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About Us

Learn about NAAIA’s mission, values, and history. Dive deeper into our commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion in the insurance industry.

Our Mission & Philosophy

Our Mission

Our mission is to empower Black professionals in the insurance industry by providing unparalleled educational resources, invaluable mentorship opportunities, robust networking, and recognition of industry achievements. We are committed to fostering professional development and community outreach, creating a supportive environment where our members can thrive and excel.

Our Philosophy

NAAIA is rooted in the belief that diversity strengthens the insurance industry. We are committed to empowering Black professionals by providing a supportive environment where education, mentorship, and networking flourish. Our philosophy centers on fostering growth, celebrating achievements, and driving systemic change to create a more inclusive and equitable industry. We strive to cultivate a community that values representation, professional development, and the advancement of underrepresented talent. At NAAIA, we believe in the transformative power of connection and leadership in shaping a brighter future for all.

Our Mission & Philosophy

A Legacy of Leadership, Empowerment, and Impact

NAAIA Tampa Bay History

NAAIA Tampa Bay is part of a long-standing movement to create space, voice, and opportunity for Black professionals in insurance. Chartered on February 26, 2026, we are grounded in the mission and momentum of the national organization. Our history is one of resilience, ambition, and leadership. We stand on the shoulders of those who paved the way—trailblazers who challenged industry norms, built thriving careers, and opened doors for future generations.

Our History

NAAIA Tampa Bay
Executive Board

Our chapter is led by a committed executive board focused on growth, strategy, and community impact. Meet the leaders shaping our work, and explore open roles if you’re ready to lead with purpose.

President
About Me

Cherdonna
Epps-Gardner

President

Board Member

I’m an Operational and Technical Director at an insurance brokerage, where I combine sharp analytics with practical know-how to keep things running smoothly — and people progressing. I’m driven by the belief that the best work happens when people feel empowered, seen, and supported.

As James Baldwin said, “Not everything that is faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed until it is faced.”I approach challenges head-on — not for the sake of control, but to create space for people to grow and thrive.

Outside of work, you’ll find me buried in a nonfiction book (usually something historical), swimming to center myself, or wandering a museum in search of perspective. I’m often described as calm, balanced, and someone who listens with intention and acts with care.

I live by Maya Angelou’s words:“Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better.”That spirit — of evolution, awareness, and compassion — guides how I lead and how I live.

Vice President
About Me

First
Last Name

Vice President

Board Member

Selena Stallworth is a veteran insurance professional with over 25+ years of experience in the industry. Selena joined Travelers Indemnity Company as an underwriter trainee, and has held various positions in underwriting, claims and legal throughout her career. Selena brings her expertise in evaluating risks and claim handling to her current role as Senior Counsel in the Corporate Litigation and Product Development and Coverage Analysis Group, providing valuable legal counsel and guidance to underwriters and product developers on coverage issues, policy wording, underwriting guidelines and training and marketing materials. Prior to her current role, Selena practiced law in Florida and Texas focusing on insurance coverage litigation and insurance defense.

Selena holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Health Care Management from Florida A&M University in Tallahassee, FL and a Juris Doctorate degree from William Mitchell College of Law in St. Paul, MN. She is a native Floridian, a wife, a mother and a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Incorporated. In her personal time, Selena enjoys reading, cooking and spending time with her family.

Treasurer
About Me

Oliver
Gray

Treasurer

Board Member

A little more about me……

I am Oliver Douglas Gray Jr, also known as “O.G”. I assist families in creating generational wealth for their loved ones and helping to provide peace of mind when you and your family need it most.

My passion for helping people started when I was 17 years old living in Philadelphia, PA. My father was 36 years old suffering from kidney failure. After going out to dinner one Friday night he came home only to wake up barely being able to stand up due to the malfunction of his kidneys. While in the hospital my father passed away on the morning of my senior prom. He had no life insurance to leave for me and my sister who was 11 years old at the time.

This experience is why I am so passionate about helping people!

Secretary
About Me

Jasmine
Gilbert

Secretary

Board Member

Jasmine Gilbert is a Data Analytics & AI Leader who sets the vision, strategy, and roadmap for data and analytics across the Risk Consulting practice at a leading insurance brokerage. In this role, she focuses on weaving practical AI and analytics into core consulting workflows, elevating the speed, quality, and consistency of client decision-making through smarter use of risk data and business intelligence.

With over a decade of experience in financial services and consulting, Jasmine is a trusted authority in transforming complex risk data into actionable insight. Her work focuses on the responsible, real-world application of analytics and AI in insurance, moving organizations beyond experimentation and into measurable impact.

Jasmine’s accomplishments speak for themselves: she holds a patent for an advanced risk analytics solution and developed an award-winning platform that fundamentally changed how clients benchmark and manage claims performance. She earned an MS in Business Analytics and Information Systems, is currently pursuing a doctorate in Business Administration, and maintains both ARM and AIDA designations from The Institutes. A 2023 Business Insurance Breakout Award winner, Jasmine is known for visionary, inclusive leadership and her ability to drive meaningful change in complex, data- and AI-enabled environments.

Jasmine is also committed to community and industry advancement, serving as Secretary of the NAAIA Tampa Bay Chapter. Outside of work, Jasmine enjoys traveling, spending time with family, and maintaining a healthy lifestyle; these activities keep her grounded, inspired, and at her best.


Our Officers

Board Members

Our committee chairs turn ideas into action. They lead outreach, plan programs, grow membership, and create spaces where professionals feel seen, supported, and connected.

Membership Chair

Susan
Burrell

Member Chair

Board Member

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Programs Chair

Meghan
Fountain

Programs Chair

Board Member

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Agent Engagement and Development Chair

Maya
Hill

Agent Chair

Board Member

With over two decades of experience, leadership, and dedication to protecting clients, their business and their communities, Maya Hill has built a respected career in the insurance industry. Her journey began in 2003 as a customer service representative at Allstate, where she gained a strong foundation in customer care and operations.

That experience later opened the door to Affinity Insurance, an independent agency where she spent 14 years honing her skills and expertise. Eventually Maya and her sister founded Bright Beacon Insurance, where she served as the Principal Agent.

A Bright Beacon, one of the agency’s milestones included the opportunity to purchase a book of business and earning certifications (WMBE, MBE, SLBE, SBE), which enabled the firm to partner with the City of Tampa and Hillsborough County. She also secured the opportunity to represent Chubb Insurance expanding her agency’s reach and reputation.

Beyond her professional work, Maya enjoys traveling, exercising and spending quality time with family, friends and her sorority.

Marketing/PR Chair

Taj
Mahal

Marketing/PR Chair

Board Member

Leadership isn’t evolving. It’s being redefined.

Taj Mahal defines that intersection, where courage meets culture and execution sets the standard.

A U.S. Department of Homeland Security–credentialed contractor and a strategic force in the independent insurance sector, he operates where complexity breaks most leaders. Across claims, litigation, and TPA strategy, his work sharpens underwriting and strengthens organizations under pressure.

Pressure doesn’t break leadership. It reveals it.

A Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award recipient, Taj raises the bar, expanding access, elevating performance, and opening doors for those ready to step into more.

His work doesn’t just elevate systems. It elevates the people inside them.

For him, power isn’t granted by position. It’s revealed through presence.

Emerging Leaders Chair

Dowayne
Peterson

Emerging Leaders Chair

Board Member

Dowayne Peterson is a digital transformation leader with over 16 years of experience driving operational excellence at USAble Life. As Manager of the Business Systems Team, he leads initiatives that streamline processes, enhance system performance, and deliver measurable business value through platforms like Salesforce.

A strategic thinker and collaborator, Dowayne is passionate about leveraging technology to empower teams, improve decision-making, and align systems with business goals. As a Board Member of the Tampa Chapter of NAAIA, he is committed to advancing innovation, inclusion, and leadership in the insurance industry.

Nominations & Elections Chair

Sonya
Daies

Nominations & Elections Chair

Board Member

Sonya Daies, Director of Talent Acquisition, at Allianz Commercial. Sonya is an esteemed industry leader, with 20+ years of experience in the Human Resource space, with a specific focus on the Insurance industry. Sonya has been a part of Allianz Insurance and their entities for 19 years. She is a leader, mentor and consultant working daily to affect and influence change, for the next generation.

Sonya is a Florida native, born in Ft. Lauderdale and raised in Tampa. She just returned home to the Tampa area, a few years ago after spending 20+ years in St. Louis, MO. Sonya is a University of Florida Graduate ( GO Gators!!!) Sonya is wife, and mother to two amazing young men. Sonya has deep insurance roots, with both of her parents spending successful careers in the industry.

At-Large Board Member

Latasha
Scott

At-Large Board Member

Board Member

Latasha Lordes Scott is a litigation and appellate attorney. She is a Partner at a national law firm. Latasha advises national insurance carriers by focusing the majority of her practice on the defense of: class action, bad faith and other extra-contractual matters, first-party and third-party property litigation, and financial services disputes in state and federal trial courts.

For over 17 years, Latasha also continues to handle complex appeals in federal and state courts in Florida, and throughout the U.S. She also serves as federal local counsel to federal practitioners nationwide.

Latasha also served as a Judicial Law Clerk to the Honorable Judge Charles R. Wilson at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit. Ms. Scott also served as a Judicial Law Clerk to the Honorable U.S. Magistrate Thomas G. Wilson in the U.S. District Court – Middle District of Florida. While in law school, Latasha also served as a judicial intern for the Honorable U.S. Magistrate Judge Kornblum in the U.S. District Court – Northern District of Florida.

Latasha received her Doctor of Jurisprudence from the University of Florida, where she also studied abroad in Montepellier, France, during the course of her studies. Latasha received her Bachelor of Arts degree, with honors, at the University of Notre Dame, where she was a Sigma Tau Delta scholar for the duration of her studies. In addition to her law degree, Latasha holds a Master of Arts from the University of Notre Dame, where she completed a researched Master’s Thesis.

At-Large Board Member

Chablis
Davis

At-Large Board Member

Board Member

Chablis Davis is a Florida-based insurance professional with over a decade of experience in property claims, specializing in complex losses, litigation-driven files, and operational oversight. As a licensed 2-14 Life and Annuity Agent, she brings a well-rounded perspective to risk, protection, and claims strategy.

Her background includes catastrophe management, quality assurance, and high-exposure claim handling, where precision, documentation, and defensibility are critical.

Chablis is known for bringing a strong claims and litigation lens to her work, structuring clear, well-supported decisions that reduce downstream risk and support effective resolution. She has led teams through high-volume catastrophe events, managed escalated claims, and worked closely with legal counsel, public adjusters, and carrier leadership.

She operates with a calm, structured approach, emphasizing clarity in documentation, alignment in decision-making, and operational efficiency in fast-moving environments.

Chablis is also expanding into AI-driven solutions and strategic consulting, bringing a forward-looking perspective to the evolving insurance landscape.

Board Members

Frequently Asked Questions

How would you define the makeup of NAAIA’s membership and partners?

NAAIA boasts over 3,300 members and partners with influential associations that drive our industry’s success on local, regional, national, and global levels. Our collaborations with carriers, brokerages, agencies, and strategic alliances ensure mutual success by achieving shared goals, benefiting individuals, businesses, and communities alike. With a presence in twenty-five states and growing, NAAIA’s footprint extends across every major region of the country.

Who are NAAIA’s constituents?

NAAIA’s membership includes early career professionals, emerging leaders, experienced staff and executives. NAAIA membership is diverse, comprising individuals from various positions and roles such as insurance agents, brokers, insurers, underwriters, claim adjusters, recruiters, legal and financial professionals, and more.

Is NAAIA exclusively for Independent Agents?

No, NAAIA is not exclusive to any one industry segment. NAAIA engages, encourages and supports any and all insurance career professionals, be they employed, unemployed or retired, in industry-related fields, or students interested in insurance.

How Can I Become a Member of NAAIA?

Becoming a member of NAAIA is easy! Visit our Membership Page for more detailed information. Join Us and become part of a vibrant community of Black and African American insurance professionals!

How Can I Attend NAAIA’s National Conference?

Participating in NAAIA’s annual National Conference is a fantastic opportunity to network and learn from industry leaders. Visit our Events Page for information.

What Are the Benefits of Membership?

NAAIA offers networking opportunities, access to insurance education resources, career advancement support, and much more. Visit our Membership Page for more information.

How Can I Stay Updated on NAAIA News and Announcements?

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Frequently Asked Questions