Purposely Driven Podcast

Jalesa Jones is a young, black and accomplished business leader in the technology industry, serving as the Co-Owner and Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) of 3D Media. Under her leadership, 3D Media provides cutting-edge technologies, including augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) solutions, to critical infrastructure sectors, notably including the U.S. Department of Defense.

Graduating magna cum laude from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette (ULL) with a degree in Business Management, Jalesa has combined her academic excellence with practical experience to help drive innovation and growth within her company. 

Since moving to Lafayette in 2011, Jalesa has made significant contributions to both her community and the technology industry. Her dedication to excellence and her entrepreneurial spirit have positioned 3D Media as a strong contender in the field of AR and VR technologies.

Beyond her professional endeavors, Jalesa enjoys a fulfilling personal life with her husband of nine years and their cherished cats. She also serves on the board of two 501c3 non-profits, Women of Wisdom of Acadiana and the Acadiana Symphony and Orchestra. Her journey is marked by a blend of professional success and personal happiness, reflecting her commitment to both her career and her family.

LinkedIn: Linkedin:https://www.linkedin.com/in/jalesa-jones-b2b89a71?utm_source=share&utm_campaign=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=ios_app

Charese Williams is originally from New Orleans, Louisiana, and moved to Lafayette in 2015. With a passion for dance and a dedication to helping others, Charese brings a vibrant energy to every endeavor. Currently, Charese works for Second Harvest Food Bank as part of their Human Resources team, where they focus on fostering a supportive and efficient workplace environment.

Beyond her professional role, Charese is deeply committed to serving the community. She actively engages in various volunteer activities, always striving to make a positive impact. Her enthusiasm for helping others is evident in both her personal and professional life, consistently pouring her heart into initiatives that uplift and support those in need.

Email: [email protected]

Consuela Gaines is an organizer for Voice of the Experienced/VOTE in the Lafayette, LA chapter. She’s a formerly incarcerated woman who served 22 years of a 47 year sentence. She’s a survivor of solitary confinement and currently serves on the Louisiana Task Force for Safe Alternatives to Segregation. While incarcerated, she participated in various leadership roles from being a counsel substitute to a literacy tutor;  graduate of Office Systems Technology and Welding, just to name a few.  Since her release from prison in 2016, she has been a member of the  National Council of Incarcerated and Formerly Incarcerated Women and  Girls (Andrea James) and presented a workshop about Pardon and Parole  Board Hearings for Incarcerated Women at the FreeHer National Conference  in 2018 in Montogomery, AL; is a member of the local NAACP in  Lafayette, LA, serving as the Criminal Justice Committee Chairperson;  served as a Worthy Matron and Grand Associate Worthy Matron of the Order  of the Eastern Star; won Best Essay prize in Popular Music in 2020,  which she co-authored, “Sounding Lockdown: Singing in Administrative Segregation at LCIW,” which was published in ‘Popular Music and the Politics of Hope: Queer and Feminist Interventions,’  with Georgetown University Professor, Ben Harbert; she was in the  second  cohort of Women Organizing for Justice and Opportunity  Leadership Lab (WOJO) under A New Way of Life Re-Entry Project (Susan  Burton/California) in 2021; in 2022 the African American Heritage  Foundation in Lafayette, Louisiana, named her as one of their Honorees  for Outstanding Community Leadership; she was also in the second cohort  for the 2020-21 Women Transcending Collective Leadership Institute  cohort out of Columbia University, New York; she received certification  as a Life Coach for Justice-Involved Individuals through Morehouse  School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, in 2022; is an instructor for the new  women’s re-entry curriculum, “Life Support”, at the Louisiana  Correctional Institute for Women; and currently studying to become a  certified doula through the Ladies of Hope Ministries (Dr. Topeka K.  Sam); Consuela is a proud registered voter who plans to vote in every election. She prides herself on being a voice for incarcerated women who’ve been silenced by fear of repercussions for speaking up and out.  She dreams of opening transitional houses for justice-involved people.