Office of Public Service

2023 All In, All Pink Speaker

Michelle Crumbly is a National Board–Certified Counselor and a Licensed Professional Counselor in the states of Alabama and Georgia. She works at her private practice Michelle Crumbly LPC, LLC in Auburn, Alabama. She has been married for 29 years and has three adult daughters. She is originally from Vicksburg, MS, and has been an Auburn resident since 2009. She was diagnosed with Stage 3b, Triple Negative Breast Cancer on February 22, 2021. She has been cancer-free with no evidence of disease for 2 years.

2023 All In, All Pink Speaker

Vanessa Echols is a native of Auburn and returned here last year after retiring from an award-winning career as a television news anchor. She is a three-time winner of the Suncoast Regional Emmy Awards for her work at WFTV Channel 9 in Orlando, FL

Since her return to East Alabama, Vanessa has become very involved in the community. She is on the Board of The East Alabama Medical Center Foundation, The Community Foundation of East Alabama, and Hiztorical Vision Productions, as well as a volunteer with The United Way of Lee County’s ReUnited Program and an active member of the graduate chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Incorporated.

Vanessa is also the author of her first published book, WE’RE IN HEAVEN, AND I HAVE SOME QUESTIONS.

2023 All In, All Pink Speaker

Dr. Nancy Merner is an Associate Professor in the Department of Pathobiology at Auburn University’s College of Veterinary Medicine (CVM), and her research focuses on breast cancer genetics. Overall, Dr. Merner takes a comparative genomics approach toward finding inherited breast cancer risk variants by studying both dogs and humans affected by the disease. Dr. Merner’s program is symbolized by her big pink bus, which is known as The Gene Machine. Alabama is a severely medically underserved state; thus, Dr. Merner strives to bring research and education to the community through The Gene Machine. Dr. Merner is originally from Newfoundland, Canada where she obtained her PhD in 2011 at Memorial University. Before moving to Auburn to initiate her research program, Dr. Merner carried out post-doctoral training at the Université de Montréal, Quebec, Canada.

2022 All In, All Pink Speaker

A lifelong Alabamian, Cost is a three-time Auburn graduate with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, an M.Ed. in Special Education, and a Ph.D. in Rehabilitation and Special Education - Behavioral Disorders. Before her position at the University of Montevallo, Cost worked in the Auburn area in mental health and special education roles in the Lee County school system, East Alabama Mental Health and Lee County Youth Development Center, at Auburn University as a graduate teaching and research assistant and assistant director of the Summer Clinic program, and later as assistant professor at Stephen F. Austin State University in Texas. At the University of Montevallo, Cost was professor of Special Education and responsible for program coordination, assessment and accreditation activities in the department. During her tenure, she launched the university’s service-learning program and developed two major civic engagement initiatives, “Falcon Scholars in Action,” a community outreach program with Shelby County non-profit agencies engaging university students, and the “Montevallo Connection” initiative which promoted collaboration between the university and the city’s public schools.

Cost’s community engagement and advocacy extended beyond campus to civic leadership, in which she served for more than 16 years as an elected Montevallo city council member and Mayor. In her two terms as mayor, she was responsible for all municipal operations including budget management, direct supervision of ten department heads, infrastructure maintenance and improvements, and overall promotion of civic engagement, social equity and inclusivity for citizens. During her administration she initiated a Students’ Institute, a Junior City Council, and a comprehensive recycling program among several other citywide initiatives.

A graduate of Leadership Alabama and Leadership Shelby County, Cost has received a number of educational, municipal and civic engagement certifications from the Alabama State Department of Education, the Alabama League of Municipalities, and Auburn University’s Community and Civic Engagement Imagining America Institute. She has a comprehensive record of disciplinary research, grant acquisition, publication and presentation across her special education, civic engagement, and community development dossier. Among her many notable scholarly and public recognitions, Cost was named a Kettering Foundation Research Fellow, the Albert Schweitzer Fellowship Humanitarian of the Year, the Alabama Main Street Hero Award, Gulf-South Summit Outstanding Service-Learning Collaboration Award, and Auburn University’s Academy for Civic Professionalism Alumni Award. She has been active in community service at both the local and state level including board service with the Shelby County Chamber, Alabama Environmental Commission, Alabama League of Municipalities, Montevallo Sister City Commission and many other initiatives.

2022 All In, All Pink Speaker

Cindy grew up in Sylacauga and attended the University of Montevallo. She worked in the banking industry for 25 years prior to her move to Auburn in 2006. Cindy joined the Office of Alumni Affairs and later the Office of Development, enabling her to complete her degree through the employee education program.

The initial cancer diagnosis was given at age 40 at Cindy’s first mammogram. A second occurrence happened ten years later and a third, by then metastasized breast cancer, came eight years after that. Cindy chose to retire in 2020 to enjoy her family, gardening, and volunteering.

2022 All In, All Pink Speaker

Johnnie Harris enters her second year as head coach for Auburn women's basketball in 2022-23. A long-time Southeastern Conference assistant and 2018 WBCA National Assistant Coach of the Year, Harris was named Auburn women's basketball head coach on April 3, 2021.

Prior to her arrival at Auburn, Harris spent 16 years combined at Arkansas, Texas A&M and Mississippi State, and spent the 2020-21 season as the Associate Head Coach at the University of Texas. She helped Texas to an Elite Eight appearance during the 2020-21 season, and she worked alongside Longhorn head coach Vic Schaefer the previous 10 years assisting Mississippi State to a pair of NCAA Championship game appearances. She was a central part of Mississippi State's success those eight seasons and is considered one of the nation's top recruiters.

Harris is the mother of two children, Marcus and Kiera, and the legal guardian of Lily. She also has two grandchildren, Samarah and Kaiden.

2019 All In, All Pink Speaker

Dr. LaKeisha King-Menifee, DNP, MSN, FNP-BC, BSN, RN, is currently the Compensation & Pension Provider at Central Alabama Veterans HealthCare Systems, Tuskegee/Montgomery, AL, where she performs compensation & pension exams on Veterans. Prior to accepting this position, Dr. King-Menifee served as the Palliative Care Coordinator, Geriatrics Provider at CAVHCS, Family Nurse Practitioner at Comprehensive Health Care in Tuskegee/Hurtsboro/Lafayette, AL, Adjunct faculty in the Nurse Practitioner Program at Chamberlain University and House Calls Practitioner for United Health Care.

LaKeisha received her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of Alabama; Master of Science in Nursing from Troy University; and Doctorate of Nursing Practice from the University of Alabama. With a heart for children, LaKeisha began her nursing career as a pediatric nurse. She was inspired by her mother to further her career. Dr. King-Menifee is very passionate about giving back to the career that has given so much to her. She readily accepts speaking engagements at various universities, colleges and churches when called upon. Dr. King-Menifee is married to her high school sweetheart, John and they have one Yorkie-poo, Jaxx. She is a member of the Mu Sigma Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated. Her motto is, "when God gets through with me, I'm gonna be what He wants me to be".

2019 All In, All Pink Speaker

Patti Sweatman recently retired from her 31-year long career as a registered nurse and the Director of Home Health. She lives in Fort Payne, Al, with her husband, Roger. Sweatman has 2 biological children and 4 step children. Together she has 20 grandchildren and 2 great grandchildren and enjoys spending time with them all. She is an avid piano player and her faith in God and much support from her family and friends has kept her going. Patti was diagnosed with bilateral breast cancer in 2009 but she is currently Cancer Free!

2018 All In, All Pink Speaker

Karen Calton has been a registered nurse at EAMC for 34 years and the EAMC Breast Health Navigator since June 2016. Her role as Breast Health Navigator involves first contact for abnormal mammogram patients and getting them to next phase of breast testing in a timely, efficient manner. She also serves as the breast cancer chemotherapy educator for those breast patients in need of chemotherapy. Her job duties include serving as the breast cancer survivorship navigator; head of EAMC Breast Foundation Fund, and overseeing those who are in need of financial assistance either from lack of insurance or underinsured to be able to have screening mammograms, diagnostic mammograms, breast ultrasounds, surgical consults or minor surgery. Karen is as a licensed mastectomy fitter and assists post mastectomy patients with mastectomy products in EAMC’s boutique. She also serves as the community event’s coordinator for the Cancer Center, planning events such as the annual Think Pink walk every October, as well as numerous October breast health awareness events, speaking engagements and other health related events throughout the year.

Breast cancer is personal for Karen, having lost a sister to breast cancer 15 years ago. Karen is truly honored to work in her position on behalf of her sister and all others who fight or have fought the breast cancer battle.

2018 All In, All Pink Speaker

Angela Hamby, RN, BSN, IBCLC, is a Registered Nurse on the Maternal Child Unit at East Alabama Medical Center in Opelika. She is a 1983 Auburn University Graduate and a 7 year breast cancer survivor. Angela is one of four board certified lactation consultants at EAMC who work with new moms to help them successfully breastfeed their newborns. Angela began her career in postpartum nursing, then worked a number of years in labor and delivery along with teaching childbirth classes, then spent a number of years raising and homeschooling her own children. In 2008 she came back to mother/baby unit working in the newborn nursery and then received her lactation certification in 2010. In 2011 on a routine mammogram provided by her employer, Angela’s breast cancer was discovered. After biopsy to confirm Angela explored her options and found that her type of cancer could be successfully treated with lumpectomy and mammosite radiation that was available at St. Vincent’s Hospital in Birmingham. This treatment allowed Angela to be done with surgery and radiation in less than a month. October 8th marked 7 years cancer free and Angela just saw her oncologist and had her annual mammogram to confirm no recurrence. Angela lives in Auburn with her husband, Steve. They have been happily married for 39 years and are proud to say they have 6 children and 3 grandchildren.

2018 All In, All Pink Speaker

Cindy Harris, an Auburn native, has been playing the harp about 14 years for weddings, corporate events, anniversaries, and church orchestra both locally and in nearby cities. It was a dream of hers as a child to play the harp, but growing up in the small town of Ozark, Cindy didn’t have access to one. With no formal training, most of her early playing was done by ear, and she still uses improvisation in her playing. Much of what she plays, she calls "easy-listening" music, with some Broadway songs, hymns and praise music in the mix. Cindy has provided music as a form of therapy to help support sick people during the healing process and at the bedsides of terminally ill in peaceful settings. Music also provided the same calm and healing for her personally during her own diagnosis and treatment for breast cancer four years ago.