Impacted Lives :  12,001,453

Bishop John L. Jackson, Marion County, FL 

Regional Director

Mission & Vision

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The UNCA has one simple, but robust mission— to help people in need and foster humane societies. We do that by maintaining a highly qualified network of responders. We want to make a difference.

Chairman of the Board

Rosalind Renay Lassiter-Roker, UNCA Leadership Development

Dr. Cathy Batton, Executive Director

Dr. Joanne Sterling, UNCA Advisory Council

"The UNCA is a professional agency focused on giving board-certified members the opportunity to restore communities within a nurturing environment. The UNCA is devoted to the cause of economic development, social restoration, and global rapid response to a tragedy. UNCA achieves this vision bringing the world's most gifted community organizers, faith leaders, entrepreneurs, and governmental leaders to partner through a single platform, the United Nations Chaplains Association." 

Patented inventor, poet, published author, counselor developer, leadership consultant, screen play writer and film producer, project designer, facilitator and entrepreneurial missionary to 29 countries, serving the global community.

Dr. Cathy Ingraham Batton is a woman of passion, vision and purpose, embodying a candid, insightful, teaching style making her an internationally acclaimed keynote speaker.  She and her husband Pastor Virgil Batton, have travelled the world, spending eleven years as missionaries to Asia.  They enjoy the blessings of many children, great-grands and God-children around the world.  Dr. Batton delivers a consistent message of hope, that ‘Pure Love is the seed, to affect lasting transformation and wholeness’.  

Dr. Batton is dedicated to optimizing each person’s innate gifts and talents, to pursue one’s original purpose and intent. This is reflected in her establishing a diverse array of innovative efforts, to include: No More Time Ministries, Ingraham School of Biblical Studies, Treasure Supply. Com, The Consulting Strategies Group, Centered Individual Counseling Services and a 24-Hour Telephone Hotline for the Miami Dade Public Schools.

Her educational background includes a Bachelor of Science in Mass Communications and a Master’s Degree in Personnel Services from the University of Miami.  A Doctorate Degree in Pastoral Counseling from International Institute and named a Doctoral Fellow from Florida International University in Public Administration.

 Dr. Batton served as a professional counselor in Miami, Florida for 24 years, where she provided counselor training and development services for Miami-Dade Public Schools, which included  total employee mandated suicide prevention training.  Her areas of expertise are crisis intervention, suicide  prevention, adolescent and juvenile, marriage and family and career guidance. She has earned numerous awards of distinction, to include the State of Florida Outstanding Counselor Award and served as the president of Dade Counseling Association, the professional association for counseling personnel.

To date Dr. Cathy Ingraham Batton’s literary works include: Counseling Adolescents, Counseling Emotionally Handicapped Children, Pastoral Counseling, To Love Him - Original Poems I, To Love Him - Original Poems II, Life Lessons Someone Should Have Taught Me, Journal - Women in Public Administration and the Screen Play – Teenage Suicide: A Modern Tragedy

Albert Gomez studied Environmental Sciences at Florida International University with a concentration in Environmental Geology. He also received degrees in Marketing, International Business and a certificate for Latin American Studies from the Latin American and Caribbean Center.

He is an officer of Industrial Components, a 37 year old manufacturing representative firm, IC Assemblies a 28 year old contract manufacturing firm and Southeastern Components, a full service systems management and consulting firm. He currently has offices in Miami, Doral, and Dominican Republic.

Albert is an advanced technologist with expertise in design for manufacturing, general innovation and visioning, with twenty five years experience in all manufacturing techniques and forms of materials including: Ferrous and Non-Ferrous Metals, Plastics, Elastomers, and Ceramics.

He is involved in all segments of manufacturing in the medical, architecture/B&C , railway, general transportation, aerospace, military, telecommunications, consumer electronics, automotive, energy & automation, power transmission & distribution, marine markets.

Gomez also serves as a co-coordinator for the South Florida, Haiti, Caribbean and New York Resilience Systems. He currently sits on the Advisory Board of the Alliance for Global Resilience & Regeneration. He is also a founding steering committee member for the Miami Climate Alliance. Albert was recognized by the City of Miami in 2013 for his participation in the Leadership Miami program and served for 2 years on the City of Miami Sea Level Rise Committee.

He is a co-developer and steering committee member of the Biscayne Bay Marine Health Summit, a leading summit on bay health in South Florida among federal, state and local agencies, institutions, scientist and stakeholders. He is currently heading up a cross institutional and jurisdictional research collaboration focused on water quality testing, sensing, situational awareness and enforcement throughout South Florida.

He is on the Advisory Board for Florida International University’s Robotic Digital Fabrication Lab. He also develops graduate level syllabus courses focused on bio-surveillance campaigns and resilience initiatives for the global advancement of health and human security, along with art installations focused on environmental conservation, preservation and mitigation through community activation and engagement.

Gomez commercializes resilient sensing technologies for general industry, advances innovative bio- recruiting coastal marine infrastructure technology for vulnerable coastal communities throughout the United States and advancing a new cyber security technology based on blockchain with integrated AI and machine learning.

Albert also heads up a new city redevelopment agency called superNATURE in support of resilient 21st century city making, natural system conservation, technology integration and community prototyping. He is also the winner of the 2018 Miami Foundations’s Public Space Challenge with his Resilient Living Shoreline Micro Smart Park concept. Gomez was also selected to the Cleo Institute’s 2018 Leadership Circle.

Over the last 10 years he has developed a country-wide reforestation effort within Haiti called The Maya Nut Initiative. The Maya Nut is a super food and the largest Tree in the tropical rain forest. He is now advancing the Bahamas Resilience & Regeneration Initiative as the Advisory Board chair of Third Wave Volunteers.

His mantra is:
Every good starts with one seed. 

We focus on investing in those who invest in others.

Since 1980, Rosalind has been inspired to benefit other women. She founded and leads the Elite Warriors Ministry; a ministry that trains and equip women who are strategically positioned to be powerfully skilled intercessors. Rosalind serves as a speaker for workshops, seminars, and conferences in the marketplace.  She is a certified teacher, certified professional communicator, and ordained shepherding pastor and elder. She is a graduate of Miami Northwestern High School, Barry University and, also at Barry University, studied Business Administration at the graduate level.  She is a Miami-Dade County Schools retired educator.

In Hope United, Pembroke Pines, Florida, Rosalind served as an Elder, a member of the Pastor’s Council, an Intercessor in the Ministry of Intercession, a leader in Women’s Ministry and a Children’s Ministry assistant. Currently, she is serving at the Lion’s Den Missions Base, Fort Lauderdale, Florida.  She serves in the leadership and is the head intercessor.  She is a chaplain in the United Nations Chaplains Association.  She is the liaison between its headquarters leadership and the Regional Chaplains Regional Advisory Councils located in several states and the Caribbean.


​Rosalind Renay Lassiter-Roker is a grant writer, leadership developer, book editor, project manager, life engineer and mentor.  Her inspiration to create birthed, Life in the Key of G.  This creative venture serves parenting challenges, the lost, women, young people who need identity, direction or purpose for their lives, and singlehood. 

Dr. Brenda Fairly-Ferebee, Robeson County, NC 

Regional Director

Williams is graduate of George Washington Carver High School, a historical High School located in Coconut Grove, Fla. and attended Florida A&M University in Tallahassee, Florida.  Later, Williams enlisted in the U.S. Air Force and served for five years. He was stationed for one year on the remote island of St. Lawrence, located in the Bering Sea of Alaska. and then transferred to West Germany, spending about three and a half years there, where he married and the first two of his daughters were born.

Upon an honorable discharge, he returned to Miami, Fla. with his new family. Williams obtained an Associate of Arts degree from Miami-Dade College and began working as an evening supervisor at a facility named Beckman Hall, which was a joint collaborative effort between the City of Miami and Miami Dade County. Shortly after, he was employed for 20 years, as a commercial transit operator with the Miami-Dade Transit System. 

Williams is known for  his work in creating weekly prayer events, leading neighborhood school backpack Give-A-Ways supporting the Florida Highway Patrol, and driving community awareness of sex slavery and exploitation. Presently, Williams is Associate Pastor at the Lion’s Den Missions Base,  serving the Men's Development leader. Williams also serves as a Board Certified Chaplain, and senior International Intercessory Pray Team member of the United Nations Chaplains Association.
 

Professional Standards

The UNCA is committed to upholding standards for professional competence, conduct, and accountability. These standards are delivered through the continual learning to support and promote exceptional chaplaincy care of individuals, families, organizations and communities.

The United Nations Chaplains Association

Rev. Larry Williams, Dillon County, SC 

Regional Director

Born in JacFairley-Ferebee lives in Maxton, North Carolina. She retired from her position as the interim zoning director for the Robeson County Planning Department on December 31. 2013. She previously served as a member of the Maxton Zoning Board of Adjustment and the Robeson County Domiciliary Board on Aging. Fairley-Ferebee is a member of Southern Grove Missionary Baptist Church. She is also the pastor of Trusting in Jesus Ministry-Mt. Sinai-The Healing Center. Fairley-Ferebee has received a number of awards, including the Diploma of Honor from the North Carolina School Board Association, the Diploma of Distinction from the Tri-County Bible College, the Most Inspirational Speaker Award from the Evans Correctional Institute, the Politician of the Year Award from the Robeson County Black Caucus and the North Carolina State Industrial Supervision Award. She also received the Order of the Long Leaf Pines award from Governor McCrory in December 2013 for her service throughout the State of North Carolina and received a Gold and Silver Award for her assistance to military families while serving as a family support member at Fort Wainwright, Alaska, in 2006. Her husband, Ron Ferebee, died on April 13. 2012

Diverse experiences. Shared Passion. Change the World.

-Dr. Jason H. Jackson

Ishmel Williams, UNCA Community Partnerships

Albert Gomez, UNCA Advisory Council

Jason H. Jackson, Chairman

For over 20 year, Rabbi Rants has served in Congregational Leadership as a Messianic Jewish Rabbi while holding core competencies in the areas of Pastoral and Crisis Counseling and Chaplaincy services. He holds a Bachelors of Science degree in Organizational Leadership (with an emphasis in Pastoral Ministries) from Biola University and a Masters Degree from Bethel University (Seminary) in Theological Studies. Presently, Rabbi Rantz  provides counseling and pastoral care as a Spiritual Advisor for prisoners under the Florida Department of Corrections. 

Kimberlee E. Cox M.S. Ed. ECE, UNCA Advisory Council

Forbes Finance Council Member, U.S. Naval Veteran, and revered entrepreneur, Dr. Jason Jackson is a sought-after innovative theorist and transformational guide. Regularly covered by over 150 media outlets, such as CNBC, TBN, Boston Globe, Dr. Jackson has earned a distinguished reputation as a social and economic pioneer. Dr. Jackson is a devoted husband to his wife, Natalie, and father to his children Nalani, Jessica, Joshua, and Noah.

Dr. Jackson is internationally known for his position as the Founder and Chief Investment Officer of a leading investment bank, where he is responsible for oversight of the firm’s investment portfolio. In addition to his business initiatives, Dr. Jackson has established a broad array of impactful community-centric philanthropic efforts. Through his leadership mobilization organization, Jackson Global Initiative, Dr. Jackson serves as an advisor to government, community, and spiritual leaders as well as a diverse group of entrepreneurs. He is currently serving on the board of over 30 diverse companies.

Dr. Reginald L. Gundy, Nassau/Duval County, FL

Regional Director

5th degree black belt in Tae Kwon Do and world champion Founder and president of Joiner’s Martial Arts & Karate 4 Christ Ministries State chaplain for department of Juvenile Justice and a ordained minister with Faith Christian Fellowship Int’l. Mike serves on the following boards: Harvest Time juvenile Ministries, Ignite community counseling and resource center, helping Veteran’s Remember and the Marion County Fair Committee.

Mike continually demonstrates the heart he has for changing the lives of trouble youth inside and outside of the juvenile facility. He coordinates rescue and recovery programs for addictions. Mike’s mentoring skills and programs reaches youth of all ages.

Pastor Larry Williams is a prolific songwriter, inventor and humanitarian.  He pastors a congregation in Dillon, South Carolina and along with his wife and daughter, serves hurting people throughout S. C. and the Haiti mission field.

Pastor William’s Christian/Gospel band, The Christian Jubilee, creatively takes its inspiration and desire to help, by bringing comfort in melodies and encouraging lyrics.  His many inventions include, a Crime Block Drop Box program, designed to assist police and community residents by allowing them to report criminal activity anonymously. 

As a humanitarian, Pastor Williams feels it is his mission to help those in need. Whether in blue skies or especially in times of disaster, serving is his passion.  He has established an extensive country-wide network of resources and sponsors numerous give-a-ways to the poor and the vulnerable, to include: blankets to keep them warm in the winter months, book bags and school supplies, multiple food drives with free groceries, fresh vegetables and essential goods.

Reared and educated in South Carolina, Pastor Williams served in the U.S. Army Airborne Division.  His special awards and accomplishments are for Meritorious Service, Achievement, NCO Ribbon and  Marksmanship.

His community work in Dillion, Florence, Mullins, Marion and throughout South Carolina, has earned him numerous awards, citations, certificates, trophies, recognition gifts and a Key to the City of Marion, South Carolina.

With 40 years in the ministry, Bishop Jackson is a ma who is under a mandate from God to be instrumental in bringing the body of Christ into Sonship through a balanced Christian life. Born in Harlem N.Y., of West Indian and Native American descent he is well versed in inner city and multi-cultural struggles.

He is the Senior Executive Director of the Int’l House of prayer-Ocala, Missions Base, an Apostolic/Prophetic Center. He is the President/CEO of the ForeRunner School of Ministry & ZOE Life Family Care Services CDC, which offers marriage enrichment, parenting, divorce recovery, stress, anger management/ conflict resolution programs.  He is also State Director for the U.S. States National Prayer Council, and held positions as; a disaster-relief/ crisis response organization. Area Coordinator for the Angel Tree program and as an in-prison/ re-entry life coach/ mentor with Prison Fellowship Ministries, State Director of  Pastors and 1st Assistant to the Direct Overseer for the Full Gospel Baptist Church Fellowship and South Eastern Regional Bishop for the Full Gospel Baptist Church Fellowship and South Eastern Regional Bishop for the United Churches Worldwide Fellowship. 
 

Bishop Jackson is very involved in the community, both civically and politically. Civically, he is the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Rapha Medical Center/ Clinic, and as the District Disaster Chair for Lions Club International. He is also the graduate of the Leadership Ocala/Marion, a leadership program operated by the Ocala Chamber of Commerce. Politically, he was a Precinct Committeeman for the Marion County Republican Party, and the State Committeeman for the Marion County Black Republican Club. He was elected to represent the 6TH Convention. His political platform is Faith, Family, and Freedom. Bishop is a certified behavioral analyst, temperament therapist and pastoral counselor. He is married with three adult children and seven grandchildren.  

Rabbi Mark Rantz, UNCA Advisory Council

Mike Joiner, UNCA Advisory Council

UNCA and NACC Hurricane Maria Response- 2017 

Kimberlee E. Cox, M.S. Ed., ECE is the Chief Executive Officer and founder of Elizabeth Foster Academy, Inc a 501 (c)(3) organization designed to help increase literacy awareness in underserved communities both locally and internationally with partnerships in Negril, Jamaica, Johannesburg, South Africa and Castries, St. Lucia.

Kimberlee is a licensed educator and published author who currently serves as an early childhood educator in Charlotte, NC. She graduated from The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with a Bachelor of Arts in African and Afro-American Studies. She received a Master of

Science in Education (Summa Cum Laude) with a specialization in Early Childhood Education from Capella University. She earned North Carolina Child Care Credentials as well as a Level III North Carolina Early Childhood Administration Credential. Subsequently, she has been able to serve the community in many capacities including Exceptional Children Pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten classroom teacher, elementary school age tutor, family support service specialist and academic program director. She began her career in education in 2008 as an Exceptional Children’s Pre-Kindergarten Teacher.

As a Title I school educator and author, Kimberlee was disheartened by the realties that many of her students faced. Consequently, in 2011, she founded Elizabeth Foster Academy, Inc. Her goals are to equip future generations with early emergent literacy skills, provide our youth with equal access to high quality books, and offer opportunities for students to learn through countless possibilities and ceaseless support. To date EFA, Inc. has donated over 132,484 high quality books to schools, homeless shelters, group homes, and temporary housing facilities.

Kimberlee has been recognized as a Home Town Hero in the Washington County Roanoke Beacon Newspaper and featured in the New Author section of Pride Magazine (Charlotte, NC). She sits on the boards of Stoonie’s Closet (an organization that provides new clothing to homeless men, women and children) and Everybody Reads, Inc. She is also a member of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools Community Equity Committee. She enjoys volunteering with organizations that focus on literacy disparities, participating in community activism and cultivating early childhood educational approaches. 

Dr. Alison Thompson, UNCA Advisory Council

Current Initiatives

UNCA members are continually working to improve communities across the globe. Stay abreast of our current initiatives to see how you can get involved.

Learn about our story and purpose.

UNCA Executive and Advisory Team

Born in Jacksonville, Pastor Gundy is a graduate of Troy State University with a BS Degree and hold two Masters Degrees, Masters of Arts in Pastoral Ministries and Master of Divinity. A retired public school teacher, retired from the US Army with two Meritorious Service Awards. He is the recipient of the Congressional Certificate of Special Congressional Recognition for outstanding and invaluable service to the community award, Jacksonville’s Florida Mayor’s Distinguish Award, Trailblazers Award, Teacher of the Year Award and many other U.S. Army Awards. 

With 33 years ministerial experience he is currently the Pastor of the Mt. Sinai Missionary Baptist Church, state director of African American Ministers in Action and past Jacksonville Local Chapter and State President Florida Southern Christian Leadership Conference. He has long been an early advocate on community issues in the African American ministerial community. Recently as a public moral voice on accepting non-discrimination protections for LGBTQ citizens with the Jacksonville Human Rights Ordinance expansion, and a leading volunteer for those forgotten in the aftermath of Hurricane Irma.

Dr. Joanne Davson Sterling isa native New Yorker who has been residing in Central Florida since 2010. She is a Board Certified Family Physician who currently practices in Ocala, Florida. Dr. Sterling is married to Pastor Rudolph Sterling who serves the Shiloh SDA Church, they have two wonderful children Seth and Zara. Dr. Sterling obtained my medical degree from St. Matthews University School of Medicine, and  also has a Masters in Health Services Administration from St Joseph’s College of Maine, and a Masters of Science degree in Urban Planning from the State University of New York at Buffalo

Dr. Alison Thompson is a full time humanitarian volunteer running large refugee camps, field hospitals and resiliency hubs in natural and man-made disasters around the world for the past 22 years. Thompson founded Third Wave Volunteers on Sept 11th, 2001 where she was a first responder. Third Wave Volunteers have grown to over 30,000 first responder members. Thompson has an Honorary Doctorate of Letters in the Humanities from Loyola Chicago University, the Order of Australia from Australian Government and Queen Elizabeth the 2nd, and the 'Medal of Excellence' from General Simeon Trombitas and the 82nd Airborne. Thompson is the current Ambassador to the Haitian Ministry of Environment and an appointed UN chaplain- (June 2020). Volunteer work reaches to the Syrian refugee drownings in the Argean Sea to the starvation of the Venezuela refugees to disasters in Haiti, Nepal, Africa, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Puerto Rico, Bahamas and locally in America with Hurricanes Matthew, Harvey, Irma, Maria, Florence, Michael and Dorian in the Bahamas. COVID-19- Thompson is currently organizing the delivery of 1 million N95 medical masks to first responders nationwide.

In 1990, Thompson worked on Wall St, followed by NYU film school and became a DGA film director. Thompsons' Sept 11th 2001 work had a profound effect on her life and became a full time humanitarian. After the 2004 Asian tsunami Thompson managed a busy field hospital and helped rebuild the village of Peraliya. In Sri Lanka she founded CTEC, the first Community Tsunami Early-warning Disaster Center and children's learning museum. Her award winning documentary "The Third Wave" focuses on volunteerism and premiered at the 2008 Cannes film festival supported by Actor Sean Penn and Bono, followed by a book by Random House with the same title. After the 2010 Haiti earthquake Thompson, Sean Penn and 10 doctors managed a 75,000 person IDP camp and field hospital. In Haiti, Thompson also co-founded We Advance, a Haiti organization combating gender-based violence.

Since 2015, Thompson has been working on the island of Lesvos, Greece as a paramedic in the epicenter of the Syrian refugee crisis where millions have fled the war zones of Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan. Thompson is also bringing innovative solar lights to give to the Syrian women and children in the dark refugee camps.

Solar lights are important for the refugees living in the dark. Thompson has personally distributed over 100,000 solar lights.

Thompson believes 'everyone is needed 'and lectures on leadership, volunteering, sustainability, love, renewable energy, gender based violence, vulnerable climates and corporate social responsibility via the American Program Bureau.

 

The United Nations Chaplains Association (UNCA) is a professional organization committed to promoting social and economic development, crisis counseling, disaster management, and leadership engagement throughout the continental United States and the Caribbean. In 2016, the UNCA emerged as a leader in Disaster Relief management, having coordinated with FEMA, The American Red Cross, and over 200 agencies to streamline services and impact the lives of millions affected by disasters. 

Through its professional chaplains network, the UNCA focuses on 4 distinct disciplines: Disaster Management, Crisis Counseling & Intervention, Societal Reinstatement & Development, Social and Economic Development.