PONDER DIVERSITY GROUP

Anita J. Ponder, one of the nation’s leading attorneys and consultants, is at the helm of Ponder Diversity Group LLC (PDG), a legal consulting firm she founded and manages. With over three decades of experience, Anita's work encompasses strategic legal guidance and advocacy for a diverse range of clients, including government agencies, large corporations and nonprofit organizations, with a focus on small, disadvantaged, minority and women businesses enterprises and diverse employees on government contracts.  Her legal expertise includes government contracts, supplier and workplace diversity, and grant writing and administration in the industries of construction, transportation, education and cannabis licensing.  

Ms. Ponder’s notable accomplishments include: conducting DEI assessments, strategies and training; identifying DEI best practices nationwide; grant writing, administration and technical services; developing and implementing DBE/MBE/WBE, social equity and technical assistance programs; developing and implementing a small business certification initiative; preparing a 50-state memorandum on government procurement and bidding requirements; and organizing and chairing the Government Contractors Business Forum, a business group for established government contractors to assist them compete more effectively in the governmental marketplace.

Prior to leading PDG, Ms. Ponder was a partner and government contracts lead at some of Chicago most prestigious law firms, including Quintairos, Prieto, Wood & Boyer, the nation’s largest minority and women-owned law firm, as well as Seyfarth Shaw, Drinker Biddle & Reath, and Quarles & Brady.  At these firms, she represented the State of Illinois, Cook County, the City of Chicago and its sister agencies, and several other government agencies outside of Illinois. She also represented a number of government contractors and consultants, including many of the top firms in the construction and transportation industries in Illinois. Prior to private practice, Ms. Ponder worked for Chicago Mayor Harold Washington in the Departments of Public Works and Procurement Services and provided legal support to his supplier diversity and workplace diversity leadership teams.

Ms. Ponder’s educational background includes a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Florida College of Law and a Bachelor of Arts in Public Administration and Political Science from Fisk University. Her legal acumen, coupled with her effective community engagement and diversity advocacy, has earned her numerous awards throughout her career. She has also published several legal articles, been the featured speaker and has made television and radio appearances to discuss a range of government contracting and diversity topics.  Ms. Ponder’s professional journey reflects her dedication to leveraging legal expertise to advocate for equitable business practices and to empower underrepresented communities in the governmental and business sectors. Her work not only contributes to the legal field but also to the broader goal of creating inclusive and diverse environments in business and government.

Leticia Herrera is a consultant for Ponder Diversity Group (PDG) responsible for community outreach and engagement.  She has over 30 years of professional and grassroots experience in community leadership, outreach, and engagement representing government agencies, high-level government officials (elected and appointed), and small business owners in Latino communities in Illinois, nationwide, and globally.  She is an exceptionally dedicated, reliable, and compassionate professional with strong and varied skills that include communications, organizational, management, marketing, problem-solving, leadership, and planning. She has utilized her skills to develop strong community relationships and a superb record of community service and achievement. She is also an established business owner, highly regarded business leader, and strong advocate of diversity, equity, and inclusion programs, initiatives, and organizations for Hispanic/Latino communities and women nationwide.  

The consulting services that Ms. Herrera provides to clients of PDG include planning, directing, and coordinating communications and related activities that are designed to create or maintain positive relationships in Latino and other diverse, marginalized, underserved, underrepresented, and/or disproportionately impacted communities - including clients, partners, donors, volunteers, and media.  Her work includes raising issues or project awareness and facilitating equity and inclusion of those communities. She collects and evaluates data on local demographics, develops results, and presents conclusions to PDG and its clients. She attends community events as a representative of PDG and engages in outreach to agencies, organizations, partners, and stakeholders to conduct presentations, surveys, and meetings, both in-person and utilizing online platforms.  

Ms. Herrera is an award-winning entrepreneur and business leader who has been recognized for her business success by several not-for-profit organizations, media outlets, and governmental agencies throughout her career. She is currently a board member for City Kids Camp which provides an escape for kids who live in economically disadvantaged communities, allowing them to experience an environment free from violence, drugs, and gangs. She has been a board member of the March of Dimes which supports research, leads programs, and provides education and advocacy to prevent birth defects and premature birth. She has also served on the board of St. Augustine College, a private college in Chicago which was the first bilingual institution of higher education in Illinois.   

Ms. Herrera has held prominent leadership positions in several not-for-profit business organizations.  She is one of the founders of the United States Mexican American Chamber of Commerce, a leading binational business organization.  She is one of the first women elected to the board of the United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce who was responsible for leading the Midwest Region and the organization’s international office. She was selected among 100 minority entrepreneurs to participate in a business course at Harvard Business School sponsored by Fortune Magazine. She has been an active member of NAWBO (National Association of Women Business Owners) and HACIA (Hispanic American Construction Industry), which are among the top women and Hispanic business organizations in Illinois. She has also chaired the Illinois delegation for The White House Conference on Small Business to foster better relationships with the Illinois business community and help develop innovative policy solutions to economic problems.

Michael A. LeFevre is a seasoned cannabis industry professional with years of experience in multiple related sectors, including sales, economics, marketing, and data analysis. Ponder Diversity Group is confident in his well-honed abilities and looks forward to his insight on our firm’s cannabis-related undertakings.

Mr. LeFevre triple majored in Business in the Liberal Arts, Government, and Economics at St. Lawrence University, graduating with a BBA degree. He then moved to the professional world, working as Assistant to the CEO at A.T. Cross Company in Providence, where he produced weekly financial reports, analyzed sales, and revised business procedure flows for multiple departments.

Upon taking a position at Oracle, Mr. LeFevre worked first as a Business Development Consultant and subsequently as an Enterprise Account Executive, tasked with improving financial, operational and management processes. His areas of focus included financial management, planning and budgeting, financial consolidation & close, account reconciliation, enterprise data management, narrative reporting, profitability & cost management, and tax reporting.

In 2021, Mr. LeFevre was hired as the Director of Operations at PrimeTime, a vertically-integrated cannabis company based in California. In this role, he managed the production of multiple manufacturing facilities and oversaw the production department, identifying current inefficiencies to continually-increase production. He also worked alongside the COO in managing major retail and cultivation projects in California and Massachusetts. Last year, he was promoted to Head of Operations, in which role he continues to oversee management, production, and day-to-day operations for major brands, while additionally managing human resources, compliance testing, and more. Given this exceptional background, it’s no surprise that Mr. LeFevre’s unique blend of sales experience and analytical talent significantly bolster PDG’s capacity across multiple fields.