EMPOWER MY HOOD - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Director of Brand Strategy
Atira is a Brownsville, Brooklyn born Creative + Brand Strategist. She received her BA'20 in Media & Strategic Communications from Iona College as well as her MA'22 in Public Relations. She serves as the Digital Media & Communications Aide for NYS Senator Zellnor Myrie representing the 20th NYS District and is a Creative Specialist for Top Forbes ranked agency, Small Girls PR. Both her academic and professional interests are born from the intersections of research, strategy, and creativity (please feel free to ask her anything about the history of African American rhetoric in poetry or psychological harm vs. structural inequalities as a conversation starter). As a Storyteller and Self-Proclaimed Social Scientist, she uses her experiences to fuel her curiosity and love for sharing knowledge and restructuring our understanding of the world through media. Atira has served as the Development and Communications Intern for Stoked Mentoring inc., Digital Content Creator with the online media platform Every Stylish Girl, and the Digital Media Manager for C Visuals Studios.
Job Titles:
- Chief Operating Officer
- Founder
- Member of the Empower My Hood Officers & Board
- COO - Chief Operating Officer Principal Owner
Dr. Ayana Cole-Price, the founder of Empower My Hood, Inc. is a plastic and reconstructive surgery resident physician at the University of Michigan.
Determined to address the need for college access in her hometown of Southeast Queens, in 2011 Ayana founded Empower My Hood Inc. (EMH) as a way to provide high school students in underserved communities with resources for college preparation. EMH is a growing non-profit organization, comprised of young black professionals, that aims to equip students and families with resources for college planning. In an effort to guide our community's college-aspiring youth through the college planning processes, Ayana's team provides a range of services, such as career planning workshops, seminars, coaching, and mentorship to students in their community. As the founder and Chief Operating Officer of EMH, Ayana continues to lead and grow a dynamic team of individuals who work collectively to develop innovative strategies to improve college access in underrepresented communities.
Ayana's passion for addressing health disparities in underserved communities stems from her undergraduate and pre-clinical training at The Sophie Davis School of Biomedical Education (SDSBE). Sophie Davis is a 7-year BS/MD program at The City College of New York, a program dedicated to increasing the diversity of the physician workforce. Through her experience working in local community clinics, Ayana learned to develop relationships with her patients to provide effective patient-centered care.
Job Titles:
- Chief Executive Officer
- Director
- Member of the Empower My Hood Officers & Board
- CEO / President Principal Owner
Ms. Cole is an experienced professional with 30+ years in the financial services industry. She is a visionary with a keen sense for strategy and forward thinking, a champion for progressive community redevelopment. Ms. Cole is passionate about mentoring students in underrepresented communities to grow the reach of higher education.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Empower My Hood Officers & Board
- CFO / Treasurer Board Member
Mrs. Carter has 30 years of Information Technology leadership with extensive experience in project and relationship management. As CFO, she oversees Budget and Financial Planning for EMH. Mrs. Carter has a passion for working with young adults and has successfully mentored many young people in her local community. She has a strong desire for bridging the gap between the youth and communities by strengthening the relationships between youth and community stakeholders.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Empower My Hood Officers & Board
- Assistant General Counsel at New York University
- Director of Advocacy
Job Titles:
- General Manager
- Member of the Empower My Hood Officers & Board
- GM / General Manager Board Member
Mrs. Plummer's 40 years of criminal justice experience has allowed her the opportunity to interact with the youth on both sides of the fence. She is deeply driven and motivated to equip our youth with the tools necessary to make a smooth transition from the educational setting to their career. She is interested in community collaboration and youth engagement. Mrs. Plummer is and continues to be an advocate for the youth in our underrepresented educational/careers paths.
Job Titles:
- in College, I Was President of My Step Team
Delonie A. Plummer is Assistant General Counsel at New York University, where she advises human resources and business partners on labor and employment matters. Prior to that, Delonie worked as Counsel, Global Employment for Vice Media Group. Delonie started her practice as an Associate Attorney at Jackson Lewis P.C., where she represented large corporations, small business, and higher education institutions in workplace law matters, including preventive advice and counseling. Through her practice, Delonie hopes to advocate for cultural awareness in the workplace.
Delonie graduated cum laude from Pace University School of Law. At Pace Law School, Delonie served as the Vice-Chair of the Northeast Regional Black Law Students Association, through which she organized networking and community service-based events for minority law students. Delonie also served as a Senior Associate on the Pace International Law Review for which she authored an article on Intellectual Property developments in Caribbean countries. As a law student, Delonie interned for a federal judge in the United States District Court in the Southern District of New York, the Nassau County District Attorney's Office, the Westchester Supreme Court, and WNET Channel 13.
Delonie also graduated magna cum laude from the State University of New York at Albany. There, she majored in Criminal Justice and minored in English Studies. In her major, Delonie conducted research and authored a thesis on the role of child informants in wrongful convictions, and served as a Legislative Assistant in the New York State Assembly.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Empower My Hood Officers & Board
- Director of Community Affairs
- Director of Community Outreach
- Litigation Paralegal at Covington & Burling LLP
Jade Mackie is an experienced Litigation Paralegal at Covington & Burling LLP, with a demonstrated history of working in the law practice industry. She is a strong legal professional with a Bachelor of Science in Political Science concentrating in American Government and a minor in Dance from The American University. With experience as a legislative intern at the U.S. Senate under Senator Charles Schumer, a judicial intern at the King's County Civil Court, and an intergovernmental affairs specialist at the New York City Council, Jade is experienced in several fields including politics and law. She plans to become an attorney and is currently in the process of applying to law school. Jade is also a proud member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated, where she has held several positions in her chapter including Community Service Chair and Financial Secretary.
Job Titles:
- Chairman of the Empower My Hood Officers & Board
Job Titles:
- Member of the Empower My Hood Officers & Board
- Fundraising Chair, Community Relations Liaison
In a life-changing- event, Margaret Denson worked tirelessly as the Director of Event and Community Relations for NYS Senator Leroy Comrie and Council Member I Daneek Miller. Since her retirement, Mrs. Denson remains active supporting Southeast Queens by serving on numerous Boards, Community Event Planning and ensuring Community Based Organizations remain connected through her continued Community Relations efforts.
Job Titles:
- Director of Administration
- Member of the Board
- Member of the Empower My Hood Officers & Board
Mr. Aaron McKissick has 35 years of experience as a Financial Services Professional, with a background in Relationship Management and Corporate Trust. He is a community advocate who is actively engaged in a host of various community-based projects. Mr. McKissick was formerly the Assistant Coach for The Village of Hempstead PAL Track Team and he is currently the Head Coach of the Baldwin PAL Track Team. He is a proud member of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity Inc
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board
- Member of the Empower My Hood Officers & Board
- Recording Secretary
Mrs. Karen Rogers-Bullock is an experienced educator with the New York City Department of Education for over 25 years . She is a Licensed Teacher of Speech Improvement educating middle and high school students with special needs.
Job Titles:
- Clinical Social Worker
- Member of the Board
- Member of the Empower My Hood Officers & Board
- Program Director
Mrs. Natasha Gray-Joassainte is a LCSW (Licensed Clinical Social Worker) currently working for the NYC Department of Education. She has 25+ years experience as a social worker, including 19 years working for the Administration for Children's Services. Natasha has always been passionate about helping children and families. She is also a proud member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board
- Member of the Empower My Hood Officers & Board
- Program Director
- Principal Insurance Agent at P.a.W.Benefits, Inc
Mrs. Williams-Miller is currently a Principal Insurance Agent at P.A.W.Benefits, Inc. She has over 30 years of experience in the field of Health insurance, specializing in Medicare and Group Sales. Pier is passionate about forging relationships with local agencies, senior centers, and faith- based institutions to expand awareness on healthcare.
Job Titles:
- Social Media Coordinator & College Ambassador
Raven Joseph is a native of Queens, New York where she completed her High School education at Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Arts and Performing Arts, and is currently a rising sophomore at The Juilliard School for dance. Raven began her dance training at The Edge School of the Arts where she trained in all styles including Ballet, Pointe, Graham, Horton, Limon, African, Jazz, and Hip Hop. She continued her training at The Ailey School where she continued to enhance her technique. As part of a foreign exchange program Raven has traveled to Beijing, China where she learned Classical Chinese Folk Dance and studied the great history of China. She has also had the opportunity to perform professional works ranging from Alonzo King, Bill T. Jones, Kyle Abraham, and many more. Becoming a Silver Medalist for the NAACP ACT-SO, in the Dance Modern Category in 2017, Raven is extremely humbled to hold such a title.
Job Titles:
- Licensed Mental Health Counselor
Sadé is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor in the State of New York. She currently works as Senior Early Childhood Mental Health (ECMH) Specialist and Consultation Team Manager for Northside Center for Child Development. In this role, Sadé works closely with early childhood centers across New York City to promote equity, wellness strategies and positive relationships in the classroom and home settings. Through her clinical work, she provides therapy services in both English and Spanish to a variety of clients ranging from early childhood to adulthood in areas of relationships, mood disorders, trauma, identity development and behavioral concerns. Sadé is the Director of Mental Health Resources for Empower My Hood Inc. She received her M.A and Ed.M in Mental Health Counseling, with a concentration in Bilingual Latina/o Mental Health, from Teachers College, Columbia University in 2018. Sadé has a passion for educating and empowering youth to explore holistic wellness. As a result, She founded the @HeySade_Therapy Instagram account. This account highlights the importance of self-awareness, self-love and self-care to foster a safe space in social media to normalize mental health in the BIPOC community.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Empower My Hood Officers & Board
- of Counsel
- Compliance Officer at American Express
Shanté N. Freckleton is a Compliance Officer at American Express, where she handles consumer practices related matters in accordance with the UDAAP regulation. She also is the owner of S. Freckleton Law, PLLC which focuses on virtually-based estate planning. In addition to her role with the EMH organization, she also provides ad hoc legal consulting services to O. Christine, a travel and wellness-focused blog. After graduating law school, Shante was an Associate Attorney at a boutique firm in Long Island where she oversaw the in-house collections department for six years prior to her departure. Shante is licensed to practice law in New York and New Jersey and graduated from Florida Coastal School of Law. While in law school, Shante worked with the Long Island Rail Road (LIRR), General Counsel Office and with the New York Police Department (NYPD), Civilian Complaint Review Board (CCRB). Prior to law school, Shante attended Boston University where she graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology, minor in Political Science
Job Titles:
- College Access Financial Advisor
Vanessa L. Sparks work focuses on parent and student advocacy and providing families information and access on post-secondary financial aid process. Ms. Sparks has assisted families with the college admission and financial aid process for 25 years, her training in financial aid mentorship includes the U.S. Department of Education, College Access Consortium of New York (CACNY), Davidson College and Goddard-Riverside OPTIONS College Access Program.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board
- Member of the Empower My Hood Officers & Board