2024 Board of Directors
Dr. Jackie Evans Phillips, President
A Midwife of Purpose is on a global mission to empower individuals to become Change Makers. With her healing and empowerment workshops, she empowers individuals to be Change-makers, within themselves, their families, and their communities.
Dr. Jackie has a Doctor of Education with a Master's in Clinical Psychology. She has over 30 years of experience in Education, Human Services, Counseling, and Youth Development. Dr. Jackie uses her two platforms the Life Changer Center and the DreamBig College to empower individuals to heal, discover, and build toward the next best version of themselves. Her services include therapy, life coaching, and empowerment workshops.
Through her social and emotional workshops, Dr. Jackie partners with schools and community organizations, creating safe spaces for teens to develop a deeper sense of self and resiliency as a means to decrease anxiety and depression.
Dr. Jackie has published over ten books, three bestsellers, and seven anthologies. Dr. Jackie uses these anthologies to create pathways for her clients to become authors and develop their platforms.
To learn more about Dr. Jackie and her organizations
Visit our website: www.drjackiephillips.com
Email: jackie@drjackiephillips.com
Phone: 860.246.2323
Anthony Grant, Vice President
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Joy Chance-Blake
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Shauna Brown
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Suzette DeBeatham-Brown, Treasurer
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Melinda DeBeatham-Terrell
Professional Summary
Qualified Claims Representative versed in investigating claims, verifying information and managing settlements. Friendly and upbeat team player with organized and disciplined approach. Offering 38 years of insurance experience.
Analytical problem-solver with excellent communication skills. Effective at interviewing claimants, compiling records and documenting findings. Well-versed in insurance policies, practices and standards.
Licensed in multiple states.
Highly trained professional with a background in verifying insurance benefits and creating appropriate patient documentation. An established Insurance Verification Specialist known for handling various office tasks with undeniable ease
Insurance Professional
Claim Adjuster 5/1984 - 11/2003 Travelers
Special Office Claim Representative 11/2003 - Current MetLife/Farmers Insurance
Education
Associate of Science
Business Administration/Management 05/1985
Greater Hartford Community College - Hartford
St. Joseph College
Community Service
Community Leader
Served on the West Indian Celebration committee, and was instrumental in organizing and running portions of a parade.
Entertainment chair for The Taste of the Caribbean Arts and Culture 2004 - 2023
President of The Taste of the Caribbean Arts and Culture 2014 - 2023
Board member West Indian Foundation
Assistant Minister of music/ Choir director at Rehoboth Church of God
Married to Bernard Terrell Jr.
Mother to S. Joshua Antoine and Clarisa A. Gadson (niece)
Hugh B. Freeney
Mr. Hugh B Freeney is one of the founders of the West Indian Foundation and the foundation's first president. After seeing the success of organizations such as La Casa De Puerto Rico, he felt the need to do things to assist the English-speaking Caribbean Community. He served on the board of directors from 1978 to 1982. He made the first donation on behalf of the foundation by hiring Attorney Syd Schulman to write the West Indian Foundation By-Laws and Constitution and help the organization officially attain its status. After leaving the organization, he also served as president and treasurer for many other community organizations. Upon his return, over the past 15 years, the Freeney Family has donated approximately $100,000 to the West Indian Foundation in the areas of education & cultural events.
Tudy Miller-Fulton, Communications
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Violette Haldane
Violette O. Haldane, entrepreneur, and community advocate is passionate about people in the communities where she lives and works. Ms. Haldane works on a consulting basis with hospitals, nonprofits, and government agencies helping them with community engagement on numerous topics from the “digital divide” to the literacy gap. She identifies problems and offers solutions using her analytical, organizational, project management, and communication skills. She is a co-founder of “Advocacy to Legacy, Inc.”, a non-profit which educates individuals, families, and communities on how to advocate for themselves in order to change lives and policy. She has a BA in Communications from the University of Connecticut and an MBA from the University of Hartford. She is a 2009 CT Health Foundation Fellow. In 2018, she was acknowledged as one of the “100 Woman of Color” honorees. Ms. Haldane was born in Jamaica, West Indies but considers Ct her home. She is the proud mom of Eva and Joshua.
Nickhadian Lynch
Nickhadian is an experienced Human Resources professional with over 15 years of experience in various Human Resources and Leadership roles. Nickhadian currently works as a Human Resources Manager for a local Federally Qualified Health Center dedicated to improving whole person health in the community regardless of socio-economic backgrounds.
Nickhadian prides herself in being a results focused leader. She is dedicated to creating robust corporate cultures that promotes continuous business growth, by empowering and motivating employees to realize their full potentials. She possesses experience in all areas of HR including recruiting, transformational leadership, onboarding, employee relations, performance management, leadership training and development, workers compensation, and benefits.
Nickhadian has a BA in Business Management, with a specialization in Human Resources from Johnson & Wales University, MBA in Organizational leadership with a Human Resource specialization from Ashford University and is currently pursuing a Doctor of Business Administration in Organizational Leadership & Development from Capella University.
Gian Grant-McGarvey
Gian Grant-McGarvey, MD, MPH is a physician completing her Family Medicine Residency at the University of Connecticut (UCONN), where she will serve as Co-Chief during her final year. While obtaining her Master’s in Public Health, Gian completed a thesis exploring the racial disparity within skin cancer prevention and education. During her academic training, she has served as a mentor at the UCONN Health Career Opportunity Programs working with high school students from underserved areas. Her current academic interests include establishing an anti-racism medical curriculum and practicing preventative medicine in underserved populations. She was born in St. Ann, Jamaica but has lived in the Greater-Hartford Region for most of her life. Her interests outside of medicine include traveling, reading, and spending time with family. She looks forward to giving back to the West Indian community that has shaped her to be who she is today.
Dr. Kaydian Reid
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2023 Board of Directors
Violette Haldane, President
Hugh B. Freeney, Vice President
Lisa Lazarus, Interim Secretary
LeRoy Smith, Treasurer
Sonia Worrell Asare, Esq.
Joy Chance-Blake
Curtis Clarke
Penny Davis
Anthony Grant
Gian Grant-McGarvey
Althea Gray
Jacqueline Lucier
Nickhadian Lynch
Jackie Phillips, EdD
Dr. Fiona Vernal
2022 Board of Directors
Violette Haldane, President
Hugh Freeney, Vice President
Janice Castle, Recording Secretary
Gary Rhule, MD, Corresponding Secretary
Leroy Smith, Treasurer
Lisa Lazarus, Assistant Treasurer
Sonia Worrell Asare, Esq.
Joy Chance
Curtis Clarke
Anthony Grant
Althea Gray
Jacqueline M. Lucier
Fiona Vernal, PhD