Advisory Board

BUSINESS AND STRATEGY ADVISORS

Melissa Bradley
Melissa Bradley, CEO is founder and president of New Capitalist™, a Washington DC consulting firm committed to providing business development, strategy, capitalization and management assistance to entrepreneurs and senior management. Ms. Bradley currently holds board positions with Georgetown University Women’s Center, Georgetown University African American Advisory Board, Urban Ed, Inc. and The Woodhull Institute. She also serves on the advisory council for the Center for Women’s Business Research. She holds a BS in Finance from Georgetown University and a MBA in Marketing from American University, where she was a Graduate Fellow and founder of the Graduate Business Association’s Volunteer Service Committee.

Robert L. Gordon III
Robert L. Gordon III (Colonel, ret.) is a Senior Vice President of City Year, Inc. Previously, Mr. Gordon served as the Department Head of the American Politics division in the Social Sciences Department at West Point Military Academy. His past assignments include serving in the White House as Director of Special Operations in the Office of National Service (Americorps). He has also served as a Special Assistant to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, a distinguished judge for the 1998 President of the United States Service Awards and was a Center for Public Management Fellow at the Brookings Institution and a White House Fellow. As an artillery officer, his field assignments included command and staff assignments in Germany and the United States. He also served as aide-de-camp to General Colin Powell. He is a graduate of West Point and the National War College and has a master’s degree in public affairs from Princeton University. Mr. Gordon is also the co-founder and executive director of Service America.

EDUCATIONAL AND SOCIAL ADVISORS

Dr. Adunni Slackman Anderson
Dr. Adunni Slackman Anderson is a principal in the Montclair, NJ school system. She holds a MEd from Harvard Graduate School of Education and a PhD from Seton Hall University.

Dr. Quincy Tharps
Quincy J. Tharps, RN, PhD, LPC is an Assistant Professor at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee in the college of Nursing, where she is a medical anthropologist and teaches Cultural Diversity in Health Care. Additionally, she is an Adjunct Professor at the Medical College of Wisconsin, where she teaches Cultural Psychiatry. She is also a psychotherapist and has been practicing as a family therapist with Psychiatric Associates and Therapist since 1982. Dr. Tharps is a board member of the Alliance of the Mentally Ill as well as other civic and professional groups. She has authored numerous articles and speaks regularly on matters in her field. Her research interests include reproductive issues among single African-American mothers.

Jennifer Kaufman
Jennifer Kaufman is a Trusts & Estates attorney at the law firm of Debevoise & Plimpton LLP. She holds an MSC from the London School of Economics in Gender Studies and a JD from the University of Virginia School of Law.

HUMAN RESOURCES ADVISORS

Renee Russell-Pregler
Renee Russell-Pregler has twenty years experience working with Fortune 100 companies in the financial services, healthcare, technology and travel industries. She has developed and implemented a number of human capital strategies that help organizations improve performance. Ms. Russell-Pregler holds a BS in Marketing and Computer Science from West Chester University and an MBA from Duke University's Fuqua School of Business. She has also served as an adjunct professor at the Graduate School of Management at Rutgers University.

Felicia Benson
Felicia Benson is employed at CMI Marketing, Inc. as the Director of Human Resources. In her current role she is responsible for providing overall strategic HR leadership to the company. This includes overseeing the development and implementation of human resources policies, programs and services including recruitment, selection, retention, legal compliance, benefits, employee relations, employment practices and procedures, and employee communications and events. Ms. Benson holds a BA in Political Science from Rutgers University.

STUDENT AND COMMUNITY RELATIONS

Dalila Casimir-Springer
Dalila Casimir-Springer is a Compliance Officer for Standard & Poor’s Global Regulatory Affairs. She is a graduate of Seton Hall University with a degree in Business Administration and a Minor in Communications and is an alumnus of the INROADS and Americorps programs. Mrs. Springer was selected for the College Leadership of New Jersey Program, which looks to redefine social and political aspects of the state, and has been an avid community volunteer since high school.

MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS ADVISORS

Andrea Fant-Hobbs
Andrea Fant-Hobbs is Vice President of Brand Management at Verizon. Previously, Ms. Fant-Hobbs was vice president and account director for Vigilante, a Publicis Company, in New York. Possessing over 20 years of experience in marketing, advertising and media relations, she is also a marketing coach for the Institute of Entrepreneurial Leadership. She has been published by American Legacy and featured in Essence. Ms. Fant-Hobbs was recently awarded a Cannes Media Lion for her role in the critically acclaimed Pontiac G6 promotion on “Oprah.” She has also been honored by The Network Journal as one of the 25 Most Influential Black Women in Business and by Ebony magazine as an Outstanding Woman in Marketing and Communications. She is a graduate of Syracuse University with a dual BS degree in Marketing from the School of Business and in Communications from S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications.

Lisa Russell-Charles
Lisa Russell-Charles is a classical singer, professionally trained actress, former federal prosecutor and motivational speaker.  Born in Washington D.C., Lisa went on to attain a Bachelors degree in Political Science from Tufts University and a JD from George Washington Law School.  She also has studied voice privately with world renowned opera performer, Renee Corenne.  As a recipient of many awards, Lisa has been described as both an accomplished speaker and a moving and talented performer.  Lisa currently resides in Maplewood, New Jersey with her family.

LEGAL AND ACCOUNTING ADVISORS

Callie S. Crowder
Callie S. Crowder, CPA is an accountant and business manager. She is a cum laude graduate of Seton Hall University with a BS in Accounting.

TECHNICAL ADVISORS

John Caime
John Caime’s experience includes interactive projects for Senesco Technologies, Pfizer, Time Inc. and Verizon Wireless. His work has been recognized on a number of occasions winning a 2002 Addy Award, a “Design Forte” Award on Netdiver.net and the “Best Experimental/Music Video,” 15 Minutes of Fame award.

Jerri Drakes
Jerri Drakes is the owner and founder of the Workstation Inc. and Little Bytes, located in Newark, New Jersey. The Workstation Inc. together with its division known as Little Bytes, continues to develop technology-based curricula that uniquely combines computer training and "life skills." Jerri is a successful technology educator who helps children and young adults to foster a desire to become life-long learners with technology skills necessary in tomorrow’s marketplace. Jerri has a unique background, which combines 20 years of technical training and business management experience a Bachelors of Science in Social Work and a Bachelors in History.

Christella Ritchwood
Christella Ritchwood is a project manager at Basement Design, where she plays a pivotal role by researching client industry trends and developing content and marketing strategies for client campaigns. She brings both marketing and project management expertise.