Meet the Visionaries Behind Akanna 

Executive Team Background

Melissa Boston, Chief Executive Officer:
Melissa Boston brings over 29 years experience in the Direct Selling Industry and more than 15 years in business development, sales and collections for Corporate America. Her work ethic and tremendous drive to exceed her performance targets in record time propelled her to MVP status at 6 of the 8 companies she has ever worked for full-time. She has consistently ranked as a star performer throughout her 30 year work span.

As a Social Media Strategist and top performer in the direct selling industry she has built and coached more than 50,000 distributors in over 40 countries around the world. She is an author, a best-selling co- author and an international speaker. She has been featured twice in Success from Home magazine and on the cover of Business from Home Magazine. She has been consistently nominated into the leadership counsel of top network marketing companies including a biotech company with over $40 million dollars in reserve for product development where she was one of 8 top distributors influencing the direction of the company.

She has a proven track record of success and has helped numerous companies flourish by recognizing existing and emerging market trends as well as operational strengths and weaknesses. She has helped both startup companies and multibillion dollar operations increase efficiency and improve productivity through her innovative strategies and relentless dedication to finding solutions for complex problems and challenges. In corporate America this led to an increase in sales of over $100,000 million over a 4 year span for a multi-billion dollar International shipping company.

Dr. Patricia Van Pelt, President:
Born in Chicago, Dr. Patricia Van Pelt-Scott is an evangelist, author, entrepreneur, overcomer, and an Illinois State Senator. Patricia grew up in Chicago's notorious Cabrini Green Projects in a single-parent home, along with her six siblings. At age ten, being influenced by her mother's civil rights work and the tumultuous unrest of the 1960s, Patricia felt a calling to help people overcome struggles associated with discrimination and marginalization

Fueled by her calling, Patricia studied the philosophy of social movements, and continued until she completed her doctorate degree. After that, Dr. Patricia travelled to various countries teaching public officials, parishioners, and other leaders how to organize and mobilize people to overcome challenges associated with unfairness and injustice.

That journey led Dr. Van Pelt into the political arena. Currently, Patricia Van Pelt, PhD is serving her third term as an Illinois State Senator. Notwithstanding, she remains active in the ministry of Jesus Christ and continues to work toward helping people overcome the challenges of our times. Patricia is married to Gene Scott Jr. They have been blessed with four children.

Phyllis Nash,  Chief Sales Officer:
Phyllis Nash brings over 30 years of experience in service and sales, from the ground up working as a cashier to the General Manager of all Leon’s Barbeque locations. Her leadership role began in 1974 – 1982. In 1983 she became a Liquor Sales Representative and worked in outside sales for 8 years. During that time, she also opened a Sweet Shop and Transportation Company, Martel's Magnificent Transportation. In 1998, Nash and her Partner Ekeh Lewis started LeNa Enterprises and LeNa Realty Group where they focused on Real Estate Development. During that time, she also became Vice - President of the African American Homebuilders Organization where they developed single family homes in partnership with the City of Chicago in the 3rd ward which was led by Alderman Dorothy Tillman. Nash started in Direct Sales in 2006 and loved the lifestyle of working from home/remotely.

Dr. Rita J. McGuire, Chief Medial Officer:
Rita J. McGuire, MD, affectionately known as  Dr. Rita, is a globally recognized OB/GYN with over eight thousand deliveries throughout a 30 year career within the United States, Virgin Islands and Caribbean. She is a well-established medical professional serving as Medical Director and Attending Physician for prominent academic and community hospitals throughout the Midwest and Caribbean, providing effective patient care and innovative training techniques to medical students. 

A compassionate and people-oriented motivational speaker, Holistic Health, Wellness & Fitness Expert, Dr. Rita used her gifts to educate and empower women to pursue and maintain healthy lifestyles through proper nutrition, physical fitness and natural alternative medicine in South Africa, Mexico, Bahamas and across the United States.

Dr. Rita, a four-time medical cannabis radio show spotlight guest (WVON Chicago and Bermuda Radio) is a strong and dedicated advocate for the education and legalization of medical cannabis. Her pursuit of holistic and alternative medicine led her to become Co-Founder and Chief Medical Officer of the only African American owned Hemp company in Illinois and as a certifying Medical Marijuana physician, where she has presented educational information to medical professional and the general public on the use of cannabis for various health issues: Glaucoma, Diabetes, Heart Disease and Cancer.

Dr. Rita’s passion, drive, and dedication is evident in her extensive research and application of knowledge throughout her medical and wellness practices.