Speakers

Dr. Benjamin C Bell Jr. is a native of Des Moines, Iowa and has been married to the charming Julie Bell since 1982. He is the proud father of five awesome children and the grandfather of eight beautiful grandchildren.

Dr. Bell has amassed in descending order: a Doctorate in philosophy, a Masters in Community ministry, Masters in Pastoral Counseling, as well as a B.A. degree in Pastoral ministry. Dr. Bell is the Dean of Present Truth Education Center (2015). a satellite of Isaiah University of Isaiah University. Dr. Bell is certified by the Des Moines Pastoral Counseling Center as a Pastoral Care Specialist (2006). Dr. Bell is also a board certified pastoral psychologist with the International Association of Pastoral Psychology Board. In 2001 Dr. Bell and Rev. Keith Meeks launched a parenting tool called Dads with a Purpose in 2001. Their mantra is to “help fathers effectively parent the next generation.

Dr. Bell and Keith Meeks have passionately served men and women in several arenas including the correctional setting. These two men have offered a version of this model to over 1000 men and women. Dr. Bell believes all persons contain intrinsic value. There is a building dynamic in his life and he is committed to depositing a thirst for achievement in the lives of the patrons lives that will produce success. He routinely shares that all persons are endowed by the Creator with abilities that are uniquely placed within them to complete their life assignment. Dr. Bell desires that people would enjoy and present the best of who they are to the world. Dr. Bell further declares that we are particularly significantly persons in the earth. We need to upgrade our ability to operate proficiently in the earth realm. Dr. Bell asserts that his assignment is to cause people to find and fulfill their purpose.

Dr. Bell is happiest when he sees people walking in their innate ability spiritually, paternally matrimonially, and socially. Dr. Bell declares this can only be accomplished by maximizing on the gifts one has. Dr. Bell agrees with the late Frederick Douglass “It is easier to build strong children than it is to repair broken men." He is adamant about parents knowing who they are so their offspring can realize and be trained at a young age to perceive and know their inner voice. Dr. Bell is a lover of humanity and believes we carry a human energy. Dr. Bell is convinced that compassion can set humanity ablaze with innovative creativity.

Clarence H. Carter was appointed to serve as a member of Governor Bill Lee’s Cabinet as the Commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Human Services (TDHS) in January 2021. Mr. Carter leads the state’s second-largest agency with an operating budget of more than $3 billion and nearly 4,000 employees working in offices in all 95 counties. Through more than 17 programs and services, the Department partners with Tennesseans to facilitate nutrition programs, employment assistance, vocational training, and protective services to enhance their well-being.

Mr. Carter serves as chair of the State’s Families First Community Advisory Board and Child Care Task Force, and as a member of the State’s Coordinating Task Force; each dedicated to innovation in determining collaborative solutions to better serve Tennesseans. Mr. Carter is a National Academy of Public Administration Fellow and 2022 recipient of the Spirit of Fatherhood Judge David Gray Ross Award from the National Partnership for Community Leadership. Mr. Carter also serves as a thought leader on issues in human services; presenting at national conferences and testifying before Congress.

Mr. Carter has more than 30 years of experience in the public safety net space, including serving four governors, a mayor and in the administrations of President George W. Bush and President Donald Trump. Mr. Carter served as Director of the Arizona Department of Economic Security and Commissioner of the Virginia Department of Social Services. He also managed the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and served as the Director of the Office of Community Services. On the local level, Mr. Carter served as Director of the Washington, D.C., Department of Human Services, where he led an initiative to transform the District’s shelter-based homeless system to one that assisted those served to finding permanent residency.

In 2015, Mr. Carter founded the Institute for the Improvement of the Human Condition. At that organization, he worked with state and local safety net agencies to meet the emergency needs of socially and economically vulnerable citizens.

Prior to serving as TDHS Commissioner, Mr. Carter served on the federal level as Director of the Office of Family Assistance and Acting Director of the Office of Community Services within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. While there, Mr. Carter led the administration of seven federal programs including the $16.5 billion Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program.

Mr. Carter earned his bachelor’s degree at the Indiana University of Pennsylvania in Indiana, Pennsylvania. Mr. Carter has an enduring commitment to transform the safety net by connecting economically, socially, and developmentally vulnerable individuals and families to services that expand beyond their short-term needs, but also position them for long-lasting success.

Seth Chamberlain is the Branch Chief for Healthy Marriage and Responsible Fatherhood (HMRF) programs in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Administration for Children and Families’ (ACF’s) Office of Family Assistance (OFA). Prior to work in OFA, he was a Senior Social Science Research Analyst in ACF’s Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation (OPRE). He has spent nearly 15 years working on federal HMRF programs and evaluations, as well as evaluations of federal sexual risk avoidance education and teen pregnancy prevention programs. Prior to joining ACF, Mr. Chamberlain taught middle school Spanish in Chicago and interned in two social services programs. Mr. Chamberlain holds a B.A. from Goshen College and an A.M. from the University of Chicago’s School of Social Service Administration. Mr. Chamberlain is happily married and is father to the two kindest and most intelligent girls on the planet.

Kimberly A. Dent is currently the Executive Director of the Ohio Commission on Fatherhood/Ohio Department of Job and Family Services. She brings over 21 years of government experience to the fathers and families she serves in Ohio. The Ohio Commission on Fatherhood provides funding to Responsible Fatherhood programs throughout the state and makes policy recommendations.

The Commission also trains professionals and engages the community regarding the vital role fathers play in their children’s lives. During her time with the government, Ms. Dent has served in various capacities in the local and state Child Support Program such as a child support caseworker at the local level, a program consultant, a business analyst and a Human Services Program Administrator in County Services, Policy as well as Outreach, Education and Grants Management units at the State Office of Child Support. Ms. Dent has also served as a commissioner on the Ohio Commission on Fatherhood, representing the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services. Ms. Dent holds a bachelor’s degree in Political Science from the University of Pittsburgh and a master’s degree in Public Policy and Administration from Ohio University. She is working on her PhD in Public Policy and Administration, Specializing in Law.

Avis Denise Files is a Program Director, Facilitator, and Entrepreneur. Avis received a B.A. in Human Services from The University of Toledo. Over her career, she has worked in domestic violence, homelessness, and drug addiction services. Avis has traveled to various venues speaking on subjects such as fathers and domestic violence, recuitment and retention of African Americans, Co-Parenting, and program outcome results.

Her most recent experience has concentrated on Healthy Marriage and Resposible Fatherhood. She was a Programn Coordinator for an Office of Family Assistance (OFA) grant-funded a healthy marriage program, Keeping It Together, for five years (2006-2011), a program that concentrated on working with African American couples. She served as Program Director for three years dor OFA grant-funded healthy marriage program Keeping Ir Together (2011-2014). This program concentrated on helping couples, singles, and youth learn healthy marriage skills.

In June 2017, Ms. Files received the honor of being the first Woman to receive The Vicky Turetsky Woman In Responsible Fatherhood Leadership Award, named after the former Commissioner for the Federal Office of Child Support. It is given annually to a woman whose work is advancing the field of resposible fatherhood and family strengthening. She received this honor at the NPCL 19th Annual international Fatherhood Spirit of Fatherhood Awards Luncheon in Kansas City, Missouri.

Kenn Harris currently is a Executive Project Director and Engagement Lead at the National Institute for Children’s Health Quality (NICHQ) in Boston, MA and serves as Project Director for the Maternal Child Health Bureau’s Supporting Healthy Start Performance Project (SHSPP) overseeing the Technical Assistance & Support Center for the 101 federal Healthy Start programs across the country. His immediate past job was as Vice President for Community Engagement and Director and Principal Investigator of the New Haven Healthy Start program at The Community Foundation for Greater New Haven in New Haven, CT. His professional career in MCH and public health spans over 30 years.

Before starting his job in CT, Kenn worked with the Boston Healthy Start Initiative in Boston, MA, one of the original Healthy Start project. There he established and maintained the Community Consortium and helped create the Father-Friendly Initiative. During his time in Boston, he also served on the “For Fathering Advisory Council” of the Medical Foundation, working with fragile families supporting responsible fathers.

Kenn is a past president of the National Healthy Start Association and helped establish the Association’s Dads Matter Initiative: Where Dads Matter, Washington, DC. He is co-creator of the Core Adaptive Model for Fatherhood (CAM©), an evidenced-informed model for fatherhood/male involvement programs. He is currently working on creating an evidenced-based home-visiting program for men and fathers that builds on the lessons-learned from the CAM model for Fatherhood and two decades of fatherhood program implementation.

Kenn is a national expert in the field of maternal and child health, public health, fatherhood/ male involvement and community engagement. He worked on “My Brother’s Keeper”, President Obama’s initiative to address the health of boys and men of color. He also has expertise and interest in topics of the impact of racism on health outcomes, equity and addressing men’s health in the age of mass incarceration.

Kenn co-authored and published an article “The Health of Young African American Men” in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA, 2015). He continues researching Black men’s health and focuses on the integration of health services into programs for men and fathers.

Kenn remains passionate about women’s health, children, fathers and families as well as the health and well-being of the communities in which they live, work, learn, play and pray.

Dr. Wade F. Horn, Ph.D., is a Managing Director at Deloitte Consulting where he is the Lead Client Service Partner (LCSP) for the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Health and Human Services (HHS) Marketplace Leader. As LCSP for Deloitte’s CMS account, Dr. Horn is responsible for developing and maintaining senior client relationships, driving service excellence and managing risk, developing the account leaders and team, and delivering strong financial performance. In his role as HHS Marketplace Leader, Dr. Horn drives market, brand and eminence for Deloitte’s work with federal and state Health and Human Service agencies.

Prior to coming to Deloitte, Dr. Horn served from 2001 to 2007 as the Assistant Secretary for Children and Families within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services where he oversaw over 60 federal programs with a total annual budget of $47 billion aimed at improving the well-being of children and helping families achieve self-sufficiency, including welfare, child welfare, child support, child care, and adoption. As Assistant Secretary, Dr. Horn oversaw the development and implementation of numerous technology solutions designed to enhance service delivery, including technology-based solutions for integrated eligibility determination and coordinated health and human service delivery systems.

Dr. Horn also has served as Commissioner for Children, Youth and Families, and Chief of the Children's Bureau within HHS, and as a member of the National Commission on Children, the Commission to Eliminate Child Abuse and Neglect Fatalities, the National Commission on Childhood Disability, the President’s Commission on Special Education, the U.S. Advisory Board on Welfare Indicators, the U.S. Advisory Board on Kinship Care, and the U.S. Advisory Committee on Head Start Research and Evaluation. Dr. Horn is also a co-founder and first President of National Fatherhood Initiative (NFI) whose mission is to improve the well-being of children by increasing the number of children growing up with involved, committed and responsible fathers, and has been an adjunct faculty at Georgetown University's Public Policy Institute and an affiliate scholar with the Hudson Institute.

Dr. Horn also has extensive experience in the provision of direct services, including as Director of Outpatient Psychological Services at the Children's Hospital National Medical Center in Washington, D.C., and co-director of Michigan State University’s Psychological Clinic.

Dr. Horn has written numerous articles relevant to children and family issues, including a weekly newspaper column entitled Fatherly Advice, and is the co-author of several books including The Better Homes and Gardens New Father Book (Meredith Books, 1998) and the Better Homes and Gardens New Teen Book (Meredith Books, 1999). He is also the lead editor of The Fatherhood Movement: a Call to Action (Lexington Books, 1998).

Dr. Horn received his Ph.D. in clinical child psychology from Southern Illinois University in 1981. He lives in Raleigh, North Carolina, with his wife of 40 years, and is the proud father of two adult daughters.

Dr. Jeffery Johnson is President and CEO of the National Partnership for Community Leadership (NPCL).

As a national nonprofit intermediary organization, the mission of NPCL is to strengthen the service capacity of nonprofit and community-based agencies to empower youth and families.

A particular focus of Dr. Johnson’s work has been on the plight of African American men and families. Dr. Johnson played a principal role in passage of the first national fatherhood legislation in Congress, The Fathers Count Bill. Dr. Johnson is also the author of several publications including Fatherhood Development: A Curriculum for Young Fathers. Dr. Johnson holds a Bachelor of Arts, Master of Arts, and Doctor of Philosophy Degree in Urban Education from the University of Michigan.

Rufus Sylvester Lynch, DSW, ACSW, & NASW Social Work Pioneer ®, Chair of The Strong Families Commission

Education:

B.A., Morgan State College, M.S., University of Pittsburgh, Ph.D., University of Pennsylvania

Rufus Sylvester Lynch, DSW, ACSW, & NASW Social Work Pioneer®, currently serves as Chair of The Strong Families Commission, a Philadelphia-based nonprofit that advocates for strengthening families and improving developmental outcomes for children by promoting greater father-family involvement in the lives of children and families, and the intentional transformation of social service agencies and other systems of care that serve communities and families. Lynch also directs and oversees the activities of the Pennsylvania Symposium Organizing Committee (SOC), which includes the development of a Pennsylvania Fathers, Families & Service Providers Network (PFFSPN), initially funded by FRPN.

Dr. Lynch formerly served as Professor and Dean of the Whitney M. Young, Jr. School of Social Work at Clark Atlanta University. He has held senior staff positions in the Executive, Legislative, and Judicial branches of Pennsylvania's State Government.

Dr. Ronald B. Mincy is the Maurice V. Russell Professor of Social Policy and Social Work Practice, at the Columbia University School of Social Work, where he directs the Center for Fathers, Children, and Family Well-being. He is a labor economist with expertise in urban economics, family demography, income security policy, and human development especially among disadvantaged males. Mincy’s research, undertaken at leading policy research, philanthropic and academic institutions over the past 30 years has influenced research, policy and practice relating to disadvantaged males and fathers. The influence of his work is attested by his selection as a Visiting Scholar at the Russell Sage Foundation 2015-16 , award winning papers in the Journal of Policy Analysis and Management and Social Service Review and coverage of his research by articles in the popular media, including the New York Times and the Atlantic.

He conceived and recommended developmental funding for the Fragile Families and Child Well-Being Study, the first longitudinal, nationally representative survey to provide data on children, their mothers, and fathers. His scientific leadership has been demonstrated by the roles he has played as co-investigator of this study and of an NIH-funded intervention study of the efficacy the effects of an intervention designed to reduce depression and increase the health-seeking behavior of African-American fathers and reduce the risky behavior of their pre-adolescent sons.

His publications include numerous articles in peer-reviewed journals such as Science, Demography, Social Services Review, The Journal of Human Resources, The Journal of Marriage and Family, The Journal of Policy Analysis and Management, and The Children and Youth Services Review . He edited or written several influential volumes on disadvantaged males and fathers including Nurturing Young Black Males, Black Males Left Behind, and Failing Our Fathers.

He has been an advisor, consultant, task force member for numerous privately and publicly-funded research and demonstration projects intended to improve parental relationships and self-sufficiency among low-income fathers and as a funder, consultant, board member, and keynote speaker for numerous nongovernmental organizations working to strengthen the role of fathers in low-income families. As a result of these activities is widely regarded as a critical catalyst for the changes currently occurring in the treatment of men and boys of color and low-income fathers by US welfare, child support, and family support systems.

He came to the Columbia University from the Ford Foundation, where he served as a senior program officer and developed the Strengthening Fragile Families Initiative. Dr. Mincy’s undergraduate and graduate training in economics were at Harvard University and M.I.T. In September, Dr Mincy’s and his wife, Dr. Flona Mincy will have been married for 45 years. They have two sons, three grandchildren, and make their home in Harlem, New York.

Michael Anthony Muñoz Jr. is a former American college football player. He was an All-American offensive lineman for the Tennessee Volunteers for four seasons during the early 2000s.

Muñoz was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, the son of Cincinnati Bengals offensive tackle Anthony Muñoz. He attended Moeller High School in Cincinnati, where he was a standout player for the Moeller Crusaders high school football team. He was selected as a USA Today All-USA high school football team member in 1999.

A 6-6, 315-pound unmovable force with a top-flight pedigree, Michael Muñoz became one of the most decorated student-athletes in Tennessee history.

The Mason, Ohio, native started all 12 games as a freshman and earned a spot on The Sporting News Freshman All-America team. After missing the 2001 season due to a knee injury, Muñoz returned to start his final 34 games, becoming a consensus All-American in 2004 and a three-time All-SEC pick.

A four-year letterman and two-year team captain, Muñoz became the first true freshman to start on the offensive line in nearly 20 years, and he joined teammate Kevin Burnett as the first Tennessee junior captain in 59 years. He posted 55 intimidation blocks in nine games played his senior season, which was shortened because of an injury.

After graduating in three-and-a-half years with a 3.67 GPA in political science, Muñoz was a three-time SEC Academic Honor Roll member. A regular member of the Dean's List, he participated in the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and the Boys and Girls Club.

A Woody Hayes National Scholar-Athlete his senior year, he earned an MBA from Miami University (Ohio) after graduating from Tennessee.

The son of Southern California All-American and Pro Football Hall of Famer Anthony Muñoz, Michael worked as the director of development for the Anthony Muñoz Foundation while winning the election in 2005 as a trustee in Hamilton Township, Ohio.

He subsequently worked as a marketing manager at Procter & Gamble, and in 2011, he launched the Muñoz Agency, which provides strategic insights for capturing consumer loyalty within the Latino community. Muñoz served as CEO & president of the organization while also serving as Executive Director of the Anthony Muñoz Foundation until January 2017.

After three years working for the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Muñoz is now the vice president of business development for the Hall of Fame Resort and Entertainment Company, the only resort, entertainment, and media company centered around the power of professional football and owner of the Hall of Fame Village in Canton, Ohio.

Charles Stephenson Jr. was called into ministry at the early age of 19 years old. Growing up in a small church he was afforded the opportunity to serve the local church in various positions at an early age. In 2003, he was called into pastoral-ship after the death of his father. He now serves as the Senior Pastor of Powerhouse Ministries COGIC and the Executive Director of Powerhouse Community Development Corporation (PCDC) in Marshall, Missouri.

Family: Pastor Stephenson is married to his beautiful wife First Lady Le Dawn Denise Stephenson. They are the proud parents of nine children; Raven Stephenson, Tiffany Stephenson, NaTisha Stephenson, Brittany Barnes, Jasmine Pegues, Janzel Pegues, Christian Stephenson, Chayla Stephenson and Chastity Stephenson.

President at The New Life Center, Meharry Medical College, Nashville, Tennessee

Robert Taylor is an experienced Program Manager with a demonstrated history of working in the Education and Public Health program management industry. He is skilled in Nonprofit Organizations, Coaching, Government, Conflict Resolution, Mediation, and Fundraising. Strong community and social services professional with a Master's degree focused in Public Administration-Public Policy from Bowie State University—also a Tennessee Supreme Court Listed Rule 31 Mediator.

As Chief Partnership Success Officer for National Fatherhood Initiative (NFI), Erik Vecere develops and nurtures partnerships with network-based entities that have relationships with groups of human service organizations to help them assess their father-friendliness, and be more father-inclusive.

Mr. Vecere also delivers NFI’s Father Engagement Experience and Father-Readiness Network Assessment, provides trainings on NFI programs, and oversees the implementation of funded and non-funded projects.

Mr. Vecere received a Master of Science in Organizational Leadership from Geneva College, Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania in 2006, a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Communications from Robert Morris University, Moon Township, Pennsylvania in 1991 and an Associates Degree in Letters, Arts and Sciences from Pennsylvania State University, Altoona, Pennsylvania in 1989.

Brian Williams has served as the Executive Director of the Randolph County Caring Community Partnership since 2007 and has facilitated several workshops on organizational, program, and community development. He also serves on the Network for Strong Communities board, the industry leader for affordable and innovative capacity building, programs and services, and resources that strengthen nonprofits. Brian has also chaired the Northeast Alliance Advisory Coalition for over eight years. Additionally, Brian serves on the board of directors for the Nonprofit Services Center and Shalom Christian Academy and Daycare and is an Associate Minister with Faith Walk Ministries and is an advisory member of Future Well-being of Mankind.

Brian has designed and developed various programs and initiatives on family development, reentry, responsible fatherhood, and women's health and wellness. He is a trained facilitator for the Family Development Credentialing and Training program, Mental Health First Aid, and a Master Trainer for the Fatherhood Development Curriculum.

Brian attended Baker University and the University of Missouri-Columbia and has an Associate's Degree in Applied Science from Moberly Area Community College.

Brian also co-founded the Focus on Fatherhood Network, a coalition of community-based agencies promoting responsible fatherhood.

He and his wife, Ethel, have four children.

Alexandra James-Okochi has been with Be Strong Families after nine years as CEO of Trinity Family Life Center in Richmond, Virginia—a nationally-recognized social enterprise model with four economic engines: a childcare center, restaurant / catering, facility rental, and a fitness center. In addition, Trinity Family Life Center’s “Strengthening Families Uplifting Communities Initiative” has served as a national model for the Casey Family Programs’ Faith-based Initiative. James-Okochi brings to Be Strong Families a wealth of knowledge and experience in developing and implementing innovative programs for children, youth, and families, including child welfare-involved families; experience and expertise with nonprofit resource development and fiscal stewardship; and a deep commitment to empowered engagement, equity, diversity, inclusion, as well as Be Strong Families mission, vision, and values. Her portfolio as Chief Program Officer includes leading training and consulting services and organizational advancement activities.

James-Okochi’ s background and experience as an artist and Hip-Hop emcee allows her to bring her creative skills and vision to the art and activism components of Be Strong Families work. Previously, James-Okochi served for five years on the Be Strong Families Board of Directors, including two of those years as its Board Chair (2016–2018). Alexandra is a product of the City of Richmond Public Schools and Howard University. She holds a Masters of Divinity from Samuel DeWitt Proctor School of Theology of Virginia Union University. Alexandra holds several professional certifications, including: High-Performance Organizations, Certified Public Participation Practitioner, Events Planning 101, Permanency Roundtables Train the Trainer, Master Trainer Responsible Motherhood Curriculum, Volunteer Management, Urban Gardening and Food Justice, and Grantsmanship Center Grant-writing. “Family is the foundation of society. In order to affect real and lasting community change, programs and services should start with families. When families are strengthened, communities are transformed.”

Bruce Stapleton has over 30 years of experience developing and implementing successful marketing programs. He has worked on major international branding and strategic marketing campaigns at NCR Corporation and digital marketing strategies for small and medium-sized businesses. Bruce started his own company in the wellness industry where he was a visionary in preventive health and wellness through integrating technology to drive successful outcomes.

Over the past five years, he has dedicated his time to building a marketing agency that improves the strategic planning process and marketing momentum for nonprofits and small businesses. He is currently the Board Chairman of Urban Light Ministries, a nonprofit focused on helping fathers build stronger families and neighborhoods. He is an adjunct professor of marketing at Franklin University, a certified mentor at SCORE, and continues to help nonprofits acquire and manage the $10,000 per month Google Ad grant.

Calvin Williams is the President of Lucian Families Inc., a Cincinnati, Ohio-based company that provides training, program development and innovation strategies to community-based, private and public organizations serving fathers and families. He serves as the Fatherhood Coordinator for the Hamilton County (Ohio) Department of Job and Family Services, where he develops and implements community-wide, and intra-agency strategies to improve inclusion, engagement and services to fathers.

He is a co-author of, and Master Trainer for PREP Inc.’s “On My Shoulders” fatherhood curriculum. Mr. Williams is a Certified Lactation Counselor, designing presentations and webinars on the father’s role in breastfeeding, and other father/ fatherhood-related topics in the Maternal Child Health arena.

Guy Bowling is President of Guy Bowling Enterprises and the Director of the FATHER Project, a program of Goodwill-Easter Seals Minnesota. In that role, he has overseen the successful implementation of 3 federally funded grants. Including a five-year $2.5 million annual grant project in 2012 funded through the federal Department of Health and Human Services, through the Office of Family Assistance (OFA).

His specific area of focus is working with low-income, non-custodial, never married fathers and their families in culturally specific, multi-racial, multi-ethnic and rural communities. As a nationally recognized fatherhood leader and speaker, Mr. Bowling has delivered more than 450 fatherhood trainings, keynotes, consultations and workshops with public/private agencies in 30 states, and two countries over his 25+ year career. In 2012, the National Partnership for Community Leadership (NPCL) inducted Guy into the prestigious Fatherhood Hall of Fame where he received the Ronald F. Johnson Award for the impact of his fatherhood work as a practitioner and advocate.

In 2013 Mr. Bowling was selected as a fellow of the first cohort of the National Practitioners Leadership Institute through the Center for Urban Families and also received an invitation to the White House Conference Center. He received the Outstanding Individual of the Year Award at the 2014 Minnesota Fathers and Families Network Annual Conference. Born in Chicago, Illinois Guy grew up in North Minneapolis, MN where he annually hosts the Festival of Fathers & Families event, focused on building relationships, co-parenting, connecting, celebrating fatherhood and providing resources for Fathers, Men, Boys and Families.

Dr. Herb Turner is a national expert in evaluation research with over thirty years of experience conducting mixed-method evaluations consistent with scientifically valid research in education and related areas. He is President and Principal Scientist of ANALYTICA, Inc., a certified minority and woman business enterprise that specializes in using scientifically valid research methods to address policy-relevant education problems.

During the past two decades, Dr. Turner contributed to innovative and cutting-edge initiatives designed to transform education research at the national, state, and district levels into an evidence-based, scientifically valid field. These initiatives include the Campbell Collaboration (C2), the What Works Clearinghouse (WWC), the Regional Educational Laboratory (REL) Program, the Social Innovation Fund (SIF), and the Investing in Innovation (i3) program. Dr. Turner currently serves as a WWC Trainer and Quality Control Reviewer for the WWC Statistics Website and Training (SWAT) funded by the Department of Education Institute of Education Sciences (IES). He is a member of the Abt i3 Technical Assistance Leadership team responsible for advising i3 grantees on producing experimental and quasi-experimental impact evaluations that meet i3 and WWC evidence standards.

Dr. Turner has applied his methodological expertise to design mixed methods approaches to SEL research efforts for the Center for Responsive Schools (CRS) and the Northeast & Islands Regional Educational Laboratory (RELNEI). In addition, he has served as a Senior Methodological and Policy Research Advisor on a range of projects at several universities and firms, including the Buffett Early Childhood Institute at the University of Nebraska, Westat, WestEd, the HighScope Educational Research Foundation, and The Brady Foundation. Dr. Turner also taught research methods and program evaluation at the University of Pennsylvania's Graduate School of Education and The Lynch School of Education at Boston College.

Mr. James Worthy is a National Consultant, Family Advocate, Business Developer and Trainer. Over the past nearly 3 decades he has provided or managed direct services to nearly 10,000 of Baltimore’s most disenfranchised residents and provided training to nearly 8000 Human Services Practitioners Nationwide. At current James is providing Training and Technical Assistance to Organizations Nationwide in the fields of Responsible Fatherhood, Family Strengthen and Workforce Development. He also serves as a Community Outreach Consultant for the National Responsible Fatherhood Clearinghouse.

As an independent consultant he contributes his talents and expertise to support the efforts of service organization both public and private. James’ proudest accomplishment is his incredible family, wife D’Lisa and his three sons, Jaylen, Donovan & Amari.

Dr. Jessica Pearson is the Director of the Center for Policy Research (CPR) and a nationally recognized expert on child support and responsible fatherhood. She has worked with federal, state, and local agencies to design, implement, and evaluate more than 100 demonstration and evaluation projects dealing with domestic violence, mediation, parenting time, and all aspects of child support. Dr. Pearson directs the Fatherhood Research & Practice Network (FRPN), which promotes rigorous evaluation and policy development in the fatherhood field.

John Ginwright has been with the Missouri Department of Social Services since 1992. He currently serves as the Family Support Division Deputy Director and manages the Child Support Program for Missouri. Mr. Ginwright also serves as a member of the Missouri Reentry Program Steering Team and the Government Contact Center Council.

John M. Petit is Managing Attorney for Community Legal Aid’s Neighborhood Law Project which supports community economic development, group representation, non-profits, entrepreneurship, and racial justice initiatives. John also manages Legal Aid’s Parenting Project which promotes non-custodial parental involvement focusing on marginalized populations.

During his time at Legal Aid, John has served in a variety of management roles, such as overseeing the housing and consumer team, re-entry programs, and the family law team. He also supervised the Helpline attorney staff. John has served as a mentor and trainer for several continuing legal education topics for staff & pro bono volunteers as well as a trainer for the Committee on Regional Training. Before serving in this role, John spent two years with the Jesuits in Cleveland and Detroit, combining spirituality and practice by serving at homeless shelter legal clinics and a law-on-wheels outreach program in urban communities.

John has a background in both public and private practice, focusing on civil and criminal litigation as well as on supervision of attorneys and staff within child support agencies. John received his law degree from Case Western Reserve in 1994 and graduated from the University of Akron in 1990. He is licensed to practice law in the States of Ohio and Michigan and in the United States Federal Courts for both Northern and Southern Ohio.

Julie Bell is the wife of 41 years to Dr. Benjamin Bell Jr. She is the mother of 5 adult children and grandmother of 13. She has always loved learning and attended a vocational-technical high school where she received her LPN at the age of 18. Julie also attended Des Moines Area Community College in 2016 to receive her Certificate of Specialization in Early Child Development with honors.

In August of 2018 she received her certification to teach the Motherhood & Co-Parenting Curriculum through the NACPL organization. She has instructed women and couples using the curriculum including an 8-week cohort that was instructed via an interpreter for an exclusively Spanish speaking class of women. In the Fall of 2020, Julie also became the Director of Youth Enrichment at the Grubb YMCA, where she established a virtual classroom for grades K-5. This program was a lifeline during the Covid 19 crisis period by providing a place for students to virtually connect to classrooms and teachers, tech support and re-establish socialization skills that had been lost during the isolation of the public school shut down.

In May of 2021 she graduated from Isaiah University with a Bachelor of Science in Biblical Studies. Subsequently in August of 2021 she accepted the position of Chaplain at the Iowa Correctional Institution for Women in Mitchellville Iowa where she currently works.

Matt is a graduate from Kent State University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Justice Studies. He has been employed with Stark County for the past 22 years working at the Multi-County Juvenile Attention System, Stark County Family Court, and Stark County Job & Family Services where he is currently the Program Administrator for the Stark County Fatherhood Coalition.

He enjoys playing golf, yardwork, and restoring furniture in his spare time. Matt has been married to his wife Jennifer for 15 years and they have a 14 year old daughter named Hannah.

With over ten years of experience in the nonprofit world and six years of experience working with diverse families and individuals focusing on workforce development, reentry, and youth development, Rachael Meuser, Connections to Success’ Vice President of Community and Impact, is passionate about helping everyone unlock their fullest potential and helping to build stronger families.

Rachael connects and works with organizations across the United States to assist them in implementing an evidence-based workforce development program, which allows these organizations to build stronger communities and families by helping participants gain economic independence. Additionally, Rachael is a Master Trainer in the NPCL Curriculum, Connections to Success’ Pathways to Success model, and a Certified True Colors Facilitator.

Rachael believes that strong families make strong communities and is passionate about increasing partnerships and empowering stakeholders to create robust support networks that facilitate independence and help individuals see their futures in a new light.

Dr. Rachel Wildfeuer is a Research Analyst at CPR where she works to design and conduct research projects related to child support, child welfare, domestic violence, and father engagement.

Ronald F. Ferguson is an MIT-trained economist who focuses social science research on economic, social, and educational challenges. He has been on the faculty at Harvard's John F. Kennedy School of Government since 1983, after full time appointments at Brandeis and Brown Universities.

A native of Oakland, California, Reverend Dr. Stewart Perrilliat grew up in a community that was plagued with several challenging institutional socio-economic ills. Nevertheless, Stewart escaped the lures of the streets and became a Sergeant in the United States Marine Corp before becoming the Founder and Executive Director for, “Man 2 Man Urban Youth Advocate” which is a program designed to help strengthen the role of young men of color, as powerful, positive, protective co-parents through recovery, intervention, and educational programs.

Stewart is married to Jonnique Perrilliat, and is a father of 3 daughters 16, 30, and 34 years-old, and a 19-year-old son, and he also has a two-year-old grandson. Stewart earned his Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from the University of Phoenix, his Master’s in Theology from San Francisco Theological Seminary and completed his Doctorate in Executive Leadership from the University of Redlands.

Mr. Uriel Johnson is Vice President for Research and Evaluation at NPCL. A former college professor, Uriel is responsible for research and evaluation of all NPCL projects. He is considered a national expert on fatherhood programming and the history of the fatherhood field. Uriel co-managed two of the largest national fatherhood demonstration projects, the Partners for Fragile Families Site Demonstration Project (PFF), and the Fathers at Work Initiative (FAW).

The PFF Site Demonstration Project was a multi-site, multi-year national demonstration project with a focus on developing partnerships between federal, state and local government agencies, community-based responsible fatherhood programs, and other local public/private sector human service agencies to serve low-income families. Mr. Johnson has an undergraduate degree from West Virginia State University and a graduate degree from Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana.

As a dual degree PMHNP/Nurse Educator, Dr. Glenn is astutely aware of the need to advance knowledge in the spiritual domain of nursing. Having worked in academia and clinical practice in nursing in various capacities for over two decades, she learned that this is a neglected area that is profoundly yet crucial to positive health outcomes.

Dr. Glenn, a doctorate-prepared nurse, is motivated to move forward with integrating spiritual phenomena related to human existence within nursing practice, nursing education, nursing research, and nursing service.

Eli Williams is co-founder and president of Urban Light Ministries, Inc., a 35-year-old nonprofit organization based in Springfield, Ohio (formerly known as Lifeline Ministries). Since 2006, Williams has been serving dads through a suite of fatherhood programs (www.urbanlight.org and www.fatheringstrong.com).

Author of the book and curriculum Father Love – The Powerful Resource Every Child Needs, and other publications, he is the creator and chief facilitator of Dad's Discussion Group sessions. Reverend Williams is a pastor, husband of 38+ years, biological-, adoptive-, and step-father, and mentor of several dads. Eli is a longtime member of the board of the Ohio Practitioners Network for Fathers and Families, the Clark County Family and Children Services Planning Committee, and other local boards and committees.

Ann Durkin, MBA has been in the Child Support Program since 2014 and currently serves as the Deputy Director of the Child Support Enforcement Agency at Stark County Job and Family Services. Ann has been with the agency since 2002, and previously worked in the Children Services and Support Services/Administration areas of Stark County JFS.

Ann received a Bachelor’s degree in English and a Master’s of Business Administration degree from Kent State University. Ann is a member of the Stark County Fatherhood Coalition and serves on the communications committee for the National Child Support Enforcement Association.

Gary has more than 35 years of experience working with fathers. For the past nine years, he has worked with fathers through the Early Childhood Resource Center and partnered with Stark County’s Right Path for Fathers effort. Gary has built capacity across northeast Ohio by training numerous trainers to deliver a wide range of parenting education courses.

He’s also been instrumental in bringing responsible fatherhood programs to both Summit and Columbiana counties. Gary has been married for 39 years; he’s the proud father of Mallory and Chelsea and the proud grandfather of Mia and Paxton. He’s also been a member of the Canton Amateur Baseball Hall of Fame since 2005.