Ron Phillips is the Senior Vice President of Employee Engagement for Comcast Cable.

In this newly created role that reports directly to Ken Carrig, Executive Vice President of Human Resources at Comcast Cable, Phillips will be responsible for overseeing employee relations, labor relations, compliance, and employee loyalty and retention.  Phillips previously served as Vice President of Human Resources for Comcast’s West Division in Englewood, Colorado, and Vice President of Human Resources in Comcast’s Greater Chicago Region.

As Vice President of Human Resources in Comcast’s West Division, Phillips was responsible for leading the development and implementation of human resources policies, programs, and practices for the division, including employment, labor relations, compensation, training, and employee services.

Prior to joining Comcast, Phillips was the Senior Manager of Human Resources for Ryder Transportation, where he led the human resources function for two regions, including 21 customer business units across 18 states.  He also held human resources leadership roles with McDonald’s Corporation and the Auto Warehousing Company.

Phillips holds a B.A. degree in Criminal Justice from Virginia State University and earned his J.D. degree from the University of Richmond, T.C. Williams School of Law.  He also holds a Certificate of Organizational Development from DePaul University and is a member of the Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM), the National Sales Network (NSN), the National Association of African Americans in Human Resources (NAAAHR), the Organizational Development Network (ODNetwork) and the National Black MBA Association.  Phillips will be relocating with his wife, Lynette, and two children from his home in Aurora, Colorado, to the Philadelphia region.

VIA:  NewsOne.Com

By a vote of 219 to 212, the House passed the bill after a day of tumultuous debate that echoed the epic struggle of the last year. The action sent the bill to President Obama, whose crusade for such legislation has been a hallmark of his presidency.

Democrats hailed the vote as historic, comparable to the establishment of Medicare and Social Security and a long overdue step forward in social justice. “This is the civil rights act of the 21st century,” said Representative James E. Clyburn of South Carolina, the No. 3 Democrat in the House.

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Barbara Gee is Vice President of Strategic Sales Alliances for Comcast Cable Communications. In this role, she is responsible for the company’s e-commerce sales strategy, third party sales alliances, and increasing acquisition and retention of moving customers.

Barbara began her career with Comcast in 2001 as National Director of Alternative Sales Channels, where she developed the company’s third party sales strategy, defined success criteria, implemented the necessary models and operational processes and established sound business relationships with key companies that extend Comcast’s sales reach.

Prior to joining Comcast, Barbara served as Director of Network Sales for Exelon. There she created a new telecommunications business sales unit that produced revenue in its first full year. She also managed the sales force integration of five newly-acquired companies.

Barbara began her career with Verizon, where she held various progressively senior positions in sales, marketing, product and brand management and advertising.  She received both a Bachelors degree in Communications, and a Master of Public Administration degree from Pennsylvania State University. Barbara completed Comcast’s premier leadership development program, “Executive Leadership Forum,” and has served multiple times as a coach for the program.  Barbara also completed Cornell University’s Women’s Leadership Program in 2005, and in 2006, she completed the National Association of Multiculturalism in Communications (NAMIC) Executive Leadership Development Program at UCLA. She is a current fellow in the industry’s flagship women’s leadership program, Betsy Magness Leadership Institute, Class XX.

In 2007, Barbara was recognized as a Next Generation Leader by NAMIC, and that same year, was featured in CableWorld magazine as one of four industry “Cable Marketing Heroes.” She has been named to MultiChannel News and CableFax’s 100 Most Influential Minorities in Cable in 2007, 2008, and 2009, and was awarded the NAMIC-Philadelphia Paragon Award in May, 2008.

Barbara served as 2009 President of NAMIC, Philadelphia Chapter; sits on the Board of Directors for the Emma Bowen Foundation, and on the advisory board of the Philadelphia Writing Project at the University of Pennsylvania’s Graduate School of Education. She is committed to giving back, and is passionate about mentoring.

Steven C. Gillenwater, divisional vice president of human resources, is responsible for all people-related functions including compensation and benefits, diversity, employee relations, labor relations, HR communication, HR policy, performance management, talent acquisition, and talent management.

Steven has been a part of the Southern Division since August, 2005, when he joined us as regional vice president of human resources for the Mid-South Region. He has been an HR Professional for over 18 years. Prior to joining Comcast in 2000, he was the director of human resources for Wesley Industries, Inc. in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, a tier one automotive supplier and Warren/Conner Development Coalition in Detroit, Michigan, where he led the human resources and administration functions for a large community based non-profit located in a former Enterprise Zone.

Steven has held several senior leadership positions in three different divisions of Comcast. In his most recent role for the Southern Division, he was responsible for field operations, employee relations and labor relations, including negotiating collective bargaining agreements. He has held similar positions in the former Midwest and Atlantic Divisions, as well as Regional HR Lead positions.

Steven holds a Master’s Degree in organizational management from the University of Phoenix in Southfield, Michigan, and a Bachelor of Science Degree in communications from Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo, Michigan, where he was a scholarship athlete. He is a certified Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR).

VIA:  NewsOne.Com

On Friday, President Obama signed a renewal of the executive order that assists historically black colleges.  While the executive order itself follows the form of orders in previous administrations, the head of the Obama administration’s effort for the colleges said that the executive order would set off a change in philosophy on how the government could work with the institutions.

In his remarks, Obama noted the financial challenges facing black colleges (and just about all of higher education) these days, and also their role. “It was because of these schools that America’s middle class was filled with black doctors and educators and judges and lawyers and engineers and entrepreneurs,” he said. “And today, it’s because of these schools that one out of every two wide-eyed freshmen who arrives on their campuses with big backpacks and bigger dreams is the first in his or her family to go to college.”

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VIA:  NewsOne.Com

Madame Tussauds’ in New York has unveiled a wax figure of Michelle Obama in a one-shouldered white gown inspired by the one she wore to the inaugural ball.

The first lady’s likeness joined a wax tuxedo-clad President Barack Obama on Tuesday. His figure was unveiled at the museum last year.

In about two weeks, the Obama wax figures will exchange their formal wear for everyday wear.

The museum says Michelle Obama will be clad in a mint green J. Crew skirt and an embellished cream cardigan. The president will get a business suit.

Tina serves as Senior Vice President of Customer Service Operations for Comcast Cable Communications, Inc.   She is responsible for customer experience strategy and tactical implementation, eCare operations, agent desktop tools deployment and enhancements.   Care employee development programs for Comcast’s call centers are a key responsibility.  Tina develops outsource partner strategy, has responsibility for managing outsource call center partnerships, and workforce capacity management.  Additionally, Tina has responsibility for consumer care inquiries, Digital Care, and customer outreach for the Office of the President.

Tina began her career with Bell Atlantic (Verizon) as Manager of Call Centers for Small Businesses in Pennsylvania and Delaware.  She then transitioned to PECO Energy as Call Center Manager for call centers serving 1.5 million customers.   Tina was able to use her operations experience to identify and share customer care best practices in her role as Practice Manager for GartnerGroup’s Contact Center Assessment service.  She also built the Customer Care practice at Software Consulting Group.

A College of Commerce & Finance graduate of Villanova University, Waters received a Master of Science in Organizational Dynamics from the University of Pennsylvania. Tina graduated from Comcast’s premiere leadership development program – Executive Leadership Forum.  Tina completed the Harvard Business School & CTAM (Cable & Telecommunications Association for Marketing) Executive Management program.  She is a member of CTAM and the co-chair for the Cable Center Customer Care Committee.  Tina is also a member and mentor for Women in Cable and Telecommunications (WICT) and the National Association of Multi-ethnicity in Communications (NAMIC). Tina serves as a Chapter Advisor for the NAMIC Board.  Tina holds Comcast’s board seat with Urban League of Philadelphia. She is also a board member of Montgomery County Headstart.  Tina is a member of the Phi Beta Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.

Tina has received the YMCA of Delaware Achiever award and Villanova University’s Eby Award for Outstanding Post Graduate Achievement.  In 2009, Tina was included among the Top 50 Most Influential Minorities in Cable by CableFAX magazine, and she has frequently been recognized as one of the Top 50 Most Influential Minorities in Cable and Most Powerful Women in Cable by Cableworld magazine.  Additionally, Tina received the “Movers and Shakers” award from the American Women’s Heritage Society, Inc. and was recognized by the Philadelphia City Council for this honor.  Tina is the 2005 winner of NAMIC’s Paragon Award.  Tina received WICT’s Liberty Award in 2006.  In 2007, Waters became a Class XIV Fellow of the WICT Betsy Magness Leadership Institute.  Tina was recently named as a “Woman to Watch” by Multichannel News and a “Woman of Distinction” by the Philadelphia Business Journal.

Tina resides in Plymouth Meeting, Pennsylvania with her family.

Andrea A. Agnew, a leader in the field of human resources, currently serves as the Director of Diversity and Inclusion for Comcast Cable Communications in Philadelphia. Agnew is responsible for developing strategies and building programs to enhance Comcast’s Corporate Human Resources diversity strategy. She works closely with senior leadership to integrate diversity and equity practices into institutional employment and workplace practices, as well as develop diversity training collateral and diversity presentations.

She was previously the corporate diversity recruitment manager for the international consulting firm of Booz Allen Hamilton and a recruiting manager for the accounting firm of PriceWaterhouseCoopers, LLP.  Agnew joined Girl Scouts as a leader for her daughter’s Junior troop for girls with special needs.  She is a member of the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Advisory Board in Philadelphia, and the Temple School of Medicine Center for Minority Health and Health Disparities Advisory Board.

She volunteers with the Comcast Cares Day, Big Brothers Big Sisters Beyond School Walls program, the Urban League of Philadelphia, and is active in a number of other community organizations.

She has been honored by her peers for Diversity Best Practices in Leadership in 2006, 2007, and 2008, and as a Women of Distinction in 2005 by Booz Allen Hamilton’s Women of Greater Washington D.C. Metro Area.

Agnew is a graduate of UCLA’s Executive Leadership Development Program of the Anderson School of Business, and the Urban League’s Leaders Forum. She resides with her younger daughter, Caitlin, a Girl Scout Caddette, in Haddonfield, New Jersey and has a grown daughter, Alicia, a graduate of Penn State.

VIA:  TheWashingtonPost.Com

Every morning, sometimes as early as 5:30 a.m., a short religious passage comes across President Obama’s BlackBerry, sent by one of his aides.

At other moments, Obama prays privately, his advisers said. And when he takes his family to Camp David on the weekends, a Navy chaplain ministers to them, with the daughters attending a form of Sunday school there.

More than a year into his presidency, Obama has not chosen a church in Washington, and has attended services just four times. No single figure has assumed the role of spiritual adviser — publicly, at least — or filled the vacancy created when Obama disavowed his former Chicago pastor, Jeremiah Wright.

When Obama appears at the National Prayer Breakfast in Washington on Thursday morning — a regular presidential ritual — it will mark the rare occasion when he puts religion in the foreground.

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VIA:  MSNBC

When she moved to the nation’s most prestigious address, Michelle Obama’s husband told her that rough times were ahead. The country was in recession, people were out of work, the political parties were in open warfare — and the man who was going to be blamed for it all was President Barack Obama.

But you won’t hear the first lady utter a peep of complaint.

“The truth is, there are a lot of folks who are hurting. And there’s no way I’m going to sit here and complain; I’m sitting in the White House,” Michelle Obama told TODAY’s Matt Lauer during an exclusive, far-ranging White House interview that aired Wednesday.

It’s just over a year since Michelle Obama set up housekeeping at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. And while she’s been much in the spotlight during that time, she maintains that she’s still the same person she always was.

“I still see myself as Michelle Obama, the girl who grew up in the South Side of Chicago — Marian and Fraser’s daughter. I’ve got this husband who does these interesting things — and I’m Malia and Sasha’s mother,” she said.

Watch her interview below:

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

July 2nd, 1964 President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act.  The signing of this act was the most sweeping civil rights legislation since reconstruction.  The Civil Rights Act prohibits discrimination of all kinds based on race, color, religion or national origin.  See President Johnson’s remarks on the signing of this bill:

On October 1, 1962 James Meredith became the first African American student to enroll at the University of  Mississippi.  President Kennedy had to send 5,000 federal troops after rioting broke out.  Check out some footage from that day below:

Check out the 411 on Radio One Chairwoman and Founder Cathy Hughes:

There are several African Americans that have made strides for us in media, check out this gallery that pays tribute to a few of those people: