Leadership
Chair
Paul G. Patton, Colonel USAF (Ret.)
After serving 27 years in the United States Air Force, POISE Foundation Chairman of the Board, Colonel Paul G. Patton, a graduate of Fifth Avenue High School and the University of Pittsburgh, School of Engineering began a second career working in the Information Technology (IT) industry. In this capacity, he rose from a Director in a small ($40M) IT firm to his current position as a Senior Vice President in a $3.2B IT firm. Paul is proud of his Pittsburgh roots, has been a loyal Steeler Fan since 1955, and has been totally dedicated to POISE Foundation since its incorporation in 1980. Paul is a member of Alpha Phi Alpha and Sigma Pi Phi Fraternities and the Prince Hall Masonic Family.
Executive Vice Chair
John Haines
John’s background spans many industries from financial services to manufacturing. He graduated from Lincoln University with a Bachelor of Arts in Mathematics and obtained his MBA in Finance from the University of Pittsburgh. After college John worked for Mellon Bank as a head teller, then an Officer and Assistant Branch Manager. He later worked at Dravo Corporation as a division Controller before joining General Motors (GM). While at GM John was Manager of Purchasing and then became the Director Materials and Minority Supplier Development where he grew the program from $50 million to $1.2 billion. After retiring from GM, John became the Project Manager for the construction of a Honda brake assembly plant. He later became the Materials Manager for the plant. Most recently, John stepped in as President and CEO of Dwelling House Savings and Loan Association an African American Bank in Pittsburgh.
Vice Chair
Lennie R. Henry
She is past Executive Director and staff member of Urban Youth Action, Inc., past Chairperson and present Board Member of U. Y. A. Inc., a committed board member, Vice President, incorporator and donor of POISE since it’s beginning in 1980. She also is ruling Elder and member of Bidwell Presbyterian Church, President and founding member of the Financial and Moral Supporters of the Youth of Allegheny County, which has an endowment in POISE Foundation and has been married 37 years with two adult married children and one grandson.
Vice Chair
Edward E. Guy
Edward E. Guy, Jr. is a lifelong resident of East Liberty and Greenfield. Mr. Guy sits on several boards of local agencies. He currently serves as Vice President on the Kingsley Association Board; he is currently Vice President-Treasurer for the Poise Foundation and one of the original founders of the organization. Edward also serves as President of the Board of Trustees for Emory United Methodist Church. Edward is currently employed by the Urban Redevelopment Authority, where he has been their Draftsman for over 40 years.
Edward’s favorite past time is golfing. He also enjoys attending sporting events and doing volunteer work for non-profit organizations.
Darrell E. Smalley
Treasurer
Darrell is a Partner in the Tax Practice at Ernst & Young and concentrates on State and Local Taxes. Darrell serves clients in several industries including manufacturing, retail, distribution and healthcare. Darrell received a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from LaSalle University in 1994 and is a Certified Member of the Institute for Professionals in Taxation. Darrell is a native of Pittsburgh and currently resides in North Fayette Township with his wife Denise. He and Denise enjoy traveling and jazz music concerts.
Secretary
Annette Cuffee Gilcrese
Mrs. Annette Cuffee Gillcrese, has been a member of the Board since November, 1999. For approximately a year and a half before becoming a member of the Board, she served as Volunteer Secretary. In addition to her responsibility as Secretary of the Board, she also serves on the Distribution Committee and the Finance and Investment Committee.
Mrs. Gillcrese is currently employed by Fidelity National Information Services, Inc., where she is a Senior Applications Programmer. Prior to her employment at Fidelity, she worked in teh data processing field at Westinghouse Electric Corporation for 28 years. During her earlier years of employment at Westinghouse, she worked primarily as a systems programmer. During her last 16 years at Westinghouse, she was a technical support manager.
Mrs. Gillcrese is married to C. Richard Gillcrese, and has a son, Clarence R. Gillcrese, II. She is originally from Chesapeake, Va., and graduated from Hampton Institute (now Hampton University) in Hampton, Va.
Legal Counsel
Dale C. Perdue, Esq.
He was elected in September of 2000 by Alcoa’s Board of Directors as Assistant General Counsel and Assistant Officer of Alcoa, where he is responsible for the management of the Alcoa Legal Department’s Employment, Employee Benefits, Labor and Health and Safety Practice areas. He received a B.A. degree in Political Science from Penn State University in 1972 and a Juris Doctor degree in law from Northwestern University in 1975. Following graduation, he joined Alcoa’s Legal Department as an attorney. Prior to becoming as Assistant General Counsel, he was named general attorney in April 1985, senior general attorney in August 1991, managing general attorney in March 1992, and senior counsel in 1994.
Lucille ‘Luci’ Dabney
She is the Executive Director of Program to Aid Citizen Enterprise. She has experience and a national reputation in the field of nonprofit organizational capacity building. Before moving to Pittsburgh, Luci ran her own consulting firm; Dabney and Associates. She has over thirty years experience in the nonprofit, corporate, small business, and higher education fields. Prior to beginning her consulting practice, Luci was the Executive Director of the Cultural Arts Council of Houston / Harris County where she supervised a $7 million dollar grants program that annually awarded funds to 140 arts and non arts organizations and 40 individual artists. The Management Services Department she created was featured as a national model in two Ford Foundation funded studies; Rethinking Stabilization and Measuring Stabilization and cited in two additional manuals; Incubating the Arts and Management Assistance Services for Nonprofit Organizations.
John R. Laymon
John was born and raised in the Manchester section of Pittsburgh. He graduated from Allegheny High School and holds a B.S. degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of New Hampshire and an MBA from the University of Pittsburgh. Mr. Laymon is President and sole Owner of JRL Enterprises one of the largest minority business in Pittsburgh. He serves on numerous boards including UNH Foundation, Hill House, Pittsburgh African American Chamber of Commerce, and Minority Business Advisor to the Pittsburgh Pirates. John is also a member of Omega Psi Phi fraternity.
Honorable William Robinson
He serves on the Allegheny County Council as Chair of the Budget & Finance Committee. He is a graduate of The Ohio State University and Duquesne University with degrees in Political Science. He is Adjunct Assistant Professor of Political Science in the School for Social Change at Carlow University, and is a small business owner of Bill Robinson and Associates, a public affairs, educational, economic development consulting firm.
Founder and President Emeritus
*Bernard H. Jones, Sr.
*DECEASED
President & Chief Executive Officer
Mark S. Lewis
Mark is a native of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and graduated from Michigan State University with a degree in accounting. He became a Certified Public Accountant in 1991 while working at Price Waterhouse. He left Price Waterhouse LLP after 8 years and joined Ernst &Young LLP where he worked for over five years reaching the level of Senior Manager. Mr. Lewis joined the board of the POISE Foundation in 1996 as its Treasurer and Chair of the Finance and Investment committee. He resigned from the Board in 2002 to become the second President and CEO of POISE Foundation. Mr. Lewis also serves on the board of directors of the August Wilson Center, Program to Aid Citizen Enterprise, Community Investment Network, Sustainable Pittsburgh, Bayer Center for Nonprofit Management Advisory Board, Grantmakers of Western PA, and is Chair of The Heinz Endowments African American Male Initiative Advisory Board. Mark is a graduate of Leadership Pittsburgh XXII. He serves as an Elder and Trustee of Deliverance Baptist Church of Wilkinsburg. Mr. Lewis is also a member of Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity.
Vice President of Programs
Karris M. Jackson
Born and raised in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Ms. Jackson is a graduate of Wilkinsburg Senior High School. She received her Bachelor’s of Arts in English and Secondary Education from Allegheny College in Meadville, Pennsylvania. She went on to earn a Master’s of Science degree in Secondary School Administration from Duquesne University. Ms. Jackson also attended Harvard University where she completed an Executive Educational Class in Nonprofit Management.Prior to joining the POISE Foundation, Ms. Jackson was the Executive Director of Urban Youth Action, Incorporated (UYA). Before working at Urban Youth Action, Mrs. Jackson was the Chief Administrative Officer of a charter school located in Harrisburg, PA. Ms. Jackson serves as a board member for A+ Schools, Allegheny County Youth Creations, Inc. and is a School Board Member at the Cornell School District where she is Chair of the Education Committee. Ms. Jackson is a member of the Youth Policy Council, the UPMC Educational Advisory Council and a recent graduate of Leadership Pittsburgh XXV.
Shirrell T. Burton
Director of Development
A native of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Ms. Burton attended Carnegie Mellon University, where she received her Bachelors’ of Science in Industrial Management. She has spent more than 20 years of her professional career in consumer goods, high-tech and healthcare; gaining expertise in finance, operational efficiency and relationship management through a variety of positions. Ms. Burton’s previous assignments include Vice President of Operations for D3 Radiation Planning and Director of Finance & Sales Operations for Marconi Communications/FORE Systems. She is actively involved with the Penn Hills School District, and serves on the Planning Committee of the United Black Book Clubs of Pittsburgh Celebration of Reading events.
Project Coordinator
Teresa Minor
Teresa has been the Project Coordinator for the POISE Foundation since January 2008, during that time; she has formed strong working relationships and communications with public and nonprofit agencies, local Allegheny County public and private schools, community leaders and scholarship recipients. Teresa is the lead contact person for the grants and scholarship application and submission process, and assists the President and CEO with the supervision of all of the agency activities. She is a graduate of Langley High School, studied basic law at Marist College, in Danbury CT, and has almost 20 years experience in office management, Automated Data Processing, customer service and quality control, and fundraising.
