National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP)

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Benjamin Todd Jealous served as President of the Rosenberg Foundation- a private independent institution that supports advocacy efforts to make significant improvements in the lives of California's working families and recent immigrants. He was the fourth person to hold the position since the Foundation was founded in 1935.

Benjamin Todd Jealous
President and CEO-Elect
NAACP
Dr. Randal D. Pinkett

Dr. Randal D. Pinkett
Founder, Chairman and CEO BCT Partners Season 4 Winner of "The Apprentice"

Regina Stanback Stroud, Vice President of Instruction at Skyline College, has been an educator in the California Community Colleges for more than twenty years. She began as a professor of nursing at then named, Rancho Santiago College. She went on to become the Dean of Workforce and Economic Development at Mission College in Santa Clara and the Vice President of Instruction at Skyline College in San Bruno, California. Her experiences in the state level policy development includes a 5 year tenure as a representative, Vice President, President and Past President of the Academic Senate for California Community Colleges.

Regina Stanback Stroud
Vice President, Instruction
Skyline College
Author of: "The Personal Touch: What You Really Need to Succeed in Today's Fast-Paced Business World" "A Plentiful Harvest: Creating Balance and Harmony Through the Seven Living Virtues" "Stay Strong: Simple Life Lessons for Teens"

Terrie M. Williams
Founder & President The Stay Strong Foundation Author, Black Pain: It Just Looks Like We're Not Hurting
Mr. Martin is a commentator for TV One Cable Network also host of "The Roland S. Martin Show" on WVON-AM/1690 in Chicago. He can be heard daily from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. He is also a CNN Contributor, appearing on a variety of shows, including The Situation Room, Anderson Cooper 360, Lou Dobbs Tonight, and many others. In August 2007, he joined Essence Magazine as a special correspondent, writing a bi-monthly column and a daily blog on Essence.com.

Roland S. Martin
Journalist, Author of Listening to the Spirit Within: 50 Perspectives on Faith
Cheryl has been called a powerhouse in the world of business and personal finance by leading magazines. Award-winning author, Washington Post bestselling author, magazine and online columnist, writer/producer, and motivational speaker, Cheryl is one of America’s leading expert on business and personal finance.

Cheryl D. Broussard
CEO
Registered Investment Advisor
Cheryl Broussard & Co., Inc.
Hon. Judge Greg Mathis

Hon. Judge Greg Mathis
The Greg Mathis Show, and Member, NAACP Special Contribution Fund Board of Trustees
The first coach in men’s or women’s basketball to take three different schools to the Final Four (Cheyney University in 1982, The University of Iowa in 1993 and Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, in 2000 and again in 2007), she has been a pioneer, visionary and innovator during her three and a half decades on the sidelines.

C. Vivian Stringer
Head coach
Rutgers Women's Basketball

Dr. Robert M. Franklin, Jr.

Dr. Robert M. Franklin, Jr.
President Morehouse College
Athena Abdullah

Athena Abdullah
Congressional Black Caucus Foundation Congressional Fellow
Office of U.S. Congressman Charles B. Rangel

Rev. Otis Moss III

Rev. Otis Moss III
Pastor
Trinity United Church of Christ

Gina E. Wood is the deputy director of the Joint Center’s Health Policy Institute. As deputy director, Ms. Wood is the team leader and manages the day-to-day operations to help implement the Institute’s mission, “to ignite a Fair Health movement that reinforces the inalienable right of people of color to equal opportunity for healthy lives.” A national respected thought leader, she develops the conceptual framework and implementation strategy for Institute programs, partnerships, key stakeholder relationships, communications, research and policy analysis, fundraising and resource development. The Institute’s strategic focus areas include, social determinants of health, prevention and health promotion, infant mortality, supporting youth, mental health, health care, and healthy aging. In addition, she promotes and maintains the Institute’s relationships with foundations, government and corporate donors.

Gina E. Wood
Deputy Director
Health Policy Institute Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies

John H. Jackson

John H. Jackson
President & CEO
The Schott Foundation for Public Education

Master Gunnery Sergeant King transferred during June 2005 and currently serves as the Court Reporter Chief at Legal Services Support Section, 2d Marine Logistics Group, Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. Master Gunnery Sergeant King also works with the Marine Corps Recruiting Command in an effort to increase minority enlistments in the Corps since her assignment to Camp Lejeune. Currently Master Gunnery Sergeant King will complete her Master of Arts Degree in Management with a specialization in Human Resources from National University June 2008.

Avril M. King
Master Gunnery Sergeant
U.S.M.C
Camp Lejeune, NC

David Emmanuel Goatley is the Executive Secretary-Treasurer of the Lott Carey Baptist Foreign Mission Convention—an international Christian missions agency founded in 1897 that helps churches extend their witness to the ends of the earth—and the Executive Director of Lott Carey International—a global relief and development agency that helps improve the quality of life in marginalized communities around the world. As the chief executive officer of these two agencies, Mr. Goatley oversees vision, administration, and development efforts to invest in indigenous leadership and programs in Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, Europe, North America, Oceania, and South America.

Rev. David Emmanuel Goatley, Ph.D.
Executive Secretary-Treasurer
The Lott Carey Baptist Foreign Mission Convention

Ms. Iloani is Chairman, President and CEO of Smith Whiley  Company, a privately owed investment firm. The Firm is headquartered in Hartford and an office in Evanston, Illinois. Smith Whiley is the largest female and black female-owned private equity firm in the country. The Firm specializes in management buyouts, recapitalizations, acquisitions and growth capital, and makes private equity and mezzanine investments.

Gwendolyn Smith Iloani
President and CEO of
Smith Whiley & Company
Cecil B. Williams is the Equal Employment Opportunity Manager for the Eglin Complex. He is responsible for policy, guidance, direction and oversight of all plans and programs affecting equal opportunity for civilian personnel. His responsibility encompasses not only complaints, but also the affirmative employment aspects of equal opportunity. He is also the Alternate Dispute Resolution (ADR) Champion for the Complex. Mr. Williams began his federal career with the Air Force in 1993 (Eglin AFB) as a student co-op in civilian personnel, while working on his second masters degree. He obtained several promotions within the next few years while learning the task of an Employee & Management Relations Specialist. In 1997, he was reassigned to the position of Labor Relations Officer where he served as the initial voice for management concerning union & management issues. In 1999, Mr. Williams was transferred to serve as the Civilian Personnel Officer at Hurlburt Field, AFB, supporting not only the 16th SOW but also AFSOC Headquarters. In 2000, he was promoted to Chief, Labor and Employee Management Relations, Kadena Air Base, Japan. There he was responsible for U.S. Civilian concerns as well as the concerns of the Local National employees. His primary responsibility was the continuous negotiation between the18th Wing and the Government of Japans Administration Bureau with respect to the treatment of Japanese employees in Okinawa. He prides this tour as one of his most fulfilling.

Cecil B. Williams
Equal Opportunity Director
United States Air Force
Eglin Complex

Tara Setmayer is currently the Communications Director for Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R-CA). Before joining Rep. Rohrabacher, she served as a media commentator and political consultant based in Washington, D.C. Setmayer is also the former Research Fellow and communications specialist for the Coalition on Urban Renewal & Education (CURE), a non-profit organization that provides national dialogue on how social policies impact America’s inner cities and the poor.

Tara Olivia Setmayer
Communications Director
Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (CA-46)
United States House of Representatives

Scott connects successful professionals and business owners with brands people crave by leveraging their experience to help them become multi-unit franchisees with some of the biggest brands in the restaurant business. Now in his 19th year as a KFC/Yum! veteran, Scott has a variety of development and marketing experience. Yum! Brands features four category leading brands, KFC, Pizza Hut, Taco Bell, and Long John Silver's as well as A&W All American Food - the original quick-service franchise restaurant chain. While Yum! has over 18,000 restaurants in the U.S., the company continues to have significant growth opportunity as they expand the KFC and Taco Bell Brands both with single brand assets and together in one location through Multibranding. Pizza Hut and WingStreet are also using Multibranding to drive development activity. The company has been franchising for over 50 years and works with you every step of the way with development experts, business coaches, and a peer network of over 1200 experienced franchisees, all part of the Yum! Value Network.

Scott R. Haner
Vice President, Franchise Development
Yum! Brands, Inc.

Master Sergeant Trinece Cooke was born in St. Louis Missouri on 17 June 1969. She graduated from Central Visual and Performing Arts High School in 1987. MSgt Cooke entered Active Duty on 27 July 1987. She attended Cardiopulmonary Apprentice Course Phase I at Sheppard AFB in Wichita Falls Texas. Upon graduation, she was assigned to Carswell AFB Texas to attend Cardiopulmonary Apprentice Course Phase II where she completed the course with honors. MSgt Cooke is currently assigned to Luke Air Force Base; she is the Medical Services Flight NCOIC. MSgt Cooke has functioned as the President of the 56th Medical Group Unit Advisory Council, President of the 56th Medical Group Top 3 Council, and Treasurer of the 56th Fighter Wing Top 3 Council. She has distinguished herself by receiving the 56th Medical Operations Squadron (MDOS) NCO of the Quarter, 1st quarter 2001. She was MDOS NCO of the Quarter, 3rd quarter 2003. She was the 56th Medical Group NCO of the Quarter, 3rd quarter 2003. 56 MDG SNCO of the Quarter, 2nd quarter 2006 and first quarter 2007. She was the SNCO of the Year for Direct Clinical Support 2004. She was the 56th Medical Operations Squadron Annual SNCO of the Year 2005 and 2007. She also received AETC and Air Force Medical Service Cardiopulmonary SNCO of the Year 2005. Master Sergeant Cooke’s involvement with the community garnered the 2007 Community Service Award presented by Glendale Chamber of Commerce. MSgt Cooke holds an Associate in Applied Science Degree in Cardiopulmonary Laboratory Technology, a Bachelors Degree in Occupational Education with a specialization in Health/Business Administration (honors), and a Masters Degree in Business Administration.

Master Sergeant Trinece Cooke
NCOIC, Medical Services Flight
Luke AFB, AZ
Mr. Baker concentrates his practice in general banking and finance. He is experienced in a variety of secured and unsecured transactions, including acquisitions, divestitures, corporate restructuring, recapitalizations, syndicated and single-bank financing.

Bruce Baker
Partner
Baker & McKenzie LLP

Evangelist Gatlin has contributed to the Church of God in Christ, Inc. on every level. She is the First Lady of the First Church of God in Christ, Crowley, Louisiana and Unity Family Worship Center Church of God in Christ, Eunice, Louisiana. There she serves as Director of the Women’s Ministries. She is the Supervisor of the Department of Women of the First Jurisdiction of Louisiana. Prior to this appointment, she served as a District Missionary and Jurisdictional Music President. She is also the First Lady (affectionately called “Queen”) of the International Sunday School Department.

Evangelist Vanessa Winbush Gatlin
First Church of God in Christ
Crowley, LA
Unity Family Worship Center Church of God in Christ
Eunice, LA
Reverend Dr. Ray McKenzie, Jr.

Reverend Dr. Ray McKenzie, Jr.
Senior Pastor, Gravel Hill Baptist Church, Richmond, Virginia
Instructor, Practical Theology The Samuel DeWitt Proctor School of Theology,
Virginia Union University
Maya E. Goines serves as the Democratic National Committee's Deputy Director of the American Majority Partnership. The American Majority Partnership team works to forge and strengthen ties across core Democratic communities, on the basis of the values and vision we share. Through her work, Maya works with every DNC department, the party's constituency caucuses, state parties, and allies in Congress and elsewhere to identify cross-cutting issues around which to build a proactive program of sustained outreach to and mobilization within Democratic communities.

Maya Goines
Deputy Director
American Majority Democratic National Convention
Washington, DC
Dr. Joe Leonard a native of Austin, Texas and received his Bachelor of Arts degree in history from Huston-Tillotson College in Austin. Following graduation Leonard received his Master of Arts degree from Southern University in Baton Rouge. In December 2004 Leonard completed the requirements for the Ph.D. in history at Howard University. His dissertation is entitled, “We Are Catchin’ Hell Down Here”: The Struggle for Public Accommodations and Voter Franchisement by the Congress of Racial Equality in Louisiana 1960-1965. Dr. Leonard is currently revising his dissertation into a book.

Dr. Joe Leonard
Executive Director
Congressional Black Caucus

Tara Wall, a former newscaster, Republican National Committee senior advisor and George W. Bush appointee, is currently a conservative columnist and Deputy Editorial Page Editor for the Washington Times. Wall is an award-winning journalist who has spent 17 years in the fields of communications, politics and journalism. Her weekly column focuses on timely topics involving religion, race, politics and national policy.

Tara J. Wall
Deputy Editorial Page Editor & Columnist
The Washington Times

Shannon F. Reeves is the National Director of State and Local Development for the Republican National Committee. He serves as the Party’s liaison between state, county and local Republican organizations on candidate support, professional development, and strategic positioning of the Party’s efforts in local communities. He is also the Party’s leading expert on African American voting trends, demographic changes and community constituencies.

Shannon F. Reeves
National Director of State and Local Development
Republican National Committee
Shonta Chambers

Shonta Chambers
Director
Board of Directors
American Heart Association
Reverend R. Paul Hollman currently holds a Bachelor’s of Arts Degree in Religion from Morehouse College, and received theological training from Wesley Theological Seminary, Washington, D.C. He is presently the pastor of Greater Beulah Baptist Church in Dothan, Alabama, and has been a leading member of the pastoral staff at numerous churches throughout the United States. His leadership capabilities are above reproach, and have been displayed through his work as the Director of the City of Birmingham Division of Youth Services and numerous other undertakings.

Reverend R. Paul Hollman
Pastor
Greater Beulah Baptist Church
Dothan, Alabama,

Hilary O. Shelton presently serves as Director to the NAACP’s Washington Bureau. The Washington Bureau is the Federal legislative and national public policy division of the over 500,000-member, 2,200-membership unit, national civil rights organization.

Hilary O. Shelton
Director
NAACP Washington Bureau
Reverend Dr. Jesse T. Williams, Jr. is the Senior Pastor- Elect of the prominent Convent Avenue Baptist Church of New York City, New York. Prior to accepting the call from Convent Avenue, Dr. Williams served sixteen years as pastor of the historic Washington Tabernacle Baptist Church of St. Louis, Missouri. Dr. Williams was licensed to preach the Gospel in June 1983 at the Mount Carmel Missionary Baptist Church, Topeka, Kansas and was ordained to the Gospel Ministry in December 1990 at the West Side Baptist Church, St. Louis, Missouri.

Rev. Dr. Jesse T. Williams, Jr.
Senior Pastor- Elect
Convent Avenue Baptist Church
New York City, NY
Michael Draine is a Pharmaceutical Executive with more than 24 years of industry experience. He began his career with (Sandoz) Novartis Pharmaceuticals in Chicago as sales representation in 1983. He has extensive sales and marketing experience with a focus on products in the cardiovascular, respiratory and central nervous system therapeutic arena. Mr. Draine’s sales and marketing experience also includes a unique focus on physician and treatment reimbursement in the area of oncology and vaccines. He has served in several senior management roles with Novartis and Merck.

Michael Draine, MBA
Senior Director
Federal Government Affairs
AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals, LP

Chaplain, Lt Col “Rich” Spearman is an Individual Mobilization Augmentee (IMA) Chaplain that is assigned to the Air Reserve Personnel Center in Denver, CO, and presently attached to Hurlburt Field, Florida. He is currently serving on active duty with the 9 Reconnaissance Wing at Beale AFB, California until 10 January 2008. Chaplain Spearman was commissioned a 1st Lieutenant in April 1983. He served on active duty as a Protestant Chaplain for fifteen years, and retired from active duty under the Temporary Early Retirement Authority in 1998. He entered the active Reserve Corps on 9 April 2003.

Lt Col Richard Spearman
Chaplain
Air Reserve Personnel Center
Denver, CO

Chris Foster’s professional experience combines a broad knowledge of managed care, healthcare provider groups, media relations, and pharmaceutical marketing, as well as alliance development and social marketing. Mr. Foster has worked in a variety of environments ranging from global public relations agencies and trade associations to national political campaigns and healthcare provider groups.

Chris Foster
Managing Director
Practice Chair - Healthcare
Burson-Marsteller
Washington, DC

Over the years, I’ve learned that pastoring is not a simple calling. Even though I have been pastoring for sixteen years, (from Phoenix to Flagstaff to Kansas City back to Phoenix) I’ve learned the hard way that anything that is worthwhile is bound to be a bitter battle. The higher the hill upon which “one” plan to build their castle, the harder the climb is to reach its top. As I continue to grow and mature in my Christian life, and in the Lord, I have discovered that in order to achieve success, or my spiritual goal, that I must have a fixed mind. In planning a brighter tomorrow, I realize now that I must take the bitter with the sweet, the good with the bad, and the unknown with the known. I must recognize and anticipate the many pitfalls and potholes that I have to encounter on the road to life; for in order to reach the top, I must have my eyes and my mind focused on the same thing. “A focused individual is one who aims well at the target and pulls his bow of opportunity to the final stretch before letting his arrow of opportunity fly.”

Rev. Teresa Nelson
Pastor
Murph Community A.M.E.
Phoenix, AZ

Dr. Underwood is an interventional cardiologist and Director of Research at Sonoran Health Specialists in Scottsdale. He earned his medical degree and completed his residency at the Mayo Graduate School of Medicine in Rochester, MN. This was preceded by a year of internship at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit, MI. His cardiology fellowship was at the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio, followed by an interventional fellowship with the Iowa Heart Center in Des Moines. He is board-certified in internal medicine and cardiovascular diseases, and is a fellow of the American College of Cardiology and the Society of Cardiac Angiography and Intervention.

Dr. Paul Underwood
American Heart Association
Cardiologist and Director of Research at Sonoran Health Specialists
Scottsdale, AZ

John Hope Bryant

John Hope Bryant
Author & Economist
Michael Roberts is the classic American entrepreneur. Born to middle class hard working parents, educated in the St. Louis public school system, he worked his way through college and law school to become one of St. Louis’ leading businessmen. Throughout his rise in business, Mr. Roberts maintained a strong commitment to the African-American community from which he came. Locating his headquarters in the heart of this community, his endeavors over the last twenty-nine years have created thousands of jobs and entrepreneurial opportunities, raised the level of economic activity and enhanced the quality of life for the African-American community.

Michael V. Roberts, JD
Chairman & CEO
The Roberts Companies
Albert J. Browne is the National Director and Vice President of Education and Technology for the Verizon Foundation. At Verizon, Mr. Browne is responsible for building the foundation’s initiatives in the Education and Technology space. This includes leading the effort to expand the Foundation’s flagship and signature program –Thinkfinity.org. Thinkfinity, the Verizon Foundation’s acclaimed digital platform that provides over 55,000 standards-based educational resources to educators free and is developed in partnership with eleven of the nation’s leading education and literacy organizations. Verizon Foundation is the Philanthropic arm of Verizon Communications.

Albert J. Browne
National Director and Vice President of Education and Technology Verizon Foundation

 

 

 

 


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