Tulani Thomas’ journey as an entrepreneur is as varied as it is inspiring. Before Fuqua, Tulani was a CPA at Ernst & Young LLP, a career vastly different from her current work in children's education and sustainability. After completing her time at Fuqua and Duke Law, she initially followed the traditional path of corporate law at Clifford Chance LLP in its Mergers & Acquisitions and Securities groups. However, after her second child was born, she made a bold leap, starting TuTu’s Green World LLC (“TGW”)—a decision she partly credits to the confidence she gained at Fuqua and the influence of mentors like Sanyin Siang, Fuqua Professor and Founding Executive Director of the Coach K Leadership & Ethics Center and the late Greg Dees, Fuqua Professor and CASE (Center for the Advancement of Social Entrepreneurship) co-founder. She realized her passion and now addresses the inequities in the “Going Green” movement by empowering and engaging the younger generation to be change agents for the environment that disproportionately affect marginalized communities. Through her work, she aims to bring environmental and sustainability awareness, education, and programming to all children and especially those communities most impacted and often overlooked due to race or socioeconomic status.

Tulani was raised in a health-conscious and wellness-focused home. She kept these values and infused them into her daily and family life. However, she recognized the lack of black voices reflected in children’s media and literature sharing these principles and was motivated to write her first children’s book, “TuTu Goes Green,” which featured a black female protagonist addressing the global issue of the 3Rs, reduce, reuse and recycle. The success of her inaugural book among all children and communities led to Tulani’s desire to reach a wider audience and provide a panoply of sustainable resources through her website. Later, she followed up with the book, “Soil Magic,” which introduces a diverse cast of characters to highlight the importance of composting and coming together to problem-solve their town’s environmental issue of waste management. Through her company, Tulani has made environmental topics accessible and digestible for children, our future environmental leaders and stewards. Through their tagline “Small Acts Big Impacts,” TGW reinforces the foundation that even the smallest actions can have far-reaching ripples of positive change! Her company instills the belief that even the smallest actions, such as turning off the water while brushing your teeth, using reusable water bottles, or turning off the lights when not in use, can all lead to significant change when we act together and act consistently.

At the grassroots level, Tulani is heavily involved in local schools, organizations, and municipalities, presenting and leading children’s educational programs that infuse sustainability into core subjects such as science, math, and reading. Parents are also part of the conversation, ensuring the lessons extend beyond the classroom. Her efforts highlight how environmental issues intersect with economic well-being, showing families that small steps can lead to substantial change. TGW not only inspires the next generation of environmental change agents but also fosters a culture of conscious decision-making and incorporating sustainable practices into all people’s daily lives to achieve significant positive change. With her recent 501(c)(3) status in progress, TGW will become eligible for additional grants and donations, enabling Tulani to expand her programming. To date, she has donated over 2,000 books to communities most affected by climate issues, and with additional funding, she can significantly increase those resources.

Tulani’s passion for making sustainability has gained the attention of national science and children’s organizations. She was invited to be a special advisor to Black Representation: Authoring STEM Stories for Climate Risk Preparedness (“BlackRep4Kids”) a National Science Foundation-funded project led by Knology, in partnership with the Highlights Foundation, the National Black Child Development Institute, and the Association of Children’s Museums. The project brings together researchers and practitioners from a variety of fields (including climate science, developmental psychology, informal learning, and children’s media) to collaboratively develop methods and strategies for creating children’s climate media that helps Black families and their children discuss, prepare for, and respond to a multitude of environmental threats. Tulani is increasingly advocating for her unique programs and products, with efforts such as TuTu Tuesdays on Instagram and a YouTube channel featuring leaders in sustainability. Recently, her second title, Soil Magic, was the only children’s book selected to participate in the inaugural Martha’s Vineyard Black Book Festival. With her work, Tulani shows that while environmental issues can seem overwhelming, small steps can have a huge impact, especially when these communities understand how their economic and ecological well-being are intertwined. She’s driven to continue expanding her reach and even dreams of creating an impact fund to invest in green technologies.

In addition to impacting the environmental space, Tulani is making an impact in the alternative finance industry as the Chief of Staff at AltFinance, which places HBCU alumni in permanent roles at major financial institutions. As the Chief of Staff, Tulani oversees all legal, accounting, and business strategies alongside CEO Marcus Shaw MBA ’05. TGW’s mantra, Small Acts Big Impacts ™, are words Tulani lives by in every facet of her life, where she takes steps every day to leave our world better each day.

Fuqua has played an essential role in Tulani working to impact our world, and especially in her relationship with her late husband, Tyrone Thomas MBA ’04. The two met before college at an INROADS conference, reconnected at their first job as auditors at Ernst & Young and ultimately both attended Fuqua as best friends, where their romantic relationship began. With help from the Fuqua alumni network Tyrone’s career began at Citigroup where he flourished as Managing Director of North America Leverage Loans, and received accolades for his work in promoting and recruiting diverse talent for Citigroup. He was recognized with awards for his efforts and was a dedicated mentor to many. After Tyrone’s passing, Tulani worked with Fuqua alumni and colleagues to establish the Tyrone Thomas Scholarship Fund in his honor, and it was funded within a year, thanks to the overwhelming support from their Fuqua classmates, alum, and Citigroup colleagues and clients. Through events and outreach, the Tyrone Thomas Scholarship is an endowed restricted scholarship that has and will continue to benefit future generations from underrecognized communities.

Beyond her professional endeavors, Tulani enjoys golfing, a hobby she picked up while taking free classes at the Washington Duke Inn alongside Tyrone as students at Fuqua. It’s a passion she continues to share with her son, a talented drummer who has performed at the Montclair Jazz Festival for three years. Her daughter, an aspiring actress, has been involved in voiceover work and has starred in local productions of Alice in Wonderland, Lion King, and PeteHer Pan. She has recently acquired management representation with the New York agency Zuri. Tulani’s dedication to her family, her work, and her community exemplifies the values she holds dear. With each new project, she continues to broaden her impact and truly make a difference to those who are underserved in our communities. Tulani summarizes her beliefs by saying, “If we [can] influence this generation and let them know they have the agency to make a change, then we can really turn around our climate and environmental issues.” Tulani’s professional and personal journey is truly an example of how small acts do make big impacts.