Our Story

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Debora Colbert serves as our Executive Director and Governing Board Member.  Debora is a wife, mother and grandmother with a passion to see our children's socio-emotional well-being in tact and have the freedom to operate in academic excellence. 

Gwen Payton serves as a Governing Board Member and one of our Central and South Phoenix Lead Parent Advocate.  Gwen is a mother, grandmother and great-grandmother with a passion to see our children safe, supported and free to pursue their academic endeavors. 

Janice Varnado serves as Governing Board Treasurer and is our West Valley Parent Lead Advocate.  Janice is a wife, mother and grandmother with a passion to see our children treated with dignity, respect and free to pursue academic excellence. 

Pastor Donna Foster serves as a Core Team Member and Leads our Prayer and Wellness Team.  Pastor Foster is a wife, mother and grandmother with a heart for children in Foster Care and has passionately volunteered in Foster Care communities and agencies to make sure these children are socio-emotionally in tact and academically successful. 

 Janelle Wood is the Founder and serves as President/CEO.  Janelle is a wife and mother with a passion to see that all of our Black sons and daughters are free to live in safe and supportive communities. 

Shannon Hayes serves on our Governing Board and is the East Valley Parent Lead Advocate.  Shannon is a mother with a passion to see our Black community gain financial literacy and pursue economic freedom. 

 Juanita R. Williams serves as Leader of the Economic Development Team. She is a mother of two, business entrepreneur, and registered investment adviser representative holding both life insurance and securities licenses (S6, S63, S65, S26) in multiple states including Arizona. She is passionate about empowering women to become financially independent.

 Da’Naeja Sutton serves as the Executive Assistant. She is an ASU Alumni with a Bachelor's Degree in African/ African American Studies with a concentration on the African Diaspora. Her passion is to protect, uplift, and to consciously heal the Black community through holistic modalities such as Sound Healing meditation and by creating a safe space for all. 

 Pamela Lee serves as the organizing director for Black Mothers Forum in Northwest Louisiana. Pamela is a mother, grandmother, small business owner and educator who is determined to aid the fight for social, economic, education, and political justices in her community.  She believes that not only does it take a village to raise a child, but the children, at adulthood should be able to sustain the village.  

Kylie Chamblee serves as the Education Coordinator for all of our BMF Microschools. Kylie is a mother of two and educator (M.A.Ed.) who has served for almost a decade in many education settings and roles grades K-12. She has a passion of encouraging our children and parents to embrace the power of knowledge and education and dedication to help build a more equitable and just future in education for our children.

 Melissa Welch serves as the leader for Health and Wellness for Northwest Louisiana. Melissa is a mother and businesswoman. Her 

focus is on the well-being of our community, Mind, Body, and Spirit.

 Christina Foster serves as our Education Team Coordinator and also serves on our Core Team. Christina is a mother with a passion to see our children safe, supported and free to pursue their academic endeavors.