Board of Directors
Without them, we wouldn’t be able to serve Douglas County
Alex Kimball Williams (she/they) is a community researcher & protest artist working at the intersections of public policy, grants management, & grassroots methods. Williams currently manages a large-scale research grant based at Haskell Indian Nations University supporting diverse Indigenous communities in taking action to protect their lifeways, including issues of food sovereignty & climate-forced displacement. Alex received the 2018 MLK Dreamer’s award from Lawrence Public Schools, 3rd place for Community Leader in the 2021 Best of Lawrence issue, and received a community service award from the Lawrence Juneteenth Organization in 2023.
Nicole Neil (She/Her) Hello! My name is Nicole Neil and I am excited for this new journey! A little about myself: I live on a small farm north of Lawrence with my husband, three daughters, and many animals. I have been a preschool teacher in the Baldwin City school district for 16 years, with the past 7 years working as a Early Childhood Special Education teacher. I enjoy volunteering in my community and I have been serving as a CASA for Douglas County since 2019. I am very grateful to be a CASA and to be able to support children and families navigating the court system and think of it as my “heart work”. In my free time I enjoy reading, running, and attending my children’s sporting events. I feel very passionate about serving and supporting all children and I am excited to represent Baldwin in this new endeavour!
Christina Gentry (she /her /they) is a community health advocate, mother of five and committed to advancing social justice, and restorative practices in community.
Professionally, she holds a firm 10 year as teacher in pre-kinder elementary education: developing dynamic & creative Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics (STEAM) curriculum for early learners. Her work at Lawrence Douglas County Public Health intentionally committed to systems change while working to strengthen community networks to positively improved community health.
They look to build social connection, while advocating for programs and policies that promote positive, genetic, and environmental influences on our futures.
Erin Adamson is a mother of two, East Lawrence community member, gardener, and doctoral candidate in Sociology at KU who works as a staff member at Accessible Teaching, Learning, and Assessment Systems (ATLAS) at KU. As a parent and community member she has been a member of the New York Elementary Site Council and coordinates a Common Ground public garden in the neighborhood. Her academic background is in journalism, Latin American studies, and international migration research. Erin’s doctoral research is on the economic and social impact of North American and European migrants – often called expats – who move to Costa Rica. She has also worked as a researcher for the KU Center of Migration Research and for Aging as Future, an international research project on aging. Her personal, community, and academic work is connected by the thread of concern for economic and social justice grounded in local issues and with an eye to global impacts.
Jade Martens (she, her) has worked as an Early Intervention physical therapist in Lawrence since 2015. Prior to that she worked in NICU, pediatric inpatient hospital, and pediatric outpatient clinic settings in Illinois and Nebraska, where she also served as resident faculty for the Creighton University Physical Therapy program. She has also completed additional credentialing to become a Board-Certified Clinical Specialist in Pediatric Physical Therapy. She enjoys the opportunities she gets to work with and learn from families from a variety of backgrounds. She is passionate about increasing the participation of children in their daily routines and about empowering parents and caregivers to support and advocate for their children. Jade serves on the leadership team of the Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library of Douglas County, and as a lifelong reader, she loves to help bring the gift of reading to children in our community. In addition to reading, she enjoys gardening, thrifting, and cheering on the Kansas City Current. She is also the proud aunt to 13 nieces and nephews.
Sam McFin (She, Her) is an empowered parenting educator and coach with a bachelors degree in psychology, and 14 years experience in early childhood education, as a teacher and director. She is passionate about supporting families and educators in their process of stepping into personal sovereignty around their healing and growth.
Sam did a learning practicum while receiving her undergraduate that focused specifically on
incorporating mindfulness based practices and positive psychology into the Montessoriclassroom. A few years later, inspired by a vision to cultivate a space where each and every unique child would be honored in their natural light, she opened her own Montessori program. The school was also birthed out of a desire to provide a diverse environment with more accessibility for families of all socio-economic backgrounds.Shortly after having her son, Sam decided she wanted to stay home with him. She then went on to complete her certification through the Jai Institute for Parenting and now leads courses supporting caregivers in a deep exploration andapplication of current research in child development, attachment theory, nervous system science, brain science, non-violent communication, emotional intelligence and much more. She offers parents the opportunity to dive into Connection with themselves so that they can deeply connect with their child, their greater community, and the earth.
Sam is very passionate about advocating for future generations of children and creating more expansive opportunities for equity in her immediate community.
Danielle Davey (she/her) is an attorney at Sloan, Eisenbarth, Glassman, McEntire & Jarboe, where she has been practicing for 14 years. Her practice includes litigation in the areas of real
estate, personal injury and employment law and regularly consults with HOAs, libraries, electrical cooperatives, and other entities regarding a variety of matters. She is also a member of
the Douglas County Child in Need of Care (CINC) panel, alternating between working as a Guardian ad Litem and as a parent attorney case-by-case.
Danielle is a two-time graduate of the University of Kansas and remains an avid Jayhawk fan. She continues to live in Lawrence with her husband, stepdaughter, dog, and cat. In the
community, Danielle has been active with organizations serving children and families, serving in various roles with the Lawrence St. Patrick’s Day Parade, on the Board of Directors for tiny-k, as Board President for TDC Learning Centers in Topeka, and is on the CLC for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Douglas County.
Dr. Pegah Naemi Jimenez (she/her) is a Research Associate at the KU School of Social Welfare on two of the School’s projects: Kansas Strong for Children and Families and the Fatherhood FIRE program. Dr. Naemi Jimenez holds a PhD in social psychology from KU and a master’s degree in psychology from California State University at Sacramento. Her most recent position was at the Center for Public Policy and Research where she designed and directed mixed method research and evaluation of social programs, including serving as Principal Investigator on two home visiting initiatives in Kansas and Missouri. In addition to possessing excellent research skills, Dr. Naemi Jimenez holds a very strong commitment to racial equity and social justice and has worked collaboratively with colleagues to develop and facilitate multiple DEI workshops and events. Dr. Naemi Jimenez brings a wealth of research experiences and expertise as well as a marked alignment with the School’s anti-racism/anti-oppression work.
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