Leadership Brainery was founded by Derrick Young Jr. and Jonathan L. Allen, first-generation college graduates who met as student leaders at Grambling State University, a Historically Black College and University. As undergraduates, they worked side by side in student government—Jonathan serving as Student Body President and Derrick as Director of Student Relations—organizing campus-wide initiatives that expanded civic engagement, built coalitions, and increased access to resources for their peers.

As their leadership grew, so did the number of students seeking their guidance. What began as informal mentorship quickly revealed a larger pattern: talented students were being shut out of opportunity not because they lacked ability or ambition, but because they lacked access to information, financial resources, and support navigating complex systems.

That reality became unmistakable during their own graduate school journeys. Jonathan went on to earn a Master of Theological Studies and a Juris Doctor, while Derrick earned a Master of Public Health and later entered law school. In competitive programs, both were often among the only Black students in their cohorts, navigating opaque admissions processes, financial barriers, and isolating academic environments. Derrick ultimately left law school after being one of just two Black men in a class of more than 250—a moment that underscored how deeply structural these barriers truly were.

In 2018, they founded Leadership Brainery to change that.

Leadership Brainery exists to increase access to master’s and doctoral degrees for students who lack access—degrees required for essential roles like doctors, lawyers, educators, public health professionals, and policy leaders. Through graduate admissions and financial aid guidance, institutional partnerships, and direct student support, the organization works to make advanced education accessible and attainable.

In 2019, Leadership Brainery launched its flagship Ambassador Fellowship, a long-term, high-touch program that supports prospective and current graduate students through admissions strategy, financial aid navigation, mentorship, and need-based funding. The Fellowship reflects Leadership Brainery’s belief that access alone is not enough—students need sustained guidance, community, and resources to persist and succeed.

Leadership Brainery’s Inaugural Summit was hosted at Harvard Law School, mobilizing over 100 selected leaders from around the country and 20 competitive graduate school recruiters. The Graduate School Summit, upcoming on eight years, has supported roughly 1,300 prospective graduate students.

In 2020, in response to the COVID-19 crisis, Leadership Brainery launched its Student Relief Fund, providing emergency support to students facing housing instability, food insecurity, technology gaps, and medical needs—ensuring that financial hardship did not derail their education. The Student Relief Fund currently provides transitional grants and scholarships to LB alumni.

Since its founding, Leadership Brainery has supported thousands of students nationwide and raised over $4 million to invest directly in students and programs. As access to higher education continues to face political and structural challenges, Leadership Brainery remains committed to building equitable pathways to leadership—because who gets access to advanced degrees ultimately shapes who gets to lead, decide, and serve.