SCOR Members

Meet the Members of the Shreveport Commission on Race and Cultural Diversity:

Dr. Nathaniel Manning

A retired professor, having taught in several academic disciplines: Macroeconomics, Microeconomics, Business Statistics, Computer Science, and Mathematics, and Entrepreneurial Finance. He served as Campus and Academic Affairs Director for The University of Phœnix. Dr. Manning is a proud graduate of Grambling State University.

Currently he is a consultant for the American Council on Education (ACE), The College Board’s Advanced Placement Exam. He has received numerous honors: NAFEO Nobel Laureate in Economics – Washington, D.C., Visiting Scholar at Educational Testing Services (ETS) – Princeton, NJ working with psychometricians to improve standardized testing outcomes for underrepresented population groups, and International Business Scholar at Michigan State University’s Eli Broad School of Business – East Lansing, Michigan.

Manning began his professional career while attending graduate school at The University of California, working as a computational mathematician for the Lawrence Livermore Atomic Physics Lab in Livermore, California. He served over 15 years in the computer industry as a software engineer at IBM in Rochester, MN, designing computer language compilers and as member of the IBM Marketing team as a Systems Engineer. He would later serve as IT director of GE Transformer Division, managing a global team of software developers. During his tenure at General Electric he earned his Green Belt and Black Belt certifications in Six Sigma. He continues to work as a software contractor for several large technology companies.

His community service activities include: President of the West Shreveport Alliance, a member of the Shreveport Economic Recovery Task (SERT) Force, Vice President for The City of Shreveport Human Relations Committee, Facilitator for NWLA YWCA Dialogue on Race Louisiana(DORLA). His hobbies include developing computer gaming software, reading, and cooking. He is married and has two children.

Christopher (Chris) Ciocchetti

I am an associate professor of philosophy and I hold the Charles Beaird Chair at Centenary College of Louisiana. I have taught courses on ethics, including racial issues, for over 20 years.

I moved to Shreveport in 2001, and I have been helping the community think about it means to live a good, moral life.

I host the Shreveport Philosophical Forum monthly. I helped organize the Reconciliation Dinner in 2018 and was involved in the Race and the City mayoral debates.

I joined the Mayoral Commission on Race and Cultural Diversity because I believe that Shreveport cannot survive divided. If we come together and honestly face our problems, we can create a future where everyone in Shreveport can thrive.

Janine “JJ” Conway

Graduated from the Air Force Academy and was the first African-American physicist in the Air Force, where she served for over 23 years. After returning from a six-month TDY to discover her house sold, divorce papers, and over $845,000 debt to her name, JJ now teaches others the same personal growth and financial management skills that allowed her to dump that debt and begin building wealth.

Victor Thomas

Employed with Southern University Shreveport where he works with the TRIO program. He’s the outreach director for Loving Little Ones, Inc. Local entrepreneur and business owner of Hair Fanatix Salon for over eight years. US Army veteran and creative director for JMACS Entertainment.

Rev. Dr. Montrell Whitaker

Montrell Whitaker is a native of Shreveport, LA. He is a 1998 graduate of C.E. Byrd High School with honors as well as a 2002 graduate of the University of Louisiana Monroe with a Bachelor’s of Business Administration concentration in Business Management. He received his Masters of Business Administration from the University of Phoenix Dallas Campus in August of 2006 and received his Doctorate in Biblical Studies from Louisiana Baptist University in May of 2015. He furthered his educational endeavors through obtaining a Masters of Education in Educational Leadership from Lamar University in Beaumont, TX in May 2016 and is currently pursuing a Doctorate in Organizational Leadership Higher Education from Grand Canyon University in Phoenix, AZ.

He has served in a number of roles within the various ministries throughout the Southern Region of the United States. Currently, he serves as the senior pastor of the Bethlehem Missionary Baptist Church of Shreveport, LA. Since arriving at Bethlehem in February of 2015 the membership has had a 54% increase in attendance, 29% increase in members participating in active ministries, considerable increases in giving and the formation of new ministries and initiatives.

Dr. Whitaker is a founding member of the Louisiana Progressive Baptist State Convention where he serves as State Executive Vice President and member of the Progressive National Baptist Convention. He is also has dual membership with the Louisiana Missionary Baptist State Convention and National Baptist Convention USA, Inc. He is co-founder of the Young Pastor’s Association of Shreveport and surrounding areas, and member of the 13th District of the Louisiana Missionary Baptist State Convention where he serves as Director of the Young Adult Ministry (YAM).

Dr. Whitaker is the Assistant Principal of Administration at Green Oaks High School. He has dedicated his life to aiding and teaching at-risk youth for the last 13 plus years. He is a motivational speaker, life coach, and the CEO of Creative Life Consultants, LLC. a life and career coaching organization and co-owner of Whitport Enterprises, LLC. He is the founder of the M-Pact Foundation, a non-profit organization focused on improving the academic standards of at-risk youth and working towards inner-community improvement. Pastor Whitaker has many social involvements including membership in Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc., Free and Accepted Prince Hall Masons of Louisiana, and the NAACP where he serves on the Executive Board of the Shreveport chapter. He is the proud husband of Mrs. Shenika Whitaker and has 5 godchildren.

He credits God for all things that he has been able to accomplish and quotes, “To God Be the Glory for the Things He Has Done.”

John Henson

John is the founding pastor of Church for the Highlands, an interdenominational church affiliated with Alliance of Baptists and Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, and serves as Chaplain of Volunteers of America of North Louisiana. John has served on various boards and committees in Shreveport (Cherish the Children of God Board for Volunteers of America, Junior League Community Advisory Board, Interfaith of North and Central Louisiana, Coordinating Council of Cooperative Baptist Fellowship of Louisiana, World Religion Board, Bank On Shreveport Steering Committee, Highland Center Ministries Executive Committee, Highland Center Corporation Board of Directors, Highland Clergy Network, and Church for the Highland’s Board of Elders).

John received his Bachelor of Arts degree from Stephen F. Austin State University, a Master of Divinity from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Ft. Worth, TX, and a Doctor of Ministry in Community Development at McAfee School of Theology of Mercer University in Atlanta, GA.

John and his wife, Jinny, have been married since 1995, since then having two children: Maggie Lee and Jack. After Maggie Lee’s death at age 12, they continue to celebrate her life through Maggie Lee for Good (a movement of doing good for others on and beyond October 29 each year) and in a book they co-authored about the movement, Maggie Lee for Good.

John Ratcliff

I was born in 1945 in Laurel, Jones County, Mississippi. I have lived in Shreveport for over 35 years (my dad was born here and his father and sister are buried here). My higher formal education was at what is now Rhodes College in Memphis and the University of Virginia in Charlottesville.

A retired attorney, I am the interim director of the North Louisiana Civil Rights Coalition and a volunteer facilitator for Dialogue on Race Louisiana sponsored locally by the YWCA.

I have been married twice, and am currently married to Joy Fair. I have a daughter, two sons and five grandsons. I am a member of and attend Being Human Church of Shreveport. I am also a member of Our Home Universalist Unitarian Church in Ellisville, Mississippi, and was a member of All Souls Unitarian Universalist Church of Shreveport until a year or so ago.

Michael Billings

I have a Bachelor of Arts in French History from Louisiana State University, and I am the co-owner, with my mom, of Cotton St. Farms in downtown Shreveport.

Harvey Clay

Local business owner for over ten years of Real BBQ, 20+ years as Ford dealer, 16 years of social services in group homes and drug addiction.

Shadi Darzeidan

Participated in Dialogue on Race with YWCA of NWLA, works at an after-school program that focuses on providing free academic and art classes to at-risk youth for low-socioeconomic families in a median low-income neighborhood of Shreveport.

Jada Durden

Deidra Robertson

Wife and mother of three, works for Community Renewal as the Director of Operation HOPE, on the board of Noel Community Arts Program and the YWCA. 2019 40 under 40 nominee, YWCA Dialogue on Race participant.

Katrina Farris

African American Chamber of Commerce (Executive Director) & NAACP (Member) Volunteers of America of North Louisiana, Doctorate in Community Development (with a focus on developing commonality in diversity)

Tuareza Hoze

Retired E8 USAF, MBA, Executive Director for MS KICK (choice neighborhood grant/Susla) Small business owner, Board member for COHAB

Gary Lash

CEO of the YMCA of Northwest LA

Ashish Modi

A healthcare professional serving Shreveport for 21 years. He is also a committee member of the India Association of Shreveport and Bossier city. He actively participates and organizes events promoting diversity and multi-cultural and multi-ethnicity in the Shreveport area. He is also a published author of a book for young adults titled Birds Chasing Hope.

Rebecca Thomas

Rebecca Thomas is a Board-Certified Art Therapist and has a Ph.D. in Psychology. She brings considerable experience using creative arts in mental health and community settings. In New Jersey she worked with the Printmakers Guild to create artwork by the families of individuals who died in the World Trade Center on 9/11 that was hung from a building facing the NY/NJ metropolitan train line. Since returning to Shreveport she has used art therapy with Veterans, the LGBTQ community, youth in Caddo Parish Detention, and survivors of sexual trauma.

Brittany Turner

Master’s of Public Administration and Policy, Master’s of Library and Information Science, Bachelor’s in Women’s Studies and Art History, graduate-level credits in humanistic/multicultural education.

Crystalyn Whitaker

(bio forthcoming)

Brian Wilson

Local pastor of the historic Galilee Baptist Church, lifetime citizen, Master of Divinity in religion from Morehouse School of Religion pursuing M.Ed Curriculum and Instruction

  • BS in Secondary Education
  • Gone through both Dialogue on Race Classes
  • Member of Reconciliation Dinner Planning Committee
  • Member of Dinner and Dialogue Committee and Host of Dinners
  • Educator at Booker T. Washington High (2021 Teacher of the Year)
  • Contributor to KSLA Documentary “Code of Conduct”
  • Writer of “Civil Rights & Galilee Baptist Church” article in Shreveport Magazine (Fall 2018)