ALEXANDRIA J. THOMAS, MSS, LSW
FOUNDER, PRESIDENT
Alexandria J. Thomas, MSS, LSW is the founder and president of A Promise of Hope Inc. She attended Rosemont College from 2003-2007 graduating with a bachelor’s degree in Sociology. She then attended Bryn Mawr College, Graduate School of Social Work and Social Research from 2009-2011 and obtained a Master’s Degree in Social Service with a concentration in Clinical Social Work. Alexandria was licensed as a Social Worker by the state of Pennsylvania in 2012.
Alexandria currently serves as the Executive Vice President at A Second Chance Inc., a kinship care organization in Philadelphia.
Alexandria has been dedicated to working in the child welfare system for over 15 years and has experience with youth and families in residential treatment facilities, group homes, alternative schools, and children in general and medical level foster as well as kinship care. She has a passion for helping those in need but specifically a heart for helping teens who find themselves in life changing situations. She finds great joy in seeing someone transform from a hopeless and scared individual to one who is confident, determined and full of life.
Alexandria currently serves as the Executive Vice President at A Second Chance Inc., a kinship care organization in Philadelphia.
Alexandria has been dedicated to working in the child welfare system for over 15 years and has experience with youth and families in residential treatment facilities, group homes, alternative schools, and children in general and medical level foster as well as kinship care. She has a passion for helping those in need but specifically a heart for helping teens who find themselves in life changing situations. She finds great joy in seeing someone transform from a hopeless and scared individual to one who is confident, determined and full of life.
REVEREND MARIA L.H. LEWIS, ESQ
VICE PRESIDENT
Maria L. H. Lewis is the Chief Diversity Officer of Drinker Biddle Reath LLP. A key position, the CDO plays an integral role regarding Drinker Biddle’s policies and procedures and in fostering a diverse and inclusive environment throughout the firm. She also is the first firm-wide internal Career Counselor to all non-partner attorneys. In this role, she serves as a confidential resource to attorneys in navigating career decisions and other professional workplace matters.
In her practice, Maria is a litigator who has handled numerous employment and commercial litigation lawsuits. She also counsels her clients on issues in the workplace, including advising on discrimination and retaliation claims; conducting internal investigations; and conducting management and employee training on diversity, implicit bias, sexual harassment, and workplace violence.
Before entering private practice, Maria served as an assistant district attorney at the Philadelphia District Attorney's Office, where she tried hundreds of preliminary hearings and trials.
Among her community activities, Maria is an ordained reverend and serves as an Associate Pastor at the Enon Tabernacle Baptist Church in Philadelphia, PA. In this capacity, she facilitates the operations of over 20 youth and young adult ministries to a population of over 13,000 congregants and the surrounding community. Additionally, Maria is the Moderator for the Board of Directors of the Philadelphia Baptist Association.
Maria is the recipient of various honors, including the 2019 Barristers’ Association of Philadelphia “Justice Juanita Kidd Stout Woman of Distinction” Award, the 2019 Rutgers-Camden BLSA’s “Martin Luther King, Jr. Champion of Social Justice and Equality” Award, the 2014 Philadelphia Tribune’s “Women Achieving” Award, the 2008 Legal Intelligencer and Pennsylvania Law Weekly’s “Lawyer on the Fast Track" Award, and the 2006 Legal Intelligencer’s “Woman On the Verge" Award.
Maria earned a B.A from the University of Pittsburgh (’94), where she was an Honor’s College scholar, University senior leader of the year, and Rhodes Scholar semi-finalist, and a J.D. from the Harvard Law School (‘97). She is the proud mother of two beautiful young ladies, Brielle (20) and Alana (16).
In her practice, Maria is a litigator who has handled numerous employment and commercial litigation lawsuits. She also counsels her clients on issues in the workplace, including advising on discrimination and retaliation claims; conducting internal investigations; and conducting management and employee training on diversity, implicit bias, sexual harassment, and workplace violence.
Before entering private practice, Maria served as an assistant district attorney at the Philadelphia District Attorney's Office, where she tried hundreds of preliminary hearings and trials.
Among her community activities, Maria is an ordained reverend and serves as an Associate Pastor at the Enon Tabernacle Baptist Church in Philadelphia, PA. In this capacity, she facilitates the operations of over 20 youth and young adult ministries to a population of over 13,000 congregants and the surrounding community. Additionally, Maria is the Moderator for the Board of Directors of the Philadelphia Baptist Association.
Maria is the recipient of various honors, including the 2019 Barristers’ Association of Philadelphia “Justice Juanita Kidd Stout Woman of Distinction” Award, the 2019 Rutgers-Camden BLSA’s “Martin Luther King, Jr. Champion of Social Justice and Equality” Award, the 2014 Philadelphia Tribune’s “Women Achieving” Award, the 2008 Legal Intelligencer and Pennsylvania Law Weekly’s “Lawyer on the Fast Track" Award, and the 2006 Legal Intelligencer’s “Woman On the Verge" Award.
Maria earned a B.A from the University of Pittsburgh (’94), where she was an Honor’s College scholar, University senior leader of the year, and Rhodes Scholar semi-finalist, and a J.D. from the Harvard Law School (‘97). She is the proud mother of two beautiful young ladies, Brielle (20) and Alana (16).
TIFFANY BYRD, BSW
TREASURER
Tiffany Byrd was born and raised in Philadelphia, PA prior to moving to West Virginia to study Social Work at West Virginia State University. Tiffany is the oldest of 9 siblings and values family and ensuring the safety of all children/youth. As a child primarily raised by her elderly grandmother and substitute parental figures, Tiffany values and respects the invaluable contributions of mentorship and the various ways that mentorship programs contribute to the lives of families.
Tiffany's career includes more than 6 years of experience working in Child Welfare and Permanency. Tiffany also owns her own consulting company and aides other organizations in their strategic initiatives. Presently, Tiffany works as a Director for an affiliate organization. Tiffany believes that with passion, all things are possible.
Tiffany sits on the board of Philadelphia Family Pride and joined the A Promise of Hope board in March 2020. Tiffany consistently looks for ways to produce positive change and with the help of her siblings offers low income housing to Philadelphia residents. One of Tiffany's favorite quotes are "Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere" ~ Martin Luther King, Jr., 1963.
Tiffany's career includes more than 6 years of experience working in Child Welfare and Permanency. Tiffany also owns her own consulting company and aides other organizations in their strategic initiatives. Presently, Tiffany works as a Director for an affiliate organization. Tiffany believes that with passion, all things are possible.
Tiffany sits on the board of Philadelphia Family Pride and joined the A Promise of Hope board in March 2020. Tiffany consistently looks for ways to produce positive change and with the help of her siblings offers low income housing to Philadelphia residents. One of Tiffany's favorite quotes are "Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere" ~ Martin Luther King, Jr., 1963.
SHERRI GRAHAM, msw
secretary
Sherri Graham was raised in Philadelphia, Pa where she attended High School at Germantown Lankenau Motivational High School. Sherri graduated in 2001 and went to Mansfield University in Mansfield, Pa to pursue a career in Nursing. After 2 ½ years of study she realized that nursing was not for her. She had a love for people and not medicine. Sherri then changed her major from Nursing to her minor and took up Social Work as her major and loved every minute of it. Sherri graduated in 2005 with a BSW and stared working as a Children’s and Family Case Manager. She begin to pursue her Master’s Degree in 2006 at Widener University. There she served on the board as Vice President of the NABSW and developed the program WE are G.I.R.L.S which started in the year 2007. Sherri graduated in 2009 from Widener obtaining a MSW.
Currently, Sherri is the Director of Target Case Management in the City of Philadelphia. She has plans on beginning seminars for parenting skills and re-developing the WE are G.I.R.L.S. group within school and congregate settings. The love she has for social work goes beyond just working. She is very passionate about helping people become the best versions of themselves in a world that says that cannot.
Sherri recently married her best friend in July of 2019 who is a major part of her life and the work that she does. She along with their two boys are the most important people in her life, next to God. She says 'I am so blessed to have a supportive wife and two sons that make me a better mom and person. All praises to the most High God my Savior'.
Currently, Sherri is the Director of Target Case Management in the City of Philadelphia. She has plans on beginning seminars for parenting skills and re-developing the WE are G.I.R.L.S. group within school and congregate settings. The love she has for social work goes beyond just working. She is very passionate about helping people become the best versions of themselves in a world that says that cannot.
Sherri recently married her best friend in July of 2019 who is a major part of her life and the work that she does. She along with their two boys are the most important people in her life, next to God. She says 'I am so blessed to have a supportive wife and two sons that make me a better mom and person. All praises to the most High God my Savior'.
DEVON FERGUSON, MSS, MLSP, LSW
Board member
Devon Ferguson, MSS, MLSP, LSW is honored to serve on the board of A Promise of Hope, Inc. She holds a Masters of Social Service and a Masters of Law and Social Policy from Bryn Mawr College, and is a licensed social worker in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. She began her career supporting children and families impacted by parental substance use before moving on to interdisciplinary practice in child welfare. She trained and worked with social workers and attorneys to represent children who had experienced abuse and neglect. She also taught as an adjunct professor, where she learned she loves supporting young people as they consider social work or other career paths. In August 2019, Devon joined Neumann University as Program Director and Assistant Professor of Social Work. She hopes to use her social work experience to support APOH as it serves parenting and pregnant teens.
SHAMARIA gRAHAM
board member
A PROMISE OF HOPE INC.
A Promise of Hope Inc. is a 501 (c) (3) nonprofit organization (Tax ID Number: 46-1049357) that provides services to pregnant and parenting teens and young adults in the Philadelphia area.