invest in and drive progress on DEI as a business imperative. We look forward to their continued leadership as C Street brings our unique approach to more clients and enters an exciting new phase of growth.”

Dr. Alvin Tillery, C Street’s Founding Head of DEI, has decided to transition his day-to-day responsibilities at the firm to focus on his role as the Founding Director of the Center for the Study of Diversity and Democracy (CSDD) at Northwestern University, which is experiencing exponential growth. Al has joined C Street’s Board of Advisors. In this capacity, he will continue to be available to C Street clients and to provide ongoing training and support for the C Street team. Notably, all members of the DEI Advisory group complete Al’s Leading Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion course at Northwestern.

“We can’t thank Al enough for his invaluable contributions to C Street,” said Jon Henes and Brian Mathis, Co-Founder and Chief Strategy Officer at C Street. “Al built a strong foundation for our DEI Advisory practice based on his process for inclusive leadership and was instrumental in recruiting, training, and developing an extraordinarily talented team to advance our mission. We look forward to collaborating with him in his new role with C Street, as well as to supporting his important work at the CSDD.”

“It has been an honor working with Jon, Brian, Beth Kojima, C Street’s Chief Commercial Officer, Bre, Tom, and the incredible team to launch a this-generation strategic advisory firm,” said Dr. Alvin Tillery. “I’m proud of the great strides we have made in furthering DEI in Corporate America just six months into our journey, and I cannot wait to see the firm’s continued growth and impact.”

C Street has more than doubled the size of its DEI Advisory group, adding five new team members:

• Skye Parr, Executive Director, joins from Husch Blackwell, where she practiced Labor and Employment Law and led implicit bias and DEI best practice workshops. Skye brings nearly a decade of experience across the legal, nonprofit, and education sectors.
• Lucy Delgado, Senior Associate, joins from the University of Maryland Baltimore County, where she ran a campus-based Pride Center. Lucy has been focused on DEI and social justice in higher education for the last five years.
• Kathy Santana, Senior Associate, is completing her Master’s in Public Administration in Management, Innovation, and Global Policy at Columbia University. Kathy was previously the DEI Project Manager at the International Rescue Committee.
• Kavon Lee, Associate, joins from the New York City Comptroller’s Office, where he was a DEI Policy Coordinator, advising the Chief Diversity Officer on policy, legislation, and DEI best practices that impact the economic advancement of women and people of color.
• Nour Abdelwahab, Associate, previously served organizations including Vocal Justice, the ACLU, and Advocates for Youth, where she analyzed data, created curriculums, and supported DEI initiatives. Nour also developed and maintains an anti-racist starter kit.

In addition, Anicia Gillespie, Associate, has joined the firm from Bank of America Securities, where she was an Investment Banking Analyst. Anicia will serve as a generalist and support client engagements and business development efforts across the firm.

“We are delighted to welcome Skye, Lucy, Kathy, Kavon, Nour, and Anicia to our team,” said Bre Pressey and Dr. Tom Ogorzalek, C Street’s Co-Heads of DEI Advisory. “Each of them shares C Street’s vision for a more diverse, equitable, and inclusive Corporate America, and brings a unique set of skills and experiences to help us serve our clients at the highest level as we scale our impact.”

About C Street Advisory Group

C Street is a this-generation strategic advisory firm helping leaders operate at the forefront of the evolving corporate world. C Street combines data-driven insights with deep expertise across DEI, strategy, talent, and communications to offer our clients holistic and value-maximizing solutions for long-term success. For more information, please visit www.thecstreet.com and follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram.

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