Team Baltimore is Booming
Baltimore children need support now more than ever. In a city longing for an educational revival, we are confident that the new team members we hired in Baltimore will make the lives of children and families better through our program model.
Parents, educators, and community leaders are tasked with educating children in a city shaken by violence following the death of Freddie “Pepper” Gray. The insurmountable toll that the pandemic has taken on the lives of families already broken by chronic disinvestment is disheartening. Violent crime is at an all-time high, school attendance is poor, and educators are leaving the profession in droves. As a result, test scores are low, and the issue is slow to be addressed.
Hope springs eternal. ACE’s new leaders are devoted to making the lives of Baltimore children and families better. Michael “Coach” Jones, our new Director of Programs, has played a vital role in the success of Baltimore children for decades through coaching and mentorship. He advances their abilities as individuals and as members of a team. Coach Jones is a consistent champion in the fight for educational excellence by bringing out the best in all children. He meets each student where they are and commits to nourishing their whole being. He holds a bachelor’s degree from Delaware State University in Sports Management and Leisure Instruction. He is a Certified Mediation and Anger Management Instructor as well as being Certified as a Therapeutic Crisis Intervention Instructor.
Jessica Wilson, our new Donor Relations Associate, has fundraising and management expertise that complements Coach Jones' charismatic and transformational leadership style. She has fostered positive relationships with youth advocates and is equipped to improve support for ACE’s mission. Jessica earned her bachelor’s degree in Nonprofit Management and Finance from Emory University. She is also a Project Management Professional (PMP) and a Certified Change Management Professional (CCMP). Throughout her career, Jessica has worked as a consultant for teams in the nonprofit, government, and private sectors to help them understand their greatest challenges and move towards their biggest goals.
ACE’s graduate intern from the University of Baltimore, Marcetta Young is pursuing a master’s degree in Human Services Administration with a concentration in Negotiations and Conflict Management. She earned her bachelor's degree in Criminal Justice from Coppin State University. She brings a wealth of knowledge to reframing adverse childhood experiences to benefit the physical and mental health of children. As a mother, neighborhood leader and criminal justice professional, Marcetta has witnessed the failure and the fortitude of Baltimore children and knows how important out of school time programming is to making children great citizens.
Coach Jones’ leadership style, Jessica’s acumen and Marcetta’s wisdom, together, make this an unstoppable team in addressing the needs of Baltimore families so they can move forward. ACE’s integrated approach to improving physical and mental well-being in a safe environment is what we are striving for as we take our next steps by adding the Parent Mentor Program to our service model in Baltimore. We will create lifelong winners by giving youth and their families the tools to overcome adversity starting with a tennis racket and a ball. We can ACE this!