Durham County

Dr. Brent Lewis (he/him/they) serves Durham County Government as the inaugural Director of Equitable Well-Being.  A native of Eden, NC, Dr. Lewis holds a B.A. in Sociology, a M.S. in Adult Education, and a Ph.D. in Leadership Studies from North Carolina A&T State University. In addition, he has over 15  years of progressive experience in higher education, and diversity, equity, and inclusion.  Dr. Lewis came to Durham County from James Madison University where he served as the Associate Vice President for Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Accessibility.

His higher education career began at NCAT where he served as a residence hall director.  Dr. Lewis quickly transitioned into higher level positions in higher education employed by North Carolina Central University, UNC-Greensboro, Fayetteville State University and James Madison University.

As an engaged community leader, he has served on several boards such as the Boys and Girls Club of Harrisonburg and Rockingham County and completed executive leadership programs such as the Executive Leadership Institute (ELI) at Clark Atlanta University for aspiring college presidents.   In addition, he is the liaison to the Durham City-County Racial Equity Commission.  Dr. Lewis is passionate about inclusive excellence and equitable well-being, creating affirming spaces for all to feel a sense of belonging and connection.  His research agenda has focused mainly on the lived experiences of LGBTQIA+ identified college students.

Cassandra Kiger (she/her/ella), the Equitable Well-Being Manager, is a dedicated advocate for equity and justice, and promotes collaborative learning with diverse communities. As a member of the autistic and queer communities, she is a firm believer that the heart of change always begins when we grow our empathy and believe others’ stories. Cassandra prioritizes having an asset-based mindset of abundance and redistributing resources through relationship and connection.

Cassandra has a variety of experience in professional interpretation and translation, refugee and immigrant youth resettlement, child sexual abuse prevention, and youth mentoring. She also has nearly a decade of experience building and implementing Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging programming and strategies.

Outside of her day job Cassandra is an organizational consultant, executive coach, and an adjunct professor. She has a BA in Psychology and a Master of Social Work from Grand Valley State University. Cassandra also has an MA in Human Rights and Transitional Justice. 

Cassandra has had the privilege of living in Spain, El Salvador, and Israel. She cherishes the lived experience of becoming a “foreigner in a foreign land”. These tools and knowledge allowed her to welcome her son in his transition to the US as an unaccompanied refugee minor from Eritrea.  

JoAnna Gallmon-Young (she/her/hers), the Equity and Inclusion Analyst, is a passionate champion for people and communities with six years of experience advancing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) strategic priorities impacting enterprise-wide systems change in corporate, government, and community settings.

Her previous experience includes work focused on eliminating health inequities faced by communities of color at the Center for Prevention at Blue Cross and Blue Shield and was later promoted to the DEI Program Manager position. In that position, JoAnna focused on advancing enterprise-wide DEI strategic priorities. She co-created the company’s first Diversity & Inclusion Committee, working closely with executives and a diverse group of people leaders from business units across the institution. She also managed the enterprise-wide DEI audit, reviewing HR policies, trends of hiring and retention, and employee engagement surveys. Her proactive and innovative approach to advancing equity led to her managing 14 employee resource groups (including the Women’s Network resource group, which she founded and chaired), and coordinating the African American ERG group’s leadership mentoring program.

While working for the state of Minnesota, JoAnna received the “Better Government” award from former Governor Mark Dayton in 2016 for her contributions to improving the delivery of state government services.

JoAnna holds a degree in Political Science from Tuskegee University and is a Qualified Administrator in The Intercultural Development Inventory® (IDI®).

Robert Espinosa (he/him/his) is the Racial Equity Analyst for the Department of Equitable Well Being, where he leverages his expertise as a seasoned diversity, equity, and inclusion strategist. With a deep understanding of the importance of embedding DEI into organizational DNA, Robert is dedicated to driving transformative change. His unique combination of skills enables him to develop and execute programs, policies, and practices with a specific focus on racial equity. Robert has a proven track record of collaborating with cities, counties, and other government agencies on racial equity initiatives. His work involves conducting thorough research and analysis on racial equity issues, identifying disparities, and providing data-driven recommendations. Robert holds a bachelor’s degree in Accounting from Shaw University, a Master of Public Administration from North Carolina Central University, and an MBA with a concentration in Data Analytics from UNC Pembroke.

As the owner of a successful trucking company, Robert has demonstrated his entrepreneurial acumen and ability to navigate the complexities of the transportation industry. His leadership and business savvy have been instrumental in driving the growth and success of his company. As CEO of a non-profit, he has locally fostered an environment for local talent, providing opportunities for scholarship and professional development.

Before his entrepreneurial endeavors, Robert had a remarkable career as an overseas basketball player, showcasing his exceptional athletic abilities and dedication to the sport. He has played in the Dominican Republic, Lebanon, Qatar, Thailand, and Indonesia. Robert now holds ownership of a professional basketball team in Thailand underscoring his continued involvement and influence in the realm of sports management.

Beyond his professional accomplishments, Robert is a devoted father of four, emphasizing the importance of family and personal values in his life. His ability to balance a successful career with family responsibilities speaks volumes about his character and priorities.