Excitement is building ahead of the 2026 Ghana Innov8 Summit & Gala in Atlanta following the confirmation of four accomplished professionals expected to bring expertise spanning diplomacy, corporate leadership, global marketing and artificial intelligence to the highly anticipated gathering.
The Ghana Innov8 Summit & Gala 2026 is scheduled for Saturday, September 5, with activities beginning at 8:30 a.m. EDT. The event is organized by Ghana Innov8 Inc., a U.S.-registered nonprofit organization.
Among the confirmed speakers is Deniece O. Laurent-Mantey, a seasoned U.S.-Africa policy professional associated with the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of African Affairs. Laurent-Mantey has previously served in a special advisory capacity involving U.S.-Africa engagement and has participated in high-level conversations focused on strengthening ties between the United States, Africa and the African diaspora.
Joining her is Courtney Benas, Executive Vice President of Operations at McDonald’s. Benas brings extensive corporate and operational leadership experience from one of the world’s most recognizable brands, adding a major business voice to the summit’s growing lineup.
Also confirmed is Ama Kwarteng, who works in global marketing and business strategy at Veeam Software. Her participation is expected to contribute insights into branding, global business growth and navigating increasingly competitive international markets.
Completing the newly announced group is Ghanaian technology professional Emmanuel Acheampong, Senior Manager of Developer Relations at Crusoe, where his work focuses heavily on managed AI infrastructure and helping developers build with emerging artificial intelligence technologies. His experience places AI and the rapidly evolving technology economy firmly on the summit agenda.
The four speakers represent the broad ambition behind Ghana Innov8: connecting professionals across government, business, technology and the diaspora while creating opportunities for collaboration, mentorship and innovation.
With Atlanta home to a vibrant Ghanaian and wider African diaspora community, the summit is shaping up to become an important meeting point for professionals determined to build stronger connections between Africa and the global economy.
As September 5 approaches, the confirmation of these four high-profile speakers is likely to further increase interest in an event designed to put Ghanaian excellence, innovation and global leadership firmly in the spotlight.
