Katrina Nickhol is a radio personality, business consultant, and entrepreneur. More importantly, she is a wife, mother, grandmother, and lover of Christ and his people. After spending more than 20 years in corporate America, Katrina left her government job to pursue a more purposeful and prosperous path. She not only ditched her fears to create a life she loves, but she also vowed to help others do it too!
Katrina come with extensive influence within the community and her dedication to the betterment of this great city is unmatched. Being a mother of 6 girls, she joins forces with us to ensure that the next generation will have opportunities that she did not have while growing up.
Alphonso McClendon
As one of the clearest voices and minds within the community, Alphonso McClendon Jr, has managed to educate, empower, and encourage the hearts and lives of several cultures, and people. Always delivering a fresh, focused, and custom-tailored plan around community revitalization, Alphonso McClendon significantly transcends the expectations of the
typical community activist. Alphonso’s views on community revitalization is not just as a talk but as an assignment to further clarify the call of unity upon which we take pride in our communities and build them to be self-sufficient and thrive.
Helping small businesses grow their footprint within the community, Alphonso has committed to Minds of the Future Academy since its conception. With his need to pour back in to the lives of young men and women, McClendon comes highly recommended with the eagerness needed to impact the youth and set the tone of what unity looks like in the community.
Sonya Kirkpatrick
Raised in Detroit, MI, Kirkpatrick completed her education, receiving a BA in Business Management (minor in Psychology). Sonya has been working at Procter and Gamble for 20 years as Marketing Manager where she manages over 00 staff and $8 million budget. She has served the Community as a Minister for over 25 years and continues to have a passion for helping others. Her Christian training was acquired and elevated in Chicago, IL, where she earned the tools needed for her assignment.
Being a grandmother of a previous student and the mother of a current teacher, Sonya had been playing a major role within Minds of the Future Academy for years now. Her passion for children comes from a place within herself that constantly reminds her that “there is always work to do, and it begins with our children.”
April Purdie
April Purdie is a serial entrepreneur who has many gifts and talents that serve our community. With a pure heart, April serves as the owner of AGP Pearls fashion boutique. She is a fashion consultant, public notary, hair stylist, YouTube star, youth minister, and a solo artist. April always has her hands full with community projects that uplift, encourages, and build one's confidence by helping men and women look good and feel good.
April's mission is to continue to serve her community through volunteerism and donating to small and non-profit organizations. She is currently the afternoon secretary for Minds of the Future, so how fitting is it that she serves on our Board of Directors. Believing in the mission and vision of the school, April stand strong in her stance to be “a part of the solution.”
Richard Holley
Richard Holley is a retired Navy Air Traffic Controller, Command Financial Specialist, Financial Services Specialist, now a passionate children's book author. He has seen and has had many financial pitfalls in his life and now he educated the youth about spending, saving, and retiring. Holley finds new and inventive ways to educate our youth in a fun and positive way.
Richard has expressed how important our future leaders are and plans to take our youth to their next level. By using his influence to further foster the culture of togetherness, education, and community, he plans to start right here on the east side of Jacksonville.
Anthony Austin
Anthony Austin is an Emmy nominated television journalist. The Texas native joined First Coast News in January 2016 as an anchor and reporter. He currently anchors the evening newscasts and helps people in the community with problems they can solve in the popular "Ask Anthony" segments.
Graduating from the University of North Texas, where he majored in Broadcast Journalism and minored in Social Science, Ausin is heavily involved in the community and serves on numerous boards. Along with the American Cancer Society and Alzheimer's Association, Anthony is now adding Minds of the Future Academy to his list. Being a longtime supporter of Minds of the Future Academy where he often reads to students and shares career advice, Anthony is now ready to take it bit further as he does his part as an advocate for education.
Seneshia Stewart
Seneshia Stewart is a dedicated board member with a diverse background. Originally from Georgia, she has proudly called Jacksonville home for the past 13 years. Serving as the President of PTA and the morning secretary, she’s a mother of four and is deeply involved in the community. Education remains to be a passion for Seneshia because it bring valuable experiences and as a local realtor and a mobile and remote notary, you can never have too much education. Using her unique perspective of the importance of educating the youth, Stewart devoted to making sure that each child is served and natured in a way that teaches confidence and self-awareness.
