People+Culture: Meaningful Conversations for Today's Workplace

This week, Mildred interviews Dr.Vance on People+Culture. Recognized as a Top Female Physician and as a Birmingham Best Doctor, Katisha Vance, MD, FACP is a triple board-certified internist, hematologist, medical oncologist, devoted wife and proud mother. Dr. Katisha is a nationally recognized best-selling author, speaker, consultant, sought-after media expert and a leader in the medical community. However, that is not where her story began. “My maternal grandmother, Mattie was my first example of what it meant to be a strong, smart and fearless woman. Though she only had an 8th grade education, my Grandma Mattie was very bright. She could figure out anything. She and my grandfather raised 12 children in rural Alabama on a meager income because my grandmother knew how to make a lot from nothing, and she knew how to make the best of seemingly impossible situations. Grandma Mattie was diagnosed with Stage 4 colon cancer in 1985, many months after complaining to doctors that she just did not feel like herself. They told her that she had ‘pains of life' and was ‘tired from having raised 12 kids'. An exploratory surgery several months later told the real story. She had colon cancer that was invading her liver, lungs and entire abdominal cavity. My family and I were confused, devastated and numb. We felt utterly helpless. We didn't know what to do or what to ask. Despite taking chemotherapy, my grandmother's cancer continued to grow wildly. She went on hospice in late July 1986. On August 2, 1986 she died peacefully surrounded by family.” “Because of the helplessness that my entire family felt with my grandmother's terminal cancer diagnosis, I made it my purpose to help someone else's Mattie.” Since 2007, Dr. Katisha has served cancer patients in a successful private practice in Medical Oncology and Hematology in Birmingham, Alabama. She recognizes that a traditional medical practice model fits the needs of many patients, however, other patients are seeking something different from their medical encounter. As the founder of Cancer Solutions, LLC, Dr. Katisha is working to meet the unique needs of cancer patients through actionable ideas and real-world strategies helping them to live better, fuller lives from cancer diagnosis through treatment. Through virtual medicine, she provides second opinion hematology and oncology consultations at times and locations that are convenient to patients and their families. Dr. Katisha is using her decade of experience as a cancer physician to take the fear and uncertainty out of a life-changing cancer diagnosis. Dr. Katisha Vance earned her Doctor of Medicine degree from The University of Alabama and completed her internship and residency at Baptist Health Systems, Inc. in Birmingham, Alabama. Dr. Katisha completed her subspecialty fellowship training in medical oncology and hematology at the University of Alabama in 2007.

This week, Mildred Interviews Pastor Gardner on People+Culture. Dr. Tyshawn Gardner currently serves as the Senior Pastor of the Plum Grove Baptist Church in Tuscaloosa, AL and the Vice-President for Student Affairs at Stillman College. He is the founder and CEO of the Citizen Impacting Community Association, a non-profit dedicated to serving and empowering the intergenerational communities of West Tuscaloosa through a Summer and Saturday Academy for middle schoolers and activities and social programs for senior adults. He is also the past president of the Tuscaloosa Chapter of the SCLC. Dr. Gardner is a veteran of the U.S. Navy and served in both Operation Desert Shield and Operation Desert Storm. As a respected educator, Dr. Gardner enjoys teaching classes in the Department of Gender and Race at the University of Alabama and in the Department of Religion and Theology at Stillman College. Dr. Gardner also serves as an Adjunct Professor of Preaching at Beeson Divinity School, where he co-teaches DMin and MDiv classes with Dr. Robert Smith, Jr. He also teaches Doctor of Ministry seminars at several seminaries across the country Dr. Gardner received the Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from Stillman College in Tuscaloosa and the Master of Divinity degree (MDiv) from Beeson Divinity School at Samford University, in Birmingham, where the Dean and faculty selected him as the Most Distinguished Student in 2014. He earned the PhD from the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, KY., where his research interest includes the social crisis preaching of Kelly Miller Smith, Sr., the African American preaching tradition, and hermeneutics. His book, Social Crisis Preaching: Biblical Proclamation for Troubling Times, with B&H Academic, is set to be released in the fall of 2022. His book, Sacred Anthropology: Prophetic Radicalism for Pulpit and Pew with Fortress Press will also be released in the fall of 2022. He is married to Shonetay Gardner, and they have 4 children, Coretta (Corey), Tristan, Titus, and Tyson and 3 beautiful grandchildren.

This week interviews Ivan Holloway on People+Culture episode 5. Ivan is a seasoned community development professional, a native of Birmingham and received both his BS and Master of Urban and Regional Planning from Alabama A and M University in Huntsville, AL. He is responsible for guiding the rebirth and development for the “historic center of Black entrepreneurship and culture” in the city of Birmingham, in and around the new Birmingham Civil Rights National Monument. Prior to joining Urban Impact, he was executive director of A Step Forward, a behavioral health organization in Baltimore, Maryland. He is a past vice president and managing director of Seedco Financial Alabama (TruFund Financial) where he launched the first statewide CDFI loan fund. He also served as executive director of the Stillman College CDC and as assistant city planner for the City of Athens, AL. Ivan's work over the past 30 years has focused on equitable economic development outcomes.

This week Mildred interviews Dr. John Giggie on People+Culture. Dr. John Giggie is Associate Professor of History and African American Studies and Director of the Summersell Center for the Study of the South at the University of Alabama. He is Co-Creator of “History of Us,” the first Black history class taught daily in a public school in Alabama; and the West Side Scholars Academy, a middle school enrichment program teaching about social justice and civil rights. Dr. Giggie is also Director of “Alabama Memory,” an effort that seeks to recapture and memorialize the over 400 lives lost to lynching in Alabama; Director of “Queer History South,” on oral history program documenting the lives of LGBTQ+ citizens in West Alabama, and a founding member of the Tuscaloosa Civil Rights History and Reconciliation Foundation. He has been a commentator on matters of southern history for National Public Radio, Alabama Public Radio, CNN, C-Span, USA Today, The Christian Science Monitor, Smithsonian Magazine, BET.com, ReckonSouth, The Birmingham Watch and local presses and television outlets. As a teacher at the University of Alabama, Prof. Giggie specializes in southern and Civil Rights history. He has been recognized as a Distinguished Fellow in Teaching by the College of Arts and Sciences and awarded the Outstanding Faculty-Initiated Engagement Effort by the Center for Community-Based Partnerships. At the University of Texas at San Antonio, Prof. Giggie was awarded the Presidential Distinguished Achievement Award for Teaching and the Honors Alliance Award for Outstanding Teaching. As a scholar, Dr. Giggie has authored or edited five books and is currently completing a civil rights manuscript titled, Bloody Tuesday: The Fight for Civil Rights in Tuscaloosa. He coedits the Religion and American Culture series for the University of Alabama Press, sits on the Commission on Local Government Records and the Commission of State Government Records with the Alabama Department of Archives and History, and previously served of the Executive Council of the American Society of Church Historians. His research has been funded by the National Endowment for the Humanities, the Louisville Center for the Study of American Religion, the Lilly Foundation, the Pew Foundation, the Center for the Study of American Religion at Princeton University, and the American Historical Association.

This week Mildred interviews Kimberly Winters on People+Culture. Kimberly Marable is experienced in working with adolescents and adults, and her areas of expertise include addiction, depression, anxiety, stress management, communication skills, anger management, marital/relationship conflict, and critical incident stress management. Kimberly completed her Master of Arts in Counseling Education with a specialty in rehabilitation counseling from the University of Alabama in Birmingham. She is a Licensed Professional Counselor in the State of Alabama and is an LPC supervisor (LPC-S). Kimberly is also a Certified Employee Assistance Professional (CEAP), National Certified Counselor, Certified Rehabilitation Counselor, and a Department of Transportation Qualified Substance Abuse Professional (QSAP). Kimberly is the founder of Coach K's Korner, a platform birthed from her own testimony and journey of growth. From this platform, Kimberly inspires others to make changes in their lives and commit to creating healthier relationships with God, themselves and others. She educates on principles of wellness and provides practical exercises that encourage self-awareness, self-acceptance and forgiveness.

This week on People+Culture we sit down with Bishop Smith. Bishop L. Spenser Smith grew up the 3rd of 4 children but always seemed to standout among the Smith clan; accomplishing great things ahead of his age. Growing up as a musical prodigy, he began singing before audiences at the age of 4, taught himself to play piano at age 11, and secured his first minister of music position at age 12. Reared in a musically gifted and deeply religious family, it was clear where Bishop Smith's path would eventually lead him. After graduating with honors from Cross High School in 1989, he attended Florida A&M University, majoring in Music Education. While there, he was a member of the World Famous Marching 100 and Director of the FAMU Gospel Choir. After graduating in 1995, he worked in the Duval County Public School System as a middle school band director. In 1996, at the age of 26, Bishop Smith began his pastoral ministry at the New Testament Church, Inc. in Tuscaloosa, Alabama after the untimely passing of his father-in-law, the Reverend Charles E. Moore. His profound and courageous leadership has caused the ministry to be a life-changing force, not only in Tuscaloosa, but throughout the region and nation. In 2000 at the age of 29, he became one of the youngest men to be duly consecrated as a Bishop in his reformation, Kingdom Fellowship Covenant Ministries, based in Baltimore, MD. In 2005, Bishop Smith founded the IMPACT HOUSE in Birmingham, AL, a thriving ministry impacting the South Central region. Bishop Smith's accomplishments are numerous. They include: • Highly- Sought Life Coach & Inspirational Speaker • Stellar Award Nominated Recording Artist, Songwriter, Producer, working with gospel artists such as Donald Lawrence, Twinkie Clark, Karen Clark-Sheard, Men of Standard, and Marvin Sapp • Author of the new books, The Altar'ed Life & Getting Ready for Love • Who's Who Among American Executives and Leaders • The American Heritage of Leaders Honor Recipient • Member, Joint College of Bishops Congress, Cleveland, OH • President, Unity Covenant Fellowship of Interdependent Churches and Ministries, • CEO, Move With Him Entertainment • Senior Pastor, The Impact Nation Fellowship Church, Birmingham & Tuscaloosa • He is the husband of the beautiful Patrice Moore Smith, and the father of 3 lovely and gifted children: Jori Aaliyah, Jamel Alexander, and Jarren Andre • Doctorate of Divinity, St. Thomas Christian College, Jacksonville, FL. • A proud member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. As a young man, he embraces his purpose for life as one that is to empower others, especially young people, for success and achievement; encouraging a new generation of leaders to emerge through a strong belief in God and a heart for His will, and faith to persevere through life's challenges to manifest the Kingdom of God.

Join us for Episode 1 of People+Culture where we discuss healthcare- with a special emphasis on Black History Month by interviewing Dr.Pamela Foster. Dr. Pamela Payne Foster is a Preventive Medicine/Public Health physician who currently serves as Professor in the Community and Rural Department at the University of Alabama School of Medicine, Tuscaloosa campus as well as Deputy Director of the Institute for Rural Health Research. Dr. Foster's current research area of interest is the study of HIV/AIDS related stigma in rural African Americans in Alabama, particularly in faith-based settings in rural Alabama. As an activist, she and her husband, William Foster Jr founded a nonprofit AframSouth Inc. which addresses several health issues African American families, mainly through the publication of two books, “Is there a balm in Black America” and “Practicing Prevention” as well as a community radio station WUMO at www.wumolpfm.org. She currently serves on the Board of the National Black Women's HIV Network (NBWHN) also has served on the Board of Five Horizons, an AIDS Service Organization in Tuscaloosa serving West Alabama and East Mississippi. Dr. Foster received her BS degree in Chemistry Pre-Medicine from Xavier University in Louisiana and her MS in Biomedical Sciences and MD from Meharry Medical College in Nashville, Tennessee. She completed an Internship in Internal Medicine and Residency in Preventive Medicine/Public Health at State University of New York at Stony Brook where she also completed her MPH at Columbia University. She has served on the faculty of a variety of institutions including Morehouse School of Medicine, George Washington University, SUNY Stony Brook, and the National Bioethics Center for Health Care and Research at Tuskegee University.