Rhonda Walker
Rhonda Walker has been helping Detroiters get motivated and ready for the day with her incredible energy, enthusiasm, impeccable style, and passion for her hometown for the past 24 years. A confessed morning person, this award winning talented and versatile journalist starts her day at 2:00 am to co-anchor the weekday morning newscast at WDIV-Local 4 News. A position she’s held since 2003. But for those of you who only know Rhonda Walker the Anchor Person, there is so much more.
Throughout her life, Rhonda has been committed to serving the Metro Detroit community. Rhonda’s passion for giving back and uplifting others is shown by the nearly 75 appearances she makes throughout the year with motivational speaking and in support of charitable efforts, establishing herself as not only a leader in her profession but also for service to the greater Detroit Community. Over the past 8 years Rhonda has been recognized by her peers, and received awards and honors from over 50 different community, corporate, and professional organizations, including:
- 16 times for her Community Service including honored nationally with the –
- 2018 National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) Angelo B. Henderson Community Service Award
- 2019 Congressional Black Caucus Michigan Delegation Community Change Agent Award
- Other Recent Honors include the –
- 2022 Stellantis STAAND – Standing Ovation Award for Community Impact
- 2021 Crain’s Detroit Business Notable Non-Profit Board Member
- 2019 Inductee – Catch Charity Hall of Fame for Extraordinary Charitable Contributions
- 2019 Dr. Gerald K. Smith Humanitarian Award from Black Family Development, Inc.
- 2019 Northwood University Distinguished Woman Award
- 2019 Fiat Chrysler Automobiles – Standing Ovation Award
- 2019 Neal Shine Award for Excellence in Media Commitment to Philanthropy
- 8 times for her work related to empowering youth and mentoring
- 17 times for leadership and distinguished service; and
- 10 times for professional media related awards
Her scores of awards and numerous accolades also include 9 consecutive years of “Best News Anchor Awards” from Hour Detroit Magazine (2014-2022). And Best News Anchor Awards from the Michigan Chronicle (2016-2018) and the Michigan Chronicle Women of Excellence Award. Additional recognition includes honors from the City of Detroit (Spirit of Detroit Award), NAACP (Great Expectation Award), General Motors, Ford Motor Company, News/Talk WJR 760am, YWCA, NAWBO, Michigan Women’s Foundation and the Detroit Rescue Mission Ministries.
Rhonda is a Board Trustee at Harper/Hutzel and Detroit Receiving Hospitals and an active member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., Renaissance Chapter of the Links, Inc. and Girl Friends, Inc.
Rhonda is also the founder and president of the Rhonda Walker Foundation, now in its 19th year (2022). To date the foundation’s award-winning, comprehensive five-year Girls into Women education, career and personal development, mentoring and college prep programming has resulted in 100% high school graduation and college enrollment rates among the inner city teen girls who complete the program, along with a 95% college graduation rate. Rhonda helped launch a comprehensive college prep initiative that provides year-round tutoring in all subjects and ACT/SAT test prep courses starting in the 8th through 12th grade, the award-winning Give and Get Fit program in 2011 to promote health lifestyle among the RWF teens and families and raise community awareness about health, fitness and nutrition. The foundation also launched its after-school RWF Academy at 5 partner middle schools in spring 2019. For more information about the foundation visit http://rhondawalkerfoundation.org/
Born in Detroit and raised in Lansing, Rhonda holds a degree in Communications from Michigan State University. In her spare time Rhonda is an avid golfer and loves to travel with her husband Jason, shop, dine out, enjoy Michigan summers, volunteer and spend quality time with family and friends.
Theresa Flores
Theresa Flores is a survivor. As a 15-year-old girl in a well-to-do white suburban neighborhood, Theresa survived two years of living hell being trafficked to men in their 20s and 30s. She was given as a reward to men in this criminal ring when they did a good job.
She was an avid track runner, an older sister to three younger brothers, and looked like an all-American girl. No one, not even her parents, knew she was being trafficked for sex.
Twenty years later, Theresa is speaking out on the reality of human trafficking in the U.S. She is the author of The Slave Across the Street, a USA Today and Wall Street Journal best seller, and The Sacred Bath. Her new international book, a top seller on the UK Sunday Times list, offers a look into her escape from her traffickers and her struggle to heal.
Theresa has been invited as a guest on The 700 Club, The Today Show, and, MSNBC’s Sex Slaves — The Teen Trade. She has also been featured on Nightline, America’s Most Wanted, and For the Record as a sex slave survivor.
Theresa is featured by the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center Museum in a traveling exhibit entitled, Invisible Slavery.
As a much-sought-after international speaker and expert on human trafficking, Theresa was also appointed to the Ohio Attorney General’s Human Trafficking Commission in 2009 and has testified before the Ohio House and Senate in support of Human Trafficking legislation. Her efforts were a major part of the success of SB235 being passed into law by Ohio Governor Strickland on Dec. 23, 2010.
Theresa has been awarded one of the top influential women in the Columbus, Ohio area. She was also recognized by current Ohio Governor Kaisch and received the Courage Award for her work in human trafficking.
Her book, The Slave Across the Street has been on the Wall Street Journal and USA Today’s Best Selling List several times. The e-book is listed as a #1 favorite in the categories of Women’s Studies, Child Advocacy, Family Law and Political Studies.
In addition, the audio version of her book was nominated for the 2011 Audie Award, being in the top 5 of all memoirs and biographies. Random House recently published a new version for the UK.
Theresa is a licensed social worker for more than 20 years. She received her Master’s in Counseling Education from the University of Dayton and a Bachelor’s of Social Work from Ball State University.
Cat Digioia
Catherine serves as a Leader in Me Coach, Consultant, and Content Creator for Leader in Me Weekly and is an accredited Associate Certified Coach through the International Coaching Federation. With a lifelong commitment to learning, Catherine holds a dual undergraduate degree in art education and women’s and gender studies, a master’s degree in art education, and is pursuing a doctorate in innovative teaching and learning with a focus on social justice. Catherine’s passion for unlocking the potential of others can be traced back to playing teacher in the garage of her childhood home. She believes that nothing is more important in life than how we see and treat other human beings. Through continuous listening, learning, and advocacy, Catherine champions the voices of educators and partners with school leaders in closing the opportunity gap. Catherine’s ability to connect with her audience makes big learning feel inspiring and applicable to individuals and organizations.
Classroom experience in teaching Pre-K through 12th grades, including students with diverse learning needs, gives Catherine a breadth of experience with which to support educators. Her “teacher’s heart,” immense respect for the profession, and passion for understanding how and why we learn drives her commitment to excellence as a coach and consultant. Early experiences with Career and Technical Student Organizations sparked a passion for leadership that inspired her to promote life-ready learning for today’s students. She resides in the New York City Metropolitan area with her husband and two young children, who bring her immense joy. Catherine is the librarian of an absurdly large children’s book collection in her home, has a passion for travel, is a lover of great pizza, and is continuously attempting to keep house plants alive.
Dawn N. Ison
Dawn N. Ison was sworn in as the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Michigan by Chief United States District Judge Denise Page Hood.
Ison, who most recently served in the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Public Corruption Unit, will lead one of the largest U.S. Attorney’s Offices in the country. The office currently employs approximately 221 personnel in three locations (Detroit, Flint and Bay City) and serves more than 6.5 million residents.
“It has been a privilege to serve as an Assistant United States Attorney for over 19 years. I could not be more honored to extend my service to my hometown in this significant way as the United States Attorney, which serves as the pinnacle of my career. We will continue to work hard to ensure the protection and safety of every citizen in this district and make sure the people of this richly diverse community feel valued.”
President Joseph Biden nominated Ison on November 12, 2021, and she was confirmed by the Senate on December 14, 2021. Ison succeeds Saima S. Mohsin who was appointed as the Acting U.S. Attorney in January.
Since 2002, Ison has served as an Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Michigan, where she has prosecuted drug trafficking offenses at the highest level in the Office’s Drug Task Force Unit. She also served as Chief of that unit, which is the largest unit in the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Since 2014, Ison has served as the Office’s District Election Officer, and also represented the Office in the federal court’s alternative to prison program. Early in her career, Ison spent twelve years as a criminal defense attorney.
Over the course of her career, Ison has successfully handled large-scale, complex, multi-defendant prosecutions. Ison’s work has been nationally recognized on several occasions by the Department of Justice and more recently by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. She has also received U.S. Attorney’s Awards for Outstanding Service and for Superior Performance by a Litigation Team. During her career, Ison has taken more than 50 cases to trial both as a prosecutor and a defense attorney.
After law school, Ison served as a Prehearing Attorney for the Michigan Court of Appeals. She graduated from Spelman College in 1986 and received her law degree from Wayne State University Law School in 1989.