Paige Roberts is the owner of EPIC Enterprises, LLC, a company focused on education, public relations and fundraising initiatives. She is currently co-coordinating Pathways2Possibilities: P2P, an interactive career expo for 6,000 8th graders in South Mississippi, for America’s Promise Alliance and Jackson County Civic Action Committee. Paige and her P2P partner, Karen Sock, are also working with the CREATE Foundation in Tupelo to develop a P2P affiliate career expo for 8th graders in Northeast Mississippi.
Paige was the Executive Director of the Southeast Mississippi Chapter of the American Red Cross for six years, followed by a year as the Interim State Director of Public Affairs and Financial Development for the American Red Cross of Mississippi. During her seven years with the Red Cross, Paige also served on the national public affairs team, deploying to significant disasters across the country. Paige taught journalism at Pascagoula High School for five years where she developed the high school broadcast journalism curriculum for the Mississippi Department of Education.
Paige moved to South Mississippi in 1993 when WLOX-TV hired her out of the University of Missouri School of Journalism to be the Jackson County Bureau Reporter. She will graduate with her Master of Public Administration from the University of Southern California on May 15th this year. She lives in Gautier with her three sons, ages 13, 10, and 6.
Patrick Sullivan is President of the Mississippi Energy Institute, a private, non-profit business created to support research and energy policy to foster economic growth in Mississippi. Prior to his work at the Mississippi Energy Institute, Patrick served both as Policy Advisor and as Executive Director of Recovery and Renewal for Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour. Serving as Policy Advisor to the Governor since 2006, he had oversight of issues pertaining to energy, transportation, environment, agriculture, natural resources, and economic development. In July 2010, he was named Executive Director of the Governor’s Office of Recovery and Renewal, which is the primary entity responsible for coordinating disaster assistance, overseeing state-level response and assistance for the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, the April 2011 tornado disasters, and the 2011 Mississippi River flood.
Patrick is a graduate of Mississippi State University with a Master of Agribusiness Management and resides in Madison, MS, with wife, Elizabeth, and two sons, Garrett and Jake.
James Williams is the newly appointed Executive Director of the State Workforce Investment Board. Prior to his appointment, he was the vice president of Economic and Community Services at Itawamba Community College. This team provides workforce training and services to the College service district and includes the operation of four WIN Job Centers, three of which were implemented under his leadership. James provided the vision and leadership for the development of one of the primary aspects of this program, the Manufacturing Solutions Center located at ICC’s Belden Center. James was also chair of the management committee for the Mississippi Corridor Consortium, which he played a vital role in establishing.
During his over 30 years’ in the community college system, he has proven himself to be an innovative, visionary and resourceful leader through accomplishments such as:
- Initiating the 21st Century Skills labs at Itawamba Community College and the Mississippi Corridor Consortium
- Initiating the Counseling to Career Program for economically disadvantaged youth at Itawamba Community College
- Establishing the largest National Career Readiness Center in the state of Mississippi
- Developing the Mobile Career Exploration Laboratory for high school students in the area of advanced manufacturing
- Assisting with the establishment of the Advanced Manufacturing Technician Program with Toyota
- Assisting in the development and implementation of the Make it in America grant internship program
- Establishing the first Small Business Administration Center at Northeast Mississippi Community College
- Assisting with and providing direction to the development of the first workforce training division at Northeast Mississippi Community College.
Prior to coming to Itawamba Community College in September of 2002, James was the vice president of a regional construction and development company.
James has a BA and MBA in business from Southeastern Louisiana University. He has completed advanced academic work at the University of Mississippi.
He and his wife Wanda, a retired school teacher, have been married more than 33 years and have one daughter, Amanda.
Ramona Seabron-Williams is the Chief Executive Officer of Jobs for Mississippi Graduates, Incorporated, a high school dropout prevention/college and career readiness organization. She has held this post for over 3.5 years.
In this capacity she has been the catalyst for change which has resulted in an increase in the number of participants served across the state (presently 1800 + individuals); expanded the service area to include over 24 counties, increased the agencies assets; and facilitated a 94.5% graduation rate, a 40% post secondary enrollment rate, and a 30% job obtainment rate for the senior students in its program. Williams attributes these accomplishments to God, a dynamic team of 60 dedicated employees who labor tirelessly, myriad of partnerships with educational, industry, community, and parents.
The company’s mantra is “JMG, A Solution That Works.
Seabron-Williams has a juris doctorate from MS College School of Law, master degree in public policy/administration from Jackson State University, and an undergraduate degree from Tougaloo College. She has over 25 years in the public service field.