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.

Oct. 15, 2020–Meg Fowler / Director – History Museum of Mobile "A History of Mobile in 22 Objects"

Meg McCrummen Fowler is director of the History Museum of Mobile. She holds a BA in history and French from The University of Alabama and an MA in the History of Art from Tulane University, where she is currently a Ph.D. candidate in Art History & Society.  Before joining the History Museum of Mobile, Meg served as a visiting scholar in the Center for the Study of War and Memory at the University of South Alabama and taught in the Art & Art History department.  In 2018, she completed a curatorial fellowship at the Musée d’Orsay in Paris.

Sept. 10, 2020–Thomas "Chris" Curry / President, Mobile Airport Authority "Update from the Mobile Airport Authority

Thomas “Chris” Curry was hired as the Executive Director of the Mobile Airport Authority in October 2017, and was recently promoted to the position of President in September 2018. Upon his appointment to the position, he placed airline recruitment, evaluating the roles of Mobile Regional and Downtown Airports, and expanding business opportunities on the Brookley Aeroplex at the top of his priorities. His overall objective is to provide premium air service to the community and manage the assets of the Authority to achieve the greatest economic benefit to the customers of the region.

Since Mr. Curry’s arrival in Mobile, he has provided professionalism and expertise in representing MAA with the overall needs of its largest tenants, such as Airbus, VTMAE, and Continental Motors. During this past year, Airbus announced a partnership with Bombardier to build the A220 aircraft and Flight Works aviation experience center at the Mobile Aeroplex at Brookley. In addition, he spearheaded the complex negotiations of a new agreement with Continental Motors, where they are investing $75 million in a new state of the art facility scheduled to open in 2019. Further to his achievements, Mr. Curry also created a new organizational structure with high caliber talent designed to meet the challenges required to lead MAA into the future.

Because of Mr. Curry’s wealth of experience in the Airline industry, he was able to recruit Via Airlines to provide non-stop service to Orlando/Sanford; Mobile’s first new airline since 2003. Working with the FAA, he also managed the Metropolitan Airport Systems Study to determine the feasibility of moving commercial service from the Regional to Downtown Airport. Under his guidance, the MAA is moving into the Masterplan process for the Mobile Downtown Airport.  This is a brief snapshot of a few items on a long list of his many accomplishments in under a year as Executive Director.    

Prior to his current position with MAA, Mr. Curry was the Director of Aviation for the City of Tallahassee from December 2013 to September 2014.  During his tenure at TLH, he guided the transition of the Airport from a regional to International facility.  He was responsible for the $15M modernization project that significantly improved the terminal aesthetics and writing legislation that resulted in $1M state contribution toward improving air service to the Capital City.  In addition, Chris lead the airport effort to increase the use of green technology by utilizing more than 375 acres of Airport property to build two solar farms.

Before his employment in Tallahassee he served as Executive Director of the Collier County Airport Authority, Gary Chicago International Airport and Project Manager of Airspace and Procedure Design for the Boeing Company.

Mr. Curry began his military career in the United States Air Force in 1982 as an air traffic controller and retired in 2001. During his tenure, he served as manager of air traffic control radar, tower and airfield management.

A native of Savannah, Georgia, Mr. Curry earned his associate’s degree in airway science from the Community College of the Air Force, Montgomery, AL. He also earned a bachelor’s degree from Embry Riddle Aeronautical University in professional aeronautics. He was recently selected as “Aviation Professional of the Year” by the Florida Department of Transportation in 2016.

Sept. 3, 2020–Stephen McNair / Owner & Senior Consultant – McNair Historic Preservation, Inc. "Return of the Passenger Rail to the Gulf Coast"


Bio: Stephen McNair is the owner and senior consultant of McNair
Historic Preservation, Inc., a national full-service historic
preservation consulting firm based in Mobile. The firm specializes in
historic tax credit development projects and National Register
nominations. McNair serves as a Commissioner on the Alabama Small
Business Commission and Southern Rail Commission. McNair received his
Bachelor of Arts from the University of Alabama, a Master’s in
Historic Preservation Architecture from Tulane University, and a Ph.D.
in Architectural History from the University of Edinburgh.

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.   

Aug. 20, 2020–Dr. Gia Wiggins–Ph.D., SPHR, SHRM-SCP / President, Morale Resource, LLC

Dr. Gia Wiggins HR management career has spanned 21 years. A native of Mobile AL, she
received a BA in Psychology and Sociology from Grambling State University, a MBA from
California State University and a PhD in Business Administration at the University of South
Alabama with a concentration in Management. She also holds a (SPHR) and (SHRM-SCP)
Human Resources certifications. Gia has held executive human resource management roles in
companies such as AT&T (Formerly Southwestern Bell), Cintas, Target, and BAE Systems
Southeast Shipyards.
In 2015, Gia founded Morale Resource LLC, a boutique human resources consulting firm that
specializes in building and repairing human resource functions for small and mid-sized
businesses using a three-pronged approach – compliance, process and, strategy.
In addition to serving her diverse client base, Gia also serves as an Adjunct Instructor with the
University of South Alabama and the University of Mobile teaching Human Resources
Management, Intro to Business, and Small Business Entrepreneurship.
Morale Resource helps clients take care of their most valued assets—its people.

Aug. 13, 2020–William Admire, D.O. / Vice President & Chief Medical Officer for Mobile Infirmary and North Baldwin Infirmary

William Admire, D.O., is the Vice President and Chief Medical Officer for Mobile Infirmary and North Baldwin Infirmary and has served Infirmary Health in multiple capacities since joining the organization in 2013. In addition to Chief Medical Officer responsibilities, Dr. Admire continues to work with Infirmary Occupational Health and iHealthy, Infirmary Health’s external wellness program.
Dr. Admire holds a Bachelor of Arts from Susquehanna University and Doctor of Osteopathy from the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine. He completed an internship at Delaware Valley Medical Center and an internal medicine residency at Geisinger Medical Center in Danville, Penn. Dr. Admire is board certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine. In 2016, Dr. Admire participated in the Institute for Physician Leadership program through the University of California, San Francisco.
Dr. Admire has numerous professional accomplishments and affiliations including serving with the Mobile Police Department as the police surgeon for 20 years, ProAssurance board member, Infirmary Health physician advisor and claims committee member, Spanish Fort High School team physician, Gulf Coast and Kensington Nursing Home director, Mobile Infirmary, Thomas Hospital, and North Baldwin ACOM medical director, and as the Alabama Hospital Association physician representative. In his spare time, Dr. Admire enjoys basketball, bicycling and the outdoors.

Aug. 6, 2020–Nina Ford Johnson, MD, Pediatrician / "Public Health"

Biography of Nina Ford Johnson, MD
Nina Ford Johnson, MD, FAAP, has been practicing as a general pediatrician in Mobile, AL for nine years. She graduated in 2003 from Tennessee State University with a bachelor’s degree in biological sciences. Shortly thereafter, she completed her medical doctorate from Meharry Medical College in 2008 and finished her pediatric residency at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, TX. Currently she holds board and committee appointments with the Medical Society of Mobile County, Alabama Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics, and the Alabama Medicaid Medical Care Advisory Committee. In her spare time, she loves to read, give lectures on pediatric issues, kissing the cheeks of her children (Poppy, Bella, and Ava), traveling with her husband (Pastor Alexander Johnson, Jr.), and singing classical music.