Many Faces Nominee List

Jasaiah Campbell is a senior at Absegami High School who plans to graduate in June. She is a member of Mount Zion Baptist Church in Pleasantville where she is actively involved in the liturgical dance team, and the youth ministry programs. Extracurricular activities at school involve dance & basketball . Jasaiah plans to be a CNA after graduation. She thanks her Mount Zion family, her Grandmother and (other family members) for their continuous support; and is honored to be recognized as a young leader by Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, inc. Theta Kappa Omega Chapter.

Ny'Asia Gardiner will be a graduate from Stockton University in Galloway, NJ this May. Her Bachelor of Arts/Science Degree is in the discipline of Criminal Justice, with a concentration in Forensic Psychology, and a double minor in Victimology Victim and Africana Studies. She is the President of the Alpha Kappa Alpha Pi Chi Chapter at Stockton, which serves to develop her skill of working with others, leading by example, and focusing on the commitment to uplift those around her. She plans to get a job in Victims Advocate upon graduating this spring, 2023.

Regina Younger is a member of Union Baptist Temple church in Atlantic City, NJ. She participates in two singing aggregations, the Mass Choir and the Voices of Hope. She is the head of the Women’s Ministry and responsible for the decorating of the sanctuary. For 24 years she has been employed by the City of Atlantic City, where she holds the position of Recreation Program Specialist at the Atlantic City Police Athletic League Inc. Other than overseeing the day-to-day operations of PAL, she is responsible for smooth functioning and/or accommodations of several programs, including male and female mentoring, boys’ basketball, boxing program, Hot Topic dance team and the Golden Circle of South Jersey. Regina is also the director of summer camp program and spearheads all special holiday events and assists with fundraising. She was also the stage manager for the Atlantic City Theater Guild and currently sings with the Stockton Oratorio Society’s bi-annual rendition of Hansel’s Messiah.
She firmly believes in the motto of the Atlantic City Police Athletic League Inc; “It’s better to build boys and girls than to mend men and women.”

Gladys Gloria Gilliard Fowlkes was born in Charleston, South Carolina, the third of seven children to John and Marie Gilliard. She attended Henry P. Archer elementary school and Burke high school. She went on to attend South Carolina State College, on a scholarship and graduated in 1954. She later married David Fowlkes with whom she shared a blessed union of over 50 years and raised three sons. She worked for the Atlantic City Public School system as an exemplary educator at New Jersey Avenue School for 27 years. During her tenure, she was honored with the Governor’s Teacher Of The Year award. Additionally, she was a school photographer, and mentor teacher who prided herself on building and maintaining lasting relationships with students, families, and community stakeholders. She is a devout member of Hamilton Memorial United Methodist church. She is a proud member of the National Sorority of Phi Delta Kappa, Incorporated., Iota Chapter since 1985. Building strong relationships through sisterhood, mentoring teachers, and advocating for the community are some of the greatest memories of her altruistic career. Gladys recognizes "CARING and Sharing" are great attributes to maintain, and she hopes she displays them with everyone she meets.

Irenonsen Eigbe is a senior Biology major at Stockton University with a minor in dance aspiring to attend medical school. She holds the position of president of Stockton Democrats as well as the Bollywood Fusion Dance Team, Vice President of Gaming Club, and Secretary of Tap Club. Irenonsen is also active in the community, having founded an organization with three friends for young activists in the area, volunteering at blood drives and as a Crisis Text Line counselor, and working as a technician in an Emergency Room. In her on and off campus roles, Irenonsen has pushed for more attention to social justice initiatives by organizing Black Lives Matter and Reproductive Rights rallies and marches through Young Activists of Atlantic County(YAAC), Stockton Democrats, and Student Senate, hosting discussions with faculty members and outside speakers, and speaking to classes and on panels encouraging civic engagement amongst students. In addition she is currently taking part in the first cohort of students for the John R. Elliot Leadership Program at Stockton which has allowed her to find a mentor to further her career goals in the medical field.

Having humble beginnings and a desire to serve others on a larger scale led her to join Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Incorporated in 2019.

The second youngest of six children, Esther Cénat was born in Paterson, New Jersey to Haitian immigrants. Early in her childhood, her family moved to South Jersey, where she found her passion for law. She attended Pleasantville Public Schools and graduated 7th of her class. After graduating high school, she earned a bachelor's degree in Criminal Justice from Rutgers University. Currently, she works at Fox Rothschild LLP in Atlantic City, New Jersey as a Corporate Paralegal.

In a short time Esther has managed to help facilitate significant change in her local chapter, Xi Tau Zeta. In 2021, she was elected to the role of Corresponding Secretary. She also serves as a member of several committees within the chapter. Some of Esther’s accomplishments in the sorority include managing the social media pages of an international campaign and a state campaign. She coordinated a donation of personal hygiene products to the Atlantic City Mission during the pandemic. It is Esther's hope that Zeta will continue to benefit from her talents as she expands its reach.

SaNiyah Marie Walker 12 year old daughter of Tania Marie Burnett and Mark Anthony Walker. SaNiyah was born April 19,2010 in Somers Point NJ. SaNiyah has been playing the piano for ten years by the help of her piano teacher, Mr Joseph Brown and a ballet dancer for six years. SaNiyah attended Principle Academy Chapter School and is now in middle school at Atlantic Community Charter School in Galloway, New Jersey. She is also a soloist at Union Baptist Temple and a member of youth department.

Johnae Bush is a 17-year-old senior at Atlantic City High School. She is a student ambassador and a senior class advisor. Johnae is also a member of the Varsity Cheerleading Team. She has been a member of the cheerleading team throughout her high school journey. She became Co-Captain of the group as a sophomore and got promoted to Captain of the team her Junior year. Outside of school, Johnae volunteers her time to local organizations. In the Fall, Johnae volunteered at the Fall Harvest Festival at City Hall, where she performed with her cheer team. She participated in a turkey drive for Thanksgiving and a coat drive to help support others. Johnae is an active member of the Boys and Girls Club of Atlantic City, where she was offered many volunteer experiences by being a member of Youth Exposure. Johnae received Honor Roll in both her Junior and Senior years. Having these leadership positions has made Johnae confident and ready for her future while preparing to become a leader in other communities. After high school, Johnae plans to attend a four-year college or university for Business Management. A quote Johnae lives by is, “Effective leaders don’t gather things just for themselves, they do it in order to give to others.” - John Maxwell

Please see that the photo is attached. This submission is from Soror Louise, during the Zoom call on the 7th. Mandy just sent the photo.

Mariah La’Ryn Witherspoon, 11, a member of St. James A.M.E., AC attends Pleasantville Middle School; A Renaissance & A.V.I.D. student.

Mariah enjoys music, art, and playing the drums. She is a point guard for The Lady Hounds, Middle School of Pleasantville ‘22-23 girls basketball team.

Mariah is a member of the Young People’s Department of the African Methodist Episcopal Church, local division.

In her leisure time, Mariah loves, reading, making TikTok’s with her brother and sister, traveling out of the country with her family, spending all day at the beach in the summer time and swimming in her G-mom’s pool.

Giada Brown is the daughter of proud parents Hassan and Tiffany Brown. She is an 8th grader at Galloway Township Middle School. Giada is a member of the Atlantic City Chapter of Jack and Jill of America Inc. where she currently serves as Chaplain and Chair of the Teen Leadership Conference Scrapbook Committee. She is also an active member of the Atlantic Branch of the NAACP Youth Council and F.U.N (Friends United Now) Club where she continues to develop leadership and communication skills while performing community service-based projects.
Giada continuously makes a positive contribution to the community by helping and advocating for herself and others. She not only puts 100 percent effort into everything that she does but she promotes a positive attitude while doing it. Giada enjoys dancing, singing and being with family.

Heather is a marketing strategist, travel connoisseur, youth mentor and double Ivy-League graduate. She received both her Bachelor of Science degree and Master’s degree in Business Administration from the top-ranked Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.

Heather is a member of St. James A.M.E. Church in Atlantic City. She served as a youth director for nine years, where she created leadership training and educational programs for over 100 youth in South Jersey. She now leads the Young Adult Missionaries, aged 18-39, across the First Episcopal District of the A.M.E. Church, covering Delaware up to Maine. In her local church, she is a Trustee, Travel Club Coordinator, member of the Media/Tech ministry, Lay Organization and Women’s Missionary Society.

Heather is also a board member for the Philadelphia Young Playwrights, a nonprofit organization dedicated to celebrating student voices through playwrighting. In her free time, she enjoys traveling and dining. She has traveled to 20 countries across 6 continents. She loves to document her travels and eating adventures on social media to help others find good places to enjoy.

One of her favorite Scriptures is “Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.” Ephesians 3:20.

Ms. Smallwood is the Manager of the Laboratory Services Division at the Federal Aviation Administration’s William J. Hughes Technical Center (WJHTC). She leads an organization of over 110 FAA employees and over 250 contractors that provide, sustain and modernize the FAA’s National Airspace System (NAS) laboratories. These laboratories are used for research, engineering, development, test, evaluation, and maintenance of air navigation, air traffic management, and future air transportation systems. In addition, she serves as the Senior Manager of the NextGen Gateways Internship Program where she oversees the recruitment of High School and College Students. She has overseen the hiring of over 150 Students within the NextGen Organization.

She is a member of Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc. – Kappa Pi Sigma Alumnae Chapter, she serves as the Anti Basileus. Other affiliates; Jack and Jill of America, Inc.; Associate, Community Service Chair; National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE) – South Jersey Chapter, Scholarship Banquet Chair; National Black Coalition of Aviation Employees (NBCFAE) Technical Center Region, and Faith Baptist Church; Vice President of the Scholarship Ministry. She has held many leadership positions such as Community Service Chair, Scholarship Chair, Treasurer, Vice President, and President.