DBGM’s Board

Antoine Craigwell, Founder, President, and CEO
Trained as a journalist, Antoine contributed to several publications and was the assistant editor with The Network Journal. He graduated from Bernard Baruch College of the City University of New York, and in 2008 he earned awards from the New York Association of Black Journalists. He produced the documentary “You Are Not Alone” and facilitates discussion forums on depression in Black gay men. In July 2012, he presented a poster exhibition “Examining Depression and HIV in Black gay men” at the 2012 International AIDS Conference in Washington, DC. With DBGM, Antoine has facilitated discussion fora, accompanying documentary screenings in communities around the country and internationally, and at various national conferences. In collaboration with other non-profit organizations, he planned and hosted in October 2014 the first-ever LGBT Peoples of Color Mental Health Summit at Rutgers University, Newark Campus, and in October 2015, the first-ever one-day LGBT Peoples of Color Mental Health Conference at Mt. Sinai Beth Israel in Union Square, NYC, which has grown into an annual two-day conference, in 2016 was held at the Alexander Hamilton US Customs House Building, in 2017 at the Stewart Hotel in 2017, and 2018, in collaboration with the Metropolitan College of New York. He has already begun planning for the In My Mind Conference’s fifth anniversary in 2019. Antoine lectures on cultural competency for LGBTQ populations at Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine, and provides workshops on “Race and Intergenerational Trauma as Contexts and Consideration for mental health treatment for Black and people of color”, “Cultural Competency for LGBTQ+ peoples of color”, and “Mental Health and HIV”. He is a Certified Mental Health First Aid Instructor, sponsored by NYC DOHMH and provided by the National Council for Behavioral Health. Antoine has a chapter in the soon to be published (February 2019)”Headcase” an anthology of queer mental health, by Oxford University Press. He is a member of the NY State Office of Mental Health Multicultural Advisory Council and Co-Chair of the LGBTQ Task Force Committee for the Consumer Advisory Board of the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. He is in the process of completing a book in which Black gay men share stories of their struggles with depression.
dbgm_gardere Jeffery Gardere Ph.D
Jeffery Gardere, Ph.D. is Co-Executive Producer for the documentary “You Are Not Alone”. Better known as “America’s Psychologist”, Dr. Jeff is one of the most widely sought-after experts in the field of mental health. He is a regular guest on The NBC Today Show, CNN, MSNBC, HLN, The Maury Povich Show, The CBS Early Morning Show, Fox Business News, FOX News, Nancy Grace, Tru-TV Reality Specials, and court shows. Dr. Jeff has authored several books, including his controversial book, “Love Prescription.” He is also the co-author of “Practical Parenting” with Montel Williams. Dr. Jeff’s first book, “Smart Parenting for African-Americans: Helping Your Kids Thrive in a Difficult World.” With a private practice, Dr. Jeff is on the faculty of the Harlem, NY-based Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine.
dbgm_noimage Lauren Johnson, PHR

Lauren has more than 20 years of experience as a Human Resources (HR) professional, and in payroll and facilities management. Bringing a wide range of experiences to the DBGM Board of Directors, she worked in the music, retail, non-profit, fashion, and insurance industries. In other community work with her church, Lauren manages a monthly lunch program dedicating to feeding people in need. Working with DBGM, she uses her HR skills in formulating the organization’s policies and procedures, interpersonal and interagency relationships, and has responsibility for ensuring accountability and transparency.
dbgm_adams Chris Adams,LMSW – Acting Secretary/Treasurer

At a recent Board meeting, Chris was elected as the organization’s acting Secretary/Treasurer. He earned his Bachelor’s degree from Southern Connecticut State University in Journalism and his Master’s degree from Fordham University. He has more than 15 years’ experiences working with children and youth in homeless shelters, such as Non-Secure Placement, an alternative to incarceration and foster care system connecting them and their families to services throughout the New York metropolitan area. Adams also served on the Spence Chapin Adoption African American Advisory Board, was the Board President of Kids X-Press publication, and host of the cable show In The Black Media “I am American Too”. As a member of DBGM’s Board of Directors, Chris was instrumental in planning and executing the organization’s first LGBT People of Color Mental Health Summit held at Rutgers University, Newark Campus in October 2014, spearheading programmatic initiatives, an integral part of the planning team for the first-ever LGBT People of Color Mental Health Conference, held in October 2015, and was the co-leader of the programming planning team for the 2016, second annual LGBT People of Color Mental Health Conference, which was held at the Alexander Hamilton US Customs House Building.

 

Alex Joinville, LMHC, Program Director
Alex Joinville, LMHC, joined the DBGM Board following his participation in the 2018 In My Mind Conference at the Metropolitan College of New York. He supervises a counseling program at the State University of New York Downstate STAR Program, where he provides mental health services to individuals diagnosed or at risk of HIV/AIDS and Hepatitis C infections.  Prior to joining the STAR program, he was a mental health specialist with the Visiting Nurse Service of New York (VNSNY) Manhattan Mobile Crisis Team, where he provided crisis intervention, assessment, and linkage to individuals experiencing psychological distress. He was also part of the VNSNY’s Act Team, Behavioral Health Transition Program, and Intensive Case Management Program.  Alex worked at WIN West providing services to individuals living in a single women’s mental health shelter. He is experienced in providing mental health counseling in English and Haitian Creole and provides individual, couple, family and group therapies. He has more than 17-years’ experience in the social service field, including mental health, substance abuse, and child welfare. Alex received his Master’s degree in Mental Health Counseling from Capella University. As a Board Member, he assumes responsibility for the organization’s “I Am Working on Healing” program, with its two groups, “Sons“, a group for gay men of color struggling with mental health issues and HIV, and “HER“, a group for mothers and women of color, whose sons took their lives or died from HIV/AIDS.

Legal Representation

dbgm_sanders Robert Schaffer, Esq., Troutman Sanders, LLP
 Robert, as a partner with the law firm, Troutman, Sanders, provides pro bono legal services for DBGM, ensuring compliance with applicable federal and state regulations, and contracts and agreements are executed efficiently and in the shared best interests of DBGM and its collaborators.