Meet Chelsey Davis, a Guest of the First Lady at the State of the Union

Tanya Somanader
Tanya Somanader
January 19, 2015
07:15 AM EST

Chelsey Davis is joining the First Lady as a guest at the 2015 State of the Union Address on January 20. Watch it live at 9 p.m. Eastern at WH.gov/SOTU.

Chelsey Davis

Earlier this month, President Obama, Vice President Biden, and Dr. Jill Biden travelled to Pellissippi State Community College in Tennessee -- where the President Announced his plan to make two years of community college free for responsible students. 

Chelsey Davis was in the audience. A native of Jefferson City, Tennessee, Chelsey had enrolled in Pellissippi State Community College to get the best support and resources she needed to re-enter her collegiate career. She will graduate in May with plans to pursue a B.A. in Nutritional Science, but in the meantime, she is making the most of her time there.

She tutors elementary and middle-school children in reading and math, and this summer, she'll study abroad in Segovia, Spain. 

After graduation, Chelsey hopes to serve as an AmeriCorps VISTA. As someone who personally understands how community college can change one's future, Chelsey hopes to encourage high school graduates to take full advantage of the opportunity President Obama is proposing. 

The State of the Union 2015: Everything You Need to Know:

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Meet Katrice Mubiru, a Guest of the First Lady at the State of the Union

Ezra Mechaber
Ezra Mechaber
January 19, 2015
07:15 AM EST

Katrice Mubiru is joining the First Lady as a guest at the 2015 State of the Union address on January 20. Watch it live at 9 p.m. ET at WhiteHouse.gov/SOTU.

KATRICE MUBIRU

When Katrice Mubiru -- a career-technical education teacher in L.A. -- wrote President Obama to share stories of her students, she likely never thought she'd get to meet him.
 
But after writing in with stories of her students who pursued their education to get jobs in the burgeoning health care field despite difficult financial situations, Katrice was invited to introduce the President at the Los Angeles Trade-Technical College.
 
As President Obama said during his visit last July, Katrice is "helping to train people to get the kinds of jobs that we want and opportunity for people that don't have it."
 
Katrice has witnessed first-hand how a technical education gives students skills that can change their lives -- and her stories have helped put a human face on the policies President Obama is fighting for every day.

Related Topics: State of the Union, Louisiana, Maryland, Texas

Meet LeDaya Epps, a Guest of the First Lady at the State of the Union

David Hudson
David Hudson
January 19, 2015
07:15 AM EST

LeDaya Epps is joining the First Lady as a guest at the 2015 State of the Union address on January 20. Watch it live at 9 p.m. ET at WhiteHouse.gov/SOTU.

LEDAYA EPPS

Born in Compton, California, LeDaya was raised in the foster care system until her teenage years. After graduating high school, she had difficulty finding a stable job, bouncing from job to job as a medical assistant for years.

After hitting a few roadblocks in her life, she couldn't find the reliable work and pay she needed to take care of herself and her three children.

That all changed, however, when LeDaya completed a union apprenticeship in construction. She was one of only two women who completed the program, and she's now part of the crew building the new Crenshaw/LAX light rail line with Walsh/Shea Corridor Constructors as a member of Laborers Local 300.

LeDaya lives in Compton with her three children, ages 15, 11, and 3.

Related Topics: State of the Union, California, Rhode Island, Texas

Meet William Elder, Jr., a Guest of the First Lady at the State of the Union

Tanya Somanader
Tanya Somanader
January 19, 2015
07:15 AM EST

Bill Elder is joining the First Lady as a guest at the 2015 State of the Union Address on January 20. Watch it live at 9 p.m. Eastern at WH.gov/SOTU.

William Elder

When Bill Elder was only eight years old, most doctors wouldn't have expected him to live long. At the time, most cystic fibrosis patients were only expected to live to early adulthood.

But thanks to a unique collaboration between the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, patients, researchers, and a pharmaceutical company, Bill -- now 27 -- is a graduate of Stanford University, a third-year medical student in Ohio, and is expecting to live a long, very full life. 

His treatment was innovative, a medication that targets the underlying cause of the disease for a small subset of patients. Inspired by this compassion and cutting-edge care, Bill is studying to become a family practitioner with a focus on preventive care.

His story is a testament to the promise of precision medicine, an emerging approach to treatment that takes into account patients' individual characteristics, and a kind of research the President hopes to expand. 

The State of the Union 2015: Everything You Need to Know

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Meet the First Lady's Guests at This Year's State of the Union:

David Hudson
David Hudson
January 19, 2015
07:15 AM EST

President Obama is delivering the 2015 State of the Union address on Tuesday, January 20. Watch it live at 9 p.m. ET at WhiteHouse.gov/SOTU.

Each year for nearly three decades, the First Lady has invited people to sit in her viewing box and watch the President deliver his State of the Union address at the Capitol. These guests exemplify the themes and ideals that the President lays out in his address.

Those sitting with the First Lady this year include a teenager from the South Side of Chicago, an astronaut going on a year-long mission to the International Space Station this spring, and a woman who was able to have her brain tumor removed thanks to the Affordable Care Act. 

Watch as the guests receive their phone calls inviting them to sit in the First Lady's box tomorrow:

Watch on YouTube

Below is the full list of the remarkable individuals that will sit in the box with Mrs. Obama, Dr. Jill Biden, and Senior Advisor Valerie Jarrett.

Related Topics: State of the Union, Maryland, Ohio, Texas

Meet Kathy Pham, a Guest of the First Lady at the State of the Union

David Hudson
David Hudson
January 19, 2015
07:15 AM EST

Kathy Pham is joining the First Lady as a guest at the 2015 State of the Union address on January 20. Watch it live at 9 p.m. ET at WhiteHouse.gov/SOTU.

Kathy Pham

KATHY PHAM

Kathy, a computer scientist, has used technology throughout her career to tackle pressing challenges. From Google to IBM to Harris Healthcare Solutions, she's designed health care interoperability software, studied disease trends with data analytics, and built data warehouses for hospital.

Now, she's a part of the U.S. Digital Service, where her technology background unites with her passion for public service.

This passion and commitment is rooted in her family's story: Kathy's parents came to America in pursuit of a better life. Her mother received the critical cancer treatment that she needed, thanks to the Affordable Care Act. Her brother earned the Purple Heart for his service in Afghanistan.

As a member of the U.S. Digital Service, she's working to improve health IT for more Americans, expand veterans' access to benefits, and transform how government provides services to families like her own.

Related Topics: State of the Union, Rhode Island, Texas

Meet Tiairris Woodward, a Guest of the First Lady at the State of the Union

Lindsay Holst
Lindsay Holst
January 19, 2015
07:15 AM EST

Tiairris Woodward is joining the First Lady as a guest at the 2015 State of the Union Address on January 20. Watch it live at 9 p.m. Eastern at WH.gov/SOTU.

Tiairris Woodward

Tiairris Woodward, a 43-year-old mom from Harrison, Michigan, took on a second full-time job at Chrysler in 2010 after she found that she couldn't support herself and her three children -- the youngest of whom has special needs -- as an employee of her local school system. 
 
After working 17-hour days across two jobs for some time, Tiairris was able to move solely to her Chrysler assembly line position -- a job that makes her a member of United Auto Workers Local 7. Within a year, she'd saved enough to buy a car and rent a new apartment. Today, she's pursuing her bachelor's degree in business management through Chrysler's Tuition Assistance Program -- and it was all possible because Detroit and the American auto industry came back.
 
The President is focused on ensuring more Americans like Tiairris, and not just a fortunate few, are able to feel the benefits of our American resurgence.
 

The State of the Union 2015: Everything You Need to Know:

Related Topics: Higher Education, Jobs, College Affordability, Economy, Education, State of the Union, Working Families, Florida, Michigan

Meet State Senator Catherine Pugh, a Guest of the First Lady at the State of the Union

Ezra Mechaber
Ezra Mechaber
January 19, 2015
07:15 AM EST

Maryland State Senator Catherine Pugh is joining the First Lady as a guest at the 2015 State of the Union address on January 20. Watch it live at 9 p.m. ET at WhiteHouse.gov/SOTU.

Catherine Pugh

STATE SENATOR CATHERINE PUGH

Senator Catherine Pugh isn't just Maryland's Senate Majority Leader: She's a small business owner who knows first-hand how important it is that employers take care of their employees.
 
Senator Pugh has passed over 100 bills since being elected in 1999, and she's been a tireless advocate on behalf of working families.
 
A believer that workers should never have to choose between taking care of their families and taking care of their work, Senator Pugh recently introduced the "Healthy Working Families Act" -- legislation that would provide Maryland workers with earned paid sick leave. She also worked with Maryland's Women Caucus on a minimum wage increase to $10.10, making a difference in the lives of families across Maryland.

Related Topics: State of the Union, Maryland, Texas

Meet Prophet Walker, a Guest of the First Lady at the State of the Union

Ezra Mechaber
Ezra Mechaber
January 19, 2015
07:15 AM EST

Prophet Walker is joining the First Lady as a guest at the 2015 State of the Union address on January 20. Watch it live at 9 p.m. ET at WhiteHouse.gov/SOTU.

Ana Zamora

PROPHET WALKER

Prophet Walker was serving a six-year sentence for robbery when he made a choice to turn his life around.
 
Walker -- now 27 -- began a program in his prison that provided fellow inmates with the opportunity to complete a two-year college degree.
 
After he was released, Prophet graduated with a degree from Loyola Marymount's Engineering school, working as a construction engineer and still finding time to serve the southern California community.
 
Prophet is the co-founder of Watts United Weekend -- a program that provides weekend camp retreats for hundreds of people weekly, strengthening trust between law enforcement, community members, parents, and kids from local housing projects. He's also worked with young offenders by helping them find opportunities to turn their lives around: He's a founding member of the Anti-Recidivism Coalition, and has worked with InsideOUT Writers, a program that helps juvenile offenders express themselves through writing.

Related Topics: State of the Union, Texas

Meet Nicole Hernandez Hammer, a Guest of the First Lady at the State of the Union

Lindsay Holst
Lindsay Holst
January 19, 2015
07:15 AM EST

Nicole Hernandez Hammer is joining the First Lady as a guest at the 2015 State of the Union Address on January 20. Watch it live at 9 p.m. Eastern at WH.gov/SOTU.

Nicole Hernandez Hammer

Nicole Hernandez Hammer

As a sea-level researcher, Nicole Hernandez Hammer has studied how the cities and regions most vulnerable to the effects of climate change and sea-level rise also have large Hispanic populations -- something she learned firsthand growing up in South Florida
 
A Guatemalan immigrant with Cuban heritage, today Nicole works to mobilize the Latino community to better understand and address climate change's disproportionate effects on the health of Hispanics.
 
Most recently, that means working with Moms Clean Air Force to increase public awareness of climate change on children's health specifically.
 
Nicole lives in Southeast Florida with her husband and her son.
 

The State of the Union 2015: Everything You Need to Know:

Related Topics: Higher Education, Jobs, College Affordability, Economy, Education, State of the Union, Working Families, Florida