Essence Of Fitness

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Before and After Pics:

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View Results of our Previous Participants!

Deedra Walker Penny

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Deedra Walker Penny brings a diverse background as the Executive Director of the Essence of Fitness Charities, Inc. She began her career as an accountant and financial analyst for various prestigious firms including PriceWaterhouseCoopers, Blue Cross & Blue Shield of South Carolina, Bank of America & Sabre Decision Technologies. Her passion for helping and serving led her to become a Financial Planner – first with Prudential Financial and currently as an independent representative. She has also owned and operated her family’s portfolio of businesses including a Smoothie Factory franchise where she consulted customers on Sports Nutrition and Natural Products and investment real estate holdings.

Throughout the years, Mrs. Penny has always maintained an active lifestyle. She has over 40 years of dance experience; exercise and fitness for over 30 years, including being the founder of the VUU Aerobics club and strength training since 1988; and numerous 5k runs. She began a bodybuilding hobby as a Figure Competitor in 2007, in response to a then undiagnosed hypothyroid condition. She has been a member of NPC – National Physique Committee since 2007 and certified in CPR and as a Food Service Handler.

Deedra has served on various boards and committees, as well. She held a six-year commission on the finance committee of St. Luke Community United Methodist Church in Dallas, Texas where she had direct policy and disbursement responsibility for a $3,000,000 annual budget both as Chairperson and Treasurer. She is on the Board of Directors of the Hall-Martin Legacy Foundation, which gives scholarships to deserving students in the Chicago area. She currently serves as a trustee and assistant leader of the Sports and Wellness Community at Johnson Chapel Community Church. She also enjoys supporting community endeavors as a Diamond Life Member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.

Deedra earned a B.S. in Accounting from Virginia Union University and as a Consortium for Graduate Study in Management Fellow, received an M.B.A. in Finance and Marketing from the University of Texas at Austin. Mrs. Penny is the mother of three and married to James Penny of Red Oak, Texas.

Nekima L. Horton

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Nekima L. Booker is the Program Director for Operation Healthy Reunions, a program of Mental Health America of Greater Dallas. As the director Nekima is responsible for ensuring veterans of the Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF), Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF), and Operation New Dawn (OND) war receive free counseling in the Dallas and eleven surrounding counties. She is responsible for managing the daily operations of the program as well as grant goals & objectives, budgeting, deliverables, and program evaluation. She previously served as Project Coordinator managing the Good NEWS Trial, funded by the National Institute of Health, housed out of the University of North Texas Health Science Center; Health Educator/Student Development Specialist for the University of Texas at Arlington; Regional Coordinator on a Statewide Tobacco Cessation Initiative funded by The Louisiana Campaign for Tobacco-Free Living; and Coordinator for Better Health for the Delta, a Grass Roots Initiative that covered 29 parishes for rural Louisiana.
Booker serves on various community coalitions committees. Her programs have been recognized by multiple newspapers and radio stations, throughout Northern Louisiana and the Dallas/Fort Worth area. Mrs. Booker has presented to both men and women on health related topics, however, her area of focus has been with women and young ladies ranging from middle school to career professionals. Her power packed message is designed to help women succeed in all walks of life by moving in their God given purpose. Her presentations focus on women taking back their lives by changing their mindset and lifestyle, challenging them to a new way of thinking. Through healthy and active living Nekima believes you will have the strength to reach your goals. Nekima’s Health and Wellness message will help you “Attack the Fat “in your life and feel great while you are doing it!

Nekima received her Master’s of Social Work from Grambling State University (Grambling, LA.) in 2006 and her Bachelor’s of Science degree in Sociology, minor in English, from Louisiana Tech University (Ruston, LA.) in 2004. Nekima and her husband Lt.Timothy Booker are the proud parents of three beautiful children FAYTH (11) and twins Amina & Tereze’

Melody Davis

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Melody Davis is currently a teacher in the Mesquite Independent School District. Prior to her tenure there, she served the students in Dallas Independent School District for nearly 18 years. She has dedicated herself to teaching inner-city youth for the past ten years and educates sixth, seventh, and eighth grade students in English/language arts and professional communications. She has also co-owned her family’s Smoothie Factory franchise. She is active in her community and serving them as a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.

Melody earned a B.A. in Education from Clark Atlanta University and a Master’s Degree in Educational Administration from Prairie View A & M University. Mrs. Davis is the mother of two and married to Kevin Davis of Dallas, Texas.

Marsha Johnson

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Marsha Johnson is a native of Chicago, Illinois and a program manager for The Essence of Fitness Charities, Inc. Previously, she was currently employed by Mohawk Industries as an IS Project Manager; Mannatech Corporation as an IT Program and Production Support Manager; CellStar Corporation as a Director of Business Solutions Team; and other finance support positions.

Marsha received a Bachelor of Arts Degree from Washington University in St. Louis and a Masters in Business Administration from University of Texas at Austin Graduate School of Business.

Her community service experience includes: Dallas Chapter Volunteer Coordinator and Mass Care Shelter Supervisor for the American Red Cross as well as being a volunteer with the Dallas Life homeless shelter. Johnson is a member of Johnson Chapel Community Church in Desoto, Texas where her activities include choir, Hunger Initiative, Adopt a School, Sports and Wellness Community, and Decision Counseling. She is a proud mother of two children.

James Penny, Sr.

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James Penny, Sr., a native of the Tulsa, Oklahoma area, is a veteran of the U.S. Army. In 2009 he retired from the Dallas Independent School District where he served a Technical Support Manager. Prior to that, he worked in various capacities for the Burlington Northern Railroad and the Drug Enforcement Agency. In each of his professional endeavors, he has been entrusted with fiduciary responsibilities over valuable assets and classified/confidential information.
He has served honorably at Johnson Chapel Community Church in various roles including the Board of Deacons, the Finance Committee, the Male Chorus, and the Food Pantry. In his spare time, he participates in the Par 3 Golf Association, which raises money for scholarships and supports students who attend Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU’s). Without a formalized process, James has provided financial support for various students in need over the last 28 years.
This father of five attended Langston University and is currently married to Deedra Walker Penny.

Summer Lunch Program

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Survival of the Fittest II

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Formally JC3 Biggest Loser!

Survival of the Fittest – Men vs. Woman Challenge

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