Tina Flowers - Interim Chair
Ms. Flowers is responsible for guiding and mediating the Board's actions to ensure that the organization's mission, goals, and objectives are being met. Ms. Flowers leads the Board in its efforts in strategic planning, fundraising activities, and program development and evaluation.
Ms. Flowers works for Alston and Bird, LLP of Washington, DC and has over twenty years executive-level administrative support to legal partners and attorneys with major law firms throughout the Washington region.
In addition, Ms. Flowers has extenstive experience with nonprofit and community service for nonprofit organizations and church ministries.
Ms. Flowers holds a B.S. Degree in Business Administration from Southeastern University of Washington, DC and a MDiv Degree from Faith Bible College and Seminary of Washington, DC.
Deborah M. Avens - Founder & Chief Empowerment Officer
Ms. Avens is responsible for the active management and planning of business for The SOFEI Group. She has combined work experience in system development, testing, and implementation, telecommunications analysis, training and development, workshop facilitation, career counseling, and business and program development. Her professional career includes positions with Management Technology, Inc., American Management Systems, EDS, SAIC, and Keane, Inc.
Ms. Avens formed The SOFEI Group in 1996, to respond to the spiritual, emotional, and social needs of women. She discovered her 'calling' to serve women and girls when she found herself counseling them about their careers, interpersonal relationships, and spiritual well-being.
Ms. Avens is the recipient of several awards: The Editor's Choice Award for Outstanding Achievement in Poetry, Community Service Award for faithful and dedicated community service and Outstanding Client Services Award for outstanding consultation services.
In 2002, Ms. Avens was appointed to serve as a Commissioner for the Maryland Commission for Women by former Governor Parris Glendening where she served as the Chair of the Girls Committee and as a member of the Executive Committee.
Ms. Avens is a Microsoft Certified Professional, Certified Software Manager, with a B.S. in Computer Information Systems and Minor in Business Management from Strayer College in Washington, D.C. In addition, Ms. Avens has completed courses towards an M.A. Degree in Human Resource Development at Bowie State University.
Andrea Shearin - Treasurer
Andrea Shearin assists in the preparation of the budget, financial statements, annual reports, and fundraising plans. She also provides financial information to Board members and the general public (e.g., annual report and audited financial statements).
Ms. Shearin serves as Vice President, Compliance & Community Reinvestment Manager for Industrial Bank and also services as the Finance Committee Chair for the Ambassadors for Economic Independence Giving Circle.
Breyanna Harrison - Secretary
Breyanna Harrison is responsible for keeping the records of Board actions, including taking minutes at all board meetings, sending out meeting announcements, distributing copies of minutes and the agenda to each Board member, and assuring that corporate records are maintained.
Titus Simmons, CPA, CIA - Tax Advisor
Mr. Simmons is responsible for providing non-profit tax advice, completing federal and state taxes, and conducting and completing financial audits.
Mr. Simmons has extensive experience in banking and financial statement auditing and has provided consultant services to individuals, non-profit, and corporations for over 9 years.
He has over 20 years auditing and banking experience in the public and private sectors.
Mr. Simmons is a Certified Public Accountant and Certified Internal Auditor with a B.S. Degree in Business Administration (Accounting) from Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia.
Monica Simpkins, M.A. - Advisory Board Member
Ms. Simpkins is responsible for providing advice on the best methods and tools to develop and implement effective outcome measurements for VEINC programs and services.
Ms. Simpkins has experience with providing organizations in the public and private sectors, strategic interventions that improves performance and effectiveness at all levels of an organization's infrastructure. Ms. Simpkins has held numerous management and consulting positions in the legal and insurance industries.
She holds a B.S. Degree in Mass Communications from Towson State University in Towson, Maryland and an M.A. Degree in Human Resource Development from Bowie State University in Bowie, Maryland.
Ms. Simpkins is a member of the American Communication Association, American Society for Training and Development, and The International Society for Performance Improvement.
Ambassadors for Economic Independence Giving Circle
Advisory Board Members
Rozita Washington - Education Committee Chair
President - Leading Through Change, Inc.
Coordinates philanthropic training and other educational opportunities for prospective and new giving circle members.
Dr. Margo Bailey - Evaluation & Impact Committee Chair
President - Strategic Results Consulting & Training, LLC
Establishes, reviews, and evaluates individual and community impact and evaluation methods for each grantee.Velicia Marshall - Events Committee Chair
Human Resource Specialist, FEMACoordinate events to increase giving circle visibility and membership (e.g., arranging and securing event venues, event sponsorship, speakers and/or entertainment, registration and publicity mailings, and other event logistics.
Andrea Shearin - Finance Committee Chair
VP Compliance & Community Reinvestment Manager for Industrial BankMaintains accurate records of all funds associated with the giving circle and will provide a report to giving circle members every quarter or per their request. Additionally, the committee will make reports available to the general public when requested.
Vacant - Membership Committee Chair
Assists with recruiting diversified and committed giving circle members that have a strong connection to the community and a passion to lift low-income women-headed families out of the cycle of poverty.
Vacant - Public Relations Committee Chair
Develop marketing and communication strategies to promote AFEI's activities in the Washington region and the community-at-large.