WALT FELTON - PRESIDENT:
I am Water Felton, former Vice President of the Allentown Branch of the NAACP. I was elevated to the President position a few months ago upon the resignation of the previous President. Since 1967, I have resided in the Allentown area. I was the brother-in-law of a past NAACP Allentown branch President of the 1970 era, Alvin Howard, now deceased.
I grew up on the Lawrence Street corridor, now named Martin Luther King Drive. The occupants were called urban renewal, which targeted and relocated occupants to public housing over at the Cumberland Garden Housing Project.
After completing the 11th grade in the Allentown School District, my mother allowed me to reside with my brother-in-law, Alan Howard, and sister-in-law, Ruth Howard, of Salisbury Township. I attended Salisbury High School, excelling in basketball, and graduated. I attended LCCC before joining the United States Marines and serving my country in active duty. I also served in reserve branches with the United States Army, Air Force, and Navy, all with honorable discharges. I would like to bring this experience to the Veterans Executive Committee of the NAACP.
I returned to the area after my time with the Army. I applied to the Allentown Police Department and was accepted. I completed 20 years, during which I held multiple titles and served in several capacities. I was recognized with various awards and citations, including being awarded Police Officer of the Year on three occasions. I also was employed by the Northampton County Sheriff Department, where I served 12 years as Deputy Sheriff and was recognized and cited with two awards.
The first citation was for subduing an estranged husband attempting to bring a knife into a courtroom in a possible attempt to inflict harm on his wife at a custody hearing. Another event involved apprehending a New Jersey most wanted state fugitive of the week. I also was the first minority to be elected as President of the Northampton County Deputy Sheriff Unit. For the past two years, I have been employed by the P.A. State Police (B.E.I.) Division.
I would bring the experience of conducting formal meetings held under the National By-laws and Roberts Rules. Despite unwarranted resistance from some Lehigh County Democratic Party Members, I attained the position as 1st African American male in Lehigh county and the 2nd ever of 67 Counties in Pennsylvania to be elected County chair of the Democratic Committee.
During my tenure, I was instrumental in having the first African American female, Veronica Clemmons, elected to the Lehigh County State Democratic Committee, when the other six minorities were challenged and removed from the ballot by their own Democratic Party members.
I returned and initiated or added at least six minorities to the PA State Democratic Party, Including Carmen Bell, Danielle Shackleford, April Riddick, Mike Watts, Barbara Redmond, and Veronica Clemmons.
I assisted in leading at least 50 precinct committee persons to be elected and hold positions on the Lehigh County Democratic Committee, where previously none were held. I would like to engage and show Allentown NAACP chapter members how to run or get involved in political offices to represent their community. It is not about me, it's about us. I have been to the top already. Now it's about telling and showing others how to get their voices and concerns heard.
I would like to show our bipartisan members how to get on the ballot, open a capital P.A.C., network, and template in organizing their campaigns to pursue office, including how to raise money for their campaigns. I have run for the following offices in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania: Commonwealth Senator, Magisterial District Judge, and Lehigh County Sheriff. I was the first Afro American in the County to obtain the office of the county sheriff. With the growing Allentown NAACP branch, we can engage diverse candidates to run for political offices throughout Lehigh County. I feel we have many youthful and experienced adults that are capable of running for political positions. We can make a difference in our community, especially with my 14 years' experience in the political arena.
The last but not the least reason for supporting my bid for the NAACP Vice Presidency is that I was instrumental in helping raise over $15,000 within the two months just before the 2017 NAACP PA Convention held at the Renaissance Hotel in Allentown, PA.
I believe I have the grassroots connections within the PA community, which allowed me to be instrumental in procuring Governor Wolf, other Pennsylvania State Officials, and State and Local judges up for election, to attend the 2017 PA Convention. I enjoy helping people and help the Allentown NAACP Branch.
VICE PRESIDENT- Renee Wiggs-Rollerson –
RENEE WIGGINS-ROLLERSON Renee has extensive community service, youth service, and community resources. She is currently studying for her master’s degree in psychology. Renee is the Director for one of Allentown's Boys & Girls Clubs. Renee works closely with youth who benefit from additional structured programming.
She has a talent at engaging students to embody a wide range of human experience. Renee believes that the diversity of our students makes our community stronger. She believes if you share a perspective, you bring experiences, and help students understand you better. Therefore, relating to the community you belong to, whether it be your sexual orientation or gender identity, or your family or cultural background, it will encourage students to do better. This honesty can grant students the opportunity to absorb the best of all worlds. Then students will want to do their best to understand and appreciate that all people have problems, and it is best to attempt to deal with them.
Renee’s goal is to work with the Branch's Youth/Junior Youth council. She would also like to work with Women In The NAACP (WIN) Committee. Additionally, she would like to enhance membership for the NAACP Allentown Branch. She is a resource to gain membership in the community. Renee's focus is on bringing more programming and resources to our community, youth, and organization.
2nd Vice President - Dr. Harold Kreithen -
Dr. Harold Kreithen, M.D., grew up in South Philadelphia in an African American neighborhood where his
Father had a wholesale and retail candy and tobacco business. They lived above the
store and all of his neighborhood friends were African American, as was his beloved
Nanny. He was the only white boy in his first-grade class. With this background, he
He developed a lifelong empathy for Afro-American causes. It is in Harold’s bones.
Harold was educated in Philadelphia at West Philadelphia High School, University of
Pennsylvania, Hahnemann Medical College and Temple University Hospital. He received
his M.D. degree in 1961 and served his internship at Philadelphia General Hospital,
where the majority of patients were African American.
In 1966, Harold moved to Allentown with his wife and two children, where he started a medical
Practice, specializing in Internal Medicine and Allergy. Dr. Kreithen built a busy private practice and
treated thousands of patients of all social, ethnic, and racial backgrounds over his 52
Year career, retiring in 2018.
Dr. Kreithen practice had a staff of up to 12 people, which he managed (with the help of an office
Manager). Dr. Kreithen belonged to the medical staffs of Sacred Heart and Allentown Hospitals,
and served on their medical boards. He was active in teaching and training Resident
Physicians. The Dr. established a weekly Allergy Clinic to care for uninsured patients.
Since retiring, Dr. Kreithen has endeavored to be involved in social action issues. He is a
member of the Social Action Committee of the Unitarian Universalist Church of the
Lehigh Valley. He’s a member of a twenty-thousand-person (and growing) organization
PNP (Physicians for National Health Plan).
Having spent his long career working within the present health system, Dr. Kreithen can attest
that it is broken in many ways, resulting in unequal access and quality of care for
Disadvantaged people. The doctor joined the NAACP in 2020, hoping to work toward improving health care for all people. Dr. Harold Kreithen feels that he could be an influential voice as 2nd Vice of the NAACP Allentown Branch.
SECRETARY - BARBARA REDMOND -MBA
I am a native of Allentown. I am a graduate of Cedar Crest College with a B.S. in Business with a minor in Economics, and an MBA in Business Administration. I have served on the Cedar Crest College Alumnae Board for seven years. I served as a State Committee Person for Lehigh County’s Southeast Caucus. I am and have been a PA Notary Public for the past 20 years. I was elected South Whitehall precinct leader for the Democratic Party.
I have been employed at PPL for over 30 years and worked for 21 years as an Administrative Assistant until I promoted to my current position, Facility Record Specialist. I know the importance of the secretary position and have undertaken an extensive study of the NAACP National Bylaws. I am running for re-election for secretary because the NAACP is crucial to the community's advancement, and I want to contribute to the organization's and the community's success.
TREASURER - ADANAH SAMPSON
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
Mrs. CHERYL JOHNSON WATTS - EXECUTIVE EDUCATION COMMITTEE: Cheryl Johnson Watts joined the NAACP South Jamaica Branch Youth Council in Queens NY when she was in high school during the late ‘70’s. She reconnected in 2017, when she joined the Allentown Branch in Lehigh Valley, PA. Cheryl is a School Board Director for the Allentown School District and also serves on the Lehigh Career & Technical Institute’s Joint Operating Committee (LCTI JOC). She is a Board Member for the YWCA of Allentown and volunteers on the Lehigh Valley Planning Commission’s Multi-Modal Working Group. Cheryl enjoys speaking with youth about planning their future and actively participates in the Alumni Schools Committee for her Alma Mater, Princeton University. She resides in Allentown with her husband Michael Watts. She is registered as a Lifetime Member of the NAACP.
ELAINE REDMOND EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
MS. ELAINE REDMOND EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE: Elaine Redmond is a native of Allentown and a dedicated public servant. She had worked for Western Electric/AT&T for 30 years when her concern for our youth became her primary focus. She is now the owner/operator of a childcare/preschool in Laurys Station for over fifteen years. Elaine has an Associate’s Degree/Directors Certificate from Lehigh Carbon Community College in Early Childhood Education, and is licensed by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. In addition to her preschool, she has fostered more than 30 children over the years.
In 2003, Pinebrook Family Answers honored her with an Outstanding Achievement Award for her “exceptional care of children and for always making children a priority in her life.” She will be a great addition to our Executive Committee and a loud voice for those she represents.
Dan Bosket - Freedom Fund Executive
Annie Kollar - Labor and Industry Executive
Attonery Ronald Clever- Criminal Justice Executive
April Riddick - Communications, Press and Publicly Executive
Pastor Sharon Scott - Religious Affairs Executive
President Walt Felton - Political Action Chair
