A native of Atlanta, Georgia, Norma Joy Barnes graduated from Boggs Academy (Keysville, Georgia) and received her Bachelor of Arts Degree in Sociology and Psychology from Clark College, Atlanta, Georgia. Her graduate studies include Georgia State University (Sociology) and Atlanta School of Law.

Barnes has worked as a caseworker with Economic Opportunity Atlanta, a casework supervisor with the Christian Council of Metropolitan Atlanta, and as an Equal Opportunity Specialist, Investigator and Mediator for the United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. She retired from the EEOC on August 2, 2008, with thirty-four years of service.

During the past thirty years, Barnes has also worked as a volunteer coordinator with mentally challenged children, at-risk youth, teenagers, and disadvantaged women.  As a result of her volunteer service to former U.S. Job Corps members, she was awarded the Regional and National Volunteer of the Year Awards by Joint Action in Community Service.

Barnes founded the Youth Ventures Program for teenagers in the metropolitan Atlanta area in 1985, and co-founded Villages International, Inc. in 2000.  In April 2008, Barnes founded the Community Council of Metropolitan Atlanta and the Priority Male Initiative.

William Ollie Ligon (Ollie) is the Legislative Officer with Fulton County, where he manages intergovernmental affairs.  .He served as the Recruitment and Training Manager with Fulton County Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) from 2007-2011. He began volunteering with CASA in 2003 and joined the staff in 2007. CASA trains volunteers to advocate for the best interests of children in foster care.

Ollie is a native of Decatur, Illinois.. He is a graduate of Northern Illinois University (B.A.) and Harvard Law School (J.D.) He practiced law with a major law firm and  retired from Amoco Corporation where he initially practiced labor and employment law, and subsequently managed environmental issues associated with the manufacture, use and disposal of the company’s plastics products.

Marisa H. Pitts holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from Virginia State University in Petersburg, VA. She began doing volunteer work with CCMA in 2010 as Grant Development/Fund Raising Coordinator and became Board Secretary, Capital Development Liaison in January, 2011.

Pitts has over 25 years in fund raising experience through various employers. Born & raised in Passaic, NJ, she has been in Atlanta for twenty-eight years, is married and has two children in college.

Reginald E. Arnold is employed as a Criminal Defense Investigator with the Atlanta Judicial Circuit Public Defender’s Office and has worked with the agency since 1998. Reginald was honored by his employer as the 1999 Employee of the Year. He is a 1991 graduate of Georgia State University with a Bachelors degree in Criminal Justice. In addition to his Criminal Justice degree, Reginald has received extensive training in forensic science and crime scene investigation from the Atlanta Police Department, where he worked as a Crime Scene Technician for eleven years before joining the Atlanta Judicial Circuit Public Defender’s Office.

Reginald’s diverse background in criminal justice has highlighted the need for human services to assist at-risk Black males who have been caught up in the criminal justice system, with limited resources for overcoming the odds of incarceration, unemployment, and other socio-economic factors.

 

Rev. Paul H. Easley graduated from West Virginia State College and Gammon Theological Seminary School of Theology, DMin, Clinical Pastoral Education in Psychology and Counseling Member of the United Methodist Church, West Virginia Conference. His diversified background includes military, theological, social service, civic and volunteer experience.

Rev Easley served as Executive Secretary of the Branch YMCA, Charleston, West Virginia; Counselor of the Bethlehem Youth Center, Atlanta, Georgia; Migrant Minister for Virginia Council of Churches; Boy Scouts of America; Program Leader for Branch Gray-Y programs, Atlanta, Georgia; Drug/Alcohol Counselor Facilitator at Christian Counseling Center, Kansas City, Missouri; and as Chaplain at Clark Atlanta University, Atlanta, Georgia (1980- 2001).

In addition to his civilian background, Rev. Easley served over twenty-three years as military Chaplain and retired as Full Colonel. He was appointed first Afro-American as “Colonel” of the Regiment of the United States Army Chaplain Corps. Rev. Easley was P.T.S.A. past president of Therrell High School, Atlanta, Georgia. He is a member of CRT of Georgia Tech; Churches Home Foundation, Atlanta, Georgia; Youth Hope Builders Academy; and Fulton Leadership Academy.

Emily Morrow, a native of Atlanta, Georgia, received her Bachelor of Arts Degree from Clark College in Atlanta, Georgia. After relocating to California, she received a Masters Degree in Human Relations and Organization Behavior, and a Juris Doctorate Degree from the University of San Francisco.

She was employed by American Airlines for thirty-five years in various positions, including Recruiter and Manager of Flight Services. During her tenure with American Airlines she received the Jonathan Livingston Seagull award as Outstanding Supervisor for American Airlines. Morrow retired from American Airlines in 1995, with thirty five years of service. An active volunteer,

Morrow has received accommodations for volunteer work with Junior Achievement, Stay In School Program, Democratic Convention California, 1984, AirCal-American Airlines Merger, Court Cases Northern California 1988-1995. Morrow holds a lifetime membership in the National Council of Negro Women. She is an active member of the Clark Atlanta University National Alumni Association, the Clark Atlanta University (CAU) Guild, AARP #3792 group, the Highview Road Neighborhood Association, the NAACP and the Booker T. Washington Alumni Association. She is also a supporter of the National Urban League and The United Negro College Fund.

Shawn Crenshaw, a native of Inkster, Michigan, completed his high school education at Brainerd High School in Chattanooga, Tennessee.  He graduated from  Cornell University in 1991 with a Bachelor of Science in Hotel Administration; and also holds a MBA and a Juris Doctorate from the University of Tennessee.

Crenshaw is experienced and imminently qualified in the specialized field of hospitality administration. In his current position as Director of Human Resources of Jackmont Hospitality, Inc. (Atlanta, GA), he brings twenty years of experience to the team.  Crenshaw has worked as executive steward with the Grand Hyatt Hotel in New York City in 1991, assistant manager at Houston’s Restaurants in 1994 and at the Hyatt Regency Atlanta in 2004 where he served as manager of food and beverage outlets generating over $5 million in combined income.

Crenshaw first worked with Jackmont Hospitality in 1996 on the management team opening their first T.G.I. Friday’s restaurant at Hartsfield Jackson Airport and returned in 2006 as the General Manager of TGI Friday’s restaurant on Camp Creek Parkway. He now serves as Director of Human Resources at the corporate office.

There are four principles that guide Shawn Crenshaw’s life— learn as much as you can, do as much of you can, share with others as much as you can, and inspire others as much as you can. When it comes to his business philosophy, he believes that one should first and foremost love what you do and success will follow.  He is a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity.

John C. Holley was born in Virginia Beach, Virginia but was raised in Windsor, North Carolina.  He graduated from W.S Etheridge High School in Windsor, North Carolina and attended North Carolina A&T State University, Greensboro, North Carolina, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Chemistry in 1961.  He is a graduate of the United States Army Command and General Staff College, the United States Air Force War College and holds a Master of Arts Degree from American University in Washington, D.C.

His career as an Army Officer saw him in a myriad of assignments in Executive Management, Personnel Management, Organization Assessment and Operation and Training,  spanning a period of 30 years. John Holley retired from active duty in June 1991 as a Colonel at Ft Gillem, Georgia.

In January 1992, he became the President of the Maynard Jackson Youth Foundation, a teaching foundation for youth. He retired from this position in October 2010. In addition, he is actively involved in numerous civic and non-profit organizations in his community. Included in this group are Kiwanis International, Boy Scouts of America, The Association of the United States Army, North Carolina A&T University Alumni Association, Member of the Sacred Praise United Methodist Church, 100 Black Men of America, and the 2099 Investment Club.

Eric Morton is a native of Albany Georgia. After attending Georgia Southwestern College in Americus, Georgia and a four year tour in the US Army, he moved to Atlanta, and began to direct and produce film by receiving his producer’s certificate at People T.V. channel 12 in 1988. 

Morton’s professional background is producing in film & video. His experience started in 1988 and continues to the present day. This opportunity has allowed him to oversee a number of projects; especially (audio and video) of different sizes. These projects ranged from 2 to 35+ people.  He is a public speaker and his topics have included: going green, execution, business, film/video, leadership, and warehouse safety, to name a few.

Morton’s community commitment includes President of the Home Owners Association of Valley Lakes Union City; Community Relations Board president for Fulton County; “Dads On Duty” leader; mentor and life skills coach; logistics coordinator and speaker for the Community Council of Metropolitan Atlanta.  He has also received the community champion award for his work against the D.O.C.  These experiences have allowed him to fight for the empowerment of his neighbors and community.

Angela Harrington Rice is Senior Executive Producer with Atlanta Interfaith Broadcasters (AIB), a regional cable television network, and is responsible for conceptualizing, developing and creating content for this 40 year old organization that celebrates the diversity of Atlanta’s faith communities.  During her tenure at AIB, she has been at the forefront of bringing much needed attention to developing relationships cross culturally and in 2008 she received the coveted Emmy award for producing World Pilgrims: A Sacred Journey to Turkey.  Angela is also the host of the award winning program “A Woman’s Place,” Atlanta’s longest running women's television show.

Angela is currently a doctoral student at New York Theological Seminary having earned both a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications and a Masters degree in African and African American Studies from Clark Atlanta University. A ministerial graduate of The Barbara King School of Ministry, she serves as Senior Associate Minister for Hillside International Truth Center and as Academic Dean of The Barbara King School of Ministry.  She has been inducted in the Martin Luther King Jr. International Chapel Board of Preachers.

Angela was recently honored by the Atlanta Business League and Women’s Economic Development Agency as a woman of influence.  She is the Founder and President of Radiant Vision Communications and speaks throughout the country and internationally to businesses, churches, community organizations, educational institutions and women’s group.

Justin Triplett is the Director of Finance & Logistics for MBC Concessions, Inc.  As Director, he is responsible for the financial strategy and administrative management of the company.  Justin served as the Opening Operations Manager for the company’s first out of state location in Cleveland, Ohio.  Having several years of operational experience in airports, Justin has been a key factor behind MBC Concessions’ growth as an emerging leader in airport concessions.

Justin is a member of Zion Hill Baptist Church where he participates in the Church Outreach Ministry and Entrepreneurship Ministry.  He is also actively involved in several industry specific organizations such as the Airport Minority Advisory Council, Airport Revenue News, Entrepreneur Advisors, and the National and Georgia Restaurant Associations.

Justin holds dual Bachelor’s degrees in International Business and Economics from the University of Nevada, Reno.  He is currently a Master in Finance Candidate at the Robinson School of Business at Georgia State University.