Psychologist, Federal Bureau of Prisons
Dr. Alpha Omega Curry is a native of Fort Lauderdale, Florida. She earned her Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts degree in psychology from Pepperdine University. She earned her Master of Science degree and doctorate of philosophy degree in clinical psychology from the Pennsylvania state university in state college, Pennsylvania.
Dr. Curry served as a counselor in the office of special programs and services at the Pennsylvania state university and a teachers’ and counselor’s assistant for the Los Angeles unified school district. While attending Pennsylvania state university, she also served as an academic advisor in the college of liberal arts and was also an instructor of psychology programs at the Rockview state correctional institution at Bellefonte, Pennsylvania. Her clinical psychology internship experience was completed at the united stated penitentiary in Lompoc, California.
Dr. Alpha Curry has traveled extensively through over 12 European countries, Japan, Tahiti, Mexico, and Canada. Her interest in Black African people led to her studies and travels in West Africa, Jamaica, and a professional presentation on her work with incarcerated offenders at the University of Haifa in Israel. Awards bestowed upon Dr. Curry include a National Institute of Mental Health public health service trainee grant, a graduate study fellowship grant, a good citizenship medal from the veterans of foreign wars and women’s’ auxiliary, a certificate for commendable service to the District of Columbia public school system, and induction into Psi Chi National Honor Society. Dr. Curry was also twice a finalist in the Voice of America, Voice of Democracy speech and writing contest with appearances on WMAL-TV in Washington DC.
Her professional memberships include the American Psychological Association, the American Association of University Women, life member of the National Association of Blacks in Criminal Justice, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, life member of the Association of Black Psychologists, and many more. She has been responsible for numerous papers and professional presentations in both public and private schools, at military bases, state and federal prisons, and social , civic, and community organizations, faith based institutions and religious organizations, as well as for not-for profit organizations. She has a passion for working with children, the disabled, the incarcerated and seniors.
Dr. Curry joined the Federal Bureau of Prisons in September 1979. In her tenure with the Federal Bureau of Prisons she has served as a Psychology intern, staff Psychologist, drug abuse program coordinator, equal employment opportunity recruiter, black affairs program manager, selective placement program manager and employee assistance program coordinator, and has performed collateral duties assignments as strategic planning coordinator, training coordinator, acting associate warden, acting warden, institution duty officer, administrative duty officer, and mental health duty officer. She was promoted to Chief Psychologist at the Federal Correctional Institution in Safford, Arizona in February 1987 and later relocated in the same position to the Federal Prison camp in Boron, California where she served as both Chief Psychologist and Drug Abuse program coordinator until its closure in January 2000. She currently serves as the Drug Abuse program coordinator at the Federal Correctional Complex in Victorville, California and serves as the Southwest region representative on the board of directors for the National Association of Blacks in Criminal Justice. She has been selected as outstanding young woman of America and is listed in who’s who in the West. She is also honored as a 2006-2007 member of Manchester who’s who registry of executives and professionals.
Dr. Curry is the founder of the high desert-Victorville California chapter of the National Association of Blacks in Criminal Justice and currently serves as the President of that organization. She also has the honor of serving as the national regional coordinator for the National Alliance of Faith and Justice, an intermediary for the Corporation for National and Community Service, of the National MLK Day of service and justice Sunday national continuum in greater Los Angeles (which includes the counties of Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, and Ventura), a 2007-2008 expansion site for the corporation. Dr. Curry currently serves as the President and Regional Coordinator of the greater Los Angeles and beyond MLK Day to season of service coalition/series. She is the recipient of the President’s 2007 USA Freedom Corps Volunteer Service Award in recognition and appreciation of her commitment to strengthening our Nation and for making a difference through volunteer service.
She has held positions as National Treasurer for the Association of Black Psychologist (ABPSI), President of the Las Flores Christian Women’s Association, National Treasurer for the President’s Council of the National Association of Blacks in Criminal Justice (NABCJ). She has received certification and is a mentor for “self-esteem” enhancement and the “power of self esteem”, people on purpose and living life on purpose. She is a Certified Diversity Management Instructor and has Certification in Crisis Management Training.
More importantly than all of this, Alpha Omega Curry was baptized in her mother’s womb into the Mt. Olivet Seventh-day Adventist church in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. At the tender age of five (5) years, she on her own accord and in her right mind, accepted Jesus Christ as her personal savior and began her volunteer ministry of spreading the gospel and sharing God’s love to her neighbors and friends, and even strangers, by giving Bible studies and handing out literature. At this young age, she also began her work in Prison Ministry. Her father being the church jail band leader brought her to jail each week to sing, pray and study with people incarcerated because she was unable to go to the hospital with her mother, a nurse, each Sabbath to visit with the sick and shut-in. This experience later led to her career choice of being a Psychologist in the Federal Prison System where she provides treatment programs and services for the restoration of both Psychological and Spiritual holistic health and wellness and the liberation of minds and bodies of persons less fortunate. She is the product of Christian education from early childhood and later attended Loma Linda University La Sierra College. Attending public high school in Washington DC, with the support and assistance of elder E. Cleveland she started the school’s first Bible Club which was non-denominational in nature and sponsored by a teacher who was a member of the church of Latter Day Saints. She currently serves as an elder in the Apple Valley all nations Seventh-day Adventist Church. Her life’s work is directed “toward universal and unconditional love, peace, joy, understanding, self-acceptance, humanistic justice, transpersonal freedom, truth, righteousness;” and to helping others to commit to making the world that we live in a better, safer and healthier place to live. Her fundamental belief is, “with God, all things are possible,” and “I can do anything with God who gives me strength.” Her modus operandi is, “I am, therefore WE are and because I am, WE are.” When asked about her favorite Bible text, she replies, “so many, but as for me and my house, “I”, “WE”, will serve the lord.” “I am a child of God and must be about my father’s business! She is married to Jesus Christ and is a proud mother of Humanity.
Sunday, November 8th
9:00 AM till 5:00 PM
At the LA Sheraton
(Noon)
With Keynote Speaker:
The Governor General of Jamaica
Sir Patrick Linton Allen
Sir Patrick Linton Allen was appointed Governor-General of Jamaica on February 26, 2009. He is the sixth person, and fifth Jamaican, to hold this position since independence in 1962.
Sir Allen was born on February 7, 1951 in the farming community of Fruitful Vale, Portland, the fourth of five children of Ferdinand Allen and Christina (née Grant).
He attended the Fruitful Vale All-Age School and, after completing his GCE examinations in 1968 by private study, he joined the staff of the school as a pre-trained teacher at the age of 17. Two years later, he enrolled in the Moneague Teacher's College. Following his graduation, he taught at the Water Valley All-Age School in St. Mary for three years before being appointed Principal of the Robins Bay Primary School in St. Mary in 1976. In 1978 he became Principal of the Hillside Primary School in St. Mary, which had an enrollment four times the size of Robins Bay All-Age School.
A devout Adventist, Allen felt called as early as age 11 to serve as a full-time pastor, which he consistently resisted as he pursued his teaching career. In 1980 he entered Andrews University in Michigan where he attained a Bachelor's degree in History and Religion before pursuing a Master's degree in Systematic Theology. Allen returned to Jamaica in 1986 and was assigned as a pastoral intern to various churches in Spanish Town and May Pen. He was formally ordained as a Seventh Day Adventist pastor in 1989. Following his ordination, Allen served as pastor of the Spanish Town Seventh Day Adventist Church, the largest church in the Central Jamaica Conference of Seventh Day Adventists. He was later appointed Education and Communications Director of the Central Jamaica Conference and subsequently served as Director of Education and Family Life of the West Indies Union of Seventh Day Adventists based in Mandeville.
In 1996 Sir Patrick returned to Andrews University to read for his Doctorate, and in 1998 he was awarded the Ph.D degree in Education Administration and Supervision. During that period he worked as Assistant Registrar of Andrews University. Upon his return to Jamaica in 1998, he was elected President of the Central Jamaica Conference of Seventh Day Adventists with responsibility for the parishes of St. Catherine, Clarendon, Manchester, St. Mary and St. Ann. In 2000, he was elected President of the West Indies Union of Seventh Day Adventists with overall responsibility for the Seventh Day Adventist churches and related organizations in Jamaica, Bahamas and the Cayman Islands. He was re-elected President in 2005. Allen is Chairman of the Board of Governors of Northern Caribbean University and Chairman of the Board of Directors of:
* Andrews Memorial Hospital
* Adventist Development and Relief Agency
* Book and Nutrition Centre Ltd.
* West Indies Union Investment Management Ltd.
He oversees the network of Adventist-administered educational institutions in Jamaica which comprise 10 high schools, 22 primary schools and numerous basic schools. He also serves as a member of the Police Civilian Oversight Authority, the Strategic Review Implementation Oversight Committee for the Jamaica Constabulary Force and is a former Director of the Public Broadcasting Corporation.
He was made a Commander of the Order of Distinction in 2006.
Sir Allen has been married for 33 years and he and his wife, Denise Patricia (née Beckford), are parents of three children, Kurt and Candice who reside in Michigan and Atlanta respectively, and David who resides in Jamaica. They have three grandchildren.
Sir Allen took office as Governor-General on February 26, 2009. It was published in the London Gazette on May 12, 2009 that the Queen had appointed Allen as Knight Grand Cross of the Most Distinguished Order of St Michael and St George to be dated May 26, 2009.
The Church At Study
Divine Worship Service
Prison Ministry
Women’s Ministry's Brunch
3 ABN
Thanksgiving Dinner
Thanksgiving Day Dinner
Deaconess Meeting
Dinner for the Church
Conservatory Of Music