Janice Bryant Howroyd

Janice Bryant Howroyd is a pioneering entrepreneur, diversity and inclusion speaker and the first Black woman to establish and grow a billion-dollar business. As the founder of ActOne Group, the largest female- and minority-owned workforce management company in the United States, Janice brings exceptional insight into inclusive leadership, workplace equality and overcoming barriers. Her expertise makes her an outstanding choice for corporate conferences, leadership summits and diversity and inclusion events.

Beginning her entrepreneurial journey in 1978 with just $1,500, Janice founded ActOne Group and transformed it into a global staffing enterprise. In 1995, she expanded internationally, establishing digital and functional workforce portals across Europe and Asia. Her journey demonstrates how determination, equitable opportunities and inclusive recruitment practices can transform organisations and empower underrepresented communities.

Janice has received widespread recognition for her contributions to business, leadership and diversity, earning induction into both the National Association of Women Business Owners Hall of Fame and the National Black College Alumni Hall of Fame. Her influence extends into public service, having been appointed by President Barack Obama to the Presidential Board of Advisors on Historically Black Colleges and Universities. She also served on the Federal Communications Commission’s Advisory Committee on Diversity and Digital Empowerment. Further cementing her legacy, Janice was named Black Enterprise’s Woman of the Year in 2022, before receiving BET HBCU Honors in 2025 and the Whitney M. Young, Jr. Lifetime Achievement Award in 2026.

As the author of ‘The Art of Work’ and ‘Acting Up’, Janice shares her expertise in entrepreneurship, leadership and professional success. Her insights have also been showcased on ‘How I Built This’ and in ‘Harvard Business Review’, while her interview show, ‘Ask JBH’, provides a platform for sharing valuable lessons with audiences. A sought-after speaker, she has delivered talks at prestigious events including Essence Festival, HOPE Global Forums, SXSW and the Inc. 5000 Conference. Organisations hire Janice as a D&I speaker for her pioneering commitment to workplace equality and ability to inspire inclusive leadership, empower underrepresented talent and provide actionable strategies for driving meaningful organisational change.