MEET THE
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
CHERYLANN CHARLES-WILLIAMSON, PH.D
President
Cherylann Charles-Williamson is the President and founder of The Nyela Foundation Inc., a philanthropic non-profit organization providing financial support to individuals in their educational efforts and other life improving endeavors, founded in 2017. She wears many professional hats and lends her talents to two other successful entrepreneurial ventures. She is currently the Director of Human Resources and FSO at Netops Solutions Inc., an Information Technology company founded by her husband, Tyrone Williamson in 2008. She is the Senior Program Manager at DDAT Realty Management LLC., a real estate development company founded by she and her husband in 2004. Dr. Williamson brings a wealth of entrepreneurial knowledge and business acumen to lead the Nylea Foundation in its missions to educate many and support life improvement goals of others.
She holds a Ph.D. in Organizational Communication from Howard University, Washington DC; a Masters Certificate in Business and Leadership Development from Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD; a Master of Arts in Communication Disorders from Hampton University, Virginia; and a Bachelor of Arts in Speech and Language Pathology from Pace University, New York.
TYRONE WILLIAMSON
Vice President
Director of Fundraising
Tyrone Williamson is the founder and CEO of NetOps Solutions Inc., an Information Technology company that provides innovative networking solutions to several United States government organizations and to the private sector. Before devoting his work fulltime to NetOps Solutions Inc. Tyrone served as:
Co-founder of a track club in Detroit focused on developing the hearts, minds and bodies of young people.
Residence Hall Director of the State University of New York, New Paltz College. Mr. Williamson developed students through cultural exposure, think-tanks and leadership development.
Advisor for the Panhellenic Counsel for Historically Black Fraternities and Sororities while at New Paltz College.
Social Worker at Graham Windham Residential Treatment Facility - serving young Black boys at risk.
Sales Consultant in retail and corporate sectors
Teacher to adults with developmental disabilities and ran several independent residential living programs.
In addition to being an Information Technology guru, Tyrone is also a Real Estate Developer. He owns and operates DDAT Realty Management LLC which aims to improve and beautify Baltimore City through rehabilitation of dilapidated properties. DDAT Realty is enrolled in the Vacant to Value program sponsored by Baltimore City, changing lives one house at a time.
His philosophy in life is: “Nothing beats a failure but a try”. In this vein, his philanthropic endeavors have included giving of his time, talents, and finances to several individuals and organizations over the years.
Tyrone was born in Pittsburgh PA and spent his formative years in Detroit Michigan. Tyrone is a proud graduate of Cass Technical High School, Detroit, MI. He holds a Bachelor of Applied Arts and Sciences from Central Michigan University.
Tyrone is a member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc.
He lives in the Washington DC suburbs with his wife and daughter
ARMONÉ
WILLIAMS
Treasurer
Secretary
Armone Williams is a graduate of Towson University in Towson Maryland, where she graduated in 2017 with a Business Administration Degree, with a Human Resource focus. Armone encourages students to pursue post-secondary education: “I think everyone should experience college. Other than the school work, it was the best time of my life. It was almost like having a home away from home with everyone around you close to your age.”
Her first corporate job is with NetOps Solutions Inc. as the Human Resource Generalist. “It opened my eyes to a whole new way of thinking when it came to the everyday work-life. I appreciate NetOps and the Nyela Foundation for giving me an opportunity and helping to continue to mold me into an improved version of myself as I grow into woman-hood and the real word.” I believe the Nyela foundation can and will continue to do the same for others, helping young individuals reach their full potential by providing scholarships and ongoing support. We need more people like that in today's society!
SHARON IFE
CHARLES-HEWITT
Chief Non-Profit Policy Officer
Sharon Charles- Hewitt is the incoming Director of People and Culture, a new position at the
Center for Court Innovation in New York City where she has worked for over twenty years. In
this role she will oversee the Director of Practice, Director of Clinical Supervision and the
Training Institute. In her previous role, Ife was the Director of Anti-Violence Capacity Building
in the Department of Community Development and Violence Prevention. Ife worked with
projects throughout the Center to develop their ability to respond to community violence. Her
role strengthened and reinforced this practice. During that time, she led teams from the
Departments of Trauma and Healing and Community Impact and Youth Initiatives that helped
the Center’s projects and partners implement best practices in vital areas such as violence
prevention, trauma and healing, youth development, and community engagement.
In addition, Ife has served on numerous boards and task forces including: New York City
Council Task Force to Combat Gun Violence, Bailey’s Cafe, and Mayor Bill de Blasio public
safety transition team. She is a New York State Certified Mediator and an alum of the Coro
Leadership Center. Ife is dedicated and passionate about the well-being of women in particular
women of color. So much so that she created her business Sharon Charles Hewitt Consulting
Brown where she serves as a coach and facilitates workshops that highlights, promote, mold and
support women of color on their path to success.
Ife lives with her husband and children in Brooklyn, NY.
HEATHER
HARRIS PH.D
Heather Harris, Ph.D. (Howard University-organizational communication) is a Professor of Communication at Stevenson University, and principal of Dialogues By Design Consulting- a communication consulting practice.
Her areas of interest are individual and organizational cultures and their communication, representations of Africana women, and the Obama effect. She is the co-editor of two books-The Obama Effect: Multidisciplinary Renderings of the 2008 Campaign (SUNY Press 2010); and Michelle Obama and the FLOTUS Effect: Platform, Presence and Agency (Lexington Books 2019), and the editor of Neo-Race Realities in the Obama Era (SUNY Press 2019).
She has consulted for nonprofits, schools and universities, boards, and medical professionals in the areas of intercultural communication competence, conflict processes, and diversity, equity, and inclusion integration into organizational cultures. She uses her trademarked love-centered Heart Positioning System (HPS) to assist clients to reveal and heal communication and cultural challenges.
An award-winning journalist, Dr. Harris worked as a community newspaper reporter in Montreal, Canada; a radio and TV reporter, and weekend TV news anchor for the Barbados-based Caribbean Broadcasting Corporation (CBC); a radio host and producer for the Caribbean News Agency's (CANA) The Caribbean Today; and for the Namibian Broadcasting Corporation as a radio producer and reporter.
She is the recipient of Stevenson University's Rose Dawson Excellence in Teaching Award; its Building Community Award for her transformational work as the university's first Director of Multicultural Affairs and Special Assistant to the President from 2003-2009, and the Stevenson Way Award of Excellence for her work on campus and in the wider community.