Marcella Wilson, Ph.D. / Founder and Chief Executive Officer

Marcella is dedicated to changing the nation’s understanding and response to the condition of poverty, from character flaw to a treatable, environmentally based condition. Using science and data, Dr. Wilson has led the development of a long overdue national standard of care to treat poverty. This is the model for Transition to Success® (TTS) - an evidence based methodology that is demonstrated in 7 independent evaluations.

Dr. Wilson’s experience across healthcare, not-for-profit management, criminal justice, education and public sector programming were key in the development of a new ideology and treatment methodology to help those most in need. Today this work has evolved into a social transformation movement, with an ideology promoted by Champions across the country and cited in numerous journals. Together we are challenging and undermining the myths and bias that permeate attitudes, services and policy toward the poor.

Diagnosis: Poverty, a key resource in promoting the TTS ideology, describes Dr. Wilson's experience leading a charity in Detroit as the impetus to the question, “How do you treat poverty?” Today the TTS paradigm and treatment approach is transforming lives in practice, organizations and communities around the country.

Dr. Wilson’s extensive career has included: An appointment by former Michigan Governor Rick Snyder, serving the Commission on Community Action and Economic Opportunity; Membership of the Michigan 211 Board of Directors; a Fellowship for the National Alliance for Children and Families; Serving as Co-Chair, Long Term Planning Committee for Detroit Area Agency on Aging; Membership on Wayne State University President’s Advisory; and Membership on the Detroit City Council Returning Citizen Task Force. Dr. Wilson has received numerous honors including Distinguished Alumni by University of Michigan School of Social Work, the Spirit of Detroit Award, the Henry Ford Health System Health Education Achievement and Leadership Award, a State of Maryland Governor’s Citation and the Focus on Women Magazine’s Women of Impact Award. She received an Emmy Award as the creator and executive producer of “WATRUFIGHTN4?” a video and website promoting social activism for youth.

Dr. Wilson’s work and research exposing bias and developing a national standard of care to treat the condition of poverty has been showcased on CBS Evening News, cited in numerous journals, The New York Times and is recognized as a Clinton Global Initiative.

Dr. Wilson, a University of Michigan alumnus, holds degrees in psychology, sociology, a Master's degree in Social Work and a Ph.D. in Health and Higher Education Administration. Her experience includes positions in direct care, management and administration across healthcare, education, human services and not for profit management, including CEO positions in health and human service organizations.

Our Team

Jennifer M. Silverman, Esq. / Director of Operations

As Director of Operations, Jennifer uses her legal background and business acumen to manage day-to-day operations at TTS, including planning and implementing trainings, contract origination and negotiation, curriculum development and marketing. She also oversees human resources and public relations. Jennifer brings to TTS a diverse legal background, including family law and litigation. She graduated from Michigan State University in 2008 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in interdisciplinary studies in social science, and in 2011 received her Juris Doctor from the University of Baltimore School of Law.

Debra Spring / TTS Certified Instructor

Debra has been part of the TTS team since its inception including the development of the curriculum, data tracking and implementation within the largest Head Start program in the City of Detroit. Debra has been training and implementing TTS delivering TTS for over 10 years and is a true supporter of its mission. Through Debra’s leadership the Head Start program in Detroit grew to serve more than 2,000 children, with over 400 employees. She also has created a systems-based quality and compliance operation for a Troy, Michigan, nonprofit. Within that project, her responsibilities included project management, developing systemized client files and reporting documents, and managing major events. Additionally, Debra offers an established record for successful grant proposals, including a $250 million dollar federal award for TTS Integrated Head Start expansion, the largest award in City of Detroit history.

Lucy Shaw-Henderson, B.P.S, M.B.A. / TTS Certified Instructor

Lucy Shaw-Henderson, B.P.S, M.B.A., is a senior-level executive in Memphis with more than 30 years of experience in progressive leadership roles culminating in a position as president and CEO of the Regional Medical Center at Memphis, (The MED), a major academic medical center. During her tenure at The MED, (now known as Region One Hospital), she pioneered one of the first joint venture managed care organizations in Tennessee with the University of Tennessee. Lucy’s expertise is in visionary leadership training, health and wellness, and the provision of health and transformative services for the under-resourced and under-served. Since leaving her CEO position, she has been an entrepreneur consulting with companies seeking strategic repositioning and cultural makeovers. She has practiced as a Naturopath, written and published 4 books, and pastored a church. She is presently a Transformational Life Coach specializing in energy healing, personal/professional performance enhancement and life balance. Lucy is an avid and committed TTS instructor who believes that TTS is not only transformative for the client and community, but essential to #self-care for the human service worker.

TTS Consultants & Instructors

+ Kathleen Brady, PhD / Research & Evaluation Consultant

Kathleen Brady, PhD is the CEO of Community Research Group, an independent organization dedicated to helping communities improve through the strategic use of data. Her expertise is data mining and analysis, community-level research, program evaluation, synthesis of quantitative data, and identification of best practices. Dr. Brady has extensive experience in higher education and community research, having built the Metropolitan Studies Institue at the University of South Carolina Upstate. Dr. Brady has extensive publications and she has served numerous community organizations and nonprofits. Currently, she serves on the Board of Directors for United Way of the Piedmont, the Advisory Board of the Greenville, SC Chamber of Commerce, the Core Team of Spartanburg's Way to Wellville, and the Board of Directors of the New Morning Foundation of South Carolina.

+ Roxane Chan, PhD / RN, AHN-BC

At TTS, Roxane has been instrumental in driving the framework for research, evaluation and continuous quality improvement systems. Currently an assistant professor at Michigan State University, Roxane is an accomplished researcher with extensive experience, including in ethnographic studies and research to identify tracking strategies for integrative healthcare modalities in nursing core curriculum. She received a Ph.D. in nursing and health promotion risk reduction from the University of Michigan and a Master of Science in nursing administrative studies from the University of Illinois at Chicago.

+ Marcia Christiansen / TTS Instructor

Marcia Christiansen has over 30 years extensive experience in education, not-for-profit and for-profit management, government contract administration, employment and training programming and staffing services. Marcia holds a B.S. in Education and a Master’s Degree in Business Administration. For the past 20 years, Marcia has served as Chief Executive Officer of Forward Service Corporation, an organization that administers and operates a broad range of government-funded employment and training programs; operates a wholly-owned full-service staffing firm, ABR Employment Services and an Executive Search firm, The Kinsa Group. Under her leadership, Forward Service Corporation joined the Transition to Success (TTS) national social change movement with a standard of care to treat poverty as an environmentally-based medical condition. Certified as a TTS Instructor, Marcia has trained over 200 Coaches and is leading implementation of TTS across Forward Service Corporation’s 70 service locations in Wisconsin.

+ Cynthia Jones / Website & Communication Facilitator

Cynthia Jones, is an entrepreneur and community activist with a passion to help, encourage, and empower others. She has an MBA in Entrepreneurial Marketing from CTU. She is our Social Media and Communication director. Cynthia has "learned personal experience" using “Mapping My Dreams,” she is a trained TTS coach at her home church, Third New Hope Baptist Church.

Lolita Jones uses her extensive knowledge of medical coding to help improve the documentation, coding, and analysis of social determinants of health data. She is the President and Co-founder of Population Health Analytics Association Incorporated, a non-profit organization formed to provide a community forum and knowledge-based resources for individuals who are passionate about the collection and analysis of data, which is ultimately utilized to improve clinical health outcomes of all populations. Lolita earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Health Records Administration from Temple University, and a Master of Science in Health Sciences degree in Clinical Research Administration from The George Washington University. She also holds a Graduate Certificate in Healthcare Data Analytics, and a Certified Coding Specialist (CCS) credential. Lolita is based in New York and her websites are www.iQueryData.com and www.PHAAI.org.

+ Beki Lockery / TTS Instructor

During her 28-year career Beki has coordinated, developed, and delivered workforce development training; completed training projects related to needs assessments, evaluation, staff development, and Continuous Quality Improvement; and has extensive experience in managing strategic initiatives in organizational development and management.

Beki is a past board member of the National Staff Development and Training Association and co-authored the Training Program and Curriculum Designer Competency Guide for that organization. Beki is 4MAT Adult Learning Theory Level III Certified. In 2016, Beki received the Professional Development Award from the National Association of Workforce Development Professionals. She has her Masters Degree in Public Administration with an emphasis in Program Planning and Evaluation.

+ Joanne Rodriguez LEED AP, CDT / Environmental Justice Consultant

Joanne Rodriguez is the Owner and President of GreenStructure Ltd., a multi-disciplinary, woman-owned small business (WOSB), environmental consulting firm founded in 2012, housing over 30 years of experience greening the built environment. GreenStructure Ltd. focuses on the adaptation and mitigation of air, water, energy and waste impacts. Joanne is a graduate of Capital University, where she received her Bachelor of Arts in English. She has professional certifications in Permaculture Design and Climate Change Communications from Oregon State and Cornell Universities. Ms. Rodriguez is a LEED Accredited Professional, Construction Document and Green Infrastructure Specialist.

+ David Underwood / Faith-Based Organization Consultant

In his role as leader of the Community Care Network, and in partnership with TTS, David is developing and implementing the first faith-based delivery system, serving those in poverty by using TTS methodologies. Always a champion in the fight to eradicate poverty nationwide, David strives to build strategic collaborations among stakeholders in government, education, non-profits, foundations, healthcare, and private and public institutions. He is an active leader at Third New Hope Baptist Church in Detroit as a trustee and member of the health ministry. He is also a board member of the Community Development Corporation (Tri-Unity CDC), where he chairs the fund development committee, and a leader of the Third New Hope Community Care Network. He has more than 34 years of experience working in the public utility industry with DTE Energy; currently he is a principal account manager where he manages over $50 million of DTE Energy revenue. David also served on the advisory board for St. John Providence Health System Work-Life Committee, providing him insight into the challenges health systems face in serving communities. David attended Morehead State University where he received a Bachelor of Arts in business management.

+ Dr. Jan Young / Fund Development & Healthcare Consultant

Dr. Jan Young is a fund development and healthcare consultant for TTS. Dr. Young is a true TTS champion, promoting the work all over the country and leading the largest TTS pilot in the nation. Dr. Wilson describes her as “a star.”

Dr. Young also is the current executive director of The Assisi Foundation of Memphis, where she holds overall accountability for the implementation of the Foundation board’s philanthropic activities, community relations and staff management. Throughout her career, Dr. Young has been an acknowledged servant leader in health care, education, the military and philanthropy with national honors and numerous awards.

She has multiple interests, holds a variety of certifications and has been an invited speaker for local, regional and national conferences. Dr. Young received her Doctor of Nursing Science, as a summa cum laude graduate and recipient of the Faculty Award from the University of Tennessee Health Science College of Nursing.

Her military service began with the U.S. Army Nursing Corps Reserves, later transferring to the Air National Guard. In 2009, Dr. Young was promoted to the rank of Major General; she served her final military assignment as the Air National Guard Assistant to Air Education and Training Command, focusing on national policy issues, analysis and evaluation. After her retirement from the military, she coauthored the book Bridges to Health and Healthcare: New solutions for improving access and services, published in 2014.

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