Amina Sillah, PhD is the President of JOYE. Dr. Sillah is an educator, entrepreneur, international development analyst, an experienced nonprofit manager and urban policy analyst. In her many roles, she combines her education and experience to help nonprofits, local governments and private institutions from a variety of vantage points. Her expertise has helped countless organizations to improve service quality and strengthen institutional capacities through training, education, and strategic planning.
An avid promoter of youth development, Dr. Sillah is the current CEO of Global Youth Innovation Network. She has also served as a mentor for entrepreneurs at the Tony Elumelu Foundation, a grader for the Mandela Washington Fellowship – Young African Leadership Initiative (YALI), and as a subject matter expert for the World Bank Youth Summit. She is also the co-founder of Krysalis Global Solutions (KGS), a capacity building organization.
In addition to her role as the President of Jurarim Organization for Youth Excellence -JOYE , Dr. Sillah currently serves on the board of several other nonprofits as well. She holds a Masters of Public Administration (MPA) in Urban Government and a PhD in Public Administration and Management.
Marcy Cox is the Vice President of JOYE and has volunteered with the organization since November 2015. She has a 21-year career in the telecommunications industry, and is currently in the role of Billing Systems Manager with Altice USA. Marcy has a passion for encouraging others. She aspires to invest in the lives of children – to help provide opportunities for a high-quality education where they will also receive the support necessary to grow in confidence, rise above their circumstances, and believe in themselves to create a positive future.
Ragan Brown, PhD is the Director of Education at JOYE. A professional in the field of Education and Child Development, Dr. Brown, thrives on tapping into the interest of a child, and building on their strengths to help them unlock their potential. She is driven by her passion and purpose to positively impact the lives of children and other educators. Dr. Brown is an educator, author, entrepreneur, and speaker.
With over 15 years of service as an educator, her expertise lies in reading intervention, executive functioning, dyslexia, educator professional development, new teacher support, and self care.
She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Speech Patholoand Audiology, Master of Business Administration with a Management Concentration and obtained a PhD in Early Childhood Development and Education. Dr. Brown’s research centered around Positive Youth Development.
Sonja Dixon is a dedicated Solution Specialist known for her resilience and determination. Sonja is deeply passionate about philanthropy and advocating for underprivileged youth. Committed to giving back to her community, she has been involved in various volunteer activities and non-profits. Her personal experiences have fueled her dedication to creating a better future for herself and others. With over a decade of experience in Sales, Marketing, Customer Service, and relationship building, she has made a significant impact in her field. Born in the greater Chicago area, Sonja overcame numerous challenges growing up, excelling academically and pursuing a career in sales. She has achieved remarkable success, managing a multi-million-dollar book of business and helping customers find innovative solutions to solve worldwide problems. Her achievements include multiple published customer stories, over a dozen awards and certifications, and the prestigious Platinum Achievers Award in her role at Microsoft, awarded to only 1% of the highest achieving sellers.
Amanda is a litigation attorney who is licensed in Texas and Louisiana. Education and learning have always been her roadmap and path of upward mobility. Amanda was drawn to JOYE because the organization values educating the youth through books, people of diverse backgrounds, and new experiences, which will help them reach their full potential.
She was a college athlete for the University of Texas at Tyler and she earned a Juris Doctorate from the University of North Texas at Dallas College of Law. Amanda attends Gracehill Church in Dallas, and she enjoys reading, working out, playing tennis, and pottery. She believes her greatest gifts are her family and friends.
Samantha is a committed Event Coordinator at JOYE, where she channels her passion for community service into organizing impactful events. With a deep commitment to giving back, Samantha finds immense joy in creating opportunities that bring people together and support those in need.
Currently, Samantha Campbell is a dedicated Wellness Coordinator for the Health and Performance team at HUB International, where she has been with the company for five years. In her current role, Samantha helps clients prioritize employee well-being through comprehensive health strategies.
Previously, she was a Community Outreach Manager for a non-profit organization, leading initiatives to improve the health and wellness of children and families through nutrition education, exercise programs, and access to essential healthcare resources.
Lydia Renner has been volunteering for JOYE for the past ten years with dedication and willingness to serve, always supportive and ready to offer kind assistance whenever needed.
As a leader in her career, her philosophy is rooted in integrity, empathy, compassion, professionalism, and a deep sense of responsibility that she uses to contribute to drive the JOYE agenda forward. Her main interest as a JOYE volunteer is to see the organization grow and become successful in impacting the lives of under privileged children and their families.
She is a dynamic Human Resource professional with over 22 years’ experience in the oil and gas industry, contributing to organizational development, management of human and material resources as well as the search for and nurturing of talent. The growth and development of children is not only a passion but a goal that makes her go beyond the confines of her role as an HR professional to support the cause of the welfare of children.
Meet Bakary, a dedicated youth advocate with a deep passion for empowering the next generation. For over a decade, he has been an active volunteer with JOYE Foundation and other non-profit organizations, focusing on youth empowerment, education, career coaching, skill development, and fund raising.
Professionally, Bakary is a Network and Security Administrator at International Investment Bank in Djibouti, bringing over 15 years of experience in the tech industry. He leverages his expertise to partner with various organizations, driving initiatives that equip young people with the skills they need to unlock meaningful employment opportunities or embark on successful entrepreneurial journeys.
Yvonne is a committed Marketing Manager and Grant Writer at JOYE with over 15 years of Sales and Marketing experience within the financial services & technology sectors. Her service at JOYE is driven by her passion for empowerment through education for children and women through creating and driving awareness activities for education assistance at JOYE. In her previous non-profit experience, she actively led and drove successful volunteering through high employee engagement and grassroot community collaboration in conscious social responsibility activities within large corporations including Microsoft Corporation, United States and Keystone Bank, Nigeria.
Yvonne has developed a wealth of experience in financial literacy and basic healthcare education for children and women in underserved communities in West Africa. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Linguistics from the University of Ibadan and a Master’s in business administration (MBA) from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. She currently works as a Sales Strategy Manager at Skooleo.
Meet Danielle, Graphic Designer on the JOYE Team! Danielle has had 10+ years working with children as a personal nanny, caregiver, and preschool educator for a 1–5-year-old Early Childhood Development School Program. There she was educated in childhood psychology and the importance of the early stages of the foundation of each individual.
Danielle, as an Attendant at The Stone Fort Museum, has participated in educational tours for school programs & volunteered with community involvement in organizing, serving, & monitoring kid-friendly events, such as the Big Read of Nacogdoches (Tx-Oct.21/22) & the 2021 Poetry Slam Event Feat. African Poet, Qui Qarre, & the 2022 Hatch Chile Cook-Off.
Danielle graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts, top of her class, in Technical Design (Costume/Set Design) & Minoring in Family Development & Consumer Sciences. Danielle seeks to Design for Change & is reaching that goal in collaboration with JOYE, as she combines her compassion for children and community outreach programs with her experience and talents in design.
