Born on May 6, 1961, Bishop Dr. George E. Butts Sr. was raised in Daytona Beach, Florida, by his paternal grandparents, Bishop Eddie and Mother Jestine Butts, following the passing of his mother. His gifts in ministry and music became evident at an early age. By the age of 12, he was already serving as his church's organist and choir director and would later serve in various areas of ministry under his uncle, Reverend Dr. Henry L. Butts.

An accomplished athlete and vocalist, Bishop Butts excelled in both football and music while attending Seabreeze High School. His musical gifts afforded him the opportunity to perform at Carnegie Hall, while his athletic abilities opened doors at North Carolina A&T and Bethune Cookman College. During his time at Bethune Cookman, he became a member of the world renowned Concert Chorale and answered the call to ministry, beginning what would become a lifetime of spiritual leadership, mentorship, and community service.

For more than 35 years, Bishop Butts served within Volusia County Schools while building an extraordinary legacy as an educator and coach. He coached multiple sports and retired from the school district in 2022. As head coach of the Atlantic High School Lady Sharks basketball program, he established himself as one of the most accomplished coaches in the region. His impact was further memorialized when the school gymnasium was named the George E. Butts Gymnasium in his honor.

His influence in athletics has continued well beyond retirement. Bishop Butts currently leads the Flagler Palm Coast High School Lady Bulldogs and has accumulated 595 career victories, placing him only five wins away from the historic 600 win milestone. He currently holds the distinction of having the most career wins of any boys' or girls' varsity basketball coach in Flagler and Volusia Counties.

His decades of service have also resulted in significant community recognition. On January 27, 2021, the City of Port Orange, Florida, honored him with Coach George Butts Day in recognition of his impact through athletics and mentorship. In 2023, he was recognized as a Hometown Hero in the City of Daytona Beach, honoring his longstanding service and influence within the community. In March 2026, Bishop Butts was further celebrated as a Midtown Legend, athletic icon, and historic coach of Daytona Beach's Midtown community, recognizing a legacy that reaches far beyond wins and losses.

Bishop Butts is the founder of Evangelistic Family Worship Center and New Heart Christian Center and serves as Presiding Bishop of New Heart Ministries. He holds an honorary Doctorate of Divinity from St. Thomas University and has devoted more than 45 years of his life to ministry and more than three decades to pastoral leadership.

Under the leadership of Bishop Butts and Lady Cathy D. Butts, New Heart Christian Center has developed a ministry philosophy that extends beyond the walls of the sanctuary and seeks to meet both the spiritual and practical needs of the community. Through The Neighbor's Table Food Pantry, the ministry provides food assistance to individuals and families experiencing need. Recognizing the unique needs of young adults pursuing higher education, New Heart also provides hot meals to college students on the second and fourth Sundays of each month, creating an environment where students can receive nourishment, fellowship, encouragement, and support.

Community engagement and evangelism remain central to the heart of New Heart Christian Center. Through monthly neighborhood outreach initiatives, members take ministry into the surrounding community, sharing the love of Jesus Christ, building relationships, and compelling individuals to experience the transforming power of a life committed to Christ.

The church also maintains a strong commitment to the development of children and young people through community initiatives, mentorship, spiritual formation, and leadership development. Programs such as Lilies of the Heart and Sons of Light provide intentional mentorship designed to nurture young people as they develop spiritually, socially, personally, and purposefully. Bishop Butts' lifelong investment in youth is reflected in one of his most recognized guiding statements: "Children need role models."

Beyond his public accomplishments, Bishop Butts remains deeply committed to family. He is married to Lady Cathy Ann Davis Butts, who has faithfully served alongside him throughout their journey in ministry and community leadership. Together they have four children, Venitra, Ardelia, Ebony, and George Jr., who serve alongside them in ministry. Alongside their children, serving with Bishop Butts are his daughter in law, Dr. Shirma Butts, and his sons in law, Pastor Gregory Dukes Jr. and Mr. Philip Smith. He also cherishes his grandchildren and great grandchildren. He remains a beloved community figure, known not simply as a pastor and coach, but also as a mentor and joyful presence.

Through ministry, education, athletics, mentorship, and community service, Bishop Dr. George E. Butts Sr.'s life represents a legacy of faith, leadership, service, and investment in people. Whether standing behind a pulpit, coaching from the sideline, feeding a family, mentoring a young person, or serving his community, his life's work continues to reflect the principles and words by which he has endeavored to live:

"Children need role models."

Bishop Dr. George E. Butts Sr.

"Remember only what you do for Christ will last."

Bishop Dr. George E. Butts Sr.

Cynthia Slater is a lifelong Daytona Beach resident whose personal and professional journey reflects the city’s transition from segregation to integration. She attended the segregated Bonner Elementary School and Campbell Junior High School before the mandatory integration of Volusia County schools led her to Holly Hill Junior High in 1968. She later graduated from Mainland Senior High School in 1974.

Slater graduated cum laude from Bethune-Cookman College in 1979 and earned master’s degrees in special education with a concentration in Visual Disabilities and Teacher Leadership. She began her career as a physical education teacher and coach with Volusia County Public Schools. She later dedicated 36 years to the Florida Division of Blind Services, retiring as a Senior Human Services Program Manager.

For more than 22 years, Slater has served as president of the Volusia County-Daytona Beach Branch of the NAACP. Before becoming president, she served as first vice president under the leadership of the legendary Charles W. Cherry Sr. She currently serves as second vice president of the Florida State Conference of the NAACP and chairs its Civic Engagement Committee.

Percy Williamson is a Daytona Beach native with extensive Public / Private and Community Grass Roots experience who launched a new consulting firm in November 2019 called Summit Governmental Strategies, Inc. where he currently serves as the company’s Senior Principle. Mr. Williamson spent 15 years as Director of Leisure Services for The City of Daytona Beach, retiring in January 2018. During the height of his tenure, he directed a 120 member professional staff and managed a multi-million dollar annual budget for the city’s 3rd largest municipal department.

Prior to his public sector position with The City of Daytona Beach, Mr. Williamson had a 25-year career in the banking industry working for two of the nations largest banks in the country: Wells Fargo Bank where he served as Vice President and Regional Relationship Manager of its Community Development Division, and Bank of America, where he served as Vice President and State Manager of the Community Development Finance Group. Mr. Williamson oversaw community development projects throughout the State of Florida.

Mr. Williamson is a Graduate of Bethune Cookman University with a B.S. Degree in Business Administration. He is also a Graduate of Leadership Jacksonville, as well as a Graduate of Leadership Daytona Beach

Janae Ponder, LCSW, is a licensed clinical social worker based in Deltona, Florida, with licenses in Florida, North Carolina, and New Hampshire. She is the founder of Life-Spire Counseling Services, LLC, a thriving mental health practice, and the visionary behind Life-Spire Community Services, Inc., a nonprofit dedicated to closing mental health gaps in West Volusia County. Through free and reduced cost services, therapist training, and community advocacy, she works to ensure that quality mental health care is accessible to all.

A graduate of Bethune Cookman University, Class of 2010, and a native of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, Janae’s journey has always been rooted in service. She recalls that community service was her babysitter. As a child she volunteered at local daycare centers and the African American Research Library in Broward County. When she asked her mother why she had them volunteer so often, her mother replied, “I had nowhere else for you to go.” Those early experiences instilled in Janae the belief that community service raised her, and today she describes herself not as an entrepreneur but as a servant.

Janae holds a Master of Social Work degree from the University of Central Florida and is a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. She is also a Qualified Supervisor, ushering in and empowering new therapists with the confidence that they are competent, prepared, and capable of doing this work with excellence.

Her work spans multiple platforms. She is the creator of Tuesday Talks with Janae, a bold discussion series addressing grief, trauma, relationships, and emotional wellness with creativity and practicality. She also co facilitates Therapy Tuesdays, a faith rooted empowerment series bridging the gap between the church and the couch. She is a published author of the Coloring Books for the Soul series, 100 Bold Affirmations to Calm Your Fears, and its companion journal. She also organizes large scale community events such as the BIPOC Mental Health Fair and Therapist Sip & Supports, creating spaces where professionals and community members come together to reduce stigma and increase access.

Her primary theoretical orientation is, at its core, “Janae.” It is a personalized blend of evidence based practices from both the external clinical world and the deeply rooted wisdom of her lived experiences. She leads with flexibility, creativity, and cultural awareness, meeting clients where they are and providing what they need in the moment. If she were to conceptualize her approach, she would describe it as the pursuit of what is unspoken: barriers, desires, and untapped strengths. Through thought provoking questions and reflective engagement, she aims to foster growth and insight without enabling. Her work is a balance of structure and soul, driven by intuition, strategy, and the belief that healing is not one size fits all.

Janae’s leadership has been recognized with several honors, including induction into Bethune Cookman University’s inaugural 40 Under 40 in 2015, the Bethune Cookman University Trailblazer in Healthcare Award in 2025, the Heart of the City Honoree Award in 2025, and the NAACP West Volusia Branch Rising Star Award, presented at the 32nd Annual Freedom Fund Banquet on September 27, 2025.

Above all her professional accomplishments, Janae treasures her role as a wife and mother. She is happily married to Kyle Ponder and is the proud mother of two beautiful, spunky, and brave daughters, Amor and Kyla. Her family is her greatest joy and her deepest source of strength. She often reflects on how blessed she is to be so loved by them and how their love fuels her commitment to serve others.

Through every counseling session, community event, and conversation, Janae shows up with authenticity, cultural honor, and the heart of a servant. She does not see her work as a title or position but as a calling to treat people well, to stand in the gaps, and to remind others that healing is possible.