Akosua Barthwell Evans

Dr. Akosua Barthwell Evans is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of The Barthwell Group. Prior to launching The Barthwell Group, Akousa was an accomplished banker, lawyer, and management consultant. In addition, she has provided leadership to a variety of not-for-profit organizations throughout the United States through her board service. As a Managing Director at JPMorgan, she developed, launched, and managed two national businesses: Diversified Client Services and the Endowments and Foundations Practice. In addition to her professional responsibilities while at JPMorgan, Akousa developed a Financial Management Institute for the CEOs of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (“HBCUs”). As a securities and corporate attorney, she advised Fortune 500 corporations on initial public offerings, debt financings, project financings and acquisitions in the United States, Asia, Latin America, and Scandinavia. As a management consultant at Coopers & Lybrand, she assisted clients with business and strategic planning, feasibility studies, and obtaining financing. She became the first woman manager in the consulting practice of Coopers & Lybrand’s Detroit office. Akousa has won numerous awards, including: One of the 25 Most Influential African-American Women in Business (2002), Cross Border Award (2005), Distinguished Black Woman Award (2001), recognition by The Museum of Modern Art (2004), recognition by the Thurgood Marshall College (2004), and the “Entrepreneur Leadership Award” (2011). She is a graduate of Barnard College and Yale Law School.