About the Black Female Fatherhood Scholars (BFFs)
Dena Barnwell, M.S., CHES, CHW
Discipline: Health Sciences/Health Education & Promotion
State: Maryland
Brianna P. Lemmons, Ph.D., MSW
Discipline: Social Work
State: Texas
Dr. Lemmons' research broadly investigates the structure and functioning of black families and more specifically predictors of non-resident black father involvement.
Marquitta S. Dorsey, Ph.D, MSW, MBA
Discipline: Social Work
State: Illinois
Dr. Dorsey's research aims to understand factors related to the sexual and reproductive health of Black adolescent females who live in and navigate urban communities. The role of fathers in the lives of girls is central to her research agenda.
Dena works to increase the availability of the resources and services for fathers. She also brings awareness to the unique needs of dads and promotes the positive effects of father engagement on the health of children and families.
Ericka M. Lewis, Ph.D., LMSW
Discipline: Social Work
State: Maryland
Dr. Lewis' research examines the risk and protective factors that influence family functioning and child well-being. As an extension of this work, she also investigates the impact of positive father involvement on child development.
Ashley A. Sanders, Ed.D., LMSW
Discipline: Social Work & Youth Services
State: Michigan
​Dr. Sanders’ research focuses on the family structure and more specifically the impact of the father-daughter relationship in Black families, as well as mental health concerns in the Black community.
Dr. Buckley's research investigates the impact of fatherlessness on Black women and their ability to form attachments. Her research is an acknowledgment of the essential role black fathers play in the lives of their black daughters.
Maretta McDonald, Ph.D., M.S.
Discipline: Sociology
State: Louisiana
Dr. McDonald's research examines the influence of child support enforcement policies on low income Black fathers in rural areas
Latrice Rollins, Ph.D., MSW
Discipline: Social Work & Public Health
State: Georgia
Dr. Rollins is a Robert Wood Johnson Culture of Health Leader whose research is focused on health equity among African American fathers. She is also currently the principal investigator for a research project assessing father-friendliness of maternal and child health agencies in the state of Georgia.
Melissa E. Buckley, Ph.D., LMSW
Discipline: Social Work
State: Maryland
Katrina Akande, Ph.D.
Discipline: Human Development & Family Science
State: Alabama
Dr. Akande's research focuses on father-child engagement and father involvement.
​
In memoriam of Dr. Akande's life and commitment to fatherhood.
(1969-2024)
Felicia Murray, Ph.D., LCSW
Discipline: Social Work
State: Texas
Dr. Murray's research examines the intergenerational transmission of Black fathering practices and the impact of paternal wellness on the Black family structure.
Tasha Alston, Ph.D., MSW
Discipline: Social Work & Educational Psychology
State: Pennsylvania
Dr. Alston's research focuses on African American fathers involvement in the education of their children.
Cassandra Bolar, Ph.D.
Discipline: Marriage & Family Therapy/Psychology
State: Georgia
Dr. Bolar's research examines the impact of paternal mental health and intimate relationship quality on paternal engagement and child outcomes.
Regina Johnson, LPCMH, NCC
Discipline: Mental Health Counseling
State: Delaware
Regina has over 15 years of experience working with children and families. She currenlty manages a program that supports fathers in recognizing and understanding their role in the family. Her goal is to empower fathers to create a strong, supportive loving environment for their children.
Christina Grange, Ph.D.
Discipline:
Clinical and Community Psychology
State: Georgia
Dr. Grange's research focuses on co-parenting within African American families, from the perspective of mothers and fathers. She is the principal investigator of the "Co-Parenting in African American Families" research study.
Skky Martin, Ph.D.
Discipline: Public Health
State: Illinois
Dr. Martin’s research specializes in medical sociology and health education, focusing on the ways in which patients, providers, and medical schools experience and conceptualize ethnoracial disparities in maternal health. Dr. Martin is also interested in perinatal doctor-patient interactions and the effects that it has on Black parents’ mental health.
Avis Files
Discipline: Human Services
State: Ohio
Avis Files is a Fatherhood Practitioner and the COO of JustUS Files, LLC, whose goal is to empower urban communities to succeed in life. Avis' work focuses primarily on urban Fathers, though her most recent work has examined infant mortality among young fathers. She has also served as lead on a Randomized Control Trial project that targeted urban fathers ages 20-24.
Wykinia Culbreth, MPH, CHES
Discipline: Public Health/Health Education
State: Georgia
Wykinia Culbreth is a Fatherhood Practitioner within a state government Maternal and Child Health section, whose goal is to intentionally engage fathers through existing programs and services and serve as a resource and linkage to fathers, families, and practitioners. Wykinia’s work is accomplished using three core strategies: capacity building, collaboration, and coordination across traditional and non-traditional partners. She serves as lead and co-lead on multiple cross-sector projects that seek to create a culture of inclusion for fathers in research, policy, and practice across the state.
Jariah Strozier, Ph.D., MPH, CHES
Discipline: Public Health/Health Education
State: Virginia
Jariah Strozier's research utilizes Black Feminisms and medical sociology to examine the intersections of gender, race, and weight among Black women. As an extension of this work, her research also focuses on public health interventions and Black families.
Dara Lewis, Ph.D.
Discipline: Sociology
State: Maryland
Dr. Lewis' research focuses on the impact of mass incarceration on fatherhood and father identity.
Brittany D. Minor, M.A.
Discipline: Organizational Leadership & Higher Education
State: Texas
Brittany's research examines Black female doctoral graduates and students who had present Black fathers who raised them. The aim of her research is to shed positive light on Black present fathers and to find out what influence they had on their daughter’s academic journey and accomplishments.
Paula Marie Powe, MD
Psychiatry
State: Pennsylvania
​Dr. Powe is a child and adolescent psychiatrist who focuses on infant mental health. Her research aims to increase support and engagement of black fathers in home-visiting programs that decrease risk factors for early childhood adversity and toxic stress.
Gelissa Gibson Adams, MSW, BSc.
Social Work
Country: Maryland
Gelissa Gibson Adams' research aims to understand the consequences of father migration on adolescent males.
Brittany Hinkle, M.Ed, NCC
Counseling Psychology
State: Louisiana
Brittany Hinkle is a fifth-year doctoral candidate in Counseling Psychology at Howard University. She received a B.S. in Psychology and a B.A. in Spanish from the University of Georgia. Brittany continued her education at the University of Georgia, receiving her Master of Education in Professional Counseling with an emphasis in Community Counseling. Her current research includes investigating the functioning of African American children, adolescents, couples, and families regarding communication, parenting, parent-child relationships, and diverse family structures. Brittany is also interested in policy and research that informs her practice in infant mental health.
Brandie Bentley, Ph.D., MSW
Social Work
State: Michigan
​Dr. Bentley’s research uses a systems-level lens to investigate racial disparities in the Early Intervention program, a federally funded service system that meets the specialized needs of children with developmental delays and disabilities. She seeks to use her research as a tool for enhancing community systems development efforts that work to improve outcomes for Black families.
