Mr. Dortch has had guest appearances on the Oprah Winfrey Show, Fox News Channel the O’Reilly Factor, C-SPAN, Talk Back Atlanta, National Press Club, CNN, Good Day Atlanta, Black Issues in Higher Education National Video Conference, and MBC Town Hall Meeting.  Mr. Dortch is the recipient of numerous awards and honors that celebrate his efforts, a partial list includes: listed in the 2001, 2002, 2003 and 2004 May Editions of Ebony Magazine as one of The 100 Most Influential African Americans; listed in Spring 2001 through 2014 Publications of Atlanta Business Chronicle as one of The 100 Most Influential Atlantans; 2008 Community Service Professional of the Year Award; 2008 FraserNet Community Service Award; 2008 Global Leadership Empowerment Award; Board of Trustees, Leadership Atlanta; Board Member, Grady Memorial Hospital Corporation, Vice Chairman of the Board,  Friendship Force International,  Chairman of the Board, Fulton/DeKalb County Hospital Authority Board of Trustees Chairman, 2010 was inducted into Atlanta Convention & Visitors Bureau’s Atlanta Hospitality Hall of Fame, Three Term  Chairman of The Board, The Atlanta Business League.  Member of Operation Hope Board of Trustees, Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University Board of Trustees, Talladega College Board of Trustees, Clark Atlanta University Board of Trustees; Chairman of The Board, National Coalition on Black Civic Participation.

Mr. Dortch is a much sought-after speaker on an international, national level to governmental entities, corporations and educational institutions including the Darden School of Business – University of Virginia, Southern University, Delaware State University, Jarvis Christian College, Florida A&M University, South Carolina State University, Georgia State University, Thomas University, Georgia Tech, Paine College, Tuskegee University, National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Emerging Leaders Forum, White House Initiatives on Black Colleges, Federal Executive Board, Federal Aviation Administration, Lockheed Georgia Corporation, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, United Negro College Fund, National Association for Equal Opportunity in Higher Education (NAFEO), , Congressional Black Caucus, “The” Fort Valley State University, United States Department of Energy, American Cancer Society, Georgia Chamber of Commerce, Blacks In Government, and Anheuser-Busch Company to name a few.

Dortch earned a B.A. Degree in Sociology and Pre- Professional Social Work from “The” Fort Valley State University in 1972, and a Masters of Art Degree in Criminal Justice Administration from Clark-Atlanta University in 1986.  He also attended Georgia State University as a Ford Fellow in the Urban Administration Program.  Dortch received Honorary Doctors Degrees from Fayetteville State University, Jarvis Christian College, Fort Valley State University, University of Maryland Eastern Shore and Livingstone College.

Dortch was recently elected to a sixth term as National Chairman of 100 Black Men of America, Inc.

Dr. Roslyn Clark Artis has earned for the second time in history, the distinct honor of serving as the first-female President of a collegiate institution in the United States.

On June 30, 2017, Dr. Artis was unanimously appointed by the Board of Trustees as the 14th President of Benedict College. She is the first-female President in the 147-year history of the college which was founded by a woman, Mrs. Bathsheba Benedict, in 1870.

Intentional, professional and thoroughly committed to the proliferation and transformation of colleges and universities that serve underrepresented men and women of color, Dr. Artis brings to Benedict College a depth of knowledge in higher education and enthusiasm for students’ success that is unmatched in today’s higher education arena.

Dr. Artis comes to Benedict College from Florida Memorial University in Miami where she served for four years as the 13th President and the first female President in that University’s 138-year history. During her tenure, she provided immeasurable leadership and direction to the Florida Memorial University family. Among her many achievements were the significant technology enhancements on campus, new facility construction, innovative partnerships, as well as increased national exposure and resource development for the institution in the areas of STEM, Cybersecurity, and Social Justice.

Dr. Artis is a graduate of Vanderbilt University, where she earned a Doctorate in Higher Education Leadership and Policy. She also holds a Juris doctorate from West Virginia University College of Law, and her Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from sister HBCU, West Virginia State University. The consummate professional, Dr. Artis also holds a Certificate of Fundraising Management from Indiana University and a Certificate of Mastery in Prior Learning Assessment from DePaul University.
Prior to embarking on a career in academia, Dr. Artis enjoyed a robust civil litigation practice. A strong community activist, Dr. Artis is past Chair of the WV Board of Law Examiners and a past president of the Mountain State Bar Association – the oldest minority bar association in the country.

A prolific speaker, critical thinker and fierce advocate for educational access, Dr. Artis has been recognized for her work locally and nationally and is frequently engaged as a mentor, lecturer, and catalyst for strategic transformation. Her passion for education, youth development, and service to the community is manifested through her work with numerous organizations including Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., the Links, Inc. and Jack & Jill of America.

In her short time at the helm of Benedict College, Dr. Artis has made a tremendous impact, coining the phrase #TheBESTofBC!

Since 2004, Dr. Michael Lomax has been president and CEO of UNCF, the nation’s largest private provider of scholarships and other educational support to African American students and a leading advocate of college readiness: students’ need for an education, from pre-school through high school, that prepares them for college success. Under his leadership, UNCF has raised more than $2.5 billion and helped more than 92,000 students earn college degrees and launch careers. Annually, UNCF’s work enables 60,000 students to go to college with UNCF scholarships and attend its 37 member historically black colleges and universities. Lomax has worked to provide educational opportunities for African Americans and other Americans of color.

Before coming to UNCF, Lomax was president of Dillard University in New Orleans and a literature professor at UNCF-member institutions Morehouse and Spelman colleges. He also served as chairman of the Fulton County Commission in Atlanta, the first African American elected to that post.

At UNCF’s helm, Lomax oversees the organization’s 400 scholarship programs, which award 10,000 scholarships a year worth more than $100 million. He also launched the UNCF Institute for Capacity Building, which helps UNCF’s 37 member historically black colleges and universities become stronger, more effective and more self-sustaining. Under Lomax’s leadership, UNCF has fought for college readiness and education reform through partnerships with reform-focused leaders and organizations. He serves on the boards of Teach For America and the KIPP Foundation. He also co-chaired the Washington, DC, mayoral education transition team and the search committee for a new DC school chancellor.

Lomax serves on the boards of the Smithsonian Institution’s Museum of African American History and Culture and the Studio Museum of Harlem. He founded the National Black Arts Festival.

Rodney Bullard leads Chick-fil-A’s community engagement, philanthropic and sustainability strategy as Vice President of Community Affairs and Executive Director of the Chick-fil-A Foundation. Before coming to Chick-fil-A, Rodney served as an Assistant United States Attorney prosecuting complex criminal cases. For his service, the United States Attorney General presented him with the Department of Justice Director’s Award. Prior to this role, Rodney was selected as a White House Fellow, the nation’s most prestigious public service Fellowship. As a White House Fellow, Rodney was placed at NASA working directly for the NASA Administrator. Rodney also previously served at the Pentagon as a Congressional Legislative Liaison in the Office of the Secretary of the Air Force.

Rodney is an alumnus of the Air Force Academy, Duke Law School, the University of Georgia’s Terry College of Business and Harvard Business School’s Advanced Management Program.

Tim Mapes is Delta’s Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer, responsible for the airline’s global brand, product development, distribution, and all related marketing, advertising and promotional activities including community affairs.

Previously at Delta, Tim served as Vice President – Marketing where he was responsible for the strategic direction and execution of the global Delta brand. This included all advertising efforts, sponsorship relationships, promotional and event marketing programs, internal cultural transformation efforts, and online brand activation. Prior to that role, he was Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer for Song, Delta’s award-winning, low-cost division that was named one of the top three U.S. airline brands by the readers of both Condé Nast Traveler and Travel + Leisure.

Tim’s background includes 28 years of agency and client-side experience including various leadership positions held at Omnicom’s BBDO, and Bozell, Jacobs, Kenyon & Eckhardt. He has been inducted to the Hall of Achievement by the American Advertising Federation, recognized as one of the country’s “top innovative marketers” by Advertising Age, and named one of Marketing’s “Rising Stars” by Baume & Mercier and Forbes magazine.

Tim is a graduate of the University of Georgia, where he serves on the Advisory Board of the Grady College of Mass Communication.

As President of the UPS Foundation and UPS’ Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer, Ed Martinez is responsible for the operations and management of UPS’ global philanthropic, employee engagement, corporate relations and diversity and inclusion programs.

In addition to his corporate responsibilities, Ed represents UPS on the World Economic Forum’s Global Agenda Council on Humanitarian Response and serves as UPS Executive Liaison to the Council of Independent Colleges. He is also a member of the Corporate Advisory Board for The National Council of La Raza, corporate liaison to the Points of Light Institutes’ Service Council, Chair of the Corporate Development Council for the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts and a member of the Board of Directors of the International Association for Volunteer Effort. He is also Co-chair of the National Academy of Sciences “Resilient America” program and Chair of IAVE’s Global Corporate Volunteer Council. Ed currently serves on Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reeds’ Mayoral Service Board.

Ed is a member of the American Bar Association, Florida Bar and Hispanic National Bar Association.

Dr. Quinton T. Ross, Jr., is a celebrated alumnus of Alabama State University, having earned the Bachelor of Science degree in Political Science in 1992, a Master of Arts in Education in 1995 and a Doctorate of Education in Educational Leadership, Policy and Law in 2010.
A veteran educator and administrator, Ross began his career as an instructor of English in the Montgomery Public Schools system. He earned progressive positions of leadership, becoming an assistant principal of Booker T. Washington Magnet School in 1998 and principal of that prestigious high school in 2000. Ross also served as an Educational Specialist at the Montgomery Public Schools’ Central Office from 2003-04.

In 2004, Ross began an 11-year tenure as the Director of Adult Education at H. Councill Trenholm Community College in Montgomery. In that position, he worked as a member of the president’s cabinet, establishing and overseeing the Adult Education Division and developing and sustaining community partnerships to advance the literacy needs of Montgomery’s adult population.
In 2015, Ross assumed the position of Manager of UniServ Organizing and Staff Consultant for Postsecondary Education with the Alabama Education Association. Ross managed the Northern and Southern Postsecondary UniServ staff, which is responsible for 25 two-year colleges, as well as 11 public colleges and universities.

A dedicated public servant, Ross has served as a member of the Alabama Senate for the past 15 years. During his legislative tenure, Ross was one of seven African-American members of the Senate, was the first African-American male to serve as Senate Minority Leader and was the first Minority Leader elected to a four-year term. Ross also served on several legislative committees, including Bank and Insurance, Confirmation, County and Municipal Government, Finance and Taxation, Education, Transportation and Energy, Military Affairs and Education Youth Affairs (vice-chair).

Ross has received numerous awards for his professional achievements and public service, including the Montgomery Advertiser’s 2003 King Spirit Award; the 2005 Dare to Make a Difference Award; the 2005 Young Legend Award; the 2009 Alabama School Board Association’s Power of One Award; the 2012 Alabama Adult Education Director’s Association Champion Award; the 2016 Beloved Community Award presented by the Alabama State University Friends of the Theater; and the 2017 Business Champion Award from the Business Council of Alabama.

Ross was born in Mobile, Ala., and raised in Pontiac, Mich. He has been a resident of Montgomery for more than 20 years.

Ross is married to J. K. Ross, and they have two sons, Quinmari T. Ross and Quinton T. Ross, III. He is a member of Hutchinson Missionary Baptist Church and a member of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc.

Dr. Joseph H. Silver, Sr. is the Managing Partner of Silver and Associates, a full service higher education consulting firm. The firm has a fifteen year track record of assisting colleges and universities solve complex problems, accreditation issues, and developing sound strategic planning. Dr. Silver was an Advisor to the firm for many years and recently assumed the position of Managing Partner. Dr. Joseph H. Silver Sr. served as President of Alabama State University. A dynamic and innovative educator and leader, Silver was described as having the “expertise, background and vigor to continue the University’s important Vision 2020 Plan and its academic and physical transformation, well into the 21st century.”

Over his career, he has developed the reputation of a transformational and innovative leader with great vision and principled ethics. He has sound strategic planning skills and is championed as a strong academic thinker who is well positioned throughout the academy and in the community. His work is recognized on the regional, national and international levels. In March 2012 Dr. Silver received the leadership award from the American Association of Blacks in Higher Education’s (AABHE) and, going forward, the award has been named the “Joseph H. Silver, Leadership and Mentoring Award” in his honor.

Prior to the position at Alabama State University, Silver was employed Clark Atlanta University where he served as provost and vice president of Academic Affairs. He is credited with being the architect of the university’s new strategic plan and its implementation. As provost, he also has served as one of the leading fundraiser for the university. Dr. Silver was asked by the president to develop the reorganization plan for the university. After developing the plan, he led the implementation of the reorganization of the university. As a result, the university is more streamlined, more efficient, and more student-centered. He led the university’s successful effort to prepare the Fifth Year Report for submission to the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. Dr. Silver developed the following innovations while at Clark Atlanta University: the Global Leadership Academy; the Center for Leadership, Academic, and Student Success; the Friends of the Provost for Access and Success; and the new budget review process.

Over the past 35 years, Silver has held leadership positions of increasing responsibilities, beginning at Kennesaw State College, first as a tenured associate professor of political science and later as assistant to the president and director of minority affairs and EEO officer. He served as an administrative fellow with the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia and was later named assistant vice chancellor of Academic Affairs.

After serving in the University System’s office, Silver was appointed vice president for Academic Affairs and professor of political science at Savannah State University, a dual role in which he served until 2006. The institution experienced unprecedented growth and expansion during his time there. Silver’s depth of expertise and breadth of leadership experience aided in his success in the role as provost and vice president for Academic Affairs at Clark Atlanta University, the position in which he served from January 2010 to his selection as ASU’s President.

After his success at Savannah State, Silver was named vice president of the Commission on Colleges at the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, where he helped to shape regional and national educational policies and issues, working with institutions across 11 southern states. He also provided leadership and technical assistance on accreditation matters, supervising accreditation teams in evaluating institutions, as well as member institutions working to meet accreditation standards. He was the principal author of the Commission on Colleges’ “Diversity Statement” and quickly became a highly sought-after authority on the Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP).

A native of North Carolina, Silver earned the B.A. degree in political science (summa cum laude) from St. Augustine’s College in Raleigh, N.C., and the M.A. and Ph.D. degrees in political science from Atlanta University (now Clark Atlanta University). He also engaged in summer study at Oxford University, APS- Stanford University and the American Judicature Society. Silver is married with two children.

Dr. Wheelan currently serves as President of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges and is the first African American and the first woman to serve in this capacity.  Her career spans over 40 years and includes the roles

of faculty member, chief student services officer, campus provost, college president and Secretary of Education.  In several of those roles she was the first African American and/or woman to serve in those capacities.

Dr. Wheelan received her Bachelor’s degree from Trinity University in Texas  (1972) with a double major in Psychology and Sociology; her Master’s from Louisiana State University (1974) in Developmental Educational Psychology; and her Doctorate from the University of Texas at Austin (1984) in Educational Administration with a special concentration in community college leadership.

She has received numerous awards and recognition including six honorary degrees; the Distinguished Graduate Award from Trinity University (2002), and from

the College of Education at the University of Texas at Austin (1992); Washingtonian Magazine’s 100 Most Powerful Women in Washington, DC (2001); the AAUW Woman of Distinction Award (2002); the Suanne Davis Roueche National Institute for Staff and Organizational Development’s Distinguished Lecturer Award (2007); the John E. Roueche National Institute for Staff and Organizational Development’s International Leadership Award (2010); and the AACC Leadership Award (2011); the John Hope Franklin Award from Diverse Issues in Higher Education for outstanding leadership in higher education; and the Educational Testing Service (ETS) Terry O’Banion Prize in Education from the League for Innovation in Community Colleges.

She holds and has held membership in numerous local, state and national organizations including Rotary International; Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.; the American College Testing, Inc., Board of Directors; American Association of Community Colleges, Board of Directors; the Lumina Foundation for Education, Board of Directors; the President’s Round Table of the National Council on Black American Affairs; the National Black College Alumni Hall of Fame, Board of Directors; Excelencia in Education, Board of Directors; National Society of Collegiate Scholars, Community College Honorary Board; Next Generation Learning Challenges, Advisory Panel; Project GOALS (Gaining Online Accessible Learning Through Self-Study); and the National Student Clearinghouse, Board of Directors.

Dr. Wheelan attributes her success to hard work, endurance, tenacity, and being in the right place at the right time.  She recognizes that prayer and support from family and friends make anything possible.

Dr. Wheelan is the mother of an adult son named Reginald.

Attorney Lezli Baskerville is CEO of the National Association for Equal Opportunity in Higher Education, the nation’s only membership and advocacy association for the 106 public, private and land-grant, 2-and 4-year, graduate and professional Historically Black Colleges and Universities and 80 Predominantly Black Institutions. As CEO, Attorney Baskerville serves as, “the voice for blacks in higher education.” Prior to assuming the helm of NAFEO, Attorney Baskerville served as pro bono outside counsel for NAFEO for two decades, representing the diverse cohort of HBCUs in 18 states, in federal district courts, and as counsel for amici before the Supreme Court.

Baskerville is a 2014 Harvard University Advanced Leadership Fellow, where she designed a $1B sustainable endowment fund for HBCUs and emerging Predominantly Black Institutions (PBIs).
Attorney Baskerville is a graduate of the Executive Management Program for Minority Directors at Northwestern University’s Kellogg Business School. She has served on the HBCU Capital Financing Board for twelve years and as a member of the Department of Homeland Security’s Academic Advisory Council for eight years. She served as Chair of the Education Workgroup for the US Department of Energy’s Minorities in Energy Education Initiative.
Attorney Baskerville is a constitutional lawyer, who holds American Jurisprudence Awards in Constitutional Law, Administrative Law, and Contracts Law. She is an accomplished small business and association senior executive, who is a recognized expert and author in equal educational and employment opportunity, educational excellence, minority student persistence, diversity issues, and campaign design.

While in private practice, Attorney Baskerville designed and advanced equal employment and diversity programs for corporations, foundations, and associations. Baskerville also shaped federal and state policies, designed and directed 24 Congressional campaigns and served in senior executive positions in two presidential campaigns.

Attorney Baskerville served as Appellate Counsel at the Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, National Legislative Counsel for the NAACP, Inaugural Executive Director of the National Black Leadership Roundtable, and as an Administrative Appeals Judge in the District of Columbia.

Attorney Baskerville is recognized by STEMConnector as one of “100 Women Leaders in STEM;” by Diverse Issues in Higher Education as one of “25Women Making a Difference;” by AOL Black Voices as one of the nation’s “Top 10 Black Women in Higher Education;” and by Ebony Magazine as one of America’s Top 100 Most Influential Association Leaders. Baskerville is acknowledged in The History Makers as a distinguished lawmaker.

Baskerville holds a Bachelor of Arts degree, with honors from Douglass College, Rutgers University, and was inducted into its Hall of Fame in recognition of her unstinting commitment to improving the quality of life of vulnerable populations. Attorney Baskerville holds a Juris Doctorate with honors from Howard University School of Law, an Honorary Doctorate of Laws from Benedict College, a Doctorate of Humane Letters from Shaw University and a Presidential Medal of Honor from the University of Maryland Eastern Shore. Attorney Baskerville is a member of Shiloh Baptist Church in Washington, D.C, and of its HBCU Council. She underwrites a fellowship at the Higher Education Leadership Foundation.

Dorothy R. Leavell continues to be at the helm of the Black Press of America. Since 1968, she has served as editor and publisher of the Crusader Newspaper Group—Chicago and Gary, Ind.—after the death of her first husband Balm L. Leavell Jr., co-founder of both publications in 1940 and 1961, respectively. Once at the helm of the company, Mrs. Leavell instituted modern changes to enhance the production and effectiveness of the newspapers. She also stabilized her holdings by purchasing and upgrading the buildings, which housed its editorial and production facilities. Since its inception, the Chicago Crusader and Gary Crusader have never missed a single issue.

On June 23, 2017, Mrs. Leavell was elected Chairman of the National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA), a Black newspaper trade organization. She previously served as president of NNPA and the NNPA Foundation from June 1995 to 1999 simultaneously. The Association has a combined readership of more than 15,000,000 readers. During her tenure, she increased the visibility and international stature of the organization. Mrs. Leavell led a controversial 20-member delegation to Nigeria to investigate the Nigerian political crisis. As a media advocate, she also was a staunch and visible supporter for the controversial and delayed confirmation of Alexis Herman as U.S. Secretary of Labor. In 1997 she attended the swearing in ceremony on May 9th.

A member of the NNPA for more than 49 years, Mrs. Leavell has served in various other capacities including assistant secretary, a member of the board of directors, and as treasurer, a post she held for 11 years. She has been featured in articles and on television programs discussing such topics as women in business; the strength of the Black Press; cultural diversity and its impact on business; and several human and civil rights issues.

In June 2006, Mrs. Leavell was elected Chairman of the National Newspaper Publishers Association Foundation. The Foundation oversees the philanthropic arm of the Association including the NNPA News Service, providing news articles and columns to the membership of NNPA; NNPA Black Press Archives housed at Howard University in Washington, D. C.; as well as administer internships, scholarships and grants to college students throughout the United States. She termed out as Chairman in June 2011. But her service to NNPA did that end there, she was elected as Region 3 board member during the June, 2011 convention. Also during that convention she was named “Publisher of the Year” during the Merit Awards gala.

As Chairman of the NNPA Foundation, She headed up a committee to pardon the Wilmington Ten, which was accomplished by the Governor of North Carolina, pardoning the Wilmington Ten in December 2013.

A lifelong supporter of the arts, Mrs. Leavell donated a personal art collection of

150 commissioned pieces, valued at more than $50,000 to the DuSable Museum of African American History in Chicago. Additionally, she a founding member of “Heroes in the Hood,” a program which celebrates young people who have performed volunteer and heroic deeds, yet have gone largely unrecognized. In 2013 she served as Chairman of the National Black Chamber of Commerce and in 2014 was appointed as board member of the National Civil Rights Hall of Fame.

Mrs. Leavell has often been honored and recognized for her philanthropic and civic contributions. A recipient of many awards, she was honored as NNPA’s Publisher of the Year (1989); the YMCA of Metropolitan Chicago; State of Indiana’s “Attorney General for a Day; (June 9, 2000); Winnie Mandela Endurance with Dignity Award; Nation of Islam Distinguished Service Award; Operation PUSH Family Affair Award; by the National Association of Black Media Women; Fourth District Community Improvement Association Award in Gary; Dollars & Sense Magazine Award for Excellence in Business; the Mary McLeod Bethune Award; the Humanitarian Award from the Council on African Affairs; the Publishing Award from the National Association of Negro Business and Professional Women’s Club, and an award in honor of publishing excellence and community service by Philip Morris Companies Inc., honored as the Grand Ye Ye at the 24th Annual 2013 African Festival of the Arts Chicago, Africa International House, Inc., and State of Illinois Proclamation from Governor Pat Quinn proclaiming October 21, 2014 as Dorothy Leavell Day in Illinois; she was inducted into the National Association of Black Journalists Hall of Fame in August 2016.

A native of Pine Bluff, Arkansas, Mrs. Leavell is the second surviving child of Sallie and Blane Gonder. Her early formal education was achieved in the public schools of Pine Bluff, where she graduated as valedictorian of her class. She furthered her education at Roosevelt University in Chicago.

Active in her faith and church, Holy Name of Mary Church in Chicago’s Morgan Park community, she is the wife of John Smith, her second husband, and the mother of two children and three grandchildren. She also raised a niece and nephew. Mrs. Leavell is currently working on a memoir.

Shanae D. Hill is the Chief Executive Officer & Founder of Premier Choice Group, LLC, a global consulting firm specializing in public relations and marketing, capital management, and event planning and production services. For over 18 years, Hill has worked in the private and non-profit sectors and has extensive experience in fiscal management, executive coaching, leadership development, change management, organizational development, brand design and development, corporate and philanthropy outreach, and image services. Hill’s customized coaching approach has enabled executive, senior, and mid-level managers to focus on enhancing their individual performance and effectiveness as leaders.

Shantae D. Gilmer is the Managing Partner of Premier Choice Group, LLC, a global consulting firm specializing in capital management, public relations and marketing, and event planning and production services. For over 18 years, Gilmer has worked in non-profit and government sectors and has extensive experience in contract management, organizational development, leadership development, program design and monetization, campaign design and development, and digital marketing. Gilmer attributes her professional and personal success to developing authentic relationships in the marketplace which is the cornerstone for Premier Choice Group.

McGhee Williams Osse is a seasoned marketing and advertising professional. She is Co-CEO of Burrell Communications Group, one of the leading and most highly regarded multi-cultural advertising agencies in the country with annual billings exceeding $200 million and a roster of clients that lead in their respective categories – including Procter & Gamble, McDonald’s, American Airlines, General Mills, Toyota and the SuperValu chain of grocery stores.

Osse became an equity partner in the agency in 1996. In 2004, with a long-time colleague, she purchased majority ownership of the company from founder Tom Burrell.

She is especially strong as a visionary, in brand building, business sustainability and strategically growing revenue through value management.

She is credited with starting the agency’s Yurban® marketing initiative, which targets youth and young adults; the introduction and development of the agency’s “account planning” practice, and spearheaded the agency’s formal entry into digital and interactive marketing.

Osse has provided oversight in marketing communications for such global brands as Coca-Cola, Verizon, adidas, the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism, Nestle, Tide, Crest and Olay. Prior to Burrell, she held marketing positions at KFC, the General Mills Restaurant Group, Sears Atlanta Group Advertising, and RTM, Inc.

Campaigns under her watch have won acclaim from the Association of National Advertisers (ANA) and the American Advertising Federation (AAF) for creativity and in-market results.

She was a 2007 recipient of the Chicago Minorities in Business Leadership Award, and in the same year, received the inaugural “Advertising Legend Award” from the ADCOLOR™ Industry Coalition for outstanding professional achievements. She has been recognized by Ebony Magazine for outstanding leadership in marketing communications, by Rolling Out Magazine as “One of Nine African-American Business Executives to Know,” and was a 2009 Board Room Bound Honoree. In 2010, she was honored by the National Alliance of Market Developers and the Black United Fund of Illinois.

She is highly regarded as an active and outspoken advocate in the industry and has served on numerous boards and committees. Her most recent affiliations include the American Association of Advertising Agencies (4A’s) Regional Board of Directors; Ad Council Chicago Leadership Committee; and the Mosaic Council Executive Committee (American Advertising Federation).

Her strong concern and sense of community keeps her active with the Partnership for A Drug -Free America, the Clear Channel Community Board of Advisors, the Foundation for Sarcoidosis Research, and Medical Wings International.

She holds a BA degree from Spelman College and completed post-graduate course work in advertising at the University of South Carolina. She recently completed Boardology Pipeline Training.

Dr. Harry L. Williams made history when he became the first sitting university president to serve as President & CEO of the Thurgood Marshall College Fund.

During his eight-year tenure leading Delaware State University (DSU), Dr. Williams proved himself to be a prolific fundraiser, passionate advocate, and strategic planner for the school. He increased student enrollment every year, made incredible partnerships with government and private organizations resulting in several multi-million dollar grants and investments into the campus.

Under Dr. Williams, the University successfully completed their five-year $20 million Greater Than One Campaign for Students. As the most successful fundraising campaign in DSU history, the raised money was used for scholarships, to strengthen the University’s endowment and for other student success initiatives.

Dr. Williams’ extensive leadership background in the Historically Black College and University (HBCU) and higher education spheres earned him the National TRIO Achiever Award, TMCF Education Leadership Award, and HBCU Digest named him one of the “Top 10 Influential HBCU Presidents” in the country. He has served in senior positions at the University of North Carolina General Administration, Appalachian State University, and North Carolina A&T State University. He is also a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.

A native of Greenville, N.C., Dr. Williams has a Bachelor of Science in Communication Broadcasting and a Master of Arts in Educational Media, both from Appalachian State University, as well as an Ed.D. in Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis from East Tennessee State University.

He is married to Dr. Robin S. Williams and the father of two sons.

Tanya Leah Lombard serves as Assistant Vice President of Public Affairs at AT&T. She is charged with creating, promoting and managing AT&T’s brand-messaging to minority communities through the development and stewardship of strategic community-based relations and projects. Tanya is a native of New Orleans with more than twenty years of experience in public policy development, strategic communications and community development. She is widely recognized as a confidante of leaders at the highest levels of government, business, national, civic and professional organizations. Most recently, Ms. Lombard has successfully developed and corner-stoned the following AT&T initiatives:

T-Hive (Technology) Initiative

The T-Hive (Technology) Initiative was created by Ms. Lombard for the purpose of advancing and promoting digital literacy. T-Hive enlists the usage of high-bandwidth 4G devices to access cutting-edge “hi-value” online content that serves as a powerful messaging and educational conduit. Ms. Lombard recruited major Hollywood celebrities to engage ordinary citizens on public policy and other critical issues. As part of this initiative, Ms. Lombard is strategically leveraging actor, producer and filmmaker Robert Townsend’s acclaimed new movie/web series, “In the Hive.” Ms. Lombard has produced and hosted national screenings of Townsend’s film followed by panel discussions and town hall gatherings designed to urge audiences to support a national wireless infrastructure framework that fully utilizes spectrum-intensive 4G devices with the goal of empowering communities through technology.

African American Civil Rights and Intergovernmental Groups Education Campaign

Ms. Lombard created and fostered critical relationships with major civil rights organizations, intergovernmental groups, and trade and professional associations to work in areas of mutual interest that promote the economic, social and political advancement of communities of color across the country.

Minority Specialty Media Movement

Ms. Lombard created and managed a multi-media program focused on African Americans, Asians, Hispanics and Latinos, (the fastest growing segments of the U. S. populations). The specialty campaign facilitates and supports the development of new-media organizations and amplifies the voices of community stakeholders and their constituencies. Ms. Lombard also created and executed a 50-state print newspaper mobility education and awareness campaign on the power of broadband in the underserved and un-served communities.

Ms. Lombard has worked in the field of public policy and government relations for the past twenty years. Prior to joining AT&T, Ms. Lombard was a Principal with Peck, Madigan, Jones & Stewart, Inc., a premier Washington DC government relations firm providing strategic, legislative, regulatory, public policy and communication services.

Ms. Lombard also previously served as the Director of Government Affairs for Altria Corporate Services, Inc. in Washington, D.C. Her responsibilities with Altria included representing Kraft Foods, Kraft Foods International, Miller Brewing, Philip Morris International, Philip Morris USA. During President Clinton’s administration, Ms. Lombard served in several capacities, including Special Assistant to the President and Director of Political Affairs for the Southern Region. In that role, Ms. Lombard advised President Clinton, Vice President Gore, First Lady Hillary Clinton and Tipper Gore on the national political climate. Ms. Lombard is active in professional and civic leadership. She currently serves on the boards of directors for the National Action Network, and the National Coalition of Black Civic Participation. Ms. Lombard is also a member of the NAACP Special Contributions Board, and is a sponsor of the Ruby Bridges Foundation, which works to help cultivate and train the next generation of leaders in Louisiana and across the country.

Ms. Lombard, a native of New Orleans, Louisiana, earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Xavier University in 1990, and is a former elected official in Louisiana, serving on the Democratic State Central Committee and Orleans Parish Democratic Executive Committee.

Rodney Williams joined Microsoft Services in July 2017 as Vice President of Sales. He is recognized as a transformative leader who drives intentional selling across a global team spanning 109 countries and brings extensive hands-on experience to his strategy and approach.

Rodney expertly navigates a complex organization which involves strong cross-functional partnership and collaboration. He leads from the front embracing continuous change, whilst ensuring both strategy and operational detail delivers for the business.

Today, customers demand more from Microsoft Services and increasingly seek solutions for not only their technology challenges but also their transformation into a digital business. With a focus on the 4 key Enterprise Solution Areas, Apps & Infrastructure, Business Applications, Data & AI and Modern Workplace, Rodney has driven the remodeling of the selling community to provide our customers with specialized experience at every stage of their engagement.

With over 18 years at Microsoft, Rodney’s most recent role before joining Microsoft Services, was as COO of the Microsoft Brazil Subsidiary where he led teams focused on sales, marketing, technology, business solutions and Video Analytics Research to Small, Medium and Enterprise Customers. Rodney also owned several initiatives to help evolve Microsoft Brazil’s culture of Diversity and Inclusion including establishing a Blacks at Microsoft chapter locally and launching a number of programs focused on people of color, women, and LGBTQ.

Through his passion and drive, Rodney inspires his team to succeed. His diverse professional background is his strength and includes technical architecture, sales, delivery management, large project program management, and business development.

Rodney received his Bachelor of Science in Computer Science and MBA concentrating in Management Information Systems from Lewis University.

Arnold Donald is President & Chief Executive Officer of Carnival Corporation & PLC, the world’s largest travel and leisure company.  Their ten cruise brands — Carnival Cruise Lines, Holland America, Princess, Seabourn, AIDA, Costa, Cunard, P&O UK, P&O Australia and Fathom are based throughout North America, Europe, Australia and Asia and maintain a fleet of more than 100 ships and serve more than 12 million guests annually.  Carnival Corporation & PLC is included in both the S&P500 and the FTSE 100 indices and trades on both the New York and London Stock Exchanges.

Mr. Donald has been President & CEO of Carnival Corporation since 2013 and served on the board for 12 years before that.  He serves on the board of Bank of America Corporation and Crown Holdings, Inc.

Mr. Donald spent more than twenty years at Monsanto Company as Corporate Senior Vice-President, and President of the Consumer and Nutrition sector and President of the Agricultural sector.  After leaving Monsanto, Mr. Donald was Chairman of Merisant Company whose products included the leading global sweetener brands Equal and Canderel.

Prior to Carnival, Mr. Donald was President and CEO of the Executive Leadership Council, a professional network and leadership forum for African-American executives of Fortune 500 companies, and the President and CEO of the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation International.

A native of New Orleans, Mr. Donald received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Carleton College, a Bachelor of Science degree in mechanical engineering from Washington University in St Louis, and a Masters of Business Administration from the University of Chicago Graduate School of Business.

Mr. Donald serves on the boards of Carleton College in Northfield, Minnesota and Washington University in St. Louis, in Missouri, The Greater New Orleans Foundation and St. Louis-based BJC Healthcare among others.

Tom Joyner earned the nickname “The Fly Jock” and “The Hardest Working Man in Radio” by working long hours and flying between his morning job (in Dallas, Texas) and afternoon job (in Chicago, Illinois) every weekday for eight years, collecting over 7 million frequent flyer miles.

Tom Joyner grew up in the town of Tuskegee, Alabama. He is one of two sons. His mother was a secretary for the military and his father served as a Tuskegee Airman. His beginnings were very much like many young blacks in the south.

During the Montgomery Boycott, there was the “Tuskegee Boycott”. Tom and many others fought for their civil rights. They took their protests to the streets weekly to try and effect change. One such protest was taken to a local radio station that refused to play “black” music. Eventually the station manager relented and Tom (naturally) nominated himself for the position.

Tom Joyner graduated from Tuskegee Institute in his hometown of Tuskegee, Alabama in 1970. He earned a Bachelor’s degree in Sociology and immediately began his career in radio. He started at WRMA (an AM station in Montgomery, Alabama). After breaking onto the airwaves there, he worked his magic at WLOK (an AM station in Memphis, Tennessee), KWK (an AM station in St. Louis, Missouri), and KKDA (an FM station in Dallas, Texas).

Eventually, he moved to Chicago – the Windy City. He blew through the Windy City on radio stations WJPC (FM), WGCI (FM), WVON (AM) and WBMX (FM) and caused a whirlwind of excitement on urban radio. Never before had listeners experienced such energy, humor and vitality.

Opportunity came knocking in the mid 1980’s. Tom’s upbeat style and comedic antics put him in an awkward position. His contract was about to expire and it was decision time. He was offered the MORNING drive time position at KKDA (Dallas, Texas) by one company and the AFTERNOON Disc Jockey position at WGCI (Chicago, Illinois). Any normal human would have chosen one position or the other – Tom Joyner chose to do BOTH! His plan was to fly thousands of miles everyday by airplane each day between Dallas and Chicago. He spent so much time in the air that he received the name “The Fly Jock”. This commute and his rich on air style gained him national publicity and high ratings.

In 1994, Tom Joyner took his show to a new level. He knew that if he wanted to reach a broader audience, more “Fly Jockeying” would not do the trick, so he convinced ABC Radio Networks that his show could work in syndication. ABC, impressed with his determination, credentials and following gave it a try. In 1994, The Tom Joyner Morning Show started with Tom Joyner at the helm.

The show is beamed to radio stations across the country each weekday. Over 8 million ears tune into the show from their favorite local radio station. It is very well known that Tom Joyner likes to have a good time. He says, “First we get people laughing, then we get ’em to listen. If you can get people to listen, then they begin to think, and that’s when they start making a difference”.

Tom takes radio to a whole new level. Never before have African Americans been able to wake up to such an upbeat, entertaining and positive show. His accomplishments have not gone un-noticed. Tom Joyner was elected into the Radio Hall of Fame. He has received Impact Magazine’s “Joe Loris Award” for Excellence in Broadcasting. He has received Billboard’s “Best Urban Contemporary Air Personality” award. Impact Magazine’s “Best DJ of the Year Award” was renamed “The Tom Joyner Award” because he received it so many times.

Tom did not forget his roots when he signed onto the Tom Joyner Morning Show. He setup a foundation that earmarks dollars for students and schools that have run out of money. The Tom Joyner Foundation has raised more than $60 million to help keep students in historically black colleges and universities. The Foundation, just like the morning show, his website, events and his other endeavors, exists to “super serve” the African American community.

The Morning Show with co-hosts Sybil Wilkes, also features Roland Martin as well as “Inside Her Story” with Jacque Reid. Sherri Shepherd, Kym Whitley, Guy Torry and Damon Williams are special co-host weekly.

Johnathan Holifield was appointed by President Trump on Oct. 2, 2017, as executive director of the White House Initiative on Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). In this capacity, he oversees federal efforts, set forth in Executive Order 13779, to “advance America’s full human potential; foster more and better opportunities in higher education; [and] strengthen the capacity of HBCUs to provide the highest-quality education.” As part of bolstering the nation’s HBCUs, the initiative provides equitable opportunities for participation in federal programs and monitors implementation of the executive order.

Holifield’s expertise includes economic and educational inclusion, public-private partnerships and community system-building. Prior to joining the Department, Holifield co-founded ScaleUp Partners in 2010. A consultancy committed to connecting underrepresented populations and disaffected communities with innovation development leaders and stakeholders, its purpose is to grow inclusive and competitive local economies.

Holifield authored The Future Economy and Inclusive Competitiveness: How Demographic Trends and Innovation Can Create Economic Prosperity for All Americans. His book, published in 2017, describes the dramatic economic impact that shifting demographic trends will have on America’s economic future, and the pitfalls and opportunities that could accompany the shifts.

He previously was founding vice president of inclusive competitiveness at NorTech (Northeast Ohio Technology Coalition), an organization dedicated to enhancing the region’s prosperity through science, technology and innovation. He authored the 2014 Ohio Department of Higher Education’s statewide report, Inclusive Competitiveness: Empowering Underrepresented Ohioans to Compete in the Innovation Economy, and he was a member of the Northeast Ohio Council of Regional Economic Policy Advisors. Additionally, he served in leadership positions at the Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber, at CincyTech (a market-leading venture development organization), at the Buffalo Olmsted Parks Conservancy and at the Cleveland Urban League.

In Ohio, Holifield also led the formation of a market-leading regional innovation leadership organization, attracting support from Fortune 500 CEOs, university presidents and elected officials; raised over $40 million, which was leveraged to create networks of more than $250 million of early-stage risk capital and increased investment options for entrepreneurs; created Ohio’s first information technology public school, which became a U.S. Department of Education National Blue Ribbon School; and secured a $5 million appropriation to implement Ohio’s first STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) education and entrepreneurship program. Additionally, he executed partnerships to host the nation’s first summit on “angel” investing (in which individuals inject capital for business startups in exchange for an ownership position), higher growth entrepreneurship, STEM education and policy-making in urban communities. He also created the first national conference on urban and minority biomedical entrepreneurship.

Holifield earned his Bachelor of Arts from West Virginia University, where he was also elected football team captain. He later played for the Cincinnati Bengals in the National Football League. He received his Juris Doctor and Master of Education from the University of Cincinnati and a professional certificate from the University of Oklahoma’s Economic Development Institute.

Curley M. Dossman Jr. is president of the Georgia-Pacific Foundation and vice president of Community Affairs at Georgia-Pacific. He oversees all the company’s community-based programs nationwide and the foundation’s philanthropic giving.  In his dual roles, he works closely with Chief Executive Officer Christian Fischer, other company executives, and civic leaders in Atlanta and across the country

Curley received a bachelor’s degree from Morehouse College in 1973 and a law degree from Washington University School of Law in 1976.  Since that time, he has assumed positions of increasing responsibility in the government and public affairs arena.  Just prior to joining GP in late 1994, he was state vice president, government affairs for AT&T, where he was responsible for representing that corporation’s interests in the legislative, regulatory and industry relations areas.  A native of Louisiana, Curley served for several years as legislative assistant and special assistant for U.S. Senator Russell B. Long (Louisiana).

Curley’s wife Jennifer is an Honors Graduate of Spelman College.  They have a son Jonathan, who is also a graduate of Morehouse College.

Affiliations:

• 100 Black Men of America, Immediate Past International Board Chair
• Association of Corporate Contributions Professionals, Past Board Chair
• National Center for Civil and Human Rights, Board of Directors
• Atlanta Committee for Progress, Community and Government Affairs Advisory Council
• , Executive Leadership Council
• Savannah State University, Board of Visitors
• Central Atlanta Progress / Atlanta Downtown Improvement District, Chair, Marketing Committee; Board of Directors
• Metro Atlanta YMCA, Diversity and Inclusion Committee; Board of Directors
• Chris Kids, Advisory Board
• Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce, Education Committee (former Chair)
• Atlanta Rotary – member
• American Bar Association, member
• Louisiana Bar Association, member

Timothy has worked in the financial industry since 2010 and joined Merrill Lynch in 2011. He works with individuals and small business owners on developing financial strategies.

Timothy’s approach to financial management is to cultivate a one to one relationship by earning the trust of clients, Timothy’s area of focus is custom strategies to meet clients individual needs. He has worked in the field of business management since 1999, bringing years of both educational and practical experience.

Timothy holds a Bachelors of Business Management and Administration from North Carolina Central University, and a M.B.A from Colorado Technical University. Timothy currently resides in Greensboro, NC with his wife Kate and his daughter Elizabeth and Kimberly. He is very active in the non profit community with a passion for economic and community development. He currently sits on several non profit boards.

Tomeka Hart serves as a Senior Program Officer, US Policy, Advocacy and Communications for the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, leading grant making to civil rights and equity organizations.

She previously served as the Vice President of Strategic Partnerships and Institutional Advancement for the Southern Education Foundation (SEF), leading and supporting SEF’s work to improve student outcomes from early childhood to adulthood, helping the CEO and staff to implement a broad range of advocacy, research, and coalition building activities across the Southern region.

Prior to SEF, she served as the Vice President of African American Community Partnerships for Teach for America, where she was responsible for building alliances within the African American community, including civil rights groups, policy organizations, HBCUs, and media outlets. Prior to joining Teach For America, Hart served as the president and CEO of the Memphis Urban League. She is a former middle/high school teacher, and a former labor/employment lawyer.

Hart served two terms on the elected Memphis City Schools Board of Education, serving 2005-2013. She served as Board President 2008-2009. In 2010, Hart joined with a colleague and led the efforts to merge the Memphis City and Shelby County school systems.

In 2011 Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam appointed Hart as a Commissioner of the Education Commission of the States, a national non-partisan organization that helps states develop education policies. Former Tennessee Governor, Phil Bredesen, selected her for Tennessee’s Race to the Top team, and he appointed her to the state’s Teacher Evaluation Advisory Committee, and the First to the Top Advisory Council.

Hart is an Aspen Institute Rodel-Fellowship in Public Leadership fellow and a Pahara-Aspen Institute Education Fellow, and has served on several non-profit boards.

Tomeka Hart holds a B.S. degree in Marketing Education from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville; an M.B.A. from Kennesaw State University; and a J.D. from the University of Memphis.

Data Solutions & Technology Incorporated (DST) was founded in 1994 by Deborah Scott Thomas. Located outside of the Nation’s Capital in Lanham, MD, DST provides a full spectrum of Solutions in Information Technology, Logistics & Operations, Management Support, and Scientific & Technology. DST provides support services to state and federal agencies as well as private industry clients by helping them to successfully manage, staff, develop, and operate their programs.

As president and chief executive officer, Ms. Thomas provides leadership, supervision, and program direction for all phases of business development from identification of opportunities through satisfactory completion of a customer’s requirements. The company’s clients include a who’s who of federal agencies to include: Defense Logistics Agency, Defense Intelligence Agency, Defense Information Systems Agency, U.S. Army, U.S. Marine Corps, U.S. Navy, U.S. Air Force, Drug Enforcement Agency, Department of Energy, Department of Treasury, and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Deborah Scott Thomas’ philosophy is “Vision of Excellence,” which is based on making customer satisfaction her number one priority. As a result, DST has more than 425 employees.

Deborah Scott Thomas is a native of Montgomery, Alabama. She graduated from Alabama State University (ASU) with a bachelor of science in accounting and management in 1974. She received her United States Air Force commission as a second lieutenant from ASU’s Detachment 019 in 1975. She earned a master’s in public administration in 1977 from Webster University in St. Louis, Missouri.

Ms. Thomas retired as a colonel from the United States Air Force Reserve, having served her country for three decades. She has worked for Fortune 100 companies as well as small businesses. She is a recipient of numerous awards and recognitions including: the U.S. Minority Business Development Agency’s National Abe Venable Legacy Award for Lifetime Achievement award; the Black Engineer of the Year (BEYA) STEM Trailblazers award; the Greater Baltimore Committee’s Bridging the Gap Achievement Award; the National Black Coalition of Federal Aviation Employees (NBCFAE) Eleanor J. Williams Bronze Eagle Award; the MEA Magazine’s 50 Women of Power in Business; the Legacy of Leadership Award from Spelman College; the Lifetime Achievement Award from The Center for HBCU Media Advocacy, Inc; and the Distinguished Hornet Entrepreneurial Award from the ASU National Alumni Association, Inc. Philadelphia Chapter. She was also the first recipient of the Silhouette of Service Award from ASU’s College of Business Administration and she was named one of The Network Journal’s 25 Influential Black Women in 2011. Ms. Thomas is married to Oatice Thomas, president and CEO of Operations & Technology Incorporated, and has three sons: William Scott, Darius Thomas and Duncan Thomas. The fifth of seven children, Ms. Thomas has three brothers: Willie Fred, Jim Lamar and Charles Jefferson Duncan; and three sisters: Mary D. Stallworth, Ida D. Sankey and Cassandra D. Duncan. Her mother, Mrs. Mary Ann Duncan resides in Montgomery, Alabama.

Her overall combination of ongoing education, significant training, extensive business background, personal high standard of ethics and limitless enthusiasm forms the cornerstone of DST and its winning formula for “Developing Solutions for Tomorrow.”

Kimberly (Kim) Gartrell is a native of Washington DC.  She graduated from the Academy of the Holy Names in Silver Spring, Md.  She earned a Bachelor’s degree in Accounting from The American University and an MBA from Howard University.   She worked for Exxon Company USA, now ExxonMobil, in Human Resources and Marketing.  She has been employed by Chick-fil-A, Inc. for the past 22 years in Operations.  She was the first female in the company’s history to serve in a major business line and a revenue-producing capacity.   She assists new Owner-Operators in formulating and executing their business strategy.    Also, she has been instrumental in advancing the company’s diversity efforts.  She served as  Chick-fil-A’s corporate sponsor to Howard University, her alma mater.  Throughout her career, she has also encouraged, mentored, and coached many throughout Chick-fil-A and Corporate America at large.  Her business associates and mentees often refer to her as their “chief encouragement officer.”

Not only does she use her gifts at Chick-fil-A, but she also utilizes them in her church and the not-for-profit sector.  Through LifeShape, formerly called WinShape International, Chick-fil-A’s philanthropic arm, she has taught leadership and Chick-fil-A’s SERVE Leadership Model to business leaders and entrepreneurs in Central America, Northern Africa, East Africa, and South Africa.  Kim believes that the local church is the hope of the world!  For this reason, she has been spiritually employed in her church. She is a charter member of Impact Church.  There, she served as one of the first capital campaign directors for “I share We Impact.” She also served on the Impact Finance Team as the Treasurer.  Since Impact’s inception, she diligently uses her tithe, talents and time to serve to advance the Kingdom of God. In her spare time, she coaches young men and women on how to get out of debt and to pursue true financial freedom God’s way. She is a perpetual learner and desires to help others learn as well.

Dr. Roslyn Clark Artis has earned for the second time in history, the distinct honor of serving as the first-female President of a collegiate institution in the United States.

On June 30, 2017, Dr. Artis was unanimously appointed by the Board of Trustees as the 14th President of Benedict College. She is the first-female President in the 147-year history of the college which was founded by a woman, Mrs. Bathsheba Benedict, in 1870.

Intentional, professional and thoroughly committed to the proliferation and transformation of colleges and universities that serve underrepresented men and women of color, Dr. Artis brings to Benedict College a depth of knowledge in higher education and enthusiasm for students’ success that is unmatched in today’s higher education arena.

Dr. Artis comes to Benedict College from Florida Memorial University in Miami where she served for four years as the 13th President and the first female President in that University’s 138-year history. During her tenure, she provided immeasurable leadership and direction to the Florida Memorial University family. Among her many achievements were the significant technology enhancements on campus, new facility construction, innovative partnerships, as well as increased national exposure and resource development for the institution in the areas of STEM, Cybersecurity, and Social Justice.

Dr. Artis is a graduate of Vanderbilt University, where she earned a Doctorate in Higher Education Leadership and Policy. She also holds a Juris doctorate from West Virginia University College of Law, and her Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from sister HBCU, West Virginia State University. The consummate professional, Dr. Artis also holds a Certificate of Fundraising Management from Indiana University and a Certificate of Mastery in Prior Learning Assessment from DePaul University.
Prior to embarking on a career in academia, Dr. Artis enjoyed a robust civil litigation practice. A strong community activist, Dr. Artis is past Chair of the WV Board of Law Examiners and a past president of the Mountain State Bar Association – the oldest minority bar association in the country.

A prolific speaker, critical thinker and fierce advocate for educational access, Dr. Artis has been recognized for her work locally and nationally and is frequently engaged as a mentor, lecturer, and catalyst for strategic transformation. Her passion for education, youth development, and service to the community is manifested through her work with numerous organizations including Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., the Links, Inc. and Jack & Jill of America.

In her short time at the helm of Benedict College, Dr. Artis has made a tremendous impact, coining the phrase #TheBESTofBC!

Mr. Dortch has had guest appearances on the Oprah Winfrey Show, Fox News Channel the O’Reilly Factor, C-SPAN, Talk Back Atlanta, National Press Club, CNN, Good Day Atlanta, Black Issues in Higher Education National Video Conference, and MBC Town Hall Meeting.  Mr. Dortch is the recipient of numerous awards and honors that celebrate his efforts, a partial list includes: listed in the 2001, 2002, 2003 and 2004 May Editions of Ebony Magazine as one of The 100 Most Influential African Americans; listed in Spring 2001 through 2014 Publications of Atlanta Business Chronicle as one of The 100 Most Influential Atlantans; 2008 Community Service Professional of the Year Award; 2008 FraserNet Community Service Award; 2008 Global Leadership Empowerment Award; Board of Trustees, Leadership Atlanta; Board Member, Grady Memorial Hospital Corporation, Vice Chairman of the Board,  Friendship Force International,  Chairman of the Board, Fulton/DeKalb County Hospital Authority Board of Trustees Chairman, 2010 was inducted into Atlanta Convention & Visitors Bureau’s Atlanta Hospitality Hall of Fame, Three Term  Chairman of The Board, The Atlanta Business League.  Member of Operation Hope Board of Trustees, Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University Board of Trustees, Talladega College Board of Trustees, Clark Atlanta University Board of Trustees; Chairman of The Board, National Coalition on Black Civic Participation.

Mr. Dortch is a much sought-after speaker on an international, national level to governmental entities, corporations and educational institutions including the Darden School of Business – University of Virginia, Southern University, Delaware State University, Jarvis Christian College, Florida A&M University, South Carolina State University, Georgia State University, Thomas University, Georgia Tech, Paine College, Tuskegee University, National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Emerging Leaders Forum, White House Initiatives on Black Colleges, Federal Executive Board, Federal Aviation Administration, Lockheed Georgia Corporation, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, United Negro College Fund, National Association for Equal Opportunity in Higher Education (NAFEO), , Congressional Black Caucus, “The” Fort Valley State University, United States Department of Energy, American Cancer Society, Georgia Chamber of Commerce, Blacks In Government, and Anheuser-Busch Company to name a few.

Dortch earned a B.A. Degree in Sociology and Pre- Professional Social Work from “The” Fort Valley State University in 1972, and a Masters of Art Degree in Criminal Justice Administration from Clark-Atlanta University in 1986.  He also attended Georgia State University as a Ford Fellow in the Urban Administration Program.  Dortch received Honorary Doctors Degrees from Fayetteville State University, Jarvis Christian College, Fort Valley State University, University of Maryland Eastern Shore and Livingstone College.

Dortch was recently elected to a sixth term as National Chairman of 100 Black Men of America, Inc.