Community Advisory Board

The Center for Adolescent Health could not achieve its mission without the input of community members. Since 1994, the Community Advisory Board (CAB) has served as an important partner in facilitating the Center’s capacity to promote healthy adolescent lifestyles in an urban setting. Board members represent the community we serve, with representatives from a range of organizations throughout Baltimore, including schools, youth-serving organizations and city government.

Mission

To provide meaningful leadership, support and direction for the Center for Adolescent Health by helping to ensure that the Center’s research, training and communication promote the successful transition to healthy adulthood among Baltimore’s young people.

Board Oversight, Structure and Responsibilities

Because the Community Advisory Board is a vital decision-making partner, members assume important responsibilities.  A steering committee makes overall policy, executive and procedural decisions and ad hoc subcommittees are formed throughout the year to address project-specific issues. The board as a whole meets quarterly with one meeting held jointly with the Youth Advisory Committee (YAC). 

The schedule for CAB meetings for 2009 is as follows:

• January 29 (8:45 a.m. Continental Breakfast, 9 a.m. Meeting Begins),
• April 28 (8:45 a.m. Continental Breakfast, 9 a.m. Meeting Begins),
• August 19 (8:45 a.m. Continental Breakfast, 9 a.m. Meeting Begins),
• December 9 (Holiday Celebration with YAC members and staff, 4:30 p.m. Meeting Begins).

Each board member makes a two-year commitment to serve and may choose to continue serving at the end of the first term. Other duties include ensuring that the needs of the community coincide with Center plans and providing suggestions and feedback for applied research projects.

Activities

The purpose of the CAB is to serve as a working partner in guiding the Center’s activities by representing the voice of the community. Board members have made valuable contributions to several Center projects, including:

• Collaborating with doctoral students and other community members to create a publication on teen stress;
• Reviewing and selecting recipients of the Center’s annual Expanding Horizons scholarships for young students;
• Selecting projects for funding that advance adolescent health research and program development; and
• Providing useful input into organizing a summer retreat for our Youth Advisory Committee.

In the past, the Community Advisory Board has:

• Developed issue briefs and workshops for community-based, youth-serving professionals;
• Recommended topics and speakers for Center events;
• Promoted the Center’s activities;
• Lectured at the School of Public Health; and
• Worked in concert with the Center’s Youth Advisory Committee on Center projects.

Community Advisory Board Members

**Denotes Steering Committee Member

Patty Kirby
Vice President of Education and Training
Planned Parenthood of Maryland
(410) 576-2161

**Charmayne D. Little
NCC Representative
Coordinator, Community Schools
Baltimore City Public School System
(443) 642-2932 

Lester Burney, Jr., MS
Program Administrator
Aunt Hattie's Place
(410) 367-2472

**Ross Pologe, CAB Chair
Executive Director
Fellowship of Lights, Inc.
Youth and Community Services
(410) 332-4277 x222

Donna Holman El-Amin
Case Management Specialist Supervisor, Female Intervention Team
Department of Juvenile Services
(443) 263-8790

Linda Cymrot
Casey Family Services
(410) 342-7554

Jacquelene Sharp Massey
Director of Community Partnerships & Resource Development
Mayor’s Office of Employment Development
Academy for College and Career Exploration (ACCE)
(410) 396-6722

Liz Torres Brown                                                           
Employment Advocate
YO! Center
(410) 732-2661

Kenya Lee
Founder
Parents With Power
(410) 466-6338

Mindi B. Levin, MS, CHES                                                                                 
Director, Student Outreach
Resource Center (SOURCE)
(410) 955-3880

Ledonia Kimball                                                                                             
Office of Safe & Supportive Schools
Baltimore City Public School System
(443) 642-2930

**Linda Federico Kohler
Executive Director
Students Sharing Coalition
(410) 662-8999

**Risa Turetsky, RN
Bloomberg School of Public Health
Student Representative

Christine Evans
Health Educator/Teen Pregnancy Coordinator
Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene
Center for Maternal & Child Health
(410) 767-6042
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Dr. Tracy Rone
Research Associate, The Institute for Urban Research
Morgan State University

Ray Winbush
Director, Institute for Urban Research
Morgan State University
(443) 885-3004

Michelle Kurta
Paralegal/Youth Worker for the Youth Achieving Potential Project
The Legal Aid Bureau
(443) 451-2812

Stephanie Crewe, MD
Pediatrician
Johns Hopkins Hospital
(410) 614-1100

Sgt. James Vaughan                                
Baltimore City Police Department
Police Athletic League
(410) 396-2166

Avril Houston, MD, MPH, FAAP
Medical Director of Youth and Families
Baltimore City Health Department

**Cynthia Mobley, MD, MPH
Director
Healthy Teens Young Adults Center
Baltimore City Health Department
(410) 396-0064