Board of Directors

Beaming Brite’s strength is in the commitment, expertise and work of its board, staff members and volunteers. Beaming Brite’s board of directors consists of outstanding leaders from the business, government, and education sectors. These dedicated individuals are actively engaged in the strategic planning and implementation of Beaming Brite programs and policies and serve as the organization’s chief ambassadors for youth mentoring.

Mona Arestil, Ed.S.

CEO/Executive Director

Mona, the Founder Of Beaming Brite Mentoring Inc, has been a beaming light in the lives of the youth she has mentored and taught throughout the years.  Mona pursued and holds a Masters in Education as well as her Specialist in Educational Leadership. She’s a creative minded individual, an Educator with 15+ years working in the public school sector with k-12 students. She has worked in the private sector as well running a successful Educational program for young men from ages 16-21. She is a lover of adventure and always seeks to live life to the fullest. She believes that any youth can achieve their dreams with guidance and support. 

What keeps her focus is understanding that, “when educating the minds of our youth, we must not forget to educate their hearts.”

Dalai Lama

Karla Forbes, Pharm.D.

Secretary

Dr. Karla Forbes is a compassionate pharmacist with over 15 years of experience in her field. She received her Doctor of Pharmacy degree from the College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences at Florida A&M University. She is passionate about all things STEAM and wishes to share her love for science, math, and reading with the young ladies in the program. When she is not working, Karla enjoys volunteering, live events, eating good food, and being around good people. 

One of her favorite quotes is…”Believe in yourself, learn, and never stop wanting to build a better world.” 

Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune 

Candace McEwen, M.Ed.

Treasurer/Program Director

Candace’s passion for Education is seen in her daily work with youth. She is a creative spirit that loves to generate innovative ideas. She enjoys living life to its fullest and dismantling limiting beliefs. She has a background in Criminal Justice and a specialization in Education. She currently has a concentration on Educational Leadership to further the work that she does in the Educational System. Candace’s numerous volunteer experience in her community led her to continue that work in the school setting. 

She believes, “Whether you think you can or think you can’t, you're right!” 

Henry Ford

Nikia Coefield, Pharm.D.

Board Member

Dr. Nikia Coefield is a Medication Process Strategist with over 10 years experience in the Healthcare IT industry. Leveraging her clinical background and her process improvement expertise, Nikia has supported multiple hospital systems across the country with medication related automation, as well as the implementation and optimization of electronic medical record systems. Nikia holds a Bachelor’s of Science in Biology and a Doctor of Pharmacy from the University of the Sciences in Philadelphia. 

One of her favorites quotes is: “The future depends on what we do in the present.”


Mahatma Ghandi

Manoucheka Celeste, Ph.D.

Board Member

Dr. Manoucheka Celeste is a researcher, educator, mentor, and advocate. She is currently an Associate Professor at the University of Florida in the Center for Gender, Sexualities, and Women’s Studies Research, and in the African American Studies Program. She conducts research on media representations of race, gender, class, and sexuality, and on identity formation in the United States and the Caribbean, specifically in Haiti. Dr. Celeste is the author of the award-winning book Race, Gender, and Citizenship in the African Diaspora: Travelling Blackness (Routledge)Dr. Celeste holds a Ph.D. in Communication and Graduate Certificate in Feminist Studies from the University of Washington, an M.A. in Mass Communication and a B.S. in Journalism from UF. She is founding director of the Mentoring Circle and The Power Lab for Mentoring, Research and Pedagogy.

Her "mission in life is not merely to survive, but to thrive; and to do so with some passion, some compassion, some humour and some style."

Maya Angelou

Ebony Parrish

Board Member

A Louisiana native, Ebony has served in the Army for 15 years. She currently resides in Georgia and continues her education in Cybersecurity and Electronic Warfare. Ebony has adopted many values from the Army and incorporates them daily to serve and support people in various communities. When she's not working she loves travel, food trucks, finances and real estate.


One of her favorite quotes is: "If they don't give you a seat at the table, bring a folding chair." 


Shirley Chisholm

Jamal Brooks

Board Member

Jamal Brooks is a passionate career strategist and program manager dedicated to empowering youth and underrepresented communities. With a strong background in leadership and mentoring at Apple, Jamal leverages his MBA, MS in IT Management, and industry certifications to guide individuals toward success. His commitment to fostering growth and opportunity drives his work on the non-profit board, where he aims to inspire and uplift the next generation. 


One of his favorite quotes is: “Hard work is non-negotiable, but if you work smart, you won’t have to work long. 


Keith Brooks

Anissa Martin, Ph.D.

Board Member

Dr. Anissa Martin is an accomplished corporate finance professional and academic professor with twenty years of experience in for-profit and non-profit organizations. She has a doctorate in Organizational and Business Management and has implemented, designed, and conducted a plethora of training seminars. She has professional accreditation as a Certified Credit Executive (CCE). Her quest in life is to motivate others beyond their mark; helping them to flourish to their maximum potential and excel regardless of the state of the marketplace or their communities. Dr. Martin as she is affectingly crowned was nominated for Leadership Detroit (via Carhartt), is a NACM moderator (Collection Strategies and Measurement to Improve Performance) and speaker (Team Building: We Are All in This Together) as well as being featured in an NACM article Creditor-To-Creditor Relationships. She faithfully commits to “Greater Service, Greater Progress,” as a member of Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc.; where she serves as the Scholarship Committee Chair. Her goal is ensuring those she serves are empowered and have applicable principles for life, family, and work.


One of her favorite quotes is: I can be changed by what happens to me. But I refuse to be reduced by it.” 


Dr. Maya Angelou

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