About Us

Traci Wilkes Smith, Founder

  • Traci Wilkes Smith is the Founder and CEO of the Martha’s Vineyard Black Book Festival (MVBBF) and Senior Vice President at CSE, a sports and media talent representation agency. Traci’s focus is representing award-winning journalists, best-selling authors, athletes, senior-level media executives and new media creators. Most recently, Traci was the visionary behind now New York Times Bestselling author and NBC News Anchor and Investigative Correspondent, Vicky Nguyen’s Memoir, “Boat Baby.” Books Traci has co-represented are “The Price of Exclusion” by Author and Emmy Award Winner journalist, Nicole Carr, pub date June 2026; “First, Best” by Mayor Steven L. Reed, pub date, 2023; “Black Women Will Save The World-An Anthem” by White House Correspondent, April Ryan, pub date, 2022; and “They Can’t Kill Us All” by Wesley Lowery, pub date, 2016.

    In 2024, MVBBF’s inaugural event, launched with a mission to foster discussion, reflection, and celebration of Black authors and their literary works. In 2025, MVBBF proudly hosted the second installment of the Festival, guided by the theme: “Lifting Black Voices of Wisdom, Inspiration, and Perseverance.” The day celebrated the richness of Black literary expression and the enduring power of storytelling. Traci had the honor to moderate a conversation with Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson. The Festival garnered national recognition, with mentions of Traci in National Geographic, The New York Times, and Forbes.

    In 2026, MVBBF successfully launched the Seasonal Virtual Book Club. Traci co-moderated the Winter installment with NY Times Indie Bestselling author Tiffany D. Jackson discussing her powerful book, “Blood in the Water.” There were over hundred attendees from states across the country.

    Traci has served as an attorney and agent at WTA, a law clerk for the Superior Court of New Jersey, and an associate at ArentFox, LLP. Traci earned a BA in Political Science and African American studies from Rutgers College and a J.D. from Rutgers University School of Law. Traci is also a member of the New York and New Jersey state bars. 

    Traci, a summer resident of Oak Bluffs, is married to Charles Smith, a fourth generation Vineyarder. They have two children and they believe in giving back to the community. Traci serves on the Rutgers University Executive Advisory Council appointed by the Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs and the Executive Board of Directors for the National Blood Clot Alliance which holds special significance to Traci having survived a pulmonary embolism at the age of twenty-five. Also a Breast Cancer survivor, Traci is a passionate health advocate who believes in the power of positive thinking. Traci has served on the Board of the New York Association of Black Women Attorneys and is a 2020 fellow of the Council of Urban Professionals. She is also a Troop Leader for the Girl Scouts, member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., and Greater Essex County Chapter of Jack & Jill of America, Inc. Traci regularly appears and moderates industry panels. In her spare time, Traci plays tennis, meets with her Book Club, and is currently writing her first book.

Charles Smith, Advisor

  • Charles Smith, a graduate of Morehouse College and Fordham Law School, is the Global Head of Anti-Financial Crime at MetLife. Charles' family has been homeowners on Martha's Vineyard going back four generations to when his great-grandmother, Sally Fisher-Clark, purchased their first home in Oak Bluffs in 1939. Charles grew up spending summers on the island and loves the rich black cultural experiences it offers. Charles is happily married to MVBBF founder Traci Wilkes Smith. They live together with their two children and enjoy each summer with their family on this beautiful and most special island.

Kenna Baudin, Advisor

  • Kenna Wyllie Baudin is honored to serve as an Advisory Member and Ambassador of the Martha’s Vineyard Black Book Festival.  She has spent time at the Vineyard since childhood.  Professionally, Kenna serves as Global Head of Egon Zehnder's Private Capital Practice. She focuses on placing senior-level executives at private equity funds and in PE-backed portfolio companies. Kenna also has a particular specialization in the Boardroom and in placing Chief Financial Officers. Before joining Egon Zehnder, Kenna served as Head of Private Equity at J. Safra Asset Management, Director at 3i Plc, and Principal at Solera Capital. Kenna began her career at The Boston Consulting Group. Kenna earned a BS in economics from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and an MBA from Harvard Business School.

    Married with two children, Kenna believes in giving back to the community and has served as an alumni interviewer for Sponsors for Educational Opportunities (SEO) and the University of Pennsylvania, as vice-chair of the Board of Trustees of the University Heights Charter School, and is an active member of the parents' association of The Pingry School, a founding member of Pingry Parents of Black Children, and serves on the Board of the Delbarton Mothers Guild.  She also currently serves as President of the Greater Essex County Chapter of Jack & Jill of America, Inc.  To maintain her sanity, Kenna practices yoga (almost) daily. 

Chanta Wilkinson, Advisor

  • Chanta Howard Wilkinson, JD, is the founder of Chanta Wilkinson Consulting, LLC, where she provides diversity, equity, and inclusion consulting and assistance to organizations implementing strategies and impactful workplace initiatives. She holds a J.D. from Rutgers University School of Law and a BA from Rutgers College. In addition, she has experience mediating workplace disputes and is a Delaware Superior Court certified mediator. 

    Chanta serves on the boards of several non-profit organizations across Delaware. She serves as President of the Board of Commissioners of the Lewes Public Library and Vice-Chair of the Delaware Community Foundation Board of Directors. She also volunteers with the History Book Festival and continuously seeks opportunities to support and advocate for the power of books – including moderating book panel discussions and author interviews.

Seble Tareke-Williams, Advisor

  • Seble Tareke-Williams is Principal at MarchTree Group, a business and social impact advisory practice that supports the growth of diverse professionals, businesses, and communities. As part of this work, Seble currently supports emerging real estate investment managers on acquisitions, asset management, and fund administration.  Seble has held executive management roles in both the non-profit and private sectors including serving as an asset and portfolio manager at the Vanbarton Group, an institutional real estate investment advisor and manager.  Prior to Vanbarton, Seble was the Director of Economic Development at IMPACCT, a non-profit affordable housing developer and community development organization.  At IMPACCT, Seble launched and managed the organization’s Employment and Entrepreneurship Center and ran its Commercial Revitalization Program, which led to the establishment of a Business Improvement District.  As a former staff member of IMPACCT, Seble later served as the organization’s Board Chair for nearly a decade.  Seble received her B.A. with honors from American University and a M.B.A. from Harvard Business School where she was a Toigo Finance Fellow.  As the daughter of a librarian and historian, Seble is a proud trustee of the Brooklyn Public Library.  Seble is a lover of books and libraries and a champion of diverse voices and narratives.

     

Lucy Sanchez-Abreu, Advisor

  • Lucy Abreu is the Global Head of Culture and Communications at Jazz Pharmaceuticals, where she leads enterprise-wide strategies to strengthen organizational culture, inclusive leadership, and enterprise-wide communications across global teams. She loves her annual vacations on Martha’s Vineyard and is thrilled to be an MVBBF Advisor.

    Her career began in journalism, where she reported and wrote for outlets including CNN, Gannett Newspapers, CBS, ABC, NJN, and, EspreeNews. At the height of her journalism career, she covered presidential elections, 9/11, racial injustice and protests, while also reporting on healthcare, education, community culture, and the arts. She interviewed prominent politicians,  authors, community figures, and highlighted local voices as editor-in-chief of City News in Plainfield, NJ. That blend of hard news and cultural storytelling remains at the core of her leadership philosophy today.

    Transitioning to corporate communications, Lucy led public relations and communications at Otsuka before serving as Executive Vice President at Syneos Health Communications, where she advised C-suites at Johnson & Johnson, Takeda, Merz Therapeutics, Novartis, GSK, and other global leaders. She guided organizations through transformation, business continuity, pandemic response, mergers and acquisitions, healthcare access, geopolitical and socio cultural shifts, presidential transitions, policy uncertainty and global market volatility - all with a focus on leadership resilience, evidence-based decision making, organizational values, culture, and prioritizing patients and employees.

    Lucy has authored multiple points of view on healthcare equity, culture, and resilience and has designed and facilitated writing workshops and participated in leadership panels for Ragan Communications, One We Reach (formerly WOCIP), and the Healthcare Businesswomen’s Association. She is an active investor with Pipeline Angels, Pocstock, and Sproxxy, supporting diverse founders and innovative platforms. Her community service includes Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., where she contributes to the Scholarship and Grow with Google committees.

    She earned her B.A. in Broadcast Journalism from Rutgers University and her M.S. in Print Journalism from Syracuse University. A New Jersey native now based in Orlando, she is pursuing her doctorate in Organizational Change and Leadership at the University of Southern California, with research focused on how corporate leaders navigate policy volatility and stakeholder expectations during U.S. presidential transitions. A lifelong learner and equity advocate, Lucy believes the world is a classroom — a value she instilled in her children and brings into every aspect of her professional, academic, and community work.

Zoe Smith, Young Adult Book Advisor

  • Zoe Smith, a high schooler is so excited to be the young adult book advisor for the Festival! She has grown up going to Martha’s Vineyard and loves reading young adult fiction books and grew up selling her signature designed bookmarks with inspirational messages. She is now a Senior in Girl Scouts and incoming Teen President for Jack and Jill of America, Inc. Chapter. Within her school, she is the Founder of the Black Book Club, and participates in several activities including softball, theater, singing, and dance. She is currently co-writing a book.