About Us
Fred Rasheed
Fred has an extensive, 50 year background, in diversity and inclusion consulting. His academic background includes; a B.A in Economic and Business Administration from Rutgers University and a J.D. from Rutgers University School of Law; completion of the Reginald H. Smith Community Lawyer Fellowship Program; and, a period of teaching Business Law courses at Rockhurst College in Kansas City, Missouri.
His academic background is augmented by a professional career steeped with experience in the area of economic development and business. Fred served as the National Director of Economic Development for the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) from September 1982 until July, 1995. He created and developed the NAACP’s successful Fair Share Program, negotiating more than 30 economic covenants with major corporations and public entities. During his tenure Mr. Rasheed’s vision and leadership generated more than $20 billion in economic opportunities for African American businesses and organizations. He also helped to spearhead the NAACP’s efforts to promote policy issues on economic and minority business development.
Fred is presently the President of Rasheed Associates, a Management and Marketing Consulting firm. He has worked with clients such as Quaker Oats, Hardee’s Food Systems, Food Lion, Coors Brewing Company, Brown-Forman Corporation, Mazda North American Operations, and Global Crossing. His expertise includes, among other services, conduction of workforce diversity assessments, and development and implementation of diversity strategic plans.
He has served on various boards and advisory groups including the Governor’s Advisory Council on Minority Business Development for the State of New Jersey, the Bell Atlantic of New Jersey Executive Consumer Advisory Panel, the New Jersey Transit Consumer Advisory Council, and Board of Alliance for Public Technology. He has received numerous recognition and appreciation awards including the NAACP Medgar Evers Award of Excellence, and the Charles A. McLean North Carolina NAACP Distinguished Service Award. Fred has authored several articles and reports such as; The Discordant Sound of Music (A Report on the Status of Blacks in the Record Industry), and Out of Focus-Out of Sync (a Report on the status of Blacks in the Film Industry).
Colleen E. Mayer
olleen has a long track record and business experience in: customer service; training development and delivery; budget and results; strategic planning; supplier diversity; and, sustainability. Her work experience in both the corporate world and as a minority business owner, provide Colleen with an understanding of the two perspectives in supporting, building and developing supplier diversity programs.
She has been twice recognized as the Advocate of the Year from Rocky Mountain Minority Supplier
Development Council. Colleen was one of the 2006 Top 100 Women in Supplier Diversity recognized by Women’s Enterprise USA, and was Selected as one of ” America’s Top Diversity Champions for 2012″ from Diversity Business. She serves as a facilitator for training on diversity and inclusion for MillerCoors Brewing Company. Colleen has served as Vice-Chair and Chair for the Rocky Mountain Minority Supplier
Development Council, President of the Coors Asian Network, and Board Member for the Asian Chamber of Commerce. While in the telecommunications industry, she was one of the founders of the Pacific Asian American Network, an employee resource group. Her responsibilities in sustainability include working with sourcing and supply managers, and their suppliers, to identify, implement and monitor sustainability projects.
Colleen has a Masters in Business Administration from the University of Phoenix and a Bachelor of Arts in Education from the University of Northern Colorado. She has a certificate from the Tuck School Business at Dartmouth in Growing the Minority Business to Scale; and is a Certified Sustainability (CSR) Practitioner from the Centre for Sustainability and Excellence
Lori Gibson Washington
Lori has been considered the top consultant in her field for many years and was formerly an instructor for International Business Negotiations at University of California, Berkeley’s International Diploma Program.
Lori has over 20 years’ experience consulting in the areas of diversity and leadership to organizations such as American Honda, Hewlett Packard, Lawrence Livermore Laboratory, Gould Electronics, and Transamerica Life Companies. She has also worked with clients such as Seagram Chateau and Estate Wines Company, Nabisco Company, Beyond Pix Video Productions, and American Express Establishment Services, as well as many start-ups, small and mid-size businesses, non-profits, and government agencies.
She was educated at Georgetown University and UCLA, certified in Myers-Briggs, LIFO, and FIRO Element-B. Her specialty areas are helping groups improve team dynamics and synergize the value of difference in the workplace and the marketplace. Lori is able to effectively engage audiences in sensitive discussions, establishing a nonthreatening atmosphere that allows for the maximum open and honest discussion.