LEADERSHIP | mygeba

2022-2023 Executive Board

The George Edgecomb Bar Association Executive Board: July 1, 2022 - June 30, 2023

Cornelius Demps, Esq., President

Cornelius Demps serves as the 21st President of the George Edgecomb Bar Association (“GEBA”). GEBA is the largest predominantly African-America bar association in Hillsborough County consisting of nearly three hundred members including attorneys, judges, elected officials, corporate counsels, non-profit leaders, and other legal professionals. GEBA awards scholarships to graduating seniors who exhibit academic excellence and who are the first in their families to attend college. GEBA also hosts its annual Know Your Legal Rights Workshop where it provides free consultations to underserved communities seeking legal assistance.

Attorney Demps is the Founding Partner of The Demps Law Firm, PLLC in Wesley Chapel. The firm specializes in the areas of appellate practice, commercial litigation, and personal injury. The Fort Pierce native first developed his passion for the law when he competed at the Harvard National Invitational Debate Tournament at 14-years-old making him both the youngest student and the first African American student in St. Lucie County history to accomplish such a feat.
Attorney Demps earned his bachelor’s degree in Industrial Engineering from The Florida State University in 2007 where he conducted a senior design project with the United States Air Force at Eglin Air Force Base in Niceville, Florida. He later earned his juris doctorate from Stetson University College of Law in 2010. He earned his certification in Stetson’s Concentration in Advocacy program. He also competed as a member of the legendary Stetson Law Trial Team where he earned Best Advocate awards at competitions across the country including Portland, OR; Kansas City; Orlando; and New Orleans. He was bestowed the Victor O. Whele Award for Excellence in Trial Advocacy and inducted into the National Order of the Barristers.

His career began serving as an Assistant State Attorney in the Sixth Judicial Circuit of Florida. Assigned to the West Pasco Division, he prosecuted serious felonies including Drug Trafficking, Sexual Battery, Home Invasion Robbery, and Murder in jury trials. During his tenure, he was also appointed as a special prosecutor in a video voyeurism trial involving a Pasco Sheriff’s Office deputy charged with committing the crime. The Tampa Bay Times recognized Attorney Demps’ effort in successfully prosecuting this case.

Following his time as a trial prosecutor, Attorney Demps would go on to serve as an appellate prosecutor at the Florida Office of the Attorney General in Tampa during the Pam Bondi Administration. As an Assistant Attorney General, he conducted over twenty-six oral arguments including cases before the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit, the United States District Court for the Middle District, and the Second District Court of Appeal.

After a stellar career in public service, Attorney Demps went on to serve as a corporate litigator for prestigious Tampa Bay law firms. During his career, he has represented privately held and Fortune 500 companies in a variety of commercial litigation matters including contract disputes, employment litigation, intellectual property claims, and professional liability defense.

Attorney Demps’ professional recognitions include holding an AV Preeminent rating from Martindale-Hubbell; being listed among Florida Trend Magazine’s Legal Elite Government Attorneys; Florida Super Lawyer's Rising Stars from 2019 through 2022; and named as one of the Best Lawyers in America 2022 and 2023. Attorney Demps was also listed among the “People to Know in Law” by the Tampa Bay Business Journal for a significant win in CARES Act litigation involving Florida garnishment law and the Paycheck Protection Program. Attorney Demps has also been nominated for both judicial appointments to the Hillsborough County Court and a magistrate judicial appointment in the Middle District of Florida encompassing Jacksonville, Orlando, Tampa, and Fort Myers.

Dionne M. Jones Esq., Vice President

Dionne Jones serves as the Vice President of the George Edgecomb Bar Association and graduated from the
University of Florida College of Law as a Council on Legal Education Opportunity Fellow. She is a trial attorney for
Allstate Insurance Company.

As a native of Tampa, Dionne is the past Co-Chair of the Diversity and Community
Action Committee for the Hillsborough Association of Women Lawyers. As a member of the George Edgecomb Bar
Association, Dionne has served as Co-Chairman of the Role Model Committee for multiple years as well as
Chairman of the Scholarship Banquet Committee, and Treasurer. Dionne has been awarded the President’s Award
under two separate presidencies. Dionne is also the Vice President of the National Black Prosecutors Association,
which led to her acceptance as a fellow for Stanford Business School and Prosecutors Leaders Now program.

In 2013, Dionne graduated from the USF with a Ph.D. in Leadership and worked as a faculty member for several years teaching leadership as well as law curriculum. She was selected by the Provost to be an integral part of the Diversity
Task Force for the recruitment and retention of faculty of color. In the community, Dionne is the President of the Board of Trustees for Abe Brown Ministries, Inc. and served on the Board of Trustees for Tampa Preparatory
School. At Tampa Preparatory School, she distinguished herself as an Executive Board member, Chairman of the Strategic Plan Committee and tenure on the Governance, Financial Resources and Risk Management Committees. Dionne is also a former Harvard.

Travis J. Coy, Esq., Immediate Past President

Travis Coy is the Immediate Past President of the George Edgecomb Bar Association. He is an Assistant State Attorney with the Office of the State Attorney, Thirteenth Judicial Circuit wherein he is the Juvenile Division Chief. Prior to becoming Juvenile Division Chief, Travis was the Deputy Chief in Circuit Criminal Division A, where he prosecuted serious felony cases. Travis graduated from The Florida State University with honors in Communication Studies and a minor in Sociology.

As a law student at Stetson University College of Law, Travis served as Associate Chief Justice of Stetson’s nationally recognized Moot Court Board, and as Treasurer and Parliamentarian of the Black Law Student Association. He functions as a member of The Florida Bar’s Judicial Nominating Procedures Committee and is a Barrister in the Tampa Bay Inn of Court. He has also served as the Vice President of the Tampa Bay Chapter of the National Black Prosecutors Association. Travis is a Tampa native and was Hillsborough High School’s first recipient of a GEBA scholarship.

Tiffany S. Hilton, Esq., Treasurer

Tiffany S. Hilton serves as the George Edgecomb Bar Association Treasurer.

Andre Sesler, Esq., Secretary

Andre Sesler serves as Secretary of the George Edgecomb Bar Association.

Reed L.L. Blair, Esq., Press Secretary

Reed L. L. Blair serves as Press Secretary of the George Edgecomb Bar Association. Graduating from Stetson University College of Law, Reed is a former recipient of the George Edgecomb Bar Association Bar Prep Scholarship. Prior to law school Reed received Bachelor’s degrees in both Political Science and Africana Studies at Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island.
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Reed has gained experience representing both regional and national insurance companies, litigating First Party Property disputes, Personal Injury, Premises Liability, Auto Accident, Wrongful Death, Uninsured Motorists, and Insurance coverage issues amongst others.

Previously, Reed pursued criminal trial defense at the Orlando and Tampa Public Defender’s Office, serving Florida’s indigent population in both County and Circuit Courts.

Justin O. Scott, Esq., General Council

Justin O. Scott serves as General Council for the George Edgecomb Bar Association.

Anitra Raiford Clement, Esq., Parliamentarian

Anitra R. Clement proudly serves as GEBA’s Parliamentarian. Anitra is a Partner in the Class Action & Complex Litigation as well as the Product Liability practice groups at Shook Hardy & Bacon. Dedicated to understanding long-term business goals, she keeps client values top of mind while solving problems creatively and efficiently. Her national practice spans various industries including automotive, consumer goods, distribution, insurance, pharmaceutical and technology. Her experiences include defending consumer protection, contract, personal injury, product liability, tort, trade secrets, unfair trade practice, warranty and wrongful death disputes. She also prosecutes non-compete agreements, resolves pre-litigation disputes and counsels clients on special non-litigation business projects. She leads small teams that manage individual cases and co-leads large teams that manage dockets. She has been peer-recognized through Best Lawyers, Florida Super Lawyers and Florida Trend listings.

Outside of GEBA and Shook, Anitra enjoys spending quality time with her family, playing competitive tennis and cheering on the Florida Gators. Anitra is very active in the community including through other bar associations and volunteerism.

Jane A. Rose, Esq., At Large Member

Jane A. Rose is a BV Distinguished rated attorney who currently serves as Board Member at large of the George Edgecomb Bar Association. Ms. Rose has dedicated her legal career to government service. She is a Senior Assistant County Attorney with the Hillsborough County Attorney’s Office, in the Employment & Regulatory Services division. Since 2002, she has also practiced in the office’s Water & Environmental Management Division and Municipal Services Division. Ms. Rose is a former Senior Assistant Attorney General with the Economic Crimes Litigation Division of the Florida Attorney General’s Office in Tallahassee, FL, and a former Assistant Counsel with the United States Navy, Office of Counsel in Philadelphia, PA. Ms. Rose is a native of Boston, Massachusetts.

She graduated from the University of Massachusetts with a Bachelor of Arts degree, magne cum laude, and from Widener University School of Law in Wilmington, DE. Ms. Rose has made Florida her home since 1990. Ms. Rose has been a dedicated member of GEBA since 2002 and in 2016 received GEBA’s President’s Award for her commitment, loyalty, unwavering support, time, care and humility in all that she does for the organization. Ms. Rose serves on The Florida Bar’s Judicial Administration & Evaluation Committee. She is a member of the Board of Directors of the Hillsborough Association for Women Lawyers, and is a member of The Pearl Society of Bay Area Legal Services, Inc.

LaKisha M. Kinsey-Sallis, Esq., At Large Member

LaKisha M. Kinsey-Sallis serves as one of the At-Large members for the George Edgecomb Bar Association. She graduated magna cum laude from Florida A & M University and earned her juris doctorate from Loyola University Chicago School of Law. The school recognized her trial advocacy skills by naming her a Philip H. Corboy Trial Fellow.

LaKisha is Of Counsel at Fisher Phillips. She has extensive experience representing private and public sector employers of all sizes and across several industries including hospitality, retail, healthcare, education, public housing, and technology. She is a 2012 graduate of the Hillsborough County Bar Association’s Leadership Institute and currently serves as the National Legal Advisor to Jack and Jill of America, Inc. As an At-Large member, Lakisa is an ambassador for GEBA at various organizations including Junior League of Tampa and the Florida Bar’s Diversity and Inclusion Committee.