Hannibal L. Brumskine II 
Penelope Thornton Talley, Esq. 
Gail Coles Johnson
WASHINGTON, D.C. – September 30, 2021 – The Executive Leadership Council (ELC) today announced the appointment of three executives to senior leadership roles. Hannibal L. Brumskine II will serve as Vice President and Chief Financial Officer (CFO), Gail Coles Johnson will serve as Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO) and Penelope Thornton Talley, Esq. will serve as Senior Vice President and Chief Experience Officer (CXO). The ELC is the preeminent global membership organization for Black current and former CEOs, senior executives and board members of Fortune 1000 and equivalent companies, top-tier entrepreneurs and global thought leaders. The organization advocates for advancing Black leadership by increasing the number of Black corporate CEOs, C-Suite executives and board members, and building the pipeline of the next generation of Black corporate leaders.
Mr. Brumskine will manage the overall financial activities of the organization, developing The ELC’s financial infrastructure and practices to increase its impact through financial stewardship, investment management and philanthropic efforts.
Mrs. Johnson will develop and execute human resources strategy in support of The ELC’s business plan and overall strategic direction of the organization, specifically in the areas of succession planning, talent management, change management, organizational and performance management, training and development and compensation.
Ms. Talley will ensure positive interactions between The ELC and its members. As CXO she will leverage best practices and facilitate cross-functional collaboration to elevate the member experience with the ultimate goals of improved member satisfaction, growth and retention.
“The Executive Leadership Council is excited to welcome Hannibal, Gail and Penelope to our leadership team. Each is filling a newly-created position aligned with our strategic priorities and a focus on better serving our members, stakeholders and the organization overall,” said Michael C. Hyter, President and CEO of The ELC. “We are confident they will enhance our ability to help achieve equity for Black executives in business and for the Black community. We look forward to having their talents and expertise to complement our exceptional membership and extraordinary staff.”
Before joining The ELC, Mr. Brumskine was Chief Financial Officer for the Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service (LIRS). His executive experience includes Chief Financial and Operations Officer for the National Credit Union Foundation and Director of Global Treasury/Controller at PACT Inc., a $200 million international development organization and USAID implementing partner, operating in 25 countries. His executive experience includes Special Olympics Inc., Goodwill of Greater Washington and Greater Washington Area Public Television (WETA).
Mrs. Johnson comes to The ELC from her previous position as Assistant Vice President, Human Resources at AT&T. She spent more than 30 years at AT&T in progressive executive capacities, leading a team of HR professionals to deliver company-wide talent and HR initiatives. This included working oneon-one with executive team members and direct reports of the chairman on a host of high-impact improvement initiatives.
Ms. Talley has successfully served in senior leadership roles throughout her career. Before joining The ELC, she was Chief Operating Officer for the Office of the Attorney General of the District of Columbia (OAG). As the agency’s first COO, she was credited with implementing systems and improving operational performance and efficiency. Prior to OAG, she served as Interim Chief of Staff to the Deputy Mayor of Education for DC before being recruited to the Maryland State Department of Education to serve as Chief Performance Officer. There, she earned distinction for exemplary integrity in the development, turnaround, management and oversight of the agency’s nearly $1B in federal and state grant programs while exponentially improving customer service. She also spent nearly a decade in leadership roles at AARP.
Mr. Brumskine is a Virginia licensed Certified Public Accountant. He attained a B.S. in Economics at the University of Liberia. He also holds executive leadership certificates from Harvard Law School, Georgetown University and Stanford Graduate School of Business. He is an active board member of the National Coalition on Black Civic Participation and the Harvest Intercontinental Ministries Unlimited.
Mrs. Johnson has a B.S. from Virginia Commonwealth University and completed Executive Education programs at Harvard Business School and Cornell University. She is a past member of the Bowie State University School of Business Advisory Board and the National Black MBA Board and a current member of the Kappa Alpha Psi Foundation Board.
Ms. Talley holds a J.D. from the University of Richmond, an M.B.A. from Johns Hopkins University, and a B.A. from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She serves on the Board of Directors for Two Rivers Public Charter School and DeMatha Catholic High School.
