India Rochelle Rice, Creator and Organizer
India Rochelle Rice is the owner of Rochelle Salon Suites, LLC located at the Shoppes at University Place and creator of The Hair Games, LLC an annual hair competition and fashion show based out of Charlotte, NC. India created both entities in recognition of the need for talented beauty professionals to become entrepreneurs in their art form; a successful entrepreneur herself she has been committed to helping others achieves success in business. Ms. Rice studied cosmetology at Westchester Beauty School, she holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communication a Master’s degree in Business Administration and she is a PMP (Project Management Professional).
India is also a Zumba instructor and teaches classes for Fitness Connection. She has used her platform in the fitness industry to support community programs and promote wellness; she organized fundraisers for non-profit organizations such as Barber Scotia College and Step For Me, has participated in events to raise money and awareness for Breast Cancer, Alzheimer’s, Multiple Sclerosis, and End Domestic Violence campaigns, and was instrumental in developing a wellness program for Steele Creek AME Zion Church. She also worked with Huntersville Park and Recreation summer youth programs teaching dance.India was recognized for her entrepreneurship by Time Warner Cable as a recipient of the 2014 “Small Business, Big Impact Award”, by CPCC as a recipient of the 2019 “Get Up and Grow Award”, and currently serves on the Board of Advisors for Empire Beauty School – Pineville/Matthews location. India R. Rice
Patricia Johnson, Volunteer Coordinator
Patricia Johnson was born in Wilmington, NC. In 20212, she received her B.A. in Business Management from the University of Phoenix, and in 2014, she received her M.S. in Human Services/Leadership Development at Liberty University. Currently, she is pursuing her graduate degree in Professional Counseling at Liberty University.
Ms. Johnson is a mother of 5 children, 3 boys and 2 girls, and a proud grandmother of 7 wonderful grandkids. She loves God and his people. Her passion is helping others especially teens and adolescents. Her goal is to one day own and operate her own private practice counseling center specializing in teens and adolescents.
She currently serves and assist with teens at her local church. She is an active member of Delta Mu Delta Honor Society and Toastmasters International Club.
Alan Hicks, Audiovisual Manager
Native New Yorker, Alan Hicks has more than 40 years in media and communications. Despite many years in the business, his enthusiasm for the work he performs everyday remains undiminished. He has worked in theatre and television production, graphic design, community, public and media relations. For 10 years he worked as a professional corporate photographer, videographer, and audio, visual specialist for the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey up until his recent retirement in 2016.
His photographs explored the New York/New Jersey region from the aerial view atop the tallest spire in the Western Hemisphere – the World Trade Center – to the towers of the George Washington Bridge. He has delved beneath the Hudson River to reach the dark recesses of PATH rail tunnels and through his lens, he has witnessed first-hand hundreds of historic visits to the New York and New Jersey region – everyone from the royal couple to the Pope and President of the United States. His early ambition was to be a graphic artist and work on comic books, but instead he chose a more journalistic direction.
Alan received a Bachelor’s degree from Parsons School of Design and earned a Master’s in Media Studies from the New School. Alan is now a freelance photographer working in the New York/New Jersey area. He is also a part-time professor at the College of New Rochelle in New York. In his spare time he keeps in shape by teaching Judo at Bronx Judo and Martial Arts in his hometown.
An affable and outgoing guy by nature, Alan sums up his creative vision this way: “I like dynamic lines.” He says, “I want to see my work explode off the page. I always try to make my pictures magical!”