About the BEHOF

Ken Ampy is the  Chie Executive Officer of Astyra Corporation.  In this role, he is responsible for the company’s overall leadership, culture, and vision; raising the business community’s awareness of the corporation. His knowledge of technology, business, and problem solving spans more than 25 years; resulting in numerous awards including the company’s 4-year run on the prestigious list of Inc. Magazine’s the Fastest Growing Companies In America. 

Mr. Ampy is very active in the business community. He is directly involved with and has held senior leadership roles in several business and non-profit organizations to include: 

7-time Gubernatorial Appointee 

Virginia Credit Union Board of Directors

Chamber RVA Board of Directors

Metropolitan Business League Board (past Chairman)

Bon Secours of Richmond Health Care Foundation Board

Old Dominion University Strome School of Business Executive Advisory Board

Big Brothers Big Sisters Board

In 2005, Mr. Ampy was appointed by Governor Mark Warner, and subsequently reappointed in 2009 by Governor Tim Kaine, to serve on the Board of Visitors of his alma mater Old Dominion University. During his 8-year tenure with the University, Mr. Ampy served as the Chairman of the Academic and Research Advancement Committee, Chairman of the Student Advancement Committee, and as Secretary of the Board 

Mr. Alley is a graduate of the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville. In 1976, he earned his MBA in Finance and Real Estate at SMU’s Cox School of Business and later attended MIT’s Advanced Real Estate Development Program. He went on to start and organize the Commercial Division of Galloway Herron Realtors and later partnered with his brother Gerald to form Con-Real, LP. 

Mr. Alley is the President of Real Estate and Capital Assets Group and Chief Operating Officer of Con-Real, LP where he oversees all real estate activities. Since 1979, he has developed the real estate division of the company and under his direction, Con-Real was the first African American-owned firm to perform major leasing and management services for Prudential Realty and Connecticut Mutual Life Insurance Company in the southwest United States. The firm has been nationally recognized in market/feasibility studies and other real estate consultant services. 

He is also the first African American to become a member of the commercial division of the Dallas Board of Realtors. Having received the (MAI) Member Appraisal Institute designation in North Texas, he is highly recognized as a real estate professional with over 30 years of diversified real estate experience involving real estate evaluations and analysis. 

His passion for education through service and giving back to the community is evident as, he is an approved instructor for the Appraisal Institute. He also was instrumental in developing the Engineering Career Awareness Program (ECAP), which targets minority and African American students from underrepresented areas in Arkansas and other locations in an effort to assist them in their entrance and graduation in the field of Engineering.

Reverend Keith W. Davis is senior pastor at Evangelism Today Christian Church in Camden, New Jersey and President & CEO Koinonia Family Life; which operates the “Camden Dream Center” a community development corporation that focuses on Workforce Development, STEM Practice, and Research .

An extraordinary leader and exceptional visionary with decades of leadership experience in business and community development, alliance management and product marketing. Has broad commercial experience in the IT business, serving Government sector – Department of Defense, Department of Justice and local municipal government entities.  

 He is the Director of Camden Dream Center Technology Training School. The school is a Cisco Networking Academy Support & Instructor Training Center, and supports academies around the world. 

David Anthony (D.A.) Abrams, CAE is the Managing Director for the Center for  Financial Planning. In his role, D.A. is responsible for: Cultivating a  quality workforce; Fostering a  more diverse financial planner workforce that reflects the changing demographics in the United States;  and Elevating the discipline of financial planning to increase the stature and recognition of financial  planning faculty and educational programs .

Mr. Abrams is the immediate past Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer for the United States Tennis  Association (USTA.),  During his 26 years with the USTA, D.A. served as the Executive Director for two (2) of the  Association’s 17 Section offices; USTA Eastern, and USTA Missouri Valley.  

In addition, Mr. Abrams served as the staff member of the Diversity & Inclusion Committee, Hispanic  Engagement Advisory Group, and was chair of the D&I Advisory Group at the USTA. Further, Mr.  Abrams was the chair of the USTA’s Accreditation Review Committee. 

Currently, D.A. serves as the  Diversity & Inclusion Sports Consortium President, the National Association of Asian American  Professionals Board Treasurer, and is an Advisory Board Member of Diversity MBA. 

He played collegiate tennis at Millersville University in Pennsylvania where he earned his  undergraduate degree in business administration, concentration – accounting. Subsequently, D.A. earned  a master’s degree in management from Metropolitan State University in Minneapolis, MN. Mr. Abrams  earned his Certified Association Executive (CAE) credential in 2010.

Dennis English is a seasoned professional with keen public, private and nonprofit experience in government relations, economic development, small business and entrepreneurship, and leadership development. Known as an adroit negotiator, savvy political advisor capable of providing thoughtful advice to policy makers on both sides of the partisan aisle, and a capable manager acutely focused on results. 

English is the President and CEO of English Enterprises, a global Government Affairs and Business consulting firm established in early 2017. English previously served as the Assistant to the Secretary for the Office of Historically Underutilized Businesses in the North Carolina Department of Administration in Governor Pat McCrory’s Administration. During his time in the HUB Office he developed several programs such as the NC Contractors College, The Emerging Contractors Program, and the Repair and Renovation Initiative. 

He was instrumental in strengthening the relationship between the cabinet agencies procurement directors to increase HUB participation. While working in the McCrory administration he also served as Executive Director for the Governor’s 13-member Advisory Council for Small and Historically Underutilized Businesses. He also advised the NC Economic Development Board’s Innovation and Entrepreneurship Subcommittee. Additionally, English was project manager for the Governor’s Innovation to Jobs initiative. 

Prior to his appointment with the North Carolina State Government, he worked in Economic Development at the Kenan Institute of Private Enterprise where he supported high-growth and early-stage entrepreneurs with skills and tools to accelerate their access to profitability. He also developed and implemented business retention and expansion and other economic development projects. 

In 2018 English led the development of several Charter Schools across North Carolina and helped win the state’s first charter school assumption pulling together a diverse, local five-member board in only two weeks. The board impressed the Charter School Advisory Board by demonstrating they had what it took to move the school forward. 

April is the Owner/CEO of BPMGdesigns, a technology company providing cybersecurity and eCommerce services to multimillion-dollar clients. Along with owning the Atlanta Phoenix Women's football team, she spends consults and mentors other strongly driven entrepreneurs.

A seasoned, motivated,  personable program/project management professional with more than 20 years experience, she currently leads program management of HBO International  Infrastructure for WarnerMedia and has led the digital medial development of the Emmy Nominated program, 100th PGA Championship for Turner Broadcasting. 

April has extensive experience in the telecommunications industry leading VOIP conversions, data center decommissions, cell site development wireless implementations, software, and mobile application development launches. 

A proud non-graduate alumnus of Hampton University, she is a solid leader who passionately inspires confidence, trust, and teamwork in others. She has been featured and interviewed on CNN, CBSNews, Georgia Public Broadcasting for her Undefeated Entrepreneur. She professes and lives by her unbeaten, unapologetic and unfiltered, unconventional, untraveled road. 

 Ronald Story has expertise in entrepreneurship, training, and human resources. Ron provides training and consulting services in the areas of Small Business Development, Human Resources, Career, and Workforce  Development. 

Ron has provided consulting services to corporate, academic, government, and non-profit organizations.  In the area of Small Business Development, Ron has provided technical assistance and training with a  variety of organizations throughout the Philadelphia Region such as The Enterprise Center, the Ben  Franklin Technology Partners of Southeastern PA, the Philadelphia Commercial Development  Corporation, the Micro-Enterprise Resource Center at CADCOM in Norristown, the Small Business  Development Center’s at Widener, Temple and the University of Delaware. 

Ron has provided technical assistance for businesses from startup through operational as Director of the Norristown Small  Business Assistance Center (NSBAC) with the Municipality of Norristown. He has also written and implemented youth entrepreneurship programs and curriculum for the Camden City School District, the  Urban League of Philadelphia, and others. 

Ron is a Faculty Instructor for two of the City’s leading business development programs, the PowerUp  Your Business Program and Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses. He currently heads a Business  Engagement Team in Workforce Development for the City of Philadelphia’s Workforce Board;  Philadelphia Works, where he works with local employers to utilize Talent Development Training Grants and also is tasked to lead and design two industry partnerships in Information Technology and  Construction sectors. 

Formerly Ron served as a human resources director at the University of Pennsylvania where he directed Employment and Staffing and the Skills Development Center, a university initiative that provided skills training in core basic job skill areas and offered career assessment services and training. He is a graduate of the University of Pittsburgh with a BS in Political Science and an MS in  Organizational Dynamics from the University of Pennsylvania.