Staff & Executive Board Members

Staff Members

Tracee L. Perryman-Stewart is the Executive Director of Center of Hope Family Services, Inc. and the project Director for the CDF Freedom Schools Toledo Site. She received a B.A. in Psychology from the University of Michigan and is currently pursuing a graduate degree in Mental Health Counseling from Bowling Green State University. Her research interests include the evolving therapeutic needs of oppressed groups, as well as the ways in which helping professionals can sensitively, and competently address the alarming issues of minority and disadvantaged group members, while assisting these persons in successfully navigating through our society in its present state.
Willetta M. Perryman is the Project Director for CHFS, and the Site Coordinator for the Center of Hope Freedom Schools. She has 20 years of youth mentoring experience. She was the director of Youth and Family Services at the Morningstar Missionary Baptist Church for 15 years. She has been the director of the Center of Hope Youth and Family Ministry since 1997. She also created and runs the Center of Hope Women of Worth Ministry, where she mentors young women ages 18-39. She was a certified teacher for Toledo Head Start for 15 years.
Randall D. Clark, who earned his bachelor's of science degree from The University of Michigan, serves as Executive Assistant to Tracee Perryman-Stewart.

Names and Affiliations of Executive Board Members

· Dr. Langston Bannister (Pastor, Grace Presbyterian Church) received his Master’s Degree in Counseling from California State University, and a doctorate in Education from the University of Massachusetts. Dr. Bannister was a Professor of Educational Sociology at the University of Toledo for over thirty years.

· Dr. Carter Wilson (Full Professor, University of Toledo Political Science Department) has been involved with a number of community organizations. He is a member of the Interfaith Justice and Peace Committee, as well as the University of Toledo Faculty Senate.

· Paula Fall (Owner, Sophia Lustig Shop) has been the Owner of the Sophia Lustig Shop for 25 years. She is on the board of the Toledo Lucas County Public Library, and the Toledo Botanical Gardens.

· Sarah Buxton (Law Student, Vermont Law School) has worked extensively in the area of Public Administration. She has been a key person in the following campaigns: Marcy Kaptur for Congress, and Howard Dean for President. Sarah also worked for the Children’s Defense Fund, reporting directly to the founder and CEO—Marian Wright Edelman.

· Rhonda Sewell (Public Relations, Toledo Lucas County Public Library) is responsible for media and public relations for the marketing department of the Toledo-Lucas County Public Library, including special events, publications, Web site, commercials, and acts as the Library’s spokesperson for media interviews. Rhonda received her Bachelor of Arts in Journalism from Michigan State University in 1989. Rhonda also worked as a part-time instructor at Bowling Green State University, where she taught a self-designed course titled, “Ethnic Groups and Mass Media,” and served as a talk show host on Toledo’s PBS station, WGTE Channel 30.

· Fletcher Word (Editor, Sojourners Truth Newspaper) received his bachelor’s degree from Harvard College, and serves on the following boards: Greater Toledo Urban League, the Northwest Ohio Black Media Association, and the Toledo Press Club, and the Toledo Public Library.

· Keith Wilkowski

· Ron Jackson (Deputy Executive Director, LMHA) received his masters of public administration from Old Dominion University and bachelor's of business administration from The University of Cincinnati. His roles are: Supervision of Property Management Operations, Modernization, Development functions; Section 8; Resident Services; Project oversight of current redevelopment projects including potential HOPE VI and NSP projects: Developing non-assisted affordable housing portfolio; Assists Executive Director in general oversight of Authority including, Finance, Information Systems, Human Resources.

· Larry Stegall, a retired member of the Laborers Local 500, currently serves as Executive Board member of the Local 500 Retiree Council and is Delegate to The Ohio State Retiree Council.