Executive Board Members

Born in Fayetteville, NC, Michael Murphy grew up in Washington, DC, and is a graduate of Archbishop Carroll High School in northeast Washington. Michael went on to graduate from St. Louis University with a BS in Marketing. He has spent over 25 years in corporate America with Ford Marketing Corporation and Dunkin Donuts, Inc. where he was Purchasing Manager, Director of Quality Control, and Director of Consumer Affairs before leaving the company to run for U.S. Congress in 1994 (MA-9). Michael began his political career in 1985 where he decided to run for the Board of Health against a “townie” that was born and raised in the Commonwealth of Mass. He won the race by 76 votes and went on to serve three terms in the Town of Canton, MA. In 1990, he ran for the office of Governor’s Council and won every precinct against a well-known family name in politics. Michael has extensive experience in environmental affairs. He was the Town of Canton’s representative to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Resource Recovery project. He ultimately recommended the town become a charter community in a similar project in Rochester, MA through the Energy Answers Corporation with its signing of a 20-year contract that saved the town over $400,000 per year for the life of the contract. He also was instrumental in getting Dunkin Donuts of America to use recycled content paper goods and environmental food packaging that resulted in raw material cost savings. Michael came to the Atlanta area with a group of environmentally-dedicated business partners to start a recycling firm in Atlanta’s Empowerment Zone Area. After its closing in 1999, he elected to remain in Atlanta and started managing political campaigns. Michael was president and general manager of Renewal Inc. Michael had the pleasure and opportunity to be a part of the Presidential Delegation that went to Benin, Africa for the inauguration of President Sokolof as the country’s first chief executive in the democratic changeover from a prior Marxist regime. Michael is past chairman of the Austell Community Task Force. Currently, Michael serves as the Special Assistant to the Chairman for Special Projects for Cobb County, GA. Among the projects that he is addressing are affordable housing, homelessness, eviction diversion, and bank deserts.

 

Deborah Douglin — Children are her passion. Her motto is, “Geniuses are not born. They are created!” For many years, she has worked with the children of family members and friends to teach, mentor, encourage and lead them to become productive members of society. Deborah has sacrificed many evenings, summers, and even stopped working for a number of years to devote herself to teaching and caring for children. She has provided a support base for numerous parents and children. She is a native of Panama City, Panama, migrated to the United States at the tender young age of four. She grew up and attended school in Brooklyn, New York, and graduated from Samuel J. Tilden High School. Deborah Douglin earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Business Management from American InterContinental University in which she graduated Summa Cum Laude. She is certified to teach the FDIC’s Money Smart © Adult and Youth Education programs. Deborah also has over twenty years of experience in management and supervision. She has an extensive career in sales, including but not limited to: Mary Kay Cosmetics Sales Director and real estate sales. In her spare time, Deborah has worked in the deaf community and has served on several boards and organizations including the Executive Board of the Georgia Council for the Hearing Impaired. She is also a member of the National Council of Negro Women, Inc. Deborah believes that the most satisfying thing you can do in life is serving your community. She is a member of the Powder Springs Task Force, and the Austell Community Task Force. Deborah has partnered with several non-profit organizational community efforts. She serves annually on the Back-to-School Backpack Giveaway drives for Austell and Powder Springs.

 

Ronald Harding Ron Harding, from Perry Georgia, is a graduate of the University of Georgia.  Ron is a Contractor, Tax Preparer, and Business Man.

  Lacrecia Terrance has been in the education field for over 20 years serving in many capacities; a classroom teacher, Academic Dean, Math Coordinator, District Curriculum Coordinator, District/ School Curriculum Specialist, District STEM Coordinator, District Title I coordinator, STEM/Innovation Director, and High Principal. She lives to inspire, motivate, change, and impact student lives by offering them a greater future through the lens of education. Allowed the opportunity to excel further and extend student educational studies, Lacrecia implemented the first Cyber Engineering Academy in Louisiana. Through research and curriculum development she was able to extend her professional studies through this experience. Having implemented Project Based Learning at every level (teacher, administrator, and district), her hope is to bring the knowledge and insight gained through these various educational experiences to the Buck Institute to build upon and share the importance and process of Project-Based Learning.  Lacrecia has been recognized as Teacher of the Year, Recognized Teacher by Carnegie Learning for participation in a RAND study for showing significant gains, and is a STEM Trainer. She has a Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education, a Master of Arts in Teacher Leadership, and is currently pursuing a Doctorate in Educational Leadership with a focus on Administration. 

  Chelsea has been a fully involved member of STING, Inc. since 2009. After graduating high school in 2018, Chelsea is now the Alumni Director of STING, Inc. Chelsea loves her role as Alumni Director because it allows her to connect with her peers and continue to be involved within this organization.  In high school, Chelsea participated in the Dual Enrollment Program which allowed her to take college courses before graduating. Because of this, Chelsea has been given the opportunity to graduate college early. Currently, she is a senior at Kennesaw State University (KSU) and her anticipated graduation date is Fall 2021. Studying Public Health Education at KSU, Chelsea has a passion for improving the health and wellbeing of all people through research, evaluation, and implementation. At KSU, Chelsea is involved within her community and campus as she is a member of The National Council of Negro Women, Peer Health Outreach and Wellness Leader, Wellness Peer Mentor, and has participated in several public health research opportunities alongside her professors. Additionally, Chelsea is a proud member of the illustrious organization, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. She has been awarded on the Dean’s List and President’s List throughout her time in college. After graduation, Chelsea plans to continue her education and pursue a master’s degree in Public Health.  Chelsea has a passion for being involved and helping her community. Within STING, Inc. Chelsea has participated in many community service events such as the Senior Citizen Christmas Parties, Community Garden, College Tours, Shoebox Project, Vision Board Parties, and so much more. At KSU, Chelsea has volunteered at KSU Day, KSU’s HIV Testing Event, MUST Ministries, and more. Chelsea believes that “Your greatness is not what you have, but what you give.”

Dr. Trina Niles-Wilson – MSW, MDiv, Doc of Theology -graduate of several Universities including Tuskegee University, Nova University, The University of South Florida, The University of Alabama, Beacon University, Walden University, and Harvard University.

Dr. Trina Niles-Wilson was born in Genva, New York. Her father was an entrepreneur who owned his own janitorial service, “Niles & Son”.  Her mother was a schoolteacher for over 30 years in Pinellas County, Florida.  She has one sibling, Bennie Niles, III who still resides in Clearwater with his family.  The family moved to Clearwater, Florida when she was 3 years old, where Trina attended Head-Start kindergarten program, then went to school in the public-school system where she spent her grade school years.

In 1982, she attended Dunedin High School, where she graduated at the age of 16years old.  Due to her parents divorcing while she was in school, she experienced the stress and strain of not having both parents in the home.   While growing up in a family not knowing how dysfunctional it was, all she knew was she didn’t want to be there.  She started college while still in high school at the local St. Petersburg Junior College.  She moved to Alabama to attend college (Tuskegee Institute which became Tuskegee University during the year she finished in 1986).

Her interests are broad and varied. While fight for justice, she always came back to her God given abilities to help people to the levels they never thought they could.  Levels that were more than a dream away for most people. Trina holds six degrees; she received her college degree, a Bachelor of Liberal Arts in Social Work, at Tuskegee University, then she went on to obtain her Masters in Social Work degree from the University of Alabama on a full academic scholarship. She worked on her Counseling of Psychology degree at Nova University, University of South Florida and then finally at Walden University.  She later went on to received three additional degrees from Beacon University, Master’s Degree in Divinity, Master’s Degree Theology and a Doctoral degree in Theology.  Dr. Wilson has also studied at Emory University, and Harvard University working on additional studies and a vast number of certifications.  Her life and her struggles have contributed significantly to her education as she walks in the purpose God has designed for her life.  These opportunities continue to interest Trina as she embraces the struggles of those who she works with today in her private practice in Marietta, GA.

In addition, Dr. Trina is also the first known woman to own a trucking company without trucks.  She is the proud owner of Alpha and Omega Trucking, which is also located in Marietta, GA.

Although focused in the Counseling, Life Coaching, College Coaching area, Trina has written and has been featured in several magazines, while speaking professionally, she is an expertise witness in Cobb and Clayton County, where she is sought after for expert testimony.  She has developed education programs, consulted with national political parties regarding their conflict resolution skills, worked with professional football and basketball players, actors, mega-church ministries and speaks professionally on a variety of LIFE topics.

She is a servant leader has three gifted children, Archie, Jr. (A.J.), Alexander & Epiphany.

When she is not working, she loves to read, travel, and learn.

Mutah Sessoms-Director of Male Mentoring Programs.

Mutah is a native of Elizabeth, NJ, a member of Pleasant Grove BC, has been living in Atlanta for 5 years and is a District Manager for a Major Fast Food Establishment.  He has mentored young men in the South Cobb area for a few years and brings a love of community to our organization.  Mutah is the Executive Director of Landing Lives Corporation, a local youth nonprofit organization that is currently on a hiatus. Landing Lives Corporation has collaborated with STING, Inc. on several projects prior to the Pandemic.

Maria Henriquez–Director Medicaid Plan Marketing at Amerigroup Maria Henriquez is a graduate of the University of Carababo in Valencia, Venezuela.  She has earned a Lean Six Sigma Certification from Georgia State University.

Shelia Plater Resides in Shreveport Louisiana is a Nurse Practitioner and is employed as a Traveling Nurse with the Veterans Administration.  Ms. Plater attended Northwestern State University and received her BS and MS in Nursing from Chamberlain College of Nursing. 

Rev. Teronda P. Hamilton is an ordained Itinerate Elder in the AME Church since May 2000.  She is an active member of Turner Chapel AME in Marietta, GA since 1991 currently serving in a Pastoral appointment as Team Leader for Intercessory Prayer Ministry. She has served as Curriculum Administrator and Developer for Bible Study and Sunday School & Bible study teacher.  She is the founder of the Regarding Women Ministry at Turner Chapel AME developing conferences, workshops and retreats.  She has served in Congregational Care and the Benevolence Office, serving Cobb, Paulding and Cherokee County. In May 2009, Rev. Hamilton served on loan as associate Minister at St. Luke AME church, Atlanta, GA under Pastor Avis Snearl.  In May 2010, Rev. Hamilton continued to serve on loan under Pastor Michele Williams.  With a love for empowering God’s people on their journey of faith, Rev. Hamilton serves as a conference coordinator, workshop facilitator, preacher and teacher as God calls. At Pastor’s request, Rev. Teronda returned to Turner in 2011 where she was appointed Intercessory Prayer Ministry facilitator, the position of which she still serves. In May 2019 Rev. Hamilton was appointed Coordinator North District, for the Atlanta North Georgia Conference, after serving two years as Co-Coordinator for Women In Ministry (WIM) in the Sixth District of the African Methodist Episcopal Church. In addition to ministry at church, she is also a co-host for a blog talk radio program, “Prophet Prayer Warrior” 2014-2017.    Ministry theme scriptures:   “As for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the Lord by failing to pray for you.  And I will teach you the way that is good and right.” I Samuel 12:23

Rhonda Fuller Employed by the Cobb County Sheriff Office, Business Owner of Rhonda’s Rhinestones, member of at Pleasant Grove Baptist Church of Marietta, Georgia, where she serves as Wedding and Funeral Coordinator as well as works with the AWANA program. Proud Mom of two amazing daughters: Dr. Jessaca C. York-Pediatric Dentist- Yale Pediatrics and Kierra York, Senior at Albany State University.