DR. HILLIARD LACKEY – BOARD CHAIR

From the Jackson State University website: Hilliard L. Lackey serves as Visiting Professor of Urban Higher Education for the Jackson State University (JSU) Executive Ph.D. Program. He earned degrees (B.A., History and Political Science, MS.Ed. in Educational Administration and Supervision, and the Ed.S. in Educational Administration) from Jackson State University and the Ph.D. in Higher Education administration from University of Mississippi. He has been an administrator/professor at JSU including; Director of Alumni Affairs, Director of Development and Alumni Affairs, Special Assistant to the Executive Vice President. He has also served as Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and Director of Enrollment Management at LeMoyne-Owen (Memphis, TN). Dr. Lackey is a 2008 inductee into the National Black College Alumni Hall of Fame, 2003 Thurgood Marshall Scholarship Fund HBCU Alumnus of the Year, 1997 NAFEO Distinguished alumni Award honoree, and in 2004the McCormick Freedom Museum of Chicago placed his quote on a monument. He was a Fulbright Fellow to North Africa (the Maghreb) and is an authority on the Historical Geography of the Mississippi Delta.

DR. AMANDA RICE – VICE CHAIR

Dr. Rice is originally from Jackson, MS but relocated to Madison County during middle school and graduated 10th out of 256 from Madison Central High School in 1997. She completed her undergraduate degree at Mississippi College and medical school at University of Kansas Medical Center. Due to her southern roots and a spiritual calling to return home, she returned to Mississippi to complete her family medicine residency at University of Mississippi Medical Center and continue serving patients in our community. She is currently a member of American Family of Physicians, MS Board of Family Physicians, and American Board of Family Medicine.  She also serves as preceptor for medical students, nurse practitioner students and physician assistants.  In her community, she is an active member of her church where she serves as part time pianist, choir member, and coordinator for preteen and teenager community mentor groups who participate in community projects, academic assistance, and sports. Dr. Rice also enjoys spending time with her family. She is a wife and proud mother of three.

ELIZABETH DODSON – TREASURER

Elizabeth holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Economics from Millsaps College and a Master of Arts in International Economics and Finance.  In addition to serving as a board member for Aunt Joyce’s Kids, she serves as President of the Central Mississippi Phi Mu Alumnae Chapter.

DR. RONALD E. WALKER

SHARON F. MOULDER

I have lived in the Jackson Metro Area for 9 years.  I have been in the Accounting Industry for 33 years, most of that career working in CPA firms.  I have been with Lightheart Sanders for 5 ½ years, managing the Bookkeeping & Consulting Department.

My husband and I have 4 grandchildren, 2 dogs and 3 grown children.  We live outside Canton in the country.  We love fishing, swimming, gardening and making memories with our grandchildren.

Since moving to this area, I have been involved with the Madison County Chamber of Commerce.  I was on the Board of Directors for 6 years, 1 year as president and the other 5 as Treasurer.  I presently serve on the Board of Directors for MadCAAP (Madison Countians Allied Against Poverty), serving as Treasurer.  I have served on fund raising committees for both of these non-profits.

I am a member of the Madison/Ridgeland Rotary Club and have served on several Committees.

I am Secretary/Treasurer for my BNI networking group.

I am a graduate of Leadership Madison County class of 2009.

I was selected by the Mississippi Business Journal as one of MS 50 Leading Business Women for 2012.

PERCY DAVIS – DIRECTOR

Percy Davis is the oldest of five children, born in Tunica Ms. Mr. Davis attended Dundee Elementary School and graduated with honors from Rosa Fort High School in the spring of 1976. He entered Jackson State University that fall, majoring in Mass Communication, concentrating in Radio and Television Broadcasting. Mr. Davis served as President of both his junior and senior class, and helped organize fundraisers for sickle cell research. He was also selected as the “WJSU-FM Announcer of the Year” in 1980, and conducted workshops where he taught other students to operate the campus radio station. He is married to former Janet L. Austin, also of Tunica, MS. They now reside in Jackson,MS and have two children- Parkiska and Austin. Mr. Davis is active with “Men on a Mission” at St Luther M.B. Church. He is a member of Sollie B. Lodge #699 and worked for over 35 years on WKXI And WOAD. In 2000, he was named the  R&B “DJ of the Year”. In November 2000, Mr. Davis assumed the role of Program Director for WOAD-AM and later had the same duties at POWER 105.9 WOAD-FM. Under his direction, the station won a Stellar Award in 2009, with Mr. Davis, individually, being nominated in several categories for a Stellar Award.  He can now be heard mornings across central Mississippi on Gospel 1300AM. He was also named the 2002 “Gospel Announcer of the Year”, and received a Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2005 MLK Awards Dinner. Mr. Davis was the 2006 winner of the New Horizon Church Community Servant Award. In 2013 Percy was honored with another Announcer of the Year Award and the Frank Williams Memorial Award. He was honored by the City of Jackson, and is an honorary member of The Mississippi Mass Choir. In his long list of accolades, he has also served as a preliminary judge for the 2014 season the hit show on BET, “Sunday’s Best.”  His philosophy is to approach each day as an opportunity to learn something new and take advantage of it.

DR. JAEGOO LEE – DIRECTOR

Dr. Jaegoo Lee is an Assistant Professor in the School of Social Work Program at Jackson State University. She earned her MSW from the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities in 2007 and her Ph.D. in Social Work from the University of Georgia in 2012. Prior to assuming the faculty position at Jackson State, Lee served as an adjunct in the Department of Human Services and Social Work at Kennesaw State University where she taught social welfare policy and macro practice courses. Lee has engaged in international and domestic transracial adoption research which resulted in several publications. Her research areas include transracial adoption parenting and its relationship to minority children’s identify formation, health disparities, alcohol and substance use among African American children, and mental health/health issues among the minority population. In addition, Lee is interested in quantitative research and scale development. She is currently working on grant proposals, book chapters, and a number of articles.

AMILE WILSON – DIRECTOR

Amile Wilson is a local photographer, filmmaker, political media consultant and philosopher. Current positions include political commentator at WJSU TV 23, editor-in-chief at Mississippi Aesthetic and owner/executive producer at Hapax Creative.

CHARISSA AMOS, MBA, ABD – DIRECTOR

Charissa Amos serves as an adjunct Professor at the Jackson Campus of Strayer University in Jackson, Mississippi. She has taught Introduction to Business, Principles of Marketing, and e- Marketing, Principles of Finance, Management Concepts, and Financial Management. She also brings with her knowledge and experience from owning and managing her own business for over 14 years.

Mrs. Amos received her Bachelors of Business Administration with a concentration in Finance from Delta State University, Cleveland, MS and her Masters of Business Administration with a concentration in Marketing from Strayer University. While at Strayer University, She maintained High Honors from June 2009 – August 2011. She is presently pursuing her doctoral degree from Capella University in Business and Technology with a specialization in Finance where she has maintained the President’s List at Capella University every quarter.

Mrs. Amos’ teaching philosophy has its basis in scripture – Matthew 5:16 “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” In her teaching, she encourages students to take risk by going the extra mile to accomplish a task. She brings out the talent that is embedded in her students and shows them how a seemingly complicated task can be reduced and made simple through critical analysis. In her role as a professor, she strives to do the very best on a daily basis, inspiring and encouraging students to strive for success. To her, education is a lifelong process.

Mrs. Amos is a lifetime member of the Alpha Chi National College Honor Scholarship Society and an active member of the Church Triumphant Global Church. She is married to Elder Robert Amos and has three beautiful children: Antwon, Asja, and Ryan.

STEPHANIE ESCO, RN – DIRECTOR

Stephanie Esco is the wife of Mr. Leon Esco and the mother of four children: Lundyn, Solomon, Hezekiah and Caleb.  She has been a registered nurse for 12 years and has been showing love and compassion to women who find themselves in crisis pregnancies for 12 years also. Mrs. Esco, recently received her Master’s degree in nursing from Walden University. She loves serving others,  writing and educating. She says, “Live for God, Love others and Laugh while doing it!”

BETH AUTREY – DIRECTOR

Beth Autrey is the Director of Planned Giving at Millsaps College. Before joining Millsaps, Autrey worked as planned giving director for the Alabama, Louisiana, and Mississippi Division of the Salvation Army from 1999 to 2013. She was associate planned giving director for the Salvation Army in Alabama from 1990 until 1999. A Certified Fund Raising executive, Autrey earned a bachelor of arts from Ursinus College in Collegeville, Pennsylvania. She is a board member and former president of the Broadmeadow Neighborhood Association and is active at Broadmeadow United Methodist Church and in the Fondren neighborhood.

PASTOR BARRON BANKS – DIRECTOR

Pastor Barron Banks, M.Div has been a senior and youth pastor across the U.S. Southern region for over forty years. He has not only served in the capacities as a clinic coordinator, academic instructor, guidance counselor and election commissioner, but he has also served on Jackson, Mississippi’s transition team for the Department of Human and Cultural services, Jackson Police Department’s Board of Chaplains, and several organizations as a board of directors. He is currently a visiting assistant professor of philosophy at Jackson State University. He also serves as the national chaplain of the Jackson State University Alumni Association, Inc. He is married to a public school teacher, Patricia A. Bolden-Banks, and has three sons- Aaron, Joseph and Lamarcus.

DONNA PAYNE

Donna Payne attended Jackson State University and received a Bachelor of Science degree in social services.  After graduating, she worked with the Mississippi State Department of Health in Jackson, Mississippi.  Currently, she is one of four division directors at the Division of Medicaid Regional Office in Jackson.

Donna is married to Toney, and together they have three children.  Donna’s desire is to see parents and the children with illnesses “made whole” and to do all the things they desire to do.

JANICE JACKSON

GLADYS OVERTON – DIRECTOR

Gladys Overton is the mother of three and the wife of Andrew Overton Sr. She graduated from Jackson State University with a degree in biology. Gladys is very involved with the community, and most of her outreach is done through Voice of Calvary Fellowship Church, where she is the administrator. She has always been involved in the special education programs in Mississippi. She has also volunteered at Merit Health Central Hospital for several months. Gladys has a special needs child and experiences what is needed for care on a daily basis. Gladys has a vested interest in this program. She would like to be involved with the Aunt Joyce’s Kids board to share her ideas, to share her contacts and to see the program succeed.

GWENDOLYN HARDIN

Gwen Hardin lives in Brandon, Mississippi, and has been married to her husband, Jeff, for eighteen years.  Together they have four children: Taylor, 22, Scott, 21, Peyton, 17, and Brittany 15.  Mrs. Hardin is a graduate of Jackson State University, receiving a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Health Care Administration in May 2014.  Mrs. Hardin plans to return to school in the near future to earn a Master’s degree in Public Health. She currently works for Family Health Care Clinic, Inc. in the finance department. Mrs. Hardin is a member of Meadow Grove Baptist Church, where she is active on several committees and in the adult choir.

DAMIAN D. THOMAS

Mr. Thomas is Division Director of Alternative Education, GED and Juvenile Detention Centers at the Mississippi Department of Education in the Office of Compulsory School Attendance Enforcement. Mr. Thomas directs, organizes, plans, and provides technical assistance for the alternative education program, GED and juvenile detention centers throughout the state, in areas of instruction, curriculum and self-assessment and evaluation.

SHAUGHNESSY PAGE