Jessica Leigh Lebos has been writing about interesting people and enchanting places for more than 25 years. She is an award-winning local columnist and community builder who has published two popular books, Savannah Sideways and The Camellia Thief & Other Tales. Swept off her feet by a native son sometime in the last century, she is originally from Arizona.

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Briana Paxton became a small-scale developer when she redeveloped a historic commercial building into a space for three new businesses. A single-mom to a four-year-old daughter, she resides in the Baldwin Park area of Savannah. She volunteers with Historic Savannah Foundation and was named the HSF 2022 Volunteer of the Year for her efforts to launch the nonprofit organization’s affordable housing initiatives. On the national level, she brings the preservation voice to Congress as the Chairwoman of Preservation Action, a grassroots lobbying group dedicated to historic preservation. In her free time, she enjoys playing ultimate frisbee at Forsyth Park.

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A native of Savannah, Georgia, Dr. Bonzo Reddick earned his bachelor’s degree from Morehouse College and his M.D. degree from Morehouse School of Medicine. He completed a Family Medicine residency and earned master’s degree in public health at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill before returning to Chatham County in 2014. He currently serves as a Professor of Community Medicine at Mercer University’s School of Medicine and provides medical care at a mobile Healthcare for the Homeless (HCH) clinic through the J.C. Lewis Primary Health Care Center. He is board-certified in Family Medicine and was named the Georgia Family Physician of the Year in 2021.

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Suzanne Kirk is a human resources and organizational development consultant with Employee Development Strategies, Inc., a firm she established in 2011. Helping companies align culture, vision and objectives with performance management, she is a certified senior professional in Human Resources with a specialty credential in Inclusive Workplace Cultures. Raised in Toronto, Canada, she has called Savannah home since 2001, where she and her husband are parents to three teenagers and two rescue dogs. She serves on the board of directors for Emmaus House and Chatham-Savannah Citizen Advocacy.

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Bruce Feiler is the author of seven New York Times bestsellers, including Life Is in the Transitions, The Secrets of Happy Families and Council of Dads. His three TED Talks have been viewed more than four million times, plus he teaches the Webby Award-winning TED Course “How to Master Life Transitions.” A longtime New York Times columnist, Bruce writes the popular newsletter “The Nonlinear Life,” about navigating life’s ups and downs and has contributed to The New Yorker, Parade and Gourmet. Originally from Savannah, Georgia, he currently lives in Brooklyn with his wife and their identical twin daughters.

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Elizabeth M. Adams is a respected AI influencer who has been recognized by Forbes as one of “15 AI Ethics Leaders Showing The World The Way Of The Future.” She has studied the science of business and the influences of technology on society for more than two decades while leading large-scale technology initiatives for Fortune 500 companies and government organizations. As a scholar-practitioner, she developed her expertise working with tech and non-tech leaders, creating alliances that translate theory into results. Her commitment to inclusivity and ethical tech is reflected in her work driving broader employee stakeholder engagement. Currently pursuing a doctorate in Leadership of Responsible AI, her research focuses on how leaders can engage employees, particularly those exposed to AI harm. Her goal is to encourage individuals who have traditionally been excluded from the AI landscape to become active participants in building the future of AI.

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A food justice advocate, social scientist, planner, and activist who believes in overcoming challenges without excuses, Deidre Grim’s passion for equity and equality stems from her family’s dedication to activism. As the principal and owner of Grim Consulting Group, CEO of Ivory Bay Community Development Corporation, and the former executive director of Forsyth Farmers’ Market, she strives to create opportunities for others. She earned a Ph.D. in Public Policy from the University of California-Irvine, a master’s in Public Health from Columbia Southern University and a B.A. in Urban Studies from the College of Charleston. Inspired by Vice President Kamala Harris, Deidre believes that it is her duty to ensure that everyone has access to the same opportunities.

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Lillian Grant-Baptiste is a renowned storyteller who focuses on healing, resiliency, and reconciliation stories. She recently retired from the City of Savannah and is a sought-after trainer and motivational speaker who facilitates a variety of cultural diversity, youth development, and leadership workshops. Known in Savannah for her advocacy for personal, family, and community empowerment, she has been actively involved in the social change movement for over 30 years. She is the Co-owner of a Touch of Afrika Boutique and Cultural Shop, and the founder and principal consultant of Baobab Speaks Consulting Group. She serves on the board of directors for the King Tisdell Cottage Foundation and the Martin de Porres Society. She is the immediate Past Chair of the board of directors for Healthy Savannah, the former Champion of Step-up Savannah’s Faith-based Committee, and the past Chair of Healthy Savannah’s Faith and Health Coalition. She loves spending time with her three grandsons.

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Temakha is a modern-day medicine woman offering the remedies of award-winning music, museum featured visual art, and community drum circles. Previously known as the internationally published runway model and beauty ambassador, Tierra – TEA – Benton, the artist chose to step off the runway and into the recording booth. Temakha’s singing and songwriting career began in 2019 with the release of her first single entitled, Nouri. Success swiftly followed as she received the Indie Music Channel awards for Best Female RnB Artist 2019 and Best Music Video in 2020. Temakha is based in Savannah, Georgia, and is currently adding the finishing touches to her first studio recorded album, which features futuristic compositions by her brother, innovative production by Eric Winbush, and appearances by musical powerhouses, including Mary Davis of S.O.S. Band and Jimmy Brown of Brick. She and her team are currently crowdfunding for her first tour to promote the release of her debut project, The Remedy.

Eric Winbush is a native of Savannah, Georgia, with over 40 years of experience in the music business. His journey as a musician, producer, engineer, stage, and production manager really began to bloom when he connected with another Carver Village native and globally recognized singer, Mary Davis of S.O.S. Band. She was working independently of S.O.S. Band when she brought Eric on her team to mix the songs for two albums, Stepping out in Full Bloom and Separate Ways. Eric also did the remix to Girls Night Out, which went to #1 on the music charts in the U.K. Along his journey, Eric also formed a close bond with another Carver Village-raised, gold record-selling artist by the name of Jimmie Lloyd Brown of Brick Band. Eric produced his solo album, They Call Me Dad, and the two continue to work together on new music. In the studio, Eric has worked on music projects for more than a thousand clients domestically and abroad. Nationally, he has worked with more than 70 churches and worship centers to ensure the quality of their sound systems and livestreams. As an entrepreneur, Eric started Dadds Production, Inc in 1985 and has worked on countless projects, including mastering the United We Funk Allstars Album, mixing the live performance of S.O.S. Band and Chaka Khan for the Sinbad Comedy Special that aired on HBO, and mixing the play back tracks for the Gullah scene for The Patriot film, featuring Mel Gibson.

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Founded in 2017 by Savannah native Mark Spradley, the Savannah Trombone Choir is comprised of high school students from the greater Savannah area. This ensemble provides an opportunity for younger generations to perform in a chamber music setting. They rehearse on Monday evenings at Wesley Monumental United Methodist Church and perform frequently around Savannah.

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