Executive Board Profile
President - Angela D. Brooks
Angela D. Brooks has been very active in the Urban League movement for several years. She is one of the Founder’s of the Seattle Urban League Young Professional chapter, where she served as Membership Chair, Vice President, Civic Engagement Co-Chair, and Leadership Summit Co-Chair. Upon her relocation to Chicago, she immediately joined the Metropolitan Board as an active member. Co-Chairing two Candidate Forums, 2007 fundraiser - Revival: from State Street to Bourbon Street, and served as the 20007-2008 Membership Chair.
In the professional arena Angela is a Real Estate and Land Use Planner with a consulting firm in Chicago. Her area of expertise is Housing and Community/Economic Development. She is an active member in the American Planning Association (APA) and American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP). Angela is an advocate of African Americans getting more involved in the land use process and to that end has served on the City of Seattle Planning Commission and Boundary Review Board for Martin Luther King, Jr. County in Washington. Last year, Angela was selected to be a part of an AICP Planning Assistance Team to provide professional services to a town on the Gulf Coast of Mississippi rebuilding after Hurricane Katrina. She has served in leadership positions both nationally and locally in various divisions of the APA.
Angela obtained her Bachelor of Arts in Urban Studies from Jackson State University and her Master’s of Urban and Regional Planning from the University of New Orleans. As well as serving as Vice-President for the Metroboard Angela is an active member of Chi Omega Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. and Co-Chair of Journey to Independent Living for the Junior League of Chicago.
Vice President - Rhonda Siggers
Rhonda Siggers is a native of San Diego, California. She has
been a part of the Urban League movement since 2002, where she first became
active with the San Diego Chapter. She worked with the Urban League of
San Diego County to create the Best Academic Practice Roundtable and various
education programs with a focus on closing the academic achievement gap
for students of color. She also served as an active member on the membership,
community service, and fund development committees before serving as VP
and President. She holds a BA in Secondary Education from DePaul University
and a MA in Nonprofit Leadership and Management from the University of
San Diego.
She is currently an active member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc.,
Chi Omega Omega chapter.
Recording Secretary - Contessa Gibson
Contessa Gibson is a native of Chicago, IL. Contessa earned her B.A. from the University of Rochester in New York where she studied Music and Mathematics. Contessa has been a member of the Metropolitan Board since 2008, participating on the Public Relations Committee supporting a number of Metropolitan Board projects and initiatives. Contessa is actively involved in the YWCA Future Leaders Council (FLC), National Sales Network (NSN), and the Step Up Women’s Network here in the Chicagoland area.
Contessa is an emerging entrepreneur growing her niche Marketing & PR firm, specifically serving the Fashion and Beauty industry.
Treasurer - George A. Dozier Jr.
George A. Dozier Jr, a native of the south suburbs of Chicago, holds a B.A. in Accounting and is currently working as finance professional in the utility industry. George has been a member of the Metropolitan Board since 2008. As a member he has served on the Fundraising, Financial Literacy (FliP), and Personal and Professional Development Committees and has been actively involved in several community service projects.
Financial Secretary - Natae S. Eaves
Natae S. Eaves is a financial services professional with a B.S. in Accounting. An advocate for financial literacy, Natae is passionate about promoting financial literacy in the community and dedicates her time to educate others about the benefits of economic empowerment through financial literacy. Since becoming a member of the Metropolitan Board of the Chicago Urban League in 2006, Natae has worked with Education Department of the Urban League, served on nominating committees and is currently an active member on the Community Service Committee.
Corresponding Secretary - Elise J. Cochran
Elise J. Cochran is a native of Milwaukee, Wisconsin and has been a member of Metropolitan Board since 2005. Elise earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from the University of Wisconsin Parkside and is currently an Executive Assistant for a long-term care pharmacy. She is an avid volunteer in her community; her community service passions are health, wellness, hunger and poverty. She is a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated and enjoys reading, cooking and researching current events.
Community Service Chairpersons - Kelly -Ann Vassell and Terrence Simmons
Kelly-Ann Vassell was born in Kingston, Jamaica. She spent many years in Ohio where she completed her formal education. She holds a Bachelor of Arts from Miami University, Oxford, OH and a Master of Education from Ohio University, Athens, OH. She is an educator and currently works at the University of Illinois at Chicago in the College of Medicine as a Learning Specialist. She currently serves as the Co-Chair for the Community Service Committee.
Terrence D. Simmons mentors and coaches new Chicago Public School teachers on the Westside of Chicago. He has taught for over 7 years. During his tenure at South Shore High School he won Chicago Public School’s 2006 top 25 teacher of the year award. He continues to chair his fraternity (Kappa Alpha Psi) back to school drive program which donates over 60 books bags full of school supplies to needy children. He has founded a culinary arts camp and a male mentoring group. In addition he is the co chair of his churches singles ministry and Co Chair of the Metro Board's Community Service Committee.
Membership Chairperson - Sharon Brown
Sharon Brown, a native of Los Angeles, California relocated to Chicago in 2006. She holds a BA in Political Science from the University of California, Los Angeles and is currently a Marketing professional in the Automotive industry. Since becoming a Member of the Metropolitan Board of the Chicago Urban League in 2007 she has actively supported MB Community Service projects and fund raising efforts through various donations of goods and services. In addition to MB, Sharon has worked actively with the Boy of Girls Club - Chicago, St Coletta's Foundation of Illinois, Restoration Ministries, Chicago Gateway Green, the Illinois EPA and various other philanthropic and community based organizations serving the Chicagoland area.
Fundraising Chairpersons - Dr. Renee Matthews & Kamilah Jones
Born and raised in Farmington Hills, Michigan, Reneè Matthews graduated from Michigan State University with a BS in Physiology. She earned her M.D. in 2005. Dr. Matthews has spent the early part of her career serving as a professional educator for Institute for Transfusion Medicine Cord Blood Services and XM Radio Host for Reach MD channel 157 on XM Radio.
She is also pursuing her passion for the entertainment industry by working as an entertainment consultant and starting her own management/consulting firm that represents a fine roster of talent.
Over the past several years, Reneè has been involved in mentoring youth. She finds great joy in guiding today's adolescents and teens. Currently, she is a member of the Leadership Board for The Big Brothers and Big Sisters organization of Chicago and Metropolitan Board of the Chicago Urban League. In addition, she is a member of the National Medical Association and The National Association for Black Female Executives in Music & Entertainment.
Personal and Professional Development Chairperson - Andrea N. Horton
Andrea N. Horton is a native of Chicago, Illinois. Andrea earned her Bachelor of Arts Degree in African-American Studies with minors in Political Science and Women’s Studies from Oberlin College in Oberlin, Ohio in 1998. While at Oberlin College, Andrea served as president and secretary of the African American student union, vice-president of the Pi Omicron Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated, a member of her residence hall leadership council and an Oberlin delegate to the National Conference of Negro Women Leadership Convention. Andrea earned her Juris Doctor degree from Loyola University Chicago School of Law in 2003 where she served as vice-president of the Black Law Student Association, and a member of the Moot Court team.
Andrea has been a proud member of the MetroBoard since 2007. Additionally, Andrea has served on the Board of Directors for Southwest Women Working Together, an organization dedicated to eradicating domestic violence and homelessness. She also volunteers with the Constitutional Rights Foundation which is dedicated to teaching Chicago Public Schools students about the United States Constitution and the development of constitutional law in the United States. Andrea volunteers as a mentor and tutor with the Posse Foundation, which provides full scholarships to Chicago Public Schools students to attend top tier colleges and universities. Andrea has served on the leadership team of the Married Couples’ Ministry for Sweet Holy Spirit Church since 2006. She is happily married to Johnny Horton, Jr., who is also a Chicago native.
Public Relations Chairpersons - Eric B. Horn and Bolaji Sosan
Eric B. Horn is a Chicago native with over ten years of Information Technology experience. Eric earned his bachelors in Management Information Systems in 2003 from Chicago State University and has held various IT roles ranging from Network Administrator to IT Project Manager. Eric currently works as an IT Support Associate at Chicago State University and is currently studying for his Project Management Professional (PMP) certification. In the near future, Eric will start to pursue a MBA with a concentration in Marketing.
