Alumni Spotlight: Dr. Jyoti Sharma

For our 35th anniversary, we’ll be sharing the stories of 35 alumni showcasing the leaders they are today and how 21st Century Leaders inspired and impacted their journey. Alumni will represent the 3.5 decades since our founding in 1989 – the 1990s, 2000s, 2010s, and 2020s. Take a read and be inspired!

35th Anniversary Alumni Spotlight

 

1990’s Decade
Name: Dr. Jyoti Sharma
H.S. Grad Year: Class of 1998
High School: Chamblee Charter High School
College: Emory University
Current Role: Medical Director, Women’s Heart Program at Piedmont Atlanta Hospital

How has your career unfolded and how did participating in 21CL help prepare you for your next steps going to college, taking on a new leadership role in community/college and after?

I grew up in Atlanta and prided myself on going to a high achieving diverse magnet high school.  As a young woman of color, I felt like my school and family had taught me a good deal about diversity and understanding others.  During my summer with 21CL, I remember how I was struck to spend time with students from rural and small communities that were nothing like mine. 21CL taught me that the concept of diversity encompasses more than just ethnicity and socioeconomic status and helped me to expand my idea of community and instilled in me the importance of seeking to understand others.  As a practicing physician, I know that I am doing the right thing for the patient when I first listen and then seek to truly understand their concerns.     

What’s your memorable or ‘aha’ moment during your time at 21CL? (Particular program, meeting a professional and diverse peer, speaking in public for the first time, etc.)

One of my most memorable moments at 21CL was leading my first group discussion and actually putting leadership into practice.  Being a leader is challenging and takes a lot of work.  Spending the week interacting with other young leaders gave me the confidence to stand up and practice my leadership skills, things like- communicating effectively, being an active listener, practicing problem-solving, and building up the courage to speak with authenticity.    

Did 21CL assist you in developing a leadership style that makes you an effective leader? If so, how? 

Before I went to 21CL, I had not interacted with students outside my neighborhood and immediate community.  It was a great opportunity to meet students with different families, different values, different academic priorities, and meet students who had different ways of imagining what success could look like for them in the future.  Learning how to communicate and build bridges with other students that were not like me was one of the most valuable skills that I learned at 21CL.  I spend most of my days now communicating with different people across a large healthcare system and aligning members of different groups behind important initiatives.  My time at 21CL was foundational for my understanding and practice of how I relate and communicate with others.  

Why do you believe programs like 21CL are important? And what advice would you give to a current or future student?

My advice for a current and future student is to Believe in yourself!  So many of us struggle with self-doubt, with imposter syndrome and ask ourselves “Do I belong here?  Am I good enough?”   The answer is yes!  My summer with 21CL was critical in building my understanding of my leadership potential and abilities.  It was a place to explore the kind of leader I wanted to be and gave me access to connect with others so I could understand what different kinds of leadership styles looked like in real life.  I want to encourage students to stretch themselves, try something hard, stick with it, and believe in themselves. 

Share the inspiration!

Alumni Spotlight: Ben Bryant

For our 35th anniversary, we’ll be sharing the stories of 35 alumni showcasing the leaders they are today and how 21st Century Leaders inspired and impacted their journey. Alumni will represent the 3.5 decades since our founding in 1989 – the 1990s, 2000s, 2010s, and 2020s. Take a read and be inspired!

35th Anniversary Alumni Spotlight

1990’s Decade
Name: Ben Bryant
H.S. Grad Year: Class of 1999
High School: Chamblee Charter High School
College: Washington & Lee University (BA); The George Washington University (MA, Legislative Affairs); Mercer University (JD)
Current Role: Vice President & Sr. Division Counsel for Financial Services and Marketing, InComm Payments | State Board Member, Technical College System of Georgia

How has your career unfolded and how did participating in 21CL help prepare you for your next steps going to college, taking on a new leadership role in community/college and after?

Professionally, I serve as Vice President & Senior Division Counsel for Financial Services and Marketing at InComm Payments, a global fintech and payments company headquartered here in Atlanta. Prior to joining the legal field, I spent three years working on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. I also serve on the State Board for the Technical College System of Georgia (TCSG), a role I’ve had the privilege of serving in since 2013. 

As memory serves, I participated in three summers of the 21CL program back in the mid-to-late 1990s, which at the time was a single week of summer camp offered at Atlanta Christian College. One of the biggest takeaways for me from 21CL was coming to truly understand the importance of networking and the ability to find common ground in the moment with a wide array of individuals. The ability to communicate and make connections with the individuals we encounter daily is such a valuable skill whether it be interviewing for college or for a job, or in the workplace itself. Programs like 21CL serve as excellent incubators for developing these skills in a no-pressure environment.

What’s your memorable or ‘aha’ moment during your time at 21CL? 

(Particular program, meeting a professional and diverse peer, speaking in public for the first time, etc.)

One of my favorite memories from my time participating in 21CL was the exercise where students formed teams to run our own small businesses in competition against one another in selling snacks and drinks to program participants. It was an incredibly fun and educational exercise allowing students to develop and hone a variety of skills including business strategy, marketing, and salesmanship. I also have memories of visits to Atlanta-area businesses, etiquette dinners, volunteering, and a talent show or two. Thankfully my time in 21CL predates smartphones, so hopefully no video footage exists from the talent shows – I definitely participated in one of the step shows Kyle Wingfield mentioned in his alumni spotlight and I imagine I don’t look quite as talented as I thought I did at the time (and certainly less talented than my 21CL colleague Carl, who was the drum major at Cedar Grove High School at the time…).

Did 21CL assist you in developing a leadership style that makes you an effective leader? If so, how? 

My leadership style is one of collaboration, consensus, and camaraderie. I strongly believe that we’re better when we work together, fostering an environment of inclusivity where everyone not only feels like a part of the team, but is proud of the team and happy to be a part of it. Each of us brings different skills and perspectives to the table based on our backgrounds and experiences, and when we work together to craft solutions to the problems we face, we create better outcomes for all involved. Participating in 21st Century Leaders absolutely advanced my belief in the power of collaboration. This is something I get to put into practice as co-chair of InComm’s DE&I Council, as well as through my involvement in activities outside of my professional career, such as Scouting, TCSG, and various other community organizations.

Why do you believe programs like 21CL are important? And what advice would you give to a current or future student?

Programs like 21CL are important for several reasons. First, they provide an outlet for students who are likely already leaders in their respective schools and communities to grow their leadership skills alongside like-minded peers. Second, they afford students the opportunity to enhance their communication skills, which are critically important to future success in college and beyond. Other than Scouting, I can’t think of another program that helps students develop skills in effectively communicating with adults, a skill which is lacking in many youths that don’t regularly have the opportunity to engage with adults outside of the rigid student-teacher context. Third, these programs help students improve their networking skills, not only among high school peers, but among adults in a business setting. While the old mantra “it’s not what you know, but who you know,” is not entirely accurate, there is certainly some truth to the saying, and you’ll find at every step of your career it helps to know people. The good news for today’s participants, is that you have much more of an ability to stay connected to your fellow participants than we did in the dark ages before social media existed! 

Finally, and most important from my perspective (and this echoes what fellow alumni Brandi H. and Kyle W, both of whom I attended 21CL camps with, shared in their spotlights) the program brings together a diverse group of individuals from all across the state, giving participants the opportunity to appreciate, respect, and ultimately learn from the perspective of others. As far as advice, I would encourage current and future students to step outside of their comfort zones and place themselves in situations that afford the opportunity to learn and grow alongside a diverse mix of individuals at every step of their educational and professional careers.

Share the Inspiration!

Alumni Spotlight: Nigel Washington

Nigel Washington, a graduate of Chamblee Charter High School (2011) and of Bard College (2015), is an entrepreneur who owns a video production company known as Means of Production. While in high school Nigel participated in two of our summer leadership institutes. He recently volunteered and donated his time and services during the 2022 Fall Summit!  “The leadership skills I gained through 21CL gave me the foundation and the confidence to start my own business and become a community leader .” ~Nigel Washington

Paint a brief picture about yourself and what you are doing now

I currently own and operate a video production company, Means of Production LLC. which creates video and social media content for different organizations including DeKalb County Television, DeKalb Entertainment Commission, God Is Dope, and many more. I started this business in 2017 after graduating from college and being frustrated by not being able to find a job in the media industry.

When were you in high school and which 21CL programs did you participate in?

I went to Chamblee Charter High School from 2008-2011 and I participated in two 21CL summer leadership institutes, the G5 (currently known as the Summer Youth Leadership Institute @ Goizueta Business School at Emory University) and the “Leadership: Plugged In” (currently known as Warner Bros. Discovery Future Leaders Institute) at Georgia Institute of Technology; they both had great impact on me!

How has your career unfolded and how did participating in 21CL help prepare you for your next steps going to college, taking on a new leadership role in community/college and after?

The leadership skills I gained through 21CL gave me the foundation and the confidence to start my own business and become a community leader via my involvement with organizations like The Posse Foundation and the Decatur Business Association. Through the 21CL trainings I was inspired to pursue a film degree in college and to create my own media company; and while applying for college scholarships, 21st Century Leaders stood out on my resume and helped me obtain the Posse Full-Tuition Leadership Scholarship to Bard College; so, my benefits from 21st Century Leaders are many!

What’s your memorable or ‘aha’ moment during your time at 21CL? (Particular program, meeting a professional and diverse peer, speaking in public for the first time, etc.?)

It’s more than 10 years since I attended 21CL programs so I don’t remember all the details but what stuck out was a speech I heard from a speaker at one of the institutes. She told us that we all have a unique story and if we look back on our life at what we were naturally attracted to as a child, this could lead us to our true passions and gifts that we could utilize in our professional life!

Did 21CL assist you in developing a leadership style that makes you an effective leader? If so, how? And have you recently learned something else about leadership? Please share!

21CL taught me to be authentic and confident no matter how uncomfortable it may feel! When you are authentic and confident it inspires other people to also be their authentic selves and it makes the world a much better place for all.

What advice would you give to a current or future student?

I would give the same advice I received during my 21CL days- look back on your life growing up and see what you were naturally drawn to and it will help you find your passion in life.

How would you describe 21CL in three words?

FEELS SO GOOD!

Alumni Spotlight: Akash Shah

The first Alumni Spotlight for September 2020 is Akash Shah, a graduate of Chamblee Charter High School (2013) and of University of Georgia (2017). He is currently a first-year law student at University of Georgia School of Law. Akash volunteered as an Alumni Roundtable Speaker during the recently concluded 2020 Virtual Summer Youth Leadership Institute (SYLI), as well as at SYLI in 2019.

Paint a brief picture of what you’re doing now.

I’m currently a first-year law student at the University of Georgia School of Law on scholarship. I spent the previous two years, post-graduation, serving as the Vice President of sales at Vestigo – a small Atlanta-based company that utilizes action adventure sports and virtual reality to help companies become more innovative.

How did participating in 21CL transform you and lead you to where you are now?

Participating in 21CL was the catalyst that helped me find my voice and lead through the many extracurriculars I participated in during my time in undergrad. Without 21CL, I never would’ve had the confidence, skill, or discernment that’s required of a leader. These skills helped me succeed in my undergraduate studies, extracurricular activities, and ultimately led to my employment and subsequently my acceptance to some of the top law schools in the country.

 How did 21CL prepare you for your next steps? Going into college and taking on leadership roles, heading into a new era of professionalism, etc. What skills/tools/perspectives have helped you along the way?

As a first-generation (American) college student, without 21CL, I never would’ve understood the level of professionalism required in certain settings. Through my participation in dinners, presentations, and roundtables as part of the camp, I was able to fine tune my “professional voice.” This allowed me the confidence to speak to administrators, admissions counselors, and business leaders about pressing issues.

 Which programs did you participate in, and when? What skills did you gain or improve through those programs?

From 2009-2013 I participated in EarthCare, Leadership Plugged-In, and Leadership Unplugged (the latter two known now as the WarnerMedia Institute for Future Leaders). Each of these experiences helped me gain something different. Mainly, though, I would say each of these camps helped build my confidence and aptitude as a leader. Before 21CL, I didn’t understand the importance of leading from behind, but after participating in each of these camps I learned how, often times, the best leaders are those that do so from behind.

 What was a memorable or ‘aha’ moment in 21CL? (Particular program, meeting a professional and diverse peers, speaking in public for the first time, etc.?

The most memorable experience of my participation in 21CL, was my participation in our capstone project presentation as part of Leadership Unplugged. We were able to present an issue of importance (as a group) to a panel of CNN executives who gave us feedback on the issue and our presentation style and skills. This was when I first felt I found my voice. It was the constructive feedback and the repeated positive feedback that gave me the confidence to then use my voice in other instances and led me to lead numerous organizations through my time in Undergrad and helped me feel confident in situations where I was the youngest in the room.

 Did 21CL assist you in developing a leadership style that makes you an effective leader? if so how? And have you recently learned something else about leadership? Please share!

Akash Shah volunteering with other 21CL alumni at the Alumni Roundtables at SYLI 2020

21CL taught me what it meant to be a leader and how to lead – effectively building the foundation for my current leadership style. Through experiences like capstone presentations and sharpening the saw – I learned to be reserved and refined in the way I lead and have (hopefully) impacted those around me in a positive way. Over the past few years, I’ve learned the importance of self-care in leadership. It’s tough to lead others when you’re not able to lead yourself.