Mentors
Dr. Avery Davis, M.D.
CEO and Founder
After finishing medical school at American University of Antigua College of Medicine. I started my career as a physician. I would bake obsessively to express my artistic talents. Much to my delight, people became enamored with the life-like designs of my cakes and events. I later found out that this was in my blood! I was astonished to learn that my late grandmother was a famous baker in the Caribbean during the early 1900’s. This had inspired me so much as I’ve been longing to honor my grandmother’s legacy. Thus Avery Cakes Event Planning was born.
Anil Black
Mentor
CEO of Spaintown flavors-Executive Chef
I catered food for the largest Caribbean events within the northeast region as well as DOE end of year teachers ball and visiting chef to several restaurants within the NYC area. For me food ties us directly to our ancestors it gives us the rare opportunity to taste smell and enjoy the delight ls as they did so it’s important to me to curate dishes specifically tied to my Jamaican roots I’m a lover of astrophysics, geology, movies, music, and sports on a whole
Orville Davis, MBA
Mentor
CEO of Scrap-it Junk Removal
Being born on a junkyard, I know the meaning and value of hard work. I was taught the importance of using your mind and not your behind. After the passing of my father, I acquired skills in Computer Programming and Global Business Management. Thus, inspired me to return to my roots but with a different angle. When the idea of Scrap-it! Took digital form, it was validated with the achievement of 1st place at the Innovation Challenge held at Farmingdale State College (FSC). A man of many talents and many tongues, I currently speak Five languages fluently, English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, and Haitian Creole. “What I love about Scrap-It! Is that I can merge what I love, technology, along with my father’s legacy, junk and we get to make a difference in the world at the same time!
Karina Hill
Mentor
CEO of beenacreates
Karina Hill is a Brand Stylist. She assists creatives with visioning their brand style. Karina is an innovator who inspires to awake the Dreamer and inflate the Dream.
Andre Messam, MBA
Mentor
Grants Manager of Child Mind Institute
I’m a Financial Investment Analysis and currently the Grants Manager of Child Mind Institute. My background consists of a MBA from Fayetteville State University. I also am JMP PRO and AWS Certified Solutions Architect Associate Candidate. In addition to having experience in technology management and data analytics. I look forward to being your mentor and teaching you the fundamental skills of financial investment.
Anthony Messam
Mentor
CEO and Founder of Level Up and Take Off
I desire to make the Aviation Industry more accessible for his family prompted the birth of Level Up and Take Off. In my journey of becoming an Aircraft Mechanic at Aviation High School, I experienced financial constraints, which led me to become an Educator. As founder of Level Up and Take Off, I seek to create diversity, equity and inclusion in the Aviation, Real Estate, and Financial Management Industries by providing inner-city youth with opportunities to gain practical hands-on experience with each industry. Upon completing our programming, our graduates will have acquired the fundamentals for careers within these fields that lack representation within minority communities. In order to accomplish this mission, I host Financial Management and Real Estate seminars, workshops, career training, and provides Private Pilot courses, Ground School classes, and offers free or reduced-cost flight training. Level Up’s efforts are to make the Aviation and Real Estate Industries more accessible to people in these communities and rid these opportunity areas of inequity and injustice.