Youth Advisory Club

BEST Kids established a Youth Advisory Club (affectionately known as YAC) in 2017. The YAC serves the purpose of incorporating increased youth voice into the design and operations of our programming, while providing youth with leadership development training and skills. YAC members meet at least once a month and share ideas on how to better engage and work with mentees. 
Dorian
YAC Youth Leader
I am Dorian and I joined BEST Kids when I was in the 11th grade. I love to workout, rap, play video games, watch anime and horror movies, and have fruitful conversations.
Ce’Aisah
YAC Member
​I am CE’AISAH and I call myself (THE GOAT). I go to Cesar Chavez high school. I’m 14 years old. I’m in the 9th grade. I enjoy drawing, making people laugh when they upset or sad. And one of my strength is that I love being organized, and being creative.
Keyvonte
YAC Member
I'm Keyvonte and I'm in a 9th grade at Roosevelt High School.
I like to play sports like football and basketball and I am a honor student.
Ronzeneyla
YAC Member
My name is Ronzeneyla and
I’m 14 years old. I love sports, and I enjoy helping my community and being able to hang out.  
And I been matched with my mentor through BEST kids for 5 years. 
Trevon
YAC Member
My name is Trevon and I am 15 years old. I attend Dr Henry A Wise High School. I am in 10th grade and I am an honor roll student. I currently play baseball, but my favorite sport to play is basketball.

Board of Directors

Overseeing the fiscal and programmatic health of an organization like BEST Kids is no easy task. We are thankful for our diverse team of executive board members that bring their dedication, expertise, and commitment to our mission to ensure our agency's success.
Jason Leecost
CHAIR
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Jason Leecost

DIRECTOR
Jason Leecost, currently serves as the Director in the Officer of Enterprise Risk Management for Ginnie Mae. Ginnie Mae is a government-owned corporation within the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. It’s mission and purpose is to bring global capital into the housing finance system – a system that runs through the core of our Nation’s economy – while minimizing risk to the taxpayers. Prior to joining Ginnie Mae, Mr. Leecost was a Senior Manager at Grant Thornton the world’s sixth largest Accounting and Financial services firm. He holds a Master’s Degree in Accounting from the University of Maryland, Robert H. Smith School of Business and Bachelor of Business Administration in Finance from Howard University, School of Business. Mr. Leecost lives in the Penn Branch neighborhood in Washington, DC and enjoys spending time with his wife and two sons.
Mike Lints
Secretary
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Mike Lints

DIRECTOR
Mike Lints has been a mentor with BESTKids and a DC resident since 2017. He moved to DC after spending 13 years in New Orleans, where he volunteered with local non-profit organizations mentoring students and supporting his community through other programs. Mike earned a Bachelors in Finance and Music from Tulane University and a Masters in Business Administration from Loyola University of New Orleans. He has spent a significant portion of his career at Deloitte as a Risk & Financial Advisory Manager, among other roles at the firm. In 2019, he started a new role at Lockheed Martin Corporation as an Accounting Policy Manager. During his time in both roles, he spent his time analyzing various complex issues for commercial and Federal clients and internal stakeholders across a broad array of topics. In addition to his specific work experience, he holds several business certifications. Mike likes to travel and attend festivals and concerts. He also enjoys playing guitar and other instruments, working in his vegetable garden, and hanging out with his girlfriend’s dog.
William Laubach
Treasurer
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William Laubach

DIRECTOR
Will Laubach, CPA, is a Senior Manager in the audit department at BDO, a public accounting firm. He joined the BEST Kids Board in August 2019. As part of his work with BDO, he serves various industries and businesses, including non-profit organizations. At BDO, he helps his clients navigate grants and contracts from federal and state agencies. Will holds a B.S. in Accounting from West Virginia University. ​
Daniel Boyce
Director
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Daniel Boyce

DIRECTOR
Daniel Boyce is Practice Manager for Eastern Europe and Central Asia in the Global Governance Practice of the World Bank. Themes addressed by the Governance practice include those related to Justice Reform, State Owned Enterprises and Public Financial Management.  Previously he managed the Bank’s Financial Management unit for Latin America and the Caribbean. He is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) in California and holds a Ph.D. in Political Science from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). Dan has been a BEST Kids volunteer mentor since 2012 and joined the BEST Kids Board in 2015.  
Scott Cooper
Director
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Scott Cooper

DIRECTOR
Scott Cooper joined the BEST Kids Board of Directors in 2015. He began serving as a mentor with BEST Kids in 2014. He works as the National Security Outreach Director at Human Rights First, an independent advocacy and action organization that challenges America to live up to its ideals. Prior this this, Scott spent a career in the Marine Corps, flying the EA-6B Prowler, serving five tours in Iraq and two in Afghanistan among his tours of duty. He holds a B.S. in Political Science from the U.S. Naval Academy and an M.A. in International Affairs from the University of Maryland at College Park.
Jackie Craig
Director
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Jackie Craig

DIRECTOR
Chef Jacqueline “Jackie” Craig is the District Campus Executive Chef for Sodexo at Howard University. Along with her current position, Chef Jackie also serves as Sodexo’s District Executive Chef. Chef Jackie brings 32 years of culinary experience to her career, Chef Jackie worked with the District of Columbia Public Schools System and many premier restaurants in the District of Columbia before joining the Sodexo team 16 years ago. Being a Native of Washington, DC, Chef Jackie loves having access to the many different cultural, ethnic and trendy cuisines that help expand her creativity and allow for continued growth. 
Vanessa George
Director
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Vanessa George

DIRECTOR
Vanessa joined the BEST Kids board in June of 2021 and currently serves as a Senior Compensation Partner for Genesys.  Genesys is a leader in the technology industry in its offerings of omnichannel customer experience and contact center solutions trusted by numerous companies in over 100 countries.  Through the power of cloud, digital, and AI technologies, Genesys seeks to achieve its vision for empathetic customer experiences at scale.  Prior to joining Genesys, Ms. George was a Compensation Leader at Booz Allen Hamilton a leading management and information technology consulting firm.  She holds a Masters Degree in Business Administration from the College of William and Mary, a Masters Degree in Human Resources Development from Villanova University and a Bachelors Degree in Business Administration from Virginia Commonwealth University.  Ms. George lives in Richmond, Virginia and enjoys exercising, volunteering in her community and spending time with friends and family.
Corey Arnez Griffin
Director
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Corey Arnez Griffin

DIRECTOR
Corey Griffin is the president and chief executive officer of Global Government and Industry Partners, LLC, a professional services firm specializing in providing government affairs, business advisory, management consulting and international development services founded in 2010. In 2012, Griffin was appointed by President Obama to serve in the position of Associate Director of the Office of Strategic Partnerships at the Peace Corps as a Senior Foreign Service Officer. Prior to his role at the Peace Corps, Griffin served as chief of staff to the chair pro tempore for the Council in the District of Columbia. Before his tenure in the public sector, Mr. Griffin spent nearly 2 decades in the private sector. He was Vice President for Business Development at Mainstream Government Services and more than 14 years at Microsoft Corporation working in various roles and leadership positions, including roles in consulting, operations, and sales. Corey has also served on the boards for many local and international organizations. Mr. Griffin is a native Washingtonian, attended Morgan State University, and has completed executive execution course work at George Washington University, Harvard University, UCLA, and Cornell University.
Djinge Lindsay
DIRECTOR
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Djinge Lindsay

BOARD CHAIR
Djinge Lindsay, MD, MPH currently serves as Deputy Director for Policy and Programs in the Community Health Administration (CHA), DC Department of Health. CHA promotes healthy behaviors and healthy environments to improve health outcomes and reduce disparities in the leading causes of mortality and morbidity in the District. Working with her team, her day to day work focuses on community engagement and partnerships, quality improvement, coordination of clinical and community-based services, and ongoing evaluation. Prior to joining DC Health, Dr. Lindsay practiced primary care within the largest integrated health care delivery system in the nation. Dr. Lindsay completed her residency with the Georgetown University-Providence Hospital Family Medicine Residency Program. She holds a Doctor of Medicine (MD) Degree from George Washington University School of Medicine, a Master of Public Health (MPH) in Health Care Management and Policy from Harvard University School of Public Health and a Bachelor of Science (BS) in Chemistry from Howard University. Dr. Lindsay lives in the Shaw neighborhood in Washington, DC and enjoys spending time with her husband and twin boys.
Gabby Majewski
Director
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Gabby Majewski

DIRECTOR
Gabby Mulnick Majewski, J.D., is the Guardian ad litem Education Project Manager with Children’s Law Center, and directs Children's Law Center's educational advocacy on behalf of children and youth in DC's child welfare system.  Ms. Majewski has been with the Children’s Law Center for nearly ten years and formerly served as a supervising attorney and guardian ad litem.  As a guardian ad litem, Ms. Majewski represented more than than sixty youth in DC's child welfare system, and subsequently supervised more than 300 such cases.  Ms. Majewski has gained extensive experience navigating the District of Columbia’s foster care, mental health, and education systems.  Ms. Majewski served on BEST Kids' Advisory Board from 2012 to 2015, and joined the Board of Directors in 2015.  Ms. Majewski is a 2008 graduate of American University Washington College of Law.  Ms. Majewski lives in the District of Columbia with her husband and two children.  
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Robert Stradtman
Director
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Robert Stradtman

DIRECTOR
Bob is a principal in Deloitte Transactions and Business Analytics LLP and leads the Government & Public Services (GPS) Regulatory & Legal offering portfolio and joined the BEST Kids board in June of 2021. He has more than 20 years’ experience in financial advisory, compliance management, forensic investigations, creditor and lender advisory, financial management, financial operations, program integrity, cash management, business operations, and business model and process modernization, and with agencies that extend credit, and financial regulatory agencies. Prior to Deloitte, Bob led aspects of the capital markets function for a US-based Top 10 bank, executing more than 200 public and private securitization and other structured finance transactions. In addition, Bob has led and/or supported significant aspects of banking mergers and acquisitions and other financial services transformation initiatives. Outside of Deloitte, Bob is a member of the American Bankers Association, the American Securitization Forum, and the Professional Risk Management International Association. He also is a devoted husband, dad, and Buffalo Bills fan! 

Advisory Board

BEST Kids has utilized an Advisory Board since the early planning stages and incorporation of the agency until the present. Our Advisory Board is made up of volunteers who are experts in various fields such as child and adolescent psychology, behavior analysis , educational advocacy, and legal issues. These advisors provide technical support and input throughout all aspects of our programming in order to help ensure BEST Kids is current with the latest research and that our program model designed in a way that allows us to make the most positive impact possible. ​

​Marilyn Benoit
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Marilyn Benoit, M.D.

Marilyn B. Benoit, M.D. is a child and adolescent psychiatrist and the past president of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP). Dr. Benoit is a graduate of the Georgetown University Medical School and completed her Child Psychiatry Fellowship at the Georgetown University Medical Center, where she is a Clinical Associate Professor in the Department of Psychiatry. She earned a graduate degree in Health Services, Management and Policy at The George Washington University.

Carol Gross​
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Carol Gross

Carol Gross is a graduate of the University of Penn. undergraduate and  George Washington University graduate school with degrees in Child Development, Elementary Education  and Special Education. In addition she has worked for a research neurologist for almost 40 years; and has served in a variety of roles in many different cities including working in Montgomery County Public Schools for 15 years.  Carol also maintained a private practice of tutoring and diagnosing children who were having difficulty learning. Mrs. Gross has worked tirelessly with BEST Kids over the years to advocate for educational services on behalf of mentees and to provide educational assessments. 

​Richard Gross
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Richard Gross, M.D.

Dr. Gross is a clinical professor of psychiatry at The George Washington University’s School of Medicine and a lecturer in child psychiatry at the Children’s National Medical Center in Washington, D.C. He is a former president of both the Washington Psychiatry Society and the Washington Council on Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. He also teaches at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center and is Board Certified by The American Board in Psychiatry and in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry.

Kristy Lee Park
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Kristy Lee Park

Dr. Park is an Assistant Professor at George Mason University with a focus in Schoolwide Positive Behavior Supports (SWPBS), function-based interventions, and Applied Behavior Analysis. She is currently working with families with Autism to teach socially relevant goals, collaborating with school districts to provide professional development in the application of behavior management principles, and working with the state of Virginia to merge initiatives such as Response to Intervention and SWPBS.
Jeanette Manning
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Jeanette Manning

Jeanette Manning is an attorney with the National Association of Attorneys General (NAAG). Ms. Manning has practiced law previously in both the private and public sectors as an associate at Cozen O'Connor and as an assistant attorney general with the Office of the Attorney General for the District of Columbia in the Family and Public Safety Divisions. She is a graduate of the American University Washington College of Law. ​

​Martine Solages
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Martine Solages, M.D.

Dr. Solages is a child psychiatrist and pediatrician in academic practice. She earned her bachelor’s degree from Harvard College and her medical degree from the Yale School of Medicine. She provides psychiatric consultation to medically hospitalized children in the Washington, D.C. metro area.  Dr. Solages’ professional interests also include reducing healthcare disparities and increasing access to mental health services in primary care and community settings.

​Chanelle Rollins 
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Chanelle Rollins, LICSW

Ms. Chanelle Wijesinghe is a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker with a focus on children and adolescents.  She has been working in the social service field since May 2013. She has experience in foster care, as well as the mental health field. She has over 3000 hours of direct service clinical experience, predominantly with children and adolescents. She has national and international experience; having worked at The National Institutes of Health and the US Department of State. Chanelle currently works in the Office on Trafficking in Person at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Chanelle graduated from The Catholic University of America in May 2013 with a Masters in Social Work. She has been a Licensed Social worker in Maryland since June 2013 and in the District of Columbia since February 2014. Chanelle was born in Colombo, Sri Lanka and moved to the United States in 1997. She enjoys traveling, reading and is an avid football fan.  ​