Visionary Founder and Chairperson, Leadership LINKS, Inc.

Dr. Natasha Sistrunk Robinson is President of T3 Leadership Solutions, Inc. and Visionary Founder and Chairperson of Leadership LINKS, Inc. A graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy and Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, she holds a Doctorate of Ministry degree (DMIN, Leadership) from North Park Theological Seminary. She is a sought-after international speaker, leadership coach, and consultant with more than 20 years of leadership experience in the military, federal government, academic, and nonprofit sectors. She is the author of several books including Voices of Lament, Journey to Freedom (Exodus Bible study), A Sojourner’s Truth, Hope for Us: Knowing God through the Nicene Creed Bible study, Mentor for Life, and its accompanying leader’s training manual. She hosts A Sojourner’s Truth podcast. Natasha has honorably served her country as a Marine Corps officer and employee at the Department of Homeland Security. She is a wife and mother who resides in Durham, NC.

Member Location: Durham, NC

🌐 natashasrobinson.com

🌐 t3leadershipsolutions.com

Founding Director and Vice Chairperson, Leadership LINKS, Inc.

CEO, Destiny Aviation Services

Rear Admiral Johnson’s vision is to leverage his education, training, skills and experiences to holistically empower others for success and impactful, influential leadership in pursuit of their destinies. He graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 1979. He commanded at all aviation levels, earned his naval aviator Wings of Gold and logged more than 4200 flight hours while deploying extensively throughout the Arabian Gulf, Indian Ocean, and Pacific regions. His postgraduate education includes a master’s degree in Public Administration from Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government and a master’s in National Strategic Studies from the National War College in Washington, DC. He was also a Massachusetts Institute of Technology Seminar XXI fellow. Johnson completed three Flag command tours. He is passionate about youth development and aviation workforce expansion, serving on numerous boards in support of these initiatives. He is a faithful congregant of First Baptist Church of Glenarden (MD). He and his wife, Debra, have two adult sons.

Member Location: Chesapeake, VA

🌐 destinyaviationservices.com

Founding Director and Advisor to the Board, Leadership LINKS, Inc.

Founder and Principal, Innovo Strategic Solutions, LLC

As an entrepreneur and leader, Davede Alexander excels at guiding organizations through strategic planning, organizational design, and development, as well as facilitating important meetings. Recognized for his innovative problem-solving skills and exceptional communication, Davede has a proven track record of exceeding expectations and building capable, confident teams. Davede earned a B.S. in Political Science from the U.S. Naval Academy, where he also played football for the Midshipmen, and an MBA from the University of Maryland Global Campus. He served two tours as a Surface Warfare Officer, supporting strike and maritime security operations in the North Arabian Gulf. As the Naval Academy's first Director of Strategic Outreach, his team doubled the number of applications, significantly increasing the competitiveness of incoming classes. In addition to leading Innovo, Davede served as the Executive Director of the Ron Burton Training Village, a youth development organization dedicated to producing socially conscious and culturally fluent leaders of character. He also volunteers as a Massachusetts Governor- appointed member of the Board of Trustees at Bridgewater State University.

Member Location: Crofton, MD

Chairperson of Marketing Committee, Leadership LINKS, Inc.

SVP of Research, Pinkston

Brooke Hempell is a marketing strategist with a passion for growing organizations and developing people. As SVP of Research at Pinkston in the Washington, D.C. area, Brooke works with an integrated team to uncover and develop data-driven insights into marketing and communications strategies. Previously she led research for Barna Group. In this role, she led several studies focused on diversity and racial justice in the Church and society, and she co-hosts a podcast, Race and Redemption, which addresses these issues. Over the course of her career in market research, Brooke has worked with blue chip clients in the pharmaceutical, financial services and retail industries, conducting studies in the U.S. and internationally. She earned her degree in business, with a focus on hospitality and marketing, from Cornell University’s Hotel School. Brooke loves the work that Leadership LINKS Inc. does to to equip and encourage young women, and especially women of color, to discern and follow God’s calling on their life to lead well. She is based in Atlanta, Georgia and serves on the boards of a local church planting network, the Atlanta Mission, and One Race.

Member Location: Atlanta, GA

Board Treasurer, Leadership LINKS, Inc.

Captain-Select, U.S. Coast Guard

Prior to her appointment to the office of Treasurer with the Board of Directors, Carrie Wolfe served as a member of the Leadership LINKS Inc. Board of Advisors from 2019-2022. Carrie believes in the Leadership LINKS commitment to fully enrich the lives of young people through mentoring, leadership, and education. She is a Commander in the United States Coast Guard and currently serves as the Gender Policy Advisor at U.S. Coast Guard Office of Diversity and Inclusion in Washington, DC. She received her Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from the U.S. Coast Guard Academy in 2002 and her Masters of Science in Engineering Management from The University of New Orleans in 2009. Carrie enjoys exploring the surrounding areas of our nation’s capital with her father, her husband and two children.

Member Location: Alexandria, VA

Board Secretary, Leadership LINKS, Inc.

Surface Warfare Officer, United States Navy

Captain Simpson is a graduate of the Naval Academy (B.S., Chemistry), and holds a Master of Engineering Management from Old Dominion University. Within her 20 years of service in the United States Navy, Captain Simpson has personally observed how powerful interactions with a Christ-centered community of leaders, mentors, and educators can be transformative for personal development. She looks forward to having new leadership experiences with the Leadership LINKS Network as a member of the Board of Advisors.

Member Location: Annapolis, MD

Member of BOA and Parent Advisory Council (PAC), Leadership LINKS, Inc.

Market Manager, PODS Enterprises, LLC

Jerome believes in Leadership LINKS because of the strong personal and leadership skills the leadership instill in the young people of the organization. He has over 24 years of corporate sales and operations experience and is currently the Operations Manager for PODS Enterprises, in Central North Carolina and Virginia. He has dedicated many years of professional development becoming an expert in wireless and wireline telecommunications. He graduated from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University where he received his Bachelor of Science degree in Education with an emphasis in Sports Management. He enjoys building professional relationships and learning from others. He is a former coach and mentor of elementary school-age children as the Director of the Colfax basketball program. Originally from Martinsville, VA, Jerome now resides in Colfax, NC with his wife Denise who leads the Leadership LINKS Parent Advisory Council and his daughter Kya, who is a Youth LINKS Leader in high school.

Member Location: Greensboro, NC

Member of BOA and Legal Counsel, Leadership LINKS, Inc.

Associate Deputy General Counsel, US Government

Legal Advisor, Stephanie Polk, has been a mentor for the Leadership LINKS Mentoring Program for Girls, a member of the Board of Advisors and has now accepted an appointment to the Board of Directors, and as a mentor for the Leadership LINKS Mentoring Program for Young Women. Stephanie loves God and serving His people. She enjoys working with the like-minded Christian leaders who are dedicated to leadership development and Mentoring Across Generations. Having attended a women’s college for her undergraduate degree, Stephanie recognizes the importance of empowering youth to find their voice. She believes it’s imperative that young women are connected to a strong network of leaders who will nurture and encourage their spiritual development so that they can serve with excellence and positively impact their communities. Stephanie has practiced law for over twenty years and currently works for a federal agency in the Office of the General Counsel. She was recently appointed to the Senior Executive Service, a cadre of federal executives operating at the top levels within an agency. Stephanie and her husband, Sean, live in Maryland and have two wonderful sons, Sean II and Connor.

Member Location: Upper Marlboro, MD

Member of BOA, Leadership LINKS, Inc.

Research Assistant, Rutgers University - Robert Wood Johnson Medical School (Division of Addiction Psychiatry)

Shermine Farah Saint-Elien was born and raised in New Jersey to Haitian immigrant parents. She graduated Cum Laude from Boston University with a bachelor’s degree in neuroscience. She is currently a Research Assistant at Rutgers University - Robert Wood Johnson Medical School within the Division of Addiction Psychiatry. She is also seeking to explore new opportunities where she can learn and grow as a young professional. Shermine has been a member of the Young Women program for the past three years and is eager to grow in her role as a new member of the Board of Advisors.

Member Location: Rahway, NJ

Member of BOA, Leadership LINKS, Inc.

Founder, Angel S Brown Consulting, LLC

Angelita "Angel" Brown believes in the Leadership LINKS mission to equip young Black girls to become changemakers. As a former Duke student-athlete and current community leader, Angel believes in the power of relationships, mentorship, and leadership to support the success and dreams of young Black girls. Angel is a spiritual person who has engaged and led within various religious spaces and denominations, and she consistently brings convictions centered on reciprocity, abundance, and an imagination for all people flourishing. Angel brings her skill set of storytelling, facilitating, and stewardship for community autonomy in her role as an independent consultant and Children’s ministry assistant at CityWell UMC. She resides in Durham, NC where she enjoys trail runs and writing in nature, reading stories to her daughters and son, Latin dancing with her husband, and playing dominoes with her father.

Member Location: Durham, NC

Director of Honor,

April 20, 1962-July 18, 2022

Paul Stolwk was a servant of God and Leadership LINKS, Inc. Paul began volunteering with the organization in 2017, was appointed to the Board of Advisors (BOA) and began serving as the organization’s Spiritual Director in February 2019. Paul accepted increased responsibility by joining the Board of Directors (BOD) in February 2021. He continued serving on the BOD as the organization’s Spiritual Director until his untimely passing on July 18, 2022. When asked, “Why do you want to join the BOD of Leadership LINKS, Inc.,” Paul replied on his application, “I like the focus of Leadership LINKS, developing young leaders through a holistic/whole life mentoring philosophy. I am deeply appreciative and respectful of the opportunity to serve under African American leadership; I see it as another course in the Lord’s curriculum for me in my street level graduate education of understanding African American perspectives.” We will always remember the Service and smile of our dear brother, Paul Timothy Stolwyk, and his faithfully commitment to LINK Up with Leadership LINKS for life. Thank you for your Service, brother.

www.paulstolwyk.org