Team — The JWC Foundation

Rasheeda Creighton
Executive Director

An experienced corporate executive turned entrepreneur, Rasheeda Creighton has always taken the road less traveled. In 2020, after a successful 15-year career at a Fortune 100 company, Rasheeda harnessed her skills and passions into a convergence of business ventures that all work towards a singular path:
creating and holding spaces that connect people, particularly Black and Brown people, to opportunities for growth and wealth building, ultimately leading to a path of financial freedom.
She is the Executive Director of JWC Foundation, a nonprofit whose mission is to Learn, Grow and Own in the Black community. JWC Foundation is a hub that connects Black business owners of all stages to connect to one another and with partners, service providers, programs and financial resources to grow their businesses.
Rasheeda is also the Founder and CEO of The 3Fifty Group, a consulting company that provides operational coaching to solopreneurs and money coaching to women seeking to take control of their finances.
She earned her Bachelor’s Degree in English from Spelman College and holds a Juris Doctor from the University of Michigan Law School. Of the many hats Rasheeda wears, her favorite is being mom to her three daughters.

Lisa Townes
CBA Program Director

Unlocking the potential in others has always been Lisa Townes’s enduring passion. With a career spanning multiple domains, she has consistently demonstrated her commitment to personal and professional growth. Lisa began her career as a Training and Development Officer with a prominent regional bank
and quickly ascended the ranks, assuming pivotal roles such as the director of the Management Trainee Program and later, the director of Diversity.
Lisa then embraced a new challenge, serving as the Director for Career Development at Virginia State University for 12 years before taking on the role of a Liaison for Richmond City Council.
Now, as part of the JWC team, Lisa finds herself at a remarkable juncture, skillfully merging her Training and Development acumen with her passion for empowering emerging entrepreneurs. For her, it's a gratifying full circle, as she actively contributes to shaping the success stories of aspiring business leaders in the very city where she was born and holds dear to her heart.
Lisa holds a Bachelor of Arts from the esteemed University of Virginia, a testament to her dedication to continuous learning and personal growth.
In all her pursuits, Lisa exudes a tenacious spirit and unwavering commitment to elevate individuals and communities, making her an inspirational force in the realm of professional development and mentorship. What motivates her most is her family, driving her to go above and beyond in her efforts.

Olivia Ames is a young professional who has acquired extensive experience in a variety of fields since graduating from Old Dominion University in 2017 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in English. She is aspiring to hone her writing skills while also
gaining further experience within a non-profit organization. She was born and raised in the North-side of Richmond, Virginia, and now resides in the South-side in Brandermill. Olivia spends her time reading, writing, painting, and playing a variety of video games. She has two older brothers and a Yorkshire Terrier named Rupert.

Olivia Ames
Program Mgmt Associate

Crystal Simmons
Community Manager

Crystal Simmons isn’t one to leave a problem unsolved or a curious question unasked.
After working almost two decades as a Radiologic Technologist, Clinical Coordinator and Chief Technologist at a nationally ranked medical facility, Crystal decided to begin a new path in 2019.
With a natural love and talent for connecting with others and creating a space for them to share openly, Crystal began to take on a leadership role among her peers, later moving into coaching her work teams. Finding joy in coaching, she soon thought up a venture, Crystal Clear Purposes, that would allow her to make an even bigger and more intentional impact on these organizations, to help shift them into a work environment where employees are invested in the work they do and empowered to give their best performances.
As a JWC Community Business Academy alumni, JWC member and BLCK Street conference attendee, Crystal has continuously immersed herself into learning and growing personally and professionally. She also holds a bachelor’s degree in health sciences from Old Dominion University.
As the Community Manager, (or as Crystal calls it, ‘Community Connector’) she understands it takes a well-organized, intentional, and dynamic leader to co-create, develop, and implement innovative, cutting-edge programs which supports the JWC members and community, which her journey has prepared her for this and more.

Our Team