Khila James — Founder & CEO, OVIDIA
My first “business” was in a college dorm room, doing $50 makeup looks on the weekends. That hustle grew into She Muse, my first real brand, seeded by a $500 grant I won in a pitch competition while balancing Dean’s List grades. From then on, I knew: access changes everything, and women of color deserve it too.
Since then, I’ve built ventures that have generated $2.5M+, and I’ve seen too many business coaches sell hype while women of color founders struggled in silence. I wanted to change that. Today, I’m in law school on a merit scholarship with a stipend, already holding a post-grad offer at a law firm. I’ve served as a Diversity Fellow, chair DEI education at the New York City Bar, and was selected as a fellow of the National Conference of Bankruptcy Judges — where I'm learning, directly from judges, how to help entrepreneurs use bankruptcy as a tool, and not something to fear. Spending a summer interning at Bloomberg, working on their famous Terminal, sparked a thought that never left me: what if women of color had something like this — actionable intel, built for us?
That’s the heart of OVIDIA. Not coaching. Not gatekeeping. Infrastructure, access, and strategy you can actually use.
And when I’m not building OVIDIA? I’m hanging out with my toy poodle and Netherland dwarf bunny, watching way too many true crime docs, or daydreaming about becoming a commercial pilot if I ever get tired of law.
Samantha “Sam” Rivera — Operations Manager, OVIDIA
Hi, I’m Sam! I was born and raised in Stamford, CT and I’m now a grad student at NYU Stern in the 1-Year MBA program. I came to business school because I wanted to learn how to actually do the work — not just sit in a classroom, but take real ideas and turn them into something people can feel. At OVIDIA, I get to do exactly that: keep our operations sharp and make sure our founders have the smoothest experience possible.
When I’m not buried in strategy decks or helping build systems, you’ll probably find me baking (I make a mean chocolate babka) or hanging out with my cat, Princess, who thinks she runs the household.
I joined OVIDIA because the mission hit home for me — I know how tough it is to chase big dreams without the right support, and I love being part of a team that’s rewriting that story for women of color entrepreneurs. To me, this work is equal parts serious and joyful: yes, we’re building systems and solving problems, but we’re also cheering each other on, laughing through the late nights, and believing in what’s possible.
At the end of the day, I want people to feel that OVIDIA is more than just a resource — it’s a place where you’re seen, supported, and set up to win.
