Desha is an economic development enthusiast and strategic partnerships creator with a successful track record in business/program development. Raising hundreds of thousands for growth stage and established companies across the country.
In addition to working in finance, Desha spent over a decade in media and tech. She was Editor-In-Chief of the nationally distributed, Be Your Own Success Story Magazine and winner of the Celebration Bowl Hackathon for her edutech company, PB7App.
She is the author of Hi, My Name Is, a marketing guide for entrepreneurs. Her thought leadership and business advising impact has been highlighted in NerdWallet, Black Enterprise, NBC, CBS, and more. Desha’s knowledge and skillset of marketing and access capital has been used to architect and create discourse for national financial institutions, corporate-backed accelerators, and university research initiatives. Most noted programs, Reebok Mid Question Launch Campaign, USDA-AMS BIPOC Project Titled “Evaluation Programs Successes and Challenges with Focus on Socially Disadvantaged Communities”, Black Farmers Equity Initiative, Doordash Accelerator for Local Restaurants, Digital Undivided, and more.
Desha is an Alumna of Northern Kentucky University and Strayer University. Currently, she is a PhD Candidate in the Whitney M. Young School of Social Work at Clark Atlanta University researching policy, economic development, and underserved entrepreneurs. As a graduate student researcher, she became an assistant researcher for Georgia’s guaranteed income study and founded the first doctoral-led student organization Professional Doctoral Network for the sustainability of doctoral student engagement.
Desha began in finance managing and starting Liberty Tax Service franchises across Ohio, Florida, and Georgia. Desha’s current focus on access to capital and innovation continues as she is the Market (Expansion) Manager for Accion Opportunity Fund.