Reverend Steven Marcus Shearod is the Senior Pastor of the Cathedral International Church, in Kennesaw Georgia. Pastor Shearod is a first generational spiritual son of Bishop Donald Hilliard, Jr., the presiding Prelate of the Covenant Ecumenical Fellowship & Cathedral Assemblies. Over the past 25 years Bishop Hilliard, mentored, baptized, married, licensed, ordained, and apostolically installed Pastor Shearod. Rev, Shearod holds a BA in history from Rutgers University in New Brunswick NJ. 

Pastor Shearod has worked in the financial Services industry for close to 30 years. He currently serves as a financial sales consultant for Allstate insurance company. His sales and management accomplishments are numerous and he holds several national and statewide professional licenses, designations and certifications. Pastor Shearod serves and leads several community based board of directors, coaches a variety of grade school, high school and community youth sports, and is a member of the Cobb County Police department’s Chaplain’s ministry. 

Pastor Shearod is a retired and heavily decorated US Army officer, with close to 20 years service to our country. He and his wife Velicia, (a proverbs 31 woman) live in Kennesaw, Georgia. They have 3 daughters (Tiffany, Nasia, Nia) and several grandchildren. Pastor Shearod loves God, loves HIS Word and loves HIS people. Many know him by this salutation..."I love you and you can't do nothing about it." 

www.thecathedralonline.org 
http://www.campgideon.com/

Jerod Frazier is a native of Charleston, South Carolina. In 2000 he graduated Clemson University with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and minor in Speech Communications and returned to Charleston with his wife, Jamilah. Since then he has been active consistently in his church and community.

He is the Minister of Social Justice at Charity Baptist Church; he serves on the Crime and Violence committee of the Charleston Area Justice Ministry, and is a member of the North Charleston NAACP.

His desire to serve the community lead him to go to law school and recently received his Juris Doctor from Charleston School of Law. Currently he interns at Uricchio, Howe, and Krell and lives in North Charleston with his wife and three children.

Venus R. Lockett is an Asset Building Coach “Ms. ABC” and the Founder of Urban Asset Builders, Inc., a for profit social enterprise with a nonprofit heart. Ms. Lockett is a passionate advocate for urban entrepreneurship and economic empowerment, and her personal mission begins with a focus on instilling a mindset that “credit” and “savings” are assets. She seeks to help improve the financial health of low-to-moderate income individuals and aspiring entrepreneurs, and empower them to build economic stability for themselves and their families; so they may contribute to the economic stability of our communities.

Ms. Lockett began her professional career 15 years ago as a Corporate Account Manager in the voice communications industry where she managed several high volume international VoIP accounts. She made her career change to the asset building arena 3 years ago and has volunteered as an educational facilitator and financial coach with organizations such as United Way of Greater Atlanta, The Center for Working Families, Inc. and Rainbow Village.

She is a trailblazer in the Greater Atlanta area where she has introduced collaborative asset building initiatives such as Prize Linked Savings and Metro Atlanta Saves. Currently, Ms. Lockett is the chairperson for Money Smart Week® Greater Atlanta, a campaign she initiated in partnership with the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago with the support of the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta. Money Smart Week® is a national one-week public awareness campaign designed to help consumers better manage their personal finances. Ms. Lockett is also launching her “Money Smart Clubs” program which seeks to financially educate and empower the family as a whole. Relating to asset building education and resources, Ms. Lockett brings a wealth of knowledge to her audience. She resides in the Greater Atlanta area.

www.UrbanAssetBuilders.com
www.GetMoneySmartAtlanta.com

Reverend Miller B. Murphy is the Director of Communications at Connie Maxwell Children's Home.

Children have a safe, secure, loving environment at Connie Maxwell.  It is a home for some children who have been abandoned, abused, or neglected and some who have been placed by loving caregivers going through difficult situations. In addition to the main campus in Greenwood, Connie Maxwell Children's Home provides residential care and family support through satellite locations in Chesterfield, Mauldin, Orangeburg and Florence.

Each year more than 200 children of diverse needs and backgrounds call Connie Maxwell home. Some children stay as little as a few months, others for many years. Some arrive alone, others with siblings. Most are between the ages of six and eighteen. Children who remain through high school graduation receive financial support for college. The Connie Maxwell Children's Home Family Care Program exists to restore families with hope, comfort. and shelter while they locate the resources they need to move toward successful independent living.

Relief and assistance are provided to single-parents from all walks of life so each family can focus on resolving their individual crisis and temporary instability. While the parent works toward setting goals with the guidance of dedicated and supportive staff; she lives in a comfortable residential setting with her children.

A Business Strategist and a domain expert in Corporate Business Development, Sales, Marketing, Small Business Formation and Entrepreneurship. With a record of achievement and demonstrated sustainable success of growing companies which generate multi-million-dollar revenues.

Mel has over 20 years of tactical experience in both revenue acceleration and corporate development of early stage and emerging growth companies. Executing business expertise to drive sales, increase profit margins, and deliver operational effectiveness through strategic planning.

Currently, Mel is the Regional Director of the SC State Region Small Business Development Centers. He is responsible for all business consulting activities in a seven county region dedicated to improve the economic conditions of small business enterprises by empowering them in accessing resources to enhance their market penetration opportunities as well as sources of capital for their operations and growth.

Previously, Mel was a Senior Advisor for AMPIRIX a “Go to Market” consultancy for the architectural, engineering and construction industry. He was also the Director of Business Development for Satellier, a multinational solution provider of building project documentation and digital design support services provided to the AEC industry.

In 2009, Mel founded Visually Intelligent Solutions, Inc., a technology start-up offering consulting, training and design support service for the AEC community. The company offered engineering software, facility management solutions, 3D design visualization services, computer-aided design, process workflow analysis and implementation.

Prior to this, Mel was the Director of Business Development for RAND IMAGINIT, the world’s largest integrator of engineering software, where he planned, directed and coordinated sales activities of 50 + offices located throughout North America, Asia and Australia.

Sajan George founded and leads Matchbook Learning, a unique national non-profit blended school turnaround management organization, the first of its kind that targets turning around our nation’s worst (bottom 5%) public schools with a model that blends the best of online and face-to-face instruction.

Matchbook Learning has launched three successful school turnarounds in Detroit, MI and has plans to expand nationally.

Prior to founding Matchbook Learning, CEO Sajan George was a Managing Director with Alvarez & Marsal (“A&M”) where he led the Firm’s Education Practice. In that role, he led a diverse group of talented turnaround professionals across the U.S. in running entire K-12 public school districts.

Terence Lester is a native of Atlanta, GA. He has a strong passion for family, God, and seeing the change through tangible acts of kindness. Lester is happily married to his friend, Cecilia Lester, and they enjoy parenting their two wonderful children, Zion Joy Lester, and Terence II. One of Terence’s greatest passions involves connecting creativity to the mission of God, and moving people to love people where they are.

Additionally, Terence holds four degrees, has spoken locally & nationally, and has written several books.

Instagram: @terencelester
Facebook: terence.lester.9
Twitter: imTerenceLester

Monica L. Ponder, MS, MSPH is a health and scientific communications professional residing in Atlanta, Georgia.

Monica has worked in health communications for nearly 10 years and also leads several community initiatives under the arm of her consulting company, MLP Communications. MLP Communications is an emerging leader of health communications in metro-Atlanta, with an impressive portfolio of events, successful partnerships and campaigns. Monica Ponder is a healthcare researcher and thought leader in reaching vulnerable and high-risk populations. As a health scientist, she designs and implements health initiatives that predictably translates into business success. Trained professionally as a chemist and epidemiologist, Monica specializes in translating scientific information into various communications products.   Monica has worked as a health communicator with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and, prior to joining CDC, she worked as a Public Health Liaison/Epidemiologist with the Fulton County Department of Health and Wellness and lead clinician engagement for the health department. Trained in radio/television production, Monica also spent time developing health stories for WAGA/FOX-5, an Atlanta television news station. She is currently pursuing her Ph.D. in Communication at Georgia State University. In her spare time, she enjoys reading, blogging, and hanging with her daughter, Lindsey.

After a number of years as a practicing clinician, in 1987 Kathy Colbenson became the CEO of CHRIS Kids and found her calling.

CHRIS Kids offers a values-driven Family of Services that provides trauma-informed, strength-based services through a counseling center, a training institute, eight group homes, a supportive housing apartment complex for single and parenting youth of ages 17 - 24, adoption services, and a host of in-home services designed to help children, youth, adults and families unlock their potential for self-sufficiency and good citizenship.

You can learn more by visiting our website at www.chriskids.org

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Lisa Wise is a social worker and nonprofit administrator with more than 30 years of experience in the fields of human services and community development.

Lisa currently serves as Executive Director of Initiative for Affordable Housing, Inc. in Decatur, Georgia.  The agency provides housing and social services for homeless families, affordable housing for low-income individuals and families, and employment and training for individuals with little or no work experience.

Since she took the helm in 1992, Initiative has grown from one house and one homeless family to a multi-faceted agency that improves and strengthens the lives of homeless and low-income women, children and families through affordable housing, enhanced life skills and employment.

Providing employment was the motivation behind Initiative’s re:loom project, a program that helps homeless adults transition into a life of stability.  Re:loom employs and empowers homeless and low-income individuals through weaving beautiful, one-of-a-kind products out of donated upcycled materials.

Recently, Lisa and the re:loom employment program were chosen by Sara Blakely and Spanx as the Fall 2013 Leg Up winner which acknowledges female entrepreneurs and their businesses/products.

www.affordablehousingatl.org
www.reloom.org
facebook.com/reloom
twitter.com/re_loom
pinterest.com/re_loom