Board of Directors

Alisha Bell is the youngest African-American woman to serve as a County Commissioner in the nation. Commissioner Bell was first elected to the Wayne County Commission in November of 2002 and is the Vice-Chair of the Wayne County Commission. She is a member of the Committee on Health and Human Services, Public Safety, Youth Services, Special Rules, and Ethic Task Force. As an active member of the community, Commissioner Bell serves, the National Council on Alcohol and Drug Dependence, the Salvation Army Southeastern Advisory Board, the Women’s Informal Network and the Detroit Recovery Project. Moreover, Commissioner Bell is a proud member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.

Commissioner Bell is a native Detroiter and a graduate of Cass Technical High School. She received her Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration Florida A&M University, graduating Cum Laude. She also earned a Master’s Degree in Education from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. She is the eldest daughter of James and Edna Bell and has a younger sister, Sonja Johnson. Alisha was married in November 2004 to Mr. Kranston Young and the proud mother of a son, Kranston Kardell Young, II and a daughter Morgan Elise Young.

After serving as a Catholic priest for seven years in the Detroit archdiocese, John Andrews has worked for the past forty years in various administrative capacities in the mental health/substance use disorder field. He spent two years with the Detroit Health Department’s drug treatment program and spent five years in the Bureau of Substance Abuse, the City of Detroit substance abuse coordinating agency. Then followed a two-year stint as Assistant Director of the Wayne County Department of Substance Abuse Services. In 1980, John accepted an invitation to join Eastwood Clinics as Vice President and Chief Operating Officer and remained with Eastwood for 24 years, spending the last 12 as Executive Director. During John’s time with Eastwood Clinics, the organization grew into one of the largest mental health/substance use disorder treatment providers in southeast Michigan. John’s appreciation for the opportunity to work in this field has been deepened by his personal passion as a recovering alcoholic. In 2021, John was blessed to celebrate 30 years of sobriety. John retired from Eastwood Clinics in 2004. John and his wife, Chris, enjoy the pleasures of retirement with their two adult sons, a wonderful daughter-in-law and two heart-stealing granddaughters, Madeleine and Charlotte.

Rev. Charles Christian Adams serves as the presiding pastor of Hartford Memorial Baptist Church. On October 1, 2019, Rev. Charles Christian Adams became the fourth pastor in Hartford’s history. In addition to his preaching and teaching ministry at Hartford, Rev. Adams has traveled the world, ministering in Geneva, Switzerland for the World Council of Churches, Harare, Zimbabwe for the Baptist World Alliance Youth Conference and Johannesburg, South Africa for the American Baptist Churches. In April 2013, Rev. Adams received the prestigious honor of being inducted into the Martin Luther King Jr. Board of Preachers of Morehouse College. Rev. Adams is a member of the Golden Key National Honor Society, lifetime member of the NAACP and currently serves as the 1st Vice President of the Michigan Progressive Baptist Convention. He also sits on the board of directors for Center for Urban Youth & Family Development, Emmanuel House Recovery Center, Morehouse School of Religion, Loyola High School and Ecumenical Theological Seminary.

Walter Reginald Mills “Reggie” is a coordinator for the UAW-Ford ESSP (Employee Support Services Program)/EAP (Employee Assistance Program) & Wellbeing Program. Mr. Mills and his Team, with direction from their Executive Leadership, achieve this with the concept of focusing on the “Whole You”. He begin his journey with the UAW as an assembler in May 1993 when he was hired at the Dearborn Assembly Plant for Ford Motor Company. He gained his first leadership role in 2008 as an International Representative at the UAW as a UAW-Ford Quality Representative and UAW-Ford Coordinator of Special Projects.  Mr. Mills begin his recovery journey at SHAR House and is now in his 28th year living a sober life. Currently he is a mentor for the Midnight Golf Program, a CERT Officer for the Wayne County Sheriff Office and continues to serve and volunteer his time to numerous community activities throughout the Wayne County area.

Judge Tenisha R. Yancey has served the 36th District Court since 2023.  She is a graduate of Eastern Michigan University and the University of Detroit Mercy School of Law. Yancey passed the Michigan Bar in 2014, which led her to join the Wayne County Prosecutors office. In 2017, she began a new chapter when she was endorsed to work as legislator for the 1st House District supporting a portion of Detroit, Harper Woods, Grosse Pointe Woods and Grosse Pointe Shores.  Yancey is dedicated to bringing a different perspective to the bench and will run her courtroom with respect and dignity. She declared she will continue to work with some of the stakeholders she met as legislator to inspire the change we need to see in our criminal justice system.

Michael Thompson is a Financial Advisor with Great Lakes MassMutual in Southfield. He works with individuals and small business owners in funding tax efficient strategies designed to maximize retirement income. From this passion he engages his time in several areas to help individuals secure their legacy for themselves, their family and their community. As a Financial Well-Being Coach with Operation HOPE he helps young adults establish strong financial foundations in pursuit of them building their financial futures. In addition, Mr. Thompson is a recovery coach mentor and heads MTC Consultants, LLC. He works with individuals who have or experienced challenges with substance abuse, co-occurring disorders and co-dependency. In his service in the recovery community he is a Certified Peer Recovery Mentor, credentialed by Michigan Certification Board for Addiction Professionals (MCBAP). He also started a nonprofit in 2007 which provides financial literacy to ex-offenders and individuals in the recovery community called AFB Network. Michael has a B.A. from Morehouse College and completed the Summer Venture in Management Program at Harvard Business School. In 2012, he received another degree from Destiny School of Ministry in Pastoral Counseling. Michael is a Big/Mentor, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Metropolitan Detroit (BBBSMD), a certified Open Water Scuba Diver, a downhill Skier, and an avid Golfer.