Our Speakers

 

Dr. Bertice Berry
Sociologist, Bertice Berry, PhD. is a best-selling author and award-winning lecturer. She has been named Comedian of The Year, Lecturer of the Year, and Entertainer of the Year. She has published 11 best-selling books in both fiction and non-fiction and has won numerous awards and accolades for both her writing and presentations. Berry has used her unique gifts and talents as a writer and ghostwriter for others on a wide range of topics including race and gender issues, sociological studies, stratification, healthcare reform, humor, spirituality, sexuality, slavery and the abolitionist movement, weight loss and wellness, relationships, servant leadership, transformational leadership, diversity and love.
Berry believes that every one of us has been given a unique purpose and it is our obligation to find it and use it to improve first our own self and then for those we live and work with.

 

Mayor Van R. Johnson, II
Purpose, Passion and People are the core principles that guide and drive the life of the Honorable Van R. Johnson, II, First District Alderman of the City of Savannah, Georgia.
Born and raised in Brooklyn, NY, but with strong Savannah roots, Alderman Johnson is a graduate of the New York City Public School System and has earned undergraduate and graduate degrees from Savannah State and Georgia Southern University. 
As a radio talk show host, political commentary and author of local weekly columns, Alderman Johnson has distinguished himself as an independent, thoughtful and passionate voice on current events. As a nationally certified Human Resources and Georgia certified Law Enforcement professional, Alderman Johnson has utilized his unique skill set as a sought after trainer, speaker and consultant in these areas. In 2004, Alderman Johnson was elected as the First District Alderman on the Savannah City Council.  He has been re-elected 3 times by the citizens of the District.  During his tenure on Council, Alderman Johnson has served as Mayor Pro Tem and Vice Chairman.  He has consistently used this sacred platform to advocate on behalf of the least, the last and the lost and to promote inclusion and equity for all of Savannah’s citizens. 
Alderman Johnson has demonstrated leadership nationally as only the 4th elected official from Savannah to serve on the Board of Directors of the National League of Cities. He was recently appointed to serve as Chair of the Advisory Board of the National League of Cities, becoming the first Savannahian to hold such an office.  Alderman Johnson is nationally recognized as an innovator and thought leader in the areas of youth development and engagement through his service of over 20 years as the Director of the Chatham County Youth Commission.  Since that time, he has assisted cities and counties across the country in developing governmental youth leadership programs, to include co-founding the Savannah Youth Council in 2004. Locally, his service has been dedicated to children, youth and families.  He currently serves as the President of the Board of Directors of the Wesley Community Centers of Savannah, past Board Chair of the Chatham County Department of Family and Children Services in addition to numerous local non-profit organizations. Alderman Johnson’s efforts have been recognized as the 2016 Savannah State University Fellow, 2017 Savannah Martin Luther King Observance Day Parade Marshal, 2017 Savannah Black Heritage Festival honoree, 2017 Association of County Commissioners of Georgia Civic and Community Service Award Recipient and the 2017 James P. Simms Public Service Award by the King Tisdell Cottage Foundation. 

Dottie Kluttz
Dottie Kluttz holds a BSN degree from The University of Virginia. Most of her nursing career, she taught Pediatric Nursing at UVA, Emory and Armstrong Atlantic University.   She joined Hospice Savannah as a hospice R. N. in 1993. 
In 2001, she created Hospice Savannah’s Story Keeping program.  This program records the life stories and memories of patients through audio. The recorded stories then are given to the patients and their families.  Both patients and their loved ones praise the program. In 2004, she received a Georgia Medical Hero award for Innovation in Medicine for her Story keeping program.
Dottie’s passion is “All about Story”.  Therefore, she presents classes on “Telling Your Own Life Story”, “Storytelling as Medicine”, and is The Storyteller at her Church, where she tells stories of all kinds to the congregation.  She has presented her Storytelling ideas at National and State Nursing conferences. She was the McGhee Lecturer at The University of Virginia School of Nursing. She has received acclaim for her work in articles written in The University of Virginia publication, “The Legacy” and was chosen as one of the “Heroes Among Us” by Coastal Senior Magazine, here in Savannah.
Dottie is now involved with the Organizational Story movement that is teaching Organizations the value of Storytelling in improving internal staff relations as well as being the most valuable marketing tool available to an organization. She presented a TEDx talk at the annual Savannah event in May 2014. Orlando Montoya interviewed Dottie for his Savannah podcast and his column in Connect Savannah. He called her one the greatest advocates of Storytelling in Savannah. In 2021 Dottie was chosen as one of Savannah’s “18 Smart Women” by St. Joseph Hospital Foundation. “I have a passion for storytelling. One of the gifts we have is that we can tell stories and yet, it is the least utilized of all our gifts. The more people I can get to tell stories, the happier I am.”

Additional Speakers 

Bishop Frank Logue, Photojournalist: A Picture’s Worth
Born in Montgomery, Alabama, where he lived for 6 years, Frank Logue grew up in Marietta, Georgia. A 1984 graduate of Georgia Southern University, he worked as a photographer for two small daily newspapers in Georgia— the Warner Robins Daily Sun and the Rome News-Tribune. Frank married Victoria Steele in 1985. The Logues hiked the entire 2,150-mile Appalachian Trail in a single six-month long hike in 1988. Three years later, after he worked as an Art Director for a non-profit, Frank and Victoria went full-time as freelance writer-photographers, writing books, and magazine articles. Their daughter, Mary Griffin Logue, born in 1991 added great joy and wonder to our lives.
In 1995, Frank responded to a long-felt call to ordained ministry. He entered Virginia Theological Seminary in the fall of 1997. While there, he worked as a seminarian at two area churches, including assisting with the creation of a new Episcopal church—Church of the Spirit in Alexandria, Virginia. He also took part in summer internships with the Anglican Church in Tanzania and St. Elizabeth’s Hospital, a large mental hospital in Washington, D.C. In 2000, Victoria, Griffin, and Frank moved to Camden County, spending 10 years starting King of Peace Episcopal Church and its preschool. From 2010 until becoming Bishop of Georgia, he has assisted Bishop Scott Benhase in overseeing the clergy and congregations of the Diocese of Georgia as Canon to the Ordinary.  Logue was ordained and consecrated as Bishop of Georgia at Christ Church, Savannah, on May 30, 2020. 

 

Brynn Grant:  Changing The Narrative
With a demonstrated record of success over three decades in business, economic, community and organizational development, Brynn has expertise in strategic planning, management, marketing and communications. Brynn’s work has been recognized with professional awards at the local, national and international levels. She was a proud member of the Savannah Economic Development Authority (SEDA) team named one of the Top Ten Development Groups in the nation in 1998 by Conway Data/Site Selection Magazine. More recently, she was a proud member of the SEDA team recognized with the 2019 McKinley “Mac” Conway Award for Excellence.
Brynn possesses a special talent and vision for successful organizational and program start-up or revitalization. She is known for innovative ideas and creative approaches balanced by critical analysis and strategic execution. She is skilled in helping to grow the talent of others and negotiating lasting solutions. She is a sincere communicator, an engaging public speaker.
Brynn is graduate of Leadership Savannah and Leadership Georgia, as well as a graduate and past board chair of Leadership Southeast Georgia. She was named 30 under 30 by the Augusta Chronicle, A Woman of Distinction by Girl Scouts of Historic Georgia, Business Advocate of the Year by the Small Business Chamber, a Savannah Technical College Community Star, and one of AWWIN’s Top Ten Working Women.
She played a key role in the founding of The Creative Coast, Step Up – Savannah’s Poverty Reduction Initiative, and Savannah Technical College’s Opportunity Awards. There, she served on the foundation board for more than 10 years. She was also a longtime member of the Georgia Southern University Parker College of Business Advisory Board. Brynn served on the Savannah Film Commission, negotiated its move to the Savannah Economic Development Authority and efforts to more strategically market the region as a location for film and television. Brynn led the startup of World Trade Center Savannah and it’s operation for 8 years, where she helped establish TradeBridge, a business development partnership with County Wexford, Ireland.
Brynn joined United Way of the Coastal Empire as President & CEO in January 2020 where she led United Way’s service through the pandemic and four successful annual campaigns. She was appointed by Savannah Mayor Van Johnson to serve as Co-chair of the Housing Savannah Task Force that delivered the Housing Savannah Plan to City Council in August 2021. She serves today on the board of Housing Savannah, Inc. and the Savannah Area Chamber of Commerce.

 

Gini Gerbasi: Speaking Truth to Power
Gini Gerbasi is a graduate of the Wesley Theological Seminary in Washington (with coursework in Anglican Studies at the Virginia Theological Seminary). She is also a graduate of both the Undergraduate and Law School at the College of William and Mary. In her previous life, she worked in public policy relating to poverty and hunger, and as a criminal defense attorney. She was ordained in 2007, and served as Associate Rector at Christ Church in Kensington, Maryland, before moving to St. John’s Lafayette Square in 2012. Gini left St. John’s, Lafayette Square to become our Rector in June of 2014. Gini is a certified Daring Way Facilitator. Daring Way is based on the Research of Brené Brown, which explores topics such as vulnerability, courage, shame, and worthiness. Daring Way is a deeply theological approach to life that invites us, as Paul does, to recognize that in accepting our vulnerabilities we can be strong and courageous (2 Corinthians 12:10). In being real with one another, we can be truly free to love God, one another, and ourselves. Gini is married to Joe Gerbasi, a federal prosecutor, and is the mother of Michael, 27 and Andrew, 23. When Gini is not working, you will probably find her at a baseball field, coffee in hand, cheering her favorite MLB team (the O’s!) or one of the men in her life. Psst! Gini is on Facebook and Twitter, and also co-hosts a podcast – The Irreverends – with our former Assistant Rector, the Rev. Tim Watt, who is now Rector of Trinity Church in Newport, Rhode Island.

 

Edna Jackson:  Living the Change You Want to See: Interview with Dr. Berry
Political official and civic leader Edna Jackson was born on September 18, 1944 in Savannah, Georgia to Henry Reid and Georgia Branch Dillard. She graduated from Alfred E. Beach High School in 1962, and then earned her B.S. degree in sociology in 1968, and her M.Ed. degree in political science education in 1972, both from Savannah State University. Having joined the NAACP Youth Council as a high school student, Jackson became active while at Savannah State, travelling throughout the South for voter registration drives and sit-in demonstrations.
Jackson began her career as a social worker with the Economic Opportunity Authority for Savannah-Chatham County Area, Inc. In 1971, Savannah State University President Prince Jackson, Jr. hired Jackson as the director of the university’s emergency school assistant program. During her time there, she also worked as the director of alumni affairs and coordinator of the Elderhostel Program before her retirement in 2001. Jackson then served as alderman at large on the City Council of Savannah for three terms, and mayor pro tempore of Savannah for two terms. In 2012, Jackson became the first African American woman to be elected as mayor of Savannah, serving for one term.
Jackson was the recipient of the A Working Woman in Need’s Top 10 Working Women of the Year Award. She was also named an Outstanding Alumnus by Savannah State University and one of the 2012 Power Women by GeorgiaTrend magazine. Jackson also served as the southern regional vice president and national vice president of Savannah State University, as vice chairman of the Chatham County Democratic Executive Committee, as a member of the board of representatives for World Trade Center Savannah, and as a chairperson of the Chatham County Hospital Authority. She was also a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., St. Phillip A.M.E. Church, the U.S. Selective Board, and the Georgia Advisory Committee for the U.S. Global Leadership Coalition. U.S. Congressman John Barrow appointed Jackson to serve on the Military Academy Selection Committee and the Regional Committee of the U.S. Civil Rights Commission. She also served on the Board of Directors for the Savannah Regional Second Harvest Food Bank and on the board of the Equal Opportunity Authority.  Jackson has one son, Kevan Jackson.  Edna Jackson was interviewed by The HistoryMakers on February 8, 2017.

 

Betsy Kammerud: One Last Breath ~ breathing workshop
Betsy graduated from The Ohio State University with an MSW degree and immediately continued work in the hospice and palliative care field. She came to Georgia in 2007 to work for Hospice Savannah, Inc as a home care social worker. For the past 14 years, she has been part of Full Circle Grief and Loss Center, the bereavement wing of Hospice Savannah, Inc., as a bereavement counselor and now the director. Betsy also volunteers with Give an Hour, an organization that provides pro-bono mental health support to veterans, service members, and their families. Betsy is a licensed clinical social worker and is also certified as a clinical trauma professional. Betsy has worked with individuals, couples, and groups promoting a healthy grief journey as well as healthy perceptions of self-image and strengthening core relationships for a more complete sense of self. Betsy understands that life can be overwhelming at times and is passionate about providing a safe space for people to process all of the feelings that life experiences can create.

 

 

Kathleen Woods:  Nurturing your Narrative
Kathryn L. Wood, LCPC, P-RDT is a licensed clinical professional counselor in Maryland  and a provisional registered drama therapist with the North American Drama Therapy Association. She believes that exploring the stories we play out in our own lives – and how to switch them up – is one of the most important things we can do.

 

 

 

 

 

Monique Couvson: A Narrative of Justice 
Monique Couvson, Ed.D (formerly Monique W. Morris) is an award-winning author and social justice scholar with three decades of experience in the areas of education, civil rights, juvenile and criminal justice. Her research intersects race, gender, education and justice to explore the ways in which Black communities, and other communities of color, are uniquely affected by social policies.
Dr. Couvson is the President and CEO of Grantmakers for Girls of Color, which has developed four signature funds, including: the Black Girl Freedom Fund. She is also the Founder and Board Chair for the National Black Women’s Justice Institute. Dr. Couvson’s work has been profiled by MSNBC, CSPAN2, The Washington Post, The New York Times, NPR, USA Today, and PBS, among other national and local print, radio, and television media.

 

 

Marlon Smith: A Story of Success
For over 23 years, my mission has been sharing winning strategies so more entrepreneurs, businesses, and organizations MAXIMIZE their true potential.
I am grateful for the opportunity to contribute to communities all over the world, having given keynote presentations and facilitated leadership trainings in 45 states (throughout the U.S.) and 16 other countries.
My commitment to making a positive difference first started when I was a student. While studying at Electrical Engineering at the University of Virginia, I was inspired to start “Street Academics” a youth mentoring program, where college students mentored high school and middle school students. One of my proudest moments was when “Street Academics” became an official organization at the University of Virginia.
While working as a systems engineer for Hewlett-Packard in Silicon Valley, CA, I started going into schools to mentor “troubled” students. And fortunately, many students transformed. Experiencing these results and seeing the need in various communities, I resigned from my corporate position to start Success By Choice, a leadership consulting firm. Through Success By Choice, my team and I have been blessed to help entrepreneurs, businesses, and organizations create outstanding results.
As an award-winning author and curriculum results, our innovative training programs reinforce leadership habits so long-term results are achieved.