Team Members

Travis Smith is a proud graduate of the Lafayette High School class of 2008. He later attended Alabama State University on a full academic scholarship. In 2011, Smith founded Unite Inc. at Alabama State University to improve freshmen man retention rates.

Montgomery, AL native Elle Houston is the Founder of Los Angeles based experiential agency The Elle Empire. Her days in entertainment started with companies like BET, and Beats By Dre. She’s worked on award shows like BET Honors, Rip The Runway, the BET Hip Hop Awards, and the BET Awards. Her agency @theelleempire has produced events and seeding kits for her clients like Meg Thee Stallion, Netflix, Latto, Facebook, Roddy Rich, Bryson Tiller, Warner Bros., LVRN, NIKE, Jordan Brand, and more. There are events and there are experiences, but everything is better when it’s #ExecutedByTheEmpire.

Precious White-Jordan is an accomplished educator and project coordinator. Precious has over 12 years in the k-12 public school setting, having worked as a career and technical education teacher, a special education teacher, and currently as an English language arts teacher at Inspire Virtual Academy in the Chambers County School District in Lafayette, Alabama.

Chelsea Okoroh is a native of Glenarden, Maryland. She is currently enrolled at Bowie State University where she will receive her Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration in May of 2021.

Cara D. Mitchell is a highly skilled B2B and B2C Marketing professional dedicated to strategically providing high level ideas and solutions to critical business issues. Cara received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Administration with a major of Marketing and a minor of International Business from Alabama State University and an MBA from Texas Southern University.

Lindsey McAdory, Jr. serves as the CEO and Chief Strategist of CBG Strategies, a community engagement & communications strategy firm based in Birmingham, AL

Messiah Williams-Cole, from Camp Hill, AL, graduated from Opelika High School and later attended Auburn University, earning a Bachelor of Science in Interdisciplinary Studies. While at Auburn, he worked with various university departments and local schools — he was also elected Mayor of his hometown where he currently serves.

Kayla C. Elliott, Ph.D. is Director of Workforce Policy at The Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies, America’s Black think tank. Her team centers Black communities in policy solutions for the future of work, workforce development, and access to good jobs.

Vena Reed is a former educator with a background in Secondary Education. She holds a bachelor’s degree from Virginia Commonwealth University in English with a minor in Psychology. She also obtained her Master of Arts in Teaching degree from Virginia Commonwealth University with a concentration in English, Language, and Literature for Secondary Education. She is currently finishing her first year as a doctoral student in Alabama State University’s Education Leadership, Policy, and Law program.

Makayla Davis is from Phenix City, AL and have been a 9th grade ELA teacher for 3 years. I am very passionate about mental health and will be graduating soon with my Masters in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. I also am a proud graduate of Alabama A&M University.

Winton Steward is a seasoned government affairs professional with over a decade of experience. He holds a bachelor's degree from Alabama State University and a graduate degree from the University of Chicago.

Jazz Thomas is a recent graduate of the University of Alabama, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in Communication Studies with a minor in Sociology. Born and raised in Lafayette, Alabama, she is a proud product of UNITE Inc. During her time at the University, Jazz was actively involved in several organizations, including Legacy Scholars, Avanti, and the Health Science and Technology Camp—programs designed to support students from rural areas.

Nicole Brooks is the Health Sciences Advisor/Recruiter specialist at Southern Union State Community College. Primarily focusing on advising and career development services, Brooks prioritizes increasing student enrollment and retention in the area of health sciences. Chiquita has over 8 years of logistical planning experience ranging from the medical field to higher education.