The Chief Administrative Officer serves as the conduit of the CME Church by providing centralized and efficient execution, coordination and follow up of denominational programs. It also handles correspondence, questions and concerns either for referral or for action.

A native of Jefferson Davis County, Carson, Mississippi, Dr. Pene’ Carol Gray Woods was the first born and only daughter of a civil rights activist and educator, the late Wardell Gray and the late Mrs. Quillie Ross Gray, and the great-niece of the late Bishop Roy L. Young, 24th Bishop of the C.M.E. Church. She attended the public schools of Jefferson Davis County and graduated the top of her class from Prentiss High School.

Dr. Pene’ Woods was baptized at the Blackmon Temple CME Church of Carson, MS where she served as President of the Youth and pianist starting at the age of 13. She was active on the district and annual conference level. Bishop Joseph Johnson, Jr. and the late Mrs. Katie Johnson were her mentors during her teenage years. In 1976 in Memphis, Tennessee, she was elected President of the National Youth Conference. She represented the denomination at the World Methodist Council in Dublin, Ireland, and other Youth and Young Adult ecumenical meetings in Canada and other parts of the United States. She presented the resolution to the General Conference to start the Young Adult Division under the direction of the late Dr. William R. Johnson, General Secretary of Christian Education at that time. She has been the speaker for various Annual Conference Lay Day and Missionary programs along with conducting workshops on church development and financing.

Pene’ is a graduate of St. Dominic School of Nursing with a degree in Registered Nursing and the University of Mississippi with a Bachelor of Science in Biology. In May of 2016, Texas College presented her the Doctorate of Humane Letters. Her previous work experience includes Emory University Department of Plastic Surgery, Cadet Schools (School Nurse), Delta Airlines (Marketing Director, Memphis); U.S. Airways (Director of Automated Marketing-East Coast Region, Boston, MA); Harvey Hotels (Manager of Executive Sales for 3 properties in Jackson, MS); Lane College (Interim Director of Title III Programs and Director of Freshman Studies). She is the founder and President of Equitable Wisdom LLC where she finances new church construction, renovations, and refinancing along with church development and capital fundraising.

She is married to Curtis E. Woods, Sr. They have four sons; Christopher George, Dominic Sadat, Curtis Jr., Jason, and three grandchildren; Caitlyn, Chris II, and Dominic II.