Newark-Based Nonprofit's CEO Receives Women's Empowerment Award

NEWARK, NJ —IFEL CEO Jill Johnson was recently honored with the Women’s Empowerment Award from Berkeley College. Part of the Seventh Annual Women’s Entrepreneurship Week (WEW) Summit entitled “The Future Is Women,” the Women’s Empowerment Award celebrates women at the forefront of business, government, media, public health, entertainment, fashion and more.

Jill Johnson is the Co-founder and CEO of the Institute For Entrepreneurial Leadership (IFEL), a non-profit business consulting organization she founded with her father in 2002.

Through her visionary leadership, IFEL has created an innovative platform for businesses to accelerate their growth through three signature programs: Small Businesses Need Us, Women of Color Connecting featuring the ‘Success Circles’ model, and The Making of Black Angels.

Johnson has nearly 30 years of experience as a business strategist with expertise in financial analysis, marketing, and business development. She is an advocate for community businesses and microenterprises and is a leading authority and champion for inclusive entrepreneurial ecosystems, speaking on topics which include community economic development, business plan development, women’s entrepreneurship, small business growth, and creating a new paradigm for access to capital.

“I am proud to receive this very special award, which shines a bright light on the amazing achievements of women both past and present and honors their courage to change society and advance opportunities for more women in the future,” Johnson stated.

Berkeley College Vice-President of Communications & External Relations Angela Harrigton, founder of Women’s Entrepreneurship Week, stated, “We believe that bringing women’s voices forward is an important part of building an equitable society, and gives our students a place where they can be inspired and introduced to the movers and shakers, who at one time were just like them.

“To bring that inspiration forward for our students is incredible," she said.

For more information on IFEL programs and events, visit https://www.weareifel.org.