Ceremony Speakers
Commencement - Dennis Kimbro, Ph.D.
Dr. Dennis Kimbro is a distinguished educator, best-selling author, and esteemed professor of Business, recognized as an authority on leadership, wealth, and success. Currently, he serves on the faculty at Clark Atlanta University, where he has been honored as “Professor of the Year” three times and has served as a national judge for the Ernst & Young USA Today Entrepreneur of the Year awards.
With a B.A. from the University of Oklahoma and an M.A. and doctorate from Northwestern University, where he studied wealth and poverty among underdeveloped countries, Dr. Kimbro has dedicated his career to empowering individuals to unlock their potential. His extensive research has focused on how impoverished Black Americans can overcome poverty to achieve their goals.
Inspired by Napoleon Hill's Think and Grow Rich, Dr. Kimbro developed a survey for high-achieving Black Americans. After meeting W. Clement Stone, president of the Napoleon Hill Foundation, he was commissioned to complete Hill's final manuscript, resulting in Think and Grow Rich: A Black Choice, which distills the secrets of success from accomplished individuals.
As a certified trainer in the Napoleon Hill Science of Success, Dr. Kimbro's writings have influenced readers globally, from Australia to South Africa and beyond. His audience includes major corporations such as General Motors, Disney, and Apple, along with collegiate and professional athletic teams. He has appeared on prominent media platforms like the Today Show and CNN and has been featured in major publications, including The Wall Street Journal and USA Today.
A devoted father of three daughters—Kelli, Kimberli, and MacKenzie—and a grandfather of four, Dr. Kimbro has received numerous accolades, including the Dale Carnegie Personal Achievement Award and the 2005 H. Naylor Fitzhugh Award from the National Black MBA Association, which recognize him as one of the nation's top professors.
Baccalaureate - Rev. Dr. Brian Tillman
Rev. Dr. Brian Tillman is the esteemed senior pastor of Central United Methodist Church in Atlanta, GA. With a profound commitment to ministry and social justice, he has held various influential roles within churches across North Georgia, including chair of the Commission on Religion and Race and significant positions on the extended cabinet and the Board of Ordained Ministry.
In his previous roles as the Director of Inclusion and Advocacy (DEI) and Co-Director of Connectional Ministries for the North Georgia Conference, Dr. Tillman championed initiatives that fostered racial inclusivity on conference boards and committees. His leadership empowered more Black and Brown individuals to assume key positions and facilitated the establishment of the Reparations Task Force and the innovative Racial Justice and Healing Academy.
An accomplished author, Rev. Dr. Tillman has contributed a compelling series of articles for Rethink Church (UM Communications) titled “Racial Reconciliation: No Handholding Kumbaya,” along with numerous other writings and sermons that reflect his deep engagement with contemporary issues of race and justice. His dedication to peacebuilding has taken him around the globe, studying effective practices in cities such as Minneapolis and Chicago, as well as in Northern Ireland and Germany.
Dr. Tillman earned his B.A. from Morehouse College, an M.Ed. from Indiana Wesleyan University, and both a Master of Divinity and a Doctor of Ministry from Emory University’s Candler School of Theology. His doctoral project focused on the Racial Healing Framework, which he actively applies to dismantle systemic racism and promote equity.
Beyond his professional accomplishments, Rev. Dr. Tillman is “super-duper” happily married to Shanika Tillman, and together they are proud parents of four remarkable children—two boys and two girls. His greatest joy comes from spending quality time with his family, embodying the values of love and community he promotes in his ministry.