Nerissa is the Co-Founder and President of the Black Business Association of BC (BBABC), a nationally focused growth and scale organization dedicated to strengthening Canada’s Black entrepreneurship ecosystem. With over five years of leadership at BBABC, she has built one of the country’s leading platforms for market access, trade missions, and business acceleration—supporting entrepreneurs across food manufacturing, technology, beauty, creative industries, tourism, and professional services.

Under her leadership, BBABC has delivered highimpact market access accelerators, curated national and international trade missions, and expanded Canada-Africa and Canada-Caribbean commercial pathways. She has led delegations across multiple regions of Africa, connecting Canadian businesses to global buyers, manufacturing hubs, and emerging markets.

Nerissa’s work is rooted in economic empowerment, supply chain resilience, and building equitable access to Canadian and international opportunities. She has been recognized nationally and internationally for her leadership, including being named one of the 100 Most Influential Black Canadians (2022, 2024), a member of BIV’s BC500 (2023), and one of the 100 Accomplished Black Canadian Women (2024).

She has served on the Vancouver Economic Commission Advisory Board and the Surrey Police Board, where she contributed strategic insights on economic development, governance, and community wellbeing.

Nerissa continues to champion the message that when Black businesses grow, local communities thrive — and the Canadian economy grows stronger.