By Joice M. Dunn
The Distinguished 10 award ceremony was not only a trip down memory lane, but an opportunity to celebrate the accomplishments of Grambling State University alumni who have made significant contributions in their professions and communities.
The ballroom on the third floor of the GSU Student Success Center was filled to capacity as Mata Drain, anchor at KTAL NBC News, guided the crowd through the program. Following lunch, attendees heard the stories behind this year’s Distinguished 10 honorees.
Dr. Ivory V. Nelson is a pioneering chemist, educator and higher education leader whose career has opened doors for generations of students. A Shreveport native, Nelson earned his bachelor’s degree in chemistry and education from Grambling in 1959 before becoming the first African American to earn a Ph.D. in chemistry from the University of Kansas.
His career included leadership positions at Prairie View A&M University and the Texas A&M University System. He later became the first African American chancellor of the Alamo Community College District and the first African American president of Central Washington University. Nelson also served as president of Lincoln University in Pennsylvania, where the Ivory V. Nelson Center for the Sciences was named in his honor.
Colonel (Ret.) Jeremy M. Martin is a public affairs executive and military leader who credits Grambling with giving him a strong foundation. He currently serves as director of global public affairs for Bell Textron.
Martin previously served in the administration of President Barack Obama in several senior Pentagon public affairs positions, including Pentagon press secretary. A political science graduate of Grambling, Martin remains committed to service and mentorship, including continued support of GSU and its Tiger Battalion ROTC program.
Chief Judge Yvette Mansfield Alexander, a Grambling native, has built a career defined by fairness, compassion and service. A GSU political science graduate, she earned her law degree from Louisiana State University.
After more than 17 years practicing law, Alexander was elected in 1995 as the first African American woman to serve on the Baton Rouge City Court. She later made history again as the court’s first African American female chief judge. Her leadership has extended nationally through organizations including the American Judges Association and National Bar Association.
Terri M. Lee is a housing leader who says GSU educated her, but the Grambling community made her. She serves as president and CEO of Atlanta Housing, Georgia’s largest public housing authority.
With more than 25 years of experience in urban development, Lee has helped reshape affordable housing throughout Atlanta. Under her leadership, Atlanta Housing has secured major investments and created or preserved thousands of housing units. She previously made history as Atlanta’s first chief housing officer and helped mobilize $1 billion in public-private investments for affordable housing.
Eric Washington is a veteran NFL coach and former Grambling football player who returned to GSU Homecoming for the first time in 35 years.
A Shreveport native, Washington played tight end for the G-Men from 1989 to 1990 and earned his degree from Grambling in 1993. During 18 years of NFL coaching, he has held major defensive leadership positions with the Chicago Bears, Carolina Panthers and Buffalo Bills. His career has been marked by developing players and helping build some of the NFL’s strongest defensive units.
Fred Payne, whose award was accepted by his niece and 2024 honoree Farrah Cambrice, has built a career around expanding opportunity and strengthening communities.
As president and CEO of United Way of Central Indiana, Payne leads efforts to combat poverty and improve economic mobility. His accomplishments include helping eliminate $239 million in medical debt for 112,000 Indiana residents. He previously served as commissioner of the Indiana Department of Workforce Development and was part of the leadership team that launched Honda’s Indiana Auto Plant.
Dr. James Gray is superintendent of Jefferson Parish Schools, Louisiana’s largest and most diverse public school system, serving approximately 47,000 students across 74 schools.
Since taking the helm in 2020, Gray has led the district through the COVID-19 pandemic, hurricane recovery and major academic and technological improvements. Under his leadership, Jefferson Parish Schools achieved its largest performance score growth in a decade and earned a historic B district rating in 2024. Gray has also been recognized as Superintendent of the Year by state and national education organizations.
Toni R. Barton is an education leader, author and advocate for inclusive education. She serves as CEO of E.L. Haynes Public Charter School and is nationally recognized for her work in special education and school innovation.
A Grambling graduate in computer information systems, Barton has worked as a professor, special education teacher and education entrepreneur. Her work focuses on creating schools where all students experience academic rigor, belonging and opportunity.
Brooke Cluse, Esq. is a civil rights attorney whose career has been shaped by faith, purpose and a commitment to justice. She joined Ben Crump Law in 2023 and serves as a civil rights attorney and chief of staff to nationally known attorney Ben Crump.
Before joining the firm, Cluse worked as a public defender in Houston, representing hundreds of clients. She later became part of legal teams that secured significant civil rights verdicts. A Lafayette native, Cluse graduated magna cum laude from Grambling in mass communication before earning her law degree.
Eric Moses is a finance executive and strategic leader who serves as finance director at Shell, where he leads financial strategy for New Entries and Emerging Ventures for global exploration.
A New Orleans native, Moses joined Shell in 2006 and has worked across trading, deepwater exploratio1.n, treasury, technology, mergers and acquisitions, and emerging ventures. His work has included transactions ranging from $50 million to $10 billion.
A former GSU Student Government Association president, Moses continues to support his alma mater through mentorship and service. During the celebration, he announced a $200,000 endowment to Grambling State University. Together, the Distinguished 10 represent generations of Grambling State graduates whose careers span education, law, government, business, athletics, housing, finance and public service. Their accomplishments also reflect a common thread celebrated throughout the ceremony: the foundation they received at Grambling and their continued commitment to opening doors for those who follow.