Tameca Brown
Tameca Brown joins Helix Strategy Center as Director of Development. Within her career as a Life Insurance Agent, Ms. Brown understands the importance of financial security and how it can help protect what matters most in one’s personal and professional life, including: protecting your family’s future, preparing for retirement, growing your wealth, preserving your assets for future generations, and protecting and growing your business. Adept at listening and aligning herself with her clients, allowing her to focus on delivering lifelong value. Simply put, Ms. Brown is passionate about joining people with purpose.
Stephanie M. Francis
Stephanie Francis is a life-long resident of her beloved Harlem, New York. She is also a mother of three thoughtful and kind children. At an early age her mother, instilled in her the importance of helping others. Whether participating in community food drives, volunteering at a women’s domestic violence shelter, or teaching children how to read, Stephanie’s focus to service was paramount.
After completing college she returned home to New York City to begin her teaching career. Stephanie has been an educator for over twenty years in the New York City Department of Education (DOE). She is passionate about helping young people advocate for themselves, learn to question everything and develop their critical thinking skills in order to thrive in the world. Teaching History, Science and Financial Literacy to youth is what she lives, breathes and enjoys.
After reaching an important milestone in her career as an educator; earning three master’s degrees, and holding various teacher leadership positions within the DOE, she was divinely called to embark on another journey. Stephanie’s focus became “what’s going on in her community?” The call to service was to address the health in her community plagued by obesity, poor nutrition, and inequitable access to healthy food. Answering the call she co-founded Harlem Seeds addressing these challenging issues. Her unwavering commitment to fighting obesity, diabetes and many other serious aliments along with her personal goal to get fit remains a personal mission for Stephanie. She is deeply entrenched in fighting for the advocacy of others through education, support and access for all. This works in tandem founding Harlem Seeds and still serving as a long-time educator—her mission, to empower, engage and equip others.
As she embarks on this new decade, her vision, her plan in the near future is to open a new grades 6-12 Public School in the New York City communities of Harlem and Brownsville. The school’s explicit purpose will be 21st century skills, leadership, health, social justice, and financial literacy for our future leaders. It is time we level the playing field for our kids of color. This is Stephanie Francis’ call to action.
Peter Henry
Mr. Henry joins Helix as our Director of Accounting. He oversees all aspects of the organization’s finances, including the development and management of budgets, preparation of financial statements and reporting to the Helix Board of Directors and the public.
Offering over a decade of accounting and financial analyst experience, coupled with his Master’s degree in Accounting, Mr. Henry will also focus on developing policies and procedures to improve performance and productivity. In prior roles, he has helped organizations define their strategic vision, prepare for new business, as well as streamline and monitor all financial and accountability systems.
Elijah Raphael, LMSW
Elijah has served youth in need in Harlem and the Bronx since 2005. He began his journey in social services as an Educational Specialist and Mentor at The Minisink Townhouse. From there, he went to work at The Harlem Children’s Zone from 2009 – 2013, starting first as a Student Advocate, moving up to Senior Advocate and finally as a College Advisor.
In 2013 Elijah received his Master’s in Social Work from the Silberman School of Social Work at Hunter College and begin working as a school-based Social Worker at Roads Charter School located on the campus of Bronx Regional High School. At Roads, a school for overage, under-credited, system involved youth, Elijah was introduced to Restorative Practices, a philosophy on community healing, and Motivational Interviewing, a form of communication that helps foster change from within.
Elijah currently works for The New York City Department of Education as a School Social Worker where he serves student mothers, between the ages of 13 and 21, in traditional public-school settings and in GED programs across the Bronx. He continues to hone his skills in Restorative and Motivational Interviewing and hopes to create a more macro impact through his contribution to Helix Strategy Center as the Director of Social Services.
Joyce Watson
Mrs. Watson is a big believer in the adage, “It takes a village…” She has dedicated most of her life to her own family and now that she is an empty nester, she enjoys volunteering her time to assist in building the proverbial village in marginalized communities.
No stranger to administrative work, Mrs. Watson will serve on the Helix Board of Directors as Secretary to maintain accurate records, and compliance standards and assist with event administration.
“We are all gifted. That is our inheritance.” – Ethel Waters