Past Commission Members (served July 2018-December 2020)
The Commission on Black Girls was convened in July 2018 it consisted of the following community leaders from various disciplines who came together to assess factors that impact the quality of life for Black girls in Columbus and Central Ohio:
Frederic Bertley, Ph.D., Center of Science and Industry (COSI) , Commission Co-Chair
Fran Frazier, Rise Sister Rise, Commission Co-Chair
Reverend Timothy Ahrens, First Congregational Church
Sergeant Lindsey Alli, Columbus Division of Police
Linda Brown, The Columbus Chapter of The Links, Incorporated
Crystal Causey, National Coalition of 100 Black Women Inc., Central Ohio Chapter
Clytemnestra Clarke, First Church of God
LaShanda Coleman, National Pan-Hellenic Council of Columbus
Michael Corey, J.D., Human Service Chamber of Franklin County
Lisa Courtice, Ph.D., United Way of Central Ohio
Mary Cusick, Community Leader
Kevin Dixon, Ph.D., Franklin County ADAMH Board
Honorable Elizabeth Gill, Juvenile and Domestic Relations Division, Franklin County Court of Common Pleas
Alesia Gillison, Columbus City Schools
Tom Grote, Grote & Turner
Mia Hairston, Nationwide
Kim Hooper, Walmart
LC Johnson, YWCA Columbus*
Caroline Woliver, YWCA Columbus
DeShauna Lee, J.D., Nationwide Children’s Hospital
Mysheika Roberts, M.D., Columbus Public Health
Toshia Safford, The Center for Healthy Families
Wendy Smooth, Ph.D., The Ohio State University
Charles Spinning, Franklin County Children Services
Ben Tyson, Easton, Steiner + Associates *
Jennifer Peterson, Easton, Steiner + Associates
Paiden Williams, Rise Sister Rise, Black Girls Think Tank
*denotes that the Commissioner concluded their service prior to December 2020 and someone else was appointed to complete their term.