Meet the Passionate Team Behind Flyte

Bigbie launched his first financial literacy programs in 2017, focusing on New Orleans’ underserved communities with limited access to financial tools. Confronted by the scale of systemic financial inequities facing our region, he founded Flyte to deliver long-term, scalable solutions.

Bigbie has supported over 500 Black-owned small businesses in New Orleans through Flyte, as well as through his consulting roles with Propeller Incubator and Fund17. He serves on the Advisory Board of the Albert Lepage Center for Entrepreneurship, at Tulane University’s A.B. Freeman School of Business. He also serves as Vice President of Art Camp 504’s Board.

He is a graduate of the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses program and the New Orleans Regional Leadership Institute. He has also been named in Gambit Magazine’s 40 Under 40. Before Flyte, he was an Associate Director at Barclays Bank in London, UK.

Michelle Davis is a Program Management and Organizational Development consultant with 15 years of experience in the social sector and beyond. She specializes in supporting organizations that are in growth mode to define their why and how, devise and roll out systems and processes, and determine how to scale their work.

Michelle has previously worked as a program manager and project director with NGOs, large consulting firms, the United Nations, and the World Bank. In her roles, Michelle has designed and launched grassroots programming, grown global programs promoting workers’ rights and competitiveness in the global garment sector, and helped scale a large labor rights project portfolio in Mexico to over $70M. Michelle is based in New Orleans with her family.

Avery White is a multimedia producer, entrepreneur, and storyteller based in New Orleans who has dedicated her career to amplifying marginalized voices and documenting resistance movements worldwide. Her work has been published by VICE, Rolling Stone, National Geographic, and PBS. As Senior Producer at Louisiana Public Broadcasting/PBS, she has produced Emmy-nominated content including the award-winning series Ritual. Avery has lived in six countries and eleven cities, covering stories from Standing Rock to the U.S.-Mexico border.

In New Orleans, she hosted a radio show exploring the musical currents of African Diaspora throughout the Americas. Beyond her media work, Avery is an entrepreneur herself. She participated in the Start-Up Chile incubator program, founded multiple businesses, and served as Director of Creative Content for several international companies. Avery’s work is grounded in her Bachelor’s Degree in Race, Class and Gender Studies from the University of Georgia. This foundation, combined with her production work and entrepreneurship experience, gives her unique insight into both the creative process of storytelling and the practical challenges of building sustainable businesses.

A New Orleans native and lifelong entrepreneur, Maya brings a creative eye and sharp strategy to everything she does. As Senior Director of Operations at @comfystonefilms, she helps lead social media efforts for Flyte and oversees content that connects, inspires, and drives impact.

Maya also runs her own jewelry and home goods brand, @luxorleans. At Comfy Stone, she works closely with nonprofits to craft video messaging that includes social media content, brand videos, and fundraising videos. She helps organizations tell their stories through thoughtful, targeted video messaging.

Lisa Batiste is an accomplished Business Consultant and the President at TH Montano Development Consultants, LLC, in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, a position she has held since July 2008. With an extensive background in business operations and consulting, Lisa has spearheaded initiatives to enhance operational efficiency, implement cost reduction strategies, and improve organizational performance. Her expertise in analyzing and revamping business processes has led to significant savings and optimizations for her clients.

Lisa’s commitment to professional growth and development is further demonstrated through her previous role as an Adjunct Chemistry Instructor at Southern University and A&M College and currently as a Professional Instructional Designer. In these capacities, application of her analytical and organizational skills to foster learning and development, underscores her multifaceted expertise and dedication to nurturing talent across different fields.

Trinity Reneé is a visionary Business, Technology, and Finance Strategist renowned for her ability to architect and optimize commercial infrastructures, propelling organizations towards sustained growth and profitability. With a unique blend of strategic foresight and hands-on implementation, she empowers teams to excel even in the most challenging landscapes, fostering trust, accountability, and camaraderie through her exacting standards, inclusivity, and wit.

Having held pivotal roles as Global Coordinator, COO, and Strategist across multiple industries, Trinity Reneé boasts a proven track record of steering $100+MM companies to unprecedented success. Her expertise spans a spectrum of disciplines, encompassing Design Thinking, Agile Methodologies, Full Stack Web Development, Certified Retirement/Trust Management, and Software & Audio Engineering (Python, HTML5/CSS3, Javascript, ProTools, Logic, among others).

Currently, Trinity Reneé is captivating audiences worldwide as an Operations, Systems, and Technology Speaker for THM Innovations Inc., leveraging her vast experience to inspire and educate. Additionally, she generously contributes her insights as a valued Technology/Operations Board Member for several promising startups.

Orhan Mc Millan is in the business of growth—growing businesses, growing ideas, and growing people. A native of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, he thrives on helping others flourish, whether it’s through entrepreneurship, leadership, or personal development.

As the founder and managing partner of dezinsINTERACTIVE, a branding, web development, and marketing agency established in 2001, Orhan has spent over two decades nurturing small businesses, helping them take root, establish strong foundations, and scale to new heights. His passion for growth extends beyond business, founding Orhan Mc Millan Consulting and Educating in 2020, where he is a mentor, coach, educator and speaker who empowers individuals to cultivate their potential and transform their aspirations into reality.

Whether guiding entrepreneurs through business strategy, fostering leadership skills, or teaching mindfulness, Orhan’s mission is clear: to help things grow. As one friend put it, “Orhan, you never cease to amaze! From growing Great Danes to tomatoes to businesses, you are a gift to this crazy world.”

To learn more about Orhan and his work, visit www.orhanmcmillan.com

Latrina Woods the Founder of Vivify Health and Wellness in 2020, envisioning a fitness studio and holistic wellness program specifically designed for women. Starting with a single client, her dedication and strategic approach fueled growth, with Vivify now serving over 100 women each month. This expansion is supported by a team of three coaches, and business revenues exceeding over $100,000+ per year. Latrina’s proficiency in sales strategies, effective marketing campaigns, and efficient business operations has been instrumental in transforming Vivify from an idea into a flourishing community.

Before embarking on her entrepreneurial path, Latrina cultivated her business skill sets in sales and business development through significant roles at prominent companies like ADP and Torsh. During her tenure, she honed her abilities in securing valuable B2B contracts, effectively navigating and influencing departmental changes within organizations, and strategically developing robust sales pipelines to drive growth. These professional experiences provided her with invaluable insights into, negotiating contracts, scaling businesses and the importance of cultivating impactful relationships across diverse industries, skills that she now leverages in leading Vivify.

Beyond business, Latrina has dedicated her life to addressing inequalities in wealth, health, and education. Her passion for fostering positive change drives both her professional endeavors and her commitment to empowering underserved communities.

Andrea Picou, the Executive Coach and CEO of On Your Business, LLC, is a leader in her field. She works with entrepreneurs to enhance their lives and expand their businesses. With a rich career spanning 35 years as a corporate consultant in Brazil and the USA, Andrea Picou brings a wealth of experience to her role. Her academic background includes a bachelor’s degree in psychology, specializing in human resources management, and an MBA in international business management. Andrea also develops teams and people in organizations, empowering them to contribute to the company’s vision.

Andrea Picou taught business classes at Delgado Community College for 5 years before becoming the lead faculty of the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Business program. She has been the lead faculty member for 10 years, a role that reflects her dedication to guiding more than 800 entrepreneurs in America towards sustainable growth. Leveraging her 35 years of corporate consulting expertise in Brazil and the USA, Andrea is committed to guiding entrepreneurs to on their journey to grow their businesses.

Bernard Robertson specializes in investment analysis and investment policy development, investment portfolio development, manager research, risk management and the overall development and achievement of client goals at the Hackett Robertson Tobe Group. HRT Group is an independent investment advisory firm registered with the SEC.

Previously, Robertson served as President & CEO of Robertson Wealth Advisors, prior to merging the firm with the former Hackett Group. Bernard also served as Managing Director and consultant of a boutique investment firm in New Orleans, previously he experienced successes as a financial advisor with Smith Barney and as Senior Financial Advisor with Merrill Lynch. Robertson, where he led an advisory group at Bank of America Merrill Lynch. He has since been recognized for his work in the field by his colleagues, New Orleans City Business as a 2015 Money Maker, and several other industry publications.

Bernard was a highly regarded football player at Tulane University, going on to play with the Chicago Bears, Buffalo Bills, and the Oakland Raiders. He has been inducted into the Tulane Athletic Hall of Fame as an individual in 2007 and again with his teammates on the historic 1998 Undefeated Team in 2008. In 2013, he was named to the All-Dome team honoring the best players in Tulane’s history in the Superdome.

Robertson holds an EMBA with a concentration in Business Growth from Babson College, Master’s degree in Business Administration, with a Global Business concentration from Tulane University’s A.B. Freeman School of Business.

Additionally, Robertson serves in a variety of civic leadership roles including as an executive board member for the Louisiana Council for Economic Education, the co-founder and past President for the Treme Charter School Association, and as President of the NFL Players Association New Orleans Chapter.

Talana is the grants manager at the Institute of Women and Ethnic Studies. She joined IWES in September 2020 as Finance and Admin Associate and is now serving as Grants Manager. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from the University of New Orleans. She has a varied work background in that she has worked in five major industries in New Orleans: staffing, hospitality, education, accounting, and nonprofit. Within these industries, she has had the opportunity to diversify the skills necessary to work with a team to ensure the success of any organization. Talana is a native New Orleanian, wife, and mother of three.

Phoebe Brown is the Financial Inclusion Officer for Hope Community Credit Union. Hope Credit Union was founded in 1994 in a United Methodist Church in Jackson, Mississippi. Ms. Brown joined the agency in 2018. A graduate of Dillard University, she received her Bachelor’s degree in Political Science and a minor in History. She has been working to help the consumer accomplish their dreams by looking at money differently. Through fun and unique teaching programs and consulting, hundreds of thousands have been able to accomplish their goals.

Phoebe specializes in educating consumers on sound personal financial management to meet their needs and to help consumers understand how to budget, use credit wisely and resolve credit challenges. In a society plagued with financial issues, Phoebe has a passion in getting the right message out to consumers so they can prepare for a brighter future and make better decisions. Her duties at Hope Credit Union is teaching Financial Literacy, educating consumers about Hope’s product and services, and building strong partnerships for stronger communities.

Tom Slattery is the Senior Legal Counsel at One Network Enterprises, a Blue Yonder Company specializing in supply-chain software. As the chief legal counsel for One Network, he oversees all legal elements of the company’s business. Before joining One Network, he was a partner in the Litigation Practice Group at Jones Walker in New Orleans focused on internal corporate investigations and compliance matters.

Tom has represented indigent defendants pro bono in both state and federal courts, volunteered in local diversity initiatives for the legal community, and worked on several cases for the Innocence Project of New Orleans

Tiffany brings 25-plus years of experience in financial management, process improvement and talent development with experience across several industries including retail, real estate, social entrepreneurship, commercial lending, management consulting and municipal government. She is most inspired by the opportunity to help her clients with generational wealth building. Therefore, key components of her practice are financial education, consistent long-term investing and estate considerations.
She is actively involved in her local community serving on several Board of Directors primarily focused on women, children, education and community development.

When not serving clients or volunteering in my community, she enjoys spending time with family, traveling and experimenting in the kitchen. She is a native of Detroit, Michigan but has decided to make New Orleans her home. Lastly, she holds a Bachelor of Arts in accounting from Michigan State University and a Master of Business Administration from Columbia University Business School.