Team

Theresa Coney, Esq. is the former Racial Equity Statewide Training Lead for the Committee for Public Counsel Services.  As a pioneer in that position Theresa has developed and implemented a strategic plan to engage more than 3000 public defenders, private attorneys, and staff in racial equity work to address the disparities which exist in our legal systems.  In 2020, Theresa launched the Why Race Matters Speaker Series which includes a multipart series of legal education courses from race equity leaders in the Commonwealth and around the country.  This is not Theresa’s first time in addressing the disproportionality of race in the legal system.  She has had a career which involved the creation of tools, programs and strategies to reduce the inequities that people of color face both in and out of our legal systems. Formerly a Trial Attorney with the CAFL Division of CPCS since 2016, Theresa was the first Co-Chair of the Child and Family Law Division Racial Justice Task Force with the Committee for Public Service Counsel Services for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.   In addition to representing indigent clients, Theresa worked on several Division-Wide initiatives in CAFL including training, supervision and diversity.

A litigator for more than 20 years, Theresa is an Assistant Attorney General with the Offices of the New York State Attorney General and formerly with the Commonwealth of Massachusetts handling mental health, civil rights, employment discrimination and other cases in State and Federal Courts. She began her legal career as a prosecutor with the New York City Law Department in 1998, where she worked with the New York City’s Mayoral Office to develop and implement an alternative to incarceration program for juveniles, entitled Weekend Court.  Theresa left the Division of the New York City Law Department handling major crimes, as the Attorney-in-Charge for the Richmond County Office. Theresa has been training in litigation skills and presenting on legal topics for more than 15 years on a local, state and national level.   She is responsible for the development and implementation of several training programs and/or curricula.  A former Adjunct Professor at Roxbury Community College and John Jay College of Criminal Justice, she teaches intermittently with the National Institute of Trial Advocacy.

Theresa volunteers with several bar associations and philanthropic organizations in varying capacities including: the Criminal Justice Section (CJS) Liaison on the American Bar Association (ABA) Commission on Racial and Ethnic Diversity in the Profession; the Co-Chair of the ABA CJS Racial Justice and Diversity Committee, member of the Board of Directors for the Massachusetts Women’s Bar Association, member of the Supreme Judicial Court Well-Being Committee DEI Recommendations – Courts, Public Agencies, and Legal Services Working Group, member of the Massachusetts Bar Association Diversity Equity Inclusion Committee, and member of the Massachusetts Black Lawyers Association Professional Development Committee.  Theresa is an adjunct professor at Roxbury Community College where she helps to lead their Restorative Justice Initiatives. Theresa is also a current Hearing Officer for the Board of Bar Overseers for the Supreme Judicial Court. She has received several professional awards and honors.

Bart Bailey is a highly trained certified executive, business and leadership coach.

He combines 25 years of corporate success with a keen knack for creating safe/brave spaces for meaningful dialogue and has an uncanny ability to ignite change for individuals, teams, and communities. 

He has utilized expertise in LEAN thinking to manage functions across a variety of industries including Engineering, Operations, Customer Service, Accounting, and Planning - and his commitment to empowering individuals to step fully into their passion and purpose is at the heart of his success. It is important to note Bart is a Six Seconds Certified EQ Practitioner

Bart is a longstanding JEDI practitioner and has led a plethora of race-related workshops, forums, and conferences related to racial equity and liberation for audiences across the globe. Bart also works with individuals and organizations around identity, power, and healing practices. 

As Chief Operating Officer for Courage to Care consultancy, he leverages Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion to improve employee engagement, foster belonging, and minimize othering in workplaces.

Bart serves as a Family Advisor council member for two healthcare institutions, Morgan Stanley’s Children’s Hospital of NYC and Lehigh Valley Reilly children’s Hospital. As well as a long-standing member of the Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH®) and a member of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity. 

Jennifer is an experienced leadership and well-being coach and trainer. For over 10 years, she has worked with individuals and organizations to strengthen inner leadership capacities and well-being using neuroscience, mindfulness and mind-body principles.  With a lifelong passion for justice, Jennifer worked for 10 years in indigent defense before coaching, first as a public defender and then as a consultant studying local and statewide systems.  As a coach and trainer, Jennifer is skilled at meeting people where they are and gently guiding them toward awareness of the thoughts, feelings and biases that implicitly arise from the brain-body-nervous system to inform them. She believes this work is critical - we cannot change that which we are not aware of, or cannot accept is there. Jennifer’s most important development in recent years has been through Somatic Abolitionism, an embodied anti-racism practice founded by Resmaa Menakem. She continues to practice regularly in a white-bodied triad. In addition, she has completed courses such as the Neuroscience of Change, Healing Collective Trauma, the Power of Presence, and Anti-Racism and Anti-Oppression. Jennifer holds several coaching certifications, including a professional certified coach (PCC) with the International Coaches Federation, and a certified neuro-transformational coach (CNTC) with BeAbove Leadership. She is also a member of the Humanitarian Coaching Network in which she coaches international humanitarian leaders. 

Helen Skirchak is a passionate advocate for human rights and equity, with a proven track record of fostering inclusivity in the legal field. Their work at the NYPD included developing DEI policies, training over 2000 members on respectful interactions with the LGBTQIA+ community, and advising the Metropolitan Police on gender inclusive policies.

Helen is transmasculine and a committed agent of social justice. Their commitment to action is driven by a profound understanding of the challenges faced by marginalized communities. With a Master's degree in Urban Policy and Leadership, Helen brings a strong foundation in policy analysis and development to their work. They are eager to share their knowledge and expertise to promote a more just and equitable legal system for all.

Helen's training style is engaging, informative, and impactful, providing participants with the tools and knowledge they need to create positive change within their organizations. This commitment is evident in their engaging and informative training style, designed to empower others to make a difference. They have extensive experience in developing and delivering trauma-informed training programs and are aware of many of the issues that LGBTQIA+ members face in the criminal justice system. As a skilled communicator and presenter, Helen excels at conveying complex information in an accessible and engaging way.

Helen firmly believes that their training and consulting work will help create a more equitable and inclusive legal system. They are excited to partner with organizations committed to making a difference. Committed to lifelong learning and professional development, Helen remains at the forefront of DEI best practices and legal advancements—currently, they are also pursuing a law degree to further deepen their understanding of the legal landscape.

Looking for DEI presentations for young people which focus on diversity and mental health awareness?  Speaker, Author,  and Entertainer Kennedy  uses her voice  to bring attention to social issues and bring information to those who need it by creating art.  She wants kids who suffer from anxiety to feel like it’s okay to be themselves.  Her presentations involve original books and music which help school age students understand DEI issues through engaging interactive entertaining presentations.  Kennedy wants the benefits of the Arts in helping to combat anxiety to be clear from the work that she does to help bring attention to these important issues.