“My Story Begins In Jamaica” – March 2017 Seminar

Sophia L. Chue – “My Story Begins In Jamaica…”

Born and raised in Kingston, Jamaica until the age of 16. Sophia Loraine Chue migrated to The United States of America in May 1982 to the state of Connecticut. She attended South Catholic High School in Hartford where she graduated in the summer 1984. She attended Russell Sage College in Troy NY, where she started her studies in Nursing.

Sophia, a Veteran of the United States Army served as a Non-Commissioned Officer for 8 years and was deployed to Southwest Asia from Ft. Campbell, KY during Operations Desert Storm and Desert Shield. Her responsibilities included operating of the Medical Aid Station, which involved taking care of the preventative and emergency medical needs of over 300 troop members.

She moved to Metro Detroit over 21 years ago, and is currently employed by Process Control & Instrumentation (PCI), a Detroit Headquartered Engineering company. Her professional duties include but are not limited to Contract Administration, Human Resource Management and Business Development. In addition to being employed by PCI, Sophia operates an Independent Insurance Agency (B Wellington Insurance Agency) and she holds the Michigan Resident Producer/Agent License for Property, Casualty, Surplus, Life and Health Insurance lines. Sophia owns and operates a Professional Consulting firm, L&M LLC that provides event planning in addition to other services.

In 2012, Sophia was elected to head the Caribbean Cultural & Carnival Organization (CCCO) of Metro Detroit. She served as President, Carival Manager, Program and Project Manager for the various Educational and Cultural activities this Non-profit organization provides to its diverse community and supporters. She is intimately involved in the branding, marketing and advertisement for CCCO. Sophia also participates in numerous networking events and opportunities to educate various agencies and organizations as to the colorful, unique and eclectic cultures of the over 28 countries of the Caribbean region. Sophia is also a past President of the Jamaican Association of Michigan, she is an active member and participates in various capacities as needed.

Sophia is a board member for Global Detroit and serves as a member of The City of Detroit Immigration Taskforce. In addition, she a Commissioner for the City of Detroit Entertainment Commission (DEC).

She currently resides in Michigan and is the mother of two sons. She is avid dancer, poet and community advocate.

CharMane Hines, Ed.S. – “Tapping Into Your Purpose Driven Potential: Empowering Practices for Women.”

CharMaine has dedicated over twenty-five+ years as an advocate, instructional mentor and administrative leader for continued learning in post-secondary education particularly, in underrepresented populations and youth.

A King/Chavez/Parks Faculty Fellow, she currently serves as District Vice Chancellor overseeing academic accountability and policy for Wayne County Community College District, a large, multi-campus urban/suburban institution of education in Southeast Michigan.

She has held progressive levels of leadership at both public and private universities, single campus and an urban/suburban multi-campus district community college with a primary focus of reducing the achievement gap and advancing the number of graduates for all including underrepresented populations. Currently, she holds positions and membership in community service on state and national advisory boards, councils and educational associations and is a passionate proponent of parity for access to, and attainment of, the successful pursuit of continued learning.

A frequently requested presenter at universities and associations, CharMaine has presented on many topics to include; ‘The millennial generation: a new cultural cohort changing the workforce landscape; Creating socially just campuses for student success; Recognizing and overcoming Micro-inequities in the workplace; Capitalizing on human capital resources to transform the academy; Minorities in higher education; and Communication challenges among women’ to name a few.

CharMaine fundamentally believes continued learning is the great equalizer and the gateway to equality that cannot be stripped away. Among her favorite quotes that frame her passion and philosophy of learning are coupled from Gandhi, Einstein and MLK, Jr.;

“Live as if you were to die tomorrow; learn as if you were to live forever’ (Mahatma Gandhi); ‘Education, ….is the training of the mind’ (Albert Einstein) and ‘There is nothing more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity’ (Martin Luther King, Jr.).”

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