MURIEL BOWSER
MAYOR
October 10, 2024
The Honorable Phil Mendelson
Chairman
Council of the District of Columbia
John A. Wilson Building
l 350 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 D.C. Official Code§ 47-2853.06(c), I am pleased
to nominate the following individual:
Ms. Ajia Minnis
Constitution A venue, NE
Washington, DC 20002
(Ward 6)
for appointment as a specialty cosmetologist member of the Board of Barber and Cosmetology, filling
a vacant seat formerly held by Kandace Cash, for the remainder of an unexpired term to end December
13, 2025.
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.
Ma or
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3
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at the request of the Mayor
4
5
6 A PROPOSED RESOLUTION
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9
IO IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
11
12
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14
15 To confirm the appointment of Ajia Minnis to the Board of Barber and Cosmetology.
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17 RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, that this
18 resolution may be cited as the ··Board of Barber and Cosmetology Ajia Minnis Confirmation
19 Resolution of 2024".
20 Sec. 2. The Council of the District of Columbia confirms the appointment of:
21
22 Ajia Minnis
23 Constitution A venue, NE
24 Washington, DC 20002
25 (Ward 6)
26
27 as a specialty cosmetologistmember of the Board of Barber and Cosmetology, established by
28 D.C. Official Code§ 47-2853.06(c), filling a vacant seat formerly held by Kandace Cash, for the
29 remainder of an unexpired term to end December 13, 2025.
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.
 Ajia Maximillian Minnis
EE
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Profile
Experienced sales professional witha proven history of success inthe SaaS industry. 1000+ personal hous dedicated to ecanomic empowerment,
animalwelfare, andyouth advancement.
‘duction
University of Pennsylvania, MS Ed, Educational Entrepreneurship, 2022,
BennettCareer institute, NaturalHair &BraidingGraduate, 2021,
Zamora Natural HarAcademy, Natural Hair & Braiding Graduate, 2020
Columbia University, MA, Applied Exercise Physiology, 2018
CUNY Hunter College, 84, Spanish Language and Literature, 2013
Stuyvesant High School, 2005
xoerience
Trualta Washington, 0¢ May 2022-Present
Enterprise Soles Executve
« Consult heath insurance companies around how to better engage family caregivers with a familycaregver eLearning platform in order to
decrease emergency department utlzation, decrease caregiver distress, increase member satisfaction, decrease hospitalizations, and
enable more people to age in place longer.
“Thrive Hair Bar Lic SF, CA- Arlington, VA Washington,0C January 2019-Present
(wner/Founder/CEO
‘© Grew revenue 670% from year 1to year 2
1 an track to graw revenue 240% from year 20 year 3
‘# Conceptulized, researched, and developed theThriveHar Bar brand
«Recruited, interviewed,and hiredall contractors and employees
*# Developed Thrive Hai ar salon training program
«# Recruit, manage, and lead a quarterly revolving team of dermatology, marketing, and financial interns
‘# Research, recru, and partner with local artists, businesses, and scientsts for events
«© Auaiting an analyzing financial performance and compiling financial reports
1 Financial forecasting and risk analys's
Hustle Washington,0C ‘August 2020-September 2021
Enterprise Soles Executive
‘* Consuted Nonprofit, Higher Education, K-12 Education, and Commercial Institutions in how to best communicate with thet target
tmarket/communty viatext
‘©Won contracts with organizations keHoward University Graduate School, CIAA, The George School, and the Idaho Conservation League
‘ owned entire sales cycle from prospecting though to contract signature
« Leg an educational buying experience fr technologically unsawy customers
Salestoft SF, CA- Washington,0c February 2019-August 2020,
Comercio! Soles Execute
' Top 10 CommercialSales Executive Qt 2023
(© 2nd Highest Team ACV YTD
1 Lead 2consultative sales cycleworkingwith 38 key stakeholders per deal over 3weeks-12 months with C-Suite decision makers & VPs of
Sales, Marketing, & Sales Operations
‘¢ Manage full onnershin of sales cycle from prospecting new logos to closure,se sourcing~50% of pipeline anoualy
«Effectively share SalesLot solutions by tallring demonstrations to relevant stakeholder challenges, goals, &keycriteria
‘© Create client proposalsto reflect speci, need: based RO!
« Leverage appropiate interna resources to cose deals including solutions consuitants, customer success,&leadership
«© Nurturecutent customers tocaptureupsell opportunities and influence positive customer retention
uarty Palo Alto, CA ‘August 2017-Fanuary 2019
‘Soles Executive
© 109% ofquota in 2018& 105% ofquota in 2017
‘Developed and led anew company initiative tocapturebusiness in a$21 bllon market estimated to increase sales by 4% annually
{Identified 10! life science incubators and successfully secuted partnerships with 22%, including Johnson & Johnson's LABS,
' Closed and managed business at top cesearch universities includingStanford University, Harvard University,& MIT
« Efectively communicated the value of Quart’ platform to Principal Scientists & Procurement while uncovering and understanding
Customer needs and requirements
‘© Captured at least $1.63MM worth ofsales in 2018 leveraging “80% inbound and ~20% outbound efforts
‘© Managed fll ownership ofthe sles cycle, fram lea generation to closure
‘= Eficintly managed a pipeline of over 120 SMB, MM, and academic opportunities witha sales cycle of upto 60 days
Guidespark San Francisco, cA (october 2016-August 2017
Sales Development Representative
16 117% of annual quota in 10 months
 + Generated $1.1§MM in qualified opportunities aver 10 months
{Secured meetings with HR executivesat enterprise organizations including AT&T, Anheuser-Busch, and AA
‘© Qualified outbound opportunites through online research and discovery cll
‘Conducted industry and competitive analysis to identity 4 profitable, key markets
© Managed, tacked, and reported on all sales actives sing Salesforce CRM
Helmet Salon Los Angeles, cA. March 2016May 2026
Receptionist
‘© Greeted, checked-in, and scheduledclient appointments inpersonwith the appropriate styists
‘© Answered phone calls, questions, and scheduled salon appointments over the phone
{© Maintained overall cleanines ofsalon throughout shift
‘Opened and preparesalonfor clients a beginning ofday and closed salon at end ofeach day top
‘© Managed, racked, andreportedall daly cash transactions
Equinox NY, SF, OC July 2012-Present
Group Fitness instructor
"© Inspireand enable members to achieve andsurpasstheir fitness goalsthroughsuperior groupfitness coaching
|S rive membership retention and growth by analyzing industry landscape and developing addictive clas formas based on market trends
‘and member needs
‘+ Represent the Equinox brand while leading fitnessclasses and concertsfor20-1000+participants at corporateeventsincluding the
‘warm-up forthe JPMorgan Chase Corporate Challenge® and Zumba® classes fr Memoria loan Kettering Cancer Centers Cycle for
Sura
Palingfor Pets New York, NY une 2012-December 2015
Founder and Producer
‘© Conceptualzed and realizedan annual avantgarde performance benefit to promote performers, foster the development oftheir craft,
promote diversity andinclusion, and aid homeless animalsin need
«Recruited and directed a team of over30talent and administrative volunteers
« Identified resources togenerate and conserve funds
' Procured donated services and led ticket sales byleveraging Social and extended, personal networks
'* Secured corporate partnerships and sponsorships including French Connection SoHo, which donated 15% of etal proceeds from the
event day to Animal Haven Shelter, anellshelter for abandoned dogs and cats
‘© Exceeded goal fr totalfundsraised in year one by 10% byimplementing amulti-channel approach to fundraising
«* increased public awareness and interest in events through featured interviews on Huffington Post Live, Playboy Rado, socal medi, and
ress releases
lll,
Salesforce CRM, SalesLoft, G Suite, DocuSign, Zoominfo, 200m, GoToMeeting, ToutApe, Looker, Slack, Yesware, Linkedin Sales Navigator, expert
‘verbal and written communication, market research and analysis, business development, project management, event production, actor,
Choreographer, and dancer
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Executive Office of the Mayor ~ Mayor’s Officeof Talent and Appointments
John A. Wilson Building | 1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, Suite 600 | Washington, DC 20004
Ajia Minnis
Ms. Ajia Minnis is the founder and CEO of Thrive Hair Bar. Asa Black
American and Black Puerto Rican from the Bronx, growing up she
rarely, if ever, saw kinkierhair textures celebrated in her community, in
media, or in professional settings. Visiting hair studios was often a
negative experience for her as a child, one that she wanted to improve
forothers.
Ms. Minnis joins the cosmetology community from her background as
a trained dancer, choreographer, and fitness instructor who joined
Washington, DC from New York City with 20 years of professional
dance experience. Ms. Minnis has taught at Shockra Studios (NYC),
Cumbe (NYC), Debbie Reynolds Dance Studios (LA), Uforia Dance (SF), and for Equinox Gyms
(NY, LA, SF).
She has performed and trained as a Sambista for Oba Oba International under Sydney Maria in
Los Angeles, as a West African dancer for Abeo Drummers and Dancers under Idrissa Kelly in
NYC, under Broadway choreographer George Faison, for various underground hip hop artists
across the country, and as a pole dancer in avant-garde shows and venues across NYC.
With her work as a performer, she sought a natural hair salon. In searching fora natural hair home,
she found that natural salons were few and far between. And one too many times, when she'd
thought she'd finally found a modem salon to suit her needs, usually the assumption was that she
wanted her hairin a straight style. In 2020, Ms. Minnis opened the first Thrive Hair Bar in
Arlington, Virginia. In 2021 she graduated from Bennett Career Institute with her Natural Hair
Braiding License, and in 2022 she began construction on Thrive Hair Bar's DC location. Ms.
Minnis is passionate about bringing career opportunities in barber and cosmetology to
disadvantaged people.
A Ward6resident, Ms. Minnis earned her BachelorofArts in Spanish Language and Literature
from Hunter College, her Master of Arts in Applied Exercise Physiology from Columbia
University, her Natural Hair and Braiding Certificate from Bennett Career Institute, and her Master
ofScience in Educational Entrepreneurship from the University of Pennsylvania.
 GOVERNMENT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
* *
Executive Office of Mayor Muriel Bowser
*
WEARE
oc
WASHINGTON
Office of the General Counsel to the Mayor
To: Tomas Talamante, Steve Walker
From: Betsy Cavendish
Date: July 12, 2024
Subject: Legal sufficiency review of Resolutions nominating Ajia Minnis, Dennis Smith,
and Korie Booker as members of the Board of Barber and Cosmetology
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, DC 20004 • Office (202) 724-7681