Ms. Jordan-Rigsby became the sixth board member of the Fund. A federal commissioner, her leadership and service on the board will have a broad impact. She has distinguished herself in the region as a seasoned mediator and as an advocate for change. Her professional work as a commissioner benefits the Nation and its people, from Pennsylvania to Michigan. More information to follow.
M.D., University of Panama School of Medicine, Panama City, Panama
Concentration: Medicine
Graduated from OB/GYN residency programs at the University of Paris, Paris, France and at Wayne State University, Detroit, MI
Distinctions: Fellow, American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists; Fellow, American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. Dr. Troya-Nutt is a board-certified diplomate with the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology; the second largest university OB/GYN residency program in the United States presented her with their top obstetrics award, the Vincent Award, in 2005; the Republic of Panama awarded her with a full academic scholarship that was renewed annually for six (6) consecutive years; prior to university, she received the National Student Speech Champion Award for the Republic of Panama. Caring for underinsured women through a premier federally qualified health center in Detroit, Michigan; conducting scientific research that was published in both Europe and North America; serving as a foreign resident in OB/GYN at the University of Paris; selected as one of the first two female physicians to care for native Indian women who inhabited the remote San Blas Islands of Panama; serving as a featured speaker for Detroit area women’s groups and before a gathering of 10,000 individuals in the Republic of Panama. In 2009 at the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History, the Detroit Community Health Connection (DCHC) CEO, Wayne Bradley, presented Dr. Troya-Nutt with the 2009 Dr. Sophie Womack Trailblazer Award, for Dr. Troya-Nutt's record of excellence in caring for patients in the spirit and with the character of Dr. Sophie Womack, the immediate past Chief Medical Officer of the Detroit Medical Center.
Why she desires to be a One University of the Americas Fund Trustee/Director:
“To give something back to America for what she has given to me through providing meaningful support for a new effort targeting vulnerable and gifted veterans and other talented American and international youth and their families.”
Other leadership positions held:
Served as one of two executive chief residents responsible for sharing administrative oversight of forty-four (44) university OB/GYN resident physicians at the Detroit Medical Center’s Hutzel Women’s Hospital (site of the Midwest’s only branch of the National Institutes of Health); coordinated two medical relief efforts for two international humanitarian mission teams; directed an international congregation’s missions programs, hosting a Spanish language radio program to increase involvement of professionals in a congregation serving the Panama City region of the Republic of Panama.
B.A., Oral Roberts University (Summa Cum Laude)
Concentration: Liberal Arts
J.D., American University Law School
Concentration: Law
Distinctions: Co-President, Fulbright Association Michigan Chapter; Fulbright Scholarship to Oxford University, United Kingdom; State Bar of Michigan Champion of Justice Award; National Christian Higher Education Month Honoree; Oral Roberts Univ. Alumnus of the Year (for Distinguished Community Service); Goldman Sachs Scholarship for Summer Session in Law, Tel Aviv, Israel; Southfield Christian School Salutatorian. Led the nation’s only legal advocacy, education and housing program of its kind to benefit thousands of people in more than 50 Detroit area schools and communities; filing the nation’s first successful test case under a state drug dealer liability act; co-founding the Metro Detroit Beat the Odds Scholarship Awards Program that awarded more than 50 scholarships to remarkable graduating students; selected with about 60 CEO's, nonprofit leaders and a future Michigan Governor Granholm for the Leadership Detroit XIX program; serving as one of four (4) Judicial Interns in the office of the late U.S. Chief Justice Warren Burger; President, Somerset North Homeowners
Association.
Why he desires to be a One University of the Americas Fund Trustee/Director:
“To make the world a better place; to improve the quality of life for the interdependent communities served; to solve seemingly impossible problems; to see the vision for green, open-gated high tech campuses become a reality; to participate in the formation of a new, Veteran-focused effort for the benefit of talented and needy American and international students; to strengthen communities in the vicinity of the world’s busiest international land border crossing area and enhance the use of historic sites for our posterity.”
Leadership positions held:
Jeffrey G Nutt & Associates, PLLC President & CEO; Fulbright Association Michigan Chapter; Somerset North association President; immediate past Neighborhood Legal Services Michigan Executive Director; Leadership Detroit XIX Graduate; State Bar of Michigan Open Justice Commission Member; World Harvest Mission Secretary and General Counsel; Marathon Mission Secretary; Oral Roberts University Honor Society President; Model United Nations Secretary General; Homeless Action Network of Detroit Immediate Past Treasurer; Oxford University Union Society Lifetime Member
Candidate for B.S., Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan
Concentration: Nursing
Distinctions: Received a civil justice award resulting from a Detroit adoption petition that was the first of its kind in Michigan. Training two daughters, Kelli Bailey and Gabrielle Bailey, in Detroit, MI and Troy, MI, to be responsible young women; providing decent, safe, affordable permanent housing for City of Detroit residents over the span of my career with GraWin Corporation; serving as a Women’s Instructor and Mentor.
Why she desires to be a One University of the Americas Fund Director:
“I have a deep, impassioned desire to help collegiates achieve their life potential – and I believe in the purpose of this effort. That is, ‘to help others prepare to participate in a new community, known as One University of the Americas, which shall educate students of any race, creed, gender, or national origin.’”
Other leadership positions held:
Successfully worked as Vice President, GraWin Corporation for more than 20 consecutive years; elected as the founding Treasurer of World Harvest Mission; served as founding Treasurer of One University of the Americas Fund; held various in-kind supervisory or teaching positions for the benefit youth, collegiates, and women in Detroit, MI and Sterling Heights, MI.
B.A., Oral Roberts University, Tulsa, OK
M.A., Eastern Michigan University, Ypsilanti, MI (4.0 GPA)
Distinctions: Author of "Living and Loving the Marathon of Life"; Southfield Christian School Valedictorian; National Dean’s List Phi Kappa Phi; Detroit Free Press Marathon, Past 5th Place Finisher (Women); being a spiritually alive, balanced, happily married spouse for more than twenty years; raising four children with her husband, a past two-time All American athlete; surviving five miscarriages; running ten marathons and co-founding Marathon Mission, a 501(c)3 organization; writing as a contributing author for two books: Your Exceptional Life Begins Now, and From Fairbanks to Boston: Top 50 U.S. Marathons.
Why she desires to be a One University Fund Director:
“To use my interests and talents to make a powerful, enduring impact, believing that ‘to whom much is given, much is required' to improve the health, fitness, balance and well-being of the regional international community.”
Other leadership positions held:
Founding President of Marathon Mission, Student Government Officer, National Honor Society, German Club President, University Service Council Children’s Ministries Coordinator, Women’s Director, Teacher, Retreat Speaker, Author, Leadership Team Member.
B.A., Central Michigan University Concentration: Speech/Language Pathology, Elementary Education; M.A., University of Wisconsin/Steven’s Point Concentration: Speech/Language Pathology; Pre-Primary Impaired Certification, Oakland University; Concentration: Special Education Early Childhood
Member: American Speech/Language/Hearing Association (ASHA), International Society of Augmentative/Alternative Communication (ISAAC), United States Society of Augmentative/Alternative Communication (USSAAC)
Distinctions:
Program Designer: Augmentative/Alternative Communication Classroom for students with Complex Communication Needs; Awarded Program of the Year by Michigan Speech/Language Hearing Association; Language Based early childhood classrooms for students with severe speech/language impairments; Assistive Technology Center for large metropolitan school district; Participant in National AAC Collaborative Classroom Project with Bridge School, CA; Contributing Author: “Augmentative Communication News, Apraxia Issue”; Speaker: International, National, State level conferences in AAC and Assistive Technology; Guest Lecturer at Eastern MI University and Wayne State University for students studying Speech/Language Pathology; Participant with Special Education Administrators to Cuba with “People to People International”; Cast Member on children’s TV Show, “Double Dip Sunday”.
Why Mrs. Cummings desires to be a One University of the Americas Fund Trustee/Director
“I have known from a very young age that I was called to intervene for individuals who struggle with communication challenges. I believe that ‘Communication is the Essence of Human Life.’ I have spent my professional career designing and implementing programs and services for students with complex communication needs, their families and educational teams. I am passionately committed to provide opportunities to all individuals to enable them to become competent communicators, thus sharing who they are and what they believe with the world.”
Leadership Positions:
Consultant for Augmentative/Alternative Communication, (AAC) Oakland Schools
Oakland County, Michigan; Designed, implemented and coordinated the Utica AAC Program and AT Center; Speech/Language Pathologist, Early Childhood Special Educator, Utica Community Schools; Founding Treasurer of “Obadiah Ministries”, a 501 c 3 organization; Leader of the Women’s Ministry, Christ the King Church.
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