Emergent Welcomes Mariella Canady-Towns

Emergent is proud to welcome our newest member, Mariella Canady-Towns, who recently joined the team as an associate and coach.

Mariella is a passionate and experienced leader who grounds her work in intentional community-building. With over two decades of experience in marketing and communications, business, and fundraising, she has held various executive and chief-level roles across multiple industries. Her leadership and strategic expertise led to her recruitment from the for-profit into the nonprofit sector, where she made a significant impact through her work with the YMCA.

This move reflected a growing commitment to service and social change, and helped Mariella further her goal of developing budding leaders from underserved communities. The Y eventually brought Mariella to Syracuse, a city she fell in love with due to its welcoming citizens and strong community organizations.

As a coach, Mariella focuses on instilling confidence and combating imposter syndrome. She recognizes the seeds of greatness in her clients and aims to help them feel qualified, deserving, and empowered. Essential to her mission is getting more executives of color into C-Suite roles, based on her belief in the value of multicultural leadership. Mariella also prioritizes the development of the next generation of leaders, and imagines a world in which anyone with a passion for leadership can see themselves leading at the highest level.

Outside of Emergent, Mariella sits on the National Board for YMCA of the USA’s Multicultural Advisory Council as Chair of Strategic Communications and YUSA’s Multicultural Executive Leadership Development’s Executive Coach, sits on the Gifford Foundation’s Board, and serves as Chair on the Board of Directors for Butterfly Beginnings, a nonprofit focusing on breast cancer navigation. She is a member of Chief and ForbesBLK, was recognized as one of NYC Journal's 2023 Top 20 Inspiring Women, and has appeared on numerous podcasts to influence public thought, including Dr. Juhanna Rogers’ Behind the Woman series. She is also the founder of Platinum Reine Solutions and Platinum Reine Foundation.

Please join us in welcoming Mariella! We are thrilled she is part of our team, and look forward to working with her in pursuit of our mission to raise the consciousness of leaders in CNY and beyond.