Arturo M. Cummings is a native of Jacksonville, NC. He attended East Carolina University where he studied Music Education and Vocal Performance and then transferred to North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University where he received a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Music General with a concentration in Music Therapy-Music Education. He then went on to obtain a Master of Science (M.S. AEd) in Adult Education with a specialization in Higher Education Administration and an emphasis in Community Engagement and Minority Studies. He is currently completing a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Education with a specialization in Post-Secondary and Adult Education, as well as a Post-Masters Certificate in College Teaching. Arturo’s dissertation is focusing on Religious and Spiritual Life, as it pertains to Post-Secondary and Adult Education.

He has also done extensive research which expounds on subjects such as “The Effects of Music Therapy on Certain Groups” with a focus in using music as a rehabilitative tool for Alzheimer’s and depression patients, as well as “STEAM: The Arts Effect on Higher Education” which has a focus on incorporating the Arts into STEM fields to create an atmosphere that is conducive for engaged learning and creativity. In addition, his research focus is strategically positioning the adult education field to compete within a global society.

Arturo’s work experience has allowed him to gain extensive knowledge in creating strategic plans and business marketing—branding, advertising, sales and graphic design to generate interest in company products and services and cultivated relationships with existing clients within the local entrepreneur sector, non-profit consortium, higher education system and Corporate America. He has worked for numerous companies in various corporate, non-profit and educational settings. Among them are businesses such as E-Commerce Support Center, River of Life Church, Music of the Heart, Inc., North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, as well as consulted with businesses and organizations to develop strategic development and management plans. This includes a special project through the Greensboro Chamber of Commerce—Leadership Greensboro program — where his team developed an operational management plan for the Interactive Resource Center, a non-profit organization that services more than 70,000 homeless guests on a yearly basis. He also serves in various areas of healthcare education and administration, including a Board of Director’s position with Brown’s Family Care Home, Inc., the first family home health care facility established in Onslow County, located in Jacksonville, NC.

With more than 15 years of experience, he has assisted in managing the overall operations and procedures necessary to advance strategic goals and objectives, provided leadership and vision in various administrative roles in an eclectic makeup of programs and services, ranging from adult-learners and para-professionals to staff and administration teams. Arturo has also been strategic in coordinating initiatives for Civic Engagement, Service Learning and Leadership activities, which promote educational and professional achievement that allow individuals to compete within a global society.

Musical Performing Arts Biograpy

As a native of Jacksonville, NC, Arturo M. Cummings earned his college prep degree from Jacksonville High School, where he graduated with multiple honors. During his high school tenure, he served as choir director of the Jacksonville High School Gospel Choir. He was a member of the Tri-M Music Honor Society and also received the North Carolina Choral Merrit Award. He was selected to sing with the North Carolina State Honors Chorus for four years, with one year’s auditioning score placing him as the second highest ranking bass singers in the state. He was an ambassador of the JHS Music Department under the director of Claire Zawistowski and Becky Kelly. He served as head choir director at River of Life Church, located in Jacksonville, NC beginning in 1999 and has served as a vocal clinician there for the past 17 years. He recorded his first CD with the mass choir of ROL in November of 2003.

He has served as vocal director and clinician with the Voices of Judah, founded in 1968 by Psalmist Sandra Cummings, for the past eighteen years. He has had the privilege of being commissioned to direct a mass choir for international recording artist, Alvin Slaughter He also currently attends East Carolina University where he is majoring in music education. He has served as assistant director of the ECU Gospel Choir and Director of For His Glory. He also served as Student Director of the Award Winning North Carolina Agricultural and Technical Sate University Gospel Choir, under the direction of Ron Jones, from 2009-2012. The choir recorded their fourth album in 2009 – titled … He is currently working on releasing a project with the Voices of Judah — titled Authentic Moments – that is scheduled to be release in 2017. He has been a license and Ordained Elder of the Christian Faith since 2006 and he currently serves as Senior Pastor of Agape Love Outreach Ministries where his passion is to teach and to minister the gospel of Jesus Christ and connect individuals from all around the world through word and song.

Elise Cummings graduated from East Carolina University in Greenville, North Carolina with a degree in Media Studies and International Relations in 2009. While there, she participated in several leadership roles, including Editor-In-Chief of the official University newspaper, an Americorps service member an
d a marketing intern for the city’s newspaper and the Pitt County Boys and Girls Club. During her tenure as Editor-in-Chief, the newspaper was named the most successful medium on campus, and Elise was able to present the newspaper to a member of the New York Times, which received high remarks. She was honored for several awards during her time at East Carolina University, including being named one of the top 10 leaders out of approximately 40,000 students at the school.

After graduating from East Carolina University in 2009, Elise was hired at River of Life Church as the Media and Publications Director. She is responsible for the graphic design, marketing and various other areas of the church, and loves seeing people come to Jesus based on the creative stories she tells.

In 2013, Elise received her Master’s degree in Interactive Media from Quinnipiac University in Hamden, Connecticut. She graduated with honors. During the time in the program, Elise expanded her knowledge base and skills to include video editing, knowledge of Web and graphic design, social media building and mobile app design and implementation.

Elise is now the Senior Associate Pastor of Agape Love Ministries, Inc. (ALOM), the Media and Marketing Director for The Artise Studios Project, and the Creative Design Director of The Artise Magazine, where she wears many hats in design and marketing in order to meet one common goal: bringing people closer to Jesus in thoughtful, unique ways.

Elise is happily married to her husband of seven years, and lives in Raleigh, North Carolina. She enjoys spending time outdoors, reading, traveling, taking pictures, watching movies and spending time with her husband and family.

A North Carolina native, Justin Barrett currently works as a freelance web designer based out of Graham, NC. He has worked as a web designer since 2012, beginning with small work during his degree program, and evolving into client work. Since starting, Justin has grown from using template-based services to building custom from-scratch websites, writing his own code utilizing multiple coding languages and libraries.

Justin received his Masters of Instructional Design and Technology from the University of North Carolina at Wilmington with a great deal of emphasis put on designing instruction for Music Education using a pedagogical approach to technology.

He received his Bachelor of Music in Music Education degree from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro in 2011 where he first began formulating the necessity of making the music classroom more accessible to the 21st century student. During his time there he also studied percussion with Dr. Cort McClaren, Jon Metzger, John Beck, and Dr. Kristopher Keeton.

Justin has worked with various Schools in Guilford, Alamance, Brunswick, Orange, and Rockingham counties as a marching band instructor, percussion teacher, and an assistant teacher. He is a member of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia music fraternity, the National Association for Music Education, and the North Carolina Music Educators Association, with which he serves as the organization’s webmaster.

I am Patsy Freitag of Corpus Christi, Texas. Like most of you, I have a story to tell. After 10 years of being a single mother with three girls, God sent me the most wonderful husband and gave me two more precious children. Our story is my favorite because God truly has shown himself in our lives! I enjoy coffee and quiet time with God in the mornings on my patio, singing and worshipping, serving, dates with my husband, repurposing furniture, being a stay-at-home mom and staying active with our kids’ activities. I am currently writing a book about courage, healing, and God’s redeeming love. I am called to share my story for the Glory of God. I am blessed beyond measure with a life that I treasure!

I am a 26-year-old female, living in Eastern North Carolina. I just graduated in May 2016 from Coastal Carolina Community College with my Associates in Arts degree. I have been going to River of Life Church for six years and am currently serving on the usher and tech team. Currently, I am not married, but I am waiting for God in that aspect of my life.