About Us

Executive Director and Vice President

Monique Bryant

Monique Bryant is the Executive Director and Vice President of the Joyce Finley Foundation. She is the
owner of Southern Styles and Barber located in Portland, Oregon, a self-published author (“From the
Ghetto to the Throne”), a community activist, and a respected leader in her church congregation.

Monique’s community service also includes establishing Sister to Sister, a mentoring program for young
women, and she provides hair care services to young women housed in Oak Creek Correctional Facility.
Monique is also employed through Volunteers of America, where she supports women managing their
sobriety, overcoming challenges, and rebuilding their lives. Additionally, Monique recently completed
the course criteria to become a certified alcohol and drug counselor (CADC).

A Los Angeles native, Monique has lived in Texas and Kansas, finally making her home in Vancouver,
Washington. She is the mother of an adult daughter, grandmother to four grandchildren, and a wife for
more than twenty-five years.

Chief Executive Officer

Sam Bryant

Sam Bryant is the President of the Joyce Finley Foundation (JFF). He is a respected
leader in the community and his life experiences demonstrates his passion for loving
and supporting others.

Many years before establishing JFF, Sam volunteered to become the assistant coach
of the Pop Warner team in Wichita, Kansas. He stayed in that capacity until he
eventually became the head coach of the team. Afterwards he went on to coach
another team and helped them attain their first National Championship.

Sam’s professional career encompasses him being a direct healthcare care provider,
licensed barber, and licensed commercial driver. He is also the co-owner of Southern
Styles and Barber. He is a man of faith and has consistently shared his life story with
others as a means of encouragement. Sam’s commitment to his calling of serving
others is evident in the many acts of volunteerism in his community. Sam is a leader
in his local church and has recently acknowledged his call to minister.

Health Officer

Denise Gideon

Denise Gideon is a seasoned healthcare leader with an extensive record of service to communities. She
is currently the System Vice President of Operations & Program Integration at PeaceHealth, based in
Vancouver, Washington, where she also serves as the executive sponsor for the Black and Allies
Network Group.

Her service to the community includes participation as a board member of Educational
Opportunities for Children & Families of SW Washington, an officer of the Joyce Finley Foundation, and
a member of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People.

Denise received her undergraduate degree in Organizational Management from Patten University in
Oakland, California. She subsequently received an M.B.A. in Business Administration, emphasizing
strategy, from John F. Kennedy University in California.

Secretary

Jessica Prater

Jessica Prater is the newest board member of the Joyce Finley
Foundation. Having been in trouble as a juvenile, Jessica personally
knows the importance of programs and mentors that are committed to
helping incarcerated and challenged youth/adolescents get on the right
path. Jessica believes that with Faith and the right surroundings,
anyone can right their wrongs, break generational cycles and live
successfully and happily.

Jessica is a graduate of Washington State University and holds a B.A.
Degree in Human Development with a Minor in Aging and a Certificate
in Gerontology. She works as an Administrator for a Senior Living
Company here in the Vancouver area.

Jessica has a daughter, Sophia, and three dogs, Candy, Taffy and Rolo.
In her free time she enjoys being outdoors, cooking, and traveling.

Assistant Treasurer

Audrey Alex

Audrey Alex is a native of Baltimore, MD. She relocated to Portland, OR in 2015. As a
professional nanny to two doctors that have a set of twins. She is a wife of six years, a mother of
three, and a grandmother of three. She holds a degree in Early Childhood Education, and
currently, she is pursuing a degree at Regent University as an online student to become a grief
counselor. She also is a volunteer at Randall Children’s Hospital at Legacy Emanuel and is an
active leader at her church.