The Race Equity Research Leadership Collective has been formed under the direction of local and regional social justice, race and equity leaders. Members of our steering committee contribute their insights and talents to shaping the research, leadership and advocacy efforts of the REcollective, providing support, guidance and oversight of progress.
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Bakeyah S. Nelson, Ph.D.Executive Director, Air Alliance Houston
Bakeyah S. Nelson, PhD, is the Executive Director of Air Alliance Houston – a non-profit organization that works with communities unequally burdened by air pollution to advocate for public policies that improve air quality, promote public health, and advance environmental justice. Dr. Nelson has a diverse background in public health and public policy and has been working to reduce environmental inequities where people live, work, learn, and play in Houston communities for over 10 years. She has written and presented about community conditions, environmental (in)justice, health (in)equity, and the need to accelerate efforts to improve community health, particularly among children, and communities of color and low wealth. Dr. Nelson was honored as one of the Texas Organizing Project’s 2018 Community Champions. She is a Senior Fellow of Class XLVI of the American Leadership Forum and was selected as one of the Aspen Institute’s Health Scholars for the 2019 Aspen Ideas Festival. She is the co-founder of and Steering Committee Chair for the Coalition for Environment, Equity, and Resilience (CEER) – a diverse coalition consisting of twenty-five environmental, social justice, affordable housing, and transportation organizations advancing a common policy agenda to ensure a healthier, more resilient, and equitable future for the Houston region. She is also one of the founding members of the New Giving Collective, a giving circle established in 2017 to serve as a vehicle to support and respond to the needs of the Black community. In 2012, she was selected for the University of California, San Francisco’s Program on Reproductive Health and the Environment Reach the Decision Makers Fellowship, which trains scientists, community members, clinicians and public health professionals to effectively promote science and health-based policies. Later in 2012, she was a recipient of the National Association of County & City Health Officials (NACCHO) Model Practice Award for demonstrating exemplary leadership to advance environmental justice and public health. Dr. Nelson has also served on a number of committees aimed at improving community and environmental health, including but not limited, to the Executive Committee of the Houston-Galveston Area Council’s Regional Air Quality Planning Advisory Committee and Transportation Air Quality Subcommittee, the African American Health Coalition, and the National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) Environmental Health Committee. She is also a contributing faculty member at Baylor University in the Department of Public Health. Dr. Nelson’s doctorate in public policy, master’s in applied sociology and bachelor’s degree in psychology all come from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. |
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Cherrelle J. DuncanFounder, Duncan Impact Solutions
Cherrelle J. Duncan is the founder of Duncan Impact Solutions, which specializes in non-profit consulting and uses her experience to oversee the development and administrative needs of organizations. She is also the Chief of Staff for a Houston City Council district. Prior to this, Cherrelle has worked for two national nonprofit organizations specializing in events and peer-to-peer fundraising. Cherrelle received her B.A in Public Relations from the University of Louisiana in 2011 and her Master of Public Service & Administration from Texas A&M University in 2013. Cherrelle was highlighted as a 2017 Association of Fundraising Professionals International Outstanding Young Professional in addition to being a 2016 AFP Diverse Communities International Conference Scholar. She has been a member of the Houston Area Urban League Young Professionals and has served as the Fund Development Chair, Treasurer and theVice President. |
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Drew WilleyFounder, Restoring Justice
Alongside his wife, Jessica, Drew Willey founded Restoring Justice. He currently serves as the organization’s CEO. Drew left a career as an accountant to attend law school at the University of Houston Law Center. An internship with the Texas Innocence Network showed him firsthand how the legal system dehumanizes poor people, people of color, and those with mental health conditions. After training from Gideon’s Promise, Drew became a criminal defense attorney, primarily working on representation of the indigent. He is dedicated to providing passionate, proactive, and client-centered representation to marginalized people in the greater Houston area. This work eventually led Drew to found Restoring Justice to not only provide high-quality, holistic counsel to those who need it the most, but also find ways to expose, disrupt, and fix the systemic racism and discrimination in our criminal justice system. Drew’s work as a public defender and as the founder of Restoring Justice has been featured in publications like The New York Times, Texas Monthly, Texas Tribune, and the Houston Chronicle. Drew’s song on repeat is currently This is America by Childish Gambino. |
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Frances ValdezExecutive Director, Houston in Action
Frances joined Houston in Action as Facilitator in June 2018 and became the Executive Director in June 2019. Frances practiced immigration law for 13 years and began her career as a Clinical Fellow at the UT Immigration Clinic. She also worked for Baker Ripley working to improve access to legal services for low income immigrants. At United We Dream she developed immigration policy, supported advocacy efforts and managed civic engagement efforts. Frances has served on the board of ACLU of Texas, Culture Source, Inc., The Hollyfield Foundation, The Houston Immigration Legal Services Collaborative, The GLBT Political Caucus, United We Dream, Latino Giving Houston and the State Bar of Texas: Legal Services to the Poor in Civil Matters Committee. |
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Sam Bradley, DSWBoston College
Dr. Samuel L. Bradley, Jr. has joined the Boston College School of Social Work as Assistant Professor of Macro Practice focused on equity, justice, and inclusion. He is an accomplished musician, community activist, and administrator with extensive experience in fundraising and communications. Dr. Bradley has expertise in diversity and inclusion, public health, and program innovation. He is particularly passionate about utilizing design thinking as a strategy for developing innovation in higher education as well as leveraging higher education programs to support community outcomes in marginalized communities. As a professional fundraiser for the College of Music and Media at Loyola University New Orleans, Dr. Bradley worked with individual donors, business partners, and foundations to help create opportunities for philanthropy for gifts between $25,000 and $1,000,000. In addition to his work, Dr. Bradley is proud to have served as a member of the board for the Music and Culture Coalition of New Orleans—an organization dedicated to supporting and empowering the culture bearers of New Orleans. Prior to joining BCSSW, Dr. Bradley was Chair of the Forum for Equality, Louisiana’s Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender human rights organization dedicated to creating a society free from discrimination. Among Dr. Bradley projects, he has led undergraduate immersion programs to Kingston, Jamaica; organized to enhance educational outcomes in the New Orleans public school system; and worked with the Obama administration’s Office of Faith Based and Neighborhood Partnerships on creating interfaith community service projects. Dr. Bradley has achieved the status of Fellow for Life with the Albert Schweitzer Fellowship. |
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Will Francis, LMSWExecutive Director, Houston in Action
Will Francis is the Executive Director for the National Association of Social Workers – Texas Chapter (NASW/TX). He previously served as the Government Relations Director for NASW/TX for five years, and prior to that worked for Mental Health America of Texas in the state office of a home visiting program. Past work experience includes positions with Child Protective Services and Travis County Juvenile Probation. Will received a master’s in social work from the University of Texas, Austin and a bachelor’s degree in English from Hampden-Sydney College in Virginia. |