For Jelanna, the passion behind athLEDA Arise was born from witnessing her eldest son’s journey as a collegiate football player. Jelanna witnessed the highs and lows—from her son’s passion and skill which won him a full scholarship as a running back, to his recovery from surgery and the trauma of concussion-related injuries that ultimately ended his dream early. This process prompted Jelanna to observe the systemic challenges affecting the 98% of high-performing athletes who transition to professional lives outside of their sport. Her focus is fueled by a mission to help transform athletes into effective business leaders by converting skills on the field of play to skills useful in the professional world. Above all, Jelanna created the foundation to support diversity and inclusion of all athletes on their journey to greatness. She is relentlessly focused on eradicating racism, creating a culture of equity, and closing the gender pay gap as she empowers young minds to navigate the workforce with confidence and authenticity.
Jelanna uses her experience in Management Consulting, Healthcare, People, and Change to create a space that emphasizes mindfulness, focus, and resilience. Her previous organizational tenure includes Ernst & Young, KPMG, and Eli Lilly and Company. Jelanna also holds a Master’s degree in Information Systems from the Kelley School of Business, located in Bloomington, Indiana. She is Caribbean born and has lived in San Juan, Chicago, San Antonio, and finally Los Angeles, where she currently resides with her three athlete sons and loving parents. In her free time, she enjoys practicing yoga and Pilates, hiking trails with her lovely golden retriever, sipping organic tea while holding her calico cat Luna, and meditating on the art of the possible.