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More than 20 years ago, Billie Knight Rayford, a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., Theta Theta Omega chapter, implemented the first AKAnomics Summit, as charged by Alpha Kappa Alpha’s international leadership. The AKAnomics Summit was initially developed to provide economic education to children and their parents. About 2 years later, Theta Theta Omega Chapter President Kaweeda Adams, along with her husband, Eric Adams, of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc., Kappa Xi chapter, decided to unite their chapters’ efforts to inform the community about the economic divide facing our society. Working together, these organizations have heightened awareness of financial matters among the youth and adults in Clark County. The program continued under the name Economic Summit, expanding its focus on the youth in the Las Vegas community.
In October 2007, under the leadership of founding President Tanya Flanagan, founding Vice President Eric James, and a host of instrumental officers and members, the Las Vegas Urban League Young Professionals (LVULYP) hosted the first African American Student Leadership Conference. The daylong event, held on the campus of the University of Nevada Las Vegas, also included a parent workshop to help parents answer questions about their child’s future collegiate experience.
More than 300 students attended the inaugural Student Leadership Conference, participating in workshops across the campus and plenary sessions in the Student Union. More than 30 workshops were provided, facilitated by members of the Divine 9, UNLV faculty and community experts on a variety of subjects from Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®), to the benefit of engaging in campus organizations, study programs, work study and more. Financial aid, campus life, safety and working as a student were topics addressed in the parent session. We were joined by an additional 300 members of the community, elected officials and UNLV faculty. The day incorporated a special presentation by the NAACP’s Afro-Academic, Cultural, Technological and Scientific Olympics (ACT-SO) program and included special guest speaker former UNLV athlete, turned NBA star player Larry Johnson fondly known as “Grandmama.” Thanks to a partnership with then State Sen. Steven Horsford, McDonald’s Corporation, State Farm Insurance, Community Bank and The Daisy Miller Foundation; more than $35,000 in student scholarships were awarded. LVULYP recruited students across all Clark County high schools.
The current Economic Summit and Student Leadership Conference (ES&SLC) was formed in 2010 with the addition of the Urban League Young Professionals and the Urban League Guild. The Young Professionals and Guild added their resources and experience from their very own, previously successful, Student Leadership Conference to the Economic Summit. The partnership became an instant success and added a beneficial and educational entrepreneurship workshop component to the program.
Sponsoring Organizations
Sponsoring Organizations
2021 Summit Planning Committee Chairs
2021 Summit Planning Committee Chairs
Dr. Carmen Jones
Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.
Theta Theta Omega Chapter
Dr. Jones is a pediatrician with widely varied experiences for nearly 30 years. Originally from Chicago, IL, she relocated to Las Vegas in 2002. Her pediatric work includes a variety of settings from rural and inner-city practices to a multi-site private practice. She has served as a research investigator, has trained in medical aesthetics, and worked as a physician consultant. Around 2012, she became a passionate patient advocate for medicinal cannabis and integrated medicine, ultimately starting a company, in 2018, called Wildflower Medical Consultants. All while helping to advise patients for Cohen Medical Center and Veriheal.com.
Dr. Jones is a Member of National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws, Doctors for Cannabis Reform, Association for Cannabis Health Equity and Medicine, and a Core Member and Director of Medical Voices for Cannabis Equity and Inclusion Community of Nevada and was an appointed member of the Clark County (Nevada) Green Ribbon Advisory Panel. She has served on the boards of Nevada Child Seekers, 20 Pearls Foundation of Nevada, Alliance Against Diabetes, HerShe Las Vegas, Inc., G5 Cultivation, Mother Herb, and Nevada Wellness Center. She currently serves on the board for Broadway in the HOOD and is a proud member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.
Jerry Kennebrew
Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc.
Kappa Xi Chapter
Jerry Kennebrew was born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio. He lived in Phoenix for a time in the early 80's after graduating from Kent State University. He moved to Los Angeles for a position with Hughes Helicopter Inc., then moved to Columbus, Ohio, and worked for Delphi Automotive for 17 years. He was transferred back to Cleveland by General Motors in the year 2000. He retired from General Motors on October 1, 2015, where he functioned as a Lead Tool & Die Maker for the last 25 years. He planned and then decided to implement his retirement plan to relocate in December of 2015 for warmer weather and currently resides in Las Vegas.
Educationally, Jerry has an undergraduate degree from Kent State University in Experimental Psychology and Network Sociology and a minor in Applied Math - 1978. He received his MBA from Franklin University in Columbus, Ohio, in 1996. Jerry is certified as a QS 9000 Lead Auditor thru Georgia Tech in 1997. He received a certificate from Villanova University in Master Project Management IT/IS in 2009. He is currently working on his PhD in Psychology. Jerry is a Naval Reserve Veteran of 14 years that was deployed in Desert Storm in 1990.
Virginia Johnson
Las Vegas Urban League of Young Professionals
Virginia, a Las Vegas native, is the current president of the Las Vegas Urban League of Young Professionals. She has been a member of LVULYP since 2015, searching in the capacity of membership chair and treasurer.
Virginia has been connecting with young professionals in the Vegas Valley as well as all over the United States. Like the Young Professionals mission to empower communities and change lives, Virginia embodies that to the fullest wanting to see positive change in her community.
2021 Summit Planning Committee
2021 Summit Planning Committee
Aledrian Allison, Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc., Kappa Xi Chapter
Nakia Barker-McKeever, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., Theta Theta Omega Chapter
Donovan Bell, Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc., Kappa Xi Chapter
Ouida Brown, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., Theta Theta Omega Chapter
Chris Crawford, Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc., Kappa Xi Chapter
Andre Denson, Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc., Kappa Xi Chapter
Brenda Dumas, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., Theta Theta Omega Chapter
Ken Evans, Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc., Kappa Xi Chapter
Kamalisha Green, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., Theta Theta Omega Chapter
Damon Hodge, Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc., Kappa Xi Chapter
Raychel Holbert, Urban League Young Professionals of Las Vegas
Henry Jackson, Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc., Kappa Xi Chapter
Brian Massey II, Urban League Young Professionals of Las Vegas
Amanda McWilliams, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., Theta Theta Omega Chapter
Camille Owens, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., Theta Theta Omega Chapter
Renee Rayes, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., Theta Theta Omega Chapter
Zaria Rayes, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., Theta Theta Omega Chapter
Keysa Rogers, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., Theta Theta Omega Chapter
Sherri Sullivan, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., Theta Theta Omega Chapter
UNLV Summit Planning Staff
UNLV Summit Planning Staff
Devan Harris
Early Outreach Coordinator
Laura Modrcin
Early Outreach Specialist
Karen Szwed Prieto
Graduate Assistant
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