EXECUTIVE TEAM
Davita Mckelvey
Editor In Chief
A creative with astute organizational management skills, Davita's career in international production and sourcing has placed her in lead roles with several large fashion companies, including Gap Inc. and Nine West Footwear Corporation. As an avid traveler, she has traveled through nearly 90 countries, making her travel knowledge and international connections a strong asset to the Griots Republic brand.
Rodney Goode
Deputy Editor
A seasoned project manager, Rodney's planning and resource management skills have been utilized by several Fortune 500 companies and local governments worldwide. He has lived as an expat in China and India, and brings effective interpersonal communication competencies to the GR team. As the Griots Republic SVP of Sales and as a veteran traveler, we rely on his experience in international business and all things travel.
Brian Blake
Director of Visual Media
A graduate of Wharton School of Business' MBA program, Brian contributes a broad based knowledge of information technology to the GR team. He has spent over 17 years operating and building IT programs for several major corporations and organizations worldwide, including Cisco Systems, Merrill Lynch and UBS. He is also a Jamaican National who has traveled to 30+ countries and as a traveler we lean on his ability to conduct business anywhere in the world.
Alexandra Stewart
Business Manager
With over 16 years in private and governmental accounting and finance, Alexandra oversees Griot Republic's Finances, as well as leads the Retail Division, set to launch in 2017. She has lived on four continents as a U.S. diplomat and has traveled to over 30 countries. She brings a level of organization and attention to detail to the team and as the Retail Executive, Griots Republic benefits from her worldwide contacts.
Zaakirah Nayyar
Social Media Manager
Zaakirah Demba is an American based professional photographer, videographer, travel blogger and social media manager. Shas has 5+ years of social media experience. We love her for her ability to share amazing content across all channels. She first started documenting her domestic travels at the age of five. She has since traveled to Costa Rica, England, France, Italy, Ghana, Jamaica, The Gambia, Senegal, South Africa and Germany. She started her travel blog in 2015 to document her journey to 30 countries by the age of 30. You can follow her blog at zaakirahnayyar.com
Alexis K. Barnes
Copy Editor
Alexis Barnes is a multimedia freelance journalist currently working in development in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. She holds journalism degrees from Howard University and the City of New York Graduate School of Journalism (CUNY). Her work reveals her passion for sustainability and technology in developing nations, social justice, women and gender issues. A Lorenzo Natali European Commission Media Prize nominee for her feature on composting toilets and sustainable sanitation solutions in Haiti, Alexis has also reported from Zambia, Belgium, Kenya, South Korea and Tanzania. She has worked with Vice, Al Jazeera English in the United Nations bureau, Africa Times and Norwegian publication, Bistandsaktuelt. You can find her work on www.alexiskbarnes.com or blogging at kurlsandkimchi.com.