SCLT is honored to welcome three remarkable leaders to our Board of Directors: Mariama Kurbally, Shane Lee, and Sherri Gibbs. Each brings deep expertise, authentic commitment to community, and a vision aligned with our mission of food sovereignty and equitable access to land and resources.
Mariama Kurbally brings two decades of institutional transformation experience to our board. As Chief Executive and Program Officer of E2 EMPOWERED, a strategy consulting firm with offices in Dallas and Providence, Mariama specializes in helping organizations operationalize systemic change. Her background spans school and state-level impact work, where she’s coached executives through equity-centered redesigns that center historically marginalized and disinvested communities, exactly the communities SCLT serves.
A first-generation graduate of Rhode Island College and the University of Michigan, Mariama holds a master’s degree in Educational Leadership. She’s trained teams across fifteen states as a strategy consultant and served as an international trainer in equity-centered and liberatory design practices. Her particular skills in strategic communication and data analysis for systemic transformation will strengthen SCLT’s ability to scale impact and communicate our work authentically. As a Black immigrant woman, she brings lived experience to our commitment to centering equity in every aspect of our organization.
Shane Lee is the director of training and special projects at the Nonviolence Institute, and he embodies the transformative power of homegrown leadership. Born and raised in Providence, Shane understands firsthand the challenges our neighbors face – poverty, violence, and limited access to opportunity. His Level 3 certification in Kingian Nonviolence, earned through training with legendary civil rights activist Rev. Dr. Bernard Lafayette Jr., grounds his approach to community change in principles of dignity and collective liberation.
Shane’s career reflects his commitment to building community power through multiple pathways. He’s trained non-profit, medical, law enforcement, education, and corporate audiences both nationally and internationally, working to help community members recognize how they can use what they have, through art, education, and economic development, to create better futures. A reverend, devoted father of five, singer-songwriter, and current board member of The Avenue Concept (a public arts organization in Providence), Shane embodies the integrated approach to community transformation that SCLT champions. His belief that sustainable change is possible even in the most challenging times mirrors our own vision.
Sherri Gibbs brings four decades of experience as an educator, community leader, and wellness practitioner. For nearly two decades, she served as an educational leader with the East Providence School Department, overseeing all aspects of elementary school operations. Before that, she began her teaching career in 1982 as a special education teacher in New Bedford, and later spent eight years providing educational services to inmates at Bristol County Correctional Facility. This is work that reflects her commitment to meeting people where they are and creating pathways forward.
Beyond formal education, Sherri’s community involvement has been extensive and consequential. She coordinated NAACP Youth Councils in New Bedford from 1983 to 1990, organizing educational trips and cultural experiences for high school students. She remains an active member of the NAACP Providence Branch and the National Association of Professional Women. Since 2015, she has operated Creating Community Awareness of Spirit & Energy (CCASE), a holistic healing practice rooted in Reiki and wellness that supports clients’ physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being. Currently, she works as a Human Resources Consultant for S&S Trucking, and from 2022 to 2024 served as Program Coordinator at the Multicultural Invocation Center, working with high school students on career development and financial literacy.
These three leaders arrive at our board during a pivotal moment. As SCLT navigates significant funding challenges and works to deepen our impact with 25,000+ Rhode Islanders annually, Mariama’s expertise in systems transformation, Shane’s deep community roots and commitment to economic justice, and Sherri’s dedication to education and whole-person wellness will be invaluable. Together with our existing board and staff, they represent the values of authenticity, equity, and community-led change that define our work.
We’re excited to have them join us as we build a food system that nourishes our community and honors the dignity of every person we serve. Welcome, Mariama, Shane, and Sherri!
