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Rhonda Smith is the Executive Director of the California Black Health Network, a nonprofit that works to advance health equity for Black Californians. Prior to this role, Rhonda was an independent consultant and led many successful health disparities initiatives for the BIPOC community focused on developing and implementing community outreach, health promotion, and health behavior change strategies to close the gap in disparities.
Rhonda has served in various nonprofit leadership roles that include Consultant/Project Director for the LiveHealthy OC Initiative, a three-year initiative that aimed to transform the model of care of a network of FQHCs from a disease-focused treatment model to prevention and wellness model, providing whole person care approach. Before the LiveHealthy OC Initiative, Rhonda served as the Consultant/Statewide Project Manager for the Susan G. Komen® Circle of Promise California Initiative, an intensive four-year effort to identify evidence-based strategies to decrease the high mortality rate of African American women diagnosed with breast cancer, and address disparities at the system, community, and individual levels.
Rhonda earned her MBA in Marketing and Operations Management from the Darden School of Business at the University of Virginia and her B.S. Degree in Civil Engineering from Virginia Tech.
It all started with a diagnosis of invasive, aggressive, metastatic breast cancer in 1996. Donna had just left a position in a Cancer Prevention Program at Morehouse School of Medicine to join the GA State Office of Nutrition. The prognosis was extremely poor. And options were few. Trained in Home Economics/Nutrition at Oakwood College and Public Health Education at Loma Linda University, she was very familiar with the role of "lifestyle choices" on disease incidence and was determined to thoroughly seek out "healthy lifestyle" options as part of her care. She prayed. She found them at Wildwood Lifestyle Center and Hospital in Wildwood, GA. She was convinced. She changed her lifestyle. She did radiation. She saw improvements. Not just in the breast cancer, but in her overall health. She was committed to overhauling her approach professionally and creating experiences for people who wanted to "take charge of their health" via healthier lifestyle choices. And, for the last 21 years she has provided wellness coaching, health education and plant-based cooking classes.
Donna has had a rewarding career of providing leadership in developing, implementing, managing, and evaluating Public Health Initiatives, Interventions, Programs, Services and staff at the national, state and local levels, and in the college/university setting, (teaching for 8 years at her own alma mater Oakwood University) with specific emphasis in Nutrition, Healthy Cooking and Healthy Lifestyle Education including point of purchase education; she successfully negotiated and acquired contracts with state, public and private organizations. Served as a National Ambassador Susan G. Komen Circle of Promise Campaign. is aFood for Life Instructor, Cancer Project/PCRM. Donna works with husband Eddie in the clinic, provides wellness/nutrition education and has authored two books on healthy living and is the host and executive producer of the cooking show “Cookin’ Up Good Health” which aired on Bounce TV Huntsville and HopeTV Channel 368 on DirecTV. She also writes the Optimal Health recipe column for Message Magazine! www.messagemagazine.com
Transformation Specialist Dionne Jones is all about that balanced life! Dionne is Founder and Owner of Age with Vibrancy, LLC, based in Cleveland, Ohio. Age with Vibrancy, LLC “meets women where they are, and takes them to where they deserve to be in their lives.” Dionne takes the whole-body approach to helping women thrive. Get ready to strip away all of the self-doubt and negativity, and find YOU again!
As director of Virginia Commonwealth University Massey Cancer Center, Robert A. Winn, M.D., is leading the nation in establishing a 21st-century model for promoting diversity, equity and inclusion in the oncology workforce, optimizing cancer health care outcomes for all and spearheading interdisciplinary approaches to cancer disparities research. Just the fourth director of Massey since its 1975 National Cancer Institute designation, Winn oversees a center comprised of nearly 150 scientists and clinical investigators. Leading by example, Winn is nationally recognized for his community engagement efforts in promoting new approaches to building trust among populations previously disenfranchised from healthcare or excluded or abused in research. Most recently, during the pandemic, Winn launched a nationally heralded Facts & Faith Fridays conversation series, an initiative that creates a dialogue between science, community and faith leaders to combat medical mistrust within the African American community. Hosted guests have included Jill Biden, Ed.D., Anthony Fauci, M.D., Ned Sharpless, M.D., and Francis Collins, M.D., Ph.D. Winn is also the namesake of the Robert A. Winn Diversity in Clinical Trials Award Program, a $114 million training and education program in partnership with the Bristol Myers Squibb Foundation.
Winn is committed to both community-engaged research and research focused on eliminating health disparities. He is principal investigator on several large multi-institutional initiatives, including a team science award from Stand Up To Cancer, a National Cancer Institute (NCI)-funded Planning SPORE focused on Lung Cancer Health Equity and an NCI-funded institutional partnership award fostering cancer disparities research and career development collaboration between Massey and Virginia State University, a Historically Black University located in Petersburg, VA - a city that has faced health and education inequities for generations. Winn also manages his own basic and translational research laboratory which has been supported by multiple NIH and Veterans Affairs Merit awards for nearly two decades. Winn’s laboratory focuses on the molecular mechanisms and novel therapeutic approaches for lung cancer and the confluence between societal and biological factors which may lead to disparities.
Winn’s previous faculty appointments include serving as director of the University of Illinois Cancer Center from 2015-2019 and as associate vice chancellor of health affairs for community-based practice at the University of Illinois Hospital and Health Science System from 2013-2019. Prior to his work in Chicago, Winn spent 13 years at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center and School of Medicine in a variety of leadership roles, including associate dean of admissions and vice chair of career development and diversity inclusion.
Rwenshaun Miller is an accomplished author, speaker, psychotherapist, consultant and philanthropist who has dedicated his life and career to, not only reshaping the negative connotations often associated with mental health, but also directly impacting the lives of those living with mental health challenges. Of all his accolades and roles, Mr. Miller proudly first serves as a Mental Health Change Agent. As a result, Mr. Miller has globally impacted the lives of many through his awareness efforts.
Mr. Miller’s relentless passion and commitment derived from his personal experience living with Bipolar Disorder. Through his journey, Mr. Miller initially encountered similar challenges many face, including that of acceptance of a mental health diagnosis. Eventually, Mr. Miller decided to not allow this diagnosis to define and debilitate him realizing that Bipolar Disorder is not what defines who he is. Thus, he embarked on a path to help uplift, empower, encourage and teach others who live with mental health challenges how to “thrive” in life.
Through Mr. Miller’s founding nonprofit, Eustress, Inc., he built an awareness platform to educate others and break the stigma associated with mental illness. Furthermore, Eustress assists youth in under-served communities with identifying and overcoming mental health challenges to achieve healthier, productive lifestyles. Mr. Miller recognizes the gaps in both self and public awareness and has taken action to bridge those gaps throughout the world. He further understands that representation matters, therefore he obtained his Master's degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling to change and promote the availability of black male therapists. Mr. Miller is a practicing Mental Health Counselor in Charlotte, NC at his founded, private practice, The Good Stress Company, and he is actively pursuing a Doctoral Degree in International Psychology.
Demonstrating continuity to seeing those with mental health challenges flourish, Mr. Miller created Be Who You Needed through which he provides consultancy services and training to other therapists and like-minded individuals to empower them to make the greatest impact in the mental health field. Mr. Miller is truly invested in everyone’s success.
Ayo Johnson joined Mental Health America of Central Carolinas as Executive Director in January 2024. Her extensive resume centers around nonprofit management, where she has held all facets of executive leadership. Her experience includes a decade with the Capital Area YMCA in New Jersey, where she served as Chief Operating Officer and Chief Human Resources Officer and completed her tenure there as interim CEO. A staunch advocate for eradicating food insecurity, during her tenure at the YMCA, Ayo birthed their highly successful, award winning, food access program that served close to 1 million meals to children during the pandemic and doubled the organization’s operating revenue.
For 12 years Ayo owned and operated Wonder Girl Consulting, where she supported small non-profits aiming to grow their capacity and increase their size from small (under $1 million in revenue) to mid-size (over $4 million), as well as coached emerging leaders of color in attaining, navigating and surviving the C-Suite.
Throughout her decades working in the nonprofit arena, the native New Yorker has demonstrated herself as a leader in building meaningful partnerships and collaborations in the community, as well as developing a strategic vision that encompasses specific organizational objectives and strategies to strengthen nonprofits. She is a graduate of Rider University in New Jersey, with an MA in Organizational Leadership, and a BS in Global Marketing.
Victor Armstrong serves as Vice President for Health Equity and Engagement with the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. In addition, he is the National Director of Soul Shop for Black Churches, a workshop that teaches faith leaders how to minister to congregants that may be dealing with suicidal desperation. Victor previously served as Chief Diversity Officer with Recovery Innovations International, and as the inaugural Chief Health Equity Officer for North Carolina Department of Health & Human Services. Victor has also served as Director of the NC Division of Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities, and Substance Abuse Services. Prior to his NC state government roles, Victor spent 6 years as Vice President of Behavioral Health with Atrium Health, based in Charlotte, NC.
Victor has over 30 years of experience in human services, primarily dedicated to building and strengthening community resources to serve individuals who have been historically marginalized. He is a nationally recognized speaker on issues regarding health equity and access to healthcare, particularly as it relates to individuals living with mental health challenges.
Victor currently serves on the steering committee of the National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention. He also serves on the Board of Directors for Recovery Innovations International as well as the Board of Directors for I2I Center for Integrative Health. He is a member of the Board of Advisors for East Carolina University School of Social Work and is the host of the “Strong Talk” podcast.
Victor graduated, Magna Cum Laude, from North Carolina Central University with a bachelor’s degree in business management and received his MSW from East Carolina University. He is the husband of Dr. Charletta Armstrong and the father of three sons, Carter, Alonzo, and Victor Jr.Dr. Stanford is an Associate Professor of Medicine and Pediatrics who practices and teaches at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH)/ Harvard Medical School (HMS) as one of the first fellowship-trained obesity medicine physicians worldwide. She is among the most highly cited obesity medicine physician-scientists, with over 200 peer-reviewed publications. Dr. Stanford received her BS and MPH from Emory University as an MLK Scholar, her MD from the Medical College of Georgia School of Medicine as a Stoney Scholar, her MPA from the Harvard Kennedy School of Government as a Zuckerman Fellow in the Harvard Center for Public Leadership and her executive MBA as a merit-based scholarship recipient from the Quantic School of Business and Technology. She completed her Obesity Medicine & Nutrition Fellowship at MGH/HMS after completing her internal medicine and pediatrics residency at the University of South Carolina. She has served as a health communications fellow at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and as a behavioral sciences intern at the American Cancer Society. Upon completing her MPH, she received the Gold Congressional Award, the highest honor Congress bestows upon America’s youth.
Dr. Stanford has completed a medicine and media internship at the Discovery Channel. An American Medical Association (AMA) Foundation Leadership Award recipient in 2005 and an AMA Paul Ambrose Award for national leadership among resident physicians in 2009, she was selected for the AMA Inspirational Physician Award in 2015. The American College of Physicians (ACP) selected her as the 2013 Joseph E. Johnson Leadership Award recipient, and the Massachusetts ACP selected her for the Young Leadership Award in 2015. She is the 2017 recipient of the HMS Amos Diversity Award and the Massachusetts Medical Society (MMS) Award for Women’s Health. In 2019, she was selected as the Suffolk District Community Clinician of the Year for the Reducing Health Disparities Award for MMS. She was chosen for The Obesity Society Clinician of the Year in 2020. In 2021, she was awarded the MMS Grant Rodkey Award for her dedication to medical students and the AMA Dr. Edmond and Rima Cabbabe Dedication to the Profession Award, which recognizes a physician who demonstrates active and productive improvement to the profession of medicine through community service, advocacy, leadership, teaching, or philanthropy. She is the 2021 Recipient of the Emory Rollins School of Public Health Distinguished Alumni Award. In 2022, the National Academy of Medicine selected her as a Scholar in Diagnostic Excellence. She was named to the 2025 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee by the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and Agriculture (USDA). The National Medical Association selected her for the Meritorious Award, which recognizes a physician with national and international achievement and prominence for exceptional work in medical service, medical research, and academic medicine.
Linda Goler Blount, MPH, is an epidemiologist and President of the Black Women’s Health Imperative, the first national non-profit organization focused on Black women’s health and wellness. Ms. Blount has overseen more than $30 million invested in research to prevent chronic disease and HIV, ensure reproductive justice and healthy maternal outcomes, and advocate for health-promoting policies. Ms. Blount is also the Executive Chair of the Rare Disease Diversity Coalition, a $20M collaborative of over 80 organizations formed to ensure patients of color, low-income, and rural patients are centered in research, advocacy, and policy. Her career includes leadership tenures at the CDC, the Coca-Cola Company, and the American Cancer Society. She also has extensive international health expertise and has served as a consultant to government ministries in Germany, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Malawi, Jamaica, and Trinidad and Tobago, where she lived for four years. A Michigan native, Linda holds a Master of Public Health degree in Epidemiology from the University of Michigan and a Bachelor of Science in Computer Engineering/Operations Research from Eastern Michigan University.
Dave Craig is a two-time cancer survivor, caregiver and patient experience champion. After 10 years of struggling to see his own experience, and the lack of diverse experiences in the research he led for the pharmaceutical industry, he co-founded Gryt Health (‘grit’). Gryt Health amplifies voices to improve health outcomes.
Gryt is a healthtech platform run by survivors and caregivers. By always putting the patient experience first, Gryt works to improve medicine development, access to equitable care, and outcomes for all.Dave has a BS in Communication and MBA in Technology Management, from Rochester Institute of Technology. He has completed Executive Education at Harvard Business School in Building New Ventures and MIT Sloan School of Management in Corporate Strategy.
In 2021, Dave stopped using his given last name because of its connection to hate groups. “The highest form of knowledge is empathy, for it requires us to suspend our egos and live in another’s world” – Plato
Oya is a podcaster, a father of 3, and a notable artist in the Delaware hip-hop community. Known as “Grand G,” he came up hard - spittin rhymes in the streets of Wilmington, eventually leading to a record deal and numerous song releases.
The day after Christmas in 2017 - after 2 years of being dismissed by PCPs and specialists, he heard these words for the first time in his life - Multiple Myeloma. Diagnosis confirmed. An incurable blood cancer that impacts the Black community twice as much as other ethnicities. This was information that others needed to know!
Since his stem cell transplant in 2018, he continues learning to live with the ever-changing reminders of cancer and subsequent daily dose of chemo.
But instead of just living with Multiple Myeloma, he's turning his pain into POWER and teaching Myeloma to live with him.Oya is the creator and host of an innovative podcast, available on all major listening platforms.The “Hip, Hope, Hooray! Black Men Talking Health Podcast” was birth to address the disproportionate cancer burden and health disparities faced by Black Americans. The podcast aims to increase health literacy and provide a platform for Black men to share their stories, struggles, and successes in improving their health. Through conversations with guests ranging from doctors to community members, practical tips, resources, and encouragement are shared
to help Black men on their journey to better health. The podcast serves as a health literacy movement to empower and educate the Black community for a healthier future.
Thanks to the invaluable support from organizations like the International Myeloma Foundation,various pharmaceutical companies, and The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, he’s aligning DEI with patient advocacy, while encouraging and empowering People of Color to be proactive in their own healthcare plans.
This year, these passions inspired Oya to launch The Health, Hope, ???? Hip-Hop Foundation – a non-profit organization whose mission is to teach health literacy and address Black health disparities at the grassroots level, using the cultural juggernaut of hip-hop as the core catalyst.Today, the landscape of patient advocacy is changing. With so many new voices making noise, let’s be game changers – not spectators!
An attorney with three decades of federal public policy experience. Stephanie is a former Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights at the U.S. Department of Education. Prior to serving in that position, she ended a 25-year career on Capitol Hill after holding several key staff positions in the United States Congress, including Chief Counsel of the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, as well as Staff Director of the Senate Subcommittee on Children and Families. Stephanie serves on several Boards of Directors as well as an advisor to numerous academic centers, industry partners, federal agencies, and others on issues to ensure full equal opportunity to participate in and benefit from all that America has to offer.
Dr. Joy Angela DeGruy is a prominent researcher, educator, and author who has spent over 30 years studying and working in the field of social work, with a focus on the impacts of racism, trauma, and slavery on African Americans. For over two decades, she served as an Assistant Professor at Portland State University’s School of Social Work and now serves as President and Chief Executive Officer of Joy DeGruy Publications Inc. Dr. DeGruy holds multiple advanced degrees and is renowned for her acclaimed book "Post Traumatic Slave Syndrome – America’s Legacy of Enduring Injury and Healing," which examines historical trauma in African American communities. Dr. DeGruy lectures extensively, has presented her work globally, and has received prestigious awards including the American Psychological Association's Presidents Award in 2023. Her scholarship is highly influential, with over 1,700 citations of her seminal book. In addition to her research and writing, Dr. DeGruy has developed evidence-based models to support communities of color.
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 share 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 receiving 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 & 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 35 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 21 Leaders of the 21st Century of Women E-News in New York City.
October 2017, His Eminence, Timothy Michael Cardinal Dolan, Archbishop of New York, bestowed the Pierre Toussaint Medallion upon Dr. Seele.
Publishing her first book Stand Up to Stigma! How to Reject Fear & Shame in 2017. Dr. Seele is an honorary member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.
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 M.D. 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) Chicago State University, and M.D. from University of Illinois Medical Center.
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’s 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.
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Brandon P. Fleming is a renowned speaker, nationally acclaimed educator, and author of MISEDUCATED: A Memoir. His triumphant story of struggle, success, and service has captured the heart of national media and inspired millions of people around the world. An at-risk youth and college dropout turned award-winning educator, Fleming is a former debate coach at Harvard University and Founder & CEO of the Veritas School of Social Sciences in Atlanta, GA.
In 2017, Fleming was recruited to become Harvard University’s assistant debate coach at the age of 26. Fleming soon made history at Harvard as the founder of the first Black pipeline program called the Harvard Debate Council Diversity Project, which was designed to increase Black enrollment at Harvard’s residential debate program where hundreds of gifted young scholars from over 25 different countries study and compete in an international academic debate competition.
Over six years, Fleming has raised millions of dollars to enroll more than 200 students of color into Harvard’s summer debate residency on full scholarship. But there was one challenge that Fleming faced: How would he take Black youth from mostly under-resourced schools in Atlanta, who had never been exposed to the rigors of academic debate, and prepare them in just one year to compete against some of the most elite debaters from across the globe? Fleming created a transformative curriculum that is designed to build intellectual capacity, accelerate learning, and ultimately level the playing field for Black students. And it did. For six consecutive years, since the program’s inception in 2017, every cohort trained by Fleming has won the international competition as six-time consecutive champions. News of the achievement has gone viral and broke national headlines, being featured on CNN, Good Morning America, the Steve Harvey Show and many more. The organization has gained the financial backing of Fortune 100 companies such as The Coca-Cola Company, UPS, Chick-fil-A, and many more.
Fleming’s story represents the transformative power of equity. The equity model Fleming has built to close performance gaps is one that academic and corporate institutions have highly sought to replicate. As a renowned speaker, Fleming has keynoted for international governmental organizations such as the United Nations. Fleming has spoken at the nation’s most prestigious colleges, universities, and K-12 conferences. Fleming has also keynoted conventions for corporate executives at the nation’s largest brands such as Walmart, Bank of America, FedEx, the Federal Reserve Bank, and many more. At the age of 29, Forbes Magazine named Fleming to the Forbes 30 under 30 list. In 2020, The Root Magazine named Fleming one of the top 100 most influential African Americans in the United States. And in May 2021, North Carolina Wesleyan College bestowed upon Fleming the honorary Doctor of Humanities degree.
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