Meet the Board
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SHARNICE A. JONES, MPH
Founder & Executive Director
SHARNICE JONES, MPH Founder, and Executive Director. Sharnice of Success 1st is also an author, entertainer, and speaker. Sharnice expressed an interest volunteering in the community while in elementary school. Sharnice's inquisitive nature led to the founding of "Success 1st" a 501c3 non-profit organization during her senior year of high school. Through Success 1st, Sharnice developed a means of encouraging her high school peers, friends, and family to join her in making healthy choices to support personal success. Public service remained an import facet of Sharnice life through graduate school and passion for contributing to world in a positive way continues. Sharnice has worked or volunteered in multiple states domestically as well as abroad. These opportunities expanded passion and interest into compassion and understanding.
Sharnice is Program Director of Patients’ Rights Advocacy, Sharnice's directs the organization's advocacy for patients in Alameda, San Mateo and Marin Counties. The department that Sharnice leads in instrumental in responding to questions from patients in psychiatric hospitals and mental-health facilities, monitoring facilities for compliance with regulations, and preparing involuntary patients for hearings and standing by people with mental health conditions.
LAKIA M. SCOTT, Ph.D.
VP of Straegy & Innovation
"LAKIA M. SCOTT, Ph.D. as of July 2023, Lakia is the Assistant Provost of. Faculty Development and Diversity at Yale University. Immediately prior, Lakia served as an Associate Professor and Graduate Program Coordinator in the Department of Curriculum & Instruction at Baylor University. Currently, Dr. Scott teaches sociocultural foundations courses at the undergraduate and graduate level.
Dr. Scott has amassed over 15 years of combined experiences at the elementary, secondary, undergraduate, and graduate teaching levels. Dr. Scott is a recognized scholar in the field of Urban Education, where she has a host of research publications, co-authored and co-edited books, book chapters, and educational evaluation reports. Dr. Scott is a two-time HBCU alumnus, hailing from Texas Southern University (BA in Journalism, 2005) and Prairie View A&M University (MSEd in Curriculum and Instruction, 2009). She received her PhD in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte (2014). Dr. Scott is also well-known for her work in recapturing the historical and contemporary significance of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) through a host of book publications.
MARIETTA WILLIS, Phd
VP of Technology
Dr. Marietta Willis of Houston TX is a founding member of the board supporting the vision and mission from inception and contributing to the online presence of the organization and to encouraging youth interest in entrepreneurship and developing multiple streams of income.
Dr. Marietta Willis serves as the CEO of several entities. Richmond Capital Solutions, LLC, is a nationwide multi-facet financial firm that helps investors, business owners, and consumers establish financial sustainability by assisting in the procurement of capital beyond the confines of conventional lending criteria. Strategic Growth Alliance 366 LLC, is one of the leading minority-owned, and women-owned, business consulting and development agencies providing premier support services to established and aspiring entrepreneurs. SGA TV Network is an entertainment platform built around the content of independent artists a platform not only to showcase their work but a place of collaboration among artists. 366 SkyLounge and Event Center an upscale cocktail lounge and transformative event space atop a 20-story atrium high rise in the midst of the North Houston District. Last but not least she is the COO of Strategic Growth Leaders Bible University. SGLU, an online Christian University offers an entrepreneur program designed to equip students with the essential components needed for market sustainability, empowering them to build growth-oriented businesses.
For the past 10 years, she has served as Vice President of the Success 1st (Success First) 501c3 nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering youth to share their ideas, goals, and experiences while encouraging peers to do the same. Success 1st seeks to ensure that youth realize the advantages of making their goals of success their primary focus.
She has also volunteered and served as Co-Chair of the Pink Ribbon Café for the Susan G Komen Houston Race for the Cure for 4 years. The Pink Ribbon Café serves the survivors of breast cancer during the race each year.
Marietta is a recipient of the 2021 President’s Lifetime Achievement Award and Volunteer Service Award for her commitment to building a stronger nation through volunteer service. She was also presented with a Certificate of Congressional Recognition by Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee.
ALANA SWINTON
Vice President
ALANA SWINTON is a Research Assistant at The Chemours Company, and serves transitioned from youth volunteer, to board Secretary, to Vice President of the Success 1st board of Trustees in November of 2022. Alana began volunteering with Success 1st and taking on various roles of leadership including planning and delivering programs whiles in high school. While attending Rowan University, Alana continued serving as Youth Council Leader. After graduating from College, Alana joined the Success 1st Board of Trustees serving as Committee Outreach Chair.
At Chemours, Alana applies her degree in Chemistry as Research Assistant, Alana has 2+ years of experience biophysical chemistry research. In this role, Alana also analyzes experimental data using analysis programs such as OriginLab and Microsoft Excel. Alana collaborates with a team to process quantitative experimental data into qualitative data. Additional skills include Customer Service in a high functioning environment.
CARLOTTA JONES
President
CARLOTTA JONES, President, Success 1st, Inc. Board President, and a founding member of the board of trustees. A life-long learner with a commitment to community service, Carlotta considers it a privilege to support Sharnice's vision for helping young people be safe, smart, and successful.
Carlotta holds a BA in Community and Family Service from Lamar University, Beaumont, TX. Carlotta has over 25 years of experience in front line leadership including, department leadership, and program management. Areas of leadership expertise include collections, sales, and customer service. Recognized as a resulted oriented leader, strong communicator, and skilled motivator, who is focused on solutions that address current and emerging issues. Carlotta has supported the success of numerous organizations through team and department management. Carlotta is a manager supporting performance enhancement focused on Customer Care at Pepco Holdings Inc., an Exelon Company. Areas of responsibility include customer satisfaction, customer service, cross-department collaboration, and first-contact resolution.
CARLA CLEMENTS, Ph.D.x & CRNP
VP of Education
Carla P. Clements, PhD, CRNP is a doctoral-prepared skin scientist, nurse practitioner, health educator, and community advocate and a founding member of the Success 1st Board of Trustees.
Ms. Clements is passionate about providing the best possible care for our nation’s heroes and served tirelessly working in the Emergency Department as a front-line charge nurse throughout the pandemic surge.
In her present role as the Service Chief for the Philadelphia VA Office of Connected Care, she leads an interdisciplinary team of 30 healthcare professionals. The Office of Connected Care focuses on improving healthcare through virtual technology by engaging Veterans and care teams outside of traditional healthcare visits.
Additionally, Ms. Clements enjoys mentoring STEM high school students who participate in the NAACP ACTSO program. She has served on the advisory committee for the New Jersey STEM Pathways initiative and is a member of the Healthy New Jersey 2030 (HNJ2030) Implementation Committee. HNJ 2030 is a statewide initiative that establishes a framework and determines topic areas to address the needs of improving the health of all NJ residents.
MALACHI SHY
Treasurer
MALACHI SHY Corporate Accountant at ServiceNow recieved a Bachelor's Degree in Accounting form Montclair State University in 2021. Recognized for critical thinking, problem solving, and communication skills, Malachi is committed to supporting positive change in the community as well as professional and personal success. Malachi is passionate about exposure to the arts as a means of connecting communities and addressing emotions. "The question of how can we produce/sell/grow more means nothing if how can we perform better work is not first answered."
ALANA SWINTON is a Research Assistant at The Chemours Company, and serves transitioned from youth volunteer, to board Secretary, to Vice President of the Success 1st board of Trustees in November of 2022. Alana began volunteering with Success 1st and taking on various roles of leadership including planning and delivering programs whiles in high school. While attending Rowan University, Alana continued serving as Youth Council Leader. After graduating from College, Alana joined the Success 1st Board of Trustees serving as Committee Outreach Chair.
At Chemours, Alana applies her degree in Chemistry as Research Assistant, Alana has 2+ years of experience biophysical chemistry research. In this role, Alana also analyzes experimental data using analysis programs such as OriginLab and Microsoft Excel. Alana collaborates with a team to process quantitative experimental data into qualitative data. Additional skills include Customer Service in a high functioning environment.
ALANA SWINTON
Vice President