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Ministry Staff
"I must work the works of the one that sent me, while it is day; the night cometh when no man can work". -John 9:4
Reverend
Anissa Little
Associate Minister/First Lady
Minstrel
Dr. Travis D. Cooper
Director of Music
Staff Biographies
Reverend Anisa Little Associate Minister
Rev. Little is the daughter of Jasper and Willia Thompson. She was born and raised in Bear Creek, NC. She graduated from Chatham Central High School where she was a premiere athlete, excelling in tennis, basketball, softball, and track &field. Her athletic performance on the basketball court, afforded her a basketball scholarship to Elon University, formerly known as Elon College. She graduated with honors from Elon with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Physical Education with teacher certification in grades K-12.
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Rev. Little has been teaching Health & Physical Education and coaching various sports at the high school level for 26 years. For 17 years, she was employed by the Wake County Public School System. She taught at Wake Forest Rolesville High School for 11 years and there she was the Head Varsity Women’s Basketball, Softball, and Men’s Track & Field coach. She then went to Knightdale High School for the next 6 years, where she was Co-Department Chair, taught, and coached Varsity Women’s Basketball and Track. She is formerly a teacher and the Head Varsity Women’s Basketball Coach and Head Junior Varsity Women's Softball Coach at Gray’s Creek High School in Hope Mills, NC. Presently, Rev. Little is a teacher and Varsity Women’s Head Basketball Coach at Union Pines High School in Carthage NC. Rev. Little is also an entrepreneur as part owner of Thompson & Little Transportation Inc. and a CEO in Total Life Changes Health and Wellness Company.
Rev. Little was nurtured spiritually at the Centennial AME Zion Church in Bear Creek. She is an anointed singer and a gifted musician. There she served as the minister of music for the Voices of Zion choir for many years. She has sung as a background vocalist for National Gospel recording artist, CoCo McMillian. Rev. Little is also the lead singer of “Spirit of Praise,” a family group from Centennial.
Rev. Little has been married to her high school sweetheart, Rev. Corey D. Little, Pastor of Mitchell Chapel AME Zion Church, for 23 years and they are the proud parents of two sons, Derrin and Jared. They reside in Pittsoboro, NC. Rev. Little preached her trial sermon on August 24, 2003 and is now an ordained Elder in the AME Zion Church.
Dr. Travis Cooper Music Director
Travis Dwayne Cooper is a native of Fayetteville, NC where he was reared and raised in The AME Zion Church. He is the son of Retired SSG. James T. Cooper and Shirley J.B. Grissett. He is a twin and is the eldest sibling of three. He began formal piano and music theory training at the age of 8 and has since immersed himself in Music Ministry under the tutelage of Robert Roberts, Rosalind Sands, Ed Melvin Jr., Becky White, Cedric Thompson and Bishop Ralph Donnie Graves.
Through the ministry of John P. Kee, Travis received Jesus Christ as his personal Lord and Savior at the age of 17 and has shared his musical gifts, graces and talents for the following churches in Fayetteville, NC area throughout High School and College: Wesley Chapel AMEZ Church, Mount Hebrew AMEZ Church, New Bethel AMEZ Church, and Creeksville AMEZ Church in Spring Lake, NC. While attending NC Central University, he served as a founding member of the Worship and Praise Inspirational Mass Choir of NCCU and served as Minister of Music for this group for 3 years. During his time in the "Triangle Area" he served as the Minister of Music for Markham Chapel Missionary Baptist Church of Durham, N.C. for 15 years, Poplar Springs Christian Church of Raleigh, N.C. for 11 years and Pleasant Grove Christian Church of Cary for 3 years. He is also the Founder and Executive Producer for The Abundant Blessings Chorale in The Raleigh/Durham area and has recorded three Gospel Music projects with original songs he has penned over the years for this aggregation of singers and musicians.
Travis is a life-long learner attending North Carolina Central University in Durham, N.C. where he is deemed a "Triple Eagle" earning three degrees; a Bachelor's Degree in Music Education, a Master's Degree in Education/School Administration, an additional Master's Degree in Educational Technology/Instructional Design and a Doctorate of Education Higher Education Administration and Leadership.
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Dr. Cooper's professional passions for Education, Instructional Leadership and Technology has afforded him the opportunity to serve as a certified Educator/Administrator in the state of North Carolina for more than two decades in the areas of Technology, Digital Media Design and Music Education. He is currently employed by the NC Department of Adult Correction as the Education Technology Administrator. In this role is afforded the opportunity to serve as a Technology Trainer and Curriculum Designer for Prison Instructors, Adolescent/Young Adult inmates and Administrators. He is also the sole proprietor of Cooper's Creative Concepts, a Desktop Publishing and Design Firm.
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Travis' favorite scripture is "Eyes have not seen, nor ears heard, the things God has prepared for them who love the Lord".
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