Sept. 24, 2020–Kim Kelly / Owner – Sophiella Gallery "This is Sophiella"

KIM KELLY

BIO

Kim Kelly, owner and gallerist at Sophiella Gallery (111 Dauphin Street) grew up in the Washington DC area, but has lived in Mobile for 25 years. With a Bachelor’s in Communications from Virginia Tech, she worked early on as a copywriter/producer for commercials and videos and later as a professional photographer while raising three children with husband, Clark Kelly.

The idea of opening an art gallery came after the couple invested in their downtown Mobile location, and at a time in life when they wanted to offer something new to our community. After the purchase and complete renovation of an 1860s historic building, they opened Sophiella Gallery in October, 2018.

Sophiella quickly earned a reputation as a high-end art gallery, selling contemporary fine art by regional artists and was recently voted “Best Art Gallery” in Lagniappe’s 2020 Nappies. The gallery serves as a resource for local designers, residents, collectors, and visitors to Mobile. The location is also available as an events venue.

Aug. 27, 2020–Anitra Henderson– Executive Director of External Affairs & Communications / City of Mobile

Anitra Belle Henderson

Executive Director of Communication and External Affairs, City of Mobile

Anitra Belle Henderson is the Executive Director of Communications and External Affairs for the City of Mobile. Henderson leads the team in building communications strategies to educate, engage and build awareness of Mobile’s Momentum. Henderson began her service with the City as the Director of Civic Engagement and Community Affairs. Her work focused on connecting organizations and citizens to solve community issues. Her specific focus since joining Mayor Stimpson’s administration has been youth and workforce development.

Henderson has developed many initiatives to aide our citizens in living their best quality of life including Mayor’s Stimpson’s Youth Empowered for Success (YES) Initiative giving more than 500 youth the ability to work during the summer months in Mobile and Baldwin County; Ignite Mobile, an initiative to give financial assistance to businesses who were forced to close and deemed “high risk” according to the Safer-at-Home status; and currently strategies to build a more equitable community through the Mayor’s Equity Task Force.

Prior to her 2016 appointment, Henderson was the Principal of SMG & Associates, a public affairs and marketing firm. She has more than 23 years experience in the public relations and marketing industry with emphasis in the areas of healthcare, nonprofit, education, government relations and corporate responsibility. She has worked with local and national clients including Mobile County Health Department, Mobile County Commission, Commonwealth National Bank, Nickelodeon and Telemundo. Her work has been cited in a national case study with John Snow Institute and the Center for Disease Control.

She has served and continues to serve her state and local community through various agencies including Mobile Chapter of Jack and Jill of America, Mobile United, the Alabama Association of Non Profits, VOICES for Alabama’s Children, Alabama Board of Interior, Junior League of Mobile and Public Relations Council of Alabama-Mobile Chapter.

She is a graduate of 2009 Leadership Mobile and the first class of the Alabama Leadership Initiative. Henderson received her B.A. in Communications and Sociology from the University of South Alabama. Anitra is a lover of things that empower and inspire. She is a life-long resident of Mobile. Married to Demetrius Henderson, they have three amazing young women.   

Apr. 21, 2016–Pat Guyton / Child Advocacy Center

Patrick F. Guyton
100 South Georgia Avenue
Mobile, AL 36604
251-438-1992
251-490-7722–cell
Mr. Guyton is a native of Kosciusko, Mississippi. He received a
Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Southern
Mississippi. He holds three masters degrees: A Master of
Public Administration degree from the University of South Alabama
A Master of Theological Studies degree from
Spring Hill College, and a Master of Science degree
in Counseling from the University of South Alabama.
He has completed a year of post-graduate work at the Graduate
School of Social Work at the University of North Carolina in
Chapel Hill.
Before moving to Mobile Mr. Guyton worked in Washington,
D.C.; in Raleigh North Carolina in the North Carolina Department
of Human Resources in Raleigh.
In Mobile he has worked at Spring Hill College in the Office of
Special Resources and at the University of South Alabama as
special assistant to the Dean of the College of Education. For
7 years he worked as the Director of Development for the Catholic
Archdiocese of Mobile.
He is the first Executive Director of the Child Advocacy Center
in Mobile having worked there since February, 1988. The Center
houses 28 professionals from 8 different agencies who work
together as a team in order to provide a wide range of services
“under one roof” for child victims of sexual and serious physical
abuse and their non-offending family members.
He is a member of the American Professional Society on the Abuse
of Children, the Alabama Professional Society on the Abuse of
Children, the National Children’s Alliance, the Alabama Network
of Children’s Advocacy Centers, and other organizations.
He has presented on child abuse issues at 24 national and
regional child abuse conferences. He was recently appointed by
Governor Robert Bentley to serve on the Governor’s Task Force on
Prevention of Child Sexual Abuse in Children to implement “Erin’s
Law” in Alabama.

Jan. 21, 2016–Brad Israel

Brad Israel serves as Director of Development for a national real estate development firm, Elcan & Associates, Inc., headquartered in Mobile, AL. Originally from Mobile, Brad graduated from UMS-Wright Preparatory School in 2000. He attended Hampden-Sydney College and graduated in 2004 magna cum laude with a major in Political Science and a minor in Public Service. Brad joined the Army in 2005 earning his commission through the Officer Candidate School as an Infantry Officer. After successfully graduating from Ranger and Airborne School, Brad was assigned to the 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team in Vicenza, Italy. He led an Airborne Rifle Platoon, a Heavy Weapons Platoon, and a Scout Reconnaissance Platoon, all in combat in the eastern provinces of Afghanistan. Brad earned a Bronze Star, an Army Commendation Medal with a “V” device for Valor in battle; he also published a photography book, “Faces of the Future” from his time working with the locals in the villages. Brad went through the Special Forces Assessment Selection in 2008 and was selected to attend the Special Forces Qualification Course earning the coveted “Green Beret” and Special Forces Tab in February 2011. He was assigned to 7th Special Forces Group and served as a Detachment Commander for an elite mountain detachment in southern Afghanistan and led a water infiltration detachment in Colombia, South America; he earned his second Bronze Star and a Meritorious Service Medal for his leadership in 7th Special Forces Group. Brad’s earned numerous other military medals and achievements over the course of nearly ten years while on active duty.
Brad returned to Mobile in January of 2014 and immediately got involved in the community through the Military Affairs Committee with the Mobile Chamber of Commerce, serving on the Boards for the Chamber of Commerce, the Child Advocacy Center, and Habitat for Humanity. Outside of Elcan & Associates, Brad still serves as a Green Beret with 20th Special Forces Group, and leads a public speaking and leadership consulting entity, FM Solutions, LLC.
Brad is married to Anna Bender Israel of Mobile, and they have three boys, Lyon, Jackson, and Hutch.

June 25, 2015–James Barber & 3 Distinguished Young Women "Has-Beens"

Chief James Barber has served with the Mobile Police Department for 26 years.  During his career he was assigned to various specialized units within the department to include Narcotics and Vice, Intelligence, Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement and Internal Affairs.  He has commanded the Field Operations Bureau, Support Services Bureau and the Administrative Services Bureau.  He attended the University of South Alabama where he received his undergraduate degree in Criminal Justice in 1996 and Troy State University where he received his graduate degree in Public Administration in 1997.  He graduated from the FBI National Academy in 2004 and the prestigious National Executive Institute in 2014.  Chief Barber also served on the adjunct faculty with the University of South Alabama Criminal Justice Program from 2002 through 2013.

Dean Mosher – June 11, 2015

mosherDean Mosher’s epic historic paintings are located in museums, National Park Service visitor centers, and public buildings around the country, including the  Smithsonian’s NASM on the mall in Washington, DC, the United States Naval Academy, the United States Coast Guard Academy, the University of Virginia’s John Paul Jones Arena; NPS Perry’s Victory and International Peace Memorial; NPS Carillon Historical Park (in the Kettering Family Education Center near the Wright Brothers Aviation Center) in Dayton, Ohio; SUNY Gallery in Plattsburgh, New York; Mobile Museum of Art; Fairhope Museum of History; and Fort Meigs Visitors Center in Perrysburg, Ohio. Currently he is creating a large painting of the early campus of the University of Alabama for President Judy Bonner.
 
Mosher has served on numerous organization boards, including five years as Historian General of the Naval Order of the United States. He has been honored with many awards, including the Commander General’s medal for saving the archives of the NOUS. He is often sought out for lectures and presentations around the country and was the first Naval Heritage Lecture presenter for the Surface Navy Association at its Annual National Symposium at the Crystal City Hyatt in Alexandria, Virginia, in 2004, and again in 2006 and 2014.
 
Mosher lives and works in his hand-built castle home and studio in Fairhope, Alabama, which has been featured on HGTV and Absolutely Alabama.
 
His proudest achievements are winning the hand of his wife of thirty-six years, Pagan, and the raising of their two great children, Megrez Ravel and Cleveland Turner.
 
Mosher may be reached by email at deanmosherstudio@gmail.com. His works may be viewed at his website, http://www.deanmosher.com/.

Matt Armbruster – June 4th, 2015

mattMatt Armbruster is a native of Kansas. Matt Came to Mobile Alabama to take a job in 1992 with a national Company and fell in love with the south and over the last 15 years has been employed in many different careers from a manager of Hooters Restaurants, Owning a  BBQ Restaurant, and an Electrical Quality Control Manager.
 
Matt began seeking God on how to use the gifts He had given him to bring glory to Him and not himself. So after much seeking God and prayer Matt received a vision of a Restaurant that was Donation only. This Restaurant would be a ministry that reaches out to those in need and wanting a hand up not a hand out.
 
This vision has become reality under the name Ransom Ministries Inc.  and has been in operation for the last 4 1/2 Years and in that time they have served over 100,000 individuals with either food or any number of other needs. Ransom Ministries served over 1200 people this past thanksgiving and provided Christmas presents for 229 local families or a total of over 500 individuals. Matt is married to Tara Skipper Armbruster and has five Girls Teagan, Shelby, Micaela, Abbi and Mary Paige.    To learn more about Ransom Ministries Inc. Go to www.ransomcafe.com

Pam Patterson – May 28, 2015

Executive Director / Distinguished Young Women Program
Pam, originally from Birmingham, graduated from Briarwood Christian School and the University of Alabama Birmingham. She is a Summa Cum Laude graduate of the University of Alabama with Master’s Degrees in Elementary and Early Childhood Education. Currently, she serves as the Assistant Director of Field Services for the K-6 Education Program at the University of South Alabama where she recently was honored with the Excellence in Clinical Supervision Award by the College of Education. In addition, Pam is an educational consultant specializing in Six Traits of Writing and Talents Unlimited, a national model for developing and enriching creative and critical thinking. For twenty-three years, prior to accepting the position of Executive Director for Distinguished Young Women, Pam and her husband, Eric, volunteered in various capacities for Distinguished Young Women. Since retiring eleven years ago from the Mobile County Public School System, she has served as a judge for state programs, a member of the Travel Support Team, and for eight years, as the Chairman of National Finals. In January of 2014, she was named the Interim Executive Director for Distinguished Young Women and then in October she was selected to serve in that position permanently. Pam also volunteers in the Music Ministry at Spring Hill Baptist Church, working with various choral groups and playing handbells and serves on various leadership committees there. She is involved with the Light of the Village, an organization governed by Volunteers of America and has worked to assist in coordinating their annual fundraiser, “A Night in the Light”. As Executive Director of Distinguished Young Women, she has worked with the University of South Alabama to establish a relationship with the Mobile Public School System in which the National Field Director for Distinguished Young Women and she work with students in the high school signature academies and the elementary schools to promote positive life-skills acquisition through a variety of workshops and activities aimed at encouraging students to “Be Your Best Self”, broadening the scope of the national outreach of Distinguished Young Women. She and Eric are the proud parents of two sons, Benjamin, manager of a local finance company and Jonathan, a doctoral student at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, who with his wife, Leah, have blessed them with three grandchildren, Jonathan Jr., Samuel and Reagan.

Rebecca Byrne – May 21, 2015

President & CEO
The Community Foundation of South Alabama
Moving Forward Together
 
rbyrneRebecca has devoted her career to serving others whether it is to her family, her community or her work. She now serves as President/CEO of The Community Foundation of South Alabama after serving as Executive Director of United Way of Baldwin County. She is a cum laude graduate of Auburn University.
Rebecca has served in leadership roles for numerous civic, cultural and church organizations including serving as Chair of the Mobile Public Library, Beckwith Camp and Conference Center, and Baldwin County Trailblazers. In addition she has been a member of the Thomas Hospital Foundation, Alabama Archives and History Foundation, Mobile Historic Development Commission and other area arts and education organizations. In 2005, Thomas Hospital honored Rebecca with one of their Women’s Best Awards, the Motivator Award, for her contribution to arts education. She is a graduate of Leadership Alabama. Rebecca is a member of Mobile Rotary Club and a Paul Harris Fellow.
 
Rebecca is married to Bradley Byrne, a member of the U.S. House of Representatives (AL-01). This year the Byrnes will celebrate their 34th wedding anniversary with their four children and grandchild. They are members of St. James Episcopal church in Fairhope.

Jimmy Lyons – May 14, 2015

Director & CEO / Alabama State Port Authority
JKLPic2011 (2)James K. Lyons has served as Director/CEO of the Alabama State Port Authority since July 1, 1999. Mr. Lyons’ over 40 year professional maritime industry career has encompassed marketing, financial management, transportation, stevedoring and terminal operations.
Since joining the Authority, Mr. Lyons has overseen construction of new facilities and upgrades to railroad, pier infrastructure, and equipment. Mr. Lyons manages an organization of 587 employees, with fiscal year 2014 revenues of over $160 million and handling more than 29 million tons of cargo. Mr. Lyons oversees the Authority’s capital programs to expand or enhance the public terminals to serve shippers. The current campaign includes equipment upgrades at McDuffie Terminal to handle an expanding export coal market, the construction and development of an Intermodal Container Handling Facility and Logistics Park, and a new state of the art steel handling facility. These and other port-wide improvements total nearly $100 million in new investment.
Mr. Lyons is actively involved with many professional and maritime organizations. He currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Birmingham Branch of the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta, and serves on the Boards of Directors for the United Way of South Alabama and the Mobile Bay National Estuary Program. Mr. Lyons is also the Vice Chair of the Alabama Gulf Coast Recovery Council. Mr. Lyons holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science and Economics from the University of Alabama and completed the Executive Management Program at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville.
 
He is married to Beth Marietta Lyons, a local attorney, and they have one son, Patrick.