Tenea Harris, a dedicatedPresident, is committed to steering positive change, fostering innovation, and amplifying the voices of those in need. Her altruistic journey began in her youth, inspired by her grandmother's selfless acts of providing food and water to anyone in need. These early experiences ignited Tenea's fervor for meaningful philanthropy.

 

Currently, Tenea channels her passion into volunteer work, focusing on underserved and overlooked communities through organizations such as YWCA Champaign County and Make-A-Wish Illinois, where she serves as a volunteer wish granter. Her volunteerism exemplifies her commitment to making a tangible impact on the lives of those facing challenges.

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In her professional role as Supplier Diversity Manager, Tenea plays a pivotal role in facilitating opportunities for minority-, women-, and veteran-owned businesses to collaborate with the University of Illinois. By actively working to include historically marginalized groups, Tenea is dedicated to building bridges of opportunity and addressing longstanding disparities.

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A proud Illinois native, Tenea serves as a passionate community advocate for Champaign and its surrounding counties. Through her leadership on nonprofit boards, she actively contributes to making a positive difference in the community. Tenea's call to action invites others to join her on the fulfilling journey of impact and transformation, emphasizing the collective power of community involvement.

Jemiyah Beard, a proud resident of Champaign, IL, serves with distinction as the Treasurer on the  Board of Directors for the YWCA. Beyond her financial expertise, Jemiyah is a dynamic individual  with diverse interests. As a voracious reader, she constantly explores new literary landscapes,  fostering a deep appreciation for knowledge and diverse perspectives. 

 

Outside the boardroom, Jemiyah is not only a culinary enthusiast who loves experimenting in the  kitchen but also a dedicated volunteer within the community. Her commitment to service extends  beyond her board role, as she actively contributes to various local initiatives. Jemiyah is also a  passionate small business owner, embodying the entrepreneurial spirit that drives innovation and  community growth. 

 

Amidst her busy schedule, Jemiyah places paramount importance on spending quality time with  family and friends. Her ability to balance professional, entrepreneurial, and personal pursuits reflects  her resilience and commitment to holistic community well-being. 

 

Jemiyah Beard stands as a valuable asset to the YWCA Board, bringing financial acumen, a spirit of  service, and a multifaceted approach to community leadership.

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Dora N. Watkins, a Detroit native, has over a decade of experience in community

grounded practice, civic engagement, and utilizing socially engaged art for healing

justice (e.g., Black and embodied storytelling, spoken word, creative movement, street

theatre, and other performance and expressive arts). Founder of The Healing Project, a

grassroots initiative promoting the use of socially engaged-art in community

engagement, research and practice and serving the Champaign-Urbana areas as part

of Krannert Center for the Performing Arts civic engagement team, Dora’s commitment

to justice, joy, liberation and healing among groups traditionally relegated to the margins

is undeniable.

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Dora identifies as a scholar/artist/activist having earned both her Bachelor and Master’s

degree of Social Work (with a clinical focus on mental health) from Wayne State

University in Detroit, MI. Dora is currently a PhD candidate in the School of Social Work

at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, expecting the conferral of her doctoral

degree in May 2025. Her research interests includes Black womanhood, health and

mental health disparities among racialized groups, creative resistance, liberation

psychology, multimodality, and Black and standpoint feminist theories.

Her current research interrogates dominant discourses of resilience among Black and other

racialized women with trauma histories, and focuses on culturally affirming pathways

toward liberation, justice, joy, and healing.

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Dora brings a breadth of experience and has solid tenure as a community leader

spanning over 15 years and across geopolitical spaces (including in Colorado Springs,

Co. and Dungducheon-si, South Korea while on active duty). Likewise, Dora has served

on a plethora of highly impactful community-wide initiatives including the most dear to

her heart, the African American 490 Challenge in Detroit. Dora is also a retired veteran

having served on active duty in the United States Army.

While Dora wears many hats, her most cherished role is that of mother and wife. Dora is

outdoorsy and loves hiking, road tripping, traveling, and books.

Aneta (pronounced like Anita) Thomas Lee is an altruistic, forward-thinking leader and a staunch advocate for community empowerment. Aneta serves as an activist for the cause of digital equity and inclusion in every setting she finds herself in.

Her journey in digital equity began in 2015 when she was selected to the inaugural Digital Inclusion Fellowship sponsored by Google Fiber and managed by the Nonprofit Technology Network (NTEN). Since that initial service, she has grown into a digital equity champion working for and partnering with a variety of organizations and industries – to include Google, EveryoneOn with the Microsoft Airband Initiative, Inspiredu of Atlanta, and the Rainbow PUSH Coalition, to name a few. In 2023, Aneta completed service as an Executive Fellow with FUSE Corps in the City of Birmingham’s Mayor’s Office focused on bringing a citywide digital equity strategy. In the summer of 2023, Aneta moved to Champaign to serve as the Visiting Assistant Director of Digital Equity, Inclusion and Navigation with the Illinois Broadband Lab – a division of the University of Illinois System – where she oversees Illinois’ first statewide digital navigator corps.

Aneta is a native of Metro Atlanta, Georgia. She spent her childhood in New Orleans, Louisiana where her family heritage lies. She is a graduate of Clayton State University in Morrow, GA with Bachelor of Science degrees in Psychology and Human Services.

Aneta says that travel feeds her soul, and she feels blessed to be able to experience so many great states, cities and countries around the world (with many more to come). Aneta’s greatest achievement is serving as a Jedi Master to her two padawans. Young Jedi Knight - Isaiah is currently serving our country in the US Army and her 13-year-old Jedi padawan – Joya – is a middle schooler and a budding visual artist.

Sherrie Carter, born in Vicksburg, Mississippi and raised in Champaign, Illinois, has started to create quite the rapport for herself. Sherrie’s experience ranges from being a Preschool teacher, nanny, as well as a Local Early Childhood Specialist at the local Crisis Nursery. Sherrie is currently case managing “The CU Change Program “at the local Don Moyer Boys and Girls Club, where she is continuously collaborating with other community officials to aid youth within the community to grow and excel. Growing up the youngest of five girls, Sherrie’s father always explained to her that she could do anything a man could do, probably even better. Sherrie’s father molded her to be a strong woman of color who believed she could do it, so she did! In current times, the words from Sherrie’s dedicated father resonate with Sherrie to be the woman that she is today. Being on the Board of the YWCA comes natural to Sherrie due to, not only the individuals who support her, but what the YWCA Mission stands for. As Sherrie continues to grow with knowledge, creating positive change, empowerment and justice for the community, the power of motive is in place to help others adhere to the mission as well. Outside of the boardroom, Sherrie loves to be with her family and craft on a daily basis. There is no creation that Sherrie cannot accomplish. Sherrie also thrives to be not only a voice for our local youth,

but for single mothers as well. Sherrie feels that everyone has a voice and should be heard no matter what their circumstances may be. Sherrie’s commitment goes above and beyond her role as an active Board Member, but as a role model as well. Sherrie’s dedication to contributing to the betterment of the community along with showing her son that giving up is not an option and determination is key to celebration as she continues to grow is an essential part of her life, driving the work she does today.