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BHM 2008 Speakers |
Tracee Ellis Ross is a versatile talent currently starring in CW's hit comedy Girlfriends. Her portrayal of "Joan Clayton," an ambitious lawyer-turned-restaurant-owner in her early 30s adventuring through life and romance, has earned her six NAACP Image Award nominations including one win in 2007 for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series, one BET Comedy Award win and two nominations for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series, a Woman's Image Network (WIN) Award nomination for Best Comedy Series - Actress and two PRISM Award nominations for outstanding Performance in a Comedy series. Following her television debut as host of Lifetime's The Dish, Ross was named a "face to watch" by the Los Angeles Times. Her other television credits include the MTV sketch comedy Lyricist Lounge. As a television host, she made history with her cast mates when they co-hosted the 2004 NAACP Image Awards, marking the first year the program was hosted by women. She then co-hosted the VIBE Awards with Anthony Anderson. |
Tracee Ellis Ross |
Ross's theatrical experience includes a leading role in "The Vagina Monologues." She made her debut at the Canon Theater in Los Angeles and has also performed with the production in San Francisco and appeared in "Blackout" at the Egyptian Theater in Los Angeles. Her big-screen debut was in a leading role in the feature film Far Harbor, co-starring with Marcia Gay Harden and Jennifer Connelly. She also appeared in the feature film comedy Hanging Up, with Meg Ryan, and the independent film I See You.com, opposite Beau Bridges. She was last seen in Tyler Perry's Daddy's Little Girls, with Gabrielle Union and HBO's Life Support, opposite Queen Latifah. As a model, Ross worked with some of the most highly regarded photographers in the fashion industry, including Herb Ritts, Peter Lindberg, Franceso Scavullo, and Mario Testino. She has graced the pages of top fashion and consumer magazines, including Harper's Bazaar, Essence, Mirabella, Life, US, O and In Style and has appeared in advertising campaigns for The Gap, Donna Karan Collection, DKNY and Paul Mitchell. Named by Essence magazine as an "It" woman of 2000, she has also been described as a "trendsetter with signature style." She has also been honored as one of America's "Leading Ladies," on the American elite "1000 List for 2000," which acknowledges women who are gracefully redefining the rules for success. In 2004, she was honored by the Los Angeles Urban League as their Volunteer of the Year. |
Featured Speaker: Tracee Ellis Ross Wednesday, February 13 | 7pm Reitz Union Grand Ballroom Co-sponsored by ACCENT Speakers Bureau ** Seating is limited and is on a first come first serve basis ** Keynote Speaker: Dr. Ian Smith Thursday, February 28 | 7pm Reitz Union Grand Ballroom ** Seating is limited and is on a first come first serve basis ** |
Dr. Ian Smith is currently the medical/diet expert on VH1's highly-rated "Celebrity Fit Club," host of "Meet the Faith" on BET, and the creator and founder of The 50 Million Pound Challenge. Dr. Smith is also the host of his own nationally syndicated radio show HealthWatch on American Urban Radio Networks. He is the former medical correspondent for NBC News network and for NewsChannel 4 where he filed reports for NBC's "Nightly News" and the "Today" show as well as WNBC's various news broadcasts. He is also serves a the mentor to the cast members of BET's "College Hill Interns." He has appeared extensively on various broadcasts including "The View," "The Tyra Banks Show," "Larry King Live," and "Anderson Cooper 3600." He has written for various publications including Time, Newsweek, Men's Health, and the New York Daily News, and has been featured in several other publications including, People, Essence, Ebony, Cosmopolitan, and University of Chicago Medicine on the Midway. |
Dr. Ian Smith |
Dr. Smith's work has been honored by several organizations, including the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences for his coverage on the momentous events beginning on Sept. 11, 2001. Dr. Smith is very active in charitable causes, serving on several boards including the New York City Mission Society, American Council on Exercise, and the New York Council for the Humanities. Dr. Smith graduated from Harvard College with an AB and received a master's in science education from Teachers College of Columbia University. He attended Dartmouth Medical School and completed the last two years of his medical education and graduated from the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine. Dr. Smith is also the author of five books, the #1 New York Times Bestseller Extreme Fat Smash Diet, the #1 New York Times Bestseller The Fat Smash Diet, the critically acclaimed The Blackbird Papers (2005 BCALA fiction Honor Book Award winner), Dr. Ian Smith's Guide to Medical Websites, and The Take-Control Diet. He is currently at work on his second novel. A native of Danbury, CT, Dr. Smith resides in Manhattan. |
©2008 Black History Month Committee. All Rights Reserved. |
Black History Month 2008 Celebration |
UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA |
Celebrating 30 Years of Sophistication in Black |
BHM events are FREE of cost (excluding the Florida Invitational Step Show and its After Party). Most events are located on the University of Florida campus and can be located on UF's campus map. Click here to download a printable BHM Calendar! |
Speaker Biographies |
CREATED BY ERIKA M. JONES |
Black History Month Committe |
Committee |
Media Request |
For more information, please contact the Black History Month Director at ufbhmdirector@yahoo.com |
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