Teri Coaxum was appointed regional advocate for the U.S. Small Business Administration?s Office of Advocacy?s Region II. Covering the states of New York, New Jersey, the U.S. Virgin Islands and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, she will be the office?s liaison to small-business owners, government agencies, state legislators, trade associations and small-business organizations. Prior to this, she was the deputy state director for U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y.; her expertise ranged from economic development to job creation. Before joining Sen. Schumer, Coaxum was an administrative manager in the Kings County district attorney?s office. She has a bachelor?s degree in criminal justice from John Jay College of Criminal Justice and two master?s degrees: one in business administration from Metropolitan College of New York and another in public administration from John Jay. She is a 2009 40 Under Forty honoree of The Network Journal.????
Ebony magazine appointed Darhil Crooks creative director of the print publication. He will be based in Ebony?s Chicago office. Born in New York and raised in Chicago, Crooks previously served as art director at Esquire magazine in New York. Prior to that, he was associate art director at Complex magazine, designer at Global Hue and associate art director at The Source. He also served as assistant art director for Vanguarde Media, where he helped redesign the group?s signature magazines, Savoy and Honey. In his new role as creative director at Ebony, Crooks will oversee the art department, focusing on Ebony?s overall art, design and layout concepts. Crooks studied graphic design at the School of Visual Arts in New York City. 
Ana L. Pujols-McKee, M.D., was named executive vice president and chief medical officer of The Joint Commission. Dr. McKee?s new role will be rooted in policy development and strategy for patient safety and quality improvement in health care. She is currently chief medical officer and associate executive director at Penn Presbyterian Medical Center, University of Pennsylvania Health System, and associate professor of medicine at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine. Previously, she served as medical director for the Philadelphia Health Department?s independent health centers. She sits on the board of Quality Insights of Pennsylvania. McKee has a bachelor?s degree in psychology from State University of New York at Binghamton and a medical degree from Hahnemann Medical College and Hospital. She completed her residency
at Presbyterian Medical Center, Philadelphia, and is board certified in internal medicine.??????
The National Minority Supplier Development Council Inc. named Marquis D. Miller vice president of field operations. Miller will work alongside NMSDC?s president to monitor the performance of the Council?s 37 affiliates. A 20-year veteran of strategic business development, he will also work with the affiliates to help align resources, plans, strategies and actions with NMSDC?s mission. Before this, Miller was head of The Business Mosaic, a consulting practice focused on organizational management in the nonprofit, consumer/retail and business service sectors. Prior to that, he was vice president of business development for SBLI USA Mutual Life Insurance Co. Inc. He also served as vice president, external affairs, at the Chicago Urban League. Miller has a bachelor?s degree in social and behavioral sciences from The Ohio State University.?
Jade L. Shields Sr. was appointed vice president of Corporate Compliance & Ethics for PDI, Inc., a biopharmaceutical sales and marketing firm. Reporting to the CEO, Shields will oversee corporate compliance, including federal and state regulations and the Prescription Drug Marketing Act. He will also serve as chairman of the company?s Corporate Compliance Committee. Before joining PDI, Shields worked at Johnson & Johnson for 20 years. He held several positions there, including? global director of commercial compliance and, most recently, senior director in the Office of Compliance for the Consumers Pharmaceuticals Division. Shields received certification in health-care compliance from Seton Hall Law School and a B.A. from Clark Atlanta University with a dual concentration in marketing and communications.?
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Rashada Whitehead was named president of Flowers Communications Group, a promotion from her position as the firm?s first managing director. Whitehead rejoined the agency in 2008 after a stint with GolinHarris Public Relations. For the past 10 years, she has worked in the public relations and
integrated marketing communications arena, strategically targeting diverse audiences, including African- Americans. She is the recipient of more than 25 industry awards for her work, and she was instrumental in developing award-winning programs, most notably the Miller Urban Entrepreneurs Program. Whitehead holds a bachelor?s degree in English from the University of Illinois at Chicago and a master?s degree in marketing communications from Roosevelt University. She also is a graduate of the Tuck School of Business? Executive Education Program at Dartmouth College.
