Board Members
Jasaun Boone
Jasaun Boone is Co-Founder/Managing Partner at Gateway Strategies LLC, a communication and legislative affairs firm with offices in both Washington, DC and New York City metro areas. Prior to founding Gateway Strategies, Boone served as Legislative Assistant on the United States Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs; and also assumed senior positions on numerous political campaigns througout the country. He is a native of New Brunswick, New Jersey and graduated with a bachelor's degree in Religion and Philosophy from Morehouse College in Atlanta, Georgia.
Judge A. Deane Buchanan
Judge Buchanan assumed the position as judge of the Cleveland Heights Municipal Court in November 2001 and was re-elected in November 2005 to a 6 year term on the bench. A native of Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania, Judge Buchanan received his Bachelor of Arts degree from Princeton University in 1968 and his Juris Doctorate from Case Western Reserve University in 1973. After receiving his law degree, Judge Buchanan engaged in the private practice of law and eventually became a partner in the law firm of Hardiman, Buchanan, and Trivers in Cleveland, Ohio. He also served as the Executive Assistant for Legal Affairs to Governor Richard F. Celeste and Vice Chairman of the Ohio Board of Tax Appeals for a period of time in Columbus, Ohio.
Judge Buchanan's involvement in the community affairs has been consistent throughout his 34 year legal and judicial career, including service as a member and chairman of the Cuyahoga County Mental Health Board and as a Director of the Tiger Woods Foundation.
Judge Buchanan is an active member of many civic and professional organizations, including Leadership Cleveland, the NAACP, the National Bar Association, The Cuyahoga County Bar Association, and the Norman S. Minor Bar Association.
Judge Buchanan has been a resident of Cleveland Heights for over 20 years and is married to Louise Bryant Buchanan and has one beautiful daughter Ashley Elizabeth.
Judge Buchanan's involvement in the community affairs has been consistent throughout his 34 year legal and judicial career, including service as a member and chairman of the Cuyahoga County Mental Health Board and as a Director of the Tiger Woods Foundation.
Judge Buchanan is an active member of many civic and professional organizations, including Leadership Cleveland, the NAACP, the National Bar Association, The Cuyahoga County Bar Association, and the Norman S. Minor Bar Association.
Judge Buchanan has been a resident of Cleveland Heights for over 20 years and is married to Louise Bryant Buchanan and has one beautiful daughter Ashley Elizabeth.
Kelton Crenshaw
Kelton Crenshaw is a native of Cleveland Ohio. A 2002 graduate of Cleveland State University with a Bachelor of Arts degree, Kelton had enjoyed the city life of Cleveland for many years. But as he got older the city was on the decline and became the poorest city in the nation. Unfortunately many of the his generation were leaving because their were no jobs opportunities. But Kelton wanted to stay and help revive the city. So in 2005 he and a couple of his friends started a company called 8081 Entertainment. The company was a mechanism to create exciting and unique events in Cleveland and its surrounding area. The companies strong relationships with professional atheletes and entertainers in the Cleveland area has helped them quickly emerge as the premiere promotions and event planning company in Northeast Ohio. Kelton also works with LRMR marketing firm which is headed by Lebron James. Kelton has a wonderful marriage to Gabrielle Crenshaw and they have three beautiful children (Londyn, Nasir, and Kelsey).
Edgar B. Jackson Jr., M.D.
Currently, Dr. Jackson champion's diversity efforts at University Hospitals and has served as clinical professor of Medicine at Case Western Reserve University since 1986.
Dr. Jackson has served on the medical staff of UHCMC since 1973 and was health director for the City of Shaker Heights from 1986 until 1994. In the early 1970s, he served as chairman of the Sickle Cell Medical Advisory Committee of the Cleveland Academy of Medicine, the Cleveland Medical Association and the American Sickle Cell Anemia Association, Inc. Dr. Jackson was assistant to the dean of Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine in 1970 and was the first assistant dean of minority affairs in l971. Dr. Jackson also served as chief of medicine residents at MetroHealth Medical Center in1970.
Dr. Jackson is a former Director of the American Board of Internal Medicine and is a member of the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies.
Dr. Jackson has served on the medical staff of UHCMC since 1973 and was health director for the City of Shaker Heights from 1986 until 1994. In the early 1970s, he served as chairman of the Sickle Cell Medical Advisory Committee of the Cleveland Academy of Medicine, the Cleveland Medical Association and the American Sickle Cell Anemia Association, Inc. Dr. Jackson was assistant to the dean of Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine in 1970 and was the first assistant dean of minority affairs in l971. Dr. Jackson also served as chief of medicine residents at MetroHealth Medical Center in1970.
Dr. Jackson is a former Director of the American Board of Internal Medicine and is a member of the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies.
Malaika L. Moran
Malaika Moran is Founder, President and Chief Executive Officer of socialstep, which is comprised of the copyrighted electronic publication called Malaika's Social Stepper's List and the website, WWW.SOCIALSTEP.COM. Since May 1996, Malaika's Social Stepper's List has become the premier resource for young urban professionals searching for New York City's hot social scene. The list includes networking, community service, cultural and travel events and reaches tens of thousands of recipients in the tri-state area and across the nation. In January 1998, Malaika expanded her services to more cities, including Chicago, D.C., Philadelphia, Detroit, and Atlanta.
Residing between Miami and Brooklyn, Malaika was born and raised in New Orleans, Louisiana. In 1994, she received a BA in marketing from Hampton University. Malaika is currently a member of Miami-Dade Chamber of Commerce's Young Professionals Network and is on the Board for the Karen E. Mumford Foundation.
Presently, Malaika is focusing on developing her company, SOCIALSTEP.COM and doing online marketing for Carnival Center for the Performing Arts in Miami. In March 2000, she resigned from her position as Webmaster of the Small Business website for American Express. Prior to that, she was Second Vice President of Electronic Communications of the credit card marketing division at Chase Manhattan Bank. There, she focused on Internet marketing, Electronic Commerce initiatives, and online strategies. Malaika gained a rich background in Electronic Commerce. This included managing Chase's proprietary PC Banking products, as well as Microsoft and Quicken PC Banking software. She was also involved in developing strategic alliances and new business ventures for Chase.
This exposure to the Internet as a useful marketing tool, coupled with Malaika's desire to inform her colleagues of the best places to socialize, led to her independent endeavor, socialstep. Since 1996, the company has serviced clients such as HBO, FUBU, Black Enterprise, ESSENCE, Heineken, Martel Cognac, Microsoft, Sony Music and many more. Due to Malaika's efforts to date, socialstep has been acclaimed as a valuable resource for young urban professionals across the nation and noted in publications like Todays Black Man magazine ESSENCE magazine and a cover story on NV Magazine. She has also been a panelist at several seminars and conferences, including the NAMD Marketing Monday's panel on Networking, the Old English 800 Seminar Series, the ESSENCE Magazine "Investing in You" seminar and the Rolling Out Magazine Business Seminar.
Residing between Miami and Brooklyn, Malaika was born and raised in New Orleans, Louisiana. In 1994, she received a BA in marketing from Hampton University. Malaika is currently a member of Miami-Dade Chamber of Commerce's Young Professionals Network and is on the Board for the Karen E. Mumford Foundation.
Presently, Malaika is focusing on developing her company, SOCIALSTEP.COM and doing online marketing for Carnival Center for the Performing Arts in Miami. In March 2000, she resigned from her position as Webmaster of the Small Business website for American Express. Prior to that, she was Second Vice President of Electronic Communications of the credit card marketing division at Chase Manhattan Bank. There, she focused on Internet marketing, Electronic Commerce initiatives, and online strategies. Malaika gained a rich background in Electronic Commerce. This included managing Chase's proprietary PC Banking products, as well as Microsoft and Quicken PC Banking software. She was also involved in developing strategic alliances and new business ventures for Chase.
This exposure to the Internet as a useful marketing tool, coupled with Malaika's desire to inform her colleagues of the best places to socialize, led to her independent endeavor, socialstep. Since 1996, the company has serviced clients such as HBO, FUBU, Black Enterprise, ESSENCE, Heineken, Martel Cognac, Microsoft, Sony Music and many more. Due to Malaika's efforts to date, socialstep has been acclaimed as a valuable resource for young urban professionals across the nation and noted in publications like Todays Black Man magazine ESSENCE magazine and a cover story on NV Magazine. She has also been a panelist at several seminars and conferences, including the NAMD Marketing Monday's panel on Networking, the Old English 800 Seminar Series, the ESSENCE Magazine "Investing in You" seminar and the Rolling Out Magazine Business Seminar.
Nathan Mumford
Nathan Mumford is a two time cancer survivor from Cleveland, Ohio. He was diagnosed with Hodgkin's Lymphoma at eight years old; and in 2004, diagnosed with Acute Myelogenous Leukemia (AML) at the age of twenty four years old. Months after having a successful cord blood transplant to treat his condition, his mother, Karen E. Mumford, passed away from breast cancer. Despite such adversity, Nathan has courageously transformed personal tragedy into triumph, with the creation of the Karen E. Mumford Cancer Foundation, in honor of his mother.
Nathan is a 2003 graduate of Morehouse College, in Atlanta, Georgia, with a bachelor degree in Business Administration.
Nathan is a 2003 graduate of Morehouse College, in Atlanta, Georgia, with a bachelor degree in Business Administration.
Reverend Dr. Otis Moss, Jr.
The Reverend Dr. Otis Moss, Jr., was called to the ministry at the age of 17 during his days as a student at Morehouse College, Atlanta, Georgia. He served as Chairman of the Board of Trustees at Morehouse from 1994-2005. His quest for knowledge and pursuit of educational excellence led him from Morehouse College as a Bachelor of Arts graduate and onward to Morehouse's School of Religion/Inter-Denominational Theological Center where he received the Master of Divinity degree. Reverend Moss selected a further course of Special Studies at the Inter-Denominational Theological Center and ultimately achieved his goal of the Doctor of Ministry Degree from United Theological Seminary in 1990.
During his early days as a minister, Dr. Moss was blessed to sit at the feet within the inner circle of many phenomenal persons such as Dr. Benjamin E. Mays and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Both of these persons provided friendship, leadership and spiritual guidance and helped to shape the thinking and model for leadership Dr. Moss represents today. He is recognized across the nation and globe as an eloquent spokesperson and spiritually-grounded man of God, carrying the banner for love, justice, equality, and human rights for all.
As Dr. Moss so aptly states: "My decision to enter the ministry is a gift...a special calling from God." His ministry is truly a gift; held up before the world as shining light for all to see. This gift was first discovered in his pastorates at several congregations in the LaGrange and Atlanta areas (including co-pastoring with Dr. Martin Luther King, Sr., at Ebenezer Baptist Church), further developed at Mt. Zion (Cincinnati, Ohio), and reaching full fruition at the Olivet Institutional Baptist Church, Cleveland, Ohio, where he has just celebrated his 31st Pastoral Anniversary.
Dr. Moss has consulted with presidents, been honored for his work in civil rights and has delivered the Word of the Gospel all across the globe. He is recognized and revered for his dedication to all humankind. The accolades and achievements of The Reverend Dr. Otis Moss, Jr. are great in number; they supercede the barriers of color, race and religion.
The Reverend Dr. Moss is married to Mrs. Edwina Moss and they are the proud parents of three children: Kevin, Daphne (deceased) and Otis, III. Dr. and Mrs. Moss recently became the proud grandparents for the fourth time with the new arrival of baby boy Elijah Wynton Taylor Moss.
The Olivet Institutional Baptist Church is proud to share the Reverend Dr. Otis Moss, Jr., with the world. His ministry is blessed because of his sincere desire to serve the Lord with his all his heart, all his soul and with all his mind.
During his early days as a minister, Dr. Moss was blessed to sit at the feet within the inner circle of many phenomenal persons such as Dr. Benjamin E. Mays and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Both of these persons provided friendship, leadership and spiritual guidance and helped to shape the thinking and model for leadership Dr. Moss represents today. He is recognized across the nation and globe as an eloquent spokesperson and spiritually-grounded man of God, carrying the banner for love, justice, equality, and human rights for all.
As Dr. Moss so aptly states: "My decision to enter the ministry is a gift...a special calling from God." His ministry is truly a gift; held up before the world as shining light for all to see. This gift was first discovered in his pastorates at several congregations in the LaGrange and Atlanta areas (including co-pastoring with Dr. Martin Luther King, Sr., at Ebenezer Baptist Church), further developed at Mt. Zion (Cincinnati, Ohio), and reaching full fruition at the Olivet Institutional Baptist Church, Cleveland, Ohio, where he has just celebrated his 31st Pastoral Anniversary.
Dr. Moss has consulted with presidents, been honored for his work in civil rights and has delivered the Word of the Gospel all across the globe. He is recognized and revered for his dedication to all humankind. The accolades and achievements of The Reverend Dr. Otis Moss, Jr. are great in number; they supercede the barriers of color, race and religion.
The Reverend Dr. Moss is married to Mrs. Edwina Moss and they are the proud parents of three children: Kevin, Daphne (deceased) and Otis, III. Dr. and Mrs. Moss recently became the proud grandparents for the fourth time with the new arrival of baby boy Elijah Wynton Taylor Moss.
The Olivet Institutional Baptist Church is proud to share the Reverend Dr. Otis Moss, Jr., with the world. His ministry is blessed because of his sincere desire to serve the Lord with his all his heart, all his soul and with all his mind.
Yvonne Sims
Mrs. Yvonne Sims has been teaching in the Bedford city school system for an impressive 35 years. A native of Cleveland, Ohio, Mrs. Sims received her Bachelor of Science degree from Bowling Green State University in 1973 and her M.Ed. Curriculum & Instruction, School Guidance Counselor from Cleveland State University in 1977.
Mrs. Sims has always been a prominent voice in the Cleveland Metro area. Mrs. Sims has an entire list of activities she is involved in throughout the city and some include advisor of Teens Who Listen & Care, Columbus School Big Brother /Big Sister, organizing weekend trips for cultural enrichment to many different cities around the country, and many more activities.
Mrs. Sims is an active member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. Greater Cleveland Alumnae Chapter. She is also a long time member of Glenville New Life Community Church (Presbytery, USA). Mrs. Yvonne Sims has a long time and wonderful marriage to Attorney Rufus Sims and has two beautiful daughters (Kimili Ann Sims and Khalida Ameera Sims).
Mrs. Sims has always been a prominent voice in the Cleveland Metro area. Mrs. Sims has an entire list of activities she is involved in throughout the city and some include advisor of Teens Who Listen & Care, Columbus School Big Brother /Big Sister, organizing weekend trips for cultural enrichment to many different cities around the country, and many more activities.
Mrs. Sims is an active member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. Greater Cleveland Alumnae Chapter. She is also a long time member of Glenville New Life Community Church (Presbytery, USA). Mrs. Yvonne Sims has a long time and wonderful marriage to Attorney Rufus Sims and has two beautiful daughters (Kimili Ann Sims and Khalida Ameera Sims).
