Embrace Her Legacy is currently in an intentional and strategic board restructuring phase as we position our organization for greater impact. We are seeking passionate, purpose-driven leaders who are committed to empowering women and girls to break generational patterns and embrace legacies of love, wholeness, confidence, and wealth. If you’re interested in joining our Board of Directors, please visit our Join Our Team page to learn more and apply.
Founder & CEO/Board Chair: Maria I. Melendez
Maria I. Melendez, the visionary behind Embrace Her Legacy, is more than just a founder and CEO; she’s a catalyst for change. In addition to her pivotal role at Embrace Her Legacy, Maria also serves as the CEO of The Business Daycare, a boutique brand marketing agency dedicated to helping personal brands, entrepreneurs, businesses, and nonprofits thrive. As a women and girls leadership advocate, bilingual speaker, author, mentor, podcast host, and brand strategist, Maria is on a mission to empower individuals to craft lives that leave an indelible mark on the world.
Maria’s influence extends far beyond her organizations, with features in prestigious publications such as FORBES, ESSENCE magazine, and Latina.com, coupled with recognition through various accolades. Her transformative impact is not only evident in her extensive speaking engagements, surpassing 100 talks, but also in her acclaimed TEDx talk titled “A Time to Heal.”
Stepping away from a high-profile career in the music business, Maria redirected her trajectory to fulfill her purpose of educating and transforming the lives of women and girls. Referred to affectionately by clients and peers as the “Inspirational Homegirl,” Maria embodies the essence of leading a purpose-driven life, inspiring others to do the same.
Hailing proudly from Brooklyn, NY, and of Afro-Latin descent, Maria holds a Bachelor’s of Business Administration from Hofstra University and earned her Executive Master’s of Public Administration from NYU’s Wagner Graduate School of Public Service as first-generation college graduate born to immigrant parents from Central America. Her contemporary approach blends faith, transparency, authenticity, humor, and positivity, creating a powerful message of transformation that resonates globally. Maria I. Melendez is not just a leader; she’s a force, shaping the narrative of personal and leadership development for women and girls around the world.
Keiara Johnson – Board Member
Keiara Johnson is a dynamic marketing executive, strategist, and speaker dedicated to elevating brands and empowering the next generation of leaders. As a Senior Performance Marketing Manager at Sage, she leads innovative demand generation and customer engagement strategies while mentoring diverse teams and driving measurable impact.
Beyond the boardroom, Keiara is the founder of Thee Growth Guru, a consulting agency that helps purpose-driven organizations harness the power of AI and automation to scale their marketing efforts with heart and precision.
Passionate about representation, storytelling, and legacy-building, Keiara brings a unique blend of creativity, strategic thinking, and lived experience to the Embrace Her Legacy Board of Directors. Her personal mission is rooted in helping young women unlock their voice, own their power, and rewrite the narratives they’ve been handed.
Cherie Samuels – Board Member
Cherie is a highly accomplished dual qualified lawyer, with over 13 years of experience, specialising in finance, capital markets, derivatives and corporate governance. She is admitted to practice in New York as well as England and Wales. With a focus on investment funds, asset management and financial product development, she has advised some of the largest investment banks in the world, including Goldman Sachs, J.P. Morgan, Deutsche Bank and Nomura.
As a thought leader with expertise in governance development, risk management and international regulatory frameworks, Cherie provides strategic advice to facilitate high value finance transactions as well as innovative solutions to support business growth, optimize value creation and enhance organisational success.
Cherie is passionate about increasing diversity and was the Chair and co-founder of the Black, Asian, Minority Ethnic Network at her prior law firm, CMS Cameron McKenna Nabarro Olswang LLP. In addition to driving global engagement, she developed policies and initiatives to address racial disparities, including spearheading the publication of Ethnic Minority Pay Gap reports and designing technological systems to enhance retention and promote career progression.
Cherie holds an LL.B. law degree from King’s College London and an LL.M. in Banking, Corporate and Finance law from Fordham University in New York.
As an active diversity advocate, inspirational public speaker and leader in her field, Cherie was a founding member of the Steering Committee for the Black Solicitors Network’s Junior Lawyers Division and has been featured in the Top 30 Ethnic Minority Future Leaders List presented by the Financial Times.
Dr. Elise Grace – Board Member
Dr. Elise Grace brings over 20 years of expertise in the pharmaceutical industry to her role as the Manufacturing Strategic Alliance Director at Merck & Co. In this capacity, she leads cross-company collaborations, ensuring the seamless execution of strategic goals. Dr. Grace holds a Doctor of Engineering in Engineering Management from George Washington University, an MBA in Marketing, and a BS in Mechanical Engineering, both from Drexel University.
Her extensive experience spans vaccine manufacturing, supply chain management, strategic alliances, external manufacturing, and marketing operations. Beyond her technical expertise, Dr. Grace is deeply committed to talent development, professional development, leadership roles in employee business resource groups and serving as the Board Liaison for the National Action Council for Minorities in Engineering (NACME).
Outside of work, Dr. Grace is passionate about talent development and mentors and coaches students and early-career professionals. She is a Brooklyn, NY native currently residing outside of the Philadelphia area. In her free time, she enjoys traveling to beaches, spending time with family, and working out.
Ashley Ferreira – Junior Board Member
Ashley Ferreira is a psychology undergraduate student at Arizona State University, graduating in Fall 2025. She chose to study psychology because of her deep love for people and her desire to better understand herself and others. Her academic experience includes research in psycho-oncology, where she explored how serious illness impacts emotional and mental health. She’s also a proud member of Psi Chi, the International Psychology Honor Society, and the National Society of Leadership and Success (NSLS).
Ashley previously attended Hunter College, where she further developed her passion for mental health advocacy and communication. She served as a social media assistant for NAMI at Hunter, supporting mental health awareness initiatives through workshops, content creation, and online engagement. She was also a member of the Hunter Psychology News team, helping to share important updates, resources, and stories with her academic community.
Ashley is passionate about using her background in psychology to make a difference in the wellness, mental health, and beauty space, especially for Gen Z and Millennial women. She currently works as a sales ambassador and visual merchandiser for Lush and leads digital engagement as a social media strategist for Lush Bay Plaza. She also creates her own content focused on self-worth, emotional wellness, confidence, and authenticity.
In Winter/Spring 2024, Ashley served as an intern for Embrace Her Legacy, an experience that deeply impacted her personal and professional journey. Through hands-on work in content creation and community engagement, she gained powerful insight into the connection between marketing and mission. Supporting the emotional growth and self-worth of young girls through this nonprofit opened her eyes to the kind of legacy she wanted to build—one rooted in impact, authenticity, and empowerment.
Now, as a Junior Board Member for Embrace Her Legacy, Ashley is honored to help carry forward a mission that shaped her own path. She’s excited to use her creativity, voice, and lived experiences to uplift and inspire the next generation of legendary women.
Interested in joining our board of directors or other volunteer opportunities? Learn more here.