About Young Black and Professional, LLC
Developed in 2020, Young Black and Professional was created by Dr. Des & Darius, who both work on the senior level of their professions. This organization serves to assist minorities with transitioning into the professional world! There are so many struggles that come with being both, young & black in a professional setting and we’re here to help you navigate those waters.
Our podcast is designed to give you real life advice and tips on how to navigate your career and how to break into other careers. We have guest speakers who give insight on their journey to their respective careers.
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Dr. Desiree (Jonas) Strickland
Founder/CEO
Dr. Des is a Florida native who currently resides in Atlanta, Georgia. She is a public health professional on the senior level, with expertise in chronic disease prevention, childhood obesity prevention, health policy and project management. She is also an adjunct professor, who teaches courses in Health Disparities & Minority Health.
Dr. Des has served as the hiring manager in different areas of her field since 2018. She has also managed a multitude of interns and public health professionals. She has always enjoyed managing and teaching interns and noticed the lack of professional development education students receive in their educational careers.
By developing Young Black & Professional Desiree hopes to continue to serve young black professionals by offering insight into the professional world and assistance with how to navigate that world while being a young black college graduate.
To learn more about Dr. Des check out the articles she’s been featured in!
Darius Strickland
Co-Founder/COO
Darius Strickland is an Arkansas native who currently resides in Atlanta, GA. He currently works in the field of sports management as an Assistant Director of Facilities, Events, & Operations. Darius is a former student-athlete (Football) who worked his way up the ranks at his alma mater by serving as the Assistant Athletic Director of Facilities and Game Operations. He is currently a member of the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA), Collegiate Event and Facility Management Association (CEFMA), and Minority Opportunities Athletic Association (MOAA), Darius is finishing his third year as a Ph.D. student in Sports Management at Troy University.
Darius has had the opportunity to provide opportunities for numerous up and coming professionals by providing internships, and student worker positions that allow up and coming sports management professionals to benefit from rare hands on experiences within athletic departments.
As a Co-Founder of Young Black & Professional, Darius is adamant about providing the necessary information for African Americans to succeed in entering the workforce, and continuously learn and grow within his/her respective field.
“Providing this information for young black professionals will give me the opportunity to share my knowledge and experiences with those who are interested in moving up the ladder of success. “