Our Team

Our staff is dedicated to social justice, supporting the organization's mission and the women we serve. CCF empowers women to break the cycle of poverty and incarceration through academic, community, and emotional support.

Marlon Peterson, Executive Director

Marlon D. Peterson is the author of Bird Uncaged: An Abolitionist's Freedom Song and the Executive Director of The College & Community Fellowship. Ebony Magazine named him one of the 100 most influential and inspiring leaders in the Black community, and his 2016 T.E.D. Talk, "Am I Not Human? A Call for Criminal Justice Reform," has garnered just over 1.25 million views.

Marlon is a graduate of New York University, a Soros Fellow, a Senior Atlantic Fellow, and an Aspen Civil Society Fellow. His podcast, DEcarcerated, a platform for insightful conversations, features notable guests such as Shaka Senghor, Reginald Dwayne Betts, Melissa Harris-Perry, Alicia Garza, and more. His writings have been featured in prominent publications such as U.S.A. Today, The Nation, Ebony, Essence, Gawker, The Marshall Project, The Root, and others.

Board of Directors

  • Joy Thoma

    Board Chair

  • Onyekachi (Kachi) Akoma

    CUNY York College

  • Cynthia Alberts

    Macquarie Group

  • Gulzar Aziz

    Master Card International

  • Ruthzar Casseus

    Ashton Bridge Capital

  • Barat Dickman

    ADP

  • Yolanda Johnson-Peterkin

    NYC Mayor’s Office of Criminal Justice

  • Jacqueline Kelly

    Hudson Guild

  • Maura Kernan

    Heidell Pittoni, Murphy, and Bach, LLP

  • Mandy Nguyen

    Heidell Pittoni Murphy & Bach LLP

  • Jane Pauls

    Bloomberg Finance L.P.

  • Stefen Short

    Worth Rises

  • Helen 'Skip' Skipper

    NYC Peer Justice Initiative

Join our Board of Directors

As a CCF board member, you have the opportunity to shape the future of our organization and make a meaningful impact on the lives of the women we serve. If you are committed to empowering individuals through education and eager to contribute your expertise to a worthy cause, we invite you to consider becoming a part of our Board of Directors.

Join our Team

Together, we can make a real difference in the lives of women directly impacted by the legal system.

Let’s connect!