Sherri Killins Stewart, Ed.D is the Director of State Systems Alignment and Integration for the BUILD Initiative, Co-Director of State Services, and a President/CEO of Leaders Making it Possible, Inc. Dr. Stewart works directly with state leaders to advance early childhood systems efforts in health, early learning, child safety and permanence, and family support, e.g., economic security, housing, and employment. She leads work to define and create intentional practices to tailor actions in early childhood systems, policies, programs, and leadership to prevent and reduce marginalization and increase opportunity. Her equity work includes co-leading the Equity Leaders Action Network (ELAN), a network of early childhood system leaders that aims to advance efforts to increase opportunity and remove barriers in policies, practices, and programs. Dr. Killins Stewart has worked at multiple levels in various states and communities to create tailored actions to benefit young children, their families, and communities. 

Dr. Killins Stewart has worked as an advocate for children and families in various ways for more than 35 years, both as a direct care provider, including as a home visitor and in leadership roles on issues relating to children, families, and communities. Throughout her career, Dr. Killins Stewart has been committed to supporting families, both children and the adults who care for them as a nurse, through leadership and strategies in the workforce, housing, health, and education. Her efforts seek to increase access for families and communities to high-quality formal and informal opportunities and remove barriers in health, early care and education, employment, and other programs, strategies, and institutions, e.g., libraries and museums, to support family wellbeing. She is known for crossing organizational boundaries to create a child wellbeing and development lens in the work of informal organizations and within multiple state and local agencies, including education, public health, and housing.  

Dr. Killins Stewart is the former Commissioner of Early Education and Care for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Vice President of Human Development and Operations at the Annie E. Casey Foundation, and CEO of Empower New Haven. She was a mayoral candidate in New Haven, Connecticut.

Dr. Killins Stewart has served on various boards, including the New Haven Housing Authority, New Haven Regional Workforce Board, and Connecticut Trails Girl Scouts. She was appointed and formerly served on the Regional Advisory Committee under the U.S. Department of Education and the M.A. Commission on Postpartum Depression. She formerly served as a member and co-chair of the New Haven Early Childhood Council. She currently serves on the Boston Children's Museum Board of Advisors. She is presently the Vice Chair of NHCHild. Several organizations have recognized Dr. Killins Stewart; examples include the Massachusetts Reading Association Legislative Award for her leadership in promoting early childhood literacy and the Horizons for Homeless Children Public Leadership Award. She recently received the West Haven Black Coalition Community Service Award.

Dr. Killins Stewart holds a nursing degree from the University of Pittsburgh, a Master of Administrative Science from Johns Hopkins University, and a Doctorate in Counseling Psychology from the University of Sarasota. 

Dr. Killins Stewart resides with her husband in New Haven, Connecticut, and Guyton, Georgia. She is the mother of three adult daughters.

Paloma Amar is currently serving as the Assistant Director of the Office on Gender Based Violence Services at the Division on Women in the NJ Department of Children and Families. Paloma has spent over 20 years of her career in the non-profit sector working in the violence against women field. Paloma served as Executive Director working to bring about change and stability. She is a successful grant researcher and writer, has volunteered her time as an officer of various boards of trustees, and is active as a licensed clinician within a private practice. Paloma has a Certificate in Non-Profit Management from The College of New Jersey. She holds a Doctorate of Psychology degree with dual specialties in Non-Profit Management and, Organizational Leadership and Development. Paloma also holds a BA in Psychology, a Master’s in Family Therapy, and is a Licensed Professional Counselor. She has dedicated her career to strengthening non-profit organizations while developing leaders and managers

Dr. Bullock is currently a Professor Emerita from the University of Virginia School of Nursing where she was the Jeanette Lancaster Alumni Professor of Nursing and the Associate Dean for Research from 2010 until she retired in 2018.  After completing bachelor and master’s degrees in nursing from Texas Woman’s University, Dr. Bullock obtained a PhD in public health from the University of Otago in New Zealand, where she worked for 10 years and became the first nurse appointed to the faculty of the Christchurch School of Medicine, Department of General Medicine and Public Health.  She returned to the USA in 1997 as Assistant Professor at the University of Missouri, Sinclair School of Nursing and became Professor at that institution in 2003.  In the same year she was elected as a Fellow of the American Academy of Nursing.  Her research was the first to provide empirical evidence of the connection between abuse during pregnancy and infant low birthweight.  Her continued research on the health outcomes of abuse during pregnancy resulted in the development and testing of an innovative nurse-delivered telephone social support intervention to reduce stress-induced responses, such as smoking, and the DOVE intervention delivered by home visitors to decrease intimate partner violence to improve the health of the mother and developmental outcomes in infants exposed to abuse.   She has conducted five randomized controlled trials with pregnant women and their children in Missouri and Virginia, with funding from the National Institute of Nursing Research and the National Institute of Child and Human Development.  Dr. Bullock has worked closely with politicians addressing statewide policies and research agendas on intimate partner violence. She is an active member in the American Nurses Association, Sigma Theta Tau, and the Nursing Network on Violence & Abuse, International.  From 2006 to 2010 she was a standing member of the Nursing Science Children and Family study section at the National Institutes of Health and continues to serve as an ad hoc reviewer for various study sections. 

Speaker, Preacher, Facilitator, and Advocate for Wellness, Equity and Justice

Kimme is the Executive Director of Princeton AlumniCorps; CEO and Founder of Kimme Carlos Motivational Consulting, LLC and is currently an ordination aspirant to the priesthood in the Episcopal Diocese of NJ; where she is certified as an anti-racism trainer.  Kimme is also a certified health and wellness coach with the Institute for Integrative Nutrition; a certified instructor for Mental Health First Aid and author of the published book The Window of Grace: Living in Recovery through Christian Faith.  As an advocate with lived experience, Kimme keynotes and facilitates on mental and emotional wellness, dismantling racism and the power of selfcare.

Montrece McNeill Ransom, JD, MPH, PCC, BCC is an ICF-certified executive leadership Coach and a DEI-certified belonging strategist on a mission to unleash the power of human potential through belonging. She also currently serves as the Director of the National Coordinating Center for Public Health Training within NNPHI.

Ms. Ransom was appointed as a Presidential Management Fellow and worked at CDC for almost 20 years. For the last 10 years of her service, Ms. Ransom led CDC’s public health law-related training and workforce development efforts. She received her law degree from the University of Alabama, her MPH from Emory University’s Rollins School of Public Health, and her Executive Leadership Coaching Certification from Georgetown University. In addition, she has received a certificate in training and facilitation from the Association of Talent Development and a DEI in the Workplace certification from the University of South Florida. 

An award-winning coach, speaker, and public health practitioner, Ms. Ransom was selected as one of the top 5 most influential coaches of 2021 by Entrepreneur Mogul, was the ABA Health Law Section’s 2019 Champion of Diversity and Inclusion Awardee, and she was the 2017 recipient of the American Public Health Association Jennifer Robbins Award for the Practice of Public Health Law. She is currently the President of the American Society for Law, Medicine, and Ethics and serves on the Advisory Committee for the Georgia Campaign for Adolescent Power and Potential. Ms. Ransom also serves as Capstone Faculty at Walden University’s School of Health Sciences and Public Policy and teaches public health law at the University of Miami’s School of Medicine/Department of Public Health.

She is a global public speaker, peer-reviewed published author, and the Co-Editor of the textbook, Public Health Law: Concepts and Case Studies. Learn more about Montrece at www.theempowermenteur.com.

Robyn Taylor is the 3^rd Vice President for the National Council of Negro Women Columbus Section. She is also the Vice President of the Center for Justice in Public Health at the National Association of Chronic Disease Directors, (NACDD). She is nationally recognized public health professional specializing in promoting equitable projects, programs, and policy for all people. Robyn has an extensive background in public service including public health, policy development, education, corrections, and food access to communities experiencing the greatest need. Robyn believes in helping & encouraging others because others have helped and encouraged her along her journey. She has traveled to four continents exploring the interconnectedness of humanity as well as ancestry roots in Ghana and Nigeria. In addition, she co-founded Epic Health Solutions (EHS), now Think Equity. While working with EHS (2017-2021) she worked with the New Jersey Nicholson Foundation focusing on building capacity of community health workers and doulas to combat maternal and infant mortality, which led to work with Horizon Health. Robyn coauthored the National Recreation and Park Association NRPA Health Equity Framework.  Robyn has served as the Health Equity consultant (2017- 2021) and a former board member (2015-2017) for the National Association of Chronic Disease Directors. As the Health Equity Consultant, Robyn provided technical assistance and support to state Chronic Disease programs through the NACDD Health Equity Council. She has also led the Reaching Minority Men Where They Are research project, the Reducing Breast Cancer Disparities in States: Creating the Bridge from Data to Action project and various other NACDD health equity projects. She also co-wrote the NACDD Foundations of Health Equity: Creating a Culture of Health for All 2-day training, the Moving to Institutional Equity: A Tool to Address Racial Equity in Public Health, and An Assessment of Funding and Other Capacity Needs for Health Equity Programming Within State-Level Chronic Disease Programs public health journal article. Robyn is also a founding member of the NACDD Racial, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (REDI) Alliance. Previously, Robyn served the State of Ohio for over twenty years. In her last role as the Assistant Director, Office of Health Equity at the Ohio Department of Health (2010-2017) she led the organizational-wide cultural competency training and standards development project which resulted in 99% staff completing the assessment and training. Robyn has also served on various social service agency boards and led the Columbus Council of PTAs (2004-2009) representing over 3,000-members. She has trained, organized, and encouraged parents throughout Ohio on how to develop, implement, and evaluate strategies to promote positive measurable academic impact as the first statewide project manager for the Parent Leadership Institute with Parents for Public Schools of Greater Cincinnati, (2007-2009). Robyn is an alumna of the Ohio State University. Robyn shares her life with her husband, three children, parents, her beloved family & friends, and three dogs, Atticus Max, Mister Marley, and Gucci.

To read current journal articles Robyn has written, please check the below links.

1.  Chronic Disease Prevention 2024 Update: Essential to our Health and Future

2.  Characterizing Multimorbidity Prevalence and Adverse Outcomes in Ethnically and Culturally Diverse Sub-Populations in India: Gaps, Opportunities, and Future Directions

Charita James, MS, RD

Charita James is a Registered Dietitian and the founder of My SoulFull Nutrition, a wellness company dedicated to making nutrition easy to understand while offering support, nutrition counseling, and workshops through a cultural humility lens. With over 10 years of diverse experience in public health nutrition, Charita is deeply committed to food justice, food and nutrition security, and community health.

Her successful track record includes developing and implementing community programs that advance health equity, foster young food justice leaders, and enhance the capacity of states and organizations to execute healthy food projects. Charita holds an MS in Nutritional Sciences from Rutgers University and a BS in Community Health Education from Hunter College.

In her personal life, Charita enjoys traveling, exploring new cuisines, and engaging in self-care activities. She resides in New Jersey with her husband, daughter, and dog.

Robyn Taylor is the 3^rd Vice President for the National Council of Negro Women Columbus Section. She is also the Vice President of the Center for Justice in Public Health at the National Association of Chronic Disease Directors, (NACDD). She is nationally recognized public health professional specializing in promoting equitable projects, programs, and policy for all people. Robyn has an extensive background in public service including public health, policy development, education, corrections, and food access to communities experiencing the greatest need. Robyn believes in helping & encouraging others because others have helped and encouraged her along her journey. She has traveled to four continents exploring the interconnectedness of humanity as well as ancestry roots in Ghana and Nigeria. In addition, she co-founded Epic Health Solutions (EHS), now Think Equity. While working with EHS (2017-2021) she worked with the New Jersey Nicholson Foundation focusing on building capacity of community health workers and doulas to combat maternal and infant mortality, which led to work with Horizon Health. Robyn coauthored the National Recreation and Park Association NRPA Health Equity Framework.  Robyn has served as the Health Equity consultant (2017- 2021) and a former board member (2015-2017) for the National Association of Chronic Disease Directors. As the Health Equity Consultant, Robyn provided technical assistance and support to state Chronic Disease programs through the NACDD Health Equity Council. She has also led the Reaching Minority Men Where They Are research project, the Reducing Breast Cancer Disparities in States: Creating the Bridge from Data to Action project and various other NACDD health equity projects. She also co-wrote the NACDD Foundations of Health Equity: Creating a Culture of Health for All 2-day training, the Moving to Institutional Equity: A Tool to Address Racial Equity in Public Health, and An Assessment of Funding and Other Capacity Needs for Health Equity Programming Within State-Level Chronic Disease Programs public health journal article. Robyn is also a founding member of the NACDD Racial, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (REDI) Alliance. Previously, Robyn served the State of Ohio for over twenty years. In her last role as the Assistant Director, Office of Health Equity at the Ohio Department of Health (2010-2017) she led the organizational-wide cultural competency training and standards development project which resulted in 99% staff completing the assessment and training. Robyn has also served on various social service agency boards and led the Columbus Council of PTAs (2004-2009) representing over 3,000-members. She has trained, organized, and encouraged parents throughout Ohio on how to develop, implement, and evaluate strategies to promote positive measurable academic impact as the first statewide project manager for the Parent Leadership Institute with Parents for Public Schools of Greater Cincinnati, (2007-2009). Robyn is an alumna of the Ohio State University. Robyn shares her life with her husband, three children, parents, her beloved family & friends, and three dogs, Atticus Max, Mister Marley, and Gucci.

To read current journal articles Robyn has written, please check the below links.

1.  Chronic Disease Prevention 2024 Update: Essential to our Health and Future

2.  Characterizing Multimorbidity Prevalence and Adverse Outcomes in Ethnically and Culturally Diverse Sub-Populations in India: Gaps, Opportunities, and Future Directions

Dr. Creshema Murray completed her undergraduate studies at The University of Alabama, earning a Bachelor’s of Arts Degree in Political Science and Social Work. After a brief stint working in the Alabama political arena, Dr. Murray returned to The University of Alabama and earned her Master’s Degree in Communication Studies. During this tenure, she conducted research focusing on Black and White women’s friendships within the workplace. With a continued desire to conduct research on Black women’s experiences in workplace organizations, Dr. Murray earned a doctorate in Organizational Communication and Management from The University of Alabama.

 Dr. Murray is engaged in two areas of communication research. Her first area of research focuses on the lived experiences of Women of Color in workplace organizations. The second area focuses on how organizations foster destructive workplace practices with employees. In the spring of 2018, Dr. Murray published her first book, Leadership through the Lens: Interrogating Production, Presentation, and Power, a text that examines the role of media in the human understanding of leadership.

 Before joining Morehouse School of Medicine, Dr. Murray was the Special Assistant to the President and a tenured Associate Professor of Corporate Communication at the University of Houston Downtown. During her tenure at UHD, Dr. Murray served on several state and national educational boards, including the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, was a founding faculty fellow for the Center for Critical Race Studies, and Coordinated the Communication Studies Program.

 Dr. Murray was recently honored as a 2023 Atlanta Business Chronicle 40 under 40 Recipient. She is the immediate past chair of the National Communication Association Black Caucus, a member of Class XXXVI of Leadership Houston, a Millennium Leadership Institute Alum, and an Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated member. When not engaged in writing and research, Dr. Murray is a marathon runner and bibliophile.

Tiffany Young is a public health professional with over 15 years of experience in population health, chronic disease prevention and control, and health equity. With Master’s degrees in Public Health and Social Work and sub-specializations in Maternal Child Health and Global Health, Ms. Young’s public health career has focused on advancing equity in communities of color, domestically and internationally. Ms. Young has worked extensively on policy, systems, and environmental changes to improve the built environment and give all people access to healthy choices where they live, work, and play. Ms. Young is a master trainer, engaging facilitator, and experienced project manager. She has supported the advancement of chronic disease prevention through policy advocacy, working to educate policymakers at the state and federal levels. Ms. Young is the Chief Executive Officer of Think Equity, a consulting firm focused on Social Justice, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) within organizations and systems. Through this work, she has supported state health departments, philanthropic organizations, and national membership associations to integrate equity concepts into their internal organizational culture and outward-facing programs, policies, and practices. She works tirelessly to engage, educate, and empower this generation to incite the kind of social change that lifts equity and upholds social justice in all ways. Tiffany lives in Savannah, Georgia, with her husband, five sons, and a 12-year-old malti-poo named Riesling.