Meet the Team
Dr. Kimberly Allen
Chief Executive Officer
Dr. Allen was born in Virginia Beach, VA, and moved to Jacksonville when she was two years old.
Favorite Album: The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill
Hidden Talent: Singer - Even auditioned for American Idol
Best Part About 904WARD: I get to show up to work with people who are equally passionate about eradicating racism while being exactly who I am all the time!
Racial Justice Matters Because... if there are segments of our population who are not receiving justice, then everyone suffers as a result. I don't want anyone just to get by and survive. We all deserve to thrive.
1-833-904WARD (9273)
Lorin Thies
Director of Fund Development
Lorin is a native of Neptune Beach, FL.
Favorite Saturday Activity: Watch nature while sitting on my back porch with a cup of coffee. Not the most exciting thing, but I enjoy it.
Hidden Talent: I can become invisible to any automatic faucet
Best Part About 904WARD: The entire team - from the board to volunteers to staff to funders - all deeply understand and value the work.
Racial Justice Matters Because... Dr. King said it best, "Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere."
904-770-5912
ReGina Newkirk Rucci
Director of Equity
ReGina was born in Fort Collins, CO, but grew up mostly in Nashville, TN.
Favorite Movie: Coming To America
Favorite Book: Poverty and Profit in the American City; Random Family: Love, Drugs, Trouble and Coming of Age in the Bronx; and Hyperbole and a Half.
Hidden Talent: Buying gifts for people - if you get the right gift, you shouldn't be able to give it to just anybody, and it still makes sense
Best Part About 904WARD: Being able to bring all of me - the passion and the crazy included - to my work and to really address issues where they impact us.
Racial Justice Matters Because... We will never realize the best in everyone until everyone has a chance to be their best.
615-516-8004
Jerail Fennell
Director of Marketing and Communications
Jerail was born in Daytona Beach, FL but moved to Palm Coast when he was seven years old.
Favorite Movie: Hitch
Favorite Saturday Activity: Visiting a cigar lounge
Hidden Talent: I perform stand-up comedy throughout the country.
Best Part About 904WARD: Being able to be your whole self while working with an amazing group of people with a shared mission.
Racial Justice Matters Because... We will never reach our fullest potential as a people until everyone has an equitable playing field.
386-299-5968
Whitney Touchton
Operations and Development Assistant
Being a military child, Whitney spent her childhood living in many different places.
Favorite Book: The Sum of Us
Favorite Saturday Activity: Going to the Beach
What Motivates You: When people are brave enough to look behind the curtain of the status quo, and then it brings forth healing and agency for themselves and the world around them!
Best Part About 904WARD: 904WARD is inclusive, welcoming, and truthful while still honoring the humanity in each of us
Racial Justice Matters Because... Racial justice is creating a world everyone wants to be a part of, even if they don't know it yet.
833-904WARD (9273)
Ronald Lyons
Program Manager
Ron was born and raised in Fort Valley, GA.
Favorite Movie: The Friday Trilogy
Favorite Saturday Activity: Going on hikes
Hidden Talent: I love singing
Best Part About 904WARD: Everyone that I have met is passionate and willing to do whatever it takes to fight the racial justice fight.
Racial Justice Matters Because... it allows for change in our political, economic, and social climate and sets up opposition to those individual racist behaviors and impacts that are harming our communities.