PHOTOS BY TODD ELLIOTT
ABOUT THE LEAGUE
We are an organization of like-minded women set out to Empower, Encourage, and Elevate other women business owners through networking and building long-lasting relationships.
Charlyn C Elliott is the CEO and Co founder of Elliott by Design.
She is a wife and mother of four an accomplished digital media marketing professional with experience in bridging the gap between business strategy and design. She earned her Masters in Media Design from Full Sail University in 2013 and has an undergrad in Organizational Management, which assists, with her merging strategy with media design.
Charlyn is an active member of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc., Theta Alpha Zeta Chapter, where she assist in community service events and on working with the youth. She is also serving as an active member and the temporary co chair of the Black Women’s Leadership Forum.
Charlyn is also a contributing author of the book “The Journey of a Teenage Mother” and also assisted her 5-year-old daughter in writing her own book entitled “Puppy Love” in which her daughter received 2 proclamations and a Rise Star Roc Award. Her passion is helping educate our youth in the importance of literacy. She is also helping her daughter develop reading programs throughout the Rochester, NY community. Charlyn has created events throughout the community to bring people together such as sold out Unplugged events where local Artist showcase their Talent.
She’s hosted Mommy and Me tea parties, Mother Son, and Father Daughter dances where the community comes and enjoy and afternoon/evening with either their significant other or their children. She also received the 2016 Roc Award for the best black business of the year.
In February of 2018 Charlyn launched The League of Professional Women. An organization of like-minded women set out to Empower, Encourage and help Elevate other women business owners through networking and building long lasting relationships. She is also launching her TV Show Strictly Business in May of 2018.
The Talk show is a platform to have discussions around the ins and outs of and the challenges with women and business. She will also be receiving the 2018 all women Roc Award. Her ultimate goal is to empower women and children through using her talents, resources and expertise.
Charlyn Elliott
www.leagueofprofessionalwomen.com
www.elliottbydesign.com
www.taleahmor.com
Tanishia Johnson, Co-Founder of League of Professional Women, is a passionate counselor, life coach and motivational speaker. She works professionally and privately as an advocate and social justice ambassador for youth and families. Tanishia is passionate about serving the youth and young adult population, specifically young parents, in urban settings. She is a School Counselor for the Rochester City School District. Previously serving in the role of Program Coordinator for Pathways to Success, a program under the Rochester City School District and the Federal Office of Adolescent Health, she coordinated programs and services for expectant and parenting teen mothers and fathers.
Under her leadership, she created the first teen parenting workshops and programs, servicing young mothers and young fathers in the Rochester City School District. Mrs. Johnson is also Adjunct Professor in the Transitional Studies Department at Monroe Community College in Rochester, New York, teaching students in the first year experience program. She is Co-Founder and Co-Owner of LOVE Marriage Ministries (L.O.V.E. which stands for Living Our Vows Everyday), founded by The Johnsons, to support, uplift and celebrate black marriages; having a platform that reflects that black marriages not only exist but that they are healthy, thriving and everlasting. Their ministry is open to both married couples and couples in committed relationships seeking marriage. Her life coaching business, Beyond This Moment, focuses on assisting individuals with working on life goals, looking beyond this moment to reach those goals, and focusing on living their purpose driven lives. She is contributing author for the book, The Journey of a Teenage Mother (2013), completing books signings in the United States and London, UK. Her belief is that the secret to truly reaching ones highest level of success is discovering your passion, working hard, staying in your purpose driven lane and staying committed to living a purpose-driven life. A certified trained facilitator in Strengthening the Black Family and Rites of Passage, she facilitates parenting groups for the betterment of “The Village.”
She credits some of her greatest accomplishments as follows: As a young mother, pregnant at 15, she graduated from high school, on time with stellar grades and scholarship funds, while being a mom to a toddler. Second, she is the 1st in her family to graduate from college. Third, going back to college to get her Masters Degree while expecting their 4th child, graduating with honors 3 years later expecting their 5th child. To date, she credits her faith in God and her perseverance, to her accomplishments and great career, which she considers to be her ministry. She feels one of her greatest accomplishment is doing all of this, while successfully running businesses with her husband, serving our community and still having a very healthy, loving purpose driven, servant leader family and marriage. Outside of work, Tanishia enjoys spending time with her beloved, tribe and family, traveling and girl time with women in her sisterhood circle. She also loves to celebrate the life of those she loves; handling business but always finding time for celebrations!
An active member of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc., Theta Alpha Zeta Chapter, Mrs. Johnson holds the position of President. She is a Board Member for The Villa of Hope and Healthy Baby Network. As a graduate of the 2013 “Purpose Driven” class for the United Way African American Leadership Development Program, she currently serves as Recruitment and Selection Committee member as well as Steering Committee member. As member of The Black Women’s Leadership Forum, she serves on the Leadership Council and is the Chair of the Education Committee. In June 2015, Tanishia was the recipient of the Community Pillar, “Black Women Roc” award for outstanding service in the Rochester community. In January of 2016 she was profiled in the Democrat and Chronicle and featured as Rochester’s “Woman to Watch”, a prestigious honor in the Rochester community. Tanishia is also profiled as part of the feature story for the April 2016 Spring edition of BreakThru Magazine’s: The Power List: The Top 10 Women in Rochester making history and in September 2016, was honored at their Celebration Gala with the BreakThru Inspiration Award. In February 2018, Tanishia was the recipient of the ROC Awards 2018 for “Outstanding Community Involvement” and was featured that month on News Channel 8 for their segment on Extraordinary People. As an active member of Glory House International in Rochester, New York; her greatest pride and joy, is being in covenant with her husband Cory, for over 17 years and parenting their purpose driven 5 children.
Rosalind Matthew has over 20 years experience in the beauty industry as a professional makeup artist in the New York State area. Being a trained Esthetician at Shear Ego International, she specializes in bridal makeup application. She is certified in beauty under the tutelage of famed celebrity makeup artists Sam Fine, Renny Vasquez and Kilprity (Keita Moore). Her passion for beauty started almost 20 years ago, she developed a love for brows and has progressed into a steady climb in the beauty industry. Rosalind now focuses on makeup application for any special event, including bridal, engagement, family, senior, and prom pictures. Her specialty is offering natural flawless and picture perfect makeup which lasts all day. Listening to her client’s individual needs and preferences is what she believes is key in making them feel comfortable. You will still look like “you”, just a more flawless and polished “you”. Enhancing natural beauty is the primary goal.
Rosalind’s work has appeared in Break Thru Magazine, Rochester Woman Online, Voluptuous Woman, (VLS) Magazine, Rochester Wedding Magazine & Democrat & Chronicle newspaper. Her work was also featured on the runways for Rochester Fashion Week for several years. Rosalind offers the signature brow class- The Billion Dollar brow class where she teaches to the “every day” women. She has done work for several high fashion bridal photo shoots, and her work has also been featured in commercial print.
Her attention to detail creates the elegance and perfection you desire on your wedding day or special event.
Bridal makeup is all about the A+ version of yourself, and Rosalind listens to what the client wants, and works with them to create the most flattering version. She loves making women look and feel their best and prides herself on dependability, professionalism, and perfection.
Christine Franklin, born and raised in Rochester, NY. She is a wife and mother of 3. She didn’t let the challenges of not having enough high school credits discourage her. Christine received her GED and while working for a children’s center, was inspired to open up her own daycare. She now successfully owns and operates Franklin Family Daycare, which was established in 2013. In 2015 she pursued her CDA and received it after 10 months, during this time she birthed her 3rd child.
In 2013 Christine and her husband Eric Franklin launched #iRoclove a T-shirt clothing line. #iRocLove is about “Empowering marriages and Encouraging marriages” one shirt at a time. Christine and her husband host couples’ gatherings where the atmosphere is conducive for ladies to let their hair down and men can roll their sleeves up. The company slogan is “we reppin’ the Roc, you can call it Roclove, increasin’ the stock, nothin’ gon stop us”.
In 2016, Christine and her husband hosted a financial peace class in downtown Rochester as a push to help people get out of debt. Christine and her husband qualify to teach financial peace as they successfully got out of debt themselves and was able to participate in the “Debt Free Scream” with Dave Ramsey in Brentwood Tennessee. She also believes that your marriage will not be 100% successful if God is not in the center of it.
In 2017 she hosted #iRoclove’s 1st annual 101 Kings & Queens photo shoot in Rochester N.Y and which was featured in the Democrat and Chronicle newspaper. In 2018 #iRocLove was nominated for best T-shirt line in the annual Roc Awards. She was also featured in Breakthru Magazine in 2017 with her husband in the fall issue.
Christine is passionate about empowering and encouraging others to be their best selves. She believes that she has to be the difference she wants to see in life, which would then inspired others to be confident and bold in who God has called them to be. This year 2018 her motto is Face Everything And Rise as she is saying yes to things that scare her.
Yolanda Wade is a bookkeeper for a property management company in East Rochester.
She has worked professionally as a bookkeeper since 1996 and has worked for the same employer since 2001. Born in Buffalo, NY she moved to Rochester with her parents at the age of three. From elementary all the way through high school she’s attended public schools in the city of Rochester. She graduated with a regent’s diploma from Joseph C. Wilson Magnet High School just a couple of months after becoming a single teenage mother to her first born son. Determined to keep improving herself she received her Associate’s Degree in Accounting from Monroe Community College. She has always worked a fulltime job since high school. She has worked as an Operations Manager, payroll specialist and is also the healthcare benefits coordinator for the company she’s currently employed.
In addition to being a fulltime career woman she loves being a mom. She’s a dependable hard worker, and always wants the best for her family. She will help others whenever she is able to. She enjoys working with numbers and the feeling she gets when things are in order and balanced out gives her peace. She currently resides in Pittsford, NY with her husband of twenty years, their two teenage children and dog.
Yvette Conyers is a nationally certified Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP), working as a Clinical Instructor/Course Coordinator at the University of Rochester, School of Nursing. Ms. Conyers will earn her Doctorate of Nursing Practice degree from St. John Fisher College, in May 2018. The clinical research focus of this degree is cultural competence education of staff nurses and effects on patient care outcomes.
Yvette is actively involved in both academic and community organizations including American Academy of Nurse Practitioner’s, Chi Eta Phi Sorority, Transcultural Nursing Society, African American Health Coalition, part of Common Grounds Health. She is a member of the School of Nursing Council for Diversity and Inclusion (CoDI) and faculty counselor of Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society. Her passion for diversity and inclusion has been recognized and is involved in a community wide structural racism initiative, formed to address the more difficult barriers of racism within the institutions we work. Yvette has facilitated discussions on racial equity and cultural sensitive care. She is a faculty champion for the student led program LIFT-Leading with Integrity for Tomorrow.
Yvette is passionate about increasing the representation of minority nurses in nursing profession, which will contribute to improved health and health care experiences for at risk populations. She enjoys providing career advice, coaching and mentoring to nursing students and believes that just as she was provided a hand reach back, she should do the same.
Yvette holds national certification as a Transcultural Nurse and is the recipient of the 2017 Mary Dombeck diversity enhancement faculty award and greater Rochester 40 under 40 African American leaders award. Ms. Conyers earned her post masters FNP certificate from St. John Fisher College, Master of Science in nursing education from Roberts Wesleyan College, Bachelors from the University of Rochester, and initial Associates nursing degree from Monroe Community College.
