CIRCLE OF DISCIPLINE, INC. BOARD MEMBERS

Jeanne Montrese

Ms. Montrese worked for the Department of Justice (FBI, USAO and EOUSA) in Minneapolis, MN and Washington DC for over 20 years. She is currently employed by the Department of Defense, Special IG for Iraq Reconstruction. Ms. Montrese has a lifelong commitment of working with youth at Bernadette’s Teen Club, St. Joseph’s Home for Children, Hennepin County Foster Care and as well as the Circle of Discipline, Inc. and the Ludlow-Taylor Elementary School in Washington, DC.

Elba Arroyo

Ms. Arroyo has worked as a special education teacher for five years with experience in the New York Public Schools and Osseo Area Schools. She currently teaches students with emotional and behavioral disorders in Brooklyn Park. Prior to teaching Ms. Arroyo worked in the non-profit sector as a program assistant and advocate for agencies like the International Longevity Center in New York City and ARC Greater Twin Cities in St. Paul. She has valuable experience working with youth and has been a volunteer for the Circle of Discipline for three years.

David Grant

Mr. Grant is a professional screenwriter and playwright who also writes short fiction, non-fiction, and occasionally teaches screenwriting. His work has graced a number of Twin Cities stages, and as a screenwriter, he has written for Twin Cities Public Television, Russell Simmon's Def Pictures, the Showtime Network, and HBO, among others. Mr. Grant has also made a lifetime avocation of activism on behalf of young people: as a student activist and teacher in Philadelphia, PA; as a pre-school founder and teacher/director; as an advocate for childcare workers at Greater Minneapolis Daycare Association; as a coordinator of drug and alcohol abuse prevention programs at African American Family Services in Minneapolis, and as a longtime volunteer with the Circle of Discipline.

Kendall Beard

Mr. Beard is a native of New Orleans, LA. He is a graduate of Paul Quinn College, one of the oldest historical Black colleges and universities west of the Mississippi River and a member of the former chapter Basilius of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. He has served as the president of the National Association of Black Accountants (Paul Quinn College Texas Chapter) and is a former Internal Revenue Service agent. He has been an educator for over ten years in the Dallas Independent School District in Dallas, TX and Director of Mathematics for Skills for Tomorrow Charter High School in Saint Paul, Minnesota.

Eugene Rich

Mr. Rich has worked for the Star & Tribune and recently retired after 31 years of service. Mr. Rich has also been an active volunteer for the Circle of Discipline in various capacities. He has volunteered as coach/trainer, mentor and now as a board member.

Tamara Croom

A single mother of two boys, Ms. Croom is currently employed at Septran Inc. as a school bus driver for the over six years. Ms. Croom transport children with special need to and from school as well as other destinations throughout the metropolitan area. For the past eight years she has worked in several home care facilities (Accessible Space Inc., Hennepin Home Health Care, Homeward Bound) providing personal care services to elderly and disabled adults and children. Ms. Croom has five years of experience doing state, federal and self employment business taxes. Ms. Croom is currently attending college seeking a minor in communications and a major as a Registered Nurse. She has been working with at-risk youth for over 15 years, with several organizations in and throughout the Minneapolis community such as, LaJardin Child Care, Sunshine Time Child Care, Minneapolis Hustlers Basketball organization, and Plymouth Christian Youth Center. Ms. Croom has been appointed as our Parent Representative to the Circle of Discipline Board of Directors. Her oldest son, Otahl Saunders, currently participates in the Lifestyles FIT program at the Circle of Discipline.

Sebastian Stewart

Mr. Stewart is an attorney who brings analytical skills and abilities to problem solve for positive outcomes as part of the Circle of Discipline's Board of Directors and it’s participants. Mr. Stewart is proud to join a successful organization that is a catalyst and pathway for changing the lives of at-risk youth, their family and the community. He is dedicated in assisting the Circle of Discipline reaching and exceeding their mission and goals of increasing the education, health and moral values of its youth participants, their families and the community.

Sheryl Kabat

Mrs. Kabat has served 13 years with the federal Weed and Seed program, providing situation assessment, sustainable change strategies, and resource leveraging. She is action oriented, forming the Central Area Neighborhood Development Organization, attaining Best Practices status for the Central Weed and Seed site in Minneapolis, and managing 13 sites statewide for the U. S. Attorney’s Office at one time. Mrs. Kabat intends to bring this energy and cooperative attitude in her service to the Circle of Discipline.

Toni Newborn

Ms. Newborn is originally from Birmingham Alabama. She graduated from Birmingham-Southern College in May of 2003 with a Bachelor Arts degree in Political Science. In the fall of 2004, Ms. Newborn relocated to St. Paul, Minnesota where she attended William Mitchell College of Law. In May 2007, she graduated from William Mitchell and became a licensed attorney in May of 2008. Ms. Newborn is currently employed at the Minneapolis Department of Civil Rights as a complaint investigator. She has served as a volunteer for several organizations throughout the Twin Cities area including the St. Paul Council of Churches, Freedom School, CAIR-MN, a Muslim Civil Rights Organization, and the Volunteer Lawyers Network.