Meet The Team

Dirrick received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Theology and a Certificate of Teaching & Communication from Advantage College, Sacramento. Dirrick is a certified life coach and leadership development trainer, a licensed and ordained minister, author, and public speaker, and formerly served as Vice President of Sales & Operations, Director of Operations for several Silicon Valley Corporations.

Clement is the Chief Operating Officer at Salinas Valley Health, in Salinas, California. Clement holds a Nurse Executive, Advanced board certification from the American Nurses Credentialing Center and completed his MSN, in Leadership and Healthcare Systems Management from Drexel University and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Pacific Union College.

Joy for the last 20 years has become one of Monterey leading real estate agents, her team has been voted by Monterey Weekly, as the #1 real estate team in Monterey for 17 consecutive years Joy’s goal is to combat racism using the guiding principles of BLAAC, connecting allies and Black leaders in our community to strengthen the message of equity.

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Tyler Schied, is a multifaceted business owner, entrepreneur, environmentalist, and technical specialist working and investing for safe, clean, sustainable production within the central coast agriculture industry.

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With over 20 years of experience as a Lean Six Sigma leader, DEI disrupter, and master educator, Glodean specializes in continuous improvement: of self, in leaders, teams, processes, and organizations. She is a Six Sigma Black Belt with certifications in Laser

Coaching, Extreme Leadership, DEI Leadership, DEI Strategies, and Leadership Development.

Jake Karecki is a Digital Marketing and Design specialist based in the Monterey Peninsula. Establishing his business Conquered Heights Marketing Solutions, he aims to continue to expand his reach and work across a range of industries to help broaden the reach of any organization. Jake's main goal in life is to continue to create, both personally and professionally, as a means to make a more beautiful world for all. 

Mayor Tyller Williamson, the first African American and openly gay Monterey City Mayor, earned a bachelor’s degree from CSUMB and is currently enrolled in a Master of Business Administration program at the Naval Postgraduate School (NPS) of Monterey.

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Sundeep K Gupta MD MPH is a Family Physician and Medical Epidemiologist. He completed Medical School in Chicago and his residency program in Salinas.  He served as the Country Director for CDC in Uganda, Malawi and Zambia, working with Ministries of Health to strengthen health systems and fight disease outbreaks. Since returning to Monterey, he has served on the Community Foundation of Monterey County's COVID-19 Collaborative steering committee.

Justin is the founding Pastor at “All Things New Church” in Monterey. Justin holds a Master of Divinity Degree from Fuller Theological Seminary and a community development certificate from the Seattle School of Theology and Psychology.

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Harry Nagel was born and raised in The Bronx, NY. He served in the US Army in Viet Nam and graduated from Columbia University. He worked as a mining
engineer for 40 years. He has retired in Monterey with his wife of 50 years, Laura, who grew up her. He is a member of the Monterey Peninsula Gospel Community Choir and always looks forward to their rehearsals and performances. He hopes to add value to BLAACs efforts to achieving racialequity.

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Ryan Zen Lama is a beloved in the community, with extensive experience in starting and running small businesses. His multifaceted background includes enterprenurship, publishing lifestyle magazines, innovative marketing, and a strong foundation in information technology. Known as "the connector," Ryan has a unique talent for bringing together people from diverse backgrounds, fostering collaboration and building vibrant networks. He is deeply committed to advising and mentoring younger youth, helping to shape the next generation of leaders. Well-loved in his community, Ryan's passion for service aligns seamlessly with the mission of BLAAC,  where he is excited to contribute his expertise and drive meaningful impact.