Ramona Middleton - Fit-N-Fun Kidz, Program Director
As a child growing up in Macon, Georgia, Ramona’s parents taught her that hard work and determination were the keys to success. With this foundation, she excelled at the University of Georgia graduating with a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and fostering community service as a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc. Upon completion of college, Ramona began her 15-year career with Verizon Wireless (formerly Air Touch Cellular) where she has flourished as a well-respected Advertising Manager.

While Ramona always maintained a regular exercise regiment as a young adult, she noticed that after having two children, the extra pounds just wouldn’t “fall off.” This fueled her desire to start a fitness and nutritional plan that eventually became a way of life. She has since participated in the Relay for Life Cancer Walk, Kaiser Permanente Corporate Run/Walk and the Peachtree Road Race 10K and is actively involved in her children’s extracurricular activities such as cheerleading coach, team mom and youth church advisor.

Ramona has a love for children and a passion for fitness. Serving the community by helping kids develop a healthy lifestyle has been her dream of seven years. Finally, her dream has become a reality in the successful launch of Fit-N-Fun Kidz.

She now lives in Snellville, Georgia, with her husband of 13 years, Keith, and her children, Chase and Morgan, ages 10 and 8 respectively.

Kim Ellis - Executive Vice President, Panda Restaurant Group, Inc.
A graduate of George Mason University, Kim leads the Restaurant Development department of Panda Restaurant Group, Inc. Leading the company’s growth and development endeavors, Kim manages concept design, project management, architecture and construction, asset management, real estate and new business development. She also leads the facilities group.

Prior to Panda Express, Kim was the Senior Vice President of Development for Blockbuster, Inc. where she developed the process for the annual review of the company’s entire 4,300+ store portfolio; approved store openings/closing/relocations/remodels annually; and formulated strategies, communication plans and roll-out procedures for new business initiatives including co-branded locations with McDonald’s, Round Table Pizza and Starbucks, home delivery, and video vending kiosks in grocery and pharmacy outlets.

She lives in California with her husband, daughter and son.

Angelou Ezeilo - Executive Director, Greening Youth Foundation
Angelou C. Ezeilo is a graduate of Spelman College and received her Juris Doctorat from the University of Florida, College of Law. Although Angelou has practiced law as a corporate and transactional attorney in New Jersey, the environment and public interest matters have always been areas on the forefront of her agenda.

Angelou’s conservation career began with the New Jersey State Agriculture Development Committee where she worked as a Legal Affairs Specialist preserving farmland through its Farmland Preservation program. Angelou relocated to Georgia from New Jersey where she worked as a Project Manager for the Trust for Public Land in the Mid-Atlantic Region. Angelou then joined the Georgia Trust for Public Land staff as a Project Manager in which her focus was acquiring parcels for the Atlanta Beltline. Angelou is also on the Board of Directors for Earth Share of Georgia.

As the Executive Director of Greening Youth Foundation, Angelou furthers her passion of working to preserve the environment for future generations. Greening Youth’s primary areas of focus are: land acquisition, environmental education, park revitalization, and historic preservation.

Angelou lives in Snellville, Georgia with her husband, two sons and two dogs.

Donna Ford - Vice President , Johnson Controls, Inc.
Donna Ford is the Vice President of Business Development for the Johnson Controls, Inc. Global WorkPlace Solutions. She is responsible for National Business Development. Johnson Controls, Inc. is a global Fortune 100 company, recognized as industry leaders in power solutions, automotive interiors and building efficiency.

Donna’s community memberships include the NCA&T Alumni Association Atlanta Chapter, where she currently serves as Parliamentarian and immediate past President, NC A&T Aggie Club, NC A&T Victory Club and Coordinator of the Women’s Ministry of Destiny Metropolitan Worship Church. She is a Pacesetter for the American Cancer Society where she serves as a leader in the Cobb County Relay for Life and the Making Strides against Breast Cancer programs.

Donna received her B.A. in Mass Communications from North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University. She was featured in the 2004 Edition of “Who’s Who of Black Atlanta”, inducted in the Georgia’s list of 100 Most Powerful and Influential Women by the Women Looking Ahead Magazine, and a 2006 Distinguished Alumni at the 31st National Conference on Blacks in Higher Education by National Association for Equal Opportunity in Higher Education (NAFEO).

She is a married to Daniel and they have one daughter Loren.

Denene Millner - Author | Columnist | Journalist | Editor| Lecturer
Denene Millner is the Reality Check columnist and a contributing editor for Parenting magazine, for which she provides witty, engaging, mom-to-mom advice on ethics and etiquette in everything from childrearing and marriage to work and friendship. Millner is also a contributing writer for Essence, an associate editor for the travel magazine, Odyssey Couleur, and contributes articles to a plethora of magazines, including Health, Entertainment Weekly, Real Health, Money, and Ebony, among others. Her extensive television experience includes regular appearances on the The Today Show, CBS Early Show, CNN, MSNBC, VH1, WABC Eyewitness News and Good Day New York.

Prior to writing the column, Millner was Parenting’s Articles Editor from 2003 to 2005; in addition to her responsibilities as toy editor for the annual “Mom-Tested Toys of the Year” section, she wrote and edited feature stories and several sections of the magazine, including Ages and Stages, Reality Check, and Play Time. Her book, “Dreamgirls,” the novelization of the Tony Award-winning Broadway play-turned-big screen film starring Jamie Foxx, Eddie Murphy, and Beyonce, was released in December 2006. Her latest offerings, the first in a teen book series called “Hotlanta,” and a children’s picture book on the historic March on Washington, will be published in the spring and summer of 2008.

Denene lives in Atlanta with her husband and their two daughters and son.