Fostering Solutions mfoster1231

Today's guest: Dr. Jerica Wesley, a proud native of West Virginia, has dedicated over a decade to serving her community as a Licensed Professional Counselor. With extensive experience in both school and community settings, she has supported the mental health of youth and adults in roles such as school counselor and community mental health provider.
 
Dr. Wesley's academic journey began at Marshall University and Ohio University, where she ultimately earned a doctorate in Counselor Education and Supervision. Currently, she is an Assistant Professor at Marshall University, her alma mater, where she educates students in the graduate counseling program.
 
Her research is particularly focused on dismantling barriers that disrupt the continuity of care for Black women experiencing reproductive loss and trauma. Dr. Wesley collaborates across disciplines to raise awareness about the high rates of infant, perinatal, and maternal mortality in West Virginia, striving to close the disparity gap affecting Black women in her state. She shares her insights and findings through local and national presentations, highlighting her innovative work on The Bioecological Model of Reproductive Loss.
 
Beyond her academic and research endeavors, Dr. Wesley founded Restored Wellness Life Enrichment Services, LLC. Through this practice, she aims to "restore the village" by offering consultation, continuing education, clinical supervision, culturally sensitive counseling, and doula services. Her commitment to holistic and inclusive care underscores her mission to improve mental health and reproductive outcomes for her community.
 
Dr. Jerica Wesley's dedication to her profession and her community establishes her as a leading figure in the fields of mental health and reproductive justice in West Virginia.

This special episode of Fostering Solutions showcases the authors who will be part of the Midwest Region stop of Delta Authors on Tour on May 4, 2024, at the Kanawha County Public Library, downtown branch. Whether you're a fan of gripping fiction, thought-provoking nonfiction, captivating memoirs, or children’s books, there's something for everyone. Listen to this episode to get a preview of the authors and their books before you join us in person at the free event at the library.

Justin Clark is the Executive Director of The Salvation Army Boys & Girls Clubs of Charleston, West Virginia. Justin moved to the Mountain State in May of 2021 and led the process of reopening the Clubs to in-person programming following a 15-month COVID-19 related closure. During his tenure, the Clubs have been recognized at the state and national level for successes in programming and advocacy, have significantly increased revenue, and are on track to exceed pre-COVID attendance levels in the fall of 2023.
 
Justin, a first-generation college student, obtained his Master of Public Administration degree with a concentration in nonprofit management in May 2023. He looks forward to pursuing a doctoral degree in the future. When he isn’t at work Justin can be found spending time with his family, attempting to perfect his biscuit recipe, or enjoying a book on the front porch.
 
Justin & his wife Anne Marie enjoy the peace and quiet around Kanawha State Forest where they live with their sons, Asher (6) and Simeon (4) along with Anne Marie’s grandmother, Dora.

Clinton Arnold is the CEO of KISRA, Inc. This nonprofit organization provides life, business, affordable housing, mental health, and coaching programs for the recovery, transitioning, and youth populations throughout West Virginia. He is also a West Virginia State University professor, teaching entrepreneurship, marketing, and business operations courses.
 
Clinton is a former business owner and telecommunications professional. He spent 25 years with Verizon Communications Inc. before retiring in 2013 as a director, where he led teams in sales, product marketing, product development, training, channel sales, customer marketing, and operations and communications, earned multiple President’s Leadership awards, as well as Platinum, Presidents and Diamond Club awards for sales and operations excellence.
 
Additionally, after serving faithfully in churches since his youth, he answered a call to serve as an Executive Pastor. He was licensed as an Executive Pastor in 2014 and is a certified Faith Based Counselor specializing in marriage and relationships.
 
The foundation of his experience is education, training, and life. He has a BA in Communications from the University of Kentucky, where he was the baseball team co-captain his senior year. He was also a four-year letterman and All-SEC performer for the baseball team from 1982-1986. He earned an MBA from the University of Charleston and graduated from the University of Maryland Executive Leadership Program, and the Center for Creative Leadership in San Diego, CA. He has completed the first year of the Doctorate in Business Administration program at Marshall University. He expects to defend his dissertation in the Spring of 2025.
 
He has been married to Trina, a retired teacher, and UK graduate, for 37 years, and they have two grown children and five grandchildren.

After nearly 15 years of a serving several different non-profit organizations throughout the Kanawha Valley,  in the fall of 2015 Jessica Hudson took her passion and desire to positively impact people and communities to Huntington, where she became the Executive Director of Dress for Success River Cities, which recently opened a branch in the Kanawha Valley.  After attending Concord University,  Jessica later furthered her education by obtaining her Fundraising Management Certification through the School of Philanthropy at IUPUI.  With the knowledge gained through that educational experience , along with a natural ability to engage an audience through her stories and experiences,  Jessica has devoted herself not only to her current cause of empowering and supporting women, but to sharing her expertise and knowledge with others.  She is passionate about encouraging people to devote their time, talents and treasures to make their community a better place.   In 2017 Jessica accepted the Momentum Award from Dress for Success Worldwide, the first award of its kind. This award was in recognition of the achievements of the affiliate to overcome some significant obstacles to build a thriving and sustainable organization.  Jessica has been instrumental in helping Dress for Success River Cities reach new heights and more importantly serve more women in need of support to move from poverty to self-sufficiency. Outside of her career, Jessica is dedicated to being a mom to a busy 17-year-old and supporting his goals, as well as a fan of WVU athletics, traveling and DIY projects. 
 

Dural is the founder and Chief Executive Officer of KYFC, Inc. Through partnership and mission focused drive, Dural has been able to apply leadership and community support to strategies designed to meet individual and collective social needs of family and community. Since 2006, Dural and his team of committed volunteers and professionals have been able to positively impact community wellness by moving forward school and community-based social programs developed to promote positive social and health outcomes.