Bonita Johnson, Microbiologist, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

President and CEO

Bonita Johnson is a Microbiologist employed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in Atlanta, Georgia with notable accomplishments such as service on the Gulf Coast in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, where she coordinated mobile laboratories at two locations which tested drinking and recreational water for bacteria, and being one of 10 EPA employees selected nationwide for the first EPA Science and Policy, Regional Research Partnership Program. This experience availed Bonita the opportunity to conduct DNA research to identify species of bacteria in the environment and yielded her national recognition in her field.

Bonita is proud of her academic preparation at Tuskegee University, where she majored in Biology with concentration in Microbiology and minored in Chemistry, and Auburn University where she studied Environmental Science. It was during her sophomore year at Tuskegee that she made a lifelong commitment to serve all mankind and joined Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. She has led numerous community service activities within the sorority, while also serving on the leadership council and boards of several organizations with a mission to uplift the disadvantaged and abused and to provide fair treatment to all. Amongst these organizations Bonita is most passionate about are: the Georgia Center for Child Advocacy, Southern Poverty Law Center, and the Innocence Project.

Bonita is also a graduate of the United Way V.I.P. and the Atlanta Federal Executive Board Leadership Government. She is a former Chief Financial Officer and Vice President of Fund Development and currently holds membership in the American Society for Microbiology, Atlanta-Tuskegee Alumni Association, United Way VIP Alumni, National Association of Women Owned Small Businesses, Inc., National Coalition of 100 Black Women, Inc. and National Council of Negro Women, Inc. Bonita has received several awards of service and recognition from diverse entities, including the EPA, Federal Women’s Program 2011 Salute to Women Award; 2010 Holiday Hero Award, Atlanta Journal & Constitution and B98.5 Radio Station; 2010 Most Outstanding in Community Service Award, Lambda Epsilon Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.; Atlanta Federal Executive Board 2009 Employee of the Year and Thomas Liederbach Award for Outstanding Volunteerism; 2009 Lucretia Payton Stewart Guiding Torch Award and the 2008 Deloris H. Oliver Service to Mankind Award, South Atlantic Regional Conference, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.

Of all her roles and accolades, Bonita is most passionate and honored to be a servant of God. She is a member of New Beginning Full Gospel Baptist Church under the leadership of Bishop James Morton.

Francena Brown, Regional IT Data and Communication Analyst, Mentor Network

Treasurer

Francena Brown is a Regional Information Technology Data and Communication Analyst for the Mentor Network. Mentor Network provides adults, children, young people and their families with services that lead to their growth and independence, regardless of the challenges they may face. She oversees the successful infrastructure of all the Mentor Network sites that reside in Rhode Island, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Georgia, Alabama and South Carolina. In addition, she holds several networking certifications from Microsoft.

Francena is a member of First Corinth Missionary Baptist Church, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated and the Metro Atlanta Chapter of Bennett College National Alumnae Association. Over the years Francena has served on numerous committees and held several key positions within different organizations. She has been honored for her dedication and commitment to community service.

An avid learner in all aspects of her life, Francena has turned her hobbies into a small business venture by offering services in custom invitations and gifts and photography. She also has extensive experience in project management, and event and wedding planning.

Francena earned a dual Bachelor of Science in Mathematics and Computer Science from Bennett College located in Greensboro, North Carolina.

Rosalyn Fairley, Environmental Engineer, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

Vice Chair and Secretary

Rosalyn Fairley has been involved with The Enchanted Closet since 2003. Her involvement includes being the Prom Dress Drive Coordinator for her church, volunteer at Prom Dress Giveaway, and Board Member. At the Prom Dress Giveaways, she saw the difference the organization made in the lives of young ladies and knew she wanted to be a part of it.

Rosalyn Fairley is a graduate of the University of Alabama with a Bachelor’s Degree in Chemical Engineering and Master of Business Administration from Clark-Atlanta University. She has been employed by the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency as an Environmental Engineer. Rosalyn is an active member of the Butler Street CME Church where she currently serves on the Courtesy Guild and President of the East-West Auxiliary Board. She has also been a member of the Budget Committee and the Special Projects Committee.

Rosalyn is a life time member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. In her twenty five plus years in the Sorority, she has served on the chapter level as Parliamentarian, Sergeant at Arms, Treasurer, Chapter Auditor, and Vice President. She has been a presenter, convener and recorder at various Local, Regional and National meetings of the Sorority.

Rosalyn also has been a member of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers, National Society of Black Engineers, and the National Black MBA Association. Rosalyn has been a Volunteer Usher at the Fox Theatre and a volunteer with the National Black Arts Festival and the Center Helping Obesity in Children End Successfully.

Wanda Pierson, Research Operations Program Manager, NASA Sponsored Georgia Space Grant Consortium

Director of Fund Development

Wanda Pierson works in the School of Aerospace Engineering at the Georgia Institute of Technology on a NASA contract, where she manages a statewide network of universities, industrial affiliates, and non-profit organization dedicated to improving Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) at all levels.  In addition to managing over 45 statewide programs, she is responsible for program grants, evaluations, and reporting.

Wanda is a member of Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Howard University Alumni Association, a board member for Excelsior Charter School in the West End, and a Fulton County registrar.

Wanda is an avid tennis player and captain of her team, co-founder of her bookclub, and a quilter known for exhibiting in local festivals.  She grew up in a military family and has lived in Europe, Asia, and six states.  She still loves travel and exposure to other cultures.

Wanda received her B.S. at Howard University, and an M.S. at Georgia Washington University.   She is currently working on French fluency at Emory University.

Shukura Ingram, Senior Associate, Thomas Kennedy Sampson & Tompkins

Director of Strategic Planning

Shukura L. Ingram is a Senior Associate in the Litigation Section of  Thomas Kennedy Sampson & Tompkins LLP.  Her principal areas of practice include wrongful death, personal injury, medical malpractice, insurance defense, premises liability and contractual relations.

She gained her academic preparation at Clark Atlanta University and is also a graduate of Georgia State University College of Law where she served as President, Association of Women Law Students and Georgia State University representative to the  American Bar Association.

Shukura began her career as an Assistant Solicitor for the City Court of Atlanta where she first gained jury trial experience.  After leaving the Solicitor’s Office, she joined the Fulton County District Attorney’s Office, where she served for six years as an Assistant District Attorney.  During her tenure in the district attorney’s office, she was lead trial counsel on various matters, most notably specializing in homicide and high-profile cases.

Shukura has been admitted to practice before the Supreme Court of Georgia, Georgia Court of Appeals and Northern District of Georgia, and has received numerous awards in recognition of her outstanding service and professionalism.  Shukura was selected by the Fulton County Daily Report as a lawyer “On the Rise”, 2007, recognized for outstanding service to the Pro Bono Project, State Bar of Georgia, 2008, GAWL Leadership Academy – 2010 Class, selected by NBA & Impact as one of the Nations Best Advocates: 40 Lawyers Under 40 in 2010, and most recently received the National Bar Association: Meritorious Award for Ongoing Service to the Young Lawyer’s Division (2011).

Shukura has held membership and served on the executive board of  various professional organizations including the Gate City Bar Association for which she was President  in 2010 and Vice-President in 2008, Georgia Association of Black Women Attorneys, Georgia Association of Women Lawyers, Atlanta Bar Association, Atlanta Board of Ethics, Atlanta Judicial Commission. She served as a mentor in the State Bar of Georgia Transition Into Law Program (2011-2012) and in addition to serving on the board of Enchanted Closet, she serves on the board of the Arthur Blank Family Youth YMCA. Shukura is also an avid sports fan.

Youth Empowerment Board

Jacqueline Petty, Communications Manager, Kellen Company

Public Relations Coordinator

Jacqueline Petty, APR is a communications manager for Kellen Communications, an award-winning global public relations firm, where she leads the communications strategy for four clients. She has several years of experience in marketing and public relations, including the travel and tourism, consumer packaged goods and media industries.

She joined Kellen Communications from The Atlanta Journal-Constitution (AJC) as a public relations specialist where she worked to place more than 200 journalists on media outlets across the globe. She also was instrumental in the two-year public relations campaign to launch the revamped Sunday and daily print newspaper. While at the AJC, she earned the Marketing LINK award, which honors team members that link customers to profitable marketing solutions for their business.

Earlier experience includes Zoo Atlanta, where she formulated the public relations plan surrounding the birth of Zoo Atlanta’s first giant panda cub that won several industry awards. Prior to Zoo Atlanta, she also was the publisher and editor for BeulahNews magazine, and provided public relations support to various entities including the Atlanta Convention & Visitors Bureau, Southern Company, Metro Atlanta Subway restaurants, Georgian Terrace Hotel, Georgia Department of Natural Resources and AIDS Walk Atlanta.

Jacqueline is an internationally-published journalist and spokesperson. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in communications and a Bachelor of Science in psychology from Allegheny College in Meadville, Pennsylvania. An accredited public relations professional, she has served in a leadership role in the Public Relations Society of America, Georgia Chapter, most recently the board of directors, for the past six years.

Janine Morris, Environmental Engineer, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

Program Development Coordinator

Janine Morris is an Environmental Engineer at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Region 4 in Atlanta. She has been employed with the EPA for more than a decade. During this time, she has been involved in Water Enforcement and State Assistance Programs as well as emergency response efforts. She has received some of the agency’s highest honors and awards for program development, grant administration, technological innovation, and program management.

Janine received her formal training at Spelman College and the Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech) in Atlanta, GA.  She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry and General Engineering.  Though her love for community service began at a very young age, Janine found the perfect organization through which she could develop expertise in program development, community involvement, and service at Georgia Tech.  As such, she became a lifetime member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.  She remains fiercely dedicated to civic endeavors as a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.  Her passion for giving back to the community and working with others with special emphasis on mentoring the next generation of community leaders has been realized through becoming a member of the Enchanted Closet Youth Empowerment Board.

In her personal time, Janine exercises her creativity as wardrobe stylist, hair and make-up consultant for Bobby & the Aristocats, an Atlanta-based band.  She also assists the band with marketing and public relations.  One of her future goals is to further advance the causes that she believes in through the development of a referral service.

Kellyn O. McGee, Assistant General Counsel, State Bar of Georgia

Volunteer Coordinator

Kellyn O. McGee strives to do her part in helping people and organizations achieve their goals. Whether she is helping to empower and enrich young girls’ lives through volunteering with Enchanted Closet or drafting bylaws for nonprofit corporations, she believes in serving others.

A cofounder of AUTHORity, a group offering support and resources to writers of all genres, Kellyn has edited works of fiction, nonfiction, screenplays, and blogs. She has assisted in film production and has planned retreats for writers. She serves on the executive committee of the Atlanta Volunteer Lawyers Foundation and is a member of the board of directors of the National Bar Association Women Lawyers Division, the National Conference of Women’s Bar Associations (NCWBA), the Georgia Association of Black Women Attorneys (GABWA), and Georgia Court Appointed Special Advocates (GACASA; past chair). She has chaired the State Bar of Georgia’s Commitment to Equality Awards since 2009. Among her numerous presentations, she’s spoken with first-year law students at Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School and with GABWA’s Professional Development Academy for law students and new lawyers. She also serves on the Board of Trustees of Beulah Missionary Baptist Church and is an active member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.

A proud Howard University alumna, Kellyn received both her Bachelor of Business Administration and Juris Doctor from the university. Kellyn is a writer, lawyer, traveler, editor, golfer, volunteer, runner, philanthropist.

Jennifer Montgomery, Makeup Artist and Cosmetics Line Owner, J. Mont Makeup and Waxing Studio

Program Development Coordinator

Jennifer started her career in the Cosmetics industry working with MAC Cosmetics as a Makeup Artist and was quickly promoted to Counter Manager where she trained aspiring MAC artists.  MAC utilized her professional makeup skills-sending her out on projects to work with high fashion photographers, fashion shows and cultural events.  While with MAC, Jennifer was also given the opportunity to do makeup for numerous celebrities including Erykah Badu, Lil Kim, and Mary J. Blige.

Jennifer moved to Atlanta, GA in 2003 and opened her first Makeup Studio, J. Montgomery Artistry.  In 2004, Jennifer decided that she wanted to expand her understanding of the skin and enrolled in the Atlanta School for Esthetics.  After completing the program she worked as a Medical Esthetician for 2 years with a plastic surgeon.

Jennifer recently secured a contract with BRAVO Television network to be the exclusive makeup artist for Real Housewive’s of Atlanta star Kim Zolciak.  You can view Jennifer’s work on BRAVO TV and all promotional ads from the Real Housewive’s of Atlanta. Jennifer also has a Makeup and Skincare Studio in Atlanta, GA where she sees clients regularly for facials, makeup applications, eyelash extensions and makeup lessons. She has developed her own line of cosmetics called J.MONT Cosmetics which can be purchased in local salons.  Jennifer takes great pride in educating her clients on makeup/skincare etiquette and making ordinary women look extraordinary on a daily basis!

Lisa Tolbert, Accounting Manager, Department of Early Care and Learning (DECAL)

Program Development Coordinator

Lisa R. Tolbert is a nurturer. Her passion for young people is evidenced in her supporting, encouraging, listening and caring for youth over the past 30 years. From her early years of working in the church nursery, to being a part of Rosa T. Beard Debutante Club, to working with the teenage outreach program with her sorority, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., Lisa has been a champion for children. Upon the birth of her beloved son, Christian, she always had an extra child in tow – never wanting her son to feel alone. Her own childhood experience created an understanding that the world is a much better place with someone to share it with. At this juncture in Lisa’s life, it’s only natural that she continues her lifelong pursuit of the happiness of all children by playing an integral part of Enchanted Closet, an organization helping to enhance the lives of young women in the metro Atlanta area.

Lisa earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting from Tuskegee University, Tuskegee, Alabama. She is employed with the Department of Early Care and Learning (DECAL) as an Accounting Manager. DECAL is an agency that promotes quality early care and learning to the infant and toddler population of the state of Georgia. In 2010, she received the Governor’s Commendation for Excellence in Customer Service. Lisa worked previously with the Department of Family and Children Services and Office of Child Support Recovery, both agencies promoting the betterment of children.

Lisa is a member of First Metropolitan Baptist Church in Augusta, GA. She is an avid Atlanta Falcons Fan and a beginner on the golf course. She also enjoys spending time with her family and friends, traveling, shopping and interior decorating.

ReShea Balams, Attorney, Carlock, Copeland & Stair, LLP

Program Development Coordinator

ReShea Balams is an attorney with Carlock, Copeland & Stair, LLP, where she focuses her practice in the area of workers’ compensation defense. She is actively involved in various professional organizations, including the Atlanta Bar Association, Atlanta Claims Association, and the Georgia Association of Black Women Attorneys. In addition to her professional endeavors, ReShea has also provided legal representation to low income clients through her involvement with the Saturday Lawyer Program, which is sponsored by the Atlanta Volunteer Lawyers Foundation and the Atlanta Legal Aid Society.

ReShea graduated from Spelman College, summa cum laude, and was inducted into Phi Beta Kappa. She received her Juris Doctorate from the University of Alabama School of Law, where she served as Vice-President of the Black Law Students Association, participated in the Frederick Douglass Moot Court Competition and was inducted into the Bench & Bar Legal Honor Society.