Miriam Burnett, MD
Biography
Serving Lesotho, Swaziland, Botswana, Mozambique, and Northeast Lesotho
Rev. Dr. Miriam J. Burnett, MD, MDiv, MPH, CHCQM, FABQAURP, serves as the Supervisor of the Eighteenth Episcopal District and Medical Director of the International Health Commission of the African Methodist Episcopal Church. In June 2020, she was appointed by the National Council of Churches, USA (NCCUSA) representative to the World Council of Churches Consultation with its ecumenical partners on health to discuss our responses to COVID-19 and its implications on the future of the health and healing ministry. This consultation is beginning active partnership with the World Health Organization. In addition, Dr. Burnett continues to work with the National Volunteer Agencies Active in Disaster (NVOAD). She is an ordained Itinerant Elder in the AME Church.
Dr. Burnett serves as the President of Resource And Promotion of Health Alliance, Inc. (R.A.P.H.A., Inc.), a non-profit Health Education and Promotion Consulting Company with 30 years of experience aiding faith-based (FBO) and community (CBO) organizations as they strive to optimize health for their communities. As a minister and medical doctor, Rev. Dr. Burnett is a strong advocate of ‘holistic health,’ a concept that embodies physical, psychological, social, economic and spiritual health, and is powerfully explained in her speeches across the US and the globe. She sees faith-based organizations as specifically empowered to create this possibility and has put the power of her commitment to support their efforts.
Dr. Burnett received a B. A. in Psychology from York College of the City University of New York, undertook postgraduate studies from Queens College of CUNY and obtained a Doctor of Medicine from the Morehouse School of Medicine in Atlanta, Georgia. Dr. Burnett, a US Army veteran, completed her Internal Medicine internship and medical residency at Brooke Army Medical Center at Fort Sam Houston, Texas. She later obtained a Master of Public Health in Social and Behavioral Sciences from the Morehouse School of Medicine along with a Master of Divinity from Turner Seminary at the Interdenominational Theological Center both in Atlanta, Georgia. She is also Board Certified with Fellowship designation in Health Care Quality and Management with subspecialty certification as a Physician Advisor. She completed Six Sigma Green Belt with emphasis on Healthcare training at Villanova University. She is also a certified Professional Medical Coder. Dr. Burnett completed the Johns Hopkins University COVID-19 Contact Tracing certification. She has also completed two (2) units of Clinical Pastoral Education in the Academic Division Spiritual Care and Chaplaincy at Johns Hopkins Health System.
In June 2018, she was appointed the first female pastor of Historic Jones Tabernacle AME Church in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. For the Philadelphia Annual Conference, Dr. Burnett is the leader of the Health and Healing Guidepost Committee and Disaster Preparedness and Response Committee. She is the recipient of many awards, including, but not limited to, the AME Church Women in Ministry Jarena Lee Award, the Abington Township, PA Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Award and the Citizens That Care Award from the Abington Community Task Force. On February 8, 2016, she was inducted into the Turner Theological Seminary Henry McNeal Turner Hall of Fame. She is the recipient of the American Public Health Association (APHA) Black Caucus of Health Workers 2017 Hildrus A. Poindexter Award commemorating a legacy of excellence of promoting health for all individuals especially communities composed of vulnerable populations.
Dr. Burnett was initiated as a Charter Member of Nu Mu Chapter (Queens, NY) is presently a General and Life member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated. She held numerous positions including Chapter President (Nu Mu) and Assistant Graduate Advisor (mentor) to undergraduate students.
Above all, Dr. Miriam Burnett is a person focused upon service with compassion, work with excellence and love without bias.
Jennifer Dixon Wright
Biography
Serving Malawi, Zimbabwe, Northwest Mozambique, Uganda and Tanzania
From sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ to strangers, to serving the homeless breakfast, to personally preparing baggies of hygiene products for college students, to encouraging young single parents about having hope, to washing tables and mopping floors assisting the school janitor and to praying with fellow co-workers to give hope, this is a glimpse of the Supervisor for the 20th district of the AME church.
Jennifer Dixon Wright is a native of Dayton, Ohio. She has had a heart for serving people from an early age. She began in High School going to the nursing homes to visit the sick and shut in, and spending time to talk and listen to the elderly. She assisted her father, the church cook, in helping to prepare meals for funerals. She loved being with her mother to help decorate the church for special holidays. Galatians 5:13 …but through love serve one another.
Supervisor Jennifer Dixon Wright has a deep love and respect for God’s children. She continued her education and attended Wilmington University in Wilmington, Ohio graduating with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Elementary Education. Teaching students to read has been her highest reward. When students learn to read and develop a passion for books, she knows this can lead to reading the Bible later in life as children mature. She has been an Intervention Reading Specialist for students that have reading challenges. She also was a Core Curriculum Coach which consisted of providing staff with professional development. Due to her dedication to students and the excellence in her craft, she was nominated on three separate occasions for Teacher of the Year in the Dayton Public Schools. In 2008, she was in the top ten finalists out of approximately 1200 teachers in the district for this award. Psalm 127:3 …children are a heritage of the Lord.
Jennifer has a love of Christ and His Word. She has participated in being the speaker for Women’s Day, Lay Witness Day and other special occasions. Spreading the love and joy will continue as she will enthusiastically serve the Lord with her husband. Bishop Frederick A. Wright the 142nd elected and consecrated Bishop of the African Methodist Episcopal Church in the 20th Episcopal District. They are proud parents of two sons.
Matthew 20:28 …just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.
Winifred H. Zanders
Biography
Serving South America, Caribbean, Windward Islands, Europe (Cuba), Central America
Supervisor Winifred Houston Zanders, a native of Cocoa, Florida, is the youngest of five children born to the late Mr. Jeff Van and Mrs. Beatrice Houston. Being raised by parents who were firm Christians while believing in the humanity of all people gave her respect for herself and others at an early age.
As one of the first black students of Brevard County, Florida, to integrate segregated schools, she had to overcome the barrier of racism. This early experience taught her how to understand cultural differences while celebrating her heritage without shame or regret. After graduating from Sabino High School in Tucson, Arizona, she returned to Florida and attended Stetson University.
This ambitious Woman of God made dreams a reality for many clients during her successful Mortgage Banking career. While serving in the banking industry, she also involved herself in many social and civic organizations. She was a member of the NAACP, Habitat for Humanity, and the Junior League. She was elected and served as First-Vice and President of the Space Coast Mortgage Bankers Association. After years in the mortgage banking industry, she retired to assist with her children's development.
Wini Zanders is always thankful for God's grace and faithfulness. She demonstrates this by her service in the Kingdom of God, leading young people, assisting seniors, and aiding those who are less fortunate. She served as the President of the Violet Williams Missionary Society of Saint Paul AME Church, First and Second-Vice President of the East Florida Conference Minister's Spouses Alliance. Supervisor Zanders was the Founder of Camp Xtreme, a summer enrichment academic camp held in collaboration with the Duval County Public Schools. She served as a member of the William M. Raines SAC committee for several years.
Winifred Houston Zanders is married to Bishop Marvin C. Zanders, II, and they are parents of David Christopher, Marvin Frank Curtis, and Micah Van Zanders. She is the Episcopal Supervisor for the 16th District of the African Methodist Episcopal Church. This Woman of God smiles, shares, and serves, believing she can do all things through Christ, who gives her strength. Supervisor Zanders is a light in the darkness and a voice in the wilderness declaring, "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not to your own understanding, but in all your ways acknowledge God, and God will direct your paths."
Renée Palmore Beaman
Biography
Serving Angola, Cape Town, Eastern Cape, Kalahari, Namibia, and Queenstown
Renée Palmore Beaman, RN (fondly known as "Nurse Nay") has served as the first lady of Bethel AME Church, Lackawanna, New York, St. Paul AME Church, Hamilton, Bermuda, and for the past 28 years as the first lady of Bethel AME Church, Wilmington, Delaware. She looks forward to serving as the Episcopal Supervisor for the 15th Episcopal District. She has earned notable recognition as the Founder and now Board Chair of the Beautiful Gate Outreach Center (BGOC), Delaware's first full-service HIV/AIDS faith-based organization. BGOC was created as an initial ministry outreach of the Florida Grant Women's Missionary Society (WMS) of Bethel AME Church, where she has served as the WMS Advisor for the past 28 years. She has held WMS offices on the Episcopal, Conference, and local levels. Renée served as the first BGOC Executive Director. Under her administration, BGOC created over 25 programs, including HIV testing in the emergency room (ER) of the Wilmington Hospital (a first for Delaware) and an on-site medical clinic, in partnership with Christiana Care Health Systems. She has traveled to South Africa (twice), Sydney, Australia, London, England, and throughout the US, lending her expertise to staff and clients. Renée was honored to be a speaker at the International AIDS Conference, during which the release of the "Gospel of Healing" was shown, featuring BGOC’s unique ministry.
Delaware's Governor appointed Renée in 2014 as the Delaware Director of State Service Centers overseeing 140 employees, 15 State Service Centers, and the Delaware State Office of Volunteerism. She was also the first Delaware African American School Nurse (RN) for the Colonial School District. She is a Tuskegee University Nursing graduate and also holds a Master of Science Degree in Healthcare Administration. Renée is a proud member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., the National Coalition of 100 Black Women and was a 2008 inductee into the Hall of Fame of Delaware Women. Renée is a native of Niagara Falls, NY, and the wife and partner of 36 years to Bishop Silvester Scott Beaman, mother of Asaiah (Gregory Fisher) and Kori (Walter Cheatham), and grandmother ("Queenie") to Maliah Renee, Gabriella, and Gregory Mason.
Dr. Patricia (PAM) DeVeaux
Deceased Supervisor - Biography
Dr. Patricia (Pam) DeVeaux is the spouse of Bishop William Phillips DeVeaux. They served in the Sixth Episcopal District, State of Georgia, also the Second Episcopal, Sixteen Episcopal and the Eighteen Episcopal Districts. Upon his election, she joined him in serving in Southern Africa.
During their first assignment with God’s help, she established two day care centers, provided scholarships to four students for study in American, convened an international HIV/AIDS conference, built a high school media center, funded construction of a water tower that supplies clean water to 1100 Swaziland students, conducted health fairs, developed Lesotho candle and doll economic projects, hosted five sojourners and constructed the M. Joan Cousin Women Empowerment Center.
In 2000 her work companioned that of her husbands in his assignment to the 16th Episcopal District, including the Caribbean, parts of South America and Europe. She led the Edith Ming Health Fairs, HIV/AIDS youth retreats, Haitian potholder economic project, Barbados health Fair, Dominican Republic English speaking school, community youth basketball court, marriage retreats, provided Black dolls to orphanages in Haiti, Jamaica and the Dominican Republic, hosted two missionary sojourners and convened “When Women Worship” Conferences.
Dr. DeVeaux is a graduate of Howard University, Peabody College and Vanderbilt University. She has worked as a high librarian, medical librarian, university adjunct professor, college administrator and senior advisor at the U.S. Department of Energy.
Dr. Pam has been blessed by her six children and twelve grandchildren.
