About Us

The founding board of the Institute is anchored by non-profit leaders with inextricable ties to the San Francisco Black community. The inaugural board is a “Wisdom Circle” of lifelong servant leaders with literally hundreds of years between them of experience, expertise and leadership in a variety of human services areas. Members are listed alphabetically with two affiliated organizations listed for each for identification purposes only. 

Perry Lang, President, is the former Executive Director of the Rafiki Coalition for Health and Wellness (formerly the Black Coalition on AIDS) in San Francisco and a former staff writer for the San Francisco Chronicle. 

Gerald Harris, Vice President, is president of the Quantum  Planning Group QPG and a former board member of the National Society of Black Engineers.

Larry Chatmon, Treasurer, is a former Senior Contract Manager for the San Francisco Human Services Agency/Mayor's Office of Economic and Workforce Development and Board President of the Alive & Free/Omega Boys Club in San Francisco. 

Lillian Shine, Recording Secretary, is the former Executive Director of the Bayview Hunter's Point Foundation for Community Improvement in San Francisco and co-owner of former real estate investment group Hall and Ball Enterprises. 

Dee Epps-Miller, Member, is a former Director of the Southeast Health Center in San Francisco and former Director of the Bayview Hunter’s Point Healthy Start Collaborative. 

James Loyce, Jr., Member, is a public health and non-profit executive with over 35 years of  experience in health policy advocacy at the local, state and federal  levels. Jimmy is also the co-founder of the Black Coalition on AIDS and  currently serves on San Francisco’s Department of Public Health  Commission.