Our Team

Person smiling, wearing gray blazer with embroidered crest, arms. crossed, outdoors. Projecthbcu

Kemryn Lawrence

Kemryn Lawrence is a dynamic nonprofit leader, researcher, and advocate for marginalized students. As the Founder & CEO of ProjectHBCU (Helping Beautiful Children Unite), she has spearheaded initiatives that bridge the gap between K-12 education and Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), ensuring that black students have access to higher education regardless of financial barriers.

Kemryn is currently A 3rd year doctoral student at the University of California, Berkeley, pursuing a PhD in Policy, Politics & Leadership. Her research examines Motivation, belonging, & self-efficacy as factors in Retention & persistence for Black Students in pursuing higher education. As well as focus on qualitative research surrounding University presidents & their contributions to ensuring student success. She’s earned a Master of Public Administration & B.S. in Biology from Clark Atlanta University, where she served as the 35th SGA Graduate President and was recognized as a White House HBCU Scholar.

With a background in nonprofit leadership, policy research, and civic engagement, Kemryn has worked with organizations like Mastery Charter Schools, Education Pioneers, Urban Leaders fellowship, Aldine ISD and the NAACP. She envisions a future where HBCUs thrive globally, aspiring to be a University President, & establish the first HBCU Hub in Africa. Through ProjectHBCU, she continues to inspire, mentor, and uplift the next generation of leaders.

ASSANE NDIAYA (CCO/CFO)

Assane Ndiaye is a finance and operations strategist committed to driving efficiency, sustainability, and financial growth in nonprofit organizations. As the Chief Financial Officer of ProjectHBCU (Helping Beautiful Children Unite), Assane leverages his expertise in financial management, process optimization, and data-driven decision-making to ensure the organization’s long-term financial health and impact.

A Bachelor of Science candidate in Industrial Engineering at Louisiana State University (LSU) with a minor in E-Commerce Engineering, Assane has honed his skills in supply chain management, Six Sigma, project management, and lean manufacturing. His experience includes roles as a Continuous Improvement Intern at Textron Marine and Land Systems, where he developed automated tracking databases, optimized labor costs, and streamlined engineering processes, and as an Industrial Engineering Intern at Spirit AeroSystems, where his plant layout redesign doubled output while reducing flow time by 50%.

As CFO, Assane applies his financial acumen, project coordination skills, and leadership experience to strengthen ProjectHBCU’s fundraising initiatives, budget planning, and resource allocation, ensuring the organization’s mission continues to transform lives to and through college.