Get To Know Judy...

Judy Eve Lawrence-Lamb is a native of New York and a long-time resident of a small town in Virginia (Suffolk). She now spends her time with her mother Lucretia Lawrence, loving husband William, daughter, son-in-love, and granddaughter in Charlotte, North Carolina.  

She was educated in both the New York public school system and Suffolk’s public school system.  After graduating John F. Kennedy High School in Suffolk, she decided to attend Bronx Community College in New York before transferring to a university.  However, there were many obstacles that prevented her from completing those plans.

Judy married at 19 and had her first child at 21. As her children were born, dreams of completing her education became less a priority. She is not only a stage four, metastatic breast cancer survivor who found herself in the fight again, Judy has survived single-parenthood, rape, the sudden death of her first-born, Adrian and of her father, James in  separate car accidents, domestic violence and many other events that would have caused a less determined individual to give up.  

Finally in 2009 she decided to return to college.  She enrolled at Norfolk State University majoring in English.  As she sat in the students’ union one day after class waiting for her husband, her cell phone rang.  It was her doctor informing her that she had breast cancer.  

She had to leave school for a while as she was unable to perform academically.  The chemotherapy treatments were very aggressive.  Once she completed chemotherapy, she had radiation to contend with.  Even though she was extremely tired most of the time, she continued her studies at Norfolk State University as well as tackling an independent study at Norfolk Theological Seminary & College.  She knew at 45 that God was going to license her and send her out as an evangelist when she turned 60.  Even though many tried to convince her to answer the call years before the time He gave her, she refused to move ahead of God. She preached her initial sermon December 18, 2011…13 days before her 60th birthday.

Judy graduated Magna Cum Laude from Norfolk State University May 2013 with a BS degree.  She  graduated summa cum laude from Norfolk Theological Seminary and College June 2014 with an M.Div...  

She is the mother of four biological children: the late Adrian W. Boddie, James B. Boddie, Allen L. Boddie-Chapman and Nichole L. Boddie-Hopson, 32 grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren, Curtis III , Adriana, Nylah, Karson, Jase, Daylen, Kennedy, Journee, Wesley, Malachi, Kyzeir, Londyon, Kei’lani and Adrian.

 Her family was blessed with 5 children through her union with her husband.  They are William Jr., Michelle, Darrell, Nadine and Brian.  

Freelance writer

February 1981-Present

• Implemented publication and distribution of newsletters to various congregations of local religious institutions.  Publication kept members informed of current and upcoming events as well as served as an inspirational reference.
• Served as a Correspondent Writer for local Suffolk News-Herald covering stories that both positively and adversely affected the community.
• Wrote plays for community and church fundraising events. 
• Wrote and delivered motivational speeches on both local and national platforms.

Macy’s Department Store

September 2008-July 2009

• Employed as a sales representative
• Devised sales strategies that exceeded Company’s performance expectations by over one-thousand percent
• Promoted to marketing specialist to increase overall sales performance storewide.  Conducted training sessions to develop staff to effectively solicit customer base in a professional and respectful manner.

Bernard C. Harris Publishing Company

July 1996-March 2003

• Employed as a marketing representative.
• Produced results as a script writer that exceeded company’s expectations by over 400%.
• Produced news publication recognizing performance, statistics, and sales tips to improve overall communication among sales staff of over 300 employees.
• Promoted to top performing sales manager who contributed $8 million to a $17 million site-wide budget.  Company was faced with a $15 million deficit which was to be equally divided among 12 teams of over 300 employees.  My team consisted of 30 new hires that needed to be trained as well as contribute towards the overall goal.  Rewrote the sales script and trained team as well as the other teams in the company.  Set team’s personal goal at $4 million.  At the end of the quarter, the company exceeded its goal by $2 million.
• Taught as substitute teacher for Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools where she served both regular education students and students with special needs. 
• Serves as caregiver to one of her former special needs students at the request of the student’s parents starting when the pandemic began and is employed by Ryan’s Place.