Spelman College

Barbara Furlow-Smiles is the Lead Strategist, Global Head of Employee Resource Groups & Diversity Engagement at Facebook. She has an extensive and strategic background in Diversity and Employee Resource Group management with over 10+ years of experience with former roles at MTV Networks in New York and Cox Communications in Atlanta. She is the Founder of B.T. Consulting, LLC and Co-Founder of a non-profit, Global Smiles Health, focused on sustainable health, providing people with the basic needs of living around the globe, one community and SMILE at a time. She is also the Co-Founder of Smiles Shield™, a modern customized face shield company that allows your SMILE to shine with made to order customization with the categories of: Children, Luxury, Bedazzled and Name Customization. Smiles Shield™ is a family-owned and operated company. She has a bachelor’s degree from Spelman College, a master’s degree in Public Administration from Baruch College and is studying to obtain her Executive MBA at UCLA. She studied abroad at The University of Cape Town, South Africa during her Junior year at Spelman College and volunteered abroad in Costa Rica during her Senior year at Spelman College. During her study abroad experience in South Africa, Barbara started an international magazine called, Afro-lution, aimed at creating a positive narrative of the African Diaspora and was the first student to be sold in Spelman’s & Morehouse’s bookstore. In Barbara’s free time, she loves to travel and learn about different cultures with her husband Ernest Smiles and their daughter, Imani Smiles. Barbara was born and raised in Santa Monica, California.