National Minority Health Association

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Meet the NMHA Board

DR. ERIC RITTER

CHAITRA DALTON BRYANT - Board Chair

Chaitra Dalton Bryant is a nutritionista; in essence, she designs nutrition and wellness on the inside and out, with a specialty in the art and science of personal life transformation. Chaitra is a wellness expert to leaders and leadership organizations. She is the founder of 360 Wellness Collective Inc. -- Read More

HAROLD YOUNG, ESQ

HAROLD YOUNG, ESQ - Vice Chair

Harold D. Young, Esq, has over thirty years of experience representing persons in various legal disciplines. His practice areas include wills and estates, probate, family law, elder law, real estate, small business, corporations, government, housing, and personal injury. Harold is admitted to practice in all courts in Maryland and the United States District Court. Harold’s legal practice has a special emphasis on preserving the assets of senior and disabled members of the community. -- Read More

COL. JAMES WILLIAMS

COL. JAMES WILLIAMS (RET) - Board Member

Col. James Williams, a prostate cancer survivor since 1991, Jim is the principal of Jim Williams, and Associates, Camp Hill, PA - a consulting firm specializing in human resources management, prostate cancer awareness, education, and advocacy. -- Read More

DENISE PINES

DENISE PINES - Board Member

Denise Pines is an experienced senior leader with a demonstrated history of working in the medical practice industry. Skilled in Nonprofit Organizations, Government, Sales, Entrepreneurship, and Event Management. Denise is a strong business development professional with a Master of Business Administration focused in International Business from John F. Kennedy University. -- Read More

DR. ERIC RITTER

DR. ERIC RITTER - Board Member

Dr. Eric Ritter was born and raised in Washington DC. He attended undergraduate school at Brandeis University and majored in psychology with a pre-medical and education core. Dr. Ritter received his masters degree in education and principal certification from Harvard University. He earned his medical degree from Meharry Medical College in Nashville Tennessee. -Read More

DR. ERIC RITTER

BURGESS HARRISON, MBA - Executive Director & Board Member

Burgess Harrison., MBA Burgess brings a wide breadth of expertise to the National Minority Health Association. He comes with more than 25 years of home health, homecare, electronic visit verification, and telehealth technology experience. He is a pioneer in electronic visit verification and possesses a unique understanding of the market and issues patients and providers face. Burgess is an educator, former adjunct professor, marketing executive, and software business founder who happens to be a unique perspective to minority health. -- Read More

DR. ERIC RITTER

DAVID COLE, CMP - Program Director & Board Member

David Cole is an accomplished healthcare professional and business executive with 20+ years of experience building multiple successful products and companies. He is an expert in SaaS product development, marketing, sales, and complex retail channel development. A skilled strategist and business development specialist, David has extensive experience working with non-profit organizations, government agencies, regulatory authorities, health care systems, and providers. -- Read More

DR. ERIC RITTER

ANGELICA McKINLEY - Board member

Angelica McKinley is a creative leader who thrives at the intersection of narrative, visual storytelling and technology. Most recently, she’s expanded art direction and visual expression on the world’s most visited website through highly impactful, emotionally resonant iterations of Google’s logo that centered globally diverse artists, cultural nuance and nostalgia. -- Read More

DR. ERIC RITTER

LAUREN HERRON, LCSW-C - Board member

Lauren was born in Washington, D.C. and raised in Randallstown, Maryland, with a driving passion to provide assistance to others that were disenfranchised and marginalized. As a teenager, Lauren dedicated much of her time to the Bea Gaddy Family Centers and the Salvation Army, as a volunteer passing out hot meals to the homeless in the most impoverished communities in Baltimore City. From these humble beginnings and well-intentioned efforts, grew Lauren’s passion to join the field of Social Work. -- Read More

DR. ERIC RITTER

PAUL GATES, AA; BA; DDS; MBA; FACD - Board member

DR. ERIC RITTER

RUTH BOH - Board member

I am an enrolled tribal member with the Comanche tribe, from my father's side. He was born on our land (Reservation) in Lawton, OK. I was an Indian Health Service Scholar for over 7 years. I have been working with American Indian tribes for over 10 years. -- Read More

DR. ERIC RITTER

UNJERIA JACKSON - Board member

Unjeria C. Jackson, M.D. is a retired maternal-fetal medicine specialist. She attended Yale<br><br>College (BS in biology 1977) and then received her M.D. from Boston University School of Medicine in 1981. Dr, Jackson did her residency in New York at Harlem Hospital Center. She completed a 2 year fellowship in maternal-fetal medicine in 1987 at Columbia Presbyterian Hospital in New York. She practiced full time about 18+ years at Morristown Memorial Hospital, now Morristown Medical Center in Morristown, New Jersey. -- Read More

DR. DAVID DALTON

DR. DAVID DALTON - Chairman Emeritus

Dr. David Dalton is the first black pharmaceutical executive in the chain drug industry. Honored as one of the top ten graduates over 100 years. In Four Halls of Fame, Senatorial Medal of Freedom and Veteran. He served in several capacities with Rite Aid Corporation including Corporate Vice President. -- Read More

Lauren Herron, LCSW-C, Board Member

October 21, 20224 min read

Lauren Herron, LCSW-C was born in Washington, D.C. and raised in Randallstown, Maryland, with a driving passion to provide assistance to others that were disenfranchised and marginalized. As a teenager, Lauren dedicated much of her time to the Bea Gaddy Family Centers and the Salvation Army, as a volunteer passing out hot meals to the homeless in the most impoverished communities in Baltimore City. From these humble beginnings and well-intentioned efforts, grew Lauren’s passion to join the field of Social Work.

Lauren attended the University of Maryland Eastern Shore and Salisbury State University in a dual-degree program, earning her Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work, as well as a Bachelor’s Degree in Sociology. Lauren graduated at the top of her class in 2004 and decided to continue her journey in her social work studies. Lauren attended the University of Maryland, School of Social Work, and was accepted into the advance standing program, allowing her the opportunity to obtain her Master’s Degree in Social Work in one year. Lauren graduated Cum Laude in December of 2005.

Lauren began her career in 2006, working for the State of Maryland, as a Foster Care Social Worker, of the Baltimore County Department of Social Services. During this time, Lauren was assigned to the Independent Living Unit. Here, Lauren provided support, resources and services for youth in foster care, with the ultimate goal of reunification with their biological families. Though Lauren found this work rewarding, the scarcity of children being reunified with their families was disheartening and discouraging.

This led to Lauren’s pursuit of her graduate-level license, which she obtained in July of 2006. After several years of practice in the field, Lauren became licensed as a Certified Clinical Social Worker in 2010. The accomplishment of achieving her goal to obtain a clinical license led to her pursuit of new opportunities that would allow her to make tangible change in the lives of those much like the foster care children and families in which she served.

In 2010, Lauren was presented with an opportunity to work for the TIME Organization, Inc., a local non-profit agency that provides behavioral health services for children and families in Baltimore City. Lauren began to provide contractual services for the TIME Organization, Inc. by completing assessments and treatment planning for the Psychiatric Rehabilitation Program (PRP) in the evenings, while working for the Department of Social Services during the day. In 2011, Lauren was offered a full-time position as the PRP Program Director. After much thought, Lauren took a leap of faith and left the State of Maryland, with the ultimate plan of leading a program that would keep families together so that foster care would never become an option. Within the same year, Lauren also became the owner and CEO of her own private therapy practice, Health Minds Therapeutic Services, LLC.

Lauren directed the PRP program at the TIME Organization, Inc. for two years and was promoted to the position of Clinical Director in 2013, when the agency expanded services as an Outpatient Mental Health Clinic. This was the first program in which Lauren was able to take the lead on development and implementation at TIME. Her vision and leadership led to two successful outpatient mental health clinics in Baltimore City and Anne Arundel County, with over 100 full-time, part-time and contractual staff. Under Lauren’s clinical direction, the TIME Organization, Inc. has been able to obtain a license to provide Substance Abuse services, Autism Waiver certification and the award of several contracts with MSDE, MOHS and Behavioral Health Systems Baltimore. A major milestone in Lauren’s career has also been to guide the Accreditation process for the TIME Organization, Inc., which led to a successful three-year CARF accreditation in 2017.

Lauren was promoted to the position of Vice President of Operations in October of 2017. Her first task in this role was to lead the Acquisition of another local outpatient mental health clinic, which successfully occurred in November of 2017. Lauren plans to continue her career in the non-profit sector with the TIME Organization, Inc. Her mission and vision will continue to expand the agency’s services to support the growing mental health, behavioral health and the medical health needs of the community by promoting an affordable, holistic approach and model of treatment.

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The National Minority Health Association (NMHA), a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization, was founded in 1988. Having achieved its initial mission of ensuring the establishment of Offices of Minority Health in all 50 states, its new mission is to close the disparity gap in minority health care.

Corporations and Organizations who join NMHA are supporting our mission to close the healthcare gaps that impact minority and underserved communities, and they gain invaluable access and visibility as a supporter of equity in healthcare worldwide.

We welcome your involvement in this growing movement that impacts the health of so many.

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