Board of Directors
Thank you to our dedicated volunteers for stepping into this critical leadership role!
Christian Williams
President
Bio
I am an Assistant Professor of Human Services at Assumption University, where I have worked for the last 10 years. I am the coordinator of concentrations in patient advocacy and working with children and adolescents in community settings. I have a Ph.D. in clinical psychology, a masters in psychology, and a masters in rehabilitation counseling. I have a clinical practice as a licensed mental health counselor where I specialize in substance abuse, grief and loss, and trauma. My current focus in my practice is on first responders and frontline workers. I have extensive nonprofit leadership experience and am dedicated to fostering growth, understanding, and resilience in both individuals and communities.
Darren Stanley
Vice President
Bio
Hello! I am Darren Stanley. I am the husband of Joann Stanley, an elementary school teacher, and the father of five adult children. Additionally, I am the grandfather of six. I have had the privilege and distinction of serving our nation and my local community in various capacities. I served in the United States Navy Submarine Community. I established Word of Christ Ministries to support a prison ministry at David Wade Correctional. I have a PhD in Human and Social Services, two master's degrees in human services, and a bachelor’s degree in I/O psychology. I have experience managing large budgets as I oversaw the construction of a riverboat casino and pavilion. I owned a home improvement company and provided financing for customers. I also have experience in community services, serving homeless families, HIV resource support services and client advocacy and case management.
Mark Leary
Secretary
Bio
I am a person in long term recovery and I'm very passionate about giving back what was given to me and trying to make a small difference in someone life.
Sam Scarpino
Treasurer
Bio
Outside of his professional work, Sam is passionate about service, education, and leadership development. He previously served as Treasurer for Psi Upsilon Fraternity, where he managed budgets and strengthened financial operations—an experience that deepened his commitment to community engagement and mission-driven leadership. In his free time, he enjoys golfing, fitness, and exploring Chicago’s vibrant community while supporting NOHS’s mission to promote excellence in the human services field.
Cinzia Pica
Dir. of Prof Dev
Bio
Cinzia Pica is Professor of Human Services in the Department of Health and Human Services at Assumption University in Worcester, United States. She focuses her teaching, scholarship, service and advocacy on issues of equity, diversity, inclusion and belonging. She is a 2025 Visiting Scholar at Harvard’s Graduate School of Education and the Immigration Initiative at Harvard. Dr. Pica’s first book, Social Justice Education in European Multiethnic Schools: Addressing the Goals of Intercultural Education published by Routledge Press (2019) was awarded the American Educational Studies Association’s 2019 Critics’ Choice Book Award. Her second book, an edited collection titled Intercultural Education: Critical Perspectives, Pedagogical Challenges and Promising Practices earned a 2023 Society of Professors of Education, Outstanding Book Award, Honorable Mention. Her work on the raced, classed, and gendered deficit discourses related to so-called “at risk” youth earned a Distinguished Paper Award by the American Educational Research Association, and she has been honored by the Association for Childhood Education International for her research on interracial friendship research in children. Her scholarship on interracial friendships and prejudice reduction has been featured in the U.S. media through a TEDx talk and several National Public Radio (NPR) programs including Code Switch, the Academic Minute and 51%.
Vacant
Dir. of Membership
Bio
Vacant
TUA Chairperson
Bio
Vacant
Student Member
Bio
Nicole Kras
Member At-Large
Bio
Nicole Kras, Ph.D. is an Associate Professor of Human Services at Guttman Community College (CUNY). She holds a Ph.D. in Adult Learning and Development from Lesley University, a Master of Science in Education, and a Sixth-Year Certificate of Advanced Graduate Study as a Classroom Teacher Specialist from Southern Connecticut State University. Dr. Kras also received a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, with a concentration in child development and mental health, and a Master of Arts in Art Therapy from Albertus Magnus College. Her research focuses on human services program design, nature-based learning in higher education, and the influence of nature on human development. Dr. Kras currently serves on the Board of Directors for the National Organization for Human (NOHS) and the Council for Standards in Human Services Education (CSHSE). Dr. Kras served on the New England Organization for Human Services Executive Board for several years (former President).
Dawn Carter
Mid-Atlantic Territory
Bio
More information coming soon ...
Debra Harper-LeBlanc
West Territory
Bio
For nearly 30 years, I have been an active member of the academic community. My passion for education has been recognized through numerous accolades, including the Teaching Excellence Award twice from both Montgomery College and the University of Texas - National Institute of Staff Organization Development. Throughout my tenure as lead faculty and chair, I have provided guidance and mentorship to faculty and staff across a broad spectrum of disciplines. In my role as a dean, I have led strategic planning sessions and provided leadership to an even wider range of department disciplines including education, social and behavioral sciences, human services, addictions study, and behavioral health support to name a few. In addition to my professional work, I have been actively involved in various community and national organizations such as (1) serving as Rotary president for four years, (2) being Midwest Regional President and now Midwest Regional Director for the National Organization for Human Services for three years, (3) serving on the Community Action Agency of St. Louis County, Inc. Advisory Board for five years, and (4) the University of Missouri St. Louis Education Alumni Board for five years. I also served on the St. Louis Violence Prevention Commission Leadership Council for five years, (2) the North Houston Greenspoint Chamber of Commerce Chair of the Community Relations/Education Committee for three years, and (3) Co-chaired the Workforce Education Committee for five years, among others. Through these organizations, I developed skills in providing training and services, improving service delivery systems, and reducing violent crime by helping to develop policies and interventions among governments, agencies, and institutions.
Isaac Mawuko Adusu
Northeast Territory
Bio
Isaac Mawuko Adusu, DHA, MSNPM, CDP, is a dedicated policy advocate and Assistant Vice President at Seven Hills Foundation in Rhode Island. He actively contributes to the advocacy, social justice, and equity committee of the National Organization for Human Services (NOHS). Dr. Adusu holds a doctorate in healthcare administration, a master’s degree in nonprofit management, and certifications in safety care and dementia care training for human services professionals. Additionally, he serves on the government affairs committee of the Community Provider Network of Rhode Island. Passionate about supporting vulnerable populations, he founded Mawuko Outreach, a nonprofit organization in Ghana, West Africa, focused on advocacy and community empowerment.
Troy Washington
Midwest Territory
Bio
Dr. Washington’s research focuses on civic engagement, community organizing, empowerment, and educational policiesand leadership. He studies processes that enhance oppressed people’s and organizations’ ability to take actions to benefit the groups and communities to which they belong. Much of this work takes place alongside community and youth organizing efforts and community-driven health promotion initiatives. An overarching goal is to identify the mechanisms – at multiple levels of analysis – that account for links between engagement in empowerment processes and community-based nonprofit organizations. Dr. Washington’s background is primarily in urban education and the nonprofit sector (community engagement, youth development, and education reform), but heapplies concepts from multiple social science disciplines and uses multiple methods to understand and inform community-driven efforts to improve systems of inequity. Consequently, healso engages in applied fields such as community development and organizational leadership. He currently is the Midwest Regional Director with the National Organization of Human Services.
At the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh in the College of Education and Human Services Leadership, Dr. Washington is an Assistant Professor.
Nicole Green
Northwest Territory
Bio
Nicole Green is a human services systems and governance leader focused on strengthening policy, accountability, and organizational infrastructure across disability and community-based service systems. Her work focuses on enhancing the impact of governance, regulation, and oversight structures on access, quality, and outcomes for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
Nicole is pursuing her Ph.D. in Human Services, with a research focus on guardianship, supported decision-making, and Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) policy and governance. Her academic work examines the intersection of law, ethics, and service system design, with a focus on enhancing autonomy and improving system-level performance.
She brings a systems-level perspective and a strong governance orientation to the Board’s work, with a focus on organizational sustainability, ethical leadership, and field-wide impact.
Latoya White
Southern Territory