Staff

President/CEO of the Lorain County Urban League, Inc.
George H. Lambert, Jr. is the newly appointed President & Chief Executive Officer of the Lorain County Urban League. The affiliate is located on Ohio's beautiful Lake Erie shores.

Notably, Mr. Lambert's background spans careers in both the non profit and for-profit sectors where he provided support to clients from Corporate Industry to National Organizations. His tedious work in the non profit arena includes serving as the Senior Director for Resource Development Operations with United Way of the National Capital Area. His role was critical in the success of two consecutive campaigns each exceeding $30 million respectively. He is also the former Chief Executive Officer of the Northern Virginia Urban League and served as a Regional Consultant with the National Urban League.

Mr. Lambert's for-profit experience has been as a public affairs senior executive spearheading strategic alliance initiatives on behalf of Fortune 50 telecommunication clients. He also served as a Senior Principal with the Gasby Group, a full service strategic fund raising firm. In this capacity, he spearheaded a $4 million comprehensive campaign.

Keenly interested in urban issues throughout his professional career, Mr. Lambert continues to serve as an advocate helping to shape the social service landscape in many venues. Moreover, his career path has been laced with visionary leadership and progressive managerial achievement. He has served as a volunteer on numerous boards and commissions and maintains his involvement in a broad range of issues consistent with his interests and views.

Born in Washington, D.C., he graduated from William Penn Senior High School in York, Pennsylvania and received a B.A. Degree in Urban Studies from Virginia Union University in Richmond, Virginia.

Mr. Lambert is married to the former Bernardette Curtis. He is the proud father of five lovely young adults and five grandchildren. He is an ordained Deacon and a member of the historic Alfred Street Baptist Church in Alexandria, Virginia.

If you'd like to read a message from George, please click here.

Contact George at: 440-323-3364 x 23 or by email at glambert@lcul.org.

Housing Program Director
Mindy Wright joined the Lorain County Urban League in August, 2003 as the Housing Program Director. In this capacity, Mindy currently oversees, with the assistance of Larisa Staruch, Foreclosure Prevention Counselor, the following programs for the LCUL:

• HUD Comprehensive Housing Counseling Program
• National Foreclosure Mitigation Counseling Program
• State of Ohio's Restoring Stability Program to provide financial resources to struggling homeowners
• Fair Housing Program to include workshops and landlord/tenant advice and referrals
• First-time Homebuyer Program

Mindy grew up in LaGrange, Ohio graduating from Keystone High School. Later Mindy graduated Magna Cum Laude from Cleveland State University with a Bachelor's Degree in Science. She has also obtained certifications in the areas of homebuyer counseling, foreclosure counseling and program management. Through Mindy's efforts, the Lorain County Urban League became the first HUD approved counseling agency in Lorain County in 2007.

Together with her husband, Phillip, she is the proud mother of two children, Sydney and Logan, who keep her very active. In her spare time, Mindy enjoys reading, working in the yard, and spending time with family.

Contact Mindy at 440-323-3364 x22 or by email at mcooper@lcul.org.

Program Director
Michael Ferrer joined the Lorain County Urban League in October 2004 to manage the organization's WIA funded youth tutoring and mentoring programs. Since joining the LCUL he created the Urban Youth Adventure Challenge for youth, developed the Lorain City Schools Credit Recovery Leadership Academy, piloted the National Urban League's Save Our Sons Diabetes Prevention program for African American men with Morehouse School of Medicine, and worked with MERCY to start the Rising Stars Medical Internship program for high school youth aspiring to become medical professionals.

Prior to joining the organization Michael served for 11 years as Director of Youth Services for El Centro de Servicios Sociales, Inc. (El Centro), Lorain County’s oldest Hispanic multi-social service organization, and 6 years as Youth Services Director for the Lorain Salvation Army, where he planned and implemented yearly long programs for over 1800 youth between the ages of 6-21. Almost all of his programs with these organizations targeted youth involved with gangs, those kicked out of other programs, and youth who had extensive contact with Juvenile authorities. Many of these youth have now graduated from high school and college, serve on organizational Governing Boards, and work in areas which assist youth in adapting to the demands of today's workforce.

Michael is a respected motivational speaker and trainer, who has written several education programs for youth utilized by non-profits, area school systems and both NUL and NCLR affiliates. He serves as a consultant for juvenile authorities, public and private schools and national initiatives for "At Risk" youth. Michael and former LCUL President/CEO Fred Wright created the Hispanic/Latino African American Coalition which brought the first joint community “Critical Issues Health Conference to Lorain County. He organized the 1st Statewide Hispanic Health Disparities Conference for the Ohio Commission on Minority Health. He and his wife Dina have coordinated all 16 Hispanic Leadership Conferences in Lorain County. Michael currently serves or has served on several boards throughout the County. He was Executive Director of Southeastern Business College and CEO of Palmer School in Philadelphia. He was a member of the Old Guard, President Reagan's personal escort. A Graduate of Bowling Green State University, he lives in Lorain with his wife Dina, and has six children.

Contact Michael at 440-336-1501 or by email at mferrer@lcul.org.

Educational Coordinator
Betty J. Halliburton is currently the Educational Coordinator for the Lorain County Urban League working extensively with the Read and Rise Early Literacy Program. As part of Read and Rise, Betty manages seven reading centers which includes afterschool programs. For six years, she served as the Director of Communications and Public Affairs for The Elyria (Ohio) City School District. Responsible for the internal and external communications of the district which included public and media relations, the dissemination of news releases and media advisories, the production of publications and promotional literature, updating the district's website, the creation of radio spots, public service announcements and promotional campaigns, overseeing and producing programming for the district's cable access channel including a monthly video newsletter, planning and overseeing district community events, volunteer recruitment and preparing the Superintendent for public appearances, presentations and speeches. Betty also assisted in launching a Media Production Program that includes a daily newscast produced by students of Elyria High School.

Betty continues to provide communications consulting to school districts, non-profit organizations, businesses and faith-based groups and is involved in the development of independent multimedia projects. She spent a year as Partnership Specialist with the U.S. Department of Commerce working on the 2010 Census. In addition, Betty is an Award-Winning Producer/Journalist who draws from an extensive career in communications that spans over 28 years.

A graduate of Ohio University, Betty received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Broadcast Journalism in 1985. She began her career working in the radio industry for various northern Ohio stations including WEOL, WJTB, WZAK and WJMO. Betty has also hosted several radio talk shows and produced award winning documentaries for Cleveland Public Radio WCPN. For over nine years, Betty worked as a television news reporter for UPN Channel 43 and its Sister Station CBS 19 News. She also anchored and produced the first CBS 19 Morning News Program and for three years was a producer and talk show host for the UPN Public Affairs Program "43 Focus." Not only has Betty been nominated by The National Academy of Arts and Sciences for a number of television features, she was awarded an Emmy for the TV series, "Silence the Violence"that focused on solution based programs to combat crime among youth in the inner city. She has also been a contributor, co-host and producer for educational, non-violence and youth programming on Cleveland Public Television. As a news reporter, Betty interviewed many political and notable personalities including President Bill Clinton, Former Secretary of State Colin Powell, Barbara Bush, Tipper Gore, Halle Berry, Tom Hanks, Mike Tyson and Bishop T.D. Jakes. As an Independent TV Producer, Betty has worked on several health related features with The Urban Cancer Project funded by the National Institutes of Health. The project included the National Headliner and Emmy-award winning Documentary entitled "A Family Story" that aired on ABC Affiliate WEWS.

Director of Operations
Paula Deason is the Director of Operations for the Urban League.  Paula obtained her BS from The University of Detroit and her Masters of Education from Trinity University in San Antonio, Texas. In addition, she has a Special Education Counseling endorsement from the University of Texas. She has taught in many different districts which include Detroit, MI, Houston, TX, San Antonio, TX and Plano, TX.

Paula has 5 children. Paige graduated from Ohio Northern University is married, lives outside of Dallas and owns her own consulting firm RTX Solutions. Sam graduated from the University of Texas and is employed by HP as a computer engineer. Rebekah graduated from the University of Toledo and is an electrical engineer with Rockwell Collins in Richardson, Texas. Jon graduated from Michigan Institute of Aviation and Technology and works for Sikorsky Helicopter as an FAA certified Airplane Mechanic in West Palm Beach, FL. Dan is a student at Lorain County Community College.

Contact Paula at 440-323-3364 x27 or pdeason@lcul.org.

Associate Director of Programs
Tina Allen currently services as Program Director for Project Ready: Making a generation ready for the Promise of Higher Education. Project Ready is a middle school transition program helping students make a transition to high school and prepare them for college. Project Ready provides students early access to college and career.

Ms. Allen was an Employment Specialist for the Urban League for three years before joining the staff of the Lorain County Community College ABLE program; she rejoined the Lorain County Urban League staff as a Case Manager and GED Instructor for the Urban Youth Empowerment Porgram in October 2009.

Tina has a compassion for youth, and a passion for education, and giving back to the community. She has been employed, as a GED Instructor, with Lorain County Community College, Adult Basic Literacy and Education Program (ABLE). She has also worked as a substitute teacher in Elyria and Lorain City Schools. She is active with the youth within the church and the community. She has received awards for community service.

Tina is enrolled in the Ashland University Graduate Program, pursing a 4-9th grade math/social studies teacher certification/Masters Degree in Education. She is a graduate of The Ohio State University where she received a B.S.B.A. in human resources management. Tina has one daughter, Octavia Allen. She attends North Carolina A & T State University pursing an accounting degree.

Contact Tina at: 440-323-3364 x 26 or by email at tallen@lcul.org

Foreclosure Intervention Counselor
Larisa Staruch joined the Lorain County Urban League in September 2009 as the Foreclosure Intervention Counselor. Her job responsibilities include meeting with clients and assisting them with developing a budget and setting financial goals. She also educates clients on topics such as foreclosure, collection action, court judgments, credit reports, wage attachments. Larisa is also an intermediary with lenders and servicers, on behalf of her clients, in negotiating HAMP, in-house loan modifications, deed-in-lieu or short sale transactions. She also assists clients with preparing both loan modification and Hardest Hit Funds Applications. Prior to working at the Urban League, Larisa was a Paralegal/Administrative Assistant with The Housing Advocates, Inc. Home Ownership Assistance Program where she assisted attorneys specializing in predatory lending and foreclosure defense issues.

Larisa was born in Lorain and grew up in Elyria, Cleveland Heights and Amherst, Massachusetts. She received a B.A. in history from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst and a post-degree certificate in Paralegal Studies from Cuyahoga County Community College.

Contact Larisa at 440-323-3364 x31 or by email at lstaruch@lcul.org.

Outside Accountant
Daisie Reish-Geiger, before becoming the outside accountant for the Lorain County Urban League in 1997, she was the Financial Director of the Cleveland National Multiple Sclerosis Society and a staff accountant at American Motorists Association. She is a graduate of the Lorain County Community College and Cleveland State University. In November of 1992 she passed the test to be a certified public accountant.

After growing up in a small town in central Pennsylvania, she went to school in Hagerstown, MD and lived in Washington, DC, Baltimore, MD, Buckhannon, W Va, Oklahoma City, OK, and has resided in Ohio for the past 34 years.

Contact Daisie at 440-748-1742 or by email at daisie.reish@verizon.net.

Outside Consultant
Derrick Robbins is the Minority Business Program Coordinator for the Lorain County Urban League. Derrick's business experience as President and CEO of Stone Facilities, founder and manager of Stone Sports Youth Athletic Association (SSYAA), Co-founder and Co-chair of the Minority Business Assistance Council of Lorain County, and a member of the President's Council - Emerging Program, gives Derrick the background to help new entrepreneurs solve problems and adapt to the pressure filled environment of owning their own business.

Contact Derrick by email at drobbins@lcul.org.

Outside Employment Specialist
Gloria Simpson joined the Lorain County Urban League in December 2010, as a volunteer in the education department. Gloria assisted in the Read and Rise Program and helped out in the office as needed. She later transitioned into the employment department when the opportunity became available. Gloria's job responsibilities include meeting with customers, doing initial intake, assisting them with preparing a resume and a cover letter. Ms. Simpson also works with customers throughout the job search process; she makes employment referrals; provides pre-employment workshops, and post-employment follow-up activities. Above all, Gloria connects individuals who are looking for work to a network that includes sponsors of seasonal job fairs and potential employers.

Prior to coming to the Lorain County Urban League, Ms. Simpson was a Patient Account Representative for Community Health Partners. She is a graduate of Cleveland State University and Lorain County Community College. Gloria is also a local playwright, writing, directing, marketing, performing, and staging approximately 9 different plays throughout the state of Ohio.

Contact Gloria at 440-323-3364 ext. 33 or by email at gsimpson@lcul.org.