February is Black History Month. A time to celebrate the achievements of African-Americans and for recognizing their central role in U.S. history. There are so many people to honor, such as Sojourner Truth, W.E.B. DuBois, Langston Hughes, James Baldwin, Ella Fitzgerald, to name a few. There are also people to recognize right here at JABA, including Carol Bell, the Manager of our Health Services Program, and JABA Board member Robert Gest, a retired US Air Force Colonel. Please take time to read their biographies below. - Marta Keane, JABA CEO
Carol Walker Bell
Carol is the Manager of JABA’s Health Services Program, and has been for almost 15 years. She has built the program to provide services at all the community centers and JABA sponsored senior housing sites. And introduced and nurtured the Chronic Disease Self-Management Education program. Carol received her BS in Nursing from A&T State University, Greensboro NC, and her Master of Public Health from UNC, Chapel Hill. She began her nursing career in the US Army Nurse Corp, serving military men and women and their families, and after 5 years was honorably discharged as a Captain.
She went on to be the Public Health Nursing Director for the Tidewater Health District, Portsmouth VA, as well as serving as a public health nurse and supervisor for several health departments in VA. She also held the position of Director of Student Health Services at ODU in Norfolk and at Syracuse University in NY. And has been an adjunct assistant professor in the College of Nursing there. She was Associate Director for Administration and Planning at Brown University Student Health Service, Providence RI.
She shared this poignant moment in her life: “I grew up in Durham NC. When the four students sat down at the lunch counter at Woolworth’s in downtown Greensboro in 1960, I was a senior in high school in Durham. The students at NC College (now NC Central University took up the banner in our city. They recruited high school students to join them to make signs and take turns picketing in front of Woolworth's, Kresse, and Walgreen stores. I raised my hand and thus spent many afternoons after school and on weekends in the basement of St. Joseph’s church, the headquarters, and on downtown streets. In my town the protests were peaceful using the non-violent message set forth by Dr. King. I can only remember minor incidents that were quickly curtailed by the college students who stood close by to watch us and keep us safe. By the summer the dining facilities were quietly opening to all. I will never forget this experience.”
Carol is very proud of being a member for over 50 years of the first inter-collegiate historically African American Greek-letter sorority, Alpha Kappa Alpha (colors of pink and lime green, which you will often see Carol wearing). The mission of service to our community and abroad continues. She has often had AKA sorority members help with JABA projects.
Robert Gest III, Ed.D
“Bob” has been a member of the JABA Board for over six years, and collaborated with JABA for many more. He has been a liaison to the Ethical Issues Committee, which recently has focused on Advanced Directives. He has been wonderful in using his contacts to recruit others to this important mission. He also read to 5th graders in an elementary school, as an example of the FISH program. He most recently was the Deputy Director of the Federal Executive Institute (FEI) in Charlottesville, retiring in 2002. Prior to that, he was a senior faculty member at FEI, facilitating adult learning experiences for senior Federal, State, Local and International government executives.
Bob was born and raised in Haines City, FL. He graduated from high school at age 15, as the Salutatorian. He was a campus leader at Livingstone College, Salisbury NC. And was selected Who’s Who in American Colleges and Universities, and named National Omega Psi Phi Scholar of the year, and was Valedictorian with Highest Honors when receiving his BA. He is an honor graduate of Syracuse University MBA program and Doctorate in adult and continuing education from Va Tech. After a short stint as a teacher, Bob joined the US Air Force and attended Officer Training School, rising over the next 30 years to Colonel. One of his roles was as Inspector General to the US Air Force Academy.
Bob was not necessarily welcomed by all in his military days. He was a young, smart and ambitious African American who rose to the senior ranks. Bob tells a story about completing boot camp, and having saved his money to buy a hot sports car. As he drove south to his next base assignment, he was stopped by a state trooper in a southern state, because the officer assumed that he must have stolen the car. He was held in jail overnight. Bob reports it made him decide that standing out was probably not the way to go in early 1960 in the south. He has always found ways to win people over and put them at ease, and to demonstrate his skills to succeed in every role he had.
Bob has received the honor of Who’s Who in Black America and National Minority Public Administrator in 2002. Since retiring he has been an active in a variety of volunteer and philanthropic activities. In addition to JABA, he has been a member of the NAACP, the Citizens’ Advisory Committee for the Public Defender’s Office and until recently served on the Piedmont Virginia Community College Educational Foundation Board. In addition to being known as Dr. Gest and Colonel Gest, he is also known for giving moving sermons at his local place of worship.
