Gamifying Pitch Competitions

Aisha Mccain

Aisha McCain is an inventor, entrepreneur, and healthcare innovator who believes the best solutions come from people who have lived the problem. A three time cancer survivor, Aisha spent years navigating surgeries, recovery, and the realities of life as a patient. Along the way, she experienced firsthand the challenges patients and caregivers face every day and was inspired to create solutions that improve safety, dignity, and quality of life. As Founder and CEO of Casual Recovery Enterprises, Aisha develops patented healthcare innovations designed to improve patient safety, emergency response, and recovery. She holds 9 U.S. utility patents, 1 international patent, and multiple international patents pending. Her work has earned international recognition, including multiple Gold Medals at the Silicon Valley International Invention Festival, the RIVA Award for Innovation, and recognition from the United States Patent and Trademark Office. Among her innovations are Smart Case, a patented connected emergency response device for rescue inhalers, Drain Care Wear, a patented post surgical recovery garment, and Wound Care Wear, a patented smart textile technology designed to improve wound care and patient recovery. Aisha is also the creator of Pediatric Superheroes, an initiative dedicated to empowering children facing serious illnesses through hope, courage, and compassion. After losing her sister to asthma, Aisha became even more determined to create technologies that help people access life saving care when every second matters. Through innovation, advocacy, and lived experience, she is building a future where patients feel safer, more supported, and better connected to the care they need when it matters most.

Katrina Thacker

Katrina Thacker is the Founder and CEO of Nzuri Kulture, a Chicago based wellness brand creating Aromatic Scentscapes that transform everyday moments into opportunities for healing, comfort, and connection. A certified Reiki practitioner, Katrina founded the company during the pandemic after experiencing the profound impact scent can have on emotional well being. Inspired by culture, cherished memories, and intentional living, Katrina has grown Nzuri Kulture from a single candle into a thriving wellness brand offering handcrafted candles, skincare, workshops, and immersive experiences that help people reconnect with themselves and those they love. From nostalgic food inspired candles to intention collections rooted in mindfulness, every product is thoughtfully designed to evoke joy, spark meaningful memories, and support holistic wellness. Since launching, Katrina has served thousands of customers, built retail and wholesale partnerships, and created community centered wellness experiences throughout Chicago. Her vision extends far beyond candles. She is building a wellness brand that makes self care accessible, culturally relevant, and deeply personal. Through this crowdfunding campaign, Katrina is inviting supporters to help expand Nzuri Kulture’s impact by growing its wellness offerings, creating new experiences, increasing production capacity, and bringing intentional self care to even more communities. Every contribution helps transform a simple candle into a lasting experience of healing, connection, and hope.

Nijeria Thompson

Nijeria is the Founder & CEO of TAP Candle Company, a Black woman-owned luxury home fragrance brand that creates music-inspired candles, room sprays, and diffusers. TAP Candles specializes in transforming songs into immersive scent experiences using clean, vegan, sustainable ingredients. Each product features a QR code linking to the track that inspired the fragrance, merging scent, sound, and storytelling in a unique proprietary customer experience. With professional experience leading Inclusion, Belonging, and Diversity initiatives at Fortune 500 and global companies. Nijeria brings strong expertise in strategic leadership, brand development, and culture-building. This background directly supports TAP Candles's mission to celebrate Black culture, promote wellness through clean fragrance, and create accessible luxury for diverse audiences. Since launching, TAP Candles has: • Developed a growing product line using coconut–apricot wax and non-toxic fragrance blends • Built partnerships across retail, corporate gifting, and marketing activations • Designed custom fragrance experiences for artists, musicians, and creative brands • Expanded into experiential products that integrate technology with fragrance • Established a strong community presence through storytelling, music culture, and sustainable luxury Nijeria is committed to scaling TAP Candles into a nationally recognized fragrance and lifestyle brand. She focuses on innovation, revenue growth, partnerships, and expanding TAP Candles presence in retail, entertainment, and corporate gifting markets.

Evelyn LaChapelle

Evelyn LaChapelle , in 2013 was convicted for her minor role in a cannabis distribution operation. She is now utilizing her position to advocate for restorative justice. Evelyn has built her own lifestyle brand “87”. She plans to push this brand and industry forward by normalizing cannabis consumption first with luxury cannabis high essentials & apparel.

Tyisha Ferguson

Tyisha Ferguson is the founder of Brown Girl Candle Café, a handcrafted candle brand that blends dessert-inspired creativity with healing and self-care. What began as a personal journey through grief after the tragic loss of her daughter has evolved into a purpose-driven business that brings light, comfort, and connection to others. Tyisha is also in the process of launching the Purple Butterfly Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting individuals navigating grief and trauma through therapeutic art, emotional wellness programs, and community outreach. With a background in social sciences and case management, she brings compassion, resilience, and heart to every aspect of her work. Through both her business and foundation, Tyisha is on a mission to turn pain into purpose — creating safe spaces for healing and inspiring others to rise with grace and strength.

Dr Sharita Ambrose

For more than 22 years, Dr. Sharita Ambrose has dedicated her career to improving the health and well-being of underserved communities, with a special focus on Black women's health, HIV prevention, and reproductive justice. A Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES), Certified Community Health Worker Instructor (CHWI), and Doctor of Health Education specializing in Health Promotion, Dr. Ambrose has spent her career transforming research into meaningful community action. Her doctoral research explored Black women's awareness of and willingness to use PrEP, deepening her commitment to addressing the systemic barriers that contribute to health inequities. "I am committed to Black women's holistic health. I believe Black women's voices deserve to be heard in healthcare, and that spaces should be created for Black women, by Black women." For more than 15 years, Dr. Ambrose has trained healthcare providers across Texas to strengthen HIV prevention, testing, treatment, and care navigation. She has equipped hundreds of professionals with the skills needed to better serve communities disproportionately impacted by HIV while advocating for culturally responsive, community-driven approaches to health education. Inspired by a vision of health equity, Dr. Ambrose co-founded Allure Alliance Inc., a nonprofit organization dedicated to reducing disparities in sexual health, HIV, and reproductive health among Black women. Through innovative programs such as QUEEN TALK, KISS & TELL, Community Health Worker training, and mental health initiatives, Allure Alliance empowers women with education, resources, advocacy, and supportive spaces where they can thrive. Today, Allure Alliance is growing—but so is the need. While program funding helps deliver services, unrestricted operational support is what keeps the organization running. Your contribution helps sustain the staff, technology, outreach, training, and administrative infrastructure needed to expand programs, reach more communities, and respond to emerging health challenges. Every donation is an investment in healthier communities, stronger families, and a future where every Black woman has equitable access to the knowledge, resources, and support she deserves. Together, we can ensure that Allure Alliance continues creating lasting change—one conversation, one community, and one life at a time.

Aisha Mccain

Aisha McCain is an inventor, entrepreneur, and healthcare innovator who believes the best solutions come from people who have lived the problem. A three time cancer survivor, Aisha spent years navigating surgeries, recovery, and the realities of life as a patient. Along the way, she experienced firsthand the challenges patients and caregivers face every day and was inspired to create solutions that improve safety, dignity, and quality of life. As Founder and CEO of Casual Recovery Enterprises, Aisha develops patented healthcare innovations designed to improve patient safety, emergency response, and recovery. She holds 9 U.S. utility patents, 1 international patent, and multiple international patents pending. Her work has earned international recognition, including multiple Gold Medals at the Silicon Valley International Invention Festival, the RIVA Award for Innovation, and recognition from the United States Patent and Trademark Office. Among her innovations are Smart Case, a patented connected emergency response device for rescue inhalers, Drain Care Wear, a patented post surgical recovery garment, and Wound Care Wear, a patented smart textile technology designed to improve wound care and patient recovery. Aisha is also the creator of Pediatric Superheroes, an initiative dedicated to empowering children facing serious illnesses through hope, courage, and compassion. After losing her sister to asthma, Aisha became even more determined to create technologies that help people access life saving care when every second matters. Through innovation, advocacy, and lived experience, she is building a future where patients feel safer, more supported, and better connected to the care they need when it matters most.

Katrina Thacker

Katrina Thacker is the Founder and CEO of Nzuri Kulture, a Chicago based wellness brand creating Aromatic Scentscapes that transform everyday moments into opportunities for healing, comfort, and connection. A certified Reiki practitioner, Katrina founded the company during the pandemic after experiencing the profound impact scent can have on emotional well being. Inspired by culture, cherished memories, and intentional living, Katrina has grown Nzuri Kulture from a single candle into a thriving wellness brand offering handcrafted candles, skincare, workshops, and immersive experiences that help people reconnect with themselves and those they love. From nostalgic food inspired candles to intention collections rooted in mindfulness, every product is thoughtfully designed to evoke joy, spark meaningful memories, and support holistic wellness. Since launching, Katrina has served thousands of customers, built retail and wholesale partnerships, and created community centered wellness experiences throughout Chicago. Her vision extends far beyond candles. She is building a wellness brand that makes self care accessible, culturally relevant, and deeply personal. Through this crowdfunding campaign, Katrina is inviting supporters to help expand Nzuri Kulture’s impact by growing its wellness offerings, creating new experiences, increasing production capacity, and bringing intentional self care to even more communities. Every contribution helps transform a simple candle into a lasting experience of healing, connection, and hope.

Nijeria Thompson

Nijeria is the Founder & CEO of TAP Candle Company, a Black woman-owned luxury home fragrance brand that creates music-inspired candles, room sprays, and diffusers. TAP Candles specializes in transforming songs into immersive scent experiences using clean, vegan, sustainable ingredients. Each product features a QR code linking to the track that inspired the fragrance, merging scent, sound, and storytelling in a unique proprietary customer experience. With professional experience leading Inclusion, Belonging, and Diversity initiatives at Fortune 500 and global companies. Nijeria brings strong expertise in strategic leadership, brand development, and culture-building. This background directly supports TAP Candles's mission to celebrate Black culture, promote wellness through clean fragrance, and create accessible luxury for diverse audiences. Since launching, TAP Candles has: • Developed a growing product line using coconut–apricot wax and non-toxic fragrance blends • Built partnerships across retail, corporate gifting, and marketing activations • Designed custom fragrance experiences for artists, musicians, and creative brands • Expanded into experiential products that integrate technology with fragrance • Established a strong community presence through storytelling, music culture, and sustainable luxury Nijeria is committed to scaling TAP Candles into a nationally recognized fragrance and lifestyle brand. She focuses on innovation, revenue growth, partnerships, and expanding TAP Candles presence in retail, entertainment, and corporate gifting markets.

Evelyn LaChapelle

Evelyn LaChapelle , in 2013 was convicted for her minor role in a cannabis distribution operation. She is now utilizing her position to advocate for restorative justice. Evelyn has built her own lifestyle brand “87”. She plans to push this brand and industry forward by normalizing cannabis consumption first with luxury cannabis high essentials & apparel.

Tyisha Ferguson

Tyisha Ferguson is the founder of Brown Girl Candle Café, a handcrafted candle brand that blends dessert-inspired creativity with healing and self-care. What began as a personal journey through grief after the tragic loss of her daughter has evolved into a purpose-driven business that brings light, comfort, and connection to others. Tyisha is also in the process of launching the Purple Butterfly Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting individuals navigating grief and trauma through therapeutic art, emotional wellness programs, and community outreach. With a background in social sciences and case management, she brings compassion, resilience, and heart to every aspect of her work. Through both her business and foundation, Tyisha is on a mission to turn pain into purpose — creating safe spaces for healing and inspiring others to rise with grace and strength.

Dr Sharita Ambrose

For more than 22 years, Dr. Sharita Ambrose has dedicated her career to improving the health and well-being of underserved communities, with a special focus on Black women's health, HIV prevention, and reproductive justice. A Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES), Certified Community Health Worker Instructor (CHWI), and Doctor of Health Education specializing in Health Promotion, Dr. Ambrose has spent her career transforming research into meaningful community action. Her doctoral research explored Black women's awareness of and willingness to use PrEP, deepening her commitment to addressing the systemic barriers that contribute to health inequities. "I am committed to Black women's holistic health. I believe Black women's voices deserve to be heard in healthcare, and that spaces should be created for Black women, by Black women." For more than 15 years, Dr. Ambrose has trained healthcare providers across Texas to strengthen HIV prevention, testing, treatment, and care navigation. She has equipped hundreds of professionals with the skills needed to better serve communities disproportionately impacted by HIV while advocating for culturally responsive, community-driven approaches to health education. Inspired by a vision of health equity, Dr. Ambrose co-founded Allure Alliance Inc., a nonprofit organization dedicated to reducing disparities in sexual health, HIV, and reproductive health among Black women. Through innovative programs such as QUEEN TALK, KISS & TELL, Community Health Worker training, and mental health initiatives, Allure Alliance empowers women with education, resources, advocacy, and supportive spaces where they can thrive. Today, Allure Alliance is growing—but so is the need. While program funding helps deliver services, unrestricted operational support is what keeps the organization running. Your contribution helps sustain the staff, technology, outreach, training, and administrative infrastructure needed to expand programs, reach more communities, and respond to emerging health challenges. Every donation is an investment in healthier communities, stronger families, and a future where every Black woman has equitable access to the knowledge, resources, and support she deserves. Together, we can ensure that Allure Alliance continues creating lasting change—one conversation, one community, and one life at a time.