The Dreamers for Change Task Force was created in the summer of 2020 with a membership of staff and community leaders. The group has met virtually over the last twelve months and has touched on topics such as systemic racism and unconscious biases, and helped explore training options for task force members, AAD board members, teachers, and staff on diversity, equity, and inclusion. After selecting Cook Ross, a full-service consulting firm with 30 years of experience addressing organizational development issues, including deep expertise in the role of unconscious bias in the workplace, a series of training sessions were held. These training sessions were held virtually and helped facilitate dialogue and provided task force members, staff, and board members with a framework to process what was happening nationally related to acts of racial injustice and what they can do individually and collectively to achieve equality.
Several members of the An Achievable Dream staff are currently enrolled in the CoachDiversity Institute (CDI) and are obtaining a Certified Professional Diversity Coach (CPDC) certification. CDI focuses on diverse communities and helps organizations ensure they are leading with diversity, equity and inclusion in mind. The CPDC certification will give the AAD staff members the foundation needed to work with others on topics such as developing awareness of cultural difference; cultivating non-judgmental attitude toward difference; transforming bias toward inclusion; cultural competency; minority stress; managing conflict around diversity and inclusion in the workplace; and micro-aggressions.
The MISSION of this task force is to be a non-partisan group led by Dreamers (An Achievable Dream students, alumni, and staff) and community partners who are helping to build awareness, create solutions, and bring equity to communities through justice
reforms, community outreach, and social and moral education.
Continue to follow Dreamers for Change on our website and social media.

The VISION of this group is to create equitable communities through collaboration…to be the Dreamer!
Task Force Members
Dr. Lee Vreeland | President & CEO | An Achievable Dream |
Pervis O. Blake | Vice President of Academics | An Achievable Dream |
Amanda Rose | Vice President of Finance and Administration & CFO | An Achievable Dream |
Sabrina Richardson | Executive Director | An Achievable Dream |
Abbie Schaefer | Director of PR, Marketing & Special Events | An Achievable Dream |
Chris Middleton | Senior Director of Virginia Beach | An Achievable Dream |
Jonothan Lister | Math Lead Teacher | An Achievable Dream Middle & High School |
LaQuiche R. Parrott, Ed.D. | Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion | Virginia Beach City Public Schools |
Willard Maxwell | Pastor | New Beech Grove Baptist Church |
Richard Coleman | CFO | ULLC |
Tony Brothers | Referee; Owner | NBA; Brothers Restaurant |
Bubba Hutchison | President/Owner; Realtor | The Brake King; Howard Hanna |
Steve Drew | Chief of Police | City of Newport News |
Courtney Mompoint | Principal | An Achievable Dream Middle & High School |
Portia Sardik Cameron* | Head of Operations | BASIS DC Public Charter School |
Tory Kendall Watkins* | Counselor/SPED Endorsement | Henrico County Public Schools |
Nick Faulk | District Sales Manager | US Foods |
Josh David | Attorney/Partner | David, Kamp & Frank, LLC |
Megan Burnett | Annual Giving Officer, Donor Acquisition and Communications | Riverside Foundation |
Sarah Jane Kirkland | President and CEO | CIVIC Leadership Institute |
Shameka Gerald, Ed.D. | Director of Equity, Assessment, and Strategic Operations | Newport News Public Schools |
Isaiah Lucas* | Program Coordinator | Office for Institutional Equity and Diversity at NC State University |
Lt. Melissa Margan | Lieutenant, Community Youth and Outreach Division | Newport News Police Department |