Board Members

Dr. Williams earned his Bachelor of Science Education degree, his Master of Education degree, and his Doctor of Educational Leadership degree from the University of Delaware. He was a University of Delaware basketball player during the 1971-1972 and the 1972-1973 seasons.
Dr. Williams is a former superintendent of the Christina school district. He also served as a teacher, principal, director, assistant superintendent, and interim superintendent for the Christina School District. Dr. Williams is also a former principal, acting superintendent and assistant superintendent for the Appoquinimink school district. Dr. Williams worked for the Upward Bound program and the Jobs for Delaware Graduates program.
Dr. Williams serves as the president of the Board for Neighborhood House which provides counseling, early childhood education, and meal services. He is the president of the Newark Chapter of the NAACP and the vice president of the State of Delaware NAACP. Dr. Williams is a member of the University of Delaware Board of Trustees and a board member of the Newark Partnership. He also serves on the University of Delaware Dean of Education Advisory Committee and the State of Delaware Pandemic Resurgence Advisory Committee. Dr. Williams has recently been appointed by the Governor to the State of Delaware Racial Equity Consortium. He also serves on the Patient Advocacy Team for Pfizer Pharmaceutical Company.
Dr. Williams resides in the city of Newark with his wife, Susan. He is the father of three children and grandfather of three grandchildren. With a strong desire to give back to his community, Dr. Williams seeks out and supports volunteer programs that enhance the quality of life in the Newark community and throughout the state of Delaware.
His favorite part of Newark is the historic African American community that borders New London Road and Cleveland Avenue, affectionately called School Hill. This is the area where he grew up. Dr. Williams serves on the board of the Friends of School Hill.

Donna Jackson is a native of the New London Avenue Community. She graduated from Newark High School. She obtained a Bachelor of Science (Nursing) Degree from Jersey City State College. She spent her career in nursing as a pediatric nurse, manager and data abstractor for risk adjustment and HEDIS. She currently works as a nurse adjudicator. Donna has one son and is active in several community organizations. “Hopefully what our community is doing together can be an example for other communities”.

A resident of the Newark Black Community since 1956. My family migrated to the Newark community from Virginia. I have a BS degree in Human Resources Management from Wilmington University, and a Masters of Business Administration (MBA) from Wesley University. I spent 39 years in Corporate America (DuPont). I have been married for 18+ years to Ronald Dickerson. We have one Son, one Daughter, and 7 grandchildren. We currently reside in Bear, Delaware.

Reverend Charlie Word Jr. is originally from Halifax County, VA. and moved to Delaware as a teenager. Pastor Word currently lives in Newark, Delaware. Pastor Word was called by the Holy Spirit to preach the Word of God in 1998 and through prayer and guidance accepted his calling in 1999. In 1998, Pastor Word enrolled in the Word of Life School of Ministry and graduated in 2003. Thereafter, he was ordained and licensed under Word of Life Christian Center in Newark, Delaware.

Pastor Word is used according to the calling and anointing that God has asked him to serve. For 12 years he served as trustee and musician at The Church of God in Newark, Delaware; 3 years as Associate Pastor and musician at Community Outreach Church in Wilmington, Delaware and 3 years as Associate Minister and musician at Holy Spirit Mission Church in Clayton, Delaware.

He is blessed with 4 children; a son, Duben, and daughters; Aisha, Zakiya and Vivian.

Crystal Hayman Simms is a native of the New London Avenue community in Newark, Delaware and is an alumna of the historic New London Avenue School. She is a graduate of Newark High School and the University of Delaware with a bachelor’s degree in English and a master’s degree in public administration.

Throughout the many stages of her professional career, she focused on creating new, innovative programs and organizations. While working at UD, Crystal established and managed the institution’s first Employee Assistance and Wellness program. She was also a founding member and chair of the University of Delaware African American Coalition. After joining the national Employee Assistance Professionals Association, she helped to initiate and promote their Cultural Diversity Commission throughout the U.S. At the Mental Health Association in Delaware, Hayman Simms developed a mental health awareness workshop that she presented in workplaces around the state. She went on to create her own business in worksite employee relations and cultural diversity training. Later, she was the administrator of her family tax franchise. For twelve years, she served as an Adjunct English Instructor at Delaware Technical Community College.
Her love of music led to a lifetime of performing in choirs and as a vocal soloist. At Mt. Zion UAME Church, Simms directed the adult Sanctuary Choir, played piano for early morning services, and instituted the youth choir Children of Zion. For 17 years she was owner/director of New Song Music Ministry, where she taught vocal and piano skills to students from ages seven to eighty.
Crystal assisted her childhood friend in presenting the first two Juneteenth Celebrations in the New London Avenue community and has co-led various community initiatives and activities. She is a founding member of the Friends of School Hill Association.

She is the mother of three birth children and three bonus children, all adults now.

Ernest M. “Sammy” Congo, Sr. is a native of Newark, DE and a graduate of Newark High School. In March of 1975, a longtime dream became a reality. Sammy and his wife, Cheris, held an open house for a “first-generation” funeral home located at 201 N. Gray Avenue in Wilmington, Delaware. The facility had been built in the late 1950s by a well-known African American architect from Wilmington, Mr. Calvin Hamilton. Sammy and Cheris made Delaware history in that year by accomplishing what no other first-generation funeral home had ever done: they received 75 calls during their first year in business!

In 1986, the Congos opened their second funeral home located at 2317 N. Market Street, Wilmington, DE. After purchasing this facility, which was originally built in 1932, they had it completely gutted and rehabilitated to become one of the most beautiful funeral homes in the area. In 2005, Sammy, Cheris & Trippi Congo were proud to participate in the National Funeral Directors Association (NFDA) Pursuit of Excellence Eagle Award competition.

A native of Newark Delaware’s historic New London Road community, Florine Lane Henderson’s personal commitment to the struggle against social injustice began as an immediate effect of the Brown v Board of Education decision of 1954. In 1958, Florine became one of the first students to integrate the Newark Special School District four years after the Supreme Court ruling. Florine graduated Newark High School in 1970, after which she launched into a long-term University administrative career and her ongoing promotion of higher education for underrepresented young adults. After attending both the University of Delaware and Delaware Technical & Community College, Florine devoted thirty-four years of administrative service to the University of Delaware’s Visitor Center, retiring as the Center’s Service Coordinator in 2014. Florine spent several years serving in youth and young adult ministries at Pilgrim Baptist Church and is a current member of New Elizabeth AME Church. A founding organizer of Newark’s inaugural Martin Luther King March and Celebration in 1989, Florine’s organizing work continues to shape opportunities for cultural enrichment programming such as the implementation of Newark’s first Juneteenth Celebration in 2013 and 2014. Florine served as the Chairperson of the Newark Branch NAACP’s Freedom Fund (2017-2019) and continues to broaden her scope of servant leadership as Chair of the branch’s Membership Committee (2021-present), a trained Racial Healing facilitator for the YWCA, and a founding member of Newark’s Friend’s of School Hill Association.

Robert (Bob) Anderson was born and raised in Salem, Virginia, where he graduated from George Washington Carver High School. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Barber Scotia College in Concord, North Carolina, and a Master of Arts Degree in School Administration from Villanova University.

He came to Newark, Delaware in June 1969 when he was hired to assist in writing a Black Studies Curriculum and teach United States History. During his tenure with the Christina School District, he coached track and field, was Assistant Principal of Central Middle School, Associate Principal of Christian High School, and Principal of Gauger Middle School and Glasgow High School. He is the owner of Bridge 2 Achievement, Education Consulting.

Bob was a founding member of Newark Community Days, is a Scottish Rights Mason, a member of Phi Beta Kappa and a Silver Life Member of the NAACP. He is President of the Trustee Ministry at the Historic St. John African Methodist Church.
He is married to Joyce Anderson, an outstanding educator in her own right, and has one son, Robert Anderson, Jr.

Tiffany L. Matthews is a proud native and current resident of the New London Avenue community. She grew up in the “village” and fondly remembers the sacrifice, commitment and devotion of the New London Avenue community members and their devotion to God, church, family, and country. She is a graduate of Newark High School and attended Norfolk State University school of Journalism. She returned to DE and established a career in banking at Bank of America (formerly MBNA) where she retired as Senior Vice President of Technology in 2018 after 20 years of service. Tiffany currently works as a Senior Technology Manager at CAI. She currently serves as the Newark Branch NAACP secretary. She is married to Brad and shares 4 beautiful children.