Board and Leadership

At age 13, Carlos Christian became involved in the drug trade – eventually leading to a 10-year prison sentence. He was incarcerated at the Marion Correctional Institution in Marion, Ohio from age 19 to 29. During his sentence, Mr. Christian dedicated himself to his rehabilitation and becoming a positive role model. He graduated from Marion Technical College, majoring in Business Management, with a 3.83 GPA. In addition, he successfully completed an Administrative Office Technology vocational program. Upon his release, Mr. Christian had support from his friends, family, and a case manager. After he obtained employment, Mr. Christian relocated from Cleveland to Columbus, where he became a homeowner, gained custody of his son, and began to mentor currently incarcerated individuals in penitentiaries and county jails.

During Mr. Christian’s prison sentence, he realized that he had more examples of individuals being released from prison and returning than he had examples of individuals being released from prison and going on to lead positive lives in the community. Mr. Christian co-founded The Starts Within Organization (SWO) in 2011 because of his determination to help currently incarcerated men build the same solid foundation – pre- and post-release – that he was able to build. Mr. Christian began his work with Action for Children in 2013 as a Facilitator for TAPP: Father Factor. Using the Father Factor curriculum, he has helped nearly 7000 fathers across central Ohio. TAPP: Father Factor is about building better parent-child relationships and opening doors to positive communication between co-parents. As a father himself, Mr. Christian knows how impactful fatherhood can be. He understands how a father’s role within a family can positively or negatively affect children’s social and emotional development. Mr. Christian consistently strives for excellence when working with fathers because he knows that by bettering families, we are bettering the community as a whole.

Mr. Christian has written three books to date: Prison Without Bars It Starts Within, The Walking Logo Taking back my Life and The Greatest Responsibility Becoming the Parent Your Child Deserves. All three books are written as blueprints to accomplish the same level of success that Mr. Christian has been able to experience. Currently Mr. Christian runs The Starts Within Organization full time as the President/CEO that has programs implemented in prisons for adults, county jails, transitional houses, and juvenile facilities in Ohio.

In October 2022 Mr. Christian took the stage at The Lincoln Theater in Columbus, Ohio to deliver his first ever TEDx Talk titled New Underground Railroad: Freedom from Imprisonment. Mr. Christian is committed to the betterment of humanity as a whole and is truly on fire for the improvement of communities across the globe.

Professor Allen has mastery of the full scope of organizational development competencies: research-based benchmarking, identification of process deficiencies, gap analysis, systems evaluation, management coaching, instructional design, training and development, and inter/intra-departmental mediation. His initial project management and merger/integration training was received at Bank One/JPMorgan-CHASE. The Institute for Museum and Library Services (IMLS.gov), and Berwyn Township Health Department (berwyn-il.gov) are among the organizations that have been skillfully served.

In business, an MBA is a terminal degree. Professor Allen’s MPM is an MBA with a project management specialization. His formal education includes, but is not limited to: A) Master of Project Management from DeVry University’s Keller Graduate School of Management. B) Bachelors of Science, Technical Management from DeVry University [Summa Cum Laude] C) Ph.D. work at University of Cincinnati & Walden University – Organizational Development.

Entrepreneur, Consultant & Community Advocate

Dwain Davis is a distinguished image consultant and clothier, renowned for his commitment to personal and professional development. As the founder and CEO of D. Sivad, a leading image consulting firm, Dwain specializes in helping individuals enhance their personal brand through tailored strategies that emphasize both appearance and inner value.

With a profound understanding that first impressions can create opportunities, Dwain believes that true success stems from a balance of outward presentation and inward authenticity. His holistic approach empowers clients to project confidence and clarity while nurturing their intrinsic qualities.

In addition to his consulting expertise, Dwain is the proud owner of two international bespoke clothing factories. This unique blend of skills allows him to provide clients with custom-tailored garments that not only fit impeccably but also reflect their personal style and professional aspirations.

Dwain’s passion for transformation and growth has made him a sought-after speaker and coach, inspiring countless individuals to unlock their potential. Through his work, he fosters a culture of self-improvement, helping clients navigate the complexities of their personal and professional lives with poise and purpose.

• Phone: 614-216-8686
• Email: teamsivad@sivad.world
• Website: www.sivad.world

Dr. Karen Alsbrooks is the Senior Consultant with Moira Organization Development Alliance, LLC (MODA). MODA a boutique management consulting firm specializing in strategic management and change management for higher education, municipal, and nonprofit organizations. She previously served as the Executive Director of Organization Development in the OSU Office of Diversity and Inclusion and held multiple other leadership and administrative roles within that office.

She has an unsatiable passion to see all organizations function efficiently and effectively to accomplish their organizational purposes. Her unique combination of diversity, equity, and inclusion experience, management expertise, and passion for organizational excellence. foster her drive to help individuals, groups, and organizations pursue excellence through effective organization development interventions.

Dr. Alsbrooks has a BA and MA from The Ohio State University (OSU), an MBA from the University of Pittsburgh and a Ph.D. in Business Management and Human Resources from OSU. On a personal note, she is a pickleball enthusiast and enjoys traveling, cycling, Pilates, yoga, belly dancing, and other activities.

Professional Background:

My career expands over 20+ years in Risk Management on the financial, compliance and Technology platforms. My experience was developed through 16 years in the banking industry serving as a Business/Financial Analyst. During my tenure, I was able to expand my experience by taking on other responsibilities and roles such as Disaster Recovery/Business Continuity Specialist/Coordinator & I.T. liaison.

As a corporate Compliance Specialists, I had the opportunity to increase my knowledge of risk assessment and mitigation from an oversight perspective through interpreting rules/regulations that impacted specific lines of business; take ownership of two regulations (Regulation O – Insider Credit Exposure & Regulation L – Management Interlock), conducted governance and oversight to identify risk, schedule trainings, review policies/procedures and impose remediation to avoid any violations and/or penalties.

As an Information Security Analyst, I was able to leverage my risk management experiences to perform my duties within information security: Monitor systems, evaluate risk/threats to systems and networks and mitigate responses to reduce and/or eliminate the impact; Respond to vendor reviews, complete questionnaires & audit inquiries; review and update policies/procedure and perform security awareness trainings.

My professional career has provided me the opportunity to volunteer and participate in community services such as teaching financial literacy, mentoring, and community activities. Volunteering is a passion and my way of being significant to others. Success is what you do for yourself to achieve; significance is what you do to help others achieve. This passion has led me to my introduction with the Starts Within Organization.

Personal:

I am a board member & facilitator of the Starts Within Organization which operates under the program of the “Walking Logo”. The “Walking Logo” program serves to educate and empower inmates through a series of workshops to encourage change in their behavior as they prepare for re-entry to reduce the recidivism rate. As a facilitator, I teach financial education classes/sessions by engaging the inmates on topics such as financial freedom, Banking relationships, wise use of credit, credit reporting, budgeting, money management and other financial issues.

The mission of the Starts Within Organization is to decrease the recidivism rate by targeting incarcerated individuals and providing education and mentoring making the transition from offender to ex-offender a success.

I look forward to the future endeavors of the Starts Within Organization, as we move towards building a better relationships with inmates, securing stable funding and expanding the organization to serve a larger population of our community……full speed ahead!!

John retired in 2019 after dedicating 30 years to serving as a United States Probation Officer for the Southern District of Ohio, including three years in a federal leadership role. Throughout his federal career, he held various positions such as pre-sentence investigator, supervision officer, front-line supervisor, and deputy chief. His career culminated in his appointment as Chief of the U.S. Probation Office, Southern District of Ohio, a role he held during his final 10 years of service.

John is deeply committed to supporting the successful reintegration of formerly incarcerated individuals into their communities. He collaborated with the Federal Court and local faith leaders in Columbus, Cincinnati, and Dayton to initiate grassroots efforts focused on easing the reentry process. These initiatives help returning citizens overcome challenges and transition successfully.

In 2013, John was instrumental in creating the Restored Citizens Initiative in Columbus, which provides assistance, resources, and peer mentoring to individuals reentering society from federal prison. Additionally, he facilitated the establishment of a men’s mentoring and peer support group, offering a safe, judgment-free environment for participants to connect, learn, and grow. This group continues to thrive under his leadership, nearing its tenth year of operation.

John holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Sociology from the University of Notre Dame and a Master’s Degree from the University of Chicago’s School of Social Service Administration. He and his wife, Sharon, are proud parents of three adult children.

John joined the SWO Board in June 2023.