Board of Directors
Meet our senior leadership
Jerlean Noble, President & Founder of Columbia Writers Alliance
Jerlean S. Noble
Jerlean Noble is a 30 year retiree of the Department of Psychology at the University of South Carolina. She is a published author with over 12 published books, 3 which are in the Richland County Library and Greenville Library. She is also the author of Benson’s Bloodline to Freedom’s Trail which she was honored to be the 2023 International winner of the African American Historical and Genealogical Society’s for Historical Fiction.
Vice President
Ida Thompson
Ida Renee Thompson is a veteran educator with both practical and administrative experience in all phases of library media center management, technology education, and distance education at building and district levels. She was a school librarian in Richland One who went on to serve as the district’s media consultant and later as director of Instructional Technology Services until her retirement in 2016. She was recently inducted into the Richland School District’s Hall of Fame.
Parliamentarian
Rochester Baker Sr.
Rochester Baker, Sr. is the Former President of the South Carolina Association of Parliamentarians. He is a member of the National Association of Parliamentarians where he has achieved the status of Professional Registered Parliamentarian.
Quantella Jamaica Perry
Secretary
Quantella Jamaica Perry was born in Charleston, SC. She began her art of writing through poetry and music at the precious age of eleven years old. Writing gave her an outlet when her life became very challenging and the hurt, she was experiencing was overwhelming.
Rev. Frank Houston
Chaplain
Born in Charleston, SC in 1941. Called to inspirer,called to be use as an empty vessel, called to give some understanding to God’s word. Called to be used where status does not matter but led by the spirit to be aninspiration to others. Throughout my life God has been my everything!
Dr. Charlene Sims is a literary artist, memoir author, motivational speaker, and podcast host rooted in Columbia, South Carolina. Holding a Doctor of Business Administration from South University, she is the creator of the “From the Clay to the Crown” framework and the host of Dr. Decorum: The Highest Degree of Etiquette. She serves on the board of Community Light Voice For the Voiceless and is the founder of Time is of the Essence LLC.
Charlene Sims
Asst. Secretary
CORE MEMBERS
Jason Brown
New Member - Author
Jason Brown resides in Florence, SC with his wife Somona of 21 years of marriage and their 2 sons, Jevon and Jordan. Jason was born in Camden, SC and grew up in Florence, SC. Jason enjoys spending time with his family and singing!
Jason is running his 501c3 nonprofit,minority male mentoring leadership program. Jason has been working with youth and in the education field for over 24 years, which has consisted of positions in career counseling, behavioral counseling, adjunct teaching, mentoring, and basketball coaching.
Jason also serves in his church, where he is one of the leaders within the youth ministry department. He is a leader who believes in giving back and paying it forward! Jason truly believes that he is on assignment for God and wants to continue to use each platform he is on, as ministry! Jason uses the fact of having a blended family, having made wrong decisions in life, feeling that he wasn’t enough, having trust issues, giving into peer pressure, and so much more, as a means to being open, honest, and vulnerable with his audience, showing how relatable he is to others, which showcases his “WHY” in his life and career, now and moving forward! Jason has a passion and is on a mission to share the message for youth and adults to hear and implement in their lives; “Expand your mind, Open your heart, Be better today than you were yesterday, Level up, and Move forward into Greatness!”
Kenneth T. Brown, Author
Rev. Louisa Davis Dobbins, Playwright Poet
Dr. Vivian Hudson, Novelist
Rochester Baker, Author
Esther Ruth Sims, Poet
Myra Davis-Branic, Author
Donna Davis, Author
Ruthie Grant, Author
Miriam Gantt, Author
Rosa Bennett, Author
Mikell Snooks, Author, Poet, Inspirational
Missy Sulton-Akinlolu, Poet
Rev. Frank Houston, Author
Holli McEachern, Writer
Shannon Stone, Writer
Ida Thomas, Writer
Tyra Little, Writer
Elizabeth Alexander
New Member - Author
Ms. Elizabeth Alexander is a new author, day viewing her authorship with “In the Eyes of the Beholder.” She is mother to 4 beautiful children, 2 boys and 2 girls. And grandmother of 5. She has been a successful business woman for 18 years and a Christian who trusts God with her future by stepping out on only his Word. She states “God has never failed me yet, and he I know He’s not going to fail me now.” Elizabeth’s book can be purchased from the author or from Amazon.com.