Mission: Spark the interest of underserved youth to create generational wealth in a global society.
Vision: Expose the youth to their like-minded peers worldwide to foster a multi-cultural appreciation while connecting ideas to solve problems we all face globally.
Closing the Mental Health-Wealth Gap:
This program is designed to change the effect of income inequality and its role on our mental health. We provide students with the data and resources and partner with them to develop solutions to create a healthier and wealthier future.
Jaleesa Hardy is a dedicated professional with over 10 years of successful experience in youth development, business development, and financial literacy. In 2011, Mrs. Hardy earned her B.A. in Mass Communications and a minor in Business Administration from Savannah State University. In 2013, she received her M.A. in Sports Administration from Central Michigan University, where she built long-lasting relationships in the sports industry during her time interning at Georgia State University and volunteering with the Atlanta Falcons Community Relations Department.
Mrs. Hardy is passionate about making a better life for underserved youth. During her time at Savannah State University her passion for the community deepen, where she spent much of her time volunteering with the youth through numerous programs and exposing them to enriching life experiences. Through volunteering with Habitat of Humanity, Hands on Atlanta, The Ronald McDonald House Charities and Wilderness Works, Mrs. Hardy gained a thorough understanding that the youth has so much to offer with the proper motivation and encouragement. This involvement allowed her to find purpose and need to create ACTS Global, Inc., where she is the Co-Founder/CFO.
In addition to the nonprofit, Mrs. Hardy is a Business Development Coordinator at Smith, Gambrell and Russell, LLP and Founder/CEO of BudgetingwithCents, LLC, where she helps clients create better financial habits and also provides bookkeeping services for small businesses. Through these experiences she has gained valuable knowledge and expanded her network to help further support the mission of ACTS Global, Inc.
Dr. Erika Hill is a Licensed Professional Counselor in Georgia. Dr. Hill has a Ph.D. in Counselor Education and Supervision, Master's in School Counseling, Post Baccalaureate Certificate in Contemporary Mental Health Services, and a Bachelor of Science in Behavior Analysis and Sociology. Dr. Hill has worked in settings such as middle and high school, college and universities, behavioral residential treatment centers, and private practice. Working in those settings has increased her awareness and knowledge on how to work with children of all ages effectively.
As the C.E.O. and co-founder of A.C.T.S. Global, Inc., Dr. Hill is committed to ensuring that students apart of ACTS Global programs feel that their voices are heard and are aware that they are essential in their communities. Dr. Hill promises to continue to nurture every student's potential and is committed to ensuring each student experiences joy, love, academic growth, support, community involvement, and character development.
Sharon R. Odom is CEO and President at 1st Choice Credit Union, a $23M financial institution, headquartered in downtown Atlanta, GA. Prior to her CEO role at 1st Choice, she worked at Delta Community Credit Union (2002 – 2017) as Vice President Strategic Planning & Performance. In that role she provided leadership for enterprise level project/initiative management and, business intelligence/analytics for senior management decision support, governance reporting and the development/tracking for enterprise level strategic planning.
Sharon is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) with an MBA from Georgia State University and a B.S in Accounting from the University of Illinois.
I am a photographer, digital creator, and story teller based out of East Atlanta. I have lived in over 20 countries working with local churches, NGOs and governments to promote health and wellness throughout their respective regions. I have worked on product development and marketing for two US based non-profits. I have also worked in local government as the right hand to a local county commissioner.
Dr. SaDohl Jones is a Licensed Professional Counselor specializing in individual and group counseling with women, children & adolescents. With over 10 years of experience as a mental health clinician. Dr. Jones is the owner of Jones Counseling and Consulting, LLC and Atlanta Mental Health & Wellness Center, LLC. Dr. Jones is also a Counselor Educator with extensive experience training future mental health counselors, school counselors, and counselor educators. Dr. Jones is passionate about Community and Civic Engagement, as well as economic development for marginalized populations. She is currently active in multiple community organizations, including Junior League of DeKalb County, Inc., Top Ladies of Distinction, Inc., and Leadership Georgia (Class of 2017). Dr. Jones has founded two non-profit organization for Butterfli Project, Inc and Purple Hearts, Inc both focused on empowering young girls and women respectively.