The University of Alabama established the Division of Community Affairs Board of Advisors (BOA) in 2016. The board, consisting of former students who provided exemplary leadership and service to the University during a period of accelerated growth and changes in the student body from, developed its mission to support campus-wide initiatives that will increase student success and retention, facilitate student involvement in entrepreneurship and innovation, and develop thoughtful global and community leaders.
Executive Board
Samarria Munnerlyn Dunson
president
Samarria Dunson grew up in Montgomery. A recipient of a full fellowship, Dunson is a graduate of The University of Alabama School of Law. She is licensed to practice law in both Alabama and Mississippi. Before starting her law firm, Dunson Group, LLC, she served as an assistant attorney general for more than 10 years with the Alabama Department of Public Health. She was a primary attorney for the regulation of healthcare facilities. Dunson was then tasked with creating the agency’s first Office of Compliance and Ethics, for which she served as the director. She is currently Of Counsel with the law firm of Balch & Bingham, LLP, and she serves as a municipal judge in Montgomery. Dunson is committed to service. She is a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., and the Montgomery Chapter of The Links, Inc. She serves as vice chair of the Baptist Health Foundation Board, audience development chair of the Alabama Shakespeare Festival Board, and is a member of the Federal Defenders Board. She is married to Kendall C. Dunson, principal at Beasley, Allen, Crow, Methvin, Portis and Miles, PC. They have three children.
Taylor Nichols
vice president
Taylor Nichols is currently deputy attorney general for the State of Alabama Office of Information Technology (OIT), where he is legal advisor to the Alabama secretary of information technology (IT), a member of the governor’s cabinet. Nichols also serves in a dual capacity as associate counsel to the Alabama Department of Finance, specializing in IT procurement and cybersecurity. He previously served as the policy analyst for Gov. Bob Riley and as deputy chief of staff to then-Lt. Gov. Kay Ivey. Prior to joining OIT, he served as counsel for the Alabama Department of Commerce. Nichols earned a BS degree in economics, as well as a dual Juris Doctor and MBA degree from The University of Alabama. He serves on the advisory board for UA’s Blackburn Institute and is a member of the Alabama State Bar. Nichols is a native of Tuscaloosa. He and his wife, Whitney, have two children.
Brandon Glover
secretary
Brandon Glover is the public policy manager of federal and corporate affairs for Alabama Power Company, where he works with a team and statewide stakeholders to create value for Alabama through innovative policy. As a leader at Alabama Power, Glover has directed several initiatives and programs to impact policy and create economic opportunity for the state, including leading efforts to improve statewide workforce outcomes in partnership with top industry employers, elected leaders and statewide education partners; championing community impact investing and developing a co-investment network to stack traditional and philanthropic capital into projects that transform the state; connecting national thought leaders, best practices and resources to partners in Alabama. Glover is an active community partner. He co-chairs the Alabama College Access Network and is a member of the Jones Valley Teaching Farm board of directors, the Public Affairs Research Council of Alabama’s Roundtable and Kiwanis Club of Birmingham. Glover received his bachelor’s degree in communications and information sciences from The University of Alabama and a master of business administration with a focus in finance from the University of Alabama at Birmingham. He, his wife Rachel and newborn Arlo reside in Birmingham’s Avondale neighborhood.
Laura Kate Whitney
Treasurer
Laura Kate Whitney, a native of Mississippi, is a proud graduate of The University of Alabama, earning a Bachelor of Arts in Critical Media Studies in 2004. Laura Kate specializes in bringing people together to tell stories through experiences. She has traveled the country producing integrated campaigns and events for Garden & Gun, MTV, The Home Depot, Birmingham Business Alliance, REV Birmingham, The GOOD Fest, and New Orleans Tourism & Marketing Corporation, among others. In 2014, Laura Kate was invited to speak on the inaugural TEDx Birmingham stage. She has been featured in Birmingham Magazine, B-Metro, Birmingham Home & Garden Magazine, Birmingham Lifestyle Magazine, skirt!, BizBash and NPR. Currently, Laura Kate serves as Director of Experience for Charleston Wine + Food. Her role includes the oversight and execution of all programming and production for the annual five-day festival that welcomes more than 30,000 attendees across more than 100 events. Laura Kate resides in Charleston, South Carolina, with her two sons. In her free time, she can be found in the woods, on her paddleboard, teaching a yoga glass, or enjoying time spent in her favorite place, Birmingham, Alabama.
Board Members
Jonathan Adams
Board Member
A St. Stephens, Alabama native, Jonathan M. Adams serves as director of Student Conduct and Outreach at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. He earned a BA in political science (2005) and an MA in higher education administration (2007) from the Capstone. As an undergraduate, Adams served twice as president of the Coordinating Council of Student Organizations and as president of the Student Leaders Council. His involvement also included The Blackburn Institute, Anderson Society, Blue Key, Omicron Delta Kappa and Student Alumni Association. Additionally, Adams was one of the primary authors and developers of the Capstone Creed. As a graduate student, he served as president of the Graduate Student Association and as a graduate assistant in the Office of the Dean of Students and the Office of Campus Activities. Adams was recognized in 2007 as a Capstone Hero and with the Division of Student Affairs’ Outstanding Graduate Student award. Prior to joining UAB in 2018, Adams served as the residence community director and conduct coordinator at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas, the assistant director of student conduct and safety outreach at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, the associate director of student conduct at Appalachian State University in Boone, North Carolina and the associate dean of students and director of student conduct and academic integrity at UNC Charlotte.
Brooke Adams
Board Member
Brooke Adams is a senior auditor for the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, Office of Audit Services in Birmingham. She serves as a member of the Office of Audit Services Diversity and Inclusion Committee and as chair of Minority Health Disparities in Health and Human Services Program for the Office of Audit Services. She is an alumna of Leadership Hoover and a Best in Minority Businesses Young Professional of the Year honoree. Adams currently serves on the advisory committee at Carver High School in Birmingham, the Greater Birmingham League of Women Voters and the J. Mason Davis Leadership Society for United Way. Her membership and affiliations include Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., the Birmingham chapter of Jack & Jill of America, the Junior League of Birmingham and the Tri-County Chapter of The Links, Inc. She holds a BBA degree in accounting from The University of Alabama and an MBA from Troy University.
Ibukun Afon
Board Member
Ibukun Afon was born in Nigeria and lived in South Africa for five years before immigrating with his family to Atlanta, Georgia at age 7. Afon started his undergraduate career at the University of Georgia before transferring to The University of Alabama, where he obtained his Bachelor of Science degree in nursing. He served as a Crossroads Community Engagement Center (now Crossroads Civic Engagement Center) intern and participated in several community service events with the Center for Service and Leadership as well as the Women and Gender Resource Center. Afon continues to live out his passion for community service as a Birmingham resident. Whether at the bedside in his professional role or in a community garden, he appreciates and values the importance of community and is elated for the opportunity to serve on the Division of Community Affairs Board of Advisors.
Adedeji Akindele-Alo
Board Member
Adedeji Akindele-Alo is a Shell Global Product Owner. Originally from Nigeria, Akindele-Alo grew up in The Bronx, New York City. He earned his BS degree in biomedical engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and, upon graduating began working for a start-up medical device company. Several years later, Akindele-Alo returned to school to pursue his MBA at The University of Alabama, which he completed in 2015. He previously served as a logistics engineer and later as a lab manager of the Superabsorbent Polymer QA/QC lab at the BASF Corporation, Freeport, Texas site. Prior to that, he worked in manufacturing for PepsiCo. Akindele-Alo is the co-founder of the National Black MBA Association chapter at UA and serves as a mentor with the LOT (Leaders of Tomorrow) Program, which provides leadership development to high school students. During his free time, he enjoys playing basketball, working out, traveling and spending time with his family.
David Bailey
Board Member
David Bailey is chief executive officer of BTC Media LLC, a leader in digital currency communications. After founding yBitcoin, the world’s leading publication about digital currency, Bailey launched BTC Media, a corporate group that includes bitcoinmagazine.com, the original source for coverage of breaking Bitcoin news and features on people, ventures, deals and developments. BTC Media reaches millions of readers worldwide and represents advertisers ranging from start-ups to multi-billion-dollar Fortune-500 companies. Bailey is advisory board director at College Cryptocurrency Network and serves on the boards of national organizations including Bitcoin Shop. He is entrepreneur in residence at 402 Digital Partners, the leading digital currency investment fund in the Southeastern United States, where he advises on digital currency, emerging trends and investment opportunities. Bailey was a University Fellow at The University of Alabama, where he earned degrees in finance, economics and Mandarin Chinese. A Huntsville native, he now lives and works in Nashville, Tennessee, where BTC Media makes its headquarters. He serves on the executive committee of the board of advisors as leader of the student entrepreneurship and innovative initiatives committee.
Mario Bailey
Board Member
Mario J. Bailey earned the BA in political science in 2004 from The University of Alabama, where he served as rules committee chairman of the SGA Senate, as vice president of the Residence Hall Association and as the Southern province vice polemarch of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. He was a member of the Student Leaders Council and furthered his political science education by serving as an intern to former U.S. Congressman Artur Davis. In 2008, Bailey served as a field coordinator on the South Florida congressional campaign for former U.S. Congressman Joe Garcia. He also served as chief legislative aide to former Florida State Representative Dwight Bullard. He was twice appointed by Florida Gov. Rick Scott to the South Florida Regional Planning Council, for which he serves as treasurer. In 2011 Bailey began working as a senior government relations consultant with the Fort Lauderdale, Florida-based Becker and Poliakoff, P.A., where he supported municipal governments, business and education clients. In October 2019, he joined Converge Government Affairs, Miami, Florida, as a senior government affairs adviser. Bailey is a Leadership Florida Connect Class IX graduate and was recognized with the 2018 South Florida Business Journal’s 40 Under 40 Award. In 2017, Legacy magazine named him one of south Florida’s most powerful and influential black leaders. He is also a Leadership Miami Class XXXII graduate. Current volunteer roles include serving as a member of the executive committees of both the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce and Leadership Miami. He also serves on the board of directors for the Florida Association of Professional Lobbyists and is a member of 100 Black Men of South Florida.
Nick Beadle
Board Member
Nick Beadle is policy counselor for The Good Jobs Initiative, a Biden Administration effort housed at the U.S. Department of Labor that creates more equitable access to safe, stable, and well-paying work. In this role, he advises federal grant programs on forging innovative strategies for creating good jobs and provides counsel to the federal agencies implementing historic federal infrastructure and technology investments. Prior to this role, he built an innovative grant model using federal workforce dollars to train and hire workers to provide behavioral care to individuals dealing with substance-use disorder (SUD). Half of all U.S. states and territories have received funding under this model, creating substantial new recovery networks for individuals with SUD and more-inclusive workplaces for people with disabilities. A native of Greenhill, Alabama, Beadle is a graduate of the University of Alabama and the American University Washington College of Law. Prior to entering the law, he was an award-winning investigative reporter. He and his family live in Washington, D.C.
Galvin Billups
Board Member
Galvin Billups is the executive director of the City of Birmingham Mayor’s Office Division of Youth Services, where he manages the Division’s operations and leads the organization toward its mission of building communities through servant leadership by putting youth first. He earned his undergraduate degree in business management from The University of Alabama. Prior to his current role, Billups served as director of Resident Services for the Housing Authority of the Birmingham District (HABD), the largest affordable housing agency in the State of Alabama. In this role, he was responsible for the administration of the agency’s Family Self-Sufficiency, Homeownership, Section 3, Community Centers and the Resident Leadership Training Programs. He also served in the roles of vice president of Magic City Housing Development Corporation and vice president of the Naomi H. Truman Scholarship Foundation. Both nonprofits further HABD’s goal to fundraise, build new neighborhoods and create education programs within low-income housing communities. Billups is a graduate of Project Corporate Leadership and serves on various boards and agencies including Family Guidance Center of Alabama, Better Basics and Bancorp South CRA Advisory Board. He and his wife LaTosha, a Birmingham City Schools first-grade teacher, have three children. Billups enjoys volunteering, reading, writing, music, coaching youth sports and family.
Patty Ann Bogue
Board Member
Patty Ann Bogue is a faculty member in the management and information systems department in the College of Business at Mississippi State University. Her research focuses on the impact of civic engagement in local communities. Bogue teaches organizational communication, cross-cultural management, responsible leadership and other related courses. Specifically, she enjoys mentoring future generations to give back and learn through service and leadership opportunities. She completed her undergraduate degree at The University of Alabama in May 2009 and her MA at Wake Forest University in May 2011. She graduated with her PhD in organizational rhetoric from Texas A&M University in December 2014. In her spare time, Bogue is a sustainer of the Junior League of Jackson, immediate past president and lifetime member of the Junior Auxiliary of Meridian, chair-elect of the Mississippi Children’s Museum-Meridian Partners, and an active member of First Baptist Church Meridian. She was named a “Top 20 under 40” award recipient by The Meridian Star in 2019. Bogue loves to travel, whether near or far, and entertain in her home. She and her husband, Robert, currently reside in Meridian, Mississippi, and have one daughter, Mary Callaway.
Terri Brewer
Board Member
Terri Brewer is a 2003 magna cum laude graduate of The University of Alabama with a BA degree in broadcast journalism. She earned her master’s degree at UA, also from the College of Communication and Information Sciences (CCIS). While a student, Brewer was an ambassador for CCIS and served on the College’s Student Executive Council. She also began her journalism career at UA as a reporter for Alabama Public Radio. Since graduating, Brewer has worked as a television news reporter, producer and anchor. Most recently, she was with WBRC FOX6 News, which serves all of central Alabama. Brewer has been recognized by the Alabama Broadcasters Association and Alabama Associated Press Broadcasters Association numerous times for her reporting. She has also earned several Regional Edward R. Murrow Awards and has received three Southeast Regional Emmy nominations — one for her work as producer of “Faces of the Storm,” a one-hour documentary on the April 27, 2011 tornado in Tuscaloosa. In August 2018, Brewer left WBRC to take her career in a new path. She is now director of public relations for the Tuscaloosa County School System. Brewer lives in Tuscaloosa and is a member of the Junior League of Tuscaloosa. She and her husband, Samuel, are the parents of two boys.
Casey Brunson
Board Member
Casey Brunson is a 2002 graduate of The University of Alabama and a 2005 graduate of Loyola University New Orleans School of Law (now College of Law). She is licensed to practice law in Alabama and Mississippi but prefers the challenge of leadership development and human resources management. As a certified Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR), she has worked in manyFortune- and U.S. News & World Report-ranked organizations as a member of the human resources leadership team. Casey is currently the vice president of learning and people for a growing regional dental services organization in the western United States. She earned a certificate in performance management and organizational development, industrial and organizational psychology from Colorado State University in 2013 and is now pursuing the MBA in finance. Past and future achievements notwithstanding, her proudest accomplishment is being a graduate of The University of Alabama and saying, “Roll Tide!”
Joseph D. Bryant
Board Member
Joseph D. Bryant, a 2001 UA journalism graduate and the first African-American editor of The Crimson White, serves as director of communication for the Housing Authority of the Birmingham District, where he oversees public information and communication strategies. Prior to joining the Housing Authority, Bryant spent 12 years as a reporter at The Birmingham News, where he covered the mayor’s office and city government. At the Capstone, Bryant worked not only for The Crimson White, but also for Alabama Public Radio and the office of communication in the Culverhouse College of Commerce. His honors include Freedom Forum Fellow and Chips Quinn Scholar. Bryant is a native of Dothan and a graduate of Daleville High School, where he was 1997 class president. Bryant serves as vice president of the executive committee of the board of advisors.
Amber Bradford Buchanan
Board Member
Montgomery native Amber Bradford Buchanan is a product brand manager for Avanos Medical, a medical device company in Alpharetta, Georgia. In her current role, Buchanan manages the interventional pain product portfolio. Previously she served as assistant director of marketing and business development for Ernst & Young and spent 10 years in healthcare working for Pfizer Pharmaceuticals. Buchanan earned her bachelor’s degree in marketing from The University of Alabama (UA) in 2004, graduating magna cum laude, and a master’s degree in business administration from AUM (Auburn University at Montgomery) in 2007. An honors student while at UA, she served as president of the Lambda Zeta chapter of Delta Sigma Theta sorority, was the recipient of the National Alumni Association’s Outstanding Senior Award and was a member of Capstone Men and Women, The XXXI, The Anderson Society, Blue Key and Mortar Board. Buchanan currently serves on the Board of Directors for The University of Alabama Black Alumni Association and the Atlanta chapter of The Links, Incorporated, and is a member of the Junior League of Atlanta. She is married to Keith Buchanan, also a UA graduate, and they have two children — Addison and Davis.
Kyle Buchanan
Board Member
A Tuscumbia native, Kyle Buchanan is president of Helen Keller Hospital. He previously served as vice president of Huntsville Hospital for Women & Children, as vice president of operations at Helen Keller Hospital, as director of special projects and administrative fellow for the UAB Health System and as chief executive officer of Lawrence Medical Center in Moulton. He also served as executive director of Alabama Community Care, Inc. Buchanan earned the BS in business administration from UA, as well as master’s degrees in health services administration and business administration from the University of Michigan and the University of Alabama at Birmingham, respectively. He serves as a board member of Leadership Alabama and the Blackburn Institute, and as secretary of the board of trustees at Mt. Moriah Baptist Church. Buchanan enjoys spending time with his wife and two daughters.
Keith Buchanan
Board Member
Bio coming soon.
Jordan Carpenter
Board Member
Jordan Carpenter is a 2013 graduate of The University of Alabama. After enrolling at UA in 2005, he left school in December 2006 to enlist in the United States Army. Carpenter served four years on active duty assigned to the 9th Psychological Operations Battalion (Airborne), with deployments to Afghanistan and Iraq, and then two years in the Army Reserve with the 325th Tactical PSYOP Company (Airborne) while completing his degree in environmental science at UA. During his second stint at the Capstone, Carpenter served as president of the Campus Veterans Association and assisted in the formation of the veteran and military affairs office. While at UA, he was a member of Omicron Delta Kappa, Lambda Chi Alpha, College of Arts & Sciences Peer Advisors and Al’s Pals. He earned a Juris Doctor degree, cum laude, from Vermont Law School in 2016 and currently serves as executive vice president and general counsel for Artisent Floors, a multifamily flooring dealer based in Memphis, Tenn. Additionally, he serves on the national leadership team of F3 Nation, an organization devoted to accelerating men’s fitness, fellowship and faith. Carpenter resides in Memphis with his wife, Emily, and their children.
Mary Margaret Carroll
Board Member
Mary Margaret Carroll began her career with Fine Geddie & Associates in January 2013. A native of Ozark, she was born and raised in the Wiregrass region of Alabama. She earned the BA in English from The University of Alabama in 2006. As an undergraduate, she interned for U.S. Sen. Jeff Sessions, served as Student Government Association president and was the student representative to The University of Alabama System board of trustees. Carroll earned the JD from the UA School of Law in 2010. While in law school, she worked part-time for a law firm focused on banking, creditor’s rights and corporate law, and performed pro bono legal work through the law school’s Public Interest Institute and clinical program. A 2010 recipient of the Dean Nathaniel Hansford Award for Leadership, Carroll has government experience on both the federal and state levels, in the legislative and judicial branches. She was the assistant to the chief of staff for U.S. Sen. Richard Shelby from 2006–2007 and, during law school, worked for two federal judges on the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Alabama. Prior to joining Fine Geddie, she served as a staff attorney on the Alabama Court of Civil Appeals. Carroll serves on the Britton YMCA board of directors as an advisor for both the youth judicial and youth legislature programs. She is a member of the Montgomery Junior League and the First United Methodist Church of Montgomery, as well as the Alabama State Bar.
Jessica Chambliss
Board Member
Jessica Chambliss is a graduate of The University of Alabama with a BS in healthcare management. She earned the MPH from the University of Texas and her PhD in health education/health promotion from the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB). She is currently an assistant professor at UAB School of Public Health and serves as the vice-chair program director for the health organization and policy MPH program. Before joining UAB, she worked for the Mobile County Health Department as a program manager for a teen pregnancy prevention program, where she led the outreach and engagement of the youth component. As a strong advocate for public health, Dr. Chambliss values the support of populations to acquire the knowledge they need to maintain healthy lives physically, mentally and emotionally. Her research interests are primarily in adolescent sexual health, specifically among adolescent males. However, her passion expands to all social and public health practices and policies. She finds great joy in helping students reach their full potential so that they can make a difference in the world by building the lives of those they encounter.
Will Clayton
Board Member
Will W. Clayton describes himself as an academic at heart who has always had an unquenchable passion for knowledge and learning. Since graduating from UA in 2014 with a bachelor’s degree in history, Clayton has worked for Regions Bank. He spent a year as a teller and three years building and growing the video banking department, and has recently transitioned into consumer equity lending. Clayton has been heavily involved with the YMCA Youth in Government Program, first as a participant during high school, and every year since as a volunteer. His interest in government led him to work with and mentor high school students on bill writing, the legislative process and seeing general theories of government put into practice. His background and experience with parliamentary procedure led to him serving as the senate parliamentarian for the SGA during his senior year at UA. Recognizing that his true passion is knowledge and learning, as well as imparting what he has learned to others, he recently (fall 2018) enrolled in the master in secondary education program at Samford University.
Prince Cleveland
Board Member
A 2003 graduate of The University of Alabama with a bachelor’s degree in political science, Prince Cleveland also earned the master of public administration degree from UA in 2006. As a student, Cleveland was involved in numerous organizations. He served as president of the African American Association and as Student Government Association senator and attorney general. He is also an initiate of the Kappa Alpha Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. He lives in Birmingham, where he is employed by EBSCO Industries. He is a member of New Hope Baptist Church in Birmingham, where he is active in the youth and economic development ministries. He serves on the advisory board of the Blackburn Institute at The University of Alabama and on the young professionals board of the Birmingham Urban League. Additionally, he serves as board president for the young professionals board of the UAB Minority Health and Health Disparities Research Center, and is on the staff of American Legion Alabama Boys State.
Luke Connell
Board Member
Luke Connell serves as both chief communications officer and president of marketing and public relations for The Palladian Group in Spartanburg, South Carolina, where he has worked on projects for a diverse client base including universities, hospitals, energy companies and government. In July 2015, Connell traveled to Uganda with a film crew to document the plight of orphans for the short film, “This is Home.” He is currently leading communications efforts for Seeing Spartanburg in a New Light, a public art installation funded by Bloomberg Philanthropies. A Cullman native, Connell served as editor of The Crimson White before graduating from UA with a journalism degree in 2002. He worked as a reporter in both South Carolina and Alabama and served as city editor of the Spartanburg Herald-Journal for almost a decade. During his journalism career, he received multiple awards for in-depth reporting and feature writing. In 2013, Editor and Publisher included Connell on its list of “25 under 35: The Rising Stars of Newspaper Publishing.” He is married to fellow UA graduate Jenny Blackwood Connell.
Rebecca Cornwell
Board Member
Rebecca Cornwell earned a bachelor of arts degree at The University of Alabama, receiving her depth study through New College in Interdisciplinary Social Justice and Anti-racist Activism, in 2005. She moved to Boston and joined Match Corps, a one-year urban education fellowship committed to closing the achievement gap. Following time away from education, during which she managed a music venue and toy store, she returned to the field of education through early childhood development. While working at an early education center in Cambridge, Massachusetts, Cornwell was introduced to applied behavior analysis (ABA), considered to be one of the most effective and evidence-based treatments to support children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). She continued her education; taking courses at the University of Massachusetts, Boston, and in 2013 completed the MEd as well as graduate certification in ABA for Special Populations. In February 2014, she became a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA). Because the demand for BCBAs in Alabama greatly surpasses that of Massachusetts, she committed to moving back to her hometown and serving there. Along with practicing evidence-based applied behavior analysis, she is interested in special education policy and health insurance policy, as well as equal access to education and healthcare. She is currently practicing as a Board Certified Behavior Analyst in the Montgomery area. She loves living in downtown Montgomery, and with friends, recently formed the MGM Downtown Neighborhood Association.
Brodie Croyle
Board Member
Brodie Croyle is executive director of Big Oak Ranch, a Christian home for abused, neglected, orphaned and abandoned children. Big Oak Ranch consists of three ministries: Big Oak Girls’ Ranch in Springville, Ala.; Big Oak Boys’ Ranch in Gadsden, Ala.; and Westbrook Christian School in Rainbow City, Ala. Croyle, his family and the staff at Big Oak are grounded in one purpose — to relieve the suffering of children. Big Oak Ranch has been focused on doing just that since 1974, with nearly 2,000 children calling it home. Croyle’s calling at Big Oak Ranch is founded in the words of Jeremiah 29:11, “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Croyle received his BA from The University of Alabama in 2005, where he also lettered in football. He played professional football for five years with the Kansas City Chiefs and has been featured in numerous media outlets including Sports Illustrated, The New York Times, BMetro Magazine, Al.com, Birmingham Christian Magazine, LifeWay, CBS, NBC 13, FOX 6, The Rick and Bubba Show, Jox 94.5, The Coach Pat Dye Show and more.
Mae Crumbley
Board Member
Mae Crumbley graduated from The University of Alabama with a BS in biology in 2019. Through the STEM-MBA program she completed her MBA in 2020, focusing on biotechnology start-ups. She is in medical school at the University of Michigan and lives in Ann Arbor. At Michigan she is involved as a student advocate and researches opioid-free surgical care. Crumbley is a Blackburn Institute Fellow and, while at UA, was also involved in the Center for Service and Leadership, Medicine and Community Program, the West End Health Project, and Arts ’n Autism. She served as the philanthropy chair for Delta Delta Delta, working closely with St. Jude Children’s Hospital. Through her senior project with the STEM-MBA program she partnered with Capstone Rural Health in Jasper and secured grant funding to assist with opioid reduction efforts in the community. Her past work experience includes research with the Hugh Kaul Precision Medicine Institute at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, working with families affected by rare disease. In her free time, she enjoys backpacking and hiking, playing tennis and being both an Alabama and Michigan football fan.
Kechia Davis
Board Member
Kechia Davis serves as a criminal judge with the Birmingham Municipal Court and as a staff attorney with the Legal Aid Society of Alabama. Prior to taking the bench, Davis served as a deputy district attorney with the Jefferson County District Attorney’s Office for 13 years. She earned the BS degree in criminal justice in 2000 from The University of Alabama and attended The University of Alabama School of Law, earning the Juris Doctor in 2003. While at UA, Davis was a Bama Belle who facilitated introducing football recruits and their families to the Capstone. She participated in the Farrah Law Association, the Black Law Students Association and national trial advocacy competition class. Additionally, she received the Dean’s Community Service Award — Order of Samaritan. Davis is a member of the American Bar Association, Alabama Bar Association, Birmingham Bar Association, Volunteer Lawyers Program of Birmingham, Junior League of Birmingham, Leadership Hoover Class of 2019–2020, and is an executive committee member of The University of Alabama Alumni Association/Jefferson County Chapter. She is married to Maurice Davis and they are parents to Kourtney, Trey and Tristian.
Ryan Davis
Board Member
Ryan J. Davis is a vocalist, trombonist and producer who performs under the moniker “Kadesh Flow.” He has provided direct support for artists such as Tech N9ne, Naughty by Nature, Dave East, Phora and numerous others. His music has been played on network television across the U.S. and Southeast Asia, and he has performed at festivals and conventions throughout the U.S. Davis is a member of the NPC (Nerdy People of Color) Collective, through which he is working with founding member Mega Ran and fellow artists to collaborate on fun, relevant content and foster a community for underrepresented nerd and geek enthusiasts. Before taking the leap to work as a full-time musician, Davis was climbing the corporate ladder as a sales operations associate for some of the world’s leading information technology firms, such as Healthcare IT giant Cerner Corporation and global fintech disruptor C2FO. He values both his graduate training from UA’s Manderson Graduate School of Business and the facilitation of his creative self-exploration via New College and Honors College. As a student, his resumé highlights include multiple terms as a creative campus intern and a stint as a founding member of the Honors College Assembly. His involvement in these and other campus organizations allowed him to build both a strong resumé and lasting relationships with other student movers and shakers across campus. Additionally, Davis co-founded the Druid City Arts Festival, successfully passing ownership of the event to the City of Tuscaloosa after demonstrating that its three successful iterations generated strong economic and quality-of-life impact for the city.
Karla Dawson
Board Member
Karla Dawson, a member of The Poarch Band of Creek Indians, earned the BS in elementary education from The University of Alabama in May 2006, and went on to earn the MA and PhD in education from The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She was chosen as a McNair scholar at UA and as a Royster Scholar at UNC. Martin served as a professor at UNC and at Illinois State University, where she taught history and multicultural education courses, an identity course and graduate-level courses in indigenous studies and educational sociology. In 2013, she was chosen to complete a postdoctoral fellowship at Arizona State University at the Center for Indian Education, where she worked with scholars to conduct research on Native American education and helped prepare fellow educators to work with students representing many tribes. Most recently, Martin has served The Poarch Band of Creek Indians in her role as the cultural director from 2014–2015. She began a new position as the community services division director in November 2016. In this position, she oversees and coordinates the efforts of the education, Boys and Girls Club, recreation and cultural and museum departments.
Beau DeVaul
Board Member
Beau DeVaul is a 2018 graduate of UA’s Culverhouse College of Business, where he double majored in finance and economics, specializing in public policy and law. He is a proud member of the Beta Eta chapter of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc., and served as the 2017 National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC) president. He is also a member of the 104th class of the Jasons Men’s Honorary. DeVaul resides in Baltimore, Maryland, working as an operational effectiveness consultant for Grant Thornton, LLP.
Alyssa Dinberg
Board Member
Alyssa Dinberg serves the people of Clear Creek County working to actively lead, engage and develop strategies to improve the lives of residents and visitors. A public servant to her core, a facilitator, collaborative problem solver, convener of people, strategic planner, and promoter of self-care, she is passionately committed to helping communities succeed. Dinberg holds an executive Master of Public Administration degree from the University of Missouri and a bachelor’s degree in interdisciplinary community development from New College at The University of Alabama. While at Alabama, Dinberg served as student body president for New College and was actively involved as an intern with Creative Campus. In the community, she is passionate about good governance, advocating for voter rights and increasing equity through service delivery. She is a co-host for GovLove, a podcast about the people, policies and profession of local government. She is actively involved in Engaging Local Government Leaders, Colorado City and County Managers Association, and the International City and County Managers Association. In her free time, she enjoys cooking, watching sports, traveling and spending time in the mountains. She lives in Denver with a house full of animals including a dog, two cats, an aquatic turtle and a boyfriend named Steve.
Sarah Dunlap
Board Member
An Alabama native, Sarah Dunlap earned an undergraduate degree in psychology and a master’s degree in cognitive psychology, both from The University of Alabama. As a senior research associate at the University’s Institute for Social Science Research, she divides her time between evaluating innovative public health and educational programs and managing grant-funded projects, primarily in the area of gender differences in STEM education. Dunlap and her husband have two sons and share their home with one dog, one cat and one turtle. She reports that her sons enjoy everything from playing sports to nature walks, including her with them on all of their journeys. In her spare time, she enjoys reading, cooking and practicing yoga.
Allie Esslinger
Board Member
Allie Esslinger is a filmmaker and entrepreneur living in Brooklyn, New York. She launched Olive Juice Films in 2011 and after five years of writing and producing content independently and for platforms like Major League Gaming, Maker Studios and Above Average, Olive Juice expanded its scope to include digital strategy services for independent content creators, nonprofits and venture-backed startups. In 2013, Esslinger founded Section II, a streaming platform for LGBTQ+ women. Her team of brand strategists and distribution specialists supports content and creators across genres and formats, and the company is producing its first feature film. Esslinger graduated from NYU’s Stern School of Business in 2018 and is currently managing the strategy for Venture Philanthropy and Fortune 500 clients at a creative agency in New York. At The University of Alabama, she was a member of the Blount Undergraduate Initiative and studied abroad five times in pursuit of her international relations degree. She was the leader of Alabama Action and a passionate advocate for the University’s partnership with Tuscaloosa’s One Place. She also served as president of the Honors Programs Student Association and the Other Club. She loves television, big sunglasses, iced coffee and, of course, the Crimson Tide.
Alex Flachsbart
Board Member
Alex Flachsbart graduated from The University of Alabama with the BA in economics and political science in 2009. He went on to earn the master of arts in economics, also from UA, in 2010, and the doctor of law (JD) from Washington and Lee University in 2015. Alex currently resides in Birmingham and is the president and CEO of Opportunity Alabama, a 501 (c)(3) organization dedicated to creating an impact-based Opportunity Zones ecosystem to provide access to capital to Alabama’s low-income communities. Prior to founding Opportunity Alabama, Alex was a corporate attorney with Balch & Bingham LLP in Birmingham, specializing in tax credit and economic development-related work. While a student at UA, he served as an O’Connor-Snyder intern for the David Matthews Center for Civic Life, developing a Kettering Institute-modeled deliberative discussions on public policy series at UA. He was a two-time member of the USA Today Collegiate All-Academic Team and a Premier Award winner. He currently sits on the Board of Directors of Main Street Alabama and is a member of the Public Affairs Research Council of Alabama’s Roundtable.
Meg McCrummen Fowler
Board Member
Meg McCrummen Fowler is a 2011 graduate of The University of Alabama and holds a BA in history and French. She earned an MA in history of art and a PhD in art history and society from Tulane University. She currently serves as director of the History Museum of Mobile, located in downtown Mobile. Prior to her current position, Fowler completed a fellowship at the Musée d’Orsay in Paris and served as both a visiting scholar in the Center for Study of War and Memory and as an instructor in the Department of Art and Art History at the University of South Alabama. She is vice president of Mobile Rotary and district vice president of the UA National Alumni Association. She is a member of the 2022 class of Mobile Bay’s 40 Under 40. She has led the History Museum of Mobile’s effort to curate, fabricate, and operate “Clotilda: The Exhibition” at the purpose-built Africatown Heritage House in Mobile. The exhibition tells the story of the 110 men, women and children on the last slave ship to arrive in the U.S., and of the remarkable community of Africatown that they created. The site was named by National Geographic as the best museum opening in the U.S. in 2023.
Kevin Garrison
Board Member
Kevin R. Garrison is a shareholder at Baker Donelson, where he concentrates his practice in construction litigation. He is the only attorney in Alabama — and one of only 20 in the world — to be accredited by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) as a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Accredited Professional for Building Design & Construction (LEED AP BD+C). This credential allows Garrison to help clients proactively examine and prepare for the unique qualifications and risks involved in green construction projects. Before joining Baker Donelson, Garrison worked in the office of the Governor of Alabama and as a law clerk to the Hon. W. Keith Watkins, chief judge of the United States District Court for the Middle District of Alabama. While at UA, Garrison was a student fellow with the Blackburn Institute and founded the Alabama Students for Constitutional Reform during his undergraduate years. He earned a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering in 2002 and the juris doctorate in 2007, both from The University of Alabama and both cum laude. He recently joined the advisory board to UA’s Department of Civil, Construction and Environmental Engineering. He is married to Jess Garrison and they have four children.
Marlan Golden
Board Member
Marlan Golden is a 2014 graduate of The University of Alabama and holds a BA in history and Spanish. As an undergraduate, Golden was active in the Blackburn Institute, Capstone Men and Women and the Center for Ethics and Social Responsibility. He served as president of Alpha Tau Omega and was selected for membership in Phi Beta Kappa, Mortar Board, Blue Key, Omicron Delta Kappa, the Jasons, and the Anderson Society. After graduating, he worked with a government relations firm in Montgomery. He received the Juris Doctor (JD) degree from Harvard Law School in 2019 and began his legal career as an associate at Hogan Lovells in the firm’s Washington, D.C. office. A native of Pike Road, Golden now lives in Washington, D.C., where he serves as a law clerk to a federal judge on the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia in Alexandria, Virginia.
Brandon Green
Board Member
Brandon D. Green is the project manager and special assistant to the CEO at BTC, Inc., a leading blockchain and cryptocurrency technology company. He co-wrote the preeminent feature on initial coin offerings (ICOs), which has appeared in multiple securities regulation briefs as well as on Nasdaq. Additionally, he co-wrote the whitepaper for Po.et, one of the first blockchain applications that seeks to revolutionize the media space by recapturing value for content creators. Prior to his work at BTC, Green served as a University Fellow at The University of Alabama, where he graduated summa cum laude in 2017 with a degree in chemical engineering, studying both on campus and abroad in Ireland, Cuba and Denmark.
Sean-Lamar Hudson
Board Member
Sean-Lamar Hudson (he/him) is currently Executive Director – Strategic Initiatives at Harry S Truman College, one of the City Colleges of Chicago. In this role, he oversees the college’s research, evaluation, and strategic initiatives and serves as the point person for strategy development. He is also a part-time lecturer at the University of Chicago – Crown Family School of Social Work, Policy, and Practice, where he teaches a research statistics course to masters’ candidates.
Hudson is a native of Bessemer, Alabama, and former foster youth – having grown up in and emancipated from the system. During his time in Alabama, he advocated for more robust support for foster youth entering college and emancipating from the foster-care system. He also advocated for strong equity-conscious policies for Black and LGBTQ+ students. For this work, Sean received the Realizing the Dream Horizon award in 2011 from The University of Alabama (UA). He earned his Bachelor of Social Work degree from UA and the Master of Arts in Social Service Administration from the University of Chicago. He recently began working toward his PhD in Higher Education/Higher Education Administration at Illinois State University.
Tyrell Jordan
Board Member
Birmingham native Tyrell F. Jordan is a civil litigation attorney with more than a decade of experience litigating cases with and against the region’s largest law firms, and handling matters for and against some of the nation’s largest corporations. After working for a well-known firm for almost 10 years, Jordan formed his own practice in January 2015 to further pursue his passion for meaningful change. His practice focuses on personal injury matters on behalf of individuals who have been injured through no fault of their own, with an emphasis on bringing cases on behalf of children and their parents who have been victims of medical negligence. Jordan earned both his accounting and law degrees from UA, in 2001 and 2004, respectively. He was recognized as a Ronald E. McNair scholar, accounting academic all-star, moot court and trial advocacy competitor and honor court justice. A former intern at the Kettering Foundation, Jordan possesses a deep-seated passion for the promotion of citizen engagement in effecting the changes in our communities necessary to bear out the paragon of the American dream of fairness, justice and equality for all. A product of the Birmingham City Schools, he regularly speaks to youth on the importance of finding their passion and overcoming the odds.
Kendra Key
Board Member
Tuscaloosa native Kendra Key is a 2010 graduate of the College of Arts and Sciences, having earned the BA degree in political science. After graduating from The University of Alabama, she worked as the legislative officer to the District of Columbia Public Schools and then as a legislative aide to Congresswoman Terri Sewell (D-Alabama). Key received her JD degree from Vanderbilt University Law School in 2015 and served as a law clerk to a federal judge in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit. She is a senior vice president at Regions Bank in Birmingham.
Lauren Banks Killelea
Board Member
Bio coming soon
Kirsty M. Kirkland
Board Member
Born and raised in Dothan, Kirsty M. Kirkland was a member of the inaugural class of the Blount Undergraduate Initiative. She earned a BA in political science and journalism in 2003 and the JD in 2008, both from The University of Alabama. She was recruited to the University’s championship individual events debate team and served as president of the school’s Society for Professional Journalists and as president of Students for Life. She was inducted into the Carl E. Elliott Society and the Anderson Society and was selected as a Vance/Heflin intern with the Alabama Democratic Party during her junior year. As a senior Kirkland was awarded the Buford Boone Memorial Scholarships in both the political science and journalism departments. While studying for the JD, she was a member of the school’s arbitration team, served as a volunteer attorney in the school’s Elder Law Clinic, was selected to be a part of the school’s exchange program with the Australian National University and was selected to the Bench and Bar Honor Society. She earned the Dean’s Community Service Award and was awarded the Order of the Samaritan. She worked for a large law firm in Dothan before opening her own firm in 2010. Kirkland is a past president of the Houston County Bar Association.
Elliot Knight
Board Member
Elliot Knight is the executive director of the Alabama State Council on the Arts. An Opelika native, Knight holds three degrees from The University of Alabama, including a bachelor of arts in visual communication from New College, a master of arts in American studies and a PhD in interdisciplinary studies. He co-founded and developed the nationally recognized Black Belt 100 Lenses Program, a participatory photography and arts program that worked with high school students in 12 Alabama Black Belt counties in partnership with the Black Belt Community Foundation from 2007–2012. Knight developed and taught several courses in the UA Departments of Art History and American Studies and in the Honors College. He also served as director of the Arts on Campus Living-Learning Community at UA. Knight served as an advisory board member for The Alabama Art Kitchen and the Beauty Amid Destruction project in Tuscaloosa. He serves as a board member for South Arts and the Montgomery Public Art Commission, as well as on the advisory boards of the Alabama Tourism Department and the UA Division of Community Affairs.
Emilie Kraft-Merchant
Board Member
Emilie Kraft-Merchant, a native of Cullman, earned a BA from The University of Alabama in 2002, graduating summa cum laude with a double major in English and classics and a minor in journalism. During college, Kraft-Merchant was a member of Phi Beta Kappa, the Million Dollar Band, The Crimson White staff and Gamma Phi Beta sorority. She graduated magna cum laude from The University of Alabama School of Law in 2005, where she was a member of Order of the Coif, an articles editor for the Alabama Law Review and a member of the criminal procedure moot court team. After graduation, Kraft-Merchant served as a law clerk to the Hon. James H. Hancock of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Alabama. She also served as a staff attorney for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit and as a law clerk for the Hon. Thomas B. Bennett, chief judge of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Alabama. Kraft-Merchant worked in private practice at James & Hoffman, PC in Washington, D.C., representing labor unions and employees in disputes with management. In 2014 she accepted a position as an administrative law judge with the Social Security Administration, where she adjudicates hundreds of disability and non-disability cases per year. Kraft-Merchant lives in Birmingham with her husband and their four children.
Colby Leopard
Board Member
Colby Leopard studied public relations and English at the Capstone, graduating cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in public relations in 2013. As a student, Leopard founded READ Alabama, a literacy mentorship program dedicated to developing a love for reading among elementary- and middle-school students in West Alabama. He worked for Creative Campus, a student-centered arts advocacy organization dedicated to building relationships that serve as a voice for the cultural arts, as well as for The Crimson White, UA’s student newspaper. Additionally, he worked with Forza Financial, a non-profit, student-run organization that seeks to empower Alabama’s most under-appreciated business and community leaders through the utilization of small-business loans ranging from $500 to $5,000. Since graduating, Leopard has lived in Seoul, South Korea, where he taught English as a foreign language, and in New York City, where he worked for Academy Award®-winning film and television production company FilmNation Entertainment. He now lives in Birmingham and works for the state-wide nonprofit organization Alabama Possible.
Dr. Porcia Bradford Love
Board Member
Montgomery native Dr. Porcia Bradford Love is a dermatologist at Montgomery Dermatology. She earned her bachelor’s degree in biology at The University of Alabama, where she was a member of the Honors Program. Love held a number of leadership positions at UA, including director of the Community Service Center, and was a member of the Blackburn Institute. She was a recipient of the Algernon Sydney Sullivan and the William P. Bloom awards. Dr. Love completed her medical degree and dermatology training at Duke University, where she held the honor of serving as chief resident. She also completed a clinical research fellowship at the National Cancer Institute. Dr. Love has served as a state commissioner for Alabama’s Commission on National and Community Service and is a member of the American Academy of Dermatology, the Alabama Dermatologic Society, the public service work group of the American Society of Dermatologic Surgeons and the leadership advisory board of the American Cancer Society. She is married to J.C. Love III, an attorney in Montgomery, and has one daughter.
Holly Luther
Board Member
Holly Morris Luther earned a BA in political science, as well as an MA and a PhD in higher education administration from The University of Alabama. She and her husband Michael — also a UA graduate — and their four children now live in Birmingham following nearly a decade in Albertville. Luther and her husband have spent most of their careers serving rural Alabama in the areas of medicine and education. They have a passion for serving underserved areas and populations. Luther currently works out of their home, caring for their children, but previously was employed in the areas of student life, academic affairs and as adjunct faculty at The University of Alabama. She also worked on the University of British Columbia campus and traveled as an educational leadership consultant for her fraternity. Additionally, the Luther family runs a college ministry group out of their home. As a student at UA, Luther served as chapter president of Kappa Alpha Theta, as a captain of the Bama Belles and as an ambassador for the College of Arts and Sciences. She was a member of Omicron Delta Kappa, Blue Key, Mortar Board, The Anderson Society, Order of Omega and The XXXI. She received the UA Outstanding Junior award and the National Alumni Association Outstanding Senior award, as well as a National Alumni Association fellowship for graduate school and an Outstanding Dissertation Research award from the College of Education.
Michael Luther
Board Member
As a high school student from a rural farming community in northeast Alabama, Michael Luther was selected to participate in the Rural Health Pipeline program at UA. In his senior year, Luther was selected for the Rural Medical Scholars Program. At UA, he was active in the College of Community Health Sciences and was named a Top Ten Outstanding Senior. In 2003, he graduated summa cum laude with a BS in biology. He attended The University of Alabama School of Medicine and stayed in Tuscaloosa for his family medicine residency, where he piloted a rural training track and also served as a chief resident. Since 2010, he spent 8.5 years in rural northeast Alabama, where he owned his own private practice. He then spent 2.5 years in Birmingham, serving in the Grandview Medical System on the front lines during the COVID-19 pandemic. In August 2021, Luther and his family moved to Perry County, Alabama, to serve with Cahaba Medical Care, a nonprofit organization that seeks to provide medical care to people in underserved areas of Alabama. He will specifically be serving in the Black Belt region. Michael is happily married to fellow board member Holly Morris Luther. They have four children.
Andrea Mabry
Board Member
Andrea Mabry produces vibrant, resonating imagery as a photographer for University Relations at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. She graduated from The University of Alabama with a bachelor of arts degree in photojournalism in 2009 and a master of arts in American studies in 2012. While attending the University, Mabry worked for the Center for Community-Based Partnerships as a photographer and web developer. She also helped create the Homegrown Alabama Farmers Market and managed it for three years. Following graduation, she moved to New Orleans to begin her photography business. Mabry relocated to Birmingham in 2015, where she continues to freelance in addition to her work at UAB.
Jon Macklem
Board Member
Bio coming soon.
Toby Marcus
Board Member
Alabaster native Toby Marcus currently works as the second vice president of corporate strategy development for Protective Life in Birmingham. In this role, she works across the organization to advance strategic initiatives, partners with global teams on international projects and is active in managing the company’s efforts in ESG and sustainability. Marcus built the earlier part of her career in leadership roles, helping area companies like Daxko and Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama build and advance leader and employee development programs. She earned a BA in economics from The University of Alabama. Marcus prides herself on being a lifelong volunteer and has supported many initiatives through the years, from helping launch a community garden on Birmingham’s West Side to becoming a Big with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Alabama, and, as a teen, supporting a campaign to improve adult literacy rates. In her free time, she enjoys Pilates, cooking and cycling.
Mark Martin
Board Member
Mark W.C. Martin returned home to Alabama after nearly 15 years away to launch Build Urban Prosperity. Build UP, recently featured on NBC’s Today Show, is the nation’s first workforce development high school to comprehensively address poverty and urban blight by empowering Birmingham youth to become educated, career-ready homeowners and contributing citizens. Prior to Build UP, Martin graduated from Harvard’s Doctor of Education Leadership program, where he worked with Jobs for the Future and multiple state education agencies on education-to-career transitions and workforce readiness. Martin previously co-founded two successful charter schools in Louisiana. Under his leadership, Langston Hughes Academy achieved six straight years of academic growth and built New Orleans’ first post-Katrina school facility, a $32 million project. He is a founding board member of THRIVE, Louisiana’s first urban boarding school, where students made the largest academic gains in state history. Since returning to Alabama, Martin was awarded the prestigious The Vulcans Community “Newcomer” award and was named one of Birmingham Business Journal’s Top 40 under 40. He earned a BS in finance from The University of Alabama and an MBA from the University of Georgia. He and his wife, Tiffany, have two children, Marilee and Rhett.
Holly McCorkle
Board Member
Holly McCorkle received the BA in psychology from The University of Alabama in 2004. She returned to the University in 2006 and went on to earn both the juris doctor from The University of Alabama School of Law and the MBA from the UA Manderson Graduate School of Business in 2010. Holly serves as Executive Director of The Alabama Council for Behavioral Healthcare. Prior to that time she served as director of Legislative and Constituent Affairs at the State of Alabama Department of Mental Health, and as chief counsel for the Alabama State Senate for almost six years. Holly shares that she is careful not to fall into the partisan divide, preferring to build bridges and educate and enlighten those who may not view politics or policy the way she does. Holly has a passion for understanding the rules and how best to apply them and encourages other attorneys to consider a career in the public service sector. She lives in Montgomery.
Aneesa McMillan
Board Member
Aneesa McMillan is one of the leading political communicators in the nation. She serves as the director of Strategic Communications and Voting Rights at Priorities USA. Prior to this, she served as communications advisor to New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, assisting with the development of his communications strategy and helping recruit national influencers to support his policy initiatives. During the course of her career, McMillan has worked with the country’s top progressive leaders to effectively develop and deliver their messaging. She began her career as a reporter in her home state of Alabama. She went on to serve as press secretary to congresswoman Terri Sewell (D-Alabama). For almost five years, she worked to establish Rep. Sewell as a national voice on voting and civil rights. After her time with Rep. Sewell, McMillan joined U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders’ (Independent -Vt.) presidential campaign as the South Carolina communications director. She was promoted to his national team and managed national surrogates while continuing to support and lead communications efforts. At the end of the Sanders presidential campaign, she worked briefly with a pro-Hillary Clinton Super Pac before becoming deputy communications director for congressman Keith Ellison’s (D-Minn.) bid for Democratic National Committee chair. McMillan is a cum laude graduate of The University of Alabama, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism and political science and served as a reporter for The Crimson White. She also holds a master’s degree in public administration.
Stephen McNair
Board Member
A native of Mobile, Stephen McNair received a BA in history from The University of Alabama in 2004. While a student, he served as vice president of academic affairs for the Student Government Association and was elected as a member of Omicron Delta Kappa and The Jasons. Following graduation he relocated to New Orleans, where he earned a master’s degree in historic preservation from Tulane University and accepted a position for the City of New Orleans as an architectural historian. He relocated to Edinburgh, Scotland, in 2009, where he earned the PhD in architectural history from The University of Edinburgh and lectured within the School of History, Classics and Archaeology and the School of Architecture. After returning to Alabama in 2013, he established McNair Historic Preservation, Inc., a national full-service historic-preservation consulting firm. The firm specializes in historic tax-credit projects (commercial and residential), National Register nominations (individual and districts), design, materials, compliance and government relations.
Reginald Miller
Board Member
Reginald Miller is a board member for WorkforceStrong, Inc., and serves as the organization’s senior management staff for the Alabama region. An acquisitions expert, he also works on market rate and workforce housing developments. In this role he is responsible for asset management, property management, investor relations and land acquisition. Miller brings more than 12 years of experience to the organization and is president of the Edsel Group, a partner to Workforce Strong. There he oversees all capital campaigns, including debt and equity positions for varying projects. He holds a BS degree in business administration with a concentration in real estate finance from The University of Alabama, and conducted post-graduate studies in housing and consumer economics at the University of Georgia. Prior to partnering with Workforce Strong, Inc. Miller worked in various capacities for Atlanta-based multifamily developers such as The Worthing Companies and TriBridge Residential. While on campus at UA, Miller served in the Blackburn Institute.
Caroline Morrison
Board Member
Caroline Morrison graduated from The University of Alabama in 2017 with a degree in economics and finance. Since graduating, she has worked as a digital product manager at Capital One in Dallas, Texas.
Manda Mountain
Board Member
Manda Mountain has dedicated her career to making nursing homes less institutional and improving the lives of persons in long-term care. Mountain graduated from The University of Alabama in 2001 with an undergraduate degree in journalism and earned her master’s degree in gerontology from the University of Louisiana at Monroe. She serves as the facility administrator of Highlands Health and Rehab in Scottsboro and is a board member of the Alabama Coalition for Culture Change, an organization that seeks to improve aging services for Alabamians.
Will Nevin
Board Member
Will Nevin is a visiting assistant professor of communication studies at the University of Alabama at Birmingham and an adjunct instructor of journalism at The University of Alabama. He previously taught at the University of West Alabama as an instructor of digital journalism and speech. In addition to teaching, Nevin’s legal scholarship has been published in the First Amendment Law Review, the William & Mary Bill of Rights Journal and other publications. A native of Moundville, he first graduated from The University of Alabama in 2007 with a BA in journalism and political science, which was followed by a JD in 2010 and an MA/PhD in 2014. He also serves as a contributing writer for The Birmingham News and The Oregonian, is a member of the Mallet Assembly Board of Governors and an infrequent actor for Theatre Tuscaloosa productions. As a student, Nevin held various positions at The Crimson White that paid very little but taught quite a bit.
Susan Page
Board Member
Susan B. Page, a 2004 public relations graduate of The University of Alabama, is currently the proposal development administrator/grant writer for the Institute for Rural Health Research at UA. Prior to joining the Institute, she spent six years in the Office of Advancement and University Relations and before that was the development director for the Tuscaloosa affiliate of Habitat for Humanity. Page is currently active in the Public Relations Council of West Alabama and is a past president of the organization (2009). Additionally, she is involved in the Junior League of Tuscaloosa, where she served as vice president for community in 2015; P.E.O. International; the Board of Higher Education for the North Alabama Conference of the United Methodist Church; and is a 2007 graduate of Leadership Tuscaloosa. While in school at UA, Page was involved in the Wesley Foundation — the United Methodist student organization on campus — serving in numerous leadership roles including president in 2004. She received the Minnie Miles Student Award for Dedicated Christian Service from The University of Alabama’s Wesley Foundation in 2004, the Most Active Member in a Religious Organization recognition in 2002 from UA’s Coordinating Council for Student Organizations, and was awarded the Top Fundraiser for The University of Alabama’s Relay for Life (American Cancer Society) in 2003. She received the Clara Barton Internship Experience with the American Red Cross and served as a public relations and marketing intern in Fort Worth, Texas, during the summer of 2003. During her college years, Page also began her involvement with her professional organization, the Public Relations Council of Alabama.
Divya Patel
Board Member
Divya Patel is a 2006 accounting graduate of The University of Alabama and holds a master’s degree in accountancy from Belmont University in Nashville. She earned her 2002 high school diploma from the Alabama School of Math and Science. Patel began her career as an auditor at PriceWaterhouseCoopers and currently works as director of operations in the family business with the Windsor Hotel and Quality Inn in Americus, Georgia. Her current civic activities include board member/treasurer of the Downtown Americus Mainstreet Board and board member of the City of Americus Tourism Council. At UA, she served as president of the International Student Association and was the VP of Recruitment of the UA National Panhellenic Association as well as the 2005 Homecoming court.
Robin Preussel Phillips
Board Member
Robin Preussel Phillips earned the BA from The University of Alabama in 2003, graduating summa cum laude and triple majoring in international studies, Spanish and philosophy with a Blount undergraduate initiative minor. Phillips was a member of The XXXI, Anderson Society, Phi Beta Kappa and Gamma Phi Beta sorority and received the Outstanding Senior award. She graduated from Yale Law School in 2006, where she served as a submissions editor for the Yale Journal of International Law and as an editor for the Yale Journal on Regulation. Upon graduation, Phillips served as a law clerk in both the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Alabama and for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit. Following her clerkships, she worked in private practice at Norton Rose Fulbright LLP in Houston, Texas. In 2014, she accepted the position of senior counsel, corporate for BMC Software, a multi-billion-dollar private software company located in Houston. Phillips is active in professional and community organizations, including serving as a vice chairwoman of the journal committee for the business law section of the State Bar of Texas, and through the Houston Volunteer Lawyers Program and Bo’s Place, a Houston based non-profit bereavement center offering free grief support services for children, adults and families.
Norma Powell
Board Member
Norma Powell graduated with both her undergraduate (2012) and masters (2017) degrees in human nutrition from The University of Alabama. While a student, she was involved in and held leadership positions in various organizations around campus. She served as vice president of Capstone Men and Women, as president of Chi Omega and as new member educator of Chi Omega. She volunteered with the Boys & Girls Club of Tuscaloosa and was selected for membership in The XXXI, The Anderson Society, Mortar Board, Omicron Delta Kappa and Blue Key. Powell completed her dietetic internship in Dallas, Texas, and now works as a registered dietitian for NYP/Columbia University Irving Medical Center in New York City. She has been working with the top medical doctors in urology to conduct research and develop a new outpatient nutrition program at Columbia Medical Center. She lives in the Greater NYC area with her husband, Daniel, their daughter, Chapman, and their two dogs, Ralph and Calvin.
Paul Rand
Board Member
Paul Rand is a 2005 graduate of The University of Alabama, where he majored in English and minored in art history, and was a member of the Mallet Assembly residential honors program. Following graduation, Rand worked for the Centre Georges Pompidou/Musée National d’Art Moderne in Paris, and for several art galleries in Los Angeles. He returned to Tuscaloosa to attend The University of Alabama School of Law, where he was elected president of the Student Bar Association, held numerous other leadership and community service positions and was a recipient of the Dean’s Community Service Award, the Jerome Hoffman Leadership Award and the Anna C. Curry Leadership Award. Rand was an inaugural hire at the Public Defender’s Office in Jefferson County, Alabama, where he was a trial attorney and held a Clark-Clemon Fellowship. Following his work as a public defender, he clerked for the Hon. Staci G. Cornelius of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Alabama. Rand is currently an attorney at the law firm of Zarzaur Mujumdar & Debrosse, where he handles a wide range of complex matters including civil rights, criminal, and commercial litigation.
Elizabeth Riddle
Board Member
Elizabeth Watson Riddle is a speech-language pathologist for Encompass Health at its Lakeshore Rehabilitation Hospital in Birmingham. Most recently, she has served as co-chair of the Beaker Bash committee for the McWane Center and is currently serving in various leadership roles at Canterbury United Methodist Church, where she and her family are active members. She has previously served on the junior board of visitors for the School of Nursing at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Riddle is a 2003 graduate of The University of Alabama with a BA degree in communicative disorders. She received her master’s degree in speech pathology from the University in 2005. As an undergraduate, she was the 2002–2003 president of Capstone Men and Women, and a member of both Kappa Delta sorority and The XXXI. Riddle lives in Birmingham with her husband, Zac, and their four children, Camilla, Watson, Emmaline, and Adelaide.
Zac Riddle
Board Member
Zac Riddle is a certified public accountant and is currently employed as Assistant Controller with Medical Properties Trust, Inc., in Birmingham. Prior to joining Medical Properties Trust, he was employed with BBVA Compass Bank and KPMG LLP. He serves on the general council of finance and administration for The United Methodist Church and is a member of Canterbury United Methodist Church. Riddle is a 2005 graduate of The University of Alabama with a bachelor of science degree in business and commerce administration and a computer-based honors program minor. He received his master’s degree in accountancy from the University in 2006. As an undergraduate, he was the 2004–2005 chair of the Blackburn Institute and recipient of the Sullivan and Bloom Premier Awards. He lives in Birmingham with his wife, Elizabeth, a speech-language pathologist, and their four children.
Anna Catherine Roberson
Board Member
Anna Catherine Roberson is a 2009 cum laude graduate of The University of Alabama’s College of Communication and Information Sciences, having earned a BA in public relations. While a student at UA, Roberson was active in SGA and was a member of Freshman Forum, PRSSA and Phi Mu sorority. Roberson serves as the communications specialist and public information representative for Alabama Power’s western division. In this role, she handles all public relations, communications, media relations, charitable giving and community development for the 14 counties in Alabama Power’s western service territory. Roberson is civically active by serving as a member of the Freshwater Land Trust Junior Board, the Rotaract Club of Birmingham, the Junior League of Birmingham and the Ballet Guild of Birmingham, and is a graduate of the FBI Citizens Academy.
Annabel Roth
Board Member
Annabel Roth serves as director of scheduling for Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey. Roth previously served as a policy advisor to Gov. Ivey, focusing on military and veteran affairs, energy and water, and the ABC (Alcohol Beverage Control) Board. A native of Montgomery, Roth graduated cum laude from The University of Alabama in 2020 with a bachelor’s degree in public relations and a minor in political science. Roth was active on the UA campus, serving as president of Chi Omega sorority, director of lobby affairs for the Student Government Association and also on the Homecoming Executive Committee. Additionally, she was selected for membership in Omicron Delta Kappa and The XXXI. Prior to joining the governor’s office, Roth served as UA campus coordinator for Gov. Ivey’s re-election campaign and on the governor’s inaugural committee. She is an active volunteer with American Legion Auxiliary (ALA) Alabama Girls State, having previously attended Girls State and then being selected as one of Alabama’s two delegates to ALA Girls Nation. Roth is a member of First United Methodist Church of Montgomery, where she serves on the Young Adult Leadership team.
Hailah Said
Board Member
Hailah Said is the program manager for Operation Deep Dive, an initiative of UA’s Office of Evaluation. She previously worked with the Office for Academic Affairs at The University of Alabama and with community development programs for the City of Tuscaloosa. Said earned her undergraduate degree in criminal justice in 2013 and her master’s degree in public administration in 2015, both from UA. As a student, she interned with the Institute of International Education in Washington, D.C., and served as a public research assistant with UA’s MPA program. As a McNair Scholar (2012) and McNair Fellow (2014), she conducted research on Muslim women in the American South. She received the Capstone Hero Award for her positive cultural and academic influence in the community. As a Fulbright grantee, she served as a cultural and language ambassador in Malaysia (2016). She continues to work closely with her former students and community members there. During her free time, she volunteers in the UA and Tuscaloosa communities, fulfilling an important civic responsibility by volunteering as an intercultural learning consultant, working with public teachers and English language specialists to develop family literacy programs for the English Learner community in Tuscaloosa’s city and county schools.
Chris Sanders
Board Member
Chris Sanders is the communications director at Alabama Arise, a nonprofit coalition of congregations, organizations and individuals dedicated to improving the lives of low-income Alabamians through public policy. Sanders previously worked as Arise’s tax and budget analyst and is co-author of the 2015 edition of “The Alabama Tax & Budget Handbook.” He is also an attorney and serves on the editorial board of The Alabama Lawyer. A native of Smoke Rise in Blount County, Sanders earned two degrees from The University of Alabama: a Bachelor of Arts in journalism and political science in 2004 and a JD in 2007. He is a 2002 Blackburn Institute fellow, served as an articles editor for the Alabama Law Review and interned at The Birmingham News. As a student, Sanders worked as the editor, news director and metro/state editor for The Crimson White, where he covered everything from city and state politics to the disturbingly large number of squirrel-induced power outages during the early 2000s. He still misses the old CW newsroom, and that’s why the green space near the Bear Bryant statue will always be his favorite place on campus.
Jessica Sanders Walker
Board Member
Jessica life has been dedicated to community outreach, education and aviation. From a young age, Jessica has been involved in aviation soloing on her 16 th birthday. Jessica received her bachelor’s degree in Political Science at the University of Alabama. While attending she served as the Vice President of the Student Government Association, President of the Senate, student liaison for the Riverfront Masterplan Steering Committee, and worked with several philanthropic organizations in the City of Tuscaloosa and the Capstone. She is a member of Delta Delta Delta Sorority. Jessica is a graduate of the University of Alabama at Birmingham receiving her Master’s Degree in Public Administration. Jessica has served many nonprofits and organizations across the country as her husband frequently changed duty stations as a fighter pilot. She served as the President of the Fallon Chamber of Commerce, Board of Directors for the Churchill County Economic Development Authority, and the Military Liaison for the National Championship Air Races. She is currently the Vice President of Sanders Aviation and Sanders Flight Training Center and the Founder of Operation Aviation Foundation whose mission is to educate underserved and underrepresented youth about the field of aviation. Jessica currently serves on the University of Alabama’s Board of Advisors for the Department of Community Affairs.
She is married to MAJ William Walker, First Officer at FedEx Express and F-15 pilot for the Bayou Militia based in New Orleans, Louisiana. They have one child and reside in Jasper, Alabama.
Rashmee Sharif
Board Member
Rashmee Sharif earned both her undergraduate degree (2004) and MBA (2013) from The University of Alabama. From 2006–2008 she served as a Rotary Ambassadorial Scholar in Buenos Aires, Argentina, where she studied international relations and Spanish. Prior to obtaining her MBA, Sharif was an instructor at UA, teaching courses in global studies and leading students to Bangladesh’s Grameen Bank, which received the Nobel Peace Prize in 2006. In addition to serving on the Community Affairs Board of Advisors, Sharif is an active fellow in the Blackburn Institute, a corporate partner at the Manderson Graduate School of Business, a member of the Junior League of Birmingham and a congregant at the Birmingham Islamic Society. She is a senior project manager at Cigna and is enjoying life in sweet home Alabama with her husband and two sons.
Julia James Shreve
Board Member
Julia James Shreve is assistant legal counsel for University of South Alabama Health, where she provides legal services to and for the benefit of the University of South Alabama health system. She graduated from The University of Alabama in 2008 with a BS in psychology and earned the Juris Doctor degree from The University of Alabama School of Law in 2011. As an undergraduate, Shreve was a member of the Honors College and Alpha Chi Omega sorority. She also served as president and vice president of administration of the Alabama Panhellenic Association. In law school, she was elected to the Alabama Law Review and was a law student ambassador. Prior to joining University of South Alabama Health, she was a partner at the law firm of Armbrecht Jackson, where she specialized in employment law, complex business litigation and medical malpractice defense. A native of Opelika, she now resides in Mobile with her husband and two children. She serves as editor of the Mobile Bar Association monthly newsletter and on multiple Alabama State Bar committees, and volunteers with Big Brothers Big Sisters of South Alabama.
Justice Smyth
Board Member
Justice Smyth is the outreach director for the Alabama Transportation Institute (ATI) at The University of Alabama. Prior to joining ATI, he was director of corporate development with the Montgomery Area Chamber of Commerce, where he was responsible for managing the new industry recruitment projects and marketing efforts on behalf of the City of Montgomery and Montgomery County. During his time at the Chamber, Smyth was involved in the recruitment of more than 7,500 new jobs and $1.5 billion in capital investment. He earned both a master’s and a bachelor’s degree from UA. While an undergraduate, he was elected president of the Student Government Association and was selected for membership in the Jasons Men’s Honorary and Omicron Delta Kappa National Leadership Honor Society. He is also a graduate of the University of Oklahoma Economic Development Institute. Smyth previously served as a member of the board of directors of the Economic Development Association of Alabama (EDAA) and is actively involved with many civic and charitable organizations in the Tuscaloosa community, including the United Way of West Alabama and the board of directors of Family Counseling Service of West Alabama.
Susan Speaker
Board Member
After graduating in 2013 with a degree in marketing and Spanish, Susan Speaker moved to Dallas, Texas, to become a Teach For America corps member. She taught in early childhood in South Dallas for three years before moving into a career in sales. Speaker recently relocated to Nashville, Tennessee, where she works for ADP, LLC, a comprehensive global provider of cloud-based human capital management solutions. While a student at UA, she served as president of Alpha Chi Omega sorority, was a student ambassador with Capstone Men and Women, served as a sales ambassador and held multiple positions in the Student Government Association, including executive assistant for vice president of student affairs.
Sevanne Steiner
Board Member
Sevanne Steiner is senior planner for the Downtown Urban Design District of the City of Fort Worth. The district’s goal is to create the most vibrant, walkable, mixed-use urban center in the North Texas region, focusing on exceptional design of both private and public places. Steiner oversees staffing of the Downtown Design Review Board and the administration of the Downtown Urban Design Standards and Guidelines. Additionally, she works on citywide policy for wireless infrastructure, wayfinding and community-initiated and funded art projects. Previously, Steiner served as the downtown plans examiner for the Historic District Landmarks Commission and Central Business District Commission with the City of New Orleans. She has been recognized for her work in historic preservation by The National Alliance of Preservation Commissions and by Historic Fort Worth, Inc. Outside of work, she volunteers at her local YMCA. She holds a bachelor of arts degree from UA and a master of fine arts from Savannah College of Art and Design. She is an accredited member of the Congress for New Urbanism.
Ty Story
Board Member
Bio coming soon.
William Suclupe
Board Member
William Suclupe is an Army officer who received his undergraduate and graduate degrees from The University of Alabama School of Social Work. While at the Capstone, Suclupe was selected as UA’s first Pat Tillman Military Scholar and was also a Graduate Council Fellow. He launched several veterans initiatives while in various roles as president of the Campus Veterans Association and as UA’s first SGA director of veterans affairs. For exemplary leadership, Suclupe was selected as UA’s inaugural student-veteran of the year. Suclupe is an administrator in the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and oversees community-based partnerships between local higher education institutions and the local VA Medical Center. Suclupe is a member of several advisory boards at The University of Alabama and within the Tuscaloosa community. Suclupe received the Colonel Pryce Award, given to the top faculty member in support of student-veterans at The University of Alabama.
Sarah Kate Sullivan
Board Member
Birmingham native Sarah Kate Sullivan earned the BS degree magna cum laude from The University of Alabama in 2007, double-majoring in journalism and Spanish with a minor in political science. She earned a master’s degree in international political economy from the Universidad de Belgrano in Buenos Aires in 2009, while serving as a Rotary Ambassadorial Scholar from the Tuscaloosa Rotary Club. Following her time in Argentina, she spent several years working for the chancellor of The University of Alabama System, during which she managed economic development projects and strategic international initiatives. She returned to Argentina and proceeded to earn her PhD in political science with a focus on international political economy and Latin America from the Universidad Torcuato Di Tella, Buenos Aires, in 2017. At UA, she earned many of the highest honors awarded to undergraduate students, including membership in the Blackburn Institute, Capstone Men and Women, Kappa Delta, Mortar Board, The XXXI, Blue Key, Anderson Society, Omicron Delta Kappa and the University Honors College. As a senior political reporter, she wrote as many as five economic and political stories per week for The Crimson White. Since July 2018, she has served as a projects director for the United States Senate.
Matthew Tedford
Board Member
Matthew Tedford is a 2019 management information systems and finance graduate of The University of Alabama. He briefly worked in consulting after graduation. Then in 2020, he returned to his hometown of Knoxville, Tenn., to work in international commodity trading at Tedford/Tellico Inc. As export account manager, Tedford has directed over $10 million annually in international agricultural commodity sales revenue, designed a new custom-built CRM system to manage all company sales data and financial information, and spearheaded a sustainability project to power the entire corporate office with solar energy. While a student at UA, Tedford studied in London and Chile and served as president of Alpha Tau Omega and the Culverhouse Business Honors Program. He was also active in organizations such as the Women and Gender Resource Center, the Culverhouse LIFT Program, Mortar Board, Blue Key, Omicron Delta Kappa, the Jasons Men’s Honorary and the Blackburn Institute.
LaTasha T. Thomas
Board Member
A native of Dothan, Alabama, LaTasha T. Thomas is a senior trial attorney with the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of the Solicitor, where she litigates cases involving the safety and health of America’s workforce. Her litigation has resulted in millions of dollars in fines for unsafe and unlawful work practices. Thomas earned a BA in criminal justice and English from The University of Alabama in 2002. While at UA, she was a member of the Avanti Orientation Team, served as an associate justice on the Student Judiciary, was initiated into the Theta Sigma Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. and held memberships in many student organizations. In 2007, Thomas obtained the Juris Doctor from the William H. Bowen School of Law (University of Arkansas Little Rock), where she was a member of a championship moot court team, received the Dean’s Certificate of Service, served as an honor code investigator and held memberships in several student bar associations. An avid oralist, in 2018 Thomas launched The Linguistic Coach, a public speaking program developed to assist athletes with enhancing their public speaking skills and verbal branding. She is an adjunct faculty member at Nashville State Community College and a patient advocate faculty member for the Advanced Renal Education Program with Fresenius Medical Care.
Robert Turner
Board Member
Bio coming soon.
Ada Katherine van Wyhe
Board Member
Ada Katherine van Wyhe serves as Director of Government Relations for the Alabama Association of School Boards. She earned a Master of Public Administration degree from The University of Alabama in 2017 and is a Blackburn Institute fellow. Her work is driven by the vision that from the very start, all children in Alabama deserve equal access to opportunities to thrive, learn, and grow to their fullest potential. She came to Alabama as a 2012 Teach for America corps member in Lowndes County, where she taught high school English language arts and social studies. She is civically active by serving on The University of Alabama Division of Community Affairs Board of Advisors, PARCA (Public Affairs Research Council of Alabama) Roundtable, Teach for America Alumni Advisory Board, and with the Junior League of Montgomery, Magic Moments of Alabama, and the Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts. She is from Reedley, California, and holds a bachelor’s degree in history from the College of the Holy Cross.
Lita Waggoner
Board Member
Lita Waggoner began her career with the Association of County Commissions of Alabama in August 2021. She is a two-time graduate of The University of Alabama, earning a BS in public health in 2018 and a Juris Doctor degree with a certificate in governmental affairs in 2021. As an undergraduate, Waggoner was involved in the Student Government Association Senate, the Blackburn Institute, Eta Sigma Gamma health education honor society and the Girl Scout alumnae association. She was also a member of The XXXI, Mortar Board, Omicron Delta Kappa and the Carl A. Elliott Society. In law school, Waggoner served on the Alabama Law Review, the Student Bar Association Senate, the Dorbin Women’s Association, the healthcare transactions competition team and the Albert Schweitzer Fellowship of Alabama. As a Schweitzer fellow, she coordinated the Rural Health Justice Project, Legal Services Alabama’s first medical-legal partnership in the Black Belt region. She received the Order of the Samaritan, the Dean’s Community Service Award and the Student Pro Bono Award for her community service. Waggoner is also a certified health education specialist (CHES®). In addition to serving on the Community Affairs Board of Advisors, Waggoner will join the Blackburn Institute’s Advisory Board in January 2022.
Dr. Gabriel Warren
Board Member
Dr. Gabriel Warren is an assistant professor of marketing at Bemidji State University, located in northern Minnesota. In addition to his academic duties, Warren serves as a board member for the Boys and Girls Club of Bemidji. Prior to his work in higher education, he worked for numerous companies in corporate America for a dozen years. During his 12-year tenure working outside higher education, Warren filled roles is sales, marketing, sales management, retail and banking. He attended UA from 2001 until 2005, and during his time at the capstone was a student-athlete for the men’s track and field program. He earned an athletic scholarship to compete in the high jump for the Crimson Tide. Warren was a letterman each of his four years competing. Additionally, he served as the team co-captain for the men’s track team during his senior year. He has written two self-published books. His first book, “No Regrets! Living Your Life to The Fullest,” was published in 2008, and his second, “Push For The Journey,” was published in 2017. Warren has had the opportunity to speak to various groups on topics centered around pursuing purpose. He resides in Bemidji, Minnesota, with his wife and two boys.
Joshua Warren
Board Member
Joshua Warren began his professional career in the financial industry, where he handled everything from general banking to consumer lending. Through volunteer opportunities, he discovered his passion to develop youth and communities. Warren has served on the YMCA of Greater Birmingham Advisory Board. He is also involved with the Alabama Youth Sports Alliance, where he has served in various roles over the past 12 years including NCAA-certified coach, vice president and president of the organization. His current role as district executive for the Boy Scouts of America allows him to merge his professional expertise and passion. As a district executive, Warren oversees the operations for Jefferson County and surrounding areas. He prepares youth to make ethical and moral decisions for life and explore potential career paths while providing them with leadership opportunities. Joshua earned the BS in commerce and business administration from The University of Alabama. While at UA, he was a member of Pi Sigma Epsilon (charter member and served as marketing branch director), UA Student Advisory Board and UA Marketing and Sales ambassador.
Anna Waters
Board Member
Anna Waters is a 2014 and 2016 graduate of The University of Alabama, where she earned both her bachelor’s degree and her master’s degree in journalism. As an undergraduate, Waters concentrated on print layout and design, eventually serving as the visuals editor of The Crimson White from 2013–2014. As a graduate student, she focused much of her research on the credibility of news organizations in the age of social media, as well as on the history of the Machine at UA. Waters now works in communications at the O’Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, where she serves as the editor-in-chief and art director of the O’Neal Cancer Center magazine, the manager of the O’Neal Cancer Center brand and the O’Neal Cancer Center’s primary web administrator. Before joining the Cancer Center, Waters cut her teeth as a communications specialist for the UAB Department of Surgery, Department of Neurosurgery and Department of Orthopaedic Surgery; as a copy editor and designer for the Tuscaloosa News; and as a graduate program assistant for the Alabama Scholastic Press Association and the National Elementary Schools Press Association, the latter of which resides within the UA Department of Journalism and Creative Media.
Matt Zarzour
Board Member
Matt Zarzour is a 2007 consumer marketing graduate of The University of Alabama, as well as a 2011 graduate of the Manderson Graduate School of Business with an MBA in real estate finance. While at UA, he was involved with SGA, Rho Epsilon Real Estate Fraternity and the Alabama Center for Real Estate. Zarzour is currently the CEO of Zarzour Companies, a multi-disciplined real estate investment and development firm located in Mobile. He is involved in several philanthropic efforts, including the Fuse Project, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to childrens’ initiatives along Alabama’s Gulf Coast. The organization’s goal is to support tangible, realistic projects that will benefit children by promoting their health, fitness, education and social responsibility. Since its inception, Fuse Project has raised more than $1.4 million and has provided grants in support of 37 local projects ranging from existing philanthropies with specific project ideas to grassroots efforts by motivated members of the community. Zarzour is also a board member for the Innovation PortAL, a tech incubator in Mobile, and the University of Mobile Business School Advisory Board. Additionally, he serves on the board of trustees for St. Paul’s Episcopal School in Mobile.
Justin Zimmerman
Board Member
Justin Zimmerman is a 2007 initiate of the Blackburn Institute. He received a bachelor of arts in political science and philosophy in 2009, as well as a master of public administration with a concentration in organization management in 2011, both from The University of Alabama. For seven years Justin resided in Washington, D.C., where he supported the Department of Treasury Enterprise Business Solutions (EBS) team as an acquisitions consultant with Octo Consulting Group, as well as served in multiple roles with the Department of State. He currently resides in Chicago, Illinois, where he is pursuing a PhD in political science from Northwestern University.
Andrew Zow
Board Member
Andrew Zow is the head football coach at Sylacauga High School. Prior to joining Sylacauga, he served as the head football coach at Bessemer High School, as head football coach and associate athletic director at Calera High School, and as head football coach at Montevallo High School. Additionally, he is president of Andrew Zow & Associates, Inc., a corporation that associates itself with manufacturers and suppliers in the utility and automotive industries. A native of Lake Butler, Florida, Zow was a standout athlete at Union County High School, where he received varsity letters in football, basketball and track, and where he won three state titles. He continued his athletic legacy at UA, earning his BS degree in sports fitness management from The University of Alabama in 2001. He lettered for four years as a quarterback for the Crimson Tide football team and was named an Academic All-SEC student-athlete. His company was awarded the Chairman’s Partnership Award in September 2003 from the U.S. Department of Commerce/MBDA in Birmingham, as well as the 2009 MRO Supplier of the Year award, presented by Honda Manufacturing of Alabama. Zow was named Class 4A Coach of the Year in 2015. He and his wife, Amebriss, have three sons: AJ, Avry and Ashton.