Past Speakers

President Jo Bonner Jo Bonner is the fourth president of the University of South Alabama. Previously, Bonner served as chief of staff to Alabama Governor

Arizona’s Katelyn Cai was named the Distinguished Young Woman of America for 2022, during the 65th Annual National Finals. Katelyn is a graduate of BASIS

Rachel Webb is the founder and Executive Director of Fostering Together Gulf Coast. Originally a Texas native, Rachel graduated with a business degree from Texas

Mark Berte’s Biographical Information In October of 2011, Mark Berte was asked to serve as the Executive Director of the Alabama Coastal Foundation (ACF). Prior

Marty Heslin, MD, MSHA is the Executive Director of the USA Health Mitchell Cancer Institute at the University of South Alabama. Prior to this position,

Michael E. Pierce is a 1991 graduate of Tulane University where he received his Bachelor of Science degree in Business Management.  While at Tulane, he

BRIEF BIO OF THOMAS “CHRIS” CURRY   Thomas “Chris” Curry serves as the President of the Mobile Airport Authority. For the past 5 years, Curry

Michon Trent Bio For 17 years, Michon Trent has contributed her time and talent to building stronger coalitions with Baldwin and Mobile Counties agencies. She

Chief of Staff James Barber served with the United States Marine Corps prior to beginning his 28-year career with the Mobile Police Department. During that

Rob Holbert is co-publisher and managing editor of Lagniappe, Mobile’s weekly newspaper. Rob helped found the newspaper after a career that started as a police

Dr. Lasseigne serves as Executive Director Bellingrath Gardens and Home, a position he started in September 2020.  He joins a team of board members and

Cartledge Weeden Blackwell, III   Cartledge Weeden Blackwell, III, is an architectural historian and the curator of the Mobile Carnival Museum. Blackwell is a six-generation

Helena Duncan Bio Helena Thomas Duncan was born and raised in Opelika, AL and is the youngest of five children. She received her Bachelor of

Bio:  Dr. Ankit Gulati was born in New Delhi, India, but grew up in Florence, Alabama. He attended undergraduate and graduate school at the University of

Bryan Billy is an enrolled member of the Hopland Band of Pomo Indians. He moved with his wife, Amanda, from the Central Valley of California

RICK CLARK Deputy Director & Chief Operating Officer Richard “Rick” Clark is the Alabama Port Authority’s deputy director. Joining the APA in 2019, he is

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH OLIVIER CHARLES Mr. Olivier Charles serves as the President of Bishop State Community College in Mobile, Alabama. A strong advocate of making education

Albert Watkins Key, Jr., publishing under the name Watt Key, is an American fiction author who is known for writing young-adult survival fiction. A resident of Alabama, his debut novel Alabama

Bud McCrory has nearly three decades of water and wastewater experience and is currently the Director for the Mobile Area Water and Sewer System.  He

Dr. Meg McCrummen Fowler is the director of the History Museum of Mobile. She holds a Ph.D. in Art History & Society from Tulane University,

Dr. John Hoyle is the President of the Alabama School of Mathematics and Science (ASMS), Alabama’s only fully residential and public high school for highly

Cartledge Weeden Blackwell, III   Cartledge Weeden Blackwell, III, is an architectural historian and the curator of the Mobile Carnival Museum. Blackwell is a six-generation

Derek Boulware-Bio Derek Boulware is the Chief Executive Officer for Housing First, Inc., Established in Mobile in 1993, Housing First is the designated HUD-Continuum of

Anitra Belle Henderson joined SCHOOLS, an ed tech test prep company, in August 2022 as CEO. Henderson also collaborated with the founder of SCHOOLS to

William T. Ratliff, III Biography Will Ratliff recently stepped down after serving 34 years as CEO of Collateral Holdings, a company founded by his grandfather.

Gia Wiggins is a career Human Resources Professional. A native of Mobile AL, she received a BA in Psychology and Sociology from Grambling State University.