Dr. Deborah Smith Pollard The finish line is only the beginning of a brand new race. Teddy Ebersol Company: University of Michigan-Dearborn Location: Detroit , MI Website: www.myspace.com/dsp313

Biography:
Author, motivational speaker and university professor Deborah Smith Pollard, Ph.D., first attracted national attention when she was named Gospel Announcer of the Year during the 20th annual Stellar Awards, called The Grammys of Gospel Music.

Pollard is a recognized expert on contemporary gospel music with a knowledge base that is the result of her dual career: Associate Professor of English Literature and Humanities at University of Michigan-Dearborn and award-winning gospel radio announcer Sunday mornings, 6-10 AM, on FM 98 WJLB, Detroit s top rated station for young adults. She has published both academic and popular articles on various aspects of gospel music.

Her book, When the Church Becomes Your Party: Contemporary Gospel Music (Wayne State University Press 2008, includes chapters on praise and worship in the urban church, gospel musical stage plays, the changing dress code in gospel music and the Black church, women gospel announcers (dj s), and holy hip hop/Christian rap. Her research and publications have also encompassed emerging African American authors.

Pollard, who earned her Ph.D.in American Studies from Michigan State University, has lectured extensively on gospel music. Besides teaching a popular class on that subject on her campus, she has presented her research at conferences, museums and universities in several of the United States, including Hawaii, as well as cities in South Africa and Japan.

A Research Associate for Michigan State University Museum, Pollard is co-creator with that institution of Lest We Forget: Legends of Detroit Gospel Music, a traveling exhibit with sound station, that has been viewed by thousands in libraries, educational institutions, festivals, and community centers. A virtual tour can be found http://museum.msu.edu/museum/tes/index.htm.

For more than two decades, she produced two of the country s largest free outdoor gospel festivals, Detroit s McDonald s GospelFest and the Motor City Praisefest. Previously, Pollard was the producer of GodSounds, a gospel music television magazine that aired on Detroit's NBC affiliate and won a state-wide Emmy Award.

Because of her success in the classroom and in media, she is often invited to serve as a motivational speaker in a variety of settings where her message is that each day brings new opportunities to create, re-create, and excel.

Availability:
Available as a speaker and consultant.