Moving Up
D.A. Abrams
D.A. Abrams was named executive director and chief operating officer of the United States Tennis Association’s (U.S.T.A.) Eastern Section. Prior to this appointment, he was the U.S.T.A.’s national director of Outreach, where he oversaw the USA Tennis National Junior Tennis League (N.J.T.L.), the USA Tennis Special Populations Pro-grams, as well as the Outreach efforts. Abrams played tennis on scholarship at Millersville University in Pennsylvania and later earned a master’s degree from Metro-politan State University in Minneapolis.
Esther R. Johnson
Esther R. Johnson is the new national director of the Office of Job Corps, within the U.S. Department of Labor. In this leadership role, Johnson will administer the program and its 122 Job Corps centers across the country. She is the first African-American woman to head the Job Corps in the program’s 41-year history. Prior to her appointment Johnson served as administrator for the Office of Performance and Technology in the Employment and Training Administration at the Department of Labor. With-in ETA Johnson served as comptroller, associate administrator for the Office of Policy and Research, division chief in the Office of Workforce Security and special assistant to the director of Unemployment Insurance. She holds a doctorate in educational administration from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State Univer-sity and both master of arts and bachelor of arts degrees in education from Virginia Commonwealth University.
Elizabeth Moore
Elizabeth Moore, a partner with the law firm of Nixon Peabody L.L.C., has joined the executive board of the African American Chamber of Com-merce of Westchester and Rockland Counties. Moore heads the labor and employment practice group’s preventive services team at Nixon Peabody, advising clients concerning compliance with federal and state employment laws. She conducts training programs on all aspects of employment law, including antiharassment and diversity training. The AACC of Westchester and Rockland Counties is a not-for-profit agency that assists, counsels and advocates for the interest of the African-American business owners.
Alvin Bowles
Alvin Bowles was named publisher of AOL Black Voices. In this role, Bowles will lead the sales and sales development efforts for AOL Black Voices. Prior to this, he served as vice president of divisional partnerships in Time Warner’s Global Marketing Group, where he was responsible for managing relationships within Time Warner properties, including Warner Bros., Turner Broadcasting, HBO, AOL and various publishing titles, in order to develop customized cross-platform solutions and integrated marketing programs. Before joining Time Warner, Bowles managed strategic partnerships and business development for Sony Music Entertainment and BMG Entertainment
Gerald DeVaughn, M.D.
Gerald DeVaughn, M.D., was sworn in as the 11th president of the Association of Black Cardiologists. DeVaughn will be responsible for representing the interests of the Association’s 600 national and international members as well as continuing its mission to provide effective professional and consumer education programs that focus on cardiovascular disease in African-Americans and other high-risk populations. He is the president of Cardiology Medical Associates PC and a clinical associate professor of Medicine at Drexel University College of Medicine in Philadelphia. DeVaughn received a bachelor of arts degree in biology from the University of Bridgeport, Conn. He received his medical degree and completed his residency in internal medicine at Hahnemann Medical College, and completed a cardiology fellowship at the University of Louisville.
Adrian Parker
Adrian Parker joined Liz Claiborne Inc. as director of marketing for its specialty retail brands. Prior to this appointment, Parker, a TNJ “40 Under Forty” achievement award recipient in 2005, was advertising manager for Foot Locker Inc. USA, where he began his career as an intern in their Foot Action USA division. He received a bachelor’s degree in public relations from Florida A&M University.
Edward L. Woods Esq.
Edward L. Woods Esq. was elected president of the Black Entertainment and Sports Lawyers Association. BESLA is an international organization of lawyers and other entertainment and sports industry executives who support a more diversified, expert and informed group of entertainment and sports industry professionals. He has been practicing law in New York City since 1994, and is currently the executive vice president of Urban Music for Casablanca Records. In 2002 Woods received a “40 Under Forty” achievement award from TNJ. Woods is a graduate of Howard University Law School and a member of the New York State Bar Association. He is co-founder of the firm Woods & Middleton LLP.
