Dr. Rikesha L. Fry Brown
Co-founder and Executive Director
Dr. Rikesha L. Fry Brown is a psychologist, educator, administrator, speaker, facilitator, trainer, and author. She is co-founder and Executive Director of the African American Honors Collective, and consults with businesses on engaging Scholars of Color, particularly from Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). An established higher education professional, Dr. Rikesha is an adjunct professor at Clark Atlanta University, and previously served as the director of the Freddye T. Davy Honors College at Hampton University. As a practitioner, Dr. Fry Brown was the co-founder and clinician of the Kindred Family Wellness Group, a counseling, consulting, and coaching practice in the Atlanta area, where she specialized in working with children, youth, young adults, and women to include experience working with families, couples, and parents. Dr. Rikesha Fry Brown’s primary research focuses on the psychological and social implications of mediated images for African American women. She has also written and presented on the historical impact of racism on the perception of HBCU education, the path of Honors Education for scholars of color, and the importance and impact of self-care.
Dr. Monica Greene
Co-founder
Dr. Monica Lyles Greene is currently the Assistant Vice President of Honors and College Experiences at Claflin University in Orangeburg, South Carolina. Dr. Greene has worked in higher education for 28 years in many capacities. Dr. Greene, a first-generation college student has completed research that focused on “The Effects of Leadership Development on First Generation College Students.” Dr. Greene has co-authored The Effectiveness of Supplemental Instruction and Technology in Increasing Student Performance in Mathematics in the Journal of Women and Minorities in Science and Engineering. Dr. Greene is a graduate of Claflin University, where she earned a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry. She earned a Master of Education from South Carolina State University in 1999, and she completed her Doctor of Education in Organizational Leadership in 2012. Dr. Greene currently leads First and Second Year Experience and the Alice Carson Tisdale Honors College. She also serves on the Academic Affairs Council, Enrollment Management Committee, Principal Investigator for the Strada Education, and Coordinator for Leadership Alliance.
Dr. Michelle S. Hite
Co-founder
Michelle S. Hite, Ph.D. is an Associate Professor of English at Spelman College, where she directs the Ethel Waddell Githii Honors Program, co-directs prestigious international fellowships, and serves as the Campus Coordinator for the UNCF Mellon Mays Program. In addition to her role as the Vice President of the Toni Morrison Society, Dr. Hite also serves as the Phi Beta Kappa President of the Epsilon Chapter of Georgia at Spelman College. Dr. Hite’s research often draws on figures in popular culture to meditate on humanist, civic, and spiritual concerns. This work began with her dissertation at Emory University, where she completed her doctorate. Dr. Hite’s most recent publications use Beyonce and rapper Andre Benjamin to explore death and mourning in African American culture. NPR’s Bottom of the Map podcast features Hite’s interview on Benjamin and the Atlanta Child Murders as a special extended play titled “Survive and Advance.” She can also be heard on NPR’s a Closer Look with Rose Scott reflecting on the life and legacy of Toni Morrison, the subject of Dr. Hite’s monograph currently under contract with McFarland Press. Dr. Hite’s interview for Art Papers in collaboration with the Spelman College Museum of Fine Art with artist Amy Sherald further highlights her interest in race, citizenship, and art. Seeking opportunities to showcase the relevance of the humanities for public life, Dr. Hite began facilitating conversations between and among participants “from the shop floor to the c-suite” through Reflection Point
Dr. Karen Keaton Jackson
Co-founder
Born in Detroit, Michigan, Dr. Karen Keaton Jackson began her academic career at Hampton University in Virginia, earning a Bachelor of Science in English Secondary Education with Summa Cum Laude distinction. She went on to receive her Master and Ph.D. in English/ Composition Studies from Wayne State University. While pursuing her Ph.D., she was awarded a pre-doctoral fellowship at LeMoyne College in Syracuse, New York where she taught courses on multicultural literacy. In May 2015, she received a University of North Carolina Board of Governors Award for Teaching Excellence. Her current research interests include the relevance of the HBCU context when considering issues surrounding literacy, race, and identity for African-American students. She has served on the executive boards of the Southeastern Writing Center Association and the Council of Writing Program Administrators. Presently, she serves on the executive board of the Southern Regional Honors Council and as a trustee on the National Council of Teachers of English Foundation Board. She is a Professor of English and Director of the University Honors Program at North Carolina Central University. Her recent publications include Measuring Everyday Life: Talking About Research and Why It Matters (2022) and “Paying It Forward by Looking Back,” a chapter from Learning From the Lived Experiences of Graduate Student Writers (2020).
Prof. Chelsee B.H. Young
Co-founder
Chelsee B.H. Young is the Assistant Director of the Prairie View A&M University Honors Program. She is a higher education professional who is mindfully committed to students, their growth, self-advocacy, and to data-driven academic and career decisions. For eight years, she has worked with the PVAMU Honors Program formulating strategies and curriculum for its students. Over the years, she has continued focusing on educating high-achieving students, academic leadership, diversity related studies and strategic management on campus. In addition to her work in Honors, Mrs. Young has consistently contributed to the PVAMU campus and surrounding community. A few efforts include organizing the first licensed TEDxPVAMU event and launching a female leadership organization – The PVAMU Purple Jackets. In 2021 she was awarded the PVAMU Presidential Award for Outstanding Achievement as a Staff Member. Mrs. Young earned a Bachelor of Science and a Master of Science from Prairie View A&M University.
