Former Peace Corps volunteer Rahama Wright is a social entrepreneur who works at the intersection of beauty, business development, and policy. Her entrepreneurial journey has spanned bootstrapping, securing venture funding, landing retail deals, and navigating manufacturing, supply chain development, marketing, and sales. She is the Founder and CEO of Yeleen (Shea Yeleen and the Yeleen Beauty Makerspace). Shea Yeleen, a social impact beauty brand, manufactures pure plant-based shea butter body care products that nourish the skin and empower its producers by creating living wage jobs for women in Ghana. Shea Yeleen products can be found at Macy’s, MGM Resorts, and select Whole Food Markets. The brand has been featured in a variety of media outlets including O, The Oprah Magazine, The Washington Post, The Huffington Post, Washington Business Journal, and MSNBC. The Yeleen Beauty Makerspace will provide manufacturing, business, and educational support for early-stage companies that manufacture and/or sell hair, skin, and body products.

An in-demand speaker, panelist, and leading voice on African women’s economic and business development, Wright is serving her fourth term as a member of the Presidential Advisory Council on Doing Business in Africa and delivered talks at The United Nations, the World Bank, and the Sustainable Brands Conference. Rahama is also the Founder of the DC Pop-Up, a collective of women and minority owned businesses in the DC metro area that are a part of the Made in DC Program. The DC Pop-Up is a curated retail experience that markets and sells products on behalf of makers ranging from art, jewelry, apparel, house wares, and specialty foods. The goal of the collective is to provide inclusive business opportunities that address gender and racial inequality. Rahama resides in Washington, D.C., and is an avid traveler who has visited and worked in 36 countries.