Diversity reboot

Kenasha Paul, J.D. is an award-winning social entrepreneur and business professional who has dedicated her life to building thriving pathways lined with access points, opportunities, and resources for underrepresented communities.

A dynamic force in community building, her first major feat started in 2008 when Paul helped the Black Student Union at FIU go from a student club with a then operating budget of $500 to a university-wide council managing a six-figure plus budget and representing nearly 12% of black students on campus. After graduation, she was asked to found and lead the FIU Black Alumni Chapter representing over 25,000 black alumni nationwide.

This work inspired her launch of the Black Professionals Summit conference in (2014) while in law school at Nova Southeastern University, later advancing the Summit into the Black Professionals Network (BPN) in 2016, as a non-profit social learning organization serving all of South Florida’s black professional community. In 2022, the organization expanded nationwide and currently has chapters in Miami, Broward, Chicago, and Los Angeles with more markets on the way.

Black Professionals Network (BPN) is now the fastest-growing non-profit organization. Its mission is to support 1 million black professionals on their journey towards success, wealth, and legacy, to ensure 90% reach accredited investor status.

Her success in building social capital across private and public sectors caught the attention of the venture and tech community. In 2021, she was announced as part of a novel partnership between the City of Miami and Florida International University to serve as Director of the Venture Miami Opportunity Program, focusing on women-founded tech businesses. In 2024, she was recruited by Florida Memorial University to spearhead the launch of their Entrepreneurship Center which will open in 2025, as part of a public-private partnership to support Sistrunk residents and FMU students.