Black Child Development Institute – Cleveland Announces Ten Board Members
Beachwood, Ohio – Black Child Development Institute (BCDI)- Cleveland, an affiliate of the National Black Child Development Institute, announces ten new board members who will support the mission of the organization, to improve and advance the lives of Black children and families through education and advocacy throughout Ohio.
“ We are excited and grateful as we welcome these exceptional leaders dedicated to empowering the Black Child in achieving positive outcomes,” says President Gloria Blevins. “Our board members are the core of the organization effectively impacting policy and programming to pursue equity and equality for Black children and families. Our intentional collaboration is essential in progressing forward towards success for families.”
The new board members began their three-year terms with BCDI Cleveland in 2022 and can serve a maximum of two terms:
- Robin Brown, is an Environmental Injustice Advocate, Founder, and Organizer of CCOAL with an emphasis on the impact of lead poisoning on African American children.
- Kelsey E. Hopkins, MSW, MPA, serves as the Prenatal-to-Three Manager at Groundwork Ohio.
- Dr. Mittie Davis Jones, serves as Associate Director of The Diversity Institute and Associate Professor Emerita at Cleveland State University.
- Dr. Sharon Calhoun, is a tenured professor of early childhood education and faculty coordinator at Cuyahoga Community College Metropolitan Campus.
- Loryn E. Green, is a student at Cleveland State University pursuing a second master’s degree in educational research.
- Shalonda Murray, is the co-founder of a grassroots organization, MIMB (Mothers of Indianapolis Melanted Boys and CEO of ACORN Village.
- Joan Spoerl, serves as Director of Imagination Library/The Literacy Cooperative.
- Ariana Johnson, is an Outreach Coordinator for The Northern Ohio Recovery Association.
- Rev. Eugene Norris, is the Senior Pastor and Founder of Mountain of the Lord Fellowship in Akron Ohio and CEO of FameFathers.
- Dorian Wingard, MPA serves as Partner and Chief Operations Officer on the team at Restoring Our Own Through Transformation (ROOTT).