Fort Worth, Texas – December 4, 2023 – Kerri Leslie Pruitt, a published author, and the esteemed Founder and Executive Director of The Dannon Project, has been awarded an Honorary Doctorate Degree in Ministry from West Coast Bible College & Seminary (WCBCS). The prestigious degree will be presented to her during the upcoming honorary doctorate degree ceremony in May 2024, which will be held both in-person and virtually.
Dr. Phillip S. Porter, President of West Coast Bible College & Seminary, expressed his excitement, stating, “Kerri is passionate and possesses the expertise to serve at-risk persons, including youth and adults in underserved communities. We are thrilled to welcome Kerri Pruitt into the West Coast family.”
Kerri is a published Author and Executive Director. She is the founder and Executive Director of The Dannon Project, a non-profit organization serving at-risk persons, including youth and adults who may be underemployed, unemployed, undereducated, at risk of homelessness or homeless, and youth and adult previously incarcerated persons (PIPs) returning from prison or jail. She is recognized nationally for her 10-year career as a federal technical assistance consultant in fiscal and human resources. She is also a user-friendly GrantSuite© MIS software developer and a trainer for multi-funded governmental programs. Kerri is a national leader in the fight for providing quality, compassionate, supportive services to the most needy in our community.
She is the Chief Fiscal Officer for Leslie Patton and Associates Management (LPA) Consulting Firm. This is a supervisory and training contractual position. Kerri has over ten (10) years of experience with HRSA grants and contract management, providing Training and Technical Assistance to various branches of the Federal Government, HRSA-funded grantees (Health Departments, Hospitals, Universities, Government, Non-Profits, Healthy Start, Head Start, rural, urban and Island settings).
Mrs. Pruitt has been the recipient of numerous awards, including the 2009 Feeding Dreams Champion for her work in serving PIPs, the 2015 AllState Champion for Good; the 2015 A.G. Gaston Community Service Award, and the 2015 Spear Servant Leadership Award presented by the Vulcan Foundation.
In July 2014, under Kerri’s leadership, the White House recognized The Dannon Project as one of the nation’s foremost “effective career readiness programs.” In 2019, Kerri was invited to speak at the White House for the First Step Act and to provide insight on reentry and workforce development programming.
In 2020 Mrs. Pruitt received the 2020 Leadership Award from TAP (Together Assisting Participants). In 2021, Kerri received the Alabama Minority GOP “Making a Difference Award.” In 2022, Mrs. Pruitt received the Award of Distinguished Excellence from Omega Psi Phi Fraternity.
Kerri’s favorite quote says, “There are two ways of spreading light: to be the candle or the mirror that reflects it” by Edith Wharton.
Kerri Pruitt has a Master’s in Business Administration from Glendale University and a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting from LaSalle University. She has the following certifications:
- McKing and Associates, Certification for Results Through Performance Excellence for HRSA, Atlanta, GA
- Western Kentucky University Head Start Certification for consultants in Management and Governance in Nashville, TN. Ten years of experience providing TA and monitoring visits to Head Start agencies in Region IV
She is a wife, mother, daughter, sister, businesswoman, and dreamer. She and her husband, Jeh Jeh, have a daughter, Jehme.
We extend our heartfelt congratulations to Kerri Pruitt on the well-deserved honor of receiving an Honorary Doctorate Degree in Ministry from West Coast Bible College & Seminary.
To learn more about West Coast Bible College and Seminary, go to https://westcoastbc.org.
About West Coast Bible College and Seminary
West Coast Bible College and Seminary was founded with the mission to provide affordable Christian education. The institution offers programs such as the Diploma of General Ministries, Associate of Ministry, Bachelor of Ministry, and the Certification in Family Success. In partnership with Success Training Institute, West Coast also offers students the opportunity to earn soft skills certifications, gain access to virtual internship programs, earn additional funds for college, and more. As a leading provider of soft skills training, West Coast equips its students with valuable skills such as leadership, time management, focus, conflict resolution, and more. To learn more visit, https://westcoastbc.org.
