Staff Biographies
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Stefanie Siegel
President and Founder
Stefanie has been teaching English in New York City Public Schools since 1987. She is currently at Paul Robeson High School in Bedford Stuyvesant/Crown Heights Brooklyn,
where she has been since 1991. Her work with young people and school reform has been key in shaping her vision for Baileys Caf. In addition to her teaching, Stefanie
holds the positions of Coordinator of Student Affairs and Senior Advisor. She has degrees from Reed College, University of Chicago, and the City University of New York. |
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 Kymbali Craig
Creative Director
Infinite energy. Daunting talent. Range of accomplishments. Profound impact. Poet. Performance artist. Filmmaker. Rapper. Classical actor.
Improvisationalist. Director. Choreographer. Producer. Painter. Educator. Activist. Kymbali Craig cant be boiled down to a list, a category, a resume. She defies
boundaries. Whether performing with Erykah Badu or creating a Black History Month show with 65 teenagers from Bed/Sty, Kymbali reaches down into her own soul and
activates the spark of uninhibited expression in others to create performances which inspire audiences to want to move, sing, write, act. Kymbali stirs up the
insides of people who have something to say, exorcises inhibition, and becomes the conduit for transforming interaction and exchange between performer and audience.
In addition to Erykah Badu, Kymbali has performed with The Last Poets, Nona Hendryx, The Fugees, Ben Harper, Digable Planets, Spearhead, Reg E. Gaines, world-renowned
drummer and producer John Arnold and others. She is featured on the poetry compilation album Eargasms, choreographed various artists including KC Flight, Sweet Sable,
Neffertiti, and most recently Luke Campbells Oh Shelia music video. By using sound, word, movement and emotion, Kymbali transforms the lives of young people. She taps
into the awarenesses of their world, and has them create moments, happenings, experiences. Performances, productions, plays, films... youngsters begin finding their
own voices and rising above their own fears, transforming themselves from teenagers into solid artists, activists, entertainers. Other kids who watch these performances
want to stand up and speak their truth, show their power, create their own change. Kymbali creates a revolution of expression everywhere she goes, with everyone she
touches. She makes history. She inspires others to inspire others. |
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 Cynthia Fowlkes
Treasurer
Cynthia Fowlkes began her tenure as an educator in 1992,
working at Paul Robeson High School for ten years within several capacities
as a: business teacher, Career Coordinator, Academy of Finance Coordinator,
Business Coordinator. During the 2002-2003 school year she served as Career
and Technical Education Instructional Specialist of the Brooklyn High
Schools Superintendents Office. Ms. Fowlkes returned to Robeson where she
served as the Assistant Principal of the Business and Technology Departments
until January 2006 when she became the Director of Career Technical
Education at the Department of Education New York City. Her work experience
also includes fifteen years at Chase Manhattan Bank starting as a teller and
moving up to a Senior Sales Representative. Her experience at Chase enabled
her to develop a keen understanding of regional banking procedures and
policies along with a comprehensive acuteness for finances and the business
world in general. Ms. Fowlkes, was born in Lakeland, Florida and moved with
her parents to New York City, in 1961. She holds degrees from Brooklyn
College (BA), New York University (MA) and Bank Street College (MA,Ed.). |
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 Ife-Sharon N. Charles
Director
Ife-Sharon N. Charles was born in Trinidad, West Indies
and immigrated to the Prospect Heights neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York
thirty years ago. Ife currently resides in the Crown Heights community,
which she serves and is a junior at City College where she is pursuing a
degree in Human Service and Community Organizing. Ife is a New York State
Certified Mediator specializing in Community, Family and Parent Teen
Mediation. She holds the position of Family Mediation Coordinator at the
Crown Heights Community Mediation Center (CHCMC) located on Kingston Avenue
in Crown Heights. Her job at CHCMC enables her to continue her work with
youths and families in her neighborhood. This is seen through her
involvement with the 71st and 77th Precinct Youth Officers, where she
conducts Conflict Resolution Workshops at Empowerment Programs offered by
the precincts. She trains youths to become peer mediators by teaching them
skills on how to manage and diffuse conflict. In addition, Ife runs the peer
mediation program through the School Justice Center at Paul Robeson High
School. She is currently working in conjunction with the 77th precinct in
creating a viable Clergy Unification Council. It is the goal of the council
that leaders of various religious affiliations work together on common
projects to build better relationships between the police and the community,
and to identify members from within their congregations to serve as mentors
for youths in the community. In addition to her current job, Ife serves as a
board member of the Kan Cobra Karate School located in her Crown Heights
neighborhood. She is the treasurer and event planner of Unity Street Block
Association, Alumni Coordinator of the Nile Day Care (the pre-school her
children attended), and a member of Mothers-to-Mothers (a group of Jewish
and African American women created after the riots of 1991 in Crown
Heights). She is an empowerment and motivational speaker and has held
speaking engagements at local churches and community centers. Ife is
currently participating in the Coro Leadership Training Program in New York
City. |
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 Adam Culbreath
Secretary
Adam is currently the Program Officer for the Soros Justice Fellowships, an individual grants program of the Open Society Institute's U.S. Justice Fund.
In this capacity, he oversees grants to lawyers, advocates, community organizers, journalists and documentary filmmakers pursuing projects that seek to reform the U.S. criminal
justice system. Previously, he was the Program Director of City Scholars, a youth leadership and training program operated by The After-School Corporation (TASC).
While at TASC, he also oversaw the NY Times Summer Jobs Program and served as a Program Officer, directing funding to TASC's portfolio of high school programs. Adam has also
run a youth leadership and conflict resolution program at a high school in Brooklyn; and practiced public interest law for a number of years in California. He holds degrees
from Brown University and Stanford Law School. Adam lives with his wife and daughter in Brooklyn. |
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 Ramona Keitt
Director
The statement out of one comes many describes me, an individual who portraits the characteristics of
a seeker, with a creative edge. I offer a multitude of skills; I am able to give an order as well as
follow instructions comfortably. I enjoy an array of crafts, painting, writing, sewing, crocheting
and expressive dance. Regardless of the setting professional or personal, I can adapt to the role of
facilitator or team player. My motto is dont say it if you dont mean it. If there is a need for
doing a project, I can do my best and step up to the plate. In terms of education, I hold a
bachelors degree in Community and Human Services. Currently, I have completed a certificate program
in Paralegal Services. The survival of my family and community are very important to me with respect
to my growth and development. My hobbies are reading, nature walking, meditation, music and
experimenting in vegetarian cooking. I believe my commitment to the team is an integral thread
towards bringing generations together. Two of Ramonas children attended Paul Robeson High School
where she served as the President of the Parent Teacher Association. |
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 Christopher Watler
Project Director, Harlem Community Justice Center
Chris Watler is project director of the Harlem Community Justice Center, the community court in East Harlem focusing on housing, youth crime, and offender
reentry. As director, he oversees day-to-day operations and program development. Mr. Walter has extensive experience as a trainer and work with community-based programs. During
his tenure at the Center, Mr. Watler has previously provided information & assistance on community justice initiatives to a broad audience, by leading site-visits to the
Center's demonstration projects, conducting training, providing hands-on assistance to jurisdictions developing community court and prosecution programs, assisting in the
development of community justice curricula, and coordinating partnerships with model community justice programs. Mr. Walter has extensive experience as a trainer and work
with community-based programs.He led a 50 member AmeriCorps program and supervised youth and family mediation programs. In addition, Mr. Watler has provided numerous workshops
and trainings to residents, schools and community-based organizations in the areas of mediation, conflict resolution, communication, assessing needs, case management, adult
pre-employment skills, youth leadership, youth services, family strengthening, juvenile justice issues and violence intervention and prevention. Mr. Watler is a New York
State certified mediation trainer and a diversity trainer with the National Coalition Building Institute. Mr. Watler serves on the board of the Association of Conflict
Resolution of Greater New York. Before coming to the Center, Mr. Walter worked as the Operations and Training Manager at the City Volunteer Corps and as a Community Center
Director for the Union Settlement Association where he supervised programs involving youth and seniors. He received his B.S. in Political Science from the State University of New York College at Purchase, and has a Masters of Public Administration from John Jay College of the City University of New York. |
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