Cheresse Thornhill-Goldson is the Founder & CEO of MyGenAI, a human-centered AI company building Ghaleo™, an AI mentorship platform designed to make trusted guidance, lived experience, and human wisdom more accessible at scale.

A footwear industry veteran, designer, educator, and executive leader, Cheresse brings nearly two decades of experience spanning Nike, Jordan Brand, adidas, consulting, and higher education. Most recently, she served as Director of Design Education & Growth for adidas S.E.E.D., where she helped build pathways into the footwear industry and expand access to design education and career development.

Her career began as a footwear designer, contributing to products across Nike, Jordan Brand, and other leading brands before evolving into leadership focused on talent, education, innovation, and organizational growth. Today, she works at the intersection of AI, human development, and industry transformation through MyGenAI, the MyGenAI Institute, and her advisory work.

Cheresse is also the creator of the Growth Capacity™ framework and an advocate for ensuring that the next era of technology expands—not replaces—human potential. Her work explores a central question: as AI makes knowledge increasingly abundant, how do we ensure people and communities have the mentorship, judgment, relationships, and opportunities needed to turn knowledge into growth?

At the Black Footwear Forum, Cheresse brings that mission back to an industry that helped shape her career—connecting the future of footwear with the future of mentorship, community, and human potential.

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