Susan Arisman
Susan Arisman has been involved in educational reform since serving as a master teacher for the National Teacher Corps in Washington, D.C. As executive director of the Pennsylvania Academy for the Profession of Teaching, her greatest accomplishments were the support of the Urban Teaching Seminar, which brought students from rural higher education into urban centers, and the development of two- and four-year outcomes for early childhood education. Arisman continues to support educational reform through the establishment of a network of professional development schools, the development of closer ties between different state factions involved in education, and the development of statewide outcomes in technology. At the present time, Arisman is the interim dean of the School of Education at Coppin State University . She has also served as dean of the College of Education at Frostburg State University, Maryland, dean at Cheyney University of Pennsylvania, teacher education consultant with the Maryland State Department of Maryland, and director of the Charles County Teacher Education Center of the University of Maryland, College Park. She received her doctorate at the University of Chicago, a master of arts in English from the University of Minnesota, and a bachelor's of science from Marquette University.

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Jerry Baum
Jerryhas had substantial experience in community work, fund raising, and setting policy for community based organizations as a director or chair. Until 1997, he was the executive director of an independent non-profit, Fund for Educational Excellence, whose mission was to provide resources and program initiatives to strengthen education in the public schools of Baltimore. Before 1984, Jerry worked for the Baltimore Office of Employment Development as special assistant to the director. His early career was as an executive in the men's clothing industry. Jerry was born in Rochester, NY, and grew up there. He has a B.A. degree from Yale University, a master's degree from the School of Business Administration at Harvard University and a Master in Liberal Arts from Johns Hopkins University. He currently serves an an of The National Association for Olstead Parks board.

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Carlton Epps, Sr.
A native of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Carlton has lived in the Baltimore area since 1988.  A decorated U. S. Army Officer and combat veteran, he has been a successful entrepreneur and held key leadership positions in the public and private business sector including, Chief Operating Officer of the Baltimore City Public Schools, and Chief Financial Officer of Associated Black Charities.

He received his undergraduate degree in Accounting, and MBA from Loyola College, Baltimore.

An active volunteer, Mr. Epps has served on the advisory board of both the Baltimore Academy of Finance, and the Academy of Information Technology.  He is currently a Trustee of the Baltimore Chesapeake Bay Outward Bound Center, and Director of the Friends of Bel Air Soccer. 

Carlton resides in Bel Air, Maryland with his wife Roxanne Miller-Epps, and teenage son, Khalid.

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J. Howard Henderson
J. Howard Henderson, President & CEO of the Greater Baltimore Urban League, has an impressive and successful history of dedicated service to his community and the nation.  He has spent his adult life working to improve the living and working conditions of African Americans, other minorities, the underprivileged and the underserved. Since October 2000, Mr. Henderson has exemplified his tireless work ethic at the Greater Baltimore Urban League where he has worked diligently and energetically to rebuild and restore the League’s image and effectiveness. Under his leadership, the organization has been revitalized and has again become a viable agency providing quality services to the residents of the Baltimore region.

Prior to his Urban League appointment, Mr. Henderson demonstrated his commitment to human rights and civil rights in other employment venues.  From 1980 to 1993, he served the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People in executive and management positions at the NAACP National Office in New York and Baltimore.  During his tenure at the NAACP, he served as a principal advisor to Dr. Benjamin L. Hooks, Chief Executive Officer, and as Director of National Programs.  Dr. Hooks designated Mr. Henderson to organize, develop and implement a new division at the National Office.  The new entity was established as the Division of Administration and Finance, with Mr. Henderson as its director.

A defining experience for the African American community and the Nation as a whole occurred when civil disorder erupted in Miami, in 1980 and again in Los Angeles, in 1992.  Mr. Henderson was designated on both occasions to lead the NAACP response to the turmoil.  He organized the local communities and the local NAACP branches in the affected areas to participate and assist in rebuilding the communities, and he developed and implemented protocols for administering the conflict resolution process in those communities.

Before joining the national executive leadership team of the NAACP, Mr. Henderson was appointed by Gov. John D. Rockefeller, IV to serve as Director of the West Virginia State Employment and Training Division, Governor’s Office of Economic and Community Development.  He oversaw a  $95.5 million budget for job training and job development.  At Edward Waters College in Jacksonville, FL., Mr. Henderson served as Vice President for Institutional Advancement, Chief Development Officer, and was a member of the President’s cabinet.  Mr. Henderson has served as Chief Executive Officer and President of The Henderson Management Group, a resource group of professionals providing quality services specializing in meeting/conference planning, fundraising, and management services.

Mr. Henderson is recognized nationally for his expertise in the areas of human and civil rights. During the past 40 years, he has been involved in many of the major civil rights issues, including affirmative action, economic parity, political empowerment, fair housing, and education.

J. Howard Henderson graduated from Marshall University with a B.S. degree in Education and a M.A. degree in Education Administration. He served four years in the U.S. Air Force.  Mr. Henderson is married to Dr. Beverly Cole Henderson. 

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Tina Hike-Hubbard
Ms. Hike-Hubbard is a Senior Program Director at the Enterprise Community Partners (formally The Enterprise Foundation). She has been instrumental in developing and managing one of the few comprehensive school/community reform efforts in Baltimore. She currently serves as the Education Committee chair on the Planned Parenthood of Maryland Board, serves as a member of the Baltimore Curriculum Project Board and has regularly served as an allocations volunteer for the United Way of Maryland.

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SYLVIA McGILL

RECENT RECOGNITIONS

2004  Maryland’s Top 100 Women, The Daily Record
1999 Volunteer of the Year-Greater Homewood Community Corp.
1996-1998Peer Reviewer for Missouri International Reading Association
            Missouri Reader,  award winning publication on reading.
1996 American Library Trustee Association Outstanding New Trustee Grant
         Nominee for Columbia Teacher of the Year

RECENT PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
Director of Public Education Programs
Greater Homewood Community Corporation     July 2000-Present
Plan and direct the effort of Greater Homewood, a neighborhood organization in North Central Baltimore, to improve public education. Implement programs and partnerships that bring new resources to schools.  Responsible for adding $1,4000,000 of additional resources to the schools. 
Co-Director of Experience Corps-Baltimore   Start-Present
Involved in planning, implementation and evaluation of program in Baltimore. Responsible for school relationships, site coordinators, and currently, program operations and relationships with national office.
Principal Mentor in the Johns Hopkins University’s Principal Induction Institute 2004-Present
Serve as Community Leader on Principal Mentoring Team for new BaltimoreCitySchool Principals.  Present to 60 new principals and mentor on partnerships.
VISTA Coordinator
Greater Homewood Community Corporation  May 1998-2000  
Director for twenty-five Americore*VISTAs working in the Greater Homewood area of BaltimoreCity. Grant writing and fund-raising for the program. Presented at national Corporation for Community Service conference.
Volunteer Coordinator
Boys and Girls Clubs of Columbia Area   1996-1997  Halftime
Developed volunteer program for new youth services organization.  . Served on the staff management team.
Media Specialist
Columbia   (Missouri)  Public Schools  1986-1996
Provided library and technology services for 750 students and teachers.  Taught technology,  information skills and literature to students.  Taught staff development in technology at the district and building level. 
COMMUNITY SERVICE
¨      Girl Scouts of Central Maryland,  Board of Directos
¨      Board of Directors and Vice President, Village Learning Place  Served on board that brought Village Learning Place from closed branch of the Enoch Pratt Library to active public learning facility
¨      Daniel Boone Regional Library Board Trustee  Appointed by the BooneCounty (Missouri) Commissioners. Selected from a board of 24 to chair the Committee on Expansion charged with planning to double the size of  the building.  Chaired Trustee Education Committee.
¨      MarylhurstCollege Alumni Association  President and Board Member. Member of Presidential
        Search Committe and Accreditation Review Committees

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Zattura Sims-El
Zattura is currently the Community Liaison for The Education Trust. Zattura is responsible for the development of materials and training programs for grassroots and community-based organizations designed to enhance their capacity to engage parents in improving their children’s education.  In working to provide such organizations with the tools needed to assist parents, Zattura has developed a No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Parent and Community User Guide.  This Guide will help parents and education advocates understand the value of NCLB as a tool to ensure equity in education; a high quality education delivered by highly qualified teachers for all children. Zattura has also developed a Capacity-Building Program for parent and community organizations, and schedules and facilitates both in-person and web-based trainings.  Her goal is to establish on-going relationships with parent and community organizers and bring to them the myriad of resources the Education Trust offers.

Before joining the Education Trust, Zattura Sims-El was Program Director for the Baltimore Education Network.  As Program Director she was responsible for developing, implementing and overseeing capacity building tools and advocacy training initiatives for parents and community members.  Zattura has organized citywide coalitions and represented Baltimore’s grassroots community on statewide coalitions to address the issue of adequate equitable education funding and has helped to develop strategies to emphasize the importance of collaborating with all stakeholders to work as partners in the improvement of our educational systems.

As an entrepreneur/consultant, Zattura Sims-El was one of three partners and the Program Director with a Baltimore based company, Student Achievers/Future Entrepreneurs (S.A.F.E.), designed to work with youth ranging in ages from 12 to 21 years to help them build their skills both educationally and socially.  Working with adjudicated youth and incarcerated youth, Zattura concentrated on training and workshop sessions on alternatives to violent behavior and developing practical life and entrepreneurial skills.

Zattura is currently the National Administrator of Education for the Moorish Science Temple The Divine and National Movement of North America, Inc. #13  The Moorish American National Republic.  As National Administrator, she is responsible for program development and personnel; she also oversees the development of curriculum and it relates to United States and Moorish American History and Culture.  In this capacity she works in collaboration with other Moorish Science Temples across the country as well as local and state departments of education.  

Zattura is the mother of three children, all of whom have graduated from the Baltimore City Public School System.  She was always very active in their education and was an active PTA member.  Zattura has served as Legislative Chair for the Baltimore City Council of PTAs and Chair of the Middle and High School Curriculum Committee while serving on the Board of Directors of the Maryland Congress of PTAs. Zattura has served on the Baltimore City Review Board for Children (formerly the Foster Care Review Board) and the Maryland State Children’s Legislative Action Committee and has been foster mother to several young men over the years of both middle and high school ages.

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Patricia L. Welch
Patricia L. Welch is a native of Kinston, North Carolina and was educated in the Baltimore City Public Schools. She earned a Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Maryland at College Park and taught in the Baltimore City public schools for 23 years. In 1997 she was appointed to the Board of School Commissioners for the Baltimore City Public School System, where she served as chair until 2005. Currently, she is the Dean in the School of Education and Urban Studies at Morgan State University where she oversees the management of programs at the baccalaureate, master’s and doctoral levels.

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Lisa M. Wright
Lisa M. Wright, President and Chief Executive Officer, has been with the Fund for Educational Excellence since 1998.  She has played an active role in the development and implementation of many of the Fund’s signature reform initiatives, including its nationally recognized Achievement First whole-school literacy reform model and its five-year partnership with the Baltimore City Public School System to dramatically reform the high school experience for all of Baltimore’s students.

In her former position as the Fund’s Chief Operating Officer, Ms. Wright was responsible for the overall financial management of the organization, as well the Fund’s human resources and personnel functions, including recruitment, retention, and staff evaluations and professional development plans.  Ms. Wright also coordinated and co-led the Fund’s senior management team, which is responsible for drafting, implementing, evaluating and reporting on the organization’s strategic and operations plans.

Prior to joining the Fund, Ms. Wright served as the Chief Financial Officer for Optic Graphics, Inc. in Glen Burnie, MD where she initiated and oversaw all of the internal financial control and reporting functions.  Ms. Wright earned her Bachelor of Science in Accounting from Bloomsburg University.

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