Our Team

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OUR TEAM

Susan L. Taylor
FOUNDER AND CEO

Read a Letter from Our Founder


Susan L. Taylor is the founder and CEO of the National CARES Mentoring Movement.  After 27 years at the helm of Essence magazine, Taylor left publishing to devote her life to building the National CARES Mentoring, founded as Essence CARES. The National CARES mission is to help end inter-generational poverty by securing and transforming the lives of under-resourced Black children. National CARES affiliates recruit caring adults to serve as mentors and role models at local youth-serving organization.  The national group-mentoring programs focus on the emotional, social and academic development of children and the wellness of the adults who parent and mentor them.


Liz Toledo        

CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER                                                 

With a focus on equity, social justice and ensuring operational excellence, the seasoned non-profit expert has managed multi-million dollar budgets, greatly expanded programming for children and fami­lies, raised significant funds and oversaw capital projects and built essential stakeholder relationships with community and government.


Shannon M. Carey 
CHIEF DEVELOPMENT OFFICER                                                     




Stephen Powell                       

CHIEF PROGRAMS AND PARTNERSHIPS OFFICER

Stephen Powell manages affiliates, programs, and partnerships—entities with teams that have boots on the ground across the country. Stephen has an exceptionally wide national network of leaders and a deep understanding of the Black community and best practices in mentoring. His powerful presentations to Community Impact Partners, parents and young people are inspiring and memorable. With experience as a national Executive Director for Mentoring USA, Stephen brings a breadth of expertise to his work at CARES.


OUR TEAM

Ariam Abraham

Chicago City Manager


Debra Parker

Executive Assistant to CEO

D. Aparicio Thompson, MSW

Director of The RISING Program


Rachel Worthington

Director of Operations


Board of Directors

REGINALD VAN LEE

National CARES Board Chairman - Partner and Chief Transformation Officer, Carlyle



STUART K. ARCHIBALD

Head of Strategy, JP Morgan Chase Wealth Management



BYNA ELLIOTT

Managing Director, JP Morgan Chase



VIVIAN R. PICKARD

President & Partner, C3 Venture Flint
President & CEO, The Pickard Group
President, General Motors Foundation (Ret.)



LT. COL. MICHAEL D. WALKER (RET.)

Founder and Managing Partner, TW Capital Group



RYAN D. ANDERSON

Vice President, National Contributions Manager, Comerica Bank



Donna Ceparano

Editor/Marketing Director,  KPMG



Dionne Pacquette-Jones

Sr. Global Engagement Manager, Amazon-AWS