The seed for BW3 was planted almost two decades ago when Dr. Hall-Russell, an Indianapolis native, began to merge her cultural influences with corporate leadership. Excited that she had been uniquely prepared by life, work experiences and her education to take on leadership positions, she also noticed patterns of bias that impacted her work and that of other Black women in majority organizations. So intrigued by the challenges, she chose to study this phenonmenon for her doctoral research at Point Park University in Pittsburgh.
Dr. Hall-Russell received her primary education in the Indianapolis Public Schools, an experience for which she is grateful. She went on to get her BA in Sociology from Indiana University (I.U.), a MA in Philanthropic Studies, and a MPA in Nonprofit Management also from I.U. She received her Ed.D in Leadership and Administration from Point Park University. She plans to publish her findings in a book specifically aimed at emerging leaders of color and those who’ll be working with them. She is also working on a BW3 Podcast “ColorFULL Leadership” (c).
As a researcher at Indiana University, Hall-Russell published seminal work on African-American philanthropy, the impact of the black megachurch, and youth, religion and philanthropy. Known for her direct writing style, she has been a frequent guest op/ed columnist for both the Indianapolis Star and the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Prior to establishing BW3, she sat at the helm of several large nonprofits and also worked in international marketing in the corporate sector.
Dr. Hall-Russell sits on the board of the Planned Parenthood of Western PA and recently completed a 5-year term as treasurer of the Pittsburgh Urban Redevelopment Authority – the city’s primary development arm that focused on developing and supporting underserved communities. She is mom of an adult son and a energetic high school age daughter, three grandchildren including a new granddaughter who she hopes will enter a world that appreciates all she has to offer without racial-gendered filters!
