Bishop Horace E. Smith, M.D. is a man gifted with a passion for God’s Word coupled with a love for God’s people. He has a contagious spirit of generosity that overflows in every facet of his life. As pastor of the Apostolic Faith Church and an attending physician specializing in Pediatric Hematology/Oncology at Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Memorial Hospital), Dr. Horace E. Smith has treated bodies and souls for three decades.

Bishop Smith was born and raised on the south side of Chicago, IL, and graduated as an honor student from Lindblom High School and went on to obtain a Bachelor of Science Degree (with honors) at Chicago State University, and a M.D. from University of Illinois Medical Center.

Bishop James B. Walker is the Presiding Prelate of the Seventh Episcopal District of the Christian Methodist Episcopal (C.M.E.) Church. Bishop Walker was elected the 56th bishop of the C.M.E. Church at its thirty-seventh General Conference, held in Mobile, Alabama. He is the former pastor of Phillips Metropolitan CME Church in Hartford, Connecticut where he served for 27 years. Bishop Walker has also served as interim Presiding Elder of the New York-New England District, as well, and the pastor of Trinity CME Church, Toccoa, Georgia and Sykes Memorial CME Church in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

Bishop Walker is a former President of the Greater Hartford Interdenominational Ministerial Alliance as well as the former Interim Dean and Adjunct Faculty at Hartford Seminary. He is the founder and first Executive Director of the North Star Center for Human Development, Inc. and through his leadership, North Star was awarded a HUD 202 grant to construct the Phillips Metropolitan Apartments (a 40 unit Senior Housing Community). Additionally, Bishop Walker collaborated with the State of Connecticut Department of Children and Families to form a faith-based adoption and foster care ministry, the Queen Esther Ministry.

Bishop Walker is a graduate of Langston University, Langston, Oklahoma and he received the Masters of Divinity degree at Phillips School of Theology of the Interdenominational Theological Center in Atlanta, Georgia. He is a member of the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity.

Cookie Johnson, is a devoted philanthropist and a passionate spokesperson. Cookie is founder of CJ by Cookie Johnson, a premium denim line. Now she is a NY Times Best-selling author of “Believing in Magic.” The Michigan State University graduate lives with her husband Earvin in California; she is mother to their three children, André, Earvin Johnson III (EJ), and Elisa and Proud Nonnie to their grandchildren Gigi and Avery. Cookie now spends her time speaking to audiences around the country, using her testimony to inspire & motivate others.

Kafui Dzirasa was born to Samuel and Abigail Dzirasa, who grew up as neighbors in an area outside of Accra, Ghana. His father came to the US in 1971 when he was accepted into the Civil Engineering Program at MIT, and his mother followed soon after completing a nursing degree in England. After graduation, his father went on to obtain an MBA from the Sloan School of Business. Kafui was born in Boston, MA in 1978, and grew up with his three brothers and a sister in Silver Spring. Kafui Dzirasa is the first African American to complete a PhD in Neurobiology at Duke University. Kafui is an Associate Professor at Duke University with appointments in the Departments of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Neurobiology, Biomedical Engineering, and Neurosurgery. His ultimate goal is to combine his research, medical training, and community experience to improve outcomes for diverse communities suffering from Neurological and Psychiatric illness.

Kafui research interests focus on understanding how changes in the brain produce neurological and mental illness, and his graduate work has led to several distinctions including: the Somjen Award for Most Outstanding Dissertation Thesis, the Ruth K. Broad Biomedical Research Fellowship, the UNCF∙Merck Graduate Science Research Fellowship, and the Wakeman Fellowship. Kafui obtained an MD from the Duke University School of Medicine in 2009, and completed residency training in General Psychiatry in 2016.

Kafui has served as an Associate Scientific Advisor for the journal Science Translational Medicine, and he was a member of the Congressional‐mandated Next Generation Research Initiative. He currently serves on the Editorial Advisory Board for TEDMED, and the Advisory committee for the NIH Director for the BRAIN Initiative.

Kafui has participated in numerous programs geared towards exposing youth to science and technology, providing health education for underserved communities, and organizing clinics to screen for chronic diseases. Kafui received the Charles Johnson Leadership Award in 2007, and he was recognized as one of Ebony magazine’s 30 Young Leaders of the Future in February 2008. He has also been awarded the International Mental Health Research Organization Rising Star Award, the Sydney Baer Prize for Schizophrenia Research, and his laboratory was featured on CBS 60 Minutes in 2011. In 2016, he was awarded the inaugural Duke Medical Alumni Emerging Leader Award and the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers: The Nation’s highest award for scientists and engineers in the early stages of their independent research careers. In 2017, he was recognized as 40 under 40 in Health by the National Minority Quality Forum, and the Engineering Alumni of the Year from UMBC.

Reverend Dr. Renita J. Weems is a biblical scholar, a writer, an ordained minister, and a public intellectual whose scholarly insights into modern faith, biblical texts, and the role of spirituality in everyday lives make her a highly sought-after writer and speaker.   She has numerous books, commentaries and articles on the Bible and prophetic religion to her credit. Among these are “Just A Sister Away” (1987 & 2005); “I Asked for Intimacy” (1993); “Song of Songs: A Commentary”, Interpreter’s Bible Series, Vol. 5 (Abingdon, 1997). Her 1999 book, “Listening for God: A Minister’s Journey Through Silence and Doubt” (Simon & Schuster), won the Religious Communicators’ Council’s prestigious 1999 Wilbur Award for “excellence in communicating spiritual values to the secular media”. Dr. Weems received her B.A. from Wellesley College (Wellesley, Massachusetts) and her Masters and Ph.D. degrees from Princeton Theological Seminary (Princeton, New Jersey). Upon receiving her Ph.D. in 1989 from Princeton, she became the first African American woman to earn a Ph.D. in Old Testament studies. Invited by Yale University to deliver the prestigious Lyman Beecher Lectures in 2008, she became the first African American woman ever to give the Beecher lectures. She taught in the Divinity School at Vanderbilt University for many years; she has served as the William and Camille Cosby Visiting Professor of Humanities at Spelman College and, more recently, as the Vice President of Academic Affairs at American Baptist College in Nashville. These days she relishes being able to return to her first love which is writing. When she isn’t writing and enjoying her favorite two past times (biking and quilting), she co-pastors with her husband, Rev. Martin L. Espinosa, the Ray Of Hope Community Church in Nashville; an inner city ministry founded 20 years ago.

Father Paul Abernathy is an Orthodox Christian priest and the Director of FOCUS Pittsburgh, an Orthodox Christian non-profit focused on Trauma Informed Community Development located in the Hill District, Pittsburgh Pa. He has B.A. in International Studies from Wheeling Jesuit University, and holds a Master in Public and International Affairs from the University of Pittsburgh as well as a Master of Divinity from St. Tikhon’s Orthodox Theological Seminary.

Since its inception in 2011, FOCUS Pittsburgh has distributed millions of dollars in food, clothing, furniture, transportation assistance, Identification, and emergency relief to the Greater Pittsburgh Community which includes a Back Pack Feeding Program that distributes food to 2,700 children every weekend during the school year.

Father Paul is also the CEO of the FOCUS Pittsburgh Free Health Center which offers free primary, behavioral health, and dental care to Pittsburgh’s uninsured and underinsured. Under his leadership all FOCUS Pittsburgh programing has been developed as part of an overall initiative currently underway to address Community Trauma called Trauma Informed Community Development, to include a Trauma Response Team for acute stress as a result of homicides in Allegheny County (in partnership with the Allegheny County Health Department).

In addition to his work with FOCUS Pittsburgh, Fr. Paul is and has been a member of multiple community boards and committees to include the PA State Parole Citizens Advisory Committee, Neighborhood Allies Grassroots Grant Making Committee, Allegheny County Health Department’s Violence Prevention Community Advisory Board, and is a Foundation of HOPE board member.

A former Non-Commissioned Officer in the U.S. Army, Father Paul is a combat veteran of the Iraq War and has received community awards to include the rank of Eagle Scout, the New Pittsburgh Courier’s Fab 40 award, Larry Richert’s Hometown Hero Award, Pittsburgh Magazine’s 40 under 40, and Wheeling Jesuit University’s Fr. Pedro Arrupe Distinguished Alumni Award.

Fr. Paul is the pastor of St. Moses Orthodox Christian Mission also located in the Hill District

Since November 2011, Rev. Shane B. Scott has served as the senior pastor of the historic Macedonia Baptist Church located in Los Angeles, CA that has served the Watts Community for more than 100 years. Pastor Scott is a powerful and anointed messenger, teacher and speaker. His voice and unique view into Christian living offers diverse groups a meaningful lens for examining and empowering their lives. By example and edict, Rev. Scott has motivated changed people to change the world. The Macedonian message of being an accepting, loving, inspiring, visioning and encouraging congregation is one that involves a ministry of discipleship, mission and transforming the soul of the community. He says, “We are a historic, relevant congregation with a vision to speak truth to power as we forge collaborations between church and community to exhibit unity as a household of faith.”

Pastor Scott’s visionary and courageous leadership has rippled through the local community and abroad. As a noted guest minister at churches, community events and conferences throughout North America, his progressive and relevant message has reached thousands of diverse populations. While masterful at articulating global issues facing Christians, he also has the wonderful ability to localize the Word to speak to people right where they are. He has been honored to speak for the National Baptist Convention, and the Congress of Christian Education.

Dr. Rayvann Kee II has over 15 years of experience working in the fields of human services, mental and behavioral health, and leadership development. Currently, he is the owner and principle psychologist at EmpowerMeant Counseling, Coaching, and Consulting, LLC. – a full-time private practice in Philadelphia where he provides an array of psychotherapeutic and consultative services to individuals and businesses. In 2010, he co-founded the Emerge Program, which provided esteem building and personal and leadership development for Philadelphia minority youth, which ran for 4 years at the District Attorney’s office. Through his faith-based affiliations, he has coordinated many outreaches for men and minorities, recently spearheading an initiative to address violence in urban communities called P.R.O.A.C.T.I.V.E. (People Robustly Organized and Called to Interrupt Violence Everywhere). He is the founder of (and currently developing programming for) his non-profit organization, Daniel’s House, Inc., which will provide mentoring, life skills, personal and professional development, and trauma-informed holistic supports for young urban, minority and low SES males in Philadelphia.

Fatima Cody Stanford, MD, MPH, MPA, FAAP, FACP, FTOS is an obesity medicine physician scientist who cares for children, adolescents, and adults at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) and Harvard Medical School (HMS). At MGH and HMS, she is also an Associate at the Disparities Solution Center, Affiliated Faculty at the Mongan Institute of Health Policy, Executive Committee Member for the Mid-life Women’s Health, and Executive Committee Member for the Nutrition Obesity Research Center at Harvard (NORCH). At the MGH Weight Center, she provides behavioral, pharmacologic, and bariatric surgery pre and post-op care. She is one of a handful of clinicians fellowship trained in obesity medicine in the United States. She is a Diplomate of the American Board of Obesity Medicine and a Fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American College of Physicians, and The Obesity Society.

She served as a health communications fellow at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and worked as a behavioral sciences intern at the American Cancer Society. Upon completion of her MPH, she received the Gold Congressional Award, the highest honor that Congress bestows upon America’s youth. Her current research focuses on obesity, health disparities, and health policy.

Brimming with optimism and enthusiasm are just a few words that describe this servant of the highest God. Reverend Dr. Nathaniel T. Brooks is passionate about teaching, preaching, and spreading the Gospel of Christ. For several years, he has been a faithful servant and leader of several educational, community, and religious organizations that includes: Board member of the Northern Virginia Clergy Council for the prevention of HIV/AIDS; Youth Coordinator for the Northern Virginia Baptist Association, Editorial Board Member at the Institute of Youth Ministry (IYT) Princeton Theological Seminary, Virginia Council of Churches, Leadership Council Member for the ERLC (Ethics and Religious Liberties Commission – Southern Baptist Convention and The O’Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center -UAB.

Dr. Brooks served at Mt. Pleasant Baptist Church, Herndon, VA. Youth & Young Adults Pastor and later as the Executive Pastor, and also Minister to Youth & Young Adults at the Park Church (Charlotte, NC) where he oversaw three multi-campus ministries of 1,000+ Youth & Young Adults weekly. Currently, Dr. Brooks serves as the Senior Pastor of the Greater Saint John Baptist Church, Birmingham, VA.

Born in the South Bronx and raised in Harlem, Malik Yoba offers almost three decades of commitment to the arts and his credits include over fifty films and more than a dozen roles in network/cable television series. His debut in Disney’s Cool Runnings and his performance as NYPD Detective J.C. Williams in the ground breaking police drama, New York Undercover, catapulted Malik into the fabric of American culture. He recently premiered his musical auto-biography, Harlem to Hollywood at the Apollo theater with his cowriter/director, and Broadway veteran, Kevin Ramsey. The show features Yoba’s original music and extensive character work as he brings over 20 personalities to life. This spring, the newly accredited real estate developer with projects in NYC and Baltimore can be seen opposite Jill Scott in The First Wives Club (BET) and later in the year in a re-launch of New York Undercover.

Suzette Oyeku MD, MPH is Chief of the Division of Academic General Pediatrics at the Children’s Hospital at Montefiore (CHAM).She is a Professor of Pediatrics at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine. Dr. Oyeku manages the clinical, research, advocacy and educational missions of the division in addition to being responsible for faculty/staff development. Dr. Oyeku is a general pediatrician with expertise in health services research, implementation science and the use of quality improvement methods to disseminate effective care strategies and improve care and patient outcomes for children with chronic diseases such as sickle cell disease. Dr. Oyeku is also actively engaged in community education activities and serves as an ordained deacon at Grace Baptist Church in Mount Vernon, NY.

Cynthia Finch is a graduate of the University of Tennessee – Knoxville, TN, with a Bachelor of Arts, in Human Services and Master’s in Social Work Administration and Planning. She is a Licensed Master of Social Work and a Certified Case Manager.

Her professional career spans over 30+ years in Health Care, as a manager, owner and a clinician. In 2017, Ms. Finch launched a new program, New Direction HealthCare Solutions, which is a partnership with CONNECT Ministries. New Direction focuses on innovative approaches of dealing with health care disparities for people of color and providing consulting work for new start-up businesses and operation management. Previously she managed and operated a hospice in the Knoxville, and surrounding counties. Hospice and End of Life Care is truly Cynthia’s calling.

Cynthia is a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. – Psi Zeta Omega Chapter – Newport and serves as the President, TN. She is a member of the Greater Warner Tabernacle AME Zion Church Knoxville, TN.

Rev. Samuel L. Green, Jr. is an emerging prophetic and encouraging voice in the Kingdom of God. He is one who has been called and sent by God with a unique and fresh outlook on ministry. Rev. Sam has preached, taught, evangelized and consulted in Florida, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Maryland and Illinois for the past decade. He is excited about helping God’s people transform their dreams into realities by understanding their God-given purpose.

A native of Orlando, FL, Rev. Green is a graduate of the University of Florida and Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary. In addition, he is a member of the Order of the Flame (World Methodist Evangelism) and has obtained a certificate from Princeton Theological Seminary in Youth Ministry and Youth Theology. His interests and skills include organizational leadership, design thinking, branding, communications, curriculum development, and evangelism.

He is an ordained itinerant elder in the AME Church and is the Director of Christian Education for the Seventh Episcopal District of the AME Church.

Eric Smith received his religious and spiritual foundation at his home church of Scotland A.M.E. Zion Church in Potomac, MD. Christian Education has always been is anchor and passion in kingdom service. Eric currently attends Judah Temple A.M.E. Zion Church in Mitchellville, MD, as a faithful member since 2004, serving in the Young Adult, Music, and Special Events ministries. In the Christian Education ministry, his service extends beyond the local church and into the Zion Connectional Church in several capacities.

Presently, Eric has been honored to serve as the 6^th International President of the Assembly of Christian Educators (ACE). Previously, he was appointed to serve as the Eastern Regional Co-Vice President, alongside Dr. E. Dewey Wiseman, in order to fill a vacancy. With the slogan, “The New Face of ACE” the team has been working diligently to build the confidence of the members and constituents of the ministry by bringing new ideas, enhancing current processes, and building relationships connectionally and ecumenically.

Dr. Donna Carstens is a Respiratory Medical Director in US Medical Affairs at Glaxo Smith Kline in Philadelphia, PA. She is involved in clinical trial diversity, clinical trials and asthma biologic therapies. She is an adult pulmonologist and received her pulmonary and critical care medicine training at Duke University Medical Center, obtained her degree in medicine from McGill University and her undergraduate training at Harvard University.

She was on faculty as clinical assistant professor at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia for over 19 years and had been in practice for 23 yrs. In addition to a busy clinical practice she had been involved in numerous respiratory clinical trials as principal or sub- investigator prior to joining the pharmaceutical industry in 2018.

Marsha B. Henderson is a nationally recognized innovative leader and change agent for the health of women and their families. As the former Associate Commissioner for Women’s Health at the Food and Drug Administration, for a decade, she progressed and managed cutting-edge policy, research and educational outreach initiatives. The Office of Women’s Health advanced its scientific efforts, under her direction, to produce more than 350 research papers and journal articles to facilitate FDA’s regulatory decision-making and promote a better understanding of sex differences and health conditions unique to women. Her tenure produced the first FDA Women’s’ Health Research Roadmap, outlining seven priority areas for new or enhanced research including biomarkers, nanotechnology, cardiovascular disease, and postmarket surveillance as well as a framework to assess its impact. Her colleagues applaud her ability to set a vision and guide the concept to reality. One FDA Commissioner stated, “She is elegant…not just in style but in character, confidence and compassion.”

Jonathan Jackson, PhD, is the founding director of the Community Access, Recruitment, and Engagement (CARE) Research Center at Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, which investigates the impact of diversity and inclusion on the quality of human subjects research and leverages deep community entrenchment to build trust and overcome barriers to clinical trial participation. His research focuses on midlife and late-life health disparities in clinical settings that affect Black populations. Dr. Jackson also works as a cognitive neuroscientist, investigating the early detection of Alzheimer’s disease (AD), particularly in the absence of overt memory problems. He serves on Massachusetts General Hospital’s Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center (ADRC) and MGH’s Cancer Center Equity Program, specializing in identifying and overcoming barriers to clinical research for people and communities of color. He has become a well-known MGH representative to communities of color and dozens of affiliated organizations, particularly regarding clinical research. Dr. Jackson serves on the leadership team of several organizations focused on community health, as well as local, statewide, and national advisory groups for research recruitment, Alzheimer’s disease, and community engagement.

Claudia M. Hardy, MPA, is the Program Director at O’Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) Office of Community Outreach and Engagement. She also serves a dual role as the Community Health Educator for the cancer center as part of the National Outreach Network for the National Cancer Institute. Ms. Hardy has over 25 years of experience as a senior level administrator, consultant, and strategist in managing community-based health disparities programs and community engagement. She provides strategic planning and guidance to researchers, clinicians and others conducting outreach and research programs in medically minority communities. Her work has fostered collaborations with local and international organizations such as American Cancer Society, Susan G. Komen and Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia to name a few.

Rahkal E. Shelton graduated in 2000 from Malcolm X College’s respiratory therapy program, earning an AAS degree. She later attended Chicago State University where she earned her BS in Sociology. Currently Ms. Shelton works full-time as a registered respiratory therapist at Saint Anthony hospital in Chicago. Additionally, she holds clinical rotations for respiratory students that attend St. Augustine College. Ms. Shelton has held positions as manager and supervisor for Cook County hospital in Chicago. Ms. Shelton has been working in her field for 20 yrs, obtaining a job in her field after her first clinical rotation. One of her favorite slogans is “Breathe easy respiratory therapist on board”.

Geraldine Peacock, a Critical Care Nurse by profession, worked at Rush University Medical Center, for forty-five years. Her employment also included representing Rush University through a contract in collaboration with John H. Stroger Jr. Hospital as the Coordinator of Research for the Division of Adult Cardiology. Geraldine’s profession as a nurse aided her in completing a twenty-five-year career in the military. The majority of her time served was as a Head Nurse in several, Combat Support Hospital (CSH) Units, training subordinates and local nationals wherever she served. As a Combat Nurse, she had the privilege of traveling to approximately 11 countries and have received numerous awards for her service. In December 2010 Geraldine retired as a Major, after her last deployment, where she served for fourteen months in Bagram and other sites in and around Afghanistan.

Geraldine’s life mission is to bring glory to God through a yielded life. While assisting others (especially women) in becoming all that they can be in the Kingdom of God. Her service under the auspices of Bishop H.E. Smith MD includes serving as a Lay Minister, a member of the Women’s Ministry and the Co-Leader of the Health Professions Ministry at the Apostolic Faith Church in Chicago.

Dr. Magon M. Saunders, diabetes educator, author, health coach, registered and licensed dietitian presently serves as a Program Development Consultant in the Program Implementation Branch of the Division of Diabetes Translation at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). At CDC, Magon works to provide technical assistance and support to state and national grantees. Magon also provides her expertise to various groups at CDC, including, the Center’s health equity, community health workers, and community-clinical linkages workgroups. Nationally, Magon represents the Division of Diabetes Translation as a member of both the American Diabetes Association’s Cultural Competency Workgroup as well as its African American Diabetes Disparities Action Council.

Rev. E. Taylor Doctor is the Director of Programs for National Black Justice Coalition and brings a unique perspective through his experiences as a career public health program administrator and ordained clergyman. He seeks, through his work, to reduce barriers and cultural stigma, and increase dialogue through intentional partnerships between faith communities, public health organizations, and social justice initiatives and programs.

Throughout his career in public health, he has worked both in national non-profits as well as state health departments in disease prevention and HIV care services overseeing the contracts of sub-recipients providing direct services to persons living with HIV and vulnerable communities, while providing technical assistance and support to the prevention and care programs of the health department.

Rev. E. Taylor Doctor is a published author and experienced lecturer. His devotional “Exposed” was published in At the Table: Words of Faith, Affirmation and Inspiration for LGBT Believers of Color.

He is a native of McCormick, South Carolina and his home church is Shiloh-McCormick. Rev. Pierce received his early and secondary education in the public school system of McCormick. He received his B.A. degree in Religion from Furman University in Greenville, SC. He received his Master of Divinity degree from the Vanderbilt University Divinity School in Nashville, TN, where he was named as a Kelly Miller Smith Scholar and received the St. James Academy Award for Preaching. He obtained his PhD in the Theology, Ethics, and Culture program at Claremont Graduate University in Claremont, CA. While completing his doctoral studies, he has recently completed the Certificate in Advanced Studies in Modern Management for Non Profit Organizations at the University of Geneva.

An Itinerant Elder in the AME Church and a member of the Piedmont, SC Annual Conference, Rev. Pierce has been blessed to serve his denomination and the wider church in a number of different ways and places. In 2003, Rev. Pierce joined the staff of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA, based in New York, New York as the Associate Director for Education and Leadership Ministries. He went on to serve as the Associate General Secretary for Education and Leadership Ministries for the National Council of Churches.

While in New York, he served on the ministerial staff at First African Methodist Episcopal Church: Bethel-Harlem, New York, New York. From May 2011-November 2016, he served as the Senior Assistant to the General Secretary of the World Council of Churches, based in Geneva, Switzerland.

At the 50th Quadrennial Session of the General Conference of the African Methodist Episcopal Church, Pierce was elected the sixth Executive Director of the Department of Christian Education of the African Methodist Episcopal Church.

Donna Mitchell is a Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW) and President/CEO of Covenant Counseling & Consultation Services, LLC, which is a licensed Mental Health and Substance Abuse Facility in the State of Tennessee and a provider for the Department of Children Services.

Ms. Mitchell is certified as an Adverse Childhood Experience (ACEs), Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapist, a Suicide Prevention, Nurturing Parenting and Fatherhood Initiative Trainer. She provides behavioral health counseling and trainings on specialized mental health topics – specifically from a Christian and cultural prospective.

Ms. Mitchell is a member of New Covenant Baptist Church and serves on the leadership team of the Women’s Missionary Union and provides Bible Study for women at the Knox County Detention Facility. She serves on numerous community boards, such as Midway Alcohol and Drug Rehabilitation Center and Community Alternatives to Prison Program (CAPP). She is a graduate of the University of Tennessee Knoxville and received her undergraduate degree in Human Ecology Training and Development and went on to receive a Master’s Degree in Social Work with a concentration in Community Management Practice.
From a young age Ms. Mitchell has had a passion working with the under-served and at-risk to provide empowerment, advocation and consistent support.

Dr. Simon Blanc is board-certified in internal medicine, medical oncology/hematology with special interest in public policy, patient advocacy and cancer care delivery to patients. Dr. Simon Blanc earned his medical degree from the Université Saint Esprit de Kaslik Faculté de Médecine (Jounieh, Lebanon) during which he studied and did clerkships at several French institutions including Université François Rabelais and Xavier-Bichat University Hospital in Paris. He then went on to complete a research internship at the MD Anderson Cancer Center in leukemia and cardio-oncology before finishing his Internal Medicine Residency at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai – St. Luke’s Roosevelt Hospital Center (New York, NY) during which he had extensive rotations at the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center where he successfully took part in lung cancer research. After his residency, Dr. Simon Blanc was awarded a Fellowship in Hematology/Oncology at the University of Miami – Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center (Miami, FL).

As a cancer researcher, Dr. Simon Blanc is actively engaged in clinical studies and has been published in several peer-reviewed journals. He is a grant recipient for breast cancer studies. In his spare time, he enjoys traveling, sports and the beach.

Dr. Derek S. Hicks teaches and researches broadly in the areas of African American religion, religion in North America, race, the body, religion and foodways, theory and method in the study of religion, Black and Womanist theologies, and cultural studies. Currently he serves as co-chair of the Religion and Food Group at the American Academy of Religion. Dr. Hicks is the author of the book Reclaiming Spirit in the Black Faith Tradition (Palgrave Macmillan, 2012). He is currently working on a second monograph entitled Feeding Flesh and Spirit: Religion, Food, and the Saga of Race in Black America (under review with UNC Press). His most recent publication (with Gregory Parks, Wake Forest University School of Law) is an article entitled “How Much a Dollar Cost?”: Political Ideology, Religion, and Poverty Policy Through the Lens of Kendrick Lamar’s Music” (Southern California Review of Law and Social Justice, 2019). In addition, he served as assistant editor of the volume entitled African American Religious Cultures (ABC-CLIO Press). He also contributed chapters for the books Blacks and Whites in Christian America: How Racial Discrimination Shapes Religious Convictions (New York University Press, 2012) and to the edited volume Religion, Food, and Eating in North America (Columbia University Press, 2014). In support of his scholarship, Dr. Hicks has previously been awarded fellowships and grants from the Ford Foundation, the Fund for Theological Education, the Louisville Institute, the Henry Luce Foundation, and the Wabash Center. Most recently, he was awarded the Louisville Institute Sabbatical Grant for Researchers (2018-19).

Sherrie Flynt Wallington, PhD, is a tenure track assistant professor specializing in health disparities and oncology at the George Washington University, School of Nursing and the Milken Institute School of Public Health in Washington, D.C. Dr. Wallington teaches and conducts research on health communication, social determinants of health, and community-engagement strategies that focus on cancer prevention and cancer health disparities. She has a particular interest in prostate, breast, and HPV-associated cancers. The American Cancer Society, the Robert Woods Johnson Foundation, the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and the National Cancer Institute support her research. She has authored several peer-reviewed publications and serves as a scientific grant reviewer for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and other national foundations. Dr. Wallington is also a program evaluator and consultant on NIH-funded, governmental, and foundation grant awards. In addition, she enjoys serving her community and conducts educational workshops, and forums to provide cancer information to patients, families, heath providers, schools, businesses, churches, and community and advocacy groups.

Tamika Felder is the Chief Visionary at Cervivor – a nonprofit dedicated to cervical cancer advocacy and support. Named a “Cancer Rebel” by Newsweek in a 2017 cover story, Tamika is a highly sought-after speaker on cervical cancer advocacy, cancer prevention, HPV education, and living life with purpose after cancer. She is the author of “Seriously, What Are You Waiting For? 13 Actions To Ignite Your Life & Achieve The Ultimate Comeback.” Tamika currently serves on the steering committee of the National HPV Vaccination Roundtable. She’s shared her story and experiences on Presidential Cancer Panels convened by the White House. An award-winning television producer, Tamika is currently filming a documentary about cervical cancer, the women living with it, and the vaccine to prevent it. Her story of patient-to-advocate / survivor-to-Cervivor inspires and mentors not only patients and medical communities, but anyone who has struggled with obstacles in their life. Learn more about Tamika’s work at Cervivor.org and TamikaFelder.com.

Sheila Wright, MSN, RN is the Health Ministry Coordinator for the Faith Community Health Ministry department at Atrium Health and has been in this role since 2010. She is responsible for assisting faith communities to develop and implement a health ministry program which focuses on promoting health and wholeness of mind, body and spirit through either a faith community nurse or health promoter model. This year in 2019, Sheila has celebrated 18 years as being an employee at Atrium Health. She has over 36 years of nursing experience in various areas such as medical-surgical and orthopedic nursing; utilization review; Medicare and Medicaid review; pediatric nurse; and working as a primary care physician nurse in a physician’s office. She was once a Telephone triage nurse for 10 years and was certified in telephone triage. She is a Mental Health First Aid Instructor for the Adult and Youth version, an instructor in Your Care Your Choice, a training on having the conversation around end of life issues, and a Lay Leader trainer/facilitator for Living Healthy with Chronic Pain (6 week, 2 ½ hour evidence-based self-management class). Sheila received her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from SUNY, Downstate Medical Center College of Nursing in Brooklyn, NY in 1984 and in May 2017, she received her Master of Science in Nursing with a focus on Global Public Health Nursing.

Pastor J.C. Howard, Lead Pastor, House of Hope Macon, in Macon, GA is has with great perseverance, defied stereotypical labels to succeed as an African American man and minister.  The second of three children born to Mr. and Mrs. Lincoln Caldwell, J.C., was nurtured and tutored from a very young age to always seek the Lord in all things and to walk righteously with integrity.  At age nine, J.C. accepted the Lord Jesus Christ into his life.

Having been reared in church his entire life, Howard served faithfully in many capacities before accepting his call to the preaching ministry in 2006. In 2007, James was licensed for ministry by the Cathedral of Fresh Fire, Reverend Emma L. Creamer, Senior Pastor.

Reverend Howard went on to graduate with honors from the world-renown Morehouse College (2009), in Atlanta Georgia where he double majored in Religion and History. It was at Morehouse that he was afforded the opportunity to serve as a Martin Luther King Jr., International Chapel Assistant and now has been inducted into the prestigious MLK Jr. Morehouse Board of Preachers. J.C. is also a proud member of the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc.

He is the father of one daughter, Rhyan, who is his pride and joy.  Reverend Howard strives daily to grow as a Christian, as a man, father, and servant of humanity and to daily obey the voice of God and the Word of God.

Rev. Dr. Twanna Henderson co-founded New Beginnings Church in Matthews, NC with her husband. She serves as the Executive Minister of Church Ministries. She is also the founder of I.M.P.A.C.T.T. Women’s Ministry which is a ministry for women committed to growing in Christ, and she is the Founder and Visionary for Out Of The Shadows which is a Breast Cancer Awareness Movement. As an ordained minister of the gospel, she has a passion to see the body of Christ, particularly women, walk in total freedom.

Dr. Henderson is a devoted wife, mother of a special needs son, a Bible teacher and anointed preacher. She has the spiritual gifts of Administration, Shepherding, and Teaching, and she is committed to excellence in all things. She is a workshop and retreat speaker, a certified Personal Growth Coach, and a Christian lay counselor. She also serves as the National Director of Bridge Network Women’s Ministry for Converge Worldwide, which serves over 1500 churches.

Dr. Henderson has a Bachelor of Arts in Communications from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, a Juris Doctor Law Degree from North Carolina Central University in Durham, NC, she studied at Gordon Conwell Theological Seminary in the Master of Christian Leadership program, and she holds an Honorary Doctorate of Divinity from St. Thomas Christian University in Jacksonville, Florida. In addition, she is also a licensed Attorney who served thirteen years as a Civil Court Magistrate Judge for Mecklenburg County in Charlotte, NC. She is the owner of Twanna Henderson Ministries (www.TwannaHenderson.com) which provides virtual Master Class Coaching and Mentoring. In the fall of 2013, she published her first book, Dancing with the Scars.

Dr. Henderson is a voice that is being raised “for such a time as this.” She is motivated by Jeremiah 29:11 which states, “For I know the plans I have for you”, declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

Reverend Gay Tompson-Steele has been in ministry for over 18 years. Presently, she serves as Pastor of Faith Mission, Christian Fellowship Church, in Camarillo, California, along with her husband Rev. Willis Steele. In addition to preaching and teaching the Word of God, Rev Gay mentors ministers, trains deacons, provides marriage counseling, conducts seminars and has launched various ministry endeavors for youth and the community at large. Addressing the needs in the community, beyond the wall of the church, Rev. Gay is connected with non-profit organizations focused on helping people in need. She has lead outreach missions such as: feeding the elderly and lonely; back-to-school drives; and health education workshops. While living in New York, Rev. Gay served as Vice President of The United Black Clergy of Westchester; worked with the United Council of Churches in Yonkers; and served various roles with Set Free Ministries, an organization committed to prison ministry and encouraging women in ministry. At the Memorial Baptist Church in Harlem, NY, Pastor Gay developed and taught a Rites of Passage program to help youth and young adults focus on building self-esteem, self-respect, and interpersonal skills. She has worked as a Medical Writer in the pharmaceutical arena for 18 years. Rev. Gay has worked at the top advertising agencies in New York tri-state area, leading campaign launches for medications ranging from arthritis and diabetes to cancer, osteoporosis and mental health. Currently, Rev. Gay is the Associate Creative Director at a marketing firm in California, where she produces website content, corporate communications and marketing collateral for a leading biopharmaceutical company.

Patrick Feron, MS, PA-C is the Field Medical Director with Pfizer Rare Disease Amyloidosis Therapeutic team in the Southeast. He joined Pfizer in August of 2018 and has been an integral part of the US Medical Team increasing awareness, education and treatment of transthyretin amyloid cardiomyopathy (ATTR-CM). Throughout his career, Patrick, a Physician Assistant by training, has provided education to health care providers at multiple healthcare facilities, organizations, colleges and conferences.

Nicci Gilbert-Daniels, founding member of the Grammy nominated group Brownstone and host of new empowering late night series She Speaks Live. As the CEO of NoEgo Entertainment, Nicci created TV One’s most popular docu-franchise, R&B Divas that spawned two franchises and seven seasons, and the popular BET Her series, From the Bottom Up that recently wrapped its 3^rd season.

Nicci has worked with superstar Michael Jackson, super producer Tyler Perry, and Queen Latifah. Nicci’s business and philanthropic achievements have garnered recognition from a variety of awards including Billboard Music Award, Lincoln Shining Star, Influencer and most recently BET Her awarded her the 2018 “Woman Of Impact.” In 2018 Nicci is a filmmaker recently completing her first documentary film Broken Things; which addresses child molestation and sexual misconduct and a short film Social Conflict that addressed gun violence.

Nicci has a passion for community empowerment, she is actively involved in organizations that uplift and support women and girls such as The Center for Black Women’s Wellness, Sisters of Today and Tomorrow, Hip Hop Sisters, Beyond The Game, Enough Said and Nicci recently launched her non profit From The Bottom Up Foundation. Nicci’s commitment to her career is overshadowed only by her devotion to her family and she has proven that with faith, perseverance, dedication and love you can have a happy productive empowered life.

Dr. Kevin Alexander is an advanced heart failure and transplant cardiologist at Stanford University. He is also a member of the Stanford Amyloid Center and Stanford Cardiovascular Institute. He completed his Internal Medicine Residency training at Johns Hopkins Hospital and Cardiology fellowship at Brigham and Women’s Hospital/Harvard Medical School. He then finished his fellowship in Advanced Heart Failure and Transplant Cardiology at Stanford Hospital.

Dr. Alexander’s clinical and research interests include Cardiac Amyloidosis, Cardiac Sarcoidosis, and Mechanical Circulatory Support. He has co-authored numerous publications on Cardiac Amyloidosis and has received multiple research grants in this field, including from the National Institutes of Health and Pfizer. He recently received a 4-year Harold Amos Medical Faculty Development Award through the American Heart Association to support his studies of V122I Transthyretin Cardiac Amyloidosis, which is a common cause of heart failure in African Americans.

Dr. Ravi Karra is Assistant Professor of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, at Duke University School of Medicine in Durham, North Carolina. He received his medical degree and a Master’s of Health Sciences in Medical Genomics from Duke University School of Medicine. After performing a residency in Internal Medicine at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts, Dr Karra completed two fellowships at Duke University Medical Center, the first in Cardiovascular Disease and the second in Advanced Heart Failure.

Dr. Karra’s clinical interests comprise the care of patients with advanced heart failure, including those supported by left ventricular assist devices (LVADs). He has a specific interest in amyloidosis and experience managing patients with hATTR amyloidosis. Dr Karra’s research program is focused on improving the care for patients with cardiovascular disease through discovery science and innovation of care delivery.

Dr. Karra has received a number of awards for scholarship, research, and medical teaching. He has published articles of original research in Nature, Journal of Clinical Investigations, Proceedings of the National Academy of Science (PNAS), Circulation Research, and Clinical Infectious Disease. Dr Karra is a member of the American College of Cardiology and the American Heart Association.

Alice M. Freeman has a B.S. Degree in Nutritional Counseling, M.A. Degree in Christian Education (M.A.C.E.), currently enrolled in the Doctorate program at the Samuel DeWitt Proctor School of Theology of Virginia Union University, is a Registered Naturopath with the American Naturopathic Medical Certification Board, Nutritionist, Certified Nutritional Consultant, Diabetic Educator, Lactation Educator, Certified Hydro-colon therapist, Certified Raw Food Chef, is a recipient of the Minority Business League’s Trailblazer Award and the Praise Richmond 104.7FM Cathy Hughes Business Community R.O.C. Awards, developed the Mommies, Bellies, Babies, & Daddies (MBBD) the ABC’s of Breastfeeding program, served on the Breastfeeding Commission for the Mayor’s Breastfeeding Initiative, and is the founder and owner of Healthy Heart Plus, LLC. (HHP) and Healthy Hearts Plus II (HHP II).

Dr. Omar F. AbouEzzeddine, Assistant Professor of Medicine, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science, received his MDCM (2007) and BSc (Physiology, 2003) degrees from McGill University in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. He did his Internship/Residency (Internal Medicine), Fellowships (Cardiovascular Diseases & Advanced Heart Failure and Transplant Cardiology) and Master’s degree from the Mayo Graduate School, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine. His Master’s thesis focused on clinical instruments for the prediction of heart failure incidence, course and prognosis. He joined the staff at Mayo Clinic as a Senior Associate Consultant in August 2016 and has a dual appointment in the Division of Circulatory Failure and the Division of Nuclear Cardiology.

He is board certified with the American Board of Internal Medicine in Internal Medicine, Cardiovascular Disease, and Advanced Heart Failure and Transplant Cardiology as well as Nuclear Cardiology. He is a Fellow in the Heart Failure Society of America and a Fellow in the American College of Cardiology. He has received various awards, including the 2010 National Institutes of Health’s Ruth L. Kirschstein Research Service Award. His interests include heart failure with preserved ejection fraction, acute decompensated heart failure, novel biomarkers, and nuclear imaging with a specific focus on myocardial energetics, infiltrative and inflammatory cardiomyopathies. He currently staffs the Heart Failure, Cardiac Amyloidosis and Cardiac Sarcoidosis Clinics, Nuclear Cardiology Lab, and covers inpatient Heart Failure Service at Saint Marys Hospital/Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN.

Dr. Browne graduated cum laude from Boston University. He then completed an internship and residency at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, the major teaching hospital of Harvard Medical School. He remained on staff as an attending physician at Harvard Medical School before completing his fellowship in cardiovascular diseases at the University of Virginia, where he served as chief cardiology fellow in his final year. Currently, Dr. Browne is a practicing cardiologist in Charlotte, NC and lectures nationally on multiple topics pertaining to state of the art management of cardiovascular patients.

Plenary title: The underlying thrombotic risk that comes with Coronary Artery Disease (CAD) and Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD)