Hailing from Tuscaloosa, AL Yolanda worked 40 years in the work force with experiences ranging from retail to supervisor roles. She has 30 years as an invoice clerk of a $400 Billion company. As an Invoice Clerk she managed all the money coming in and out of the company. Which included, paying all bills, ordering merchandise, and running and controlling office essentials. She later served as a Support Manager where she had 25 associates under her who were responsible for unloading and stocking merchandise. As a Human Resource Manager she was responsible for payroll of 3,000+ employees, conducted interviews and hired associates, conducted training sessions for all newly hired employees.

At Cornerstone Full Gospel Church, Yolanda served on the Finance Department (paid bills and payroll) and on the Benevolent Ministry (assisted with housing and bills and food of people of the church). She was also the Assistant Administrator of the Christian Education Department. In this role she was responsible for ordering all materials for Sunday school, Vacation bible school, and counted money from Sunday school classes.

At Faith Apostolic, Yolanda served as the Chief Finance Officer(CFO) of the entire church. In this role she was responsible for all money coming in and out of the church. Some of her duties here included, taking care of the bills of the church and Bishop of the church, payroll for the church employees, and ordering all essentials items of the church.

After moving to Huntsville, AL, Yolanda now sits on the Finance Board at Fresh Start Ministries International in Decatur, AL.

We are so fortunate to have Rebecca Bradshaw on board with the company. She is a self made successful entrepreneur, with business ownership for twenty years and retail experience for fifty years.
Rebecca has worked in procurement, project management, risk management and as an inventory control specialist.
Thirty years of her life was devoted to administrative experience. As a self starter, she employed many in the retail and restaurant business. She has strong administrative skills and she worked as a newspaper editor.
Rebecca worked at the headquarters as office manager of the National Medical Association, called (CMSS) Council of Medical Specialty Societies, created to provide an independent forum for the discussion by medical specialists of issues of national interest and mutual concern. Forty-five societies with more than 800,000 U.S. physician members are members of CMSS, which is a Non-Profit Association with 501 c-3 status, incorporated in the state of Illinois.
For four years, she work as an Independent Singing Telegram Entertainer.
She is now retired from The Boeing Company.
Her varied experience and skills are a great enhancement to the company.

Marva Kelly has worked in various areas, mostly in the arena of academia, as Secretary/Administrative Assistant.
She has been Secretary to Department Chair for the SDA Theological Seminary at Andrews University in Berrien Springs, Michigan. She also worked as Secretary and Office Manager for the Department of Behavioral Sciences at Andrews University.
At the Hinsdale Hospital, in Hinsdale, Illinois, her title was Office Manager of Pastoral Care.
Marva worked as an Administrative Assistant to the Registrar at Governors State University in University Park, Illinois and Secretary to Administrator of the Matteson School District 162 in Matteson, Illinois.
Lake Region Conference of the Seventh-Day Adventist Church, utilized her services as Administrative Assistant to the Treasurer, in Chicago, Illinois.
Lastly, she was Administrative Secretary to Associate Dean of Admissions at Loma Linda School of Dentistry in Loma Linda, California.
Bessong & Ministries, Inc. is fortunate to have Marva on the team.

Ms. Bessie Ratliff-White is the owner and President of the corporation since 2011. Her passion for music, performing arts, education and ministry motivated her to birth the vision of Bessong & Ministries, Inc.
Bessie is a skilled contralto and mezzo-soprano soloist. She began singing in the children’s choirs at her church while growing up. During her junior high school years, she discovered her solo voice and auditioned and won first place in the solo and ensemble contests. While in high school, she was fortunate to have Mr. Thomas Fettke, a noted religious composer, arranger and choral director as her high school choral teacher. She won first place as soloist in the “Exchange Club of Oakland Contest”. In college, she was vocally trained by the former, Mr. Stanley Ware, a student of Julliard School of music and a tenor soloist with the metropolitan opera. She has performed on television and radio and her rich melodious voice has touched audiences in churches, schools, and in other community venues. She has sang for political events and has directed choirs, and various singing groups.
Bessie performs also as a cellist. At the early age of six, she won the highest score on a school- wide musical exam at her elementary school. She was allowed to pick any instrument of her choosing to play with a paid scholarship. With a little coaxing from the school music teacher, she selected the cello. Through the years, she has performed in various orchestras and musical ensembles, and most recently has been fortunate to play in the orchestra that accompanied “The Aelioans”, the world’s first place champions in choral competition, under the directorship of Jason Max Ferdinand. While studying the cello, she was taught to sing along with her playing and developed a voice with the richness of that of her instrument.
The word “Bessong” depicts her name “Bessie” and the word,” Song”, of course, her love for music. She has utilized her voice and cello playing to sooth and comfort the hearts of the sick and dying, as a Hospital Chaplain.
As an educator, she has taught music and Bible in various elementary schools across the nation and was an educational consultant for the Board of Education in Cleveland, Ohio. While also being a certified water aerobics instructor, she has conducted over 1000 free classes in the Huntsville, Alabama community combining her music and educational skills.
The ministry segment of her life is wide spread. She is a degreed Bible Instructor and has served for 50 years. As a former minister’s wife for 29 years, she grew to become very sensitive to family needs. Her love for helping people birthed the idea to distribute clothing, food, furniture, household items, and services to people in her community.
Strong organizational skills dominate the life of Bessie. She has organized and directed programs since the age of 14. She has created and hosted her own children’s radio show, directed the musical segments for a television show, and children’s musical programs. She is an author of children’s materials and a songwriter. Singing, motivational speaking, workshop presenting, and acting, are her favorite ventures to serve the world, spiritually, physically and mentally.

Donnis Johnson is one of the business consultants for the company. Her extremely strong organizational skills, are a great enhancement for Bessong.
Women’s ministry plays a dominant role in her life. She was the Director of Women’s Ministries for Allegheny West Conference and for the Columbia Union Conference of the Seventh-Day Adventist Church. She also started her own business, “Donnis F. Johnson Ministries, LLC” and has conducted annual “Together We Hurt, Together We Heal” conferences in Indiana. The outstanding presenters, inspiring music, and one on one interaction, has made a positive impact on the lives of the attendees.
Donnis has a passion for hosting people. She started “Dining With Donnis”, her own unique way to feed ladies and deal with the issues of life with them tactfully, prayerfully and confidentially.
She is currently “Women’s Ministry Director” at her church, Mt. Calvary SDA .
Planning and hosting conferences, programs and retreats are her prominent roles. Her kind, loving, patient, gentle demeanor has won the hearts of those she has come in contact with. We welcome Donnis as a board member of Bessong & Ministries, Inc.