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Jovan has spent more than fifteen years in nonprofit, government, and mission-driven organizations, helping teams hire effectively, develop staff, and hold people accountable in fair and transparent ways. Over and over, she saw talented employees, especially Black women, doing excellent work while having to manage unwritten rules about voice and presence. That tension is what shaped her doctoral research.

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Her research pays close attention to people who meet the strongest workplace barriers, often Black women, because they show where things break first. The purpose is not to exclude. It is to identify the problems where they first appear, then turn those lessons into practices that any team can use. When leaders understand what is happening at that edge, they can redesign HR, evaluations, and development so more people stay, grow, and lead.

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Because Jovan is actively leading HR, her work is practical and effective. She understands budgets, hiring slowdowns, performance conversations, and boards that want results. As a researcher, she can identify what is happening beneath the surface. When she speaks or facilitates, she brings both. People feel seen, organizations feel supported, and everyone leaves knowing what to do next.

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Mahogany Protégé is the home for this work. It is a humanizing leadership space that starts with those most impacted and welcomes organizations, ERGs, and partners who will honor that focus. Participation means protecting a care-centered space and staying aligned with the belief that workplaces can be excellent without requiring people to become someone else.

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She is currently developing The Mahogany Method, a book and practice framework that translates her Humanized Black Feminist Action Learning research into tools for Black women and workplace leaders.

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To receive Mahogany Method tools and updates, complete the interest form on our Contact page.