top of page

Meet Our Team
Who We Are
Meet Our Team

Debra Watkins
Founder & Executive Director
San Jose, California
San Jose, California

Sherinda Bryant
School at Home Resource Director
San Jose, CA
San Jose, CA

Alicia Okoh
Executive Assistant
Antioch, California
Antioch, California

Atlantis Browder
National Program Development Officer
Washington D.C.
Washington D.C.

Naomi Martin
Program Assistant
San Jose, California
San Jose, California

Al Herron
Senior Technology & Information Systems Consultant
Seattle, Washington
Seattle, Washington
Meet the Collective
Board of Directors

Debra Watkins
Executive Director
San Jose, California
San Jose, California

JamesTaylor
Chair of Board
San Francisco, CA
Retired Administrator, San Francisco Unified School District
San Francisco, CA
Retired Administrator, San Francisco Unified School District

Tyson Amir
Vice Chair
Oakland, California
Author and Founder & Director of Freedom Soul Media Education Initiatives
Oakland, California
Author and Founder & Director of Freedom Soul Media Education Initiatives

Theresa Y. Robinson, Ph.D.
Secretary
​Chicago, Illinois
Ass. Professor and Director of Secondary & Middle Grads Education
Founder, Science 3000
​Chicago, Illinois
Ass. Professor and Director of Secondary & Middle Grads Education
Founder, Science 3000

Michael Steele, CPA
Treasurer
Emeryville, California
President, Michael Steele, CPA
Emeryville, California
President, Michael Steele, CPA

M. von Nkosi
Board Member
Atlanta, Georgia
Licensed Architect and Principal
Liquid Studios and The
​MXD Collaborative, Inc.
Atlanta, Georgia
Licensed Architect and Principal
Liquid Studios and The
​MXD Collaborative, Inc.

J. Toni Oliver
Board Member
Atlanta, Georgia
President, J.T. Oliver & Associates
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
Felton G. Clark Distinguished Professor of Education
Southern University

Gloria Ladson-Billings, Ph.D.
Madison, Wisconsin
​Professor Emerita
Kellner Family Chair in Urban Education
​Professor Emerita
Kellner Family Chair in Urban Education

Carol Lee, Ph.D.
Evanston, Illinois
Edwina S. Tarry Professor of Education & Social Policy
​Northwestern University
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
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
Vice Chancellor Emerita
New York Board of Regents

Malik Yakini
Detroit, Michigan
Founder & Executive Director
The Detroit Black Community Food Security Network
Founder & Executive Director
The Detroit Black Community Food Security Network

Arnetha Ball, Ph.D.
Stanford, CA
Professor Emerita
Stanford University Graduate School of Education
Professor Emerita
Stanford University Graduate School of Education