Meet The Team

A native of Arizona, Sarah was born in Laveen and raised in Maryvale. She is an 8 year Army combat veteran, and Masters level social worker with over 20 years of experience. 

Pastor Andre N. Miller, Sr. is a veteran of the U.S. Army and native of Detroit Michigan. He has attended Rio Salado Community College, Grand Canyon University and Lancaster Bible College.

Pastor Andre was the first African-American police chaplain for the Apache Junction Police department. Pastor Andre is a leader who believes in leading by honest example, strongly embracing all individuals without prejudices, and being a powerful and proactive leader in the church and in the community.

With over 25 years of corporate customer service experience, Swhana has honed expertise in leadership, continuous improvement, and project management. Holding a bachelor's degree in business administration and a master's in leadership and negotiation, she combines strategic insight with a passion for fostering meaningful change.

For nearly a decade, she has championed enterprise-level diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives, driving lasting impact across organizations. Her recent work as a Fellow in CEO Action for Racial Equity has deepened her understanding of the lived experiences of Black Americans across the social determinants of health, solidifying her commitment to advocacy and transformative progress.

A lifelong learner, Swhana thrives on expanding knowledge—not just for herself, but for those around her. She is dedicated to creating opportunities for others to grow, ensuring that learning remains a powerful tool for empowerment and equity.

Alexis (“Lexi”) Eisa is a fearless defender for communities around the world. At a young age, Lexi made it her life goal to uplift her people and to provide for the realization of human rights for all persons. In pursuit of that goal, Lexi has, and continues to, represent the unhoused community, defend victims of police brutality, advocate for communities of color, and provide platforms to the marginalized. Lexi is honored to serve and empower the people through the NAACP.

Cheyenne Howard is a recent graduate of Grand Canyon University with a degree in English and a passion for storytelling that inspires and uplifts the next generation. Driven by a desire to create meaningful impact through both words and action, she aspires to become a published author and a voice for change. Cheyenne has also been actively involved in civic engagement, contributing to the growth of the NAACP Youth & College Chapter in the West Valley. She participated with Civic Engagement Beyond Voting for a fellowship, where she worked to promote greater public involvement in the democratic process

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Nadia Ashley is the Black Student Union President at Chandler High and a graduate of the EVIT fashion program. Known for her flair and leadership, she plans to study fashion at Arizona State University and aims to be a showstopper in the fashion industry.

Gwendolyn Bailey is a proven leader with a distinguished background in military service, education, and professional achievement. As a USAF veteran and former Staff Sergeant, she earned accolades such as the Meritorious Achievement Medal for her leadership in training communications personnel during the Gulf War. Her post-military career spans roles at NASA, Northrop Grumman, and the State of Arizona, supported by an MBA and the globally recognized PMP certification. Passionate about mental health and wellness, she leads as the Health and Wellness Chair for both the Maricopa NAACP and the Arizona State Conference NAACP. As CEO of Resilience Wellness Coaching and Consulting, Gwendolyn delivers client-centered mental health advocacy, drawing on her own transformative journey from adversity to triumph to empower others.

Esmeralda Castillo brings a strong background in education, youth development, and civic engagement to her work across Arizona. With five years of experience teaching English, she consistently used literature and the arts as powerful tools to inspire student voice, self-expression, and academic growth.

In her current role as a Community Engagement Coordinator for the City of Phoenix, Esmeralda designs and implements youth-centered programs focused on public safety education. Her initiatives aim to equip young people with the knowledge and tools necessary to navigate interactions with law enforcement safely and responsibly, while fostering trust and dialogue between communities and institutions.

Esmeralda’s work is grounded in a deep commitment to equity, creativity, and empowerment. Through her efforts, she continues to champion spaces where young people feel seen, heard, and prepared to lead.

Nadia Khalighi is an Iranian-American Baha’i. As a child, she and her family found refuge in the United States after fleeing religious persecution in Iran. This experience shaped her lifelong dedication to fostering inclusivity, equity, and meaningful connections within diverse and marginalized communities.

 In 2022, she received the Arizona MLK “Living the Dream” award for her community service and activism. She has been an NAACP member for 5 years.

Justine Parnell is a dedicated educator, doctoral candidate, and community advocate with a lifelong commitment to equity, justice, and educational liberation for Black and Brown youth. Justine is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Learning, Literacies, and Technologies at Arizona State University. Her research focuses on the intersections of education, juvenile justice, cultural identity, and participatory action. She brings a unique blend of experience as a classroom teacher, policy advocate, researcher, and nonprofit consultant. Her work centers youth voice and prioritizes healing-centered, abolitionist approaches to school transformation. She is also the proud mother of four and finds her greatest joy in building a world where all children can thrive.

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Ms. Daisha New-Collier began her career in the United States Air Force (USAF). While on active duty she earned two expeditionary medals and completed an associate’s degree in criminal justice from the Community College of the Air Force. After Ms. New-Collier was honorably discharged from the USAF she continued her career as a civil servant and has worked for the federal government for over 26 years. She has a bachelor’s degree from the University of Phoenix in business management and a master of arts degree from Johns Hopkins University (JHU) in government and public policy. Her thesis while at JHU focused on “Dead Time” which is the time an individual(s) spends living in jail without a conviction for either a petty offense, nonviolent crime, or misdemeanor because they can’t afford to pay for their bail.  Ms. New-Collier has served her community as a Court Appointed Special Advocate and has volunteered with the Victim Assistance and Sexual Assault Program. She is currently a doctoral student at the University of Illinois-Springfield (UIS) majoring in public administration. She wants to focus her UIS dissertation on policies that affect people of color within the United States. 

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Fallon Jones, as an NAACP Youth and College Advisor, has spearheaded initiatives such as the Civics All Summer Work Program, providing grant-funded opportunities for youth to engage in voter registration and various civic activities. Leveraging her experience as the Director of Operations for an energy efficiency company, she applies her expertise in data analysis and systemization to enhance youth community engagement. Fallon is also the author of 'The Art of Being Unbothered' and the creative force behind BuildSmart.Pro, where she designs innovative smart homes. Her dedication to community and youth development is evident in her work across multiple sectors, making her a dynamic leader and advocate for positive change.

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