Meet our Board

Michael Taylor .is the founding Site Director of CEO Atlanta, joining Center for Employment Opportunities (CEO), the largest reentry employer in the United States in April 2021.  Before joining CEO, Michael was a Program Manager at Jobrise where his responsibilities included recruiting, relationship management with both public and private stakeholders, and business development focused on reentry employment.  Michael was also a Training Supervisor at WorkSource Atlanta earlier in his career. 
In addition, Michael currently serves in a volunteer capacity as Chairman of the Metro Atlanta Reentry Coalition (MARC), an organization comprised of a multi-jurisdictional body of members 
who contribute to reentry efforts in the metro Atlanta area.   
Michael is a graduate of Morehouse College, majoring in Political Science and a proud member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Incorporated.  Originally from Arkansas, Michael resides in 
Decatur, GA and enjoys developing young leaders and spending time with friends and family

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Asher Levans is a Navy veteran and serves as the consolidated veteran’s representative with the Atlanta Career Center in Atlanta, Georgia. He has a passion for helping veterans with employment and connecting employers to candidates that align with their companies with a specialty in workshop presentations and career coaching. Asher has a radio broadcasting Diploma, an applied science degree from SAE, two years of Christian leadership study at Beulah Heights University, and a Business Administration Management degree from Strayer University.

 

In 2019, Mr. Levans and the Atlanta Career Center received a Veteran Incentive award for volunteer community efforts with nonprofit, Safehouse outreach collaborative effort with the church he attends that does a monthly feeding and ministry word to the veterans and the community.  In his free time, he enjoys assisting having communities with economic empowerment, digital recording, announcing and faith-based Christian text.

 

 

As United States Navy Veteran he serviced as Hospital Corpsman during the Operation Enduring Freedom campaign. With a balanced approach of assisting veteran-friendly employers, he helps bridge the language-translation difference to assist them in hiring their practices of veterans in the area.

 

Dr. Roderick Cunningham is the Founder and Executive Director of The Beverly Cunningham Outreach Program, Inc (BCOP). The BCOP was founded in 2010 after Roderick’s mother Beverly Cunningham Brown was shot point-blank in the head by her husband on October 27, 2009. Domestic Violence has had a strong hold on Roderick’s family dating back to his grandmother being shot at by her husband. Roderick has turned his pain into positive action by helping other victims, survivors, and our youth to once again embrace the normalcy of life through the Beverly Cunningham Outreach Program and its partners. The mission of the Beverly Cunningham Outreach Program is to provide individual and group counseling, advocacy, and rehabilitation services to survivors of domestic violence. The foundation also seeks to be an outlet for community youth who are at risk of becoming victims of violence, or substance abuse or who are impacted by health issues. The program has helped over 10,100 children, women, and families through its domestic violence programs, economic empowerment programs, and community outreach programs from 2010 – The current. Roderick has received numerous community service awards, resolutions, and proclamations from the DeKalb County Board of Commissioner and state representatives. Roderick was a member of the Georgia Coalition Against Domestic Violence 2013-2017 Board of Directors, Strengthening Families and Communities Coalition of Atlanta, Ryan Cameron Foundation Teen Dating Violence Committee, PADV Teen Dating Summit Committee, Georgia Department of Labor-DeKalb/Rockdale Employer Committee, DeKalb County School District-Career, Technical And Agricultural Education Business Partner, DeKalb Chamber of Commerce, Georgia Chamber of Commerce. The Beverly Cunningham Outreach Program is a 501(c)3 based in DeKalb County.

 

Before taking on the foundation, Roderick was in corporate security as a Project Manager where he ran the operations of Port Authority of New York & New Jersey for the Georgia Washington Bridge & PATH Trains, and was Account Manager for (4) facilities with J. P. Morgan Chase in New Jersey, (7) facilities for Citigroup in New Jersey, Telemundo in New Jersey, and CNBC News in New Jersey. These accounts range from 1.2 million to 2 million dollar budgets per year. Roderick has a beautiful daughter Journee’ Maria Cunningham Roderick believes that family is very important.

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Joshua Williams brings six years of robust experience in workforce development, dedicated to linking talent with promising opportunities in career and business growth. His multifaceted expertise spans various domains, encompassing career counseling, strategic planning, program and project management, talent development programming, government relations, business development, policy development and implementation, among others.

Currently holding pivotal roles, Joshua serves as the Business Relations Specialist at Decide DeKalb Development Authority and as a Management Analyst at DeKalb County Government's WorkSource DeKalb division. Additionally, he actively contributes as a Member of the Board of Directors for the South DeKalb Business Association.

Beyond his contributions to workforce development, Joshua has cultivated a noteworthy presence in the entertainment sphere. He hosts the Let’s Talk About It street podcast and co-hosts the Speaking With Gravity podcast, focusing on mental health advocacy.

Driven by a profound commitment, Joshua endeavors to bridge the gap between individuals and opportunities, striving to enhance economic mobility and foster community empowerment. He is an alumnus of the University of South Carolina.

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Denise Kenner-Virgil is a dedicated advocate for youth, she has provided unwavering employment services that encompass both academic and professional development for success. Through Mrs. Kenner-Virgil’s tenure in workforce development, she has worked with youth, adults, and dislocated worker customers who have become members of the workforce in their respective careers. Her passion is working with youth services programs and has exceeded their performance measures, streamlined programmatic processes, and assisted in helping over 800 youth transition to their next phase in life, such as post-secondary institutions, employment and to the military. 

With over 10 + years of experience with Workforce Investment Act/Workforce Investment and Opportunity Act, Mrs.  Kenner-Virgil brings a wealth of knowledge in the areas of training, professional development, program design and performance management. All of these attributes have contributed to her accomplishments in workforce development.

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Sonja Baisden Shell is a dedicated Navy veteran whose professional journey encompasses a rich tapestry of service and commitment. Currently a valued member of the Farm Services Agency within the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Sonja's career path has been marked by a steadfast dedication to assisting others.

Before joining the USDA, Sonja's career centered on Workforce Development, where she administered the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) at local Career Centers. Passionate about empowering individuals and recognizing the vital role of workforce and economic development, Sonja found her calling in this arena. Over a span of twelve years, she engaged with hundreds of individuals, providing invaluable career counseling, facilitating occupational training, assessing their need for supportive services, and aiding in job placement. Her most fulfilling moments arose when her clients achieved sustainable employment, fostering self-sufficiency.

Sonja's academic prowess underscores her dedication. She holds an MBA with a concentration in Human Resources, a bachelor's degree in Counseling and Human Services, and an associate's degree in Business Administration. A proud member of Eta Phi Beta Sorority, Incorporated, Sonja serves as the Second Vice-President, contributing actively to her community.

In her leisure time, Sonja indulges her passion for baking, owning AJ's Cupcake Cafe, and co-hosting the engaging podcast, "Why?BecauseWeSaidSo."

Residing in Conyers, GA, Sonja cherishes her family life, sharing her home with her husband Levert, her mother Dorothy Jackson, and her beloved dog Skittles, the true ruler of their household. Proudly, she is a guiding presence as the First Lady of Christian Faith Baptist Church (Detroit, MI). Additionally, she enjoys a close bond with her adult son, Raymond Jenkins, Jr.

Sonja's unwavering commitment to service, both professionally and personally, embodies her ethos of empowerment and compassion in every facet of her life.

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