MAACE Board Members

Daphne Monix Higgins President

President of the Board of the Mississippi Association of Adult Education

Adult Education Lead Instructor for Holmes Community College

State Association of Adult Education Fellow (SAAEF) for Mississippi 2022 - 2023

MAACE member since 2019

Daphne Monix Higgins, president of the Mississippi Association of Adult and Community Education (MAACE) Board of Directors, is employed with Holmes Community College as the Lead Instructor of the school's Adult Education program. Stationed at the Yazoo City site, Daphne has been with Holmes since 2017.

Relatively new to education, Daphne is a 1983 honors graduate of Jackson State University, where she earned a degree in Mass Communications with a concentration in Journalism. She worked as a newspaper reporter and later sales manager for nearly two decades before beginning her own professional development company, C. Alexander Enhancement Services. Throughout her career she has received several honors and awards and had the opportunity to charter one organization and lead several others as president or chair. She is a proud member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. and serves faithfully in various ministries at College Hill Missionary Baptist Church. She is married to John Higgins and they are the proud parents of two adult children: Charence and John II.

The daughter of a G.E.D. recipient, her father, Clarence Monix; Daphne believes that it's never too late to follow your dream because "Dreams bring peace and actions bring success".

GENEVA ATKINS
VICE-PRESIDENT

“Knowledge is good, but applied knowledge changes your circumstances and ultimately your life,” declares Geneva Atkins to her class. Geneva Atkins understands that education is a lifelong journey as she strives to both teach and learn something new everyday. She has 30 years experience in adult education. She currently serves as Lead Instructor and Smart Start Educator at East Mississippi Community College in Mayhew, MS.

She has been a member of the MAACE Board for over ten years and currently serves as the MAACE Vice President. She received the Northen Region Teacher of the Year Award for 2012-2013. In addition, she received the Chambers of Commerce Award for Leadership of Tomorrow.

She holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Alcorn State University and a Master of Science from Liberty University.

Geneva believes that every single person is capable of learning and deserves the opportunity to succeed. Through education, empowerment, and encouragement, we can create an unstoppable workforce to improve our families, community, and our state.

Sandy Smith
Treasurer

Treasurer of the Board of the Mississippi Association of Adult Education

Adult Education Instructor for Copiah-Lincoln Community College, Natchez, MS

MAACE member since 2025

Sandy views adult education as a powerful tool for personal transformation and community development. Sandy’s degrees include two B.S. Degrees from Mississippi College in Mathematics and Computer Science and a Master’s Degree in Management Information Systems. Sandy’s career of over 25 years in the field of education has been inspired by generations of educators in her family and has reinforced her belief that education changes
lives. By supporting adult learners in Mississippi, we are not only helping individuals start a new career or educational pathway but also strengthening families and building a more prosperous future for our Mississippi communities.