New York, New York--(Newsfile Corp. - October 11, 2024) - Student Leadership Network will host its 17th annual (Em)Power Breakfast on October 17th at Cipriani 42nd Street, honoring extraordinary alumni who are using their college degrees to give back to their communities. The signature event celebrates Student Leadership Network's collective impact on nearly 80,000 students across its college access and girls' and gender-expansive youth (girls'+) education programs. The event also recognizes business and philanthropic leaders for their continued commitment to creating cycles of prosperity through equalizing education.

17th Annual (Em)Power Breakfast Honorees Sharlim Raysor, Angel Santana, and Kenya Bryant

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Laura Jarrett, Saturday TODAY Anchor and NBC News Correspondent, will serve as the event's emcee. Special friends of the network will join us to honor three exceptional alumni who are doing impactful work in their communities and industries nationwide.

• Honoree Sharlim Raysor is a seasoned Vice President of Travel and Expense at Paramount, with a proven track record of strategic planning and process improvement. Beyond her professional accomplishments, she actively volunteers in the Harlem community, with her sons' schools and athletic programs, and consistently gives back to those in need. She is an alumna of The Young Women's Leadership School of Manhattan, a girls+ public school launched and supported by Student Leadership Network. Scott M. Mills, President and Chief Executive Officer of BET Media Group, will present her award.

• Honoree Angel Santana has always been deeply rooted in public service. With a career spanning state government and nonprofits, he currently serves as the Vice President for Community Relations at Empire State Development. Angel credits the CollegeBound Initiative for paving his journey to higher education and a fulfilling career. Jon Roure, Executive Vice President and Chief Innovation Officer of Student Leadership Network, will present his award.

• Honoree Kenya Bryant is a Program Officer at the Citi Foundation where she manages key partnerships for the Foundation's commitment to closing the racial wealth gap via grant portfolios like Community Progress Makers, and the Community Finance and Innovation Fund. Her career in philanthropy has allowed her to direct corporations to invest critical resources in local communities. She is a frequent volunteer with Student Leadership Network's career programs at her alma mater, The Young Women's Leadership School of Manhattan. Erika Irish Brown, Chief Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Officer and Global Head of Talent at Citi, will present her award.

"The (Em)Power Breakfast proudly celebrates the impact of increasing access to college for the nearly 80,000 students we have supported across almost three decades," said Yolonda Marshall, CEO of Student Leadership Network. "Our alumni are redefining what individual and community success can look like when we remove barriers to higher education. We are excited to continue to champion educational equity through our college access and girls'+ education models nationwide."

The (Em)Power Breakfast is made possible by support from generous donors, including The Estée Lauder Companies; Bloomberg Philanthropies; Laurie M. Tisch Illumination Fund; BET Media Group; Fredda Cassell and Jim Maher; Richard Cohen and Patricia Duff; Andrew Farkas, Island Capital, NAI Global and Hedley Studios; Judith Fishlow Minter; Paul Weiss; Nancy Peretsman; Proskauer; Lisa and Jon Pruzan; Brenda Brown Rever, Founder Baltimore Leadership School for Young Women; Robin and Jack Ross; Bradley Ruskin; ServiceNow; The Romita Shetty and Nasser Ahmad Foundation; Jonathan and Lizzie Tisch; and The Tisch Families.

About Student Leadership Network

Student Leadership Network believes in the potential of all students and is cultivating a generation of young people empowered to lead. The organization works with every student, developing their abilities to achieve their educational ambitions. The nearly three-decade track record demonstrates higher college enrollment and graduation rates, significantly surpassing national benchmarks. Student Leadership Network advances educational equity by increasing access to higher education in under-resourced public schools nationwide through two models:

• The Young Women's Leadership model elevates practices in girls'+ schools that lead to success and ultimately change the face of leadership. It is currently being implemented at 25 schools nationwide.

• The CollegeBound Initiative model develops a college-going school culture- creating high expectations and viable pathways for postsecondary success. It is currently being implemented at 50 schools nationwide including 38 co-ed schools.

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