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Melissa Peele, MSW
Founder & Executive Director Melissa has a Master’s Degree in Social Work from Norfolk State University and a Bachelor’s of Human Services Counseling from Old Dominion University. She is a Licensed Minister through Vanguard Ministries under the leadership of Dr. Bobby Hill and serves as Deaconess in her local church. She is an online Adjunct Professor at VCU and lifelong learner as a student attending Vanguard Bible Institute. Melissa worked with pregnant teen mothers for almost seven years as After Care Social Worker and Assistant to Program Manager. She also has provided intensive in -home services to children and their families for ten years. She was a Regional Independent Living Consultant for almost five years as she helped youth prepare to transition out of foster care. As she served in these roles she saw the need for transitional housing as pregnant teens, youth aging out of foster care and the families she worked with struggled to make ends meet, had experienced homelessness, lived in poverty or were in crisis. Her passion for serving single mothers was ignited almost thirty years ago as she supported her own sisters as single parents. She is a resident of Portsmouth, VA and has resided in Hampton Roads since 1991 after serving in the United States Air Force. She believes this her life work and desires to see generations changed by rebuilding the lives of single mothers. Shirley A. Breedlove, MSW Treasurer Shirley received her Bachelor of Social Work degree from Temple University in 1979 and her Master of Social Work degree in 1981. She has over 30 years of experience, and has worked in various facets of helping the community throughout her profession. Shirley is looked to as an expert source in counseling and coaching employees who work with patients who struggle with substance abuse, mental illness or in need of individual or family therapy. During the early years of her profession, Shirley worked mental health facilities in Philadelphia, PA. She began as an AfterCare Director. organizing, administering, evaluating and monitoring all activities of the chronically mental ill clients. Her skills quickly advanced her to be the primary source for providing comprehensive case management and providing direct assistance to clients who needed resources and services for treatment and advocacy on their behalf. Her passion for helping those in need led Shirley to open her own adult home in Newport News, Virginia called Lawson Haven of Hope. Shirley supervised the day to day operations, and provided personal and professional assistance to clients. From Philadelphia to Virginia Shirley has touched many lives through her expertise in the field of Social Work. Gertrude C. Jackson, PhD, MSW, ACSW Secretary Gertrude is a recent retired college professor in the Social Work Department at North Carolina Central University, Durham, North Carolina. She has 15 years of teaching in higher education and over 25 years of social work practice and related experiences in mental health and medical fields. Her work experiences include the provision of individual, group, couple and family counseling, and crisis intervention services to veterans, children and families, women, and older adults from diverse social, economic, cultural, and ethnic/racial backgrounds. She earned a Ph.D. from Howard University, Washington, DC, and Masters in Social Work and Bachelors of Arts in Psychology degrees from Norfolk State University, Norfolk, VA. Dr. Jackson brings a wealth of knowledge and years of experience working with children and families. Clementine Copeland
Clementine was reared in Portsmouth, Virginia. She is a product of Portsmouth Public School System. She received her Bachelor of Science degree from Norfolk State College, now know as Norfolk State University. She retired from teaching in the Virginia Beach Public School System after thirty years of service. After retiring, she worked for the City of Virginia Beach, doing SOL assessments and the state of Virginia SOL assessments. She is proud mother of two daughters and four grandchildren. As an educator and mother she brings years of experience working with children and understanding the role of a parent in the lives of their children. |
Lawson C. Breedlove, Jr.
Lawson C. Breedlove, Jr., a native of Philadelphia, PA received his undergraduate degree in General Business with an emphasis in Finance from Norfolk State University. Mr. Breedlove began his career working for financial institutions in the Tidewater area of Virginia before turning to a career in Information Technology. Following Y2K, his focus went to management and he began employment at the Kloke Group where he held the
positions of Operations Manager and then General Manager and was employed there for twenty years. He has since resigned from the company and has focused his time on civic activities.
Lawson's civic activities include, but are not limited to, Firm Foundation of VA (Board Member) and Virginia Notary Public. He formerly served on the Board of Operation Street Corner (Treasurer) and a as volunteer with Peninsula Reads as a literacy tutor.
Lawson C. Breedlove, Jr., a native of Philadelphia, PA received his undergraduate degree in General Business with an emphasis in Finance from Norfolk State University. Mr. Breedlove began his career working for financial institutions in the Tidewater area of Virginia before turning to a career in Information Technology. Following Y2K, his focus went to management and he began employment at the Kloke Group where he held the
positions of Operations Manager and then General Manager and was employed there for twenty years. He has since resigned from the company and has focused his time on civic activities.
Lawson's civic activities include, but are not limited to, Firm Foundation of VA (Board Member) and Virginia Notary Public. He formerly served on the Board of Operation Street Corner (Treasurer) and a as volunteer with Peninsula Reads as a literacy tutor.
