The Board
Christopher Benson
Chair
Christopher Benson is co-author, with Mamie Till-Mobley, of The Death of Innocence: The Story of the Hate Crime That Changed America. This definitive autobiographical account by Benson and Till-Mobley, recounts the story of the lynching of her son, Emmett Till, and her brave decision to let the world witness the true horror of racism. The book is a Pulitzer nominee, and the winner of the 2003 Robert F. Kennedy Book Award Special Recognition.
Benson is currently an associate professor of journalism at the Medill School of Journalism, Media, Integrated Marketing Communications at Northwestern University. He is former reporter on justice, race and media issues for Ebony magazine, WBMX-FM, The Chicago Reporter and has been featured in a number of national journals such as The Huffington Post, The New York Times and The Chicago Tribune.
Bertha Thomas
Vice-Chair, Development & Partnerships
Bertha Thomas is the granddaughter of Crosby Smith, Sr., the younger brother of Alma Spearman, Emmett’s Grandmother, and Uncle to Mamie Till Mobley.
She is a Senior Paralegal and Realtor with more than 30 years of experience working within the legal industry and/or community. Her central focus has been working with Real Estate Law, Immigration Law, Personal Injury and Workers Compensation Law.
Amberly Carter
Vice-Chair, Outreach & Engagement
Amberly Carter, M.Ed, CDE® (pronouns: she/her) is a Certified Diversity Executive with more than 15 successful years in the DEI and Social Justice space.
Amberly is the CEO of Hello Ambi, LLC., a digital business management company and creator of the Platform to Justice program where she helps families who have lost loved ones to violence and social justice organizations manage and optimize systems in their memorial foundations.
Amberly’s great-grandmother and Mamie’s Mother/Emmett’s grandmother, Alma Spearman were sisters.
Ollie Gordon
Board Member
Ollie Gordon is a second cousin and surrogate daughter to the late Mamie Till-Mobley.
Gordon spent the majority of her childhood in the same home as Mamie Till-Mobley and Emmett Till after Alma Spearman (Emmett’s grandmother) assisted with the relocation of her family from Mississippi. Till-Mobley and Gordon developed a special bond following the untimely death of Gordon’s mother.
Gordon’s first experience with death and the emotional effects of grief occurred at the tender age of eight when her cousin and playmate Emmett Till was murdered.
Gordon went on to receive her Master’s in Education and serve at Chicago Public Schools. Gordon is also co-founder, with her daughter, of The Mamie Till-Mobley Memorial Foundation She travels the country telling the story of her cousin, Emmett Till, and her hope for racial reconciliation.
Mike Small
Board Member
Mike Small and Mamie Till-Mobley became close friends and advocates in telling the Emmett Till story to junior high and high school students. As a high school teacher and administrator, Small has led student groups and taught the Emmett Till story in both Till’s hometown of Chicago and the location of his murder in Mississippi for over twenty years.
Small is a lifelong educator with a passion for social justice. He is committed to recounting his friend, Till-Mobley’s, brave story as part of his lectures on racial justice throughout the U.S., Canada, Ireland, and Australia. He also serves on the board of the Emmett Till Memorial Commission and Museum Committee.
Lester Barclay
General Counsel
Lester Barclay, the CEO and founder of the Barclay Law Group and author of the infamous family law book “Divorce and Drama” (save money, time, and relieve stress by just getting along), is legendary in the field of family law and within other practices. His 36 years of practice and experience, coupled with his uncanny knack for stellar performance within the courtroom, makes him an ideal attorney for the more sophisticated cases related to family, estate law, real estate, and more.
The Staff
LaTese Briggs, PhD
Chief Executive Officer
Dr. LaTese Briggs is a seasoned executive with nearly 15 years of experience in the nonprofit sector, and 10 years of experience as a research scientist. LaTese began her nonprofit career at the Milken Institute where she worked as a philanthropic advisor for donors interested in investing in science and medical research. During her tenure at Milken, LaTese not only advised high- network individuals on their giving decisions, but her and her team also built new foundations on behalf of clients, served as operational improvement consultants for various nonprofits, and developed de novo programs to address critical gaps in various areas of science, medicine, education, and more.
LaTese and her team also cultivated relationships to fundraise in order to support many of the programs that were developed in collaboration with the original funders. Prior to joining the Till Institute, LaTese owned and operated GSG Partners, a private consulting practice that helps nonprofit organizations and funders reach and exceed their philanthropic and operational goals. LaTese also served as the Chief Philanthropy Officer at The Raben Group and The Executive Leadership Council.
LaTese earned a doctorate in Biochemistry and Structural Biology at the University of Maryland Baltimore County, and completed her joint postdoctoral training at Harvard and MIT, where her work focused on early drug discovery, and building a structural biology lab at the Broad Institute.
Ibonee Perry
Chief Operating Officer
Ibonee Perry is an accomplished Chief Operating Officer with extensive expertise in finance, human resources, and nonprofit management. With a degree in Sociology, Ibonee brings a unique people-centered approach to organizational leadership, ensuring that operations align with both financial sustainability and employee well-being. Passionate about mission-driven work,
Ibonee has successfully led financial planning, compliance, talent development, and strategic initiatives to support nonprofit growth and long-term sustainability. Adept at streamlining processes and implementing best practices, Ibonee ensures that resources are effectively allocated to maximize impact. With a strong commitment to leadership and operational excellence,
Ibonee continues to empower organizations to thrive, fostering cultures of collaboration, innovation, and financial stewardship.
David Day
Director of Public Engagement and Programs
David Day is a seasoned executive and an astute connector who has joined the Till Institute to lead our public engagement and programming mission. David has served in a number of roles in the nonprofit, government and private sectors. Most recently David served as the Chief Operating Officer at the Rainbow PUSH Coalition, where he played an essential role in effectively managing the operational growth of the organization across a number of offices around the US.
Prior to Rainbow PUSH, David was the Vice President of Development at Chicago State University, and previously served as the Chief Administrative Officer of the National Black MBA Association.
David is also the Chairman of the Board of Directors for the premier youth mentoring organization, the 100 Black Men of Chicago and is a member of the Development and Corporate Relations Committee at the 100 Black Men of America, Inc. He also serves as the Vice President of Operations for the Chicago Chapter of the National Black MBA Association.
Raymond A. Thomas
Creative Director
Raymond Thomas is an award-winning artist, filmmaker, and noted creative director. His vibrant works can be seen in galleries nationwide. Raymond attended the prestigious School of the Art Institute of Chicago, where he studied painting, filmmaking and graphic design. In 1988, soon after graduating, Thomas was hired by Chicago-based Johnson Publishing Company Inc. where he served as art director and creative manager for over 23-years.
Raymond also continued his life-long missions of mentoring youth and creating art, with showings of his studio works in significant galleries. In 2013 his piece “The Conversion of Mary Magdalene” won “best painting” and “best of show” awards at the Black Creativity juried art exhibition held at the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago. Thomas is a three-time recipient (2014, 2015, 2018) of the Individual Arts Program Creative Projects Grant from the City of Chicago’s Department of Cultural Affairs & Special Events Grants Department.
Raymond has served as a board and committee member for many noted Chicago art institutions including: Little Black Pearl, Black Harvest Film Festival, Chicago International Film Festival Black Perspectives Sidebar, Chicago Public Art Group, and South Side Community Art Center.
In addition to developing and implementing the Till Institute visual presence in the public sphere, he also will lead the Artivism summer program development, curriculum and student art exhibition.