Lakisha M. Coppedge
Founder & Principal of Coppedge Consulting and Co-Developer of DEIL

Lakisha Coppedge is the humble Founder & Principal of Coppedge Consulting. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Human Services, magna cum laude, and a Master of Science degree in Human Services with a concentration in Organizational Management and Leadership from Springfield College. Lakisha has also cultivated her leadership skills, knowledge, and attitude in her participation in the dynamic leadership programs in the valley.  She is a 2016 graduate of Leadership Pioneer Valley (LPV) and a 2018 graduate of Leadership Institute for Public and Political Impact (LIPPI) of the Women’s Fund of Western Massachusetts.  Born and raised in Springfield, MA, Lakisha is a passionate and committed contributor to her community, early and higher education, and DEI-infused work.   

Lakisha’s higher education studies, coupled with training from various leadership programs, have shaped her fundamental business knowledge, skills, and attitude toward decoding and minimizing the trauma-informed by historical systems of oppressions ingrained in policy and procedures.  She is a radically inclusive visionary leader, entrepreneur, early childhood educator, and practitioner. Across the region, Lakisha has been instrumental in establishing collaborations between early and higher education institutions and the business community to address DEI challenges and enhancing classroom pedagogy, student success rates, and equitable business practices.   

As Founder of Coppedge Consulting, she’s worked with organizations such as the YWCA of Western Mass, SEIU Education & Support Fund, and Collaborative Resolutions Group, as a retained foundational trainer, Square One, CISA, and Springfield City Library. Her expertise and culturally humble approach lead organizations to examine institutional racism and oppression and evolve their structures, policies, and practices to expand community partnerships and promote organizational mission around building bridges between advocates, staff, community leaders, and educators. 

Lakisha has demonstrated her commitment to education, DEI, and community engagement by intentionally serving on various community Boards of Directors and Committees, such as previously serving on The Women’s Fund of Western Massachusetts, as board president at MotherWoman, and an at-large member of the Forest Park Zoo and Commerce High School Advisory Committee. She currently serves on the Reading Success by 4th Leadership Advisory Board and Building Bridges Conference Initiative Planning Committee, ROCA Managing Board, Dress for Success of Western Massachusetts Board, and Governance Committee, and Early Childhood Comprehensive Systems Committee steering committee.

 In her many roles and as an adjunct professor at Worcester State University and Springfield Technical Community College, Mrs. Coppedge is committed to closing the opportunity gap and improving the quality of education, business practices, equity, access, and lives for all learners.

Jenary Merced
Coppedge Consulting, Cultural Consultant

Jenary Merced is a Black Latinx Springfield-based community connector, educator, and entrepreneur. She elevates the social/cultural experiences and collectively works toward dissolving Anti-Racist structures while rebuilding an inclusive, culturally sensitive climate.  She is a senior cultural consultant at Coppedge Consulting, LLC.  

Her professional background includes a ten-year in higher education, four years as a real-estate stakeholder, and two years as a small business owner. Additionally, she serves on the Board of Directors of Dress for Success Western Mass and a member of the Anti-Racism and Inclusion Alliance.

 In August 2010, Ms. Jenary completed her graduate studies at Fitchburg State University, earning a Masters of Educational Leadership and Management. Ms. Merced’s pedagogy focuses on the relationship between systemic beliefs on race and culture and their impact on the workforce.

Specialties: Equitable Education emphasizes diverse learners and experiences, Diversity, Retention and Cultural Consciousness, Professional Development, and Practical Training.

Denise Brown, MS
Coppedge Consulting, Cultural Consultant

Denise Brown, B.S., M.S., C.I.M., Ph.D. student (Capella University), a native of Holyoke, MA, graduated from Bay Path University (BPU)-One-Day- A-Week Program with B.S. in Business Administration with a concentration in Executive Management. She has an M.S. in Communication and Information Management. She is currently pursuing her terminal degree from Capella University in Higher Education with a Leadership in Higher Education specialization. Concurrently she is enrolled at her alma-mater BPU in the Online Teaching Certificate Program to further her expertise in online teaching. She currently serves as visiting lecturer to Framingham State University (FSU) Continuing Education and MBA Program and as Assistant Professor and Academic Advisor of Management and Business Systems within the College of Business. Before pursuing her passion of becoming an educator, Denise served as Ph.D. Program Coordinator to the Ph.D. at the Smith College School of Social Work.

Denise is passionate about diversity and inclusion. They are essential to developing strong bonds that will last and endure across cultural, religious, and political borders. She was most recently appointed to the Institutional Inclusive Excellence Committee (IIEC) and the “Leading for Change in Higher Education” Consortium Team, by the President of Framingham State University, by Dr. F. Javier Cevallas. In the appointment letter, the president wrote, “We believe you have the skill, insight, and dedication to positively contribute to this committee and work with us to enact systemic change.” This appointment was awarded after serving four months in her current position as Assistant Professor.

Denise strives to widen pathways for change and educate leaders of today and tomorrow on how to have conversations on Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Anti-Racism to be motivating forces in innovating new systems and empowering all.

Trish Bonica, MSW, MBA
Cultural Data Consultant

Over the past 20 years, Trish has led strategic and functional initiatives in and beyond Human Resources. In Trish’s view, HR enhances its value within organizations when it uses data, technology, and dialogue to include, engage, and recognize team members throughout the employee lifecycle. Consistent engagement is a key strategy for building an environment of belonging in which team members experience safety and share accountability for an organization’s culture and results.

As a new member of the Coppedge Consulting team, Trish strives to approach projects with the patience and humility necessary to gather observations and attend to others before taking substantial action.

Doing antiracism work is important to Trish because she believes that she has an unique set of responsibilities as an aspiring white ally. These responsibilities include acknowledging the many areas of unearned benefit afforded to Trish as a function of her race and class privilege, working to reconcile her contributions to past and current harm to people of color, and joining with others in a call for racial and economic justice.

Also, Trish is the founder of the community-advised Survivors Recovery Fund and is a member of board of the Women’s Fund of Western MA.

Natasha Mitchell

Natasha has been an activist and community leader throughout Western Massachusetts for the past twenty-six years. She received her Bachelor’s degree in Psychology with a double minor in African Studies and African American Studies from the University of Massachusetts at Dartmouth. She currently holds a Master’s in Education from Cambridge College, with concentrations in Marriage and Family Therapy and Mental Health Counseling. She has been married to her husband and co-facilitator Brian for the past nine years and is a proud mother of two. Her passion is to empower all people to impact change within the lives of those they serve daily. She believes strongly that regardless of age, educational background, socioeconomic status, or sociopolitical beliefs, we all can cause a positive ripple in our serviced communities. Natasha has worked tirelessly at tearing down the construct of institutional racism while simultaneously combating the self-destructive behavioral patterns that plague our inner-city communities. She is the Founder and CEO of Potter’s Wheel Community Services.

Brian Mitchell

A native of Springfield, Massachusetts, Brian has a passion for seeing men strengthen and rejoin their families. He has been a leader in the community for over twenty years, in places such as Dunbar Community Center and Northern Educational Services. Brian has been awarded the Beacon of The Community Award and the Key Player Award. Not only does he fight for those in his community, but he also fights and endlessly loves his two children and his wife. Brian lives unselfishly for those around him to impact change. 

Edward “ED” Dudley

ED Dudley is the founder, and Managing Partner of L2P Financial Partners, a financial services firm, Co-Founder of Shining Light in Darkness, a nonprofit, and founder of We Are Connect-ED professional networking & business consulting collaborative.  

With over 20 years of financial services experience, he has worked for some of the largest financial services companies in the country in various positions, such as Regional Vice President for Evergreen Investments and Senior Vice President for both Wells Fargo Advisors and FSC Securities.

ED can be described as a servant leader because he lives a life of servitude. One of his favorite bible quotes is “give, and it shall be given unto you” because he believes that through servitude, you can not only assist others in realizing their dreams, but you will eventually realize your own.  

Because of his servants’ heart, he is very active in building community. He serves on several nonprofit boards, such as Board Vice President of SwingPals, Intermin Board Chair for United Against Slavery, Co-Founder/Steering Committee member of 100 Men Who Give A Damn, and Director of Diversity & Inclusion for the Financial Planners Association of the Triangle.

One of ED’s greatest gifts is his ability to network, connect with people, and connect individuals to other people, resources, and opportunities. He spends a considerable amount of his time networking and connecting with people to find ways to serve them. It is ED’s desire to see everyone Connect-ED.

J. Dwayne Garnett

Dwayne Garnett is an Empowerment Speaker and Love Advocate from Augusta, GA, living in the Raleigh-Durham area. He has nearly 20 years of experience in Higher Education and over a decade of senior-level management experience. He is committed to motivating and mentoring corporate entities and individuals of all ages to obtain and sustain effective life management skills, conflict resolution, and organizational management.

A continuation of this desire led to the creation of Altar and Dwelling Place Inc., a nonprofit that he and his lovely wife, Lalita founded to promote character, social, leadership development, and the home of “Love Is A Parable.” Love Is A Parable is designed to provide love education, love advocacy, and love wellness, with an attempt to help individuals obtain personal fulfillment and establish meaningful relationships while encouraging others to perpetuate unity, love, and kindness.  

Simply put, we have an approach where everyone brings something to the table and focuses on the things that connect us and not separate us.

Together, he and his wife are the proud parents of two beautiful girls, Lailani and Lanaila.

Mariah Murrell, Ed.D.

Dr. Mariah Murrell is a dynamic and engaging EDI (equity, diversity, and inclusion) researcher, curriculum developer, and trainer. For over a decade, Mariah has been working to help businesses and institutions address EDI’s challenges. She began her professional journey as a K-12 educator and immediately noticed firsthand the inequities associated with various aspects of our nation’s educational systems. This led her to seek ways to challenge structures that marginalize members of underrepresented groups. She went on to earn her Doctor of Education from the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, where her work centered on increasing equitable and culturally relevant learning opportunities for students. 

Mariah also began consulting with organizations in 2013 to help support their EDI initiatives and provide thought leadership to improve the workplace climate for members of underrepresented groups. She employs a multi-faceted approach to this work through research, training curriculum development, and training facilitation and has worked with dozens of groups to help drive strategic initiatives related to EDI. She has a passion for assisting businesses to discover ways to become more culturally competent, globally-minded, and social justice-oriented. To quote the late Rep. John Lewis, Mariah’s mission, both personally and professionally, has always been to “…Never, ever be afraid to make some noise and get in good trouble, necessary trouble.”