Stay A While

Take a seat… and stay a while.  Today's conversation is about vision, courage, and what happens when someone decides to build what they wish existed. I’m honored to welcome Elizabeth 'Dillow' Jenkins to Stay A While. As President and COO of the Women's National Football Conference, Dillow is leading a movement that is transforming the future of women’s sports. What began as a personal love for foo...

Take a seat… and stay a while. Some of the most powerful leaders are the ones who quietly show up, serve consistently, and invest in the people around them. In this inspiring episode of Stay A While, I sit down with Jon Hooper, Owner-Operator of Chick-fil-A Emeryville and Oakland, whose journey is a testament to the power of hard work, humility, and purpose-driven leadership.  Jon's story began as...

Take a seat… and stay a while. In this dynamic episode of Stay A While, we welcome Deonna Purrazzo—world-class professional wrestler, champion, and one of the most respected technical performers in women’s sports entertainment. Known around the world as The Virtuosa, Deonna has built a career defined by discipline, precision, resilience, and an unwavering commitment to excellence. Competing at the...

Take a seat… and stay a while. In this powerful and purpose-driven episode of Stay A While, we welcome Dr. Mimi Nartey—an interdisciplinary scholar, former professional athlete, social entrepreneur, philanthropist, and visionary leader whose work is transforming the way communities think about sports, health, and belonging. From representing Ghana on the world stage in the FIFA Women's World Cup t...

Take a seat… and stay a while. In this powerful episode of Stay A While, we sit down with Leilani Caamal—former collegiate football standout, linebacker for the Golden State Storm, and one of the most decorated players in women’s football. A 5-time NAIA National Champion with Ottawa Flag Football, Leilani’s story is one of resilience, grit, discipline, and unwavering determination.  But this conve...

Take a seat… and stay a while. This episode is held with tenderness, intention, and deep respect. In honor of Mental Health Awareness Month, we welcome April Simpkins—Ambassador for National Alliance on Mental Illness, Founder & CEO of Paragon Strategy Partners, and co-author of By the Time You Read This. April is also the mother of Cheslie Kryst, whose brilliance, compassion, and light impact...

Take a seat… and Stay A While. In this powerful and inspiring episode of Stay A While, we welcome Laneah Bryan—a world champion athlete, entrepreneur, and trailblazer helping redefine the future of women’s sports. From the hardwood to the global stage, Laneah’s journey is one of discipline, resilience, and bold vision. A former collegiate basketball player turned elite flag football athlete, she n...

In this powerful episode of Stay A While, we sit down with Damar Hamlin—safety for the Buffalo Bills and founder of the Chasing M’s Foundation—for a conversation grounded in faith, resilience, and gratitude. Football may be his profession, but community impact is his legacy. Damar shares the heart behind launching the Chasing M’s Foundation in 2020, a mission-driven organization dedicated to helpi...

What if the story you’ve been sitting on is the very thing that unlocks your next level? In this powerful episode of Stay A While, we gather at the table with storytelling and personal narrative coach Ty Spells—a trusted guide for leaders, entrepreneurs, and mission-driven organizations ready to communicate with clarity, purpose, and impact. Ty has helped countless individuals and organizations re...

What does it take to build something meaningful—and stay grounded while doing it? In this powerful episode of Stay A While, we sit down with Julia Hartz, co-founder of Eventbrite, to explore the mindset, courage, and quiet conviction required to turn an idea into a global movement. From launching Eventbrite at just 25 years old to leading one of the world’s most recognized event platforms for over...

 Take a seat… and stay a while. In this powerful and purpose-filled episode of Stay A While, we gather around the table with Mizpah Brown-Rich , CEO and Co-Founder of Joshua’s Gift, Inc., a nonprofit born from love, advocacy, and a mother’s unwavering commitment to her son Joshua with autism. This is more than a conversation—it’s a call to lead with compassion, to turn everything into purpose, and...

Recorded live at Super Bowl 59’s Radio Row, this episode features an inspiring conversation with Laura Okmin and the incredible women of Galvanize, an organization empowering women in sports media. Host Tommi Vincent explores the impact of mentorship, the power of presence, and how these women are shaping the industry. Laura shares her personal journey, the lessons she’s learned from decades in sp...

Mea Boykins is a global entrepreneur making a bold move to Nigeria. In this episode, she shares how her international education and business ventures led her to a life of impact across continents. From studying at Spelman College to building connections worldwide, Mea’s journey is all about embracing opportunity and stepping into the unknown. She discusses the importance of global citizenship, the...

Alex Ebanks, VP of Communications at Fiserv, shares her journey from Spelman College to leading major brand communications on a global stage. From her early PR internships to handling media at the Essence Festival and the Super Bowl, Alex talks about the power of storytelling and branding in corporate leadership. She discusses the transferable skills that helped her navigate industries, the import...

In this compelling episode, Tommi Vincent sits down with Arielle Comer, a newly certified NFL agent, to discuss the challenges and triumphs of being a Black woman in sports representation. From her legal background to her passion for protecting athletes' futures, Ariel shares why being a ‘mama bear’ is her greatest strength in the game. With a focus on integrity, advocacy, and ensuring long-term f...

Dr. K. Renee Horton is breaking barriers in the world of physics and inspiring the next generation of Black women in STEM. In this empowering episode of Stay A While, host Tommi Vincent sits down with Dr. Horton to discuss her journey from childhood dreams of space to becoming a leading voice in science and education. She shares the challenges she faced, including overcoming hearing loss, navigati...

Christina Francis, President of Magic Johnson Enterprises, shares her journey of resilience, leadership, and purpose. She dives into the ‘Three P’s’—Pause, Pray, Proceed—and how this philosophy has shaped her career and success. Christina discusses the challenges of navigating corporate leadership, the importance of mentorship, and how faith plays a role in making major business decisions. She als...

Anjelika Perry, CEO of Black Travel Go, joins Stay A While to discuss how travel can be a tool for personal growth, healing, and building generational legacy. She shares her journey of traveling as a form of self-discovery, how she built a thriving business in the travel industry, and why it’s crucial for Black travelers to connect with communities worldwide. Anjelika also dives into the impact of...

Rebecca Crews is a true multi-hyphenate—entrepreneur, actress, singer, and now, fashion designer. In this episode of Stay A While, Tommi Vincent chats with Rebecca about launching her clothing line during the pandemic, her passion for beauty and style, and how faith has guided her path. She also opens up about the intersection of fashion and ministry as she embarks on a new chapter in leading a ch...

Recorded live on Radio Row at Super Bowl 59, this powerful episode of Stay A While with host Tommi Vincent features an eye-opening conversation with Ben McLeish, Chick-fil-A leader and advocate for food repurposing, and Sarah Parks, Executive Director of Grace at the Green Light. They dive into the realities of food insecurity, the importance of human dignity, and how small actions can create last...

Food, faith, and family—Tamela Gill Davis brings all three together in this heartwarming episode of Stay A While. Host Tommi Vincent sits down with the culinary entrepreneur and founder of The F Word to discuss how her love for cooking, rooted in family tradition, has become both a business and a ministry. From tailgates to food trucks, Tamela shares her journey, her passion for feeding others, an...

Mental health matters—and in this special Stay A While episode, recorded live at Super Bowl 59, host Tommi Vincent welcomes Dan Gillison, CEO of NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness). Together, they tackle the importance of mental health awareness, the role of faith-based communities, and the unique challenges faced by HBCU students and student-athletes. Gillison shares his expertise on the e...

Love is a verb, and Haley Hunt is putting that belief into action. As the founder of The Verb Kind, she works to bring hope and encouragement to incarcerated youth. In this episode, recorded live at Super Bowl 59, Haley shares with host Tommi Vincent the importance of showing up for those who feel forgotten, how mentorship changes lives, and why love, in its truest form, is a transformative force....

What does it take to transition from a decorated sports career to a leadership role in the NBA? On this episode of Stay A While, host Tommi Vincent sits down with Swin Cash, Senior VP of Basketball Operations for the New Orleans Pelicans, to talk about resilience, leadership, and the lessons she’s learned from the court to the corporate world. Swin shares her experiences navigating professional sp...