1964
Honoring 2014
50 Years of Community Action
Community Action Association of Alabama 2014 Annual May Celebration Conference May 12-15 • Renaissance Montgomery • 201Tallapoosa Street • Montgomery,,AL 36104
• Conference Guide •
WELCOME
Welcome to the 50th Anniversary Celebration of Community Action
2
1964
Honoring 2014
50 Years
014 marks the 50th anniversary of Community Action. In 1964 President Lyndon B. Johnson of Community Action signed into law the Economic Opportunity Act which created Community Action Programs along with other programs to fight his War on Poverty. For 50 years (1964-2014), Community Action has provided much needed services and opportunities to millions of low-income people and families. We’ve helped improve lives and communities by providing Head Start, Individual Development Accounts, financial education, job training, affordable housing, community economic development, natural disaster relief and recovery, health care, energy assistance, and much more.
The Promise of Community Action
Community Action changes people’s lives, embodies the spirit of hope, improves communities, and makes America a better place to live. We care about the entire community, and we are dedicated to helping people help themselves and each other.
2014 CAAA May Celebration Conference Sponsors
2 • 2014 May Celebration Conference
50 Years of Community Action • 3
GREETINGS
May 12, 2014 Greetings Members, Partners and Friends: On behalf of the Community Action Association of Alabama, it is our honor and privilege to welcome you to this very special annual Community Action Month – May Celebration! This year we mark the 50th Anniversary of the signing of the Economic Opportunity Act, the legislation that created the Community Action Program. In March of 1964, President Lyndon Johnson sent a draft of the Economic Opportunity Act to Congress, stating that “through a new Community Action program we intend to strike at poverty at its source – in the streets of our cities and on the farms of our countryside, among the very young and the impoverished old.” Johnson went on to capture the essence of Community Action when stating that these programs would be based “on the fact that local citizens best understand their own problems, and know best how to deal with those problems.” For almost 50 years, you and those who came before you have worked hard to make the promise of Community Action a reality. In May of that year, Johnson first spoke of a Great Society when addressing students at Ohio University. “It is a Society where no child will go unfed, and no youngster will go unschooled. Where no man who wants work will fail to find it. Where no citizen will be barred from any door because of his birthplace or his color or his church. Where peace and security is common among neighbors and possible among nations.”
4 • 2014 May Celebration Conference
50 years, multiple initiatives and issues later, Community Action remains at the forefront of providing resources and services to low-income and vulnerable populations. In addition to our basic community services, Head Start/Early Head Start programs, many of our agencies are now housing developers, specialists in housing counseling, and administrators of various innovative programs, including sustainability initiatives. Enhancing our standards will allow us to provide even better programs and services. We’ve yet to achieve LBJ’s vision, but we look to the future as we continue to make a difference and provide change in the lives of our base. With your continued help and support, we move closer each day to the ideal set forth by President Johnson in creating a “Great Society” for all. We salute our agencies, staff, community, governmental and private partners who continue to provide support to our efforts today. Thank you, CHAMPIONS OF COMMUNITY ACTION for your work and commitment to helping people help themselves and each other. 50 to helping people help themselves and each other. Cynthia W. Burton Ronald Gilbert President Executive Director
Conference At A Glance May 12
Monday, May 12
May 13
Tuesday, May 13
11:00 am 1:00 - 5:00 pm
8:30 - 10:30 am 10:15 - 11:15 am 11:15 am - 12:15 pm 12:30 - 1:30 pm 1:30 - 2:00 pm 2:00 - 5:00 pm
Registration Opens Pre-Conference Workshops
Opening Session Workshops Lunch on your own Plenary Session Exhibit Hall Workshops
May 14
Wednesday, May 14
May 15
Thursday, May 15
9:00 - 10:30 am Poverty Summit 10:45 am - 12:00 pm Workshops 12:00 - 1:30 pm Lunch on your own 1:30 - 4:00 pm Workshops 6:00 - 9:00 pm 50th Anniversary Reception & Dinner
9:00 - 10:30 am 10:45 am - 12:30 pm
Closing Session CAAA Board Meeting AWA Annual Meeting
50 Years of Community Action • 5
OPENING SESSION
Opening Session
Tuesday, May 13 • 8:30 - 10:00 am Opening Remarks..................................................................................... Cynthia Burton, Executive Director Community Service Programs of West Alabama Board Chair—Community Action Association of Alabama Welcoming Remarks................................................................................ Benjamin Jones, Executive Director Montgomery Community Action Agency Special Greetings................................................................................................Anita L. Archie, Chief of Staff City of Montgomery
Jim Byard, Director Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs (ADECA)
Introduction of Speaker............................................................................ Wanda Moultry, Executive Director Organized Community Action Program, Inc. Keynote Speaker................................................................... Gene Nichols, Director of the Center on Poverty, Work and Opportunity at the University of North Carolina Closing Remarks.............................................................................................. Ron Gilbert, Executive Director Community Action Association of Alabama 6 • 2014 May Celebration Conference
Tuesday, May 13 • 12:30 - 1:30 pm Opening Remarks & Introduction............................................................ Jesse Cleveland, Executive Director Community Action Agency of Talladega, Clay, Randolph, Calhoun and Cleburne Counties Keynote Speaker......................................................................................... David Bradley, Executive Director National Community Action Foundation Closing Remarks...........................................................................................Nancy Spears, Executive Director Alabama Council on Human Relations
Poverty Summit
Wednesday, May 14 • 9:00 - 10:30 am Moderator........................................................................................................ Ron Gilbert, Executive Director Community Action Association of Alabama Guest Panelist................................................................................................ Kristina Scott, Alabama Possible Melanie Bridgeforth, VOICES for Alabama’s Children Sophia Bracy Harris, Federation of Child Care Centers of Alabama Southern Rural Black Women’s Initiative for Economic and Social Justice Kimble Forrister, Alabama Arise
50 Years of Community Action • 7
SESSIONS
Afternoon Plenary
SESSIONS & EVENTS
Closing Breakfast Plenary
Thursday, May 15 • 9:00 - 10:30 am Opening Remarks & Introduction........................................................ Dr. Marquita Davis, Executive Director Jefferson County Committee for Economic Opportunity Keynote Speaker.......................................................................................................... Don Mathis, President National Association—Community Action Partnership Closing Remarks.............................................................................................. Ron Gilbert, Executive Director Community Action Association of Alabama
rence Events e f n Co Pre-Conference Welcome Reception
Monday, May 12 • 5:30 - 8:00 pm | Hosted by Montgomery Community Action Agency | 10th Floor - 1027
50th Anniversary Mixer - Sand Bar at Riverfront Park
Tuesday, May 13 • 8:00 - 10:00 pm | 355 Coosa Street, Montgomery, AL 36104
50th Anniversary Dinner
Wednesday, May 14 | Reception 6:00 pm | Dinner 7:00 pm | Alabama B 8 • 2014 May Celebration Conference
Sponsored by Alabama Business Charitable Trust/ Alabama Power
Wednesday, May 14 • 6:00 - 9:00 pm Welcome..................................................................................................................................... Bea Forniss, Moderator Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs (ADECA) Words of Congratulations & Greetings.......................................................................................................Don Mathis National Association—Community Action Partnership Invocation............................................................................................................................................. Benjamin Jones Montgomery Community Action • Dinner Served •
Family | The Promise......................................... Ted Debro, Jefferson County Committee for Economic Opportunity Agency | Community Action at its Best.......................................................................... Bea Forniss, ADECA
Keynote Speaker............................................................... Elizabeth Huntley, Lightfoot Franklin & White, LLC
Community | Champions of Community Action.................................................................. Cynthia Burton
Community Service Programs of West Alabama Representative Merika Coleman Representative John Knight, Jr. Senator Bobby Singleton Senator Rodger Smitherman Senator Gerald Dial Senator Arthur Orr
Outstanding Community Action Partner...... John Hudson, VP of Public Relations and Charitable
Giving/Executive Director, Alabama Business Charitable Trust
Closing Remarks............................................................................................................. Ron Gilbert, Executive Director Community Action Association of Alabama
50 Years of Community Action • 9
WELCOME
50th Anniversary Reception & Dinner
Conference Agenda Pre-Conference Events
May 12
Monday, May 12 1:00 - 5:00 pm
—OMB Super Circular
ALABAMA C
1:00 - 5:00 pm
—Strategic Planning
ALABAMA E
—The Effectiveness of the Community Reinvestment Act
ALABAMA D
1:00 - 2:30pm
Fred Harvey, Community Action Partnership of North Alabama Rusty Bennett, Collaborative Solutions
Panel Discussion with CRA Examiners Lead Presenter - John Olsen, FDIC
Conference
May 13
Tuesday, May 13 8:30 - 10:00 am
Opening Session: Keynote Speaker Gene Nichols
10:15 - 11:15 am
Minimum Wage: An Important Step in Reducing Poverty
ALABAMA CDE
Director Center for Poverty, Work and Opportunity, University of North Carolina
Matt Unrath, Wider Opportunities for Women
RIVERVIEW 3
Attendees will learn about the history, politics and economics of proposals to increase the minimum wage. The workshop will introduce the gender issues at the heart of the minimum wage’s original introduction, consider the value of the minimum wage today, review the most recent research on the impact of raising the minimum wage, potential benefits of raising the minimum wage for various communities in Alabama, and compare the minimum wage to other policies aimed at supporting working families. 10 • 2014 May Celebration Conference
May 13
Tuesday, May 13 10:15 - 11:15 am
The Navigator: Principles and Practices for Effective Case Management
Manny Valentin, Armada International Advisors
MONTGOMERY 5
Learn how to actively engage a person or family, and communities to restore societal conditions with defined activities and identification of resources to support their transition toward self-sufficiency.
Tools for Highly Functioning Boards
RIVERVIEW 7
Pamela Foster, Results Unlimited LLC
This session will focus on the steps necessary to build a highly functioning community action agency. The session will provide tips on how the board and executive staff can enhance their performance, identify and establish clear board roles and responsibilities, strengthen the organization and board, and achieve stated community action goals despite a declining economy, increased needs with decreased funding while ad-dressing the needs of the existing and new faces of poverty.
11:15 am - 12:30 pm 12:30pm—1:30 pm
Lunch on your own War on Poverty
ALABAMA CDE
David Bradley, National Community Action Foundation
1:30 - 2:00 pm 2:00 - 3:45 pm
Break with Exhibitors Partnerships to Increase the Availability of Affordable Housing
Panel: Don Phoenix, Neighborworks America, Pam Johnson, Fahe, Ashley Kerr, Low Income Housing Coalition of Alabama (LIHCA)
RIVERVIEW 1
Don Phoenix will discuss the Power of Partnerships and how to maximize the impact. He will also discuss common barriers that serve to erode and breakdown partnerships and provide a brief overview of NeighborWorks, including how they impact communities through the NeighborWorks Network and strategic partners. Pam Johnson, of Fahe, has established multiple partnerships and will share an overview of beneficial products and services. Products and services are available to affordable housing providers to expand opportunities in their communities. Ashley Kerr will provide information about the housing trust fund dedicated revenue campaign, including a discussion about the partnerships they have forged in this process and those they are still trying to attain. 50 Years of Community Action • 11
May 13
2:00 - 3:45 pm
Data Management: FACSpro Utilization Manny Valentin, Armada International Advisors
MONTGOMERY 5
Hands on review of FACSPro functionality, the importance of data collection, reporting, and preparing to implement the CSBG Organizational Standards.
Understanding your CAA’s Financial Position
RIVERVIEW 7
Pamela Foster, Results Unlimited
This session will focus on reading and understanding financial reports, identifying potential “Red Flags” and declining financial trends, identifying tips of a financially healthy agency and feeling comfortable discussing and asking questions even if you do not have a financial background.
4:00 - 5:00 pm
Engaging Decision Makers & Elected Officials
RIVERVIEW 3
Greg Jones, The Jones Group LLC
Attendees will gain strategies and learn ways to effectively engage state and local officials to share the story of community action.
Data Management: FACSpro Utilization Continued Session
Manny Valentin, Armada International Advisors
Utilizing a Peer Learning Model to Increase Organizational Capacity
MONTGOMERY 5
(Board Governance)—Barbara Ledyard, National Community Action Partnership
RIVERVIEW 7
The session will focus on utilizing a peer learning method to identify vulnerable areas within your organiza-tion and acquire practical tools to improve the functioning of boards.
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May 14
Wednesday, May 14 9:00 - 10:30 am
10:45 am -12:00 pm
Fifty Years In View—Alabama Poverty Summit
ALABAMA A
Succession Planning
RIVERVIEW 3
Kristina Scott, Executive Director—Alabama Possible Melanie Bridgeforth, Executive Director — Alabama Voices for Children Kimble Forrister, Executive Director —Alabama ARISE Sophia Bracy Harris, Executive Director, Federation of Child Care Centers of Alabama/Alabama Director Southern Rural Black Women’s Initiative for Economic and Social Justice
Yancey Trucks
This session sponsored by ABC Trust is design to assist agencies with new compliance regulations requiring a succession plan. Attendees will discuss the purpose and process of developing a succession plan and will leave with an agency toolkit that will ensure all necessary points are covered.
CSBG Organizational Standards: Are You Ready!
MONTGOMERY 5
Barbara Ledyard, National Community Action Partnership
How Organizational Standards are implemented is just as important as the Standards themselves! This session will offer participants an overview of the CSBG Organizational Standards, and highlight the tools needed for successful implementation.
Classroom Assessment Scoring System (CLASS): Observing Best Practices in the Early Childhood Classroom
Irene Hardeman, Alabama Training & Technical Assistance Center
RIVERVIEW 5
A brief overview of the CLASS and how it is used as an observation tool in the early childhood classroom to improve the quality of teacher-child interactions that enhance learning.
10:45 am -4:00 pm Continuous Session
WX: ASHREA 62.2-2013 and The Health & Safety Plan
RIVERVIEW 7
Trent Williams, ADECA
The most pressing issues facing WX programs will be covered in this session including requirements, changes and updates to the ASHREA 62.2-2010, 2013 Health and Safety Plan, Quality Control Inspector and Quality Work plan Standard Work Specifications and Impacts to the Field Standards and Field Guide 50 Years of Community Action • 13
May 14
Wednesday, May 14 12:00 - 1:30 pm 1:30 - 2:45 pm
Lunch on your own Succession Planning– Repeat Session
RIVERVIEW 3
Head Start Hot Topics
RIVERVIEW 5
Yancey Trucks
Panel: Dr. Calvin Moore, Dept. Of Human Resources; Pam Lanning, Dept. of Children Affairs Nannette Phillips, Alabama Head Start Association
Head Start grantees face a myriad of challenges in today’s climate of increased accountability. Come listen to a panel of state leaders discuss the impact of sequestration, Teacher Credentials, and Quality Rating Sys-tems on Alabama Head Start/Early Head Start programs. In addition effective strategies and new opportunities for partnerships will be discussed.
1:30 - 4:00 pm Continuous Session
Emerging Leaders
MONTGOMERY 5
Angela Martin, CAAA/ Yakima Marks, ReCode/Bea Forniss, ADECA Renae Dismuke & Andre Taylor, JCCEO
Join us in for the initial introduction of ELITE-Emerging Leaders Institute for Training & Excellence. Participants will be engaged in leadership discussions, hear leadership stories and will be introduced to paths of leadership within Community Action.
2:45 - 3:00 pm 3:00 - 4:00 pm
Break in Exhibitors Hall New CSBG State Monitoring Tool
Rhoda Talley & Maureen Neighbors, ADECA
RIVERVIEW 3
This session will provide a view of the State’s new monitoring tool that incorporates the proposed organizational standards. The updated tool will provide agencies guidance to meeting the standards. A portion of the workshop will be dedicated to Questions and Answers regarding the tool.
Bundling Services to Improve Outcomes: A Peer Learning Approach
Barbara Ledyard, National Community Action Partnership
RIVERVIEW 5
Bundling services is a strategy often used to help families overcome poverty. This session will focus on identifying which bundle of services are most impactful for serving low-income families. 14 • 2014 May Celebration Conference
May 14
Wednesday, May 14 3:00 - 4:00 pm WX: Weatherization – Session Continued Emerging Leaders— Session Continued 4:00 - 5:00 pm Strategic Planning Meeting
RIVERVIEW 7 MONTGOMERY 5 MONTGOMERY 5
50th Anniversary Reception & Dinner — ALABAMA B 6:00 pm Reception 7:00 pm Dinner
May 15
Thursday, May 15 9:00 - 10:30 am
Closing Breakfast Plenary with Don Mathis
ALABAMA CDE
President, National Association—Community Action Partnership
10:45 am - 12:00 pm Community Action Association of Alabama – Board Meeting 10:45 am - 12:00 pm Alabama Weatherization Association - Annual Meeting
RIVERVIEW 8 RIVERVIEW 2
ur Exhibitors & Contributo rs ks to O n a Th l a i c Spe
Alabama Head Start Association Rosen Harwood, P.A. IT Front Desk Collaborative Solutions, Inc.
Sheppard-Harris & Associates PC CATSEMS/Safety Alabama Opportunity Scholarship Fund
AllState Benefits Kaplan Early Learning Company Mutual of America FDIC 50 Years of Community Action • 15
Speaker Highlights
Gene Nichol is Boyd Tinsley distinguished professor of law and Director of the Center on Poverty, Work and Opportunity at the University of North Carolina. From 2005-2008, he was president of the College of William and Mary. Nichol was Burton Craige professor and dean of the law school at UNC (1999-2005); law dean at the University of Colorado (1988-1995); and Cutler professor and director of the William & Mary Bill of Rights Institute (1985-1988). Nichol is co-author of FEDERAL COURTS (West, 2011) and contributor to WHERE WE STAND: Voices of Southern Dissent (2004). He’s published essays in the Harvard, Yale, Chicago, Michigan, Penn, California, Duke and Virginia law reviews; been a political columnist for the Rocky Mountain News; and hosted a public affairs television show, Culture Wars, for KBDI in Denver. He’s been a monthly op-ed writer for the Raleigh News & Observer for over a decade; and is author of the series, “Seeing the Invisible,” appearing throughout 2013. In 2003, Nichol received the ABA’s Edward Finch Award for delivering the nation’s best Law Day address. In 2004, he was named Carolina’s Pro Bono Professor of the Year. The next year, Nichol was inducted into the Order of the Long Leaf Pine, North Carolina’s highest civilian honor; and Equal Justice Works named him Pro Bono Law Dean of the year. In 2008, he received Oklahoma State University’s Distinguished Alumnus Award; the “Courage To Do Justice Award” from the National Employment Lawyers Association; and the Thomas Jefferson Award, for courage in the defense of religious liberty, from the Military Religious Freedom Foundation. In 2013, the NC Council of Churches gave Nichol its Faith Active in Public Life Award; the NC-ACLU named him its W.W. Finlator Award winner; and the University of North Carolina gave him its Thomas Jefferson Award – the university’s highest faculty honor. Nichol attended Oklahoma State University, receiving a degree in philosophy (1973) and playing varsity football. He obtained his J.D. from the University of Texas in 1976, graduating Order of the Coif.
David Bradley gives a voice to the voiceless. For nearly three decades, David has been the preeminent advocate in Washington, D.C. working closely with the Congressional leadership, both Democratic and Republican, and with numerous Administrations, to ensure federal policies related to major social service programs make a difference in the lives of low-income Americans.
David is the Executive Director of the National Community Action Foundation and is the principle author of the Community Services Block Grant, which provides the core funding to the nation’s CAA network. David has been widely praised by leaders of both political parties. Sargent Shriver, the first leader in the War on Poverty said it best, “No one has done more to keep the War on Poverty alive and fresh in the minds of individuals.” The unique role he has crafted in Washington and his nearly unrivaled access to powerbrokers in the Congressional leadership has made David a popular presence on the speaker circuit. His speaking engagements range the gamut in the domestic policy arena, providing his audiences with an insider’s perspective of the political climate in Washington that is gleaned directly from political and party leaders. He frequently is asked to provide his analysis of the expectations for, and potential impact of, upcoming elections, as well as pending legislation. David also regularly presents short interactive seminars on how a bill becomes a law, forty steps to effective advocacy, the federal legislative and appropriations process, and an examination of War on Poverty programs. David has a Bachelors and Masters degree from George Washington University. In 1987, he was a Senior Executive Fellow at the Harvard University John F. Kennedy School of Government. He served in President Carter’s Administration as Congressional Liaison at the Small Business Administration. In his spare time David is part owner of three AAA baseball teams, the Albuquerque Isotopes, the Bowie Baysox and the Federick Keys.
Speaker Highlights
Elizabeth “Liz” Huntley is a committed child advocate and a passionate litigation attorney. She practices law at Lightfoot, Franklin & White, LLC in Birmingham, Alabama in the areas of Banking and Financial Services Litigation, Employment Law, Business Litigation, Personal Injury, and Products Liability. Liz is a leader in both professional and community organizations including, but not limited to: Leadership Alabama Board of Directors, Alabama School Readiness Advisory Board, Children’s First Foundation Board of Directors, Children’s Village Board of Directors, and Project Gear (President and Co-Founder). Liz is also active in the Alabama State and Birmingham Bar Associations. Liz regularly serves as a motivational speaker for groups and organizations throughout the state. Liz earned her law degree from the University Of Alabama School Of Law where she now serves as Vice Chair of the Farrah Law Society Board of Trustees. She received her undergraduate degree from Auburn University, where she is now a member of the Auburn University Board of Trustees.
Donald W. Mathis is President/CEO of the Community Action Partnership, a Washington, DC-based national organization representing the interests of 1,000 Community Action Agencies across America that fight poverty on the local level. Mathis joined the Partnership in July 2007.
Mathis provides leadership and guidance to CAAs and oversees the development and implementation of several anti-poverty initiatives, including Rooting Out Poverty: A Campaign by America’s Community Action Network. He is also responsible for raising the visibility of Community Action through strategic branding, marketing, and public relations approaches; establishing new collaborations, and advocating for the 44 million Americans living in poverty. Mathis has also held senior positions at the federal Corporation for National and Community Service, the National Association of Service and Conservation Corps, the National Network for Youth, the National Youth Employment Coalition, and the Pennsylvania Conservation Corps. He began his career as a head start volunteer at the Community Action of Greater Wilmington in Delaware.
Liz and her husband Tony live in Clanton with their two daughters Ada Ruth and Sarah Beth.
50 Year Poverty Summit Panelists
Kristina Scott Alabama Possible
Melanie Bridgeforth VOICES for Alabama Children
Sophia Bracy Harris FCCCA/SRBWISJ
Kimble Forrister Alabama ARISE
50 Years of Community Action • 17
50 Year Poverty Summit Panelists
Melanie Bridgeforth - With over seven years of experience in government and non-governmental social and health policy analysis and development, Melanie R. Bridgeforth joined VOICES for Alabama’s Children as the Executive Director in 2013. In her role as Executive Director, Melanie presides as the organization’s lead spokesperson and chief legislative liaison as well as serves on numerous statewide councils including the State Children’s Policy Council, the state Early Childhood Advisory Council and the Board of Directors for the Alabama School Readiness Alliance (ASRA).
A native Alabamian, Melanie has dedicated her entire professional career to advocating for vulnerable populations, in particular the children of our state. Prior to joining VOICES for Alabama’s Children, Melanie served as the Government Relations Director in Alabama for the American Heart Association — an organization she remains dedicated to as a volunteer. During her tenure there, Melanie played a pivotal role in several public policy victories, including passage of numerous smokefree laws in municipalities across Alabama as well as passage of regulation requiring in-hospital heart defect screening of all Alabama newborns to help reduce infant deaths from undetected heart issues. Before joining the American Heart Association, Melanie served as Policy Analyst for VOICES for Alabama’s Children, overseeing public policy, research, grassroots and legislative activities for the organization. She also took her talents to a national level, serving as policy intern with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services in Washington, D.C. Melanie’s passion for public service has not only yielded advocacy wins, but resulted in professional recognition and honors, including the 2012 Excellence in Advocacy award from the American Heart Association; the 2010 King Spirit Honors recipient presented by the Montgomery Advertiser to local leaders striving to create positive change; selection for the 2009 Alabama Leadership Initiative (ALI) class and the 2010-2011 ALI Chair. Melanie earned both her undergraduate and graduate degrees from the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Kimble Forrister - State Coordinator of Alabama Arise, a coalition of 150 congregations and organizations that promote fairer public policies on issues affecting low-income Alabamians. As State Coordinator, Forrister was the first full-time staff member of Arise in 1991. Now Arise has a staff of 13 working to analyze poverty issues and equip Arise members as citizen advocates. In 2006 Arise helped win passage of Alabama’s first landlord-tenant law and a tax reform plan that targeted $60 million in income tax reductions to those most in need. Arise has also tackled a range of other issues raised by low-income Alabamians: transportation, the death penalty, health care, unfair lending practices, constitutional reform, welfare reform, education reform, and immigration reform. Forrister came to Arise in 1991 after nine years as Southeast Regional Organizer 18 • 2014 May Celebration Conference
for Bread for the World in Washington, D.C. A native of Nashville, Forrister received his B.A. from David Lipscomb College and his M.Div. from Princeton Theological Seminary. For seven years in the 1970s he worked in urban ministry projects in the Northeast. Sophia Bracy Harris - Executive Director of the Federation of Child Care Centers of Alabama (FOCAL) and Alabama Director of the Southern Rural Black Women’s Initiative for Economic and Social Justice (SRBWI, formed in 2001). Harris, a native Alabamian, received a Bachelor of Science Degree from Auburn University in Family and Child Development and an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters from Dartmouth College in 1993. Having served the organization since its inception, Ms. Harris has received a number of awards and citations including the Rockefeller Public Service Award, Gleitsman Foundation “People who Make a Difference” and John D and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation “Genius” Awards. Her dedication to improve educational opportunities for children and their families has included service on boards such as Voices for Alabama’s Children, Vice Chair of the Joint Governor’s Legislative Task Force on Child Day Care, Southern Regional Council, Ms. Foundation for Women, New World Foundation and the Women’s Technical Assistance Project. Kristina Scott - The executive director of Alabama Possible, which works to reduce poverty through education, collaboration and advocacy. A seasoned coalition builder and attorney, Kristina brings a unique mix of communications and analytical skills to the job. Before joining APP in August 2008, Kristina served as the Managing Attorney for External Affairs at the Los Angeles City Attorney’s Office. In addition to her work in the legal field, Kristina has designed communications and voter contact strategies for candidates and ballot initiative campaigns across the country. During the 2000 election cycle, Kristina ran statewide communications operations as the Communications Director for the California Democratic Party’s Coordinated Campaign. She was also a senior strategist for The Strategy Group and served as a top staffer on Los Angeles City Attorney Rocky Delgadillo’s campaign. In 2001, Delgadillo became the first Latino elected to citywide office in Los Angeles in 125 years in an upset, come-from-behind victory made possible by a unique coalition of Latino, African American and conservative voters. Kristina earned her bachelor’s degree in history from the University of Florida, where she was a member of Florida Blue Key, and her juris doctor with distinction from Emory University. She is a member of the California, Georgia and New York Bars. Kristina is also an adjunct faculty member with UAB’s Global and Community Leadership Honors Program and at Birmingham-Southern College. She is a member of Leadership Alabama Class XXI and currently serves as the board secretary of the Sidewalk Film Festival.
Presenting
Renae Dismuke - Works for Jefferson County Committee for Economic Opportunity in Birmingham, AL. She has a degree in Business Management/Human Resource Management from Huntingdon College. Renae has been a Community Action advocate for over 15 years and has obtained the Certified Community Action Professional credential through the Community Action Partnership. She is enthusiastic about serving others and making a difference in the lives of children and families.
Pamela Foster - Small business owner, published author and founder and president of Results Unlimited LLC, a WMBE that provides program evaluations, training and technical assistance. The company works with nonprofit and for-profit clients throughout the country and has provided comprehensive services for Federal agencies to include the United States Department of Health and Human ServicesOffices of Community Services, United States Department of Housing and Urban Development and the United States Department of the Treasury. Ms. Foster is a published author of the book “Steps to Building a Highly Functioning Nonprofit” and has contributes articles the Federal Reserve Small Business Publication, Robert Morris and Associates, the Barefoot Marrian Compliance Manual, as well as the Barefoot Marrian Timesaver. In addition, she provided served as a presenter and developed curriculum for the Treasurer of the State of Ohio Women and Money programs form 2001-2008. Ms. Foster has several years’ experience working with nonprofits, to include capacity building, direct TA, serving as a Foundation liaison/funder and program evaluator. Her client bases spans from small to large nonprofit organizations, Federal Agencies and for-profit business. Yakima Marks Green - Founder of ReCode, Yakima M. Green, is an organizational transformation champion. She paves the way in helping organizations navigate change with thought provoking, engaging, energizing, & laser focused strategies. She has a Master of Arts in Corporate Communication from Austin Peay State University, and was recently nominated as an Emerging Leader in Nashville Tn. Fred Harvey - His career in accounting began over 35 years ago in a family owned business. After brief periods working for American Broadcasting Company in Mississippi, and Graphcom Publishing in Miami, Florida, Fred began his career in non-profit accounting in 1983. At Blount-St. Clair Community Services, a newly formed community action agency, Fred served as the Financial Officer until 1989 when that organization merged with another agency. In August, 1989, Fred accepted a position in the Fiscal Department of Morgan-Lawrence-Cullman Community Action Agency, later to be named Community Action Partnership of North Alabama. During Fred’s tenure, the agency has grown from a three county service area to fifteen counties, with housing development all across Alabama and the Carolinas. In 1998, Fred became the Chief Financial Officer. The Organization currently has an annual budget of $28 million and 565 employees. Fred has
demonstrated the capability to administer many diverse funding streams while maintaining strong financial integrity throughout the organization and its subsidiaries. Fred has a degree from Athens State University in Business Administration with a focus on Accounting and Management of Technology. Pam Johnson - The Executive Vice Present of Business Development & Outreach & Corporate Officer at FAHE. FAHE is a regional financial intermediary headquartered in Berea, Kentucky that provides collective voice and impact investing through a network of partners to build better communities. Greg Jones - The Founder and Principal of The Jones Group, LLC; a consulting, lobbying and public affairs firm in Montgomery, Alabama. The Jones Group, LLC, founded in 2005, provides an array of strategic services capitalizing on our expertise in public and private management, legislative platforms, and political and government relations. The Jones Group delivers meaningful, positive and measurable results for a diverse group of clients ranging from large and small corporations and associations, educational institutions and non-profit organizations. Ashely Kerr - LCSW, MPH, serves as Community Initiatives Manager for Collaborative Solutions, Inc. (CSI), and oversees the rural housing initiatives. In this role, Kerr coordinates rehabilitation activates on substandard housing, develops curricula, provides technical assistance to nonprofit service providers, and brokers partnerships between rural service providers and affordable housing developers. In addition, Ms. Kerr oversees the coordination and advocacy efforts of the Low Income Housing Coalition of Alabama (LIHCA), a statewide organization dedicated to increasing affordable housing resources for Alabamians living in poverty. Prior to her work at CSI, Ms. Kerr was the Adult Program Coordinator and Aftercare Coordinator for Bradford Health Services in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. She earned an MSW and MPH from Columbia University where her primary areas of study included social policy, advocacy, health promotion and disease prevention. During her graduate studies, Ms. Kerr worked with a variety of special needs populations in the New York City area. She joined CSI in May 2007. Pam Laning - Serves as the Alabama Head Start State Collaboration Director. Previously, she was Associate Director of the Office of School Readiness in charge of professional development of Alabama’s First Class Pre-K Program. With over 30 years of experience of working in the field of early childhood, Pam has initiated many efforts to improve the educational credentials of staff in Head Start, child care and state Pre-K. For ten years she was the Training and Career Development Coordinator at the Jefferson County Committee for Economic Opportunity Head Start-Early Head Start program. From 1982-1996, Pam
was on the faculty of Jefferson State Community where she coordinated the Child Development Program. Ms. Laning earned her Masters and graduate degrees from the University of Alabama in Birmingham. She is married to David Laning and is the proud grandmother of three children-Isabel, Grady and Henry. Barbara Ledyard - Currently serves as Project Director of the Learning Communities Resource Center at the Community Action Partnership. In this role she is charged with managing the Learning Community project by developing and promoting peer learning models within the Community Services Block Grant (CSBG) Network. This project is designed to analyze Community Action outcomes and identify effective, promising and innovative practice models to assist Community Action Agencies in alleviating the current causes and conditions of poverty. Also in this role, Ms. Ledyard focuses on developing ongoing collaborations and information-sharing sessions between State agencies and other entities. Her efforts also support the work of the Organizational Standards Center of Excellence (OSCOE). With over 15 years of experience in nonprofit administration, she brings expertise in program development, capacity building, training/technical assistance and grant writing. She has served on the management team of two local Community Action Agencies: Special Projects Coordinator at Charlotte Area Fund, Inc. (Community Action Agency) and Senior Support Manager at Cincinnati-Hamilton County Community Action Agency. Her experiences within Community Action include directing programs and/or projects such as workforce development; community needs assessment, strategic planning, staff development, program governance and compliance. Ms. Ledyard earned both a Master’s of Science in Public Policy and Administration, and a Bachelor of Science in Mass Communications from Jackson State University, Jackson, MS. Dr. Calvin E.Moore - Currently is the Child Care Services Division Director for the Alabama Department of Human Resources, which supports low income families through child care assistance. He oversees Day Care Licensing, Child Care Subsidy and statewide quality initiatives. He previously served as the Deputy Director of the Office of Child Care (OCC) in the Administration for Children and Families in Washington, DC. The Office of Child Care administers the $6 billion child care and development fund, which also supports low-income working families through child care financial assistance and promotes children’s learning by improving the quality of early care and education and afterschool programs. He also worked previously as the Deputy Director for Child Development Services for the Jefferson County Committee for Economic Opportunity (JCCEO), which operates one of the largest Head Start and Early Head Start programs in Alabama. Dr. Moore has over 22 years of experience in early care and education. Dr. Moore holds a BS degree in early childhood education from the University of Alabama at Birmingham, a MS in Education degree and a PhD
in Early Childhood Education from Walden University. His dissertation topic was The Sociological Factors that Affect the Retention of Male Early Childhood Teachers. He has written two books-an early childhood curriculum supplement, The Thinking Book Curriculum for Early Childhood Professionals, Men Do Stay: Recruiting and Retaining Qualified Male Early Childhood Teachers, and a new book, Find Your Happy! 7 Steps to a More Fulfilling Life. Maureen Neighbors - Has been with the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs (ADECA) for eleven years. She is currently the Community Services Unit Chief. She is responsible for eight state and federal programs including the CSBG program. Maureen started working in federal grant programs with the City of Sioux City, Iowa in a summer program for low- and moderate-income, pre-kindergarten children back in the 80s. She later went to the City of Memphis Bureau of Housing and Community Development where she served as the Mayor’s liaison to the public housing authority. She was also responsible for HUD compliance activities including, the Comprehensive Housing Affordability Strategy, HOME action plan, and citizen participation. After 5 years with Memphis, she came to Alabama to work for a grant consulting firm and ended up with her own firm a few years later. During her 10 years as a consultant, she was responsible for obtaining and administering millions of dollars in federal grant funds for her clients throughout Alabama and North Carolina. John Olsen - Currently is a Community Affairs Specialist with the FDIC in Montgomery, Alabama. He began his FDIC career in Jackson, Mississippi during August 1985, and he has been in the Community Affairs program since 2002. John has various responsibilities with the FDIC, which include serving as a technical advisor for the Alabama Asset Building Coalition. Mr. Olsen currently resides in Montgomery, Alabama, with his wife and two sons.
Thank you for attending the 2014 Community Action Association of Alabama May Celebration Conference.