Meet Our Team

Janice is the Founder and thought leader for Vivian’s Door. She establishes the organization’s strategic direction and organizational vision and is the “face” of Vivian’s Door.

As Executive Director, Janice builds and maintains relationships with public and private sector business and community leaders. She oversees all development responsibilities for Vivian’s Door, including fundraising, donor relationships, sponsorships, and volunteer contributions. Janice also manages Vivian’s Door staff, projects, budgets, and operations. Janice holds a BS/BA in Management from Chapman University in Orange, California.

She is a serial entrepreneur with over 20 years of corporate leadership experience and President of BRC Design and Print.

“If opportunity doesn’t knock, build a door.”
— Milton Berle

JaVaughnae is responsible for marketing, communications, publications and website, media relations, social media, and overall creative content. She creates marketing communications collateral materials. She handles social media, writes blog content, and manages the artists, writers, and creative design team. JaVaughnae holds a B.A. in Radio, Television, and Film with an emphasis in Broadcast Journalism with a minor in Sports Administration, Marketing, and Spanish from the University of Southern Mississippi. She is pursuing an M.S. in Entrepreneurship from Oklahoma State University. She is the Founder of 88 Melanin Ave and is a gym enthusiast. She is a professional blogger and an entrepreneur with over ten years of corporate marketing experience.

“I wouldn’t be here without all the black women around me, put us together and we can do anything.”
— Misty Copeland

David facilitates the StreetWise MBA training curriculum for Vivian’s Door. He manages the day-to-day aspects of the StreetWise MBA program, works with the local program management team to select guest experts, and ensures participants are ready for their growth plan presentations. David holds a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from North Carolina Agricultural and Technical University and a Master’s in Business Administration, Marketing from the University of Minnesota and is currently pursuing a Master of Arts in Human Resources Management from Concordia University, St. Paul, MN. David Edgerton Jr. is an experienced business professional, a passionate adjunct instructor, and a diversity advocate. He has over 21 years of corporate experience and over 11 years of experience as an adjunct instructor in business education. David is the managing principal of The DEJ Group LLC, a management consulting firm created to help increase the economic inclusion of people from underrepresented communities through entrepreneurship. The firm lives by the ideal that all people should have the opportunity to create their own wealth and legacy regardless of their background. David helps organizations and their founders by providing tools, educational programs, planning services and coaching.

Kay Hensen, a retired Army officer, is an accomplished and highly recognized government contracting professional. She is skilled in all areas of acquisition, business management, and strategy development, consistently recognized as a top performer with a dynamic and strategic ability to capture alternative management strategies and analyze barriers to effectiveness. She brings a solid work ethic as well as strong analytical and problem-solving skills to her daily responsibilities.

Uzo Nwiyi is an experienced content writing strategist and copywriter. Driven by his desire to be impactful, he takes pride in finding ways to express ideas with clarity. As a content writing strategist at Vivian’s Door, he works with other team members to deliver engaging, educative, and entertaining content. In addition to his primary job functions, he is highly committed to Vivian’s Door’s vision and mission.

He feels a strong pull to the critical work Vivian’s Door is called to do – to carry the baton, the torch to lift small African American business owners out of the darkness of lack and want to a place of plenty. And he is so happy to have a small role to play in this. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree and a Master’s degree.

“Beautiful words fill my mind, as I compose…for the king…like the pen of a ready writer”
— The Psalmist

Willie L. Malone II serves as a Strategy Analyst at Vivian’s Door and is the go-to guy for all things technical. He’s a talented Web Content Strategist and Engagement Strategists. Willie holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Supply Chain Management from Tuskegee University in Tuskegee, AL. As a 2016 Innovation Portal Incubator graduate, he makes innovative contributions to different communications workflows.

He is a master Transportation Management Specialist, in addition to being an
exceptional SAP CRM Software expert. His impressive background as a logistics specialist allows him to combine ideas and concepts while delivering exceptional value.

Ma. Fatima Villafranca is a multidisciplinary senior designer specializing in all phases of marketing promotions, including logo design, visual/brand identity, illustrations, and motion graphics. Her expertise extends to web and mobile app design, video game illustration, digital photo manipulation, and other digital design techniques. Ma. Fatima is an agile and flexible designer able to work with both traditional and digital mediums. She graduated from the University of Santo Tomas with a Bachelor of Fine Arts, and she has a Bachelors of Law (LLB) degree from Philippine Christian University.

Mr. Fletcher was born in Monroe, Louisiana, and lived in the Mobile Bay Region for 45 years. He knows a lot about how small businesses interact with supplier diversity departments’ supply chains from his background in industrial sales. He called on supplier diversity departments of companies such as Intel, International Paper Company, Scott Paper Company, Olin Chemicals, Martin Marietta, and most utility companies nationwide selling industrial safety products. Mr. Fletcher is the CEO of keepmore.net, a nationwide online cloud-based software and accounting company. The
platform is currently under redevelopment and is designed for small businesses to track their expenses, generate profit and loss statements, and keep a real-time history of customer communications and interactions.

Willie plays an essential role in the Vivian’s Door overall community engagement strategy. He is at each of our events, working closely with our marketing department to present a consistent message. Willie Gaston, Jr. was born and raised in Mobile, AL. He graduated from Samuel Silas Murphy High School in Mobile, where he received a football scholarship, attending the University of Alabama where he received a BS Degree in Physical Education.

While completing his studies at UA, Willie played defensive back for three years in a row. In his senior year, he led the team in tackles and became an All-SEC Defensive Back. His team capped off Alabama’s eighth season by winning the 1992 National Football Championship, defeating the Miami Hurricanes 34-13 in the 1993 Sugar Bowl.

Willie touts his greatest lesson as a player was developing many friendships with his team members. “I was an only child, and my teammates became my surrogate brothers. These friendships, working together, are memories I will cherish for a lifetime.” After graduation from UA, Willie played professional football in the NFL, with the Houston Oilers; and in various professional leagues before going into coaching and officiating.

Willie has coached numerous teams since he graduated from U of A, and he loves working with youth and teaching them about how to set goals and the importance of working hard to achieve success. As a young black male and a minority in the US, Willie works with Vivian’s Door as a means to deliver “…a better opportunity for me and for those who will follow me.”

“Can we do this.”

Ariel Bettis is a classically trained dancer and performer. She is a community-driven, non-profit coordinator dedicated to assisting underserved youth and senior citizens through community activities, scholarships, and educational programs. Ariel provides creative dance performances to promote her brand at events entertaining and engaging
the community. She has a B.A., Mass Communications from Grambling State
University, Louisiana. She is a classically trained dancer and performer, and she’s been dancing all her life. Her credits range from state plays to performance companies, musical productions, commercials, directing, editing, choreography, television, and more. She was an original member of the Alvin Alley Repertory Ensemble and the Orchesis Dance Company for Grambling State University.

After graduating, Ariel opened Studio37, a dance studio in Mobile, AL. The mission of Studio37 was to capture the hearts of kids, teens, and adults through performing arts. S37 encouraged students to communicate the art of performance through mind, body, and soul. As a business owner, she accessed invaluable experiences and knowledge, and she strives to expose youth to the same opportunities.

Ashley graduated from McGill Toolen High School in Mobile, AL, and received a Bachelor of Science from the University of South Alabama. She is an intelligent, savvy business owner. Ashley is the Founder of Retail Room La, an online women’s clothing boutique in Mobile, AL, specializing in quality fashion items at an affordable price. Customer service is ingrained in the Retail Room La business model, always striving to give customers an excellent shopping experience, bringing quality and affordable fashion to women of all sizes.

Danielle Spriggs was born and raised in Mobile, AL, and she graduated from Murphy High School in Mobile, AL. She studied dance at the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa, AL. She is a faithful servant leader, loves teaching dance to youth, and is the proud mom of her beautiful daughter Mallory. Danielle is fun-loving and very community focused.

Gia is a go-getter, intelligent, energetic, and dedicated to helping her community. She has a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations, from Auburn University. Gia has been with Evident Health for over nine years and is currently a Client Success Manager. She loves utilizing her love of consulting, efficiency and mentoring in all that she does.

Jasmine Pruitt is a Mobile, AL native and graduate of Davidson High School, Mobile, AL. She went on to study at Alabama Agricultural and Mechanical University and is currently the owner of the J. Firm. Her virtual assistant company helps business owners, bloggers, and influencers get to the next level, completing the things they don’t have time to do. Her focus is social media management, project management, email management, research, content creation, graphics, and other administrative needs.

Keneisha Lewis is a Mobile AL native, the CEO/Owner of K.Lewis Photo & Design, LLC, and is currently works in the Mobile County School System. She received her achelors of Fine Art from the University of South Alabama. Her business, K. Lewis Photo & Design, LLC., specializes in photography, graphic design, and social media marketing. She is very passionate about what she does. She’s also a lover of all thing’s art and music. In her free time, she loves to travel.

Laura Hollins, M.Ed., graduated from Murphy High School in Mobile, AL, and received a Bachelor of Science in biology from Xavier University, New Orleans, LA, and a Master of Education degree from the University of Mobile, Mobile, AL. She enjoys educating youth and believes that Education is the most powerful weapon. Laura is a science educator at Blount High School, Mobile, AL, and sponsors the Life After Blount club, which aims to help students become college ready. She is extremely passionate about working with youth and providing opportunities for youth in our community.

She is so good at what she does that in 2019 she was awarded the “Teacher of the Year.” Ms. Hollins believes that we should be an example; as someone who knows firsthand the power of positive role models and wants to see her students grow and do well, she is made it her life’s goal to instill a sense of pride in her students and be an example for them to follow. She plays a vital part in promoting the Vivian’s Door brand, helping out at events, and engaging the community.

“A bloom is where you are planted.”

The Artist Shelby ‘Buck’ Jones is a native of Mobile, AL. He started drawing at a very early age and has fallen in love with art ever since. Even today, at 80 years old, he continues to share his love of art through his painting with the world. He attended Central High School in Mobile, AL, where he was instrumental in creating the first art program for the school.

Mobile Native artist Shelby Jones’s classic realism style is shown in his portrayal of historical landscape paintings that he enjoys painting. He specializes in oil painting but also loves pencil drawings. He loves to do portraits and natural landscapes. His background in photography has helped him have an eye for details which translates through his work. He carries his camera every with him.

It’s never a dull moment when Shelby Jones is around; he enjoys life to the fullest and loves to share laughter with the world. Currently employed by the Mobile County School System, he owns an art gallery and resides in Mobile, AL, where he enjoys spending time with his children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.

Stephon McCord is a Mobile, AL native and a graduate of McGill Toolen High School. He went on to study at Grambling State University and from there joined the football development league. Stephon is married to Amerisha, and they have two beautiful children. He is a lifelong athlete who loves working with youth. He is an educator and coach at Covenant Academy. He focuses on helping youth achieve success and is a community activist focused on supporting the community.