SPEAKER BIOGRAPHIES

Lieutenant Colonel Andrew R. Adamich

Lt. Col. Andrew R. Adamich serves as the commander of the 176th Medical Group, 176th

Wing, Joint-Base Elmendorf Richardson, Alaska. The 176th Medical Group provides

medical policies, plans, and programs affecting more than 1,400 Alaskan Air National

Guard members in support of in-state and worldwide deployments. Directly

commissioned into the Air Force through the health professions scholarship program

while attending Pacific University College of Optometry, he entered active-duty servic

later joining the National Guard. Upon request, Lt. Col. Adamich served as the Air National

Guard Innovative Readiness Training (IRT) branch chief, leading at an operational level at

the National Guard Bureau and organizing and facilitating military readiness training. He

fielded infrastructure support and services requests from 54 sovereign states a

territories, matching community projects with military unit training requirements. To

date, he has supported 66 IRT missions, 25 of which delivered services to all eight states in

the Delta Regional Authority. In 2021, Lt. Col. Adamich was selected as IRT Program

Manager of the Year. Andrew and Ingrid, his wife, have four sons, three currently activeduty military.

Arlisa Armstrong

Arlisa Armstrong has spent nearly three decades working in rural development. A native

of Haywood County, Tennessee, Arlisa has worked with local leaders in every West

Tennessee county and understands the integral role of the U.S. Department of

Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development in promoting growth and prosperity for rural

communities. Arlisa has served in various roles in Tennessee and served as area director

for West Tennessee from 2010 to 2021. In this position, Arlisa served as a key member of

the state director's staff and fully participated in the planning, development, and

implementation of rural development and rural assistance programs. She led rural

development initiatives throughout a 12-county servicing area by formulating objectives

and allocating the necessary resources available to effectively implement residential,

business, commercial, and profit/non-profit loan and grant-making authorities for di

and guaranteed lending programs available from the USDA. From January 2020 through

August 2021, Ms. Armstrong served as the USDA area director of the Tennessee Pilot

Program, based in Nashville, Tennessee. In this role, she led the effort to support state

office program directors and area directors and implemented portfolio management a

servicing for the Community Programs Division. This included implementing the

Community Facility Deferral Process to assist borrowers impacted by COVID-19, providing

updates, and participating in meetings with the national director of community facility

portfolio management. Ms. Armstrong has been passionate about serving rural

communities in Tennessee and has made it her goal to help bring prosperity and

opportunity to those areas. As state director, she will use her leadership and experience to

extend USDA Rural Development Programs to address COVID-19 relief for our

communities, ensure that all underserved areas are aware of resources available, and

initiate investment solutions to assist communities that are impacted by disasters in their

areas. Arlisa earned her degree in business administration from Middle Tennessee State

University. She previously served as a member of the Federal Reserve Bank Community
Development Advisory Board. In 2014, she became a member of the WestStar Tennessee

Leadership Program. She serves on the WestStar Haywood County Alumni Committee

and African Leadership Conference Committee. She is a graduate of the Delta Regional

Institute Leadership class of 2011 and a graduate of the Haywood County Tennessee

Leadership class of 2006. She is also a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.

Lily Ballengee

Lily Ballengee has worked for the U.S. Department of Transportation for nearly eight years

on a wide range of transportation topics. Currently supporting the Rural Opportunities to

Use Transportation for Economic Success (ROUTES) Initiative in the Office of t

Secretary of Transportation, she works to address disparities in rural transportation

infrastructure to ensure rural communities have equitable access to national

transportation goals of safety, mobility, and economic competitiveness. She has a

bachelor’s degree from West Virginia University and a master’s in public policy from

American University.

Jasmine Bell

Jasmine Bell currently serves as a grants advisory consultant at ENNCLOUD Technologies

Corporation. She has built an extensive knowledgebase building and customizing grant

software for clients in the public, federal, and non-profit sectors. Her work supports t

redesign of client business processes, drives increase in productivity, and delivers overall

improvements to client experiences through applied technology solutions. Her dynamic

skill set also extends into being a creative consultant and digital designer who can

optimize organizations’ digital presence for maximum client engagement while

prioritizing the customer experience. Jasmine has a proventrackrecord of producing

measurable results wherever she works.

Sherra Bennett

Sherra Bennett (she/her/hers) is a daughter of the Delta region, born in Pine Bluff,

Arkansas. She firmly believes that intentional, equitable practices that challenge t

status quo with the future in mind will create sustainable transformation. She is a social

worker, community organizer, servant leader, and difference maker at her very core, and it

is that foundation that drives her commitment to public service and the greater

good. She is a two-time graduate of the University of Michigan, earning both a B.A. in

communications and a master's degree in social work. Her communications background,

combined with the ethical framework of social work, creates the catalyst that propels her

to advocate and serve as a voice and vessel against injustice. Before joining the WRF

team, her mission-focused career allowed her to serve nonprofit organizations, engage 

social justice research, and work across the United States, Africa, Germany, Italy, and The

Netherlands. Sherra has served as a nonprofit founder, executive director, director 

operations, program director, and principal consultant for human service organizations.

Her impact-led career started as a field organizer with President Barack Obama

campaign, and she credits this opportunity as what propelled her community-centered

career focus. At the foundation, Sherra leads the movement building and leadership

development portfolio to address and evolve the voices at the table concerning the future

of Arkansas.
Ryan Biles

Ryan Biles is a practicing architect and the founder of Kudzu Collective, a Delta-based

design practice specializing in the adaptive reuse of historic properties in rural

communities throughout the region. Ryan and his wife Natalie, an interior designer and

founder of Shine Interior Design Studio, are raising three sons in their hometown of

Lonoke, Arkansas, where he served as a city council member from 2018-2022. With over

two decades of design experience, Ryan established Kudzu Collective in historic

downtown Lonoke with the belief that “as architects and designers, we have an obligation

to leverage our creative skills to reawaken latent potential forgotten places.” Ryan is

president of the board of directors for Thrive, Inc., a nonprofit graphic design, brandi

consultancy, and placemaking firm based in Helena, Arkansas, and is a 2022 graduate 

the Delta Leadership Institute.

Vickey Bonney

Vickey Bonney is the community development and rapid response lead specialist,

covering Eastern Missouri and including multiple workforce regions. Creating and

maintaining strong professional relationships with employers and community leaders has

been a priority for Vickey, as well as creating connections for job seekers and employers to

partners and resources that allow her to better serve Missourians. Vickey takes pride in

supporting her team and sharing her experiences to benefit others. Vickey began h

career in workforce development in December 2015 with MERSGoodwill, working as an

employment specialist within the Park Hills Job Center. November 2016 provided an

opportunity to move to a position with the State’s Office of Workforce Developmen

where, as the business services representative, she began working to increase employer

engagement within her assigned region. Vickey was an integral part of creating the

innovative Park Hills Job Center Jobs Team in 2016 and remains a member of the team

today. Vickey was one of two team members to create and implement industry-specif

hiring events. She was a member of the original team that created a collaboration with

Mineral Area College to provide an Annual Spring Hiring Event, which is now in its 7th

year. This collaboration has resulted in multiple collaborative events and strong business

relationships, providing increased services to Missourians. Vickey’s creativity and drive

have helped create a strong social media presence for the job centers, including the

creation and implementation of multiple programs like “Employer Spotlight” and “In the

Know” segments, sharing valuable information for employers and job seekers alike. Prior

to joining Missouri’s workforce development team, Vickey worked in the private sector as

a business owner, creating her business from the ground up. Throughout her career,

Vickey has worked in multiple industries, giving her a unique perspective on the needs

facing our employers. Vickey is a proud U. S. Navy Veteran and continues to support her

community as a board member of the St. Francois County Community Partnership. She

volunteers her time to assist with community events and is an active member in multiple

Chambers of Commerce.

Brandi Bradley

Brandi Bradley is the director of government relations for Ullico, Inc., an insurance and

investment firm focused on promoting financial security and stability for Amer

workers. She previously served as a field representative for Laborers’ Local 773, a sta
assistant to U.S. Senator Dick Durbin, U.S. Congressman William Enyart, and U.S.

Congressman Jerry F. Costello (ret.), in the 12th District of Illinois. Brandi currently sits on

the Delta Regional Authority as the Illinois Designee appointed by Governor JB Pritzker.

Sherepresents labor on the Southern Illinois Workforce Board and the Southern 14

Workforce Investment Board, Inc.Brandi is a member of the Delta Leadership Network

Class of 2015, attended the Leadership for the 21st Century Delta Leadership Institute at

the Harvard Kennedy School, a graduateof the Illinois Women’s Institute for Leadership

Training Academy Class of 2014, holds an MBA from Southern Illinois University

Carbondale, and served two terms on the Marion Unit 2 School Board. She is originally

from Murphysboro, Illinois, and co-founded a non-profit called the Friends 

Murphysboro, which is focused on the improvement of Riverside Park and the

surrounding neighborhood. Through the Friends of Murphysboro, she has been able to

assist in building the first public dog park in Southern Illinois, created the largest cra

beer festival in southern Illinois, the Big Muddy Monster Brew Fest, and many other

projects, including a Remembrance Walkway for Veterans. She also was instrumental in

organizing the eLaunch Williamson County Program, a county-wide program that

brought students from Williamson County together to get hands-on entrepreneurial

experience and build their network within the community. Brandi resides in Marion,

Illinois, with her three daughters, Madison, Caroline, and Ella.

Shad Burner

Shad Burner is a principal with the KBS Group, LLP, based in Missouri. He has extensive

experience in economic, community, and business development. Burner served on the

leadership team of the Missouri Department of Economic Development as the director of

Federal Initiatives. He was responsible for building a team of 20 to oversee the

development of nine new grant programs that deployed more than $500 million of

Missouri’s American Rescue Plan Act funds. His team awarded more than 650 grants

focused on areas such as community revitalization, workforce development, tourism asset

development, small business support, broadband expansion, nonprofit support, a

more. Burner was appointed by Governor Mike Parson to serve as the Missouri Designee

to the Delta Regional Authority and served as the director’s designee on the Missouri

Technology Corporation Board of Directors. He is a Certified Economic Developer, a 20

Delta Leadership Institute graduate, and a 2021 graduate of the Missouri Leadership

Academy.

Matthew Campbell

Matthew Campbell is a native of Jackson, Mississippi. He received his B.A. and M.A. in

political science from Mississippi State University. Matthew currently serves as the

strategic partnerships program manager for Delta Regional Authority. His work involves

managing the agency’s stakeholder relations and capacity-building programs. He

previously worked at the Mississippi NAACP and has also helped lead several stakeholder

community engagement initiatives across the State of Mississippi. He has shared his work

in statewide publications such as the Clarion Ledger and on national platforms. He

currently lives in Jackson with his wife Akita Campbell.

Dr. Thomas Carew
Prior to joining the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Dr. Thomas Carew served as

the executive vice president of membership and advocacy for Fahe in Central Appalachia.

While at Fahe, Tom was the principal author of the 502 Direct Packaging Demonstration

with USDA. Through his leadership, Fahe’s membership grew from 44, to include more

than 55 affordable housing nonprofits. Tom helped lead the expansion of Fahe housi

programs into Alabama and Maryland. Tom was the founding executive director of

Frontier Housing, a nonprofit, affordable housing developer based in Morehea

Kentucky. He is also the recipient of the Dorothy Williams Lifetime Achievement Award

from the Kentucky Housing Corporation – the highest award given in the Commonwealth

for nonprofit housing producers. In 2010, Carew received the Cochran Collings Awa

from the Housing Assistance Council for service to rural America.

Brooxie Carlton

Brooxie Carlton serves as the assistant commissioner of rural and community

development for the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development.

In this position, Carlton oversees federal grant funding from the Delta Regional Authority,

the Appalachian Regional Commission, and the Community Development Block Grant

program. She works with the Broadband Accessibility, Tennessee Main Street, ThreeStar,

and SelectTN programs. Carlton has been involved in the administration of nearly 4,000

grants totaling more than $1.3 billion, including more than $800 million in federal

funding.

Alex Clegg

Alex Clegg is a rural transportation specialist at the U.S. Department of Transportation

(DOT). He works as part of the ROUTES Initiative, which serves as the front door for DOT’s

rural technical assistance, resources, and engagement. He has also worked in the Build

America Bureau at DOT. Prior to joining DOT, he worked in transportation funding policy

with the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Official

Tim Climer

Tim T. Climer is the manager of programs and services at the Mississippi Development

Authority (MDA) in the capital city of Jackson, beginning his tenure in the fall of 2020.

Born in Ripley, Tennessee, he grew up in Southaven, Mississippi, and has degrees from

both the University of Mississippi (UM) and the University of Southern Mississippi. He has

led four county-wide economic development organizations in over 20 years in the fiel

three in North Mississippi and one in West Tennessee. He also worked in workforce

development roles at both UM and Mississippi’s North Central PDD. Tim’s start in

economic development was as the founding manager of a three-unit regional system of

rural business incubators in North Mississippi hosted by UM. He was also the controller for

two manufacturers, a mortgage banker, and a marketing representative and internal

auditor for Atmos Energy, a natural gas distribution company in Mississippi.

Jasmine Brown DeRouselle

Jasmine Brown DeRousselle is the senior vice president of policy at GNO, Inc. She is

primarily responsible for leading GNO, Inc.’s policy initiatives and governmental relations,

both at the state and federal levels. Jasmine also provides oversight to a number of GNO,
Inc.’s programmatic initiatives, with a specific focus on economic mobility, coast

restoration and resilience, and the music business. Previously, as public policy manager,

she founded and executed several initiatives, including but not limited to the HBCU

Startup Internship Program, which was designed to increase the pipeline of Black startup

founders in the GNO region. Prior to joining GNO, Inc., she was a commercial litigator at a

civil defense firm in the GNO region. She has also worked as a Consultant for Deloitte a

Touche, LLP in Los Angeles, California, where she conducted corporate audits and

compliance exercises for Fortune 500 corporations. Additionally, she has worked for the

National Urban League (New York, NY), JP Morgan Private Bank (New Orleans, LA), and

Elvin Ross Studios (Los Angeles, CA). She earned a J.D. from Louisiana State University and

is a cum laude graduate of Loyola University, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in

business administration.

Stacey Duvic

Stacey Duvic joined Louisiana Economic Development (LED) in 2017 as the director of

community competitiveness. For 14 years prior to joining LED, she was the community

developer for the City of Hammond and then executive director of economic

development for Tangipahoa Parish. Stacey grew up in Tangipahoa Parish and graduated

from Southeastern Louisiana University in 1991, earning a bachelor’s degree in marketing.

She has also completed training through the Community Development Institute in

Conway, Arkansas, where she received the Professional Community and Economic

Development certification in 2010. In addition, she holds the Certified Louisiana Econ

Developer certification through the Louisiana Industrial Development Association (LIDE

and the Master Economic Development Practitioner certification through AEDL. Stac

completed the Delta Leadership Institute training, a community development program of

the Delta Regional Authority, and is currently working toward her master’s degree in

economic development at the University of Southern Mississippi. She has served on

committees for multiple Chambers of Commerce, was a board member of the Greater

Hammond Chamber of Commerce, a member of the Northshore Technical and

Community College Advisory Board, a past president of the Southeastern Louisiana

University Alumni Association, currently sits on the Southeastern College of Business

Advisory Board and is a board member of LIDEA. She is also a graduate and past board

member of Leadership Tangipahoa.

Joel Evans

Joel Evans is the president & CEO of Delta Area Economic Opportunity Corporation, a

private, not-for-profit community action agency serving some of Missouri’s mo

impoverished counties with programs designed to alleviate the effects of poverty. He

completed undergraduate and graduate work at Southeast Missouri State University as

well as graduate work at the University of Applied Science in Schmalkalden,

Germany. Joel participated in Delta Regional Authority’s Delta Leadership Institute in

2009-2010 and, later, the Executive Development Series at Harvard. Joel is past president

of the Missouri Community Action Network's board of directors, the Missouri Community

Action Executive Directors Association, and the Region 7 Association of Community

Action. He is treasurer of the CAPLAW Board of Directors, a member of the Regional

Planning Commission Board, and treasurer ofMissouri Delta Medical Center’s Board. He is

active with scouting, where he serves as district committee chair, a member of the
Greater St. Louis Area Council Board of Directors, and a recipient of the Whitney Young Jr.

Service Award in 2018 for service to the impoverished youth. Joel and his team have

coordinated community resources for six Innovative Readiness Training (IRT) medical

missions. Joel has presented at IRT Joint Training Workshops and ANG IRT training. He

serves on the IRT Community Assembly and was named IRT Champion of the Year in

2020 and Patriot Employee in 2023 by the Department of Defense. Joel and his wife Amy

have three boys (all Eagle Scouts); Cristian is a senior at Mississippi State University, Hayes

is a Freshman at Mizzou, and Jack is a senior in high school.

Michael Fallahkhair

Michael Fallahkhair is the deputy associate administrator for the Federal Office of Rur

Health Policy (FORHP) in the Health Resources and Services Administration of the U.S.

Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).In this role, Mr. Fallahkhair helps to lead

the work of FORHP, which is charged with advising the Secretary of HHS on rural health

issues and improving the delivery of rural health care.Mr. Fallahkhair previously served as

the executive officer in the HHS Immediate Office of the Secretary and as princ

advisor in FORHP.Mr. Fallahkhair has past work experience in the Office of Budget of t

Assistant Secretary for Financial Resources at HHS and the Office of Management a

Budget.Mr. Fallahkhair has an undergraduate degree in neurobiology and physiology

from the University of Maryland at College Park and a master’s in public health with a

concentration in health policy from George Washington University.

Jill Floyd

A native Arkansan, Jill Floyd has over two decades of operations, project management,

and executive leadership experience across the manufacturing, construction, and

nonprofit sectors. Floyd began her career in manufacturing with a subsidiary of Cummi

Engine as a manufacturing project manager before quickly transitioning into leadership

as a plant operations manager. She later joined Ford Motor Company in Supplier Quality

before moving into Procurement, where she managed a global portfolio of automotive

parts. After founding a financial literacy nonprofit and working with small busi

owners, a chance encounter led her into commercial construction, where she spent a

decade in project management and community and client engagement. In those roles,

she was responsible for managing construction projects in the municipal and higher

education arenas, as well as developing relationships with potential clients and increasing

contracting opportunities for MWBE subcontractors. Jill joined USDA Rural Development

in May 2023. Jill’s passion is helping underrepresented groups, especially girls and

women, achieve economic self-sufficiency through entrepreneurship and ST

education. Jill received a B.S. in chemical engineering from the University of Oklahoma

and an MBA/M.S. in engineering and quality and manufacturing management from

Penn State University.

Ray Fulmer

R. "Ray" Fulmer III is the chairman of the Osceola Port Authority, as well as being the city

lead accounts receivable, community development, and grants management for the City

of Osceola, Arkansas. Mr. Fulmer has two graduate degrees and has been a professor in

the University of Arkansas system for 16 years. He spent the decade prior to his current

position in the entrepreneurial sector, running an array of startup enterprises, including a
soccer club in the West Memphis area and an insurance brokerage, and for five years, 

ran an animal feed business in Western Kenya. Mr. Fulmer’s passion is now exploring the

factors that lead to communities thriving or not thriving from economic development.

Russ Gardner

John Russell “Russ” Garner is a community facilitator with Communities Unlimited, Inc., a

Community Development Financial Institution and Rural Development Hub serving the

rural South. A member of the Community Sustainability Team, Russ is currently working

on a U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Placemaking Innovation Challenge

(RPIC) in three Mississippi Delta communities, where he works closely with USDA’s new

Rural Partners Network. Russ is active in his community, working on different initiatives.

One of his goals is to assist in building a vibrant local food system in his county. Some of

Russ’ other interests include developing leadership capacity in underserved communities,

small downtown revitalization, community resilience, and helping to foster a Rural

Renaissance across our region. Russ resides on the family farm outside of Brooksville,

Mississippi.

Dr. Trina N. George

Filled with a passion to serve her community, Dr. George has spent much of her career

providing assistance to her fellow Mississippians and individuals nationwide. Her career

includes decades of service working to develop rural communities and increase economic

development opportunities in Mississippi. She began her career in public service in the

nonprofit industry, working with youth programs, healthcare projects, and GED progra

for adults and youths statewide. She was employed as a field representative, district of

coordinator, and special projects/community outreach and development coordinator in

the Office of Congressman Bennie G. Thompson (MS-02). The latter experience allow

her to directly engage and support the surrounding communities of Western Mississippi,

assisting constituents with rural housing, water and wastewater, and infrastructure

needs. Her hands-on experience collaborating with federal, state, and local governments

to develop rural communities prepared her for the historic appointment as the U.S.

Department of Agriculture Rural Development (USDA) State Director for Mississippi in

2009; she became the first woman and the first African-American woman t

appointed to this position. As a part of the Obama Administration, this awesome

opportunity enabled Dr. George to continue her service to the people of Mississippi,

administering programs that resulted in the distribution of over $5 billion in federal loan

and grant funds to rural communities in Mississippi. Through her many years of service,

Dr. Trina George has proven herself a valuable leader, an important asset, and a crucial

partner for the State of Mississippi. She has received recognition and accolades from

various organizations, including the Organization of Professional Employees, USDA

(OPEDA), for her leadership, initiative, ideas, and energy toward furthering the Secretary

of Argiculture’s StrikeForce for Rural Growth and Opportunity and Cultural

Transformation Initiatives. Her StrikeForce concept and program were used as a model

throughout the nation. She also received statewide recognition from the Mississippi

Business Journal as one of the 50 Leading Businesswomen in Mississippi. In addition to

her dedication to public service, Dr. George has served as a president of the Parent

Teacher Association, AmeriCorps volunteer, lifetime member of the Girl Scouts of America,

and an active member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated. She is the proud
parent of three children, all of whom are serving their country in the Armed Forces. Dr.

George earned her Ph.D. from Walden University in public policy and administration. She

holds a master’s degree from Mississippi State University and a bachelor's degree from

Mississippi Valley State University. She also has a specialized certification in Creati

Collaborative Solutions: Innovations in Governance from Harvard University’s Kennedy

School of Executive Education, and a Professional Certificate in Management a

Leadership from the NeighborWorks Training Institute of America in Washington, DC.

Nivory Gordon

Nivory Gordon has over 34 years of service with the U.S. Department of Agriculture

(USDA) Rural Development. He started his career as a co-op student in 1987 while

attending Alabama A&M University in Huntsville, Alabama. Gordon obtained a B.S. in

agricultural education in 1989 and an M.S. in agricultural management in 1992. During his

tenure with the Agency, he has illustrated respect for others, a productive work

environment, and leadership with integrity. Gordon held the following positions over the

years with the USDA: assistant county supervisor 1989-1991; construction analyst 1991-1995;

rural development specialist 1995-2002; area specialist 2002-2013; area director 2013-2021.

Gordon has positively impacted the lives of many rural Alabamians over the years. Based

on his extensive experience, leadership, and aggressive work ethic, his goal will be to

operationalize the Agency’s mission. Gordon is a native of Wilcox County, Alabama, where

he resides with his spouse Rachel. Nivory III and Bryant Arthur are his adult sons. He

currently operates the family farm (beef cattle and quarter horses) in Furman, Alabama.

Gordon serves on the Deacon Board of First-Born Church of Ackerville; Wilcox County

Cattleman Association Board of Directors; Delta Leadership Institute 2015-2016 graduate;

National Cutting Horse Association Membership; Selma Dallas County Alabama A&M

Alumni Chapter president and various other community organizations.

Kenna Graham

Keena Graham was born and raised in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. She received her bachelor’s

degree in history from the University of Alabama and her master’s degree in public

history from Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo, Michigan. However, her career

with the National Park Service started over 20 years ago at Arlington House, the Robert E.

Lee Memorial in the middle of Arlington National Cemetery. From there, she has worked

on the National Mall, the Lewis & Clark National Historic Trail, the Jean Lafitte Nation

Historical Park & Preserve, the Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument, and the Russell

Cave National Monument. She has worked on special projects at other Civil War and Civil

Rights sites, as well as helping to commemorate the Trail of Tears and the 50th

Anniversary of the March from Selma to Montgomery. She spent four years working for

the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in New Jersey. She has also conducted public history

research projects in France and in Germany. Today, she is the first permane

superintendent of the Medgar and Myrlie Evers Home National Monument in Jackson,

Mississippi, and she is very happy to be back in the southeast, where she can keep a close

eye on the progress of the Alabama Blackbelt National Heritage Area project.

Tamika Green

Tamika Green is currently one of the community development and rapid response

specialists, covering Eastern Missouri and including multiple Workforce Regions. Tamika
began her career with the State of Missouri in 2018 as an eligibility specialist for the

Department of Social Services. In her role, she helped Missouri citizens secure food,

medical, financial, and nutritional assistance so they could live safe, healthy, a

productive lives. She later moved on to the Missouri Job Centers as a benefit progr

specialist under the Department of Higher Education/Workforce Development, working

as an employment specialist within the Sikeston Job Center. February 2023 provided an

opportunity to move to her current position as a community development and rapid

response specialist. She began working to help employers meet their workforce needs by

providing reemployment services and guidance to those affected by staff reductions,

layoffs and/or worksite closures. Tamika also uses her voice in other ways, serving her local

church as a worship leader, participating in outreach events, and working with the youth.

She currently resides in Jackson, Missouri.

Bryan Greenwood

Bryan Greenwood, associate state director of the Louisiana Small Business Development

Center (LSBDC) Network, is responsible for the programmatic and operational activities of

the network. Greenwood is an accomplished finance professional with first

experience derived from multiple perspectives of the issues and challenges facing

businesses, leveraged by an enhanced ability to assess, identify, and construct strategic

solutions to a wide array of financial, banking, and business scenarios. Greenwood has 2

years of experience as a management consultant, strategy advisor, leadership coach, and

small business incubation facilitator, advocating on behalf of 500+ entrepreneurs and

small businesses throughout the state while also securing access to capital (loans, Angel

Investors, and VC’s) for startup and existing business’ funding. Greenwood has also served

on the Louisiana State University (LSU) E.J. Ourso College of Business Entrepreneurship

and the Flores MBA Faculty, serving as an adjunct instructor teaching courses in

Innovation & Creativity, Business Plan Writing, and Entrepreneurship

Finance. Greenwood's prior experience includes C&I Lending and SBA Government

Guaranteed Lending with three financial institutions where he focused on small a

medium-sized businesses providing loan and treasury service products. Aside from his

primary duties, Greenwood performs an extensive amount of public speaking on behalf of

the LSBDC Network. He plays an active role in supporting community endeavors,

providing services and boosting awareness of what the LSBDC can offer to existing small

businesses and startup entrepreneurs. He regularly performs community outreach and

public speaking activities and agendas to include lectures in business classes, recruits

companies to take part in classroom case projects, organizes training events, and works

with economic development groups to promote the startup, growth, and development of

small businesses and the commercialization of new products, thereby creating jobs for

Louisiana. As such, he recruits companies to participate in case projects, even arranging

and managing training events and seminars that promote small business growth and

foster the creation of new jobs. Greenwood's community service roles include being a

current member of the Louisiana District Export Council and a volunteer youth football

coach. Greenwood holds an MBA and a B.S. in finance degrees from LS

Thomas Gregory

Thomas Gregory is the executive director of the Mississippi Main Street Association, where

he leads the organization’s administrative, advocacy, and development efforts. A certifi
community planner, Gregory previously worked for the Small Town Center at Mississippi

State University and as the chief administrative officer for the City of Greenwoo

Mississippi. Gregory received a master’s in city and regional planning from the University

of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and both a master’s and bachelor’s in business

administration from Mississippi State University. He is the past president of the Mississippi

Chapter of the American Planning Association and a past participant in Leadership

Mississippi, the Public Interest Design Institute, and the Sustainable Cities Design

Academy. He currently serves as a board member for the Mississippi Heritage Trust and

Keep Mississippi Beautiful and as a member of the Greenwood Planning Commission.

Toniqua Hay

Toniqua Hay leads engagement for the rural and remote portfolios in the U.S.

Department of Energy’s Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations.She previously worked 

the International Finance Corporation’s (World Bank Group) Sustainable Infrastructure

Advisory Office, advancing innovative opportunities for engagement, investmen

collaboration, and value creation within the infrastructure and natural resources sectors’

private sector.Her background also consists of program design, monitoring transparency,

fiscal accountability, service delivery performance, and human resources manageme

with USAID/ Tanzania, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, The Home Depot, and a

boutique operations strategy consulting firm where she worked with energy a

manufacturing clients. Toniqua is based in Washington, DC, and holds a Master of Public

Administration with a concentration in international development and economic policy

from Cornell University and a B.S. in management from Georgia Institute of Technology.

Michael Hecht

Michael Hecht is President & CEO of Greater New Orleans, Inc., the economic

development agency for Southeast Louisiana. GNO, Inc.'s mission is to create a region

with a thriving economy and an excellent quality of life for everyone. Under Michael's

leadership, GNO, Inc. has been named the “Top Economic Development Organization in

the United States” by the International Economic Development Council. Before coming to

GNO, Inc., Michael led the quarter-billion-dollar Katrina Small Business Recovery Program

for the state. Previous to coming home to Louisiana, Michael worked for Mayor Michael

Bloomberg in New York City, running the post-9/11 small business program. Michael's

entrepreneurial experience includes co-founding a conglomerate of restaurant ventures,

including “Foreign Cinema,” named Restaurant of the Year 2000 in San Francisco. He

began his career as a strategic management consultant in the United States, Canada,

Europe, and Australia. Michael holds an MBA from Stanford Graduate School of Business

and an undergraduate degree from Yale. Michael has been recognized as “One of the Ten

People Who Made a Difference in the South,” “One of the 20 Business ‘Icons’ of the

Tricentennial,” and “2018 CEO of the Year.” With family roots in Louisiana back to the

1830s, Michael now lives in New Orleans with his wife, Marlene, who is currently pursuing

a Ph.D. at Tulane, and their two teenage sons.

Dr. Rolondo Herts

Dr. Rolondo Herts is a university-community engagement scholar whose interests include

stimulating cultural heritage development activity in the Mississippi Delta and

throughout the American South. His partnership development expertise has
strengthened university collaborations with the National Park Service, the Alliance of

National Heritage Areas, the National Endowment for the Humanities, the National

Humanities Alliance, and various regional and community-based organizations. Dr. Herts

holds a doctorate in planning and public policy from Rutgers University, an M.A. in social

sciences from The University of Chicago, and a B.A. in English from Morehouse College in

Atlanta.

Star Hoskins

Staresha V. Hoskins is a native of Greenville, Mississippi, in the heart of the Mississippi

Delta. Staresha studied at Delta State University, where she received her master’s degree

in community development in 2014. Staresha currently serves as the monitoring &

compliance coordinator for the Delta Regional Authority. In this role, Staresha is

responsible for evaluating DRA grant recipient’s performance and ensuring that all

federal awards are implemented promptly in compliance with the federal regulations set

forth by the Delta Regional Authority. Staresha has been employed with the Authority

since 2014 and has served in various capacities during her tenure at the Authority.

Abe Hudson

Abe Hudson serves as a program officer for the Home Region Program at the Walt

Family Foundation. Prior to this role, he was a Mississippi state representative and held

positions at Delta State University as a visiting professor and program director for the

DEBTS Program. Hudson’s educational background includes a bachelor’s degree in

marketing from the University of Southern Mississippi, a master’s degree in business

administration and finance from Mississippi State University, and a doctoral degree 

urban and regional planning from Jackson State University. Abe is also an esteemed

member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. He and his wife, Adrienne, who works as an

educational advocate and elementary school principal, reside in Shelby, Mississippi, with

their daughter, Abee Miranda, and their beloved dog, Sophie.

Ted James

As Region VI Administrator, Ted James will oversee Small Business Administration

(SBA)programs, offices, and operations in the SBA’s South-Central region, servi

Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas. Mr. James’ passion for leadership

is driven by a deeply held desire to impact the lives of others while transforming his

community. A native of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, he was taught at an early age the value

of service, the strength of community, the importance of a quality education, and the

principles of social justice. Mr. James earned a B.S. degree in accounting from Southern

University A & M College and obtained his J.D. with honors from the Southern University

Law Center. In November of 2011, Mr. James was elected to serve as State Representative

for Louisiana’s 101st House District and immediately emerged as a leader in the

Legislature. During his three terms in the Louisiana House of Representatives, he served

as chairman of the Administration of Criminal Justice Committee and chairman of the

Louisiana Legislative Black Caucus. Outside of the Louisiana State Legislature, Mr. James

is an attorney and past director of the Baton Rouge office of the Urban League 

Louisiana.

Tamika E. Jenkins
Having traveled the world with her Army Veteran parents, Tamika comes to the Hinds

County Economic Development Authority from Mississippi County, Arkansas, with 15 years

of economic development experience. She is no stranger to collaborating with people

from all levels of society. Her arduous work has assisted in creating jobs, leading workforce

development initiatives, establishing partnerships, working with nonprofit organization

and becoming a key player in collaborating with communities and businesses to develop

working relationships and strong partnerships throughout the South. In 2021, Tamika

earned her CEcD, an accomplishment she is extremely proud of. During her tenure, she

has assisted in the creation of numerous net new jobs and lead workforce development

initiatives, including receiving the FIRST ACT Work Ready Certification award for Arkansa

Having a B.S. in materials engineering from Iowa State University and an M.S.M. in project

management, her executive skills will start and finish projects. Tamika had the pleasure 

working with the White House Rural Impact project created to attack generational

poverty. Tamika's accolades include being among the top 10 Northeast Arkansas Women

in Business, 2021 AY Intriguing Women, and AR Money and Politics Magazine "2021

Influencers of the Year." In addition, she has completed numerous leadership programs 

assist with her educational goals and community involvement. Her goal is to meet the

needs of business and community partners that will spur growth within Hinds County,

Mississippi.

Glen Johnson

Glen Johnson currently serves as chief transformation officer at ENNCLOUD Technologi

Corporation. He has been an industry-recognized speaker, technology leader, business

executive, and advisory consultant for nearly three decades. His deep technology

experience spans public and private sector organizations, specializing in Global

Technology Outsourcing, Technology Strategy and Finance, Cloud Computing, IT Risk

Management, FinTech Payment Systems, and Project Management. Formerly, he was the

Founder & CEO of an innovative digital music services software company, where he

negotiated multiple rounds of angel and venture capital funding, including execution of a

favorable exit for investors. He has strong business domain competencies in the following

areas: Information Technology, Grants/Non-Profits, and Higher Educatio

Sanford Johnson

Sanford Johnson (he/him/his) has been the executive director of Teach Plus Mississippi

since 2020 and leads the work of the Mississippi Policy Fellowship and the Mississippi

Teacher Network. Mississippi Policy Fellows have been involved in increasing teacher pay,

strengthening the state’s teacher pipeline, and increasing access to mental health

resources. He also manages the Delta Change Agent Network, through which teacher

leaders are working with their principals and colleagues to address school-level problems

of practice. Prior to joining Teach Plus, Sanford was the deputy director of Mississippi First,

an education policy research and advocacy organization. He serves on the board for Teen

Health Mississippi, the Mississippi Alliance of Nonprofits and Philanthropy, and chairs t

Clarksdale Municipal Elections Commission. Sanford is also a 2010-11 alum of the Delta

Leadership Institute. Sanford holds a B.A. from Auburn University and an M.P.S. from the

University of Arkansas Clinton School of Public Service. He lives in Clarksdale with his wife,

Amanda, and their two daughters, Lorelei and Ava.
Lee A. Jones

Lee A. Jones serves as the executive director of the Rural Partners Network (RPN).

Through RPN, the Biden-Harris Administration is taking action to transform the way the

federal government partners with rural communities to spur inclusive, sustainable

economic growth. The RPN creates an alliance of federal agencies and civic partners

working to expand rural prosperity through job creation, infrastructure development, and

community improvement. The RPN is co-led by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and

the Domestic Policy Council at the White House. In his role, Lee provides overall

leadership and works closely with federal partners and RPN communities to deliver on

the federal government’s commitment to rural communities. Lee is originally from the

small, rural town of Bastrop, Louisiana. He is a graduate of Southern University and A&M

College in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Lee is also a member of the Leadership Louisiana Class

of 2012 and a graduate of the Delta Leadership Institute’s BEST class...The CLASS of 2018!

Dr. Cynthia Kelley

Dr. Cynthia Kelley began her career as a public school teacher in West Virginia and has

worked in higher education for 32 years. In 1991, she became a community college

instructor at West Virginia University at Parkersburg. While at Parkersburg, she assisted in

the development of the first bachelor’s degree program to be offered in a communi

college in West Virginia. She is a tenured professor of education and, over the years, has

served in a variety of leadership positions, including chair, dean, and vice president for

academic affairs and student services. Dr. Kelley has served in these roles at West Virginia

University at Parkersburg, Kanawha Valley Community and Technical College, and Motlow

State Community College. Kelley earned her Ph.D. in curriculum and instruction at Ohio

University. She has a master’s degree from West Virginia University and a bachelor’s

degree in education from Glenville State College. Dr. Kelley is an ACE Fellow with the class

of 2008-2009, and during that time, she represented her class on the Council of Fellows.

During the Fellowship, she visited over 25 colleges, including a six-month residency at

Owens Community College in Toledo, Ohio, and a five-month residency with the We

Virginia Community and Technical College System chancellor. Kelley was also a member

of the 2017 Leadership Kentucky class. Dr. Kelley is a board member of the Southern

Association of Colleges with Associate Degrees. She also serves as a board member for

the United Way of the Coal Field, Hopkins County Economic Development Corporation,

and West Kentucky Workforce Investment Board. She currently serves on the Board for

the ACE Council of Fellows and the Board of Trustees for the Southern Association for

Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC). In the past, she has been a

peer evaluator for the North Central Association Higher Learning Commission, member of

the AACC Commission on Academic, Student, and Community Development, president

of the National Association for Community College Teacher Education Programs, member

of the West Virginia Program Review Board, chair of the West Virginia Teacher Education

Advisory Board, and board member for the Appalachian Education Laboratory. Dr. Kelley

began her duties as President/CEO at Madisonville Community College on July 1, 2016.

Michael Kennedy

Since 2020, Michael Kennedy has been a Brownfields project officer in the Brown

and Revitalization Section at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 6
Dallas office. He manages Brownfields grants, assists with Targeted Brow

Assessments, and is the regional coordinator for the Smart Growth Program. Prior to

joining the EPA, he was a federal park ranger for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers at the

Hiram M. Chittenden Locks in Seattle, Washington. Michael graduated from Oregon State

University with a B.S. in Natural Resource Management in 2019. He has a passion for

environmental stewardship and outdoor recreation.

Alex Lawson, Jr.

Alex Lawson, Jr. currently serves as the senior vice president for strategic initiatives at

Hope Credit Union and Hope Enterprise Corporation, where he leads the development

and execution of the corporate strategy and has supported the deployment of $1.3 billion

to more than one million people and businesses in under-resourced Deep South

communities. Alex also serves as the chairman of the board of commissioners for the

Jackson Redevelopment Authority. Alex works with community stakeholders through this

role to revitalize and restore underinvested parts of the city, including the historic Black

business district - Farish Street.

Ileana Ledet

Ileana Ledet joined the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) within the

Department of Commerce in 2022 and serves as the Economic Development

Representative for Louisiana. Prior to joining EDA, Louisiana was the senior vice president

of policy for Greater New Orleans, Inc. In that role, Ileana led the organization’s legislative

affairs as well as regional, state, and federal policy activities. From 2012-2018, Ileana served

as deputy commissioner of public affairs for the Louisiana Department of Insurance.

Previously, she managed communications and stakeholder engagement at the Louisiana

Department of Education as the Public Information Director. Before joining the public

sector, Ileana worked as a television news producer in New Orleans during Hurricane

Katrina and subsequently as an executive producer in Phoenix. Ileana graduated from

The George Washington University’s Elliott School of International Affairs. Ileana and her

husband are now raising their two children in their hometown of New Orleans.

Betsy Dirksen Londrigan

Betsy Dirksen Londrigan is a graduate of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and

former director at the University of Illinois Springfield. She brings over 20 years 

experience in the nonprofit sector, working with community, regional, and state leade

to effect positive change. She is a lifelong resident of Springfield, Illinois, and is proud th

her family members still own and operate the Centennial farm in Central Illinois, where

her grandmother was raised. Dirksen Londrigan is committed to working with rural

communities to bring investments to every corner of Illinois to support local and regional

initiatives to power economic development and grow local economies.

Alison Lorence

Alison Lorence currently serves as the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)

Federal Disaster Recovery Officer (FDRO) for DR-4684 in Alabama, a recovery missi

from the January 2023 tornadoes and storms. She previously served as the FDRO for

missions in New Jersey, for Hurricane Ida in 2021-2022, and in the U.S. Virgin Islands from
2017-2018, for Hurricanes Irma and Maria. Beginning as a New York local hire after

Hurricane Sandy in 2012, Alison was part of the initial stand up of the Interagency

Recovery Coordination (IRC) Group in its first iteration, then called the Federal Disast

Recovery Coordination Group. Alison continued working on recovery for New York and

New Jersey through the following years as part of the only steady-state IRC Group in the

country for FEMA Region 2, based in the World Trade Center. Previous to establishing her

career with FEMA, Alison was a marketing executive with various roles in the New York

Special Events Industry. Alison holds a B.S. from Carnegie Mellon University.

Felicia Lucky

Felecia Lucky is a leader whose passion and foundation of work are deeply embedded in

philanthropy. A graduate of Tuskegee University and University of Alabama, Felecia holds

a B.S. in accounting and an MBA. After a career in finance, Felecia returned to Livingsto

Alabama, and was passionate about the idea of building a foundation with the people

and for the people when she joined the Black Belt Community Foundation (BBCF). BBCF

was established to strengthen Alabama’s 12 poorest counties, known collectively as the

Black Belt. In the last 19 years, BBCF has provided opportunities to the region that have

improved the quality of life and has partnered with philanthropic organizations that want

to invest in local community-led driven transformation. Some noteworthy partnerships

include but are not limited to: W.K. Kellogg Foundation’s Truth, Racial Healing and

Transformation, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Head Start f

early childhood education, and Alabama State Council of the Arts.With her deep roots in

the community, Felecia serves on a variety of committees and boards, including the City

of Livingston City Council, Black Belt Commission, Heron Foundation Board, and several

others. Felecia lives daily to create change through philanthropic work.

Darci Malam

Darci Malam joined the Delta Regional Authority in May 2021 and is the States’ Economic

Development Assistance Program (SEDAP) program manager. Prior to joining DRA, Darci

was the economic development specialist /revolving loan fund manager for the SouthCentral Ozark Council of Governments for over six years. Darci’s experience also included

banking, having worked for a private bank and Farm Service Agency, conference

coordinating/planning, marketing, agricultural analysis/field inspections, and cleric

work, and she also co-owned/operated a small-scale sawmill and logging business with

her husband.Darci received a B.S. in agricultural business from the College of the Ozarks

and an MS. degree in agricultural economics/business from the University of Arkansas.

Darci is a Missouri native and currently resides with her husband, Tim, and three children,

Brennan, Braxton, and Tinli, in Texas County, Missouri, on their small beef cattle farm.

Lacy McManus

Lacy McManus is the executive director of Future Energy at Greater New Orleans, Inc.

(GNO, Inc.), where she advances a diverse coalition of higher education, community

college, nonprofit, and industry partners spearheading the renewable energy evoluti

across South Louisiana. Lacy has re-joined the GNO, Inc. team after nearly three years with

Amazon Web Services (AWS). Prior to joining AWS, Lacy served as the vice president for

strategic initiatives at GNO, Inc., where she oversaw a portfolio of workforce, education,

and environmental programs that enhanced the economic competitiveness of the GNO
region. Her work in Louisiana was launched at the Center for Planning Excellence, where

she was strategic initiatives manager.Lacy holds a B.A. in journalism from the University

of Georgia, an M.A. in global communications from the American University of Paris, and

an MBA from Tulane University. She and her husband Bryan are proud New Orleans

residents, raising their three daughters and rescue dog Uptown.

Alyssa Meller

Alyssa Meller joined The Center in December 2013, bringing over ten years of Managed

Care Medicaid and Medicare experience. This experience includes care coordination,

program development, quality improvement, and collaboration with local and state

partners. In addition to overseeing operations at The Center, she directs community work

in the Delta region through the Delta Region Community Health Systems Development

(DRCHSD) Program. This helps rural healthcare organizations understand the importance

of community outreach, engagement, and care coordination and how it is an essential

part of the value-based payment models. At The Center, Alyssa oversees program

operations related to the organization’s mission, including human resources, finance

and technology. She works with the chief executive officer and board of directors 

develop The Center’s strategic plan and oversees implementation of the strategic plan,

budget development, marketing, service line development, and monitoring of the

balanced scorecard. Alyssa serves on the board of directors for Minnesota Rural Health

Association and Men As Peacemakers. She received an M.A. in management with a

concentration in organizational development from The College of St. Scholastica and

holds a double major from the University of Wisconsin Superior in psychology and

sociology.

Warren Miller

Warren Miller is the senior advisor for the Small Business Administration’s (SBA)

Office of Disaster Assistance. Prior to the SBA,Mr. Miller served as a key poli

advisor to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) administrator

andvice-chairof equity on the FEMA National Advisory Council, theBiden-Harris

presidential campaign’s state campaign director for Mississippi,and in theU.S.

Congress.As a small business owner,healsoledthe implementation of E-911 radio

communications systems onto the statewide communications network for several

municipalities. Since 2005, he has been actively engaged in large-scale disaster

responses and recovery, including Hurricanes Katrina, Rita, Ike, Sandy, Irene,and

Harvey,numerous tornadoes, winter storms, and major floods, such as the histor

Mississippi River flood, as well as participating on National Level Exercises N

Madrid Earthquake andNational Mass Care Task Forceplanning.Mr. Millerhas also

been recognized for his service on various boards and through

awards,includingthe National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster Board of

Directors. He is a life member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc., and a recipient of

the Elder Watson Diggs Award, the fraternity’s second-highestnational service

honor for a member. He is aproudalumnusof the University of Southern

Mississippi.
Daniel Musgrave

Daniel Musgrave joined the Delta Regional Authority in February 2023 and is currently the

States’ Economic Development Assistance Program (SEDAP) program analyst. Before

coming to DRA, Daniel was the community development administrator/project manager

at the Northwest Tennessee Development District (NWTDD). Daniel’s responsibilities at

NWTDD included writing and administrating various state and federal grants (CDBG,

SDG, EDA, DRA, TDEC ARP), attending bid openings and pre-construction conferences,

coordinating with engineers and contractors, interviewing and community outreach to

the nine counties served by NWTDD. Daniel grew up in Lewisburg, Tennessee, and is a

graduate of the University of Tennessee at Martin. He resides in Martin, Tennessee, with

his wife, Tiffany, and three children: Samantha, Luke, and Harper. His interests are music,

reading, leather crafting, basketball, and running.

Dwight Norton

Dwight Norton currently works as the interim chief planning & capital projects officer f

the New Orleans Regional Transit Authority (RTA), where he leads the development of

service plans, major initiatives, and capital projects to transform public transport in the

region into a world-class service. A New Orleans native and reformed engineer, he

returned home in 2007 to work on the rebuilding and reimagining of the city. After a

dozen years of consulting on housing, land use, and transportation planning for projects

throughout the region and the United States, he worked as the mobility coordinator for

the City of New Orleans, a first step to link transportation policies and initiatives to 

more effective, equitable and resilient. He led the development of the city’s first bi

share system and co-led one of the country's largest demonstration projects to

temporarily reconfigure a network of streets for safer transportation choices call

Connect the Crescent. He recently oversaw the implementation of a complete redesign of

the agency’s bus routes and is managing the development of the region’s first rap

transit corridor. Through insatiable curiosity and love of hometown, he dives into

understanding why the city functions the way it does in order to enable change in the

built environment that realizes the aspirations of communities.

Clint O’Neal

Clint O’Neal is the executive director of the Arkansas Economic Development

Commission (AEDC). Clint has 16 years of economic development experience and is

passionate about making a difference by helping communities win economic

development projects and helping companies to be successful in Arkansas. Clint started

his economic development career in 2007 as a project manager at AEDC. He served as

the vice president of business recruitment for the Missouri Partnership starting in 2011

before moving back to his home state in 2018 to be the deputy director of global business

at AEDC. Clint was named executive director by Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders in

January 2023. He serves as a member of the board of directors for the Arkansas Economic

Developers & Chamber Executives, the Arkansas Economic Development Foundation, the

Arkansas Institute for Performance Excellence, and the Arkansas Workforce Development

Board. He also serves as Governor Sanders’ Designee to the Delta Regional Authority. Clint

is a graduate of the Economic Development Institute at the University of Oklahoma and is

a certified economic developer through the International Economic Developme
Council. He holds a master’s degree in community and economic development from the

University of Central Arkansas. Clint and his wife, Heather, live in Conway with their four

children: Chloe, Ellie, Ava, and Caleb.

Courtney Paige

Courtney has more than a decade of experience in public outreach and program

coordination. Many of Courtney’s projects have been in and around Central Louisiana with

the City of Alexandria and the City of Pineville in multiple capacities, such as managing

summer day camps for children or planning and implementing special events while

volunteering with child-centric organizations. She has worked with multiple dashboards

and interfaces, coordinated multiple schedules for statewide appointments, maintained

digital marketing campaigns, and communicated with the public through a variety of

avenues, including press releases and social media. She possesses a B.A. degree in mass

communications & journalism from Ashford University.

Cheyton Pendley

Cheyton Pendley joined the Delta Regional Authority (DRA) as a workforce program

analyst in September 2023. In this role, Cheyton oversees the development and

administration of various agency programs and partnership initiatives, including the

Delta Workforce Grant Program and Workforce Opportunity for Rural Communities grant

program. Cheyton has over two years of experience in grants management and

collaboration with economic development organizations, local development districts, and

local/state governments. Before coming to DRA, Cheyton was an infrastructure planner at

the Green River Area Development District. Mr. Pendley earned his B.A. in business

administration at Lindsey Wilson College.

Katrina Pielli

Katrina Pielli serves as the director of the Office of Engagement in the U.S. Department 

Energy’s (DOE) Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations (OCED). Pielli has more than 

years of shaping policy, driving forward ambitious programs, and building partnerships to

tackle global energy challenges and address the climate crisis. In her role as the

engagement office director in OCED, she ensures robust, meaningful stakehold

engagement and effective communications are at the center of the late-stage capitalintensive technology demonstration projects implemented by OCED. Pielli also served in

the DOE Office of Policy, advancing clean energy and supply chain efforts with a focus 

the nexus of manufacturing and communities. Most recently, Pielli was an international

development and humanitarian energy consultant, where she worked with government

leaders, philanthropy, humanitarian agencies, and private sector companies to achieve

their energy and climate goals. Prior to that, Pielli held several positions in the U.S.

government–at the U.S. Agency for International Development, DOE, the White House

Council on Environmental Quality, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency–and

worked in the private sector and civil society. A native of rural Idaho, Pielli holds an M.S. in

environmental management and policy from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and a B.A.

in environmental studies and policy from Cornell College.

Marshall Pierite
Marshall Pierite is the founder and owner of The Pierite Group, a Louisiana-based

company that provides business advisory services. He is also the co-founder and coowner of Tribal Solutions Medical, a company dedicated to providing medical resources to

rural and native communities. He is also a founding member of Tribal Communications, a

company created to connect the digital divide through technology and innovation in

Indian Country and rural America. A native Louisianan, Marshall began his career by

serving in the U.S. Marine Corps with a military occupational specialty in

administration.Following his military service, he worked for the Tunica-Biloxi Tribe of

Louisiana as a medical clerk. After receiving progressive promotions within the TunicaBiloxi Tribe of Louisiana’s Health Department, he was promoted to director of the TunicaBiloxi Social Services Department. While serving in the Social Services Department,

Marshall also became a member of the Tunica-Biloxi Tribal Council. For more than 25

years, he held several elected positions on the Council, including secretary-treasurer, vicechairman, and chairman of the Tribe.Over the course of his time on the Council, he

worked on government operations, budgeting, infrastructure development, economic

development, community development, and tax policy development.Marshall became

well versed in government operations throughout Indian Country, federal regulations,

government-to-government negotiations, and relationship building between

governmental organizations and private entities. He currently and proudly serves as the

chairman of the Tunica-Biloxi Tribe. Through this position, he hopes to establish unity and

purpose, create wealth and jobs, and provide accessibility and accountability to the

members of the Tribe. Concurrent with Marshall’s service in Tribal government, he also

excelled in several leadership positions in corporate governance. He served as the chief

executive officer of MobiLoans, a financial services corporation.Under Marsha

leadership, MobiLoans grew from a small start-up company to a multi-million dollar

national financial service institution. As chief executive officer, he oversaw a multi-mil

dollar portfolio, all while creating workforce development opportunities for the citizens of

Louisiana.Due to his outstanding service, Marshall was named chairman of the Board of

Directors of MobiLoans, a position he currently holds. Marshall has also served in key

positions on a number of boards and committees with private, Tribal, and nonprof

organizations. He has served as chairman and co-chairman of the Board of Carcieri Task

Force; board member of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce/NAEI; board member of the

United South and Eastern Tribes; board member of the National Online Lending Alliance

Board; liaison officer to Tunica-Biloxi Economic Development Corporation; mentor 

Tunica-Biloxi Youth Council and committee member of the United South and Eastern

Tribes Social Services Program. He currently serves as the chairman of the Inter-Tribal

Council of Louisiana, board member of the Tunica-Biloxi Economic Development

Authority, board member of the Family Justice Center of Louisiana, board member of

United Way of Central Louisiana, committee member of Southern Partners Fund, and

founding member of the Gulf States American Indian Chamber of Commerce. Recently,

Chairman Pierite was selected as the 2022 Tribal Leader of the Year by the Native

American Finance Officers Association. He was also selected to serve on the first-

Tribal Intergovernmental Advisory Committee through the Housing Urban and

Development (HUD) federal agency, which was created to strengthen the nation-tonation relationship between HUD and Tribal Nations. He also serves on the Governor’s

Task Force for Missing Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls.

Veranisha Thompson Pohlman
Veranisha Thompson Pohlman (she/they) is a New Orleanian, and much like any New

Orleanian, she brings “home” wherever she goes. And from that, she brings laughter, CiQ,

and human-centered approaches to racial equity work. Veranisha is Louisiana-educated

by way of a bachelor's degree (BFA)from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette and an

MBA (HR/international business) from Louisiana State University at Shreveport. For nearly

ten years, she has worked in community-based spaces, honing her passions while

working directly for equity in business and wealth economies, community visibility, and

inclusionary belonging.In her daily work, she provides technical support to startup

founders and entrepreneurs in New Orleans’ communities, historically under-resourced

and underserved, leading as the executive director of Fund 17, a nonprofit that provid

holistic technical assistance to small businesses in New Orleans. At present, she is actively

pursuing interests in developing her knowledge in gardening and cyber security.

Malika Polk-Lee

Malika Polk-Lee has served as the executive director of the B.B. King Museum and Delta

Interpretive Center—which now includes Club Ebony—since 2015. In this role, she ensures

local programming excellence while maintaining the exhibits that welcome visitors from

all over the world. She is also director of the CVB for Indianola and Sunflower Count

Mississippi. She understands that service to the residents of the area is vital and that it

helps build a stronger community as well as offering guests a richer experience in the

museum and the Mississippi Delta as a whole. Malika holds a B.S. from Mississippi State

University and an MBA from Delta State University. She serves as the secretary/treasurer

of the Mississippi Delta National Heritage Area board. Malika is active in the Indianola

community through service organizations, including Rotary Club and Alpha Kappa Alpha.

She is married to Gerald Lee, and they have one daughter, London.

Greg Richardson

With over two decades as port director, Greg Richardson's engineering background and

expertise in port management have propelled the Port of Columbia to a Multimodal

Industrial complex, expanding from ten to 400 acres. He has secured $34.2 million in state

and federal funding, including a $10.5 million FY 2023 RAISE Grant, reflecting h

unwavering commitment to regional economic and community development. As a

navigator of port management challenges and opportunities, Greg champions innovative

solutions, fostering growth, job creation, and economic resilience in the Delta Region. At

the Delta Regional Authority 2023 annual conference’s Transportation Transformation

Session, he will share insights on the Port of Columbia's journey and the positive impact

of the FY2023 RAISE Grant on the region's economic development and resiliency.

Sanci Richardson

Sanci Richardson is the founder and lead consultant at The Bridge Consulting Group LLC,

a specialized consulting firm dedicated to community and economic development. Th

comprehensive service firm provides strategic planning and capacity building 

nonprofit managers and municipal leaders. In 2009, Richardson established the compa

with the goal of aiding executives and community organizers in developing winning

strategies that promote growth through effective strategic planning and partnerships.

The Bridge Consulting Group excels at providing transformative solutions by enabling
communities, philanthropic organizations, government officials, school districts, a

educational institutions to access resources within Arkansas and the Mississippi Delta

region. Prior to forming The Bridge Consulting Group, Richardson served as a business

developer at the Arkansas Economic Development Commission and worked with the

Delta Regional Authority, focusing on workforce development programs and HBCU

Entrepreneurship initiatives. Currently, Richardson serves as a consultant with the

Winthrop Rockefeller Foundation, offering support to nonprofit organizations such as t

Arkansas Black Mayors Association and the South Arkansas Health Council. She is a

partner to the Arkansas State Broadband Office with AR Connects, their digital equi

planning team. Sanci played a pivotal role in leading outreach efforts in rural and

underserved communities. Additionally, she is actively engaged in the Winthrop

Rockefeller Institute’s collaboration focused on Health Equity in Arkansas. She is a

prominent leader in the broad coalition designing strategies for literacy and early

childhood initiatives across South Arkansas communities. Sanci also serves as a

community manager with Excel by Eight and consults with Forward Arkansas, an

education policy nonprofit. Sanci and her husband, Kevin, have made their home in t

Central Little Rock area. They are proud parents of six adult children and grandparents to

two grandsons and a late granddaughter.

Michael Ricks

Michael Ricks joined the Small Business Administration (SBA) in 2004. He served as the

district director in Alabama for four years and was appointed as the district director for

Louisiana in 2008. Prior to joining the SBA, Mr. Ricks served in the U.S. Army as an infantry

officer, a program manager for Advanced Technology and Production Readiness projec

for the U.S. Marine Corps in Washington, DC, and as a defense acquisition officer in ear

Program Concept Development for the Army Infantry Center at Fort Benning, Georgia. As

an active duty and reserve infantry officer, Mr. Ricks completed numerous overse

combat and hazardous duty deployments. He was medically retired from active service

and is a lifetime member of the Disabled American Veterans. Mr. Ricks is a former small

business entrepreneur and operated a consulting company in Florida, which advised on

software development, business processes, and information systems technology. Mr. Ricks

earned a bachelor’s degree in engineering from the University of Houston. He also holds a

graduate degree in systems engineering from the Naval Postgraduate School in

Monterrey, California, as well as an MBA from Troy University in Alabama. Mr. Ricks was

born and raised in New Orleans, Louisiana, where much of his extended family still

resides.

Deidre Deculus Robert

Deidre Deculus Robert was born and raised in Mamou, Louisiana. She has been

immersed in agriculture and rural development her entire life; her mother retired from

the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and her father served on the Farm Services Agency

State Committee. Robert has over two decades of legal, administrative, and executive

management experience and is honored to serve as state director of Rural Development

in Louisiana. Her legal career began in the Parish Attorney’s Office of East Baton Rouge 

an assistant city prosecutor. During her 11 years with the city-parish, she advanced to

become the first black female section chief. She worked for over six years as an assista

attorney with the Louisiana Department of Justice, where she served as deputy director
of the Public Protection Division, deputy director of the Litigation Division, and special

litigation counsel assigned to defend the Louisiana Judiciary. Prior to accepting this

presidential appointment, Robert served as the executive counsel for the Louisiana

Department of Transportation and Development. Her responsibilities included managing

legislative affairs on the federal, state, and local levels and supervising the innovative

procurement, legal, and internal audit sections of the agency, as well as the human

resources legal matters of the agency. She collaborated with state and local partners to

advance infrastructure needs, including rail, broadband, and bridges throughout the

state. Previously, Robert served as general counsel of the Southern University and A&M

College System, the only HBCU college system in the country. Robert has focused her

passion for service as a member of the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated; the

Louisiana Bar Association; the Louisiana Bar Foundation as a fellow and board member;

the Louis A. Martinet Legal Society; Junior League of Baton Rouge; Arts Council of Greater

Baton Rouge, and more. She and her husband, James, reside in Glynn, Louisiana, with

their two sons. State Director Robert and her team are here to provide investments that

will deliver help to small businesses to access new and better markets, grow modern

infrastructure, promote a healthy environment and affordable housing, and create

equitable access to quality health care, jobs, and capital.

Kathy Saloy

Kathy Cobette Saloy is the senior vice president of community and economic

development and market leader for the Louisiana and Mississippi Gulf Coast for Hope

Enterprise Corporation (HOPE). She focuses on asset-building strategies and facilitates

investments in community infrastructure. including fresh food retailers, charter schools,

affordable housing, and other community facilities and infrastructure projects, while

connecting communities with HOPE resources and expertise. In the role, she manages,

structures, and leads the organization's business development financing and de

associated with specialized sources. Kathy manages and develops community and

economic development programs and leads, coaches, and develops a team of

commercial loan officers in her market. As market leader, she collaborates with retail a

other lines of business to leverage the credit union’s full suite of products and services.

Jamie Schmill

Jamie Schmillis a creative systems thinker, strategist, and team builder who has

cultivated her expertise in programs and grants management, capacity bridging, and

equity-centered learning and evaluation through work across the higher education,

nonprofit, and philanthropic sectors. Jamiejoined the Foundation for Louisiana as vi

president (VP) of programs in August 2020. As VP of programs, Jamie works with the

foundation’s staff, community-based partners, and board in working toward a freer and

more just Louisiana.Prior to joining the foundation, Jamie served as a program officer a

then as the director of programs at Laureus Sport for Good Foundation.She spent a

decade prior to that in higher education, supporting students, faculty, and community

partners in navigating equitable partnerships to support recovery in New Orleans and the

Gulf Coast region following Hurricane Katrina. Jamie holds undergraduate degrees in

gender studies and dance, as well as a Master of Liberal Arts in philosophy from Tulane

University. She completed a Master of Education in learning and leadership at Vanderbilt
University and is currently a doctoral student studying leadership and social change at

Antioch University.

John Spann

John Spann is a proud Mississippian and a graduate of Mississippi State University. He has

worked in public history and the humanities for ten years. He became the first curator 

education and programming for the Mississippi Civil Rights Museum in 2017 and stayed

in that role until 2021. Spann is currently the program and outreach officer for t

Mississippi Humanities Council (MHC). In this position, he oversees and develops councilconducted programs and manages grants and grantees of the MHC. In addition, he

cultivates partnerships with educational institutions, nonprofit organizations, a

community groups to fulfill the council’s mission. He is a member of the Rho Xi Lamb

Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Incorporated, where he serves on the executive

board as chapter historian, also serves on the Board of Directors for the ACLU, the Board

of Directors for the Mississippi Symphony Orchestra, and the community advisory board

for the Mississippi Museum of Art.

Suzanne Snyder

Suzanne Snyder is a public health analyst in the Hospital State Division at the Federal

Office of Rural Health Policy (FORHP). She serves as the program coordinator for t

Delta Region Community Health Systems Development Program and Delta Health

Systems Implementation Program and a project officer for the State Office of R

Health Program.Suzanne has a varied background in social services and community

development, from case management and counseling to program coordination and

community assessment.Before joining FORHP, she served as a Peace Corps volunteer in

Peru and an AmeriCorps Vista volunteer in the Appalachian Mountains of North Carolina.

She obtained a Master of Social Work from Appalachian State University and obtained a

bachelor’s in social work from the University of North Carolina, Wilmington.

Karen Stafford

After retiring from a lengthy career in nursing, Karen transitioned to emergency

management as a planner in preparedness and response for the state of Maryland and

Washington, DC. Wanting to expand her experience in emergency management, she

began working in disaster recovery with the Federal Emergency Management Agency

through the agency’s Interagency Recovery Coordination (IRC) cadre.Her breadth of

experience covering response and recovery has resulted in Karen being called upon to

serve as an advisor to Federal Coordinating Officers, Federal Disaster Recove

Coordinators, and Federal Disaster Recovery Officers (FDRO). Taking on a multitude 

roles, she has been an acting FDRO, a deputy FDRO, and is a consummate mentor to

members of the IRC cadre. Ms. Stafford holds a B.S. in biology from Upsala College, East

Orange, New Jersey, and from the University of Maryland Baltimore County Honors

College. She holds a B.A. in health administration public policy and a master’s in applied

sociology and health public policy.

Belinda Stewart
Belinda J. Stewart, FAIA, APTRP, is the founding principal of Belinda Stewart Architects, a

woman-owned and led firm in the small town of Eupora, Mississippi. Belinda has alwa

been a citizen architect, persistently searching for ways to assist communities and lead

her own. She is the seventh-term mayor of the Village of Walthall. She believes a small

town can inspire, family roots can build an ethic that weaves through a profession, and

that architecture shows the beauty of history and hope for our future. Over the last 33

years, her firm has provided architectural services for over 500 historic structures, whi

have received over 100 design and preservation awards.

Ernest D. Strickland

Ernest D. Strickland is the president and CEO of the Black Business Association (BBA) of

Memphis. Ernest has led a multitude of successful economic and workforce development

projects throughout his career. Strickland comes to the BBA after a stellar 15-year career

with the Greater Memphis Chamber. In his role at the Chamber, Ernest served as senior

vice president of workforce. He launched Memphis’ community-wide workforce

development initiative, Upskill 901 - a program aimed at upskilling 10,000 individuals over

three years. Other positions included serving as the chamber vice president of

international and director of economic development. Strickland also partnered with his

musically gifted son to launch SC World, a music management and services fir

Previously, Ernest owned and managed Investors First Realty. In this capacity, his

responsibilities included managing cash flow, driving property acquisitions and sales, a

serving as property manager for the firm’s real estate portfolio. Ernest is passionate abo

growing the city, and he enjoys investing in his community through civic duties. He

previously served as chairman of the W.E.B. DuBois Charter School Consortium, board

member of The Consortium MMT, on the board of trustees of New Memphis Institute,

chairman of the Downtown Memphis Commission, board member of Memphis World

Trade Club, and the board of directors for the Leadership Memphis. Ernest serves on the

Greater Memphis Local Workforce Development Board and the Memphis in May

International Festival board of directors. Ernest holds a bachelor’s degree in professional

studies from the University of Memphis and a master’s from Bethel University’s executive

MBA program.

L. Nicole Stringfellow

L. Nicole Stringfellow is the program manager for leadership development with the Delta

Regional Authority. Her professional and academic background includes a 4-year career

as the regional vice president for the Delta with Together for Hope with Cooperative

Baptist Fellowship, a 19-year career at Delta State University, where she was the former

regional director for the MDSC/AmeriCorps*VISTA program at Delta State University, and

served five years in an interim capacity as director for The Center for Community a

Economic Development. L. Nicole has a diverse education with a bachelor’s in criminal

justice from Mississippi Valley State University, a master’s in criminal justice from Delta

State University, and a master’s in human capital development from the University of

Southern Mississippi. She is also a certified economic development finance professi

from the National Development Council (New York). She is a distinguished and diverse

professional with 27 years of experience in case management, 25 years of community

outreach and solutions development expertise, 21 years of experience assisting nonprof

organizations in developing and implementing strategic plans, 23 years of program
management experience, 15 years as an educator and a lifetime of service to people and

communities. Her education and experience make her preeminent in working with

grassroots communities, leadership development, program compliance and monitoring,

volunteer management, and training and development.

Dr. Michael A. Stubblefie

Dr. Michael A. Stubblefield serves as vice chancellor for the Office of Research, Strat

Initiatives, and Economic Development (ORSI-ED) at Southern University (SU) and A&M

College. ORSI-ED provides technical and administrative oversight for various university,

government, and company projects. Dr. Stubblefield is a senior research administrator 

one of the largest historically black universities in the United States. With over 25 years of

higher education experience, his true passion lies in the need to drive economic growth,

particularly in communities of color anchored by HBCUs. A mechanical engineering

graduate of SU and A&M College and doctoral degree recipient in engineering science

from Louisiana State University,Dr. Stubblefield has secured over $40MM in contracts a

grants from federal agencies, including the U.S. Departments of Agriculture, Commerce,

Defense, NASA, the National Science Foundation, as well as nonprofits and priva

businesses. Michael has developed operating policies and mentor-protégé relationships

between higher education, agencies, and businesses in furthering contracting

opportunities at universities. He has authored/co-authored 25 refereed journals and

aligned the University’s federal awards, contracting, and workforce development efforts

by establishing the SU Office of Governmental Contracting Services, guiding t

operation of the Louisiana Small Business Development Center at Southern, and creating

the SU Innovation Center. An invited speaker at national and international conferences

and symposiums, Dr. Stubblefield continues to serve on various boards and commissio

that support economic and community development, research, workforce

development,entrepreneurship, education, technology,and cyberinfrastructure.

Crystal G. Talley

Crystal G. Talley, originally from Pisgah, Alabama, earned an associate of science degree in

technical and vocational education from Northeast Alabama Community College in

Rainsville, Alabama, a B.S. in economics from the University of South Alabama in Mobile,

Alabama, and an MBA from Jacksonville State University in Jacksonville, Alabama. Crystal

has been employed by the State of Alabama for 21 years, 19 of those with the Alabama

Department of Economic and Community Affairs (ADECA). During her career at ADECA,

she has worked with numerous federal grant programs and currently holds the position

of federal initiatives and recreation (FIR) division chief. The FIR Division consists of

programs such as the Land and Water Conservation Fund, Recreational Trails Program,

Appalachian Regional Commission, Southeast Crescent Regional Commission, and the

Delta Regional Authority.

Adam Tartar

Adam Tartar manages the Economic Development program for the Regional Planning

Commission, serving the eight-parish New Orleans metro area. With a background in

urban planning and the arts, Mr. Tartar helps the communities he works with achieve

their economic and community development goals. Born and raised in Connecticut, Mr.

Tartar first gained a fascination for brownfields from the abandoned factories
warehouses that littered his hometown in the 1980s. In 2003, driven by a desire to learn

about more complex urban challenges, he moved to New Orleans to pursue a B.S. and

M.S. in urban planning from the University of New Orleans. Mr. Tartar recently won a

$500,000 brownfield assessment grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency 

support the redevelopment of brownfield sites in St. Bernard Parish. He is a member 

the American Institute of Certified Planners and serves on the Board of the Louisia

Brownfield Associatio

Barry J. Walker

Barry J. Walker is an immigration attorney who practices in Tupelo, Mississippi. Mr. Walker

has been a practicing attorney since 1975. For the last 28 years, he has concentrated his

practice on the representation of foreign medical graduates, hospitals, clinics, and

university-affiliated healthcare systems. He regularly represents healthcare facilities a

foreign medical graduates in J-1 waiver cases, H1B visa cases, O-1 extraordinary ability

cases, and permanent residence cases for physicians. Barry is a regularly invited speaker

on immigration matters involving Foreign Medical Graduates and is the author of

business employment and foreign physician immigration topics. He holds a LL.M. in

international law and trade from Tulane University in New Orleans, Louisiana, where he

was a distinguished graduate. He obtained his J.D. from the University of Mississippi and a

B.S. from Mississippi State University. Barry has been listed in “Who's Who in Corporate

Immigration Law” for the years 2014-2022. Barry served on the National Ethics Committee

for the American Immigration Lawyers Association from 2014 to 2017. On June 20, 2019,

Barry was recognized with the Roberta Freedman Lifetime Achievement Award, given

annually by the International Medical Graduate (IMG) Taskforce. IMG Taskforce lawyers

collaborate for continuing legal education and government advocacy efforts and are

dedicated to the improvement of access to health care for all Americans, including

indigent persons and people who live in medically underserved areas of the United

States. The Roberta Freedman Lifetime Achievement Award is given each year to a

member attorney who has demonstrated sustained commitment to the educational

advocacy objectives of the IMG Taskforce.

Dr. Corey Wiggins

Dr. Corey Wiggins was confirmed unanimously by the U.S. Senate on March 10, 2022, 

serve as Delta Regional Authority’s (DRA) federal co-chairman.Nominated by President

Biden on December 15, 2021, Wiggins became the fifth DRA federal co-chairman to ser

in the position. A native of Hazlehurst, Mississippi, Chairman Wiggins most recently

served as the executive director of the Mississippi State Conference NAACP. Previously, he

served as senior vice president of policy at Hope Enterprise Corporation and Hope Credit

Union.He also served as executive director of the Mississippi Economic Policy Center and

as director of the Hope Policy Institute, where he focused on strengthening communities,

building assets, and improving lives in economically distressed parts of the MidSouth.In

addition, Wiggins served as a Barbara Jordan Health Policy Fellow in the U.S. Senate and

as a policy analyst for the Mississippi Legislature Joint Committee on Performance

Evaluation and Expenditure Review (PEER) Committee. Wiggins also held the rank of

visiting assistant professor of health policy and management at Jackson State University.

Chairman Wiggins completed his undergraduate studies with a B.S. in biology from

Alcorn State University.He received an M.S. in public health with an emphasis in health
policy and a Ph.D. in health promotion and health education from the University of

Alabama at Birmingham. Additionally, he has a certificate of nonprofit leadership 

Boston College and has furthered his training through fellowships with the Kaiser Family

Foundation, the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology

(MIT).

Amy Williams

Amy Williams is a dedicated professional serving as the community development

manager for Northeast Arkansas at the Arkansas Economic Development Commission.

With a passion for fostering growth and prosperity, Amy has been a driving force in

advancing economic initiatives and enhancing community development in the region.

With a background in chamber and economic development, Amy brings a wealth of

knowledge and experience to her role. Her commitment to collaboration and

engagement has made her a vital bridge between local communities and economic

opportunities. Amy's strategic approach and innovative thinking have contributed to the

successful implementation of projects that have positively impacted the economic

landscape of Northeast Arkansas. Beyond her professional accomplishments, Amy's

dedication to community well-being is evident through her active involvement and

volunteering with Main Street Arkansas, Little Rock Air Force Base Community Council,

Arkansas State University, and Williams Baptist University. Her leadership and advocacy

extend beyond the office, demonstrating her genuine desire to make a lasting, positi

impact on the lives of those around her. Amy's ability to inspire and lead by example sets

her apart as a professional in community and economic development. Her drive,

expertise, and dedication continue to shape the trajectory of Northeast Arkansas's growth

and prosperity.

Rhea Williams-Bishop

Rhea Williams-Bishop is director of Mississippi and New Orleans programming at the W.K.

Kellogg Foundation (WKFF). In this role, she leads the foundation’s strategy and

grantmaking in the region, which is done in close partnership with her team, WKKF

grantees, the community, and other partners. Prior to joining the foundation, Rhea served

as the director of the Mississippi Center for Education Innovation, a nonprofit educati

intermediary focused on impacting and transforming education through engagement

and innovation. Rhea previously held several positions with the Children’s Defense Fund

Southern Regional Office, most recently serving as deputy director. In the aftermath 

Hurricane Katrina, she worked to ensure that children and families were not further

traumatized by reuniting families and securing resources during relief, recovery, and

restoration. Rhea holds a Ph.D. in education leadership, a master’s degree in public policy

and administration, and a bachelor’s degree in urban affairs, each from Jackson State

University. She has completed numerous leadership programs: Rockefeller Foundation

Next Generation Leadership Program, Leadership Mississippi, Leadership Madison

County, and most recently, the Southeastern Council of Foundations - Hull Fellowship

Program. She also received professional development at the Harvard Graduate School of

Education.

Patrick Witty
Patrick has served as the director of Small Business and Community Services at Louisiana

Economic Development since 2005. He has over 40 years of experience in community

and economic development, banking, public finance, and government. In addition to h

work with small businesses and community capacity building, Patrick serves as staff

support for the department’s engagement with regional economic development

organizations as well as disaster response, recovery, and resilience. Patrick earned

undergraduate and graduate degrees from Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge.

He has served on the New Roads (Louisiana) City Council, as president of the Pointe

Coupee Chamber of Commerce, as president of the Louisiana Industrial Development

Executives Association, and as state president of the Louisiana Junior Chamber of

Commerce (Jaycees). Patrick was ordained a permanent deacon in the Catholic Church in

2022, serving the Diocese of Baton Rouge. He and his wife of 42+ years, Stephanie, reside

in Pointe Coupee Parish.

Christina Wooden

Christina Wooden joined the Delta Regional Authority (DRA) in March 2016. She oversees

DRA’s health programs, including Delta Doctors, Innovative Readiness Training, Delta

Region Community Health Systems Development Program, and Delta Region Rural

Health Workforce Training Program.She holds a B.S. in business administration from the

University of Missouri at Columbia and a master’s degree in public administration from

the University of Louisiana at Monroe. Christina is also a graduate of the Delta Leadership

Institute and Harvard University’s Executive Leadership Academy. She has over 16 years of

experience in community development.