Mary Crean - President  

Executive & Governance Committee 

MARY CREAN, Direct to Consumer Marketing Director, Nassau Financial Group. Curiosity, persistence, and the desire to help others have afforded Mary Crean a fulfilling and diverse career in business. Mary began her professional journey as a serial entrepreneur most notably in health and fitness, transforming people’s lives one at a time. Nonprofit executive leadership is where she spent the next decade helping people from marginalized communities work toward upward mobility. Her love of digging into marketing problems and solving them with modern technology led her to join the marketing team at Nassau Financial Group. Serving on the advisory board at Goodwin University’s School of Business and as an adjunct professor, Mary teaches students that have been incarcerated to follow their passions and leverage their marketing knowledge to become successful entrepreneurs. She holds a BS in Nutrition from the University of Saint Joseph and an MBA from Post University.

Isaias Diaz, Esq. - Vice President  

Executive & Governance Committee 

ISAIAS T. DIAZ is an attorney licensed to practice law in the State of Connecticut. Attorney Diaz was raised and baptized in the Spanish Pentecostal church. He served as Chairman of the State of Connecticut Latino and Puerto Rican Affairs Commission for four years until completing his term in December of 2013. While Chairman, his task was to make legislation to help alleviate the social ills suffered by Latinos statewide. He has been involved in government, community, and policy work since he was 19. He also trains law students in trial advocacy every year at the Quinnipiac School of Law. Attorney Diaz is a native of the north end of Waterbury, where he was born and raised. He has also been involved in ministry for the past 20 years and is currently a minister at Iglesia De Dios Mision Contra Murallas.

Spencer T. Clayton, Ph.D. - Secretary  

Executive & Finance Committee 

SPENCER T. CLAYTON, Ph.D. is a 2005 graduate of Yale College (B.A. Psychology) and a 2008 graduate of Yale Divinity School (M.Div). During his time at Yale Divinity School, he worked as an intern with The Conference of Churches. Spencer is currently the Senior Pastor of Your Will Christian Ministries, the church that he helped to launch in 2010. In 2019, Spencer graduated with a Ph.D. in Public Affairs from Rutgers University in Camden, NJ. His dissertation was about the interaction between government policy and gentrification as examined though a case study of Philadelphia’s use of residential tax abatements between 2000 and 2010. Spencer currently works for the State of New Jersey was a Research Economist. He is primarily responsible for the calculation and distribution of state aid. Outside of work, Spencer serves as the National Treasurer for Gamma Phi Delta Christian Fraternity, Inc and hosts the Not Your Black Friends Podcast with his wife Tia Burroughs Clayton. In his spare time, Spencer enjoys singing, writing songs, and spending time at home with his wife Tia and their cat Ollie.

Dr. Charles Turner, Pastor - Treasurer  

Executive & Finance Committee 

DR. CHARLES TURNER is Pastor of New Pleasant Grove Missionary Baptist Church in Houston, TX. He is a transformative leader guiding the congregation through revitalization with a focus on justice, education, small groups, underserved neighborhoods, and spiritual growth. In addition to his ministerial training, he has a background in economic and community development. Dr. Turner is a proud graduate of Tennessee State University (BBA), Vanderbilt Divinity School (M.Div.) and Colgate Rochester Crozer Divinity School (D.Min.). Among many professional roles he serves as Board Chair, Fifth Ward Community Redevelopment Corporation and is instrumental to making Fifth Ward in Houston a better place to live, work, and play. He is also active with The Metropolitan Organization (TMO) dedicated to developing power and leadership among citizens to transform the city. Dr. Turner believes that people need help with their immediate reality while seeking understanding of ultimate reality. It is at this intersection Dr. Turner finds joy partnering with people on this journey toward reaching their full potential as a “human being” and not just “humans doing.” As he lives out his calling Dr. Turner has the hope that in some way, he can assist in people lives being made better forever.

Sarah Barr - Board Member  

Marketing & Outreach Committee 

SARAH BARR, CEO AND FOUNDER OF WASHASHORE WRITING: You watched her on television as a four-time Emmy-nominated anchor and reporter. You have seen her give informative press briefings while serving two Hartford mayors. And while you did not see her, you heard the words delivered by others that she crafted as Vice President of Corporate and Government Communications for a leading regional bank in Connecticut. Images to remember and words to treasure — and work that has received national recognition. 

Now as the CEO and Founder of her own company, Washashore Writing, Sarah uses her more than 30 years of experience to continue to build relationships and raise the profiles of individuals and organizations. Clients include Albertus Magnus College, TurleyCT Publications, and Lee Hecht Harrison, as well as a slew of individual executives, politicians, and people in transition — leading workshops at the Entrepreneurial Center and Women’s Business Center at the University of Hartford, the Russell Library, and the Connecticut School of Broadcasting to name a few. Sarah finds joy in working with people at a fork in the road — whether it is crafting speeches, writing resumes, coaching interview, and presentation techniques, or providing media relations. Her efforts have not gone unnoticed. Her work has been most recently recognized by the Connecticut Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSACT) and the Council of Advancement and Support of Education (CASE). A graduate of Temple University in Philadelphia, Sarah is also a firm believer in giving back to her community. She serves on the Greater Hartford Arts Council Board of Governors and is pleased to embrace The 224 Ecospace as a Board Member as we strive to make positive change in our world. An avid “movie-freak,” Sarah’s biggest and most ambitious goal yet is to add screenwriter to her lengthy list of accomplishments. 

J Richard Byrd - Board Member 

Marketing & Outreach Committee 

J. RICHARD BYRD is a serial entrepreneur and investor focused on the marketing, branding, e-commerce, and digital marketing industries. He is the CEO of The ByrdOlogy Group, LLC - A holding company headquartered in Charlotte NC.

Rev. Jaimie D. Crumley - Board Member 

Program Committee 

REV. JAIMIE D. CRUMLEY (she, her, hers) is a 2012 graduate of Wellesley College, where she majored in International Relations and Religion. She earned her M.Div. from Yale Divinity School in 2015 and her Master of Sacred Theology (also from Yale) in 2016. Jaimie is currently a Ph.D. candidate in the Department of Gender Studies at UCLA. She is currently working on her dissertation about free, black Christian women’s political witness in nineteenth-century Boston, Philadelphia, New York City, and Washington, D.C. Jaimie serves as the Virtual Ministry Associate at the First Baptist Church in Beverly, MA. An experienced blogger and podcast host, Jaimie enjoys using the internet to enhance the mission and ministry of The Church. She also loves working with children and youth as they explore their faith. Jaimie lives in Inglewood, California with her husband, Luke Hardman, their cats, Amber and Riker, and their dog, Malia.

Ebonie Jones - Board Member 

Program Committee 

EBONIE JONES is a veteran teacher for Guilford County Schools in Greensboro, North Carolina.  She is currently a fourth-grade language arts teacher at Oak Hill Elementary School in High Point. Ebonie has worked in title I schools in High Point, North Carolina for her entire career, serving students and families with the greatest needs.  She has taught kindergarten in third grade, fourth grade and special education.  Ebonie is a proud graduate of North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, where she earned her bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education and her master’s degree in Special Education.  She is recent graduate of the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, where she earned a second master’s degree as a TLC scholar in a program dedicated to advocating for and serving students with the most severe disabilities in inclusive educational settings. 

Ebonie’s dedication to meeting the needs of all learners has not gone unnoticed.  In 2020, she was the recipient of the High Point Schools Partnership Extraordinary Educators award and she is the 2020 Guilford County Teacher of the Year. Ebonie’s passion for helping others expands far beyond the walls of her classroom.  She is an active member of the North Carolina Association of Educators, participating in local, state and national events supporting the needs of early career educations by designing on-demand professional development to increase teacher retention and social justice reform regarding public education through the Leaders for Just Schools Initiative. She has presented at local, state, and national conferences including the Council for Exceptional Children TED Conference in Las Vegas, Nevada, the North Carolina Council of Teachers of Mathematics Conference, and the North Carolina Association for Colleges of Teacher Educators Forum, sharing strategies and best practices teachers can use to support their students with disabilities across content areas. 

Rev. Tamara Moreland - Board Member  

Development Committee

Bio Coming Soon

The Rev. Erick Olsen - Board Member 

Program Committee 

REV. ERICK OLSEN was called as Pastor of Church of Christ Congregational in 2003. He came to Norfolk after serving as Associate Pastor of First Church Congregational in Fairfield CT for five years. Pastor Olsen, a graduate of the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, earned his M.Div. at Yale Divinity School. He and his wife Tina and their three children live in Norfolk. In addition to his pastoral duties, Pastor Olsen serves as: Chaplain of the Norfolk Volunteer Fire Department, Vice President of the Board of Directors of Norfolk Senior Housing Corporation (Meadowbrook), a member of Norfolk's Rail Trail committee, and he has served on regional and state committees of the United Church of Christ. Pastor Erick is passionate about racial justice, and he is honored to continue to work in partnership with the Rev. Dr. Shelley Best and friends at Redeemer's AME Zion Church in Plainville to eradicate racism. His personal interests include running, the Red Sox, good coffee, making drip sandcastles, coaching, reading Thomas Merton and Pat Conroy, rivers, and time with his family.

Nastajha Douglas Ortiz - Board Member  

Governance Committee  

NASTAJHA DOUGLAS ORTIZ is a highly respected Attorney with more than 20 years of arbitration mediation and courtroom experience. Nastajha holds a bachelor's degree in Criminal Justice from Springfield College, Master’s Degree in Forensics and Criminology from University of New Haven, and Juris Doctorate from Massachusetts School of Law. Nastajha's leadership skills and willingness to always be at the front line in doing what is right regardless of the situation stands out. Her ability to fight and do right by her clients is what makes her excellent at her job. She commands areas in mediation and arbitration, International Dispute resolution, Product branding and regulatory compliance. Over the years, Nastajha has cultivated excellent and strong relationships with Judges, clients, and colleagues. These connections make her trustworthy, ambitious, diligent, and well regarded in the field. Nastajha provides Pro bono work to individuals seeking criminal record expungement and helps those seeking first time home purchases. she participates in Community Service work with the Angels of Edgewood Inc. and enjoys playing tennis, hiking, reading, and traveling when she is not working.

Paul Pita - Board Member 

Marketing & Outreach Committee 

PAUL PITA, Chief Branding Officer, Rebel Interactive Group. With over 25 years of experience as a brand strategist, creative leader and business owner, Paul brings a completely innovative perspective to branding. When activating a brand, it must be done with L.O.V.E.: Learn | Optimize | Validate | Execute. He believes with every successful business remains one constant: a strong brand. A brand is a combination of what makes you believable, compelling relevant and different. His passion lies in working with top brands, helping those companies discover and leverage the power within their brand to meet the business goals. Paul has spoken nationally at a wide variety of marketing summits and business conferences on topics ranging from leadership branding to multicultural marketing and creating a culturally branded organization.