Coral Gables Chamber Goes LIVE with Local Black Leaders for Black History Month
#ICYMI As the Coral Gables Chamber of Commerce DEI Committee Chair, Tamika Bickham went LIVE on the @gableschamber Instagram every Tuesday during the month of February to highlight South Florida leaders, amplify their voices, and share more about their contributions to our communities in the region and beyond. Catch up on the interviews below.
Chris Lomax, Managing Attorney at Lomax Legal
Chris is the Managing Attorney at Lomax Legal. He began his career with the Civil Rights Division of the United States Department of Justice where he focused on prosecuting complex federal civil rights violations. Chris also completed a clerkship with Chief Judge Carl E. Stewart of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. He then practiced at Jones Day where he represented Fortune 500 corporations in high stakes complex litigation and white collar investigations, and earning the trust of clients across industries.
In addition to his full-time legal practice, Chris serves as an adjunct professor at the University of Miami School of Law and is on the teaching faculty for Harvard Law School’s Trial Advocacy Workshop. He is also the President of the Wilkie D. Ferguson, Jr. Bar Association, the first and largest black lawyers association in Miami-Dade County.
Dr. Loretta Ovueraye, Vice Provost for Workforce Programs and Professional Learning at Miami Dade College
Dr. Loretta Ovueraye serves as the Vice Provost for Workforce Programs and Professional Learning at Miami Dade College (MDC) in Miami, Florida. She began her career in higher education as an environmental science program coordinator and faculty member developing programs to enhance students’ experiences in and out of the classroom. Her professional career over the last 18 years has included working in higher education as a student success change agent for academic and technical education programs. Through her ability to develop strong internal and external partnerships, she created the MDC cloud computing center, returning citizens free digital education program, and other workforce initiatives and support programs raising students’ economic status. She has managed several Federal grants including a Title V, USDA-NIFA grants, and a current S-STEM project.
Additionally, she is on the Fulbright specialist roster as a STEM specialist and has served as a Florida Pathways Navigator coach for the Florida Success center and was appointed to the Statewide, Final Payment for ITAs, Florida credentials of value work group in 2022. Dr. Ovueraye holds a doctoral degree in education, a master’s degree in environmental science, and a bachelor’s degree in microbiology.
Darrel Montrope, Consul General of Saint Lucia in Miami
Darrel Montrope is the Consul General of Saint Lucia in Miami. He has an abiding interest in social and economic policy issues. He is a graduate of the University of the West Indies (Mona) with an MSC in the Sociology of Development, and he has over two decades experience in government policy management. During that span, he provided leadership to several government Ministries/Agencies in Saint Lucia in the capacity of Permanent Secretary. His portfolios during that time included Health, Tourism, Labor and Public Administration. He also served as Secretary to the Cabinet and the Titular Head of the Saint Lucia Public Service.
The father of a son and daughter, his interests are eclectic, but he particularly enjoys reading and most musical genres.
Saint Lucia celebrated 44 years of Independence on February 22, 2023 with a ceremony near their local office in Coral Gables!
Gale Nelson, President & CEO of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Miami
Gale Nelson was born in Lincoln, Nebraska and grew up in Toledo, Ohio where he began his pursuit of personal and professional success. Gale earned his Bachelor of Business Administration in Corporate Finance from the University of Toledo (Toledo, OH) and his Master of Science in Management and Administration of Educational Programs from Nova Southeastern University (Davie, FL). Gale has earned eight doctoral hours in Non-Profit Leadership at Colorado Technical University (Colorado Springs, CO).
Some of Gale’s most recent accomplishments include: the Irvin F. Westheimer Visionary Leadership Award (2022). This national award is named after the man whose vision led to the founding of Big Brothers Big Sisters, Children’s Trust David Lawrence “Champions for Children” Award (2022), South Florida Business Journal Ultimate CEO Honoree (2021), South Florida Business Journal Power 250 List (2021), completed the Nonprofit Leadership program at Boston College (2018), and the Harvard Business School Strategic Perspectives in Non-Profit Management Course for CEO’s from around the world (2018).
Gale’s professional career includes over 30 years of non-profit management and leadership experience. Currently, he is the President & CEO of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Miami, and since joining the team in July 2006, he has played a significant role in the growth and development of the agency’s mentoring and fund development programs. He led his team in being named the Agency of the Year Award (2021) and the National Pinnacle Award for three straight years (2019, 2020, 2021).
Gale is a highly effective public speaker and the consummate strategist who provides solution-focused leadership. His faith and his family continue to keep him grounded in helping youth and families.
As a lifelong storyteller, journalist, and the Founder and CEO of TB Media Group, Tamika is committed to amplifying diverse stories and supporting social impact marketing campaigns. She is proud to partner with the Coral Gables Chamber of Commerce to continue that work through the DEI Committee. If you are interested in getting involved, feel free to send her an email at tamika@tbmediagroup.com.
