One of the nation’s highest honors recognizes notable community contributions

Honoring her remarkable leadership and service, Dr. Velma Trayham, a native of Houston, Texas, has become one of few Black female entrepreneurs to have been awarded the Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award by President Joe Biden. The annual awards honor a select few who “exhibit outstanding character, work ethic and dedication to their communities.”

Dr. Trayham is the founder and CEO of Thinkzilla Consulting, one of the nation’s fastest-growing diversity, equity, and inclusion consulting firms, and founder of the Millionaire Mastermind Academy, a leading nonprofit organization that addresses the barriers to economic mobility for women who have been systemically and historically underserved and excluded by providing entrepreneurial training and mentorship programming to help women minority women rise above poverty through empowered entrepreneurship.

The Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award was presented during the Gathering of Queens Economic Empowerment event, hosted by the Millionaire Mastermind Academy in Houston to share new strategies and dynamic leadership principles for success. Recipients of the award must have completed a minimum of 4,000 hours of volunteer service.

According to presenter Dr. Verna Caddie, “Dr. Velma received The Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award from President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris for all of the hard work she does to help so many people change their lives, by ending poverty through entrepreneurship.”

Dr. Trayham was honored with the award based on her career of supporting more than 8,000 women to excel in diverse small businesses while launching a $500,000 scholarship fund to move women out of poverty through entrepreneurial training and mentorships. Likewise, through Dr. Trayham’s leadership, Thinkzilla has helped more than 200 prominent public and private organizations expand DEI initiatives, enjoy exponential growth and reach new audiences.

“I am passionate about breaking generational curses and equipping others to rise above poverty,” added Dr. Trayham, who is recognized as one of the nation’s top business experts and motivational speakers. “I am also incredibly fortunate to love the work I do, the people I work with, and the communities we serve.”