Leadership - Action4Equity

LEADERSHIP IN

ACTION

OUR ELDERS

“The youth will get there faster, but the elders know the way.”

– African Proverb

DR. EDWIN BELL, Co-Founding Member

Dr. Edwin Bell (1944-2024), a founding board member of Action4Equity and active Policy Committee member at the time of his passing, was a tireless advocate for equity in education with over 40 years of experience as an administrator and faculty member in Psychology and Educational Leadership in Higher Education. His research, focused on community and organizational change, as well as staff and academic achievement, and his wise counsel and intellectual brilliance will forever shape the legacy of our organization.

DR. WILLETTE NASH, Co-Founding Member

Dr. Nash has served as Assistant Instructor for Winston-Salem State University and has served as consultant for infusing African-American history into the social studies curriculum, as well as diversity training for Guildford County School.

THE TEAM

Action4Equity is a dynamic and collaborative team of strategists, scholars, artists, and activists who share the belief that education is a transformational tool for liberation.

KELLIE EASTON

Co-CEO | Policy Strategist | Community Power Builder
Co-Founding Member

The A4E strategist and visionary. Kellie has been leading A4E’s movement to reimagine the racial justice ecosystem of Winston-Salem since 2018.

KENNETH REID

Co-CEO | Operational Architect | Strategic Leader

The A4E solution-maker and planner. Kenneth plays the integral role of translating A4E strategies into effective actions to root out systemic issues.

MARIPAT THOMAS

Chief of Staff

The A4E synergist. MariPat brings a strategic lens to A4E development and communications, ensuring mission alignment and impact.

ASHLEY KAZOUH

VP of Policy and Strategy

The A4E strategy architect. Ashley leads our policy and strategy work with precision, passion, and a deep commitment to Black liberation. With a rigorous lens of race-forward policy analysis, she brings bold vision to drive A4E’s community-rooted, systems-level change work.

REV. PAUL ROBESON FORD

Policy Committee and Special Projects

The A4E policy powerhouse. Rev Ford guides our policy office in developing and dispatching transformative policy work that are authentic to the needs of the Black community and shape a future steeped in equity and action.

SHARLEE HAINESWORTH

Forsyth Family Power Lead Family Researcher and Trainer

The A4E connector. Sharlee recruits, trains, and leads her team in building community power through research that is done by and for those closest to the issues.

PAULA MCCOY

Director, Partnerships for Prosperity (P4P)

The P4P bridge-builder. A veteran organizer and trusted elder in the movement, Paula leads P4P with deep wisdom, rooted in decades of work advancing racial equity and resident-led solutions.

ARLEATHA PATTERSON

Community Engagement Director, Partnerships for Prosperity (P4P)

The P4P heart and hustle. Arleatha is a fearless connector and advocate who ensures that community voices are not only heard, but lead. She blends A4E and P4P’s engagement strategies with relentless commitment to Black joy, healing, and power.

SHANTAE GRAHAM

Founder and Director, Full Circle Mentoring

The A4E guardian of Black brilliance. Shantae created FCM to walk with Black youth from school to community to home. With deep roots in East Winston and a fierce love for her people, she builds relationships that heal, uplift, and empower the next generation to thrive.

MICHA JAMES

Our Kijiji Parent and Community Advocate

The A4E bridge builder and storyteller. Micha is the host of Our KIJIJI and brings authentic and local content created for us, by us, to help us be our best us.

PLATFORM PARTNERS

POLICY COMMITTEE

A4E Policy Committee

The A4E policy titans. The Policy Committee is a passionate and determined team who meticulously audit and report on district, local, and state level equity-related policies and initiatives. Through research, advocacy, community representation, and organizing, they work tirelessly to galvanize advocacy to address educational disparities.

OO2L+H TEAM

Our Opportunity 2 Love + Heal

The A4E game changers. OO2L+H is a collective of resolute women prepared to confront community violence head-on, armed with incredible power of love and healing to effect profound change. This initiative continues to instill hope and create opportunities for a brighter future free from the shadow of community violence.

COMMUNITY/FAMILY RESEARCH TEAM

2023 Forsyth Family Power Community/Family Researchers

The A4E vision casters. Community researchers are trained to do culturally affirming, participatory research in the communities they live in on topics that impact their families and communities.

OUR BOARD

REV ALVIN CARLISE

Board Chair

KATIE SONNEN-LEE

Vice-Chair, Co-Founding Member

EMILY SCHUTT

Secretary, Co-Founding Member

DR WILLETTE NASH

Co-Founding Member

MONIQUE TAYLOR

Treasurer

PAULA MCCOY

JENARO JACKSON

JENICE RAMIREZ

JAMARKUS SWINSON

HAYLEY LAMPKIN-BLYTHE

TREMONA PURVIS

REV PAUL ROBESON FORD

Special Advisor to the Board
Co-Founding Member

OUR PARTNERS

We build and value relationships and collaborations with engaged citizens and public, private, government, and faith organizations in order to achieve our mission.