Rear Admiral, Glee star headline 2012 UNCF Gala

Rear Admiral, Glee star headline 2012 UNCF Gala

Huntsville, Ala. — Rear Admiral Clara H. Cobb, U.S. Assistant Surgeon General, and vocalist Nelson Beato of the hit ABC television show, Glee, are just two of the special guests who will be at the 34th Annual UNCF Gala on April 5. RADM Cobb will be the featured speaker. Beato will perform, along with singer/songwriter Shelea, who was featured on the soundtrack for the hit movie, Jumping the Broom, and gospel-jazz-vocal ensemble Wilson & Co. The Gala will be held in the North Hall of the Von Braun Center and will begin at 6:30 p.m

RADM Cobb, a 28-year career officer of the U. S. Public Health Service (USPHS), attended Oakwood College (now Oakwood University) before transferring to and graduating from Columbia Union College (now Washington Adventist University) with a bachelor's degree in nursing. She also graduated from the Medical College of Georgia where she earned a master's degree in nursing as a family nurse practitioner. During her career, she has held a variety of leadership positions and has worked across 11 divisions of the Department of Health and Human Services.

Currently, RADM Cobb is the principal federal public health leader for Region IV, the largest region in the USPHS. She also manages the Office of Minority Health, the Office on Women's Health, the Office of Population Affairs, the Regional Resource Network for HIV/AIDS Capacity Building, and the Medical Reserve Corps.

Oakwood alumnus Nelson Beato has recurring roles on the hit television shows, Glee and Mobbed. He has also performed on other popular shows including Ellen, The Today Show, American Idol, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, America's Got Talent, X Factor, and NBC's Sing-Off. He's recorded or performed with Josh Groban, Michael Bublé, Bebe Winans, Katy Perry, Mary J. Blige, Barbra Streisand, Patti LaBelle, Queen Latifah, Joe Cocker, R. Kelly, Garth Brooks, and Jason Derulo.

Before becoming known for her work on the Jumping the Broom soundtrack, Oakwood alumna Shelea worked as a songwriter and background vocalist for Flyte Tyme, the production company founded by Grammy award-winning producers Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis. Shelea has written for, produced for or performed with various artists, including Stevie Wonder, Yolanda Adams, Brian McKnight, Chante Moore, Take 6, Usher, Jessica Simpson, Kelly Rowland and Diana DiGarmo. She has also been featured as a vocalist or songwriter on the soundtracks for various films and television shows, including Hotel Rwanda, Shark's Tale, Akeelah and the Bee and Will and Grace.

Wilson & Co. features the jazzy piano stylings of Justin A. Wilson, a Huntsville native who first learned to play and arrange by listening to his father, pianist/organist/vocal arranger James Wilson. Other Wilson & Co. members include Justin's wife Shelana, sister-in-law Shelea, vocal coach Stephen Mackey, and Huntsville native Chris Watkins. Wilson & Co. is based in Los Angeles.

For more information on the event, sponsorship, or to purchase tickets, visit www.uncfnorthalabama.com or contact Cheri Wilson, Director of Development, Oakwood University, at 256.726.7584 or uncf@oakwood.edu.

And remember. "A mind is a terrible thing to waste."

UNCF