CRAIG - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Marketing and Communication Associate
Angela Bruce is a THEO Marketing and Communication Associate and part of the Strategy and Innovation Stream. In her role, she develops relationships and expands awareness of THEO's unique methodology in partnership with exceptional individuals and organizations to impact Wellbeing.
Prior to coming on board with THEO, Angela served as Executive Assistant to the Executive Vice President of Operations North America at a large manufacturing company established in 1951. Throughout her career as an executive assistant, Angela took pride in applying her servant's heart to all she was involved in, including high level assistant duties, data analytics, event planning and marketing and communication.
Angela lives in Mansfield, Texas with her husband and two children. When not assisting in strategizing the communication plan for THEO, Angela can be found reading a book, listening to music, or traveling with her family.
Job Titles:
- Chief Administrative and Financial Officer
Barbra Milwood is our Chief Administrative and Financial Officer. Her career spans twenty years in senior healthcare leadership roles, successfully leading operations for both start-up and large organizations. She prides herself on her ability to strategically position businesses for sustained growth, while leveraging her exceptional interpersonal skills for the benefit of her clients and fellow contributors.
A Six-Sigma Greenbelt and a graduate of the Disney University's Approach to Quality Service, Barbra completed her Master's degree in Healthcare Organizational Leadership at University of Texas at Dallas.
Barbra lives in Flower Mound, TX with her husband of over 25 years and three daughters. She enjoys photography, all types of sports (especially the ones her girls participate in) and designing interior spaces.
Job Titles:
- Associate
- Associate Practitioner
Brandon Montgomery is a Associate Practitioner who brings ten years' experience in the area of business development, account management, marketing and consultancy. In his role, he serves to champion and coordinate the Firm's resources to deliver excellent value to our clients. He partners with the client from the very beginning to understand objectives, document necessary outcomes, formalize arrangements and quarterback the delivery of the Firm's services. He also supports the Senior Advisor in Network and Transformation sessions having led the coordination of key logistics, created session content and documented necessary deliverables post-session. He also has responsibilities surrounding method management and stewardship, marketing efforts and the firm's technology enablement.
Prior to joining THEO, Brandon ran his own consulting company providing small businesses with administrative, financial and marketing guidance. Brandon has also held multiple senior business development positions with behavioral health and acute care hospitals and served in positions with local city governments where he gained exposure to the city manager's office, city planning and housing. Brandon has a Master of Science in Healthcare Administration and a Master in Public Administration.
Brandon lives in Dallas, Texas and enjoys spending time with his wife and four children, serving the local community, and dining out.
Clare Theodosiou is an Office Associate that brings dedication and enthusiasm into any job she performs. In her role, Clare assists the entire THEO office staff in many administrative functions within the Firm to ensure effective and efficient operations.
Clare is currently attending El Centro College to enhance her overall office skills. Clare has been awarded numerous certificates that have advanced her contribution at the Firm such as "Workplace Etiquette and Professionalism" and "Reading and Listening Skills for Effective Communication". She is excited to apply these abilities to the Firm as she continues to attend, enhance and complete school.
Clare lives in Dallas, Texas and enjoys music, dancing, singing and baking.
Craig W. Jones, LFACHE, is a THEO Senior Advisor, with over 30 years of experience in healthcare administration and association services.
Prior to joining THEO, Craig served as president and chief executive officer of the Oklahoma Hospital Association, a position he held since November 1998. Prior to his assuming that position he served as executive vice president of the Association, beginning in March of 1997. The Association represents and serves the interests of approximately 132 hospitals across the state of Oklahoma. Previously, Craig served as president and chief executive officer of Norman Regional Hospital, now Norman Regional Health System.
Craig has served on or chaired numerous state, regional and national health care governing and advisory boards or councils associated with the American Hospital Association, The Joint Commission, the Oklahoma State Chamber, and is a former Regent of the American College of Health Care Executives (ACHE). He also served as a part-time Associate Professor in the Department of Health Administration and Policy in the College of Public Health's Masters of Health Administration program at the University of Oklahoma. Currently, Craig chairs the board of directors for the Health Alliance for the Uninsured, a non-profit organization that coordinates specialty physician/hospital services and medication to patients from fifteen free primary health clinics in Oklahoma City. He also serves as a trustee of his college alma mater, Grove City College.
Craig holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Business Administration from Grove City College in Grove City College, Pennsylvania and a Master's of Health Administration degree from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, Missouri. Craig is a Life Fellow in the American College of Health Care Executives.
Craig lives in Norman, Oklahoma. He is an active member of the First Presbyterian Church of Norman where he serves as an elder, and he has served on several community, church and civic boards in both Norman and Oklahoma City. He and his wife, Susie, have three married children.
Daisy M. Jenkins, Esq., is a Senior Advisor and a former Executive Vice President with over 30 years' experience in both health care and manufacturing industries. She has served in national and multinational corporations and has significant experience in developing and leading high performing, multifunctional human resources organizations, with broad organization development expertise.
Prior to joining THEO, Daisy served as Executive Vice President and Chief Administrative and Human Resources Officer for Carondelet Health Network in Tucson, Arizona. She was also responsible for Government Advocacy and Community Relations as Carondelet's Lobbyist. Daisy served as the vice president of Human Resources for Raytheon and was the first director of Global Diversity and first female vice president of color during her 28-year career there.
Job Titles:
- Chairman of the Board
- CEO of St. Joseph Health
Deborah Proctor is the Chair of the Board with over 40 years of leadership health care experience. Over her career she worked for some of the largest and most prestigious healthcare organizations in the country. She is currently serving as a Trustee for the University of LaVerne, Front Porch, a non-profit senior living and affordable housing company and American Unity, the captive insurance company owned by St. Joseph Health.
As the CEO of St. Joseph Health, Proctor led one of the nation's top Catholic health systems, which served communities throughout California, Texas and New Mexico. St. Joseph Health was a $6 billion not-for-profit health system consisting in 16 hospitals, physician organizations, home health agencies, hospice care, outpatient services, skilled nursing facilities, wellness clinics and community outreach services. St. Joseph Health also includes an affiliation with Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian in its Southern California region. Before leaving for retirement, Proctor led the Board through a decision to merge St. Joseph Health with Providence Health and Services, resulting in the third largest health system in the country.
Deborah has received both her Bachelor's and Master's degrees in nursing from the University of California and California State University, respectively.
Deborah lives in Corona del Mar, California and enjoys spending time with her family, traveling the world and serving her community.
George Marshall was an advisor to Franklin D. Roosevelt, serving as the Chief of Staff for the United States Army during World War II. When Roosevelt asked Marshall what he thought of such an appointment, he said, "Nothing, Mr. President, except to remind you that I have the habit of saying exactly what I think. And that, as you know, can often be unpleasing. Is that all right?" When Roosevelt said yes to him, Marshall replied, "I will give you the best I have."
John Adams was a passionate advocate of independence for the British colonies. He helped secure funding for the war and he was chosen to negotiate treaties of peace and commerce with Great Britain after the war.
He served as the first Vice-President and the second President of the United States. His presidency was significant, first because it demonstrated a successful transfer of power in Washington and also because he kept the United States out of war with France when it was infringing on American neutrality during the Napoleonic wars with Great Britain.
His steadfastness came at a political price. While keeping the young democracy from war was ultimately good for the country, he antagonized his own party which was anti-French because of the radicalism of the French Revolution. His opponents in the other party, led by his Vice President Thomas Jefferson, were angered by restrictions such as the Alien and Sedition Acts, which made it a crime to criticize the government or its policies.
In a sense John Adams, a man of principle, made no one politically happy. But he did as he felt was best for the nation. Recalling his administration years later, he noted, "No man who ever held the office of President would ever congratulate a friend on obtaining it."
He married Abigail Smith, whose father was a Congregationalist minister and whose mother was a member of a notable family in Massachusetts. Throughout their 54 years of marriage she was his closest confidant, his most loyal supporter, his political advisor, and the love of his life.
He died in 1826 and the fourth of July just hours after Thomas Jefferson who had been a friend and colleague for many years, though they were estranged for about twenty years over conflicts begun while Adams was president.
His marriage to Abigail Smith was the most important decision of John Adams' life. She was in all respects his equal and the part she was to play would be greater than he ever could have imagined. Though they were apart for much of their married life, they conducted a lively correspondence in which he shared his concerns, doubts, and opinions of the people and the events of the time.
She gave him advice, expressed her political opinion, kept him abreast of current events and the political feelings at home and developed her own ideas about how the new nation should evolve. While Abigail maintained the appearance of "the loyal little lady managing the farm and the children" John relied heavily on her political judgment. She was his closest confidant in both political and personal matters.
While her own politics could be quite conservative, and like John she felt the American Revolution was a political and not a social revolution as was the case in France, she did advocate education for women. "If you complain of neglect of education of our sons, what shall I say with regard to daughters, who every day experience the want of it…I most sincerely wish that our new Constitution may be distinguished for encouraging learning and virtue. If we mean to have heroes, statesmen and philosophers, we should have learned women…."
In addition to famously requesting of him "not to forget the women" in writing the Constitution, she also wrote that "I most sincerely wish that there were not a slave in this province. It has always appeared a most iniquitous scheme to me-to fight ourselves for what we are daily robbing and plundering from those who have as good a right to freedom as we have."
She encouraged John in his career though his absences were difficult for her. He was often prey to self doubt about his leadership abilities. At his lowest point, when he was faced with a contemptuous cabinet and a thankless country she joined him, at his request to "assist me with your councils and console me" and became his "chief domestic minister without portfolio."
A historian says, "Abigail Adams was one of the most remarkable, admirable, wise Americans of all times. She was a better judge of people than he was. She was a much more insightful politician." Her impact continued long after her death in the life of their son John Quincy Adams, who would also become President and who would become a tireless warrior against slavery.
The Reverend Canon John W. Kilgore, M.D., is a THEO Senior Advisor with significant experience in clinical medicine as an invasive cardiologist. He co-founded a large and highly respected cardiology group and served notably as chief of cardiology, chief of staff, and then Regional Medical Director of Cardiovascular Services of a national health care system. In addition he is an ordained Episcopal priest, and served concurrently with his medical practice. Over the last decade he has consulted in the medical, leadership, clerical, philanthropic, and hospitality industries across the United States, Europe, and Central America.
His career has been highlighted by significant international philanthropic endeavors, including being a Knight of the Order of St. John and a member of the British Books Beyond Words Honorary Advisory Council in London. He is widely regarded as an accomplished national and international public speaker and lecturer.
He holds a Bachelor's Degree in Biological Sciences, a Master's Degree in Public Health and a Doctor of Medicine degree, all from the University of Missouri. In addition he has a Diploma in Anglican Studies from General Theological Seminary in New York City and studied at the University of Madrid, Spain. He is nearly fluent in Spanish and conversant in Italian.
John lives in St. Louis and northern Virginia, travels to Europe to serve in his role as an Episcopal priest and enjoys creative writing.
Lee Penrose is a THEO Senior Advisor with over 25 years of experience in healthcare leadership who has held positions in insurance, physician practice management and hospital administration.
Lee served with Providence St. Joseph Health from 1998 to 2018. Ultimately, he held a dual role of regional Chief Operating Officer and regional Chief Financial Officer. Before working in the region, Lee held local roles first as Chief Financial Officer and later as Chief Executive Officer at St. Jude Medical Center in Fullerton. While at St. Jude, Lee implemented strategies and initiatives resulting in high-quality care delivered with top-tier patient experience while ensuring fiscal strength. His career also includes roles with FHP, Integrated Physician Services, Orange Coast Managed Care and St. Joseph Heritage Healthcare.
Lee served on many internal boards during his time with Providence St. Joseph Health and was involved in extensive design work for the next generation of governance. Lee has also served on several external boards. Most noteworthy is his nine years on the board of CalOptima, a public agency responsible for delivery of Medicaid insurance to nearly 800,000 of the most vulnerable residents of Orange County, California. Lee served as Vice Chair and Finance Chair during his time with CalOptima and was heavily involved with initiatives such as Medicaid expansion, service line integration, and homeless healthcare.
Lee holds a bachelor's degree in business/economics from University of California, Santa Barbara and a master's in business administration from University of Maryland.
Lee and his wife Kirsten live in San Clemente, California. They love to travel and spend time with their adult children who live in Colorado and Indiana. They are active with fitness including skiing, running, biking, hiking, and backpacking.
Lynn Welling, MD is a THEO Senior Advisor with 30+ years of successful and innovative clinical, operational and strategic leadership in large, complex billion-dollar healthcare systems spanning primary through quatemary care, post-acute care, rehab and behavioral health. As a retired navy Captain, Dr. Welling brings a unique perspective from a depth and breadth of experiences from the high reliability of carrier aviation to command of a forward based combat hospital. He is a visionary leader who brings novel insights in organizational governance and performance, high reliability operations, crisis management, medical research/education, and medical staff relations.
Prior to joining THEO Dr. Welling led clinical operations in the largest non-profit healthcare system in the Puget Sound as the Chief Clinical Officer for Swedish Health Services. Dr. Welling led a strategic turnaround, establishing leadership and responsibility structures that were lacking across six institutes, creating roles/accountabilities for P&L, aligning free-standing institute operations to an aligned regional healthcare system. He delivered clinical improvements across the region as well as an agile, flexible, scalable infrastructure. Following the turnaround, he led regional response for a wall-to-wall labor strike closely trailed by COVID-19's initial wave, governing over teams to develop and continually re-address/execute plans for space, staff, needs, and technology, anticipating the influx of critically ill patients twice that of regional bed capability.
Dr. Welling has considerable experience in the design and build of a new hospital. As the Chief Medical Officer of Sharp Chula Vista, he was the key clinical leader through all stages of bringing a new state of the art hospital to fruition. He was instrumental in aligning the physical plant with Lean and High Reliability Operating principles which he was championing throughout Sharp
As a US Navy Emergency Medicine physician Dr. Welling has lead teams that provided care in austere combat environments. He commanded Naval Expeditionary Facility Kuwait and subsequently commanded Naval Hospital Jacksonville Florida where he introduced High Reliability Operating principles to the navy medicine community.
Dr. Welling has had oversight of research and academic programs affiliated with nationally recognized programs. He has extensive experience in developing and leading coalitions of military, VHA, civilian and international communities in improving access, patient safety and operational efficiencies
Dr. Welling is passionate about developing leaders, teams and systems that continuously drive sustainable improvements. Dr. Welling is a board-certified Emergency Medicine Physician, and a Fellow of the American College of Emergency Physicians. He earned his Bachelor of Science in Biology at the University of Utah, and his medical doctorate from the Uniformed Services University of Health Sciences. He completed his residency in emergency medicine at the Naval Medical Center San Diego.
Dr. Welling lives in El Cajon California with his wife Patricia, their 3 children and 6 grandchildren. Dr. Welling is an avid woodworker and a pilot who flies public benefit flights for Angel Flight West and Lighthawk Conservation Flying.
Job Titles:
- Chief Strategy and Innovation Officer
Michael Theodosiou is our Chief Strategy and Innovation Officer. Michael brings a diverse background across industries, geographies, and business climates. Most recently, he operated as a business development executive with a health & wellness start-up focused on solving the Salt epidemic in food. Prior to that, he was part of a team that brought a US-based renewable energy producer out of bankruptcy.
In his role, Michael focuses on ensuring excellence in the client experience and in the development of client relationships. He is also responsible for guiding the Firm into new areas to ensure that THEO is fulfilling our potential and Purpose.
Michael received a bachelor's degree in Finance from Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas. Michael enjoys cooking creatively, living a wellness-based lifestyle, and spending time with friends & family. Michael especially cherishes the time he spends with his two dogs, Jackson & Isabella.
Job Titles:
- Senior Practice and Operations Coordinator
Monika Zimmermann is our Senior Practice and Operations Coordinator that provides valuable hybrid administrative, logistical, and functional support across a wide range of operational and client related functions for the Firm and Practice Community. She partners with the Senior Executive Assistants, Practice Coordinator, and Practice Associate to ensure excellence in coordinating, planning, executing Client engagements and bringing optimal value for the THEO 1900 Client Experience. Additionally, she partners with the Chief Administrative and Financial Officer to support the firm in excellence through defining and delivering optimal processes in day-to-day operations.
Prior to joining THEO, Monika served as an Executive and Personal Assistant to the President of a Woman-Owned Small Business Government Contractor and to the Vice President of a Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business Government Contractor where she discovered her servant's heart in administratively aiding leaders who work diligently to transform their industry.
In her spare time, Monika enjoys Stage Managing theatre, where she can make magic happen from behind the scenes. She is a proud member of Actors Equity Association and works with multiple theatres around the metroplex.
Monika received her bachelor's degree from Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, Texas. Monika brings a diverse background from her expat life abroad during school years and now resides in the DFW Metroplex. She loves to support local theatre and restaurants.
Job Titles:
- Assistant
- Senior Executive
Nubia Bolanos is a Senior Executive Assistant who brings over 10 years of experience supporting C-level executives across different industries and countries. She is responsible for managing multiple schedules and projects and maintaining communications across the Firm.
Prior to joining THEO, Nubia worked for non-profit organizations in Kansas City serving the educational and artistic needs of the community. She also worked for the Oil & Gas Industry coordinating international events and conferences.
Nubia holds a Bachelor of Business Administration in Finance from Universidad Panamericana in Guadalajara, Mexico. She lives in Northlake, TX, and enjoys spending time with her daughters and traveling with her husband.
Job Titles:
- Interim CFO and Board Member, Chair of Finance Committee
Robert Franken is serving as Interim CFO and is a member of the THEO Board and the Chair of the Finance Committee. He initially joined the Firm in 2005 as a THEO Advisor and served numerous advisees and institutions across the United States. He is currently the treasurer for a New York based international not-for-profit trust fund which assist Episcopal Deacons in financial need. Closer to home he serves on three planning commissions for the Town of Frisco and Summit County, Colorado.
He is a seasoned executive and has served as the Chief Financial Officer of a public company and the Chief Operation Officer of two statewide organization. He has spent many years working in the areas of management, organizational design, finance and economics, political strategy and meeting design. In addition, he spent seven years lobbying state legislatures on a variety of issues. Robert has been active in the Episcopal Church for over 30 years as an ordained Deacon.
Robert holds a Masters of Arts degree in financial economics and a Bachelor of Business Administration from The University of Texas at El Paso.
Robert lives in the mountains of Colorado in Frisco and enjoys spending time with his family in the beautiful outdoors, relishes time with friends from church and the community, and traveling the world with his wife, Dr. Nancy Kinney.
Robert L. O'Toole is a Senior Advisor and former Chief of Staff and Chief Human Resources Officer with more than 30 years of experience in the financial services, technology, and healthcare industries. Robert has in-depth knowledge and involvement designing, implementing, and executing human capital strategies to support organizational objectives. Robert's interest and expertise is the assessment, acquisition, growth, and development of high performing leaders and teams. As Chief of Staff, Robert supported the Board of Directors, Chief Executive Officer, and Management Executive Team identifying, executing, and evaluating key strategic business priorities.
Prior to joining THEO in 2021, Robert worked previously for CoBank, ING Group, JD Edwards, and GE Medical Systems. Robert earned a Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration from Colorado State University, and a Master's Degree in Human Resources Management from Chapman University. Robert is certified as a Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) by the Human Resource Certification Institute and most recently served on the Board of Directors of the Mile High Chapter of The American Red Cross.
Robert and his wife Carrie live in Castle Rock, Colorado and enjoy spending time with their adult children and granddaughter, in addition to enjoying all that the Rocky Mountains have to offer particularly hiking, biking, skiing and camping.
Job Titles:
- Senior Advisor and Chief Practice Officer / Shannon
G. Dwyer, Esq., MHA, is a THEO Senior Advisor with almost 30 years of experience in healthcare serving as trusted advisor, counsel and strategic thought partner to executive management and governance.
Prior to joining THEO, Shannon served with Providence St. Joseph Health from 1998 to 2018 where she held several positions including Executive Vice President, General Counsel, and most recently Executive Vice President, Special Advisor to the President & Chief Executive Officer. She was instrumental in her role as General Counsel in facilitating the combination of St. Joseph Health and Providence Health & Services. She also served as in-house counsel for a national physician practice management company for several years, specializing in the management of anesthesia group practices. Prior to becoming an attorney, Shannon served as the Assistant Director of Health Information Services at Bon Secours-St. Joseph Hospital for seven years.
Beyond her professional accomplishments, Shannon's commitment to meeting the needs of the vulnerable is expressed in her community service. In collaboration with the Public Law Center, she started the Family Advocates Program at St. Joseph Health, a medical-legal collaborative that provides free legal services in matters affecting the health, education and well-being of patients and their families. She has served as a volunteer member of the Credit Union of Southern California Board of Directors, a past Chair of the Board of Directors of Health Associates Federal Credit Union and supports various ministries of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Orange, CA.
Shannon holds a Bachelor's Degree in Political Science from Syracuse University, a Master's Degree in Health Care Administration from Nova Southeastern University and a Juris Doctor Degree from California Western School of Law. She also completed the Executive Education, Leadership in Corporate Counsel at Harvard Law School. She is a member of the California State Bar, the American Health Lawyers Association, and the California Society for Health Care Attorneys.
Shannon lives in Orange, California and enjoys spending time with her expanding family and traveling with her husband.
Shaun Porter came to THEO after 16 years in the employee benefits industry. Throughout his benefits career Shaun acted as a trusted advisor to his clients leveraging his expertise in risk management, insurance product design, carrier relationships, negotiation, and project management to ensure the best possible outcome for all client stakeholders. As Director of Strategy at THEO, Shaun partners with members of the Firm to optimize impact of services for existing clients and the development of new services to support evolving client needs. His energy also goes towards expanding THEO relationships into new industries which align with THEO Values and Mission to inspire the extraordinary in human beings.
Shaun lives in Tampa, Florida with his wife, two kids, and their dog, a wheaten terrier, named Bacon. Free time is often spent outdoors in the yard, at the beach, or on the soccer field.
Sheriden Lilley is our Practice Coordinator that provides administrative and logistical support for our client related functions to the Practice Community. She also partners with the Senior Practice Coordinator and Practice Associate to ensure excellence in coordinating, planning, and executing Client engagements.
Prior to joining THEO, Sheriden served as an Office Coordinator and Administrator for a local engineering firm dedicated to safety and lifespan automotive and aircraft testing. She also assisted in the operation of a fine dining restaurant while living in East Texas and attending university.
Sheriden studied for her Bachelor of Business Administration Degree in Marketing at The University of Texas at Tyler. Sheriden, who moved home to Dallas during the pandemic, enjoys reading, spending time with her family, skiing, camping, and all things nature.
Siobhan Abraham is a Senior Associate who brings 20 years of healthcare experience and a passion for community health. In her role, she supports each client on their unique journey and brings ideas and creativity to the firm. Siobhan draws on her nursing background and direct bedside experience in labor and delivery and emergency medicine settings. As a travel nurse, Siobhan was exposed to the diversity of healthcare systems across the country. She brings further experience working in public health program administration, research, and health information technology business analyst roles.
Siobhan received her Bachelor's in nursing from Texas Woman's University, and her Master's in Community Health Nursing from the University of Washington. She is currently pursuing a Master's in Business Administration with a healthcare focus.
Siobhan lives in Dallas, Texas. She enjoys all the culture of the big city along with getaways to nature and all things outdoors.
Trying to link King to the Communist Party, Hoover worked single- mindedly to isolate him from Stanley D. Levison, King's advisor, confidant, strategist, protector, fundraiser, accountant, editor and "closest white friend," a man King called his "winter soldier," who stood by him in the hardest of times. Levison looked after Martin Luther King from 1955 until years after his assassination and was essential to the cause of civil rights and to King's legacy of courage which persists today more than 50 years after he entered the national consciousness.
Levison, a successful Jewish businessman and lawyer from New York, lived and breathed social justice. A member of a group itself persecuted and denied civil rights for centuries, he briefly raised money for the U.S. Communist Party because he believed its support of workers could create a more just society. Disenchanted by Soviet brutality, he severed ties with the Party after the violent end of the Hungarian Revolution in 1956.
Meeting King in 1955, he determined that the young minister personified his own philosophy - a rejection of injustice regardless of color or ethnicity. Until his own death Levison made King and his work the centerpiece of his own life. Instrumental in the creation of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, King's base, Levison was SCLC's major fundraiser and with the help of Harry Belafonte, also a tireless supporter of King, he accessed major donors in the entertainment industry and wealthy Jewish social activists to provide the funding that would keep SCLC afloat.
Levison helped King define himself, telling him he needed, "to absorb some kind of real philosophy… that sets you apart from other leaders and makes you more than just an after-dinner speaker." When they were forced to stop communicating under pressure from President Kennedy, who acted on unfounded FBI assertions that Levison was still a Communist, Harry Belafonte noted that, "Stan did stop talking to Martin-for a while. The truth was, though, we needed Stan too much to let him go… He was just too powerful as a chess player." Clarence Jones, entertainment lawyer and close friend of both King and Levison, served as a secret go-between and noted that, "Stanley read Martin with great intuition and was very clear on Martin's strengths and weaknesses," adding that, "Stanley kept it all together for him. I was there, I played a role, but he was really the one in charge of everything behind the scenes that had to happen for the movement to survive."
About himself Levison said, "My skills were acquired… in a cloistered academic environment… [and] in the commercial jungle where more violence in varied forms occurs daily than is found on many a battlefront… I looked forward to the time when I could use my skills not for myself but for socially constructive ends. The liberation struggle is the most positive and rewarding area of work anyone could experience."
After King's assassination and 1968, Levison, an executor of King's meager estate, continued for years to send personal checks to King's family. He negotiated lucrative book deals and interviews for King's widow, supported King's protégé, Andrew Young, in his successful bid for Congress and continued to raise money for SCLC. Though he received an award from the King Center in 1979, shortly before his own death, he remains a shadowy figure, only occasionally mentioned in recountings of the era.
King often quoted abolitionist Theodore Parker saying, "the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends towards justice." Martin Luther King, with the unfailing assistance, guidance, and devotion of Stanley Levison, moved America much further along that arc to a more just society. Together their courage helped create history.
Tawala Brumfield is a Controller who brings over 15 years of experience in accounting and finance. In her role, she oversees the company's finance function on a day to day basis. Tawala is also focuses and assists in growing the company's financial strength and operating efficiency.
Prior to joining THEO, Tawala ran her own consulting firm which provided accounting, tax and business consulting to small businesses. Tawala has held many positions in accounting and finance in a variety of industries. Tawala has a Bachelors in Accounting, MBA & a Masters in Human Resource Management.
Tawala lives in Dallas, Texas and enjoys being a mom to her two children Jaxon and Jordyn.
Job Titles:
- Chief Executive Officer
- Chief Executive Officer for THEO
Theo Theodosiou is the Chief Executive Officer for THEO and a Senior Transformation Strategist and Leadership Advisor. He is the founder and steward of the THEO Method™ and has built the framework that THEO Advisors utilize in practice. Before forming THEO, he was a partner with Ernst and Young, LLP.
Theo trained in the areas of business management and organizational theory at Texas A&M University and Northwestern University. He has served as faculty of the American College of Healthcare Executives and taught conflict resolution at the J.L. Kellogg Graduate School of Management of Northwestern University.
Theo lives in Dallas, TX and enjoys spending time with his family, playing tennis, and gardening.