Terrian Barnes


Terrian Barnes is the founder & principal of Fe-smart LLC, a consulting firm helping organizations win by embedding women’s leadership skills and inclusive business practices. A nationally-recognized thought leader on diversity & inclusion, Terrian relocated to Louisville, KY to establish Yum! Brands’ (parent of KFC, Taco Bell, and Pizza Hut) Global Diversity and Inclusion Office, institutionalizing diversity as a corporate best practice and aligning diversity initiatives with core business goals.

Prior to Yum!, Terrian was a member of the DC-based International Franchise Association’s executive team, advocating for economic development in underserved markets; spearheading women and minority leadership initiatives, and overseeing IFA’s Educational Foundation & research activities. She served as a national spokesperson for franchising and minority business development, including an appearance on the Oprah Winfrey Show. Black Enterprise Magazine named Terrian one of 2011’s Top Executives in Diversity. She currently serves on the boards of the Children’s Hospital Foundation, the Kurt Vonnegut Museum and Library, the National Trust for Historic Preservation Community Investment Corporation, and Women Influencing Louisville, among others.