2024 Candidate Slate

Ms. Deidre Boone joined Alfred Street Baptist Church (ASBC) in 1976. She has served as a Sunday School Teacher and Trustee, supported Brother’s Keepers and the Christmas Tree of Lights and is currently a member of the Trinity Choir and the ASBC Foundation scholarship committee.  She is the daughter of the late Deacon James Johnson and Deacon Patricia Johnson, the wife of Dwayne Boone and the mother of Janelle and Justin Boone.

Ms. Boone earned a B.S. Degree in Electrical Engineering at the University of Maryland, College Park in 1991 and is a Harvard Business School (HBS) Alumni, graduating from the 2012 class of Owner’s Presidents Management (OPM) Cohort 42.  Through extensive business case studies, she gained a wealth of knowledge of some of the most successful businesses in the world. She leveraged this experience and brought a wealth of best business practices to her company, E-volve Technology Systems, Inc. (E-volve), in the areas of leadership, strategy, negotiation, and procurement.

As President & CEO of E-volve, Ms. Boone is an accomplished business executive with over 23 years of success in achieving revenue, profit, and business growth objectives.  She has significant experience in strategy, management, finance, negotiations, and sales and provides the vision and strategic direction to E-volve with a strong focus on culture and customer centricity.  Ms. Boone  provides direction for the Chief Operating Officer, Chief Financial Officer, Director of Business Development, Director of Human Resources, and general oversight for over 90 employees and consultants.  Under her leadership, E-volve was awarded a $65M contract in 2016 and an $82M follow-on contract in 2023 to provide support for government enterprise business systems.  Ms. Boone develops long-term partnerships with government and industry and serves as a small business advocate to mentor, network and innovatively provide cost effective solutions to meet government requirements.

Additionally, for over eleven years, Ms. Boone served as a member of the Browne Academy Board of Trustees in Alexandria, Virginia.  During her tenure, she served as the Vice Chair of the Board, Chair of the Head Support Committee, and Chair of Committee of Trustees.  Her vast board experience includes:

• Helping to develop the mission, vision, long-range and strategic goals of the school.
• Performing annual review and maintenance of bylaws that conform to legal requirements.
• Assisting in the selection, support, evaluation, and compensation for the head of school.
• Working with Board Source on the assessment of the Board and Head of School.
• Ensuring that the board composition reflects the expertise, resources, and perspectives needed to achieve the school’s mission and strategic objectives.
• Engaging proactively with the head of school in cultivating and maintaining good relations with school constituents and the broader community.
• Ensuring the professional development of the board including annual new trustee orientation, ongoing trustee education, and board leadership succession planning.

Ms. Boone is also an active member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., where she served as the Economic Development Co-Chair and member of the Programming Planning and Development Committee for the Northern Virginia Chapter Alumnae Chapter.

Lisa P. Grant serves as the Deputy Clerk of the U.S. House of Representatives (USHR).   In this role, she supports the legislative activities of the House of Representatives.  She is seen daily on the floor of the House of Representatives supporting Members of Congress as they vote on bills.  Her previous position was the Chief Procurement Officer for the U.S. House of Representatives (USHR).  She was responsible for the procurements for the Members of Congress, the Clerk of the House, Chief Administrative Officer, Sergeant at Arms and other USHR support offices.    Prior to the USHR, she served as the Acting Commissioner for Acquisition Management in General Services Administration’s Federal Acquisition Service Her acquisition career spans nearly 35 years, procuring supplies and services from fuel to complex IT systems for DOD and Civilian Agencies.  Lisa was ordained a Deacon at Alfred Street Baptist Church in November 2012.  She has served as the layleader for Discipleship Groups 1 and 2.  Additionally, she has served as the Baptism Teamlead and served on the Tithe-the-Tithe Committee.  In serving the Northern Virginia Community, she is a member of the Northern Virginia Urban League Guild.  On the Guild, she has served as the Vice President and Chaplain.  Currently, she serves on their Education Committee, where she manages their free PSAT and SAT programs for underrepresented students.  She has a passionate for mentoring young people.  In 2015, she became a part of the BeFriend-A-Child program in Fairfax County. One of her proudest accomplishment was mentoring an “at risk” 7^th grade young lady thru this program.  The young lady became the first person in her family to graduate high school and is now a sophomore in college.  They continue to talk and meet regularly.  She is an active member of the Northern Virginia Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc, where she serves on the Economic Development Committee.  Previously, she served as co-chair of the Chapter’s Fundraising Committee. She holds a Bachelors of Science in Finance and a Masters of Science in Management.  Lisa is also a Certified Professional Contracts Manager (CPCM) and a Certified Federal Contracts Manager (CFCM).

Monica L. Spruill is a Senior Marketing Director at Accenture, a Fortune 30, $63B professional services company specializing in information technology and consultancy services and is member of Accenture Leadership. She currently holds dual roles as US Marketing Business Partner and Global Head of Diversity, Development & Learning for Marketing + Communications (M+C) and is a member of the M+C Leadership Team.

As Business Partner, Monica is head of marketing strategy for the US and is responsible for Accenture’s multi-channel strategy that influences sales and revenue, lines of business, client relationships, and market presence. Inside M+C, she leads diversity, people development, and learning initiatives. She uses multi-pronged approaches to retain, promote, and invest in diverse professionals; crafts new rotational programs to instill versatility in M+C members; and has transformed learning to ensure that nearly 1,600 marketing professionals excel in priority areas.

Prior to joining Accenture, Monica was a marketing leader at Booz Allen Hamilton, where she led international, commercial, and defense sector integrated marketing, and successfully reintroduced the brand into the Middle East/North African region. Other career distinctions include Madison Square Garden (MSG), The New York Times Company Magazine Group, PBS, U.S. Air Force (Okinawa), and as a political appointee in the William J. Clinton Administration.

Monica earned an HBX Certificate of Strategy from Harvard University, an MBA from Pace University’s Lubin School of Business, and a BS in marketing from Hampton University. She has won numerous global awards in her field including the Gold Quill Award for Excellence in International Marketing Strategy by IABC, the ABA Stevie® Gold, and a Hermes Gold award.

Monica is an experienced public speaker, moderator, and panelist and presents subject matter expertise in women’s business leadership, marketing campaigns and strategy, and myriad aspects of diversity and inclusion. She resides in Maryland with her husband and two daughters.

Kisha Blair, born and raised in Washington, DC. I graduated from Banneker High School in 1995 and attended Florida A&M University. There I received my dual B.S./MBA degree in Business Management with a concentration in marketing in April 2001. My first job after college was with Kimberly-Clark Corporation in Neenah, WI. In 2004 I started working for the federal government in various budget roles in formulation, justification and execution. I currently work for the U.S. Department of the Treasury and am fortunate to work in all aspects of budget formulation and execution including meetings with high level executives at OMB and Main Treasury.

I have two children, 12 and 16, and currently reside in Fairfax, VA. In my free time, I enjoy spending time with family and friends, listening to live music, trying new activities and food, watching sports and reading.

I first attended Alfred Street in 2015 for a CAYA service. After years of attending and watching as a guest, I decided it was finally time to join. To build more connections, I joined the Village group for the 2022 Fall, Winter and Spring seasons. I love it so much; I rejoined Mighty Mondays this season as well. I desire to expand my involvement in church and utilize my budget knowledge by becoming a member of the Finance and Budget Committee.

In June 2021, Terri J. Copeland retired from a career in Community and Economic Development.  In her last position as Senior Vice President and East Territory Executive for Community Development Banking at PNC, she managed seven teams of professionals responsible for developing, maintaining and implementing lending and investing programs that support the sustainable economic development of low and moderate income (LMI) communities and consumers within their respective markets (NY to FL).

A native of Washington, D.C., Ms. Copeland has over 25 years of community development experience in commercial, retail and residential real estate development, lending and/or supportive service environments.  She joined PNC from the District of Columbia Housing Finance Agency, where she served as the agency’s Public Relations Manager.  Prior to that, Ms. Copeland served as Senior Vice President and Community Relations Manager for SunTrust Bank, Greater Washington.

As an active member of the community, Ms. Copeland has served in Director and Advisory positions for several local nonprofit boards.  Some examples include Leadership Greater Washington (LGW), Covenant House Washington (CHW), The Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE), The D.C. Local Initiative Support Corporation (DCLISC) and Bright Beginnings, Inc. (BBI).  As a member of the Washington Regional Association of Grantmakers (WRAG), Copeland was active on WRAG’s Affordable Housing Action Team (AHAT).  As Board Chair for CHW, she provided oversight for a 2-year $25 million ground up construction project. As a member of the Finance Committee for LGW, she participated in the update of its investment policies as well as the vetting of a new Investment advisor for the organizations’ reserves.  Other organizations for which she has served include the D.C. Community Development Support Collaborative, the Washington Area Housing Partnership, and the Salvation Army of the National Capitol Region.

Ms. Copeland enjoys traveling to warm coastal climates, jet skiing and music.  She holds a B.A. in Economics from The University of Pennsylvania and an M.B.A. in International Finance from The George Washington University.

Devin is a budget/financial analyst with almost 8 years of experience.  She began her career after her honorable service in the United States Army in 2012 as an Executive Assistant with the Department of Labor, she’s had several career opportunities including working for the Executive Office of the President at the White House under the Obama Administration.

Devin is originally from the Upstate New York area; she currently lives in the Woodbridge Area with her 9-year-old son.  She enjoys all forms of creative art, traveling, trying new and interesting vineyards and restaurants, and watching movies with her son.  Fun fact—Devin published her first book this year teaching people how to grow food using hydroponics.

Dr. Warren Sutton has been an analyst at CNA for over 14 years, contributing primarily to work in the federally funded research and development center’s Resources and Force Readiness Division. Although his work has been primarily in Navy manpower and personnel issues, he also has made important contributions to work in support of other services and the Department of Defense (DOD). Dr. Sutton’s insights have helped to move the Navy’s thinking forward across the spectrum of human resources activities. Recently, he assisted the Navy’s Office of Civilian Human Resources in improving the timeliness of hiring to fill federal positions. He also has worked for the Navy Selection and Classification Branch and the Marine Corps manpower community to increase the extent to which recruits’ preferences affect their classification to various job skills. This work has been particularly influential because it has allowed the services to more systematically incorporate recruit preferences into classification systems that have historically relied largely on service needs and applicant aptitude scores. In a challenging retention and recruiting environment, Dr. Sutton’s artful incorporation of this new capability offers excellent promise for improving the fit of sailors and marines to job skills, with the hope that this fit will help to bolster retention.

In addition to his contributions to the analytical core of CNA’s mission, Warren also is a key contributor to the whole of CNA. He serves as member of our Ombuds team, which empowers employees to engage one another and their managers to resolve work-related conflicts.

When CNA realized that it was falling behind in the race for top minority talent, Warren was a key member of CNA’s team that cast a new vision for how to recruit in a new and different way. The Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging team moved to increase CNA’s presence in several top-producing colleges and universities for minority STEM talent. He currently serves as the campus engagement lead for Howard University.

Before joining CNA, Warren worked in a variety of industries during his post-secondary education years, including packaging and transportation. He also has taught classes as an adjunct professor at local universities in the District of Columbia, including Georgetown University and George Washington University. Warren holds a PhD and MSE in Industrial & Operations Engineering from the University of Michigan and a BS in Industrial Engineering from the University of Pittsburgh.

Outside of work, Warren is an ardent sports fan of his hometown Baltimore Orioles and Baltimore Ravens. He also spends considerable time mentoring young boys in Cub Scouts and serving the community through the Alfred Street Baptist Church.

Dr. Warren Sutton is not only an exceptional operations research analyst in the national security space but also a complete corporate citizen who engages in a wide variety of CNA activities and community activities. Warren’s personal example is an inspiration to all with whom he works and a source of strength for the defense analytic community.

Nidra Dyer enthusiastically submits her application for nomination to serve as Chair of the Governance and Legal Committee of the Alfred Street Baptist Church (ASBC) Council. The past 11 years as a member of ASBC have afforded Ms. Dyer wonderful opportunities to serve the Church, and she feels that the time spent on ministries and committees, and the support and mentorship she has received there have aptly prepared her for the Chair position.

Since joining ASBC, Ms. Dyer became an active member of the Voices of Triumph choir in 2013, then expanded her service with an appointment to the Constitution and Bylaws Committee (CBC) in 2016, where she doubled as both the Assistant Secretary and a member. Some of her key contributions to the CBC included planning and implementing the activities leading up to the congregational vote for the new Constitution and Bylaws—planning the congregational information sessions and collecting and collating incoming questions which comprised the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) document.

Once voted to serve on the Governance and Legal Committee (G&LC) in 2018 at its inception, Ms. Dyer again served in dual capacities—a Committee member and the Committee Secretary. As a Committee member, Ms. Dyer collaborated with other members and Church Council to review and discuss pressing Church matters, spearheaded the research for and drafting of several policies which were ultimately approved and implemented by Council. Ms. Dyer kept the records of the G&LC as its Secretary, where she took minutes, kept Committee records, and assisted with presentations and reports.

When Ms. Dyer returned to the G&LC in April 2021 as a backfill when the position was vacated mid-term, she quickly picked up the reins of her predecessor, and not only assumed the role on the Committee, but also assumed duties as a liaison to the Affordable Housing Advisory Team for the Council, where she works with a team to implement the Church’s affordable housing initiatives.

Ms. Dyer was voted back to G&LC, this time as the committee Vice Chair beginning in 2022, the position in which she presently serves. Her position as Vice Chair has also allowed Ms. Dyer to be a liaison to the Affordable Housing Advisory Team (AHAT).

Ms. Dyer looks forward to bringing her past Church leadership experience to the position of Vice Chair. She possesses the right variety of skills to effectively aid the Council in its work—a legal education and training, an in-depth knowledge and understanding of the Church’s governing documents, excellent project and program management skills, knowledge of the goals and customs of the Church, and capabilities as an engaging public speaker and presenter, a creative and analytical thinker, a willing collaborator, and dedication to the Church’s success.

Outside of ASBC, Ms. Dyer is a lawyer and IT Business Strategy consultant with a Juris Doctor from The Catholic University of America, Columbus School of Law and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Loyola University in Maryland. She is a native New Yorker living in Washington, D.C. for more than 10 years and enjoys traveling, cooking, and Dallas Cowboys football.

Terrence J. Artis a native of Coatesville, Pennsylvania earned a Bachelor of Arts from Morgan State University and a Juris Doctor from the University of Baltimore School of Law.

Terrence is currently an Assistant General Counsel with the State of Maryland Commission on Civil Rights in Baltimore. In this capacity, he is an administrative, trial and appellate attorney litigating cases of unlawful discrimination in employment, housing, public accommodations and state contracts. He won a significant fair housing case before the Supreme Court of Maryland titled Board of Directors Cameron Grove Condominium 11 v. State of Maryland Commission on Human Relations, 63 A.3d 1064 (2013). The case established the law in Maryland regarding a reasonable accommodation for a person with a disability in housing. He also serves as a speaker and panelist for conferences and seminars involving employers, Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) officers, housing providers, and citizens concerning legal updates and best practices.

In his private practice of law, Terrence represents clients in the areas of landlord tenant matters, small estate planning, contract review, advises not-for profit organizations, and gives counsel to churches on legal and tax matters. As a former member of New Shiloh Baptist Church in Baltimore, and a Board of Directors’ member of the New Shiloh Baptist Church Community Development Corporation, Terrence created the legal groundwork for the inception of the New Shiloh Bon Secours Village Apartments which are 73 modern and affordable spacious units adjacent to the church in west Baltimore.

Active in community affairs, Terrence has served as a mentor for almost 20 years, he is the past president and Board member of the Heritage Crossing Resident Association, winner of the Baltimore region business and legal newspaper Daily Record’s Leadership in Law award for dedication to the legal profession and outstanding community service, a volunteer attorney for the Maryland Volunteer Lawyers Service, and Pro-Bono Resource Center, former chairman of the Board of Trustees at Colonial Baptist Church, member of the Maryland State Bar Association, Baltimore City Bar Association, Morgan State University Alumni Association, Metropolitan Washington Employment Lawyers Association, and Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity.

Kimberly “Kim” Brown Davis was born and raised in Washington, DC (DMV).  She received her early education in DC Public School system and eventually moved to Prince George’s County where she graduated from Crossland High School in 1988. Kim furthered her education and obtained a bachelor’s degree and Paralegal Certificate from the University of Maryland University College.

Currently serving as the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Deputy Chief Security Officer, she is a proud civil servant with over 33 years of federal service. She was appointed to the Federal Senior Executive Service at FEMA in 2021.  She has a lot of fond memories over her federal career, but one of her proudest memories was receiving the TSA Core Values Award, while working at the Transportation Security Administration (TSA).  Kim is a servant leader with huge gratitude and strong desire to mentor and lead young black women.

Kim was raised in church and has served in many ministries in multiple roles.  She joined the Bethlehem Baptist Church at the young age of six.  She was an active member of Bethlehem until she joined St. Stephen Baptist Church in 2005.  Kim served SSBC faithfully until she joined Alfred Street in January 2023.  Her first leadership responsibility came when she was a teenage coordinator for youth revival at Bethlehem.  Over her many years of Christian service, she has served in the Usher Ministry, Choir, Women’s Ministry, Social Action Committee, Pastor’s Aid Society, Trustee, Christian Education, and Christian Outreach.  One certain characteristic she was raised to honor and embrace is service to others.

Kim is the proud mother of three beautiful children . . . Melvin, Kristian and Hannah; and “Nana” to five grandchildren. She actively engages in school and extra curriculum activities with Hannah.  Previously she was active volunteering and serving on youth organization boards such as the Silver Hill Boys and Girls Club when Melvin and Kristian were younger.  Currently, Kim serves on the Open Door Living Association (ODLA) Board of Directors.  In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her family and visiting Sweet Frog with her grands.

Carolyn Fleming-Williams, Esq. is an experienced attorney and civic leader.  She has served as a White House Leadership Fellow in the Executive Office of the President under former President Barack Obama.  Her legal experience includes service as a law firm associate with K&L Gates LLP, corporate counsel with COMSAT Communications Company, and a Federal executive with the Federal Communications Commission. She began her career as an Honors Attorney for the United States Department of the Treasury.

Carolyn has led many civic organizations and was the first President of the Board of Directors of the Washington, D.C. chapter of Habitat for Humanity and had the privilege of working with former President Jimmy Carter and hundreds of volunteers to build ten houses

in Northeast DC for low-income families during a one-week BlitzBuild.  She also was the Chair of the Board for the Family Crisis Center, a residential facility for survivors of domestic abuse in Prince George’s County, MD.  Currently, she is the Chair of the Board of

The Training Source, Inc., an award-winning non-profit in Maryland that has a 30-year history of making dreams of college, career success, and family self-sufficiency a reality for those who have traditionally been underserved and overlooked.

Ms. Fleming-Williams holds a Juris Doctorate from the Georgetown University School of Law and a Bachelor of Arts from Princeton University.

She is married to Tony Williams and they have one son, Chase. Carolyn is also a proud member of the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.

I, Cynthia A. Howell, current member of the Human Resources Committee (HRC), President of DG1 and member of the Greeters Ministry, am excited to submit my nomination for Chair, Human Resources Committee (HRC). With this nomination, I not only get to leverage and share my skills, knowledge and 25 years of Human Resources (HR) experience with my church family but will also share my strong leadership skills focused on collaboration, positivity, effective communication, motivation and creativity. The net result of these proven capabilities provides the Church Council, HRC and the church’s HR Team with an individual who is responsible, builds trust, fosters teamwork, ensures governance, practices the art of listening to receive and provide feedback and recommendations; and provides oversight to optimize the effectiveness of the church’s HR Team.

I am a Washington, DC metro area resident raised in Prince George’s County Maryland and a graduate of Hampton University. After college I developed a strong interest in Human Resources because of my desire and compassion to help people succeed in the work environment. I am also a licensed District of Columbia real estate referral agent, active member of AKA Sorority and a board member of the “Girls’ Night Out by Shawn Yancy” Foundation, which empowers and transforms the lives and futures of underserved women and children. These passions allow me to exercise my servant humble heart, impacting important areas of people’s lives. I currently reside in Washington, DC, married to the love of my life, Jon J. Aiken.

As Chair of the Human Resources Committee, the church will get a savvy HR business executive leader with 25 plus years of experience and external awareness (www.linkedin.com/in/cynthia-a-howell-phr-shrm-cp). My ability to lead, manage, develop and mentor teams and individuals is an extraordinarily strong asset. I have two nationally qualifying HR certifications: Professional in Human Resources (PHR) and Society for Human Resource Management – Certified Professional (SHRM-CP). As a certified HR professional, my expertise and experience in resolving employee relations issues and disputes, mentoring and coaching all levels of employees, managing benefits and compensation administration, policies and procedures, employment law, talent management and acquisition enables me to effectively support and align myself with the various business leaders of an organization. I am a trusted and strategic confidant to Chief suite executives as well as line management and staff employees. I have a solid foundation with hands-on experience in several types and sizes of organizations with different organizational cultures including non-profit, government contracting and for profit. I am deeply passionate about my profession and operate with the highest integrity and confidentiality. I strongly believe employees are critical to the success of an organization. My polished and professional presentation matched with my pleasant nature, empathetic and sound leadership and collaborative and engaging management style makes me a solid choice to serve in this position.

I give God all glory and honor for my talents, skills and abilities.

Thank you for your support. I look forward to serving ASBC as Chair of the Human Resources Committee.

Ms. Sims is an experienced and accomplished focused strategist and leader with 25+ years of experience in human resources and investigations. She has held leadership positions at the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), United States Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) as well as the Social Security Administration.  Currently, Leslye serves as Manager of the Office of Professional Responsibility National Case Intake Office where She is responsible for ensuring expeditious, fair and objective action/resolution on all allegations of employee misconduct and assist the FAA in building a culture that reflects the core values of integrity, professionalism, and safety objectives.

Prior to her current role she served as Associate Chief of Labor and Employee Relations (LER) at the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Office within the Department of Homeland Security where she provided direction and oversite of the agency’s LER Branch, which provided a full range of LER services to the USCIS stakeholders. Ms. Sims has represented the federal government on numerous issues before the Merit System Protection Board and Federal Labor Relations Authority

She is a recognized agency expert and strategic partner providing technical advice and guidance, making informed recommendations on critical agency labor & employee relations’ issues and processes for a workforce of approximately 50,000 employees.  She has extensive experience in development, implementation, and administration of policies and processes on  administrative investigations and human resources matters (labor & employee relations, performance, drug & alcohol, employee benefits and reasonable accommodation).  She also has a significant background in dispute resolution, budget planning and controls, organizational performance management, and employee engagement strategies.  She is a certified mediator and often sought after to handle the most complex and sensitive matters.

Ms. Sims is a 2019 graduate of the Office of Personnel Management CXO Fellowship Program. This program provides professional development opportunities for the next generation of Federal leaders in acquisitions, finance, human capital, and information technology.   Leslye received both her Bachelor’s and Master’s Degree from Jackson State University.

She hails from Kansas City, Missouri home of the 2020 and 2023 Super Bowl Champions Kansas City Chiefs!  She is a major fan of professional sports and enjoys attending these events whenever possible. Ms. Sims is an avid tennis player and cyclist. Ms. Sims  has a heart for service and has been involved in the ASBC family since becoming a member in 2017.  She has served as a member of the nominating committee, as well as the President of Disciple Group 9.  Currently she serves on the Alfred Street Baptist Church Council of Directors as the Chair of Human Resources.

Crystal (Chris) Chavis is a Certified Professional Coach and Human Resources practitioner with over twenty years of experience in Human Resources working for both domestic and global organizations.  Additionally, she has coached leaders in both private and public sectors, from a variety of industries including pharma, healthcare, retail, and hospitality.  Crystal specializes in leadership development, diversity & inclusion, talent management, conflict resolution, and team effectiveness.

Currently, she serves as the Senior Director of Learning and Talent Management for PBS in Arlington, Virginia.  Prior to joining PBS, Crystal was the Global Talent Leader for the corporate functions at DuPont Corporation, in Wilmington, Delaware, where she directed all core talent management processes for employees in North America, South America, Asia, and Europe.

Crystal has a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology; a Master’s Degree in Human Resources Development; and a Ph.D. in Conflict Analysis and Resolution.  As a complement to her formal studies, she holds a number of certifications including Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR), Senior Certified Professional in Human Resources (SHRM-SCP), Certified Professional Coach (CPC), Professional Certified Coach (PCC), Certified Diversity Professional (CDP), and Energy Leadership Index Master Practitioner (ELI-MP).  She is also a certified workplace trainer and mediator.

In addition to her passion for education, she has dedicated her life to helping others.  Her philanthropic efforts are numerous; however, she is most proud of her recent work on safety, security, and immigration with the indigenous people in Vilcabamba, Ecuador.  She is also the Founder of a non-profit organization, The Whole Woman, dedicated to the advancement, education, and empowerment of women and girls.

Tia Plunkett-McQueen is a human resources executive who has helped nonprofit organizations fulfill their mission and business value by maximizing their human capital.  Throughout her career, Tia has held executive and leadership roles providing organizational analysis and workforce planning to trade, membership advocacy and human service organizations.  She is an exceptionally strong HR practitioner with expertise in non-profit risk management and HR compliance. Tia has demonstrated success in working across businesses at all levels, developing trust and building effective partnerships.  In her roles, she has supported executive personnel and board of directors for the Democratic National Committee, Achieving the Dream, NAMI, National Business Aviation Association, and currently serves as the Senior Executive and Director of Human Resources for the National League of Cities.  Tia is a certified HR professional with a bachelor’s degree from the University of Maryland at College Park, and a master’s degree in human resources management from Webster University.  Tia is a member of Junior League of Washington and is a Woman of Impact with Girls, Inc., D.C. Chapter.

Anitra is a real estate lawyer who represents clients in commercial real estate transactions involving the buying, selling, and development of mixed-use, commercial, and residential (market rate and affordable) projects. She has extensive experience negotiating development agreements, construction agreements, construction management agreements, property management agreements, cost-sharing agreements, reciprocal easement agreements, and declaration of covenants, conditions, and restrictions. Her practice also involves the creation of condominium regimes and the negotiation and settlement of warranty claims filed against developers by condominium associations. Anitra also regularly represents clients in the preparation and negotiation of commercial leases.

Anitra is a board member of the Alexandria Redevelopment and Housing Authority (ARHA), the City’s affordable housing authority.

After hearing a final confirmation from God during SEEK 2022, Tara became an official member of Alfred Street Baptist Church in February of last year. Since that time, she has been actively involved in her beloved DG#33 where she serves as anOfficer and their Newsletter Editor. She is also a member of the Liturgical Dance Ministry and loves to participate in various mission initiatives in and outside of the church.

Tara has numerous years of professional experience in the fields of architecture, construction management and physical security. She earned a Bachelor of Architecture from Hampton University and is currently pursuing a Master of Urban and Regional Planning, with a concentration in Housing, Community and Economic Development, from Georgetown University.

In her spare time, Tara enjoys spending time with her family and friends. And although she has many scriptures that have molded her life, the one that resonates most in this season is found in Psalm 27:14, “Wait on the Lord; be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart. Wait, I say, on the Lord!”

Sister Carol Holland is an active member of Alfred Street Baptist Church and a member of Discipleship Group # 26.

Sister Holland serves as a Vice President for Dewberry Engineers, a nationwide full services architect, engineering professional services firm. She is a licensed professional engineer, a certified construction manager and a (Leadership in Energy, and Environmental Design) LEED AP professional.  She serves on the National Board of the Construction Management Association of America.

Carol Holland. PE, CCM, LEED AP is responsible for leadership, operations and client management as a Vice President of Dewberry Engineers Inc. Carol has a proven technical and executive management track record that includes more than 30 years of experience in the Architect, Engineering and Construction (AEC) industry. A Navy veteran and Naval Academy graduate, Carol served her country through the provision of facilities engineering services throughout the world. Her assignments included Assistant Resident Officer-in-Charge of Construction (AROICC) at Marine Corps Air Stations Tustin and El Toro; Assistant Public Works Officer and Environmental Officer at Subic Bay Naval Station; Assistant Public Works Officer for Mare Island Naval Yard; Environmental, Fire and Safety Department Officer at Gulfport Naval Construction Battalion Center; C-Company Commander of U.S. Naval Mobile Construction Battalion SEVENTY-FOUR (NMCB 74); and Assistant Operations Officer, Naval Facilities Command (NAVFAC). She completed her service in the reserves retiring with the rank of Commander.

She showed transformational leadership while serving as the Deputy Program Manager for the Pentagon Renovation program, directly contributing to the on-time, on-budget renovation of one of the largest and historic office buildings following the deadly 9/11 attack. She drove innovation and improved outcomes in several operational roles for private and public sector clients including the International Monetary Fund and Black Entertainment Television, DC Water and the Philadelphia International Airport. In management and executive roles, she has led transparency innovation initiatives resulting in increased efficiencies in project delivery. A sought-after expert in the AEC industry, Carol is a licensed professional engineer, a Leadership in Environmental and Energy Design (LEED) Professional, a Certified Construction Manager (CCM) serving on the Board of Directors of the Construction Management Association of America (CMAA). She earned a Master of Science in Environmental Engineering from University of California, Berkeley.

She is a proud, active life member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc.

Damien McCants was born in Washington, D.C., growing up in Alexandria, VA.  Graduating from Virginia Tech with a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering in 2003, Damien took that knowledge and ventured into the construction industry.  He is the business development lead with DPR Construction in Reston, Virginia, working in their Advanced Technology Group. Damien currently resides in Ashburn, Virginia with his wife, Krystal where they enjoy time outdoors, cruising and spending time with their family.

Warren Williams is a principal and director of the Washington DC office in architecture firm Lord Aeck Sargent (LAS), where he provides comprehensive building design services for multi-family housing and mixed-use projects, biomedical teaching, research and testing laboratories. He applies cutting-edge facilities design and management skills to elite architectural construction projects.

Williams joined LAS as an architect intern in 1991 and worked his way up. He was promoted to principal in January 2007. Some of his current and more recently completed projects include: campus planning, new and renovation projects at Morehouse School of Medicine; Pentagon Emergency Response Center BSL-3 Facility, Howard University Towers; George Washington University Ross Hall Laboratory Renovation; the Georgia Public Health Laboratories in Decatur, Ga., and Waycross, Ga.; and the University of Michigan Medical School’s Cyclotron building addition.

Williams is a member of the American Institute of Architects and the National Organization of Minority Architects. He earned his bachelor’s degree in architecture from the University of Florida in 1984. He has three children and is a resident of Alexandria, Virginia.

Laurie Brogdon garnered a distinguished record of achievement in higher education alumni relations and advancement at Virginia Tech, Cornell, and the University of Maryland. Currently, she serves as the director of alumni relations and annual giving at American University. In this role, she is responsible for leading aspects of communications, alumni relations, and annual giving and develops programs and events, expands regional chapters and affinity groups, stewards donors and volunteers, and implements transformative advancement operations. During her 15-year career in Advancement, Brogdon raised more than 25 million dollars.

Laurie joined Alfred Street Baptist Church in 2012 and is a part of DG3. Laurie volunteers for My Brother’s Keeper, Feed the 5K, and the HBCU College Festival. She is a member of the Stewardship Committee and previously served as an officer in the Singles Ministry.

Brogdon earned her bachelor’s and master’s in communications from the College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences. She is a proud business owner and member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated.

In addition, she is the visionary creator of the Virginia Tech Influential Black Alumni Awards and serves as the inaugural president for the Virginia Tech Black Alumni Society. Her work was recognized by industry leaders with the Award of Excellence from the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education (CASE). She has served on state and national committees for higher education and in university governance on local college campuses.

Rita M. Barksdale is the Amazon Director for the global Renewed Marketplace helping customers reduce planet impact by purchasing pre-owned product with great quality at a reduced cost; the US Home Entertainment Store providing an excellent customer experience for purchasing TVs, Streaming Media players, Home Theatre projectors, and DVD/Blue-ray players; and the US Video Game Store providing gaming enjoyment through physical and digital media.

Rita joined Amazon in November 2020 as the Director of Amazon Renewed and increased her scope to include Home Entertainment in February 2021.  Her scope was expanded again in December 2023 with the addition of Video Games.  Prior to Amazon, she had a vibrant career with General Electric starting on the Technical Sales Leadership Program and progressing through outside sales and sales management positions. In July 2005 she became the product manager for bottom freezer and top freezer refrigeration and built the bottom freezer business for GE Appliances before moving to Belgium to lead their Europe, Middle East, and Africa Pole.  She concluded her GE career with GE Healthcare in March 2019.

Rita holds a B.S. in mechanical engineering from the University of Virginia and an MBA from Fuqua School of Business, Duke University. She sits on the Consumer Technology Association Retail Council.

Due to eleven relocations, Rita has been an active member of eleven churches.  She strives to share her time, talent, and treasure according to God’s will.  Her hobbies include investing, audiobooks, and cycling. She finished her first triathlon in August 2019 and has completed four 100+ mile bike rides.  She is a member of Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc and Alfred Street Baptist Church.

I am Valerie Lancaster Beal, a financial executive with leadership experience in financial management and governance for corporate and not for profit entities.    I have extensive experience as an Independent Director for (NYSE) public companies engaging in financial oversight, governance, and risk management.  I founded VLB Associates in January 2014 after a successful career in investment banking. VLB Associates is a management consulting practice that provides interim chief financial officer services to emerging businesses and not for profit organizations.

However, first and foremost I am a native Washingtonian who grew up in Baptist churches in the city.  My parents shared their gifts of their treasure and talent by being a deacon in the church, choir members and directors of youth programs.  When pursuing my MBA from the Wharton School, I conducted a study of the financial management protocols of black churches.  As a wife, mother, and investment banker for the past several decades I recognized my work and travel schedule precluded me from serving in the choir or other weekly commitments.   However, I was blessed to be able to share my treasure with the church and give service by volunteering in multiple financial management capacities including treasurer for Women’s Day events, serving as data management consultant at the school sponsored by the church and other ministries.

Upon the request of my pastor, I was blessed to be able to take a leave of absence from my company, finance and then serve as the first Director of Stewardship and Membership for the church.  In that capacity I surveyed the stewardship management practices of some of the most financially “secure” congregations and not for profits in New York city and endeavored to bring some of those practices to my church.  I was elated to see that Alfred Street has embraced many of those practices including: following the principles of tithing; transparency in financial reporting; differentiated ministries/ programs to address the specific needs of the members; outreach and support of causes of interest to the members; legacy building and prudent financial management.

I recently relocated back to the DMV and am elated that God guided me to Alfred Street.  I joined a few months before the pandemic but through the blessing of the virtual ministries, DG 5, my beloved Springfield East Village, and now the return to the sanctuary I have grown deeper in my spiritual life and understanding of the Bible.  Now that I have retired from my fulltime positions, I am excited about the opportunity to once again share my God given talents in financial management with my church.    I look forward to working with the Stewardship committee in enhancing the gifts of the ministry so that Alfred Street can continue its leadership in spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Nancy Frazier is the Vice President of Development at Planned Parenthood of Metropolitan Washington, DC (PPMW).  In addition tofundraising, Nancy is responsible for the gift processing and corporate and foundation teams.  Since arriving at Planned Parenthood in 2017, Nancy has been part of a team that has exceeded its annual fundraising goals by more than $1M and has raised more than 55% of the organization’s operating budget each year for the last five years. Nancy is a member of the Planned Parenthood Federation of America Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee and co-chair for the affiliate’s Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Council.

Before joining PPMW, Nancy served as the Director of Development at the George Washington University (GWU), where she managed a regional portfolio of major gift prospects, securing 5-and 6-figure gifts in support of student programs and initiatives. Nancy managed the Business School Board of Advisors, a 53-person advisory board of senior business executives, and raised multi-million dollar gifts annually through board involvement. Philanthropy from the board became the main source of support for the school’s entrepreneurship competition and raised the competition’s stature from 7th to 2nd in the nation.

Before GWU, Nancy served as Associate, Board Affairs and Stewardship for Georgetown University’s Board of Regents. In this role, Nancy orchestrated a synergistic effort between the 100-person cross-campus board, the President’s Office, and faculty and administrators. At Georgetown, Nancy’s work led to a multi-million-dollar gift that funded a new building wing.

Nancy has also lent her fundraising talents to smaller non-profits as well. At WomenHeart, the National Coalition for Women with Heart Disease, Nancy raised $3.8M through grants and negotiated a lead gift, the largest corporate gift in the organization’s history, from Burlington Coat Factory.

Nancy has extensive experience in the areas of communications, strategic planning, and customer relationship management and has worked at such leading corporate entities as Russell Reynolds Associates; Capital Cities/ABC, Inc.; The Dreyfus Corporation; The Estee Lauder Companies, and Manulife Financial, where she was responsible for the internal communications program and the execution of executive events and key initiatives for the U.S. Annuities Division.

Nancy holds a Bachelor of Science in Communications from St. John’s University. In 2011, Nancy attained a Master of Public Administration degree from the City University of New York at Baruch College through National Urban Fellows, a nationally competitive 14-month fully funded master’s degree program. She has completed studies at Harvard University and Georgetown University and is a Certified Fundraising Executive (CFRE), one of 7,500 credentialed fundraisers worldwide. Nancy is a doctoral candidate at George Washington University, with plans to complete her research in 2025.

Since joining Alfred Street Baptist Church, Nancy has served as a member of the DG#33 Newsletter Committee and has volunteered to serve as an interim member of the Stewardship Committee, believing the work of this committee in collaboration with other committees can further elevate the church’s mission of building disciples to win the world for Christ.

Patricia Ellis Mitchell, a Texas native, began her professional life as an official court reporter for the Superior Court of the District of the Columbia.  Over the years, she served in similar capacities at U.S. District Court and the U.S. House of Representatives.  After her stint as an official reporter, Ms. Mitchell went on to form her own Court Reporting Company, Columbia Reporting, and soon became a pioneer in closed captioning TV during the early years of broadcast ADA requirements.

Later, she sold her business, which was a life-changing experience, and began a second career in corporate America.  She went back to school, obtained her degree and after several stints in non-profit management, various positions with with publicly traded operations, she eventually came on board with Columbia Enterprises, Inc. where she remains today.

Joining the team at Columbia Enterprises, as Vice President and later as Senior Vice President/Director of Finance and Administration, where she is currently accountable for the administrative, financial, and risk management operations of the company, allowed her to use the significant skills she had acquired in corporate America to help grow Columbia Enterprises, which she co-owns with her husband, Bruce Mitchell.

As a key member of the Executive Management team, she assumes a strategic role in the overall management of the company to include the development of financial and operational strategies, metrics tied to that strategy, and the ongoing development and management of control systems designed to preserve company assets, report accurate financial results, as well as oversight responsibility for corporate and human resources.

During her tenure at Columbia Enterprises, she has lead the company in obtaining and retaining major certifications in key areas of business development, including 8(a) and HUB Zone certifications, including strategic state and local certifications.  Her biggest accomplishment to date has been her ability to drive organizational improvements and implementation.  Under her guidance, she has increased the company’s overall bonding capacity to perform on federal, state and local government contracts to $15m.  Through that accomplishment, Columbia Enterprises, stands out as one of the few DMV-area small, minority-owned general contractors with bonding capacity at this level.

Ms. Mitchell is active in her community, as well as professional organizations such as Professional Women in Construction (PWC), Construction Financial Management Association, (CFMA) The National Association of Female Executives, former Chair of the Board of Directors of North Capitol Main Street, a small-business non-profit, and an active-member of Leadership Greater Washington –’09. Past affiliations include membership in D.C. Building Industry Association, (DCBIA) and Associated Builders and Contractors, (ABC).

Ms. Mitchell has a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Management with a focus on Finance and Accounting. Although she received her degree from University of the Potomac, formerly Potomac College, in Washington, D.C., at heart, she remains a Texas Southern University (TSU) Tiger, where she began her matriculation.  She has resided in the Washington, D.C. area since 1986 with her family, her husband Bruce, daughter, Marci and granddaughter, Taris.  She is an active member of Alfred Street Baptist Church in Alexandria, VA.

Irving Washington is a Senior Fellow for Misinformation and Trust at KFF, where he leads a new initiative focused on identifying health misinformation to improve understanding of critical health news and research and build trust among communities.

Before joining KFF, Washington was the CEO of the Online News Association (ONA), one of the world’s largest membership organizations for digital journalists. At ONA, he led efforts to build a foundation for journalism’s future by leveraging the power of new media technologies to raise up the next generation of diverse media leaders, which doubled the organization in size, scope, and reach. His leadership also advanced the mandate for protecting the integrity of online news.

He began his career at the Radio Television Digital News Foundation, where he focused on improving internal systems to address equity gaps. Later, Washington advocated for black journalists working at the National Association of Black Journalists as part of a broader effort to shape diversity and inclusion in the media.

Washington is an advisor to the American Journalism Project, the CUNY Graduate School of Journalism, Internews and the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE). He’s also active in ASAE as a Fellow, a designation reserved for the nation’s top one percent of association executives, and a Diversity Executive Leadership Program (DELP) Scholar.

He’s participated in the prestigious Punch Sulzberger Media Executive Leadership Program through Columbia University and served as an Executive Fellow through the Open Society Foundations’ New Executive Fund and Fellowship.

Irving holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Ball State University. He is also a Certified Association Executive (CAE).

Artura E. Jackson is a dedicated Public Historian with profound expertise in Gender Studies, 20th Century United States History, and African American History. Her significant contributions to the field are best exemplified by her extensive research into the role of gender dynamics in the Cambridge Civil Rights Movement, with a primary focus on the influential figure Gloria Richardson.

In her current capacity as Historian at the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission, Department of Parks and Recreation, Artura manages the historic Ridgeley Rosenwald School in Capital Heights, Maryland. This pivotal role is an integral part of the Prince George’s County Black History Program, responsible for overseeing four historic African American sites. Under her visionary leadership, the program offers enriching year-round programming that vividly brings African American history to life. Artura’s impactful work includes the organization of essential events like the Annual Juneteenth Celebration and the curation of captivating Black History Month exhibits. Beyond this, she shoulders the critical responsibility of preserving and curating the extensive archival and object collection of the Black History Program.

Artura’s dedication to diversity and excellence has garnered recognition and honors. In 2017, she was bestowed with the prestigious Salisbury University President’s Diversity Award, a testament to her unwavering commitment. Furthermore, her influence extends to her acknowledgment as one of Prince George’s County’s distinguished “40 under forty” individuals in 2019. Her expertise also found a global audience as she served as a subject matter expert and contributor to Brut media’s impactful 2020 Black History Month campaign.

Artura’s journey in the realm of history began as a Graduate Assistant at the Edward H. Nabb Center for Delmarva History and Culture at Salisbury University, where she further honed her skills and nurtured her passion.

A true native of Prince George’s County, Maryland, Artura is a proud alumna of Salisbury University, where she earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in History in 2014, followed by a Master of Arts degree in History in 2016.

Kawana Cohen is a community servant and leader with over 20 years of community outreach and service experience.  Kawana is a Registered Nurse Lieutenant in the U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps where she currently serves as the Public Health Advisor to the Director within the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration.  Before joining the Corps, Kawana served as the Director for Population and Community Health at Medstar Southern Maryland Hospital Center in Clinton, MD.  In addition to her background as a nurse, Kawana has a background in Environmental Science and previously served in the civil service for 16 years as a Biologist, Program Analyst, and Section Chief at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Homeland Security respectively.  She holds a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science from Rutgers University, a Master of Science in Environmental Science from John Hopkins University, and a Master of Science in Nursing from the University of Maryland.  Kawana is very active in her community.  She is a member of the Fort Washington Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. where she is the co-chair of the Physical & Mental Health Committee and co-chair of the Program Planning and Development Committee.  She has been a member of the Mitchellville-Bowie Section of the National Council of Negro Women for over 17 years and has held a number of leadership positions within the section to include First Vice President, Second Vice President, Recording and Corresponding Secretary, and Community Outreach chair.  She has served Prince George’s County as the chairwoman of the Solid Waste Advisory Commission for 2 years and a commissioner for 3 years.  Last but not least, Kawana is a dedicated volunteer for Food & Friends in Washington, D.C. where she is a chef’s assistant and delivers meals to clients in Prince George’s and Montgomery County.  At Alfred Street Baptist Church, she is a member of DG #34 and the HIV/AIDS ministry.  Kawana’s motto is “It’s not hard work, it’s HEART work!” and believes her service to others is at the very core of her being.  In her spare time Kawana enjoys mid distance running, spending time with her son Mathias, and watching sports.