Pernessa C. Seele is Founder and CEO of The Balm In Gilead, Inc., a not-for-profit, non-governmental organization whose mission is to prevent diseases and to improve the health status of people of the African Diaspora by providing support to faith institutions in areas of program design, implementation and evaluation which strengthens their capacity to deliver programs and services that contribute to the elimination of health disparities.

As a pioneer in mobilizing and educating faith communities to become engaged in the fight against AIDS and other health disparities, Dr. Seele is known throughout the African Diaspora for her extraordinary vision and ability to create partnerships among faith leaders of various cultures and religious doctrines to become leaders in health promotion and disease prevention by providing comprehensive educational programs and offering compassionate support to all persons affected by life-threatening diseases.

Under Dr. Seele’s leadership, The Balm In Gilead has supported the establishment of over 12 national health offices within the national headquarters of Catholic, Protestant and Muslim communities in Africa and the United States; Furthermore, the Balm In Gilead has engaged nearly 10 million churchgoers throughout the United States in health awareness campaigns through the effective mobilization of African American churches to address public health issues.

Seele is also the founder of the Every Child USA Campaign, a campaign designed for every American to raise awareness and resources to ensure that every child in the USA learns to read, has access to comprehensive health care and access and exposure to opportunities that impact their future positively. Among her many distinguished honors, she has been recognized by TIME 100 as one of the most influential persons in the world. She received a Doctorate of Humane Letters from the College of New Rochelle, NY and a Bachelor and Master of Science from Clark Atlanta University in ’76 & ’79. Seele was inducted in Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. as an Honorary Member in 2010.

She is a native of Lincolnville, South Carolina.

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