Arielle Johnsonis a serial entrepreneur, social enterprise, and non-profit leader. Arielle is the CEO of The Business Leadership Council (BLC), the premier organization for Black Business Leaders in Chicago with the mission to harness the collective strength and influence of its members to cultivate and fortify the Black Business Ecosystem.

In 2017, Arielle’s heart for entrepreneurship and removing barriers to success for disenfranchised communities has led her to start Fierce Staffing, a Social Enterprise with a special commitment to workforce development. The goals of Fierce Staffing are to provide career pathways for marginalized groups, through exceptional customer service and hospitality training, while contributing to the revitalization of forgotten communities.

In 2019, the workforce development efforts of Fierce led Arielle to the public sector. There, she served as the Deputy Director of Civil Rights, Inclusion, and Opportunity for the City of Detroit, where she led all department operations. Projects led by Arielle included the Business Opportunity Program (Certification & Compliance), Language Access Services, COVID-19 relief efforts for small businesses, the Diversity & Inclusion Program for Mayoral Fellowships, and the first-ever march to cross the historic McNamara Bridge at Detroit Belle Isle in 2020.

In 2021, Arielle was appointed by Governor JB Pritzker to serve the State of Illinois as the Deputy Director of the Business Enterprise Program (BEP) at the Illinois Department of Central Management Services, appointed by unanimous vote as Secretary of the BEP Council, and served as Senior Policy Advisor to the Director. Arielle’s BEP team oversaw certification, goal setting, compliance, and outreach, and was committed to fostering an inclusive business environment that helped businesses owned by minorities, women, and persons with disabilities. As Senior Policy Advisor, Arielle worked with CMS Executive Leadership on policy implementation across the agency, supporting all bureaus on special projects and initiatives that advance CMS’ commitment to providing efficient and reliable support to State Agencies, Boards and Commissions.

Arielle received her B.A. from The School of Hospitality Business at Michigan State University. Hospitality is where she credits developing a steadfast work ethic and understanding of the impacts of quality service in ALL industries. Arielle went on to receive her Master’s in Public Administration from the University of Michigan.

Arielle’s commitment to public service has been evident throughout her career, as she has led initiatives focused on equity within the public, private, and philanthropic sectors. Arielle is a proud member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated. Her proudest accomplishment is being a mother to her son, Dorian. She enjoys working on her golf game and coaching girls basketball in Chicago Public Schools.