Mr. Anthony “Tony” Hill Sr

Mr. Anthony “Tony” Hill Sr

Former Senator, PHEN Policy Coordinator

Former Senator, PHEN Policy Coordinator

PHEN

Anthony C. “Tony” Hill, Sr. is a prostate cancer survivor and serves as PHEN’ s Policy Coordinator.

Tony Hill was born September 9, 1957. Former Florida State Senator, Dr. Tony Hill, served as Field Representative for former US Congressman Al Lawson, Jr of Florida. He previously served as Federal Policy Director for former Jacksonville, FL Mayor Alvin Brown. He is a Life Member of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. (Theta Phi Chapter) and holds numerous other prestigious honors including Chair of the NAACP Florida State Conference Labor Roundtable, Founder of the Achieve, Instill & Inspire Foundation, which provides scholarships for African American and Latino males to attend college in the field of education. Senator Hill currently holds two Honorary Doctorate of Law degrees, the first from Edward Waters College in 1995 and most recently from Bethune-Cookman University. He received a rare and prestigious honor and joined the ranks of a select group of men when inducted into the historic Montford Point Marine Association Hall of Fame.

Senator Hill is a former Florida State Senator. Elected initially in November 2002, he was subsequently re- elected to a four-year-term in 2004 when he chaired the Florida Minimum Wage Ballot Initiative, which provided a $1.00 per hour raise to the minimum wage and increased the index. As a direct result of this vital legislation, the working poor now receive an automatic increase to the minimum wage each time the economy grows. He was the first African American to represent Volusia County (Daytona Beach) in the State Senate. Senator Hill also served as the former Senate Democratic Floor Leader, the third-ranking member of the Democratic Party leadership in the Senate. In this role, he was responsible for gathering votes on major issues.

A graduate of Jean Ribault Senior High School in Jacksonville, Tony Hill attended Lincoln University, in Lincoln, Pennsylvania and graduated from the National Labor College in Silver Spring, Maryland; earning a B.A. Degree in Labor Studies. Senator Hill delivered the final commencement address of the historic presidency of Dr. Trudy Kibbe Reed, the fifth president and only second woman to serve in this capacity in the 108-year history of Bethune-Cookman University.

A man of commitment and service, Senator Hill also inspires and leads those in the household of faith as long- standing member of the Greater Macedonia Baptist Church, where he Served as a Deacon, teaches Sunday School and is the founder and chair of the Men’s Usher Board.

Senator Hill is a humble man committed to positively influencing those around him. His legacy of service is a testament to his faith and a symbol of his desire to inspire by actively pouring into the lives of others so that they too can know the definition of Leadership at every level!

Dr. Jay Jhaveri

Dr. Jay Jhaveri

Director, Medical Affairs - Oncology

Director, Medical Affairs - Oncology

Bayer Pharmaceuticals

Jay Jhaveri, MD, MPH currently serves as Director, Medical Affairs – Oncology at Bayer Pharmaceuticals. He performed a general surgery residency at the New York Medical College, a urology residency at the University of California, Irvine, and research and clinical fellowships at Weill Cornell, New York Presbyterian Hospital and the Henry Ford Health Systems, Vattikuti Urology Institute in prostate cancer outcomes research and minimally invasive urologic surgery, respectively. He also holds a Masters of Public Health in epidemiology and biostatistics and is very well published in several top-tier journals including the Journal of Clinical Oncology, Journal of Urology, and the Oncologist.

Mr. Charles “Chuck” Christian

Mr. Charles “Chuck” Christian

Prostate Cancer Survivor, Owner, Former University of Michigan Football Player

Prostate Cancer Survivor, Owner, Former University of Michigan Football Player

Chuck Christian Designs

Chuck Christian played for the University of Michigan football team and took part in the 1977 – 1981 Rose Bowl. He was diagnosed with stage 4 prostate cancer in 2016, which had metastasized to his bones. Despite this late-stage disease, Charles “Chuck” Christian has survived prostate cancer with the help of various therapies. He is the owner of Chuck Christian Designs and lives in Randolph, Massachusetts.

Mr. Dewayne Charleston

Mr. Dewayne Charleston

Prostate Cancer Survivor Network Member

Prostate Cancer Survivor Network Member

Publisher of Prairie View Magazine, Former Judge at Waller County

Dewayne Charleston is a former judge who is currently the publisher of Prairie View magazine, which is a monthly publication serving central Texas and the Prairie View A&M University community. He was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2009 at the age of 46 and has undergone three surgeries and seven different therapies, including participation in two clinical trials.

 He was featured in the Tubi documentary The Silent Killer: Prostate Cancer in the African American Community. Dewayne Charleston is the proud father of Christian and Christopher

Congressman Gregory Meeks

Congressman Gregory Meeks

U.S. House of Representatives

U.S. House of Representatives

New York D-5

From public housing to the nation’s Capital, Gregory Weldon Meeks has lived a true American success story. Known for his compassionate and tenacious representation of his constituents, and his coalition-building skills, Meeks proudly serves the constituents of New York’s Fifth Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives

Rev. Adrian Backus

Rev. Adrian Backus

Director of Church Partnerships and Community Outreach

Director of Church Partnerships and Community Outreach

PHEN

Adrian Backus JD, MDiv, has more than thirty (30) years’ experience as an executive in educational and religious institutions, international assistance programs and industry.  Rev. Backus holds a B.A. in Political Science from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, a Juris Doctorate from Howard University School of Law, and a Master of Divinity, from Princeton Theological Seminary.  He currently serves as Director for Partnership Development and Outreach for the Prostate Health Education Network (PHEN). Additionally, he served for 15 years as Princeton Theological Seminary’s first, vice president for information technology. Prior to that, he served as Director of Institutional Research and Strategic Planning as well as Assistant Director for Student Advisement. In 2003-2005, during his vice presidency, Adrian also served as, Interim pastor of St. Paul Baptist Church in Montclair, New Jersey with a focused ministry on congregational care and ministerial outreach.  In 2013 and 2015, for the CME Church Ninth Episcopal District Mid- Winter Councils, Mr. Backus lectured and led workshops on estate planning and church giving.  From 2014-2016, Mr. Backus served as Assistant Dean for the Rutgers University higher education prison degree granting program in 9 prisons throughout New Jersey.

Adrian’s other experiences include serving as general counsel for an information technology company and as a U.S. Department of State diplomatic escort officer and country director in Rwanda and Senegal Africa, for Africare. Adrian is married to Abiola. Their children and grandchildren include his daughter, Sikira, husband Sidiki; two grandsons, Cody and Maddox, and one granddaughter, Jocelyn Eliana; his son, Joel, and grandson Jeremiah, and his daughter, Adria Joi.