Dr. Tameka Vaught Williams is the Director of Staff Investment and Curiosity at Justice System Partners. She has over 17 years of work experience in the criminal and juvenile legal systems, project management, and higher education. Prior to being promoted to executive leadership at JSP, she provided training and technical assistance to criminal justice organizations undergoing system change. Her duties also include managing multi-million dollar projects and a diverse team, ensuring project timelines and deliverables are met. She currently manages over 20 staff and helps them reach their full potential using a person-centered, appreciative, transformational leadership approach. After years of direct service work in public safety, Tameka joined North Carolina Central University as a Clinical Assistant Professor, where she taught criminal justice courses and directed student support. As an educator, she helped develop the next generation of criminal justice leaders and prepared them for post-graduate employment. In this role, she brought a unique "real world" perspective to higher education, drawing from her experience as a leader and practitioner. Tameka is skilled in curriculum development, student coaching, and delivering instruction both online and face-to-face. She is also the co-founder of J.E.W.E.L.S., a non-profit aimed at developing the next generation of women leaders in criminal and social justice fields. Tameka is a two-time alumna of North Carolina Central University (NCCU). She was awarded dual bachelor’s degrees in Political Science and Criminal Justice and a Master of Science in Criminal Justice. She received her Ph.D. in Leadership Studies from North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University. Tameka’s written work and research interests focus on student professional development, correctional managers’ leadership development, barbershops and beauty salons as community anchors, the criminalization of minority youth, and the barriers to leadership for Black women in the workplace. Her life’s work focuses on making systemic and structural changes in the criminal legal system through leadership, advocacy, research, and teaching.

Hi, I’m Nicole Cooper, and I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in the state of North Carolina. I have had the pleasure of assisting people in managing their mental health needs for the past 10 years with 5 of those years being clinical experience. I received my Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology from Virginia State University in 2006, and then I went on to receive my Master of Social Work degree from North Carolina Central University in 2017. I have worked in different capacities within the mental health and developmental disabilities field, from in-patient care at a state psychiatric facility, to a state developmental disabilities program, to outpatient therapy, including community support services. I have experience working with with adolescents as well as adults, assisting people with managing life’s many challenges. Overall, I have a passion for people and a spirit for helping. I specialize in working with people battling Anxiety, Depression, and mood disorders, amongst many other mental health and life challenges. My preferred therapeutic model is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) as I believe in helping people problem solve and learn of the relationship between our beliefs, thoughts, and feelings, and the behaviors that follow. If we can change the way we think about something, then we can change the way we feel about it, which can ultimately change what we do about it. If you are having mental health challenges, having a rough season in your life, or just feel the need to process tough emotions and have a non-judgmental and safe space to express yourself, please don’t hesitate to reach out. I’d love to help you reach your personal goals and maintain mental wellness. On a personal note, I am a God-fearing and spiritual woman who is also a wife and mother of 2. I love spending time with my loved ones and learning new things. I love practicing self-care, which is, at times, challenging but much needed. I love dogs, traveling, and trying new restaurants, and most of all, I just enjoy basking in the beautiful moments of life. For me, Mental Wellness is Key and Work!