Board & Staff

Virgil Roberts, co-founder and chair, is managing partner and founder of the Bobbitt & Roberts law firm. He currently serves on the boards of Community Build, Families in Schools, Usher’s New Look Foundation, and more.

Yvette Chappell, co-founded the African American Board Leadership Institute with Virgil Roberts in 2011to develop a pipeline of qualified African American candidates to serve on governing boards. Her work experience with nonprofit organizations spans more than 30 years, and she has served on numerous boards and committees.

Virgil Roberts, co-founder and chair, is managing partner and founder of the Bobbitt & Roberts law firm. He currently serves on the boards of Community Build, Families in Schools, Usher’s New Look Foundation, and more.

Kimberly Freeman, EdD, is an experienced corporate, community and educational leader. Dr. Freeman brings to the table a unique mix of formal and experiential education drawn from her interests at the intersection of business, government, and higher education policies affecting California’s most vulnerable communities.

Beverly Ryder, founding board member, is a retired executive with more than 35 years of corporate experience in the utility and banking industries. Ms. Ryder retired as the Corporate Secretary of Edison International and its utility subsidiary, Southern California Edison Company. She also served as the company’s vice-president of community involvement.

Starr Thompson, a Six Sigma Black Belt in Human Resources, currently serves as Chief People and Administrative Officer (CPAO) for Nonprofits Insurance Alliance (NIA), a nonprofit company based out of Santa Cruz, California, whose purpose is to serve and insure the 501(c)(3) community.

Trella Randolph-Cole is a social impact consultant and executive coach with over 25 years of experience in the social impact field and is currently serving as the Managing Director of AABLI. In addition, she is the CEO of Path Forward Consulting, a consulting and executive coaching firm that focuses on advancing the social impact of philanthropy, nonprofits and social entrepreneurs through strategy, finance, organizational management, and executive coaching.

Before founding 4thMVMT, Mr. Webb co-founded PCF Restaurant Management, a franchisee of Buffalo Wild Wings (“BWW”). PCF has four restaurants in the Los Angeles area, with four additional units in development. Webb’s leadership and advocacy for a more equitable restaurant industry earned him a spot on the 2021 NRN Power List.

The African American Board Leadership Institute (AABLI) is pleased to announce the appointment of nonprofit sector veteran Trella Randolph-Cole as managing director. With more than 30 years of experience in a range of leadership roles, Ms. Randolph-Cole is exceptionally well prepared to take the helm at AABLI as our organization moves forward in its mission to serve our communities.

Victoria Daniels supports all aspects of AABLI’s operations, programs, and development functions. She is responsible for working with the President and CEO to assist in developing strategies that promote growth through online communications between alumni, and donors.

Dr. Gorman has more than 25 years of experience as a successful organizational consultant specializing in nonprofit management. She has assisted nonprofit organizations with infrastructure and resource development and has provided program and strategic planning, research and evaluation, board training, and organizational development services.

Mr. Gorman graduated from Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism while editor of a news magazine with a circulation of more than 8,000. After graduating from Northwestern University’s Pritzker School of Law, he went on to work for some of California’s most prestigious law firms. He was recognized twice as a “Super Lawyer” for his work and was the first African American Partner at Allen Matkins Leck Gamble and Mallory.

Dr. Thyonne Gordon is an accomplished organizational & human development expert, writer, and producer. Her work in Non-Profit management extends from leadership positions with youth organizations, A Place Called Home doing gang prevention and intervention in South Los Angeles, and CoachArt, mentoring chronically ill youth in arts and athletics. Recently, she has taken the helm as Executive Director for the She Ready Foundation, working with foster youth.