Whitney L. Barkley is an internationally recognized AI strategist, entrepreneurship educator, and Director of Digital Marketing and Innovation at KQ Communications.

Whitney holds an M.S. in Marketing and Communications from Franklin University, a B.A. in Mass Media Communications from Wilberforce University, and a Certificate in Disruptive Strategy from Harvard Business School Online. She is also a graduate of the Goldman Sachs One Million Black Women: Black in Business program through NYU Stern School of Business.

With more than 13 years of experience spanning digital marketing, strategic communications, entrepreneurship, education, and emerging technology, she helps organizations translate complex ideas into practical strategies that drive results. Her human-centered approach to innovation is grounded in a simple philosophy: “Think Before You Automate.”