Inaugural Executive Fellows . . . CONTINUED
Mechelle Taylor Moragne , M . D ., Ph . D .
CEO / Physician / Owner Taylor Medical Center , PLLC
Gamma Alpha Omega , South Eastern Region
Mechelle Moragne , MD , Ph . D ., FAAFP proudly combines her service in Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority , Inc .® with her passion for medicine . She is the current Recording Secretary and former Chairman of Women ’ s Health Committee of Gamma Alpha Omega Chapter in Jackson , TN . She was initiated into the Alpha Delta Omega Chapter in Nashville , TN in 1997 before graduating from Meharry Medical College . Achieving distinction , Mechelle was recognized as Top Family Physician in 2019 and 2021 by the National Top Doctors Awards Program . She received two Silver Stevie Awards in the 2020 International Women in Business Awards Program for Female Entrepreneur of the Year and Frontline Hero and the American Business Awards for Minority-Owned Business of the Year and Frontline Hero for Community COVID Response in 2021 . Mechelle is the devoted mother of her sons , Reuben and Dallas Moragne , who are students at the University of Memphis .
Berna Rhodes-Ford , J . D .
General Counsel Nevada State College Theta Theta Omega , Far Western Region
Berna Rhodes-Ford is an attorney serving as General Counsel of Nevada State College . In this position , she provides legal advice and representation to one of the fastest growing baccalaureate colleges in the nation . She is the first African-American General Counsel of a college or university in the State of Nevada . Ms . Rhodes-Ford served as law clerk to Honorable Johnnie B . Rawlinson of the U . S . Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit . She also served as Legislative Assistant to Honorable Eddie Bernice Johnson , United States House of Representatives . Ms . Rhodes-Ford has received several professional honors , including Attorney of the Year ( Las Vegas National Bar Association ), Super Lawyer ( Mountain States Lawyer ), Entrepreneur of the Year ( National Association of Women Business Owners ), Southern Nevada Top Attorneys ( Nevada Business Magazine ) and Business Leaders Under 40 ( Nevada Business Magazine ). Berna is a proud Silver Star and a Life Member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority , Inc .®
and computer science from Tougaloo College . Ranada was initiated in Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority , Inc .® in the Gamma Omicron Chapter at Tougaloo College in 1999 . She is the Immediate Past President of Tau Epsilon Omega Chapter , which serves East Point and College Park , Georgia , as well as its nonprofit arm , The Twenty Pearls Foundation , Inc . She served as a Service Projects Liaison for the 2016 Boule , managing 23 community projects throughout Metro Atlanta , including AKA ’ s first and only KaBOOM ! playground build in College Park . She currently serves as a South Atlantic Regional Investigator .
Amirah S . Salaam , J . D .
Government Relations Advisor ( Federal Lobbyist ) King & Spalding , LLP
Zeta Chi Omega , Mid-Atlantic Region
With close to two decades of experience in congressional and political affairs , Amirah S . Salaam , Esq . is a multi-faceted senior government relations professional with a demonstrated track record of working effectively with Republican and Democratic members of Congress , senior officials in the White House and with corporate leaders . She has worked for the Congressional Black Caucus , the U . S . Department of State , national associations and in higher education . From policymaking to advocacy training and community engagement , Amirah is uniquely positioned to help individuals and organizations create winning solutions to influence policy outcomes . Amirah earned a law degree from The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law and a Bachelor of Arts from George Mason University . In 2018 , she graduated from the prestigious Yale University Women ’ s Campaign School . She is a former AKA Leadership Fellow , member of the International Constitution Committee and Special Assistant to the 18th Mid-Atlantic Regional Director Soror Joyce Henderson . Amirah is currently a member of the Zeta Chi Omega Chapter , the AKA National Liaison to Capitol Hill in Washington , D . C . and Mid-Atlantic Region ’ s Representative to the International Connection Committee for Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority , Inc .®
Gigi Secuban , Ed . D .
Vice President for Diversity and Inclusion Ohio University General Member , Great Lakes Region
Ranada D . Robinson , M . S .
Senior Project Manager Market Street Services Tau Epsilon Omega , South Atlantic Region
Ranada Robinson is Research Director for New Georgia Project where she is responsible for conducting and managing research that informs the organization ’ s voter engagement and mobilization work . Ranada holds a Master of Science in Urban Policy Studies and a Master of Science in Risk Management and Insurance from Georgia State University . Ranada also earned Bachelor ’ s Degrees in mathematics
Dr . Gigi Secuban joined Ohio University in 2018 as the inaugural Vice President for Diversity and Inclusion . Under her leadership , the University formalized the Division of Diversity and Inclusion , which includes the Lesbian , Gay , Bisexual , Transgender ( LGBT ) Center , Multicultural Center , Office of Multicultural Student Access and Retention ( OMSAR ), and the Women ’ s Center . For the past three consecutive years , OHIO has been recognized as a Higher Education Excellence in Diversity award winner by Insight to Diversity Magazine . Dr . Secuban ’ s background includes extensive diversity and inclusion work serving as the Associate Vice-Chancellor for Student Affairs at the University of Illinois , and Director , Multicultural Center at the University of Arkansas . Dr . Secuban was initiated into the Kappa Iota Chapter at the University of Arkansas and is a Silver Star . She is also a proud charter member of Phi Alpha Omega Chapter .
26 I vyL eaf ® Fall 2021 Centennial edition