Roy M. Tatem Jr. is a renowned community leader, political activist, and entrepreneur originally hailing from Virginia Beach, Virginia. In January 1999, Roy landed a coveted job on Capitol Hill as a staffer for Senator Chuck Robb (D-VA), working in constituent services and assisting Virginia residents in their concerns about proposed policy and legislation impacting our nation. Roy worked on key issues pertinent to the Senator’s priorities for Virginia and his constituents, such as public safety, gun control, women’s rights, education, and veterans affairs.
A Talented Businessman
At the same time, Roy pursued a business opportunity with LegalShield, which provides legal service plans and identity theft services. With LegalShield, Roy was recognized in 2005 as one of the youngest Executives to achieve the coveted six-figure ring, which simply means that his personal and team sales earned him over $100,000.00 in commissions in a 12-month time frame. This unique chance furnished him with the means and the freedom to become active and productive in his community by working as a community organizer.
Community Organizing Extraordinaire
Roy began his community organizing journey as a college student in 1996. He made it his mission to work on political campaigns that would have the greatest impact on his community. He became a sensation in local races and captured the attention of several presidential candidates, serving as the Grassroots Coordinator for Hampton Roads for Barack Obama in 2008 and as the Deputy Director for African American Outreach for Bernie Sanders in 2016.
Vanguard Strategies and Consulting LLC
Today, Roy is the principal of Vanguard Strategies and Consulting, LLC, which he established in 2016. His firm provides strategic marketing and campaign solutions to political candidates, social movements, and businesses. Vanguard’s clients range from elected officials and those aspiring to become elected officials to socially conscious organizations and media groups working to educate and engage the community around a specific issue.
Altruism at Its Best
Roy is passionate about empowering communities and addressing social justice issues. Consequently, he has remained very active with several community and civic organizations. He held multiple leadership roles in his fraternity, Alpha Phi Alpha, including president of his collegiate chapter, Beta Gamma, at Virginia State and president of the Delta Tau Lambda Chapter in Phoenix, AZ. His leadership allowed the chapter to compete for National Chapter of the Year in 2015. Roy also served as the president of the East Valley NAACP from 2016-2020; Roy’s political success and experience have allowed him to serve as a national delegate to the Democratic National Convention and was the former Senior Political Director for Our Voice, Our Vote Arizona.
Qualifications and Accolades
Roy has held many professional political positions and appointments that are as diverse as they are impressive. He serves as Special Advisor to the Mayor and City Council in Tempe, AZ. He serves on Colonel Jeff Glover’s Advisory Council to the Arizona Department of Public Safety and Sheriff Penzone’s African American Advisory Committee. Roy is a respected member of the City of Tempe African American Advisory Committee and is a former Commissioner on Tempe’s Census Complete Count Committee. Roy is a lifelong member of the National Urban League and received recognition as one of the Top 10 Young Professional Leaders at their 2017 national convention. In 2019, Roy was accepted into the Race, Equity, and Leadership in Schools Institute at Harvard Graduate School of Education.
An Accomplished Graduate
Roy is a proud 1998 graduate of the historic Virginia State University, completing a degree in Political Science with a minor in Philosophy. In 2021, Roy completed his graduate studies at Arizona State University, earning his Master’s Degree in Integrated Social Sciences, where he concentrated his studies on public safety and social services; his Master’s Thesis was entitled: Social Work Policing: An embedded autonomous model.
He resides in Chandler, Arizona, with his wife, Keisha, his nieces, Tamia, Bryanna, and Jordan, and the amazing memory of his daughter Madison (deceased).