Laverne Ballard - Author

With each new accomplishment in her life, Laverne is always reminded of the past. But she is not limited by it. Not by a miserable childhood of homelessness and poverty—32 cities in 23 states and more than 200 horrific public shelters and cold alleyways. Not by living with a mentally ill mother who seesawed between sanity and madness. And not by dropping out of school in the fifth grade.

Today, Laverne is a wife and mother of four, a college grad, a community volunteer and a person with a story to tell.

A native of Newark, NJ, Laverne returned to the Garden State in the 1993 to start a new life. While working for Superior Court judge in Newark, she enrolled in Essex County College in Newark - but not before taking the GED twice. It was the summer of 2002 while taking a freshman writing class she first realized she was ready to confront her past head on. In response to a writing assignment, “What was the most pivotal moment in your life?” she turned in 15 pages about her experience being homeless in the ’80s and ’90s. That exercise gave her the impetus to begin writing a book-length memoir. She first shared her chilling narrative in the September 2006 issue of Essence Magazine.

In 2004, Laverne earned a Bachelor’s degree in political science at Bloomfield College, NJ -attending school at nights and weekend, working a full time as an executive assistant for an assemblymen and mayor, and managing a family. Laverne made the Dean’s List and was recognized with the school’s “Non-Traditional Student Award” during her senior year.

Laverne’s book God Bless the Child, published in September 2009, tells the story of being a young child and of homelessness, of mental illness and looking for a place to call home.

She currently resides between New Jersey and Georgia with her husband and four playful children. Her experience has led her to do extensive volunteer work with children’s programs such as the Head Start Policy Council. Laverne continues to inspire people by lending her voice to the cause of homelessness and mental illness, and offering solutions.

With God Bless the Child, Laverne turns the mirror to her audiences so they can take an honest look at their loved ones, themselves, and strangers to see what homelessness and mental illness look like, feel like, and what it sounds like—and then do something about it.

Kenneth Braswell, Sr. - Author & Executive Director, Fathers Incorporated

Braswell serves as the Executive Director of Father’s incorporated.  At Fathers, Incorporated he focuses on the need to reaffirm the benefit of fathers within the family service paradigm.  Since 2004 the agencies’ main focus has been on the development of support and services for fathers. In recent years, FI has provided capacity building and organization assessment expertise to not-for-profits looking to engage in the field of responsible fatherhood. It is his own experience with his children that has heightened his awareness and desire to eliminate the challenges faced by men seeking to establish or maintain parental relationships when there is a divorce or separation.

Braswell is the author of “When The Tear Won’t Fall,” and recently released workbook, “Gentle Warriors.” He has also published “What you should know about Teen Parenting Period,” and a report entitled “Teenagers and their Attitudes towards Fatherhood.”  Braswell has been featured/mentioned in Essence, Gospel Today, Capital Region Parent Pages, BSI International’s IN SEARCH OF FATHERHOOD®, Philadelphia Inquirer, Times Union and various other media forums

Mr. Braswell (www.kennethbraswell.com) is a national expert, frequent speaker and trainer. He is also the Director of the New York State Fatherhood Initiative where since 2006 he manages $9 million in programs and the NYS Noncustodial Earned Income Tax Credit. Braswell is a board member of the National Fatherhood Leaders Group and the Fathers and Families Coalition of America.

Jeffery Johnson, Ph.D. - President & CEO, NPCL

Jeffery M. Johnson is President and CEO of the National Partnership for Community Leadership (NPCL).   As a national nonprofit intermediary organization, the mission of NPCL is to strengthen the service capacity of nonprofit and community-based agencies to empower youth and families.  Prior to his work at NPCL, Dr. Johnson spent nearly two decades as a senior manager and management consultant in the private and public sector.

As president of NPCL, Dr. Johnson played in integral role in the planning and implementation of two of the nation’s largest social welfare research projects involving low-income men. They are the Partners for Fragile Families Site Demonstration, and the Fathers at Work Demonstration. These projects have served more than 6000 men.  Since 1997, Dr. Johnson and NPCL have also convened an Annual International Fatherhood Conference that attracts cumulatively several thousands of community-based and family practitioners from around the world. Also, under Dr. Johnson’s leadership, NPCL managed the National Youth Development Practitioners Institute on behalf of the United States Department of Labor, the Ford Foundation, and the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation.  The Institute trained four-thousand youth practitioners from across the country in effective approaches for working with young people 13-25 years of age.

 Dr. Johnson is a nationally recognized authority in the areas of leadership, employment and training, urban poverty and youth employment.  A particular focus of Dr. Johnson’s work has been on the plight of African-American men and families.  He is regularly invited to testify before the United States Congress on matters pertaining to low-income fathers and strengthening families. He played a principal role in passage of the first national fatherhood legislation in Congress, The Fathers Count Bill.  Dr. Johnson is also the author of several publications including Fatherhood Development: A Curriculum for Young Fathers. 

For thirteen years Dr. Johnson was an adjunct professor of Educational Administration and Leadership at Trinity University (formerly Trinity College) in Washington, D.C.

Dr. Johnson has been quoted in The Los Angeles Times, The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Washington Times, and The Afro-American newspapers.  Dr. Johnson has also appeared on CNN, C-Span, and Fox Morning News. 

Dr. Johnson has an extensive civic involvement record and serves on many community boards where he has received numerous service awards. He has held the position of President for both the District of Columbia United Way and the United Way of the National Capital Area where he was selected as outstanding volunteer for three consecutive years. He currently serves as a member of the Board of Advisors for the Morehouse College Research Institute, The District of Columbia Commission on African-American Men and Boys, and the District of Columbia Neighborhood College wherein he serves as Chair.

He is also the 1999 and 2003 recipient of the President’s Award by The National Practitioners Network for Fathers and Families. This award annually recognizes outstanding leadership in the promotion of responsible fatherhood.  Dr. Johnson is a member of The Peoples Community Baptist Church in Silver Spring, Maryland where he serves as President of the Men’s Fellowship Ministry.

Dr. Johnson received his formal education at the University of Michigan where he received the Bachelor of Arts, Master of Arts and Doctor of Philosophy degrees in Urban Education. 

Dr. Johnson is married 30 years and has two children, Jeffery M. Johnson, II and Jasmin. 

Alvin S. Perry, MBA - Author/Speaker/Consultant

Alvin S. Perry, MBA is a proven sales & marketing leader with over eighteen years of experience in the consumer products and consulting industries.

After experiencing various life challenges, Perry created the Critical Zone series of books, workbooks, workshops, supplemental curriculum and online training programs that are designed to provide concise strategic principles for developing a Personal Strategic Plan (PSP). Through the various developmental stages associated with elementary school, middle school, high school, college then Corporate America, Perry realized there is a need for PSP development. Perry has taken the best of his experiences and compiled them into a series of training tools titled the Critical Zone. Based on his success, Perry believes this information will prove to be invaluable to others seeking career fulfillment.

His corporate experience consists of management positions with IRI, Colgate-Palmolive, NCR Corporation, the Pepsi-Cola Company, M&M/Mars and Wal-Mart. Perry has also been an owner of three startup companies. Perry, the strategist, is also a very passionate entrepreneur, inventor, motivational speaker, song writer and author.

He is a native of Brunswick, GA, married with three beautiful children, two boys and one girl. Perry possesses a MBA, from Centenary College and dual Bachelors of Business Administration Degrees in both Marketing and Management, from Valdosta State University. He is currently pursuing a Doctor of Business Administration Degree specializing in Entrepreneurship at Walden University.