meet the team

Dr. walter milton jr
Founder, CEO & Author
He holds a Doctorate of Education degree in leadership and policy from the University of Buffalo. Dr. Milton started his career in education in 1991 as a junior high school teacher for the Webster Central School District in Webster, New York, and then moved on to Brighton Central School District, a National Renowned School District in Brighton, New York. Through the years, he moved from being a teacher to principal, central administration, and then to Superintendent of Fallsburg Central District, Fallsburg, New York. In 2005, he became Superintendent of Flint Community Schools, Flint, Michigan where he designed and implemented a district-wide education reform that has been recognized throughout the State of Michigan and other parts of the country.
He is the former superintendent in Springfield, Illinois, where he served as superintendent for almost eight years. Throughout his educational career, Dr. Milton has received numerous awards and recognitions. In addition to his academic and professional pursuits, Dr. Milton is an inventor who holds a patent. Through his vision, he has had the ability to motivate educational organizations and communities to develop and support initiatives/programs that encourage students to achieve their highest potential. He is a focused and disciplined leader with a great vision, effective communication skills, and a passion for students in the midst of triumph or adversity. Dr. Milton has also taught at several universities across the United States. He is also a published author of Parents Perception of Schools and Schools Perception of Parents, (2006), Me in the Making – One Man’s Journey to Becoming a School Superintendent (2008), Why Black Men Must Save Black Boys in America’s Public Schools (2014), Truth Be Told-Narratives from The Souls of Black Women (2018) and Black History 365-An Inclusive Account of American History (2020). BH365 was birthed from his passion for history and a traumatic 4th-grade classroom experience with his teacher attempting to teach black history, starting with slavery. This lesson was contradictory to what his parents had taught – that black history dates back to the beginning of time. In 2018, he began to research and write, spending many tireless evenings crafting the manuscript. Dr. Milton is currently CEO of Black History 365 (BH365) and From the Heart International Educational Services (FTH).

Lisa petros
VP of Business & Finance
Ms. Petros attended Loyola University in New Orleans, LA where she majored in Marketing and Management. She received an MBA from Fontbonne University. Lisa was very active in community service, joined a business fraternity, Delta Sigma Pi, and became a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. in the Fall of 1989. Ms. Petros really loves DST! Lisa has worked at prestigious organizations including Darcy Masius Benton & Bowles, Southwestern Bell, Junior Achievement (JA), and St. Louis Partners AmeriCorps, a domestic version of the Peace Corps. Lisa served as the Director of Education at Mathews Dickey Boys and Girls Club. She is also the proud CEO of One-L Group, which is a new, innovative publishing firm that offers opportunities in the realm of consultation around organizational development, financial management, and professional editing.

Dr. lisa deveaux
Chief Learning & Development Officer
During her four years as the executive director responsible for 37 elementary schools, she recognized the role principals played in the equity and access equation. To support their work, she designed and delivered professional development that improved the leadership practices of the principals in her learning community.
As a certified coach, Lisa utilizes her expertise to support leaders and teams in effectively identifying school improvement leverage points. Lisa received her doctorate from The University of Texas at Austin’s Cooperative Superintendency Program.

Dr. Jerome Ernest Taylor, Jr.
President
Dr. Jerome E. Taylor, Jr., Ed.D., is a visionary executive leader with more than 30 years of experience in school leadership, community development, and organizational transformation. .
He has led large-scale district initiatives, supported implementation of a $50 million federal Teacher School Leader grant, secured more than $1.4 million in state funding through partnerships between New Jersey school districts and colleges/universities, and delivered sustained school improvement efforts that increased middle school math proficiency from 9% to more than 80% over 10 years. As President, he is committed to aligning vision with execution, fostering innovation, and leading sustainable growth initiatives that expand BH365's impact nationwide.

Catrice Alleyne
Chief of Staff
Catrice Alleyne is a systems strategist known for translating bold ideas into clear messages, aligned teams, and measurable action. With a foundation in engineering, education, and organizational leadership, she brings structure to complex initiatives and communicates strategy with purpose across internal teams, external partners, and diverse audiences. Her work spans executive communications, brand positioning, stakeholder engagement, partnership development, marketing strategy, and workforce development.
Catrice specializes in connecting people, systems, and technology to create human-centered solutions that strengthen organizational performance and expand opportunity. She is especially passionate about technology-integrated learning, the future of work, and designing pathways that prepare individuals and communities to thrive in rapidly changing environments. Known for balancing vision with execution, she helps organizations clarify their message, strengthen their presence, and turn promising ideas into coordinated, sustainable impact.
Catrice holds a Bachelor of Science in Engineering from Grambling State University and a Master of Arts in Secondary Education. She is a PhD candidate in Industrial and Organizational Psychology and a proud member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated.

Paul Griffin Jr.
Ambassador
Paul L. Griffin, Jr. is a seasoned business executive and organizational leader with more than three decades of experience in educational publishing and technology. He has held senior leadership positions with Amplify Education, Lexia Learning, and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, with expertise in sales leadership, business development, digital learning, market expansion, and strategic partnerships.
A dedicated servant leader, Paul served as the 32nd International President of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc., providing strategic leadership focused on scholarship, education, business, social action, and service. His civic leadership also includes board service with the DeSoto Economic Development Corporation.

Aprill edwards
Marketing, Tech & Analytics
With more than two decades of predicting, creating, developing, and leading business initiatives, Aprill Edwards is a respected business leader with a verifiable track record of effectively managing people, projects, processes, and productivity to deliver stellar results. Aprill is extremely skilled at recognizing inefficiencies, roadblocks & detractors and eliminating them from the path to success.
Some of Aprill’s professional accomplishments include the following: MBA (National-Louis University), Certified Diversity & Inclusion Specialist (Cornell), Springfield Business Journal’s 40 Under Forty Award Honoree, Greater Springfield Chamber of Commerce’s Leadership Springfield program graduate, Advancing Indy Women In Leadership program graduate, award-winning Noontime Toastmasters Club President, and Springfield District 186 Youth Leadership Saturday Academies Program organizer/leader.
But, in all, her greatest accomplishment is birthing two amazing children: Dr. Dominique Edwards (PharmD) and Phillip PJ Edwards, a Div. 1 basketball player/student at the University of Central Florida.

brian deveaux
Executive Director of Digital Platforms/Trainer
Dr. Brian DeVeaux served as an educator for 34 years in the 11th largest district in the country. During that time, Brian served as a teacher, coach, assistant principal, associate principal, and principal. While serving in those roles, he was instrumental in leading effective instructional programs. As the principal of a historically underperforming Improvement Required high school, he increased the academic rigor and created a culture of excellence.
His leadership allowed the school to build strong teams and create a robust school improvement plan which resulted in a consistent Met Standard rating. Brian’s ability to develop effective instructional programs and build campus cultures that recognize the power educators have to change life’s circumstances is a rare commodity. As a result of these skills, Brian was recruited to serve as a specialist for The University of Texas at Arlington where he observes, coaches, and provides feedback to candidates in their Principal program.
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dominick clayton
Director of PD and Lead Trainer
Dominick Clayton is an award-winning educator, born in Orlando, Florida. He graduated from John Carroll University with a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration with a major in marketing. He also was an all-conference athlete in both football and track while at JCU. After trying his hand at arena football, Dominick began his career in education at his high school alma mater (Mt. Dora High School) as a special education math teacher. Dominick was quickly urged to pursue leadership by the school’s administration team. He followed their lead and graduated from Barry University with a master’s degree in Science with a focus on educational leadership.
Dominick began his educational leadership journey in 2006 as an assistant principal at a low-performing high school. His desire and passion to create and develop whole human beings is the driving force behind his goal to spread humanity and love to all.

jasmine cole
Visual Designer, Publisher, Editor
She is also a published children’s book illustrator (Dancing with Naima), has traveled around Europe and Central America to study painting, and has exhibited in multiple galleries and museums. Jasmine holds a BA in both studio art and journalism from the University of Mississippi; and a MA and MFA in 2D visual arts from Mississippi College.
Storytelling has always held a prominent place in her life. Building visual narratives and promoting an appreciation for the arts often envelop her endeavors, and she hopes to expand on narrative traditions in every aspect of her career.

Mia Street
Executive Director Black History 365 Education Foundation
Her work centers on access and opportunity. She builds strategic partnerships and programs that confront disparities in education, and coordinates teams to get resources to the students and families who need them most. Her experience in project management, fundraising, and budget development is the operational backbone of her push for systemic change.
Mia cultivates relationships with local stakeholders and creates space for dialogue and collaboration, and her legislative advocacy extends that work into policy on behalf of under-resourced populations.
A graduate of Grambling State University and Louisiana Tech University, she holds a Master's in Education from the University of San Diego.

Olivia Cloud
Publisher and Designer
Olivia has been actively engaged in the Christian and inspirational publishing field since 1987. She has been a gender pioneer at all of her places of employment— the first African-American female hired in a professional denominational position at the Baptist Sunday School Board (now Lifeway Christian Resources); the first female senior editor at the historic R. H. Boyd Publishing Corporation; and the first woman to serve as director of publishing for the Sunday School Publishing Board of the National Baptist Convention, USA, Inc.
Olivia is currently associate editor of the curriculum at the R.H. Boyd Publishing Corporation. She also owns Guardian Angel Communications Services (GACS), a company she formed in 1997 to provide writing, editing, publishing and design services to authors, publishers and organizations.

jocelyn lege
IT Team
Jocelyn has served as the BH365 IT Facilitator since 2021. Her IT knowledge, communication skills and commitment to collaboration resulted in her recruitment by the BH365 team. In this role, she provides IT support ranging from password reset assistance to Institute Administrators while troubleshooting for districts across the country. Jocelyn is currently pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Music.

bernard turner
Editor
Bernard Turner was born in Chicago and educated in the Chicago Public School system. He studied German as an undergraduate at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, and attended graduate school at the University of Chicago. Mr. Turner has been a teacher of Language Arts (ELA), German and Spanish in middle school and high school and worked in educational publishing in sales and marketing until December 2014. In 2002, Mr. Turner founded Highlights of Chicago Press with the publication of A View of Bronzeville, a neighborhood tour guide that focuses on the important institutions and people that made Bronzeville a great neighborhood. Other publications include The Windies’ City—Chicago’s Historical Hidden Treasures, Chicago Neighborhoods with Flavor—Getting Out of the Loop, and a social studies book for elementary grades called Our Chicago—People and Places. Bernard co-wrote and published Tate and His Historic Dream, a Phillis Wheatley Award Finalist.

Dr. Felicia Turner
Writer, Editor, Researcher and Trainer
Dr. Felicia Turner is an accomplished educator, consultant, and curriculum leader with more than 25 years of experience serving diverse student populations. Beginning her career as an ESL teacher in Dallas ISD, she has held leadership roles including instructional coach, PK–12 administrator, literacy coordinator, national director, and educational consultant.
Dr. Turner holds degrees from Philander Smith University, the University of Phoenix, and Baylor University, where she earned her doctorate in Leadership and Organizational Change. Throughout her career, she has secured millions in grant funding, led large-scale school improvement initiatives, and supported educators and leaders nationwide.
A published author, curriculum developer, and national and international speaker, Dr. Turner is committed to innovative educational practices, strategic leadership, and sustainable solutions that strengthen teaching and improve outcomes for all learners.

Deneen Henderson
Information Technology
DeNeene Henderson is a lifelong educator having been a Teacher, Librarian, Instructional Technology Specialist, and Post-Secondary Clinical Faculty Member throughout her career. A native Dallasite, she has both matriculated in and worked for Dallas ISD. DeNeene holds Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Information Science from the University of North Texas. State level service includes working on the Tech Apps Textbook Adoption Committee, the Tech Apps TExES Certification Exam Frameworks Review Committee, and participating in the Standard Setting Conference for the Texas Educator Certification Examination Program for Computer Science (PACT).
DeNeene is passionate about connecting students to opportunities for learning and critical thinking because of the positive impact on their lives. She believes in leveraging leisure reading, print/digital resource research, and tech tool integration to deepen understanding, maximize knowledge and ensure beneficial outcomes for all.

Rasheed Rasshan
Sales Representative
Rasheed Rasshan brings more than 25 years of experience across education, leadership, business development, community engagement, and strategic partnerships. A second-generation educator, he has dedicated his career to building meaningful relationships that connect schools, families, businesses, and communities around educational excellence and lasting impact.
Throughout his career, Rasheed has served as an educator, athletic coordinator, coach, director of football operations, event strategist, and executive leader, developing expertise in program development, stakeholder engagement, operations, and organizational growth.
Rasheed holds a bachelor’s degree in Mass Communications from Grambling State University and a master’s degree in Education from National University. As a member of the BH365 team, he is committed to expanding the organization’s reach, strengthening partnerships with educators and school districts, and advancing the mission of making Black history part of the American story 365 days a year.

Dr. Kevin Khao Cates
Music Education
Kevin “Khao” Cates, a native of Montgomery, Alabama, is a multi-platinum, Grammy-nominated music producer, who lives by the motto, “Don’t just be successful, be significant.” Khao is also the founder and creator of KOOLriculum, Inc., an innovative technology-driven media company that delivers content using music to teach youth in grades Pre-K through12 academic competencies across subjects; he is also the founder of Bridge DA Gap, a non-profit social-emotional program and curriculum, combining Hip-Hop music, education and mentoring to reach students and teach life skills applicable in today’s socially challenging environment.

Alfonza Scott Jr.
Sales Representative
Born, raised and educated in Dayton, Ohio. His extended education includes a Bachelor’s of Science Degree in Business, a Master’s Degree in Counseling, and extensive Business/Corporate Training. Whether providing hardware or software solutions as a former IBM Network Computing Specialist, or as a Pharmaceutical Sales Advocate, Scott has always ranked high amongst the industry’s top performers. And although proud of such business accomplishments, he’d be the first to admit his greatest work is proudly serving as a Pastor of God’s people. Pastor Scott recently Authored an award winning book “We’ve Got Something to Talk About” which highlights the experiences and importance of attending Historically Black colleges and universities that speaks volumes to where his life passion aligns.