B Corp Champions Retreat 2026

Jessica Yinka Thomas is an academic, author, and activist. She is an Associate Professor of the Practice and leads the Business Sustainability Collaborative at NC State University's Poole College of Management. As co-founder and Executive Director of B Academics, she is building a global network of over 2500 educators, researchers, students, and practitioners dedicated to studying B Corps and transforming higher education for good. Previously, Professor Thomas spent a decade in industry roles, including designing mobile satellite systems at a multinational, managing product development at a toy startup, and consulting for a global health NGO. She is a recipient of the Bill Clark B the Change award and the B Lab Collective Action award (on behalf of B Academics). Jessica is the author of two social justice novels and has served on numerous boards including Stanford University’s Alumni Association, B Lab's Standards Advisory Council, Counter Culture Coffee (a B Corp) and Campus B (also a B Corp).