Discussion panel participants include:
- The Honorable Donald L. Allen, Jr. – Chief Judge, 55th Judicial Court
- Angela Waters Austin – President and CEO of One Love Global, Inc.
- LaShawn Erby – Author, Social Justice Warrior, Community Organizer
- Nathaniel Lake, Jr. – Elder within The Turning Point of Lansing
- Rev. Kenneth Ponds – Retired ELCA Chaplain (Starr Commonwealth, Albion)
- Moderator – Milton L. Scales – President of M.L. Scales & Associates, LLC
SCHOOL TO PRISON PIPELINE PARTICIPANT BIOGRAPHIES
Judge Donald L. Allen, Jr.: is a member of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc., was appointed judge of the 55th District Court by Governor Jennifer Granholm in 2008. He was elected to the bench in 2010 and reelected in 2016. Judge Allen was appointed chief judge of the court by the Michigan Supreme Court on January 1, 2016.
The Honorable Donald L. Allen, Jr., is a 1983 graduate of Wayne State University Law School and spent most of his professional career as an assistant attorney general in the Michigan Department of Attorney General. In 2005, he was appointed deputy legal counsel to Governor Granholm, and in 2006 appointed to serve as director of the Office of Drug Control Policy (ODCP). Judge Allen served in that position until his appointment to the 55th District Court Bench. Judge Allen is the presiding judge of Sobriety Court. which focuses on the rehabilitation of repeat offense substance abusers. Sobriety Court has changed hundreds of lives, saved tax dollars, and has been recognized for excellence.
Angela Waters Austin: is founder, president and chief executive officer of One Love Global, Inc. a 501c3 nonprofit corporation committed to peace, justice and opportunity. Angela leads One Love Global with over twenty-five years’ experience in promoting racial equity, public and community relations, fund development, marketing, special events, corporate sponsorships, program design and management. Angela is founder, producer and host of the Equity Equals radio show which airs weekends on the Michigan Business Network . Angela has co-hosted and co-produced public affairs programming for Lansing’s WLAJ-TV53 and developed educational and cultural special features for The Michigan Chronicle newspaper. Angela serves as co-chair of the Within Our Lifetime Network Communications Working Group.
Angela is a 1990 graduate of the University of Michigan, with a B.A. in communications. In 1998, Angela founded Diverse City Design & Communications, Inc. to help nonprofit organizations build capacity through strategic partnerships with the private and public sector.
LaShawn Erby: is an alumna of Baylor University, Author, Social Justice Warrior, Camp Administrator and Community Organizer. Her work has led her to local, state, regional and national stage.. She fell in love with politics at the age of nine when she participated in her first of many campaigns. Some of which included Former Texas Governor Ann Richards and President Barack Obama. As an author, LaShawn’s latest work is featured in The Huffington Post (Feb.17, 2017) titled “Young Black Voters, You Got This!”
Owner of One in a Billion Consulting, LaShawn serves as a Professional Trainer/Workshop Facilitator providing on site professional development sessions for educational institutions, for profit and not-for-profit organizations, medical/mental health personnel and those in the hospitality industry. LaShawn utilizes a model called “Everybody Matters,” an interactive workshop that illuminates and models the conscious act of appreciating others. Created as a basic course, “Everybody Matters” is tailored to meet the specialized needs and/challenges specific to that entity or organization.
Nathaniel Lake, Jr.: is the current President of the Lansing chapter of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. and Managing Partner of Brannon, LLC a leadership development consulting firm with clients nationwide. Heavily engaged in the mentorship of African American youth, Nate serves as an Elder within The Turning Point of Lansing, an organization dedicated to Transforming Boys to Men by providing an afrocentric group mentoring experience developing strategies for success in their lives, school, and communities.
A 1974 graduate of Spring Arbor College with a B.A. in business/economics, he served 30 years in state government at various positions, ultimately retiring as Director, Office of Performance Excellence. After work as an assistant coach for the MSU Women’s basketball team, Nate served as MSU’s Director of Basketball Operations. Called back to state service, Nate served as Deputy Chief of Staff/Cabinet Secretary to Gov. Jennifer Granholm until her term end.
Rev. Kenneth Ponds: Ken Ponds served as chaplain at Starr Commonwealth’s Albion campus for nearly 40 years. He is an ordained minister of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). In his role as chaplain, he provided pastoral services to both students and staff. He has been active in the Calhoun County community, where he served as board chair of the Calhoun Intermediate School District. Ken has also been a member of boards for the Albion School District, the Calhoun County Board of Health and the Battle Creek Health System among others. Additionally, he chairs the Publicly Engaged Church Committee of the North/West Lower Michigan Synod of ELCA. He earned a master’s of divinity from Christ Seminary in St. Louis, MO., and the Lutheran School of Theology in Chicago, IL. He has also been trained in several youth and human services techniques, such as Life Space Crisis Intervention, Specialized Foster Care, Childhood Sexual Victimization, Outdoor Adventure Education Facilitation and racial healing. He has been an advocate for Starr’s racial healing efforts with Glasswing, serving as a facilitator for dozens of two-day sessions.
Milton L. Scales: is a member of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. and former Meridian Township Trustee. He is the President of M.L. Scales & Associates, LLC, a full service environmental, strategic planning and political consulting firm. Milton serves as a mentor to Haslett and Okemos High School’s Black Student Unions, organized students of all races focused on learning and teaching others about diversity demonstrating that through engaging in activities focused around acceptance and tolerance, we gain a better understanding of others while learning about ourselves, allowing all to coexist and succeed.
Milton earned a Master of Science in Administration and a B.S. in community development from CMU after graduating with an Associate’s degree in business/criminal justice from LCC. Having served 33 years in law enforcement, beginning with the Detroit Police Department and later within state departments of Natural Resources and Environmental Quality, Milton retired in 2010 as the DEQ Director of Criminal Investigations.