Meet Black Equity

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Dr. Jacqueline Douge, MD, MPH, FAAP, is a seasoned pediatrician, public health practitioner, speaker, and writer with over two decades of experience. She is an Assistant Professor of Public Health at Hood College and has held key roles in public health departments. Dr. Dougé actively engages in her community and professional organizations, including the Maryland Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics, American Academy of Pediatrics, the Bright Futures Advisory Team, and the Family Connect Leadership Advisory Council. She is also the CEO of What is Black, LLC, a digital platform focusing on Black family health. Dr. Dougé is a Black Health Equity Coalition member and co-editor of "Untangling the Thread of Racism: A Primer for Pediatric Health Professionals," showcasing her commitment to advocating for health equity for Black families and children. 

Dr.  Denise Rollins is a master life coach, speaker and executive director of the Whole Heart Grief & Life Resource Center in Frederick, Maryland, where her team offers one-on-one coaching and group support services. She holds a doctorate in marriage and family therapy and a masters in thanatology. In addition, at the Gary L. Rollins Funeral Home in Maryland, she partners with her husband, Gary, in managing the business and providing aftercare services. She has more than 20 years of experience in corporate America, where her roles included training, human resources and diversity. Denise's personal experience with loss changed her career path. She is author of 2Grieve 2Gether: A Journal from the Heart Helping Survivors & Supporters Navigate the Healing Process, an autobiographical account of her own grief journey. Denise teaches a course on Death, Dying and Bereavement at Frederick Community College. She serves as a board member of the Ausherman Family Foundation, TAPS Advisory Board and the Nancy Lurie Marks Family Foundation Autism and Grief Project. 

Desirée Tucker, Founder and Executive Director of Women Solve, has spent the majority of her career shaping community spaces. She initially owned a professional organizing and event planning company in the Washington, DC metropolitan area. Her career took a transformative turn in 2012 when she joined the National Institutes of Health as a contracted meeting planner, later evolving into an on-site Project Manager. That same year marked a personal milestone as she embraced motherhood through IVF, welcoming her son Noah, and later, her daughter Nyah in 2017. Desirée’s commitment extends beyond her professional endeavors. She served as a Frederick County Commissioner for both the Commission for Women and the Human Relations Commission. Her strong organizational abilities, attention to detail, and deep-rooted advocacy for inclusivity and equity empower her to be a leader and advocate in her community.

Her passion for community engagement was ignited by an experience at a Baltimore City elementary school. Witnessing firsthand the disparities in educational environments, she was moved to action, recognizing the urgent need for equity and opportunity for all children, especially those marginalized. As a founder and executive director at Women Solve, Desirée embodies the spirit of collective power and diverse talent, championing innovative solutions, advocacy, and community engagement, and forging a path towards a more equitable and inclusive world.

Danielle Haskin, MSPH leads with her passion for community! Her experiences growing up instilled a mission of service as she strives to “be the person you needed when you were younger.” A first generation college graduate, her education led her to the field of public health in 2012, when she interned for a nonprofit with a mission to eliminate health disparities in the Black community. Danielle earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Emergency Health Services from The University of Maryland Baltimore County, and in 2019 earned a Master’s in Public Health, where her research focused on diabetes prevention and community paramedicine. During her career she has provided program development, training, and implementation of evidence informed programming, leading innovative approaches to using data to inform efforts, and advocating for community power building, and shifting, when advancing health equity. Recognizing that stereotypes have influenced an increased emphasis on personal behavior, as the Director of the Frederick County Health Departments Equity Office, she focuses on ways to amplify community voices that identify and advocate for systems change to eliminate barriers to health and wellness. She trusts that putting money and power behind conversations of equity and inclusion will make the difference in how minority leadership has been excluded by those same systems, and all communities, especially those who have historically been excluded, will benefit from an increase of diverse leaders in a significant way. Striving to bridge the gaps between agency and community, she serves in multiple ways on State and local boards and commissions. “I am my sisters keeper, I am my brother’s keeper, there is power in unity and together we can, and will see transformation!”

Dr. Bryant has 7 years of specific experience as a dedicated public health professional and epidemiologist, with a strong interest in mental health and adolescent health. She has significant quantitative research and statistical analysis experience, resulting in a number of publications.  Dr. Bryant brings strong writing skills and editing experience to all of her work, and she serves as a peer reviewer for the Journal of Social, Behavioral, and Health Sciences; The Journal of Nutrition; the Journal of Child and Adolescent Mental Health; and the American Journal of Public Health. She also is a member of the American Public Health Association (APHA) and serves as an abstract reviewer for the APHA Annual Meeting and Expo.  Dr. Bryant strongly believes that good Black mental health, good Black physical health, and good Black financial health are wealth! 

Nia Condrey is the Broker, Owner of Purpose One Realty, a full-service, community-centered real estate brokerage based in Frederick County, MD. With a deep passion for serving her community and sharing time and resources to help heal all social determinants of health, Nia is dedicated to promoting equity in the realms of housing. 

Although, Nia and her dedicated team serve a diverse array of clients from all walks of life, embracing various cultures and beliefs. Nia is particularly committed to advocating for the community she identifies with, ensuring that everyone has access to equitable, fair, and safe housing. Her focus is on bridging the wealth gap and fostering inclusive and economic growth within the community. 

Nia serves as an active member of the Frederick County Affordable Housing Council’s policy committee and the Western Maryland Black Chamber Advisory Board. She is also an active member of the National Association of Real Estate Brokers. Through her work, she continues to be a vessel for change and progress within the Frederick community.

As the CEO of Vital Business Solutions (VBS), Akiyyah Billups is a consulting and mentoring organization birthed out of her lived experiences, she aims to serve those who need support, resources, and a community the most. Akiyyah is also the co-founder of Black Mamas Building Bridges (BMBB), which raises awareness of the disparities Black birth mothers face and advocates for systemic changes to include empathy, equity, and care. The tragic death of her cousin after childbirth transformed Akiyyah's pain into a passionate drive for change, motivating her to prevent such tragedies and advocate for better maternal health outcomes.

In addition to her roles at VBS and BMBB, Akiyyah has served on the Frederick County DEI Commission and County Executive Jessica Fitzwater's transition team. She co-led and facilitated the Frederick March for Justice in 2020, which brought over 7,000 people together in solidarity against police brutality and injustices faced by Black communities. 

Nina Rollins holds more than 20 years of experience in the healthcare industry. In her current role at CareFirst BCBS, she coordinates the operational implementation for our self-funded groups. Additionally, she is the first point of contact for our human resources, brokers and sales teams regarding member issues, providing support for resolving operational issues, and coordinating special projects. In addition to her work at CareFirst, she has also had the pleasure of serving as co-chair of community engagement for our Black Professional Network ERG in 2022.

When not working, Nina passionately serves our beautiful Frederick community through her work at Asbury United Methodist Church leading on many community-focused initiatives, including and not limited to, organizing our annual coat drive, Thanksgiving Day dinner, food and hygiene product supply drives and community block party, which provides an avenue for our local nonprofits to share information on available services to help those who need it most. She also serves on the board for both the HIV Coalition and the FPD Citizen’s Advisory Board.

Nina holds a B.A. in Communications with a concentration in Public Relations from Hood College and a M.P.S. in the Psychology of Leadership from Pennsylvania State University and maintains her life and health license in MD, DC, and VA.