Founder and Chief Executive Officer
Dr. Keith Dwight Parker
January 2014 - Present
Dr. Parker is the founder and CEO of the National Education and Empowerment Coalition, Inc. He is also a professor of sociology and criminal justice at Florida A&M University. He is author and co-author of numerous articles including Pathways to Reducing Recidivism: Providing Formerly Incarcerated Individuals with Resources to Achieve Attainable Goals in Society (2022), Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964: Implications for Higher Education (2022), Voter Participation in the Absence of the 1965 Voting Rights Act (2021) and Using Microaggression to Examine U.S. Voter Suppression Tactics (2018).
Dr. Carolyn Haliburton Carter |Historian | Archivist | Professional Genealogist | Strategic Leader
Dr. Carolyn Haliburton Carter is a distinguished historian, genealogist, and archival preservationist with over three decades of experience dedicated to the conservation of historical records and the amplification of underrepresented voices, particularly those of African American heritage and freedom seekers associated with the Underground Railroad. Her extensive work encompasses both national and international archival research, historic designations, and heritage preservation initiatives.
Dr. Carter possesses profound expertise in archival and heritage matters, having conducted research at prominent institutions such as the National Archives and the Library of Congress. She has also made significant contributions to National Park Service recognitions and Department of the Interior projects.
In her leadership roles within public history and education, Dr. Carter has spearheaded culturally sensitive cemetery management plans, served as a Civil Rights Historian, and held senior positions in educational institutions where she managed multimillion-dollar grants and philanthropic initiatives.
Dr. Carter's personal genealogical journey, which began in her childhood, deepened during the pandemic. This journey has led her to connect with descendants of enslavers and to honor her diverse ancestry, with a particular emphasis on her African American heritage, which she regards as central to her identity.
Dr. Fredrick Douglass Dixon
“The thrust of my existence is to elevate the whole of the black community to higher levels of academic excellence.”
A lifelong resident of Chicago, Dr. Fredrick Douglass Dixon is a second-generation educator, historian, and community advocate. He directs the University of Wyoming's Black Studies Center, the African American and Diaspora program, and works as an assistant professor in the African American and Diaspora department.
One of Dixon’s fundamental roles is to build bridges between the all-too-often divisive worlds of campus, community, and the most at-risk populations. His overarching theoretical perspective is taken from Robert Chrisman's black-scholar-activist model, which espouses that the black scholar must contribute their knowledge of African American history outside the Eurocentric cannons to enhance traditional research, teaching, service, and community engagement. The inextricable link between historical accuracy and democratic citizenship remains the foundation that frames his approach to classroom instruction. This vein of student-teacher interaction adds to the Western paradigms and theories that dominate the customary historical narrative. As his indispensable duty, he remains devoted to providing successful pathways for the most at-risk students toward access, matriculation, and graduation while interjecting the paradigm that self-improvement as the basis of community development.
To concretize his efforts, Dr. Dixon works with multiple national educational and grassroots organizations that possess a liberatory lens to prepare students to become successful in an ever-increasingly competitive global society.
Debi Ghate
Debi Ghate is a Partner at Steadfast LL.C., a full-service firm supporting non-profits that advance individual rights and strong communities. She also serves as Executive Fellow at the State Policy Network and the Empire Center for Public Policy and as the Initiative Director for “Voices for Liberty: Free Speech, Civil Rights & Social Progress,” operated by the Liberty & Law Center at George Mason University.
Ms. Ghate was trained as a lawyer. She previously practiced civil before moving to California to join the Ayn Rand Institute. At the Institute, she oversaw the education and policy programs before serving on leadership teams at three Foundations, including the Char litigation in Ontario, Canada, and Strategy and Programs for Philanthropy Roundtable before launching Steadfast.
She received a Bachelor of Science in Psychology, Biology, and French at the University of Toronto and a Bachelor of Laws at the University of Calgary. In her spare time, Ms. Ghate loves to travel and experience new cultures, grow orchids and garden at home, and spend time with her family and friends over home-cooked meals.
Kim Johnson, President/CEO
Kim has spent the last 30 years of her life working on the frontlines of underserved communities in central Florida, helping to improve the lives of children and families. Kim’s professional experience includes management, program development, training, teaching, grant writing, and community engagement in social service, schools, university, and nonprofit settings. It was when she began managing the Callahan Neighborhood Center in 2007 where her love of anti-hunger work began. She served on the board of Florida Impact for two years and then worked as their Central Florida Program Coordinator from 2010 until 2017. During that time, she also served on the board of Central Florida Second Harvest Food Bank. Kim then moved on to work for Orange County Public Schools Food and Nutrition Services as their grants, nutrition, education, and community programs manager until she re-joined Florida Impact as President/CEO in January 2021.
Kim was born and raised in Great Neck, New York, and she received her Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Social Work from Adelphi University. Kim is married to Langston Johnson and is a proud mother of three amazing daughters, Robyn, Renee, and Ryanna. She is a member of Mt. Pleasant Missionary Baptist Church in Orlando and a proud member of her beloved sorority Alpha Kappa Alpha, Inc. She loves to exercise, roller skate, and spend time with her family.
Kolloh Waliyor Nimley
Kolloh Waliyor Nimley came to the United States as a Lutheran Leader Scholar through the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of North Dakota in 1998 and later completed a Master’s degree in International Relations with a concentration in Healthcare Policy at the University of Oklahoma. She is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Healthcare Administration at Franklin University.
Kolloh is the founder of the Kansas Cross-Cultural Collaborative, an initiative dedicated to fostering dialogue, learning, and mutual understanding across cultural and social differences. Through this work, she empowers communities to embrace diversity, cultivate cultural agility, and create healthier, more inclusive, and thriving environments for all.
Paul Ortiz, Ph.D.
Dr. Ortiz is a Professor of Labor History at Cornell University’s School of Industrial and Labor Relations.
A PEN Award-winning author, Dr. Ortiz's book, An African American and Latinx History of the United States, was identified by Fortune Magazine in 2020 as one of the “10 books on American history that reflect the United States”. He is a consultant and narrator for John Leguizamo’s American Historia docuseries on Latino history that will air on PBS this fall. Dr. Ortiz was a consultant and narrator for Henry Louis Gates Jr.’s The Black Church: This is Our Story. This Is Our Song, which premiered on PBS in 2021.
Other awards include the National Archives Distinguished Fellow in Latinx History from 2021 to 2023 and the 2023-2024 Robert L. Hess Scholar-in-Residence at Brooklyn College. Between 2008 and 2024, he was a professor of history and director of the award-winning Samuel Proctor Oral History Program at the University of Florida.
Dr. Ortiz's book, Emancipation Betrayed, received the Harry T. and Harriette V. Moore Book Prize.
Leslie Rodriguez-McClellon, Ed.D.
Dr. Leslie Rodriguez-McClellon is an accomplished higher education leader with more than three decades of experience advancing student success, institutional growth, and community engagement. She currently serves as Director of Accelerated Learning and Partnerships with the Arkansas Department of Higher Education and previously held the role of 17th President of Arkansas Baptist College. Dr. Rodriguez-McClellon made history as the first president of color at Rochester Community and Technical College (MN), one of the nation’s oldest community colleges.
Her leadership has spanned Arkansas, North Carolina, Louisiana, Colorado, Arizona, and Oklahoma, where she has led transformative initiatives in workforce development, enrollment and retention, fundraising, policy creation, community relations, and academic program enhancement. Her expertise in capacity building and organizational change has consistently resulted in closing achievement gaps, strengthening institutional culture, and building sustainable partnerships.
Dr. Rodriguez-McClellon has contributed her leadership to numerous boards, including the Little Rock Regional Chamber, Higher Education Research and Development Institute (HERDI), Rochester Arts and Cultural Trust, Denver Metro Urban League, and the American Red Cross. She has also facilitated leadership institutes and shared her expertise at conferences and discussions on topics ranging from higher education leadership and crisis management to diversity, women in leadership, and economic development. Her published works focus on leadership, change management, and the impact of social-emotional learning.
A proud Oklahoma native and third-generation graduate of Langston University, Dr. Rodriguez-McClellon earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees there before completing her Doctor of Education in Adult Learning and Leadership at Kansas State University. She resides in Little Rock, Arkansas.
Ron Scott, Ph.D.
Ronald Scott, Vice President Emeritus, was also an associate professor in Media Journalism and Film at Miami University. Ron joined Miami in 1988 after receiving his doctorate in communication from the University of Utah.
During his tenure at Miami, he has helped in the development of courses and programs related to issues of diversity and inclusion, including the Mosaic Program for first-year students and the I AM Miami initiative. Ron served as a faculty-teaching associate in the Center for Enhancement of Learning and Teaching, where he facilitated multiple Faculty Learning Communities for Understanding and Developing an Inclusive Campus Climate.
Ron has been recognized by Miami as a Distinguished Educator and was given the Effective Educator Award by the Alumni Association. In addition to serving on the cabinet of the President of the university as the Vice President for Diversity and Inclusion, Ron was also the Faculty Athletic Representative.
David Sickey, CEO
David Sickey served as the Chief Executive Officer of Sickey Global Strategies, LLC, and is a distinguished member of the Coushatta Tribe of Louisiana. His leadership has been instrumental in advancing the tribe's interests, governance, and economic development. In addition to his professional achievements, Mr. Sickey is a dedicated family man with five children and actively participates in diversity and community organizations.
Mr. Sickey's leadership in tribal governance is noteworthy. He was elected to the Coushatta Tribal Council in 2003, ascended to the position of Vice-Chairman in 2005, and was elected Tribal Chairman in 2017. His tenure has been marked by significant efforts to restructure government programs and enhance health, education, culture, welfare, elder programs, and economic growth.
In the realm of legislative and negotiation achievements, Mr. Sickey has led the enactment of key tribal ordinances, including those related to tax revenue, environmental protection, and artifact protection codes. He has also successfully negotiated amendments to the Tribal-State Gaming Compact with the Governor of Louisiana.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Mr. Sickey demonstrated exceptional crisis management skills by overseeing health services, securing federal funding, and maintaining the tribe’s business stability. Furthermore, he facilitated recovery from natural disasters through grants and funding, thereby improving tribal infrastructure and community investment.
Mr. Sickey and his wife, Kelly, are proud parents to five children: Marianna, Maxwell, Miles, Magdalene, and Meyer.
Dora Tilles, Ph.D.
Dr. Tilles is a Business Analyst at Veeam Software and an accomplished Educational Leader with a passion for advancing equity in education and technology. A proud graduate of Florida A&M University, her research focuses on addressing minority inequalities within education and STEM disciplines.
She has presented at national conferences and co-authored award-winning research, including A Review of the Literature on the Barriers Faced by Black Males and Female Undergraduates Enrolled in STEM Disciplines, which earned first prize at the 2017 National Association of African American Studies and Affiliates National Conference.
Beyond her professional and academic work, Dr. Tilles has been deeply involved in community service. She has volunteered as a career counselor with Bethany Family Services, organized the Tallahassee Bus Boycott 60th Anniversary, and mentored youth through Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Big Bend. Since 2021, she has also been a recurring guest presenter at the Lakota Nations Educational Conference in Rapid City, SD, where she addresses workplace diversity, equity, and inclusion.
In addition to her professional pursuits, Dr. Tilles enjoys traveling abroad and exploring diverse cultures, experiences that further inform her global perspective and commitment to inclusive leadership.
NEEC Board of Directors' Responsibilities
Along with individual Board member’s responsibilities, the NEEC Board of Directors is responsible for the overarching tasks designed to set forth criteria by which the board may periodically review the Coalition, its performance, and ensure measures of accountability.
Mission and Purpose
The Board’s fundamental responsibility is to ensure that everyone connected directly or indirectly with the Coalition understands its reasons for existing. This usually takes the form of a written mission statement. In addition to ensuring that the Coalition has a modern statement of what it is, represents, and does, the Board should periodically review the statement’s adequacy, accuracy, and viability. Further, the Board should explain what makes the Coalition distinctive and select, and present a compelling reason for individuals, foundations, and corporations to support it financially. The Board sets the stage for developing fundraising strategies and strategic planning.
Organizational Planning
Board members must be involved extensively in the strategic planning process if they and the Board as a whole are to assume proper ownership of the plan and otherwise help implement many of the plan’s goals and objectives, including the acquisition of new resources. The Board’s role is essentially one of asking the right questions, expecting adequate answers, and serving as resources in areas of personal and professional expertise.
Resources
The Coalition is only as effective as it has resources to meet its purposes. Providing adequate resources is, first and foremost, a Board responsibility. Every Board member should inventory his/her connections with potentially helpful givers, and the Board should accept an obligation in this area. All prospective Board members should understand that an annual gift (of $1,000 donation or raised cash contribution) is one of the Board’s expectations. The Board should periodically consider and approve a written statement of needs that extends in more detail what is presented in the organization’s statement of mission and purposes. Again, fundraising is a full Board function; the appropriate standing committee is simply the Board’s agent to help coordinate the work of the Board members and any fundraising staff.
Effective Management of Resources
An essential part of serving the public trust is protecting accumulated assets and ensuring that current income is appropriately managed. Because organizations are incorporated and granted tax-exempt status by state and federal laws to fulfill a public need, the Board’s obligations go well beyond its organization’s members, constituents, or clients.
Monitor Programs and Services
The Board’s fundamental role begins with the question of whether current and proposed programs and services are consistent with the Coalition’s stated mission and purposes. Given limited resources and unlimited demands, the Board must decide among competing priorities.
Enhance Public Image
The Board serves as a link between the Coalition’s staff or volunteers and its members, constituents or clients. Outlined achievements, contributions to the public good, and explanations for how gifts, grants, and other revenue sources are allocated, are all part of the process. Written annual reports, timely and informative press releases, consistent communication initiatives with community and government leaders, and timely speeches by appropriate Board members to civic and community groups are essential elements of a comprehensive public relations strategy.
Self-Evaluation
The Board of Directors should be open to self-evaluation and regularly review its composition to ensure constituent representation, board expertise, and commitment. Board members perform their responsibilities through regular meetings and a committee structure appropriate for the size of the board and organization.
Other Duties
The Board should ensure that (1) the Coalition follows the law, (2) Board members attend most Board meetings, (3) Board members participate in coalition-sponsored conferences and events, and (4) Board members perform other assigned duties.