OUR EXECUTIVE BOARD AND MEMBERS
Zina C. Pierre, Ph.D.
President
Zina C. Pierre, Ph.D., is the founding President and CEO of Reyarp Strategies Group, LLC (RSG), a full-service, woman minority-owned business in Maryland. For more than 20 years, she has provided lobbying, advocacy, strategic partnership development, and political management. She currently provides professional development training and creates Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) frameworks for government and corporate entities. Dr. Pierre is also a full-time Pastor and authored the book "Your Prayers Matter to God."
Dr. Pierre is well known as an "intersectionality strategist" and has worked in the political arena nationally for more than 30 years advising and developing strategic outreach plans and building alliances for civil rights organizations, unions, non-profits, corporate, and faith-based groups. She served two terms in the Clinton Administration, with her last position in the White House as Special Assistant to the President for Intergovernmental Affairs under President Bill Clinton. She holds a Ph.D. in Politics from Catholic University, a Ph.D. in Religious Philosophy from Tabernacle Bible College and Seminary, and a certificate in Diversity & Inclusion from Cornell University. She has served on numerous boards and commissions, including the board of Visitors for Lincoln University, Duke Ellington School of the Arts, Smithsonian Environmental Research Center, Washington Dance Theatre, National Council of Negro Women, Greater Washington Urban League, DNC Women's Vote Center, Annapolis Democratic Central Committee, and more.
Richard M. Potter, Jr.
Vice President
Richard M. Potter, Jr., a resident of Easton, Maryland, graduated from Sojourner Douglass College in 2008. Upon completing his undergraduate studies, he then matriculated to Wilmington University and graduated with his master’s degree in Organizational Leadership in 2010. Upon graduating from Wilmington University in 2010, Mr. Potter was featured in a commercial that showcased Wilmington University and his accomplishments. In 2011, he was selected to attend the National Council of Black American Affairs Leadership Development Institute in Detroit, MI, which prepared African Americans for higher education executive leadership roles.
Mr. Potter currently serves as the president of the NAACP Talbot County Branch, President of the Character Counts Mid Shore Board of Directors, co-founder of the Coalition for Justice for Anton Black, and a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. Mr. Potter is currently employed at Salisbury University serving as the Program Coordinator for Multicultural Student Services. He believes in nurturing students, teaching students, and pushing students so that they can soar among the eagles to their highest height.
Hasson Barnes, Esq.
Treasurer
Hasson Barnes, Esq. joins the Maryland Black Caucus Foundation board as a local leader with a focus on developing and implementing strategic plans and setting and achieving goals. Hasson is a native Baltimorean who owns and operates a law firm, aptly named, The Law Office of Hasson D. Barnes, LLC.
Professionally, he has always maintained an interest in community development, generally, with a specific focus on economic and social development in the Black community. To that end, he has been a board and committee member of various legal and non-legal organizations (both locally and nationally), working to improve communities and/or increase diversity. He will bring his focus and experience to bear on the Maryland Black Caucus Foundation board's work.
Haki Ammi
Parliamentarian
Haki Ammi is a best-selling author, radio host, entrepreneur, community organizer, speaker, and job & career coach. Originally from Baltimore, MD, he started his career in the United States Navy United States Navy. Traveling and seeing many different countries gave him a global analysis.
Haki attended Baltimore City Community College and Towson State University for Business and Computer Repair. He has experience in the historic Sandtown Winchester area through working for Baltimore’s Mayor’s Office of Employment Development, as well the Assistant Editor for the Sandtown Winchester Viewpoint Newspaper. Later expanding to go full-time as an entrepreneur opening a store at the historic Penn Avenue and North Avenue in Baltimore.
Being inspired by his background in the Navy, he joined the Baltimore City Fire Department in 2004. He actively served 14 years on the board of the Vulcan Blazer as the Recording Secretary. Recently, He was elected the Baltimore City Democratic State Central Committee District 44A. His best-selling book, Mission Unstoppable: Extraordinary Stories of Failures’ Blessings, with co-author Les Brown and Dr. George C. Fraser, has positioned him for extraordinary growth and acceleration.
