Bio: Bishop Frank A. Rush

“I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me.” Phill. 4:13
“And we know all things work together for good to them who love the Lord and are called according to his purpose”. Rom. 8:28

Bio: Pastor Sidney Cooper

Bio: Minister Cheryl Cooper

Cheryl V. Cooper is a native of Newark New Jersey. She is married to Rev. Sidney Cooper and together they have three children- Adam, Andrew and Sydnie. She’s a graduate of Wheelock College Boston University with a Bachelors degree in Early Childhood Education.

She has been teaching for over 30 years in private and public schools and is presently teaching at the Energized For Excellence middle school in Houston, Texas.

Cheryl is a liturgical dance Minister and has been involved with various Dance Ministries over the past 20 years.

Along with her husband Pastor Sidney Cooper, Cheryl has been involved in many church and community outreaches with Houston Praise And Worship Center (HPWC) since 2019.

Currently, she leads the Prayer Ministry, and is involved in the Women’s Ministry, Flames of Fire and Evangelism Ministry.

Bio: Minister Gerren Rush

Visit his website!

Gerren Rush’s biggest passion is to encourage others to follow their dreams by reaching for his own. After four years of hard work, he released his first, self-published book in 2017, with a brand new book on Fatherhood, in the making.

Gerren’s love for people has led him throughout the United States and the Caribbean speaking about topics such as “Faith over Fear”, “The Fatherhood Initiative,” Motherhood Initiative,” and “Giant Slayer,” along with “The Importance of Learning Styles.” Gerren welcomes audiences, great and small, with open arms.

Over the years, Gerren’s family has been his primary source of motivation. Gerren recently said to a large audience, “How can I seek to inspire students and my own children to reach for their dreams, if I haven’t done the same!” Gerren has made it his mission to continue to break the mold of what a teacher, author, speaker, creator and father can achieve. His goal is to show what one person can do when you set your mind to accomplish your goals.

Bio: Minister Cynthia Batieste

Minister Cynthia Batieste graduated from George Washington Carver class of 1969 in the top 10 of 500 students. She worked as cashier, then cashier supervisor at the historical Circle Food Store before being hired by South Central Bell as a directory assistant operator in 1972. Min. Batieste was a transit operator for the Regional Transit Authority (formerly New Orleans Public Service Inc. NOPSI) from 1976 until 1986. She was employed as assistant manager for Shell gas station from 1987 to 1989.

Min. Batieste attended Philips Junior College (1989-1991) and received an Associates of Science degree in Hotel and Restaurant Management. She began working for New Orleans Marriott as a housekeeper while in school; after graduation she was promoted to assistant manager in January 1992, then in August 1993 she was promoted to housekeeping manager of the Medical Center Marriott in Houston, Texas. She was responsible for managing the housekeeping department which included but was not limited to: scheduling employees; ordering supplies; inspecting guest rooms, restaurants, banquet rooms, and all public areas at all times for cleanliness. Cynthia was promoted to Director of Operations in January 1995 which add the managing the laundry department to her duties. She was awarded Hotel Employee of the Month in April 1996. Cynthia resigned from the hotel in March 1998 and began working as administrative assistant for the Family Assistance Center (The Center), a crisis pregnancy center that operated on grounds of HPWC. She scheduled clients and provide them with alternatives and resources for their unplanned pregnancies, ordered supplies, assisted with fundraising and event planning. She worked as office manager from May 2000 until August 2004, assuming added responsibilities of administering and reporting grant funds, communicating with donors, hiring, training and terminating employees and volunteers, payroll, and fundraising and event planning. The Center closed in August 2004.

In September 2004 she began working as Membership Coordinator at one of the Boys and Girls Club of Greater Houston’s clubs where she was responsible for collecting the attendance of club members and their participation in various programs offered at the club. In January 2005, became the membership coordinator at the main office collecting the attendance of club members and their participation in various programs offered at the organization’s ten clubs. She was promoted to administrative assistant to the organization’s ten directors in August 2006, collecting payroll data for all employees, creating forms for program tracking and reporting, assisting with planning employee program training and events. In 2008 she became the organization’s grant administrator. As grant administrator she trained program personnel how to use the data tracking system, the requirements of funders, gathered program data and submitted documents as required to all funders. She retired in 2013, moving to New Orleans to care for her mother who is now 94 years.

She attended the College of Biblical Studies and was licensed (1999) and ordained minister (2001) by Bishop Frank A. Rush at Houston Praise and Worship Center (HPWC). In addition, she volunteered there as usher, church secretary, Sunday school teacher, children’s church minister, and finance manager. Min. Batieste currently serves on the Board of Directors as the secretary/treasurer. In 2022, she submitted an application to the Veterans Development Group on behalf of HPWC which was awarded a multi-million-dollar grant.

Min. Batieste joined Mount Calvary Church of God in Christ (COGIC) in 2013 and has since 2015, volunteered and is currently volunteering as church secretary and Sunday school teacher. In 2019 she was appointed as assistant jurisdiction secretary of the South Central Louisiana Ecclesiastic C.O.G.I.C. Jurisdiction. In 2022 she became a candidate for Evangelist Missionary. The church recently changed its name to Abiding Blessings Ministries (ABM). In 2022, she submitted an application to the Veterans Development Group on behalf of ABM which was also awarded a multi-million-dollar grant.

Since 2017, Min. Batieste has volunteered is still volunteering in the administrative office of Villa St. Maurice where she resides. She also teaches Bible study classes to residents in her building. Min. Batieste has one daughter and two sons (one deceased). She is grandmother to four girls and great-grandmother to three boys, one of whom lives with her. She loves spending time with her grands, teaching, watching movies and traveling especially cruising.

Bio: Dr. Juluette Pack

Juluette (Thompson) Bartlett-Pack was born into a family of educators and surrounded by a nurturing community of spiritual leaders and other stakeholders who prepared her for a role as servant-leader. Juluette is a native Houstonian who grew up in Pleasantville.

Juluette is the daughter of Stella Muldrow, an HISD teacher for 32 years. She is niece of Barbara Thompson Punch, a former HISD Assistant Principal and the step-daughter of James Muldrow, Sr., the first Black American to serve as Assistant District Attorney in Harris County. James Muldrow went on to become a Harris County District Judge.

Juluette attended Houston public schools graduating from Phillis Wheatley High School in 1965. After graduating from high school, Juluette began her professional career at Southwestern Bell Telephone Company. She was one of the first 10 Black Americans to start working there in 1965. Starting her career as an Information Operator, she ended her career 27 years later as Manager-Marketing Business Sales. After retiring from Southwestern Bell/AT&T, Juluette co-founded Texas Black Americans for Life and the Family Assistance Center, serving as Executive Director. The Family Assistance Center, located in 3rd Ward, provided assistance to women and families in crisis pregnancies and other situations for 10 years, closing in 2005. She taught at the University of Houston from 1995 to 2002. Juluette was an Assistant Professor of English at Texas Southern University from 2002-2004. In 2004, she began her career at DeVry University becoming the Associate Dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.

Juluette earned a Bachelor’s, Master’s, and Doctorate degree in English from the University of Houston. Her education affiliations include Golden Key National Honor Society, Sigma Tau Delta National Honor Society, Omicron Delta National Honor Society, Modern Language Association, South Central Modern Language Association, College Language Association, National Committee of Teachers of English, and Society of Technical Communications. She is a member of the West Houston P-16 Council, a council dedicated to improving education from pre-kindergarten to college.

Juluette has served on state boards. She served as a Public member of the Texas State Board of Pharmacy from 2003-2008 and the Home and Community Support Advisory Board from 2000-2003. She received the Business Woman of the Year award from Zeta Phi Beta Sorority in 2002.

Juluette is married to Rev. Eugene Pack, and they are members of Houston Praise and Worship Center. She is the mother of 4 children, 2 are deceased. She has 3 grandchildren.

Bio: Dr. Tomeisha Reed

Dr. Tomeisha Reed serves as a distinguished educator of 23 years within Harris County Department of Education and College of the Mainland. She has also taught, coached, and mentored in Houston Independent School District.

Dr. Tomeisha Reed was born on November 23, 1976 in Hurst, Texas. In 1988, she moved to Houston, Texas and attended school in Houston and Pasadena Independent School Districts. While in attendance of these districts, Dr. Reed played on the volleyball team, drill team, and served as a member of Health Occupations Students of America.

Dr. Tomeisha Reed graduated from Worthing High School in 1995 and attended San Jacinto College immediately after high school. Dr. Reed transferred to Prairie View in 1996. In 1997 she joined one of the campus student organizations at Prairie View, known as Wisconsin Sleepers Incorporated. This non-greek organization involves promoting unity among black and serving in the community. In the year 2000, she received her Bachelor of Science Degree in Health. In 2003, Dr. Reed received her master’s in education administration, and later obtained her principal certification. In 2015 she received her Doctoral degree from Capella University and desires to become a tenured college professor and Dean.

Throughout her life, she has also served in ministry. In the year 2000, Dr. Reed founded the Rebirth Praise Dance Ministry. The ministry was started at Carter G. Woodson Middle School, where the Lord used her to minister to over 70 young men and women in the dance. This ministry became a refuge for many of the students who were members, allowing them to travel and learn more about Jesus. Dr. Reed was also the co-founder of Rivers of Living Water dance ministry, where she partnered with the late Sherley Williams. While a member of Greater St. Matthews Baptist church, she was a member of Eternal light dance ministry. She currently ministers with Royal Priesthood Christian Dance Academy, and the Flames of Fire Dance Ministry. She has taken on a new role as the dance leader of the Flames of Fire Dance Ministry, which was founded by the late Dr.JoAnn Vallie Rush. It is indeed an honor for Dr. Reed to continue Dr. Rush’s legacy!

Dr. Reed is a proud mother of two young men. While her oldest son is a junior at Prairie View A&M majoring in Kinesiology; her other son is a senior in high school and has committed to Washington State for football!

In her spare time, she enjoys playing volleyball, after all she did receive volleyball coach of the year twice within the Houston Independent School District. Dr. Reed also likes to create or assist in community service projects. Her last project involved utilizing at-risk youth to volunteer at the Houston Food Bank. Her passion in life involves mentoring young women and men, to empower and equip them with the necessary tools to be successful in life.