OUR BOARD

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DON C. SAWYER III, Ph.D

Board Chair

Don C. Sawyer III, Ph.D. is the Vice President for Equity and Inclusion and Chief Diversity Officer at Quinnipiac University in Hamden, Connecticut. He is a tenured associate professor in the department of sociology, criminal justice, and anthropology, as well as an assistant clinical professor in the Frank H. Netter, MD, School of Medicine. He teaches courses on Race, Education, Popular Culture, and Social Research Methods, including the university's first course dedicated to the sociological study of hip-hop culture. He earned his Ph.D. and MA in Sociology and M.S. in Cultural Foundations of Education from Syracuse University and a B.A. in Psychology from Hartwick College. His scholarly focus is on the experiences of formerly incarcerated individuals, race, social justice, urban education, and hip-hop culture.

ALTHEA MARSHALL BROOKS

Board Member

Althea Marshall Brooks currently serves as the Executive Director of Bridge to Success Community Partnership in Waterbury, Connecticut. Waterbury Bridge to Success (BTS) is a partnership joining forces to ensure the city’s youth, from cradle to career, have access to the quality education and support to be successful in school, work and life. In this position, Mrs. Brooks is responsible for coordinating and guiding the community vision and strategy as well as building community capacity to complete this vitally important work. Prior to this appointment, she served as the New Haven Public Schools Director of Coordinated School Health where she was responsible for oversight of district health and wellness initiatives for students, staff and the broader community.

She has her Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Connecticut School of Family Studies, Master of Science degree in sociology from Southern Connecticut State University and a Master of Divinity in theology from Yale Divinity School. In addition to her service as Board Chair for EMERGE Connecticut, she also serves on various non-profit boards and committees. She is the proud wife of Darrell, mother to DJ and two step daughters, Chelsea and Paige.

BRENT PETERKIN

Board Member

Brent Peterkin is the Executive Director of Gather New Haven a non-profit, 501(c)3 organization located in New Haven, CT, committed to social and environmental justice. Previously, Brent led a violence reduction model as Statewide Director for Project Longevity, a nationally recognized program of the U.S. Attorney for Connecticut, focused on reducing group and gang gun violence in Hartford, Bridgeport, and New Haven.

Brent has also served on the Governor’s Youth and Urban Violence Commission and the Bridgeport Mayor’s Initiative for Reentry Affairs. As a ZOOM Policy Fellow in the Office of the Governor, Brent worked in support of the Office of Early Childhood, where he focused on parent engagement and fatherhood development. Brent also worked with a Yale University-based global anti-poverty initiative and supported at-risk high school students with emotional, behavioral, and learning disabilities in Yonkers, New York. Brent studied public policy and public administration, non-profit leadership, and social impact strategy at Fordham University, Northwestern University, and the University of Pennsylvania.

DARIUS JONES

Board Member

Darius Jones’ path to success started in 2008 when he first enrolled in Elm City YouthBuild. After successfully completing YouthBuild in 2009, Darius decided to pursue a path of higher education at Gateway Community College where he majored in Accounting and received an Associate’s Degree in Business Administration. He went on to Southern Connecticut State University to earn a Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting. Darius serves as a volunteer tax preparer for the free tax preparation program V.I.T.A. He currently works as a staff accountant for an accredited public accounting firm and actively working towards his CPA credentials.

WILLIAM TISDALE

Board Member

William Tisdale is a Field Crew Member at Yale's Urban Resources Initiative (URI) and is also a successful graduate of EMERGE's transitional employment program. Mr. Tisdale began working at EMERGE in 2015 and quickly advanced from a crew member to a supervisor. During his three years with us, he became involved in URI's tree planting initiative. Upon graduating from EMERGE in Spring 2018, he officially joined the staff at URI and now leads the initiative's GreenSkills tree planting crews. Mr. Tisdale has expertly planted hundreds of New Haven’s trees through the GreenSkills program and continues to be a mentor for EMERGE crew members.

GENEVIVE GOUBOURN-WALKER

Board Member

Genevive Goubourn-Walker was raised in New Haven, Connecticut. She attended Educational Center for the Arts and studied theater and graduated from Wilbur Cross High School and subsequently attended and graduated cum laude from Temple University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania where she earned a bachelor’s degree in Urban Studies.

She later received her Master of Arts in Elementary Education at Teacher College, Columbia University in the City of New York. Genevive is a veteran 5th grade teacher, having served in both the New Haven and Hamden Public school districts. She worked at ConnCAT for a decade as the CEO, Chief Operating Officer, and Director of Programs. Genevive now operates as the Founding Principal of Increase Consulting, LLC. Through her consulting business she focuses her energy, time, and talent on supporting non-profit organizations, community initiatives, and educational entities that seek to increase clarity of communication, reach and capacity, depth of purpose, and consideration of possibilities.

While she serves on a number of non-profit boards in New Haven including EMERGE CT, Cornell Scott Hill Health Center, and Youth to Youth Network Board, Genevive also finds time for fun through her successful podcast, Jazzy Conversations with Teef and Gigi. Her primary interest is taking care of and loving her children and amazing husband.

OUR STAFF

SANTOS COLON

Crew Chief

I work at EMERGE because it's an opportunity for me to give back to my community. I'm a part of an organization that allows people like me to overcome the barriers and stigmas against us.

REINALDO CRUZ III

Director of Training and Business Development

The staff and leadership give me a sense of belonging and I know that they will help me evolve into a more purposeful person for my community. The honesty, compassion, and dedication to the people we serve is very real!

JAMES "JD" DIXON

Supervisor

Working at EMERGE gives me a perspective on helping other people, and I like what I do.

CAITY DUQUETTE

Administrative Assistant

BRAULIO GALARZA

Assistant Supervisor

TABARI "RA" HASHIM

Supervisor Peer Mentor

EMERGE has allowed for me to level up and to help assist greatness!

ROGER JOHNSON

Foreman

I was given an opportunity to seek employment and I just took full advantage of that opportunity. I stay here because it’s family-oriented, structured, and I get to give people that come here the same training that was given to me.

MAURICE KEITT

Recruitment and Outreach Coordinator

EMERGE provides me with the opportunity to see myself from a different point of view. Now I strive to challenge the narratives step by step and am working to make it right.

ANGIE NICHOLSON

Career Pathways Coordinator

JOCELYN PINEDA

Program Associate

I work at EMERGE because I believe in changing the narrative for those system-impacted and removing barriers in order for them to reach their vision of success.