To provide career, education, workforce, and housing for children, families, individuals, and the surrounding communities
Who We Are
Meet Our Team
Gwendolyn Hayes
Founder/CEO
Gwendolyn L. Hayes has a Bachelor/Master in Social Work. Ms. Hayes is a licensed MSW. She is currently a Field Instructor for BSW/MSW Social Interns through The University of Mississippi and Walden University. She has over twenty years of social services/case management, outreach, and educational experience.
During her tenure in through the Head Start/Community Action Agency through, she had challenging leadership positions, she developed a strong sense of responsibility, effective interpersonal skills and the ability to contribute to teamwork, even in high-pressure environments. She successfully resolved conflicts among parents, planned social and educational programs while serving as a positive role model for her peers.
During her tenure with Job Corps/Department of Labor, she successfully promoted leadership among students to be positive peer role model, to serve as advocacy for their peers, promoting varies community events, and one of the top leadership programs in our regional area. She continued to identify and serve on various advisory boards and committees in North & South MS develop to maintain linkages with employers for potential employment opportunities for students that meet the minimum contract wage goal, provide medical benefits contacts and provide advancement opportunities. She also continues to develop and maintain linkages with schools and other training programs that meet the placement definition which will result in greater employment opportunities for Job Corps students. She served as the DOL representative for the first and second annual Department of HUD/Department of Labor Summit. She serves as chair lead for the second summit and coordinated one of the most successful career fairs to be held. She continued successfully provides Job Corps students with career transition services that would lead to long-term employment, earning growth, career progression, and further education.
With her background in case management, social services, and education, I am confident that her education and work experiences with different individuals will help make any advance opportunities in the surrounding community.
She is the mother of three (3) adult children and the grandmother to her grandchildren which she dearly loves.
Her motto is a quote from Dr. Martin Luther King “Faith is taking the first step even when you don’t see the whole stairway”.
Melvin C. Stamps
Executive Director
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Ruth Ball
Education Program Manager
Melvin C. Stamps, is the Housing Program Manager, with the Central Mississippi Continuum of Care/Stewpot Community Services. He has 16 years of administration and oversight of federally funded programs. He is a 2000 Graduate of Jackson State University, with a B.S. in Psychology. He is skilled in planning and development, program management, and case management. His favorite quote is "Great things come from hard work and perseverance. No excuses."-Kobe Bryant
Pearlean Day
Consultant
Dr. Pearlean Day is a highly skilled Community Coordinator in the Mississippi Delta with over twenty years of experience in public health; specializing in recruitment and training for chronic disease awareness and promotion initiatives. Dr. Day graduated from Walden University with a PhD, in Public with emphasis in Health Education and Promotion.
Dr. Day has worked on an array of health initiatives with the University of Alabama and the University of Southern Mississippi.
Dr. Day passion in public health is driven by the bond she has created with individuals; particularly, community health workers in the Mississippi Delta and the enjoyment she holds in promoting health outreach.
Currently, Dr. Day is employed by the West Tallahatchie School District. She serves as the Elementary and Alternative School Counselor.
Dr. Carrie Kirkland
Consultant
Board of Directors
Anthoney Reed
President
Anthoney Reed currently serves as Project Director of Outreach & Admissions of Tennessee and Mississippi operations. Mr. Reed oversees all Outreach and Admissions, Career Transition Services and subcontracts in both states for Job Corps. He is responsible for project management, strategic planning, organizing, directing, business development, forecasting, analyzing, relationship building, and performance management, and providing an oversight to ensure ACE’s mission is executed and goals are developed and achieved. He has 14 years of Job Corps experience.
Mr. Reed attended Jackson State University in Jackson, Mississippi where he received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Communication and Marketing. Reed’s personal experience brings charisma, energy, dedication, and creativity to a well derived social platform of trouble youths, passionate staff, and optimistic agencies by creating long lasting partnerships and well-developed career and educational opportunities.
Valorie Taylor
Secretary
Valerie Taylor was raised in North Rankin County educated in the public school system. She worked her way thru college earning an Associate Degree in Sale & Marketing, a Bachelor of Business Administration and currently pursuing a master’s in leadership and Management.
Valerie has worked in public education for the past 20 plus years from secretary, project officer, curriculum and instruction personnel, assistant director and currently state adviser of a non-profit student organization. She is the member of several professional organizations and has served on various local and national advisory committees.
She uses her current position for the primary focus of student achievement inside and outside the classroom by engaging in hands on activities and interactive learning.
She is a member of the Mt. Pisgah Baptist Church where she served many years as the church secretary, and currently serving on the church burial committee. Valerie uses this position as a catalyst to remind individual to ensure an eternal rest, it begins with your church home and your relationship with God.
Bo Wims
Vice-President
Myrna Morris
Treasurer
As an educator with a passion to inspire, a deep-seated concern, and a respect for students in the classroom. My personal mission is to prepare students for college, career, and a future that is yet unknown. I teach to help students to become better people-curious, thoughtful, creative, compassionate, and full of hope. This is why I teach. I teach to prepare students for life.