Meet The board of directors
Executive Director, Founder
doug hodges
Graduated City University Business School, London, England, in 1980. Established a floor brokerage operation on the New York Commodities Exchange in 1983. Launched his own successful trading career 1986. Retired 1999. Mentored children 1997 – 2010 through Big Brothers Big Sisters.
Board Treasurer
lanita wimberly
Graduate of NC School of Science & Math and UNC-Chapel Hill (Speech Communications). Spent 20+ years in IT before transitioning to education. Taught middle school math & robotics for 6 years, served as Restorative Practice Coordinator, and currently a School Treasurer in DPS.
Board Member
James beatty
Native Chicagoan now residing in Omaha, Nebraska with wife and family. Has served on several boards locally and nationally including the National YMCA. Founder and President of NCS International and Jim Beatty Golf Ventures. Also is the founder of the African American Golf EXPO and Forum and is the Executive Editor of The African American Golfer’s Digest.
Board Member
Terrance covington
The principal of Neal Middle School, previously served as the seventh grade assistant principal. Has worked as a school counselor, community support worker, and youth services behavioral specialist. Holds multiple Master of Arts degrees from North Carolina Central University and has experience in the juvenile justice and adolescent mental health systems.
Board Member
tequila kearney
Tequila Kearney is a Durham native that hails from Henderson, NC. Graduate of the Art Institute Raleigh Durham with an Associates degree in Fashion and Retail Merchandising. Continued education with a certification in Exercising Leadership from the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University.
Board Member
Cory Williams
Graduated from North Carolina Central University (NCCU) in 2018 with a major in Physical Education. After serving as an intern with SwingPals for the 2018-19 academic year, became a full-time Community Liaison/Golf Mindfulness Coach for the next four years.
Board President
Lanny D. Ealey
Raised in Fayetteville, North Carolina. Graduated North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, BS in Business Management. Member of Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity. Twenty plus years of healthcare industry experience. Manager of Commercial Pharmacy Benefit Operations at Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina.
Board Secretary
jan doyle
Graduated East Carolina University, BS in Business Education. Co-owner of MJD Company, LLC, property management company. Past employment: NC Division of Veterans Affairs, Occidental Life Insurance Company, and Flexible Computer Corporation.
Board Member
dr. billy mims
Earned an Ed.D in Education Leadership and a MS degree in Administration and Supervision from Nova Southeastern University. Graduated from North Carolina Agricultural & Technology State University with a BS in Health & Physical Education.
Board Member
neil harrington
Neil is a graduate of the University of Mississippi and Duke University. He serves as the Research Director at NC Child, a statewide nonprofit advocacy organization that aims to improve the lives of all NC children. Previously, he worked at the NC Department of Commerce and in research and public relations consulting.
Board Member
donna kimball
Graduated from Francis Marion University (Early Childhood & Elementary Education) and earned a Master’s in Educational Administration from the University of South Carolina. She has taught various grades, worked as a Curriculum Coordinator, Assistant Principal, and award-winning Principal.
Student Board Member
Emily magen
Emily graduated from Davidson College in 2020 with a BA in Educational Studies. She taught Spanish at a high school in Charlotte until 2022. Now a graduate student at Duke, she is pursuing a Master of Public Policy and a Master of Divinity. Emily is grateful to join the SwingPals team as a student board member.