Bios - Board of Directors
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Tomekia Rush
Ms. Rush is a Certified Volunteer Administrator (CVA) with nearly two decades of experience in nonprofit strategizing and volunteerism. She has provided program management for American Red Cross for thirteen years. Simultaneously, she has provided community support by serving with the 2010 and 2020 Census, as a consultant and facilitator for corporate social responsibility outreach, and as an election official. Ms. Rush is proud to apply her strengths in volunteer recruitment, engagement, stakeholder management, with decades of experience in small business management and hospitality to be successful in her role as President of the Board of Directors.
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Ms. Stewart is an advocate and supporter of the organization. As co-founder and Principal of Innovative Healthcare Solutions, Pat was responsible for the quality of consulting services provided to Innovative Healthcare Solutions clients. Working across the United States with healthcare executives and her consultants, she played a key role in growing, marketing, and managing the practice’s consulting services. Under Pat’s guidance from 2000 to 2016, Innovative Healthcare Solutions, Inc. received multiple national awards as a leader in healthcare technology consulting. Pat sold her healthcare technology consulting company in 2016 and has retired from business. Throughout her career, she has tried to combine her business skills with her desire to help others and “give back” in a meaningful way.
One of Pat’s goals for her retirement has been to dedicate more time for positive change in our community. She provides her professional expertise to LCLC as well as the Food Bank Garden, Stop Hunger Now, Christian Women’s Job Corps of Lee County, United Way of Central Alabama, and the YWCA of Central Alabama. Pat is a Certified Public Accountant with degrees in Biology and Accounting from Auburn University and the University of Alabama at Birmingham.
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​Tenley Lewis
Born and raised in a suburb of Baltimore, Maryland, Ms. Lewis attended college at Virginia Tech graduated 1984 with a degree in Mechanical Engineering. While employed as a software analyst for Lockheed Martin, she earned a Masters degree in Systems Management from the University of Southern California. In 1988, Tenley earned a position as an IT Project Manager with IBM and relocated to Atlanta in 1990. Prioritizing family first to raise her children, she retired in 1993. After moving to Auburn in 2001, her community connections include: Chapter Advisor for Delta Gamma at Auburn University, 2003-2007, Lee-Scott Academy Board of Directors, 2008-2011, East Alabama Community Ballet Board of Directors, 2015-2020, and Jule Collins Smith Museum Advisory Board, 2017- 2023. Tenley and her husband Brian are the proud parents to two sons; Patrick, 30 and Mitchell, 26.
Shakari Cunningham
Shakari Cunningham is a dedicated mother to two beautiful children. She holds a B.S. in Apparel Merchandising from Auburn University, graduating in 2017. Previously, Shakari served as the Vice Chair of the Junior Board for the Lee County Literacy Coalition, where she actively contributed to initiatives aimed at enhancing literacy resources in the community. Shakari is the liturgical dance team leader at Mount of Transfiguration Church in Opelika. Her passion for literacy and education stems from a desire to make a meaningful impact and raise awareness about available resources for individuals facing literacy challenges. Shakari strives to be a change agent in her community, working to promote positive advancements in the literacy movement.
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Danielle Moore
Ms. Moore is a proud Auburn, Alabama native and a devoted mother to three incredible boys. As the owner of Dani Cheesecake, a locally based company, I have combined my love for baking with my passion for helping others. With a career rooted in customer service, I have honed my skills in understanding and meeting the needs of people from all walks of life. Through Dani Cheesecake, I strive to bring joy to my community through delicious, homemade treats that are crafted with care and attention to detail.
Ruth Ann Powers
Mrs. Powers is a native of Fremont, Nebraska and grew up in Phenix City, Alabama. She attended Phenix City public schools, graduated from Chattahoochee Valley Community College and attended Columbus State University. She served as United Methodist Women's president for the Alabama-West Florida Conference and as a director of the Women's Division & the General Board of Global Ministries. Mrs. Powers has led several studies at Regional and Conference Schools of Christian Mission to include the Alabama-West Florida Conference School of Christian Mission Planning Teams and the position of Dean. She worked on a mission team in Oaxaca, Mexico, from 1988 - 1994 using the Laubach Way to Reading in Spanish. Their team delivered Heifer Project animals with the UMC missionaries who served the Pueblo District.
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In 1996, She and her husband went to The Democratic Republic of Congo (then Zaire) to work in refugee camps with children from Rwanda. “It was my most life changing experience ever, I taught English to kids who lived in Hell.” In 2014, She accompanied the General Secretary of the General Commission on the Status and Role of Women to Mozambique for the Jubilee celebration of the United Methodist Churches work in Mozambique. The 1,000 women who attended and reported on their work there out performed the U.S. women. She chaired the Commission on the Status and Role of Women in Alabama-West Florida Conference for the last two quadrennia where she received the Alice Lee Award from Conference COSROW. In 2015, she was presented the initial “Suzanna Wesley” award by the United Methodist Men of the Alabama-West Florida Conference. In 1982, she collaborated with a group from Russell County to organize a shelter for battered women that eventually included rape crisis response and victim’s advocacy where she served as the Board Chair, then Executive Director until 2006.
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She and her husband served as volunteers for the Department of Human Resources in Russell County from 1989 -1999 where they coordinated Christmas sponsors for foster children. Additional service includes DHR QA committee, mediation board for first time juvenile offenders, Board Chair of the Phenix City-Russell County Library, the Children’s Policy Council for Russell County and Children’s Policy Council for Russell County. She is a certified Laubach reading tutor and tutor trainer where she facilitated trainings in Alabama and Georgia. She loves sewing, needlework, reading and travel. She has two Granddaughters, Mary Casey and Isabelle and two bonus Granddaughters, Gabrielle, and Alexandria and two GREAT Granddaughters.
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​Ambassadors
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Carole Harrison
Carole Harrison has been a Realtor in Lee County since 1999 and is currently the Qualifying Broker at Porter Properties. Prior to her real estate career she spent 16 years in the health care industry with a Fortune 500 company in sales and marketing. She is the current Past President of the Lee County Association of Realtors and has been heavily involved with her profession having, served on many committees and elected positions locally but also on the state level. She most recently finished serving as a Commissioner for two 5 year terms with the Alabama Real Estate Commission. The Kiwanis Club of Auburn and the Lee County Literacy Coalition are civic organizations where she volunteers her time outside of real estate. Carole is a graduate of Auburn University with a BS in Biological Sciences and has an MBA in Marketing from the University of Georgia. Carole lives in Auburn with her husband Steve and they have 6 grandchildren that live in the Atlanta area.
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