CURRENT NAIHE OFFICERS & MEMBERS
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President: Virginia Tickles, Ph.D.
is an Aerospace Engineer with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), Marshall Space
Flight Center (MSFC) in the Office of Strategic Analysis and Communications, Engineering Cost Office. She
received her Bachelors Degree in Mechanical Engineering from Tuskegee Institute, her Masters Degree in
Systems Engineering Management from Florida Institute of Technology and her PhD in Urban Higher
Education from Jackson State University, in Jackson, Mississippi. Her dissertation and research interests focus
on “The Career Success of African American Women with Doctorates in Science, Technology, Engineering,
and Mathematics (STEM)”. She is the founding president of the National Alliance for Improvement in Higher
Education (NAIHE), a member of Sisters of the Academy (SOTA), Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc. and many
others. She serves as a mentor for African American female STEM students through NASA’s Minorities in
Science and Engineering (MISE) Program.
Vice President: Jerry Watson, Ph.D.
Dr. Jerry Watson is the President and Chief Executive Officer of Memphis Second Chance Inc., a start-up, not-
for-profit whose mission is to assist ex-offenders in their re-integration into society. He is on the board of
directors of the KUUMBA Project in Memphis, Tennessee and has presented several workshops and seminars
on topics affecting the urban community. Dr. Watson completed the Bachelor of Arts in Social Services
Administration at Northeastern Illinois University, the Masters of Social Work degree at the University of
Illinois at Chicago, the Masters of Business Administration at Dominican University in River Forest, Illinois,
and the Doctorate of Philosophy in Urban Higher Education at Jackson State University in Jackson, Mississippi.
Dr. Watson is a contributing writer for Mississippi’s largest circulating African American newspaper, The
Jackson Advocate where he has authored over 150 weekly articles, “The Lion Speaks” focusing on issues
targeting African American Males.
Secretary: Dovie Reed, Ph.D.
Dr. Dovie Reed has over 17 years as a State Government employee with experience in conflict resolutions,
equal opportunity issues and unemployment compensation. Currently, she serves as assistant to the Deputy
Executive Director Chief Operations Officer. Her role involves, managing special projects initiatives and
process efficiency teams of the organization and recommending operational improvements. Her research
interests include workforce and economic development that addresses employer needs and improved skill
sets of workers. She holds numerous professional memberships in Phi Delta Kappa, Mississippi Counseling
Association and Mississippi International Association of Workforce Professionals. She spends her time
engaged with volunteer efforts with the United Way Capital Campaign, Habitat for Humanity, and mentoring
for Jackson Public School System.
Treasurer: Austin Emeagwai, Ph.D.
Dr. Austin Emeagwai is an Assistant Professor of Accounting and the Director of the Center for
Entrepreneurship, LeMoyne-Owen College in Memphis. His areas of specialization are small business
development, taxation and community development He is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA), and the
President of ABC Accounting CPA. Dr. Emeagwai is a member of The American Institute of Certified Public
Accountants (AICPA), Tennessee Society of Certified Public Accountants (TSCPA), National Society of
Accountants (NSA), American Accounting Association (AAA), and The American Association of University
Professors (AAUP).Dr. Emeagwai has conducted several seminars on small business development and taxation
around the country, and currently manages the Program for the Reinvestment in Microenterprise (P.R.I.M.E.),
a 2.5 million dollar grant funded by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) for training and technical
assistance targeted towards disadvantaged entrepreneurs. His research area is community development by
colleges and universities.
Board Members:
Chaplain Barbara Buie, Ph.D.
Fundraising/Development Director Dianne Everett, Ph.D./Tamia Herndon, Ph.D.
Grant Director Ebony Turner, Ph.D.
Membership Director Amerita Tell, Ph.D.
Public Relations Director Sunny Smith, Ph.D.
Founding Members
Cindy Ayers, Ph.D. (email address)
Barbara Buie, Ph.D. (email address)
Johnny Dupree, Ph.D. (email address)
Austin Emeagwai, Ph.D. (email address)
Dianne Everett, Ph.D. (email address)
Tamia Herndon, Ph.D. (email address)
Danny Hollins, Ph.D. (email address)
Kenneth Hollins, Ph.D. (email address)
Kendrick Hooker, Ph.D. (email address)
Tracey Moore, Ph.D. (email address)
Francis Offiong, Ph.D. (email address)
Fredda Payne, Ph.D. (email address)
Tina Prelow, Ph.D. (email address)
Dovie Reed, Ph.D. (email address)
Sunny Smith, Ph.D. (email address)
Amerita Tell, Ph.D. (email address)
Virginia Tickles, Ph.D. (email address)
Kaye Thompson-Rogers, Ph.D. (email address)
Ebony Turner, Ph.D. (email address)
RoseMary Watkins, Ph.D. (email address)
Jerry Watson, Ph.D. (email address)
Valarie White, Ph.D. (email address)
is an Aerospace Engineer with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), Marshall Space
Flight Center (MSFC) in the Office of Strategic Analysis and Communications, Engineering Cost Office. She
received her Bachelors Degree in Mechanical Engineering from Tuskegee Institute, her Masters Degree in
Systems Engineering Management from Florida Institute of Technology and her PhD in Urban Higher
Education from Jackson State University, in Jackson, Mississippi. Her dissertation and research interests focus
on “The Career Success of African American Women with Doctorates in Science, Technology, Engineering,
and Mathematics (STEM)”. She is the founding president of the National Alliance for Improvement in Higher
Education (NAIHE), a member of Sisters of the Academy (SOTA), Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc. and many
others. She serves as a mentor for African American female STEM students through NASA’s Minorities in
Science and Engineering (MISE) Program.
Vice President: Jerry Watson, Ph.D.
Dr. Jerry Watson is the President and Chief Executive Officer of Memphis Second Chance Inc., a start-up, not-
for-profit whose mission is to assist ex-offenders in their re-integration into society. He is on the board of
directors of the KUUMBA Project in Memphis, Tennessee and has presented several workshops and seminars
on topics affecting the urban community. Dr. Watson completed the Bachelor of Arts in Social Services
Administration at Northeastern Illinois University, the Masters of Social Work degree at the University of
Illinois at Chicago, the Masters of Business Administration at Dominican University in River Forest, Illinois,
and the Doctorate of Philosophy in Urban Higher Education at Jackson State University in Jackson, Mississippi.
Dr. Watson is a contributing writer for Mississippi’s largest circulating African American newspaper, The
Jackson Advocate where he has authored over 150 weekly articles, “The Lion Speaks” focusing on issues
targeting African American Males.
Secretary: Dovie Reed, Ph.D.
Dr. Dovie Reed has over 17 years as a State Government employee with experience in conflict resolutions,
equal opportunity issues and unemployment compensation. Currently, she serves as assistant to the Deputy
Executive Director Chief Operations Officer. Her role involves, managing special projects initiatives and
process efficiency teams of the organization and recommending operational improvements. Her research
interests include workforce and economic development that addresses employer needs and improved skill
sets of workers. She holds numerous professional memberships in Phi Delta Kappa, Mississippi Counseling
Association and Mississippi International Association of Workforce Professionals. She spends her time
engaged with volunteer efforts with the United Way Capital Campaign, Habitat for Humanity, and mentoring
for Jackson Public School System.
Treasurer: Austin Emeagwai, Ph.D.
Dr. Austin Emeagwai is an Assistant Professor of Accounting and the Director of the Center for
Entrepreneurship, LeMoyne-Owen College in Memphis. His areas of specialization are small business
development, taxation and community development He is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA), and the
President of ABC Accounting CPA. Dr. Emeagwai is a member of The American Institute of Certified Public
Accountants (AICPA), Tennessee Society of Certified Public Accountants (TSCPA), National Society of
Accountants (NSA), American Accounting Association (AAA), and The American Association of University
Professors (AAUP).Dr. Emeagwai has conducted several seminars on small business development and taxation
around the country, and currently manages the Program for the Reinvestment in Microenterprise (P.R.I.M.E.),
a 2.5 million dollar grant funded by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) for training and technical
assistance targeted towards disadvantaged entrepreneurs. His research area is community development by
colleges and universities.
Board Members:
Chaplain Barbara Buie, Ph.D.
Fundraising/Development Director Dianne Everett, Ph.D./Tamia Herndon, Ph.D.
Grant Director Ebony Turner, Ph.D.
Membership Director Amerita Tell, Ph.D.
Public Relations Director Sunny Smith, Ph.D.
Founding Members
Cindy Ayers, Ph.D. (email address)
Barbara Buie, Ph.D. (email address)
Johnny Dupree, Ph.D. (email address)
Austin Emeagwai, Ph.D. (email address)
Dianne Everett, Ph.D. (email address)
Tamia Herndon, Ph.D. (email address)
Danny Hollins, Ph.D. (email address)
Kenneth Hollins, Ph.D. (email address)
Kendrick Hooker, Ph.D. (email address)
Tracey Moore, Ph.D. (email address)
Francis Offiong, Ph.D. (email address)
Fredda Payne, Ph.D. (email address)
Tina Prelow, Ph.D. (email address)
Dovie Reed, Ph.D. (email address)
Sunny Smith, Ph.D. (email address)
Amerita Tell, Ph.D. (email address)
Virginia Tickles, Ph.D. (email address)
Kaye Thompson-Rogers, Ph.D. (email address)
Ebony Turner, Ph.D. (email address)
RoseMary Watkins, Ph.D. (email address)
Jerry Watson, Ph.D. (email address)
Valarie White, Ph.D. (email address)
