Craig Thompson - President

Craig Thompson is Aunt Jane's great-great nephew. He remembers her touch as though it was yesterday. Craig's father was born and raised in Pendleton. He moved to Cleveland with his parents because of Jane. Craig's parents then lived with Jane when they were first married, at Hunters Cove. Their wedding reception was held there! Therefore, Craig has grown up involved in The Phillis Wheatley Association, having attended Camp Mueller as a youngster.

Craig Thompson went to college at Dallas Baptist College in Dallas, Texas. He has been in the automotive business last 30 years, after a three-year stint with the Los Angeles Dodgers. Presently Craig is with Mercedes Benz of Willoughby, where he has been employed for the last 10 years. Also, he owns a small property management company.

Craig and his wife Laura have resided in Euclid, Ohio for the last 18 years. They both share a strong enthusiasm towards the Phillis Wheatley Association and will do whatever possible to support The Jane Hunter Project.

First Vice President - Thomas Harrington

Martha Harris graduated from Ohio State University in education in 1973 with a bachelor’s degree in special education. In 1973 she came to Cleveland to teach in then the Cleveland Municipal School District.  During her employment she received a Master of Education in Early Children in 1979. She served as a trustee for many years with the Cleveland Teachers Union and later became the Chairperson until she retired.  She also served as the Cleveland Teachers Union liaison to the Special Education Department Metropolitan.

During her career she received many grants for her classroom and a schoolwide grant that addressed not only academics in reading, and she served as a facilitator for math but also addressed classroom behaviors. She also engaged new classroom techniques to her home school to help improve academic achievements and different approaches to classroom behaviors.

She is a Martha Holden Jennings Scholar. She served as a facilitator and trainer for Children Are People and Children Are People Support Group.

She was a member of Council for Exceptional Children and served has President of CEC Region One. She later became the Vice President and President of Council for Exceptional Children for the state of Ohio. During her term with region 1 and the state, she chaired a convention for Council of Exception Children in Cleveland and an annual Yes, I Can luncheon for students in the state of Ohio for their outstanding achievements in the classroom.

She retired from the Cleveland Metropolitan School District in 2008.  She was appointed by Governor Ted Stricklin to the State Board of Education and served one term.

She is a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. and South Euclid United Church of Christ.

She has been active in the community, not only has a board member of Phillis Wheatley Association of Board of Trustees since 2017, but also with Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., and South Euclid United Church of Christ.  

Trustee - Kemberly H. Jones

Kemberley H. Jones, determined to be a “change agent” in the world.” Kemberley is a graduate of Cleveland Heights High School, and the Neighborhood Leadership Development Program in Cleveland Ohio. She holds an Associate of Arts Degree from Cuyahoga Community College and is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Emergency Management and Policy Studies at Notre Dame College in South Euclid Ohio; (degree completion is confirmed for December 2023). Kemberley has been employed with the United States Postal Service for over thirty years. She has worked in statistical programs, in-plant support, and dock operations throughout her career. Kemberley desires to see women, youth, and veterans empowered to reach great heights. A Life Member of the National Council of Negro Women Incorporated. Kemberley currently serves as the President of the Cuyahoga County Section-NCNW. President Jones has served as the First Vice President/Chair of Programs, Second Vice President/ Membership Chair, and held several leadership and chair roles within the Cuyahoga County Section. Kemberley received the Cuyahoga County Section’s President’s Choice Award in 2017 and is a NCNW 2023 Project Height Scholarship Awardee. Kemberley is a member of the NCNW Northeast Ohio Life Members Guild, a Bethune Height Achiever, and currently serves on the Ohio State Coalition Bethune Height Recognition Program Committee. Kemberley is a member of the Top Ladies of Distinction Incorporated, -Greater Cleveland Chapter. She was awarded 2023 National Top Lady of the Year. She currently serves as the Area V Top Teens Advisor, responsible for states Ohio, Michigan, West Virginia, Indiana, Pennsylvania, and Kentucky. A member of the Order of Eastern Stars, Queen Elizabeth # 9 Prince Hall PHA, and serves as a Board Trustee for the Phillis Wheatley Association in Cleveland Ohio, serving as the Nominating Committee Chair. Kemberley’s vision is to see the underserved community prosper, expand resource programs throughout the city of Cleveland, and build intergenerational connections within the community. She strongly believes “service to others brings joy to life.” Kemberley is a member of Mt. Haven Missionary Baptist, believing Philippians 4:13 “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Mrs. Jones serves with her husband in the 428th Veterans Group as a member of the 428th Women’s Auxiliary, advocating for Veterans’ rights and ensuring Veterans are aware of all their resources is the organization’s focus. Next to God, family is her priority. She is happily married to Staff Sergeant Charles D. Jones Jr., (Ret)., her parents are James L. Robinson (deceased) and Reverend Gloria Chaney. She is the eldest to sisters Kelley Isham, and Korrey Robinson. Kemberley is  “Other Mother” of three, Calvin Sr., Marquetta, and Aubrey, grandmother of six, and great grandmother of one. Kemberley is a firm believer, “put your faith and trust in God, and HE will manage the rest.”

Karen Murray-Banks is a graduate of Youngstown State University. She is the Founder of For Spectrum Sake and Others, a nonprofit organization which provides resources and information to caregivers. One of her hobbies includes working on special projects to enhance and uplift communities. Her achievements include recognitions from Who's Who in Black Cleveland, The Soul of Philanthropy (Emerging Philanthropy) and Behind the Scene's Hero.        

Trustee - Terricita Thomas

Terricita “Cita” Thomas is an educator with more than ten years of experience across multiple grade levels in Ohio and Michigan. She also served as an instructional coach and a founding Dean of Culture for Breakthrough Schools. As an educator, Cita is passionate about maximizing individual scholar performance despite the area code of their residence, by inspiring, mentoring and coaching teachers instructionally and culturally and installing a sense of self-worth and inclusion among all scholars.

Cita is a certified & distinguished coach, trained through CT3’s real time teacher coaching program. She brings a fresh perspective on the use of restorative practices and social emotional learning. Cita has also proven to be highly effective in fostering and maintaining a positive school environment that is driven by the needs of all students & stakeholders in order to guarantee a learning experience that is conducive to teaching the whole child.                   

Secretary/Executive Director - Richard King

Richard is happily married to his wife Fern and they have five adult daughters Pauline, Diamond, Rayna, Kristen and Danielle and currently reside in the city of Strongsville, Ohio. Richard retired after 34 years at Alcoa Forgings & Extrusions, Cleveland Works where he held various positions in engineering and Environmental, Health & Safety along with the Alcoa Foundation which provided funding to local, national and global non-profit organizations. He currently works as the Executive Director for The Phillis Wheatley Association (PWA), a United Way partner agency serving the youth, the elderly and those with disabilities with a variety of programs for low-income and impoverished families in Central Neighborhood of Cleveland. Before becoming Executive Director, he served on the PWA Board of Trustees as 1st Vice President. He has over 15 years of related experience in non-profit operations with staff & volunteer management, fundraising, grants, donor identification and cultivation, strategic planning, oversight of agency programs, property and facility rentals in Cuyahoga and Summit Counties. He also has extensive experience in government relations, budgeting and financial management and analysis and event planning in the corporate and nonprofit business sectors.

Richard currently serves as an Elder at Grace Church in Middleburg Heights, Ohio. Through his job at Alcoa and at Grace Church, he was able to start a tutoring ministry for elementary and middle school age kids in the inner-city. This ministry has reached many kids who are from fatherless homes, living in poverty or are actually homeless in some cases. This ministry has also helped PWA develop a partnership with the Cleveland Municipal School District which provides funding for tutoring services at George Washington Carver School. As evidence of Richard’s heart for our community, he has volunteered in a number of community activities and currently serves on the United Way Council of Agency Executives and the Sisters of Charity Central Community Promise Neighborhood Initiative. Richard’s passion is to “help those in need…physically and spiritually. “We are to model Jesus’ command for us to be the salt and light in the world through our good works as noted in Matthew 5:13-16.”