Board of Directors

Kimberly Selden, Founder and CEO

  • Kimberly Selden is a creative strategist, storyteller, and social entrepreneur dedicated to liberation in the Black community. As Founder and CEO of Black Girls Tennis Club (BGTC), she leads with a vision that merges sport, culture, and community to reimagine what access, representation, and joy look like for Black women in tennis.

    A producer by trade, Kimberly has led culture-shifting campaigns across entertainment, politics, social impact, and the African diaspora — including her work as Creative Director for the Harris for President campaign and as a strategist for Families Belong Together. Her portfolio includes leading creative and strategic projects for Google, Facebook, Planned Parenthood, ESPN, MTV, and notable political and cultural initiatives.

    Beyond BGTC, Kimberly’s work lives at the intersection of storytelling, advocacy, and impact — using creativity to spark systems-level change. A Virginia native now based in Los Angeles, she brings a global perspective shaped by faith, travel, and purpose. Through BGTC, Kimberly continues to build a movement that expands access to play and belonging for Black women and girls everywhere.

Aerica Shimizu Banks, Board Chair

  • Aerica Shimizu Banks is a tech policy expert, inclusion innovator, and creative entrepreneur committed to building equitable systems. A lifelong tennis player, Aerica led her high school team to district championships and ranked #68 in Northern California’s USTA division.

    She is the Founder of Shiso, a consultancy applying an intersectional equity lens to tech, business, and social challenges. Previously, she built DEI programs at Google and co-founded Pinterest’s DC office, later holding the company accountable for systemic inequities. She also co-founded BEACON: The DC Women Founders Initiative and served as a political appointee in the Obama Administration.

    Recognized by Forbes 30 Under 30, The Root 100, and Washingtonian Magazine’s Tech Titans, Aerica has advised on innovation policy for the Biden Administration and championed legislation such as California’s Silenced No More Act.

    She holds an MSc in Environmental Policy from Oxford University and a BA in Environmental Studies and Public Affairs from Seattle University. As BGTC’s Board Chair, Aerica merges her passion for tennis and equity to lead the organization’s governance and ensure strong, values-driven leadership.

John A. Borden, Jr., Board Member and Finance Chair

  • John A. Borden, Jr. is an accomplished nonprofit executive with more than a decade of leadership in strategy, fundraising, and organizational development. He currently serves as Chief Executive Officer of Tennis Memphis, where he oversees programs that expand access to the sport, strengthen community partnerships, and promote tennis as a vehicle for education and empowerment.

    Before joining Tennis Memphis, John served as President & CEO of the Washington Tennis & Education Foundation (WTEF), where he led a $25 million organization and 52 staff members, increasing revenue by 33% during his tenure. His leadership advanced WTEF’s citywide expansion, energy-efficient upgrades, and strategic partnerships with organizations such as Mubadala Investment Company.

    Earlier in his career, John served as General Manager at the Junior Tennis Champions Center in Maryland. He holds a Juris Doctor from Howard University and a B.A. from Villanova University. Originally from Philadelphia, John now resides in Memphis, Tennessee, with his wife, Dr. Chanelle Case-Borden, and their two children.

    As Finance Chair of BGTC’s Board, John provides fiscal oversight and strategic guidance, ensuring the organization’s long-term sustainability and growth.

Amanda Finney, Board Member

  • Amanda is a strategic communications leader specializing in public affairs, media relations, digital strategy, and large-scale campaigns. With over a decade of experience across corporate, government, and nonprofit sectors, she brings a nuanced understanding of how institutions, leaders, and brands connect with the public.

    She currently works at Avoq and previously served as Director of Public Affairs at the U.S. Department of Energy, where she led agency-wide messaging and media relations. Prior to that, Amanda worked in the White House as Chief of Staff to the Press Office and Special Assistant to Press Secretary Jen Psaki during the Biden–Harris Administration.

    Earlier in her career, Amanda was Associate Director of Policy and Communications at Sidewalk Labs (Alphabet) and spent several years in marketing and communications at Microsoft, advising senior leadership on narrative strategy, stakeholder engagement, and brand positioning. She has also held senior communications and organizing roles on national political campaigns.

    Amanda brings this lens to Black Girls Tennis Club, where she is especially passionate about the power of tennis as a vehicle for confidence, access, and leadership for Black women and girls. She is excited to support BGTC’s continued growth as a cultural, community-driven organization rooted in joy and impact.

    Originally from South Carolina, Amanda is a graduate of Wake Forest University and holds a master’s degree from Syracuse University’s Newhouse School of Communications. Outside of work, she’s an avid theater lover and can often be found front row at the latest Broadway production.

Courtney Culbreath, Board Member

  • Courtney Culbreath is a purpose-driven leader passionate about fashion, sustainability, and storytelling. She currently serves as Head of Corporate Social Responsibility at GUESS, Inc., where she leads ESG strategy across North America and integrates sustainability into global operations.

    Over her decade-long career at GUESS, Courtney has bridged creativity and strategy — managing luxury product development, optimizing supply chains, and driving impactful, cross-functional initiatives. She co-founded RVA Fashion Week and Luxe Art PR, amplifying local designers and brands through community-based storytelling and authentic brand positioning.

    Courtney holds a B.S. in Sociology with minors in Marketing and Media Studies from Virginia Commonwealth University, with additional certifications in sustainability and DEI from Harvard Business School and Cornell University. Based in Los Angeles, she enjoys curating dinners, exploring culture through travel, and championing philanthropic causes that support creative entrepreneurs.

    As a BGTC Board Member, Courtney draws on her expertise in corporate responsibility and brand storytelling to strengthen partnerships and visibility, ensuring the club’s continued impact at the intersection of tennis, culture, and wellness.

Rachel Cargle, Board Member

  • Rachel Cargle is an activist, author, and social entrepreneur redefining philanthropy and community care. She is the Founder and CEO of The Loveland Group, a family of companies including Elizabeth’s Bookshop & Writing Centre — a literary space celebrating marginalized voices — and The Great Unlearn, an education platform centering BIPOC thinkers and teachers.

    In 2018, she launched The Loveland Foundation, which has provided thousands of free therapy sessions to Black women and girls across the U.S. Rachel’s work, spanning culture, literature, and advocacy, has been featured in The New York Times, The New Yorker, The Washington Post, Cultured Magazine, and Atmos.

    Through her work, Rachel builds models of collective healing and liberation that inspire social and cultural transformation. As a BGTC Board Member, she brings her deep commitment to wellness, representation, and community-building to expand the organization’s mission of liberation through play.

Nneka Nwaifejokwu , Board Member

  • Nneka Nwaifejokwu is a philanthropic strategist and resource mobilizer with over a decade of experience designing and leading capital strategies that move resources and drive sustained investment into communities. Her work centers lived experience and expands collective power, guided by the understanding that movements thrive when communities have the strategic resources, agency, and support necessary to lead meaningful change.

    She currently serves as Senior Director of Strategic Partnerships at Grantmakers for Girls of Color, which, over the last five years, has resourced and mobilized more than 28 million dollars to support the joy, well-being, and leadership of girls and gender-expansive youth. In this role, she operates at the intersection of strategy, resource allocation, and organizational alignment.

    A trained strategist and scholar, Nneka holds a B.A. from Winston-Salem State University (Go Rams), a Master of Public Administration in Nonprofit Management from Baruch College, and is a certified Impact Philanthropy Advisor. Her academic and professional training informs her approach to governance, systems-level strategy, and philanthropic innovation.

    For Nneka, tennis is more than a sport. It is a space to cultivate confidence, joy, and leadership. She views play as a critical environment for young people to experiment, take risks, build focus, and grow agency. This perspective informs her approach to philanthropy and movement-building, where joy, practice, and discipline are essential foundations for long-term growth. As a board member of Black Girl Tennis Club, Nneka brings strategic vision, philanthropic expertise, and a belief in how access, movement, and joy create pathways for young people to lead, thrive, and transform communities.