Katrina McGhee Chairs the National African-American Women's Leadership Institute, Inc. board of directors as the organization moves forward with the guidance of her leadership and marketing skills. She is EVP and Chief Marketing Officer for Susan G. Komen for the Cure, a global leader in the breast cancer movement. A 1990 graduate of Southern University with a BS degree in Accounting, Katrina later went back to school to follow her passion for creativity and received an MBA in Marketing from the University of Texas at Arlington. She is most known for her work in healthcare marketing. A pioneer in her field, she was one of the first to receive significant pharmaceutical funding of long-term national health awareness programs such as the American Heart Association's Choose to Move. She now provides strategic direction for the more than 175 corporate relationships currently in the Komen for the Cure portfolio and enjoys sharing her knowledge with others by serving as a speaker for national organizations such as the Promotions Marketing Association, Cause Marketing Forum, and the Event and Arena Marketers Association. She also serves as a strategic consultant for Komen's international partners and affiliates in Jordan, Italy, and Puerto Rico. Katrina was recently selected as a 2008 Marshall Memorial Fellow and a member of the Non Profit Times Power & Influence Top 50 class of 2010.


LaTisha Thompson joined the National African American Women's Leadership Institute (NAAWLI) Board of Directors in 2009 and serves on the Personnel and Hiring Committee, and was recently elected First-Vice Chair. In 2002, LaTisha joined CSX human resources department and became Director in 2004. She has partnered with the Sales, Marketing, Intermodal, Operations, Risk Management, Compliance, and Legal functions and has led EEO, Labor Relations and Staffing teams within the organization. She currently serves as the strategic HR business partner to CSX Transportation's Sales & Marketing business unit and CSX Intermodal. LaTisha provides strategic direction to approximately 2,000 management and union employees and deploys enterprise talent management solutions that drive continuous improvement and employee excellence. LaTisha earned a B.S. in Marketing from Troy State University and an M.A. in Human Resources Management and Development from Webster University. She is a member of the Society for Human Resource Management and an HR Board Member for the American Red Cross. In addition, she also serves on the Board of Hubbard House, a non-profit organization that provides shelter and outreach services for domestic violence victims and their families. LaTisha is a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority and is active with the local Jacksonville Alumnae Chapter. She serves as a mentor for Leadership Delta, a strategic, leadership development partnership between General Electric and Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc.

Thomas Anthony Waller serves as NAAWLI's Second-Vice Chair. He is Senior Director of Corporate Affairs Constituent Relations for Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. in Bentonville, Arkansas. In his position he actively works in helping to set strategy for the company's outreach opportunities and social investments in the African-American, American Indian, mature, and women's markets. Tony joined Wal-Mart December 2006. In his last position with State Farm, Tony served as Assistant Director of Community Alliances in Corporate Communications and External Relations. He was responsible for all external efforts in multicultural communities as well as all efforts in Auto Safety, Disaster Preparedness, Community and Economic Development, and Financial Education. Tony serves as Chair of the NAACP ACT-SO Advisory Council. In addition he serves on the Board of Trustees of Center for Asian Pacific American Women and the Board of Directors of the National African-American Women's Leadership Institute where he serves as 2nd Vice President. With both of these organizations he was the first male ever selected to serve. In 2000 Tony became the first recipient of the Spirit of Democracy Emerging Leaders Award, presented by the National Coalition on Black Civic Participation. In 2002 and 2010 Tony was the recipient of the Donald H. McGannon Award, the highest distinction given by the National Urban League to a corporate individual in recognition of community efforts.


Jeri Patrice Tillman is a Human Resources leader with over 16 years of diverse experience in management, employee relations, consulting, recruitment, regulatory compliance, and policy development. Jeri is creative, analytical, and able to plan strategically to meet the changing trends of the emerging workforce. Jeri is responsible for the development, implementation and management of the High school intern program for the American Airlines Center and the Dallas Independent School District. This program is currently adapted by other Hospitality and Tourism industries in the City of Dallas, Texas. Jeri Tillman is on the Senior Management Human Resources staff with American Airlines Center Operating Company, L.P. (COC), in Dallas, Texas. She is a member of Antioch Christian Fellowship Church in Corinth, Texas, an active community, Dallas Independent School District Hospitality and Tourism Advisory Board Vice President, Cambridge Who's Who among Executives, Professionals and Entrepreneurs, Agape Christian Theatre Board Member, National Association of African Americans in Human Resources (NAAAHR) Board Member, Vice President of External Affairs and Partnership Marketing, Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) Member, and Preston wood Sports Organization. Over the years, many people have come to know Jeri as a resource in the areas of home management, life skills and how survive in corporate America. She has an MA in Human Relations and Business Management from Amber University, Garland, Texas and a BS in Industrial Psychology and Social Work from Kansas State University, Manhattan Kansas.


Barbara Lord Watkins, NAAWLI's Treasurer, was President and Chief Executive Officer, Parkland Foundation (2000-2005). She led direct oversight of the Foundation including programmatic and fiscal operations including procurement, monitoring and management of all donations on behalf of the foundation, and Parkland Health & Hospital System. At retirement, the foundation was the number one foundation among public hospitals in the country in funds raised to support hospital programs and services. She was responsible for legislative oversight in Washington, DC and Austin, Texas for Parkland Health & Hospital System, which included testimony before legislative committees and working with elected and appointed officials to maximize reimbursement for medical services and programs that helped Parkland and other hospitals. In addition, she was directly responsible for other departments at Parkland. They included Volunteer Services, Grants Management, Gift Shop, and Government Relations. In each area there were measurable and tangible increases in outcomes as noted in performance evaluations. Barbara was recipient of the Past the Torch Award, Dallas Urban League, 2009; Honoree of the 30th Anniversary Luncheon of the Dallas Black Dance Theatre, 2007; Recipient of the J. Erik Jonsson Award for Volunteerism; United Way of Metropolitan Dallas, 2006; Recipient of the Legal Aid of Northwest Texas Women's Award for Non-Profit Leadership, 2005; Women of Spirit Awards, American Jewish Congress, 2002; Speaking of Women's Health Award, KERA and The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas, 2000; Black History Month Honoree, KRLD, 2000; Miss Dallas, Woman of Achievement Award Nominee, 2000


Demetria Alford is a Financial Planning Manager at Texas Instruments. She received a BS in Accounting from Southern University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana in 1991. Always wanting to learn and grow, in 1998 she earned her Master's degree through the Executive MBA program at George Mason University, Fairfax, Virginia. Demetria began working for Mobil Oil Corporation in 1991. During her 9 years at Mobil Oil, she held multiple positions in Accounting, Finance, Sales, and Marketing. In 2000, she began a career with the newly merged Exxon Mobil Corporation. During her 4 year tenure, she held Finance and Marketing positions. In 2004, Demetria began working for Whirlpool Corporation in Benton Harbor, Michigan as an opportunity to broaden her Finance experience in the manufacturing business sector. In 2005, she was offered an opportunity to work in Corporate Finance at Texas Instruments in Dallas, Texas. Relocating to Dallas has allowed Demetria to pursue two very important passions, professional growth and community service.


Kristy Brownlow is the Director of Volunteer Recruitment for Big Brothers Big Sisters of North Texas. In 2005, Krysty began her career at BBBS as College Partnership Director and later served as Regional Executive Director for Denton County's BBBS agency. In her current role, she leads mentor recruitment efforts throughout the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex, securing positive and caring role models for children waiting for mentors. Prior to joining Big Brothers Big Sisters, Kristy worked at Southwest Airlines as Multicultural Marketing Manager. In this position, she developed and executed national marketing strategies and innovative programs for the African-American consumer market in to cities served by Southwest. Kristy grew up in El Paso, Texas and graduated from the University of North Texas in 1993 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Broadcast Journalism. In 2005, she received a Master of Arts degree in Professional Counseling from Amberton University


Dionne Gilmore is a 2008 fellow of NAAWLI and is an employee of Bell Helicopter - Textron in Fort Worth, Texas, where she is a Mechanical System Analysis Engineer. Her responsibilities include Analysis of 429 and 427 model helicopters and Engineering Investigation support.. Dionne has been employed with Bell Helicopter for five and a half years. Outside of work, Dionne holds the position of National Alumni Treasurer for the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE) and is responsible for overall management for the alumni finance zones. In addition to her NSBE commitments, Dionne has recently started her own event planning company, DeRo Creative Events. Dionne received her Bachelor of Science Degree in Mechanical Engineering from Georgia Institute of Technology as well as Bachelor of Science Degree in Physics from Spelman College both located in Atlanta, Georgia. In addition, she obtained a Masters of Science Degree in Engineering Management from Southern Methodist University.


Pamela Hart, an IT Manager at Corporate offices of State Farm Insurance Companies in Bloomington, Illinois. She is 2008 fellow of the National African American Women's Leadership Institute (NAAWLI). As part of this institute, Pamela developed a community project entitled Politics 101 where she partners with the NAACP to register voters and helps educate the community about politics and voting issues. The recipient of numerous awards and certifications, she serves her community through several entities. Pamela is a charter member and first president of the Bloomington/Normal Chapter of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. The sorority awarded scholarships in her name worth thousands of dollars (the Pamela Hart Young Writers Scholarship) to graduating seniors who exhibit excellence in the communications arena. She is the mother of three children, Warren Christopher, Braxton Richard, and Tia Michellean.


Dee Hunter has been an employee of Texas Instruments for 26 years. She began her career at TI as a contract worker in the Files department of Human Resources. She has held many human resources positions at TI including Insurance Clerk, Personnel Administrator, EEO/Affirmative Action Manager, Diversity Manager and HR Manager. She is currently the HR Director for one of TI's multi-million dollar businesses, High Volume Analog & Logic (HVAL). She is also a member of the Human Resources Leadership Team at TI. In her current role, she reports to the Worldwide Human Resources Director and the Senior Vice President of the HVAL organization. Dee is active in the community with the Dallas Mayor's Committee for the Employment of Person's with Disabilities, North Dallas Suburban Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta, Inc, and TI Diversity Initiatives. Dee has an undergraduate degree in Marketing and Management from Southern University and a graduate degree in Human Resources from Houston Baptist University. She graduated with honors from both universities.


Rachel Vassel manages the Glory Foods and Susan G. Komen for the Cure accounts at IMAGES USA, a leading multicultural marketing agency in Atlanta. In this role, she develops brand strategies and oversees marketing tactics that help her clients reach their business goals. Rachel has 20 years experience in cable television ad sales and distribution as well as advertising agency account management. As Director of Advertising Integration and Project Management at The Weather Channel, Rachel partnered with TWC's ad sales organization to develop specialized advertising programs for clients such as Home Depot, Bass Pro Shops, and AstraZeneca. As Director of Affiliate Sales for Music Choice (a digital music provider), Rachel negotiated distribution deals with cable systems and MSOs such as Cox, Time Warner and Comcast in the north and southeast. Most recently, Rachel was a senior leader at cinema advertising firm Cinema Screen Media (currently Screenvision) where she led the company's rebranding efforts and provided strategic marketing support to the sales organization.

Rachel started her career at Chapman Direct (a Young & Rubicam direct response advertising agency in New York City) working on loyalty programs for Miller Beer. She also handled direct response programs as an account supervisor on FedEx while at The Muldoon Agency, another Y&R agency. Rachel is a graduate of Syracuse University's Newhouse School of Public Communications with a dual BS degree in public relations and marketing. She has also completed business leadership programs at Harvard Business School, William and Mary College and the UCLA Anderson School of Management and is a published, award winning author with Harper Collins Publishing (Daughters of Men: Portraits of African American Women and Their Fathers, 2007).


Rhonda Stallworth-Moutry is responsible for leading over 400 associates in the Auto claims complex operations in the greater Houston and Dallas metro area as well as Auto Litigation line functions for the entire state of Texas. Her responsibilities include management of a $64 million operational budget. Rhonda, a native New Yorker received her Bachelor's degree in Advertising and Marketing from Marquette University as well as completed MBA classes at the University of Minnesota & Mankato State University. She also holds The Chartered Property & Casualty Underwriting (CPCU) designation. She serves as a mentor, volunteers regularly at local Dementia/Alzheimer homes in honor of her father who was stricken with the disease. After successfully completing the NAAWLI (National African American Women's Leadership Fellowship) in 2002, Rhonda led a team of company associates who served as mentors for freshmen and sophomore college students at Huston-Tillotson College in Austin. The mentoring program is still active today. In 2007, Rhonda completed the Leadership America Fellowship and has used the knowledge learned to mentor associates in the African American Affinity ERG group in which she is company leadership sponsor. Rhonda is a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority and is involved with CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate).


Karen Price-Ward is Southwest Airlines Corporate Community Affairs Manager. She is responsible for establishing and strengthening relationships with key businesses, civic/community, political leaders and influencers in the African- American, Hispanic, Asian American, women, senior, gay lesbian, bi-sexual, and transgender markets across the country. Additionally, she aligns Southwest with key national and community based organizations. Moreover, she creates Public Relation events that foster goodwill in the community and assist the Corporate Communications team with managing the image and reputation of Southwest Airlines. Mrs. Price-Ward began her career as an assistant buyer for 150 stores with a discount retailer. In 1995, she began her dream job with Southwest Airlines as a Marketing Manager in her home town of St. Louis, MO. Later, she was promoted and became the first female African-American District Marketing Manager for Southwest Airlines and at the Company's busiest East Coast destination. She was responsible for coordinating Southwest's marketing for Baltimore and metropolitan areas of Washington D.C., Northern Virginia, locations in Connecticut, New York, Ohio, and Southern Virginia. Karen is a board member of the National Campaign to Stop Violence, National Urban League Black Executive Exchange Program Executive Advisory Board, Greater Washington Urban League, Northern Virginia Urban League, and Prince George's Chamber of Commerce. She also represents the airline as a supporter of the National Urban League Young Professionals, Philadelphia Urban League, Rosa and Raymond Parks Institute, National Black Chamber of Commerce, Tuskegee Airmen, Inc, Network for Teaching Entrepreneurs, United States Business Leadership Network, Women's Business Enterprise National Council, NAACP, among other civic, educational, political, and business organizations. She is an MBA graduate from Johns Hopkins University Carey Business School.


Ava Washington is a Certified Master Coach and Principal of the Business Focus Group, LLC, a consulting firm that provides executive, professional, and leadership consulting services. Prior to forming the Business Focus Group, Ava was a human resource executive at Exxon Mobil Corporation for more than 25 years.

Ava, a native New Yorker, holds an M.A. in Labor and Industrial Relations from the University of Illinois and a B.A. from the University of Wisconsin. She is President Emeritus, Jack and Jill of America Foundation and is currently on the board of the Senior Source, Center for Nonprofit Management and the Girl Friends Fund. Formerly, she served on boards of Baylor Hospital of Irving, Irving Chamber of Commerce, Episcopal School of Dallas, Dallas Women's Foundation, Dallas Children's Theatre, and Dallas Historical Society. Ava is also a member of the Dallas Women's Summit, Links Inc., Girl Friends Inc., Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Human Resources Planning Society, National Black MBA Association, and League of Women Voters. She has been recognized as "Mother of the Year" by the Dallas Can Academy and the 100 Black Men established an endowment scholarship in her name.


Marla White is a native of Tucson, AZ and currently resides in Dallas, TX. She has a BS in Electrical Engineering from the University of Arizona and an MBA, with a concentration in finance, from Clark Atlanta University.

Marla has been in the semiconductor industry for over 15 years and has held various leadership roles in engineering and business across the US and abroad. She is currently the IT Services Controller for Texas Instruments (TI). In addition to her professional role at TI, Marla has been and is actively involved in diversity at TI. She has served as co-chair for both the TI Women's Initiative (WIN) and Black Employee Initiative (BEI). She believes we can only be successful if we have all employees actively engaged in the process.

Marla enjoys spending time with her teenage son (Demetrius), volunteering in her community and motivating and teaching the next generation how to succeed. She is passionate about youth and education. This is evident in her volunteer efforts at her church where she leads and mentors a small group of teenage girls.

 
Ex-Officio

Gloria Dean Randle Scott, Ph.D. is a distinguished leader in higher education and empowerment of girls and women; leadership development; a genetics researcher, an advocate for African American issues, College Executive Vice President and President, was born Gloria Dean Randle in Houston, Texas.
She attended Indiana University and received three degrees - A B.S. in Zoology in 1959, with minors in Botany and French; an M.A. in Zoology in 1960, minor in Botany, and a Ph.D. in Higher Education with minors in Zoology and Botany. While attending Indiana University, she made history and majored in Zoology having several Nobel Prize Winners as professors. She was the first African American woman to receive a graduate degree in Zoology, 1960. Drs. Robert Briggs and Theodore Torrey guided her research and she received a Ph.D. with a major in Higher Education and a minor in Zoology and Botany from Indiana University in 1965.

In her work positions as President/CEO of Bennett College for Women, she organized the Women's Leadership Institute which addressed seven areas of program and assistance for women - including the founding of the National African-American Women's Leadership Institute which is a national program that has produced fifteen classes of Women Leaders for corporate, profit, and non-profit organizations for middle to top executive positions. She was a pioneer in American higher education as the first woman of Color to serve on the Executive Committee of AAHE, AIR - Association for Institutional Research, and Board of NAICU. She was a co-founder of the Black Caucus of AAHE; and a co-founder of the North Carolina Association for Institutional Research - NCAIR.

Many articles have been written about Dr. Scott in Good Housekeeping Magazine when she served on the Presidents' Program from 1975-1979; New York Times, 1981 when she Co-Chaired the Second Black Women's Summit with Dr. Connie Clayton in Washington, D.C. She has been featured in Essence, Jet, and Ebony Magazines.

Dr. Scott is presently President of G. Randle Services, a Consultation, Individual and Organizational Development, Professional Development Speaking; Training and Research Firm with offices in Corpus Christi, Texas, Riviera, Texas, and Greensboro, North Carolina, and a Visiting Research Professor at Wiley College, Marshall, Texas.


Arlivia Gamble is Vice President - Agency for the Agency/Sales Resources and Sales Support. ASR is a unique operation of 230 employees in Irving, Texas. Agency Sales Support Center has 140 employees in Bloomington, Illinois. These two uniquely different Contact Centers provide support for State Farm's Agency Field Leadership teams, 17,000+ independent contractor agents and their 60,000+ team members. She earned her Bachelor of Arts from Kentucky State University and a Master of Arts in Education from Austin Peay University. She is a LIMRA Leadership Institute Fellow (LLIF), and has received formal leadership training from The Wharton School of The University of Pennsylvania, University of VA at Darden, The Brookings Institute, and Babson College. She is a graduate of Leadership Hopkinsville, Leadership KENTUCKY and Leadership Illinois. She has served as a Regent on the Murray State University Board, on the Kentucky Nations Bank Board. Among her awards are the Austin Peay State University's "Outstanding Young Alumna" Award, National ATHENA Award for community leadership & service, the KY Chamber of Commerce "Innovative Award" for FOCUS 2000 and the 1st non-employee NationsBank's (Bank of America) "National Leadership Excellence in Neighborhood Development" (LEND) Award recipient. She has been featured in the 21st Century America's Best and Brightest Minorities in Corporate America, in Black Enterprise, "Getting the Corner Office" - August 2004, a featured Panelist on Black Enterprise's "SistersInc." Breakfast Session 2005 and a 2007 recipient of the Mocha Sisters, Inc. Vanguard Award presented at Paul Quinn College. She is the 2008 Corporate Achievement Award recipient from Iota Phi Lambda Sorority, Inc. She continues to live by her belief that it is what you do for others that will last.
Ex-Officio


Zulma X. Barrios is a Multicultural Consultant dedicated to achieving a better understanding of Multiculturalism as it relates to Insurance Companies and community-based non-profit organizations. She is the President of Zulma X. Barrios Consulting. She is also a co-founder of The Frida Kahlo Institute in Taos, New Mexico, a non-profit organization dedicated to the development of women in the Borderlands of America.

Barrios is a native of El Salvador. She worked in the International insurance arena for 27 years, earning many awards of excellence. Barrios holds the distinction of being the first woman General Manager for the Mutual of Omaha Companies. She is a certified Registered Health Underwriter.
In January 1994, Barrios was recruited by The Gallup Organization to begin her second career. As Vice President of Women and Diversity Leadership for Gallup University, she helped individuals develop their leadership talents for the benefit of their companies, organizations, and communities. In 2005, her role with the Office of the Governor of the State of Nebraska was to assist in the development of Latino leadership.

Barrios' achievements and awards include being chosen as one of 100 Hispanic Women in Communications by Hispanic Magazine and the National Hispanic Academy of Media Arts & Sciences. She has been named to "Who's Who Among Hispanic Americans" and is a recipient of the American GI Forum National Leadership Award.
Barrios sits on several national boards, and she was instrumental in the creation of the National African-American Women's Leadership Institute and the Asian Pacific American Women's Leadership Institute.

Barrios earned her bachelor's degree from Colegio Sagrada Familia in El Salvador and did further study in English and Psychology at Louisiana State University. She has also earned a diploma in personal, business, and disability insurance and was designated as a Life Underwriter Training Council Fellow. She received an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters from Bennett College in Greensboro, North Carolina, in May 2001.