Board of Directors
James M. Taylor, Jr
Chairman San Francisco, Ca Retired School Administrator Gloria Swindler Boutte, Ph.D. Vice Chair Columbia, South Carolina Professor of Instruction and Teacher Education University of South Carolina – College of Education Michael Steele, CPA Treasurer Emeryville, California President, Michael Steele, CPA Venus Evans-Winters, MSW, Ph.D. Chicago, Illinois Senior Researcher at the African American Policy Forum Psychotherapist, Health & Wellness Coach, & Founder of Planet Venus Beulah McLoyd Chicago, Illinois CEO New Leaders M. von Nkosi Atlanta, Georgia Licensed Architect and Principal Liquid Studios and The MXDCollaborative, Inc. Charisse Southwell Oakland Park, Florida Researcher Broward County Schools Patricia (Akosua) Lesesne
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Founder & CEO, Sisters in Education Circle Dr. Theresa Y. Robinson, PhD.
Chicago, Illinois Ass. Professor and Director of Secondary & Middle Grads Education Founder, Science 3000 Tyson Amir
Oakland, California Author and Founder & Director of Freedom Soul Media Education Initiatives Michael C. Essien
Oakland, California Principal, Dr. Martin Luther King Academy Middle School J. Toni Oliver
Atlanta, Georgia President, J.T. Oliver & Associates |
Wisdom Circle
Lisa Delpit, Ed.D.
Baton Rouge, Louisiana Felton G. Clark Distinguished Professor of Education Southern University Gloria Ladson-Billings, Ph.D. Madison, Wisconsin Kellner Family Chair in Urban Education University of Wisconsin-Madison Carol Lee, Ph.D. Evanston, Illinois Edwina S. Tarry Professor of Education & Social Policy Northwestern University Wade Nobles, Ph.D. Oakland, California Founder & Executive Director Institute For The Advanced Study of Black Family Life and Culture Adelaide Sanford, Ph.D. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Vice Chancellor Emerita New York Board of Regents Malik Yakini Detroit, Michigan Founder & Executive Director The Detroit Black Community Food Security Network Arnetha Ball, PhD Stanford, CA Professor Stanford University Graduate School of Education |
Leadership Team
Iva Carruthers, Ph.D.
Vision & Organizational Consultant Chicago, Illinois Founder & General Secretary Samuel Dewitt Proctor Conference Joyce King, Ph.D. Vision & Organizational Consultant Atlanta, Georgia Benjamin E. Mays Endowed Chair for Urban Teaching, Learning & Leadership and Professor Department of Educational Policy Studies, Georgia State University Debra Watkins, M.Ed., M.A. Founder Emerita & Director of Strategic Partnerships A Black Education Network (ABEN) San Jose, California Founder, Dr. Frank S. Greene Scholars Program; an award-winning STEM (science, technology, engineering, math) initiative for African American students in Silicon Valley Founder, Project WORD (Working On Re-defining our Destiny); a culturally- responsive intervention program for high school students Co-founder, Black Students of California United; a youth organization focused on civic engagement, leadership development, and cultural awareness Founding Member, Santa Clara County Alliance of Black Educators; President (1994-2001) |