Confluence Board Members
2011-2012
Jeanice Baker
Jeanice Baker holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and a MBA from Fontbonne University specializing in Finance and Accounting. She is currently employed by Monsanto Company where she is the Revenue and Accounts Receivable Lead. She has been very active in the St. Louis community as a member of the Urban League Young Professionals, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Incorporated and currently serves as Vice President of the National Association of Black Accountants St. Louis Chapter.
Thurman Brooks
Thurman Brooks is a native of Carbondale IL, where he received his Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, and his Master of Education with an emphasis in Instructional Design from Southern Illinois University-Carbondale. Thurman is in the process of renewing his CPA certificate with the state of North Carolina. Thurman works with PNC Bank in their Healthcare division. His primary responsibility is to deliver customize cash flow solutions to doctors, dentist and veterinarians.
James Buford
James H. Buford, a native St. Louisan, has served as President and Chief Executive Officer of the Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis since 1985. Buford holds a B.A. in Human Services Administration from Elizabethtown College, Elizabethtown, PA. He holds honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters degrees from Harris-Stowe State University, in 1993; and from the University of Missouri of St. Louis, in 1995; Webster University, in 2000; Eden Theological Seminary in 2006 and Fontbonne University in 2008. As an advocate for social and economic parity, Buford is often a vocal spokesperson on behalf of Urban League constituents. In this role he speaks to the diverse audiences, which embody the whole community --- from grass roots to corporate. Mr. Buford serves on over twenty boards and has received numerous awards and honors for his commitment to the St. Louis community.
Dr. Harvey Fields
Dr. Fields holds a Ph.D. in Chemistry from Washington University in St. Louis. He previously was employed by Procter and Gamble as manager of a production facility and is currently the Retention and Academic Advisor and Director of Academic Mentoring at Washington University. Dr. Fields serves on the Board of the Humane Society of Missouri, Missouri One Church, and the St. Louis Clergy Coalition and is a member of the Association of Black Scientists of Metropolitan St. Louis.
Sonya Henry (Chair)
Ms. Henry graduated from Howard University cum Laude with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications, majoring in Public Relations and Computer Science. She is a Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer and studied business at the University of Norway. Ms. Henry manages a team of Technical Systems Engineers located throughout the US with IBM. She is a member of the Howard Alumni Association, President of the Black Network Group for IBM and a member of the National Society of Black Engineers.
Jennifer Kovar (Secretary)
Ms. Kovar is the owner of Kovar Law Firm, LLC, in the City of St. Louis. She focuses her law practice on estate planning, business services and succession, and real estate transactions. Ms. Kovar is a Fulbright Scholar and holds a law degree from the University of Tulsa and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Anthropology from the University of Oklahoma. She is a member of the Missouri Bar and Illinois State Bar Association.
Tim Rowbottom
Mr. Rowbottom, AIA, NCARB, LEED AP BD+C serves as co-director for the Lawrence Group's Academic and Institutional studios. Over an eighteen year career, he has served as the Principal in Charge on a wide range of Academic, Adaptive Re-use, and Institutional projects encompassing over $500,000,000 in construction value. In addition, Mr. Rowbottom is a member of Lawrence Groups Leadership Council, assisting the firm in planning, growth management, and implementation priorities. Mr. Rowbottom earned a BARCH degree from the University of Kansas in 1993, and attended the Kansas City Urban Design Studio in 1992-1993, earning the Leadership Excellence Award. In addition to his role on the Confluence Academy Board of Directors, Mr. Rowbottom serves as Trustee of Forsyth School in St Louis and is the former Chair of the Building Committee for the Downtown Children’s Center, a nonprofit early childhood education center.
Armando Siliceo-Roman (Vice-Chair)
Mr. Siliceo-Roman is a 16 year veteran in the high tech software industry with a breath of experience in Sales Management, Productivity Infrastructure Optimization, Enterprise Project Management and Knowledge/Content Management. He is V.P. of Client Services at Blade Technologies where he oversees all business development efforts. Prior to joining Blade Technologies, Mr. Siliceo-Roman was a Solution Strategist for Microsoft Corporation. He is very active in the St. Louis community as a member of the Board of Directors of the Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis and FOCUS St. Louis. He is also a graduate of Focus St. Louis - Leadership St. Louis class of 2005-2006. Mr. Siliceo-Roman holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Theory from Southern Illinois Univeristy, Carbondale, Illinois.
Paul N. Tice (Treasurer)
Mr. Tice is the Chief Investment Officer for Argos Investment Advisors, LLC. Prior to his employment at Argos, he worked at DFC Group as a financial analyst focused on real estate transactions. He also practiced law at Rosenblum, Goldenhersh, Silverstein& Zafft, P.C. and was a tax accountant at Price WaterhouseCoopers,LLP. Mr. Tice holds a law degree from Washington University in St. Louis and a BSBA from the John M. Olin School of Business at Washington University. He is a licensed CPA, member of the Missouri Bar and a CFA.
Dr. Susan Uchitelle (Chair Emeritus)
Dr. Uchitelle holds a Master’s Degree in Education from Harvard and a Ph.D. in Educational Policy and Program Development from Washington University in St. Louis. She has worked for the Danforth Foundation in Higher Education, taught at Washington University, and worked as Area Supervisor of Instruction for the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education for the State of Missouri. She was appointed by the U.S. District Court to implement the St. Louis Metropolitan School Desegregation Interdistrict Transfer Program, which she did from 1981 until the case was settled in 1999. Dr. Uchitelle also gives regular commentaries for the local public radio station, KWMU, and serves on several charitable boards in the St. Louis region.
To reach the Board of Directors, contact Joleen Pleoger, Executive to the Board, at 314-436-2313 or email jploeger@confluenceacademy.org