30 leaders of the future

Ebony, Dec, 2001

EBONY's 30 Leaders of the Future for 2001 have qualities that set them apart. They' re dedicated, educated and prepared.

Among these young leaders are attorneys, doctors, politicians, writers, teachers and business consultants. All are deeply involved in community activities and all are working every day to create more opportunity for all Americans.

DEXTER SHARPER, 30, city councilman, Valdosta, Ga.; youngest councilman in history of city, the 10th largest in the state; gospel recording artist (the Sharper Brothers) and president, Sharper Entertainment; president and founder, Youth in Action for Christ Ministries; executive producer and co-owner, Dream Reality Records; paramedic who is president and founder, Georgia Paramedic Association; board member, Partnership for Health.

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GINA M. NORTHINGTON, M.D., Ph.D., 30, resident physician, Wayne State University Medical Center, Deportment of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Detroit; founding member and former corresponding secretary, National Society of Black Engineers, Central Jersey Alumni Chapter; former volunteer, Bernard Kessler Student Volunteer Program, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey.

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ROGER A. FAIRFAX JR., 29, federal prosecutor, U.S. Department of Justice, Washington, D.C.; adjunct professor of law, Georgetown University Law Center; national co-chairman, Criminal Law Section, National Bar Association; community outreach chairman, Criminal Law Section, District of Columbia Bar; member, Young Lawyers Steering Committee.

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LIA B. EPPERSON, 29, assistant counsel, NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, New York City; former Bayard Rustin Fellow at the Fund; associate with Morrison & Foerster in Palo Alto, Calif., 1999-2000; former board member, Big Brothers Big Sisters of San Francisco and the Peninsula; former law clerk, Judge Timothy K. Lewis, United States Court of Appeals Third Circuit; editor, Stanford Law Review, 1996-1998; summer associate, the Children's Defense Fund, 1996.

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KIMBERLEY D. WARDEN, 27, legislative counsel to U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson of Florida, Washington, D.C.; served as deputy director of Gore-Lieberman campaign for Florida; attorney for the Gore-Lieberman Recount Committee; former associate in Commercial Litigation Practice Group at Gordon, Feinblatt, Rothman, Hoffberger & Hollander in Baltimore; former judicial law clerk for Robert M. Bell, chief judge of the Maryland Court of Appeals; founder, Alliance of Young Black Professionals (1999); recipient, C. Willis Ritter Award for "leadership, integrity and outstanding contribution to the Law School (University of Virginia).

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DAVID J. AUBREY, 27, mayor, Homer, La.; elected at age 24, he is the state's youngest mayor; developed and implemented a nine-point plan for his small, north central hometown (population 5,000) that has resulted in major economic and industrial development; board member, Homer Memorial Hospital Board; vice president, board of Claiborne Boys & Girls Club); vice president, Louisiana Municipal Association Executive Board; president, Louisiana Alliance of Boys and Girls Clubs; member, Louisiana Purchase Bicentennial Commission; 1995 graduate, Grambling State University.

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STACEY Y. ABRAMS, 27, tax associate, Sutherland, Asbill & Brennan law firm in Atlanta; Executive Director and founder of Third Sector Development Inc., a nonprofit management consulting firm; J.D., Yale Law School; master's of public affairs, L.B.J. School of Public Affairs, University of Texas at Austin; B.A. Interdisciplinary Studies, Spelman College, magna cum laude; member, national advisory board for the W.E.B. DuBois Collective Research Institute, board of directors for the National Alumnae Association of Spelman College; has published articles on issues of taxation, nonprofit organizations and public policy; she also writes romance novels under the pen name Selena Montgomery.

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JONATHAN C. (JAY) AUGUSTINE, 29, law clerk, Justice Bernette Joshua Johnson of the Louisiana Supreme Court, New Orleans; adjunct professor of English, Delgado Community College; minority recruiter, Tulane Law School (his alma mater); member, Mayor's Military Advisory Committee for city of New Orleans; member, Tulane Athletic Foundation Board of Directors; volunteer, New Orleans Legal Assistance Corporation and Court Appointed Special Advocates; elected member, Orleans Parish Democratic Executive Committee; member, executive committee, Louisiana Alliance for Good Government; national committeeman for Young Democrats of Louisiana.

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DAMON O. BARRY, 29, corporate counsel, CSG Systems International Inc., Northglenn, Colo., and sports agent specializing in NFL clients; vice president, J&D (property) Management Inc.; board member, Northglenn Youth Football Association, and Denver Urban League's "Wall of Equality"; vice president, Young Democrats of Adams County; former president, United People Corporation (a nonprofit organization); recipient, University of Nebraska 2001 "Shades of Leadership" award; wide receiver for national champion football team, University of Washington-Seattle (1991).