Our Vision
Successful Kids Learning Solutions, Inc. was founded to help vulnerable children who live in Clayton County to escape the bonds of poverty and hopelessness by providing education, life skills, values and a caring environment that will empower them to successfully move into the mainstream of society.
About
Successful Kids Learning Solutions
Successful Kids Learning Solutions, Inc is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization. This organization was formed to complement the efforts and to sponsor the work done by Successful Kids Learning Center. Successful Kids Learning Solutions, Inc serves as a governing body and as an advisory committee for the day-to-day operations of the daycare center. Specialized initiatives conducted at the center will be in part funded by Successful Kids Learning Solutions. Members of our Board of Directors and our Advisory Committee were selected for the expertise held by each of them in his or her profession. Each member has an affinity for working with children and helping them to reach their full potential. No child should have a compromised ability to thrive because of a lack of resources. Successful Kids Learning Solutions will monitor the center’s compliance to standard operating procedures. Board members will serve as compliance officers in various aspects of the center’s activities. The non-profit also maintains the patented products that are utilized by the center. Acquiring innovative age-appropriate teaching tools as well as the development of these tools is a priority for the Board of Directors. Seeking grants to support funding initiatives conducted by the center is one of the responsibilities of Successful Kids Learning Solutions. This non-profit branch of the business exists to fortify and undergird the strength of the center. Together, Successful Kids Learning Center and Successful Kids Learning Solutions, Inc are working to reach a united mission and vision for building brighter futures for our children, our families, and our community.
Meet Our Board of Directors
Patricia Addie-Gentle
Chairman
Patricia Addie-Gentle, RN, BSN, CDE serves as the Executive Director for Successful Kids Learning Solutions, Inc and also serves as Chairman of the Board of Directors. She is the co-founder of the company. As a practicing registered nurse and certified diabetes educator residing in Clayton County, Patricia sees the need for the services to impact the rising Georgia statistic for obesity, diabetes and other chronic conditions that endangers the health of our neighborhoods. Successful Kids Learning Solutions is dedicated to the mission of impacting the lives of children and their families. Patricia is a native of Newnan, Coweta County, Georgia. She earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing from the Medical College of Georgia in Augusta, Georgia. She furthered her education at the Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing at Emory University with a concentration in geriatric nursing. Through her work as a certified diabetes educator and with her keen interest on global impact and cultural implications of diabetes, Patricia has been afforded the opportunity to travel to China and to South Africa to obtain first-hand knowledge concerning diabetes management, treatment and other implications for care. Patricia finds it rewarding to educate others and to facilitate lasting behavior change. Her spare time hobbies include traveling, spending time with family and being an advocate for the underserved.
Earleen Ashby
Treasurer
Earleen Ashby is a native of Sanford North Carolina and has resided in Clayton County, Georgia for the past 30 years. She was raised in Rhode Island, where she received her degree as a Registered Nurse from Rhode Island Jr. College. She has worked as a clinical staff RN and in management in Rhode Island, in California and Atlanta, Georgia. She retired from Emory University Crawford Long Midtown in Maternal & Infant Health after 17 years of service. Having worked as a nurse for 35 years she has strived to help improve the health and education of families. Nursing has always been her first love. She is the proud mother of 3 grown children, grandmother of 11 and great grandmother of 2. Her hobbies are gardening, traveling, and writing. She enjoys helping family and spending time with the grandchildren. She is a proud member of the Successful Kids Learning Solutions Board of Directors and serves as the Treasurer.
Geralene Ashby
Geralene “Joy” Ashby is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker who is passionate about helping others. Joy earned her BA in Sociology/Psychology and MSW degrees from Georgia State University. She has worked with children, adolescents, and adults during her career in settings including the Department of Family and Children Services, private and state Psychiatric Hospitals, and the Suicide Prevention Hotline. She has been working for the Department of Veterans Affairs since 2016.
Juanitress Cofield
Co-Chair
Juanitress Morris Cofield is a School-Based Speech Language Pathologist who works for Fulton County Schools and services the students at Oakley Elementary. In this role, Mrs. Cofield is responsible for speech and language evaluations, providing services to students with Speech-Language Impairments, collaborating with teachers as well as parents. In addition, she is the Exceptional Education Team Lead at Oakley and Team Lead for one of the South Cluster Speech Department Teams. As Team Lead, Mrs. Cofield works collaboratively with Exceptional Education Teachers to assist with maintaining compliance, creating Individualized Education Plans, communicates regularly with administrators as a liaison for Oakley’s Special Education Department, provides guidance for staff new to the team and conducts monthly team meetings. Mrs. Cofield is passionate about remediating impaired communication skills. Realizing that to be effective, she uses a variety of approaches and a range of learning modalities to engage the students and facilitate generalizing learned skills. Mrs. Cofield has managed to create a bridge between what happens in therapy with what is needed to access the curriculum. Technology and digital learning tools are consistently embedded into therapy sessions to enhance communication, practice learned skills or as an alternative to written responses. Mrs. Cofield is no stranger to working on projects that require planning, coordinating and executing. She has been the Chairperson for Church-Wide Conferences, part of Strategic Planning Teams (professionally and personally) and First Day Fulton Volunteer. Mrs. Cofield completed her Bachelor of Arts Degree in Speech-Language Pathology from South Carolina State University and a Master of Education Degree in Speech-Language Pathology from Armstrong State University. She has sharpened her skills by attending numerous Assistive Technology Classes/Conferences, taken classes in Instructional Technology and completed a certification course at Georgia Perimeter College for Wedding Planning and Coordination. To ensure that she can service a variety of students, Mrs. Cofield attends Fulton County’s Autism Academy classes to broaden her skills for working with students who have been diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Mrs. Cofield is a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated, and works with youth participants on the Emancipation Proclamation Program in her hometown of Griffin to prepare for the program that commemorates the signing of the Emancipation document. Mrs. Cofield is never far from youth. She spends time with her 3 great nephews and 1 great niece supporting their endeavors in educational programs and extracurricular activities. Mrs. Cofield is proud to say that she is supported by her husband Cecil and they have 2 adult children (Caleb & Ivy) whom they are very proud. She serves as the Co-Chair of the Successful Kids Learning Solutions Board of Directors.
Marsha Crowder
Marsha Crowder is a native of LaGrange, Georgia. She is a 1984 graduate of Troup County High School. She is also a proud graduate of Morris Brown College. Marsha is currently an educator with the Clayton County School System where she has been employed for the last 27 years. She has served as a 1st, 2nd, and 3rd grade teacher. She has also been a Literacy Coach and she has taught numerous staff development courses. Marsha has a passion for improving literacy skills for all students.
Marsha and her husband currently reside in Clayton County Georgia. They are the proud parents of three children: Andrew, Raven and Jocelyn. In her spare time she enjoys spending time with her family and traveling. She is a proud member of the Successful Kids Learning Solutions Board of Directors.
Cynthia Finney
Dr. Cynthia Finney, PT, DPT is a native of Newnan, Ga. where she currently resides. She has worked as a physical therapist for the past 37 years. Dr. Finney, is the Director of Rehabilitation Services at Piedmont Newnan Hospital where she has been employed for over twenty-five years. She received a B.A. in Psychology from the University of Georgia, a B.S. in Physical Therapy from Georgia State University, and a doctorate in Physical Therapy from Alabama State University. Dr. Finney believes in the power of positive engagement with youth and the community as exhibited by her involvement in professional and civic organizations. She is a member of the American Physical Therapy Association, the NAACP, the Newnan Chapter of Continental Societies, Inc. and Phi Pi Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. in which she was charter member and served as the first president. She currently serves on the board of the Boys and Girls Club of Metro Atlanta Newnan-Coweta and Howard Warner Clubs. Dr. Finney contributes her success to the positive input from her family, as well as, the many people who are too many to name from her community. She is the proud mother of 2 and grandmother of 1.
Dr. Finney is excited to be a part of the Successful Kids Board of Directors.
Judge Sonyja George
Judge George began her legal career as an attorney with Cobb County Juvenile Court, where she served for 7 years as a Juvenile Defense Attorney, representing juveniles charged with delinquent acts as well as parents involved in child abuse and neglect cases. In addition to working with Juvenile Court, Judge George started the Law Offices of Sonyja J. George P.C., a full service law firm handling a wide variety of Civil and Criminal Defense matters. She later went on to serve as a Special Assistant Attorney General Associate, representing The Department of Family and Children Services.
Judge George began her career with Clayton County Magistrate Court as a part-time Judge and shortly thereafter was promoted to a full-time position. She serves as a part-time Adjunct Professor with Georgia State University. In addition to her professional obligations, Judge George devotes her time to Community and Bar-related activities. She frequently serves as a Career Day Speaker for various schools, and Mock Trial Volunteer Judge. Judge George is a member of the Georgia State Bar Association, Clayton County Bar Association, Gate City Bar Association (Judicial Section), and Georgia Association of Black Women Attorneys (Mentor). Judge George is a recipient of the 2019 Georgia State University Alumni 40 under 40 award. She is a 2020 graduate of the Judicial and Public Office Academy. When not working, Judge George enjoys spending time with her family, and serving as a mentor and volunteer with her church.
Judge George received her Bachelor of Arts from Georgia State University and her Juris Doctor from John Marshall Law School.
Voncile Owens
Voncile Owens is a native of Alabama but currently resides in the state of Georgia. She matriculated through the Covington County School system. She furthered her education @ University of Alabama obtaining a Bachelor of Science Degree in Nursing. After receiving her degree, she worked in the field of Critical Care, Adult Medicine, Pediatric, Ambulatory Care, Case Management, Obstetric, Mother-baby, Hospice & have held management position of Assistant Head Nurse, Head Nurse & Clinical Manager. She also worked as a Case Manager providing health education, coaching and treatment decision support. Through her love for people, education & work experiences; she has impacted her community through community Health Fairs & through faith based organizations. Through various screening endeavors she has been able to identify critical health issues which resulted in the initiation of ongoing treatment with healthcare providers. From this experience, the vision for a faith based organization, Candy Stripe Ministry was birthed. It involves youth ages 11-18. Since its implementation, the organization has been an integral part of the ongoing operation in church ministry. Voncile’s greatest accomplishment is her marriage of more than 40 years. They are the parents of 6 children and 4 grandchildren. Her ultimate goal is to continue to strive to reach the standard set by her parents, believing that she can do all things through Christ who strengthen her. Voncile is a proud, dedicated member of the Successful Kids Learning Solutions Board of Directors.
Shamecqua Ross Thompson
Secretary
Shamecqua Ross Thompson is from Atlanta, Ga. She grew up in the city attending Atlanta Public Schools until high school. It was then that she moved to Clayton County and completed high school at Mt. Zion High School. Shamecqua attended Valdosta State University until she became too homesick and transferred to Clayton State where she obtained my BA in Integrative Studies with a focus on English. Shamecqua later earned my M.ED in Special Education from Kaplan University. After working for corporate America for less than a year and feeling a void, my first calling of being around kids sparked me to follow my heart. She decided to follow my original plans and became a Special Education Teacher for Clayton County Public Schools where she was employed in the middle school setting for 6 years. During this time, Shamecqua also tutored homeless students in shelters and group homes throughout the county. Feeling the need to give back to APS and to be a part of the rebranding of the district in which she gained her foundation and became employed for Atlanta Public Schools. Today, she is an elementary school teacher working with 3rd and 5th graders with learning and behavior disorders. She has received numerous awards including Teacher of the Year (15-16), Aspiring Leader Award (14-15), Teacher of the Month, High Student Growth Stipend, and more. Shamecqua is happily married with two young children: Marcus (7) and Khylee (5). It is an honor to serve on Successful Kids Board of Directors
Meet Our Advisory Committee
Dr. Gertrude B. Arrington, F.A.A.P. is a graduate of Meharry Medical College School of Medicine in Nashville, Tennessee. She is a board-certified pediatrician. Dr. Arrington completed her residency at Bowman Gray School of Medicine Affiliated Hospitals. Her internship was done at Wake Forest University located in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Dr. Arrington established Kids Avenue Pediatrics, LLC in 2002.
Laurita M. Burley, PhD, RDN, LD received a Bachelor of Science degree in food administration, and a Master of Science degree in food science and human nutrition from Tuskegee Institute (University), and a Doctor of Philosophy degree in educational policy studies with a concentration in higher education and focus in sociohistorical and cultural analysis from Georgia State University. She has taught students in healthcare professions at various levels of the college and university system. In the area of clinical services, she has provided medical nutrition therapy to individuals of various cultural and ethnic groups with primary emphasis on the prevention and management of chronic disease. Her experience in community nutrition includes conducting workshops and in-service training for health care providers, employee health groups, and lay audiences. She is an Adjunct Clinical Assistant Professor (Retired) in the Department of Family Medicine, Morehouse School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia. Dr. Burley is a proud member of the Successful Kids Learning Solutions Advisory Committee.
Dr. Lenore Coleman received her Doctor of Pharmacy degree from the University of California, San Francisco. She completed an ASHP approved residency in Ambulatory Care at the USC School of Pharmacy.
Dr. Coleman has been a practicing pharmacist for over 36 years and has worked as a clinical pharmacist in Acute Care, Ambulatory Care, Long Term Care, and Community Pharmacy settings. Within each of these practice settings, Dr. Coleman has focused on the care and management of people with diabetes.
Dr. Coleman holds the title of Adjunct Professor, Xavier College of Pharmacy. A Certified Diabetes Educator of 18 years, Dr. Coleman provides education and drug therapy management to ethnic populations nationwide. Dr. Coleman is currently the Executive Director and Founder of Total Lifestyle Change, Inc. (TLC), a non‐profit service organization dedicated to eliminating health care disparities in ethnic populations www.tlc‐global.org. As part of TLC Dr. Coleman has open a Wellness Center based in Jonesboro Georgia. She has developed Project FAITH and Operation DETECT: A Cardiovascular Risk Reduction Program for Faith‐Based and Community Based Organizations. In addition, Dr. Coleman has developed a video/radio broadcasting platform through Village Talk to address the following topics; diabetes prevention, criminal justice, drug abuse and behavioral health issues, and Recycling of Black Dollars.
Dr. Coleman is President and Founder of Healing Our Village of Maryland, Inc. a nationally certified minority business‐ www.healingourvillage.com. Healing Our Village provides diabetes and Asthma/COPD education nationwide with certified program in Washington DC as well as a medication therapy management and health education programming via internet to consumers, federally qualified health centers, hospitals and physicians offices throughout the United States, Caribbean and Africa. She provides technology enabled care to Managed Medicaid Health Plans and small urban hospitals. www. Healingourvillage.com. In March 1996, Dr. Coleman became a Fellow of the American Society of Health System Pharmacists which represents sustained excellence in a practice area for more than 10 years.
Albert B. Collier is a Georgia native. He has lived in Clayton County, Georgia since 1966. Collier graduated from Valdosta State University with a bachelor’s degree in Sociology and an emphasis on Criminal Justice. While employed as a probate/intake officer, he attended law school in the evening. In 1982, he graduated with his law degree from the Woodrow Wilson College of Law. In 1987, he obtained a Master’s of law in litigation from the Woodrow Wilson College of Law. Albert B. Collier was elected to the Clayton Superior Court in 1998. He was re-elected four times and retired in December 2017. Prior to his appointment to the bench, Collier was an assistant district attorney in Clayton County from 1983 to 1998. He began his career as a probate/intake officer with the Clayton County Juvenile Court. As judge, Collier presided over the Clayton County Adult Felony Drug Court from 2009 to 2017. He has served as an adjunct professor with Clayton State College and State University, teaching Criminal Procedure in the Paralegal Program. He also served on the Clayton/Fayette Advisory Board at the Jonesboro Corps of the Salvation Army. Collier has been married for more than 35 years. He and his wife are the proud parents of 3 adult children. Successful Kids Learning Solutions is proud to have Judge Collier to serve as a member of the Advisory Committee.
Patti Collier
Denine Rogers, MS, RDN, LD, FAND, is an Integrative Registered Licensed Dietitian Nutritionist, and owner of Living Healthy which is unique nutrition, health, and wellness consulting business in Douglasville, Georgia in Douglas County. Denine has been a wellness and nutritional lifestyle management consultant for over the past 15 years to food service companies, hospitals, federal government programs, educational institutions, corporations, small businesses and healthcare facilities. She is a fellow of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, received her Bachelor's Degree in Clinical Nutrition from Howard University and has recently graduated with honors with a Master’s Degree in Complementary and Alternative Medicine. She holds a graduate certificate in Herbal Medicine from the American College of Health Sciences. She is also a member of Delta Epsilon Tau International Honor Society. She has also completed work as a Nutritional Consultant Speaker for Abbott Nutrition about Malnutrition, Gerontological Nutrition, Health Disparities, Women, Minorities and the African American Nutritional Communities. Denine currently works full-time as a Telemedicine Nutritional Consultant with Anthem (Blue Cross and Blue Shield) where she also serves as co-chair of the Anthem e-Commerce Committee of APEX (African-American Professional Exchange). She is currently employed part-time as an Integrative Functional Dietitian Preceptor for Life University, Marietta, GA and as a Lecturer for Life University students on Nutrition Reimbursement for Private Practices and Careers in Integrative Functional Nutritional Medicine. She is an Alumni Ambassador for American College of Healthcare Sciences (ACHS) and a member of the American Herbal Guild and Georgia Herbal Guild and a contributing writer for the Stone Soup Blogger. Denine is a Volunteer Master Gardener in the State of Georgia where she has been able to work and teach about herbs, gardening, and nutrition in Douglas County local communities, schools, social and civic groups. She has been selected as one of the top ten Dietitians in the Today's Dietitian Magazine.
Successful Kids Learning Solutions, Inc is proud to have Denine to serve on the Advisory Committee.
