UNCF Member Institution Leaders
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Dr. Ernest McNealey
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Roslyn Clark Artis
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Dr. Suzanne Walsh
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William Berry
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Dr. Dwaun J. Warmack
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Dr. George T. French, Jr.
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Dr. Monique Guillory
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Dr. A. Zachary Faison, Jr.
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Dr. Agenia Walker Clark
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Mr. William McCormick
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Dr. Melva K. Wallace
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Rev. Dr. Herman Skip Mason Jr.
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Dr. Glenell M. Lee-Pruitt
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Dr. Valerie Kinloch
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Dr. Donald Comer
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Dr. Christopher Davis
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Dr. Anthony J. Davis
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Dr. Bobbie Knight
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Dr. David A. Thomas
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Dr. Said Sewell
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Dr. Gina Spivey Brown
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Dr. Cheryl Evans Jones
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Dr. Maurice D. Gipson
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Dr. Robert M. Dixon
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Marcus H. Burgess
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Dr. Paulette Dillard
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Helene D. Gayle, M.D., MPH
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Dr. Yolanda Page
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Dr. Walter Kimbrough
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Dwight Fennell
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Dr. Donzell Lee
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Dr. Mark Brown
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Dr. Hakim J. Lucas
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Dr. Ronnie Hopkins
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Dr. Vann R. Newkirk, Sr.
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Dr. Herman J. Felton, Jr.
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Dr. C. Reynold Verret
Dr. Ernest McNealey
Roslyn Clark Artis
Dr. Roslyn Artis is the 14th President of Benedict College. She is the first female president in the college’s 147-year history. Dr. Artis brings an impressive mix of higher education and corporate experience.
As the former president of Florida Memorial University, she led an unprecedented academic innovation of several programs, expansion of online courses, and developed new majors in high-demand fields. Additionally, she created academic centers of excellence and updated the university’s technology infrastructure and website. She led the development of the University’s Five-Year Strategic Planning Process and increased grant writing productivity. Since assuming the presidency in 2013, unrestricted gifts increased 20% (year over year), restricted gifts increased by 38%, and revenue from grants and sponsored research increased by 22%. Dr. Artis is also credited with soliciting and receiving the largest gift from a single donor ($3.8 M) in the institution’s history. She completed construction on a state-of-the-art Science Annex and a comprehensive Athletic Facility and Wellness Center on campus. Dr. Artis initiated and consummated strategic partnerships and collaborations between the University and external public and private entities for the purpose of revenue generation and the visibility for the institution.
Dr. Artis is a graduate of Vanderbilt University, where she earned a doctoral degree in higher education leadership and policy. She also holds a juris doctorate degree from West Virginia University College of Law, and a bachelor of arts degree in political science from West Virginia State University. Additionally, she has a Certificate of Fundraising Management from Indiana University and a Certificate of Mastery in Prior Learning Assessment from DePaul University.
Dr. Artis is married to Selby Artis and is the mother of three, Christopher, Jayden and Jocelyn.
Dr. Suzanne Walsh
Suzanne Walsh earned her bachelor’s degree in social work from Cornell University, as well as a master’s degree in social work and law degree from Case Western Reserve University. She is a member of the Ohio Bar, and has received national recognition for her portfolio of work with organizations at the intersection of innovation, technology and learning.
Walsh will also work closely with the Board and the Bennett Reengineering Committee (BRC), which was appointed earlier in 2019 to identify ways to transform the College and keep it relevant in a rapidly changing educational environment.
Although Walsh has a storied career in education, this will be her first role at a four-year institution. Previously, she served as the deputy director of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation’s Postsecondary Success division, where she focused on higher education issues, helping students do better in college, and assisting institutions in making changes to improve graduation rates. Prior to that, Walsh worked on an initiative to make college more affordable and increase college productivity at the Lumina Foundation in Indianapolis. She also worked as an administrator for a community college in Cleveland back in 1998.
William Berry
Dr. Dwaun J. Warmack
Dr. Dwaun J. Warmack is the ninth president of Claflin University. Warmack comes to Claflin after serving as president of Harris-Stowe State University and at the time of his appointment was one of the youngest serving presidents of a four-year institution in the nation. Warmack brings more than 20 years of progressive administrative experience in higher education at five distinct higher education institutions. Dr. Warmack provided leadership to more than 450 full and part-time faculty and staff and oversaw a budget in excess of $32 million. After his arrival in 2014, Harris-Stowe witnessed a transformation, unheralded in its 160-year history. Dr. Warmack shepherded more than $15 million in external funding to the institution, including a $5 million grant, the largest in the institution’s history. He cultivated more than 16 partnerships and collaborations with Fortune 500 companies, regional organizations and other higher education institutions to strengthen Harris-Stowe’s infrastructure. During Dr. Warmack’s tenure, Harris-Stowe witnessed its highest gains in student enrollment in decades, posting the highest percentage enrollment increases among Missouri’s public institutions for two consecutive years. Additionally, as part of the institutional strategic plan that he spearheaded, the institution embarked on an ambitious goal of expanding its academic offerings. As a result, degrees, minors, and certificate programs have increased by more than 40 percent. These includes expanding liberal arts and business degrees and Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics disciplines (STEM). As a result of his executive leadership to transform the curricular and co-curricular enterprises at Harris-Stowe, the institution is ranked regionally and nationally in various publications and online journals with U.S. News and World Report ranking Harris-Stowe as one of the best HBCU’s and Midwest Universities in the United States. Dr. Warmack’s success at Harris-Stowe has captured national acclaim cumulating in a front-page article in the Chronicle for Higher Education, features in the New York Times, the Detroit Free Press and appearances on CNN, Al Jazeera America, C-SPAN and NPR.
He is considered a scholar-practitioner and possesses a wealth of experience in program design, faculty, student development, assessment and accreditation. Dr. Warmack’s trajectory in higher education has been extraordinary. Prior to his appointment as president of Harris-Stowe, he served as the senior vice president, administration and student services at Bethune-Cookman University overseeing a staff of 170. His successes include oversight of a multi-million dollar renovation of the institution’s residence halls. Prior to his tenure at Bethune-Cookman, he was the associate dean of students at Rhodes College in Memphis, where he had oversight of student affairs including judicial affairs, student activities, Greek life, new student and parent orientation and multicultural affairs. Warmack has also held positions at Western Carolina University in Cullowhee, N.C., and Delta State University.
Dr. Warmack provides a brand of leadership that is characterized by an unqualified insistence on data driven decision-making and a commitment to higher education’s current best practices. A visionary with a unique understanding and appreciation for today’s millennial students, he is committed to academic integration and the holistic development of students. Warmack is committed to developing programs that promote diversity, pluralism and cultural competency. Throughout his career, he has championed inclusion, academic excellence and the retention of underrepresented students. Over the years he has presented more than 120 diversity and leadership presentations and workshops to an array of individuals and groups.
To bolster his executive fortes, Dr. Warmack has participated in a variety of professional development opportunities including the American Association of State Colleges and Universities’ (AASCU) Millennium Leadership Initiative (MLI), and Hampton University’s “On The Road to the Presidency: Executive Leadership Summit.”
Dr. Warmack was named the Delta State University “Black Alumnus of the Year” and was inducted into the institution’s Hall of Fame. Other awards and recognitions for his work in higher education and the community include but are not limited to, Delux Magazine Power 100 “Trailblazer Award” Recipient, St. Louis Business Journal “40 under 40”, St. Louis American “Salute to Excellence Young Leader Award”, The Rickey Smiley Foundation “Trailblazer Award”, Who’s Who in Color Most Intriguing People and “Ten Most Dominant HBCU Leaders of 2018.”
Dr. Warmack’s past board memberships include Cortex Innovation Community, the Saint Louis Science Center, the St. Louis Regional Chamber, St. Louis Muny, the Greater St. Louis Area Council Boy Scouts of America, the United Way of Greater St. Louis, Southern Association for College Student Affairs (SACSA) Foundation, and the Alumni Board of Directors for Delta State University. He is a peer reviewer with the Higher Learning Commission, the largest regional accreditation body in the United States.
Dr. Warmack earned a bachelor’s degree in education and master’s degree in sociology from Delta State University. He earned his doctorate in educational leadership with a specialization in higher education from Union University in Jackson, Tennessee, and his post-doctoral studies in educational leadership at Harvard University School of Education.
Dr. Warmack is married to LaKisha Warmack and they have one daughter, Morgan.
Dr. George T. French, Jr.
Dr. George T. French, Jr., is the the fifth president of Clark Atlanta University (CAU).
Dr. French served as president of Miles College, 2006-2019 before taking the lead at CAU. During his tenure, Miles College exceeded capital campaign goals—besting previous fundraising records, achieved an unprecedented financial composite score to position the school for growth, increased student access to educational funding, and more than doubled the size of the existing campus with key land acquisitions.
Prior to serving as the president of Miles College, Dr. French served in the roles of acting and interim president for the institution between October and December 2005. Before serving as interim president, Dr. French served as a member of the president’s cabinet in the capacity of director of institutional planning and development, and as such directed the offices of alumni affairs, federal contracts and grants, Title III, institutional research and effectiveness, congressional relations and public relations.
A native of Louisville, KY, Dr. French earned a bachelor of arts in political science with an emphasis in policy analysis from the University of Louisville. He was competitively accepted into the University of Richmond Law School and completed two years of studies before being recruited by Miles College to serve as the director of development. He completed his final year of law school at Miles Law School, earning a juris doctorate. Dr. French received his Ph.D. in higher education from Jackson State University.
Dr. French also has great influence off campus grounds. He served two terms, respectively, on the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges’ Board of Trustees, and the National Advisory Committee on Institutional Quality and Integrity. He is a member of the Birmingham Business Alliance’s Executive Committee and Birmingham Museum of Art’s Board of Directors. In 2015, Dr. French co-founded Higher Education Leadership Foundation to help prepare highly-skilled talent for positions of leadership at historically Black colleges and universities.
“I am thankful and blessed to have the opportunity to lead another great institution and serve as the fifth president of Clark Atlanta University,” Dr. French said. “CAU has strong faculty, students and academics. I’m optimistic about the university’s next stage of growth and eager to build on the strong foundation CAU has established.”
Dr. Monique Guillory
Dr. Monique Guillory, a native New Orleanian with over 30 years of executive-level experience in higher education.
Much of Dr. Guillory’s career has been at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs). Her expertise includes academic program development, accreditation processes, STEM pipelines, and student success. Additionally, she has served on the cabinets of six university presidents.
Prior to coming to Dillard, Dr. Guillory was chief of staff and senior vice president for the University of the District of Columbia (UDC), where she led the development of the institutional strategic plan and provided leadership for UDC’s K-12 partnership with the Anacostia Feeder Pattern. She has also been among the executive leadership team at Jackson State University, Xavier University of Louisiana, the Southern University System, and the University of the Virgin Islands.
Dr. Guillory is a former member of the substantive change committee for the Middle States Commission for Higher Education (MSCHE), an experienced Middle States evaluator for regional accreditation, and previously served as member-elect for the Middle States Regional Council for the College Board.
She earned her Ph.D. in comparative literature and performance studies from New York University, where she was awarded the Arthur J. Schomburg Award for Excellence in the Humanities. She is the co-editor of “Soul: Black Power, Politics and Pleasure,” and is a former Mellon Fellow. Dr. Guillory is a fiercely proud New Orleanian who graduated from St. Mary’s Academy and Tulane University
Dr. A. Zachary Faison, Jr.
Dr. A. Zachary Faison, Jr., assumed responsibility as the 30th president and CEO of Edward Waters College (EWC) (now Edward Waters University) in 2018 following a unanimous vote by the college’s board of trustees. Just 37 years old at the time of his appointment, Dr. Faison’s selection as EWU’s leader made him the youngest serving president and CEO of an historically Black college or university (HBCU).
A native of Atlanta, GA, Dr. Faison’s career exploits include distinguished professional experiences as a higher education executive administrator, educator, and attorney. Before his presidential appointment at EWU, Dr. Faison served as general counsel and vice president of external affairs at Tuskegee University in Tuskegee, AL, where he maintained responsibility as the university’s chief legal officer and provided principal oversight for its legislative and governmental relations functions. Prior to his appointment at Tuskegee, he served as vice president for enrollment management and student affairs at Virginia Union University (VUU) in Richmond, VA, where he led the university in achieving historic increases in overall student enrollment and retention having founded the VUU College for African American Men. Dr. Faison also previously served as special assistant to the president for legal and legislative affairs, community affairs and economic development at Mississippi Valley State University in Itta Bena, MS, where he later became university chief of staff before being named vice president of institutional advancement and executive director of the MVSU Foundation. Faison’s philanthropic work at MVSU yielded nearly $25 million dollars in funding to the university towards new capital projects, infrastructural improvements, and campus renovations. As a scholar-educator, he has held professorial appointments at both the undergraduate and graduate levels in various academic disciplines including political science, criminal justice and business administration. A licensed member of the State Bar of Georgia, Faison is also a former state prosecutor having prosecuted criminal felony drug cases in Georgia.
Dr. Faison graduated magna cum laude from Albany State University (ASU) with a bachelor of arts in English where he was an ASU Presidential and Foundation Scholar, Dwight D. Eisenhower National Fellow, and an ASU Velma Fudge Grant University Honors Program and Merit Scholar Graduate. He attended the University of Georgia School of Law where he earned his juris doctorate and was a member of the UGA School of Law Executive Moot Court Board and UGA Law Moot Court team. He completed post-doctoral study as a graduate of the Harvard University Graduate School of Education’s Institute for Educational Management and was a Millennium Leadership Initiative Institute Fellow of the American Association of State Colleges and Universities and Association of Public Land-Grant Universities. Additionally, Dr. Faison has earned the Certification in Fundraising Management (CFRM) designation from The Fundraising School of Philanthropy at Indiana-University-Purdue-University at Indianapolis.
Dr. Faison is active in several professional, civic, and social organizations and has delivered more than 50 presentations and lectures at conferences and professional meetings nationwide. He currently serves as a member of the Jacksonville Civic Council, the Rotary Club of Jacksonville, the DW Perkins Bar Association, and is a trustee member of the Jacksonville Chamber. He has received national recognition for his outstanding professional, community and civic achievements from The Business Journals Influencers: Rising Stars 100; the Jacksonville Business Journal (Top 40 Business Leaders Under 40); the National Bar Association (Top 40 Attorneys Under 40); The University of Georgia (Top 40 Alumnus Under 40) and Albany State University (Top 50 Alumnus Under 50).
He is the son of Alderman Faison, Sr., and Dr. Jewel J. Faison, and brother to Dr. Morgan Zacheya-Jewel Faison. Dr. Faison has been blissfully married for 12 years to Tyciee L. Faison, who is also a seasoned higher education administrator, educator and ordained minister.
Dr. Agenia Walker Clark
Dr. Agenia Walker Clark is the University’s third female head and the 18th president of the 158-year-old-university, one of the nation’s highest-ranking Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs).
Dr. Clark most recently served as CEO for the Girl Scouts of Middle Tennessee – where, during her 19-year tenure, she increased the agency’s operational efficiencies, increased its reserves, built new facilities, and transformed the agency into one of the highest performing of the 111 councils in the Girl Scout network.
Prior to the Girl Scouts, Dr. Clark was the Vice President of Human Resources for the Tennessee Education Lottery Corporation, Senior Director of Human Resources at Vanderbilt University and directed human resources for Canadian telecommunications provider Nortel Networks, where she also served as a manager of government relations.
Dr. Clark was named “Nashvillian of the Year” in 2021 and as one of “Nashville’s 100 Most Powerful People,” 2015–2020, by the Nashville Business Journal. An inductee into the Academy for Women of Achievement, she is also a Nashville Post Person-In-Charge (2014–2021). She is also a member of the International Women’s Forum (IWF), a member of the 2016 Class of Leadership Tennessee, and 1996 Class of Leadership Nashville.
She currently serves on the corporate board of directors for FirstBank Financial Corporation (NYSE: FBK) as well as the boards of trustees for Belmont and Simmons Universities – and is a trustee emerita on the board of the Haslam School of Business at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.
Dr. Clark earned a B.S. and MBA from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, and her Doctorate in Leadership from Vanderbilt University.
Mr. William McCormick
William Cullen McCormick, Jr. is the founder and Chief Executive Officer of Americlaims Billing, Inc. With over 32 years of experience in the pharmaceutical and healthcare industries, Mr. McCormick has been nationally recognized for his high standards and exceptional work in revenue cycle management and claim adjudication efficiency.
Throughout his extensive career, Mr. McCormick has developed a robust set of core competencies in various areas of healthcare, earning a reputation as an expert in healthcare service matters. He has successfully transformed companies from mere concepts into essential, highperforming healthcare service providers. His expertise encompasses implementing systems, sales and marketing, controls, and procedures to ensure efficient and ethical operations within healthcare systems.
Mr. McCormick’s entrepreneurial journey began in 1992 when he launched his first business, Cullen Medical Supplies, from his home garage. This enterprise quickly evolved into a full-service disposable medical supply and equipment company, recognized for its quality products and services throughout South Florida. Within three years, this company became one of the most respected and successful home delivery services for IV medications and prescription drugs serving over 400 patients with cancer and HIV/AIDS monthly.
After twelve years of providing esteemed healthcare services, Mr. McCormick sold his business to a national drug company. Since then, he has engaged in various successful business ventures as an investor and advisor.
Mr. McCormick is also a dedicated philanthropist, committed to giving back to the community. He has served as Chairman of the Board of Trustees for Florida Memorial University and as the immediate past president of the Fort Lauderdale Branch NAACP. His contributions have earned him numerous professional and community service awards, including the Florida Small Business of the Year Entrepreneurship Award, the NAACP Civil Rights Award, and the Florida Memorial University Alumni Hall of Fame Award.
Mr. McCormick holds an MBA with a specialization in Healthcare Administration from Colorado Technical University. He is the proud father of one daughter and has been married for 34 years. In his leisure time, he enjoys golf, reading, traveling, and public speaking.
Dr. Melva K. Wallace
For over twenty years Dr. Melva K. Wallace has worked in higher education as a leader and as a fierce national advocate. Today, she proudly serves as the seventh President and CEO of one of the top private liberal arts colleges in the country, Huston-Tillotson University, an HBCU in Austin, TX.
In 2023, Dr. Wallace was honored by the United Negro College Fund as a president in leadership. Because of her national prominence in higher education as a national spokesperson for HBCUs, she has been featured in a number of magazines and media publications expressing her views on these beloved institutions. In 2023, she was named by Austin Business Journal as one of the Texas 100 Top Influential Professionals to Watch. Wallace is a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Incorporated.
Wallace received a Bachelor’s Degree in Mass Communication and a Master’s degree in Public Administration from Grambling State University. She also earned her Ph.D. in Urban Higher Education from Jackson State University.
She is married to her phenomenal husband, Dr. DL Wallace, of Flower Mound, Texas. You can follow her on Instagram at MKW7th to learn more about her views on Historically Black Colleges and Universities.
Rev. Dr. Herman Skip Mason Jr.
Dr. Herman “Skip” Mason is a proud native of Atlanta and Atlanta Public Schools. He is an alumnus of Morris Brown College, where he completed his undergraduate studies. Continuing his education at Clark Atlanta University, Mason obtained a master’s degree in library and information science. He continued his theological education at Interdenominational Theological Center, earning a Master of Divinity and a Doctor of Ministry in African American church history, social justice, and outreach.
Dr. Mason served as the 33rd General President of the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. from 2009-2012. He also served on the board of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Foundation (Washington, DC). He is a member of the Atlanta Beltline Partnership Board and Chair of the Joint Board of Finance for the Georgia North Region of the Sixth Episcopal District of the Christian Methodist Episcopal Church. Rev. Dr. Mason currently serves as the Senior Pastor of the Historic West Mitchell Christian Methodist Episcopal Church (Atlanta, Georgia).
A seasoned educator for over 35 years, Dr. Mason previously served as the Dean of Library and Museum Services and Assistant Professor of African American History and Religion at Voorhees College (Denmark, SC). He also served as Professor of History, College Archivist, Director and Dean of Students and Vice President of Student Services at Morris Brown College and Morehouse College (Atlanta, Georgia). In 2023, Rev. Dr. Mason became a Lifetime Achievement Inductee into the National Black College Alumni Hall of Fame Foundation, Inc. Dr. Mason is a social media influencer and founder of Skip Mason’s Vanishing Black Atlanta Facebook Page (with over 65,000 members) and its Book Club. The father of two is an author and avid genealogist, who enjoys reading, international travel, collecting art, black memorabilia and photographs and researching his family history.
Dr. Glenell M. Lee-Pruitt
Jarvis Christian University Board of Trustees has selected Dr. Glenell M. Lee-Pruitt as the university’s 13th president, effective July 1, 2023. She succeeds Dr. Lester C. Newman, who served as the JCU President for 11 years.
Dr. Lee-Pruitt brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to the university, including higher education administration and academic affairs, having served as second in command and as a member of the executive cabinet since August 2012 as the provost and vice president for Academic Affairs at Jarvis. She has been instrumental in increasing student enrollment, increasing articulation agreements, and establishing the Renaissance Program for Adult Learners on the JCU campus and the JCU Dallas Teaching Site. She has also provided leadership in enhancing academic program offerings, which include online degree completion programs and two online graduate programs.
Previously, she served at Mississippi Valley State University as dean of University College and First Year Experience, director of Community/Service Learning, director of the Renaissance Learning Adult Education Program, and tenured professor in the Department of Social Work.
An ordained elder in the African Methodist Episcopal Church, Lee-Pruitt is a highly sought-after speaker and presenter. She also is active in campus, community, and ministry activities. She holds a Bachelor of Social Work degree from Jackson State University, a Master of Social Work degree from Temple University, a Doctor of Philosophy degree in Social Work from Jackson State University, and a Master of Divinity from Payne Theological Seminary.
Moreover, she has completed the Council of Independent Colleges’ Presidential Vocation and Institutional Mission Program and the Millennium Leadership Institute. She has received several honors, awards, and recognitions including Faculty of the Year and the UNCF Trailblazer Award.
Lee-Pruitt is the current pastor of St. Matthew A.M.E Church in Shreveport, Louisiana, and is a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated.
Jarvis Christian University is dedicated to empowering students to achieve their career goals through an affordable academic experience that prepares them for today’s global economy.
Whether a student is a recent high school graduate or a working adult seeking career advancement, Jarvis Christian University develops students of all ages intellectually, socially, spiritually, and emotionally.
Dr. Donald Comer
Dr. Donald W. Comer, a native of Jackson, Tennessee, has impressive educational credentials, a stellar corporate career, a community service background, and a deep commitment to student success. In addition to earning his PhD in Urban Higher Education from Jackson State University (JSU) in Jackson, MS, Dr. Comer holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA), and a Bachelor of Science in Accounting (BS).
After 35 years at FedEx, Dr. Comer retired as Vice President, Decision Science & Analytics and Operations Analysis; where his duties included collaborating with Tesla, Inc.’s research team to match the design of Tesla Electric Semi Truck with FedEx’s operational needs.
Over his 35-year tenure with FedEx, Dr. Comer has consistently demonstrated his leadership and management skills in various business disciplines including data analytics, marketing, finance, strategic planning, and project management.
Dr. Comer’s commitment to student success is unwavering. He has been a tireless advocate, advisor, and mentor for students, dedicating significant personal time to serving on the boards of two historic black colleges and the National Black MBA Association.
Dr. Comer has dedicated decades of personal time to serving on the boards of HBCUs Lemoyne-Owen College in Memphis and Stillman College in Tuscaloosa, Ala. He is a Silver Life member of the NAACP, a member of the National Black MBA Association, and a Life member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc.
Dr. Christopher Davis
Dr. Anthony J. Davis
Dr. David A. Thomas
Dr. David A. Thomas is the 12th president of Morehouse College. Under his administration, the college raised $107 million last fiscal year—a giving total that is higher than any other president in the history of the college. A visionary leader, Dr. Thomas is working to make Morehouse one of the top liberal arts colleges in the country.
He has more than 30 years of experience in the business of higher education and is nationally respected as an expert in organizational change. He has served as the former dean of Georgetown University’s McDonough School of Business, and as a former business school professor at Harvard University and the University of Pennsylvania.
Dr. Thomas is leading dynamic changes at Morehouse, which is mission-driven to produce leaders committed to community service. Under his guidance, the college has emerged as a national innovator in STEM education, has expanded its online class offerings from nine to more than 300 courses, and has increased its profile as the national epicenter for thought leadership on civil rights.
Dr. Thomas has used his platform as president of Morehouse to speak out against injustice as the nation faces two pandemics—COVID-19 and the persistence of systemic racism. He believes that Morehouse has a responsibility to help the nation to address the inequities caused by institutional racism, which have created disparities in income, employment, health, housing and educational opportunities for people of African descent.
Dr. Thomas has a doctoral degree in organizational behavior studies and a master of philosophy degree in organizational behavior, both from Yale University. He also has a master’s degree in organizational psychology from Columbia University and a bachelor of administrative sciences degree from Yale College. He is the co-author of three books.
Dr. Said Sewell
Dr. Said Sewell previously served as the director of the Office of Academics, Research, and Student Success for the Atlanta University Center Consortium (AUCC). At the AUCC, Sewell provided leadership coordination for academic affairs, student affairs, and sponsored research divisions of Clark Atlanta University, Morehouse College, Morehouse School of Medicine, and Spelman College. Prior to joining the AUCC, Sewell held numerous leadership positions at institutions of higher learning, including roles as the vice president for student affairs at Morehouse College, as provost and senior vice president for academic affairs at Lincoln University in Missouri, as assistant provost form academic affairs and dean of undergraduate studies at Kent State University in Ohio, and as the acting assistant vice president for academic affairs and executive director of the Academic Success Center at Fort Valley State University.
Dr. Sewell is the founder, executive director, and chairman of the board of directors for the Center for African-American Males: Research, Success, and Leadership Inc., a research and modeling center for the advancement of AfricanAmerican males. Dr. Sewell has received numerous awards based on his scholarship and civic service, including the University of System of Georgia’s African American Male Initiative Best Practices Leadership Award, the Visionary Award from the Follow Me Foundation, Inc., and the National Conference of Black Political Scientists’ Teacher of the Year Award.
A native of Houston, Texas, Sewell entered Morehouse College in 1988 and graduated in 1992 with a bachelor’s in political science. He also holds a Master of Public Administration in public policy from Texas Southern University and a doctorate from Clark Atlanta University in political science. He earned fellowships with associations and colleges including the American Association of State Colleges and Universities, the University System of Georgia, Harvard University, the University of Nebraska, and the James (Jimmy) Earl Carter Presidential Library.
Dr. Sewell has co-authored three books, Georgia State Politics, Conflicting Democracy: A Critical Analysis of America’s Political Process and We the People: Reflections on American Politics. He is currently completing work on two books: Empowering Black Male Students to Greatness and Let Us Make Man: A Conversation with Black Men on Saving Black Boys.
Dr. Gina Spivey Brown
Dr. Gina Spivey Brown, an Oakwood alumna and nationally respected healthcare educator and administrator, will serve as the university’s 12th president. Her appointment is not only historic—it is providential. With more than three decades of leadership experience spanning academia, healthcare, and international program development, Brown brings the kind of seasoned, visionary leadership that aligns perfectly with Oakwood’s mission and future.
Brown’s professional career has been marked by a commitment to academic excellence, strategic growth, and institutional transformation. She most recently served as Dean of the College of Nursing and Allied Health Sciences at Howard University, where she led strategic planning, curriculum innovation, and multimillion-dollar grant acquisitions. Her résumé includes leadership roles at Washington Adventist University, Loma Linda University, and in healthcare systems management—each experience refining her ability to navigate complex organizations and uplift diverse communities. She holds degrees from Oakwood University, Central Michigan University, and George Mason University, along with executive training from Harvard and a DEI certification from Cornell.
A Fellow of the American Academy of Nursing, the National Academies of Practice, and several other professional bodies, Brown also brings a deeply rooted faith that shapes her leadership style and decision-making. As a lifelong Seventh-day Adventist, she has served on numerous church committees and boards, including the General Conference Executive Committee and the Adventist Accrediting Commission. Her blend of professional rigor and spiritual grounding makes her uniquely equipped to lead Oakwood into its next chapter—one shaped by excellence, equity, and faith-driven purpose.
Dr. Maurice D. Gipson
A native of Ferriday, Louisiana, Dr. Maurice Gipson boasts extensive experience in higher education. He served as the Vice Chancellor for Inclusion, Diversity, and Equity at the University of Missouri, where he was also a faculty member in the departments of History and Black Studies.
In his role at the University of Missouri, Dr. Gipson was responsible for overseeing a division with over 120 staff members and managed a multimillion-dollar budget, serving the flagship campus of over 30,000 students in Columbia, Missouri.
Previously, Dr. Gipson was the Vice Chancellor for Diversity and Community Engagement and an instructor of history at Arkansas State University. His career spans over a decade in higher education executive leadership, with significant contributions to student success, access initiatives, faculty recruitment and retention, and strategic leadership.
Dr. Gipson is a graduate of Louisiana State University and earned a Juris Doctor from Southern University Law Center, with an emphasis on civil rights. He holds a master’s degree in history from Missouri State University and a Ph.D. in history from the University of Mississippi. His professional journey includes roles at the University of Texas-Austin, Wiley College, and Huston-Tillotson University. With expertise as both a researcher and practitioner, his career demonstrates a commitment to advancing education and equity.
Marcus H. Burgess
Dr. Marcus H. Burgess is the current interim president at Saint Augustine’s University. Most recently he served as Vice President for Institutional Advancement at Claflin University after holding the position of Associate Vice President for Major and Planned Gifts. Before his return to Claflin in 2019, Burgess served several institutions in a leadership capacity, including York Technical College in Rockhill, SC, as the Executive Director for Campaigns and Strategic Initiatives; Florida Memorial University, Miami Gardens, FL, as the Vice President for University Advancement; and Voorhees College as the Vice President for Institutional Advancement.
Burgess is a native of Cades, South Carolina. He is a 1996 graduate of Claflin University where he earned a BS in Elementary Education a 2000 Graduate of The Citadel, earning a MS in Education Administration and Supervision, and a 2020 graduate of Vanderbilt University’s Peabody School of Education earning a Doctorate of Education in Learning and Leadership in Organizations.
He is married to Leandra Hayes-Burgess, Vice President for Institutional Advancement for Benedict College. Together they have three children Marcus (Deuce), Mariana, and Tyler.
Dr. Walter Kimbrough
Dr. Walter M. Kimbrough brings a wealth of experience and is widely respected for his dynamic leadership and innovative approach to education. He holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Georgia, a master’s degree from Miami University in Ohio, and a Ph.D. from Georgia State University.
With a distinguished academic background, Dr. Kimbrough has served in various influential roles in higher education, including president of Dillard University and Philander Smith College (now University), where he was instrumental in enhancing academic programs, increasing enrollment, and strengthening community partnerships.
An Atlanta native, Kimbrough graduated as salutatorian from Benjamin Elijah Mays High School, which is named after the sixth president of Morehouse College, and later received his Bachelor of Science in biology from the University of Georgia, a Master of Science in college student personnel services from Miami University, and a Ph.D. in higher education from Georgia State University.
Kimbrough is an internationally recognized voice in higher education with a respected reputation for his research, published writings, and advocacy for African American men in college, historically Black colleges and universities, and fraternities and sororities, particularly historically Black, Latin, and Asian organizations
Dr. Kimbrough is married to attorney Adria Nobles Kimbrough, a 1997 graduate of Talladega College. They are proud parents of two children, Lydia Nicole and Benjamin Barack. Their connection to the college community underscores their commitment to the institution’s success.
Dwight Fennell
Dwight J. Fennell is the 23rd president of Texas College (Tyler, TX). He is a native of Miami, FL. Following graduation from high school, he immediately enrolled in Saint Augustine’s College (now Saint Augustine’s University) in Raleigh, NC, where he completed the baccalaureate degree in history and government. He pursued and completed the master of arts degree in history at Atlanta University, and a second master of science degree in education at Florida International University in Miami, FL.
He received the education specialist and doctor of philosophy degrees from Florida State University in Tallahassee. He has completed post-doctoral work in educational leadership with the American Council on Education as an ACE Fellow at Trinity University in San Antonio, TX. Fennell began his professional career in higher education at Florida International University, where he worked in various capacities including community service initiatives, adult and continuing education and as assistant director of the honors program. He also worked at Florida Atlantic University as director of the Student Retention Program.
After leaving the State University System of Florida, Fennell taught at Morris Brown College in Atlanta, and later at Saint Augustine’s College (his alma mater). While at Saint Augustine’s College, he became a tenured associate professor of history and later vice president for academic affairs, a position he held for seven of the 11 years he spent at the institution. Fennell relocated to Dallas in 1998 to become provost of Paul Quinn College with the responsibilities of both academic affairs and student affairs. He was appointed interim president of the college in 2001, and in 2002, he received the unanimous vote of the Board of Trustees to become the 32nd president of Paul Quinn College.
During his tenure as president, the college experienced an increase in enrollment, increased student retention, enhanced community collaborations, increased funding of student scholarships, renovations to the campus buildings and increase in the college’s endowment. Fennell served as Executive Director of Project Development in 2005 at The Potter’s House Incorporated with the ministry of Bishop T.D. Jakes for two years. He held the overall responsibilities for design, development and construction of Capella Park, a residential subdivision featuring more than 1,000 single-family homes. He also had responsibility for the administrative oversight of Clay Academy, a private, Christian college preparatory school. Fennell led the preparatory school to accreditation, scholarship funding, enrollment and grade level growth.
As president of Texas College, Fennell leads with a focus on “student centeredness.” This means that his primary direction is with creating an educational environment and processes that lead to student learning in an atmosphere that is conducive for such. Fennell’s approach to leadership is that of “shared governance,” and he holds his team to accountability, integrity and productivity. Fennell’s “student centeredness” focus has been embraced by faculty, staff and students. The results of this focus have led to facility improvements, academic program refinement, accreditation enhancements, enrollment growth, and growth in the college’s endowment along with enhanced relationships with the local communities.
Fennell is married to Angelia, and they have one son, Dwight, Jr.
Dr. Mark Brown
Dr. Brown, who received his bachelor’s from Tuskegee in accounting, earned a Master’s Degree in Public Administration from Troy University, a Master’s of Strategic Studies from the Air Command and Staff College, a Master’s in National Security Strategy from the National War College, and his doctorate in Education from Baylor University. His experience in education is varied and distinguished.
While a Major General in the Air Force, Dr. Brown served as Deputy Commander of Air Education and Training Command, Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph, Texas. AETC recruits, trains, and educates Air Force personnel. His command included the Air Force Recruiting Service, two numbered Air Forces, and two fully accredited graduate and doctoral degree-granting universities: Air University and the Air Force Institute of Technology. AETC operates more than 1,400 trainer, fighter, and mobility aircraft, 23 wings, 10 bases, and five geographically separated groups. The command trains more than 293,000 Airmen annually, with approximately 60,000 active-duty, Reserve, Guard, civilian, and contractor personnel.
Dr. Brown was commissioned through the Tuskegee University Air Force ROTC program in 1986. He served in comptroller, command, and staff positions at all U.S. Department of Defense levels, including two assignments as congressional liaison to the United States House of Representatives. After retiring from the Air Force with 32 years of service, Dr. Brown expanded his educational service as the chief operating officer of the U.S. Department of Education Office of Federal Student Aid, which had a lending portfolio of $1.7 trillion equivalent to that of the nation’s five largest consumer lending banks. As COO, he was responsible for all of the nation’s Title IV funding.
Most recently, he has served as president and chief executive officer of the Student Freedom Initiative based in Washington, D.C. The Student Freedom Initiative is the vision of billionaire philanthropist Robert F. Smith after his historic gift to eliminate the student loan debt of the Morehouse College class of 2019.
As the first President and Chief Executive Officer, he and his staff provide four components to 63 HBCUs, which also includes two Tribal Colleges and Universities and Minority Serving Institutions. The capabilities include agreements to fund any educational attendance requirements beyond what is paid for through Federal programs, such as Pell Grants, Work-Study, and Federal Student Loans. SFI is also focused on elevating the communities around its school by providing critical resources such as access to highspeed broadband, cybersecurity upgrades, affordable living spaces and solar energy.
Dr. Brown is married to Gwendolyn Jackson Brown, his wife of 33 years. They have two adult children, Mark II and Michael.
Dr. Ronnie Hopkins
The Voorhees University Board of Trustees named Dr. Ronnie Hopkins to serve as the 10th president of the institution, effective July 9, 2021.
“Dr. Hopkins brings a wealth of higher-education experience, expansive leadership, fundraising acumen and vast institutional knowledge. His appointment perfectly positions the college to advance and accelerate the current momentum and focus on enrollment, innovation and fiscal stability. His remarkable demeanor, skills, prudent judgement and interpersonal skills will be a great asset. We welcome him and look forward to his leadership as we ‘begin, believe and become’ in this next chapter,” said Dr. Traci Young-Cooper, vice chairperson of the board.
Prior to being named the president of Voorhees, Hopkins served as interim president and before that he was the institution’s provost and vice president for academic affairs. He is the accreditation liaison and a tenured professor of English.
Hopkins has been in public and higher education for nearly 30 years, serving in senior leadership roles and instructional positions that involve supervision of faculty, staff, students, budgeting, and strategic planning. He has authored more than 10 research articles and received $30 million in grant funding to advance higher education priorities.
Hopkins has conducted international scholarly research and made presentations in Monrovia, Liberia, West Africa; Buea, Cameroon, Central West Africa; the University of Technology at Quibdo, Choco, South America; Guilan, Beijing, and Shanghai, Republic of China; University of Ghana-Legon, Accra, Ghana, West Africa; Merida, Mexico; Ocho Rios, Jamaica; and, Cape Town, South Africa.
He actively serves as an Off-site and On-site Reaffirmation Committee Evaluator for the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges. He is the founder and Chief Executive Officer of Possible Worlds Foundation, Inc., a non-profit organization that provides full-service career strategic directions and opportunities in education and employment for disenfranchised citizens impacted by homelessness, incarceration, and HIV/AIDS.
Before coming to Voorhees, he served at Benedict College as founding dean of the Freshman Institute and the School of Honors. Other positions in which he served at Benedict included professor of English, chair of the Department of English, Foreign Languages, and Mass Communication, and dean of the School of Continuing Education, Graduate Studies and Lifelong Learning.
Hopkins earned doctoral and master’s degrees in English from Michigan State University. He earned a bachelor’s degree in English with a secondary teaching certification from North Carolina Central University. He also completed postdoctoral studies at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and received a Doctor of Humane Letters Honoris Causa from Saint Monica University in Buea, Cameroon, Central West Africa.
Hopkins is a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., Bible Way Church of Atlas Road, and the Class of 2020 Executive Leadership Academy sponsored by the American Academic Leadership Institute for preparation of experienced college executive officers to become successful presidents and chancellors.
For more information, contact the Office of Communications at 803.780.1191 or at communications@voorhees.edu.
Dr. Vann R. Newkirk, Sr.
Dr. Vann R. Newkirk, Sr., is the 23rd president of Wilberforce University (Wilberforce, Ohio), the nation’s first, private historically Black college university (HBCU).
Immediately prior to accepting the presidency, Dr. Newkirk served as interim associate vice president at Alabama A & M University in Huntsville, and he is a former president at Fisk University in Nashville, Tennessee. Prior to his presidential appointment at Fisk, Dr. Newkirk was that university’s provost and vice president of academic affairs.
He is a native of Elizabethtown, North Carolina who initially attended North Carolina A&T, but received his bachelor’s degree in sociology from Barber-Scotia College. He holds a Master of Arts degree in history from Winthrop University, a Master of Science degree from North Carolina Central University, and a Doctor of Philosophy degree in history from Howard University.
Currently, Dr. Newkirk is writing a history of African Americans in Alabama. In another written work, “New Life for Historically Black Colleges and Universities” (HBCUs), to improve the long-term viability of HBCUs, he moves to identify their challenges, explore their management systems, and identify models of success. A noted historian, he has written extensively on crime and punishment in North Carolina. He has also authored the 2008 seminal work, “Lynching in North Carolina”, which won the 2009 Willie Parker History Award for the best non-fiction study of North Carolina.
His first priority for Wilberforce he says is to engage community supporters who can assist in the university’s fund-raising efforts. He also wants to solidify student retention and graduation rates which, he says along with premium academic programs, will add value to the university’s distinction among nationally ranked liberal arts colleges.
Dr. Herman J. Felton, Jr.
Herman J. Felton, Jr., Ph.D., J.D., is the 17th President & CEO of Wiley University in 2018. Before his appointment at Wiley University, he served as Wilberforce University’s 21st president. His leadership experience has included chief operating officer, senior vice president, and vice president at Livingstone College in Salisbury, North Carolina. He is also a former director of development and lecturer in the Government, Law, and International Affairs Department at Murray State University in Kentucky.
President Felton began his service at Wiley University, signaling the Bold and Audacious Vision. Under his leadership, he has achieved several significant accomplishments, including spearheading a campaign with College alumni and supporters that has generated the renovation and modernization of every building on campus. He has successfully garnered support from various foundations and local businesses, such as the Marshall Economic Development Corporation who assisted with the renovation of KBWC 91.1, the University’s radio station.
His leadership has launched the Heman Sweatt Center for Social Good and Leadership, created a training space for physical education majors, and implemented the student health, counseling, and wellness unit, now staffed with full-time licensed practitioners.
The University has received over $20 million in grants and gifts, generating some of the largest gifts in the University’s history. In addition to his accomplishments on Wiley’s campus, President Felton has immersed himself in the fabric of the Marshall Community, where he is a member of the Marshall Rotary Club, the Marshall Chamber of Commerce, and the Citizens Advisory Council.
President Felton earned his bachelor’s degree in political science from Edward Waters College in Jacksonville, Florida. Also, he earned his Juris Doctorate from the Levin College of Law at the University of Florida and completed his graduate work at Jackson State University, where he earned a Doctor of Philosophy in Educational Administration and Supervision.
He is co-founder of the Higher Education Leadership Foundation (H.E.L.F.), an organization ensuring that a pipeline of transformational, highly skilled, and principled leaders are identified and cultivated to meet the needs, challenges, and opportunities facing the Nation’s Historically Black Colleges and Universities. President Felton served in the United States Marine Corps for eight years. He is married to the lovely Katherine Anne Felton and is the father of Jamal, Paige, and Herman, III (Trey).
Dr. C. Reynold Verret
Prior to his appointment at Xavier, Dr. Verret served as provost and chief academic officer for Savannah State University. He served also as provost at Wilkes University in Pennsylvania and as dean of the Misher College of Arts and Sciences and Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of the Sciences in Philadelphia. At these institutions, he led the revisions of general education curricula, oversaw accreditations, developed international programs, established collaborative agreements with neighboring institutions at the K-12 and higher education levels, instituted new state-approved academic programs, promoted interdisciplinary efforts between the humanities and sciences, and planned new facilities. Dr. Verret also served on faculty at Tulane University and also at Clark Atlanta University, where he was chair of the department of chemistry for many years.
As a scientist, Dr. Verret’s research interests have included the cytotoxicity of immune cells, biosensors and biomarkers. He has published in the fields of biological chemistry and immunology. At the University of the Sciences, he led a faculty effort establishing a knowledge network on social exclusion in support of the Commission on Social Determinants of Health within the World Health Organization.
Throughout, Dr. Verret works to enhance student achievement and progression to degree. He has contributed to increasing the number of U.S. students pursuing degrees in STEM disciplines and continuing to advanced study. This has included initiatives to mitigate the shortage of qualified science and math teachers in K-12.
He has served on many professional organizations and advisory bodies, including those of the National Institutes of Health, the Board of the Pennsylvania Humanities Council and the Georgia Coastal Indicators Coalition. He has received awards and fellowships for teaching and scholarship.
Dr. Verret received his undergraduate degree cum laude in biochemistry from Columbia University and Ph.D. in biochemistry from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. To these, were added postdoctoral experiences as fellow at the Howard Hughes Institute for Immunology at Yale and the Center for Cancer Research at MIT.