Marva G. Ballard, Director

Marva G. Ballard, who grew up in Akron, Ohio, moved to Indianapolis, Indiana in 1980 and opened a custom design salon designing under the label – M.G. Ballard Designs.  In 1984, she began specializing in hand-painted and leather wearable art apparel and was nominated for the More Fashion Awards in N.Y., sponsored by R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company.  That same year, she designed costumes for the Colts cheerleaders for their first season in Indianapolis. 

Marva moved to Tuskegee, AL in 1987 to take a position with Tuskegee University in their Clothing and Related Arts program and helped to craft a new curriculum to transition the program to Fashion Merchandising. The new program included 25% of the coursework in business with an emphasis on marketing.  She made numerous contributions as an instructor and eventually served as program coordinator.  She was awarded both an Outstanding Faculty Award for Teaching and an Outstanding Faculty Award for Service from the University. 

In 1998, she returned to her passion full time, designing leather, wearable art apparel and home accessories, as well as original, mixed-media wall hangings.  Her apparel and home decor items are owned by many celebrities and professionals across the country and have been featured in several magazines and newspapers.  She is also a member of the faculty of the University of Phoenix's College of Arts and Humanity.  An advocate for women's economic well-being, she founded Women of Style, Spirit and Success, Inc. in 2004. 

Phyllis Benford

Phyllis Benford is a seamstress who has been sewing since the age of 19.  When she was just a young girl, her mother taught her the basics of sewing and her passion for creating garments grew into not only a hobby, but a part-time career.  When she wasn’t making clothes for her five children, husband, or herself, she was often hired to design and create clothes for clients – doing everything from alterations to weddings. 

Filled with passion for helping others grow, Phyllis would offer sewing classes for free for her daughter’s friends in the summer time.  The classes taught the girls the basics of sewing and allowed them to create a garment of their choice and model it in a fashion show when the classes were over.

A nurturer and creator, Phyllis has spent her life creating beauty out of small things.  She is a prize-winning floral arranger, professionally trained cake decorator, and life-long seamstress.  She is also the mother of five children, and grandmother of five.  She is employed by Memphis City Schools as an administrative assistant for White Station Middle School.

Tamara Jordan

Tamara Jordan is a native of Memphis, Tennessee who has lived in the state of Tennessee for most of her life.  She attended Collierville Elementary, Middle, and graduated from Collierville High School.  She considers herself a product of public education, and as such, has a vested interest in the cultivation of it.  After high school, she attended Tennessee State University, where she was a member of the Aristocrat of Bands, Phi Gamma Nu Business Fraternity and Alpha Phi Omega Community Service Fraternity. She graduated in 2000 with a Bachelors of Arts in Business Management. She worked in the business industry for over two years before deciding to obtain her Masters in Arts in Education at Union University. In 2004, she began her teaching career with the Memphis City Schools at Raleigh Egypt High School, teaching Business and Technology.  She is currently teaching Business at Southwest Career and Technology Center, where she serves as the Advisor for the Future Business Leaders of America.

Aryen Moore-Alston

Aryen Moore-Alston grew up in Naples, Italy, and has pretty much lived and traveled all over the world. She speaks Japanese fluently and is "in love with all the flavors of Asia." She graduated from Spelman College, where she led a team of female scientists who programmed robotic dogs to play soccer without human intervention. She co-hosts This House is Cooking! with her mother - Karen Moore. This House is Cooking! is on hiatus, but new plans for the show, and the arrival of Aryen’s first child, have given both Karen and Aryen an opportunity to combine the elements they love most – family, cooking and entertaining. The show will soon resume production. Aryen’s fascination with Italian and Asian cultures, and their cuisine, provided the best training for her role on her television show. As a busy young woman, juggling work responsibilities, a commitment to healthy eating, involvement with the entertainment industry, and now motherhood, Moore-Alston focuses on showing people how to prepare meals that are flavorful, easy to prepare and ideal for sharing with family and friends.  Also a graphic artist, Aryen is the owner of Black Stripe Ink.