Emcees, Speakers & Panelists

“Miss Community” Clovia Lawrence

Emcee

Community Affairs Director/Executive Producer

Tom Joyner Morning Show 99.3 and 105.7 Kiss

Clovia Lawrence,a seasoned broadcast journalist who is best known in the Richmond Metropolitan area as "Miss Community". With more than 20 years experience and a real passion for tackling tough topics and issues that affect the lives of people from every walk of life, Ms. Lawrence is the product of the Richmond Public School system and a graduate of Virginia Union University. Covering the Central Virginia market, she has a proven track record as a news reporter, announcer and community affairs director working at more than a dozen radio stations and virtually every format, Ms. Lawrence has produced top ratings.

Currently the news director for Radio One Richmond's 4 stations and Executive Director of the Nationally Syndicated Tom Joyner Morning Show. She is alsot he Community Affairs Director for three of the networks' stations and she host the market's number one public affairs show, "Community Conversations" which covers a wide range of topics including health, education, crime, politics and wealth. She keeps her listeners in the know by informing them of the "State of the City" with monthly interviews featuring Richmond Mayor L. Douglas Wilder.

Ms. Lawrence, who has a loyal following of more than 100,000 listeners is a diligent community servant who dedicates much of her time making public appearcances, hosting events, moderating forums, raising public awareness and participating in community fund-raisers. In her role as Community Affairs Director, she provides voter education and mobilizes citizens to take part in the political process through her "Rolling Rallies". She staged the first Radio One Richmond Gubernatorial Debate, also joined leaders of Virginia's Democratic Party including Governor Tim Kaine, former Governor Mark Warner, U.S. Senator Jim Webb and Presumptive Presidential Nominee Senator Barack Obama in Richmond for an endorsement campaign bringing hundres of Radio One listeners as part of the voter education and empowerment initiative. Organizing a Restoration of Rights Forum for the past three yaers, Ms. Lawrence has also made it a priority to educate ex-felons on the process necessary to regain their voting rights via her "Rolling for Freedom" initiative.

Ms. Lawrence's accomplishments have propelled her to the National reporting scene, covering Michael Vick's federal court case and on site live at the Jena 6 march and trial. She has made the commitment to not only educate, but to elevate the African-American Community and is probably at her best when there is a need for calling citizens to action. Ms. Lawrence used her community connections and was the driver in a 12-Hour Radio-Thon to raise money for Hurricane Katrina vicitms as well as successful 12-Hour Radio-Thon benefiting the prevention of domestic violence. She spearheaded the fund-raising of almost 100-thousand dollars to assist residents of a Richmond neighborhood flooded by tropical storm Ernesto. Ms. Lawrence is also a strong advocate for youth and recently organized a campaign raising money to send more than 220 children to camp for the entire summer of 2008.

Ms. Lawrence is everywhere and making a difference in many lives, but her number one career goal is being the best mother to her one year old daughter Kenya Sarai. Other accomplishments include being a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., Board Member of Prevent Child Abuse Virginia and the recipient of numerious community service and activism awards including; The Legends in the Community Award from the Urban League of Greater Richmond; Community Service Award of the Year from Las Amigas, Inc., Community Service of the Year Award from Richmond City Council under Mayor Doug Wilder's leadership.

Mikki Spencer

Emcee

Praise 104.7 FM On-Air Personality

Monday - Friday: 2:00 PM - 6:00 PM

The Afternoon Drive with Mikki Spencer, including traffic, birthday roll call, and the 5 o'clock Praise Party with DJ Drake.

Audrey Douglas-Cooke, RN, MS

American Cancer Society Board Member and Volunteer

Audrey Douglas-Cooke, Director of Cardiac and Critical Patient Services at Sentara Virginia Beach Hospital, has been a member of the South Atlantic Division Board of Directors since 2003 and an American Cancer Society volunteer since 1990.  She received the National Relay For Life Impact Award in 2004 and the St. George National Award in 2004.

Rev. Patricia Gould-Champ, Ph.D.

Keynote Speaker

The Reverend Dr. Patricia A. Gould-Champ has served faithfully as the Pastor and Founding Visionary of Faith Community Baptist Church for the past thirteen years.  She is a very unique woman who balances her many roles as wife, mother, daughter, sister, niece, cousin, professor, and friend.  She is a well-prepared servant who is respected throughout this country.  She holds an earned doctorate from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University and received her Master of Divinity degree summa cum laude from the Samuel DeWitt Proctor School of Theology at Virginia Union University. Her senior sermon, entitled “An Unfinished Agenda,” is published in Ella Mitchell’s book, Those Preaching Women, Volume II.  Her latest published article is included in The Journal of the Interdenominational Theological Center (JITC) entitled, “The Black Church in the Era of HIV/AIDS:  What Is Our Testimony?  What Will Be Our Legacy?”

Dr. Gould-Champ is an Assistant Professor of Practical Theology at the Samuel DeWitt Proctor School of Theology at Virginia Union University where she has served for seventeen years.  She was honored in June 2005 as Professor of the Year for the second time.  Dr. Gould-Champ has served the Baptist General Convention of Virginia in many capacities.  On July 2, 2003, at the 104th Annual Session, Dr. Gould-Champ was elected as the 35th and first female president of the Baptist General Convention of Virginia.  She is the immediate past Moderator of the Shiloh Baptist Association of Virginia.

For the past three years, Dr. Gould-Champ has struggled with cancer, but has continued to lead her congregation, having missed only one Sunday from the pulpit.  Through her dedicated leadership, Faith Community Baptist Church has completed the construction of Phase One of a three-phase new ministry facility located at 1903 Cool Lane in Richmond, Virginia.  Dr. Gould-Champ continues to do her work with the R.I.S.E. Women’s Empowerment Group, a 24-week empowerment group for women with a focus on the women of Fairfield, Whitcomb, and Creighton Courts in the inner city of Richmond.  Her work in HIV/AIDS Prevention Education continues to be funded by the Virginia Department of Health and allows Faith Community Baptist Church to minister to partner churches, the Richmond City Jail, the Richmond Juvenile Detention Center and Fairfield, Whitcomb, Creighton, Mosby, and Gilpin Courts.

She has modeled what it means to “walk by faith” and has stood firm on her belief that “without faith it is impossible to please God.”  Currently, Pastor Gould-Champ is in the process of completing two books, Pamela Goes to Church (A Worship Resource for Youth) and By Faith and Not By Sight:  Reflections for Women With Cancer.

Dr. Gould-Champ continues to walk by faith in spite of the adversities that she faces.  She is blessed with a very supportive family.  She is the wife of James Champ, III, president of Coordinated Insurance Services, who is her partner in life and ministry.  One of the joys of her life is watching her nineteen year-old daughter, Pamela Ann Champ, a sophomore honor student at Hampton University in Hampton, Virginia develop into a “strong, gifted, and beautiful young woman.”

JoAnn M. Thomas-Wilson, Ph.D..

Clinical Psychologist, Consultant, Researcher, Evaluator

Broad Rock Counseling and Training Associates

JoAnn M. Thomas-Wilson has nearly 30 years of professional experience and government service in the areas of Clinical Psychology, Counseling, Education and Assessment.  As an educator, consultant, facilitator, professor, and researcher, she has positively impacted agencies, special programs, education and legal systems, and community service endeavors.  Her professional goals embody the belief that individuals are able to lead productive and fulfilling lives. Through interventions and commitment individuals can achieve well-adjusted lifestyles and maintain positive and sustaining relationships in society. With expertise and considerable experience in a number of settings, Dr. Thomas-Wilson is able to skillfully and efficiently utilize clinical and professional skills to produce positive outcomes with respect to communication, teaching, counseling, psychotherapy, assessment or evaluation.

Michelle Whitehurst-Cook, MD

Associate Professor of Family Medicine
Associate Dean for Admissions
VCU School of Medicine

Dr. Michelle Whitehurst-Cook, is a 1979 graduate of Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine where she has worked for the last 15 years in the capacity of teacher, physician and now administrator. Her major interest is the holistic approach to the care of uninsured and underserved patients in inner cities and rural communities, addressing not only the health care disparities but the economic and educational inequalities facecd by families living in these areas. She is a family physician who began her career in New Kent County and is still in active practice at the medical school.

Shavon Arline, MPH

Shavon Arline, native of New Jersey, former track and field athlete and public health advocate earned her bachelors and masters degrees from Tulane University in New Orleans, Louisiana.  She is a certified exercise and fitness specialist and continued training in exercise and lifestyle change programs with instruction from the world renowned Cooper Institute in Dallas, Texas.

As an under graduate exercise science/physiology major, she served as director of a minority wellness program and continued to pursue a Masters of Public Health at Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine in community health sciences and health education.  She contributed significantly as the Health Programs Coordinator of REACH 2010 @ the Heart of New Orleans:  a faith based community based participatory research project focusing on the heart health of African American women. 

Ms. Arline relocated to Central Virginia to join the Crater Health District as the Community Health and Prevention Supervisor headquartered in Petersburg where she coordinated community health education and outreach programs, administrates grant funding and contractors, and serves as the community liaison to the health district. 

Most recently, Shavon arrived to Washington DC to return to the national office of the Black Women’s Health Imperative as the Health Program Manger overseeing health outreach and program implementation for healthy lifestyle programs implemented across the country for African American women and their families.

She is a public speaker and has traveled extensively throughout the United States and Caribbean.  She has been invited to national and regional conferences to present on disease prevention, exercise physiology, minority and women’s health issues as well as social justice. She also ministers to congregations as an advocate for faith based health initiatives.  As an entrepreneur Ms. Arline is a certified in Artistry skin care and cosmetics, an e-commerce owner and owns an online travel business.  Her focus on holistic health includes healthy lifestyles and the importance of inner and outer beauty for all.

She is a member of the, Aerobic and Fitness Association of America, American Public Health Association and Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Incorporated (Chesterfield (VA) Alumnae chapter) where she serves as a member of the national program planning and development committee for the sorority.

Sheila A. Ward, Ph.D., MPH

Exercise Physiologist and Epidemiologist

Sheila A. Ward, a native of Richmond, Virginia, is presently a tenured Associate Professor in the Department of Physical Education and Exercise Science at Norfolk State University, Norfolk, VA.  She holds the B.S. in Physical Education with an emphasis in Dance from Indiana University and the M.Ed. and Ph.D. in Exercise Physiology from Temple University.  Ms. Ward also earned the Masters of Public Health with a concentration in Epidemiology from Eastern Virginia Medical School/Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VA.  She serves on and holds leadership positions on several national boards including the Editorial Boards of JOPERD and the Physician and Sportsmedicine.  She is  Chair of Grants & Research for Black Women in Sport Foundation and was Publications Chair of the National Dance Association (2005-2008).  Ms. Ward served (2003-2008) as an evaluator and exercise specialist for the Cancer Control Project, Division of Chronic Disease Prevention and Control, Virginia Department of Health.  Her most recent project focused on ‘Obesity, Cancer, and Physical Activity.’

Ms. Ward is a regular presenter at local, state, and national conferences on such topics as topics of:  managing the chronic diseases of cancer, arthritis, and diabetes through exercise; physical activity, exercise, and African-Americans; cultural competency and health disparities; healthy living through dance; and, staff training workshops on implementing exercise for persons with developmental disabilities and the frail elderly.   She is the recipient of several program and research grants and is currently funded for an HIV/AIDS Prevention Grant through the Office of Women’s Health, Department of Health and Human Services. 

She is published in The Physician and Sportsmedicine, the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, and Pediatric Research.  Recent publications, “Why We All Should Learn to Dance:  Reflecting on the African American Culture” (August 2007) and “African-centered Dance:  An Intervention Tool in HIV/AIDS Prevention,” “Health and the Power of Dance” and “Redesigning the Body” appeared in the 2008 September, April and February issues, respectively, of the Journal of Health, Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance.  The May/June 2008 issue of Diabetes Self-Management featured an article by Ms. Ward entitled, “So You Think You Want to Dance?”

She is a member of the American College of Sports Medicine, the Cancer Prevention Action Coalition, the Arthritis Task Force, Health Promotion for People with Disabilities, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated, Iota Omega Chapter, and the Alpha Kappa Chapter of Delta Omega, the honorary society in public health.

Ms. Ward is the Executive Director of and professional dancer with Eleone Dance Theatre, Philadelphia, PA and has performed professionally as one of the original members of Philadanco II and with the Philadelphia Dance Company.  She is the former Associate Instructor and Acting Director of the Afro-American Dance Company, Indiana University.  She is currently on the Virginia Artist in Residency Roster, Virginia Commission on the Arts and the Dance Roster of the Richmond Arts Council.  Ms. Ward is the primary grant writer for Eleone Dance Theatre, a PENNPAT Roster Artist who has received 14 Dance grants.

She has completed over 25 extended dance residencies in grades K-12 throughout the States of Virginia and Delaware, and the city of Philadelphia, PA.  Ms. Ward was cast as one of the dancers in the movie “Beloved” and she conceived and staged, “From These Roots,” a historical journey with dance highlighting the emergence of African-Americans in Spring 2003.

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