Umoja Village Announces Leadership Changes

Local nonprofit organization, Umoja Village, announces the following organizational changes, effective immediately:

After almost a year of serving as a member of the Umoja Village Board of Directors, Mr. Billy Morris has been selected as the new chair of the Umoja Village Board of Directors.  Morris also volunteered with the organization prior to being voted a board member August 16, 2024.  As a retired shift operations manager with the Savannah River National Laboratory at the Savannah River Site and a trustee at the Cumberland African Methodist Episcopal Church of Aiken, Morris brings years of servant leadership and fiscal management experience.  Morris has been a member of the South Carolina Basketball Officials Association for 38 years, and is a member of the South Carolina Basketball Officials Hall of Fame.  "I am honored and humbled to have been voted by my peers and the founders to serve in this capacity.  I Iook forward to working with the board and staff to continue serving the community in unity and love," says Morris.

Previous board chair, Ms. Velice Cummings, will remain with Umoja Village as a member of the board of directors.  Cummings diligently served as board chair for nearly four of the organization's five years.  "Umoja Village is a unique organization with a massive mission.  It has truly been a blessing to make significant differences in the lives of the underserved, underrepresented, and marginalized populations, and I am excited about the next chapter for us," says Cummings.

In other organizational news, Umoja Village Communications Adviser, Ms. Grace Preston, transitions from that role to become a member of the Umoja Village Board of Directors to provide the flexibility needed to pursue personal career aspirations.  Preston provided professional communications support since March 2023. 

In a social media post released July 16, 2025, Umoja Village also welcomed to the board of directors, Ms. Kizzy Harris-Tobin.  Ms. Harris-Tobin currently serves as the Retail Banking/Branch Manager at the Security Federal Bank on Richland Avenue in Aiken.

Umoja Village is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization founded June 19, 2020, by Aiken couple Don and Donna Moore Wesby.  Umoja Village connects people to the resources they need and also serves as an advocacy organization for the underserved, underrepresented, and marginalized populations.  Umoja Village operates the Richard Johnson Jr. Umoja Village Resource Center located at 831 Hayne Avenue, SW, in Aiken, South Carolina.  To learn more, visit umojavillage.com or call 803-226-0150.

God bless,

Donna Moore Wesby, CEO/Cofounder

Umoja Village