Karen is the Chief Executive Officer and Owner with Leaders Emerging Around a Purpose (LEAP), LLC. She holds a Ph.D. in Leadership Studies from North Carolina A&T State University, an MS in Computer Science a BS in Chemistry and a School Administration license from University of NC at Greensboro. Dr. Martin-Jones has served as a professor, software engineer, Configuration Manager, and continues to serve as an adjunct professor. Karen has project management experience in both the educational and corporate realm. She has expertise in building teacher and community capacity and addressing systemic inequities. She is highly skilled at cross-functional collaboration - providing coaching and support to organizational stakeholders. She is a certified life and executive coach. She is a lifelong learner who is passionate about dismantling racial barriers, creating equitable environments for marginalized communities, and serving as a catalyst for shifting systemic change. With over two decades of work in corporate, higher education, K12 and nonprofit, she brings a myriad of skills gleaned from each of those sectors- both from a theoretical and practical lens.

Jeff is the Chief Technical Officer with Leaders Emerging Around A Purpose (LEAP), LLC. He holds an MBA from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s Kenan-Flagler Business School and an MS and BS in Electrical Engineering from NC A&T State University. Jeff has over 25 years of experience in engineering, IT, leadership, strategic planning, organizational and business development. He has served in various roles in the Greensboro Alumni Chapter at NC A&T State University. He is currently serving as the Engineering Advisory Board curriculum chair, and a member of the resource and executive committee at NC A&T State University. He advises several start-up and established businesses in the central NC region. He is a member of the IEEE Central North Carolina Region where is has held various roles. He initiated several programs at Qorvo, Inc. including developing a Wi-Fi business unit, increasing corporate engagement with NC A&T State University, and contributions to IEEE802 Standards Group. He is a member of a non-profit, The Last Dons, based in NC, responsible for providing second-chance scholarships, building homes and medical centers in S. Africa. He is also a real-estate investor.