Anita Daniels is President and CEO of Actualities Ltd, a clinical practice offering behavioral health/wellness, sports counseling/consulting, and addiction treatment. She is also a founding member and first African American female president of the Alliance of Social Workers in Sports. Daniels is also a Licensed Forensic Evaluator for Durham County courts and a Licensed Clinical Social Worker. She has performed a considerable amount of work in the area of diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Prior to holding her current position, Daniels served as Director of Durham Center Access, Director of the City of Durham’s Community Family Life and Recreation Center at Lyon Park, Vice President of Community Planning and Fund Distribution at the United Way of the Greater Triangle, and Assistant Vice President of United Way of Wake County.
Daniels’ community and volunteer experiences are numerous. She was appointed by Governor Roy Cooper to serve a three-year term (2020-2023) on the North Carolina Addictions Specialist Professional Practice Board, Chair of Durham Stepping Up Committee, President of the Durham Chapter of the Links, Inc., Chairperson of the St. Joseph’s Historic Foundation Board of Directors, Vice Chair of the Durham Partnership for Children, Member of Durham Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta, Inc., and Member of the Orange County Human Services Advisory Commission.
She is also an author. Her scholarly articles have appeared in refereed journals and her books are very inspirational and focus on topics ranging from building capacity through philanthropy to personal testimonies of hope and courage.
Daniels was recognized in Spectacular Magazine as Woman of the Year. She is also recipient of the St. Joseph’s Historic Foundation President’s Award.
Ms. Daniels earned a Bachelor of Social Work from East Carolina University. She later earned a Master of Social Work from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a Graduate Certificate in Sports Counseling at California University of Pennsylvania.
DeWarren Langley, a Durham native, holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Management and Economics with a minor in Leadership Studies from Hampton University, and Juris Doctor with a concentration in Civil Rights and Constitutional Law from North Carolina Central University School of Law. He also has a Certificate of Completion in Technology of Participation Group Facilitation Methods from the Institute of Cultural Affairs. In addition, Langley is also a graduate of the Durham Neighborhood College and Citizens Police Academy of the Durham Police Department. Langley serves as vice chairman of the Durham County Juvenile Crime Prevention Council, as Co-Facilitator for Partners Against Crime – District III and Chair of the Public Awareness/Publicity Committee.
Many people talk about the need for diversity, equity, and inclusion; however, very few actually are committed to ensuring that historically underrepresented groups have a meaningful “voice in the businesses and organizations” of which they are a participant. Kurt Merriweather engages in this type of work every day.
Tom is as Co-Founder and Managing Director of Resilient Ventures, LLC, which delivers access to capital, networks, and expertise to companies that are ready to scale.
John Bryson, a graduate of NC Agricultural and Technical State University and career banker, recently retired after forty-one years in the banking industry. He was last employed with PNC Bank as Vice President, Development Advisor and Relationship Manager for the states of North and South Carolina. While serving in this role, Bryson identified lending and investment opportunities around Economic Development, Affordable Housing, Community Revitalization and Stabilization.
Rev. Dr. M. Keith Daniel, owner of Madison Consulting Group, LLC. (MCG) and Co-founder/Managing Director for Resilient Ventures, LLC. Resilient launched in 2019, invests in African American entrepreneurs. Resilient Fund I closed at $3.425M. The firm has invested $2.1M in 11 companies. MCG is devoted to community flourishing through consulting that leads to transforming outcomes for individuals and institutions striving for the greatest common good.
Dr. Debra Parker taught for over 20 years at North Carolina Central University. She was a tenured Behavioral and Social Sciences professor. She earned a B.S. degree in Family and Consumer Science Education and a M.S. in Human Development and Family Relations from North Carolina Central University. She also earned a Master of Education in Special Education, with a concentration on Behaviorally Emotionally Disabled, from the same institution. She then earned her Ph.D. from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro in Family and Consumer Sciences Education, with a minor in Clothing and Textiles, and Exceptional Children (Elementary Education). She is a certified Child and Adolescent Trauma Specialist and Family Trauma Professional. She also holds a teaching licenses/certifications in Family and Consumer Sciences, Disadvantaged/Handicapped, and Birth through Kindergarten (children). Hence, she brings a wealth of experience and expertise in early childhood education, which will be an asset to Built2Last’s childcare entrepreneurs initiative.
Dr. Joyce Blackwell is CEO/President of the Institute for Educational Research, Development and Training LLC, an agency that works with non-profit, government and private sector partners to conduct research, develop and guide strategy, and build capacity to promote evidence-based policies, programs and practices for women and girls of color. For the past 18 months, she has served as consultant/manager of the Durham Compact, which was created by the City of Durham’s Office of Economic and Workforce Development (OEWD) to secure strategic partners for Built2Last-related initiatives.
