Blackburn Institute

Jonathan Adams Received a B.A. in political science and a MA in higher education administration while at the Capstone. Currently, Jonathan lives in Charlotte, NC, and serves as the Assistant Director for Student Conduct and Safety Outreach at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte.

Katie Boyd Currently, she is the Press Secretary for U.S. Senator Richard Shelby. Graduated from the University in May 2004 with a degree in Political Science. During her time at the Capstone she served as President of the Student Government Association. She was involved in several other leadership positions and organizations including: Capstone Men and Women, Director of the Alabama Youth Summit, Student Leaders Council, and President of Chi Omega Sorority. Some of Katie's awards and honors include: The Algernon Sydney Sullivan Award, Alumni Association Most Outstanding Senior, John Pearson Award, The XXXI women's honorary, the Blount Undergraduate Initiative, University Honors Program, Anderson Society, Mortar Board, Blue Key and ODK.

Keith Buchanan Keith graduated from Alabama in May of 2004. He is currently working at the Retirement Systems of Alabama in Montgomery, Alabama as an equity analyst.

Ashley Buha An attorney in Birmingham and has one child.

Christy Collier Hurt Graduated from UA in May 2003. She is also a graduate of the UAB School of Medicine. Christy is currently living in New Orleans, where she is an intern in Tulane's Internal Medicine program. After a year in the program, she will start a three-year residency in dermatology at LSU, New Orleans.

Joni Crenshaw Graduated in May of 2002 with a Bachelor of Science in Education. While at the University Joni was a member of XXXI Honorary Society, NAACP Student Organization, Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Served as Vice President of the Student Athletic Advisory Board, and was a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. She was a Four-year varsity letter winner for the women’s basketball team, serving as captain for two years and was recognized as one of the ten most influential African Americans on campus by the Mentor Fellowship Society. After graduating she became an assistant women’s basketball coach at Troy University from 2002-2005. She then coached at Louisiana Tech University from 2005-2008 and was named the Associate Head Coach prior to the 2007 season. In April of 2008 she returned to the University of Alabama as the Associate Head Women’s Basketball Coach under the direction of new Head Coach Wendell Hudson.

Robert Davis Robert graduated from The University of Alabama with a B.S. in aerospace engineering in 2004 and an M.S. in aerospace engineering in 2005. He spent 3 1/2 years with Orbital Sciences Corporation in Chandler, Arizona, building rockets, before accepting his current position with Lockheed Martin Space Systems in Huntsville. While living in Arizona, he went on a sailing voyage to Antarctica and took up powered paragliding. While a student, he was a member of the Mallet Assembly, served as president of the UA chapter of Tau Beta Pi, and was twice Secretary-General of the Alabama Model United Nations.

David Eagles David is currently Vice President of Program Management and Strategy for Oakleaf Global Holdings, the largest provider of sustainable waste logistics and recycling solutions for companies throughout North America. David served previously as a Director for the newly created Office of Financial Stability, Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) during the Obama Administration with the U.S. Department of the Treasury. He led efforts to provide strategic direction and to improve transparency and accountability as the response to the financial crisis expanded. Prior to that he was appointed in the George W. Bush Administration and was one of the youngest members of the Senior Executive Service as the Advisor to the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development. He designed and led the initiatives for reform during a critical time for the Agency during the unfolding housing crisis. He also was the Director of Performance for the U.S. Small Business Administration leading coordination of major reforms for the Agency rated the “most improved” among all federal agencies during his tenure. Prior to his Appointment, David was a Senior Consultant at Booz Allen Hamilton supporting large corporations and governments in strategic planning and performance management. He has also been active for the Republican National Committee in Washington and has managed several major political campaigns around the country. He has also been an active advisor for political campaigns and leadership in Mexico. David received his Master in Public Policy degree specializing in Business and Government Policy from Harvard University’s Kennedy School, and a B.S. in Financial Management from the University of Alabama.

Kana Ellis Kana received her J.D. from Georgetown University School of Law and is now an associate at the Washington, DC office of King and Spalding, focusing on antitrust litigation. While at Georgetwon, Kana taught Law to the 12th graders at Thurgood Marshall Academy Public Charter School and volunteered with the school as a mentor; she was also the Managing Editor for the Georgetown Journal on Poverty Law and Policy.

Shunta Garrett Shunta graduated from The University of Alabama in May 2002 with a Bachelor of Science in Industrial Engineering. She continued her education at The University, and went on to obtain a Master of Science in Industrial Engineering in December 2004. While at The University, Shunta was involved in The National Society of Black Engineers, Alpha Pi Mu, Golden Key International Honor Society, and Gamma Beta Phi. Shunta is currently employed with a leading automotive manufacturer as an Associate Technical Specialist.

Michael Hill Received his JD from the University of Alabama School of Law in 2006, and his B.S. in Finance and Economics from the University's School of Commerce and Business Administration. While at the University, he held membership in Lambda Sigma, Omicron Delta Kappa, Order of Omega, and Alpha Tau Omega social fraternity. He is currently employed with Hill, Hill, Carter, Franco, Cole and Black, P.C. as an associate attorney. Previously, Mike served as a law clerk to the Honorable W. Keith Watkins of the United States District Court for the Middle District of Alabama. Mike has been married since 2004 to Jamie Kidd Hill. He and Jamie reside in Montgomery, Alabama.

Howard "Ray" Hix, Jr. Graduated from the University of Alabama Law School in 2003. He started a law firm of Hix & Snedeker, L.L.C. in Gulf Shores, Alabama. He specializes in Real Estate law and development. Ray now lives in Baldwin County, where he works for the development company The Cirrus Group. This company develops and renovates commercial and retail centers throughout the Southeast and has offices in Gulf Shores and Daphne, AL.

William Holste Lives in Richmond, Virginia.

Eddie L. Koen, Jr. Eddie is a joint degree student at Samford University and University of Alabama at Birmingham. He will receive his J.D. and M.P.A. in 2008. Originally from Chicago,Eddie received his undergraduate degree from UA, where he was president of NAACP; he was also a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., National Pan-Hellenic Council, Common Ground Poetry Group, and Bama Chess Club. He also co-founded the Student Coalition Against Racism and Counter-Friction advocacy groups. He was selected as a member of Jason's Senior Honorary, Phi Eta Sigma, and served as vice president of the American Marketing Association. While in law school, he was Editor in Chief for the Southern Regional Black Law Students Association Law Journal, Chief Justice of the Honor Court, National Chair for the National Black Law Students Association, Samford's Values Council, and was a recipient of academic honors and Spirit of Service Awards. He is also a fellow for the Council on Legal Education Opportunity (CLEO). He received the highest award for a law student by the Alabama Bar Association for his pro-bono work with death penalty cases in Alabama with the law firm of Sidley Austin. He has worked for the public defender offices in Chicago-Cook County, the Public Defender Service for the District of Columbia, and he will be a fellow at Equal Justice Initiative in the fall of 2008. Eddie is an active member of 100 Black Men of Birmingham. He also serves on the board of the Freedom Chess Academy, The National Bar Association, and the National Black Law Students Association.

Jennifer Traywick Mims Jennifer accepted a position on the Blackburn Alumni Involvement Network, an extension of the Institute’s advisory board, in 2007. She received her MBA with a concentration in real estate in May 2005, and now works for Zoe's Kitchen as the Director of Real Estate and Marketing. Jennifer is married to Les Mims, and they currently reside in Birmingham.

Clint Moore Works as a counselor for Three Springs.

Andrew Nix Andrew graduated from The University of Alabama School of Law in May of 2003 and was admitted to the Alabama State Bar in September of 2003. Andrew is now an attorney at Maynard, Cooper & Gale, P.C. in Birmingham.

Tonita Romero Northington Tonita practices wealth management and employee benefits law at Balch & Bingham LLP in Birmingham. She graduated Order of the Coif from Louisiana State University Paul M. Hebert Law Center and was admitted to the Alabama State Bar in 2006. Tonita's husband, John, is employed as a Process Lead Engineer with Southern Company Services.

Bryan Oliver Bryan received his Master's degree in Higher Education Administration from UA and is working towards a Ph.D. in the same field. He currently serves as Assistant Director for Alumni and Volunteer Recruitment at the University of Alabama.

James Perrien Graduated with a degree in Quantitative Finance in 2003. He is now attending UAB Medical School in Birmingham, AL. While at UA, James served as SGA Vice President of Academic Affairs.

Lydia Seabol Currently employed at Tuscaloosa News. Graduated from The University of Alabama with a Masters in Communication.

Amitabh Shah Currently working for Hewitt Associates, a top ten consulting firm, as a Business Systems Analyst. He lives in Atlanta, Georgia.

LaTasha Smith Graduated from UA with Masters in Communication. She was recently accepted to study in Asolo, Italy through the Consortium of Universities for International Graduate Studies Program.

Tyrance Story Graduated in 2003 with a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering and a Business minor. Tyrance is now working for Southern Company Services in Birmingham. At his job he develops analytical tools and provides economic analysis for projects, including resource valuation, risk assessment, real-time pricing, and competitive assessment as support of wholesale marketing transactions for The Southern Company.

Elizabeth Sullivan Snodgrass Elizabeth, an attorney practicing labor and employment law in the Washington, D.C. office of Venable, LLP, currently resides in D.C. with her husband, Jacob Snodgrass. She graduated from the University of Virginia School of Law in 2007, after serving as Managing Editor of the Virginia Journal of International Law and Secretary of the Student Bar Association. A 2004 graduate of the University of Alabama, Elizabeth has a B.A. in Spanish with minors in political science and the Blount Undergraduate Initiative. She served as Kappa Delta Sorority's President, SGA Chief of Staff, Freshman Forum President, Secretary of the First Year Council, and XXXI Historian. Elizabeth was also a Dean's Scholar, as well as member of Mortar Board, Anderson Society, Blue Key, Omicron Delta Kappa, Order of Omega, Cardinal Key, Lambda Sigma, and Phi Beta Kappa honors societies. Elizabeth and her husband welcomed a son, Andrew Thomas Snodgrass, on December 20, 2008. The family lives in Washington, DC.

Robert Turner Currently attending Beeson School of Divinity. Graduated with a B.S. in Political Science from Tuskegee, AL. Former Student Chair of the Blackburn Institute; Executive Chief of Staff of SGA; President of College Democrats; and Vice President of Alabama Students for Constitutional Reform.