Rhonda Armstrong

 Rhonda Armstrong is the Senior Finance Manager for the American College of Rheumatology, where she is responsible for the overall establishment, supervision, and management of the financial operations of the Rheumatology Research Foundation. Rhonda joined the board of Sister Love because of her passion about reducing the impact of HIV on women around the world. She began her personal journey to stop the spread of HIV over 24 years when she joined Chicagoland Youth Against Aids. She recently relocated to Atlanta from Chicago and eagerly joined the board at SisterLove, Inc.to assist in the much needed work in the Atlanta community.

Shannon’s journey in the human services field began as a Certified Nurses Aid when she worked her way through college. Graduating and working as a MICA Counselor (Mentally Ill Chemically Addicted).  Shannon believes personal life events involving family members likely are what lead her to the field of HIV, Early Intervention Services, Substance Abuse and Mental Health. It has never been a challenge to learn to meet people where they are at in the area of counseling and motivational interviewing. Shannon is a Coordinator HIV Early Intervention Specialist and Internationally/Nationally/State Certified Addictions Counselor. Her dutiesinclude coordinating services that include: confidential FREE rapid HIV/HCV testing, pre/post counseling, referral and linkage to medical care for those confirmed positive (newly diagnosed or self identified HIV+ and HCV+). Provide HIV, HCV, STD Educational Groups and Risk Reduction Counseling within the agency and community in efforts to improve care, and reduce disparities in health outcomes. Develop outreach activities that are designed in response to the unique needs of the community which have included Free HIV/Hep C testing and educating at health fairs, on college campuses, in churches and other community gathering places. She also provides drug and alcohol abuse assessments for court appointed cases and walk-ins. 

Shannon Tillett 

 Tori Cooper

 Tori Cooper has been an HIV health educator at Positive Impact Health Centers in Duluth for the past year and half. Her work is dedicated to helping others learn about HIV and AIDS, navigate their risk of becoming HIV-positive, and connecting HIV-positive people with the resources they need. Positive Impact, with offices in Midtown and Duluth, provides free HIV testing and counseling.

Lerissa Smith 

 As an African-American woman with an explicit personal and professional commitment to improving the lives of persons impacted by HIV/AIDS—particularly women of color— Lerissa is driven to contribute to SisterLove’s rich culture of women centered trail blazing! She’s spent the bulk of her professional career engaged in a variety of HIV/AIDS centered work. Most recently, she sat on a National Planning Body of the conference titled “A Paradigm Shift: The Impact of HIV/AIDS on African American Women and Families. This conference targeted the community, stakeholders, policy makers, and researchers and highlighted the urgent need to focus on persistent health disparities and HIV's impact on African-American women with a sub-focus on inadequate funding levels and insufficient dedicated resources for combating this phenomenon at the national, state and local levels. She has served as the HIV Planning Body Coordinator for the State of Georgia where she was responsible for the operations of a 53-person, federally mandated, advisory group composed of various HIV prevention stakeholders. Through this multifaceted experience, she gained an understanding of how social, economic, and political barriers and facilitators’ impact managed care systems and health policy as it relates to HIV prevention, treatment, and care. Prior to moving to GA, she served as the Lead Project Coordinator and Analyst for the University of Maryland’s Medical School where Lerissa was responsible for data evaluation and management of a federally funded, 6-year NIH HIV/AIDS study while concurrently writing up the results of a previously conducted 5-year HIV/AIDS study.

Neena Smith

As one of the leading voices for women’s sexual and reproductive health and empowerment in the country, Neena joined SisterLove, Inc. to lend her experience, talents, and resources to support the work of the organization, as well as learn from the staff and clients to enhance her understanding and direct engagement with the specific issues that impact women living with or at risk for HIV.  Much of her work in HIV prevention and care has focused on the needs of Black gay men, so the opportunity to work more intentionally with a group of passionate women committed to the issues that impact women was a phenomenal opportunity. 

Ms. Smith-Bankhead currently serves as an Assistant Director of Programs with the PRISM Health Research team in the Rollins School of Public Health at Emory University as the Director of Community Engagement and Capacity Building for the COMPASS Initiative, supported by Gilead Pharmaceuticals. Prior to joining the team at Emory, Neena spent 18 years overseeing prevention, education, and research activities at AID Atlanta, Inc., and served as a consultant with numerous local and national organizations, including Messages of Empowerment, LLC, HealthHIV, Danya International, Kaiser Family Foundation, and Southeast AIDS Training and Education Center (SEATEC).  Neena’s areas of expertise include HIV prevention and care, qualitative research, organizational development, program development, grant writing, and program evaluation. Neena received her Bachelor’s degree in Human Development and Family Studies (1993) and her Master’s degree in Health Education (1996) both from Penn State University, beginning her HIV service in prevention and care in 1990.  

Timothy Webb

 Timothy J Webb, Jr. believes in advocating for all walks of life. Currently, most of Tim’s days are split volunteering his time and services to the Ryan White Planning Council as a voting member and serving as the Co-Chair of the Assessment Committee and Chair of Consumer Caucus. Tim believes a major key in the fight against HIV/AIDS is education and awareness, so he also works with State Representative “Able” Mable Thomas of House District 56 helping to bring HIV awareness to her district though testing, education, and outreach- including providing 500 book bags to children in the district annually. Tim works full-time as a certified Peer Counselor, Peer Navigator, and Linkage to Care Specialist for AID Atlanta, an active member of the Positive Peers of Georgia and Community Mobilizer of the State of Georgia for AIDS Healthcare Foundation.

In the recent past, Tim has worked with Keep the Promise South, Vote to End HIV Concert sponsored by AID Atlanta and Aids Healthcare Foundation, Alpha Omega HIV/AIDS Foundation’s World AIDS Day observation, Absolute Care, BRFO (Being Responsible for Ourselves) as an HIV Peer Specialist and with SisterLove, Inc. on their 20/20 Women’s Annual Gala.   He was the recipient of the 2013 and 2014 Kenny Robson Award and featured on the TV show “What Would You Do?” Additionally, through Impulse, Tim has launched innovative themed programs such as Size Matters, Cocktails and Conversations, United by Pride, Under the Mistletoe, 50 Shades of DeJaun, and AURA. He also spearheaded the Glo 4th Annual Anniversary Party.

Nakia Shaw, Ph.D 

 Dr. Nakia M. Shaw has been a pharmacist for over 15 years, and during that time, has witnessed the economic and social disparities that are within our health care system firsthand. Here in Atlanta HIV transmission is at epidemic levels. Serving on the board of SisterLove allows him to help advance an organization that is geared toward the solution. His knowledge of HIV and reproductive health treatment protocols and medicines can be helpful as we continue to expand our services. His experience as a small business owner allows him to add practical knowledge as well. Dr. Nakia’s goal to help the community which is why he opened his pharmacy in the heart of the Old Fourth Ward with plans to expand his reach with the SisterLove Board. Owner of MacArthur’s Apothecary, which opened for business in March 2016 in the Old Fourth Ward, he is dedicated to serving the community with a personal touch.

Nakia Shaw, Ph.D 

Dr. Cedric Pulliam, PhD

Dr. Cedric Pulliam is the Senior Human Rights and Key Populations Advisor at PEPAR (U.S. Department of State) fostering partnerships and working with civil society organizations, and engaging work within the PEPFAR HBCU Global Health Consortium and enhancing the continued key populations and LGBTI programming throughout PEPFAR.  In the DMV community, he serves as a HIV Outreach and Prevention Volunteer at the Gay Men’s Health Collaborative (GMHC). For Virginia advocacy, Cedric co-founded the Ending the Criminalization of HIV and Over-incarceration in Virginia Coalition (ECHO VA Coalition). He previously served on the Alexandria Commission on HIV/AIDS and during his tenure he created and implemented the first Regional HIV/AIDS Policy and Planning Summit, which will return in November 2019.  Cedric supports organizations like Safe Space NOVA, Gay Professional Men of Color (GPMC), and the Brotherhood in Advocacy Leadership Development Retreat (BALR). Cedric launched his trauma curriculum and training entitled ‘Shifting Your Shade’ in February 2019 to empower community to heal, grow, and thrive by affirming and treating others positively. He recently completed his doctoral studies in Health and Medical Psychology with a focus on Psychosocial and Sexual Effects of Young Men who have Sex with Men of Color who take PrEP and nPEP ages 16-24 at Northcentral University. He earned master’s degrees from Central European University and Georgetown University and bachelor’s degree from Elon University.  He serves on the board of Sister Love, Inc, International Conference on AIDS and STIs in Africa International Steering Committee, and the Center for International Peace and Reconciliation.

ANGELA HARRINGTON RICE

ANGELA HARRINGTON RICE

Angela Harrington Rice is a visionary and master communicator who is the Founder and Spiritual Leader of One Love Spiritual Center, an inclusive spiritual community that meets in public spaces and is dedicated to breaking down religious boundaries by teaching the gifts and power of love.

Angela received her ministerial training from the Barbara King School of Ministry.  She is currently a student preparing for the Master of Divinity Degree at the Interdenominational Theological Center.

For over 30 years, Angela Harrington Rice was familiar to many television viewers as the host of A Woman’s Place, an award-winning television that she created, produced and hosted for 26 years.  It was Atlanta’s longest-running television series for women. Dr. Dorothy Height, Marianne Williamson, Susan Taylor, bell hooks and Iyanla Vanzant and many other national and local thought leaders were among the many guests she interviewed.  

As a documentarian, Angela profiled leading spiritual leaders in metro Atlanta and was presented an Emmy Award for the documentary, World Pilgrims: A Sacred Journey to Turkey, a documentary that features a pilgrimage of Jews, Christians and Muslims to Turkey to learn more about each other and their faith traditions.

She is a recipient of the Silver Circle Award, an award reserved for an elite group of professionals recognized by the National Association of Television Arts and Sciences for those who have made significant contributions to television for 25 years or more.  

Angela’s ministries also include Widow Wings, a support organization for widows; the Women’s Spiritual Network, a social media ministry and she recently published Resurrecting the Lives of Liberated Women, a book the celebrates women who lived life on their own terms. Through all of her endeavors her primary mission is to aid people in their personal growth and transformation through media, public speaking, workshops, life coaching, and of course preaching and teaching about the power of love. 

Iffat “Attiah” Muhammad Walker

Iffat Walker

Iffat studied at DeVry University (Decatur, GA) where she received her undergraduate degree, Bachelor of Science in Technical Management specializing in accounting. She then went on to study at Keller Graduate School of Management (Decatur, GA) where she received a Master of Accounting & Financial Management degree and is continuing to further her education studying to receive her MBA with a specialization in Public Administration also from Keller Graduate School of Management (Alpharetta, GA). Iffat is currently a CPA Candidate and holds many professional certifications. Iffat is a graduate of the DeKalb Neighborhood Leadership Class of 2006, Leadership Rockdale class of 2011, the 2006 Recipient of the Atlanta Journal Constitution’s Hero of Open Government Award, DeVry University’s Wall of Fame (2009), 1999 DeKalb Private Industry Council’s Special Achievement Award, a member of the Newton Rockdale National Council of Negro Women, Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA), National Association of Black Accountants (NABA), Who’s Who in Black Atlanta award recipient
(2016), an advisory board Member for Georgia Piedmont Technical Institute, an Executive Board Member for Sister Love, Inc, GPTI Accounting Club Advisor and Chair for the Rockdale County Board of Adjustments. Throughout her years of hands-on professional experience, Iffat has gained a diverse background of direct experience in corporate, nonprofit, education, government and the political arena sectors.