Thelma Moton is originally from Twin Groves, Arkansas, and is the CEO/Founder of Choosing to Excel. Her vision for C2E is to see the lives of youth be positively influenced and impacted through programs and partnerships in the community. Her motivating force is to assist and encourage youth and families to define their end goal and to challenge and equip them with life sustaining skills. Thelma believes that all young people and families, no matter their circumstances, need a haven and deserve to know that “they matter.” She constantly encourages those who are going through challenges to Keep The End In Mind.

Penny McCray grew up in Little Rock, Arkansas and started as an Administrative Assistant at Choosing to Excel in 2007. She was then promoted to Program Administrator, a title she still holds today. As Program Administrator, Penny oversees all financial obligations of the organization such as account payables, accounts receivables, audits, payroll, budgets, and more. She also serves as a GEMS Director where she conducts weekly meetings with young ladies to encourage them to be the best version of themselves. Penny is passionate about helping young women strive for optimal health through presentations, activities, and games. Her favorite part of her job is influencing youth to make better life choices.

Dani James is from Conway, Arkansas and has worked for Choosing to Excel since 2011. Dani is the Grant Compliance Officer and is responsible for the implementation of grants while providing guidance on program contractual requirements. Her favorite part of her job is working with our staff on events, working alongside our contractuals, and knowing that we are changing lives one life at a time on a daily basis.

Dr. Cemeka Agugbuem Smith holds a doctorate in Interdisciplinary Biomedical Science and is originally from Little Rock, Arkansas. She recently joined Choosing to Excel as Program Assistant in 2020 and supports the mission in technical assistance and grant writing. She also serves as an SRAE facilitator for schools in the Little Rock area. Cemeka's favorite thing about her job is getting to participate in the journey of the youth C2E serves, facilitating their thought processes and empowering them to strategize and plan their choices, relationship, and future goals.

Di'Anka Moton is from Conway, Arkansas and holds a Masters Degree in College Student Personnel Administration from UCA. She has been involved in Choosing to Excel for most of her life, but has been professionally involved for over since 2015. As Director of Youth Engagement for C2E, Di'Anka coordinates programs like Excel Youth Exceeding (EYE) Club at Conway High, Girls Eagerly Maintaining High Standards (GEMS) at Conway Jr. High, the Money Talks program in ALE at Conway Jr High, supervises the Leadership Team, and heads up most of the events for the youth we serve. Di'Anka enjoys being able to see the light bulb go off for students as they grow in their self esteem and are able to change their attitudes toward life.

Princess Johnson was born in California and raised in Arkansas. She has a Bachelor's of Science in Psychology and has been a Program Director for Choosing to Excel since 2013. Princess' favorite thing about her job is having the opportunity to pour into the lives of the students. She gets to play a small role in their lives, which she considers a gift and privilege. The purpose of her job is to first build a relationship with them and then help educate them on the definitions and benefits of optimal health, risk avoidance, and healthy decision making.

Jasmine Hullum-Mhoon was born in McGehee, Arkansas and holds a Bachelor's degree in Science in Health Education. Jasmine is a Program Director for Choosing to Excel and has worked for the organization since 2018, using her talents to create, plan, and implement programs that benefit youth and families. Her favorite part of her job is developing relationships with students all across Arkansas. In the classroom and in small groups, she has the opportunity to mentor, guide and speak to youth about how they can work towards being the best version of themselves.

Skylar Long grew up in Goshen, Indiana and now calls Arkansas home. She works for Choosing to Excel as a Mentor Director, recruiting and training mentors and pairing them up with students. She believes it is so fulfilling working for an organization that truly is like a compass for youth, helping them to navigate through life. Her favorite part of the job is to see a student shining from the inside out because the staff and mentors at C2E believed in them, supported them, and advocated on their behalf.

Bryton Driver is originally from Hughes, Arkansas and holds a Bachelor's Degree in Sociology with a concentration in Criminology. He began working with Choosing to Excel in 2017 and is the current Director of Small Groups, working closely with the Men of Character and Quality (MOCQ) males at Conway Jr. High and Conway Middle Schools, and presenting to schools in Greenbrier and Vilonia. Bryton's favorite part of working for C2E is getting to see students face to face and providing them with life skills to help them reach their goals and have a successful future.

Bijoux Pighee is from Little Rock, Arkansas and began volunteering with Choosing to Excel's Girls Eagerly Maintaining High Standards (GEMS) and Leadership Team programs in 2013. She was hired in 2014 as a Family Support Specialist, continuing her work with GEMS, Leadership Team, and teaching the health portion of C2E's Sexual Risk Avoidance Curriculum. She works closely with pregnant and parenting families of babies aged 0-3 and provides parenting skills, life skills, community referrals, and child development education to supplement their familial journey. Bijoux believes wholeheartedly that with consistency, respect, and common goals, C2E can help families achieve better outcomes.

Candie Corona is from Fort Worth, Texas and has a Bachelor's in World Language. She is a Family Support Specialist and provides families with curriculum about their child’s development, their emotional needs and how to meet them, new skills, and educates parents on positive parenting practices. Choosing to Excel strives to be family centered and complete assessments with caregiver and baby at least every 6 months. About 80% of the moms Candie works with are non-English speakers, therefore she is able to provide interpreting and translation services at no cost to the moms. Candie loves working with parents, especially encouraging and connecting moms to community resources in the area, and feels working with moms has been one of the best experiences of her career in nonprofit work.

Abbigail Castro is originally from Parry Sound, Ontario, Canada. She has a Bachelor's of Science in Psychology with a Minor in Family and Consumer Sciences. As a Family Support Specialist , she works with pregnant and parenting families of babies aged 0-3. I provide parenting skills, life skills, community referrals, and child development education to supplement their familial journey. Her favorite part of her job is helping new parents navigate the peaks and valleys of caring for children while also trying to navigate their new identities as parents. She loves encouraging the strengths that the youth already have along the way and building them up for success in all aspects of their lives, not just as parents.