Meet Our Team
Britney Robbins
FOUNDER & CEO
Britney Robbins is the founder and CEO of The Gray Matter Experience. Britney has worked within Chicago's entrepreneurship and tech community for the past seven years working within some of Chicago's top venture capital firms and incubators including Sandbox Industries, Lightbank and 1871. She has been recognized as one of Ariel Investment, BMO Harris and WVON's 40 Under 40 Gamechangers, Essence Magazine's Woke 100, a finalist for Ebony Magazine's Power 100 People's Choice Award, featured on Fox32, Chicago Inno, BlackEntrepreneur.com, DNAInfo Chicago, Chicago Tribune, Forbes and Essence Magazine for her work through Gray Matter. Britney is a proud graduate of the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign where she received her B.A in Rhetoric.
Britney is passionate about the intersection of entrepreneurship, education and youth and believes in empowering others to use their passions and strengths to create opportunities for themselves. In 2015, she authored and published her first children's book and is working to complete the second book of the series early 2020. Britney is committed to inspiring youth to reach their full potential and aims to continue to create channels for them to do so.
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Deldric Henderson is a Chicago native and a product of Chicago Public Schools, hailing from the great West Pullman/Roseland community. He's dedicated his career to giving back to Chicago communities by helping bridge the opportunity divide for young people of color, ensuring that they have equitable access to America's promise.
Deldric brings with him over a decade of passionate youth development and programming experience, with a particular focus on ensuring that programs are delivered with cultural intention and empathy. Prior to joining TGME, he served as the Program Manager of the Obama Youth Jobs Corps through Urban Alliance, providing Chicago youth of color with exposure to meaningful corporate and community-based internship experiences and skill development. He also has a background in restorative justice, youth domestic violence and sexual assault, and student advocacy.
Deldric is an avid reader, loves streetwear and sneakers, and appreciates music of various genres.
Deldric Henderson
Corinne Durrette
In finding her passion and purpose in educational space for over 10 years, Corinne has designed and driven work that empowers young people to use their voices and creativity to express themselves, find innovative solutions, and make meaningful impact in their communities.
Corinne is a professional instructional coach, licensed teacher, and avid youth advocate with a foundation in psychology, African American studies, and a M.Ed in curriculum design and instruction. Joining the Gray Matter team as Manager of Education and Curriculum, Corinne is excited to develop curriculum and support instruction that will equip young people with tools to build their confidence and skills to become successful entrepreneurs. Throughout her career, Corinne has been able to connect, learn, and teach with peers stateside and abroad through speaking engagements, workshop facilitation, and fellowship programs like Fulbright Teachers for Global Classrooms.
Her values of integrity, exploration, and collaboration fuel her excitement for her work. Prior to joining the Gray Matter team, Corinne coached CPS high school educators focused on experiential learning and relationship building. She loves novel experiences and enjoys trying new hobbies, traveling, and food.
Lu’Cretia Thomas is an extraordinary marketer with a decade of experience in the entrepreneurial space. She is a true innovator, creating content that not only informs but also provokes thought and brings people together. Lu'Cretia has a deep commitment to young people and empowering them to become the next generation of innovative thinkers and status quo disrupters through entrepreneurship and economic equity. She is also an Instructor here at Gray Matter.
Prior to joining Gray Matter, Lu’Cretia gained experience in both marketing and entrepreneurship through serial business ownership. She has empowered countless Female Founders to grow their businesses, share their stories and make a positive impact in their communities through her platform Girl Behind The Hustle. Her marketing clients and content have been featured on Access Hollywood, Fox, Oprah, Forbes, GMA, Vogue & Shondaland. Lu'Cretia was named one of the top 20 influential women in Chicago by 300 Chicago Black Women.
She holds an Entrepreneurship certificate from Cornell and a Bachelor’s of Science from Elmhurst University where she double majored in Business Management and Economics.
When she isn’t creating marketing funnels, Lu’Cretia can be found lost in a book, at an art gallery, or exploring every Chicago neighborhood with her vivacious daughter and energetic Chorkie.
Lu'Cretia Thomas
CONTENT MARKETING SPECIALIST
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Miles Asare
Miles attends Middlebury College and expects to graduate with his degree in Economics by 2024. He is a young entrepreneur himself with the intention of inciting change for other young people of color looking to get their foot into the business world.
Having been a member of programs such as UChicago Collegiate Scholars, Jack and Jill of America, and the Posse foundation, Miles understands the importance of having mentors who look like you and have your best interest in mind. His burning passion for creating wealth within minority communities, learning, and entrepreneurship have led him to The Gray Matter Experience. His drive is motivated by wanting to help students believe that the sky truly is the limit and they are capable of anything.
Miles believes that there are two types of people in this world -- sayers and doers. He demonstrates what being a doer looks like by putting his all into the work in front of him. He values the big picture impacts rather than the small picture benefits and will continue to live by that ideology.
PROGRAM INTERN