Advisory Council

Patricia T. Walters (Council Chair)

Widow of the late Dr. Ronald W. Walters is a graduate of Philander Smith College in Little Rock, Arkansas with a major in pre-social work and a minor in sociology. Her career path was in the field of Social work for over 40 years, the last 30 with the Montgomery County Housing Opportunities Commission, in Maryland. She retired in 2005.  She edited most of Ron Walter's books.  She continues to promote Dr. Walters legacy in speeches and picking up awards on his behalf around the country.  She has developed the Ronald Walters Scholarship Fund at Howard.  A scholarship will be awarded yearly to a student majoring in Political Science. 

Rev. Jesse Jackson, Jr. 

Founder and President of the Rainbow PUSH Coalition, is one of America’s foremost civil rights, religious and political figures. Over the past 40 years, he has played a pivotal role in virtually every movement for empowerment, peace, civil rights, gender equality, and economic and social justice. On August 9, 2000, President Bill Clinton awarded Reverend Jackson the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation's highest civilian honor. He was a candidate for the Democratic presidential nomination in 1984 and 1988 and served as a shadow U.S. Senator for the District of Columbia from 1991 to 1997. He graduated from North Carolina A&T University and received the Master of Divinity degree from Chicago Theological Seminary.      

Attorney William R. “Billy” Martin

Martin is a partner in the law firm, Martin & Gitner, PLLC in Washington, DC. Prior to starting his own firm, he was a partner at Dorsey & Whitney LLP and at Howrey LLP). Martin is a renowned trial lawyer consistently named as one of the top trial lawyers in Washington, D.C. and throughout the United States. His litigation practice involves the representation of major corporations and high-profile individuals and focuses on complex civil and white collar litigation before state and federal courts and in administrative hearings. His notable past clients have included NFL star Michael Vick, NBA stars Allen Iverson and Jayson Williams, Monica Lewinsky's mother, Chandra Levy's parents, and former Atlanta mayor Bill Campbell. Martin served as a state and federal prosecutor from 1976 to 1990. He is a graduate of Howard University (a former student of Dr. Walters) and the University of Cincinnati College of Law. He is married to National Public Radio journalist and radio host Michel Martin.

Louis H. Gilford Jr.

President of The Banneker Group. The Banneker Group (TBG) provides General Contracting and Facility Maintenance to a variety of public and private sector clients. The Banneker Group was established as a facilities maintenance firm in 1998 and became Small Business Administration 8(a) certified in May 2004.  He is a graduate of the University of Maryland, College Park where he met Dr. Walters.