Join Supporters of Families with Sickle Cell Disease, Inc. for “Breathe: Women’s Empowerment High Tea,” an enriching afternoon dedicated to fostering women’s empowerment, mental health, self-care, and authenticity. This elegant gathering offers a serene space to pause, reflect, and connect with a community of supportive women.

Inspirational Speakers: Hear from esteemed experts who will share insights on embracing one’s true self and the transformative power of self-care in achieving mental well-being.

Networking Opportunities: Connect with like-minded women, fostering relationships that support personal growth and empowerment.​

Elegant High Tea: Indulge in a selection of fine teas and delectable treats in a sophisticated setting, celebrating the essence of femininity and self-care

This event is designed to inspire and equip you with strategies to prioritize your mental health, embrace self-care, and live authentically. Take this opportunity to breathe, rejuvenate, and empower yourself alongside a community dedicated to uplifting women.

Velvet Brown-Watts, BSW, MSW, CM

Founder-Executive Director

Hemoglobinopathy Counselor Certified

Alicia has served as the Emcee for the Supporters of Families with Sickle Cell Women’s Empowerment Tea. She has been a public speaker for many distinguished programs such as the Sisters Sippin’ Tea Books and Brunch and many more. She is married for over 40 years to retired Tulsa Fire Investigator Millard Latimer, Sr., and they are proud parents of three adults and four grandsons

 

 

Michelle Sutton, JD

Ms. Sutton provides consulting services for clients at both the state and federal levels. These
consulting services include: lobbying, legal analysis, grassroots’ coordination, and association
management. In addition, she is an adjunct professor, routinely teaching Administrative Law and
American Government. In service to the public, she also provides Legislative 101 Seminars.
These seminars explain the actual procedures by which a bill can become law, as well as the
intersection of politics and policy within the process.

Ms. Sutton is responsible for passing numerous legislative measures including bills for the
American Cancer Society that authorize the recycling of unused prescription drugs from nursing
homes, mandate insurance coverage of annual gynecological examinations, and provide state
matching funds for breast examinations. From November 2024 to March 2025, the drug
recycling program in Tulsa County, alone, has filled 454,778 prescriptions with a wholesale
value of $31,212.341.

Ms. Sutton has been inducted into the Broken Arrow High School Hall of Fame as a Great
Graduate and has been chosen by the Journal Record as one of fifty women in Oklahoma
making a difference. She is a member of Leadership Oklahoma and is President of the OSU
Department of Political Science Advisory Board.
Ms. Sutton is a graduate of Oklahoma State University and the University of Oklahoma College
of Law.

 

Pat Shannon, LPN

I have worked as an LPN for 39 years; of those years I have been in Oncology for 27 years. I was
raised in the Tahlequah area. I resided in Broken Arrow for the past 35 years with husband
Frank. I enjoy outdoors gardening, hiking, running and cycling.

 

Tracy Koopman, RN

My name is Tracy Koopman. I’m a Registered Nurse. I’ve spent the last two and a half years as
Dr. Janjua and KJ Tipton’s triage nurse at Saint Francis Cancer Center. I care for our sickle cell
patients by answering their calls and assisting with whatever needs they may have. I do my best
to provide kind, compassionate care and to advocate when needed.

 

 

Dr. Sherri Smith-Keys, DNP

Dr. Sherri Smith-Keys is the Associate VP of Clinical Affairs and the Executive Director of the Langston
University Tulsa campus; she assumed this role in August 2023. She has 40 years of clinical, nursing
management/administration, and nursing education background.  She is very motivated to provide
multilayer access to higher education students through the intentional focus on growth and program
expansion.  Her work philosophy is to be challenged all the time, especially in aspects of her job; love for
learning new things, taking new opportunities, and working with different people. She received her BSN
from the University of Texas at Arlington, MSN from Regis University and DNP from Walden University.
She is married to her best friend, and she has four adult sons.

 

Shannon D. Luper

Shannon Luper is currently the Director of Girl Scouts Beyond Bars Program for Girl Scouts of
Eastern Oklahoma. She received her education from Rogers State University, Career Point
Business School and NE Oklahoma Vo-tech. She began her career in the Legal field, switching
to aviation before branching out to the non-profit sector. Shannon began volunteering with the
prison ministry in the 1990’s, where she found her passion. Volunteering in the prison system,
Shannon learned early the importance of children to the parent and the continual pains the
mother's hearts felt because she left her children behind while serving time within the judicial
system. Because of this knowledge Shannon was enthusiastic to join the mission of Project
MEND upon its onset of receiving its initial funding in 2003 and has been running with its vision
since. Shannon has been with Girl Scouts of Eastern Oklahoma for over 20 years. Shannon
received the Sarkeys Special Recognition Award from Oklahoma Center for Nonprofit in 2017
for her accomplishments with the Girl Scouts Beyond Bars. Shannon has had numerous
interviews with local and national media, including CNN. Shannon has been featured in several
magazine articles, both locally and nationally. She continues to collaborate with those who wish
to advocate for children of incarcerated parents and their families. Shannon thrives from the
ability to witness families who desire to overcome barriers associated with generational
incarceration daily.

Shannon Luper is not only an advocate, but a facilitator of several cognitive based curriculums
within the prisons and community including Nurturing Parenting, On My Shoulders, Thinking
for a Change, ACE Interface, Brief Interventions and Victim Impact and Parent Café to name a
few. Shannon is a current student of I Am Victorious School of Ministries where she is seeking
her ministerial credentials.

 

Sharon Wilson

My name is Sharon Wilson. I am a married mother of 3 adult children with 2 born diagnosed with Sickle
Cell Disease. One of my greatest challenges was fighting my way through corporate America as a black
female engineer while advocating through the bureaucracy of the medical establishment for adequate
care of the children. While I know many can relate, this should not be the case in this 21st century. We
moved from Arizona to Oklahoma in 2021 and traded city life for farm life. My husband and I will continue
to pray and explore techniques and therapies to help and even cure this population.

 

 

Sherece Thompson

My name is Sherece Thompson, and I am 53 years old. I have three grown children: SheQuanta, who is
34; Derrick, who is 27; and Derrisha, who is 25. My son Derrick has sickle cell disease, which we
discovered when he was just six months old. Initially, it was challenging to understand this condition, but
as the months passed, I learned more about sickle cell, making it a bit easier to manage each day.
I am also a proud grandmother to three wonderful grandbabies. Cooking and baking are my passions; I
enjoy making cakes and pies, which I sell. I have been a member of my church for 18 years, and I dream
of one day owning my own catering company.

I love spending time outdoors in my yard and cherish moments with my family. In addition to my other
pursuits, I also work with my mom at her daycare. I truly enjoy traveling and having fun whenever I can.

Despite my stage 4 kidney failure, for which I've been on dialysis for nine years, I remain optimistic and
engaged in my life.

 

Joyce Cooper

First Lady Joyce Cooper has dedicated 51 years to ministry, with a deep passion for reaching hurting
individuals and emphasizing the power of education, stating, "Your best tool is Education." She feels a
strong calling to minister to women who have experienced hurt and abuse, helping them understand the
depth of Jesus' love for them. Joyce ministers with a practical and accessible style, sharing her insights
through workshops, seminars, and women's conferences under the power and anointing of God.
Married to Bishop Melvin Cooper, Pastor of World Won for Christ Family Life Ministries, Joyce has served
alongside her husband in ministry for 30 years. She currently holds the positions of Director of the WWFC
Women’s Ministry and Vice President of the World Won Development Center.

Joyce and Bishop Cooper have been married for 40 years and are the proud parents of two children, Eric
Lucas and Mikki (Titus) Hawthorne, both of whom carry the Sickle Cell trait. Their family has grown to
include seven grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

Born on July 20, 1955, at the historic Moton Memorial Hospital in Tulsa, Oklahoma, Joyce is a proud
graduate of Booker T. Washington High School, class of 1973, which holds the distinction of being the last
all-Black class to graduate before desegregation. Her earlier education included integration at Louis Mae
Alcott Elementary School in 1965 and Thomas Gilcrease Middle School in 1967, both in Tulsa.
Together with her husband, Joyce has co-founded several community initiatives, including: Edurec Youth
Family and Fun Center (2013), Fitting Back In Prison Reintegration Program (2006), 36th St. N Event
Center (2016), and she serves as a board member of World Won Development (1994).

Her professional contributions include serving as the PAW Oklahoma State Women’s Dept. President
from 1993 to 1996, where she served over 23 churches and was recognized as Woman of the Year in
1996. She was also involved with the E3 Coalition (2011-2013) and SAMHSA (Substance Abuse and
Mental Health Services Administration) from 2011 to 2013. Joyce was a dedicated member of the
Oklahoma Parent Revolution team (2013-2016), advocating for empowerment to improve low-performing
schools (in relation to State Bill 1001). Her commitment extended to Catholic Charities of Tulsa (Black
children adoption services) from 1992 to 1994 and coordinating the Kirk of the Hill Angel Tree partnership
(serving children with incarcerated parents) from 2005 to 2016. She partnered with Food on the Move
founder Taylor Hanson (2015-2021) to combat hunger in North Tulsa. Joyce participated in the Principal
For A Day program at TPS Skelly Elementary and Middle School in 2012. As a long-term volunteer (1999-
2017) and advocate for Oklahomans with disabilities at TARC, she further demonstrated her compassion
by serving as a Legal Guardian for a person with disabilities from 2000 to the present. Her involvement in
education continued through the Partners in Education program with Hawthorne Elementary School
(2008-2019). Joyce served as 2nd Vice President of the 36th St N Corridor, Phoenix District (Vision 2025)
under President Traci Chandler from 2014 to 2016 and is currently a Community Advisory Board member
of the THD North Regional Health and Wellness Center (since 2013).

Academically, Joyce earned a Certificate of Achievement in Child Development (CDA) and a Certificate of
Mastery (Master Teacher) from TCC-Tulsa Community College in 2007, followed by a Silver Director
Credential (2009-2015). She served as Director of WWELC (day care and summer camp) from 2007 to
2015 and contributed to Tulsa Legacy Charter School as a Pre-K teacher's aide, reading specialist,
substitute teacher, and office manager from 2012 to 2019.

Cathy Cox, R.N., M.S.N., is a high school nurse preparing to retire after the 23/24 school year. She became interested in the care of young people suffering from sickle cell disease while working as a school nurse. She saw firsthand the health disparities experienced by these students in their daily struggle for the care they need and the recognition of the profound need for accommodations that will assure their access to all educational endeavors available to every student. Cathy will be devoting her retirement years to improving care for all patients and families dealing with the many challenges of sickle cell disease, thalassemia and sickle cell trait.

Cathy obtained her bachelor’s degree in nursing and master’s degree in nursing education from Northeastern State University. She is currently pursuing a Doctorate in Nurse Practice through Oklahoma Wesleyan University located in Bartlesville, Oklahoma. Her projected graduation date is December 2024.