Our Board & Team 

Founder & CEO

Andrea Walton

Andrea Walton is the Founder and Board Chair of the Concrete Rose Scholarship Foundation. With more than 22 years of executive leadership in human resources, Andrea has built her career helping organizations and leaders navigate transformation with people-centered strategies. Her expertise spans talent management, organizational culture, and leadership development — always grounded in a belief that every individual has the potential to thrive when given the right opportunities.

Andrea founded the Concrete Rose Scholarship Foundation out of her own lived experience and a deep commitment to creating pathways for students who face financial and systemic barriers to education. Guided by the principle that “every step has led to this moment,” she envisioned the Foundation as both a scholarship provider and a source of mentorship, inspiration, and opportunity for young women worldwide.

In addition to her philanthropic work, Andrea leads Concrete Strategies LLC, her boutique HR consulting practice, and hosts The Table I Built podcast, where she amplifies voices of resilience and leadership. Through every endeavor, Andrea remains committed to advancing equity, building legacy, and empowering the next generation to “bloom forward.”

Governance Director & Board Member

Yasmeen Grandison

Yasmeen Grandison is an impact-driven HR leader with more than 20 years of experience shaping people strategies across nonprofit, corporate, and startup environments. As a Fractional Chief People Officer, she has guided organizations through growth, transformation, and workforce realignment while keeping empathy, transparency, and compliance at the center. Her career includes senior HR leadership roles at 2U Inc., Save the Children, ITHAKA/JSTOR, and Siemens Government Services, where she successfully led organizations through growth and change while building scalable people operations. Known for her strategic thought partnership and people-first leadership, Yasmeen is recognized for helping leaders build high-performing, inclusive cultures that advance both mission and sustainability. She is honored to serve as Governance Director and Board Member of the Concrete Rose Scholarship Foundation, supporting its mission to empower underserved students through education and mentorship.

Public Relations Director & Board Member

Hope Webb

Hope Katz Gibbs is proud to serve as a Board Member and Public Relations Director for the Concrete Rose Scholarship Foundation, an organization dedicated to building bridges and pathways to success for girls worldwide. She is the founder and president of Inkandescent® PR + Publishing Co., a firm specializing in promoting authors, artists, and entrepreneurs while publishing books and magazines focused on women, wellness, and kids. An award-winning journalist, Hope launched Inkandescent in 2008 with the goal of shining a light on the magic being created by innovative people and sharing their inspiration with the world. Through her “8 Steps to PR Success” framework, she has helped hundreds of small business owners maximize visibility and amplify their voices. Inkandescent’s platforms include InkandescentWomen.com, BeInkandescent.com, and InkandescentKids.com, as well as InkandescentRadio.com and Inkandescent.tv. Hope is honored to bring her passion for storytelling and advocacy to the Foundation’s mission of empowering underserved students through education and mentorship.

Corporate Leader & Board Member

Delisa Husband

Delisa Husband is an accomplished leader with extensive experience across multiple industries and Fortune 50 companies. She brings deep expertise in key account and relationship management, with a proven ability to translate strategy into action through collaboration and cross-functional partnerships. Passionate about inclusion and accountability, Delisa is known for helping individuals recognize and activate their strengths, fostering cultures where people can thrive and contribute meaningfully. A skilled communicator and strategist, she excels in uniting teams to achieve high performance and in navigating complex challenges with clarity and influence. She is honored to serve on the Board of Directors of the Concrete Rose Scholarship Foundation, where she supports the mission to empower underserved students through education and mentorship.

Director of Analytics & Data Science & Board Member

Alang'o Otieno

Alang’o Otieno is an experienced leader in analytics and data science with nearly twenty years of helping organizations turn complex data into useful insights. Born and raised in Nairobi, Kenya, he offers both a global outlook and a strong personal connection to education and community impact.

He currently sits on the Board of the Concrete Rose Scholarship Program, where he uses his strategic skills and dedication to promote equity and opportunity. Additionally, Alang’o is founding the Dornas Education & Development Center in Kisumu County, Kenya, named after his late mother, a passionate supporter of education. He is deeply dedicated to education as a vital tool to tackle systemic barriers and create more opportunities for underserved students.

Program and Operations Coordinator

Selam Tesfamariam

Selam Tesfamariam serves as the Program and Operations Coordinator at the Concrete Rose Scholarship Foundation, where she helps lead initiatives that empower underrepresented students through education, mentorship, and opportunity. With a background in event coordination, management, and operations support, she brings both organizational expertise and a passion for community-building to her role.

A proud first-generation Eritrean-American and graduate of Bowie State University, Selam understands firsthand the importance of building strong connections to remove barriers and open doors for the next generation of leaders. In addition to her operations work, she partners closely with the Foundation’s Public Relations leadership to strengthen community engagement and social media presence. Beyond her professional work, Selam finds joy in mentoring young women and exploring new cultures through travel—experiences that fuel her commitment to creating pathways of opportunity.

Executive Administrative Support & Foundation Team Member

Naiomi Thomas

Naiomi Thomas serves as Executive Administrative Support for the Concrete Rose Scholarship Foundation, where she provides essential coordination to ensure the smooth operation of the Foundation’s programs and leadership initiatives. With more than seven years of experience spanning customer solutions, security, and business process improvement, Naiomi brings a unique blend of customer service excellence and technical expertise.

Her career has included roles in executive assistance, personnel security, and process optimization, where she has consistently been recognized for her ability to resolve conflicts, streamline workflows, and deliver results in high-pressure environments. Holding an active Secret Security Clearance, Naiomi also brings specialized experience in automation technologies, Agile collaboration, and secure data integration.

Passionate about bridging the gap between people, processes, and technology, Naiomi is honored to support the mission of the Concrete Rose Scholarship Foundation in creating opportunities for underserved students to thrive.

Public Relations Intern & Foundation Team Member

Nachala Waters

Nachala Waters is a goal-oriented, purpose-driven senior at Towson University, where she is pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Mass Communications. She serves as Public Relations Intern for the Concrete Rose Scholarship Foundation, supporting communications, media, and outreach initiatives.

Personable and adaptable, Nachala brings fresh perspective and creativity to the Foundation’s PR efforts, while also gaining hands-on experience under the mentorship of its Public Relations leadership. She is honored to contribute her talents as part of the Foundation Team, helping advance its mission to empower underserved students through education, mentorship, and opportunity.