OneWest is excited to announce John McCarthy, founder and managing partner of McCarthy Strategic Solutions, a leading government affairs firm, will serve as 2024 board chair, and Keisha Deonarine, director of opportunity, race, and justice for NAACP, the Nation’s most prominent and largest Civil Rights organization, will serve as vice-chair.
“We are blessed yet again with extremely talented board leadership,” said OneWest President and CEO, Evon Smith. “John McCarthy is sought-after by political and corporate leaders for his expert advice and unmatched relationships. Keisha Deonarine’s economic development expertise, national relationships, keen grasp of what makes for success at nonprofits, and passion for implementing inclusive strategies will be superb assets to our work advancing commercial development in the nine neighborhoods of the West End.”
McCarthy has worked for over three decades managing political, policy, and corporate operations at the highest levels, maintaining strong relationships in Washington, Frankfort, and in county courthouses across the state. At every seminal moment of politics and policy in recent Kentucky history, McCarthy has been squarely in the middle of shaping the Commonwealth’s future.
Deonarine is a prominent figure in inclusive economy strategy, social justice, and community advocacy. At the NAACP, her national efforts center around driving transformative change to advance the progress of the Black and Brown economies through partnerships, policy, and advocacy. Keisha also operates a consulting practice focused on strategic planning with a racial equity lens and is a Junior Researcher at Simmons College of Kentucky. Keisha held executive positions with Park Community Credit Union and Passport Health Plan. Keisha has raised over $122.5 million in secondary capital from the U.S. Treasury and given more than $4 million in grant dollars to Kentucky businesses, non-profits, and marginalized communities.
