Renise Holliday
Board Vice Chair/Supplier Diversity Coordinator
Memphis Light Gas & Water
hollidayrenise@bellsouth.net

Renise Holliday is the Supplier Diversity Coordinator for Memphis Light Gas and Water in Memphis, TN. She received a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration from the University of Memphis, and a MBA from Webster University. Ms. Holliday is a member of Cumming Street Missionary Baptist Church, where she is the Children’s Ministry Leader. She is also associated with numerous local community activities including Boy Scouts of America, the American Heart Association, the American Cancer Association, amongst others. Ms. Holiday is an active member of the American Association of Blacks in Energy.

Jamal Threlkeld
Board Treasurer
Northwestern Mutual
jamal.threlkeld@nm.com

Jamal Threlkeld is a financial advisor and field director with Northwestern Mutual in Murfreesboro, Tennessee.  He began his career i financial planning with Northwestern Mutual in spring 2013 as one of the top interns in the country’s top financial internships.   Over the years, Jamal has won many awards and has maintained top quartile status of his class within the company.  He has been asked to speak at many engagements on financial planning both locally and across the country.  In 2016, Jamal and his family decided to relocate his Memphis based practice to Murfreesboro.  In May 2017, Jamal was appointed to Field Director of the Blivens Financial Group of Northwestern Mutual.

Jamal holds a Bachelors in Business Administration with Finance Concentration from Christian Brothers University in Memphis, Tennessee.  During his collegiate years, Jamal was heavily involved on and off campus, which lead to his initiation and Polemarch years of the Omicron Epsilon chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Incorporated.  Jamal also served as Vice Chair for the New Memphis Institute’s Founding Embark Alumni Board before his Memphis departure.

Jamal and his lovely wife, Essence, were married on November 1, 2015 and have two wonderful daughters, Chloe and Olivia.

Shelia Johnson is a Senior Procurement Specialist who partners with MLGW’s stakeholders to ensure overhead electrical, underground electrical and gas commodities are procured in a timely manner for maintaining electric, gas and water service for the residents of Shelby County.  After working over 13 years in procurement, Shelia knows the complexity of material management, procurement compliance, building relationships with external and internal customers and fostering a team environment.  Shelia is a resourceful asset to the department which is demonstrated by her knowledge sharing and willingness to provide guidance and insight on any issue.  Her experience and knowledge has led to solely procuring and managing material for Cordova annexations, Southwind annexations, Uptown Redevelopment and the Downtown Network SmartGrid projects. 

Shelia has worked as an alternate subject matter expert for the Procurement department on the Inspire Project implementing the Enterprise Management System by writing test scripts, data configuration, validation of conversion files and development of training material.  In addition to her extensive knowledge as a senior procurement specialist, Shelia is a self-published author and adjunct instructor at Southwest Tennessee Community College.

Shelia holds a Master of Business Administration from Webster University and Bachelor of Marketing from the University of Memphis.  In addition, she completed the Executive Management Institute at Christian Brothers University and the Supervisory Executive Development Program at MLGW.  Shelia is a member of the Project Management Institute (PMI) and the National Institute of Government Purchasing (NIGP).

Kimberly Strong
Memphis Fire Services Department
kim1strong@yahoo.com

Reverend Kimberly M. Strong as a bi-vocational servant leader serves the citizens of Memphis as a Public Fire & Life Safety Educator with the Memphis Fire Services Department; And as Director of Ministries at Riverside M.B. Church under Reverend Reginald S. Boyce, Senior Pastor. As a native Memphian, she is a 1983 graduate of Hamilton High School. And in 1994 accomplished a childhood dream of becoming a Police Officer by graduating from Tennessee Law Enforcement Training Academy in Donelson, TN., with the Peace Officer Standards Training Certification.

In 2004, she embarked upon fulfilling personal educational goals and entered Christian Brothers University [CBU] and in 07’ received the B.A. Applied Psychology, Concentration in Criminal Justice and an M.A. in Executive Leadership in 09’. In 2010 she entered the doors of Memphis Theological Seminary [MTS] and in 2015 as a Reverend Dr. Henry Logan Starks Scholar, received the MDiv | Master of Divinity. Currently re-enrolled at MTS pursuing a DMin | Doctorate of Ministry in Leadership. 2005 was a pivotal milestone year as Reverend Strong was ordained in the Baptist denomination. Reverend Strong enjoys a life dedicated to God and coaching humanity through Christian beliefs without reservation or discrimination of religious affiliation, ethnicity, gender, age, or socioeconomic status. She’s an advocate for human rights, social justice, equality and environmental responsibility.