Biographies – ACF/HHS Participants
Schneider, Daniel
Daniel C. Schneider, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for the Administration for Children and Families, assumed the acting Assistant Secretary role effectiveDaniel Schneider was the Principal Deputy
Assistant Secretary for Children and Families at the United States Department
of Health and Human Services. With a $49 billion budget, the Administration for
Children and Families (ACF) is responsible for programs that promote the social
and economic well-being of
Prior to his appointment at ACF, Mr. Schneider
served as the General Counsel at the National Endowment for the Humanities
(NEH), an independent grant-making agency of the United States government
dedicated to supporting research, education, and programs in the humanities.
During his NEH appointment he was detailed for one year to the White House
Office of Presidential Personnel where he served as the Deputy Associate
Director. Mr. Schneider’s first appointment in the executive branch was at the
U.S. Department of Labor where he served as the White House Liaison.
Prior to joining the Bush administration he
worked for four years on Capitol Hill as the Chief of Staff to U.S. Congressman
James R. Ryun.
Mr. Schneider came to
He holds a law degree from
Dawson, Diann
Diann Dawson serves as the Director of the Office of Regional Operations within the Administration for Children and Families (ACF), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. A senior level director and principal advisor to the Assistant Secretary regarding field operations, she provides leadership and direction to ACF’s ten regional offices responsible for federal oversight and implementation of more than 60 human service programs to promote the well-being of children and families. Those programs include Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF), Child Care, Child Support Enforcement, Head Start, Foster Care and Adoption, Child Abuse and Neglect, Child Welfare, and Runaway and Homeless Youth.A career
public servant with over 30 years of Federal executive leadership and State
program management experience,
With a
background in social work,
Ms. Dawson
received her J.D. degree from the Columbus School of Law at the Catholic
University of America in
Ms. Dawson
is married and the mother of one son.
McCowan, Leon
Leon R. McCowan serves as the Regional Administrator for the Administration for Children and Families, Region VI, in Dallas, Texas. He provides executive leadership, direction, and coordination for all ACF programs in the region, consisting of the states ofWith
more than 30 years of professional federal service, Mr. McCowan began his
career in the Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Service. He has
held various program and management positions within the Department of Health
and Human Services, including: Regional Hub Director, West-Central Hub; Deputy
Program Manager for the Office of Family Assistance; and as the Deputy Regional
Representative for Child Support Enforcement.
In
2001, Mr. McCowan was recognized with the prestigious "Presidential Rank
Award" for Meritorious Executives, and was presented with two
"Secretary's Award for Distinguished Service" by the Department of
Health and Human Services. The first award commended his creativity, initiative
and vision in developing approaches to partnerships for results with Hub
Stakeholders and inventing a model organizational strategy for the West-Central
Hub. The second lauded his efforts with the Department of Health and Human
Services National Fatherhood Initiative. He received the Secretary's Award in
2000 as well, for outstanding performance of Y2K activities.
Mr.
McCowan is a member of the International Who's Who of Professionals. The North
Texas Chapter of Blacks in Government honored Mr. McCowan with a "Career
Achievement Award." He was named "Manager of the Year" by the
National Treasury Employees Union and was presented the "Unsung Hero
Award" by the Dallas Chapter of Federally Employed Women.
Mr.
McCowan received his B.A. in Sociology from
He
is married to Curtistene McCowan; they have two married sons and three
granddaughters.
Thomas, Joyce
Joyce A. Thomas is the Regional Administrator for the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) Region V, Chicago. The Region comprises the 6 states includingNationally,
she serves as the Lead Regional Administrator for the Office of Community
Services and the Faith Based and Community Initiatives within ACF. Ms. Thomas is
also a major proponent of the ACF Healthy
Marriage Initiative (HMI). As a result,
Region V states are leaders in the HMI with three of the seven national Office
of Child Support Enforcement HMI waivers. Additionally, Ms. Thomas is one of
four co-leaders of the African American Healthy Marriage Initiative
(AAHMI).
Region V is
responsible for 250 Head Start Grantees serving 141,588 children, 97 Early Head
Start Grantees serving 7,797 pregnant women, infants and toddlers and 87
Runaway and Homeless Youth Organizations. It represents 22.8% of the nation's Child Support
Enforcement caseload. In FY 2003, Region
V achieved a child support collection rate of 60.5% and a rate of 70% of child
support cases with support orders. Currently, Region V represents 30% of the
national Tribal Child Support Programs.
Before her
employment with the ACF Ms. Thomas served as the Commissioner of the State of
A graduate
of the
Joyce Thomas is married and has one daughter.
Williams, Carlis
Carlis V. Williams serves as the Southeast Regional Administrator for the Department of Health and Human Services/Administration for Children and Families (ACF) based inBefore
assuming her present position, Carlis was the Executive Assistant to the
Governor for Human Services in the State of
Previously,
Carlis served as Deputy Director for the Indiana Family and Social Services
Administration, Division of Family and Children, and was responsible for
programs related to family resources: Temporary Assistance for Needy Families,
Food Stamps, Medicaid, JOBS, Housing and Community Services. Additionally, she had the lead responsibility
for the design and implementation of welfare reform in the state.
Carlis
has worked in the community as a volunteer in the areas of education and mental
health; and on numerous boards and committees that focus on race relations,
parenting, economic development, community involvement and many other issues. She has experience in the private sector as a
consultant in marketing and in private practice as a counselor/therapist.
Carlis
is a graduate of
Biographies – Presenters
[Top of Page]Adler-Baeder, Dr. Francesca
Dr. Francesca Adler-Baeder is Associate Professor of Human Development and Family Studies atDr.
Adler-Baeder regularly provides family life and parenting information to
national media representatives that have included Parents magazine, People
magazine, The New York Times, and has appeared on the Today Show. Dr.
Adler-Baeder is a frequent speaker on the state and national levels for both
academic and lay audiences on topics related to prevention programming, couples
and marriage education, stepfamily dynamics, grant-writing, and the applied
research process.
Ashe-Goins, Frances E.
FRANCES E. ASHE-GOINS - health administrator, educator, nurse, epidemiologist, received her MPH in Health Education from theCurrently
she is the DHHS-Office on Women=s Health (OWH) Deputy Director. She is responsible
for the development, initiation and implementation of OWH programs and policies
in partnership with other federal agencies, national and local health
organizations and leaders committed to advance women=s health.
As
the Director of the Division of Policy and Program Development was
responsible for a broad range of women's health issues with specific
concentration on HIV/AIDS, violence against women, lupus, diabetes,
organ/tissue donation, kidney disease, young women and minority women=s health. She
participates in the formulation of policies, goals and activities related to
women's health, develops recommendations and stimulates the development of
health policy by identifying issues for analysis and proposing methodologies
for studying these issues; undertakes and/or monitors' studies as appropriate.
She initiated the formation of key national advisory panels for minority women=s health, the
Collaborative Workgroup for Women and HIV/AIDS, the Lupus Program Workgroup,
National Nurses and Social Work working groups on Violence Against Women (VAW).
She has spearheaded the creation of many innovative initiatives to address
women=s health issues
including the Minority Women=s Health Summits,
National and State Summits on Young Women=s Health and the National Capitol Hill Town
Hall Meeting on Lupus.
She
has served as a Senior Policy Analyst for Prevention and Minority Affairs
for the DHHS-Public Health Service=s Office of HIV/AIDS Policy. She was responsible for the coordination of
HIV prevention activities with other government offices and HIV/AIDS related
issues for minority communities.
She
was a Prevention Specialist with the White House Office of National AIDS
Policy. There she concentrated her efforts on the prevention of HIV/AIDS,
provision of care/services and increasing research efforts for those with
HIV/AIDS nationwide. She was particularly involved with issues concerning
women, adolescents and minorities.
As
the Director of the Terrific Inc. /Grandma's House - François-Xavier Bagnoud
FARM, she was responsible for a multiplicity of training and development,
counseling, retreat and respite services targeted toward children and family
members who are infected/affected by HIV disease.
As
a Policy Analyst/ Public Affairs Liaison with the National Commission on
AIDS she participated in the planning, implementation and evaluation of the
Commission's hearings and was the principal liaison for national
organizations.
She
was Program Manager with the National AIDS Minority Information and
Education Program based at
As
a Nurse Epidemiologist, her varied past nursing and educational
experiences served as a solid base upon which she built her infectious diseases
expertise with special emphasis on AIDS. She received certification in Surveillance
and Prevention of Nosocomial Infections at the Centers for Disease Control in
1986.
On
the collegiate level, she was a Health Instructor with the University of
S.C. and City Colleges of Chicago,
Beach, Steven
Steven R. H. Beach received his Ph.D. degree from S.U.N.Y. at Stony Brook in 1985. He joined the faculty of the Psychology Department atDr. Beach has
published more than 100 scholarly papers on marital processes, close
relationships, and depression in numerous scholarly journals and books. He is author of "Depression in
Marriage," and “Family Processes in Depression." He has served as
editorial board member for "Journal of Personality and Social
Psychology," "Psychological Assessment," "Journal of
Personal and Social Relationships," “Journal of Consulting and Clinical
Psychology,” “Journal of Family
Psychology,” “Journal of Marital and Family Therapy,” and “Journal of Marriage
and the Family” among others.
Dr.
Beach's current research interests include marital therapy as a vehicle for
helping relieve or prevent depressive episodes, delivery of community
interventions to enhance marital relationships, the connection between
biological processes and relationship outcomes, marriage as a way of enhancing
the effectiveness of parenting interventions, and the role of spirituality in
marriage.
Beatty, Lula A.
Lula A. Beatty is Director of the Special Populations Office, Office of the Director, at the National Institute on Drug Abuse. Her responsibilities include developing racial/ethnic minority research and health disparities programs, developing initiatives to encourage the increased participation of underrepresented scholars in drug abuse and addiction research, and monitoring NIDA's support of racial/ethnic minority and health disparities research. Programs in her office include the Diversity Supplement Program, the Research Development Seminar Series, a Historically Black Colleges and Universities Initiative, an African American Initiative on HIV and Criminal Justice, and a Southern Africa Initiative.Before joining NIDA, she was Director of
Research at the Institute for Urban Affairs and Research at
She
received her A.B. degree from Lincoln University (PA), and her masters and
doctoral degrees in psychology from
Berry, Richard A.
Mississippi Department of Human Services - Deputy Administrator for ProgramsRichard A. "Rickey"
From 1992-2000, Rickey served as the Director of the Division of
Job Opportunities and Basic Skills Training (JOBS) and Resource Development for
the Division of Economic Assistance. In this capacity, he directed a network of
service providers to develop employment opportunities, vocational and
employability skills training, on a statewide basis, for persons making the
transition from welfare to work. Mr.
Mr.
Brown, Edward David
Mr. Brown has a varied and unique background. He has traveled around the world, spoken and conducted training sessions at international, national, regional and local conferences and seminars. He has two published articles in the SAGE Educational Encyclopedia. He has written a few articles in smaller publications and newsletters. He is a prior Air Force commander, an instructor of Business and Economics, and a doctoral student (ABD) atHe is an active Board member of Partners In Education, the current President of
the 100 Black Men of Montgomery, a National Evaluator for the 100 Black Men of
America, and the current Chairman of the 100 Black Men of America Education
Committee. He was the National 100 Black Men Mentor of the year for 2006 and a
2007 recipient of The Emancipation Association Exemplary Service Award. A
recent selectee of the Biltmore Who’s Who Among Executives and Professionals.
He is the Grandfather of 6 grand children, the father of two young professional
ladies and two young professional men (and their wives), and the husband of one
beautiful wife.
Cato, Mackenzie
Mackenzie Cato: Ph.D. Candidate,Mackenzie
teaches classes and conducts research related to media studies, specifically the
portrayal of women in popular media.
Coffin, Bill
Bill Coffin, Special Assistant for Marriage Education, joined the Administration for Children and Families in January 2002. Working with the Assistant Secretary, he is helping to orchestrate an important culture change, where those who marry will have better access to knowledge and skills to form and sustain healthy marriages. In recognition of his work he was awarded the 2006 Smart Marriages Impact Award.Coffin spent most of the previous three decades
working for the Navy, initially on active duty and then as a civilian in the
Navy’s Family Support Program Headquarters in DC. His passion is marriage
education and enrichment. He served as the Marriage Preparation Coordinator for
the Archdiocese of Washington and as a consultant to the
Crump, Rev. Reginald H.
Rev. Crump was born onRev. Crump entered
the ministry in September of 1990. He
was ordained an Itinerant Elder under Bishop Frederick C. James in 1996. He served at
As a community
servant, Rev. Crump served as the Chair of the Prince George’s County Mental
Health Advisory Committee (1994-199), Chair of the Southern Maryland Clergy
Association of Prince George’s County (1996-1998), on the Board of Directors of
For Our Children’s Unity School (1994-1996) and served as the Youth
Vice-President on the Board of Directors of The Council of Churches of Greater
Washington (1996-2000).
He is employed as the
Cluster Coordinator with the Daniel A. Payne Reclamation Project, which is a
501(c) 3 non-profit of
Rev Crump and his
wife Nicc are parents of four children (Rian, Reginald II,
Dawes, Debbie
Debbie Dawes, M.P.A., joined RTI International as a Research Social Science Analyst in 2007. She has 14 years of experience involving public policy analysis, evaluation, and implementation in the fields of criminal and juvenile justice. Ms. Dawes currently serves as the administrative data manager and provides analytical support for the Multi-site Evaluation of the Serious and Violent Offender Reentry Initiative. She is also the analyst for the Evaluation of the Value-Based Therapeutic Environment for Juvenile Offenders.Before joining RTI,
Ms. Dawes served as the Project Director for the North Carolina Preventing
Underage Drinking Initiative, assisting community coalitions in their efforts
to implement best practice and evidence-based environmental strategies to
prevent underage drinking. In her work as a research and policy associate at
the North Carolina Sentencing and Policy Advisory Commission, Ms. Dawes
facilitated the Commission’s development of research-based policy
recommendations to the North Carolina General Assembly and other
decision-making bodies. In this capacity, Ms. Dawes managed statewide
data collection projects, analyzed primary and archival data using descriptive
and multivariate statistics, summarized findings, conclusions, and
recommendations in technical reports, and presented findings to decision-making
groups.
Del Rosario, Jacqueline
Jacqueline Del Rosario is an author, columnist, speaker, and community leader who has championed the cause ofAs the author of curricula used in several school districts and
the publisher of Teen Vision Magazine, Mrs. Del Rosario is breaking new ground
and making a positive impact in the areas of HIV prevention, teen pregnancy and
family mentoring. She is a certified marriage trainer in the PREP Approach. She
is working to establish a new way of thinking in today’s generation through
Raise It, a positive talk show for cable television. Mrs. Del Rosario resides
with her husband and two children in
Dickinson, Nancy
Nancy S. Dickinson, M.S.S.W., Ph.D., is Executive Director of the Jordan Institute for Families at theShe received her MSSW
at the
Dion, M. Robin
M. Robin Dion (M.A., Social Psychology, Arizona State University, 1994) is a Senior Researcher at Mathematica Policy Research (MPR) inShe is often cited for her early
development of a conceptual framework to guide the design, implementation, and
evaluation of programs to strengthen relationships and support healthy marriage
in low-income populations, under the 2001 Strengthening Families with
Children Born Out-of-Wedlock project sponsored by the U.S. Department of
Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families (ACF), and
for her guidance in helping to shape the development of appropriate
relationship skills curricula for low-income and culturally diverse populations. The author of numerous reports and articles,
Ms. Dion has served on several state research advisory groups for initiatives
to strengthen families and marriage. Over the past 14 years, she has studied
poverty and the well-being of low-income families and children, particularly
those that are served by public or private programs.
Dyson, Dr. Duane J.
Dr. Dyson was born and raised in the city ofAfter
graduating from the
Dr.
Dyson has held numerous academic appointments and has participated in the
development of two Emergency Medicine Residency Programs. He is the founder and Chairman of the Board of
Trustees for the Violence Prevention Institute, Inc which presently works
with local Boards of Education, New Jersey Juvenile Justice Commission and the
New Jersey State Attorney Generals Office. The Violence Prevention Institute
provides programs that will effect over 15,000 students in various school
districts including
Commitment and love for the City of
Edwards, Rev. Mark
Rev.He
has outreached to more than 10,000 youth and families in
Ervin, Dr. Archie
Archie W. Ervin, PhD, is Associate Provost for Diversity and Multicultural Affairs at theBefore
coming to
Fisher, Carlton
Carlton L. Fisher, MA, is a Program Analyst at the Administration for Children and Families in the Director of Regional Operations Office. Prior to his present position he was assigned to the Deputy Secretary’s Office for the Administration for Children and Families. His present duties include acting as the liaison to the following Programs/Special Initiatives: Child Care/Infant Toddler, Child Support, Community Services Outreach, Fatherhood, Healthy Marriage, and Diversity/Minority Initiatives.He
has extensive experience working both domestically and internationally in
social services, military, executive management, and corporate management.
He
enjoys international travel, church activities and creating various mediums of
crafts and jewelry in his spare time.
Fortune, Thierry
Thierry Fortune is a Senior Vice President of MEE Productions Inc. Mr. Fortune is a researcher, project manager, multimedia producer, focus group moderator and marketing specialist. He leads research and communications consulting, media production and marketing/advertising projects for the company.Thierry works closely
with clients to better understand and reach urban, ethnic and underserved
populations, particularly low-income African American, Latinos, women, and
youth. He specializes in developing and
implementing innovative marketing (community, non-traditional, media) strategies
to positively influence these hard-to-reach populations that reflect how they
see their world and the world around them.
He
is integrally involved in media production as a producer, project manager and
script developer. Recent productions include Telly award winning violence
production and safe sex television advertising.
Mr. Fortune has also been a presenter at numerous conferences and
seminars throughout the country on MEE's research.
Thierry
Fortune received his MBA from the
MEE Productions
MEE
Productions Inc. has more than a decade of experience in designing effective
research-based messages, marketing and media for often-marginalized and
underserved populations, including inner city youth, African Americans and
Latinos/as, people living with HIV/AIDS and single parents living in public
housing.
MEE
was incorporated in 1990, with the goal of developing research-based,
market-driven solutions for issues facing urban and low-income populations
living in at-risk environments. The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation financed
MEE’s first national research study, The MEE Report: Reaching the Hip-Hop
Generation, published in 1992. Since that time, our 8(a)-certified company
has grown by securing contracts with corporations, private businesses,
foundations and government agencies across the country. Our clients include the
U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Government of the
MEE’s
array of services fall into four areas of operation: Communications Research,
Media and Materials Production, Advertising and Marketing Campaigns and
Marketing Consulting & Communication Workshops. MEE is a widely recognized for developing
socially-responsible, research-based communication strategies targeting urban
and ethnic populations of all ages. MEE has offices in
[Top of Page]
Gary, Dr. Lawrence
Dr. Gary is currently a professor atHis
research on male development, family development, mental health and social
policy has been funded by both public agencies such as NIMH, NIH, FIPSE, HUD,
and ACYF and private agencies such as United Christ of Christ, Lilly Endowment,
Silberman Fund and the Casey Foundation.
A
consultant to a variety of private and public agencies, Dr. Gary has also
served on a number of boards or committees at both the national and local
levels, including the Youth Research Advisory Board of the Lily Endowment,
Inc.; Board of Directors of Council on Social Work Education; the Visiting
Committee of School of Social Work at the University of Michigan; Book
Committee, National Association of Social Workers, Inc., and Panel Member,
Juvenile Crime, Intervention and Control, Commission on Law and Justice at The
National Academy of Sciences. As a result of his professional and civil
activities, Dr. Gary has received a number of awards and citations including
the 1991 Alumni Merit Award, Tuskegee University; 1993 Outstanding Leadership
and Community Service Award, National Association of Black Social Workers,
Inc.; 1995 Distinguish Research Award, Howard University; the 1996
Distinguished Recent Contributions to Social Work Education Award Council on
Social Work Education; 1999. The 2001 Drum Major Award, Fredrick Douglass
Society, West Chester University; the 2001 Distinguished Alumni Award, School
of Social Work, The University of Michigan; and 2002 Distinguished Alumni
Service Award, the University of Michigan. He is also listed in Who’s
Who Among African Americans, Who’s Who in The World, and Who’s
Who in
Gillum, Tameka L.
Dr. Tameka L. Gillum is an assistant professor in the Public Health department, Community Health Studies division at theDr. Gillum’s research interests are in exploring and addressing intimate partner violence within racial/ethnic minority and sexual minority populations, development and evaluation of culturally specific prevention and intervention efforts, health clinic based intimate partner violence interventions and the intersection between HIV and IPV. She has authored numerous publications in these areas.
She is a community psychologist who conducts community based research and utilizes both qualitative and quantitative methods in her research endeavors.
Goodwin, Elma
Elma Goodwin is on staff in the Immediate Office of the Regional Administrator and serves as the lead for the Fatherhood and Positive Youth Development (PYD) Initiatives for Region VI which coversShe has a Master of Arts degree in
Organizational Management from
Hailey-Smith, Elizabeth
Elizabeth Hailey-Smith is the Office of Community Services (OCS) Liaison in Region V. She works closely with Joyce A. Thomas, the lead Regional Administrator for the OCS and Faith based and Community Initiatives (FBCI). In conjunction with the nine (9) other OCS Regional Liaisons, she provides a regional presence for the OCS network working in partnership with states, communities, and other agencies to provide a range of human and economic development services and activities to increase the capacity of individuals and families to become self-sufficientMs.
Hailey-Smith has been with the federal government for thirty years working with
stakeholders and partners at the federal, state and local levels. She
previously worked as a Head Start Program Specialist overseeing grantees in
Hardiman, The Honorable Bill
State Senator Bill Hardiman, was born inIn addition to being elected to the State Senate, Hardiman has
served as Mayor of the City of
Senator Hardiman holds an Associate of Arts degree from
Senator
Hardiman has been exceptionally active in his church, Grand Rapids First
Assembly of God. Senator Hardiman was appointed by Governor Engler to the
Secchia Commission on Total Quality Government and the Act 51 Transit
Committee. Additionally he has received special recognition by the Ohio House
of Representatives for political, civic, and community contributions.
Senator
Hardiman speaks about hardships that he has endured as a child and the valuable
life lessons that have shaped his beliefs. This has coherently guided Senator
Hardiman to have a strong faith in God.
Senator
Hardiman has gained national attention as one of the founders and current
Chairman of Healthy Marriages Grand Rapids formerly known as the Greater Grand
Rapids Community Marriage Policy, a broad-based program to promote strong
marriages and family life.
Senator Hardiman and his wife Clova, of 33 years, reside in
Hatchett, Glenda
Judge Glenda Hatchett grew up in the South, where her parents told her that she could do anything if she put her mind to it. She presided over the Fulton County, Georgia Juvenile Court for 8 years, which made her the first African American chief presiding justice of aJudge
Glenda Hatchett did her undergraduate work at
A
visionary who knows how to get results, Judge Hackett is renowned in the legal
community for her groundbreaking courtroom style. Best known for her
revolutionary “ interventions”, she is widely respected for her work with
today’s youth, which not only sets her apart from the other judges, but also
establishes her as a leader in the justice system nationwide.
She
is also the author of the national best
seller, Say What You Mean and Mean What
You Say, based on her extensive
professional experiences as a jurist and her own personal experience as a
mother of two boys.
The
Judge also serves as national spokesperson for CASA, a non-profit volunteer
organization that trains volunteers to represent abused and neglected children
and help them navigate the court system.
Judge
Hatchett serves on the board of directors for the NFL’s Atlanta Falcons and the
Hospital Corporation of
Higgins, Mary Ann
Mary Ann Higgins is the Regional Administrator for Region II for the Administration for Children and Families (ACF), a division of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS). Region II includesHiggins
provides leadership, direction, and coordination to States, local governments,
and other non-profit agencies that administer ACF programs. ACF programs
include the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families Program, Child Care, Child
Support Enforcement, Head Start, Early Head Start, Foster Care, Child Welfare,
Adoption Assistance, Developmental Disabilities, and the Runaway and Homeless
Youth Program.
Previously,
Higgins was the Director of the JOBS Program for ACF from its inception until
1994. The JOBS program was the predecessor to the current TANF program. As JOBS
Director, she led the team that wrote regulations, provided technical
assistance, and provided general oversight to the program. Her responsibilities
also included implementation of three new child care programs-JOBS child care,
transitional child care and at-risk child care-that were subsequently
incorporated into the Child Care Development Fund. For this work she received
both the Secretary's Award for Exceptional Achievement and the Assistant
Secretary's Leadership Award.
Higgins is a graduate of
Hurt, Tera A.
Tera R. Hurt, Ph.D. serves as Program Coordinator for the Program for Strong African American Marriages and Promoting Strong Families at theAfter completing her graduate studies, she completed one-year of postdoctoral
training at the
Hymowitz, Kay S.
Kay S. Hymowitz is the William E. Simon fellow at the Manhattan Institute and a contributing editor of City Journal. She writes extensively on education and childhood inHymowitz is the author of the new book Marriage and Caste in
America: Separate and Unequal Families in a Post-Marital Age, a compilation
of some of her previously published City Journal essays. She examines
the breakdown of marriage in the
Ms. Hymowitz has also written for many major publications
including The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Wall
Street Journal, The New Republic, New York Newsday, The
Public Interest, Commentary, Dissent, and Tikkun.
In addition to her writing, Hymowitz has presented her work at a
number of conferences. She spoke about teenagers, marriage, and the media at an
event held by the Institute for American Values and helped find common ground
between liberals and conservatives at a conference co-sponsored by The
Washington Monthly and the Manhattan Institute. She has also discussed her
work on numerous radio and television programs.
A native of
Kay S. Hymowitz lives in
Inman, Alan
Alan Inman is a dedicated, hands-on organizational leader in the community, committed to restoring the family and representing the highest values of integrity and fiscal responsibility in public life. As a trained accountant from an international firm and operational consultant for a number of non-profit organizations, Mr. Inman developed a reputation for exceeding expectations in managing multiple grants with a number of federal, state and local grants i.e., Federal Dept. of Labor, Health and Human Services, and New York City Human Resource Administration.Mr. Inman served as National Director for the Institute for
Responsible Fatherhood where he led the development of an additional eight
locations throughout the country overseeing a $5 million dollar annual
budget. Formerly, he served as Executive Director of Minority
Alliance International, a New York based civil rights organization; as a
consultant to the City of New York; and as chairman of a New York City
Community Planning Board. He has been a candidate for the New York State
Assembly, a Presidential appointee to the White House Domestic Advisory
Council, and as well, he is currently the host of a radio talk show - Insight with Al Inman..
Mr. Inman is also the Regional Director of the American Family
Coalition for
Mr. Inman is married to the former Cynthia Rene Whitting and is the father of Todd, Alena and Josie.
Iruka, Iheoma U.
Iheoma U. Iruka received her Ph.D. in 2005 from theIruka,
Carver, P. R., and Iruka,
Manuscripts
under Review
Carver, P. R., Iruka,
Iruka,
Iruka,
Iruka,
I. U.,
& Barbarin, O. (in press). African American children’s learning and
development: Examining parenting, schools, and neighborhoods. In H. A. Neville,
B. M. Tynes, & S. O. Utsey (Eds.), Handbook
of African American Psychology.
Pungello, L. P., Iruka,
Iruka,
Jackson, Carol A.
Carol A. Jackson is a representative of The Dibble Institute. Her passion for teaching relationship building skills derives from her work with corporate America (AT&T) as a Human Resources Professional. In this capacity Carol dealt with associates of all levels whose work abilities were either enhanced or impaired by personal relationships. When a relationship is in need of repair the fall-out from the individuals not only affect people but business also. Carol was excellent at supporting associates who were in need of relationship repair.Carol
is an enthusiastic, thoughtful presenter who teaches classes on relationships
skill building to teens in high schools, places of worship, and other meeting
places in
With
an enthusiasm that will enlighten and excite your toughest audience, she is
prepared to deliver relationship training. Carol’s educational background
includes: Bachelor’s of Science Degree in Organizational Management; certification in work place counseling from
Jackson, Charles
Charles Jackson is a Public Relations Coordinator for the Alabama Community Healthy Marriage Initiative (ACHMI) at Auburn University in which he is responsible for coordinating national and statewide events, managing social marketing campaigns, coalition building, and community awareness. Mr. Jackson is also involved in the design of billboards, public service announcements, and various web and print media. As a spokesperson, he has appeared on various television segments and has conducted numerous awareness presentations to state agencies and community partners.Prior to joining the ACHMI team, Charles served as a program coordinator for
the Greater Montgomery Chapter of 100 Black Men of America, Inc. which is an
international organization of professional men that are dedicated to empowering
their communities through mentoring, education, economic development, and
health and wellness. With this
organization, he currently and proudly serves on their Board of Directors as
the Chapter Secretary. Charles has also served six years with the United State
Air Force Reserves.
Jackson, Dr. James
James S. Jackson's research focuses on issues of racial and ethnic influences on life course development, attitude change, reciprocity, social support, and coping and health among African Americans. He is past Director of the Center for Afroamerican and African Studies. He is the recipient of the Distinguished Career Contributions to Research Award, Society for the Psychological Study of Ethnic Minority Issues, American Psychological Association, and recently received the James McKeen Cattell Fellow Award for Distinguished Career Contributions in Applied Psychology from the Association for Psychological Sciences. He is an elected a member of theHe
has conducted research and published numerous books, scientific articles, and
chapters on international, comparative studies on immigration, race and ethnic
relations, physical and mental health, adult development and aging, attitudes
and attitude change, and Black American politics. Over the last 30 years he has
been the principal investigator of over two dozen funded NIH and NSF grants,
and is currently directing the most extensive social, political behavior, and
mental and physical health surveys on the African American and Black Caribbean
populations ever conducted, “The National Survey of American Life” and the “The
Family Survey across Generations and Nations”, and the National Science
Foundation and Carnegie Corporation supported “National Study of Ethnic
Pluralism and Politics”.
Recent
publications include "African Americans in a Diversifying Nation,"
and "Age cohort, ancestry, and immigration status influences on family
relations and psychological well-being among three generation
He
serves on several Boards for the National Research Council and the
James, Earl
Earl James currently serves as the Coordinator of Multi-Racial and Social Justice Initiatives for the Reformed Church in America (RCA). In this newly created position, he provides executive leadership to the denomination’s efforts to 1) discover and reduce institutional racism, 2) embrace its declared multiracial future, and 3) identify and support other social justice initiatives. Prior to working with the RCA, Mr. James served for 10 years as Executive Director of City Vision, Inc., a non-profit management and project consulting organization that assisted mostly West Michigan organizations and groups with 1) organizational development and management, 2) leadership education, 3) information systems, and 4) collaboration development. He frequently indicates he feels extremely appreciative and excited about City Vision’s leadership association with Healthy Marriages – Healthy Relationships collaboration, a highly impactful effort to assist parents and expectant parents improve their communications skills in ways that benefited themselves and their children.Mr.
James and his wife Norma have been married for over two years and celebrate
their union each month. He has two adult
daughters, Melissa-Lee (a bi-lingual education school teacher) and Stephanie (a
psychiatric MSW for the Federal government).
He is the grandfather of two granddaughters, Jada and Sophia.
About his family, Mr. James said, “God has convinced me repeatedly of His love
for and faithfulness to me through how He allows me to share life with them.”
Jones, Anne
Dr. Jones is on faculty of theShe is the Principal Investigator of a community-based
intervention research program entitled, Strong Couples – Strong Children which
is seeking to strengthen relationship and parenting bonds among economically
disadvantaged, unmarried expectant couples in
Juzang, Ivan
MEE (Motivational Educational Entertainment) Productions Inc.Founder, and President. 1990 - present
In
1990, Ivan Juzang founded MEE Productions Inc., a unique communications
research and social marketing company with offices in Philadelphia, Washington
D.C. and Los Angeles. Under Mr. Juzang’s
leadership, MEE has remained committed to its founding principle — to use
socially-responsible entrepreneurship to reach and positively influence the
lives of low-income, urban and ethnic audiences. Over the past decade, MEE has become an
industry leader, assisting a variety of clients in achieving dramatic results
with difficult-to-reach target populations, including low-income urban youth
(the hip-hop generation).
Mr.
Juzang is highly experienced in producing and implementing results-oriented
campaigns that address health, educational and social issues that impact the
inner cities. He conducts qualitative
research that provides an “insider’s view” of the challenging daily realities
of urban living, and combines it with creative, “outside the box” media
production and community mobilization services.
MEE
first gained national prominence in 1992, with the release of its primary
research study, “The MEE Report: Reaching the Hip-Hop Generation.” Funded by The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation,
the report focused on the previously unexplored cultural and communications
dynamics of urban teens. MEE’s 2004
study, This Is My Reality-The Price of Sex: An Inside Look at Black Urban
Youth Sexuality and the Role of Media, has also received national media
attention, because it added young people’s voices to the dialogue about sex in
America’s inner cities. Mr. Juzang
served as the Principal Investigator for both of these multi-year research
projects.
MEE
has developed extremely effective intervention strategies dealing with issues
such as teen sexuality, substance abuse, HIV/AIDS, dating violence, physical
activity and nutrition, male involvement; and how to mobilize communities of color
using urban youth culture. Most MEE
projects have been implemented in conjunction with local nonprofit
organizations dedicated to improving the lives of children, youth and families. These collaborations include the development
of the “Blunt Truth Guides,” a set of materials that help Latino and African
American families create a dialogue about preventing marijuana use by youth,
along with a multimedia campaign, “Life Is What You Make It,” that educated
HIV-positive people of color about the range of treatment options available to
them. Both projects offer messages,
media and materials in both English and Spanish.
Mr.
Juzang’s expertise as a producer is exemplified in MEE’s award–winning videos,
including “L-Evated: The Blunt Truth,” “The MEE Report: Reaching the
Hip-Hop Generation” and “In Search of Love: Dating Violence Among Urban
Youth.” He has led MEE to receive
many national and international awards for its media and advertising
productions, including a Regional Emmy award for Children's Programming, the
Golden Apple Award from the National Educational Media Network and several
awards from the National Black Programming Consortium.
Currently,
MEE is supporting a consortium of academic institutions in a unique, NIH-funded
test of a multilevel HIV/STI prevention strategy for high-risk youth. MEE developed radio and television public
service announcements for a three-year study to test the effectiveness of MEE’s
media campaign (with a focus on MEE’s developmental approach) on African
American adolescent sexual behavior. The
HIV-prevention messages MEE created and tested are culturally sensitive,
age-appropriate counter narratives to youth beliefs about sexual behavior; they
promote both abstinence and risk reduction practices and they being tested
against other potential interventions (control/treatment groups) in four
cities.
Kaye, Kelleen
Kelleen Kaye is the Research Director of The National Campaign, a private, non-profit initiative organized in 1996 that focuses on preventing both teen pregnancy and unplanned pregnancy among young adults. Before joining the National Campaign, she spent 12 years as senior analyst at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation, where she developed and oversaw studies on a wide variety of issues related to family formation, poverty, low-wage work and public assistance. She has also worked for theShe
has served on several advisory committees including the Interagency Forum on
Child and Family Statistics and the Interagency Working Group for the National
Survey of Family Growth. She has
received the Vice President’s Hammer Award for her work on the Fatherhood
Initiative and the Secretary’s Distinguished Service Award for data analyses
related to Hurricane Katrina.
Kaye
received a Bachelor of Science degree in economics and mathematics from the
She
lives in Arlington with her husband, Ken, and their four-year-old son.
Kerpelman, Dr. Jennifer
Dr. Jennifer Kerpelman is a Professor and State Extension Specialist in the Human Development and Family Studies department atMost recently, she has been directing the Healthy Couples,
Healthy Children: Targeting Youth (HCHCTY) project, a 5-year evaluation study
of a relationships education curriculum for high school students. The outcome
of this project is expected to result in
Her recent publications are in academic journals such as the
Journal of Youth and Adolescence, Identity: An International Journal of Theory
and Research, Family Relations, Young, Youth and Society, Journal of Black
Psychology, and Sex Roles. Some of the topics of her published research
include: African American adolescents’ future education orientation,
associations between adolescent identity formation and intervention impact; the
impact of relationships education on youth from diverse backgrounds;
self-concept during the transition to adulthood; interpersonal identity and
social capital among African American youth; and predictors of young women’s
career identity salience.
Lambert, Dr. Ruth
Ruth Lambert—Dr. Ruth L. Lambert affectionately know as “Dr. Ruth,” nationally recognized, administrator, program specialist, adoption expert, child advocate, community organizer, social worker and family preservationist, founded Institute for Family Life and Preservation, Inc. in 1994. IFLAP’s primary goal is to serve as a mechanism for providing suitable, stable and permanent families for children which maximally meet the child’s developmental needs. She is the organizer/founder of the Indiana Healthy Marriage and Family Coalition (IHMFC) that contains community and African American Healthy Marriage and Family components.The Coalition under her inspiring leadership has been recognized
by the Presidents Faith and Community Based Initiative as one of the top
thirteen Healthy Marriage Coalitions in the nation additionally the coalition
was awarded the first regional “Stepping Out Award” that recognized the IHMFC
for their outstanding efforts in building the statewide capacity for the
healthy marriage initiative. She
currently serves as the project principal investigator for the Indiana Healthy
Marriage Demonstration Grant Project which is a statewide program focusing on
building a better community one family and marriage at a time through intensive
education, grassroots mobilization, and community partnerships.
Dr. Lambert, a native of Pine Bluff, Arkansas has work experience
including Program and Policy Consultant and Educational and Administrative
Consultant for the State of Indiana, Child Welfare Social Services Division,
Consultant, Special Needs Adoption Project; Administrative Assistant to the
Vice President for Women Affairs Dean of Women, Academic Dean, Dean of
Students, Executive Director Elkhart Urban League, Inc., Job Placement
Specialist, teacher and counselor. She has also served on numerous boards and
committees.
Dr. Lambert received her Bachelor of Science from the
She has instituted several national and local programs. To name a
few: Taking the Lead, Teaching Families to Read Program; Indiana Healthy
Marriage Initiative; being the founder/organizer/consultant and charter member
of the Robinson Community A.M.E. Community Foundation, Inc.; and organizer of
Delta Family Life Education Program, Indianapolis Alumnae Chapter.
Lasky, Marilyn
Marilyn Lasky is Special Assistant to the Regional Administrator for the Administration for Children and Families (US Dept. of Health and Human Resources), Boston Regional Office. The Regional Office serves the six
Lattimore, Pamela K.
LeFlore, Larry
Larry LeFlore has published referred articles and book chapters in the areas of children, family and juvenile justice; holds a Ph.D. degree from
Lett, David
As the Regional Administrator, Mr. Lett is the principal representative of the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) in Region III which includes responsibility for 23 major federal programs in six states:The
largest of the 23 programs includes the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families
program, as well as Child Support Enforcement, Head Start, Developmental
Disabilities, Child Care, Child Welfare, and services to Runaway and Homeless
Youth.
Mr.
Lett has been responsible for the management of a variety of federal programs
serving children and families since 1979. Just prior to his current assignment,
Mr. Lett was the Assistant Regional Administrator for the Office of Family
Supportive Services in the Administration for Children and Families. Before
joining the federal government, David was the Director of the Office of Program
Development for the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services.
Mr.
Lett has a Masters Degree in Social Work from
Mr.
Lett is an advocate for children and a proponent of early intervention programs
Lett, Nathaniel
Nathaniel Lett Jr is the Program Manager for
Lewis, Dr. Majorie
Dr. Lewis has been a member of the Denver Community since 1991, coming to us from theShe utilizes this
Center in partnership with the
Under her leadership, the CCESJ, in
partnership with seven other nonprofit organizations, has embarked on an
exciting venture to establish the American Pathways University (APU). The CCESJ is responsible for overseeing APU’s
Community
interests of Dr. Lewis are also captured through the Center’s invitations to
appear on television as well as well as being a featured guest on various radio
programs. Dr. Lewis is invited to offer
editorial and by-line comments as an expert on certain topics relevant to Child
Welfare, Family Wellness, and Prevention Issues of Domestic Violence. Dr. Lewis serves as the editor of the
quarterly newsletter sponsored by the Colorado Healthy Marriage Initiative,
boasting a distribution to more than 3,000 individuals and/or organizations.
Dr.
Lewis' civic responsibilities do not end there, as she serves on various boards
and other associations including the City and County of Denver’ Department of
Human Services, American Baptist Homes of the Midwest, Denver Chapter of the
Alliance of Clergy Women, VP for Human Services, Greater Metropolitan Denver
Ministerial Alliance, Denver Colorado’s African American Commission, Former
Chaplain of the Denver Alumnae Chapter, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.,
Former Chaplain of the Colorado State Senate, founder of the Black Abstinence
Coalition and the Colorado Wyoming Coalition for the Education of Black
Children.
Most
recently, Dr. Lewis, through her organization, has established the
Lindquist, Dr. Christine
Christine Lindquist, Ph.D., is a Senior Research Sociologist at RTI International. She has 11 years of research experience in the areas of medical sociology and criminology. Her research interests and experience include multisite evaluation design, prisoner reentry, and violence against women. She currently plays key roles in two large multi-site evaluations of initiatives involving criminal justice populations, including the Multi-Site Evaluation of the Serious and Violent Offender Reentry Initiative and the National Evaluation of the Responsible Fatherhood, Marriage and Family Strengthening Grants for Incarcerated and Re-entering Fathers and their Partners. Dr. Lindquist has substantial methodological expertise, and she has extensively published and presented the results of her research.[Top of Page]
Martin, Roland
Roland S. Martin is a nationally award-winning and multifaceted journalist. A nationally syndicated columnist with Creators Syndicate, Mr. Martin is the author of Listening to the Spirit Within: 50 Perspectives on Faith, and Speak, Brother! A Black Man's View of America.Mr. Martin is a commentator for TV One Cable Network
also host of "The Roland S. Martin Show" on WVON-AM/1690
in
Named by Ebony Magazine in
2008 as one of the 150 Most Influential African Americans in the United States,
he is the 2008 winner of the NAACP Image Award for Best Interview for "In
Conversation: The Sen. Barack Obama Interview."
An insightful and provocative analyst, Mr.
Martin has appeared numerous times on MSNBC, FOX News, Court TV, BET Nightly
News, BBC News, National Public Radio, The Word Network,
He is the former founding news editor for Savoy
Magazine under the team of New York-based Vanguarde Media, and the former
founding editor of BlackAmericaWeb.com, owned by nationally syndicated radio
show host Tom Joyner and Radio One.
He previously served as owner/publisher of
Dallas-Fort Worth Heritage, a Christian monthly newspaper. He also has worked
as managing editor of the Houston Defender and the Dallas Weekly, which he led
to a number of local, state and national journalism awards. Mr. Martin
has worked as morning drive reporter for KRLD/1080 AM; news director and
morning anchor at KKDA-AM in
He has won more than 20 professional awards
for journalistic excellence, including a regional Edward R. Murrow Award from
the Radio Television News Directors; several first place awards from the
Dallas-Fort Worth Association of Black Communicators; two citations from the
National Associated Press-Managing Editors Conference; the top sports reporting
award in 1997 from the National Association of Black Journalists; and honors
from the Houston Press Club.
Mr. Martin is a member of the National
Association of Black Journalists, Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., and the
American Society of Newspaper Editors.
He is a 1987 graduate of Jack Yates High
School-Magnet School of Communications, and a 1991 graduate of
He is married to the Rev. Jacquie Hood
Martin, author of Fulfilled! The Art and Joy of
Balanced Living. They reside in Chicago and Dallas
McDonald, Tanya
Tanya McDonald has over 25 years of administrative, management, and program implementation experience. This experience includes program management of the South Los Angeles Health Marriage Demonstration Project, Family Preservation Program, and program management of the LA Bridges Gang Prevention/Intervention Program, director and service coordinator for Haven for Affordable Housing, Inc., the coordination of Los Angeles Summer Youth Employment Training program and the development and implementation of an on-site multi-cultural summer day camp. Mrs. McDonald has been a K-12 teacher and a certified Parent Educator with over 12 years of instruction experience teaching parents who are court ordered and/or court referred. This has provided her with extensive experience in the area of violence prevention. In addition, Mrs. McDonald has an extensive background in fiscal and grant management. Mrs. McDonald holds a Masters of Science Degree in Human Services from
McLaughlin, Dr. Wallace
Wallace McLaughlin is the President/CEO of the Fathers and Families Center. Under his leadership the agency has received local, state, and national recognition as a model fatherhood program. Since inception, Dr. McLaughlin has led the agency in transitioning from a hospital based program to an independent and free-standing community based organization, purchasing a new facility, securing funding for major renovations, expanding delivery of program services, increasing community awareness, and receiving United Way Certification.
Dr. McLaughlin is a native of
Dr. McLaughlin has served on national boards and state task forces and
commissions for Governors O’Bannon and Bayh. He is a national speaker, trainer
and consultant on the issues of fatherhood and program development. In 2001, he
received the National Practitioner’s Network for Father’s and Families’
“Courage in Action Award for Practitioner,” and in 2006 he received the Stew
Wood Youth Advocacy Award for outstanding youth advocacy in the community. His
leadership in the fatherhood field has been aptly noted in Christianity Today,
(1994), and The Faith Factor in American Fatherhood, edited by Don Eberly
(Rowman and Littlefield, 1999).
He is a member of the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., and the Board of Directors
of the Indianapolis Chapter of the 100 Black Men. In 2005 he was accepted into
the inaugural class of the Hoosier Fellows Program,
McLeod, Rev. Dr. Lonnie
The Rev. Dr. Lonnie McLeod, Jr. is an expert professional in cross-cultural and Community-based consulting. He has been called upon to aid in the implementation and the development of criminal justice and social programs at the local, national and international level. He has worked with academic institutions, the public and private sector and with State and Government agencies.He is a member of the original Exodus Dialogue Group. The Exodus
Dialogue Group served as the driving force behind the New York Theological
Seminary’s Masters degree program offered to qualified prisoners at Sing Sing
Correctional Facility in
He is the president of the Exodus Transitional Community, a program
that services over three hundred and fifty formerly incarcerated men and women
a year and has a twenty percent recidivist rate. President George W. Bush cited
the Exodus program in his State of the Union address as a best practice model
that should be duplicated nationally.
Dr. McLeod is the President and Founder of the Exodus Foundation and
Partnership. The Foundation raises funds to support organizations that assist
young men and women leaving foster care due to age requirements. The Exodus
Foundation and Partnership are the creative minds behind the construction and
newly occupied Edwin Gould building on
He is the Board President of River of Life Ministries, Inc. in
Dr. McLeod played a significant role in the original planning and the
strategic initiative, of the development and implementation of Youth Turn, a
youth at risk program sponsored by New York Theological Seminary and initially
funded by the Office of Children and Family Services of New York and the Ford
Foundation. The Youth Turn program has served over 581 court adjudicated youth
of which 92% percent have had no further
problems with the criminal justice system.
He was one of the original planners and developers of Com-Alert
(Community and Law Enforcement Resources Together). Com-Alert is a crime
prevention and safe streets initiative sponsored by
The Rev. Dr. Lonnie McLeod is the pastor of the Church of the Living
Hope, Past Moderator and Dean of Pastors and Clergy of the Metropolitan
Association, UCC.
Dr. McLeod graduated (cum laude) from
Meloncon, Thomas
Thomas Meloncon is a native ofTwo
of his most recent projects are, a Radio Drama series, The Robeson Family
Chronicles, which airs weekly on KTSU Radio FM and a new drama, “The Man who
saved
Thomas
is familiar to some as the author of the stage play “The Diary of Black Men”,
which had two runs in
Mills, Kimberly
Relevant Work
Experience
Chair a multidisciplinary team of educational, legal, university, and community stakeholders who work collaboratively to strengthen the positive outcomes for delinquent and deprived court involved youth with educational concerns, disabilities, and/or mental health needs. Provide input to state board of education members on proposed changes to
Composed a literature review of researched based practices and procedures used for the training of pre-service general and special education teachers at the
Co-taught a class of Masters of Education Students. SPED 640 – Topics and Issues in Contemporary Special Education. Collaboratively designed the syllabus, determined coursework and final student outcome products compatible with current NCATE standards for pre-service teachers. Monitored and evaluated student progress towards course objectives.
Recruited to ensure the state of
Hawaii Department of Education, Ka U Pena Tutor, September 2001 – June 2002
Provided after-school academic and social skill instruction for students suspended on a long-term basis for behavioral infractions and violations of school rules.
Provided individualized educational support, instruction, original curriculum and guidance to culturally diverse students with emotional and behavioral disorders, autism, PDD, and learning disabilities in self-contained and inclusive educational settings. Organized many initiatives to meet the needs of the students at the school including initiating an after school remedial reading program and many school-wide academic and cultural events.
Mills, Dr. M. Valerie
Dr. M. Valerie Mills is a senior public health advisor with the Federal Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). Presently, Dr. Mills serves as SAMHSA’s representative of ACF’s Roundtable for the African American Healthy Marriage Initiative. As a National Public Health expert, at SAMHSA, she serves as the Staff lead for Homelessness and Co-Occurring Disorders.Dr.
Mills, served as the associate Administrator for HIV/AIDS at SAMHSA from 1997
to 2004 where she successfully engineered and obtained a total of $192M in
newly appropriated funds for SAMHSA from the Congressional Black
Caucus/National Minority AIDS Initiative (CBC/NMAI) for Fiscal Years 1999 to
2003 for substance abuse treatment and prevention and mental health services
for the homeless, women, children, youth and families.
She
organized the first State Integration Meeting, which brought together the
Executive Directors from NASTAD, NASADAD, NAMHPD, federal partners, HRSA, CDC,
State Directors, and selected Community-Based Organizations (CBOs) to discuss
service integration for those with HIV/AIDS, mental health, and substance abuse
concerns. For many years, she has provided technical assistance and expertise
to the White House Workgroup on Youth and Families.
In
2003, Dr. Mills co-chaired the National HIV/AIDS Prevention Conference in
Dr.
Mills has more than 20 years professional service with both the Federal and
State government. As a Senior Public Health Advisor at SAMHSA, she has
designed, initiated and coordinated public health programs relating to mental
health, substance abuse (including alcohol) around both prevention and
treatment. She is presently working on Public Health policies as related to
homelessness, minority health issues, cultural competency and eliminating
disparities and health literacy.
Dr.
Mills’ extensive Federal Government experience has awarded her close
professional working relationships with several of the agencies within the
Department of Health and Human Services (
Dr.
Mills' educational profile includes a Bachelor degree in Sociology from a
Historically Black University,
Mincy, Dr. Ronald B.
Dr. Ronald B. Mincy is a professor of social welfare policy at the Columbia University School of Social Work and director ofHe
has published widely on the effects of income security policy on child and
family poverty, family formation, child well-being, responsible fatherhood, the
urban underclass and urban poverty. Dr. Mincy is an advisory board member for
the National Poverty Center, University of Michigan; Technical Work Group for
the Building Strong Families and Community Healthy Marriage Initiatives; the
African American Healthy Marriage Initiative; Transition to Fatherhood, Cornell
University; the National Fatherhood Leadership Group; the Longitudinal
Evaluation of the Harlem Children's Zone; The Economic Mobility Project, Pew
Charitable Trusts; the National Partnership for Community Leadership; and a
Co-Primary Investigator of the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing
Study.
Dr.
Mincy’s undergraduate and graduate training in economics were at
Dr.
Mincy is the Maurice V. Russell Professor of Social Policy and Social Work
Practice,
Moore, Maurice
Maurice Moore is a Program Associate with the Annie E. Casey Foundation of Baltimore, Maryland. He has been with the Foundation since 1993, during which time his primary responsibilities have involved juvenile justice and fatherhood initiatives.Maurice has worked for more than 20 years in the human services field. He has been a counselor for the Chicago Urban League's adolescent pregnancy prevention program; manager of an Illinois Department of Corrections serious juvenile offender program; director of a National Council on Crime and Delinquency violent juvenile offender initiative; deputy director of the State of Delaware's juvenile justice agency; and a consultant to the U.S Department of Justice.
Prior to joining the Casey Foundation, Maurice was Coordinator of Minority Affairs at St. John's University in Collegeville, Minnesota. There he was responsible for advising student organizations; assisting in the recruitment and retention of faculty, staff and students of color; and teaching classes on cultural diversity and racial relations.
Since October 1999, Maurice has been responsible for the Casey Foundation's grant-making and advocacy efforts in the responsible fatherhood area. In this role, he works with fatherhood practitioners, researchers and other advocates to ensure that conditions exist for men to have the most positive involvement in the development of their children
Maurice holds a Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration from Southern Illinois University and a Master's Degree in Sociology from Eastern Illinois University.
Moulton, Carol
Rev. Carol Moulton is a Management Analyst in the Office of Regional Operations within the Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Rev. Moulton works with the Healthy Marriage Initiative and is also responsible for Faith-Based Programs, Head Start and child welfare as well as diversity/minority initiatives.With
over 20 years of federal service, Rev. Moulton began her Government career with
the Office of Economic Opportunity (predecessor agency to Community Services Administration). She later served as the Director of Equal
Opportunity at the National Endowment for the Humanities. She left federal service to pursue other
interests, including a law practice for several years until her return to
Government in 2007.
Rev.
Moulton holds a juris doctorate degree from Catholic University of America in
Rev.
Moulton is the proud mother of one; grandmother of three; step-mother of four
and is a newlywed, having remarried last August. She is married to U.S. Army Major (Ret.)
Scott Moulton.
Murfree, Dr. Joshua W.
Dr. Murfree serves as the Executive Assistant to the President, Administrative Chief of Staff and Director of Athletics atFormerly
he was the Chairman of the Department of Psychology, Sociology and Social Work
at
Dr.
Murfree serves as the National/International Mentoring Chairman of 100 Black
Men of America, Inc. He also serves on
the Executive Committee for 100 Black Men of America, Inc. as the Vice-Chairman
of Programs: Economic Development, Education, Health and Wellness and
Mentoring.
Dr. Murfree served on the SACS Committee for
Dougherty County Public Schools during the
2003-2004 academic year. Dr. Murfree serves as the internal
Co-Liaison for the ASU SACS Team at
Dr.
Murfree has appeared on C-SPAN with Bill Cosby, Eleanor Norton-Holmes, Dr.
Alvin Puissant and others discussing the State of
He
has done numerous opening sessions at the Congressional Black Caucus.
Dr.
Murfree is Board Certified as a Forensic Examiner, specializing in interviewing
and clinical diagnostic assessment. He is Board Certified in Psychotherapy, a
Certified Criminal Justice Specialist, and a Certified Masters Addiction
Counselor.
Dr.
Murfree has a daughter by the name of Tabitha who completed her baccalaureate
degree in Physical Therapy with concentration(s) in Biology, Psychology and
Sociology from
Okafor, Martha
Martha Okafor joined the Georgia Department of Human Resources, Division of Public Health in January of 2007. She is the Deputy Director for Health Information, Policy, Strategy & Accountability (HIPSA).Dr.
Okafor received a Ph.D. multi-disciplinary degree in Medical Anthropology,
Healthcare Management and Social Science, and a Master’s degree in Anthropology
from the
Dr.
Okafor has spent most of her management career in government in the states of
In
the State of
In
the State of
Dr.
Okafor brings expertise in clarifying, improving and implementing responsive
public policy, strategic planning, partnership and systems, continuous quality
improvements, participatory infrastructure development and performance
management in health and human services.
Dr.
Okafor is married with three wonderful children.
Orthner, Dennis K.
Dr. Dennis K. Orthner is Professor of Social Work and Public Policy and Associate Director of the Jordan Institute for Families at theDr. Orthner has been professionally active in
marriage programs and research for many years.
His research has examined the role of shared time and experiences on
marital well-being, the effects of separations and deployments on marital quality,
factors in low-income relationships that promote or limit relationship and
marital quality, the conditions in marriages that promote resilience under
circumstances of stress, and the role of relationship assets, or strength
factors, in marital commitments and stability.
Dr. Orthner has served as an Associate Editor for the Journal of
Marriage and the Family, Family Relations, the Journal of Family
Issues, and Marriage and Family Review, among others. He has conducted cross-national,
longitudinal, and national studies of marital relationships over his years of
scholarship.
Dr. Orthner received his Ph.D. degree in
Sociology from
Dr. Orthner has published extensively in
areas of his research and consultation.
He is the author or co-author of several books including, Families In
Blue (1980), Intimate Relationships, An Introduction to Marriage and the
Family (1981), Youth in Transition (1987) and The Organization
Family (1989). He has authored over
100 research publications in numerous professional journals. He is listed in Who’s Who in the South,
American Men and Women of Science, the Directory of Distinguished Americans,
Outstanding Young Men in
Parmer, Dr. Twinet
Twinet Parmer, Ph.D., LPC, LLMFT, CST, is a Professor of Counselor Education atIn addition to her teaching
responsibilities, Dr. Parmer works in private practice, counseling families and
couples who are dealing with sexual issues.
She has contributed to a number of scholarly journals, publishing
articles that address African American family, career, sexuality, and
relationship issues. Her most recent publication was a book chapter written
with her husband entitled Cultural
Influences on African American Sexuality: The role of multiple identities on
kinship, power, and ideology. Dr.
Parmer has made numerous national and state presentations at conferences on
topics related to African Americans and career, sexuality, marriage, and
culture. She is a member of a number of professional organizations related to
her discipline. Dr. Parmer is married to James J. Gordon, a historian, and
adjunct professor at
Pittman, Dr. Joe
Dr. Joe F. Pittman is a Professor of Human Development and Family Studies and Interim Dean of theHis publications in the area of marital relationships (1 book, 2
book chapters, and 15 refereed journal articles) examine processes by which
marital partners negotiate roles, manage normative stresses, and deal with
interpersonal conflict and relationship aggression. He also has 8 publications
on adolescent development focused on late adolescent-young adult identity
formation, self-efficacy and adjustment. Journals in which he has
published this work include: Identity: An International Journal of Theory
and Research; Journal of Adolescence; Child Abuse and Neglect; Journal of
Divorce and Remarriage; Violence and Victims; Family Relations; and Journal of
Marriage and Family. He worked for four years with the Family Advocacy
Program of the United States Air Force to develop greater understanding of the
correlates of child abuse and spouse abuse and recently, he worked with the
Military Family Research Institute in order to reveal patterns of family
structure and family adaptation in military families.
Richburg, Addie
National President and Chairman of the Board of Directors, National Chief
Domestic Strategist for the National Association of Blacks in Criminal Justice
Consultant for the
21 year career with the United States Department of Justice -
Federal Bureau of Prisons
Provides specialized
knowledge to support the role of volunteer and citizen participation for the
agency through the Inmate Transition Branch (oversight 15,000
volunteers nationwide)
Received
27 awards to date (which include): Sustained Superior
Performances; Special Acts; Quality Step Increases; Employee of the Quarter;
Employee of the Year; Supervisor of the Quarter; Three times BOP Black Affairs
Program Manager of the Year; The 1994 BOP National EEO Award
Attended:
External Affiliations
Executive Director for the International
Network to Freedom Association
Former National Program Director for
Pathways to Freedom Program -
Raymond Parks
Institute for Self-Development and Former Scheduler for Civil Rights
Icon, the late Mrs. Rosa L. Parks
Annual Issues Forum
Facilitator
for the Annual Congressional Black Caucus Legislative Sessions-
Representative Corrine Brown, 3rd District of Florida
Member, National
Religious Meeting Planners Association Member, American Correctional Association
Member, Association
for the Study of African American Life and History
Member, Board
of Directors - Youth Action Network of
National Advisor,
n-Action Family Network
Many distinguished
honors
Member, Board of
Directors - National Ten Point Leadership Foundation (
Published author
Accomplished
professional musician and choir director
Founder of Justice
Sunday National Observance and PEN OR PENCIL: LET ME READ YOU YOUR RIGHTS and related products
Widow of Rev. Warren
H. Dolphus
Mother of three adult
children (Santraiah, Carrie, and Larenzo)
Roe, Marian Sunny
Sunny left Cincinnati to come “south” to Wake Forest University in 1966 and returned north just long enough to receive her Master’s Degree in Special Education from the U. of Cincinnati. She taught a year, and then took the leadership of “Parents and Children Together” - North Carolina’s first home-based early intervention program for developmentally disabled infants and preschoolers, an award winning program that became the model for an entire network of similar programs across the state over the next 14 years.She
then ventured into the business world and discovered that her “serving and
consulting” gifts used with clients translated quite well to delivering
outstanding service to customers, and enjoyed a successful “second career” in
sales, and then as the owner of a printing company. Fast forward 10
years, and an “early retirement” got side-tracked when she answered a call for
assistance from a friend in the newspaper business, and again combined her
teaching and business talents as a “Newspaper-in-Education” Director.
Finally,
- with “real” retirement on the horizon – she cycled back to directing a
program for youth. As a health educator at the Gaston County Health
Department, Sunny currently directs TOP Teens – a youth development program for
middle school students – where teens contribute to their communities through
community service experience, and gain knowledge and skills to make healthy
life choices that lead to high school graduation without becoming a teen
parent! What a great job: What could be better than providing learning
opportunities for young people -- and then watching them “get it” and pass it
along to their peers!
One
of her favorites quotes:
“By
design or default, you make a difference in the lives of all the young people
you come in contact with today. The question is Not IF you will make a
difference, but what KIND of difference you will make!”
Sunny
is the co-parent parent of 5 great young adults, and with the help of her 4
grandchildren is becoming quite adept at Wii golf!
Rogers, Dr. Annette Waters
Dr. Annette Waters Rogers works in the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation (ASPE) at the Department of Health and Human Services. Currently she is a social science analyst in the Data Division and serves as the editor of the congressionally mandated annual report, “Indicators of Welfare Dependence.” Dr. Rogers also is involved in ASPE’s data collection efforts for the National Survey of Adoptive Parents (NSAP). Dr. Rogers comes to ASPE via the U.S. Census Bureau. While at the Census Bureau, she was a statistical analyst working on the Survey of Income and Program Participation (SIPP) as well as the American Community Survey (ACS). In addition to being a quantitative researcher, Dr. Rogers has also worked as a qualitative researcher and ethnographer for the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s, “Moving to[Top of Page]
Samuel, Dr. Tonya
Arthur Ashe Institute for Urban Health,Health Research Inc. ,
Klemm Analysis Group
Inc.
Samuel-Hodge, Dr. Carmen
Dr. Samuel-Hodge is a research faculty member in the Department of Nutrition at the University of North Carolina Schools of Medicine and Public Health.She is from the U.S. Virgin Islands and has worked extensively with maternal and child health, and chronic disease risk reduction programs among minority and undeserved individuals. Her research has focused on behavioral weight loss interventions, weight loss maintenance, clinical and community-based diabetes self-management training interventions among African Americans with type 2 diabetes, and lifestyle interventions using peer counselors (community and church diabetes advisors) to deliver telephone-based program components.She has extensive experience in focus group methodology – conducted
focus groups with: 1) overweight African American adolescent females to assess
attitudes and perceptions relative to body weight and weight management; 2)
health department personnel to evaluate barriers to nutrition services in
family planning clinics; 3) African Americans patients with diabetes to assess
self-management in the family context as well as dietary barriers and
psychosocial influences on diabetes self-care; and 4) family members of African
Americans with type 2 diabetes to identify issues relevant to developing a
family-based diabetes intervention. Her
qualitative research has facilitated the design and development of educational
materials and measurement instruments for research in African American
populations. Moreover, she has developed
and validated psychosocial measures designed to assess perceived competence and
behavioral control in diabetes self-management, and the multiple care-giving
roles of African American women with type 2 diabetes. Major research interests include: (1)
behavioral issues related to lifestyle behavior change (diet and physical activity)
and weight management; (2) intervention research focused on nutrition issues
related to chronic disease risk reduction and self-management; (3) health
disparities and translational research; (4) family functioning and
interactions; and (5) family- and community-based interventions.
Dr.
Samuel-Hodge is currently the principal investigator of research projects
funded by the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the National
Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK). With the CDC-funded project, she will conduct
translational research with 6 health departments in
Silver, April
April R. Silver is a nationally respected social entrepreneur, activist, and writer. Her life’s work embodies one core belief: the cultural arts can heal, politicize, and ultimately elevate our lives.In 1993, she founded AKILA WORKSONGS, Inc., a leading “arts and
activism” company that offers management, public relations, and consulting
services to both emerging and established artists, cultural institutions, and
other entities. Silver is also a former television talk show host of My Two Cents on BETJ.
Through her consistent work, April has come to work closely with
or represent some of today’s most brilliant artists and high profile figures,
including Amiri Baraka, Alex Bugnon, Toni Blackman, Yvonne
Bynoe, William Jelani Cobb, Chuck D., Mos Def, Doug E. Fresh, Talib Kweli,
KRS-One, Sonia Sanchez, Sister Souljah, Nana Camille Yarbrough, Bill Cosby, Ras
Baraka, Kevin Powell, and many others. Her corporate
clients, sponsors or supporters have included, Alvin Ailey American Dance
Theater, Apollo Theater,
As
Activist, Educator, Volunteer. Silver
received a Bachelor of Arts in English from
As Writer, Editor, Lecturer. Various popular websites and local NY
newspapers have published April’s writings. Her debut book is an anthology on
hip hop and fatherhood. “Be a Father to Your Child: Real Talk from Black Men on
Family, Love, and Fatherhood” was released Spring 2008 (Soft Skull). She will
be featured in “HANDLE YOUR ENTERTAINMENT BUSINESS” (Warner).
Since
the 1990’s, Ms. Silver has lectured or moderated discussions nationally at
hundreds of public schools, colleges and universities, as well as conferences
on hip hop, education, and popular culture. She recently gave her first
commencement keynote address at SUNY, New Paltz.
Media and Distinguished Awards. For her nearly 20 years of service as a
communications specialist, both peers and media have honored April’s work. She
is a proud recipient of the Central Brooklyn Jazz Consortium Founder’s Award,
Who’s Who Among Students in American Universities and Colleges, the PUSH
Citizenship Award, to name a few. Also, Essence magazine profiled her in 2002.
Silver
has been featured, profiled, or quoted in Time Magazine, Newsweek, The
Washington Post, The Washington Times, Ebony magazine, Ms. magazine, NY1 News,
The Network Journal (cover story), and many other outlets. Internationally, she
has appeared in ADLIB and Black Music Review (
Slack, Rev. Dr. Rozario
Dr. Slack is the Director of Marriage, Fathering and Family Initiatives at First Things First, a non-profit organization inDr.
Slack is a much sought-after speaker who travels across the country to conduct
seminars in the areas of marriage, fathering and other issues that profoundly
impact children and families. Along with his wife,
He
is the pastor of Temple of Faith Deliverance Church of God in Christ,
volunteers for various community organizations, and serves on several
organizational boards. The Slacks are the parents of three children, Will,
Pamela and Taylor.
Swafford, Jessica
Jessica Swafford serves as the National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy’s manager of public policy, religion and public values. The National Campaign is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to improving the well-being of children, youth, and families by reducing teen and unplanned pregnancy. In this capacity, Ms. Swafford is responsible for fostering, strengthening, and maintaining relationships with Members of Congress and their staffs to educate them and about teen and unplanned pregnancy, prevention and the National Campaign. She works closely with the National Campaign’s bipartisan Senate and House Advisory Panel members to maintain their involvement in the mission of the National Campaign. Ms. Swafford also works with faith leaders and communities interested in reducing teen and unplanned pregnancy, and supports both the Campaign’s Public Policy Advisory Group and Personal Responsibility, Religion and Values Advisory Group.Prior to joining the
National Campaign in October 2006, Ms. Swafford spent four years serving as a
Congressional Aide on Capitol Hill. During her tenure on Capitol Hill, she
focused on domestic social policy specifically with an emphasis on health care
and education. Ms. Swafford earned her Bachelors degree in Human Biology with a
concentration in Adolescent Psychosocial and Biological Development from
Taylor, Donald R.
OnBeing
Executive Director is not new territory for
Prior
to serving as Executive Director,
His
military career afforded him leadership opportunities at several of
Thompson, Carole
Ms. Thompson was appointed Senior Associate with the Annie E. Casey Foundation in November 1997. The Annie E. Casey Foundation, headquartered inPrior
to joining the Casey Foundation, Ms. Thompson managed development activities
for the Baltimore City Public School System and served as the Special Assistant
to the Superintendent of the
Warren, Roland
Roland C. Warren serves as president of National Fatherhood Initiative (NFI), whose mission is to improve the well-being of children by increasing the proportion of children growing up with involved, responsible, and committed fathers. Roland directs the organization’s national strategy and leads NFI’s work via its comprehensive, “three e” strategy of educating, equipping, and engaging fathers and all sectors of society to strengthen fatherhood. Roland represents NFI in the national media, manages its national media campaign promoting responsible fatherhood, and oversees FatherSOURCE, the nation’s largest collection of fatherhood resources.Roland
serves as a board member for the National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy,
on the Advisory Board for the Alpha Leadership Project D.C. College Access
Program, and the Advisory Council for the Ready to Learn Partnership. Prior to
his position at NFI, Roland worked for Goldman, Sachs and Co., where he managed
investments for the firm’s select group of high net worth clients. He is
a graduate of
Williams, Connie
Connie Williams is the Healthy Marriage Team Lead for the Texas Health and Human Services Commission’s Family and Community Services’ Healthy Marriage Program, where she leads a team that implements the Texas Healthy Marriage Initiative. Connie has had a successful career in state government for over 25 years, achieving state and regional awards for exemplary performance in welfare reform. She designed and implemented a welfare reform program, “Hiring JOBS Clients”, that was nominated as a semi-finalist with the Innovations in American Government Awards, John F. Kennedy School of Government,Connie graduated from the
Williams, George R.
George R. Williams is a marriage and family therapist and the Executive Director of theAt the
George is a nationally recognized fathering expert that has spoken and
taught at national conferences including the National PTA Conference, the
National Welfare Reform Conference, National Fatherhood Summit, Annual Fathers
Behind Bars Conference, the National Association of Basketball Coaches
Conference, Family Support
George is a contributing author to the book, Why Fathers Count and the textbook, Fundamentals of Early Childhood Education 4th Edition.
He has authored three fathering curricula:
Quenching the Father Thirst, the
Coach Dads Play Book, and R.E.A.D.
(Reconnecting Education and Dads) to Kids. His has appeared on national
television as a spokesperson for urban fathering on CNN, FOX News, PBS, IO TV
and TBN. He has appeared in print as a “Phenomenal Father” by Ebony Magazine and in Black Enterprise and JET Magazine.
George earned his
Bachelor of Science degree in computer science from
Winn, Dr. Donna-Marie C.
Dr. Winn is an Investigator at the
Young, Alford A.
Alford A. Young, Jr. is Arthur F. Thurnau Professor, and Associate Professor of Sociology and in the Center for Afroamerican and African Studies at theSince
joining the faculty of the
Professor
Young has published The Minds of Marginalized Black Men: Making Sense of
Mobility,
Professor
Young is married to Carla D. O’Connor (Associate Professor,
Biographies – Youth
[Top of Page]Adams, To’Shawn
To’Shawn cares about teen pregnancy prevention because he has watched members of his family struggle with becoming teen parents. He believes strongly that teens need to have all of the facts in order to make responsible decisions about sex and wants to make a difference in his community. To’Shawn is an active member of the Health Education Led by Peers (HELP) Team of Gaston County Department of Health. In addition to his involvement with HELP, he also volunteers for the West Gastonia Boys and Girls Club. To’Shawn’s sponsor is the Gaston County Health Department, Health Education Led by Peers Team (HELP). To’Shawn’s hometown is
Finoh, Ahmed Jr
Graduated Hillside High School 2004; Army JROTC ; Football; Wrestling -All conference 171 weight class
North
Carolina Central University Senior graduating in Dec.2008
Double
major in Environmental Science and Geography
Former
President of Project
S.A.F.E (HIV/STDs Prevention is a program supported by the N.C.
HIV/STD Prevention and Control branch to improve the quality and quantity of
HIV/STD prevention services on HBCU campuses)
Member
of Student
Government Judicial Board
Member
of Bon
Vivant Fashion Society
Council
Member of Student Government Association for four years
Member
of NCCU Residental Hall Association
Mills, Tiffany
Tiffany Mills is a sophomore at North Carolina Central University, Durham, North Carolina.
Hillside High School, International Baccalaureate Program Alumnus
Rising sophomore at
Freshman with the highest GPA in the History department at NCCU
Member of Phi Eta Sigma National Honor Society
Peer Educator for Planned Parenthood of
Youth Panelist for Adolescent Health Advocacy Day
Planned Parenthood and the Pregnancy Prevention Coalition of NC
lobbyist for access to healthcare and age appropriate medically accurate sex
education in public schools
Motivational Speaker for AIDS/HIV Awareness initiative for the
Durham Faith Based Community
Durham Public Schools volunteer in special needs classrooms
Library Page at East Regional Library
Minister in Training at
Hobbies include