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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

WASHINGTON – President Barack Obama announced his intent to nominate the following individuals to key administration posts:

Demetria Henderson, Appointee for Member, President’s Board of Advisors on Historically Black Colleges and Universities

Demetria Henderson is currently a 2010 Corps Member for Teach for America. She is also a recent graduate of Florida Agricultural & Mechanical University (FAMU), which is part of the HBCU system. While at FAMU, Henderson has served as a HBCU Americorps member, helping to mentor incoming college freshman as well as a coach and mentor for teens in the Police Athletic League. She received her B.A. in Psychology from FAMU in May 2010.

Helen T. McAlpine, Appointee for Member, President’s Board of Advisors on Historically Black Colleges and Universities

Helen McAlpine has been the President of J. F. Drake State Technical College since 2000. Dr. McAlpine has over 38 years of experience in the field of education. Her prior positions include Assistant Superintendent of the Huntsville City School System and several positions with the Gadsden City School System. She has also taught at the secondary and post-secondary levels, including at Jacksonville State University. She received her B.A. in English from Talladega College, her M.S. from Jacksonville State University, and her Ed.D. from the University of Alabama.

Alma Johnson Powell, Appointee for Member, President’s Board of Advisors on Historically Black Colleges and Universities

Alma Powell is the Chair of America’s Promise Alliance, which seeks to enhance partnerships to ensure that students are prepared for college and work. She also chairs the advisory board for the Pew Center for Civic Change. From 1989 to 2000, she served as the chairman of the National Council of the Best Friends Foundation, an organization dedicated to improving the lives of young girls. She graduated from Fisk University and studied at Emerson College.

E. John Rice, Jr., Appointee for Member, President’s Board of Advisors on Historically Black Colleges and Universities

John Rice founded Management Leadership for Tomorrow (MLT) in 1994 and has served as its CEO since 2001. MLT is a non-profit that works to develop the next generation of African American, Hispanic, and Native American leaders in major corporations, non-profit organizations, and entrepreneurial ventures. Prior to MLT, Rice was an executive with the National Basketball Association, where he served as managing director of NBA Japan from 1998-2000 and as director of marketing for Latin America from 1996-1998. Before joining the NBA, Rice spent four years (1992-1996) with the Walt Disney Company in new business development and marketing for both the Disney Vacation Club and Disney Consumer Products Latin America. From 1988 to 1990, Rice worked as an account executive with AT&T. Rice received his MBA from Harvard Business School and his BA with honors in Latin American Studies from Yale.

Dianne Boardley Suber, Appointee for Member, President’s Board of Advisors on Historically Black Colleges and Universities

Dianne Boardley Suber is the 10th President of Saint Augustine's College. She assumed the presidency of the college in December 1999. Dr. Suber is an experienced educator and administrator with 35 years of teaching, consulting and administrative experience in preschool and higher education. She has served as a classroom teacher, elementary and middle school principal, university professor and consultant to several national educational organizations. Dr. Suber received a bachelor of science degree in early childhood education from Hampton University, a master’s of education degree in curriculum development from the University of Illinois--Urbana and a doctorate of education degree in educational administration from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University in Blacksburg, Virginia.

President Obama said, “I am proud to nominate such impressive men and women to these important roles, and I am grateful they have agreed to lend their considerable talents to this administration. I look forward to working with them in the months and years ahead.”