Promising People's Advisory Board
The advisory board for Promising People is committed to providing state-of-the-art expertise in their area of specialty to help us achieve our mission.
Carlyle I. Holder | President
Correctional Management & Communications Group, LLC
Carlyle is a proven strategic and innovative executive leader with a career spanning 37 years in Criminal Justice. Over his 27 plus years of distinguished service with the Federal Bureau of Prisons, he served 23 of those years as a supervisor, manager, and executive. Mr. Holder worked at every security level to include the BOP’s only Deportation Center. In addition, he was a Chief Executive Officer (Warden) for 12 years, managing the largest Pre-trial and co-managing the most extensive Correctional Complex facilities in the BOP.
Wintley Phipps | Founder, President, Chief Executive Officer
U.S. Dream Academy
Nick Schacht | Chief Commercial Officer
SHRM-SCP
Nick Schacht has over three decades of experience in education, corporate learning, and development. Before joining SHRM, Nick’s previous history includes being the founder and CEO of KnowCyber, a learning and development company, and President and Chief Operating Officer for PetroSkills, a training and development services provider to the petroleum industry. In addition, he served in numerous capacities at ESI International, including his role as President for both ESI and Group President for the Americas for the Institute of International Research after the merger of ESI and IIR, and CEO and President of Learning Tree International, a provider of IT, and management learning, and development as well as currently holding the position of President Global Learning Systems, a start-up focused on e-Learning and digital content. Mr. Schacht’s vast knowledge and innovative thinking on education, professional services, and corporate learning and development will be an asset to Promising People.
Captain Ken Chapman | Area Commander
The Salvation Army, Orlando Florida
Ken received a Bachelor of Music Education Degree at Armstrong/Atlantic University and his Masters of Music Education and a Masters in Conducting from Georgia State University. He was the Music Producer for the 1996 Atlanta Olympics and the Executive Producer for the Atlanta and Barcelona Paralympics Ceremonies. Captain Chapman was the Producer for Santa’s Traveling Workshop, a touring show that brought toys and hope to over 300,000 people affected by Hurricane Katrina. In 2005, the Captain served as the Executive Producer and Operations Director for American Frontiers, a trek across public lands in partnership with the Federal Government and National Geographic Society. The Federal Land Management Agencies considered it one of their most historic events in this century. Captain Chapman realized God’s call on his life and offered his life for Salvation Army Officership. He is currently implementing a revolutionary Social Service program called Pathway of Hope.
Steve Cona III | President & CEO
Associated Builders and Contractors Florida Gulf Coast Chapter
Steve Cona III serves as the President & CEO of Associated Builders and Contractors Florida Gulf Coast Chapter. He also served as Vice-Chair of the Hillsborough County School Board. He was elected to the Hillsborough County School Board, representing District 1, in 2018. He also served as a Chairman of Hillsborough Community College District Board of Trustees and serves on the advisory board for Visit Tampa Bay. Mr. Cona received his Bachelor’s Degree from the University of South Florida.
Jack A. Olmstead | President
Tri-City Electrical Contractors, Inc
Jack A. Olmstead has over 37 years of operations management experience in the electrical construction industry and was promoted to President of Tri-City Electrical Contractors, Inc. in January 2001. During the years 2000 and 2003 Mr. Olmstead was one of 51 Presidents in the U.S. for Encompass Services, a publicly held company with $3.7B in revenue. In February 2003 Mr. Olmstead and the former CFO lead the effort to take the company private again. Mr. Olmstead joined the team in 1995 as the Tampa Division Manager with proven expertise in the area of electrical construction management, having been responsible for the successful completion of many multi-million dollar projects. Mr. Olmstead manages 250 million dollars of revenue with 4 offices in Florida and a workforce of over 800 employee-owners.
Don Pittman | Retired Chief Probation Supervisor
BOARD MEMBER, FLORIDA ASSOCIATION OF COMMUNITY CORRECTIONS
Before retiring, Don spent over 40 years in the management and supervision of programs and operations as the Chief Probation Supervisor for the Orange County Department of Corrections in Florida. Don currently serves as a board member for the Florida Association of Community Corrections. He serves on the board because of his passion to reduce recidivism. The goals of the FACC are to encourage communication and cooperation among agencies and to initiate and support legislation that advances the efforts of prevention, reduction, and deterrence of criminal and delinquent behavior.
Sophia Moshasha | Vice-President
DC CHAPTER THE VR/AR ASSOCIATION
Sophia’s mission is to accelerate the adoption of immersive & emerging technology across all industry sectors. Her ability to effectively communicate complex technologies into feasible solutions with a clear value and return creates unique opportunities for entities to create significant impact utilizing emerging technology. Additionally, she’s sought for her ability to influence global networks as an evangelist in propagating VR and AR technology through her leadership at the VR/AR Association and features on networks such as Forbes, ABC, and CGTN.
Phil Alfaro | CEO
Rebound Employment
Phil is a career entrepreneur. At NCR, he was awarded the Chairman’s Award for the top salesperson in the Computer Systems Division. Later he was in the founding team of five Venture Capital funded startups. Next, he launched an Internet Marketing company in his second language, Spanish. Upon returning to the U.S. he translates VirtualiaNet into English for the Rebound market and leads the marketing and training initiatives.
Joel Bomgar | Founder
BOMGAR CORPORATION, NOW BEYONDTRUST
Joel Bomgar is an entrepreneur and technology executive. He currently serves as State Representative in the Mississippi legislature. Joel is the Founder of Bomgar Corporation, now BeyondTrust, the global leader in remote support technology and Privileged Access Management (PAM), with more than 20,000 customers, including 78 of the fortune 100 and offices worldwide. In addition, Joel is the Honorary Chairman of the Hazlitt Coalition of Young Americans for Liberty and the Founder of Out of Last Place Institute in Mississippi. Before coming on board in this formal capacity, Joel served as an advisor and board member of Próspera.
Wilshem Pennick | Founding Member & President
It Just Gets Better, LLC
Wilshem Pennick is a researcher and entrepreneur born and raised in Jacksonville, Florida. As the founder and president of It Just Gets Better L.L.C, Wilshem consults non-profits, small businesses, and startups with special attention to those that have a mission to empower the disenfranchised. Prior to starting his consultancy, Wilshem worked as a fundraiser for one of the nation’s largest nonprofit healthcare organizations, and this experience led him to build relationships with medical technologists/surgeons leveraging state-of-the-art software (i.e., an AI that detects areas in the heart causing atrial fibrillation). This exposure to emerging technology inspired Wilshem to transition the focus of his ongoing independent research to artificial intelligence, blockchain technology, extended reality, and gamification. Ultimately, leading him to advise, work with, lobby for, and/or collaborate with: a non-profit that provides clothing and hygiene items to homeless or unprivileged youth (The Giving Closet Project), the world’s first carbon neutral marketplace for videos/photos in the Metaverse (SAVAGE), an Atlanta based nonprofit that founded the first esports league specifically for HBCU students (Gaming Cxmmunity Co), and, most recently, Promising People.
Vincente Waugh | Founding Member
EVAC Movement
Vincente Waugh is a founding member of the EVAC Movement- a non-profit organization that aims to empower youth to transform their life challenges into superpowers for positive change. After establishing youth-led roundtables where law enforcement could transparently hear the grievances of the minority youth in their community, Vincente and the EVAC team began a journey that would ultimately lead them to: speak at the White House, meet with / consult the Obama Administration, make the front page of the New York Times, win first place nationwide in a contest sponsored by Harvard, present at TedX, develop an NFT (DreamCrazyJits), and more. Independent of his work with EVAC, Vincente is a serial entrepreneur who is actively running a digital marketing agency and independently studying blockchain technology. Through these studies and relationships with thought leaders in the data, financial technology, fundraising, private equity, and venture capital industries, Vincente aims to develop financial education initiatives that support the unbanked or underbanked and share his story of overcoming homelessness with hopes to empower the future generation of change-makers.
Pascal Rathle | Associate
Council for Inclusive Capitalism
Dr. Jose Pelayo | CEO
Provider Network Solutions
Dr. Jose Pelayo, DC, Founder, Chief Executive Officer, and PNS Board Member, is an entrepreneurial executive with a successful history of developing and operationalizing innovative business models, organizational structures, and strategic plans in the healthcare industry. He has nearly three decades of experience across several areas within the healthcare environment, focusing on the sectors of Practice Management, Management Service Organizations (MSOs), Medicare Advantage Organizations, and Third-Party Administration.
Dr. Thinh H. Tran | President & COO
Provider Network Solutions
Thinh H. Tran, MD, MBA, President and Chief Operating Officer of PNS, is a seasoned physician and healthcare executive with academic, clinical, and payer expertise. Dr. Tran focuses his efforts on system design, process improvement, and innovation within the rapidly changing healthcare climate in the US and globally. Dr. Tran led a comprehensive network of three hospitals, 30+ outpatient facilities, and 1,200+ physicians and scientists across a four-county area as Chief Operating Officer and Chief Clinical Officer for the University of Miami Health System (UHealth). He enjoys strong relationships with the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine and Jackson Health System.
Dr. Glenn Terry, M.D. | Founder
GARM Clinic
Dr. Terry is a U.S. Board Certified Orthopedic Surgeon and the founder of the GARM Clinic on the Island of Roatan, who brings global recognition from other Orthopedic Surgeons, elite athletes, and patients from all walks of life. Dr. Terry is recognized as one of the pioneers in the orthopedic field of Sports Medicine, highly respected for his contributions to understanding the examination, the function, and innovative surgical repairs of the anatomy of the knee and shoulder.
Heather Terry, M.S. | Co-Founder & CEO
Garm Clinic
Heather Terry, M.S. is the co-founder and CEO of the GARM Clinic on the Island of Roatán. She takes pride in helping to provide groundbreaking treatment protocols which address the challenges offered by certain chronic disease states. Her educational background includes a Master of Science in Interdisciplinary Studies with a focus in Biology from Texas Tech University and a Bachelor of Science in Education and Biology from Texas Tech University. Mrs. Terry is also a Certified Clinical Thermographer. Mrs. Terry has taught Advanced Placement Biology courses at the high school level in Texas and Georgia, as well as courses such as Human Anatomy & Physiology for the Allied Health Care Professional at Darton College in Georgia.
Johnny Lynaugh | Commercial Banker
Advisory Board Member
Johnny Lynaugh grew up in Central Florida and has strong ties to the community. He is a graduate of The University of Central Florida with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and a specialization in finance. Johnny has been a long-time commercial banker in Central Florida and works with his clients to provide advice, guidance, and education for all of the financial services his institution provides. Johnny is passionate about helping others achieve their personal and financial goals. Johnny is married to his wife of 10 years, and they have two children, ages 1 and 7. He strongly believes that as you help others achieve their success, it comes back twofold. As an avid sports fan – Johnny enjoys playing golf, tennis, and new found love for pickleball. In his spare time, he enjoys spending time with his family and soaking up the CFL sunshine!
Dr. Samuel P. Martin, MD, FACS | Founder & Medical Director
Vascular Vein Centers
Dr. Samuel P. Martin, MD, FACS is the founder and medical director of Vascular Vein Centers, with locations in Orlando, Kissimmee, Lake Mary, The Villages, and Davenport. He is board-certified in general and vascular surgery and received certification from the American Board of Venous & Lymphatic Medicine in 2008. Dr. Martin is registered by the American Registry for Diagnostic Medical Sonography, which recognizes special qualifications to interpret venous and arterial ultrasound studies. In addition, he has been certified by the American Board of Wound Management, which recognizes expertise in treating venous ulcers and other wounds. Dr. Martin comes from a family of educators and has always had a passion to make education relevant to the student, especially those with challenging backgrounds or social circumstances.
Dr. John L. Evans | Founder
Evans & Evans Consulting
Dr. John Evans, founder of Evans & Evans Consulting established the ‘Keepin’ It Real’ speaker series for disadvantaged youth at the Boys and Girls Club of Eatonville, Florida. In addition to being an internationally sought-after keynote speaker, Dr. Evans is a regular contributor to Forbes.com Coach’s Councils, Barron’s, and the Orlando Sentinel; he lectures worldwide to businesses on stress management and client experience. He’s authored four books and led consulting for a global investment firm, Janus Capital, for 13 years, before joining Promising People.
Dr. Mittie Cannon | Founder
POWER UP Inc.
Dr. Mittie Cannon’s commitment to women’s empowerment in the construction industry has brought significant awareness to the many opportunities for career growth and success in the industry for women. Throughout her career, the impact of her expertise and leadership has been felt throughout the industry. The Birmingham Business Journal has recognized her as one of Birmingham’s Top Business Women. She has been inducted as Who’s Who in Black Alabama and received commendation as a business leader and champion for women by the Birmingham Women’s Exchange. In October 2015, Dr. Cannon collaborated to present the signature program: Power UP: It’s a Mother-Daughter Thing! This innovative initiative works to attract, educate and retain youth in construction. Dr. Cannon brings her passion to address and correct the labor shortage within the construction industry to help support and further the vision of Promising People.