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2018 Inductees
Brenda Hopper
Brenda B. Hopper is the Chief Executive Officer/ State Director of the New Jersey Small Business Development Centers (NJSBDC) network. The NJSBDC network is part of a national partnership between the state and federal governments, the private sector, and colleges and universities. The NJSBDC network consists of twelve (12) full service Regional Centers and twenty plus affiliate offices headquartered at Rutgers Business School, Newark and New Brunswick. The program is designed to provide the highest quality of business assistance services to established enterprises and promising new starts. NJSBDC specializes in Business Planning, Management Strategy, Growth Strategy, and Loan Packaging. Specialty …
Carolyn V. Chang
Carolyn V. Chang is an exceptional attorney who practices family law in Burlington County New Jersey. She is known statewide for her legal acumen and her passion for children and public service. In addition to her legal practice, Ms. Chang has shared her talents as a public servant in the capacity of Mayor and Committeewoman for the Township of Westampton, New Jersey. A resident of Westampton Township since 2002, Ms. Chang was elected in 2010 to the Westampton Township governing body. She was sworn in as Mayor in January 2013 and served in that capacity until January 2016. As a …
Dr. Kendell R. Sprott
Dr. Kendell R. Sprott is the chief executive officer of the Matheny Medical and Educational Center, a special hospital and educational facility for children and adults with medically complex developmental disabilities. Prior to joining Matheny, Dr. Sprott served as the Senior Associate Dean of Clinical Affairs, the Acting Chair of Pediatrics and Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at Rutgers- New Jersey Medical School. He is a Diplomate of the American Board of Pediatrics and was a Fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics. He was Vice-Chair and Director of Community Pediatrics at the Children’s Hospital of NJ at Newark Beth Israel …
Racheal Ankrah-Fosu
Racheal Ankrah-Fosu has moved the New York Stock Exchange from measuring trading critical applications in minute increments to measuring in microsecond increments across 11+ global exchanges While she has spent a lot of time traveling to European financial centers, she balances being both a career executive and doting mother to two sons. Ms. Ankrah-Fosu is active in her community and has actively helped raise money to help Africans cope with the spread of HIV. She has donated time, resources and talent to non-profit organizations committed to raising awareness and funding that will alleviate the plight of disadvantaged and deserving African …
Regina Belle
Her songs are anthems and her singing captivates! Grammy Award winner Regina Belle is an entertainer of immeasurable musical talent. From her 1987 debut album, All by Myself, to her latest offering, The Day Life Began, the New Jersey native has earned distinction as an international treasure. Her luminous vocals on the duet with Peabo Bryson, “A Whole New World,” (Grammy’s Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group in 1994) solidified her place as music royalty. Belle’s vocal abilities were demonstrated at a young age, with her first solo at the age of 8, at the Friendship Baptist Church …
Rev. Derrick Green
Reverend Derrick L. Green, a native of New Jersey earned his Bachelor’s Degree from Rutgers University-Newark and obtained his Master of Public Management from the University of Maryland. Reverend Green understood very early his mission in life was to address socio economic injustice both domestic and throughout the Diaspora. In January 2018, Reverend Green was appointed to the office of Senior Advisor for Diversity, Faith, Urban and Regional Growth for New Jersey Governor Phil D Murphy. In this role, Reverend Green works to implement public policy that will help all people. He interfaces with the faith-based community and key stakeholders …
Richard Roper
Richard W. Roper, a public policy consultant, retired in 2010 as director of the Planning Department at The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. In this capacity, he directed the department to anticipate emerging needs, significant threats, and future opportunities for the agency, its partners, and the people it serves, and assist its leaders in devising effective responses. The department brings a regional perspective, analytic rigor, and planning expertise to the agency’s long-range strategies, investments and policy choices. Roper began his public affairs career in Newark, NJ where he was director of the Office of Newark Metropolitan …
Valerie Anderson
Valerie L. Anderson is the Executive Director of the Associate Alumnae of Douglass College (AADC), where she along with 37,000 alumnae are dedicated to fulfilling its mission. The AADC develops and promotes connections among Douglass alumnae by providing programs, services, networks and life-long learning opportunities that represent the interests and needs of our diverse alumnae. The AADC provides prudent stewardship of the Douglass Fund and other endowed funds held by the AADC for the benefit of Douglass; distributions from these funds contribute financial support to Douglass and her students. The AADC is an independent and self-supporting organization that is alumnae …
2017 Inductees
Inez Phillips Durham
“We must remember that service is the rent we pay for living.” (Antonia Novello) A personal commitment to serve seems to have been born in Inez and grew stronger and deeper through the years. She was born and reared in Jersey City, NJ. Her parents, Edith and Henry Phillips had come from their home land of Saint Christopher/Nevis, West Indies. The newlyweds envisioned great opportunities for the family they would start. Inez was the youngest of six children born to Edith and Henry and she grew up with the confidence borne of having been reared in a home where love, …
Kathryn Finney
Kathryn Finney is the founder and Managing Director of DIDTECHNOLOGY/digitalundivided (DID), a groundbreaking social enterprise focused on helping Black and Latinx women own their work using innovation and technology as a tool. She is a White House Champion of Change, a past member of the National Advisory Council on Innovation and Entrepreneurship (NACIE) appointed by U.S. Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker and a General Partner in the Harriet Fund, the first impact venture fund focused on investing in high potential Black and Latina women-led startups. An Echoing Green Global Fellow, Young American Fellow and Eisenhower Fellow, Kathryn started digitalundivided after …
Kendall Hall (“Keepers of the Legacy” Medal)
As an all-volunteer organization, our most cherished assets are our people. This award represents the “Pinnacle of Dedication and Appreciation” whereby Rutgers African- American Alumni Alliance (RAAA), Inc. recognizes an individual who has demonstrated a sustained commitment to the preservation and continuous expansion of our community. The efforts of each Legacy recipient will be manifested in the words, deeds and support of the RAAA, Inc. as a means to foster its sustainability and growth. The “Keepers of the Legacy” recognition reinforces our sincerest appreciation to those committed to the preservation and continuation of the legacy that is RAAA. “Never doubt …
Mildred C. Crump
Mildred C. Crump was sworn in as Newark’s first African-American Councilwoman on July 1, 1994 in the 336th year history of this city. She brought a much needed perspective to that governing body. A longtime community activist, she has been a consummate and consistent advocate for women, children, senior citizens, the disabled, working families and those in need. On July 1, 2006, she was again sworn in as Councilwoman at-Large. She created history once again when she was elected as the first female president of the Newark Municipal Council. Ms. Crump was born in Detroit, Michigan where she attended and …
Shawn Austin
Shawn Austin has over 25 years of experience in the insurance industry in leadership, management, marketing, distribution and operations. Shawn is a Senior Vice President with Liberty Mutual Benefits, a division of Liberty Mutual Insurance Company. He is responsible for developing, implementing and leading the distribution and marketing model for a new line of Accident and Health products at Liberty Mutual. Prior to joining Liberty Mutual, he worked for AIG as the Global Head of Group and Specialty Accident & Health products, a $1.2 billion business. In addition, he served as AIG’s Head of Corporate Accident and held various management …
Thomas Ashley
Generous of his time, wise, and with a career’s worth of accomplishments, Thomas Ashley has been one of the leading criminal defense attorneys in New Jersey for three decades. Indeed, Ashley, long associated with the best of America’s civil rights movement, is admired by virtually all of his lawyer-peers in the state as well as nationally. Ashley recalls vividly the experiences in his native Camden, N.J., that shaped his sense of justice and spurred him to become a lawyer: “I was in a pool hall one night, and the police stormed in and lined us all up against the wall, …
Vickie Donaldson
Vickie Donaldson is a product of the Civil Rights front lines. At age 14, growing up in the rural South, Vickie was threatened with a shotgun while registering black neighbors to vote. When she arrived at Rutgers- Newark in 1967 she became a leader in the Black Organization of Students where she would help engineer the February 1969 nonviolent takeover of Conklin Hall, demanding more representation of African- American students and faculty members at Rutgers-Newark. This was a revolutionary event that transformed Rutgers-Newark with the expansion of programs such as EOF and the hiring of an expanded cohort of faculty …
2016 Inductees
Dr. Nyeema Watson
Dr. Nyeema C. Watson is the Associate Chancellor for Civic Engagement at Rutgers University-Camden where she oversees efforts to connect the resources of the university with the needs and opportunities of communities in Camden and throughout the State of New Jersey. The office builds partnerships in the areas of K-12 education, health, nutrition, economic vitality, financial independence, and environmental improvement that achieve community goals while advancing the teaching and research mission of the university. The work of the university and the office of civic engagement has been nationally recognized as a leader in the field of civic engagement by the Carnegie Foundation …
Frank McClellan
Frank M. McClellan is Emeritus Professor of Law of the Beasley School of Law of Temple University. A member of the law faculty since 1981, he continues to teach health law courses in the law school and lectures in a multi-disciplinary course in the medical school and a bioethics course in the Center for Urban Bioethics. EducationA 1967 graduate of Rutgers College in New Brunswick, he joined the small number of Black students who matriculated at Rutgers in the 1960s to form the Student African American Society, and served as the first president of that organization. He earned his J.D. from …
M. Wilma Harris
M. Wilma Harris, the only child of the late Gladys and William Harris, was born and raised in Paulsboro, New Jersey. For those who are curious and don’t already know, the M stands for Margaret, which was the first name of Wilma’s maternal grandmother. After completing grades K through 12 within the Paulsboro school system, Wilma attended Douglass College, graduating in 1966 with a B.A. in History. Significantly, Wilma was one of eight black students in her class, six of whom graduated. During her four years at Douglass, the total number of black students never exceeded 19. Wilma served in numerous leadership capacities, including …
Marty Gillis
Margaret A Gillis, affectionately known as Marty, graduated from Delsea Regional High School in Franklinville, New Jersey in 1971. While at Delsea H.S. Marty was a member of the Girls hockey and basketball teams. She was also a member of the National Honor Society and Delsea’s Junior Miss, placing as the second runner up in the county pageant. Marty left her small town to attend Douglass College of Rutgers University. Marty graduated in 1975 with a degree in History Education, as well as with a Teaching Certification. She was the first in her family to graduate college; making her family proud …
Michele Meyer-Shipp
Michele C. Meyer-Shipp joined KPMG LLP as Principal and Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer in August 2018. In this role, she leads the National Inclusion and Diversity (I&D) team and oversees its strategy and objectives, including supporting the recruitment, retention, and development of a diverse workforce; inspiring broad perspectives and innovative client solutions; and fostering an inclusive and accessible culture. Michele will work closely with KPMG’s leadership teams to advance its inclusive and diverse culture, which has earned the firm recognition as a top workplace by FORTUNE magazine, DiversityInc, Working Mother, and The Human Rights Campaign. Michele most recently served …
Olivier Quinn
As Senior Counselor at Taft and Partners, Oliver Quinn advises clients on compliance and ethics, dispute resolution, leadership development, and diversity and inclusion (“D&I”). Oliver served as Corporate Vice President and Chief Business Ethics Officer at Prudential Financial, where he promoted an ethical business environment by creating communications-based solutions in such areas as conflict of interest, sales practices, employment disputes, ethics, and financial reporting. Prior to joining Prudential, Oliver held several leading legal, policy, and administrative positions, including Deputy Solicitor, United States Department of Labor; Deputy Commissioner, New Jersey Department of Labor; Administrative Law Judge, State of New Jersey; Assistant …
Veronica A. Bethel
As an all-volunteer organization, our most cherished assets are our people. This inaugural award represents the “Pinnacle of Dedication and Appreciation” whereby Rutgers African-American Alumni Alliance (RAAA), Inc. recognizes an individual who has demonstrated a sustained commitment to the preservation and continuous expansion of our community. The efforts of each Legacy recipient will be manifested in their words, deeds and support of the RAAA, Inc. community as a means to foster its sustainability and growth. The “Keepers of the Legacy” recognition reinforces our sincerest appreciation to those committed to the preservation and continuation of the legacy that is RAAA. “Never …
2015 Inductees
Anthony Culpepper, Jr.
For over thirty years Anthony C. Culpepper Jr. has served as a Mentor, Community Leader, Student Advocate, Educator and known affectionately as “Uncle Tony”.Anthony was born and raised in Newark, New Jersey where he was educated in the public school system from kindergarten to high school. He hails as a graduate of Central High School – “Blue Devil” ranking seventh in his class. This success is attributed to his participation in the Stevens Technical Enrichment Program (STEP) Upward Bound Project at Stevens Institute of Technology of which Anthony is a proud TRiO Alumni.Anthony has been married to his loving wife …
Bill Davis
William Davis Jr., more popularly known as Bill Davis and also affectionately called Brother Black, is a Newark native who was raised and educated in Plainfield. A significant event that impacted his journey was witnessing the rebellion aka riots in Plainfield in 1967. This protest was one of the factors that would shape his trajectory relative to expanding his knowledge and increased his involvement in the quest for freedom and justice. His mother, Mrs. Charlotte Davis, an advocate for African American culture and justice, was instrumental in his cultural development. Bill attended Rutgers as an EOF student and majored in …
Dr. Robert Curvin
Bob Curvin is a civil rights leader and world-renowned expert on urban politics, economic development and social policy and who gained national recognition for his advocacy skills in breaking down the barriers to discrimination. As a leader of CORE during the civil rebellion in Newark in 1967, he played a seminal role in articulating the platform of grievances which changed the landscape of decision-makers overseeing the resources and holding the political positions affecting the quality of life of residents in Newark. Dr. Curvin is also a distinguished author. In his new book, “Inside Newark: Decline, Rebellion, and the Search for …
Lisa “Sister Souljah” Williamson
Born in the Bronx, New York and raised in the projects, Souljah is a fighter who came up from the bottom. A graduate of Rutgers University, she earned a degree in American History and AfricanStudies. She also attended the Cornell University Advanced Placement Study Program,and studied abroad in Europe at the University of Salamanca. A global student, Sister Souljah traveled throughout her college years to England,France, Spain, Portugal, Finland, and Russia. Her academic accomplishments were reinforced with first hand experiences. She worked to build a medical center for families in Bindura, Zimbabwe. She worked with refugee children from Mozambique. A …
Senator Ronald Rice, Sr.
Senator Ronald L. Rice, who is one of the senior ranking Senators in the state of NewJersey, was first elected to the New Jersey State Senate, 28th Legislative District,by special election on November 18, 1986, filling the unexpired term of the late JohnP. Caufield. He was sworn into office on December 4, 1986. The Senator has since been re-elected to seven (7) additional terms, in 1987, 1991,1993, 1997 2001, 2003, 2007, 2011 and 2013. The Senator has served as the Senate Assistant Deputy Majority Leader, the Assistant Deputy Minority Leader, the Associate Minority Leader and Vice Chair of the Senate …
2014 Inductees
Deborah Walker McCall
Deborah Walker McCall is the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs for the Academic Foundations Center (AFC) and the Director of the Educational Opportunity Fund (EOF) Program at Rutgers University-Newark campus. She is the past Assistant Dean/Director for the College of Nursing EOF (CN-EOF) program and the past Director for the Rutgers College of Nursing Minority Nurse Leadership Institute. In her role as Associate Dean /Director of the Academic Foundations Center, she works to provide educational opportunities, resources, and academic support programs for underrepresented students in grade school through college to achieve success through education. A native of Newark, New Jersey, …
Dr. Eve Remsen Sachs
Dr. Eve Remsen Sachs – When Opportunity Knocks, First Say a Prayer and Then Just Say “Yes”! Dr. Eve Remsen Sachs has spent her lifetime saying yes to daunting and challenging but always exhilarating and transformative opportunities. Most recently, she was recruited to return to Rutgers in October 2007 to coordinate the launching of the Rutgers Future Scholars Program by May 2008! There are now 1400 bright and deserving Scholars in grades seven to sophomore year of college who, though successful participation in rigorous RFS college preparation have earned guaranteed Rutgers tuition scholarships. Growing up in the South with an …
Emmet Dennis, Jr.
Mr. Dennis was appointed Chief Marketing Officer and partner of Sundial Brands in September 2007. He is the lead executive responsible for overseeing the communication of the brand promise, core values and product efficacy through brand development, brand management and community building. Sundial Brands manufactures Nubian Heritage and SheaMoisture brands (both skin care and hair care brands made from natural and certified organic ingredients). The company proudly participates in a number of US based women’s empowerment initiatives, as well as, investing in ethically sourced shea butter from women’s co-ops in Northern Ghana. Sundial Brands was awarded “Emerging Business of the …
Frederick L. Tyson, PhD.
Frederick L. Tyson is the son of the late Rev. A.D. Tyson, Jr. and the late Marion W. Tyson of Warren, Ohio. His siblings are the Rev. A. D. Tyson, III of Chicago, IL , Rev. Margaret V.L. Tyson of Warren, OH and the late Mark A. Tyson (Jersey City, NJ). He is the proud father of Christopher F. Tyson (Raleigh, NC) and Blair C. Tyson (Durham, NC) both musicians. He was born in Providence, RI and raised in Princeton and Newark, NJ. Prior to his matriculation at Rutgers, Dr. Tyson attended the Peddie School in Hightstown, NJ and graduated …
James I. Plummer
For almost thirty years, James I. Plummer, as an administrator, director, counselor,and friend was known for his commitment to Rutgers and deep personal connections with students, faculty, and staff. In 1999, he retired early from Rutgers, and expanded his outreach with the sole purpose of working with expelled and incarcerated youth. Further as a resident of Plainfield for 35 years, he has been immersed in community affairs at the local, county, and state levels, with special emphasis on issue confronting urban families. After graduating from Neptune High School, James I. Plummer entered Rutgers College in the late 1960’s, a turbulent …
2013 Inductees
Dr. Diane Hill
Dr. Diane Hill is Assistant Chancellor at Rutgers University-Newark. She has been a member of the Rutgers University administration since 1988 and has served in key senior leadership positions during her tenure. Dr. Hill received a Ph.D. in Urban Systems, a joint program administered by New Jersey Institute of Technology, Rutgers University and the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey. Her research focused on advancing community engagement in higher education, with special emphasis on university-community partnerships in urban universities, school-based youth college and career development and engagement demonstration models, and community-based participatory research. She is the co-founding Director …
Jennifer Jones Austin, Esq.
Jennifer Jones Austin is the Chief Executive Officer and Executive Director of the Federation of Protestant Welfare Agencies (FPWA), a prominent New York City social policy and advocacy organization with a membership network of 200 human services agencies serving more than 1.5 million New Yorkers. Prior to joining FPWA, Ms. Jones Austin served as Senior Vice President of United Way of New York City. She led the development and implementation of United Way’s Community Impact “Program to Policy” business model, which resulted in community level and systems improvements in early childhood and grade school education, financial stability and income support …
Justice Cheri Beasley
In December 2012, Justice Cheri Beasley received an appointment from Governor Beverly Perdue to serve as Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of North Carolina. Prior to this appointment, Justice Beasley served as an Associate Judge on the North Carolina Court of Appeals to which she was elected in 2008. She is the only African-American woman elected to any statewide office in North Carolina without the benefit of incumbency or appointment by the Governor. She served for nearly ten years as a District Court Judge in the Twelfth Judicial District, Cumberland County, appointed by Governor Jim Hunt in 1999 and …
Justice Michael Shipp
Judge Michael A. Shipp was appointed to the federal bench as a United States District Judge for the District of New Jersey, Trenton, in July 2012. As a District Judge, he is responsible for conducting proceedings in both civil and criminal cases, including trials and preliminary injunction hearings. Judge Shipp is also responsible for deciding dispositive motions. Prior to his elevation to the District Court, Judge Shipp served as a United States Magistrate for the District of New Jersey, Newark, from October 2007 to July 2012. As a Magistrate Judge, he conducted preliminary proceedings in both civil and criminal cases. …
Wayne Abbott
Mr. Abbott graduated from Hightstown HS in 1986. He was part of the National Honors Society and played Varsity Soccer. He went on to Rutgers College of Engineering where he earned a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering in 1991. While at Rutgers Mr. Abbott was an active member of the community. He held various leadership positions within the Minority Engineering Educational Task (a chapter of the National Society Black Engineers) and served as president during his senior year. He won the NSBE Region One 1991 Technical Paper Contest (The Power of the Human Brain: A Computer Hardware and Software …
2012 Inductees
C. Maxene Vaughters-Summey
C. Maxene Vaughters-Summey has been associated with the Rutgers community since 1966 and has been a powerful voice for African-Americans ever since. The Class of 1970 alumni left an indelible mark during her time as a student and continued that impact for over 30 years as director of the Douglass Educational Opportunity Fund (now the School of Arts and Sciences Educational Opportunity Fund). During her time as a Rutgers student Summey helped usher in Douglass College’s first African-American assistant dean, black-oriented student programming and classes in black history, and establishing an African-American Studies cultural house. She helped found the Douglass …
Dr. Don N. Harris
Dr. Don N. Harris, is a proud 1951 graduate of Lincoln University, where he currently serves as a Trustee. After he was honorably discharged from the Army Medical Corp he received both his Masters and Ph.D. from Rutgers Uni- versity in Biochemistry in 1959 and 1963 respectively. He shared nearly 40 years with his late wife, Regina (Brooks) and remains the loving father of Donna (husband Royce), Craig and Scott , grandfather to Danielle, Zachary ,Taylor, Brian and Joshua. He is a brother beloved by the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity (where he pledged at Nu Chapter and was the first …
Khai Harley
Entering his sixth season with the Saints and 13th in the NFL, Director of Football Administration Khai Harley’s primary focus is salary cap management. He works in conjunction with the player personnel department, making the club’s player acquisitions fit within the structure of the cap. His duties also include contract negotiations, coordinating different areas of football operations and being involved in the administrative functions of running the club. Harley has a deep background in NFL salary cap administration, Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) regulations, and the research of player contracts. He arrived in New Orleans in 2008 after serving for five …
Rev. Ernestine Winfrey
As an inspirational guiding force, Mrs. Ernestine Winfrey fosters a therapeutic and loving community at the Good News Home which is a long-term residential rehabilitation center for women who want to overcome the life-destroying effects of alcohol and other drug addictions. Her broad scope of initiatives comes from her excellence in leadership, clinical experience, educational background, and her unwavering faith and hope. Mrs. Winfrey has been executive director Good News Home since 1997 and continues to relentlessly and tirelessly serve to help others on both a personal and professional level. Mrs. Winfrey has been involved in a wide range activities …
Rev. Tiffany Williams
The Rev. Tiffany Williams is fulfilling her calling as a minister, lawyer and philanthropist, believing that God wanted her to use her talents to impact society. She has been recognized for her impact: by NJ Biz magazine as one of New Jersey’s Best 50 Women in Business and now by The Network Journal. A high achiever from childhood, Rev Williams became a leader “by always being the youngest to achieve everything I obtained,” she says. She notes with pride that her ambition to attain the highest educational goals earned her full scholarships for undergraduate studies and law school at Rutgers …
2011 Inductees
Dr. Leon Green
Dr. Leon Green is the Associate Chief of Mental Health & Behavioral Sciences for Psychology at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Veterans Health Administration, New Jersey Health Care System. Dr. Green is a licensed clinical psychologist. As the Associate Chief, he is responsible for providing direction, oversight and professional supervision for psychologists. Dr. Green chairs the Psychology Professional Standards Board for psychologists. Dr. Green is the Coordinator for the Mental Health and Behavioral Sciences Compensation and Pension Examination Program. During 29 years at the VA, Dr. Green held previous positions as the Acting Chief of Psychology Service, Assistant Chief …
Evelyn Sermons Field
Evelyn S. Field is a native of Somerville, New Jersey and a graduate of its public schools where she later worked with students from pre-school through high school as a teacher and educational media specialist. She earned a bachelor’s degree from Douglass College (then New Jersey College for Women), and holds master’s degrees in education and in library service from Rutgers-the State University. She was one of the first two African American women to live in the dormitories at Douglass College and be recognized with the first N.J.C. Heritage Award. Field has five decades of organizational experience with women’s groups. …
Jacqueline Young
Dr. Jacqueline A. Young has been an educator for more than 30 years. She received her B.A. from Douglas College and her M.Ed. and Ed.D. from Rutgers University Graduate School of Education. Dr. Young began her career as an Elementary School Teacher in the Newark Public Schools. She then worked as an Elementary School Teacher and a Reading Resource Teacher for the East Orange School District. In 1980, she joined the New Jersey Department of Education as a Basic Skills Consultant and soon became a School Program Coordinator. In that capacity, she served as a facilitator between the Essex County …
Judith Aidoo
Judith Aidoo is Chief Executive of Caswell Capital Partners, LLC, (“Caswell”), a New York based merchant bank, and Caswell Communications, Inc. (“CasCom”), a domestic media and entertainment investment company. Since 2003, Caswell has provided or secured nearly $220 million in senior and mezzanine debt for small and medium sized companies, with a focus on licenses, franchises and intellectual property. Judith began her career as an investment banker in 1987 with Goldman, Sachs & Co., where she specialized in structured finance. In 1991, she started her own firm to both advise and invest globally in technology; telecommunications and media; financial services; …
Randy Greene
Rutgers Student Activist, Social worker and Community leader
2010 Inductees
Brian Crockett
Throughout the course of his varied and accomplished almost three decades in business and institutional advancement, Brian S. Crockett has approached each challenge and every opportunity with enthusiasm and a determination to achieve excellence. In June 2009, Brian was named to be the chief executive officer of the VMI Foundation. In this position, he is responsible for raising and managing funds to support Virginia Military Institute, the nation’s oldest state-supported military college. Currently, the VMI Foundation maintains the most valuable per-student endowment in the United States and provides more than 24% of VMI’s annual budget. Brian’s vision is to build on …
Dr. Emeka Akaezuwa
Dr. Emeka Akaezuwa is an entrepreneur, inventor, technologist and educator. He invented the Universal Search Operating System software (Search OS) and is currently working on an innovative new source of solar energy that is based on Digital Matrix, rather than on solar panels. His recent invention, Search OS software breaks many grounds in software technology. The software has won numerous international awards for innovation and in 2009 was included in the computer encyclopedia as a major contribution to knowledge and to software engineering For the past fifteen years, he has been building large-scale information retrieval systems for government, academic and …
Nina Moseley
Nina Moseley is the Senior Director of the Division of Minority and Women Business Development in the New Jersey Department of Treasury. Under her leadership, the Division issued an annual procurement report of activity across 109+ state agencies. Further, Moseley centralized and introduced a new array of services on the web. These online services provided SMWBEs with real time, dynamic access to information ranging from bid queries to registration/certification. As a result, companies can more effectively compete in the global economy. Moseley’s second area of responsibility is registering/certifying all businesses that want to qualify as a Small Business and/or a …
Rev. Dr. Fred N. Clark
Honorary Life Member: Former Dean of Student Affairs, Faculty member, student advocate and advisor
Rey Ramsey
Rey Ramsey is President and Chief Executive Officer of TechNet. TechNet is the preeminent bipartisan political network of Chief Executive Officers and Senior Executives of leading U.S. technology companies. Our members are the nations’ drivers of innovation in the fields of information technology, e-commerce, clean technology, biotechnology, venture capital and investment banking representing two million employees and $800 billion in revenues. Mr. Ramsey was previously Chief Executive Officer of One Economy Corporation, a nonprofit organization that leverages the power of technology and information to connect low-income people to the economic mainstream by bringing broadband into their homes, producing public-purpose media, …
Senator Nia H. Hill
Nia H. Gill began her career in government and law over 20 year ago – first, as a Legislative Aide to the late Senator Wynona Lipman and today, as a practicing attorney and New Jersey State Senator. On January 12, 2010, Senator Gill was selected by her Senate colleagues to serve as Senate President Pro Tempore. Prior to being elected to the New Jersey State Senate in November 2001, Senator Gill served four terms in the New Jersey State Assembly. Currently, Senator Gill is the Chair of the Senate Commerce Committee, which handles all banking, insurance, regulated professions and consumer …
2009 Inductees
Beverlyn Grisson
Although Beverlyn grew up in East Orange, New Jersey, she frequently traveled via plane to see her father in Atlanta. It was from the prism of an airplane flying out of Newark Airport that she became fascinated with the maritime industry. She referred to what she saw as the “secret place,” because no one around her knew anything about this world. Ironically after admiring the ports of Elizabeth and Newark for years, Beverlyn met a maritime attorney on a plane at Newark Airport. The attorney suggested that she attend Tulane Law School if she wanted to know more about the …
Dr. Allison Frazier Jackson
When Olivia Cox-Phil searched the world for 10 outstanding women to model for career and motherhood, in her book, For Our Daughters: How Outstanding Women Worldwide Have Balanced Home & Career, she chose Dr. Allison Frazier Jackson as one of the 2 representatives for the United States. When the Wall Street Journal was looking for a role model for women ready and able to serve on Fortune 500 Boards of Directors, they selected Jackson. Both selections were a tribute to her 25+ years experience as a change manager with an international reputation for out-of-the-box thinking tied to developing …
Dr. Leroy Hones, Jr.
Born in Baltimore, MD in 1954 to the parents of LeRoy & Dorothy Hines, LeRoy Jr. was the third child born, of what was to be nine children. The family moved to Philadelphia when he was eight months old. uld imagine while living in the tough neighborhoods of North Philadelphia. There he had to contend with poverty, drug infestation, gang violence and other anti-social forces that take their toll on poor inner-city youths in particular, and young African-Americans in general. LeRoy Sr. realized the need to find some alternative to the streets for his five sons. LeRoy Sr. had the …
Raquel Bristol, Esq
Raquel Y. Bristol, Esq. is a 1992 graduate of Rutgers College and a 1997 graduate of Rutgers Newark Law School, where she received her Bachelor of Arts in English and Juris Doctor, respectively. After graduating law school, she served as Judiciary Law Clerk to the Hon. Katherine R. Dupuis, J.S.C., at the New Jersey Superior Court in Union County. Subsequently, she practiced for two years as an associate of Lynch & Lynch, LLP, specializing in personal injury insurance defense in both New York and New Jersey. Thereafter, she worked at LexisNexis/Matthew Bender & Co., Inc. as Legal Editor of law …
2008 Inductees
C. Regan Almonor
Counselor Almonor is a man of many converging paths: Professor, Lawyer, Writer, Speaker, Legislative Advocate, Consultant, Entrepreneur and Mentor. He practiced law in both the government and private arenas before taking on the great challenge of impact litigation and legislative advocacy for the public interest for the past 11 years. There, through his landmark appellate cases, and legislative proposals and testimony, Almonor successfully challenged the constitutionality and overturned several state laws that discriminated against tens of thousands of impoverished women and children. After graduating with the highest honors from Rutgers College of Rutgers University and after attaining various honors while …
Dr. Francine Essien
Dr. Francine B. Essien received her B.A. degree from Temple University and her Ph.D. in Genetics from the Albert Einstein College of Medicine (Yeshiva University). She completed post-doctoral study at the Univ. of Connecticut in Storrs. She then joined the faculty of Rutgers University (New Brunswick) in the Dept. of Biological Sciences, teaching courses at the undergraduate and graduate levels, such as comparative anatomy, develop mental biology and genetics. She established a research program, studying the effects of mutations which she discovered in mice, such as ones affecting skeletal muscle differentiation, cardiac development, and neural tube forma tion. Graduate students …
Dr. Jeffrey Robinson
Jeffrey A. Robinson is a business scholar, an entrepreneur and an advocate for community economic development. Professor Robinson co-leads the Rutgers Business School’s efforts at the Center for Urban En trepreneurship and Economic Development. Prior to joining Rutgers, he was an Assistant Professor of Management and Entrepreneurship at the Stern School of Business, New York University from 2003-2008. Professor Robinson is the recipient of the 2007 Faculty Pioneer Rising Star award from the Aspen Institute for his research, teaching and service activities at the intersection of business and society. His research projects cover the areas of high growth African American …
Dr. Joyce Harley Wilson
Joyce Harley is an attorney specializing in community development, economic development, and public policy initiatives. She is the creator and founder of an initiative known as Operation Big Vote which harnesses the power of Black women’s organizations to elect Black women to public office nationwide. As a past President of the Association of Black Women Lawyers of New Jersey, and Past President of her Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. and Chair of the National Trends and Services Committee of her local Chapter of the Links, Inc. along with her membership in the Coalition of 100 Black Women, the …
Dr. Kamal Khan
Dr. Kamal Khan is the Director of Success in the Sciences (SIS)/Project Beck; a Rutgers University campus-wide academic support program in math and science that assists economically disadvantaged and underrepresented mi nority students. In addition, he is the Associate Director for the Office for Di versity and Academic Success in the Sciences (ODASIS), a program that espe cially welcomes Educational Opportunity Fund (EOF) and other qualifying students for academic support and advising, and a Lecturer for the Department of Africana Studies and the Division of Life Sciences at Rutgers University. Under the direction of Dr. Khan, the SIS / Project …
Dr. Lois Green
Lois V. Greene is currently the Assistant Vice President of Oncology/Hematology Services for the Cathedral Regional Cancer Center of Saint Michael’s Medical Center in Newark, NJ. She started her nursing career at St. Mary’s Hospital in Orange, NJ, then went on to work as a trauma nurse at University Hospital in Newark. Ms. Greene earned an MBA from the University of Phoenix, a BSN from Rutgers University College of Nursing and a Certificate in Bible Studies from the World Life Bible Institute in Schroon Lake, NY. She completed the Leadership Newark Public Policy Fellowship in 2007. Ms. Greene is the …
Dr. Terry Whitt Bailey
Dr. Terry Whitt Bailey is admired as a community activist, arts administrator and advocate for educational equity. Terry currently serves as first Vice President and Chief Program Officer at the Center for Leadership Development, a nonprofit in Central Indiana that fosters the advancement of minority youth by providing experiences that encourage personal development and educational attainment. Before her assignment at CLD, Terry served as Director of Community Development for the City of Muncie, IN (population 70,000), overseeing a $7.5 million in government grants. Prior to her appointment, Terry had a successful career as an arts administrator, serving as President & …
Lawrence Hibbert
Lawrence M. Hibbert is a dedicated and impassioned leader, entrepreneur, and community servant who seeks to improve the lives of others by addressing challenges that affect people, collectively and individually, and supports them in reaching and achieving their goals. Throughout his personal and profes sional journey, Mr. Hibbert has sought to leverage his knowledge, experiences and resources to support the fulfillment of this mention in businesses, organi zations, and the community. Currently, Hibbert is the Founder, President, and Chief Technology Officer for BCT Partners, a multi-million dollar strategic management, technology, and organization development consulting firm based in Newark, New Jersey. …
2007 Inductees
Aliya S. King
Aliya S. King was born and raised in East Orange, New Jersey. She is a 1994 graduate of Rutgers University with a B.A. in Africana Studies and certification in Secondary Education from the Rutgers Graduate School of Education. After teaching United States History and African-American History at Clifford Scott High School for several years, Ms. King traded in her chalkboard for a laptop after spending a summer vacation at The Radcliffe Publishing Course, sponsored by Harvard University. Since then, she has held editorial positions at Billboard and The Source. As a freelance writer, her profiles, news stories and features have …
Cheryl Washington
Cheryl Washington is a television and radio personality, magazine columnist, public speaker, media coach, voice-over artist, website developer, production company owner, educator and community service activist. She is a graduate of Rutgers University with a B.A. in Mass Communications and Classical Music. She has over twenty years of hosting, anchoring, reporting, producing, writing and editing experience in news, entertainment, lifestyle and a game show at: WABC-TV, WCBS-TV, WNBC-TV, CNN and FOX5. Presently, Washington is a correspondent on “A.R. Bernard,” a faith-based news magazine show premiering September 2007 on The Family Network. Washington provides “slice of life,” human interest and celebrity …
Colonel Janmichael Graine
Colonel Janmichael S. Graine is a 1980 distinguished military graduate of Rutgers University. He received a BA in Biology with a minor in Africana Studies and received a 3-year ROTC scholarship. He became a member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity at Rutgers and played on the Rutgers Soccer Team. Commissioned as a Chemical Corp Officer, he first served at Ft. Benning, Georgia as the Operation Air Officer and Battalion Chemical Officer of the 2d Battalion 14th infantry, 2d Brigade, 10th Mountain Division. After completing the Chemical Advanced course at Ft. McClellan, Alabama, he was assigned to the US Army Environmental …
Dr. Walter Gilbert Alexander, II
The first black man to graduate from the College of Engineering in 1943, Walter Gilbert Alexander II was a scholar and a leader. Walter G. Alexander II, named after his great uncle, was born in Petersburg, VA in 1922 into a family of doctors and dentists. He and his family later moved to Orange, NJ where he was raised and lived next door to his great uncle (a physician who became the first black man to be elected to the New Jersey State Assembly in 1920, and the first black man appointed the New Jersey State Board of Health in …
Wally Torian
Wally Torian is currently the assistant dean for Student Development for the Educational Opportunity Fund Program (EOF) in the School of Arts and Sciences, Rutgers the State University of New Jersey. His career at Rutgers began in 1976 as counselor with the Rutgers College EOF Program. After a series of promotions Mr. Torian became the Director and Assistant Dean of the Rutgers College EOF Program in 1996. Under Dean Torian’s leadership the Rutgers College EOF program was a statewide leader in student retention and graduation. He credits his staff with creative and strategic programming and a continuing commitment that insured …
2006 Inductees
Cheryl Wilson
Cheryl F. Wilson is the Director of the Office of Student Involvement and Leadership and an academic advisor at Douglass College, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey. For the past seven years she has also served as the director of the historic Africana House of the Douglass College Global Village, where she teaches the house class under the Africana studies department and plans trips and programs that supplement the coursework. In a previous position, she served as the Program Director of the Associate Alumnae of Douglass College, where she directed the Douglass Extern Program and coordinated Reunion Weekend for …
Dallas Grundy
Dallas A. Grundy is a leader and a teacher of individuals, and teams. A champion for personal leadership, Dallas has helped individuals, teams and organizations to ultimately solve problems, change circumstances and improve results through individual development and goal setting. His professional and civic service are born out of support, nurture and development from his extended family, dynamic friends and distinguished teachers and mentors. Born in Philadelphia and raised in the historic town of Lawnside, New Jersey, the cycle of gaining a valuable education, growing personally and serving the community was instilled in Dallas at an early age. After earning …
Dr. Leroy Darkes
Dr. Leroy S. Darkes is a native of Atlantic City, NJ and is a second-generation graduate of Rutgers University. He earned degrees from Rutgers College in 1978 and Rutgers Medical School in 1982. Dr. Darkes practiced internal medicine in Camden, NJ before moving to North Carolina in 1989 to join Kaiser Permenente. During his practice with the Permenente Medical Group, Dr. Darkes served as Chief of Quality Resource Management. In 2004, he was appointed by North Carolina Governor Michael Easley to serve on the North Carolina State Minority Health Advisory Council. In 2005, he was appointed to serve on the …
Dr. Robert Atkins
Dr. Robert Atkins is an assistant professor in the College of Nursing, Rutgers University where he received his Master’s of Science in Nursing. He earned bachelor’s degrees in Political Science from Brown University and Nursing from the University of Pennsylvania. He earned a Ph.D. from the Department of Public Health at Temple University. He is the co-founder and president of the Camden STARR Program, a community-based non-profit youth development program for children and youth living in Camden. Dr. Atkins was a school nurse at East Camden Middle School when he started the STARR Program with Rutgers professor Daniel Hart. The …
Dr. Treena Livingston Arinzeh
Dr. Treena Livingston Arinzeh is an Associate Professor of Biomedical Engineering at New Jersey Institute of Technology in Newark, New Jersey. She received a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Rutgers University in 1992, a M.S.E. in Biomedical Engineering from Johns Hopkins University in 1994, and a Ph.D. in Bioengineering from the University of Pennsylvania in 1999. Upon the completion of her Ph.D. work, she accepted a position as a development engineer/project leader at Osiris Therapeutics, Inc., a biotechnology company specializing in stem cell regenerative medicine, in Baltimore, Maryland. Her work at Osiris focused on the development of stem cell based …
2005 Inductees
Alfred A. Edmond, Jr.
Alfred Edmond is a Senior Vice President and the Editor-in-Chief of Black Enterprise magazine. He is responsible for setting and enforcing quality standards for editorial content extensions of Black Enterprise, including blackenterprise.com, the Black Enterprise Business Report for radio and the Black Enterprise Report television show.Mr. Edmond graduated from Rutgers University in 1983 with a degree in studio art and a minor in economics. He joined Black Enterprise in 1987 as an associate editor and advanced to various positions until he assumed his current role in January 2000. Before joining Black Enterprise, Mr. Edmond served as the senior editor of …
Denniston Bonadie
Mr. Denniston Bonadie is Co-Founder and Vice-President for Program Development of the Global Literacy Project, Inc. He received his high school education in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and university education at Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey. In 1992, he graduated from Rutgers College with B.A. degrees in Africana studies and history, and minors in mathematics and physics. He earned a master’s degree in city and regional planning in 2001 and is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in urban planning and public policy from the Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy at Rutgers University. His research …
Donald Brown
Dean Donald Brown came to Rutgers University in December of 1976 as the Director of the Veterans Community Services Outreach Program for Rutgers – New Brunswick. This was a grant sponsored by the National League of Cities Conference of Mayors. Prior to this, Don had been the Director of a statewide Title I program, “New Jersey Veterans Education Corps” which was designed to help returning Vietnam Veterans and their families in their transition into civilian life. He received his bachelor’s degree from the University of the Virgin Islands on St. Thomas and his master’s degree from Trenton State College (now …
Dr. Ilene Rosen
Director of the Office of Student Development – School of Engineering Honorary Lifetime Member, Director of the Office of Student Development – School of Engineering
Dr. Leonard Bethel
Dr. Leonard L. Bethel is a professor in the Africana Studies Department who is entering his 36th year of service at Rutgers University. Dr. Bethel was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and earned a B.A. in political science from Lincoln University. He then earned a Master of Divinity degree from the Johnson C. Smith University School of Theology and a Master of Arts from the New Brunswick Theology Seminary. He completed his Doctor of Education from the Graduate School of Education at Rutgers University In 1975. At the time of his hire at Rutgers, he was a student at the Theological …
Dr. Olubayi Olubayi
Dr. Olubayi Olubayi is an associate professor of microbiology and the chair of the biotechnology program at Middlesex County College in Edison, New Jersey. He is also a lecturer in Africana Studies at Rutgers University where he teaches the senior seminar on wealth, and a class on the contributions of Africans to science.Dr. Olubayi earned his Ph.D. in plant biology from Rutgers University in 1995. His research focus was on the biology of bacteria-plant-cell interactions. He holds a United States research patent on the flocculation of bacteria, and he has published on bacterial physiology, the biology of plants, and the …
Dr. Randal Pinkett
Dr. Randal Pinkett has established himself as an entrepreneur, scholar, community servant and leader. He is the Co-Founder, President and CEO of BCT Partners, a multi-million dollar management, technology, and policy consulting firm based in Newark, NJ. He holds five degrees including a B.S. in electrical engineering from the Rutgers University College of Engineering; a M.S. in computer science from Oxford University and an M.S. in electrical engineering, MBA and Ph.D. from MIT. Most notably, Dr. Pinkett made history as the only African-American from Rutgers University to receive a Rhodes Scholarship. As an undergraduate, Dr. Pinkett was involved in a …
2004 Inductees
Alonzo Adams
Alonzo Adams is a critically acclaimed artist whose work has been featured in solo exhibitions and private venues in the East, including Howard University and the Senate Building in Washington, D.C., Rutgers University, Dow Jones and Uptown Records. He was recently featured at the Black Romantics Show held at the Studio Museum in Harlem. Inspired by such greats as Charles White, Henry O. Tanner, L’Hermitte, John Singer Sargent and Rembrandt, Mr. Adams’ career has taken him all over the world. With over 20 years of experience as a professional artist, he has garnered numerous awards in art exhibitions. Many publications …
Arrigo Rogers
During his tenure at Rutgers College as a student and a professional, the late Arrigo Rogers was an active leader in a number of campus programs and organizations. He served as President of the Paul Robeson Club, Business Manager for the Black Voice/Carta Boricua publication, Chair of the Human Interest Committee for the Rutgers College Programming Council, Business Manager for the African Kaleidoscope radio program and was a member of the Black Men’s Collective. Mr. Rogers participated in the Rutgers College Sexual Assault/Date Rape Theatrical Group and was featured on the first “Real Men of Rutgers” poster in 1993. He …
Dr. Clement Price
The Late Dr. Clement Price is a professor of history in the African-American Studies Department of Rutgers University—Newark and the director of the Rutgers Institute on Ethnicity, Culture and the Modern Experience. He is a specialist in African-American history and culture, New Jersey African-American history and race relations; and the presentation of historical narratives informed by the black experience. Dr. Price is the author of two books: Freedom not Far Distant: A Documentary History of Afro-Americans in New Jersey and Many Voices, Many Opportunities: Cultural Pluralism and American Arts Policy. He has written the introduction to the Encyclopedia of the …
Dr. Ivan Van Sertima
The Late Dr. Ivan Van Sertima is an author, literary critic, anthropologist and linguist who has given over 30 years of service to Rutgers University as a professor in the Africana Studies Department at Rutgers-New Brunswick. He has lectured at more than 100 universities and engagements in the United States, Canada, the Caribbean, South America and Europe. As a linguist, he compiled the Swahili Dictionary of Legal Terms, based on his field work in Tanzania, East Africa in 1967. In 1968, he wrote Caribbean Writers: critical essays, a collection of critiques on the Caribbean novel. He also authored several major …
Dr. Prosper Godonoo
Dr. Godonoo is the Director of the Paul Robeson Center, located on the Rutgers New Brunswick campus. The Center is an educational resource for Rutgers University. The goal of the professional staff is to meet the educational and social needs of students. The Center serves as a forum for inter-cultural and inter-personal communication and development for all students. The Center provides office space for registered student organizations and is home to the Black Voice/Carta Latina Newspaper. There is a computer lab with PCs for student use. The meeting room area is available for Rutgers University and community events. The Center …
Jennifer Lewis
Network television journalist, motivational speaker and author Jennifer Lewis-Hall has built an exceptional career in network television and multimedia. Jennifer is the host and producer of PHL17’s public affairs program, In Focus, where she shines a spotlight on issues impacting our communities, including topics ranging from heroin and opioid addiction – to “green job” initiatives for people who were previously incarcerated and seeking to change their lives. Among her most recent assignments, Jennifer covered former First Lady Michelle Obama’s widely followed book tour, “Becoming.” Jennifer holds a master’s degree in Journalism from Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism and a …
Marcia Brown, Esq.
Marcia Wilson Brown has over 25 years of leadership and community service experience in the Newark community. She is the co-founder of the South Ward Junior Crimefighters, Harriet Tubman Girls Club, and the Women of Imani, a charitable organization serving poor and low-income families. She also served as President and co-founder of the University Heights Neighborhood Development Corporation (UHNDC), which developed more than sixty (60) units of affordable housing in the Central Ward for low to moderate income families. Ms. Brown was recently appointed to Vice Provost position for the Rutgers Newark campus. She is the chief advisor and advocate …
William Payne
Assemblyman William Payne (29th Legislative District) began his professional career as an Essex County Welfare Board Caseworker, and has continued his public and community service in various capacities through the years. He is an accomplished business executive and civic leader with considerable experience in high-level national and international government and corporate environments. Assemblyman Payne is also a principal of William Payne and Associates, Government Relations / Market Development Consultants. Assemblyman Payne is the Deputy Majority Conference Leader for the New Jersey General Assembly and Chair of the Regulatory Oversight Committee. He also serves as the Vice Chair of the Budget …