MEET OUR 2025-26 Mentors

Anissa Barron is a graduate of North Carolina A&T State University with two master’s degrees in adult and elementary education. She earned her B.A. in Psychology from UNC Greensboro. Anissa’s career has spanned community colleges, public schools, and private companies. She currently serves as employee and community engagement leader at Truliant Federal Credit Union.

Barron is the proud wife of Keith and mom to Sydney and Luke. She also co-founded Thee Illustrious, an HBCU apparel brand, with her husband.

She volunteers as an ANSWER Scholarship mentor because she believes mentors make a difference. “I knew it would be a chance to support someone, just like others have supported me.”

Jill Bastian earned her bachelor's degree in education from the University of Central Florida and a master's in education, specializing in science K-8, from Walden University. She spent 20 years teaching, mentoring, and coaching in the central Florida public school system. For Bastian, ANSWER is "the ideal organization to pay it forward, as I was fortunate to have strong mentors in my life who supported every step of my journey."

She and her husband have been married for 40 years and enjoy their two grown children, daughter-in-law, and granddaughter. Bastian is the community service chair for Mecklenburg South Rotary and volunteers at Pineville Elementary.

La'Kisha Belton graduated from North Carolina Central University with a B.S. in Human Science. She has worked in employee relations for 24 years, currently at Wells Fargo.

Belton is the proud mom of two beautiful children and a Shih Tzu named Juliet. She volunteers for the PTA at her children's school and for The National Hook-Up of Black Women, a non-profit organization that advocates for women and children.

“As a child, I was always encouraged by strong women in my family and community,” she says. “When the opportunity to be an ANSWER mentor came up, I was excited to raise my hand in hopes that I too can make a difference in someone's life.”

An ANSWER alumna, Elizabeth Bradley graduated with high honors from Montreat College, earning a B.S. in Psychology and Human Services in 2018. She works as a therapeutic foster care supervisor. Bradley appreciates all the opportunities she received as an ANSWER scholar. She participated in fundraisers, was interviewed for television and newspaper stories, and sat on a board designed to help improve ANSWER. She is back as a mentor to help the next mom reach her potential as ANSWER did for her.

Bradley’s daughter graduated from Appalachian State University with a B.S. in Psychology and Criminal Justice. Her son is attending college in El Paso, Texas to study diesel mechanics.

Laura French serves as the assistant vice president for human resources at Queens University of Charlotte, where she leads initiatives to foster an inclusive, high-performing workplace. French is a licensed attorney with more than 18 years of experience in higher education, public education, and human resources.

She began her career as an elementary school teacher in western North Carolina before earning her J.D. from Campbell University School of Law with the intention of dedicating her career to education. Her passion for mentoring working mothers is inspired by the support and guidance she received from other working moms who helped her navigate her own career journey.

Tonee Girdis holds a B.S. in Business Administration from Waynesburg University and an MBA from Duquesne University. Girdis has more than 22 years of pharmaceutical industry experience with Lilly. She serves as director of field reimbursement in the immunology business unit, helping patients access the medications they need. 

She is married with two children, both students at the University of South Carolina. She also serves as treasurer for Friends of York County Animal Shelter, where she has fostered more than 200 kittens. 

Girdis credits her aunt for instilling in her the confidence to pursue anything she sets her mind to, and she's excited to pay that encouragement forward as an ANSWER mentor.

Kathleen Good earned both her bachelor's and master's degrees in nursing from SUNY at Buffalo. Before relocating to Charlotte 20 years ago, she and her husband lived in Buffalo, N.Y.

With over 50 years of nursing experience, Good spent the last 19 years of her career with the Joint Commission, evaluating care quality and safety across various healthcare settings.

In retirement, Good enjoys traveling, singing in a community choir, volunteering at a local kitchen, and gardening. Time with her grandchildren brings her great joy.

Tiffany Haskins is director of people operations at Americares Foundation, a global nonprofit providing health programs and disaster relief. With more than a decade of leadership in HR and organizational development, she leads initiatives that enhance systems, policies, and employee engagement across U.S. operations. Her career spans nonprofit, for-profit, and consulting sectors, with a focus on building inclusive, high-performing workplaces.

Haskins holds a Master of Public Administration, a B.A. in English, and is pursuing a Ph.D. in Industrial-Organizational Psychology. As a mentor with ANSWER Scholarship, Haskins brings her passion for supporting women balancing education, work, and family. She's also a mom and animal lover, often surrounded by her rescue dogs.

Susan Henricks spent more than fifty years in executive leadership positions for private and public companies, including First Data Corporation (now Fiserv) and RR Donnelley. She received her MBA from Northwestern University and has served with numerous corporate and non-profit organizations.

Henricks says that having a mentor made an incredible difference in her own career. Believing in women in business in the 1970s and ‘80s was not the norm.

The opportunity to mentor an ANSWER scholar gives her a chance to work with a young woman who has had challenges in her life but who has very clear goals for her career and her family.

Dedra Jackson, a proud Chicago native and devoted mother of two, holds a B.A. in Sociology from Barber-Scotia College. With more than 30 years of service in social services and early childhood education, she currently works as a family support specialist at Child Care Resources Inc. She's also a certified family and relationship life coach.

Her passion for helping others began in childhood when one caring teacher made all the difference. That moment shaped her life's mission: to be a source of hope and support.

Jackson believes in empowering others, saying, "You get to inspire others and be the woman you once needed."

Amy Kollman graduated from Stetson University with a B.S. in Mathematics. She has worked in HR talent acquisition for 23 years at Wells Fargo.

Kollman has been married to Steve, a high school English teacher and soccer coach, for 19 years.  They share five adult children, three daughters-in-law, one granddaughter, and a grandson on the way. She has served with Fostering Compassion, Habitat for Humanity, and Divorce Care 4 Kids, and led international mission trips to South America and Africa.

When she relocated from Savannah to Charlotte two years ago, she learned about ANSWER from a church leader and felt drawn to walk beside moms who were trying to make a better life for themselves and their children.

Cyntha Owens serves as a hospice nurse manager overseeing three inpatient care facilities. She has years of experience in behavioral health, substance abuse detox, and other fields. One of her most meaningful roles has been working with pop-up clinics and mobile hygiene units supporting local homeless communities. Owens also served in AmeriCorps VISTA and is a Peace Corps alum, where she taught English as a second language to migrant workers.

Though her nursing journey began with challenges, she graduated with honors, proving that setbacks don't define success. A wife and mom of two boys, Owens believes nursing is more than a profession, it's a calling.

LaRita Piris is a retired Army veteran, certified project management professional and Bank of America employee. She holds a B.A. in Pan African Studies from the University of Louisville and a master's in business administration.   The Louisville, Ky., native credits the birth of her first daughter for inspiring her to finally complete her undergraduate degree. Once a single mom in college, she identifies with ANSWER's mission and is honored to serve as an "answer" which she wishes she'd had during her academic journey.

Recently married, LaRita enjoys spending time with her family and dog, Teenie, when she's not mentoring, working or tutoring with Heart Math Tutoring.

Pamela Pollard spent two decades in various sales and marketing positions at IBM Corporation, followed by several years as a secondary English teacher. She also enjoyed life as a small business entrepreneur successfully running a custom framing business.

Pollard holds a B.A. in Speech Communication from Saint Mary’s College in Indiana and a Master of Arts in Teaching from Belmont University in Tennessee. She has always considered herself a lifelong learner. Her mantra is a saying from Confucius, “Tell me and I will forget, show me and I may remember; involve me and I will understand.”

Not quite ready for full retirement, Pollard continues to offer private tutoring to students struggling with effective reading and communication skills. Her family will attest that she is a voracious reader, creative quilter, and loves working on complex jigsaw puzzles.

Dasheka Tate-Aragon works as a leader at Novant Health. She holds dual B.S. degrees from UMass Boston and Simmons University, an M.S. in Nursing, and is currently pursuing a Doctor of Nursing Practice degree in Organizational Leadership. She was recently appointed chair of the North Carolina Nurses Association Diversity and Belonging Council.

Originally from Boston, she enjoys life in North Carolina with her blended family, two dogs, and turtle. She is proud to be a mentor with ANSWER Scholarship to uplift adult scholars through encouragement, wisdom, and real-world perspectives, the same way her mentors supported her many years ago as a young mom navigating college for the first time.

Bonnie Tuma is a retired human resources director from the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland. She holds bachelor's and master's degrees in human resources management from the University of Maryland. In retirement, she stays actively engaged by volunteering with Feed North Carolina, teaching work/life skills to young adults, substitute teaching in local high schools, and giving piano lessons to beginners.

Tuma leads committees within her faith community and is a member of P.E.O. (Philanthropic Educational Organization), which supports women's education through scholarships and grants. She also enjoys traveling and boating in her free time.

Sheila Wright was raised in Brooklyn, N.Y., and moved to Charlotte in 1994. She has been a registered nurse for more than 44 years and earned an M.S. in Nursing with a focus on Global Public Health Nursing. She has been a part of ANSWER since 2019, serving as a mentor, on the professional development committee, and on the selection committee. She is the mother of 2 adult daughters and a grandmother. She loves singing in the choir, doing ministry work at her church,  knitting, crocheting and loving on her grandchildren.

Leah Young holds a psychology degree from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. Young is a creative turned entrepreneur. In 2020 she co-founded IMPACTheCulture Financial Group with a mission to inspire and connect underserved and marginalized communities through financial education and empowerment.

Young is an avid reader and enjoys volunteering, spending time with family, pickleball, tennis, and hiking. She became an ANSWER mentor to be of service in her community.