Board of Directors
Dr. D’Angelo Taylor, EdPhD
Funding, Community Engagement, and Leadership
Dr. D’Angelo Taylor is a distinguished higher education leader and community advocate with extensive experience in fostering equity, belonging, and student success. He currently serves as the inaugural Vice President for Hope, Unity & Belonging at Belmont University, where he leads institutional initiatives advancing inclusive excellence and oversees compliance and equity efforts.
Previously, Dr. Taylor was Vice President for Student Affairs at Central State University, Ohio’s only public HBCU, and Associate Director of the Multicultural Center at the University of Southern Indiana. He holds a doctorate in Educational Leadership from the University of New England, with additional bachelor’s and master’s degrees in political science from Western Illinois University.
A dedicated servant-leader, Dr. Taylor has served on multiple nonprofit boards, including the John M. Caldwell Community Development Corporation and Brothers Out Saving Souls, Inc. He is a past District Director of Indiana for Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., recognized as the Midwest Region Alumni Brother of the Year in 2016. His impact in education and community development has been widely recognized, including the Missouri Association of College Admissions Counseling “Rising Star Award.”
Dr. Sharon Gates, DSW, MA
It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.
Conor Richardson, M.S.
Bio coming soon
Claudis Polk, Jr
Claudis Polk, Jr. serves as the Systems Program Manager for Community Health and Rural Engagement at UNC Health, where he leads strategic initiatives to improve health outcomes in rural areas and among special populations, with a focus on mental and maternal health.
Previously, he directed the Office of Scholastic Enrichment and Equity (OSEE) at the UNC School of Medicine, overseeing nationally recognized pathway programs and developing the Carolina MED EXCEL conditional acceptance program. His work supporting minority men in medicine has been featured by the AAMC.
Since joining UNC in 2008, Claudis has advanced educational equity, student development, and institutional partnerships, particularly with North Carolina’s HBCUs and MSIs. He holds a B.A. in Psychology from Hampton University, an M.Ed. in Urban Education and School Leadership from Norfolk State University, and is completing a doctorate in Higher Education Management and Leadership at Hampton University.
Joshua Sherman, MD
Community Medicine & Health Education
Born and raised in New Orleans, La, Dr. Sherman received his education & training at Louisiana State University-New Orleans’ School of Medicine before training in Emergency Medicine at the same institution — one of the country’s oldest and most respected EM Residency Programs. As of 2017, Dr. Sherman is a Board-Certified Emergency Physician with Advocate Aurora Health where he currently serves as the Vice Chair & Associate Medical Director of the Advocate Trinity Emergency Department. Dr Sherman also routinely volunteers with various Chicago-based community organizations, demonstrating his dedication to not only his patients in their time of greatest need, but also to the Chicago community as a whole.
Outside of the hospital, Dr. Sherman is a member of The Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc (spr08) & enjoys a host of social activities with family and friends.
Kortney Lucius, M.Sc.
Funding, Community Engagement, and Leadership
It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.