Briana Jones
Briana Jones is an experienced project manager, marketer, and leader. She holds an undergraduate degree in Organizational Psychology, as well as an MBA with a concentration in marketing. Driven by a passion for the betterment of people, she takes pride in serving on Discover Financials first Social Impact team as a Principal Project Manager, focused on developing and championing projects that advance equity, financial inclusion and financial literacy. She also partners with her colleagues to continue to evolve the work Discover began in 2021 in Chicago’s Chatham neighborhood. In addition to her duties defined by her role, she also serves on Discover’s Black ERG Leadership Committee as the Communications Co-Chair. Her career spans over 10 years, in which she’s held several leadership and project management roles for multiple Fortune 500 Companies. In 2014, while working for FTD, she founded and managed a multi-million-dollar program designed to help small business owners increase their online visibility and sales via social media and e-mail marketing.
Briana’s creativity and passion drive her to continue to foster her ideas in multiple ways, with the hope that she can create something meaningful and impactful to help others. Driven by this hope, she founded her marketing and branding company Shirley Jean Studio LLC (SJS) in 2016. SJS is a boutique brand and marketing company focused on supporting small businesses and non-profit organizations. The company honors the memory of her late grandmother Shirley Jean, who was a passionate and joyful woman who lived her life laughing, smiling and trying new things. It is her spirit, that shapes Briana’s outlook on both her corporate and entrepreneurial work.
In 2020 Briana began the most meaningful work of all when she welcomed her son Eric Patrick Simmons III. In her free time, she can be found spending time with her son; playing, reading, and building memories with family and friends. Her hobbies include reading, watching Disney movies, writing, and recording her podcast – ‘Shit Your Mama Ain’t Tell You.’ A podcast she produces and stars in with her childhood friend Aryka Oliver. The content focuses on the journey of motherhood through the lens of two black millennial mothers.
Briana is currently focused on continuing to build her career in the Social Impact space, building her business, raising her son, recording her podcast, and volunteering with non-profit organizations. All with a hope of contributing to the betterment of people and wellness of all.
Kiearrah Lawrence
Kiearrah Lawrence is a Sales Forecasting Manager within AbbVie’s finance organization. In this role, she is responsible for supporting the analytical process of developing accurate sales projections to be utilized in financial planning cycles. Kiearrah began her career with AbbVie in 2016 as a member of AbbVie’s Finance Development Program, an accelerated leadership development program where she took on 4 six-month rotations within various areas of the company. Upon completion of the program, Kiearrah joined the Corporate Financial Planning & Analysis group, responsible for developing AbbVie’s financial statements for Executive Leadership, Board of Directors, and other key stakeholders.
In addition to her core responsibilities, Kiearrah is the Global Chair of AbbVie’s Black Business Network (BBN) employee resource group. She is responsible for leading, developing, and executing the BBN’s short- and long-term strategies aligned with the enterprise Equity, Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EED&I) mission and vision. She manages 30+ volunteer leaders and leads the organization of more than 2,500 members. Kiearrah has collaborated with companies
such as LinkedIn and Diversity, Inc., and thought leaders such as Dr. Bernice King, Bakari Sellers, Carla Harris, and Jane Elliott to promote cultural competency and inclusion across AbbVie.
A Maryland native, she holds a bachelor’s degree in Accounting from Morgan State University and is currently pursuing her M.B.A. at the Kelley School of Business at Indiana University. Outside of work, she enjoys serving as a mentor and volunteer within her community and serves as an Advisory Board Member for the Ajilla Foundation. She is a proud member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.