Speakers

Dr. Pernessa C. Seele, Founder and CEO of The Balm In Gilead, Inc., a not-for-profit organization, is a phenomenal trailblazer. Dr. Seele is celebrating over 30 years of providing vision and leadership in areas of technical support to strengthen the capacity of faith institutions in the United States and Africa to eradicate health disparities by promoting health education and services within their local communities.

Born in the heart of the south, this Lincolnville native always shares a special love for South Carolina. Dr. Seele received her Bachelor of Science degree and Master of Science from Clark Atlanta University in 1976 & 1979, respectively, later received her Doctor of Humane Letters from the College of New Rochelle, NY, in 2007.

As a pioneer and community activist, Dr. Seele is known for her work in forging public health and faith-based partnerships for engaging individuals in health promotion and disease prevention interventions. Time Magazine 100 named Dr. Seele One of the Most Influential Persons in the World in 2006; Essence Magazine, in its 35th Anniversary issue, named Dr. P one of the 35 Most Beautiful and Remarkable Women In The World. Clark Atlanta University honored Dr. Seele with the 2008 Pathway of Excellence Award, citing her as one of its most outstanding graduates of all time. In May 2010, Dr. Seele was selected as one of the 21 Leaders of the 21st Century of Women E-News in New York City.

In October 2017, His Eminence, Timothy Michael Cardinal Dolan, Archbishop of New York, bestowed the Pierre Toussaint Medallion upon Dr. Seele.

Dr. Seele published her first book, Stand Up to Stigma! How to Reject Fear & Shame, in 2017, and is an honorary member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.

Dr. Barbara Louise Shaw is the Immediate Past International President of The Women’s Home and Overseas Missionary Society of The African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church. A product of four generations in the A.M.E. Zion Church, born in Wilmington, North Carolina, Barbara L. Shaw was spiritually developed and reared in the Pennsylvania Avenue A.M.E. Zion Church (Baltimore, Maryland) where she served in many positions. She was consecrated a Deaconess in 1993. She is a dedicated mother and grandmother who understands and values the importance of family. Dr. Shaw was educated in the public schools in Baltimore; Morgan State University; and graduate studies at The Johns Hopkins University, School of Writing. Professionally, she has served as a teacher in the Baltimore City Public School System; Associate Producer at Maryland Public Television; and a Chief Administrator with the State of Maryland Department of Public Safety. In October, 1997, she retired after 30 years of service in the state of Maryland. In August 2003, Dr. Shaw was elected the 16th General President of the Women's Home and Overseas Missionary Society of the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church. In this position, she presided over 800,000+ women on five continents. In August of 2007, she was re-elected as General President and retired in July 2011. She is the recipient of numerous awards and honors including the Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters from Hood-Speaks Theological Seminary of the University of Calabar, Nigeria, West Africa, June 2005. In February 2006, she received an Honorary Doctorate from Livingstone College, Salisbury, North Carolina.

Pamela D. Price currently serves as the Deputy Director for The Balm In Gilead, managing the various health initiatives of the organization. Under her leadership, the organization provides support to faith institutions in areas of program design, implementation, and evaluation, which strengthen their capacity to deliver programs and services that contribute to the elimination of health disparities. In addition to her role as Deputy Director, she also serves as the Director for The National Brain Health Center for African-Americans.

As the Center’s director, she co-developed a six-part educational curriculum for nurses and allied healthcare professionals aimed at addressing knowledge gaps related to Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias affecting African Americans. She also co-authored and facilitates an accredited training for healthcare providers and clinicians, aimed at increasing cultural competencies related to the screening, diagnosis, and treatment of dementia in African Americans among providers.

Mrs. Price holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Public Health and has more than 20 years of experience in public health, epidemiology, and healthcare. She has served as a member of the U.S. Army Nurse Corp and excelled in both government and non-governmental agencies, providing leadership and guidance on program management, quality improvement, and project development. Mrs. Price has conducted hundreds of training sessions across the country with various nursing associations, healthcare organizations, and conferences.

Cary L. Goodman, a native of Richmond, VA, has a sincere passion to empower faith communities to operate at their fullest capacity in areas of health promotion, advocacy programs, outreach, and development. For over 16 years, he has been dedicated to establishing and expanding health programs across the United States by building the capacity to address health disparities that greatly impact congregations and the communities they serve by strategically leveraging faith-based and community partnerships to impact sustainability.  

Currently, Cary is a Program & Strategic Development Consultant for The Balm In Gilead, Inc., where he works diligently at the intersection of faith and public health nationally to address the burden of various diseases that impact African American communities. A highly skilled strategist and national speaker adept at leading relationship building and engagement opportunities, he has forged various faith-based and public health community partnerships and coalitions. With a sincere passion to empower black men, Cary founded Black Men’s Wholeness, an initiative designed to engage black men in conversations focused on areas that reassure wholeness, such as trauma, emotional and mental health, and fatherlessness.  

An ordained minister, Cary deems himself a “connector” where he focuses on the significance of outreach and engagement, establishing coalitions, collaborating, and relationship building in order to increase accessibility and sustainability to strengthen congregations and communities.

Called to empower people through transformative preaching, teaching, and community organizing, Willie Dwayne Francois III is the Senior Pastor of Fountain Baptist Church in Summit, NJ and President of the Black Church Center for Justice and Equality. He is a 2009 Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Morehouse College with a Bachelor of Arts in History and Religion, named the ranking scholar in both departments. While at Morehouse, he was named the 2009 Martin Luther King Jr. Scholar. Francois received the Master of Divinity from Harvard University’s Divinity School, where he received the Hopkins Shareholders Award—the school’s highest academic recognition—and served as the class of 2012 commencement speaker. In 2020, Francois earned the Doctor of Ministry degree from Emory University, where his research met at the intersection of antiracism, theology and anti-incarceration policy advocacy.

From 2015-2023, Francois served as the Senior Pastor of Mount Zion Baptist Church of Pleasantville, NJ—one of the fastest growing churches in the county. He is the founding President of Be Whole Community Development Corporation, which offers completely free community programming in the areas of mental health, the arts, financial literacy, and youth civic engagement.  From 2013 to 2015, Francois served as the Associate Pastor of First Corinthian Baptist Church (FCBC) in Harlem, New York, where Pastor Michael A. Walrond, Jr. is the pastor. Prior to joining the FCBC team, he served as the Minister of Christian Education and Discipleship at Wheeler Avenue Baptist Church in Houston, Texas, under his pastor, Rev. Dr. Marcus D. Cosby. Francois was licensed and ordained at the First Union Baptist Church of Galveston, Texas.

Francois lives at the intersection of the life of the spirit and the life of the mind. His most recent book published by Brazos Press in August 2022, Silencing White Noise: Six Practices to Overcome our Inaction on Race, draws on said work as a community organizer and antiracism educator. His upcoming book tentatively entitled Outing Blue Privilege: A Call for Public Love when Public Safety is Not Enough is under contract with Oris Books. He is the co-author of Christian Minister’s Manual: For the Pulpit and the Public Square for All Denomination—the most progressive and comprehensive clergy resource and the first interdenominational manual written for Black clergy in 56 years. He has written for The Huffington Post, Religion Dispatches, Civil Eats, The Hill and The Christian Century concerning a range of matters pivoting around race, class, and religion in America. In 2017, Francois was inducted into the Martin Luther King, Jr. Board of Preachers at Morehouse College.

Francois gives oversight to the Master of Professional Studies Program, which operates at Sing Sing and Bedford Hills Correctional Facilities, and is Associate Professor of Liberation Theology at New York Theological Seminary. He also serves as a visiting professor at Memphis Theological Seminary. Likewise, he held adjunct positions in the African American Studies program at the University of Houston and at Samuel DeWitt Proctor School of Theology at Virginia Union University respectively. In addition to publishing various articles and sermons, Francois previously served as a member of the Young Preachers’ Leadership Team of the Academy of Preachers, the director of the Young Ministers’ Corner of the African American Lectionary, and a Civil Rights Scholar for the imaging of the King Paper collection through the Martin Luther King Jr. Center for Nonviolent Social Change (in Atlanta).

Bishop Horace E. Smith is a man gifted with a passion for God's Word coupled with a love for God's people. He has a contagious spirit of generosity that overflows in every facet of his life. As pastor of the Apostolic Faith Church and an attending physician specializing in Pediatric Hematology/Oncology at Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago (formerly Children’s Memorial Hospital), Dr. Horace E. Smith has treated bodies and souls for three decades. Bishop Horace E. Smith was born and raised on the south side of Chicago, Illinois. Bishop Smith graduated as an honor student from Lindblom High School and went on to obtain a Bachelor of Science Degree (with honors) from Chicago State University, and M.D. from the University of Illinois Medical Center.

Coming soon!

Judy Fentress-Williams is in bi-vocational ministry in Alexandria, VA as the Dodge Professor of Biblical Interpretation at Virginia Theological Seminary, and the Scholar in Residence at the Alfred Street Baptist Church.

Dr. Fentress-Williams received her Ph.D. in Hebrew Bible from Yale University in 1999. She earned her M.Div. from Yale Divinity School in 1990, and her A.B. in English from Princeton University in 1984 with certificates in African-American Studies and American Studies.

Prior to her appointment at Virginia Theological Seminary in 2002, she was a member of the faculty at Hartford Seminary as a Professor of Hebrew Bible. There, she was also the director of the Black Ministries Program, a certificate program designed to meet the needs of African-American clergy and laity in the greater Hartford area. Today, the Rev. Dr. Fentress-Williams lives at the intersection of the church and the academy. In addition to her tenured teaching position at Virginia Theological Seminary, she works with the Christian Life Institute, Ministers in Training programs and teaches Bible Study at the historic Alfred Street Baptist Church. There, she plays a vital role in the development of the church’s own Sunday School curriculum.

A recipient of the Distinguished Alumni Award for Excellence in Theological Education from Yale Divinity School, she is a member of the Society for Biblical Literature, and serves on the Advisory Board for Religious Life at Princeton University.

Judy is married to Kevin Williams, M.D., and they are the proud parents of Samantha and Jacob.

Dr. Irene O. Aninye is the Chief Science Officer for the Society for Women’s Health Research, a national nonprofit dedicated to advancing women’s health through science, policy, and education. Aninye steers SWHR’s portfolio of scientific programs to increase awareness and investment in research on biological sex differences and health conditions that disproportionately or uniquely affect women. She convenes expert working groups and meetings to identify strategies that address persistent gaps in women’s health care and research, translating recommendations into science-based and patient-centered policy solutions. Dr. Aninye has led the development of white papers, health care roadmaps, patient toolkits, clinical education materials, and calls to action for women’s cardiovascular health, autoimmune diseases, menopause, Alzheimer’s disease, HPV, and endometriosis, among other areas. Prior to SWHR, Aninye worked at the American Association for the Advancement of Science, specializing in research capacity building and evaluating STEM research and training programs for universities and funding agencies. With a PhD in Molecular and Integrative Physiology from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Dr. Aninye’s research background is in endocrinology and metabolism – investigating sex steroid hormones and their receptor-mediated actions in development, reproduction, and disease. She has a passion to diversify the face of STEM and involvement of underrepresented groups in the sciences, providing scientific and leadership training across all career stages and serving on advisory boards for the National Institutes of Health, American Cancer Society, National Health Council, and World Economic Forum’s Global Alliance for Women’s Health.

Dr. Oscar Williams Jr., an accomplished musician, composer, educator, author, and artist, has enjoyed an extensive career with both domestic and international impact.

Born in St. Louis, MO to the late Oscar Williams, Sr. and Jacquelyn (Blair) Williams, Oscar began serving in his local church, Bethel Temple Church of Christ Holiness, as the youth pianist, and there his love for music and ministry began. Oscar preached his trial sermon and was licensed at the Rhema Baptist Church in St. Louis, MO, in 2004. After attending the Potter’s House School of Ministry, Dr. Williams was ordained an Elder in 2016 at the Higher Ground Always Abounding Assemblies, Inc., and in 2022 was ordained as an Associate Pastor at the Potter’s House church. Dr. Williams has had the privilege to serve in musical leadership with several denominations and organizations including: The National Baptist Convention, The National Convention of Gospel Choirs and Choruses, The Gospel Music Workshop of America, Church of God in Christ National Body, The National Association of Negro Musicians, The Hampton Choir and Organist Guild, The Betsy Stockton Department at Princeton University and many more.

As a composer, Dr. Williams has been privileged to release music and travel internationally as an award-winning Gospel Artist. To date, he has had three chart-topping releases and has composed and produced for Gospel greats such as Bishop TD Jakes, Tamela Mann, Karen Clark-Sheard, Smokie Norful, The Mississippi Mass Choir, and many others. His high-profile international performances include: The Vatican Christmas Celebration for Pope John Paul II; Vocal conductor for international pop-star Elisa; and European tours in the Czech Republic, Austria, Switzerland, Germany, Italy, and France. In 2010, Oscar was selected to serve as a U.S. Cultural Ambassador by the U.S. State Department. His work includes traveling extensively to foreign countries and collaborating with U.S. Embassies for concerts, master classes, and lectures on the importance of American Music art forms, specifically music from the African American perspective.

Oscar holds a Bachelor of Arts in Music with an emphasis in Piano Performance from the University of Missouri – St. Louis; a Master of Music in Music Composition from Southern Methodist University in Dallas, TX; and a Doctorate degree in Educational Leadership and Management with an emphasis in Charter School Administration from Dallas Baptist University. Previously, he served as the Executive Director of Music and Fine Arts for the Potter’s House Church and T.D. Jakes Ministries and currently serves as the Associate Pastor of Music and Performing Arts at the Potter's House Church; Dean of Worship at Jakes Divinity School in Dallas, Texas; an adjunct professor at The Trevecca Nazarene University in Nashville, TN and is the founder and CEO of Speak Life, LLC – a music and art content provider and Speak Life Academy of Arts and Music, Inc. – a 501(c)3 non-profit organization that specializes in STEAM curriculum and performing art guides.

David P. Pryor, M.D., M.P.H. is a Board-Certified Internal Medicine physician with nearly 30 years of experience as a practicing physician and as an executive in the health insurance industry. He is currently the Chief Medical Officer for Anthem in California and has previously served as the Corporate Medical Director for Comcast/NBCUniversal. He is also the founder of BlackWomensHealth.com

A native of California, Dr. Pryor received a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology from Stanford University and completed his medical degree at the University of California, San Diego. He also has a Master’s in Public Health (MPH) degree from the University of California, Berkeley.

Born in Los Angeles, California, but raised in El Paso, Texas, Emcee N.I.C.E. has been a visionary in the music realm with a diverse portfolio of achievements that spans over three decades. He has etched his name in history time and time again with more than 20 (#1) chart-topping hits across multiple platforms, including both the Billboard and iTunes Charts, as well as the radio BDS charts, and over 15 million in sales in music and film. He has had distinguished awards recognition and is an accomplished Author, Actor, Entrepreneur, Philanthropist, Humanitarian, and Gospel Hip-Hop/Christian Hip-Hop Hall of Famer. He is one of only seven gospel rap artists to have a #1 album on the Billboard Top Gospel albums (3 weeks) and Billboard Gospel Digital Song Sales. He has been very instrumental in elevating Gospel Hip-Hop and Christian Hip-Hop to mainstream recognition. His impact spans across music, radio, and media, reshaping the way faith-based hip-hop is consumed and respected worldwide. Emcee N.I.C.E. built an infrastructure for CHH and Gospel Hip-Hop artists, creating a global platform for faith-based music in radio and revolutionizing the Genre with a legacy that transcends music. His journey as a professional recording artist commenced in 1994, signed to Mercury Records as “Novelist” with Lighter Shade of Brown, where he, alongside LSOB, became the first Latin Rap Group in history to launch onto the Billboard Top 200, Hot 100, R&B Top 50, and Rap Top 50 charts, putting out a Greatest Hits Album in 1998. In 2001, following the tragic loss of 2Pac, Emcee N.I.C.E., then known as Novelist from the group KansasCali, was tapped to produce tracks for 2Pac's posthumous album "Better Dayz" (2002). N.I.C.E. co-produced the iconic acoustic version of "Thugz Mansion" featuring Nas and J. Phoenix. This collaboration soared to #1 on the Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop Albums and Top Rap Albums charts, and reached #5 on the Billboard Top 200, selling over 3 million copies. Their synergy extended further with "Thugz Mansion (NY)" finding its place on NAS's #1 Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop Platinum-selling album "God's Son" (2002). 

In 2019, Emcee N.I.C.E. achieved another historic milestone as the first Hip Hop Gospel/Christian station to win a Stellar Award. Beyond music, Emcee N.I.C.E. has garnered numerous accolades and distinctions, including the prestigious Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award, induction into the Gospel Hip Hop/Christian Hip Hop Hall of Fame, a Resolution from Senator Cesar J Blanco of Texas 29th District, Citation from Mayor Eric Adams of New York, Resolution from Mayor Emma Sharif of the city of Compton, Resolution from El Paso County Commissioners, El Paso, Texas and appointments as Vice Chancellor of Harvest Christian University's Compton’s Extension Campus along with a Ph.D. (Honoris Causa) in Music Business & Entrepreneurship and Doctorate in Humanitarianism (Honoris Causa). His multifaceted career extends beyond music, with significant contributions to acting, having been on 15 different TV shows and movies from Netflix to FX to Fox & ABC, and his literary achievement garnered a #1 Best Seller in “Music Release University - The Indies Guide to Releasing Music!” ### EMCEE N.I.C.E.

Jai, professionally known as Jai Vaughn Williams, is a multifaceted visionary CEO, Creative Director, Brand Strategist, and award-nominated artist with over 25 years of experience in music, ministry, branding, and entrepreneurship. As the President & CEO of multiple companies, Jai specializes in helping individuals and organizations create powerful, purpose-driven brands through strategic marketing, music, and media.

Neiko Flowers, a proud coastal soul from Wilmington, NC, discovered his passion for entertainment early, finding his purpose in radio. In 2009, his love for music and storytelling ignited a dynamic broadcasting career. His bold voice and engaging personality quickly propelled him across the Southeast as a Producer, On-Air Talent, and Assistant Program Director.

Now thriving at WPZE Praise 102.5 in Atlanta, Neiko serves as Assistant Program Director, On-Air Talent for The Neiko Flow Show, and Producer of The Jekalyn Carr Show. He is also the visionary behind Bridging the Gap, a groundbreaking series where secular artists like Jeezy, LL Cool J, Jermaine Dupri, Tyrese, and Chloe Bailey share their personal faith journeys, building bridges beyond traditional church settings.

Deeply committed to his community, Neiko celebrates unsung heroes through his monthly Neiko’s Flowers initiative, honoring individuals who make a quiet yet powerful impact.

Now stepping into a new chapter as an author, Neiko has released My Hurt, Your Heal, a courageous memoir sharing his journey of trauma and triumph. Through this work, he has embraced a renewed purpose: to travel, speak, and encourage others to walk out of their hurt and into healing and freedom.

Neiko’s excellence has earned him a 2024 Stellar Award Gospel Announcer of the Year nomination, two Stellar Awards for programming, three Spin Awards, an Avidity Radio Vanguard Award, his second Marconi Award nomination for programming, and induction into the 2025 Gospel Music Hall of Fame.

Devoted to God, family, and the gospel community, Neiko Flowers continues to inspire, uplift, and leave a lasting legacy both on and off the airwaves.

LaToya Stroman is an accomplished Executive Producer whose career spans more than a decade across documentary series, unscripted television, scripted projects, game shows, comedy, competition formats, and films. A Philadelphia native now based in Los Angeles, LaToya has built an impressive portfolio of credits on networks and platforms including OWN, HBO Max, ABC, NBC, Bravo, Twentieth Century Fox, WeTV, HGTV, E!, FOX, Snapchat, Instagram Live, Game Show Network, Logo, PBS, Hulu, and more.

Her experience includes producing high-profile projects such as FOX TV & Hulu’s Celebrity Weakest Link, NBC’s The Weakest Link, Bravo’s Million Dollar Listing, Married to Medicine, OWN’s Flex & Shanice, Hulu’s Secrets & Sisterhood, and many more. She has successfully managed productions with multi-million-dollar budgets, led teams of 50+ staff and contractors, and collaborated with senior executives, talent, and stakeholders to deliver engaging content that resonates with audiences worldwide.

Beyond her television career, LaToya is the founder of Girl Talk Global, a nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering inner-city girls by exposing them to new environments, resources, and opportunities. Through Girl Talk Global, she combines her passion for storytelling with her commitment to mentorship and social impact, inspiring the next generation of leaders. With a reputation for strategic vision, creative innovation, and operational excellence, LaToya Stroman continues to expand her impact at the intersection of media, communications, and community leadership. She encourages people to “Finish What You Start.”

Yolanda is the Owner, President, and CEO of Eudora Enterprises, LLC, where she operates and functions in the knowledge, understanding, and workings of the Proverbs 31 woman…. “She considers a field and buys it; out of her earnings, she plants a vineyard. She sets about her work vigorously; her arms are strong for her tasks. She sees that her trading is profitable, and her lamp does not go out at night. In her hand, she holds the distaff and grasps the spindle with her fingers.”

Yolanda is the Owner, President, and CEO of Credential America, Inc. Credential America is a nationally recognized Credentials Verification Organization that assists healthcare facilities with their credentialing and enrollment needs.

She is currently a member of the Medical Staff State Associations of Florida, Maryland, North Carolina, New Jersey, New York, and her home state of Virginia, and the National Association.

Yolanda is a co-founder and member of the National Coalition of 100 Black Women Richmond Metropolitan Chapter. She serves on the Diaconate Ministry of First Baptist Church of South Richmond.

Yolanda enjoys spending time with her daughter and business partner (Leah), family, and friends. She also enjoys international travel and listening to jazz. She loves to share her entrepreneurial faith journey.

Stephone Coward II is a nationally recognized financial activist and Director of Economic Justice at Hip Hop Caucus, where he transforms decades of banking industry experience into powerful campaigns for systemic change. With over 20 years in the Dallas-Fort Worth banking sector, Stephone witnessed firsthand the economic inequality and predatory practices that shaped his commitment to creating a more just financial system.

As the architect of the groundbreaking Bank Black & Green campaign, Stephone has secured $40 million in investor commitments to redirect capital from fossil fuel and mass incarceration industries into Black Minority Depository Institutions to build the good. This innovative approach exemplifies his philosophy of using financial levers of power to create just economic systems that prioritize people over profit.

Stephone's journey from banker to activist began during the Great Recession and crystallized with the 2016 co-founding of BankBlackUSA and the COWRIE Initiative following tragic events in Black communities. These organizations have grown into comprehensive resource hubs featuring databases of 20+ Black-owned financial institutions and culturally-tailored financial literacy tools reaching millions nationally.

His data-driven storytelling approach, enhanced by his Bachelor’s in History and Master's in Sustainability from UT Arlington and Wharton Public Policy Certification, transforms complex financial concepts into accessible insights that inspire action. Recent completion of his Trauma of Money Professional Certification in 2024 reflects his evolution toward trauma-informed financial literacy, recognizing the deep interconnection between financial, emotional, and spiritual well-being.

Recognized as a Forbes Next 1000 Social Entrepreneur and Just Economy Institute Fellow, Stephone has built strategic partnerships with five major universities and conducts research on banking deserts, cooperative economics, and the lasting economic impact of historical events like Black Wall Street. His work has been featured in Forbes, Time Magazine, Complex, and Marketplace.

A proud member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Inc. with Louisiana roots, Stephone champions community-led solutions and believes the South represents fertile ground for transformative economic organizing. Through Hip Hop Caucus's Justice Paid in Full campaigns, he continues building coalitions between impact investors, financial institutions, and frontline communities to create an economy that truly works for everyone.