Steve Pemberton’s journey is about defying seemingly insurmountable odds to become an award-winning author, trail-blazing corporate executive, world-renowned speaker and life transformation coach.

His first book, A Chance in the World became a USA Today best-seller and made him the subject of a film about his life. He has been profiled in numerous publications and talk shows, from CBS Evening News and People Magazine to The Today Show. The many stories of overcoming that he so often receives led him to write his best-selling follow-up, The Lighthouse Effect, which recounts the lives of ten seemingly ordinary people he met along his life journey. The overwhelming response to The Lighthouse Effect is what led Steve to create The Lighthouse Academy, the inspiring life-coaching platform that is transforming lives, each and every day.

Steve also brings another perspective to his work. In his professional life, he has served as a senior human resources executive in companies and organizations whose mission was to help people better their lives. From Monster.com to Walgreens, he was immersed in the daily work of driving higher levels of organizational performance, advancing diversity and inclusion efforts and helping employees achieve a healthy work-life balance while developing the leadership skills that would advance their career.

Wherever his travels have taken him, Steve has made a steadfast vow to help those in need-to be a lighthouse for those trying to find their chance in the world. For his extraordinary courage and his selfless commitment to helping others, Steve has earned extensive national recognition, from several honorary doctorates to the coveted Trumpet Award and the prestigious Horizon Award bestowed by the United States Congress. Steve is also the husband of Tonya Renee and the loving father of their three children, Quinn, Vaughn and Kennedy.

Anthony Romano is an Associate on the Consulting team at Seramount. He is a successful higher education professional with extensive sales experience and is passionate about growth and continuously enhancing his skills.

Prior to joining Seramount, Anthony served as a Partner Development Representative at EAB for nearly two years. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Management from Stony Brook University.

Anthony is originally from Long Island, New York and currently resides in Richmond, VA. In his free time, he enjoys live music, discovering new restaurants, and photography.

Mija Lieberman (she/her) is an Associate Director of Advisory at Seramount, bringing extensive experience in Employee Resource Groups (ERGs), talent acquisition, and DEI strategy.

Mija began her career in the tech and gaming industries, starting as a recruiting specialist at Niantic, where she improved recruiting operations and enhanced the candidate experience. She was also a founding member of the company’s first ERG and DEI council, helping to cultivate a culture of belonging. She later transitioned into a full-time DEI role at Unity as an ERG program manager, launching new ERGs and implementing scalable structures to support global growth. With a strong background in talent acquisition and ERGs, Mija understands the critical connection between recruitment and retention in building effective DEI strategies, and believes in meeting individuals where they are on their DEI journey. Mija holds a bachelor’s degree in Psychology with minors in Spanish and Chinese from Vassar College and is a SHRM-Certified Professional (SHRM-CP). A Bay Area native, she currently lives in San Francisco with her partner. She loves traveling and hopes to visit every continent and wonder of the world someday.

Thelma Tamez is a Director of Research Development and Member Advisory at Seramount. A dedicated and experienced Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) leader, she brings over 15 years of expertise in fostering inclusive workplaces and advocating for equitable practices.
Fluent in English and Spanish, Thelma leverages her skills in strategic planning, training and development, and community engagement to drive meaningful impact. She actively serves on the boards of Easter Seals, SHRM, Comfort House, Junior League of McAllen (JLM), CASA, and TEDx McAllen, where her passion for building inclusive communities is evident.
A SHRM-certified professional and Certified Diversity Professional, Thelma remains committed to advancing DEI within organizations and the communities she serves.

Nicole is an experienced Inclusion, Diversity, and Equity (ID&E) professional with more than 20+ years of experience in managerial roles, strategic planning, change management, mergers and acquisitions (M&A), and risk management. She has a proven track record of driving organizational transformation and has designed and implemented multiple ID&E training series. Additionally, she established the organization’s first Employee Business Resource Groups and initiated a flexible holiday program to promote inclusivity.

Passionate about integrating ID&E principles into business strategy, Nicole excels at influencing leadership, driving cultural change, and fostering equitable workplaces. She holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration, minor in finance and is currently pursuing an MBA. Nicole employs a data-driven, people-centric approach to shape policies and programs with a lasting impact. Skilled in stakeholder engagement, program development, and change leadership, she thrives in complex environments and champions inclusive excellence, ensuring that diversity and equity remain central to business success and employee engagement.

As SVP, Chief DEI Officer at Arm, the world’s most pervasive compute platform, Tamika is responsible for driving the DEI strategy, leveraging DEI as an enabler of Arm’s workforce, workplace, marketplace, and community strategies. A recognized global expert in DEI-informed business, people, and ESG strategies, Tamika has also held roles at Nike, Mercedes-Benz, Target, and Deloitte. 

Tamika is an Aspen Institute Executive Leadership Program alumna, a lifetime member of the National Black MBA Association, and a Career Coach with the Posse Foundation. She serves on the Sanger Leadership Center Advisory Board, in addition to being an Executive Education Faculty Member and Lecturer at the University of Michigan Ross School of Business. She also is an advisor to Goldman Sachs’ asset management division, as well as to early-stage start-ups and venture capital firms. 

Tamika earned a BBA in Accounting from the Ross School of Business and an MBA in Organizational Behavior, Strategy, and Marketing from the Kellogg School of Management. 

Originally from the French Caribbean island of Martinique, Mathilde brings a diverse background and a strong commitment to inclusivity and collaboration. With a specialization in Biology and Health, coupled with an MBA in Biotechnology and Management, she combines scientific expertise with strategic business acumen. 

In 2020, Mathilde made the bold decision to move to the United States to join a sister brand within the beauty industry, where she developed a strong foundation in compliance and product innovation. Since joining Benefit Cosmetics in 2023, she has made remarkable strides, earning a deserved promotion to Senior Manager in Regulatory Affairs. 

A true advocate for fostering community and equity, Mathilde first served as the Treasurer of Black@Benefit and now proudly holds the position of Co-Chair. Her leadership focuses on building a culture of inclusivity, resilience, and empowerment for Black employees and allies, to ensure every voice is heard and valued. 

Mya Harris, a Washington, DC native, is a passionate leader and advocate for inclusivity at Benefit Cosmetics. As co-chair of the Black@Benefit employee resource group, Mya drives impactful initiatives that uplift Black employees and foster a sense of belonging. From organizing Juneteenth celebrations to hosting networking events, her work creates meaningful opportunities for connection, empowerment, and community building.

In her professional role as an operations and supply chain planner, Mya excels in production planning and launching new products, bringing precision and a collaborative spirit to managing complex supply chain projects. Her dedication to teamwork and problem-solving ensures seamless execution across initiatives.

Outside of work, Mya is an active member of the African American Shakespeare Company and finds joy in giving back to her community. Her resilience, leadership, and dedication to empowering others make her a driving force both within Benefit Cosmetics and beyond.

Antonio never asked for permission to change inequitable systems. As a teenager, he became financially independent and the patriarch of his family, navigating through racial systems in Birmingham, Alabama.

For more than 15 years, Antonio has advised organizations across multiple sectors on race and equity to drive systems change. He works with chief executives and leadership teams in education, tech, and healthcare to apply a DEI lens on a range of issues that include strategy, innovation, and change management.

With deep expertise leading complex systems during uncertain or pivotal moments, Antonio developed an equity change process that has transformed organizational operating models, services, and performance by centering on the experiences of the global majority. Amid the pandemic, Antonio leveraged his insights on generational trends and the future of work to help organizations across diverse industries and geographies digitize their user experience by scaling new technology and platforms for thousands of educators and front-line workers.

Antonio host The Promised Land podcast and uses storyteller traditions passed down from his grandmother to galvanize audiences on topics that expand our collective consciousness and imagination. Antonio is currently in fellow with the Innovation for Equity in Leadership program. Antonio is leveraging his experience to design and launch an organization that curates reclamation journeys for Black people to experience their full humanity, freedom, and dreams.

Miracle Olatunji is a Gen-Z leader, changemaker, and author of Purpose: How To Live and Lead With Impact.

Miracle is a mission-driven entrepreneur, community builder, and author of Purpose: How To Live and Lead with Impact. She is an advocate for gender and racial equality, mental health, and financial literacy. She is also the creator of Her Wallet Media, an inclusive financial literacy and wellness platform. She has been honored as a “Young Futurist and Game-changer” by The Root Magazine and her work has been featured in Forbes, The Female Lead, and other publications. Miracle was part of a campaign by Melinda Gates and the Harvard Business Review called ‘Equality Can’t Wait’ focused on accelerating progress towards gender equality globally. Recently, Miracle partnered with Colgate on ‘The Optimism Project’, an initiative to empower fellow Gen Zers.