5 Questions with Prosekians in Honor of Black History Month
Lucille Bootman, Alexis Osifo, Troy Gary
While raising up diverse voices is important year-round, we took the opportunity to celebrate Black History Month by asking 5 Questions to some of our team members to highlight, get to know, and amplify the voices of Black Prosekians.
Alexis Osifo, Account Executive, PR in New York 
1. Tell us about your background (where did you grow up, your culture, heritage, etc.).
I’m Igbo Nigerian and African American. I was born in Irvine, California, to an African American mom and Nigerian dad. Shortly after, our family moved to Lagos, Nigeria when I was three years old. I grew up around all of my cousins, aunts, uncles and grandparents on my paternal side. Growing up in Nigeria among a large family and surrounded by rich cultures and history is a key component of how I navigate the world. We lived in Lagos until I was 10 years old, and then moved back to the United States to get to know my maternal side of the family better. We landed in Atlanta, Georgia, where I lived with my mom and two sisters near my maternal grandparents, cousins, aunts and uncles until I circled back to California for college at Scripps College. I am the oldest of three girls and Scripps College is a women’s college, so I am the definition of a girl's girl.
2. What brought you to Prosek?
After graduating college, I interned at Green Dot with their PR team. Green Dot is a client of Prosek, so while there, I got to work with the amazing Prosek team. At the end of my internship, they told me about the Prosek PA program, and suggested it may be a good opportunity as I grew in my career. The rest is history!
Fun fact: I’m now on the Green Dot team again, this time from the agency side.
3. What are you best known for amongst friends and family, and what do you want to be known for at Prosek?
I’m the person my friends and families can call in a crisis and I pride myself on being a reliable and trustworthy friend. I think this carries over to my teams at Prosek, and I’ve made a reputation for delivering solid work, bringing a positive attitude always, and being a reliable, trustworthy teammate. I hope to be the kind of person people want to both work with and hang with.
4. What's a “fun fact” about you?
It’s a goal of mine to go to at least one new international destination every year. In the past couple of years, I’ve made my way to Spain, Aruba, Mexico, Ghana, Turkey, and a number of other places. So, I’m always happy to indulge in travel stories and tips for solo travelers!
5. What’s one thing you wish people would know, and/or one thing you recommend Prosekians engage with (i.e. one movie, one newsletter, one podcast, etc.), in observance of Black History Month?
I find some of the most knowledgeable and truthful novels to be written by Black authors and novelists from the 19th and 20th century. I recommend any novel by Toni Morrison – Beloved and Sula are my favorites. I think a look back into history and the conditions of the past is integral to understanding the present and how to move forward. Toni Morrison was excellent at doing just this, and illustrating the complexities of African American life.
Troy Gary, Senior Vice President, Brand Marketing, Prophecy by Prosek, Los Angeles
1. Tell us about your background (where did you grow up, your culture, heritage, etc.).
I grew up in Richmond, VA, which has changed so much since I was a young lad, it’s like a little Portland now! My family is from King William, VA, which is what city folk might think of when they think of country Virginia, so I have a heavy southern influence when it comes to how I eat and show kindness, and if we stay at Happy Hour too long, you'll hear it in how I talk, too.
2. What brought you to Prosek?
I got this question a lot when I started, and I still get it a lot from my friends who've known me more from the B2C/Entertainment side of marketing. But really, it's a simple three-part recipe: People, Entrepreneurship, Reputation.
- People: I wanted to work with good people, people who care just as much about others as they do about the work, not sacrificing one for the other.
- Entrepreneurship: I like building things, but I realized after spending time in the startup world that I'm not made for taking a company from 0 to 1. However, I love taking it from 1 to 2 to 3 to 4, and being able to help Neil Goklani and Jen LaFiura build on the success they'd already created for Prophecy by Prosek was a no-brainer – especially because we're not just building a department, we're building a muscle in an underserved, growing space.
- Reputation: If you're going to work in B2B financial and professional services, you work for the best. That's easy.
3. What are you best known for amongst friends and family, and what do you want to be known for at Prosek?
I'm known for being loud, opinionated, ambitious and funny. And, while those traits might seem positive, they can also be a cocktail of someone annoying, lol.
At Prosek, even though I’d add "expert in Brand, Marketing, and Closing" to the list, I also want to be seen as a culture carrier. I know we operate in industries and with people often deemed 'serious,' but I've always maintained that clients don't hire themselves; they hire us. That said, I try to demonstrate that one doesn't need to conform to a specific appearance, manner of speech, or dress code to be intelligent.
I want to inspire more people who look like me and share my background by showing them that they can still look like me, dress like me, talk like me, and still captivate anyone from 50 Cent to the CTO and Head of AI at Booz Allen.
4. What's a “fun fact” about you?
Personally, I love commuting to work. It’s like a warming-up period before diving right into work. Professionally, my past three jobs didn't have official job postings; I sold them on the role that was perfect for me to excel in for them.
5. What’s one thing you wish people would know or one thing you recommend Prosekians engage with (i.e. one movie, one newsletter, one podcast, etc.) in observance of Black History Month?
WATCH AMERICAN FICTION!!! It's a fairly new movie. Don't watch the trailer or read about it —just watch it!
Lucille Bootman, Associate Vice President, Digital & Integrated Marketing, Boston
1. Tell us about your background (where did you grow up, your culture, heritage, etc.).
I grew up in Brentwood/Bay Shore, Long Island, New York. My parents met in middle school during the late 80s and were one of the few mixed-race couples in their grade. My mom is of Italian, German and Polish descent, while my dad is Jamaican and Trinidadian. Both of my Caribbean grandparents immigrated to America as teenagers in the 1960s and settled in New York. Although my grandad passed away in 2007, we had the opportunity to visit Trinidad and meet many of our relatives there. On the other hand, my grandma Shirley is one of the closest people in my life. She splits her time between New York and Florida, but also owns property in Spanish Town, Jamaica. We make it a point to visit at least once a year to catch up with family and check on the house. I feel incredibly fortunate to have explored Jamaica extensively with my grandma. Jamaican cuisine is my favorite, and some of my go-to dishes include Ackee and Saltfish (with fried dumplings), Oxtail with Rice & Peas, and festival with any type of stewed fish.
2. What brought you to Prosek?
Truthfully, the vision that Dan Allocca – the Partner at Prosek who leads Digital and Integrated Marketing – had for the team. I've been familiar with Prosek for almost a decade; a Prosek team handled PR for my mom's accounting firm when I was studying communications/PR in college. In 2017, I applied for the summer PR Development Program but didn't receive an offer… clearly wasn’t my time to do financial communications! Instead, I pursued a career in healthcare PR, eventually transitioning to a digital role. Six years later, meeting Dan and the team it was a full circle moment – it was all meant to be!
3. What are you best known for amongst friends and family, and what do you want to be known for at Prosek?
Amongst my friends and family, I'm often seen as the "big sister." This role translates into being a planner or being stern, which comes naturally when you have six younger siblings. At Prosek, I want to be known for my personality and willingness to help anyone, regardless of the task, as long as I can figure it out.
4. What's a “fun fact” about you?
I have two related to food: I worked at a homemade ice cream shop for five years, and the owner named a sundae after me – "Lulu's Specialty” and I received my Wine & Spirits Education Trust Level 1 Award in Wines back in 2020.
5. What’s one thing you wish people would know, and/or one thing you recommend Prosekians engage with (i.e. one movie, one newsletter, one podcast, etc.), in observance of Black History Month?
I recommend seeking out books, movies, or TV shows showcasing Black joy. While stories of slavery and history are important, prioritize narratives that highlight Black people having fun, being powerful, and loving life. Consider Entergalatic (Netflix), For Life (Hulu), or The Wedding Date by Jasmine Guillory. 