SPEAKER BIOS

Dr. Christi Griffin is a retired attorney who founded the nowmulti-award winning organization, The Ethics Project He mission is addressing the lack of ethics within our legal system the results in wrongful convictions and the impact of over-incarceration. She is the author of two books including Incarcerations in Black and White, The Subjugation of Black America and speaks nationally on issue of criminal injustice and racial disparities.

Dr. LaTonia Collins Smith is the 21st President of Harris-Stowe State University. She is the first woman to serve the University in this role. Collins Smith has more than 25 years of progressive leadership experience and an extensive administrative and program development background. She began her career in higher education at Harris-Stowe State University in 2010 and has served the University in several leadership roles.

Dr. Christopher Tinson is an associate professor of history at Saint Louis University and is the chair of the African American Studies department. his research focuses on histories of Africana radical traditions, black protest movements, U.S. Ethnic Studies, incarceration, and race and sports. His writings have been published in The Black Scholar, The Feminist Wire, Radical Teacher, Equity & Excellence in Education, SOULS: A Critical Journal of Black Politics, Culture and Society, and Black Perspectives, among others

Felicia Pulliam is an icon for the persistence of racism in our nation transformation and racial reconciliation. Appointed to the Ferguson Commission by Mo Governor Jay Nixon and cochaired the Economic Inequity and Opportunity working group charged with designing a strategy to promote economic mobility. This body of work developed the Opportunity to Thrive section of the Ferguson Commission report, Forward Through Ferguson.

Dr. Marrix Seymore is the dean of the Harris-Stowe State University’s College of Education. As dean of the College of Education. Dr. Seymore leads all functions of planning, directing, and executing programs provided by the College and assists the Office of Academic Affairs in recruiting faculty and staff. Additionally, he oversees and evaluates the academic proficiency of students pursuing education degrees.

Mary Elizabeth Grimes is President of Marian Middle School, an all-girls private middle school in the St. Louis community serving urban adolescent youth in a faith-based environment. a purpose driven successful leader, She has significant experience in creating vision and long-term strategies for nonprofit and corporate organizations and has routinely served in leadership roles throughout her career. earning a reputation for exceptional performance.

Miranda Walker Jones is the Chief Executive Officer of The Little Bit Foundation. Before joining LBF, Miranda spent 16 years with Better Family Life, where she served as Chief Operations Officer and Vice President of Youth, Family and Clinical Services. While with BFL, she developed and led community programs that have benefited over 6000 youth and children.

Mack Williams, III is the founder of History to You, Inc., an organization he founded in the wake of the events in Ferguson surrounding the death of Michael Brown. Through History To You, he has provided interactive experiences for students and members of the community that make learning about African American history more interesting, aid in its retention, and spark positive change in our community.

Dr Kendra Holmes is the President & CEO for Affinia Healthcare She is the first woman and the first Black person to be selected as the organization’s President and CEO in its 117-year history. An active member of the community, Dr. Holmes, a pharmacist has served as Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer where, she oversaw health center operations including: radiology, laboratory, nursing services, security, WIC, maternal child, and services for unhoused citizens.

Wilford Pinkney Jr. is the Director of the Office of Violence Prevention for the City of St. Louis. He has worked in the criminal justice sector promoting safety, education, policy development and training for 28+ years, served for 20 years as a member of the New York City Police Department and is founder and CEO of Puissance Management & Consulting LLC, which helps organizations create successful strategies and plans.

Nicolle Barton is currently the Executive Director for the Criminal Justice Coordinating Council for the City of St Louis, tasked with ensuring the fair administration of the criminal and juvenile justice by increasing effective communication, collaboration, and planning. Previously, Nicolle was the Consent Decree Coordinator for the City of Ferguson where she ensured both Municipal Court and Police Department Compliance of federal oversight for the City of Ferguson

Dr Marva Robinson is a clinical Psychologist with Preston & Associates Psychology Firm, LLC. She is a partner in MKM Psychological Consulting Firm, LLC-specializing in Diversity, Equity and Inclusion workshops, training, and consultations, She is also a Primary Care Mental Health IntegrationPsychologist with the St. Louis VA providing mental health services to veterans and is the past-president of the St. Louis Association of Black Pyschologists.

Capt. Clay Farmer is Assistant Vice President of Community Safety and Security for Affinia Healthcare where he is responsible for developing, directing, and executing strategies, programs and actions designed to promote workplace and community safety and security Farmer also leads comprehensive violence prevention efforts, including establishing and maintaining collaborations with key community partners.

Allan Moore is the Director of Security & Crisis Management at Spire Energy, He is also a leader at the American Gas Association (AGA), St. Louis Area Corporate Security Leadership Organization (SLACSLO), St. Louis Mayor’s Downtown Engagement and Public Safety Initiative, and an advocate for the American Red Cross, Moore has leveraged his security and leadership acumen into giving back to his community.

Kimberly-Ann Collins is a Missouri State Representativeis representing the City of St. Louis. Collins is well known for advocating for Correctional reform and for individuals and families experiencing homelessness. She has opened up homeless shelters in the City of St. Louis she has conducted more than 200 prison pop-ups at all 19 correctional facilities in the state. Collins is dedicated to creating change in Missouri prisons through policy and boots on the ground support in both men and women prisons.

Wesley Bell is the Prosecuting Attorney for St. Louis County, Missouri. He is a former public defender, former municiapal prosecutor and judge, former municipal prosecutor, and former city council member for Ferguson, Missouri. Bell is an advocate for community based policing, assigning special prosecutors in homicides by police, never seek the death penalty, reforming cash bail/bond and never using it for lowlevel offenses, expanding diversion programs and the county's drug courts, and promoting equitable due process,

Major Ryan Cousins is the Commander of the Bureau of Investigative Services for the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Academy. He has served as a patrolman, as well as a detective in the Vice-Narcotics Division, the Crime Suppression Unit, and the 6th District Bureau, before being promoted to the rank of Sergeant. Major Cousins was later promoted to the rank of Lieutenant as well as the Commander of the South Patrol Special Operations and Rapid Deployment Unit.

Senator Brian Williams represents the 14th Senatorial District in St. Louis County. He is the first Black male to serve in the Missouri Senate in two decades. He was drawn to public service after studying government and public health policy, a passion that eventually led him to the U.S. Congress. He worked as a congressional staffer for several years and oversaw Missouri’s rollout of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) Marketplace under President Obama’s administration.

Shanette Hall is Chief and Director Public Safety-Harris Stowe State University, Law Enforcement Instructor-Lincoln University. Chief Hall has served in the criminal justice field for over a decade who has been consistently praised as quality-oriented by co-workers and the community. Throughout her career, she has developed a skill set directly relevant to transforming law enforcement including strategic planning, safety training and cultural change.

Executive Director at Girls In the Know, a St. Louis based nonprotif with a mission is to empower girls to embrace a strong sense of self with a vision that every girl will know that I AM ENOUGH! Ms Cox was previously the program director for the Little Bit Foundation.

Dr. Tiffany Taylor Johson is the Director of Student Services for Ladue Schools. She has worked in the district for 23 years, as a principal and most recently in her current position. Before joining Ladue Schools, Dr. Taylor-Johnson has also served as a communications arts teacher in the Mehlville School District. She holds a master’s degree in Educational Leadership from Maryville University and Doctorate in Educational Leadership from Saint Louis University

Joe Yancey is the former CEO of Places for People, a Certified Behavioral Health Organization in St. Louis. He also serves as the lead consultant for GROW-STL, a grassroot effort to reduce the alarming disparity in fatal overdose of Black men and women He also serves on the Regional Health Commission and is chair of its Community Advisory Board

Serena Muhammad is the Deputy Director of the Saint Louis Mental Health Board where she leads cross-sector initiatives that focus on alleviating the social, educational, and health inequities that keep people and places from reaching their full potential. Ms. Muhammad is member of the City of St. Louis Joint Board of Health and Hospitals and also served as the Founding Board Chair of Build Missouri Health.

Felicia, CEO of Create Community llc has more than twenty years of experience providing solutions oriented, customized education and engagement opportunities to address complex diversity, equity & inclusion issues. She believes that education and coaching are critical for transformation and racial reconciliation. Appointed to the Ferguson Commission by Governor Jay Nixon, Pulliam Co-chaired the Economic Inequity and Opportunity working group charged with designing a strategy to promote economic mobility.

Courtney Everette earchedearned an Associate Degree through Saint Louis University while incarcerated. He went on to earn a BA in Business Administration from Adams State University and is currently working toward an MBA at SLU’s Chaifetz School of Business He is Program Coordinator for Saint Louis University’s Prison Education Program making higher education accessible to all populations and educating the public on the harms of using incarceration as a solution for social problems

Tom Casey is the Executive Director of the Criminal Justice Ministries. He holds a BA in philosophy from Loyola University Chicago and an MBA, with a concentration in nonprofit management, from Boston University Prior to joining CJM, he served as vice president of operations for Boys Hope Girls Hope Network Headquarters in St. Louis, where he enjoyed 20 years in a variety of leadership roles.

Shameem Clark Hubbard humbly serves as a member of the St. Louis Board of Aldermen in Missouri representing Ward 10. She assumed office on April 18, 2023. Alderwoman Clark Hubbard believes her open heart and unifying spirit reflect a different light in her action through service for the greater good

Alisha Sonnier is a St. Louis Alderwoman who is about the people. She is a vanguard, an organizer, and an empathizer She is dedicated to seeking truth in all public spaces, A visible activist and a mental health advocate in the St. Louis region she was appointed to the St. Louis Board of Education by Mayor Tishaura Jones. She is passionate about citywide development, education, and health.

Denise Lieberman is a nationally recognized voting rights lawyer who has been on the front lines of voting rights debates in Missouri and around the country for the last 20 years. She serves as Director and General Counsel of the Missouri Voter Protection Coalition, a nonpartisan statewide network of voter advocates

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