Voorhees College celebrates the second week of the Black History Month virtual speaker series “Blue Table Talk” on Thursday, Feb. 11 at 11 a.m. with award-winning film and TV producer Tirrell D. Whittley and the first African-American female sheriff of DeKalb County, Georgia, Melody Maddox.
Whittley is a filmmaker, entrepreneur, and visionary media executive leader of Liquid Soul, a company known as one of the nation’s leading brand marketing agencies specializing in advertising, marketing, social media, influencer marketing, branded content, and publicity for entertainment, sports, and corporate brands.
Under his leadership, Liquid Soul has developed marketing and distribution campaigns for a slate of films and television shows, such as Black Panther, Guardians of the Galaxy, 42: The Jackie Robinson Story, Fast & Furious 6, Black-ish, The Voice, Empire, and Power, to name a few.
Additionally, Whittley executive produced the documentary film, Copwatch and the feature film Brian Banks. Also, he is a producer of the Aretha Franklin music documentary film Amazing Grace. He is currently working with MGM and BRON Studios on the upcoming Aretha Franklin biopic Respect starring Jennifer Hudson, Forest Whitaker, Marlon Wayans, Audra McDonald, and Mary J. Blige. Respect is set to be released theatrically in August 2021.
He is a 2019 National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) Image Award Winner, member of the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts & Sciences (OSCARS), member of the Producers Guild of America, recognized as the Atlanta Business League’s “Entrepreneur of the Year,” Florida A&M University’s “School of Business & Industry Hall of Fame” inductee and is lauded among the Who’s Who in Atlanta and Atlanta Tribune’s “Top 25 Architects of Success”.
Whittley earned a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Florida A&M University. He is also an ordained deacon in his church and resides in Atlanta with his wife and two daughters.
Maddox is the 50th Sheriff of DeKalb County, Georgia, and makes history as the first woman to hold the office. As a 28-year law enforcement veteran, she is a respected leader and dedicated public servant who is deeply committed to her profession, family, faith, and community. As a lifelong resident of DeKalb County, her vision is to create a safer environment for DeKalb County’s adults, seniors, and young people.
Her distinguished career in law enforcement began with the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office, serving with both the City of Atlanta and the DeKalb County Police Departments. In 2008, Maddox created the public safety office DeKalb Technical College present-day Georgia Piedmont Technical College. She became the assistant chief of police, making history as the institution’s first female chief of police. She was the only woman in that position within the Technical College System of Georgia’s 22 colleges statewide. In 2013, she became an elected official in law enforcement.
In 2019, Maddox was appointed as the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office’s chief deputy, the highest-ranking non-elected position in the agency. She was responsible for the planning and administering of the jail, courts, and field and training operations.
She is the CEO of Woman-2-Woman Personal Awareness and Safety Training and a member of the DeKalb County NAACP, National Council of Negro Women, Women for Morris Brown College, Saint Philip A.M.E. Church, and Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.
Maddox earned a bachelor’s degree in sociology from Morris Brown College and a master’s degree in African-American ministries from Newburg Theological Seminary. She has one daughter, Indira, three grandchildren, and one God-grandchild.
To view the Black History Month speaker series’ second week, please like, subscribe, and follow our YouTube page @VoorheesCollege1897 and our Facebook page @VoorheesCollege.
For more information, contact the Office of Communications, at 803-780-1191 or at communications@voorhees.edu.
