Rebecca Bankhead
President
Rebecca Bankhead is the President of Roots for Life’s Board of Directors. She is an innovative leader with more than thirty years of experience delivering effective, progressive outcomes for young people and their families.
Rebecca’s experience includes serving as a Program Director and State Program Leader for Youth Development at the University of the District of Columbia. She is also a former business owner, experience that taught her how to work well under the pressure of deadlines in a goal-driven, fast-paced environment.
She holds a B.S. in Political Science from Grambling State University and a M.S. in Counseling from the University of the District of Columbia. She is pursuing a Ph.D. in Marriage and Family Therapy from Northcentral University, now called National University.
Paul Dumars, MBA
Vice President
Paul Dumars is the Vice President of Roots for Life’s Board of Directors. He brings two decades of experience in accounting, corporate finance, information technology, operations, and human resources at both non-profits and private businesses to the role.
Paul is the is the Chief Financial Officer/Chief Operating Officer at the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation, Inc. He also serves as Immediate Past President/Treasurer on the Board of Directors of the Homeless Coalition of Palm Beach County. Paul was appointed by Florida Gov. Rick Scott as President of the Palm Beach County Housing Authority Board of Commissioners in 2014 and reappointed in 2018. He is a financial member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc., and serves as Vice President of the West Palm Beach alumni chapter.
He earned a B.S. in Accounting from Louisiana State University and an M.B.A. cum laude, with a concentration in Management and Finance, from Northwood University. He was selected as a member of the 2020 class of Leadership Florida, a statewide community of leaders working for a better Florida. Legacy Magazine named Paul one of the 50 Most Powerful & Influential Black Business Leaders of 2018, and in 2016 included him on its Top 40 Under 40 for Broward & Palm Beach County Black Leaders of Today and Tomorrow.
Trevor Moe, Treasurer
Trevor Moe is the Treasurer of Roots for Life’s Board of Directors. He is a licensed attorney and government relations professional who has worked on a range of policy issues, including hunger/food security, early childhood education, criminal justice reform, international relations, poverty, and economic development.
Trevor works as the Managing Director for Public Partnerships at Save the Children. In that role, he oversees the state and federal engagement efforts for Save the Children’s U.S.-based programs, including domestic public funding. Prior to that role, he established the Government Relations office of Feed the Children, which he then led for more than five years as Senior Director of Government and International Relations. Before that, Trevor served as Chief Counsel to Sen. Jim Webb of Virginia and worked in private legal practice in Virginia.
He earned a B.A. in History, Government, and Religion from the College of William and Mary and a J.D. from the George Mason University School of Law.
Nicole Betschman, DHEd, MA, BS, CHES, Program Committee Co-Chair
Dr. Nicole Betschman is the co-chair of the Program Committee for Roots for Life’s Board of Directors. She brings her passion for health and wellness to her work.
Nicole currently serves as Director of Public Health and Health Services and Assistant Professor at Trinity Washington University. At Trinity, her enthusiasm for health has permeated the campus community in multiple ways, including creating a student-run health fair every semester and implementing several Narcan training sessions on campus. She has received a Truth Initiative grant to make the university’s campus 100% tobacco- and vape-free. Nicole has also worked as a health coach in Baltimore to help reduce hospital readmission rates for Medicare patients and served on Washington, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser’s Healthcare Taskforce to examine the retention of health care workers.
She earned a B.S. in Biology from Bowling Green State University, where she also worked as a peer educator. After Bowling Green, she earned B.S. and M.A. degrees in Health Education from East Carolina University and a doctoral degree in Health Education from A.T. Still University with a research focus on drug and alcohol addiction. She is a Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES) and a Health and Wellness Coach
Crystal Pope, Secretary
Crystal Pope is the co-chair of the Program Committee for Roots for Life’s Board of Directors. Her expertise in health education and communication is an asset to the organization.
Crystal works as a Program Coordinator at Johns Hopkins Howard County Medical Center in Columbia, Md. In this role, she coordinates evidence-based health education programs and community health screenings within Howard County. She also serves as an Adjunct Professor at Trinity Washington University, where she teaches courses including Healthcare Finance, Medical Terminology, and Community Health and Wellness.
She earned a B.S. in Communication Disorders from Bowling Green State University and an M.A. in Health Education and Promotion from East Carolina University. She is currently working toward a doctoral degree in Public Health.
Shannon R. Goodwin
Shannon Goodwin is a Board Member of Roots for Life. She is the Co-Pastor and Family-Life Ministry Coordinator of the True Way Deliverance Church. Her empathy and supportiveness are the driving forces behind her passion for helping people achieve self-sufficiency. She has over forty years of experiencedelivering quality spiritual and emotional support and resources to individuals and families in the private sector.
In addition to Shannon’s ministry experience, she has a wealth of experience serving individuals and families in the public sector as a DHS Social Services Representative, DC Public School HeadStart Family Services Manager and Administrative Officer, Military State Family Program Director, Partner with State Program Leader for Youth Development at the University of the District of Columbia, and an Anti-harassment Inquiry Officer and Sexual Harassment and Assault Response Advocatefor the Department of Defense.
Shannon is a strong advocate of education, a value that is evident in her own academic journey. She holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Sociology from Allen University, a Master of Art in Counseling Psychology (MACP) from Bowie State University, a Master of Business in Human Resources (MBA-HR) from Strayer University, a Doctor of Theology (ThD) from the True Way Deliverance School of Religion, an MBA-Acquisition Graduate Certificate from Strayer University, and a Graduate Certification in Public Leadership from George Mason University. She is currently a doctoral candidate at Liberty University, pursuing a Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) in Pastoral Counseling and Community Care (PCCC).
In her free time, Shannon delights in spending time with fellow members of her congregation through activities like movie nights, game nights, spiritual retreats, book club discussion nights, as well as outings to see plays. She also enjoys traveling, dedicating at least 6 weeks each year to journeys with family and friends, including one week exclusively spent on a trip with her sisters.
Derek Hill
Derek Hill is a committee member of the F.R.E.S.H Community Fridge Program for Roots for Life’s Board of Directors. His expertise in technology and engagement in community service is an asset to the organization.
Derek works at MITRE Corporation as a Sr Information Engineer. He earned a B.S. in Computer Systems Engineering from Howard University. Derek blends his technical expertise with a passion for mentorship and leadership, driving teams toward impactful organizational outcomes.
His commitment to service has been a consistent thread throughout his life, beginning as a math tutor at Rockville High School, where he dedicated several years to helping ninth and tenth graders excel in geometry and algebra through the after-school program. Derek volunteered with Help the Homeless initiative to raise awareness about the homelessness crisis and advocating for meaningful change.
Derek expanded his impact through mentorship, guiding young African American males in Prince George’s County as part of a program at First Baptist Church of Glenarden. Acting as a role model and big brother, he supported his mentee through high school graduation, offering advice on relationships, academics, and college preparation. In partnership with his spouse, Derek contributed to the Patriot Technology Teaching Center, teaching Python programming to youth during a Hackathon, fostering excitement about STEM fields. His service extends to his church community, where he serves on the media ministry team at Wisconsin Avenue Baptist Church, providing technical and video support during services. Derek’s dedication to serving others reflects his passion for empowering individuals to realize their potential and create lasting impact.
Darlene Lyric Coles, MBA, BSN, RN
Darlene Lyric Coles is a Board Member and a lifelong public servant who hasworked in various areas of the healthcare and social services fields for over 20years. She has served as a Registered nurse in level III intensive care units, in the behavioral health sector, and in managed care leadership. In addition, she has served as a clinical consultant, a pharmaceutical sales representative and in several executive level management roles. Darlene has served on multiple boards of directors of organizations in the public and private sectors.
Darlene is passionate about ensuring that high quality food as medicine is available to all.
Darlene holds a Master of Science Degree from Clark Atlanta University and a Bachelor of Science Degree from the University of Connecticut.
While Connecticut is Darlene’s home state, she has spent much of her adult life in Washington, D.C., and Maryland areas. When Darlene is not working, she is spending time with her family, reading and traveling.