Meet the Team
Meet the passionate team driving the mission of the Center for Heirs’ Property®. These are the leaders protecting land, legacy, and justice to build generational wealth.
Meet the Heart Behind the Mission
At the Center for Heirs’ Property®, our work is rooted in family, legacy, and justice. Behind every acre we protect and every family we serve is a team of passionate advocates, legal experts, community builders, and change-makers who believe that land is more than property; it’s heritage.
Each member of our team brings a deep commitment to preserving generational landownership, empowering families with knowledge, and fighting for equity in communities. While we come from diverse backgrounds, we all share one vision: a future where heirs’ property owners are informed, protected, and able to build generational wealth.
Our Leadership Team
Rooted in service and guided by justice, the Center for Heirs’ Property® Board of Directors is a dedicated group of community leaders, legal and forestry professionals, and advocates who help steer the organization’s vision of a nation where everyone can rightfully enjoy the legacy of home.
Alexander C. Rhue
Treasurer, Senior Manager of Analytics & Insights Lead – TD Bank, NA
Angela Richmond Gaddist
Regional Communications Director- United Healthcare, Charlotte, NC
Ashley H. Amundson, Esq
Partner – Harvey and Battey, P.A.
Brenda Hughes
Lowcountry Region,, Community Engagement Team Manager – SC Dept of Health
Cynthia Odell
Senior Advisory Specialist – Wells Fargo
Darlene L. Broughton
Secretary, Fundraising Committee Chair, Resident Construction Engineer – S.C. Department of Transportation
Daryl Brewton
Executive Board Strategist & Business Development Consultant - CPR Group
Faith Rivers James
Executive Director – South Carolina Coastal Conservation League
James (Jim) D. Myrick, Esq
Vice Chair, Partner (Retired)– Womble Bond Dickinson (US) LLP
Kristopher Pickler, Esq
Chair, General Counsel, Global Real Estate – Honeywell International
Leonard A. McIntyre, PhD
Immediate Past Chair, College President (Retired)
Louis Manigault
Senior Project Engineer – Santee Cooper
Margie Pizarro, Esq
Governance Committee Chair, Magistrate Court Judge – Dorchester County
Sabrina A. Brown
Retired – Naval Health Clinic, Charleston
Tharlyn Fox
Program Manager, Region 4 Professional Organizations – John Deere
Tory J. Liferidge
Pastor – Grace Reformed Episcopal Church
Our Staff
At the Center for Heirs’ Property®, our staff is more than a team—we are passionate advocates, legal experts, foresters, educators, and community-builders committed to helping families protect what matters most: their land, their legacy, and their future. Together, we are seeding a future where every family can rightfully hold, steward, and pass on their land with dignity. Meet the people making that future possible.
Jennie L. Stephens, PhD
Chief Executive Officer
Josh F. Walden, Esq.
Chief of Operations
Cheryl Reid, MBA
Chief Financial Officer
Brett Wadford, MPA
Chief Partnerships Officer
Danyelle O’Hara
Chief Projects Officer
Danica Whitney
Executive Coordinator
Sharon Piggs
Executive Assistant
Esther Adams, MPA
Director of Community Engagement
Nulani Bennett
Director of Development
David Bourgeois
Field Operations Manager
Janessa Butler
Marketing and Communications Coordinator
Rhonda Champion
Accounting Manager
Brianna Jackson, Esq.
Director of Legal Services
Steve Patterson
Director of Forestry Services
Brianna S. Roberts
Program Support Coordinator
Alexa R. Stephens
Director of Projects
Jacqueline W. Wilson
Director of Administration
David J. Meury, Esq.
Staff Attorney
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Alexis R. Martin
Regional Forester
Alfonso “AC” Riley
Community Engagement Specialist
Alyssa Rocas
Staff Attorney
Angel M. Gonzalez
Database & Office Systems Coordinator
Anna Garrick-Camara
Paralegal - Orangeburg Office
Ariel Jenkins
Paralegal
Ashley Walker
Project Coordinator - Charleston County Settlement Grant
Asija Rice
Project Forester
Brendan McPherson
Resource Development Associate
Courtney C. Cumming, Esq.
Staff Attorney
Deloris Gibson
Accounting Specialist
Dorlisa C. Adams
Community Engagement Specialist
Gino Truncellito, Esq.
Staff Attorney – Florence Office
Henry D. Poole
Forester
Hunter Roberts
Forestry Technician
James Williams
Forester
Jessica Tyson
Paralegal - Columbia Office
Katrice B. Keith
Legal Administrative Assistant - Florence Office
Kayra Rice
Community Engagement Specialist
Latesha Smith
Stewardship and Events Coordinator
LaVerda James
Paralegal Supervisor
Madison R. Martin, Esq.
Staff Attorney - Columbia Office
Marcus Gurley
Forestry Engagement Specialist
Markus D. Reneau
LDF Marshall-Motley Fellow
Monica Frasier
Community Engagement Specialist
Monica Graves
Community Engagement Specialist
Nina "Nikki" Sperling, Esq.
Staff Attorney II - Main Office
Rena M. Pinckney
Legal Administrative Assistant - Main Office
Rufus Washington
Staff Accountant
Sabrina Johnson
Staff Attorney
Sarah H. Jones
Forestry Administrative Associate
Shyann J. Capers
Paralegal
Sonya H. Laribo
Human Resources Specialist
Walter Whetstone
Stewardship Forester
Y. Elizabeth Wellman, Esq.
Staff Attorney - Main Office
Our East Texas Team
Dr. John Cooper, Consulting Project Director
Dr. Cooper leads efforts to build the advisory board, recruit staff, and develop systems for landowner outreach, communications, fundraising, and program evaluation. With a background in participatory planning, his work centers on empowering marginalized communities to leverage local assets. Dr. Cooper has served on the board of The U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities and previously led MDC’s role in the Kellogg Foundation’s Rural People Rural Policy initiative. He holds a BA in Economics and a Master’s in Urban Planning from Texas A&M, and a PhD in City and Regional Planning from the University of North Carolina, UNC-Chapel Hill.
Jennifer Mouton Robinson, Staff Attorney
Attorney Mouton Robinson provides legal counsel to landowners, conducts educational seminars, and ensures CHP’s processes align with Texas law. With over 32 years of experience in real estate law, her work has focused on contracts, landlord-tenant issues, eminent domain, and condemnation cases. She holds a B.A. in Economics from the University of Texas at Austin and a J.D. from Southern Methodist University’s (SMU) Dedman School of Law.
Our Funding Partners
At the Center for Heirs’ Property®, our mission to protect land and legacy extends beyond state lines. Through the East Texas Heirs’ Property Initiative, we’re addressing urgent needs in a region which holds great potential. To achieve our goals, we’re partnering with local organizations and community leaders to build a model tailored to East Texas — one that empowers families, strengthens local efforts, and expands our impact across the South.
Partner With Us
Whether you’re interested in funding a program, sharing your expertise by volunteering, or expanding this work to new regions, there’s a place for you in this movement!
