Meet Bev McMillan, a business leader, community leader and philanthropist!

Genma Stringer Holmes is a highly-recognized and award-winning Serial Entrepreneur, Media Influencer, and Editor-in-Chief!

Revered multimedia personality Rashan Ali has a passion for sports and empowering young women and the people of Atlanta!

With a passion for sports, empowering young women and the people of Atlanta, Rashan Ali continues to establish herself as a formidable and revered multimedia personality within the sports and entertainment industries.

While attending Florida A & M University as a Broadcast Journalism major, Rashan knew that she wanted to share her voice with the world, and set out on a quest to make that happen. She became heavily involved in the entertainment scene in Atlanta, working for LaFace Records and the personal assistant to the late Lisa ‘Left Eye’ Lopes. Rashan entered a contest searching for new talent on Atlanta radio station HOT 107.9 FM and was handpicked from over 500 applicants to join popular radio personality Ryan Cameron on-air. Her charisma and grace appealed to millions of listeners, which quickly propelled the program’s rating into the #1 position during its 6-10 AM time slot. She then went on to become the host of the “A-Team” Morning Show on the same station. Rashan’s journey in radio came full circle in 2010 when she reunited with Ryan Cameron for a year as the co-host of The Ryan Cameron Show on V-103 FM, Atlanta’s #1 urban formatted station. She later joined new hip hop station 94.5 as the host of “The Streetz Morning Grind” in 2012.

Unique Perspective and Passion for Sports

Rashan’s unique perspective and passion for sports has resulted in sideline reporting for the Atlanta Hawks (2005 – 2009), the Southern Conference Sports Network (2011), the Atlanta Football Classic for NBC Sports Network (2011-2012), college football and basketball for CBS Sports Network (2012-2015) and for the Chick-Fil-A Bowl Preview Show, which aired on ESPN 2 and ESPN U. She was also the Social Media Correspondent for NBA TV’s “GameTime” during the NBA Playoffs (2010 – 2013) and worked on the network’s show “Fantasy Insider” in the same capacity for two seasons. Ali hosted Atlanta and Company After Noon on NBC (Atl). She also hosted Under Armour Highlights of the week on the NFHS Network and “HBCU Playback” on Aspire TV.  Ali freelanced for CNN and HLN’s Bleacher Report. and served as the co-host of “Rise Up Weekly” on Atlanta’s CW 69 for the past three seasons. Also also freelanced as a sports anchor on NBA TV.  She recently launched her own podcast, “The Cool Soror Podcast” which explores the stories of women and men in black, greek lettered organizations.  She recently expanded the brand incorporating all “Cool People.”  Rashan currently serves as co-host of “Sister Circle” – a nationally syndicated talk show on TV One.

Empowering Sporty Girls

Ali remains involved in countless charities and organizations. She is an active member of the Pi Alpha Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. In 2006, she founded Sporty Girls, Inc., -a non-profit organization that encourages personal growth through participation in non-traditional sports like golf, tennis, soccer, swimming and lacrosse. Sporty Girls, Inc. has made an indelible impact on young, female athletes through her Camp Elite, Sporty Tract to Scholarship, Get Girls Sporty and Sporty Clinics programs. Sporty Girls has served more than 1,000 girls throughout the Metro-Atlanta area. Ali recently authored of first children’s book entitled, “Piper Sky’s Pink Popsicle Shoes.”

Ali enjoys spending time with her husband, Brian, and is the proud mother of two wonderful daughters, Bailey and Carter. For more information about Rashan Ali, please visit:
www.rashanali.com 
www.sportygirlsinc.org
www.pipersky.com
www.coolsoror.com

Style Show with Ida’s Idea!

Meet Seun Adigun, a true seeker of knowledge and Olympian!

Nigeria. A selfless human being that always believes that “impossible is nothing”. 

Meet Cathy B. Smith Shannon, marketing specialist and curator!

Cathy B. Smith Shannon
Vice President Marketing, E&S Gallery, Inc.
http://www.eandsgallery.com

Cathy Smith Shannon oversees marketing and promotions for E&G Gallery, one of the country’s largest African American owned and operated art and custom framing galleries. A native of Louisville, KY, Shannon is a graduate of the University of Louisville and holds a BA in Advertising & Public Relations, as well as a certificate in Corporate Community Relations from Boston College, Boston, MA.  After graduating from college in 1984, she went to work for Louisville Gas & Electric Co. (LG&E). Over the course of 12 years, Shannon was promoted from Customer Interviewer, to Advertising Rep, and finally to Community Liaison.  In her positions with LG&E, Shannon helped craft advertising campaigns, and developed community outreach strategies and initiatives designed to improve relations with the companies many constituents. She served on more than a dozen boards and helped identify areas and organizations with which to align the company’s employee activities.

One activity Shannon connected LG&E employees to was the annual conference of the National Council of Negro Women, of which Shannon was a member. It was during this conference in the early 1990’s that she first met Walter Shannon who was exhibiting with his company, E&S Gallery.  They later began dating, and Shannon began traveling with Walter to various art shows on weekends or during vacation time away from LG&E. They married in 1997, and she left her position with LG&S to join Walter full time at E&S Gallery to oversee the company’s advertising and marketing strategy.  Shannon put her expertise to work at E&S securing national coverage of the gallery’s 1998 opening of their new 5,000 square foot gallery in downtown Louisville, and again in 2004 with the opening of their current 11,000 s/f gallery, which has been named one of the country’s top 25 gallery’s in the country and the top gallery in Kentucky for 2015, 2016, 2017, and 2018. The gallery has been featured in local media and national publications including, Décor Magazine, Black Enterprise, Southern Living magazine, and Art Business News to name a few.

Shannon oversees the gallery’s advertising and PR strategy and manages E&S’s online presence via various social media platforms and their EandSGallery.com website. Shannon also works closely with Walter to identify and represent artists, produce and promote fine art show across the country, and helping client start, grow, maintain, and liquidate their art collections. Since 1989, E&S has supported numerous charities and organizations via art donations, speaking engagements and educational outreach.  

Shannon serves on the board of Louisville’s Waterfront Development Corporation, Louisville’s Commission on Public Art and in 2018 was appointed by Louisville mayor Greg Fischer to serve on the Public Art & Monuments Advisory Committee. Shannon is a graduate of Focus Louisville and Leadership Louisville programs. Shannon also helped establish the West Broadway Business Association and served as its first president. Shannon is a member of The Girl Friends, Inc. Louisville Chapter and The Louisville Chapter of the Links, Incorporated, and St. Stephen Church. She is a life-long resident of Louisville, KY where she and Walter live and run their gallery.

Gwendolyn Elizabeth Boyd is a nationally recognized champion of education, especially as it relates to STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) disciplines!

Gwendolyn Elizabeth Boyd is an engineer and is described as a dynamic and relevant leader,  a prolific motivational speaker, a powerful preacher and a prominent advocate for STEM (Science, Technology,  Engineering and Mathematics) education.  Boyd earned her B.S. from Alabama State University  with a major in mathematics and a double minor in physics and music. She received a fellowship and was the first African-American female to earn a M. S. degree in Mechanical Engineering from Yale University. She has earned both the M. Div. and D. Min. Degrees from Howard University.

Boyd’s professional career of more than three decades at the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory was highlighted by exemplary leadership and dedicated service as part of engineering teams. Boyd was a direct report to the President of Johns Hopkins University serving as chair of the Johns Hopkins Diversity Leadership Council from 2001-2014.

Boyd returned to her alma mater in 2014 and for three years she served as the 14th and first female president of ASU. Highlights of her presidency included getting the university its very first engineering  degree program with approval for a BS in biomedical engineering. Boyd and her team got the university removed from SACSCOC warning status from previous financial instability.  The largest freshman class was documented during her tenure.

Boyd is a nationally recognized champion of education, especially as it relates to STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) disciplines. Boyd was nominated by President Barack Obama and received U.S. Senate confirmation to serve as a trustee to the Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Foundation in 2009 and later to serve on the President’s Advisory Commission on Educational Excellence for African Americans in 2014. 

Rev. Dr. Gwendolyn Boyd is an ordained itinerant elder in the African Methodist Episcopal Church.  She serves on the ministerial staff of Ebenezer AME Church in Fort Washington, Md.

Dr.  Gwendolyn Boyd was elected to serve from 2000-2004 as the 22nd National President of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc., an international organization of more than 250,000 members. Known as the “Technology President,” Boyd helped to establish technology in all facets of the sorority’s activities and administration. Her four-year tenure as president included a number of transformative accomplishments, including the launching of Project SEE (Science in Everyday Experiences), an initiative funded by a $1.6 million National Science Foundation grant with a goal of promoting math and science for middle school African-American girls. She also led the sorority’s humanitarian and education advocacy efforts in various parts of Africa, including Swaziland, Lesotho and Soweto, South Africa.  In 2013, Boyd served as chair of the sorority’s Centennial Celebration, which involved organizing a year-long series of events culminating in a Washington, D.C.-based convention that drew more than 40,000 participants from around the world.

Dr.  Boyd has been awarded two honorary doctorates; The Carver Medal from Simpson College; Congressional recognitions; 30 “Keys to the City”; a Key to the “State of Florida”; declaration of Gwendolyn E. Boyd Day in eight cities; leadership awards and professional awards for her achievements in the fields of engineering, higher education and community activism.  She  is a member of the Washington DC  Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., Capital City Chapter of the Links, Inc., and Leadership Greater Washington.

Sharon Christopher, Caribbean Powerhouse, is developing future horizons!

2021 Update: Sharon Christopher is a Leadership Development coach, a motivational speaker and an Attorney at Law. This former Banking Executive is the founder and CEO of Sharon Christopher and Associates, an organization that has its mission “helping people lead their best lives”. Sharon has Clients throughout the Caribbean. In addition, she has delivered and continues to deliver presentations at women’s conferences throughout the Caribbean. Sharon is the holder of an Accredited Director designation and has held and continues to hold Directorships on numerous boards in the public and private sector. She is the Chair of the governing  body of the Trinidad and Tobago Campus of the University of the West Indies. She is the holder of a Bachelor of Laws degree from the University of the West Indies and the holder of a Masters of Laws degree from the London School Economics and Political Science. Sharon also holds a Legal Education Certificate from the Hugh Wooding Law School from which she graduated as the Most Outstanding Student. She is also a certified facilitator with Leadership Management International (LMI). Sharon is a recipient of the Fellows Award from the Institute of Banking and Finance in Trinidad and Tobago, for distinguished and meritorious service to the Banking and Finance Industry. In 2015 she received the award of “Woman who makes a Difference” from the International Women’s Forum. In  2021 she was selected as an honouree for the Caribbean Court of Justice Academy for Law 2021 Eminent Caribbean Jurists Award.

Eva Evans is a dedicated humanitarian!

Professionally Dr. Evans is the Retired Deputy Superintendent of Lansing Schools, the number 2 position in the school district.  In her 35 years she served as a classroom teacher, Director and Assistant Superintendent as well as Deputy Superintendent for Instruction.   She holds the B.A., M. A. and Ph.D. degrees.  As an honor she holds the L.L.D. from St. Paul University.

She retired in 1995 to become the 24^th International President of the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, the oldest African American civic service sorority in the world.  Founded on the campus of Howard University in 1908, the sorority has more than 960 chapters worldwide, with chapters in all but three states in the continental United States and chapters in the Virgin Islands, , the Bahamas, Japan, Germany, England and Canada and the Middle East.

In Michigan and Lansing, she has served as Chair of the  Michigan Civil Rights Commission, the Vice-president of the Lansing Board of Water and Light and the Michigan Humanities Council.   In addition, she has served two times as the President of the Lansing Community College Foundation as well as Campaign Chair and Board Chair of the Capital Area United Way.  For years, she served on the Capital Region Community Foundation, the Boy Scouts and others.

She is a member of the Lansing Woman’s Literary Club, and formally, the Sparrow Hospital Women’s Board of Managers.  She is currently chair of the Inner Circle and the a member of the Advisory Council of the Wharton Center for the Performing Arts on the campus of Michigan State University.

She has many awards:  Among them are the YWCA Diana Award, the Chamber of Commerce Athena Award, the Applause Award from the Arts Council, the Richard D. Letts from the American Red Cross, And Educator of the Year from the Lansing Branch of the NAACP.  In 2005 she was inducted into the Michigan Women’s Hall of Fame. Her bio and vita may also be found in the digital archives of the The History Makers.

She has traveled extensively including to Europe, South Africa, Egypt, New Zealand, Australia, Brazil, China and most recently the United Arab Emirates.

2022 UPDATE: Dr. Evans passed away at the age of 85 on July 20, 2020, but her legacy and contributions to society live on.

Meet JaQuitta Williams, the host of “Joy In Our Town” on the Trinity Broadcasting Network (TBN)!

JaQuitta Williams is the host of “Joy In Our Town” On the Trinity Broadcasting Network or TBN.  It’s the home of Pastors like John Gray, Bishop T.D. Jakes, and Joel Osteen.  The 30 minute program can be seen on Monday’s at 6:30pm on WHSG-TV 63 and throughout the SouthEast.  JaQuitta is also a series regular on a new crime drama on TV ONE called “Atlanta Homicide.”  JaQuitta has covered local news in Atlanta for more than 10 years.  JaQuitta was also the host for  “Your Health Connection” on JAZZ 91.9 WCLK.  JaQuitta can also been seen on the Oxygen Network reporting on various cases on the national show “Snapped” ” Snapped:Killer Couples,  and “Killer Posts,” along with TV One’s “Fatal Attraction” “Justice By Any Means,  and “For My Man.”

JaQuitta joined CBS Atlanta News in July 2010. JaQuitta anchored the 4pm and 6pm newscasts, and had a feature segment, “JaQuitta’s Close Ups” JaQuitta  interviewed celebrities and fascinating people.  Before joining CBS Atlanta News, JaQuitta spent four years as an anchor and reporter at WSB-TV.
JaQuitta’s  TV career has included anchoring, reporting, producing and writing. JaQuitta has been featured on CNN Newsroom with Kyra Phillips, and CNN’s “Your Bottom Line,” hosted by Gerri Willis, along with CNN Newsroom with Fredricka Whitfield.

In addition,  JaQuitta  was an actress and singer in Director Robert Townsend’s “Musical Theatre of Hope” which aired on the Gospel Music Channel. JaQuitta appeared on Tyler Perry’s “House of Payne” and “Meet the Browns.”
JaQuitta was also part of  an episode of an all new cooking show called  “Lifetime TV for Women’s, Mom’s Cooking”. JaQuitta has done various on camera and voice over projects with “Home Depot” and a voice over project with “The Georgia Lottery.”

On the print side, JaQuitta was featured in the October 2008 issue of Essence Magazine, where JaQuitta talked about my diagnosis of breast cancer in July 2007. A favorite moment in her career was interviewing R&B singer James Brown. JaQuitta was an opening singing act for James Brown’s Birthday bash. JaQuitta also interviewed Good Morning America’s Robin Roberts. Both Robin and JaQuitta fought their breast cancer battles publicly.

JaQuitta was also a General Mills, 2011 Pink Together National “Survivor Ambassador” along with 4 other women were featured on General Mills products like Cheerios Cereal, Nature Valley Granola Bars, and other packaging.

Finally, the Atlanta City Council honored JaQuitta Williams with a Proclamation for her service to the people of Atlanta. April 26th is JaQuitta Williams Day!