Board of Directors
Yvonne Penton
Executive Director
Yvonne Penton. Is a graduate of Detroit College of Business with a bachelor and Associates Degree in Business Administration. She also holds an Associate Degree in Early Childhood Education from International Correspondent School – Scranton, PA. She has done extensive graduate work at Oral Roberts University, in Christian school administration/Counseling. Mrs. Penton is President and Founder of The House of Esther, Maternity Care Center and current Executive Director of THOE.
Yvonne has worked with children as the Children Minister (Elder) at the Kingdom of Heaven Ministries, a non-denominational Full Gospel and Word of Faith Church. Yvonne served for the past 15 years as the Program Director for G.C.C.A.R.D. (Genesee County Community Action Resource Department) in the Neighborhood Service center and Director Of the Commodities Distribution Programs. She has successfully administered these programs and several others that had an annual budget of 6 million dollar per year. Yvonne spent 12 years as a pregnancy Crisis counselor with The Answer Center for Women. She was the Executive Director of Haven of Hope and IMPACT Pregnancy center where she helped both churches open and counsel pregnant women in crisis. In this position she was able to help save the lives of the unborn.
She is married to Lutullus Penton Jr. and they have two children, a daughter, Daricka Evans (who has four sons) and a son, Lutullus the 3rd, who has twin sons and one daughter, making her grandparents of six grand-sons, one grand-daughter, and seven great-grandchildren. Her hobbies are gardening and cooking, reading and teaching. Yvonne taught leadership skills to adolescence for the Urban League of Flint and sat on the Educational program board of The National Urban League. She taught the Bible classes at both pregnancy centers and taught New Members Bible class at the Kingdom of Heaven Ministry
Mrs. Penton was the first African American Director of Flint-Black American for Life to open and run a successful Pregnancy Crisis center in Genesee County. Here in her first year under her leadership the center raised over $10,000.00 at their first fundraiser with the support of National Pro-life Leader Yolanda King the niece of the late Dr. Martin Luther King Jr for the center.
Lutullus Penton, Jr.
Chairman of the Board
Lutullus S. Penton Jr. Is a graduate of the University of Michigan and has a Master’s Degree in American Culture. He also holds a Bachelor’s Degree From the University of Michigan in American History, with a double minor in Urban Studies and African, African American Studies. He has done extensive graduate work at Oral Roberts University, in Christian school administration and Education, and at the University of Phoenix, in Business Administration. Mr. Penton is a founding board member of the Fredrick Douglas Foundation of Michigan, and current Secretary.
Lutullus was born and raised in Flint, Michigan. He is a Graduate of Flint Southwestern High School, class of 1967. He then attended the American Baptist Theological Seminary in Nashville Tennessee from 1967-1969. In 1967 he joined S.N.C.C.(Student Non-violent Coordinating Committee), and S.C.L.C. (Southern Christian Leadership Conference) in which Dr. Martin Luther King was then president. Lu was due to meet with Dr. King but unfortunately Dr. king was killed in the week prior to their appointment. Lu worked in the Movement as a civil rights worker, and community organizer.
Lu is a licensed, ordained minister (Elder) at the Kingdom of Heaven Ministries, a non-denominational Full Gospel, Word of Faith Church, where Dr. Lonnie Brown is the Head Pastor. Lu served for the past 14 years up until 2010 as the Program Director for G.C.C.A.R.D. (Genesee County Community Action Resource Department) in the JET/Work First/WIA Programs. He has successfully administered these programs that have an annual budget of between 2 and 5 million dollar per year. He was the first administrator of the Work First program in Genesee County, with the welfare reforms mandated by Governor Engler Administration in 1996.Most recently, Lu is a founding member of, and vice-president of Win Sol Clean Energy, LLC, a company that manufactures and distributes parts for the emerging wind and solar energy industry. Lu is currently employed at Atherton High School as a Substitute teacher and a Para-Pro for Special needs students.
He is married to Yvonne Penton and they have two children, a daughter, Daricka Evans (who has four sons) and a son, Lutullus the 3rd, who has twin sons and one daughter, giving Mr. Penton Jr. a total of six grand-sons, one grand-daughter, and two great-grand daughters. His hobbies are creative writing (stage and movie scripts, songs, poetry), acting, cinematography, historical research, and eschatology. He teaches the Book of Revelation at Kings College located in the church where he attends. He also enjoys, running, working out, boxing, and music. (Lu plays a number of musical instruments). Mr. Penton is the first Black member of the United States Coast Guard Auxiliary, Flotilla 24-02, where he attained the rank of Commander. He is certified to inspect vessels on the Great Lakes for sea worthiness and maritime law compliance.
Adriene K. Everleigh
Vicechair
Adriene K. Everleigh is Vice -Chairman of the Board of Directors. She received a Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice from Western Michigan University and a Master’s Degree in Counseling & Personnel from Heidelberg College in Tiffin, Ohio. She has worked extensively with child protective services, foster care and adoptions and with teens, providing crisis intervention and life skills programming. Adriene is a practicing Life Coach and a Certified Civil and Domestic Court Mediator. She brings to the Board 29 years of community service advocacy with a focus on teens and young mothers. She is a wealth of knowledge and an experienced social service program director. She has a special interest in advocating for the House of Esther mothers as she has seen many young mothers lose custody of their children to the foster care system because they were without housing, family or community supports.
Adriene has a son, Scott, attending Northwestern Michigan College in Traverse City. She resides in Fenton with her daughter, Rachael, a high school junior and a competitive swimmer.
Andre Strater
Financial Chair
Minister Andre Strater is a veteran of the United States Air Force. He holds a bachelor's degree from the University of Michigan and a Master's degree from Mary Grove College. He taught high school business and accounting in the Flint public schools for 10 years. Mr. Strater is an accountant with over 20 years of non-profit and for-profit experience. He is currently a Finance Specialist with Genesee County.
Justin Carter
Board Treasurer
Lutullus Penton III
Secretary
Lutullus Penton III was born in Flint, MI 1981 the younger of two children to the parents of Lutullus and Yvonne Penton. Lutullus is the only son .His father and his grandfather, in addition to sharing the name of his father and grandfather, all three were the only sons, all three were musicians…Lu added to his family history by learning classical jazz piano.
Lutullus graduated with honors from Genesee Christian in Burton MI he earned the Urban League youth Award in 1999, for excellent performance in athletics, academics (GPA 3.0) and youth leadership serving his community.
Lutullus received a literary scholarship from Zeta Phi Beta Sorority. Lutullus continued to receive recognition for his athletic skills earning MVP’s from Summer Basketball camps and other various achievements in Basketball as well as Track and soccer specifically. He was Member of the Canusa Games in 1996 for Track and Field (1600 meter) under Lu’s Leadership at Genesee Christian High School basketball he led his team to a Regional District champs with a school record 18-2 as the starting point guard and co-captain.
Lutullus attended (Historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) Tuskegee University in Tuskegee, Al. (1999) studying Biology and Communications, while attending the University Lu was involved in writing and poetry slams, and Arts/music. Lu has successfully held positions in Direct -sales and Customer service for over 8-10 yrs., of experience. Lu involved in Coaching Youth Basketball teams as the head coach and also the assistant coach as Travel/Camp youth athletic where I gained skills, development knowledge.
Currently Lutullus is a Recruit/Scout at Lu created a personal blog site at Lutullus created a publishing company in 2015 Supreme Connections Team SCT org. Currently Lutullus is employed with Eastbay/Footlocker.com headquarters in Wausau, Wisconsin
Currently I serve as the Secretary of the board of House of Esther-Maternity Care Center Corporation.
Sandra Booth
Program Developer
Sandra Booth is a native of Flint, Michigan. She graduated from Spring Arbor University with a B.A. in Family Life Education, along with being specially trained in grief and loss counseling. She has worked in the greater Flint community for over twenty-five years, having given her services in over a dozen agencies and social programs including Mott Children’s Health Center, Whaley’s Children Center, Alternatives for Children, and DHS. In addition, she worked for over thirteen years with parenting teen moms and at risk youth at Mott Children’s Health Center in the Behavioral Department, along with several other programs which includes Girls on the Edge of Greatness, Project SEEK.
Just before accepting her full-time position at Catholic Charities, where she currently works as a Preventions Specialist, Sandra worked a year-long position in the Continuations Program with duties consisting of case management, home visiting, and providing transportation when needed for prenatal appointments. Sandra credits her strong background in working with families, youth, and her Christian faith in being a guiding light in all she strives to do in her profession.
Sandra's ultimate goal in life has always been to provide for needy families and individuals with as much support as needed, along with strengthening her community with all the know-how and resources she possesses. Sandra will continue to work hard to provide for the people around her, fueled by her compassionate nature and love and faith in her God.
Greg Ranney
Board Member
Lori Davis
Board Member
Lori Davis is the mother of six children and grandmother of five. Lori has been involved in community ministries for over 25 years. She began teaching Preschool children at Kingdom Academy in 1990 and went on to teach chapel to students in multiple grades. Even though she has no formal education other than high school, she was able to lead the outreach ministry department at her church, which included supporting the substance abuse program director.
Through her involvement in the community she became a teacher of life management skills for incarcerated youth at the Genesee Valley Juvenile Detention Center, and subsequently worked with the Family Court to assist with follow up services upon release. She was involved in the Forgotten Man Ministries program through the Michigan Sheriffs Department and ministered to the women at the Genesee County jail. As her exposure to the needs of the community grew, she became a program director of the Road to Success and Flint Healthcare Employment Initiatives through FACED, which was one of the first faith based community agencies in the Genesee County area.
Lori has been a Community Liaison for Gentiva Hospice for the past 8 years and has extensive knowledge of community resource management.
Kemi Peters
Board Member
Kemi Peters was born into a Muslim family in Nigeria. In high school, her chemistry teacher who was a Christian introduced her to the Lord Jesus Christ and she accepted Christ at a full gospel meeting after she got gloriously filled with the Holy Spirit. She is an occupational therapist by training. She teaches social etiquette to young and old. She and her husband are both ordained as Elders. Kemi is married to Okien Peters for 10+ years.
Kemi Peters, OTR/L, is an HCPC and MRTB Registered Occupational Therapist and developed her clinical and managerial skills in this field of work. She specializes in the treatment of adult and children. She has worked in both community and educational settings and in both mainstream and special schools. Most of her work has been with adult, children and young people who are physically disabled, have a learning disability, neurology, acquired brain injury, orthopedic conditions stroke and long term neurological conditions, mental health disorders or who are on the autism spectrum
She qualified as an Occupational Therapist in 2002 and has gained significant experience of assessing and treating both adults and children with a wide range of physical disabilities and psychiatric disorders. This work has been conducted in the NHS, private and charitable sectors, both in the UK and Abroad. She has gained experienced in the areas of pediatrics, focusing on the treatment of premature infants; babies and toddlers in early interventions; and children in public and private school programs as well as Forensic Mental Health, Acute Surgery / Medical and Elderly Rehabilitation.
Kemi has been an Occupational Therapist for over 13years’ she has experience of helping people improve their ability to perform tasks in their daily living and working environments. She has being working with individuals who have conditions that are mentally, physically, developmentally or emotionally halting, helping them to develop, regain and maintain daily living and work skills. Her experience is not only in helping clients improve their basic motor functions and reasoning abilities, but also to compensate for permanent loss of function with a goal of helping clients regain independent, productive, and satisfying lives.
My desire and passion is to stand unified with one heart, mind, and purpose to accomplish all God intends for this ministry. I love to promote the sanctity of human life, and give the truth about abortion and its consequences. I also enjoy providing counsel on handling life's unplanned/intended circumstances through a relationship with our Savior Jesus Christ who brings peace and comfort to all who call on His
My desire is that every woman and every couple facing unintended pregnancy will be fully informed and have all the information they need to make the best decision for them. I like to do so from a holistic approach meaning that I am concerned about your physical, emotional and spiritual well-being.
I am committed to being a voice for the voiceless, the innocents, and beautiful babies yet to be born by sharing Christ in a real way to expectant mothers and parents that are unsure about what to do in the case of unexpected pregnancy.