Ladies of Nia, Inc.

Member Bios

Malica E. Dunnock, MBA - President

Malica E. Dunnock is 46-years old, and is the mother of two children (LaTroyia & Mekhi) and she resides in Belcamp, MD. Her hobbies include shopping, traveling, reading, and hosting gatherings at her home for her family and friends. She also loves cooking and spending quality time with her family and friends. She is the President of Ladies of Nia, Inc., a non-profit group that she founded with a few of her closest sister-friends in an effort to support, uplift, encourage and restore our communities.

Currently, Malica is a Senior Sales Operations Analyst for Gemalto, which is a global leader in information security. In this role, she provides sales related operational & financial expertise to the Americas Sales Team, including forecasting, customer contracts, commission plans and coordination with support functions for the purpose of execution on forecast, as well as and providing various adhoc analytics. Prior to joining SafeNet, Inc., Mrs. Dunnock was an Assistant Vice-President at Provident Bank of Maryland, in the Finance and Control Department. Her duties included performing monthly variance analysis of financial statements; profitability analysis; budgeting; forecasting; segment reporting and numerous other analytical duties.

Malica’s professional background includes budgeting and telecommunications analysis, specializing in preparing, managing, and analyzing detailed annual capital and operating budgets in the field of Information Technology. She is highly experienced in preparing monthly budget status reports, monthly budget variance analysis reports, resolving telecommunications billing issues, and she is proficient in General Ledger Accounting processes.

Mrs. Dunnock completed the Leadership and Management graduate certificate program at the University of Maryland University College in April, 2009. She received a Master of Business Administration from Walden University in 2007, graduating with honors. She graduated with honors from the University of Phoenix, receiving a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Management in 2003. She is a member of Southern Baptist Church of Baltimore. Malica has served as a mentor in the Project Abstain Program, affiliated with The University of Maryland Medical Center. In 2012, Mrs. Dunnock became a member of the distinguished Delta Sigma Theta, Sorority, Inc. and is a member of the Harford County Alumnae Chapter.

 

Tamara Delaine Ellis, CPA - Director of Finance

Tamara Delaine Ellis is 44 years old and was born and raised in the rural Eastern Shore of Maryland with her loving parents and younger sister. She now resides in Baltimore, Maryland with her beautiful 11 year old daughter, Braiya. Her most treasured moments are times spent with her loving circle of family and friends. She is also the Director of Finance of Ladies of Nia, Inc., a non-profit group of distinguished sister-friends whose purpose is to support, uplift, encourage, and restore communities. Tamara is dedicated to this group's purpose and calling to touch and enrich the lives of whomever God entrusts them to reach.

Mrs. Ellis received a Bachelor's of Arts from University of Maryland Baltimore County (UMBC) in May 1995 and became a Certified Public Accountant in the State of Maryland in November 2000. In April 2009, she completed University of Maryland University College's (UMUC) Accounting and Information Technology graduate certificate program.

Tamara has professional experience in the areas of auditing, accounting, budgeting, financial analysis, accounts payable, and human resources. This experience has been greatly utilized in positions within Ernst & Young LLP (a Big Four accounting firm), the State of Maryland, Morgan State University (designated Maryland's Public Urban University and a Historically Black College & University), and currently for a United States Department of Defense agency where she provides human resources and corporate support to the Chief of Staff (the 4th highest position in the Agency). Her professionalism, willingness to learn, and ability to interact well with others has allowed her the opportunity to excel in her professional career.



Landra Burton, RN - Health Education Administrator

Landra Burton, BSN, RN is a native of Greensboro, MD. She currently resides in Woodbridge, VA with her husband. Landra has been a member of The Ladies of Nia, Inc. and a mentor for the in Tomorrow’s Hope Mentoring Program since the beginning. Landra currently serves as the Health Advisor for the organization. Her role includes but is not limited to providing pertinent information relevant to the age groups. A few of the topics discussed are mainstream issues related to adolescents which include bullying, drugs and alcohol, abstinence, teen rape, smoking, personal hygiene and being a role model for their peers. As a mentor in the program, we are also responsible for hosting guest such as doctors, nurses and EMTs, college students, and police officers to help the mentees gain insight about the commitment and obstacles required to succeed in these careers

Landra is a 2000 graduate of Chesapeake College and a 2009 graduate of Stevenson University's BSN program. She has been a nurse for sixteen years, fourteen years as an emergency room nurse and she currently works as the clinical manager for an outpatient vascular surgical center. Her hobbies include spending time with family and friends, traveling and cooking. She and her husband are very active with all of their nieces and nephews, encouraging and supporting them in their accomplishments and goals. Landra also is very active and supportive with various community activities.

Being a part of this group continues to bring her great joy, a feeling of self worth and fulfillment. The group as a whole strives to be a consistent resource for the mentees, a cheerleader and supporter of their goals and dreams. Also growing up in the same community and attending the same school system as these girls allows them to see that they too can pursue and achieve their dreams. Despite living in rural small towns they can go beyond this area and return one day to give back to the community.  



Carolyn E. Carter - Business Relations Administrator

Carolyn E. Carter holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Marketing with a minor in Finance, from Hampton University, in Hampton, VA. She was employed with Amtrak, the National Railroad Passenger Corporation, as a Revenue and Capacity Manager for eight years.  She has an extensive background in project management, inventory control, pricing development, quality assurance, capacity planning and market research. She has completed course work towards a Masters of Business Administration degree from Bowie State University, in Bowie, Maryland.  Carolyn is currently employed as an Analyst with the Department of Justice.

Carolyn’s professional background includes strategic optimizations and initiatives, relevant to supply and demand and forecasting concepts.  She is experienced in auditing, training, supervising, and motivating personnel to achieve the highest quality control standards.  She is very knowledgeable of administrative policies and various regulatory codes needed to successfully complete assigned projects.

Carolyn is very passionate about children’s causes.  She previously volunteered for the Baltimore Act-So program and currently participates annually in such charitable organizations as the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure and the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.  Her goal is to help encourage more African American students to further their educations through college or trade schools.

Carolyn resides in Bowie, Maryland and her hobbies include traveling, shopping, arts and crafts and hanging out with family and friends.  Currently, Carolyn serves as the Business Relations Administrator for the Ladies of Nia, Inc., which provides and supports various community outreach efforts.

Donya Graham - Communications Director

Donya Graham is a wife (Melvin), a mother of three beautiful children (Janel, Devin and Darius) and a grandmother to an adorable granddaughter (Lauren). She holds a bachelors degree in Business Administration from Sojourner Douglass College and a Master’s Degree in Human Resources Management from Keller Graduate School of Management. Donya has worked as a Human Resources professional for over ten years in Government Contacting and Manufacturing industries. Her professional experience includes Resolution/Avoidance of Employee Relations issues, Training & Development and Legal Compliance.

Donya loves spending time with family and friends discussing and debating issues concerning life in general. Her children motivate her to be a better person and they have taught her that it is ok to focus on herself in order to take care of them.

Donya is passionate about protecting children and our youth. Her goal is to use every opportunity to share her wisdom and life experiences in hopes to at minimal teach our children to think logically before making decisions that could affect the rest of their lives.

Her motto in life is “It is what it is…If it doesn’t add substance to your life let it go”.



Eugenia Lewis - Community Services Administrator

Eugenia (Gina) Lewis is 44 years old. She was born and still resides in Easton, Maryland. She is a mother of three (Brittany, Tremayne and Jasmine) and a grandmother of four (Riley, Trenton, Tremayne, and Demi). Her hobbies include shopping, traveling, reading, and hosting gatherings. She loves to spend time with family and friends.

Gina has been in the clerical field for over 20 years. She graduated from Fleet Business School in 1998. After graduating she worked as an Executive Assistant for Fleet Business School until the school closed its doors permanently. She is currently an Administrative Assistant in the Transportation Department of a public school system. She creates the bus routes and is responsible for helping to create and run an efficient transportation department.

Gina has been blessed with her first home with the help of volunteers in the community and the mentors and mentees of The Ladies of Nia, Inc. Becoming a mentor in the Tomorrow’s Hope Mentoring Program is one of the ways Gina wanted to show how grateful she was when she received help in accomplishing her goals. She is very passionate about helping girls and young women find positive paths in accomplishing their goals in life. In The Ladies of Nia, Inc. Gina serves as Community Services Administrator.