# Judene Jean-Louis

> Judene Jean-Louis is a Partner at Andreessen Horowitz's Cultural Leadership Fund - the first VC fund comprised exclusively of Black cultural leaders committed to Black wealth generation. A Jamaican immigrant and Brooklyn native who trained professionally as a dancer, she brought dual MFA and MBA credentials to Silicon Valley's most ambitious experiment in cultural capital. At a16z, she bridges world-class entertainers, athletes, and cultural icons with early-stage technology investments, while funneling all management fees and carry back into nonprofits that funnel Black talent into tech.

- **Role:** Partner, Cultural Leadership Fund at Andreessen Horowitz
- **Organizations:** Andreessen Horowitz (a16z), a16z Cultural Leadership Fund, All Raise Los Angeles (Steering Committee), Best Buddies - Los Angeles Chapter (Board Member)
- **From:** Jamaica
- **Nationality:** Jamaican-American
- **Education:** MBA, University of North Carolina Kenan-Flagler Business School, MFA in Choreography and Performance, Mills College, BA in Theatre & Dance and Sociology (dual), Trinity College, Study Abroad - Faculty Honors, University of Cape Town
- **Known for:** Partner at Andreessen Horowitz - one of the world's most prominent VC firms - representing the Cultural Leadership Fund, E.L. Weigand Foundation Award for excellence in performance, choreography and leadership (Mills College, 2011-2012), Dance Innovator Award from Mills College

## Career timeline

- **2006-2007** — Study abroad at University of Cape Town, South Africa; earned Faculty Honors
- **2008** — Graduated Trinity College with dual BA in Theatre & Dance and Sociology
- **2008-2010** — Worked at Bright Horizons in accounts receivable and enrollment marketing
- **2010-2012** — Pursued MFA at Mills College; taught modern dance and Jamaican Dancehall; won E.L. Weigand Foundation Award and Dance Innovator Award
- **2012** — Graduated Mills College MFA with 3.9 GPA; served as adjunct professor
- **N/A** — Chief Strategy Officer at BAM Communications; launched venture and startup marketing practice
- **N/A** — Director of Operations at uBeam (now Sonic Energy); helped company raise $30M+ in funding
- **N/A** — Co-founded CHIENET, a marketing and operations company
- **N/A** — Co-founded RootsxWings, a digital media company highlighting stories of nonbinary youth
- **N/A** — Completed MBA at UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School
- **2023** — Joined Andreessen Horowitz as Partner on the Cultural Leadership Fund
- **2024** — Co-authored a16z CLF's 2024 nonprofit partner announcements alongside Megan Holston-Alexander
- **2026** — Co-launched Epigraph Creator Fellowship with Macro Films - pairing Black filmmakers with frontier AI tools

## Achievements

- Partner at Andreessen Horowitz - one of the world's most prominent VC firms - representing the Cultural Leadership Fund
- E.L. Weigand Foundation Award for excellence in performance, choreography and leadership (Mills College, 2011-2012)
- Dance Innovator Award from Mills College
- Helped uBeam raise over $30 million in venture funding as Director of Operations
- Co-founded RootsxWings - a digital media company championing nonbinary youth storytelling before mainstream media attention
- Member of All Raise LA Steering Committee - advancing women in VC
- Board member, Best Buddies Los Angeles Chapter
- Adjunct professor at Mills College in choreography and performance
- Co-launched the inaugural Epigraph Creator Fellowship with Macro Films (2026) - placing underrepresented filmmakers inside frontier AI development
- Named SXSW 2024 speaker
- Featured speaker at Whitney M. Young Jr. Memorial Conference

## Latest updates

- **2026-05** — Co-launched inaugural Epigraph Creator Fellowship with Macro Films, selecting 7 Black filmmakers to work with frontier AI tools including OpenAI and ElevenLabs
- **2024-11** — Co-authored a16z CLF's 2024 nonprofit partner announcement, expanding CLF's network across AI, gaming, blockchain, and space technology training programs
- **2024-03** — Featured as SXSW 2024 speaker on culture, venture capital, and tech equity

## Links

- Website: https://a16z.com/author/judene-small/
- LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/judene-small-jean-louis
- Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/JudeneSmallJL
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/judene.small/

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/judene-jean-louis
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-05-09