Business Luminary Sheila Johnson Hosts Girls Global Academy Students at The Salamander Resort

Washington, DC –– Today, students from Girls Global Academy Public Charter School (GGA), an all-girls public charter high school in Washington, DC, were hosted by Salamander Hotels and Resorts Founder and CEO Sheila Johnson for a tour and discussion on leading and succeeding in business.

“Today’s high school students are tomorrow’s CEOs, and I’m thrilled to share my experience with these leaders as they set out on their journey for success,” said Johnson. A pioneer for gender and racial equality, Johnson, who is also co-founder of BET, is the only African-American woman to own a five-star resort and have ownership in three professional sports teams (Washington’s Capitals, Wizards and Mystics).

“We need more Black women leaders in boardrooms and leading companies, and connecting our students with a visionary leader like Sheila Johnson shows them that they can dream, lead and succeed,” said Karen Venable-Croft, Co-Founder and Executive Director of GGA. “After a difficult year apart, it was wonderful to see our students connect with each other and Ms. Johnson.”

GGA is one of the newest public charter schools in Washington, DC. It opened in 2020 with its inaugural 9th grade class, and will add an additional grade level each school year for the next three years. Located in the Chinatown neighborhood, the school provides a diverse group of young women a global education that ignites empowerment and develops confidence to influence change for global benefit. The school’s program has three primary focuses: International Baccalaureate academics, combined with distinctive engineering and business pathways; a school culture that values all learners by working daily to fulfill the four promises of sisterhood, scholarship, service and safety; and service learning projects that extend rigorous academics to provide experiences outside the classroom.

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