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.
Djinge Lindsay
Chair
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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.
Aaron Wright
Treasurer
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Aaron Wright

TREASURER
Aaron Wright, CPA is an accountant with the Division of Enforcement & Investigations at the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB) and previously was in public accounting at Deloitte for many years. He joined the BEST Kids Board in January 2016. He is passionate about serving others, particularly related to social causes and LGBT matters in the community and corporate environment. He holds a B.S. in Accounting & Spanish from Butler University. In his spare time, Aaron enjoys traveling, hot yoga, and spending time with friends and his two dogs.  ​
Ashley Tatum
Secretary
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Ashley Tatum

SECRETARY
Ashley is a Principal Advisor with CEB, a best practice insight and technology company based in Rosslyn, VA, and joined the board in late 2016. Ashley provides strategic insight and data driven advice to talent management leaders. She has over 10 years of experience across the HR disciplines of talent management and total rewards, as well as corporate communications strategy. Ashley has worked with several non-profits in the DC area including Compass, where she served as a project leader for organizations. Originally from Atlanta, GA, Ashley has a BA in Foreign Affairs from the University of Virginia and spent two years teaching English in Spain. 
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. 
Shameka Dennis
Director
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Shameka Dennis

DIRECTOR
Ms. Bloyce joined the BEST Kids team as a member of the Board of Directors in July 2017. Shameka Bloyce is an attorney in Gordon & Rees LLP’s Labor and Employment practice group.  Ms. Bloyce works on a wide range of litigation matters and represents clients in state and federal court, and in matters with agencies such as the Department of Justice, Department of Labor, and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.     
Corey Arnez Griffin
Director
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Corey Arnez Griffin

DIRECTOR
Tracy Meyer
Director
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Tracy Meyer

DIRECTOR
Tracy Meyer, M.D., is a child, adolescent, and adult psychiatrist who has a special interest in community mental health. She has worked extensively with the foster care, homeless, and underserved populations in the Washington, D.C. area. She completed her Medical Degree at University of Maryland School of Medicine, Adult Psychiatry Residency at George Washington University, and Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Fellowship at Children’s National Medical Center. Dr. Meyer currently works at Community Connections, a D.C. core service agency, serving as the child and adolescent psychiatrist at The Center for Families and Children and the staff psychiatrist for an Assertive Community Treatment Team.  
Keith Harrison
Director
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Keith Harrison

DIRECTOR
Mr. Harrison is a Partner at Crowell & Moring LLP’s Washington office where he also leads the firm’s Trial Practice Team.  A former Prosecutor, Mr. Harrison served as an Assistant District Attorney in Manhattan for two years after graduating from the University of Virginia School of Law.  In his private life, Mr. Harrison has coached youth sports for many years.  He is a member of the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity.
Erick Mitchell
Director
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Erick Mitchell

DIRECTOR
Erick is a Diversity and Inclusion executive who currently serves as the Inclusion and Diversity Leader for the MITRE Corporation, a federally funded global technology, science and engineering company headquartered in Mclean, VA. Erick has been part of executive teams in higher education and the government sector and has provided guidance and leadership to Presidents and C-suite level executives in various industries through his consulting work. Of particular relevance, he is the former Chief Integrity Officer for DC’s youth justice system (DYRS) and has hands on experience developing and overseeing programming and services provided to the populations that BEST Kids serves.
Erick received his bachelor’s degree and Executive MBA from Howard University, and is a Certified Diversity Professional (CDP) and Mediator. He sits on a number of other boards for organizations such as T.A.G. Labs and the Diversity Task Force for the golf industry. He resides in the Brookland area of DC with his wife and two children. 
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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Lincoln Tyson
DIRECTOR
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Lincoln Tyson

DIRECTOR
Mr. Tyson joined the BEST Kids board in April 2017. He is the founder and Principal of Tyson Project Management Group (TPM Group), a HUBZone Certified, turnkey project management firm providing relocation management, logistics, and construction services. He is responsible for developing project plans and move schedules for all company relocation clients and supervising the construction managers on all interior design/construction projects. Lincoln has a bachelor's degree in Economics, Transportation and Logistics from North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University. He brings experience to the board in government contracting, relationship building, and has also served as a youth mentor in the area previously. ​

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.  ​

Youth Advisory Council

BEST Kids established a Youth Advisory Council (affectionately known as YAC) in 2017 under the leadership of our Youth Engagement Specialist. 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. 
Ty'shanna
YAC Founding Member
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Ty'shanna

Ty’shanna joined the BEST Kids program when she was in the 4th grade. She loves to write and produce music. She found her passion from listening to different artists music and how they could make their music better. There are a lot of people that inspire her, but her old mentor, Jolissa Jones, always pushed her and made sure she was always good and was like the big sister she never had. She has learned many things from BEST Kids, but her favorite thing she's learned is how to save money as an adult. She learned that she has to set money a side for things that she truly wants and to take care of the things she needs.​