PROGRAMS  |  NBCI and LIL

National Black Church Initiative

If you are interested in learning more about the National Black Church Initiative in your area, please contact the consultant listed next to your state. (Clicking on a consultant's name will send that person an e-mail.) Consultants with a (*) next to their name have biographical information listed below. If you do not see your state listed, and would like to learn more, please contact Rev. Penny Willis.

	Arizona Rev. AreNee Guthrie * Bio
	Arkansas Rev. Alphonso Parker
	California Bobbie Brooks Delma Louis-Rubin
	Connecticut Ms. Digna Marte Martin * Bio Nancy Kingwood
	Georgia Rev. Dawn Price
	Illinois Courtney Avery * Bio Rev. Jacqueline McCoy * Bio
	Indiana Courtney Avery * Bio
	Iowa Rev. Jacqueline McCoy * Bio
	Louisiana Rev. Deleger Dunn * Bio
	Maryland Rev. Lisa Connors Rev. Kim Bookard * Bio Rev. Penny Willis
	Massachusetts Rev. Celestine Reid
	Minnesota Kiely Todd Roska Crystal Brown
	Mississippi Irma Harden Rev. Jimmy Myers Bridgette Pitts Rev. Alphonso Parker
	Missouri Rev. Nelson Pierce
	New York Anita Parker * Bio
	North Carolina Rev. Luke Curry * Bio
	Ohio Greg Arnold * Bio
	Pennsylvania Tommy Head * Bio
	South Carolina Carol Singletary * Bio
	Tennessee Rev. Alphonso Parker
	Texas Ms. Geynille Agee
	Virginia Hildegarde Owens Richardson Rev. Cherise V. Copeland
	Wisconsin Courtney Avery * Bio Rev. AreNee Guthrie * Bio
	Washington, DC Rev. Penny Willis Rev. Kim Bookard * Bio

Consultant Bios

Greg L. Arnold, Sr.
Greg has been an active facilitator and trainer of the “Keeping It Real!” and “Breaking the Silence” dialogue models since 2005.Greg is a licensed social work professional with over thirty years of child welfare experience. He currently serves as supervisor of the Black Family Connections adoptions unit of Franklin County Children Services. Greg is a trained Africentric rites of passage consultant and has served as director of a mentoring and rites of passage program for African-American males. Contact Greg

Courtney R. Avery
Courtney Avery serves as the Regional Field Coordinator for the National Black Church Initiative. Courtney consultants and serves as technical support for churches and organizations in Illinois, Indiana, and Wisconsin. Courtney is the director of a Chicago-based rape crisis center. Courtney’s church, Trinity United Church of Christ, was the first church to create a ministry specifically designed to address youth and sexuality the “Youth Sexuality Project” using the “Keeping It Real! dialogue program as its primary educational resource. Contact Courtney

Rev. Kim Bookard
Rev. Bookard, a native Washingtonian serves as Minister Advisor to Youth at Covenant Baptist Church in Washington, D.C. Minister Bookard, a dynamic, creative and Spirit-led young woman has exercised her God-given artistic gifts as a vehicle for ministry as both a poet and playwright. She has written and performed her own works in various schools, churches, and community organizations throughout the metropolitan area. Min. Bookard promotes a message of God’s love through creative expression to an array of audiences. She currently serves as a NBCI consultant for Maryland and the DC Metro area.  Contact Kim

Rev. Luke Curry
Rev. Luke Curry, Sr. is from the great city of Gastonia, North Carolina. He is the Founder/CEO of New Spirit Ministries. He is a longtime HIV/AIDS advocate and worked for Gaston Hospice for nearly a decade serving as the Director of AIDS Care. Rev. Curry is presently the Conference Director of the HIV/AIDS Faith Initiative for the Western North Carolina Conference of the AME Zion Church. He is also on staff and leads all Spiritual Empowerment studies and Sunday School at Trinity AME Zion in Gastonia, NC. Rev. Curry currently serves as the National Black Church Initiative consultant for the state of North Carolina. Contact Luke

Rev. Deleger Dunn
Rev. Dunn is a native of New Orleans. She is a Graduate of Grace King High School and attended Southern University in New Orleans where she studied Business Administration. She is married and the mother of three sons. Rev. Dunn was ordained a Missionary by the Universal Missionary Baptist Association under the leadership of the late President Charles Hill in November of 1982. In 1982 she became the teacher of the Monday Night Prayer and Bible Study Group. She served as Church Missionary of the Community Missionary Baptist Church for over 25 years until she joined the New Mt. Bethel Baptist Church of Kenner, La. Rev. Dunn was Ordained as a Gospel Preacher by the New Creation Christian Organization on February 20, 2000.  She is presently an Association Minister of the New Mt. Bethel Baptist Church in Kenner, La. and serves as the BCI consultant for her area. Contact Deleger

Rev. Dr. AreNee Guthrie
The Rev. Dr. AreNee Guthrie is a Faith-based Specialist and the CEO of No Limits No Boundaries Global Ministries, Inc. in Phoenix, AZ.  Rev. Dr. Guthrie is a national speaker, trainer, facilitator, consultant and advocate who addresses issues such as HIV/AIDS, Domestic Violence, Sexual Abuse and Leadership Development.  She is a graduate of Grace Theological Seminary in Loris, SC where she received a Master’s Degree in Theological Education and Doctorate Degree in Education.  Dr. Guthrie currently serves as NBCI consultant for Arizona and Wisconsin. Contact AreNee

Tommy Head
Tommy currently serves as the Philadelphia NBCI consultant. Tommy is a licensed Social Worker. Tommy is the former Executive Director of the Youth Development Center in Bensalem, Pennsylvania. He also served as the Executive Director of the Philadelphia Ex-Offenders Aftercare Program where he served with Rev. Dr. Gus Roman at Canaan Baptist Church. He is also a mentor for Youth at Risk. Contact Tommy

Nancy Kingwood
Nancy is currently the HIV Prevention and Faith-based coordinator for the Greater Bridgeport Adolescent Pregnancy Program (GBAPP). She supervises a multi-disciplinary staff and also ensures all clients are receiving assessable and appropriate services. Nancy facilitates trainings for the staff as well as faith and community leaders. She has worked in the field of HIV Prevention for over 15 years. Nancy is certified in HIV prevention counseling and HIV Education by the State of CT Department of Public Health and holds certifications in many other related areas. She is recognized on the state and national level for her work in HIV prevention, specializing in developing strategies and curricula for engaging the minority faith community in HIV services. She is a disciple of Mt. Aery Baptist Church in Bridgeport, CT and serves under the leadership of Dr. Anthony L. Bennett. Contact Nancy

Digna Marte-Martin
 Minister Digna A. Marte-Martin is currently the Minister of Christian Discipleship and on the ordination track under the guidance of Pastor Tyrone Philip Jones, IV at Messiah Baptist Church in Bridgeport, CT.   As a candidate for the Masters of Divinity in 2008, she is a third year student at Union Theological Seminary in New York City. Minister Marte-Martin received her call to the ministry when she was living in New York City as a member of Abyssinian Baptist Church under Rev. Dr. Calvin O. Butts III.  Minister Marte-Martin, a native New Yorker, second generation Dominican American, currently lives with her husband, Jason D. Martin in the City of Bridgeport and serves as BCI consultant for this area. Contact Digna

Rev. Jacqueline McCoy
Rev. McCoy is an ordained pastor in Full Gospel Baptist denomination and pastor of New Jerusalem Full Gospel Church, Muscatine, IA. She is also a member of the Southeast Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church’s Anti-Racism training team. Rev. McCoy is director of Monarch Enterprises a faith based consulting firm that specializes in faith based community organizing, image consulting, diversity and leadership training. Additionally, she is director of the Financial Peace Coalition that engages congregations in financial management education and is a Clergy Peer Educator with Rock Island County Health Department to educate congregations on HIV/AIDS prevention. Rev. McCoy is the NBCI Consultant for the state of Iowa. Contact Jacque

Anita Parker, LMSW
Anita Parker is the New York state consultant for National Black Church Initiative. She also serves as liaison for the New York state Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice La Iniciativa Latina. Actively involved in the fight to end the spread of HIV/AIDS, Anita Parker is president and CEO of faith-based organization, Treat Me Right, Inc. Contact Anita

Carol Singletary
Carol is the South Carolina state consultant for the National Black Church Initiative. Carol is a graduate of Claflin University with a Bachelors degree in Social Science and a graduate certificate in Social Work from Winthrop University. Carol worked for the Department of Social Services for 29.5 years during which time she worked in foster care, child protective services and prevention programs, to include Teen Companion and Community Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention Programs. After her retirement, Carol joined the SC Campaign as the Senior Faith-Based Initiative Coordinator. Contact Carol