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Dive Deeper into BEAM

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SWIPE TO DIVE DEEPER

Our Team + Board

Get to know our staff and board of directors.

Staff Members

Dayo Akinyemi_

Dayo Akinyemi (she/her)

Director of Communications

Dayo is a listener and a health communicator whose main goal is to make health information accessible and relevant to different audiences, particularly communities of color. She believes that meaningful communications honor the lived experiences of those you are communicating with. Her work has included managing the communications for a large, NIH-funded study focused on queer men of color, and garnering media interest for health and science at Tufts University School of Medicine. Dayo is an avid reader, and primarily reads books authored by women of color. One of her favorite authors is Octavia E. Butler.

Khadijah R. Barber

Khadijah R. Barber (she/her)

Executive Administrator

Khadijah brings passion to structure and enjoys creating processes that support growth. She has BA in psychology and a PhD in LIFE — living, learning, unlearning and learning anew. Khadijah enjoys reading, traveling with her family and creating spaces that support calmness, relaxation and healing, specifically for black women.  

Skye Barclay

Skye Barclay (she/her)

Communications Coordinator

Skye is a social media and communications specialist. She is committed to amplifying voices in the Black community and spreading mental health resources to communities of color. After over half a decade of working on numerous wide-reaching marketing campaigns, she has developed a community-oriented approach for creating meaningful content that resonates with people. In her free time, she can be found traveling the world, learning different languages, and roller skating. Skye holds a B.F.A. in Film & Television from Chapman University where she minored in Advertising.

Cydney Brown_

Cydney Brown (they/them)

Training Coordinator

Cydney Brown began their career in LGBTQ youth, sexual health liberation, and HIV advocacy, which led them to focusing their work in healing justice. They are currently a member of the Transmasculine Health Justice: LA advisory board and research team. Cydney is deeply invested in the nourishment and empowerment of Black queer and trans people and views holistic, community oriented healthcare as a critical necessity for a better society. They are a proud graduate of the illustrious Howard University, holding a Bachelor's degree in Psychology in addition to two Master’s degrees in Public Health and Applied Gender Studies from Claremont Graduate University. Outside of their work, Cydney is on their path to becoming an Olorisa, a priest within the Ifa/Orisa spiritual tradition.

Graciela Cain_

Graciela Cain (they/them)

Training Coordinator

Graciela began their career supporting grassroots organizations in the South, and became passionate about sex education through their past work with queer youth around HIV advocacy. They are committed to developing coalition around building safe futures for queer and trans folks, specifically in the South, and addressing housing injustice among marginalized communities. Graciela is also passionate about being a student and a musician, as well as reading. They love to use music, art, and a “Do It Yourself” approach to deepen connections and promote understanding of movement work.

Noelle Folden-McDowell_

Noelle Folden-McDowell (she/her)

Director of Finance

Noelle is an Accounting/Finance superstar with over 10 years of experience in the nonprofit sector. She is committed to uplifting equality for the Black community, and creating work environments where we all have a seat at the table. She received her undergraduate degree at DeVry University in Business/Accounting, and her MBA at Keller Graduate School of Management. During her free time, she loves to travel and spend time with her family.

L'Oréal McCollum_

L’Oréal McCollum (she/her)

Training Manager

L'Oréal – artist, educator, and healing practitioner – holds 15+ years of experience in community health & wellbeing, training & education, the healing arts, social activism, public affairs, communication media, and entertainment. Her focus areas of research, practice, and facilitation include the intersection between mental & sexual health, sexual & intimate partner violence, LGBTQ+ health equity, sexual revictimization, post-traumatic growth, and radical joy as a healing-centered practice. In addition to her work with BEAM, she is a licensed social worker (clinical track), alumna of Widener University's M.Ed./MSW program in Human Sexuality Studies and Clinical Social Work, and a vinyl DJ.

Leroy Mitchell_

Leroy Mitchell (he/him)

Training Manager

Leroy has extensive experience in working with traditionally marginalized communities--in particular young men of color--with education, career, and identity development. Leveraging his work as a college counselor, and personal experiences as a former college athlete, Leroy builds community where people may develop healthy ideals of self and masculinity to manifest their full selves and lead healthy lives.

Natalie Patterson_

Natalie Patterson (she/her)

Trainer

Natalie (she/her) can best be identified as a Teaching Artist, she uses her dynamic range of expertise to masterfully make tangible abstract concepts. Natalie has the unique ability to bridge one’s personal experiences with the larger cultural occurrences using art, performance and custom workshops. Over the last 18 years, Natalie has crafted time-tested approaches to fostering cultures of growth, curiosity, compassion, and integrity. As a poet and educator, she has worked extensively in non-profit, higher education and with major brands like Sephora, Uproxx, The United Way, Summit, Darling Magazine, Adidas Women, TASTEMADE and SoulPancake. She speaks her mind, from inspiration to social justice she is equally inspired.

Yolo Akili Robinson

Yolo Akili Robinson (he/him)

Founder and Executive Director

Yolo Akili Robinson is an award-winning writer, healing justice worker, yogi and the founder and Executive Director of BEAM (Black Emotional and Mental Health Collective). Yolo has worked primarily in three areas: Batterers intervention/family counseling with Black men and boys, HIV/AIDS, and healing justice/wellness. In 2018, Yolo was awarded the prestigious Robert Wood Johnson Foundation "Health Equity Award" for his work. He was also featured at the 2020 BET Awards as an "Empowerful Spotlight," highlighting his work facilitating the vision of BEAM. His writings and work have appeared on Shondaland, GQ, Women's Health, USA Today, Vice, BET, Huffington Post, Cassius, Ebony, Everyday Feminisms and more. He is the author of the social justice themed affirmation book, "Dear Universe: Letters of Affirmation & Empowerment for All of Us" (Michael Todd Books, 2016) and a contributor to Tarana Burke and Dr. Brené Brown's anthology on Black vulnerability and shame resilience, "You are Your Best Thing" (2021, Random House Books).

Board of Directors

Headshot of Martine Agatston

Martine Seiden Agatston

Tax Associate, Proskauer Rose LLP

Headshot of Vignetta Charles

Vignetta Charles, PhD, MPH
Board Chair

Chief Executive Officer, ETR

Headshot of Nicole Clark

Nicole Clark, LMSW

Nicole Clark Consulting, LLC

Headshot of Angela Knudson

Angela Knudson, MPH

Community Impact Lead, AAA Northern California, Nevada & Utah

Headshot of Dannielle Thomas

Dannielle Thomas, MA
Board Secretary

Chief Operations Officer, Social Insights Research

Headshot of Nick Washington

Nick Washington, CPA
Board Treasurer

Vice President, Corporate Accounting Policies, JPMorgan Chase & Co.

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