P. Bai Akridge, Ph.D.
Andrew T. Austin-Dailey, M.Div.
M. Dolores Cimini, Ph.D.
H. Westley Clark, M.D., J.D., M.P.H., C.A.S., F.A.S.A.M.
Sherri R. Coles, M.S.W., L.S.W., R.N.
Theodore R. Daniels, LL.B.
Angela Cornelius Dawson, M.A.
Eloise Doxie Dixon, L.C.S.W./A.C.S.W.
George R. Gilbert, J.D.
L. Michael Gipson, B.F.A.
Ever R. C. Grier, M.Ed.
Jamie Hart, Ph.D., M.P.H.
Eugene Herrington, Ph.D., M.Div, L.C.S.W.
Kinte Ibbott
Le’Angela Ingram, M.S.
Jan R. Jasper, Ph.D., M.B.A.
Wendy Jones, M.S.W.
Shirley Flen Labbe, M.A./N.C.P.
Nataki MacMurray, M.S.W.
Freddie John Martin, Ph.D.
James L. Mason, Ph.D.
Sheryl Mathis, M.S.W., M.P.H.
Gail A. Mattox, M.D., F.A.A., C.A.P.
Sonya Butler Merrill, Ph.D., M.B.A., M.C.P.
Shirley Beckett Mikell, N.C.A.C. II, S.A.P.
Aisha L. Moore, M.P.H., C.H.E.S.
Cheryl Nesbitt
Don P. Osborn, M.S., M.A., M.A.C., N.C.C., N.C.P., L.M.H.C., L.C.S.W., L.M.F.T.
A. Kathryn Power, M.Ed.
E. Kim Rhim, M.B.A.
Delora Shedrick, M.A., L.C.S.W.
Michael J. Sorrell, J.D., M.A.
Shannon Taitt, M.P.A.
George Thomas, Ph.D.
Andre Watson, M.A.

P. Bai Akridge, Ph.D.
Dr. P. Bai Akridge currently serves as Visiting Research Scholar in the International Center for Transcultural Education (ICTE) at the University of Maryland College of Education (COE). In the ICTE he also serves as Director of the Global Diversity Leadership Institute, which oversees the Prince George’s County, MD-funded International Ambassadors Study Abroad Scholarship Program on the University of Maryland campus. This program provides financial support to study abroad for Prince George's County Public High School graduates with demonstrated need.

Dr. Akridge is particularly interested in international education and development and is engaged in building a relationship between the COE and higher education institutions in Liberia, West Africa. The State of Maryland has a Sister State relationship with Liberia, and he serves on the program's Executive Committee and as Co-Chair of its Education Subcommittee.

Since 2001 Dr. Akridge has served as President of WorldWise Services, Inc., a consultancy focusing on program development and strategic planning in international education, development, and policy. Clients include the U.S. State Department, American Council on Education, U.S. Agency for International Development, Inter-American Development Bank, Afro-Cuban Research Institute/Mississippi Consortium for International Development, United Negro College Fund, and the School Districts of Philadelphia and Prince George's County. Prior to his tenure at WorldWise, during a 17-year career Dr. Akridge held several management positions with the IBM Corporation as a Lobbyist in Washington, Marketing Planner for the higher education segment, and Manager of Corporate Philanthropy in the Asia-Pacific region, based in Tokyo.

Dr. Akridge has earned several advanced degrees, including an M.A. in Public Policy Administration and a Ph.D. in Political Science from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He also holds a Certificate of Business Administration from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. He received a B.A. from DePauw University in Indiana and spent an academic year studying abroad at the University of Nairobi in Kenya, East Africa.

His academic positions include service as a Professor of Political Science at the University of Missouri-St. Louis, as a Ford Foundation Post-Doctoral Fellow at Washington University in St. Louis, and as an Adjunct Associate Professor in the Graduate School of Management and Technology at the University of Maryland University College.

Andrew T. Austin-Dailey, M.Div.
Mr. Andrew T. Austin–Dailey is currently the Director of the Minority Fellowship Program (MFP) at the American Psychological Association. During his overall career, he has been actively involved in the community through developing counseling, training, and support programs for ethnic minorities for over 20 years.

Before joining the staff at the MFP, he was engaged in doctoral studies in Clinical Psychology at the Pacific Graduate School of Psychology in Palo Alto, CA. He received a B.S. in Economics from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and an M.Div. in Pastoral Psychology at the Eastern Baptist Theological Seminary in Philadelphia.

M. Dolores Cimini, Ph.D.
Ms. M. Dolores Cimini is a New York State licensed psychologist who serves as the Assistant Director for Prevention and Program Evaluation at the University at Albany Counseling Center. She is also the Director of the Middle Earth Peer Assistance Program at the University, a student-staffed service agency recognized as a model program in the area of alcohol and other drug abuse prevention by both the U.S. Department of Education and the Center for Substance Abuse Prevention/Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). She also delivers clinical services as a Psychologist in the Counseling Center and serves as an Adjunct Clinical Professor in the School of Education, overseeing eight courses in prevention and health promotion and peer counseling and supervision. She has coordinated campus-wide alcohol and other drug treatment and education efforts for the past 19 years, and she staffs the University at Albany President's Advisory Council on the Prevention of Alcohol Abuse and Related Risk Behaviors.

Dr. Cimini has provided leadership on over $4 million in award-winning Federal, State, and private grant-supported programs. These include the Rapid Response to College Drinking Problems grant program of the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, and the Targeted Capacity Expansion Grant for Screening and Brief Intervention program of the Center for Substance Abuse Treatment (CSAT)/SAMHSA. Dr. Cimini has also served as Project Director for a U.S. Department of Education Alcohol and Drug Prevention Model program grant.

On the national level, Dr. Cimini is a Center Associate for the Higher Education Center on Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse and Violence Prevention. She has served on the Planning Committee for the U.S. Department of Education’s National Meeting on Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse and Violence Prevention in Higher Education and was the Planning Committee Co-Chair in 2003. She has published professional articles in both national and international refereed journals in the alcohol and substance abuse field. Dr. Cimini has delivered numerous professional presentations to local, State, and national audiences in the area of alcohol and substance abuse prevention among college students.

H. Westley Clark, M.D., J.D., M.P.H., C.A.S., F.A.S.A.M.
As director of CSAT within SAMHSA, Dr. H. Westley Clark leads his Agency’s efforts to provide effective and accessible treatment to all Americans with addictive disorders. Dr. Clark’s areas of expertise include substance abuse treatment, methadone maintenance, pain management, dual diagnosis, psychopharmacology, anger management, and medical and legal issues. He is also a noted author, clinician, teacher, and spokesperson in the field of addiction and forensic psychiatry.
Dr. Clark has received numerous awards for his contributions to the field of substance abuse treatment, including the 2008 President of the United States of America, Rank of Distinguished Executive in the Senior Executive Service Award in recognition of his personal commitment to excellence in government and public service. In 2003, he was honored with the Presidential Rank of Meritorious Executive Award for his sustained superior accomplishments in management of programs of the U.S. Government and for noteworthy achievement of quality and efficiency in public service. Dr. Clark was also awarded the 2008 John P. McGovern Award from the American Society of Addiction Medicine for his contributions toward increased understanding of the relationship between addiction and society.
Dr. Clark received his medical degree from the University of Michigan and his law degree from Harvard University Law School. Dr. Clark earned his board certification from the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology in psychiatry and subspecialty certifications in both addiction and forensic psychiatry. Dr. Clark is licensed to practice medicine in California, Maryland, Massachusetts, and Michigan. He is also a member of the Washington, DC, Bar Association.

Sherri R. Coles, M.S.W., L.S.W., R.N.
Ms. Sherri R. Coles is the Comprehensive Counselor at Kentucky State University in Student Health Services. She has been involved with suicide prevention efforts in Kentucky since 2005. She is a member of the Kentucky Suicide Prevention Group and is also a member of its Steering Committee. She is a trained instructor in Suicide Gatekeeper Training, QPR.

Ms. Coles earned her bachelor’s degree in Social Work from Kentucky State University and her master’s degree in Social Work from the University of Kentucky, and is licensed by the Kentucky Board of Social Work. She is also a registered nurse.

Theodore R. Daniels, LL.B.
Mr. Theodore R. Daniels has more than 33 years of experience in financial management and investments. Currently he is President of the Society for Financial Education and Professional Development, Inc. (SFEPD), which he founded in 1998. SFEPD is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to enhance the level of financial and economic literacy of individuals and households in the United States and to promote professional development at the early stages of career development through midlevel management. The U.S. Department of Treasury’s Office of Financial Education has recognized SFEPD seminars for meeting Agency criteria for effective financial education programs.

Mr. Daniels’ organization offers a variety of learning resources and techniques, including a series of financial education seminars for students of HBCUs. Since 2001, the organization has presented seminars at over 70 colleges and universities. During the 2007-2008 school year, the organization’s programs reached over 16,000 HBCU students across the country. Many of these institutions have presented Mr. Daniels with certificates of appreciation and awards for his work in enhancing financial literacy among their students. Additionally, through donated funds, SFEPD has provided academic and enhancement scholarships to students of HBCUs.

During his career, Mr. Daniels has written a financial education newsletter and a syndicated personal financial education column, and produced a syndicated financial education television series on the Public Broadcasting System and cable systems nationwide. He has designed, developed, and conducted seminars, as well as served frequently as a seminar speaker for large and small organizations of national prominence. He spent several years as an Economics Lecturer at American University. He has also served as a financial advisor for many years.

While employed at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Mr. Daniels received many awards during his professional career there. Such awards included the Secretary’s Award for Excellence and several Special Achievement Certificates. The Department nominated him to receive the Congressional Excalibur Award for Financial Management. Several newspapers and other publications have cited Mr. Daniels for his financial expertise.

In 2008, Mr. Daniels was appointed to serve on President George W. Bush’s Advisory Council on Financial Literacy; he continues to serve in this role under President Barack Obama’s Administration. He serves on the Board of Directors of the Certified Financial Planners Board of Standards and sits on the Advisory Boards of the College of Business and Applied Professional Sciences at South Carolina State University and Fort Valley State University’s Department of Business and Economics. His organization is a partner of the Financial Services Roundtable, representing some of the Nation’s largest financial services corporations.

Mr. Daniels has a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration with a concentration in Economics and Accounting from Fort Valley State University and a Bachelor of Laws degree from John Marshall School. He is an honorary member of the Golden Key Honor Society and Sigma Beta Delta International Honor Society in Business, Management and Administration. Mr. Daniels is also a member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc.

Angela Cornelius Dawson, M.A.
Ms. Angela Cornelius Dawson has led the Ohio Department of Alcohol and Drug Addiction Services since her appointment by Ohio Governor Ted Strickland in 2007. Director Dawson oversees a staff of approximately 110 employees and an annual budget of $197 million. The Department oversees 50 county boards and certifies more than 600 treatment and recovery and prevention sites in the State. Prior to her Department appointment, Ms. Dawson served as Executive Director of Project Linden, Inc., an outpatient alcohol and other drug treatment and prevention services center in Columbus, OH, for 18 years.

Ms. Dawson received her bachelor’s degree in Rehabilitation Education, a master’s degree in Counseling and Guidance, and a second master’s degree in Rehabilitation Counseling from Wright State University.

Eloise Doxie Dixon, L.C.S.W./A.C.S.W.
Ms. Eloise Doxie Dixon has been a faculty/staff member of Xavier University of Louisiana for over 27 years. She taught social work courses for several years in the Social Work and Sociology Departments. She also coordinated the freshmen orientation course for a 17-year period and coedited several editions of the student orientation textbook during that period. 

Ms. Dixon has directed the Counseling and Wellness Center for the last 20 years. Her specialties are mental health, wellness promotion, group work, and academic advising.  She supervises the personal and academic counseling programs, disability program, and the wellness program at Xavier.  She also leads stress management workshops for students, staff, faculty, and community groups.

George R. Gilbert, J.D.
Mr. George R. Gilbert is the Director of the Office of Program Analysis and Coordination within CSAT/SAMHSA and concurrently serves as the Chief Policy Officer at CSAT.  In these roles, he provides management oversight and leadership for CSAT’s policy analysis, budget formulation and execution, and program development activities.  Previously, Mr. Gilbert served for more than 2 years as the Acting Director of CSAT.

As the lead agency in the Federal Government for substance abuse treatment, CSAT pursues a mission to improve the health of the Nation by bringing effective alcohol and drug treatment to every community.  CSAT provides over $2 billion a year to States and communities for treatment services and for efforts to promote adoption of best treatment practices.

During his career of over 30 years in the Federal Government, Mr. Gilbert also has worked for the Executive Office of the President, Special Action Office for Drug Abuse Prevention (a predecessor to the current Office of National Drug Control Policy), Office of Management and Budget, and U.S. House of Representatives Select Committee on Narcotics Abuse and Control. Mr. Gilbert is a graduate of Duke University and Georgetown University Law Center.

L. Michael Gipson, B.F.A.
An award-winning writer and public health and youth advocate, Mr. L. Michael Gipson has worked on HIV/AIDS and youth and community development programming on the local, State, and national levels for over 15 years. Throughout those years, he has written articles, fact sheets, and issue briefs for local and national nonprofit organizations, such as Advocates for Youth, the National Youth Advocacy Coalition, and the AIDS Taskforce of Greater Cleveland (ATGC). At national nonprofit organizations, he has designed and facilitated training events for over 60 State and local health departments, education agencies, and grassroots community-based organizations. During his tenure at ATGC, the largest AIDS service organization in Ohio, Mr. Gipson directed 11 local, State, and federally funded health programs and directly trained 45 nonprofessional adolescents and young adults to become certified community health education service providers. While in Cleveland, he cofounded the Beyond Identities Community Center, a multifocused youth drop-in center that has served the developmental, social service, and sexual health education needs of over 1,500 minority youth since 2004.

Using his local and national experience, he went to work as a Senior Administrator for the DC Department of Health HIV/AIDS Administration (DOH/HAA), where he developed a multiyear strategic plan to reduce HIV among District youth by 30 percent over 3 years. Now a contractor, he is currently developing a similar multiyear plan for DOH/HAA focused on substance use and HIV/AIDS. Faithwalk Enterprises, a training and organizational development firm, is Mr. Gipson’s most recent venture. Since being established in 2007, Faithwalk has developed a client roster that has included the Children’s National Medical Center, Metro TeenAIDS, Camp Sunrise, Altarum Institute, and several other youth- and health-related agencies.

Mr. Gipson holds a B.F.A. in Writing from Goddard College.

Ever R. C. Grier, M.Ed.
Ms. Ever R. C. Grier has been a member of the student affairs profession in higher education for more than 25 years. She has provided leadership in the areas of student financial aid, career planning and placement, intercollegiate athletics, first-year experience, and student development in both university and community college environments. She has worked as an Administrative Associate in the Offices of the President, the Executive Vice-President for Student & Academic Affairs, and the Dean of Students. She has experience in curriculum development and academic regulations and standards. Ms. Grier has also served as a Consultant to the Morgan State University Leadership Fellows Program. She is currently the Lead Facilitator responsible for developing the Parent/Family Engagement Program at Montgomery College.
Ms. Grier has participated in leadership development programs with the Higher Education Resources Summer Institute at Bryn Mawr College in Pennsylvania and the Chair Academy Worldwide Leadership Training for Post-Secondary Leaders. She has also completed training on resolving conflict, facilitating groups in changing times, and building multicultural teams.

A doctoral candidate at Morgan State University, Mr. Grier is currently completing her dissertation on U.S. Tribal Colleges and Universities. She earned her M.Ed. in Student Personnel Services from Tuskegee University. As a graduate student she interned in the Office of the Vice-President for Student Affairs and the Office of the Director for Student Financial Aid and College Work-Study. Overall, she likes to describe herself as the student who left home for the university but never left the “academy.”

Ms. Grier maintains membership in the National Association for Student Personnel Administrators. She has also served on the board of the Maryland Chapter of the American Council on Education Women’s Network, Washington Regional Task Force on Campus Prejudice, the Maryland Multicultural Counseling Association, and the American Counseling Association.

Jamie Hart, Ph.D., M.P.H.
As Director of Altarum's Intercultural Health Practice Area, Dr. Jamie Hart’s work typically focuses on increasing access to services for underserved populations by assessing current efforts or providing training and technical assistance to build Federal, State, and/or local capacity. She is particularly known for her ability to develop consensus, pull together broad special-interest health networks, and lead organizations to their strategic planning goals. She has also helped define Agency or coalition goals; identified and involved key stakeholders in planning; designed meetings to specify available resources, barriers, gaps, and opportunities for collaboration; and helped tailor messages and develop plans to operationalize goals.

Dr. Hart has planned, designed, and facilitated interagency collaboration and high-level meetings to identify barriers and develop concrete steps to achieve systems change, often with a focus on underserved communities. She directed the recently completed Homeless Policy Academies Initiative for 5 years, which offered training and technical assistance for a systems-change project that brings together State teams of policymakers and practitioners to integrate their various systems to improve access to services for individuals and families with children experiencing homelessness. She adapted this model for a 2-year AHRQ project focused on pediatric asthma disparities. This project created a learning network among six State asthma coalitions to foster evidence-based knowledge and strategic decision-making to address disparities in asthma care experienced by racial and ethnic minority children from low-income families. Dr. Hart has also worked with the Jamaican National AIDS Programme in the development of the country’s next 5-year National Strategic Plan for HIV and AIDS. In addition, she has facilitated numerous expert panel and workgroup meetings on cross-cultural communication and cultural competency in family planning services; strategic responses to co-occurring disorders and homelessness; obesity and food assistance; care for trauma survivors in the public mental health system; and discharge planning for criminal justice, behavioral health, primary care, and foster care systems.

Dr. Hart currently directs two Office of HIV/AIDS Policy contracts to assess HIV-related technical assistance throughout the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and to work with 10 Regional Resource Coordinators across the country to deliver technical assistance and training to community- and faith-based organizations addressing HIV. She also directs two Health Resources and Services Administration contracts focusing on Ryan White Act grantees’ efforts to recruit and retain people of color with HIV and to assess the need for services and distribute funds accordingly. Dr. Hart has served as the Director of four Office of Population Affairs assessment projects within Title X clinics serving largely low-income, uninsured, and underrepresented minority clients. The projects addressed cultural competency, HIV prevention, couples-based services, and clinical training.

Previously, Dr. Hart worked as an Instructional Consultant in the University of Michigan Center for Research on Learning and Teaching, with a focus on multiculturalism in the classroom; as a research assistant on CDC’s Racial and Ethnic Approaches to Community Health Project; and as a Project Director, Researcher, and Trainer at the Center for Research on Group Dynamics with a focus on diversity programming for new student orientation. She also taught African American History at Washtenaw Community College. She holds an M.P.H., a master’s associate degree, and a Ph.D. in U.S. History, with a specialization in African American History, all conferred by the University of Michigan. Her dissertation focused on reproductive health and access to health care for African American women.

Eugene Herrington, Ph.D., M.Div, L.C.S.W.
Dr. Eugene Herrington is a licensed psychiatric clinician and educator with social planning, community organization, and leadership skills. He is currently the Co-Director of the Historically Black Colleges and Universities Center for Excellence at Morehouse School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences. His diverse skills were recently employed during HBCU-NRC regional curricula development workshops. From those workshops, ongoing technical assistance to college and university professors working in the behavioral health and substance abuse disciplines is still in place.

Dr. Herrington played a pivotal role in developing the Master of Science in Addiction Studies degree at the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff. This master’s program is one of the few that is being offered at HBCUs.

Dr. Herrington also has a long participatory history with the National HBCU Substance Abuse Consortium and the Lonnie E. Mitchell Conference. He was the recipient of the 2004 National Historically Black Colleges and Universities Substance Abuse Conferences Service Award. He is a member of the Addiction Technology Transfer Center Advisory Committee and a member of the National NAADAC Committee on Addiction Studies and Standards in Higher Education.

Kinte Ibbott
Mr. Kinte Ibbott has provided strategic planning support services to a range of agency clients. His activities have included performing strategic analyses, facilitating direction setting and action planning, conducting performance evaluations, and determining lessons learned.

Mr. Ibbott’s responsibilities have varied in concert with the needs of his clients. For the Office of the Chief Information Officer, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, he supported the development of an Agency-wide IT Strategic Plan and IT Performance Management Program to ensure alignment with the Department’s strategic goals and objectives. In another role, while assisting the HIV/AIDS Bureau (HAB), he facilitated strategic planning activities with HAB leadership to identify new programmatic priorities to be included in the Reauthorized Ryan White CARE Act of 2000 and the Agency’s strategic plan. For the Veterans Health Administration’s (VHA’s) Enterprise Systems Management Office, Mr. Ibbott supported prioritization activities for the VHA’s Health Provider Systems’ portfolio, which represents the Agency’s most complex IT investments and includes 63 IT projects cutting across the care delivery spectrum (e.g., EHR, Pharmacy, Laboratory, Radiology, Mental Health, Bar Code Expansion, and Surgery). A final example of his professional accomplishments is represented by his work for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Mr. Ibbott conducted analyses of the retail pharmacy industry and supported planning activities related to the design, financing, and ongoing sustainability of the Medicare outpatient pharmacy benefit.

Le’Angela Ingram, M.S.
Ms. Le’Angela Ingram has accumulated over 25 years of experience in training, facilitation, organizational development, and professional coaching and consulting. In addition to her expertise in leadership, management, supervision, and interpersonal skills training, she specializes in leading change and diversity awareness. She serves as an executive coach for the Council for Excellence in Government and other Leadership Development programs for the Federal Government. Ms. Ingram has conducted several events for the ATTC Leadership Institute and recently delivered a session, The Emotionally Intelligent Leader, for the Florida Prevention Partners’ Conference. Ms. Ingram facilitated learning teams for the New Leader Program for the U.S. Department of Agriculture and also served as adjunct faculty for the Graduate School’s Aspiring Leader Program and the Executive Potential Program. She also works with the Graduate School’s National Capital Training Center, Open Enrollment Programs. She conducts training in effective presentations and instructor development for the Department of Transportation’s National Highway Institute and the Office of Motor Carriers. In addition, she traveled to Swaziland, Africa, where she designed methods and trained international early childhood educators and HIV/AIDS education advocates in leading change and transition. She designed, developed, and launched the Leadership Academy for the Mitre Corporation.

Ms. Ingram’s work efforts have resulted in improved organizational effectiveness, staff skills, and employee commitment, as well as increased employee sensitivity to individual and cultural differences. She is nationally and internationally recognized and sought as a consultant and trainer in the above areas. Ms. Ingram serves as a Senor Associate Consultant for Benchmark Training. Along with Nancy Rosenshine, with whom she works on a number of training and consulting initiatives, Ms. Ingram belongs to a diversity group of 12 years’ standing that focuses on self-exploration and working across differences and similarities.

Ms. Ingram earned a Bachelor of Business Administration and Marketing from Howard University. She also holds a Master of Science in Applied Behavioral Science (Organization and Human Resource Development) from Johns Hopkins University, where she completed Fellowships in Change Management and Women, Leadership and Change. She is certified in Transition Management by William Bridges and Associates and in the Myers Briggs Type Indicator. She resides in Silver Spring, MD, with her husband, Reggie. She is the proud Nana of three: Kayla, Brianna, and Alexander.

Jan R. Jasper, Ph.D., M.B.A.
Dr. Jan R. Jasper is on the faculty of the School of Business and Economics at Elizabeth City State University (ECSU), where he serves as an Associate Professor and maintains a strong interest in minority financial literacy. At ECSU, Dr. Jasper teaches a new course in Personal Financial Management (open to all students), and has recently introduced three new courses in Retirement Planning. He also teaches Investment and Principles of Finance, and has taught the Fundamentals of Financial Planning at the graduate level during the summer for the past 5 years at Texas Tech University.

Previously, while at Prairie View A&M University, Dr. Jasper engineered a partnership with Texas Tech University—which has built the best program in Personal Financial Planning in the country—to develop academic capacity and programs in this field at HBCUs. He also introduced a course in Personal Financial Management and a minor in the same area at Prairie View.

Dr. Jasper received his undergraduate degree in Finance from Howard University, his M.B.A. in Finance from the University of Pennsylvania, and his Ph.D. from Cornell University. He has received his Series 7, 63, 65, and insurance licenses, and is both a Certified Financial Planner and Certified Retirement Counselor.

Wendy Jones, M.S.W.
Ms. Wendy Jones is a Research Instructor in the Department of Pediatrics, Georgetown University Medical Center in Washington, DC. She has been associated with the Georgetown University Center for Child & Human Development (GUCCHD), University Centers of Excellence, for the past 14 years and has served in various capacities. She is a bilingual Special Educator and Social Worker specializing in advocacy, support, and training for individuals and families with limited English proficiency and families with developmental, educational, and emotional disabilities.

Currently, Ms. Jones directs the Children &Youth with Special Health Care Needs project of the National Center for Cultural Competence (NCCC). The NCCC’s mission is to increase the capacity of health care and mental health program staff to design, implement, and evaluate culturally and linguistically competent service delivery systems. In this capacity she conducts a range of training, technical assistance, and consultation activities, emphasizing the role of culture, language, and cross-cultural communication in health, health literacy, and mental health literacy. She also has teaching responsibilities within the GUCCHD.

Ms. Jones has a bachelor’s degree in Education, a master’s degree in Bilingual Special Education, and a Master of Social Work.

Shirley Flen Labbe, M.A./N.C.P.
Ms. Shirley Flen Labbe has been a staff member of Xavier University of New Orleans for over 25 years. She chaired the Curriculum Committee and facilitated the freshmen orientation course for l3 years. She also coedited the freshmen orientation course textbook for 7 years. Ms. Labbe’s specialties are mental health counseling, wellness promotion, and advising student groups. She assists the Director of Counseling Services in the coordination of the wellness program, disability program, and personal and academic counseling program. She has presented time management and study skills workshops at national conferences and to campus and community groups.

Nataki MacMurray, M.S.W.
Ms. Nataki MacMurray entered Federal service as a Presidential Management Fellow (PMF) in 1998. Since that time, she has served primarily as a Policy Analyst in ODR through several PMF rotations. As a Legislative Fellow to Congressman Chaka Fattah (D-PA), she concentrated on legislative and regulatory developments relevant to youth and school services. She has also served in the Office of Policy and Planning at CSAP. Inhouse, her assignments included a 2-year detail to an Office of National Drug Control Policy special team—the Major Cities Initiative—mobilizing local communities in several of the largest U.S. cities to respond to substance abuse issues. Fostering strategic development, political negotiation, and partnership building, she developed collaborations to improve prevention, treatment, and law enforcement efforts within State and local leadership. Prior to her Federal career, she served as a social worker in a variety of settings, including schools and psychiatric outpatient programs for children and seniors.

Ms. MacMurray earned a master’s degree in Social Work from the University of Pennsylvania. She also holds a bachelor’s degree in Social Work from Temple University in Philadelphia.

Freddie John Martin, Ph.D.
Dr. Freddie John Martin currently serves as the Senior Training Manager for the National Minority AIDS Council in Washington, DC. He is responsible for developing core capacity and building training packages and technical assistance services for HIV/AIDS organizations serving African Americans throughout the 50 States. In this position he hires staff, subject matter experts, trainers, and curriculum developers; reviews and approves curricula for national publication and distribution; and organizes national conferences and workshops.

Prior to holding his present position, Dr. Martin served as a Senior Adviser and Resident Consultant to the Maryland Governor and Lt. Governor in the Governor’s Office of Community Initiatives. In this role he developed capacity-building training projects for faith- and community-community based organizations throughout Maryland. He organized workshops on how such organizations could access Federal and State grants and contracts from Maryland agencies. He also provided guidance on how to develop programs, provide technical assistance, and implement capacity-building projects for the Governor’s Office, Offices of Cabinet Secretaries, Maryland businesses, and nonprofit organizations. Dr. Martin has extensive experience in managing national or large-scale projects, including three national training projects for the Federal Government. He has done extensive training, technical assistance, curricula, and business development work for government agencies, nonprofit organizations, and private executives. Some areas of his expertise in organizational development, capacity-building, training, and technical assistance include strategic planning, board development, asset mapping, grants writing, program evaluations, operations research, policy formulation, government marketing, team and private partnership building, and curriculum development. He is frequently called on as a senior consultant when high-profile or nationally funded projects are faltering.

Over the past 20 years, Dr. Martin has served as President at the American Institute for Economic Development, a think tank on Capitol Hill supporting economic research and advocacy of minority and small businesses as primary sources for economic growth in America. He has served as the Executive Administrator and Chief of Staff to the Executive Director for the D.C. Housing Finance Agency. He has been selected to develop or manage national initiatives with consulting firms working for Federal agencies, including training workshops for program evaluations, grants writing, strategic planning, and most recently, home foreclosure strategies for Prince Georges’ County in Maryland. Dr. Martin’s contributions to community and faith-based organizations and small and minority businesses have been recognized in numerous national and international Who’s Who directories.

A native of Chicago, he earned, as a national Mott Scholar, a Ph.D. in Administration and Policy Studies from Northwestern University in Evanston, IL

James L. Mason, Ph.D.
Dr. James L. Mason is the Director of Diversity Education and Cultural Competence for the Oregon Region Providence Health & Services. He is also the Senior Project Consultant for the National Center on Cultural Competence at Georgetown University. He is the former Director of the Office of Multicultural Health for the State of Oregon. He has been both an instructor and administrator at the graduate and undergraduate levels beginning in 1976.

Dr. Mason has engaged in service delivery systems research, including directing two national research projects focusing on the development and measurement of cultural competence among professionals and organizations. He has applied the cultural-competence concept to a variety of service and academic disciplines, including public health, emergency preparedness, urban and regional planning, behavioral health, mental health, education, child welfare, and alcohol and drug treatment services. He has lectured and consulted with human service agencies across the United States, Canada, and Latin America since 1984.

Sheryl Mathis, M.S.W., M.P.H.
Ms. Sheryl Mathis, an Altarum Institute Senior Associate, currently directs the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA)-funded Maternal and Child Health (MCH) Training Resource Center to facilitate implementation of the national strategic plan for MCH Training. Under this project she facilitates work groups comprising representatives of more than 60 universities to develop strategies for implementation of strategic objectives for MCH leadership.

Ms. Mathis has facilitated strategic planning work sessions related to health systems improvements for State health departments and partner agencies in eight States as part of the HRSA-funded Community Integrated Services Systems Initiative. She has facilitated development of action plans for multiple projects, including an initiative to update the strategic plan for evaluation of MCH Bureau-funded programs; the Summit for a National Action Plan on Bone Health presented by the National Coalition for Osteoporosis and Related Bone Diseases; and the Pacific Diabetes Summit sponsored by the U.S. Department of Interior and several U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Agencies.
In her previous work at Altarum Institute, Ms. Mathis helped conduct a study of CARE Act grantee efforts to recruit and retain people of color in care, and an Office of HIV/AIDS Policy study to assess the effectiveness of technical assistance to community-based organizations. Among her roles prior to joining Altarum Institute, Ms. Mathis served as a Research Associate for the North Carolina Breast Cancer Screening Program and as Assistant Director of the Columbia University Head Start Program.

Gail A. Mattox, M.D., F.A.A.C.A.P.
Dr. Gail Mattox currently serves as Chairperson of the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Morehouse School of Medicine and holds the rank of Professor of Clinical Psychiatry. She joined the faculty at Morehouse School of Medicine in 1989.

Dr. Mattox is actively involved in numerous professional and community organizations and has presented locally and nationally on a variety of mental health topics. Dr. Mattox has received several awards for leadership, teaching, and community service.

Dr. Mattox received a B.S. with honors from Elmhurst College in Elmhurst, IL, and an M.D. with honors from Meharry Medical College in Nashville, TN. She completed a Pediatric Residency at Hubbard Hospital in Nashville, TN, followed by a Child Psychiatry Fellowship and General Psychiatry training at Northwestern University School of Medicine in Chicago, IL. Dr. Mattox is a Diplomate of the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology with additional subspecialty Board Certification in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. She is a Fellow of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and a member of Alpha Omega Alpha Medical Honor Society.

Sonya Butler Merrill, Ph.D., M.B.A., M.C.P.
Dr. Sonya Butler Merrill currently holds the position of Visiting Professor, Management Department, College of Business and Economics, at Towson University. Until July 2008, Dr. Merrill served as a Group Vice President for Educational Services, Incorporated (ESI). She oversaw numerous training and technical assistance, grants management, conference planning, and communication and information services projects funded by the Administration for Children and Families, the National Institutes of Health, SAMHSA, Department of Justice, Department of Education, Corporation for National and Community Service, and National Science Foundation. She managed a staff of 45 and a portfolio of projects with a value in excess of $50 million that focused on education, family preservation, child and youth welfare issues, health promotion and disease prevention, disaster readiness and response, crime prevention and community empowerment, and mental health initiatives. Dr. Merrill has a proven track record in organizational and Federal program management, finance, insurance, health care management, public health education campaigns, client relations; and research and college instruction.

In her previous position as Deputy Project Director of SAMHSA’s National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information, Dr. Merrill managed a 90-person staff and the program and financial reporting for the $10-million-per-year, 5-year contract. She also served as lead Project Manager for two evidence-based research projects: one focused on youth protective factors related to substance abuse prevention and the other on promotion of positive self-esteem in populations of Hispanic/Latina girls. In each position, Dr. Merrill’s work consistently demonstrated her commitment to improving the quality of life of individuals and the resilience of communities.

Between 1990 and 2000, Dr. Merrill instructed courses in Management and Health Services Administration at Philadelphia University (formerly the Philadelphia College of Textiles and Science) and Temple University. She has also taught at Strayer University in Washington, DC.
Her research interests include comparative health information dissemination networks and the identification of indicators of organizational success in health care settings. She has also studied the assessment of community-based care delivery models to improve access to mental health treatment and intervention for at-risk populations.

In 2008, Dr. Merrill founded a company, Transformative Discovery, LLC, to provide career coaching to professionals and strategic business consulting to organizations.
Dr. Merrill earned a Ph.D. in Business Administration from Temple University’s Fox School of Business with emphasis on business strategy, organizational design and development, and health services administration.

Shirley Beckett Mikell, N.C.A.C. II, S.A.P.
Ms. Shirley Beckett Mikell is the Deputy Executive Director of NAADAC, the Association for Addiction Professionals. She has more than 33 years of experience working with individuals with co-occurring disorders. In addition to establishing a certification system in her home State of South Carolina, Ms. Mikell also played a significant role in establishing faith-based training initiatives and treatment centers in seven churches throughout the State.

Ms. Mikell is particularly skilled in the areas of ethics, confidentiality, group and individual counseling skills, and family interventions. She previously worked in opiate replacement therapy and managed Methadone Treatment Services in Charleston, SC, for Charleston County for over 25 years. She has conducted training events in the Southeast for more than 20 years and worked as a Counselor, Program Manager, and Coordinator of Training. Ms. Mikell has provided training to addiction professionals throughout the world and continues to advise programs in Cyprus, Egypt, and Iceland.

Aisha L. Moore, M.P.H., C.H.E.S.
Ms. Aisha L. Moore serves as a Senior Policy Associate and has 10 years of experience in training, facilitation, technical assistance, and research in the health area. Her areas of expertise include substance abuse prevention and treatment programs, HIV/STI prevention, and health equity. Her technical skills include community-based approaches to research, group facilitation, and action planning.
Ms. Moore began her career providing research support to various substance abuse studies. This included work with Federal agencies, local governments, and several major universities in the Boston area. She continued her work in the Washington, DC, and Chapel Hill, NC, areas in the fields of cultural competency and community-based participatory research and community health action planning. She currently provides technical assistance to Department of Health and Human Services grantees in substance abuse treatment and adolescent health.

Ms. Moore continues to work in the local Washington community facilitating community dialogs regarding the social determinants of health status in communities. This includes bringing community members together to change the conversation about health equity and prepare communities for action. She participates in street outreach in HIV/AIDS prevention focusing on harm reduction techniques.
Ms. Moore received her M.P.H. from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in the Department of Health Behavior and Health Education with an emphasis on applied research. She is also a Certified Health Education Specialist recognized by the National Commission for Health Education Credentialing.

Cheryl Nesbitt
Ms. Cheryl Nesbitt is a Management and Health Care Consultant who has a wide range of experience working with Federal, State, and local agencies, as well as nonprofit organizations. She has served in the HIV/AIDS field for over 25 years developing and delivering training, as well as developing and evaluating programs across the country. She has worked with HRSA, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, SAMHSA, and the National Institute on Drug Abuse to help improve program and service deliveries, particularly to communities of color. Ms. Nesbitt has also worked extensively with HBCUs in delivering HIV/AIDS training and assisting schools to establish HIV peer education programs.

Ms. Nesbitt has developed over 25 training packages in other fields, including organizational capacity-building, management and supervision, and grant writing. She is currently providing training for the U.S. Department of Defense on the National Security Personnel System. She is also working with the International Training and Education Center on HIV I-TECH by developing site visit tools for use with PEPFAR projects.

Ms. Nesbitt is the President of Nesbitt Enterprises, Inc., a woman-owned, Small Business Administration-certified Small Disadvantaged Business.

Don P. Osborn, M.S., M.A., M.A.C., N.C.C., N.C.P., L.M.H.C., L.C.S.W., L.M.F.T.
Mr. Don P. Osborn is Graduate School Director and Professor of Addictions Counseling at Indiana Wesleyan University (IWU), as well as Executive Director of the Addiction Studies Center at IWU. He is a Senior Fulbright Scholar and serves on the National Trainers Academy for the National Association of Alcohol and Drug Abuse Counselors (NAADAC). Currently he is the President Elect of NAADAC and has served as the Regional Vice President for NAADAC of the Mid Central Region. He is also the Chairman of the National Addiction Studies & Standards Collaborative Committee. He serves on the Board of the Indiana Association of Addiction Professionals. Professionally, he has experience as a therapist, clinical director, and program administrator, as well as over two decades as a pastor.

Mr. Osborn is certified nationally as a Master Addiction Counselor, National Certified Counselor, and National Certified Psychologist; he is also an Indiana Certified Addictions Counselor II and Clinical Supervisor. He is a Clinical Member of the American Association of Marriage and Family Therapists. He has also been ordained for over 30 years as a Minister in the Christian Church/Church of Christ (Independent). He is licensed in Indiana in Mental Heath, Clinical Social Work, and Marriage and Family. Mr. Osborn’s undergraduate degree is from Lincoln Christian College in Christian Ministries. His M.S. is from Indiana State University in Counseling Psychology. His M.A. is from Saint Mary of the Woods College in Theology. Currently he is pursuing course work for the Ph.D. in Counselor Education & Supervision at Indiana State University.

Mr. Osborn has three daughters—Shawna, Tiffany, and Sara. He and his wife, Cindy, reside in Noblesville, IN.

A. Kathryn Power, M.Ed.
Ms. A. Kathryn Power is Director of the Center for Mental Health Services (CMHS), SAMHSA. CMHS provides national leadership in mental health promotion, mental illness prevention, and development and dissemination of effective mental health services. Ms. Power leads a staff of 126 professionals in facilitating the transformation of our Nation’s mental health care system into one that is recovery oriented and consumer centered.

Ms. Power received a Secretary’s Award from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services for supplying leadership in the national effort to reduce seclusion and restraint in mental health and substance abuse service settings (2004). She was similarly recognized by the Secretary for leading an unprecedented Federal coalition to transform U.S. mental health services (2005) and for providing increased capacity for mental health and substance abuse treatment services after Hurricanes Katrina, Rita, and Wilma (2006).

Before her appointment as CMHS Director, Ms. Power served for over 10 years as the Director of the Rhode Island Department of Mental Health, Retardation and Hospitals (DMHRH), a Cabinet position reporting to the Governor. DMHRH is responsible for serving those with mental illnesses, substance abuse disorders, developmental disabilities, and serious long-term medical needs. During her tenure, DMHRH gained a national reputation for leadership and innovation that produced real and often dramatic improvements in the quality of life for the people it served. Ms. Power helped her State embrace a focus on recovery, promote deinstitutionalization, reduce seclusion and restraint, adopt behavioral health approaches, implement trauma-informed services, advance an emotional competency agenda, develop mobile treatment teams, and expand supported employment to competitive employment opportunities. Her department had an annual budget of over $480 million and more than 2,000 employees. Ms. Power previously directed the Rhode Island Office of Substance Abuse, the Governor’s Drug Program, the Rhode Island Anti-Drug Coalition, and the Rhode Island Council of Community Mental Health Centers.

Earlier professional experiences include teaching at elementary and secondary schools; providing counseling, leadership, and advocacy for rape crisis and domestic violence agencies; and working as a computer systems analyst for the Department of Defense.

Ms. Power served as President of the National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors, where she led the organization to embrace principles of recovery and trauma-informed care as linchpins of the public mental health system. She has also been recognized locally and nationally for her leadership and advocacy on behalf of individuals with disabilities by organizations such as the Center for Performance Excellence, the Rhode Island Protection and Advocacy System, and the National Organization for Victim Assistance. In addition, Ms. Power has served on the boards of directors of over 100 nonprofit agencies, commissions, and task forces in both the public and private sectors.

Ms. Power received her bachelor’s degree in Education from St. Joseph’s College in Emmitsburg, MD, and her master’s degree in Education and Counseling from Western Maryland College. She is a graduate of the Toll Fellowship program of the Council of State Governments, which promotes the development of State leaders through intensive work in policy, management, and executive decision-making. She has also completed programs in senior executive leadership development, mental health leadership, and substance abuse leadership at the Harvard University John F. Kennedy School of Government. In addition, she has extensive training and teaching experience in leadership, ethics, public service, policy development, and program implementation.

Ms. Power is a retired Captain in the U.S. Navy Reserve.

E. Kim Rhim, M.B.A.
Ms. E. Kim Rhim is a seasoned facilitator, trainer, and educator with extensive workforce development experience assisting individuals, working groups, and organizations. She is currently the Executive Director of The Training Source, Inc., where she is responsible for planning and directing operations for training and development initiatives, both independently and in collaboration with partner organizations. She hires and manages professional staff; plans and conducts corporate training for public- and private-sector employers; prepares and submits proposals for funded programs; and manages funded contracts to ensure successful outcomes.

Overall, Ms. Rhim has 20 years of management and supervisory experience, including 15 years in the nonprofit field. She has also accumulated 15 years of experience in training and workforce development, including strategic and action planning, leadership development, customer service, interpersonal and written communications, team-building, time management, problem-solving and decision-making, diversity, sexual harassment awareness, and other corporate training topics. For more than 10 years Ms. Rhim performed training under contract with Prince George’s County agencies, including the Community College, One-Stop Career Center, Public Schools, and Departments of Social Services, Housing, and Health and Family Services. She has devoted an equally long portion of her training career performing under contract with the Maryland State Government, District of Columbia Government, Baltimore City Community College, Community College of Baltimore County, Chesapeake College, Howard Community College, Howard County Government, Washington County Government, The Arc of Prince George’s County, Resource Connections of Prince George’s County, and the YMCA. She is a requested keynote and breakout speaker at conferences such as those of the Maryland Association of Community Services, Maryland Governor’s Employee Excellence Awards Conference, Maryland Women Work!, and National Organization of Minority Architects.

Ms. Rhim has an M.B.A. in Finance, Corporate Relations and Management from Columbia University and a B.B.A. magna cum laude in Business Administration and Insurance from Howard University, Washington, DC. She has a Global Career Development Facilitator Certification from the Maryland Institute for Workforce Excellence, Ellicott City, MD. She is also a Certified Federal Resume Writer from the Maryland Institute for Employment & Training Professionals, Columbia, MD.

Delora Shedrick, M.A., L.C.S.W.
Ms. Delora Shedrick has more than 25 years of experience managing large Federal Government contracts at the national level. Her career has focused on reaching out to racial and ethnic minorities and other at-risk populations, as well as developing and sustaining collaborations, capacity building, and leadership. Her background in social work contributes to her excellent facilitation and group process skills. By providing facilitation and technical assistance, she has helped organizations across the country enhance their capabilities through infrastructure development, strategic planning, and program and policy development. Her assignments have addressed a variety of issues, ranging from substance abuse prevention, intervention, and treatment to co-occurring disorders, HIV/AIDS, and health disparities.

Ms. Shedrick is currently working as the Training, Technical Assistance, and Organizational Development Senior Manager at Westover Consultants, Inc. In that capacity, she is responsible for oversight on all projects involving training, facilitation, technical assistance, curriculum development, logistical support, qualitative research, evaluations, assessments, and social marketing. Ms. Shedrick currently provides training and program development in leadership skills, workforce development, cultural competence and cross-cultural communication, strategic and action planning, human resources, coaching and mentoring, and managing change. She also has extensive experience with the coordination and oversight of cooperative learning institutes, including policy academies, regional and State summits, leadership institutes, and virtual social networking forums.

Ms. Shedrick has worked with both the technical and scientific communities within the Federal Government, as well as with grassroots and community-based organizations. She speaks regularly at local, national, and international conferences and has written and coauthored over 30 training manuals on a variety of human resources topics. She is professionally active in a number of organizations.

Ms. Shedrick has an M.A. in Sociology from the University of the District of Columbia and a B.A. in Psychology from the University of Maryland, Eastern Shore. She is also licensed as a social worker.

Michael J. Sorrell, J.D., M.A.
Mr. Michael J. Sorrell is the 34th President of Paul Quinn College. Under his leadership, the school has embarked upon an aggressive agenda that stresses academic excellence, accountability, and a commitment to student services. His vision is to create a nationally renowned institution of higher education that produces Quinnites with enlightened minds, passionate spirits, and the capacity to lead in the global marketplace.

Mr. Sorrell’s accomplishments during his short tenure at the college include revamping the admissions policy, establishing the Presidential Scholars Program, and adopting a school-wide business casual dress code. He has also overseen the overhaul of the admissions, finance, academic affairs, athletic, maintenance, and development offices; modernization of the institution’s operations; and creation of partnerships with Home Depot, Balfour Beatty, and Habitat for Humanity.

Mr. Sorrell came to PQC from his post as the cofounder and Chief Problem Solver of Victor Credo, LLC, where he represented athletes, coaches, and other sports-related organizations. He has spent the majority of his career advising key decision-makers at all levels of sports, Fortune 500 companies, and government entities. His unique experiences include having served as the Director of Communications and Government Relations for Dallas 2012, Executive Director of the Global Games, and an assignment in the White House as the Special Assistant to the Executive Director of the President’s Initiative on Race.

Mr. Sorrell sits on numerous boards and committees that emphasize improving the areas in which he lives. He is a board member for Amegy Bank; All Tri; Habitat for Humanity; North Texas Public Broadcasting Company, Inc.; and KIPP Truth Academy. He also served as a Co-Chair of the 2006 Bond Campaign for the City of Dallas. He is an alumnus of the Texas Lyceum, a member of the Dallas Assembly, a British-American Project Fellow, and a past Director of the Dallas-Ft. Worth Airport.

Mr. Sorrell also has a keen interest in politics, having played key roles in the campaigns of Washington, DC, Mayor Adrian Fenty; former Dallas Mayor Ron Kirk; and Texas State Representative Rafael Anchia. He served on the Texas Finance Committee for Senator Barack Obama’s presidential campaign.

Mr. Sorrell attended the 2008 Harvard Seminar for New Presidents. In addition, he has been named Educator of the Year by the Dallas Black Police Officers Association (2007), SouthFair CDC (2007), and the IMA of Greater Dallas (2008). He has also been honored by the NAACP (2007) and the Boys & Girls Clubs of Dallas (2008). He is a past recipient of the Dallas Urban League’s 2005 Torch for Community Leadership and the President’s Award from J.L. Turner for outstanding contributions to the Dallas legal community. Additionally, the Dallas Business Journal named him one of Dallas’ Forty Under 40.

Mr. Sorrell received his J.D. and M.A. in Public Policy from Duke University. While in law school, he was one of the founding members of the Journal of Gender Law & Policy and served as the Vice President of the Duke Bar Association. He was a recipient of the Sloan Foundation Graduate Fellowship, which funded his studies at both Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government (as a graduate fellow) and Duke University. He graduated from Oberlin College with a B.A. in Government, where he was voted Secretary-Treasurer of his senior class and was a two-time captain of the men’s varsity basketball team.

Shannon Taitt, M.P.A.
Ms. Shannon Taitt is currently a Public Health Analyst with the Office of Program Analysis and Coordination within CSAT/SAMHSA. She is the new Partners for Recovery Coordinator within the division and provides guidance in the administration and planning of CSAT initiatives with special emphasis on criminal justice, alcohol issues, workforce development, and minority health. In addition to her responsibilities as Coordinator for Partners for Recovery, she serves as the Project Officer for the Historically Black Colleges and Universities Center for Excellence, which establishes substance abuse curricula at 104 institutions across the country and provides recruitment opportunities for minority students to enter the substance abuse field.

Ms. Taitt's professional career began with the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services as a Social Research Associate in the Substance Abuse Services Section. She served as a Grant Administrator for mental health and substance abuse grants awarded by CSAT and also did research on DWI statistics in North Carolina. She was also a Judicial Specialist with the North Carolina Governor's Crime Commission and a Grant Program Specialist with the U.S. Department of Justice in the Bureau of Justice Assistance and the Executive Office for Weed and Seed. In those positions she helped local jurisdictions receive Federal grant funds in the areas of juvenile justice, violence against women, and law enforcement.

Ms. Taitt, a native of Ayer, MA, is a graduate of North Carolina State University with a B.A. in Political Science and Sociology and a Master of Public Administration. She currently lives in Columbia, MD; is married; and has two lovely daughters.

George Thomas, Ph.D.
Dr. George Thomas is an Associate Professor in the Department of Criminal Justice & Forensic Science at Albany State University, Albany, GA. His primary area of research is adolescent problem behaviors. He is responsible for several publications and conference presentations. He is currently working as the Director of Albany State University Youth Center and as the Principal Investigator on the Youth Empowerment Demonstration Grant.

Dr. Thomas has a Ph.D. in Sociology with a specialization in Criminology. He also holds a degree in Social Work (M.S.W.).

Andre Watson, M.A.
Mr. Andre Watson has over 20 years of experience in the area of organizational and human resource development, with an emphasis on training and group facilitation. He has designed and delivered training in the areas of management and supervision, sexual harassment prevention, diversity, team-building, strategic planning and goal-setting, communication and conflict resolution skills training, interpersonal relationships, coaching, and counseling skills. He has also provided training on HIV/AIDS, substance abuse, family planning, and reproductive health, with an emphasis on teen pregnancy prevention, including the involvement of young men. Mr. Watson has conducted training sessions both locally and nationally with Federal and local government agencies and private corporations.
Mr. Watson has served in management and supervisory positions, including those on pilot initiatives. He produced and hosted a popular radio program, Familyscope, at WJZE Radio for 7 years.
Mr. Watson has a master’s degree in Human Resource Development and is a Certified Associate Counselor of Alcohol and Drug Abuse. He is a member of the American Society for Training and Development, and the Society for Human Resource Management.