Board of Directors

After retiring from Southwestern Bell/AT&T, Claytie became a full time volunteer for the AME Church. He was elected to the Board of Trustees of Paul Quinn College, Dallas, Texas in 1998 and served as Chair of the Finance Committee from 2000 until 2004. Claytie then served as Supervisor of Missions for the countries of Lesotho, Botswana, Swaziland and Mozambique, residing in Maseru, Lesotho from 2004 -2008. During his service in the 18th Episcopal District he was instrumental in securing a grant from the Bill and Melinda Gates foundation that provided computers and funding for teachers’ salaries for Hillside AME High School along with the development of an HIV/AIDs educational program in Mbabane, Swaziland.

From 2008 to 2013, Supervisor Claytie was responsible for the mission work of the AMEC in the countries of Jamaica, Haiti, Dominican Republic, Guyana, Suriname, England, Amsterdam, France, U.S. Virgin Islands, Barbados, Trinidad, Grenada and Tobago.

Supervisor Davis now resides in Houston, Tx.

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Mr. Braziel acquired extensive knowledge of strategic planning and became an expert in HUD public housing rules and regulations.

Mr. Braziel served in a board capacity for many housing related organizations including the National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials and the Housing Authority Insurance Company.

Mr. Braziel retired as President and CEO of the San Antonio Housing Authority. He served in that capacity for eight years. He was responsible for the management of 10,000 units of pubic and non-public housing, 12,000 vouchers in the Section 8 Program, a $115 million operating budget, and a $25 million capital fund budget.

Since retirement Mr. Braziel provided consulting services to approximately 20 public housing agencies across mainland United States and the Virgin Islands.

Mr. Braziel also currently serves on three other non-profit boards of directors that serve the community in economic development, education enrichment, and transitional housing.

Mr. Braziel is married to Gjaundell Lavez Braziel for 45 years who is a retired nurse administrator for the Baptist Hospital System. He has two sons; Melvin Jr. who is an executive vice president for MetLife Insurance Company and Marquieth who is a warehouse operator for Dr. Pepper-Snapple Group.

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The role of the Executive Administrative Assistant was more than serving as a liaison between Bishop Sarah Davis, her Presiding Elders, pastors, congregations, officers, committees and all those with whom she communicated. This life-changing role was an opportunity for me to assist in a mission that supported a Bishop who was fully led by God, who understood the power of prayer, who loved all people and, one who prayed and worked effectively to change the lives of others. Today I continue my offering to Him with a resurrected walk, to serve and be a witness to how God changes lives.

Bishop Abrahams’ theology has been influenced by the experiences encountered while ministering in the South Africa. Most of his ministry has been shaped on the anvil of the struggle against the notorious apartheid regime. He sees himself as a graduate of the “University of the Streets.”

Ivan, and his wife Esme, are happy to be a part of Lake Junaluska and the greater Haywood County community. They have three sons who will continue living in South Africa.

She resides in San Antonio with her husband Robert, is an active member of Bethel A.M.E. Church and holds life memberships in Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. and the NAACP. Dr. Adkins has traveled to South Africa and to Haiti for mission work. Her conviction is, “Comfort is what we receive when God gives the Victory. Then, we must give that same comfort to meet the needs of others.” 2 Corinthians 1:3-4.

Limited involvement in politics helps Rev. Bryant stay abreast of legislation pertaining to education. He is a proponent of charter schools and school choice and believes that parents need more real choices about where their children will be educated.

He serves as Chair of the Board of the Beasley Brown Community Development Corporation, member of the NAACP, and the National Society of Petroleum engineers.

In 1977, Rev. Bryant graduated from Tyler Junior College in Tyler, Texas, and later received his BS degree from the University of New York. He received his Master of Divinity degree from Houston Graduate School of Theology in 1995 and a Doctor of Ministry in 1998 from the same institution.

He received a Doctor of Humane Letters from Paul Quinn College.

Rev. Dr. Bryant is focused on teaching and developing the members of the Body of Christ spiritually. He is a great teacher and God has smiled on him and gifted him in many ways. He is excited about life and believes this is the season of revival in the church. He believes that the best is yet to come for the church.

She was a commissioned officer in the U.S. Air Force Chaplaincy. She and her husband were the first African-American clergy couple in the history of the U.S. Military Chaplaincy, where they served with distinction before returning to the civilian pastorate.

She is the Co-Founder of New Creation Christian Fellowship, a published author, a powerful preacher, a servant and a lover of God’s people. You will be better because she came your way!

Prior to that, he was an investment banker in the Financial Institutions practice at Banc of America Securities, Credit Suisse First Boston (through its acquisition of Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette) and J.P. Morgan Securities. Corey holds series 7, 63 and 79 licenses.

Corey has public and private company board experience. He was a member of the Board of Directors of Park Insurance Company, a specialty property and casualty insurance company based in New York. He was also on the Board of Applied Natural Gas Fuels, Inc. He has advised several non-profit boards including the Museum of American Finance and the I Have a Dream Foundation, both based in New York City.

Corey graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Finance with distinction from Georgetown University and a Masters in Business Administration from Harvard Graduate School of Business. He is an avid golfer and was a distance runner at the Division I level while at Georgetown.

May 1991, Rev. Kim under the direction of Bishop John Bryant served as a missionary in West Africa and with two other women implemented a women’s literacy program. In 1991, Rev. Kim was called into the ministry. In 1995, she was ordained an Itinerant Deacon and in 1996 she was ordained an Itinerant Elder in the African Methodist Episcopal Church.

On June 24, 2010, Rev. Kim was appointed the Pastor of St. Mark A.M.E. Church in Jackson Heights, New York. She is the first female pastor of the historic Congregation which celebrates its 184 years of existence and 106 years in the African Methodist Episcopal Church in March 2013. In April 2009, she was appointed to serve as Pastor of Bright Temple A.M.E. Church, Bronx, New York where worked with the congregation to pay off all of its debt. Prior to her appointment at Bright Temple she served as Pastor of Bethel A.M.E. Church, Arverne, New York. and Rev. Kim led them through a renovation of the church. During her tenure at all of her charges, the churches grew both physically and spiritually.

At the 2008 General Conference, Rev. Kim was elected President of the Connectional AME/Women in Ministry serving over two thousand women in ministry across the U.S. and the world. In 2012, she was honored to be elected the President for a second term. From 2000-2008 she served as Second Vice President of Women in Ministry.

In April 2013, Bishop Gregory G.M. Ingram appointed Rev. Kim the Dean of the Ministerial Institute of the New York Annual Conference , She serves on the Board of Examiners, the New York Conference Board of Trustees and First District Self Help Board, Inc. She is also a member of the New York Ministerial Alliance and the Corona East Elmhurst Clergy Association.

Rev. Kim has engaged in the practice of law for over twenty-five years. In 1985, Rev. Kim joined the Legal Aid Society, Criminal Defense Division and in 1989 became the first black female Supervisor in the Brooklyn Office. While at the Legal Aid Society, she implemented a program for tracking police brutality cases and served as a Union representative. In 1991, Rev. Kim left the Legal Aid Society and went in to the general practice of law. For many years, Rev. Kim engaged in the general practice of law serving the Brooklyn and greater New York community. She has worked as Hearing Officer with the New York City Transit Authority Adjudication Bureau and has also taught as Adjunct Faculty at the College of New Rochelle, School of New Resources. Currently, Rev. Kim is employed in the New York State Unified Court System as a Law Clerk to a Supreme Court Justice in Kings County.

Rev. Kim received her BA in Speech Communications and her Juris Doctor degree from Boston College in 1982 and 1985 respectively. In 1996, she received her Master of Divinity Degree from Candler School of Theology at Emory University with certificates in Black Church Studies and Women’s Studies. In 1997, she completed a program of studies in Clinical Pastoral Education with Emory University Health Systems.

Rev. Kim is a member of the New York State Bar Association and previously volunteered as an arbitrator in Small Claims Court.

Rev. Kim has conducted a wide variety of workshops in New York and throughout the United States on issues concerning youth and women. She has conducted workshops at conferences on “Sexual Misconduct and the Clergy,” and co-authored the revision of the policy on Sexual Misconduct for the African Methodist Episcopal Church for the 2000, 2004 & 2008 Doctrine and Discipline of the African Methodist Episcopal Church. She has also provided training throughout the First Episcopal District on Lay and Clergy Sexual Misconduct.

She believes in the gospel of Jesus Christ and believes that the world can and will change one person at a time by spreading and living out the gospel of Jesus Christ. That God’s kingdom can be realized here on earth and God can heal every alienation , every brokenness in every dimension of our lives—spiritual, physical, emotional, psychological, racial, social and economic…. Jesus came to break the strongholds in our lives and in the world.

Her motto is “With God, All Things Are Possible.”

Bishop Tyler Guidry earned her Master of Theology degree from Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, California. Bishop Carolyn Tyler Guidry is mother of six, grandmother of twelve and great-grand mother of eight. She is a native of Jackson, MS and lived in Los Angeles, CA for fifty years. She now resides in Fairburn, Georgia.

Bishop McKenzie was appointed by President Barack Obama to serve on the inaugural President’s Advisory Council of the White House Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships. She recently was invited to preach at the annual White House Easter Prayer Breakfast at the invitation of President Obama.

Bishop McKenzie is the author of five books. The first two, Not Without A Struggle and Strength in the Struggle concern leadership and professional growth for women. Journey to the Well helps women seek new directions for personal growth and transformation following the footsteps of the Biblical Samaritan woman. Her book, Swapping Housewives, tells the stories of Rachel, Jacob and Leah and shares the 21^st century implications for married and unmarried love. A revised updated version of Not Without A Struggle was released in 2012. In 2013 her newest book Those Sisters Can Preach! was released. It includes 22 sermons as pearls of wisdom from nationally known preachers who happen to be women.

Bishop McKenzie, well known as an electrifying preacher, has been honored for her leadership, community service, and outstanding achievements by a number of diverse civic, educational, business, and governmental organizations and leaders. She was named this year by Huffington Post as one of the 50 most powerful women religious leaders in the world.

Her teaching ministry is available daily at www.thisisyourwakeupcallonline.com. In February 2012, she launched The Greatest of These is Love mixtape of ten mini-messages as love notes for your soul. Her incredible Praycation is available at www.vashtimckenzie.blogspot.com

Bishop McKenzie is humbled and grateful to God for the many opportunities and blessings afforded her as she strives to serve with excellence in the Kingdom of God.

Nationally Dr. Mitchell is the Director of Education for the National Baptist Convention, USA, Inc. Faith Based Initiative Partnership, faculty member of the Congress of Christian Education, and Coordinator for the National Congress Theme Book. She is the past Parliamentarian of the National Woman’s Auxiliary to NBCU.S.A., Inc. Dr. Mitchell is a lecturer for the Sunday School Publishing Board December Conference. She is a guest writer for The Mission and a writer for the Sunday School Publishing Board. Dr. Mitchell speaks locally, nationally and internationally. She was a guest presenter for the AMEC Christian Educator’s Conference in Nashville, Tennessee.

Dr. Mitchell is an alumnus of the Oxford Roundtable. She has conducted Educator’s Conferences for teachers in Swaziland and Lesotho and two Summer Science Institutes for teachers and students in Maseru, Lesotho.

Professionally she has been involved in public education for the past forty years -working as a chemistry teacher, science supervisor for the largest urban school district in Nebraska, and currently as a professor of Science Education/STEM and Aerospace Workshop Director at the University of Nebraska at Omaha.

Her publications include a book published by the National Science Teachers Association Press, chapters in nine books, and seven journal articles. She is a former member of the editorial board for the Journal of African American Men and was the guest editor for the special science edition of JAAM.

Since retiring, Cynthia has completed the Health Information Workforce Development Program for the role Health IT Implementation Manager. The program at the Houston Community College and was sponsored by the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC). She is currently employed part time as a Visiting Professor at Chamberlain College of Nursing.

Cynthia accepted Christ at an early age at Pearl Street A.M.E. Church in Jackson, Mississippi. Since moving to Houston in1977, she has been a member of New Faith Church under the leadership of Dr. T.R. Williams, Sr. She serves in the Health and Wellness Ministry, the Sunday School and the Core Leadership Team for Witnessing and Evangelism Ministry at New Faith.

She is the proud mother of 2 daughters, Phaedra (Terrell) Burton and Carita Stewart, and the grandmother of two wonderful grandchildren.

Her favorite scriptural passage comes from the Book of James, Chapter 1 verse 22, “But be ye doers of the word, and not merely hearers, who deceive themselves.”

Dr. Young is a member of the Columbus Chapter, Links Inc. In July 2012 at the 49th Session of The General Conference Bishop and Dr. Young were assigned to the Third Episcopal District. Dr. Young continues her work as Episcopal Supervisor, wife, mother, grandmother, Church and Community activist and Health Champion in Columbus, Ohio.