MURIEL BOWSER
MAYOR
April 25, 2024
The Honorable Phil Mendelson
Chairman
Council of the District of Columbia
John A. Wilson Building
1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Suite 504
Washington, DC 20004
Dear Chairman Mendelson:
In accordance with section 2 of the Confirmation Act of 1978, effective March 3, 1979 (D.C. Law 2-
142; D.C. Official Code § 1-523.01), and pursuant to section 2 of the Commission on Fashion Arts and
Events Establishment Act of 2008, effective April 15, 2008 (D.C. Law 17-148; D.C. Official Code §
3-651), I am pleased to nominate the following individual:
Ms. Maude Okrah
Half Street, SW
Washington, DC 20536
(Ward 6)
for reappointment as a member of the Commission on Fashion Arts and Events, for a term to end April
15, 2028.
Enclosed, you will find biographical information detailing the experience of the above-mentioned
nominee, together with a proposed resolution to assist the Council during the confirmation process.
I would appreciate the Council’s earliest consideration of this nomination for confirmation. Please
do not hesitate to contact me, or Steven Walker, Director, Mayor’s Office of Talent and
Appointments, should the Council require additional information.
Sincerely,
Muriel Bowser
Mayor
2 airman Phil Mendelson
3 at the request of the Mayor
4
5
6 A PROPOSED RESOLUTION
7
8
9
10 IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
11
12
13
14
15 To confirm the reappointment of Maude Okrah to the Commission on Fashion Arts and Events.
16
17 RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, that this
18 resolution may be cited as the "Commission on Fashion Arts and Events Maude Okrah
19 Confirmation Resolution of 2024".
20 Sec. 2. The Council of the District of Columbia confirms the reappointment of:
21
22 Ms. Maude Okrah
23 Half Street, SW
24 Washington, DC 20536
25 (Ward 6)
26
27 as a member of the Commission on Fashion Arts and Events, established by section 2 of the
28 Commission on Fashion Arts and Events Establishment Act of 2008, effective April 15, 2008
29 (D.C. Law 17-148;_D.C. Official Code§ 3-651), for a term to end April 15, 2028.
30 Sec. 3. The Council of the District of Columbia shall transmit a copy of this resolution,
31 upon its adoption, to the nominee and to the Office of the Mayor.
32 Sec. 4. This resolution shall take effect immediately.
MAUDE OKRAH- HUNTER
WORK EXPERIENCE
CONTACT
cEO
| Bonnti Inc. (2017-Present)
Beauty tech company focused on women of color. On demand hair
2 and makeup services.
Cs
Financial Literacy platform for beauty professionals
Notable client portfolio includes: Essence, Cond® Nast, Warner Bros.
CBS, BET, and Ebony
EDUCATION
FOUNDER
EMERSON COLLEGE Black Beauty Roster (2020- present)
Bachelor of Science in Marketing
Minor: Broadcast Journalism A DEI platform that connects the TV & Film, Fashion and Beauty industry
2005-2009 with education, beauty professionals, and consulting services.
Partnership growth with leading media, beauty, and fashion
companies.
Notable partners include: NBCU, Amazon Studios, L'Oreal , Warner
Bros. Discovery, Disney, Sephora, WME,
SKILLS
STRAGETGY ADVISOR
Shell International Company (2009- 2020)
Marketing
bbb
Alternative Energy Commercialization Advisor - responsible for
Strategy creating strategy and economic assessment of Alternative Energy
Strategic Communications portfolio for Shell
Critical Thinking
Project Management Global Business Development Manager - responsible for
developing and Implementing strategy for business growth In 15
Global Business Development different countries.
Start Up
RECOGNITION
President's Citation Award - Emerson College
Women's Cs ing Crashers Award -AT&T
Female Student Athleteof the Year Award
‘Who's Who of America
Executive Office of the Mayor – Mayor’s Office of Talent and Appointments
John A. Wilson Building | 1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, Suite 600 | Washington, DC 20004
Maude Okrah
Ms. Maude Okrah is the Co-Founder and CEO of Bonnti, Inc, a beauty
technology company focused on women of color.
Maude Okrah is an entrepreneur who is passionate about bringing
solutions to underserved markets. She has over 12 years of experience
working in Strategy and Global Business Development with Shell
Energy International working with startups and Fortune 500 companies.
She is co-founder of Bonnti Inc. a beauty tech company focused on
diversity and inclusion and serves as CEO of its primary brand, Black
Beauty Roster (BBR). BBR is a digital DE&I platform that connects the
TV, Film, Fashion and Beauty industries with hairstylists and makeup
artists trained in all textures and complexions while also increasing education to the industry at
large. BBR has worked with industry leading companies like Warner Bros. Discovery, Walt
Disney, L’Oreal, Amazon, IMG and more. She has been featured in Forbes, Inc, Variety,
Hollywood Reporter, Allure, and Insider.
A Ward 7 resident, Ms. Okrah earned her Bachelor of Arts in Marketing from Emerson College.
GOVERNMENT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
Executive Office of Mayor Muriel Bowser
Office of the General Counsel to the Mayor
To: Tomas Talamante, Steve Walker
From: Betsy Cavendish
Date: April 10, 2024
Subject: Legal sufficiency review of Resolutions nominating Jamila Galloway and Maude
Okrah as members of the Commission on Fashion Arts and Events
This is to Certify that this office has reviewed the above-referenced resolutions and
found them to be legally unobjectionable. If you have any questions in this regard, please do not
hesitate to call Erika Satterlee, Deputy General Counsel, Executive Office of the Mayor, at 202-
724-1303, or me at 202-724-7681.
______________________________
Elizabeth A. (Betsy) Cavendish
______________________________________________________________________________
The John A. Wilson Building • 1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW • Suite 300 • Washington, D.C. 20004 • Office (202) 724-7681