Dr. LaWana Richmond is a program manager, and change management expert at UC San Diego. She is the CEO and founder of Firyali, Inc., which produces the Afrofuturism Lounge and the Afrofuturism Dream Tank. A certified Project Management Professional, she holds a Doctorate in Educational Leadership and degrees in business, information systems, and marketing.

As an Afrofuturist and Research Fellow at the Indigenous Futures Institute, she explores culture, technology, and social justice. She is dedicated to education access, leadership development, and employee engagement, serving on multiple advisory and executive boards. Rooted in the Ubuntu philosophy, she advocates for collective progress and systemic transformation.