EMPOWERMENTSUMMIT SCHEDULE
10:00 AM Marketplace Opens
10:30 AM - 11:30 AM Ultimate Prosperity Playbook: Strategize to Achieve Your Financial Goals & Share the Wealth with Future Generations (Upstairs - Pavilion Room)
11:30 AM - 12:00 PM Break - Marketplace and Networking
12:00 PM - 1:00 PM What Success Looks Like: Entrepreneurship RevealedSeasoned, Savvy, CEOs Share Secrets to Success (Salon C)
1:00 PM - 1:15 PM Break
1:15 PM - 2:15 PM Keynote Panel~ Controlling Our Destiny: A Community Conversation (Upstairs - Pavilion Room)
2:15 PM - 3:00 PM Marketplace & Networking Break
3:00 PM - 4:00 PM Back to Basics! Mind and Body Wellness Workshop (Salon B) Get Ready & Stay Ready! How to Secure Funding to Fuel Business Growth (Salon C)
4:00PM Networking Reception
5:00 PM Marketplace Closes
10:3011:30AM THEULTIMATEPROSPERITYPLAYBOOK STRATEGIZETOACHIEVEYOURFINANCIALGOALS &SHAREWEALTHWITHFUTUREGENERATIONS
Panelists: WilliamVaughan,CFP-WealthAdvisoratCorient CrystalWestEdwards,Esq.-PrincipalatPorzioBromberg&NewmanP.C.
Moderator:DavidHubbard,Esq.-VicePresident&DeputyGeneralCounsel,Verizon Communications
William Vaughan, CFP
12:001:00PM
Crystal West Edwards, Esq.
David Hubbard, Esq. 1:152:15PM
What You’ll Learn:
Actionable strategies for managing personal finances
Retirement planning, protecting assets, and investing
Creating estate plans that maximize legacy giving to the next generation
WHATSUCCESSLOOKSLIKE... ENTREPRENEURSHIPREVEALED-SEASONED,SAVVY,CEOSSHARE SECRETSTOSUCCESS
Panelists: AnnieSneed-Godfrey,MA,OwnerofSmartSudz RamelleMassey,MBA,OwnerofMasseyInsuranceAgency TerryTrayvick,MBA,ManagingDirectorof5thLevelCapital
Moderator:PaulaTuffin,Esq.,ChiefComplianceOfficer&GeneralCounselBetterMortgage
RamelleMassey TerryTrayvick
What You’ll Learn:
Strategies for business growth and the journey to profitability
AnnieSneed-Godfrey
Lessons learned: Tips to overcome challenges and identify opportunities
The importance of networking and relationships
Transitioning from “small” to “big” by working ON not just IN your business PaulaTuffin
Dr. Christina Johnson, MD AtlanticHealth System
COMMUNITY CONVERSATION
Rev. Dr. David Jefferson SeniorPastor MetroBaptistChurch
Ayo Sanderson Wilson, Esq. Founder&CEO, EmpowerTheVillage
Rev. Dr. Dale Caldwell President, CentenaryUniversity
Rev. Dr. Robert Rogers SeniorPastor ChurchofGodinChrist
A powerful conversation sharing unique and broad perspectives on ways our community can thrive, not just survive, in every season to achieve new levels of Prosperity, Peace & Power.
What You’ll Learn:
Explore and engage in discussion about the keys to develop and sustain self-empowered, prosperous communities
Learn the role YOU can play to ensure the Black community realizes its full potential!
3:004:00PM
Moderator: Dr. Christina Johnson, MD, PhD, Atlantic Health System
Panelists: Dr. Carla Cooke, Ed.D., Owner of Pivotal Shifts
Dr. Cassandra Hutchins, Psy.D., Founder of the Cass Center for Psychological & Holistic Wellbeing
What You’ll Learn
Fundamentals for self-care of the mind and body to ensure our community is thriving and not just surviving!
Explore culturally relevant tools to promote both mental and physical well-being.
Tools to create a foundation of daily wellness habits suited for every stage of life
3:004:00PM
Facilitators: Lloyd Doaman, Executive Director, Carver Community Development Corporation
Michelle Osorio, Senior Small Business Liason, NJ Economic Development Authority
John WIllis, CFA, VP of Commerical Lending, Columbia Bank
Moderator: Andrew Frazier, CFA, MBA, Founder of Small Business Pro University
What You’ll Learn:
Simple tips and tools to manage financial operations
The best funding sources to jumpstart, sustain or grow your business
Impactful goal setting to maximize capital and deliver results
Dr.Cassandra Hutchins
Dr.Christina Johnson
Dr.Carla Cooke
John Willis Michelle Osorio LloydDoaman AndrewFrazier
ETV PROGRAMS
®
JOINTHEMOVEMENT!
Imaginewhatcouldhappenifthemoneyyouspent thisFridaysupportedBlack-ownedBusinesses...
Support Black Businesses
Support Black Families
Support the Black Community
What could happen if you did that at least every Friday...
®
Empowering Black entrepreneurs and families with expert counseling and training needed to build generational wealth!
ETV’s nonpartisan voter education and mobilization program is executed annually to inform Black voters in key strategic states how and where to vote early, reliably, and unimpeded by the vestiges of systemic racism and abuse.
25 State Directories with 30,000+ Black-owned businesses listed for free!
ETV provides the Black community with access to quality, free and affordable mental health services.
ETV strives to empower academic achievement, increase the percentage of Black adults with college and advanced degrees, and prepare them for successful careers and entrepreneurial endeavors ®
ETV connects the community to licensed Black psychiatrists, psychologists and other wellness professionals.
THE ULTIMATE PROSPERITY PLAYBOOK WORKSHOP PANELISTS
William Vaughan, CFP
William Vaughn is a Wealth Advisor at Corient in its Morristown, NJ office He is responsible for advising clients on portfolio construction and asset allocation, as well as integrating investment, tax, estate and cash flow planning into their wealth management plan. William holds the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ certification and also serves as a co-chair of the firm’s Financial Planning Committee. William graduated from Yale University with a degree in Ecology & Evolutionary Biology. Prior to joining Corient, he was a production assistant at NFL Films and worked on projects such as “Hard Knocks” and “Inside the NFL.” He also serves as ETV’s Lead Personal Finance Coach for the Village Empowerment Network counseling individuals and families William enjoys traveling, learning languages, reading, volunteering and investing.
Crystal West Edwards, Esq.
Crystal West Edwards is a Principal at Porzio Bromberg & Newman, headquartered in Morristown NJ, and has extensive experience in the areas of elder law, special needs planning and advocacy, estate planning and estate administration, and fiduciary counseling. Crystal is highly experienced working with the legal problems of aging individuals and those with disabilities Crystal counsels seniors, individuals with special needs and their families with issues pertaining to complex estate and tax planning, asset preservation, eligibility for means-tested government benefits, fiduciary appointments and representation and advocacy.
She is also a trusted advisor to financial institutions and corporate fiduciaries with judicial and administrative accountings and counseling regarding initial or continued meanstested government benefits eligibility for its trust beneficiaries Crystal is a sought-after speaker and has authored numerous publications on the topics of elder and disability law, estate planning, special need trusts and government agencies. She is Co-chair of the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA) and a Fellow to the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel (ACTEC).
David Hubbard, Esq. (Moderator)
David Hubbard serves as Vice President & Deputy General Counsel for Verizon Communications He is located in Basking Ridge, New Jersey and leads Verizon’s Consumer Marketing, Products, Growth and Revenue legal team, which provides support for Verizon’s portfolio of Consumer businesses including Verizon Wireless, Verizon Telecom, Verizon Consumer Markets, and Visible, among others. In addition to the above, Mr. Hubbard previously led Verizon’s Intellectual Property and Digital media legal teams and served as the General Counsel for the Verizon Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Verizon which is dedicated to solving critical social issues in the areas of education, healthcare, and energy management, particularly in underserved communities
Before joining Verizon, Mr Hubbard was an associate with Kelley Drye & Warren LLP (formerly Collier Shannon Scott, LLP) in Washington, DC. He earned his J.D. from the Georgetown University Law Center, and his B A , cum laude, from the University of Maryland at College Park, where he was a Phi Beta Kappa and Benjamin Banneker Scholar. He currently serves on the Empower The Village board of directors and on the board of a number of other noteworthy organizations. Mr. Hubbard is the recipient of numerous awards and honors, and was also highlighted as one of America’s most influential Black Lawyers by Savoy magazine in 2018, and one of the Nation’s Best Lawyers of Color in 2019.
WHAT SUCCESS LOOK LIKE WORKSHOP PANELISTS
Annie Sneed-Godfrey, MA
Annie Sneed-Godfrey is a wife, mother, business owner and Corporate Human Resources Executive. She was born and raised in Newark, NJ where she graduated from West Side High School. Annie and her husband Darryl (who she met at West Side High School), are founders/owners of Smart Sudz laundromat in Newark and former founders/owners of Water Works laundromat, which they sold at the end of 2024 Since 2007, Annie & Darryl have created jobs and touched the lives of many Essex County residents who they have employed over the years through their businesses. Their laundry businesses provide services to hundreds of families and businesses throughout Essex, Hudson and Union counties
In addition to being the General Manager for Smart Sudz, Annie is a senior Human Resources leader with over 30 years experience. She has a successful track record as a leader of people, global Human Resources processes and major change initiatives with premier Healthcare, Financial Services and Professional Services companies including Johnson & Johnson, American Express, JP Morgan and TIAA-CREF. Annie currently serves as Director of Global Compensation for Fragomen, a premier global immigration services firm Annie is a proud graduate of Rutgers University, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology and Master’s degree in Social Work For the past 15 plus years, Annie has served as an active member of the Board of Trustees for the Urban League of Essex County Annie recently joined the Board of Directors for Empower The Village, and she actively supports other local community service organizations that provide resources to children and families throughout Newark.
Ramelle Massey, MBA, ARM, CPIA
Ramelle Massey is President and Chief Executive Officer of the Massey Insurance Agency. She is recognized as an entrepreneur and a notable New Jersey business leader. With over 20 years as an industry professional, she possesses extensive knowledge of insurance products and risk management/loss control services. Her firm, which has been headquartered in Newark, NJ for 50 years works with public entities, government agencies, corporations, non-profit organizations, and individuals and has been listed in NJBIZ as one of the Top 50 insurance brokerages in NJ
Ramelle manages the company’s commercial and privately held business clients providing them with quality insurance products at competitive pricing. Her firm represents nationally recognized insurance companies and has grown through its strategic partnerships with the top national insurance brokerage firms working jointly on public entity clients and on major construction projects. It is licensed to do business in New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, and Connecticut. She aggressively pursued a career in finance and banking, working as a financial analyst at Merrill Lynch and then as a financial controller and Vice President at Citigroup prior to taking over the family business Ramelle obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics from Tufts University, including time abroad in Talloires France, and an MBA in Finance from the Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan NJBIZ named Ramelle one of the Best 50 Women in Business in the State of NJ. She is a member of the Professional Insurance Agents, and Impact 100 Garden State. In recognition of Women’s Small Business Month, Bank of America selected her to feature on their Times Square Billboard for the month of October in 2018 She sits on the Board of Directors of the Newark Regional Business Partnership, and she has received numerous awards and recognitions for her ongoing contributions to her industry and her community Ramelle and her company were recognized as ETV’s inaugural North Star Award Recipients and will receive its Legacy Award in 2025.
WHAT SUCCESS LOOK LIKE WORKSHOP PANELISTS
Terry Trayvick, MBA
Terry Trayvick is a seasoned business strategy and transformation leader with over 40 years of experience in the automotive, consumer goods, printing, housing, health care, food, and private funding industries. Terry has earned the respect of global leaders for his ability to align organizations to deliver exceptional results Terry is the founder and leader of Level Five Management Consulting, LLC (a strategy and execution company focused on helping companies go from good to great) and 5th Level Capital (a private funding company focused on debt and equity investments in the real estate industry).
He is co-owner, with his wife Sandy, of Trayvick Private Investments and Trayvick Model Homes. In addition, Terry and his daughters are co-owners of Trayvick SFA (a company focused on building multi-family housing in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex) Prior to becoming an entrepreneur, Terry spent 20 years in corporate America in several executive positions. Terry was the Global President of R.R. Donnelley Financial, a $1 billion business unit Terry led a diverse team consisting of 5,000 people in 40 locations around the world and spearheaded a transformation that grew market share and improved profitability by $80MM in three years. Prior to the role of Global President, Terry was the Senior Vice President of Strategy for R R Donnelley’s $5 billion Print Solutions Group Earlier in his career, Terry held several executive finance positions at R R Donnelley, Sara Lee, Procter and Gamble, and several operations roles at General Motors.
Terry is the Executive Vice Chairman of John Houston Homes (a Dallas-based homebuilder), the Chairman of the Board for Water org, a board member of Emacx Systems, and Vice Chairman of the Board of Trustees for the 9,000-member Christ Church in Montclair and Rockaway, New Jersey. Terry grew up in Dayton, Ohio, lives in Montclair, NJ, has three adult children, and has been married to his wife Sandy for over 33 years Terry earned his B S degree in Industrial Management from the University of Cincinnati, and his MBA in Finance and Marketing from Columbia Business School. Terry was honored by ETV as its 2024 North Star Award Recipient.
Paula Tuffin, Esq. (Moderator)
Paula Tuffin is the Chief Compliance Officer and General Counsel of Better Mortgage Reporting to the CEO, Paula is responsible for providing legal advice to the C- suite, Board and overseeing corporate transactions, public company filings, quality control, and compliance and legal functions in the UK business She leads a team of 54 with 10 direct reports and manages an annual budget of $8M. While at Better she led the legal team through the transition from a private to a public company over the course of two years
The work included managing the successful resolution of a Securities and Exchange Act investigation, obtaining regulatory approvals and championing the transition to a public company culture As a result of becoming public, the company was able to secure a previously agreed to pipe investment of over $500M. Paula also serves as chair of the Management Ethics and Compliance Committee and Board Member of Better subsidiaries, BMTG Advisors, Ltd Pvt and Better Principal, LLC Prior to joining Better, Paula was senior litigation counsel in the Enforcement Division of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Earlier in her career, she was a partner in the litigation and alternative dispute resolution group at Mayer Brown, llp and an Assistant United States Attorney in the Criminal Division of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York A Williams College and Harvard Law School grad, Paula was named to Forbes 50 over 50 Investment List, 2022 and among Crain’s New York Business Notable Diverse Leaders in Banking & Finance, March 2022 Paula serves as the Board Chair for Empower The Village and the mother of two She lives in New Jersey with her husband
CONTROLLING OUR DESTINY KEYNOTE
Ayo Sanderson Wilson, Esq. (Moderator)
Ayo Sanderson Wilson is the Founder, President and CEO of Empower The Village, Inc. (ETV), a data-driven, New Jersey-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization focused on restoring Prosperity, Peace, and Power to the Black and historically marginalized communities. ETV prioritizes the health, wealth and empowerment of community members within its 25-state footprint, where 90+% of Black Americans reside Ayo earned her JD from Columbia University, School of Law and BA from The Johns Hopkins University.
She is an experienced, results-oriented strategist, business executive, attorney, community organizer and leader committed to accelerating the development and execution of innovative and impactful solutions that address complex social, racial, and economic justice issues She began her professional career practicing law and serving in other corporate leadership roles for nearly 20 years at several Fortune 500 companies, including Verizon, T-Mobile and BAE Systems, after working as an associate with prominent law firms in New Jersey and New York. Before transitioning from corporate America to found Empower The Village, Ayo served in executive corporate philanthropy roles at Comcast NBCUniversal and Novartis Pharmaceuticals. Ayo’s professional, nonprofit career began as Executive VP and COO in 2019 for a 100+ year old local nonprofit supporting multi-generational community members Ayo is a member of the Executive Leadership Council (ELC) and Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc She serves on the boards of the Community Foundation of NJ (CFNJ) and Morris Arts Council, and previously served as a board member and in volunteer leadership roles within many community organizations over the past 3 decades Ayo is married, has two adult children and resides in Morristown, NJ with her husband.
Rev. Dr. David Jefferson, Sr., MBA, Esq.
Rev. Dr. David Jefferson was born in Doyline, Louisiana to Mrs. Wrender and the late Rev. Ernest Jefferson, Sr. The tenth in a family of fifteen, Rev Dr Jefferson grew up with a love of family that is present in his current ministerial vision A graduate of Grambling State University, Rev. Dr. Jefferson earned a Master of Business Administration degree in Marketing and Finance from the University of Dayton, Ohio He has also received a Juris Doctorate of Law from Capital University in Columbus, Ohio and a Master of Divinity from Drew University in Madison, New Jersey Awarded a Fellowship in the prestigious Sloan Fellows Program at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Rev. Jefferson completed the Master of Science in Management degree program in 1989 Dr Jefferson answered the call to become the third Pastor of Metropolitan Baptist Church in Newark, New Jersey in February of 1995 Under his leadership, the church has grown to a 7000+ member congregation. He continues to serve today under the anointing of the Holy Spirit, preaching and teaching the WORD of God, with a vision for the church of family ministry and community outreach Having a heart for young people, Pastor Jefferson established a “Young People’s focused” service which specifically ministers to young people and their families. Focused on three “E’s”; Evangelism, Education and Employment, Pastor Jefferson continually guides and shapes the church’s mission to Lead Families out of Crisis to Christ, Bring Them Together Around the Word of God and Equip them with spiritual morals and values. To that end, Pastor Jefferson has expanded Metropolitan’s physical campus to include what has become known as; The Willing Heart Community Care Center, a non profit center supported by the Heart to Heart Partners Covenant and special donations. It is out of that center that Pastor Jefferson has initiated programs to meet the needs of families: food, clothing, educational supplies and assistance, financial programs for the community Rev Jefferson and Metropolitan Baptist Church have partnered with ETV to establish and promote the Greater Newark Edition of its Village Black Pages business directory.
CONTROLLING OUR DESTINY KEYNOTE PANELISTS
Dr. Dale Caldwell, MBA, Ed.D
Dr Dale G Caldwell is the 15th President of Centenary University in Hackettstown, New Jersey and the first African American in that role. He is also the Pastor of Covenant United Methodist Church in Plainfield, New Jersey, the author of eight books and for the last five years in a row has been named one of the 50 Most Influential People in Higher Education in New Jersey. Dr. Caldwell graduated from Princeton University, received an MBA from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and a Doctorate from Seton Hall University.
Dr Caldwell has been the President of three public school boards and was named the 2015 Charter School Administrator of the Year and the 2009 New Jersey School Board Member of the Year. In 2006, he became the first African American President of the United States Tennis Association (USTA) Eastern Section and served on the USTA Board of Directors Dr Caldwell founded the Black Tennis Hall of Fame in 2008 In 2010, he received the ITHF Tennis Educational Merit Award and in 2021 was inducted into the USTA Eastern Tennis Hall of Fame. Dr. Caldwell’s professional experience includes being the CEO of Strategic Influence LLC, a Senior Manager with Deloitte Consulting, the Executive Director of the Newark Alliance and the Deputy Commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs. His Father, Rev. Dr. Gilbert H. Caldwell, Jr., knew and marched with Dr Martin Luther King, Jr Growing up around the Civil Rights Movement inspired Dale to have a passion for helping to transform the lives of people in economically challenged communities and households. This inspired him to established the Dale Caldwell Foundation (DCF) in 2018 to reduce poverty through education, employment and entrepreneurship
Dr. Christina Johnson, MD, PhD
Dr. Johnson is a physician at Maplewood Family Medicine and is on faculty at Overlook Family Medicine. Born and raised in Philadelphia, she is an honors graduate of Ursinus College She is a board-certified family medicine physician who completed her family medicine residency at Overlook Medical Center, upon graduating from the Howard University College of Medicine She also earned her doctorate in microbiology at Howard University Her professional interests include preventive medicine, community medicine, and primary care research. She has served on the community board of Family Promise of Union County since 2016
ed on the Overlook Hospital Community Health committee and regularly performs health screenings in the area Dr Christina Johnson is also a member of the Empower The Village Advisory Council In her spare time she enjoys spending time with her family and loves to learn about art and music.
Rev. Dr. Robert Rogers, MBA, PhD
Rev Dr Robert Rogers serves as the Senior Pastor of the Church of God in Christ For All Saints in Morristown, New Jersey, where he has served for 29 years. He is a Men's Group Counselor at JBWS' Abuse Intervention Program in Morris County. He also serves as an Adjunct Professor at Montclair State University He received his B A degree from Wesleyan University in Connecticut; Master of Divinity degree from Princeton Theological Seminary in New Jersey; Master of Business Administration from Columbia University in New York; M A and Ph D degrees in Counseling from Montclair State University in New Jersey. Pastor Rogers is committed to empowering all persons to experience wellness, overcome obstacles to their growth, cope more effectively with life's stressors, realities and vicissitudes, and fulfill their God-given purpose and potential. He is further committed to combating racism and injustice and encouraging Black churches and community organizations to unite in a common Black empowerment agenda Rev Rogers and his church had been partnering with ETV from its inception
GET READY & STAY READY WORKSHOP PANELISTS
Andrew Frazier, MBA - Moderator
Andrew Frazier, MBA, CFA empowers business owners to Maximize the Value of their companies by helping them Grow Revenue, Increase Profitability, and Obtain Financing. He guides them along the critical path to creating a sustainable business that can run without them through invaluable coaching, consulting, and training services Mr Frazier has worked 1-on-1 with 1,000+ business owners and taught thousands of people about business His expertise in business strategy and financial management enables him to take a holistic perspective and provide more optimal solutions for clients
Mr Frazier’s book “Running Your Small Business Like A Pro” helps people increase the likelihood and magnitude of their success in business He has also produced POWER BREAKFAST events in Northern NJ for 10+ years generating $10+ million in both economic impact and financing for 1,500+ attendees His online Small Business Pro University™ provides entrepreneurs with access to best practices and useful knowledge for running their businesses more professionally. Mr. Frazier authored The Masterpreneur™ Playbook outlining his proven 5-Step Business Growth Plan for taking your business from start-up to scaling. Mr. Frazier graduated from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) with a degree in Mechanical Engineering. He also earned an MBA in Finance and Management from New York University’s Stern School of Business (NYU-Stern) Mr Frazier completed The Navy Supply Corps training in logistics management and qualified as a Surface Warfare Supply Corps Officer (SWSCO) His focus on continuous learning includes achieving the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) professional designation Andrew serves as ETV’s Lead Business Counselor for the Village Empowerment Network Program
Michelle Osorio
Michelle Osorio is a Senior Small Business Liaison for the New Jersey Economic Development Authority Michelle's role is to share information and educate business owners and community stakeholders about opportunities available to small businesses in New Jersey Michelle Osorio has spent her career supporting entrepreneurs and business owners in underserved communities Michelle is fluent in Spanish and has helped over 5,000 business owners navigate the complexities of business ownership in Spanish and English Michelle is passionate about sharing information and improving equal access to opportunities for New Jersey small business owners. NJEDA is a sponsor of ETV’s Empowerment Summit.
ohn Willis, CFA
hn Willis is Vice President at Columbia Bank in West Milford, New sey. He has 34-years of professional experience, 23 of which in finance, where he has distinguished himself as a problem solver, and has served in several managerial and leadership positions with escalating responsibilities Through the course of his career, Mr Willis has been at the forefront of the creation of multi-billion-dollar commercial lending portfolios His experience includes commercial lending to resellers, medical, professional service companies, investment real estate developers, and nonprofits In addition, he has experience in the analysis of credit risk including: cash flow, business performance, management performance, loan structure, collateral valuation, and security positioning Mr Willis is a proud HBCU graduate, and has a B S in Mechanical Engineering from Prairie View University, and an M B A in Finance from DePaul Driehaus College of Business Columbia Bank is a sponsor of ETV’s Empowerment Summit and has been a funder of other programs.
Lloyd Doaman
Lloyd Doaman is the Executive Director of Carver Federal Savings Bank based out of New York City After completing his undergraduate degree in finance from Seton Hall University, Lloyd embarked on his professional journey He quickly rose through the ranks, earning a reputation for his keen analytical skills, strategic thinking, and sound judgment Lloyd specializes in Affordable Housing, CDFIs, Asset Management, Securities, Technical Assistance, and Management Throughout his career, he navigated through various roles, from a portfolio manager at J P Morgan, Vice President and Relationship Manager at PNC to his most recent role as the Executive Director at Carver Federal Savings Bank.
As he climbed the corporate ladder, he never forgot his roots or the importance of giving back He actively participated in mentorship programs, and has served on the boards of several esteemed organizations like the Youth Justice Network, CentraState Medical Center, LISC NY, Nonprofit Finance Fund, Living Redemption Community Development Corporation and the Village Hilltop Foundation, Inc. Lloyd lives in New Jersey with his wife and their children. Carver Bank is a sponsor of ETV’s Empowerment Summit and has been a funder of other programs.
BACK TO BASICS WORKSHOP PANELISTS
Dr. Cassandra Hutchins, Psy.D
Dr. Cassandra Hutchins is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist (NJ #6032). She received her B.A. in Psychology from Rutgers University and her Psy D in Clinical Psychology from Capella University She owns and operates a successful group private practice where they provide a holistic range of modalities to treat numerous issues, including: stress management, depression, anxiety, trauma, relationship issues Dr Hutchins also provides consulting services and has done mental health presentations and/or workshops for organizations such as: Empower The Village (ETV), Realogy (now known as Anywhere Real Estate), Rutgers University of Camden, Chase Bank of NYC and Prudential Dr Hutchins also has an extensive background in clinical, forensic assessment, and she has experience in numerous clinical and clinical-forensic settings, including psychiatric and forensic-psychiatric centers and prisons. Her earlier training also focused on working with adults who have suffered from traumatic brain injury using such techniques as cognitive rehabilitation, biofeedback and neurofeedback Dr Hutchins is certified in Eye Movement Reprocessing and Desensitization (EMDR), which is helpful for the processing of traumatic experiences. Additionally, Dr. Hutchins created a set of therapy cards called YourDocInTheBox that were curated from questions that have been asked of her throughout her clinical experience. She is the Lead Counselor for ETV’s Village Assist Program.
Dr. Carla Cooke, Ed.D
Dr Carla J Cooke is affectionately known as a “quiet storm ” The NJ resident is an ordained minister, author, and trusted voice in the field of psychology who serves as an expert witness in legal matters to address the impact of trauma. Dr. Carla brings expertise as a global psychologist, entrepreneur, and mental wellness expert She is the CEO of Pivotal Shifts, where she works to empower creative and passionate Black women (and some great men) entrepreneurs. Dr. Cooke advocates for practicing healthy mental wellness principles to ensure success in your businesses
She encourages women to thrive and discover self-awareness, emotional freedom, and elevated mental well-being. In her work as a coach, Dr. Carla centers on building essential self-skills for success that manifest within entrepreneurial efforts. She believes that as individuals heal (grow, develop, thrive), they are able to extend healing to others and promotes the idea that Healed People Heal People. Her global effort focus on intergenerational healing through encouraging women to tap into their divine capacity to live beyond limitations and step into life more abundantly Dr Carla speaks at conferences, delivering keynote talks and workshops that address internal barriers hindering high achieving entrepreneurs, business owners, and executives from operating at an elevated level in their purpose She loves God, values living beyond limitations, and thrives on authentic relationships
Dr. Christina Johnson, MD, PhD (Moderator)
Dr. Johnson is a physician at Maplewood Family Medicine and is on faculty at Overlook Family Medicine. Born and raised in Philadelphia, she is an honors graduate of Ursinus College She is a board-certified family medicine physician who completed her family medicine residency at Overlook Medical Center, upon graduating from the Howard University College of Medicine She also earned her doctorate in microbiology at Howard University Her professional interests include preventive medicine, community medicine, and primary care research. She has served on the community board of Family Promise of Union County since 2016, where she has helped to develop a longitudinal health education curriculum and where she organizes a biannual community health fair She is actively involved on the Overlook Hospital Community Health committee and regularly performs health screenings in the area Dr Christina Johnson is also a member of Empower The Village’s Advisory Council In her spare time she enjoys spending time with her family and loves to learn about art and music.
