Speakers

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Tia Baruti is an empathetic, purpose-driven leader and a proud Veteran—committed to empowering people and communities through trauma-informed care, mentorship, and mental wellness. She is a mental health professional who employs strong organizational skills, leadership, and thorough knowledge regarding many aspects of therapy and coaching the transition process to assist the achieved goals for individuals. 

Rafeal Brown was born in Dillon, South Carolina and raised in Bennettsville, South Carolina. At the age of sixteen, he became system-impacted-an experience that profoundly shaped his lifelong commitment to cultural healing, mentoring, character development, and disrupting destructive mindsets and patterns among youth.

Since that time, Rafeal has dedicated himself to advocacy, community engagement, and creating opportunities that raise awareness about harm to individuals and communities. He has completed research training through Rutgers University, facilitation training through The National Compadres Network, and leadership development through the C.L. Dellums African American Leadership School.

Dr. Teneishae Coleman is an accomplished organizational leader, financial strategist, and trauma-informed practitioner with more than two decades of experience strengthening public, nonprofit, and community systems that serve vulnerable populations. Her work bridges the disciplines of accounting, workforce development, and community violence intervention, equipping organizations to align fiscal integrity, staff wellness, and service excellence in pursuit of safer, more equitable communities. 

Associate Chief Cordray is a North Charleston native and a 30-plus-year veteran of the North Charleston Police Department. She began her career in 1992 and is a Distinguished Graduate of the South Carolina Criminal Justice Academy. Throughout her career, she has led crime analysis, accreditation, and data modernization efforts, with a strong focus on data-driven strategies to reduce gun violence, strengthen community partnerships, and improve information sharing.

She is a graduate of the Southern Police Institute’s Administrative Officer’s Course and the University of South Carolina School of Law’s Excellence in Policing and Public Safety leadership program. In 2018, she became the first woman to serve as Deputy Chief in North Charleston and currently leads initiatives focused on transparency, operational effectiveness, and community trust. Chief Cordray will be finishing her Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice Administration this spring at Columbia Southern University. 

Bilaal Evans is the Founder and Executive Director of The Restorative Project (TRP), a Black-led, justice-impacted organization based in Englewood, Chicago, that exists to address the root causes and ripple effects of violence in communities most impacted by trauma and systemic disinvestment. Founded in 2020, TRP delivers comprehensive, healing-centered interventions that blend credible messenger street outreach, intensive case management, trauma-informed healing circles, and structured therapeutic supports. 

Dr. Trevon (Truh-vawn) Fordham (For-dum), he/him is a devoted public servant that is passionate about building relationships to better communities through engagement, collaboration, programming, and system improvement. Dr. Fordham brings a wealth of experience with his background in juvenile justice, public safety, program management, grant administration, in addition to training and development. Over his fifteen years of service, Dr. Fordham has had the distinct pleasure of working with high-level government officials at the local, state, and federal levels to build relationships and promote stronger communities. 

Christa Green is the Program Director of MUSC’s Turning the Tide Violence Intervention Program in Charleston, South Carolina. She earned her master’s in public health with a concentration in community health education in 2018. Christa joined the Medical University of South Carolina in 2021 and has worked in the field of injury and violence prevention for nearly 10 years. Her current research and advocacy activities focus on community gun violence prevention and intervention.

Lisa Holmes-Sevier is an accomplished nonprofit finance and compliance professional with over 15 years of experience in fiscal management, data reporting, and organizational capacity building. She has managed multimillion-dollar budgets for federally and state-funded programs—including HRSA, ICJIA, IDHS, DCFS, and the City of Chicago DFSS—and has trained nonprofit leaders in financial reporting, cost allocation, and performance measurement. 

A native of Columbia, South Carolina, Constance Lake has dedicated her career to addressing community crime through both prevention and intervention. During her tenure with the South Carolina Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) and the Columbia Police Department, Constance focused on youth development by connecting at-risk youth with wraparound services and prioritizing community engagement. Currently, she serves as the Director of the SC Department of Public Health’s CVIP unit, where she allocates critical funding to community-based organizations supporting areas disproportionately impacted by violence. Constance also serves as a part-time Deputy Sheriff for Richland County and is currently pursuing a Master of Social Work degree.

Dr. Harriet Lewis is an internationally recognized scholar-practitioner and social impact strategist with over 25 years of experience advancing gender equity, social inclusion, and community resilience across sectors and continents. As Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Konesens Development, she has led initiatives in the United States, Africa, and the Caribbean that strengthen the capacity of organizations and communities to build safety, equity, and opportunity through evidence-based practice and inclusive leadership.