Award Recipients

Christina Dent is the Founder and President of End It For Good, a nonprofit that invites people to support approaches to drugs and addiction that prioritize life, preserve families, and promote public safety. End It For Good was recently named a top nonprofit by the Mississippi Business Journal. Christina grew up in a wonderful Christian family in Jackson, Mississippi, and was homeschooled through high school before earning a bachelor’s degree in Biblical Studies at Belhaven University. She married her college sweetheart, Thomas Dent, during spring break of her senior year. For five years after college, she worked in the accounting department at Bomgar Corporation, a technology company started by Belhaven graduates. Fulfilling her dream of being a stay-at-home wife and mother, she left Bomgar after her second son was born and spent eight happy (and stressful) years at home. During that time, she and Thomas became foster parents. Christina had supported a criminal justice approach to drugs for most of her life until foster care helped her see the negative impact on children and families. She began a journey to understand how we could reduce harm such as crime, overdose, addiction, and unnecessary incarceration. As a result, Christina changed her mind in favor of health-centered approaches to drugs and addiction and started End It For Good to invite others to consider more life-affirming solutions. When their youngest son started Kindergarten, she transitioned to full-time work with End It For Good where she is a speaker who has given a TEDx Talk and over 100 interviews and presentations on the research and experiences that shifted her perspective. She is a writer whose work has been featured in publications such as Magnolia Tribune, The Clarion-Ledger, Real Clear Policy, and USA Today. And she is the author of the new book Curious: A Foster Mom's Discovery of an Unexpected Solution to Drugs and Addiction. She continues to write and speak on behalf of End It For Good and raise three awesome sons with Thomas: Cole (16), Tyson (14), and Brandon (10).

Guillermo Salinas was born in Brownsville, Texas, and as an infant, he moved to Zihuatanejo, Mexico, with his family. He holds a BFA in Art from Belhaven University. Prior to his formal art education, his love to create took him to study at the Culinary Art Institute in Fresno, CA, where he graduated with a specialty in Baking and Pastry. For Guillermo, making is a means to interpret the world around him as well as a process to discover nuances in everyday life. Guillermo loves the process of creating art, and his body of work includes drawing, printmaking, sculpture, and watercolor paintings. He currently lives in Jackson, MS, with his wife, Emma, and his three kids, Jasper, Maya, and Kimbra. He is the owner and pastry chef of Just Vanilla Bake Shop, located in Fondren. Guillermo is an entrepreneur, pastry chef, and artist.

Rachel (Kurtz) Caldwell is a dance educator, choreographer, author, speaker, and host of the Creative Impact Podcast. Rachel graduated from Belhaven University in 2012, receiving a BFA in Dance with a minor in Business Administration. Rachel served as a Resident Assistant for three years, and she was an active member of the BU Dance Department, where she was part of DOXA, Dance Ministry Ensemble, and received the Bezalel Award for outstanding artistic achievement.

Following her time at Belhaven, Rachel moved back to her home state of Texas to join Ad Deum II Dance Company and became the rehearsal director for the 2013-2014 season. As part of this faith-based modern/contemporary dance company, Rachel had the opportunity to perform with a focus on outreach to the local community as well as across the nation through Project Dance.

Rachel has enjoyed teaching dance and choreographing in a variety of settings, such as private dance studios, after-school programs, churches, public school dance classes, and high school dance teams. She has a heart for investing in the next generation, particularly through her work with the non-profit youth development program Creative Dreams Outreach Center and her local church’s youth group and children’s ministry. Rachel served as the head director of the Dulles High School Dolls Dance Team in Sugar Land, Texas, from 2017-2022. Currently, Rachel is the dance director and choreographer for Houston’s First Baptist Church’s annual Christmas production, The Story.

During the isolation of the COVID-19 Pandemic in 2020, a vision for connecting artists began to take shape. Rachel’s love for encouraging others and cultivating community inspired her to produce the Creative Impact Podcast, where she has conversations with fellow artists about life, faith, and the impact of the arts. With over 125 episodes, the podcast continues to be a source of encouragement for artists around the globe.

In 2022, Rachel started her own business, speaking, leading workshops, and creating resources for teams. Since founding her company, she published her book, Healthy Relationships = Healthy Team, and has had the joy of working with teams and educators across Texas and beyond! She has been a featured speaker at the Texas Dance Educators Association Convention and the National Dance Coaches Association Conference and has appeared on podcasts and in publications, sharing her passion for cultivating community and belonging.

Rachel and her husband Ben recently celebrated 10 years of marriage, and they currently live in Houston, Texas, where they enjoy spending time with family and friends, exploring the outdoors, and investing in their local church community at Sugar Land Family Church.

Dr. Jay Levy, a native Mississippian, is a seasoned educator with extensive experience in both K-12 and higher education. He holds a bachelor's degree in English and education from Ole Miss, a master's in Curriculum and Instruction from Belhaven University, and a Specialist and Doctorate in Educational Leadership from Mississippi College. Before his current role in higher education, he spent nearly a decade teaching high school English in Rankin County School District. He later served in administrative capacities in district office positions, including Curriculum Director.

In the K-12 sector, Jay earned numerous accolades, such as Rankin County School District's Teacher of the Year, a finalist for State of Mississippi Teacher of the Year, induction into the Ole Miss School of Education Hall of Fame, and achieving the State's highest scores for the English II subject area test.

Levy’s inspiration to become a college professor was based on his interactions with several former professors: Dr. Rosemary Oliphant- Ingham from Ole Miss and Drs. Catherine Wasson and Cindy Wilkins from Belhaven. Learning from these content experts sparked an interest in Levy to want to help prepare future and current educators and leaders to positively influence student achievement. Now a professor and program coordinator for the Educational Leadership program at Mississippi College, he focuses on literacy methods, educational leadership models, and curriculum leadership. His expertise includes secondary English education and classroom management.

In his spare time, Dr. Levy enjoys reading, cheering on the Ole Miss Rebels, and spending time with his family, friends, and miniature poodle, Atticus Finch. A faithful believer in Christ since childhood, he strives to incorporate Biblical principles into his teaching and interactions with students.

Briana McElroy is a seasoned digital marketing executive with over 12 years of experience developing creative and effective digital marketing campaigns. With a background in entertainment and technology, she brings a wealth of expertise to her role. In her current role as Lionsgate’s Senior Vice President, Head of Worldwide Digital Marketing, Briana is responsible for overseeing the digital campaigns for all motion picture group releases, including recent titles “John Wick: Chapter 4”, “Saw X”, and “The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes”. Upcoming releases include the films “Michael,” “Ballerina,” “Now You See Me 3”, and “And Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping.”

Prior to joining Lionsgate she was a leader in Twitter's Media & Entertainment team, driving the company's global partnerships with Warner Bros. Discovery and The Walt Disney Company. Before Twitter, she served as the Digital Marketing Director for Warner Bros. Pictures, leading successful marketing campaigns for films such as "Wonder Woman," "Kong: Skull Island," "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them," "Annabelle: Creation," "Ocean's 8," "A Star is Born," and "POKÉMON Detective Pikachu."

Briana is a native of Jackson, Mississippi, and in her free time, she enjoys cooking and spending time with her daughter Nola, her husband Josh, and her dogs Fred and Murphy.

Dr. Somto Ngwudike graduated magna cum laude from Belhaven University in December 2017 with a degree in Biochemistry. He then attended medical school at the University of Mississippi Medical Center, graduating in 2022. In June 2022, Dr. Ngwudike joined Baylor College of Medicine's prestigious Neurosurgery Residency Program, where he is now in his third year.

At Belhaven, Somto was a decorated Men's Soccer team member, earning accolades like ACS All-Academic Team (2015, 2016), NCCAA Scholar Athlete, ASCS Athlete Medal of Honor, and CSpire Athlete of the Week. He was also part of the 2015 NCCAA Final Four Team.

Somto, the youngest of five, credits his success to his parents, Benjamin and Rose Ngwudike, and his siblings, Chinedu, Uche, Ogoo, and Chiamaka. He moved from Nigeria to the U.S. in 2009, settling in Ridgeland, Miss. Many of his closest friends are from Belhaven, where he learned values and lessons that shaped his life.

After more than 20 years of building and leading youth ministries across the southeast, Greg Sweatt followed the Lord’s calling to co-found the Phoenix Community of Atlanta alongside Brian Holland and Jeff Bagwell in 2008. They later went on to create Phoenix Roasters, a coffee company + roastery focused on creating margin to provide relief both locally & globally. Greg Sweatt is the co-founder and current COO of Phoenix Roasters, overseeing farmer and customer relations, catering, and wholesale opportunities. Greg also co-owns Phoenix Roasters’ first coffee shop and drive-thru concept, Coffee That Matters by Phoenix Roasters, founded in 2023.

Kerri Courtney Sanders is a theatre director, actor, playwright, and educator.  A Mississippi native, Kerri has performed and directed nationally and internationally on stage and screen since graduating from Belhaven University with a Bachelor of Arts in 2010.  Locally, she hosted the Mississippi Public Broadcasting’s television series, Job Hunter, and performed extensively onstage at Mississippi’s only professional theatre, New Stage Theatre in Jackson.

A passionate arts educator, Kerri believes the performing arts play a fundamental role in fostering essential character traits in young people.  Her dedication to arts education led her to serve as a teaching artist and eventually as Education Director at New Stage Theatre.  In 2017, she accepted a position as Director of Theatre Arts at Jackson Academy. 

As Director of Theatre Arts at Jackson Academy, she was named Star Teacher and Jackson Free Press Best Teacher in 2022.  In 2023, Kerri was appointed Director of Performing Arts at Jackson Academy, overseeing and expanding band, dance, theatre, and choral music opportunities for students in K2-12th grades.  In 2024, she was awarded the Outstanding Contributions to Secondary Theatre award by Mississippi Theatre Association.  

Kerri’s productions have also received accolades, including Jackson Free Press Best Stage Play (Mamma Mia, 2020).  Her original play, We Shall By Morning, earned Jackson Academy numerous awards at statewide festivals and is currently seeking publication.

When she isn’t onstage, backstage, or in the classroom, Kerri enjoys tending to her extensive garden on the small farm she shares with her husband, Michael, and their many animals. 

Dr. Fred Hall, a native of Newton, MS, attended Belhaven University during the late eighties and nineties, majoring in Christian Ministry and Psychology. During his time at Belhaven, he developed a deep awareness, knowledge, love, and calling towards Gospel Missions. A pivotal moment in his life was a missions trip to Jamaica, where he later met and married Annette Thomas Hall, a fellow Belhaven graduate (Class of '91) from Jamaica. They reside in Jackson, MS, with their three adult children: Daniel (25), Karis (22), and Kelsey (19).

After graduating from Belhaven, Fred worked in the Psychology Department at MS State Hospital until his retirement. He furthered his education by earning a Master's degree in Counseling and a Master's of Public Health from Jackson State University, followed by a Doctorate in Counseling Psychology from Argosy University.

Fred's extensive travels across Africa have seen him teaching, training, consulting, and preaching to thousands. He is especially noted for developing marriage and family curricula centered on African Marriage and family dynamics. In addition, Fred teaches, trains, and volunteers at numerous for-profit and non-profit organizations throughout the Jackson metro area and statewide. His leadership roles include serving on the Board of Directors for But God Ministries, The Timothy Project, and the Jackson Family Institute.

Fred's commitment to service extends to Jamaica, where he collaborates with orphanages, churches, non-profits, universities, and rehabilitation centers, integrating a Christian approach to mental health, counselor education, social justice, and advocacy. As an author, speaker, coach, innovator, and entrepreneur, Fred is the founder and CEO of four companies: Hall Consulting Services, Behavioral Health Solutions, Elite Marketing, and Meant for More. His clientele ranges from entrepreneurs, pastors, and ministry leaders to corporate executives and global business administrators.

Dr. Hall's greatest joy is to "Serve and not be served," with his life's purpose being to "Heal," "Educate," and make Christ known and glorified worldwide.