ELEVATE Cohort V Graduates Sustainability-Minded District Businesses

On June 25, The Coalition and the George Washington University School of Business (GWSB) proudly celebrated the graduation of ELEVATE Cohort V, marking a major milestone in our commitment to strengthening the leadership and growth capacity of District small businesses.

Cohort V was uniquely designed to support businesses operating in the green economy or those with sustainability-focused operations, products, or services. Over three months, these 13 entrepreneurs engaged in a rigorous executive education experience tailored to meet the challenges and opportunities of the evolving sustainability landscape.

With this graduating class, ELEVATE has now equipped 66 local small business leaders across five cohorts with the tools and training needed to grow and thrive in Washington, DC’s competitive business environment.

ELEVATE, short for Executive Leadership Education Venture Advancing Talented Entrepreneurs, is a best-in-class program designed to help District-based small business owners sharpen their strategic, operational, and financial management skills. Developed and led by faculty from the George Washington School of Business Center for Entrepreneurial Excellence, the curriculum is the only executive education program in the district backed by a university, and provides practical, high-impact learning opportunities for entrepreneurs aiming to expand their reach and impact.

From business model refinement to procurement readiness, the ELEVATE experience empowers participants with the clarity, confidence, and connections to take their businesses to the next level.

ELEVATE offered an invaluable opportunity to engage with visionary leaders and outstanding mentors committed to excellence. The experience reinforced our vision, strengthened alignment with our core values, encouraged high performance, and provided meaningful support in driving our mission from good to great. I look forward to continuing this partnership with The Coalition (formerly CNHED). Thank you, sincerely, Evette Banfield and Ayman Eltarabishy.

- William McAfee -- Sustainable Facilities Management Services

Participating in The Coalition’s ELEVATE program was transformative for both my leadership approach and strategic thinking. The experience challenged me to move beyond my comfort zone as an entrepreneur and embrace a more collaborative, systems-thinking leadership style. The program didn’t just teach me new business skills, it fundamentally shifted how I view my role in the District’s business ecosystem.

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- JocCole Burton, SRGE -- Construction Accelerator

ELEVATE's Cohort IV Graduates

Martha Ayalew	Mar-sam LLC	Mar-Sam Solutions is a minority-certified, women-owned IT company specializing in AWS cloud computing, data architecture, and end-to-end IT solutions. They provide secure, scalable, and innovative technology solutions tailored to the needs of businesses and government agencies. They aim to help organizations streamline operations, enhance security, and drive digital transformation.
Rudolph Brown	Stuff Haulers	Stuff Haulers is a passionate team of happy haulers and installers who take seriously our goals of helping our clients, one truckload at time. Our mission is to deliver customer excellent service utilizing sustainable practices to help reduce waste to help make the environment a better place.
Shenay Coley	1 Regal Enterprise, LLC	Regal Enterprise Home Improvement Company is a licensed General Contractor specializing in residential interior and exterior remodeling. Their expertise is in the trades of roofing, kitchen remodeling, bathroom remodeling, siding, windows, and decks. Regal Enterprise’s mission is to provide its customer with reliable service employing high standards of Value, Quality and Professionalism.
Kamau Donadelle	Foundation Entertainment	Founded in 1998, FEAV is a Certified Business Enterprise (CBE) and minority-owned firm is a one-stop turnkey solution for our customers audio, visual and control system needs. FEAV designs and installs professional audio, video and control systems of highest quality for small to large-scale venues and events.
Alexes Haggins	Flowers By Alexes	Locally owned, Flowers By Alexes LLC is the premier go-to florist in Washington, DC and beyond, offering the freshest flowers and most beautiful arrangements for every occasion. Flowers By Alexes LLC floral designers use their creative talent to share a love of flowers through great design, precise attention-to-detail and wonderfully fresh flowers. All of our florists at Flowers By Alexes LLC take great pleasure in crafting traditional and contemporary bouquets with plenty of room for customization and uniqueness.
Sherry Hooks	Light Weight Technologies, LWT LLC	Light Weight Technologies enables businesses to stay competitive by providing the hardware and software and solutions needed to achieve optimal business performance.
JaLisa Johnson	Virtual Emerging Technology Solutions	Virtual Emerging Technology Solutions (V-ETS), LLC is a minority, woman-owned Information Technology consulting firm, specialized in formulating IT Architecture Solutions. We are experts in designing, implementing, and managing solution engineering in relation to specific business problems. We introduce and lead the technical vision for the particular solution. We specialize in Cloud Migrations, Application Modernization around Emergency Managements, and Healthcare IT.
Gimari Jones	Change Bridge	Change Bridge is deeply committed to driving improvements in education, healthcare, and technology—and they don’t stop there. Their team of dynamic experts in project management, technology, learning, and strategy bring experience across diverse industries. Change Bridge take pride in uncovering innovative, customized solutions designed to meet their client’s unique needs.
Tarsha Phillibert	Liberty Procurement Solutions	Liberty Procurement specializes in providing office supplies, school products, furniture, and construction services tailored to the needs of government agencies. Liberty Procurement ensures that the services it provides are credible, fast, and affordable to support government organizations in their functioning.
William McAfee	Sustainability Facilities Management Services (SFMS)	Sustainable Facilities Management Services (SFMS) is a socially and economically disadvantaged women-owned small business located in Washington, DC. SFMS provides fully integrated, holistic facilities management services to federal and local governments, commercial and industrial markets. Their green and sustainable operations and maintenance practices utilize policies, procedures, processes and standards to increase the efficiencies with which resources, energy, water and materials, are used while reducing building impacts on human health and the environment.
Andre Price	Sustainability Facilities Management Services (SFMS)	Sustainable Facilities Management Services (SFMS) is a socially and economically disadvantaged women-owned small business located in Washington, DC. SFMS provides fully integrated, holistic facilities management services to federal and local governments, commercial and industrial markets. Their green and sustainable operations and maintenance practices utilize policies, procedures, processes and standards to increase the efficiencies with which resources, energy, water and materials, are used while reducing building impacts on human health and the environment.
Herman Wooden	Angel Transportation	Angel Transportation is a Certified Business Enterprise (CBE) General Contractor licensed in the District of Columbia. They specialize in all areas of construction management and a range of self-performed construction trade services.
JocCole Burton	SRGE, Construction Accelerator	SRGE is dedicated to building a more inclusive construction industry. Their services include providing access to resources; back office support, strategic guidance, estimating, technology procurement support, and compliance reporting. The SRGE construction accelerator employs cutting-edge technology that streamlines construction processes, expediting project timelines and increasing overall efficiency.

Direct, intensive, and impactful programs like ELEVATE are impossible without the support of our funders. We extend our deepest thanks to Truist and the Capital Region Minority Supplier Development Council for your generous contributions toward our Small Business Ecosystem Building work.

ELEVATE Cohort V Graduates Sustainability-Minded District Businesses

ELEVATE's Cohort IV Graduates

Stuff Haulers is a passionate team of happy haulers and installers who take seriously our goals of helping our clients, one truckload at time. Our mission is to deliver customer excellent service utilizing sustainable practices to help reduce waste to help make the environment a better place.

Light Weight Technologies enables businesses to stay competitive by providing the hardware and software and solutions needed to achieve optimal business performance.

Angel Transportation is a Certified Business Enterprise (CBE) General Contractor licensed in the District of Columbia. They specialize in all areas of construction management and a range of self-performed construction trade services.

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