Johnetta Hardy is a visionary leader and nationally recognized trailblazer in entrepreneurship education with over 25 years of experience transforming communities through innovation, venture creation, and economic empowerment. As the founding Executive Director of Bowie State University’s Entrepreneurship Innovation Center (EIC), she has established a nationally awarded hub for entrepreneurial learning, empowering students to turn bold ideas into scalable ventures. Under her leadership, the EIC received the 2024 Global Consortium of Entrepreneurship Centers (GCEC) Outstanding Emerging Entrepreneurship Center Award and, most recently, the 2025 BSU Best Collaboration with Industry Partner Award and the Advancing Innovation Award.

Johnetta is also the founder and chair of the Annual HBCU+ Entrepreneurship Conference—now in its fourth year—a nationally recognized platform for showcasing Black innovation and strengthening entrepreneurial ecosystems across HBCUs. A serial entrepreneur herself, she has launched four companies and mentored more than 3,000 businesses. Her thought leadership is featured in The Black Experience, Navigating Higher Education through a Virtual World, and the Annals of Entrepreneurship Education and Pedagogy – Vol. 5.

She has led three university-based entrepreneurship centers, including at Howard University and the University of Baltimore. At Howard, she was honored with the HBCU Entrepreneurship Legacy Award during the Black Wealth Conference hosted by Howard University and PNC Bank.

Johnetta’s influence spans across prestigious boards, including the Global Consortium for Entrepreneurship Centers and the University System of Maryland’s Economic Development Practice Partners. She also co-founded the Centers & Institutes Entrepreneurship Group within the United States Association of Small Business and Entrepreneurship (USASBE).

A proud member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated, Johnetta holds degrees from Howard University and credentials from Harvard Business School, Babson College’s Entrepreneurship Educator Program, and the Entrepreneurship Learning Initiative. Her unwavering commitment continues to shape the future of innovation, entrepreneurship, and inclusive economic growth.