Board of Directors

We are a team of committed and passionate volunteers with a wide range of skills and experience. We love what we do, and we do it with passion.

Heddy Keith, M. Ed, CI, President and CEO

Her experience working with trauma is through using expressive writing workshops throughout Milwaukee at local churches and veterans centers. Heddy is also a certified Peer Specialist. She enjoys writing and gardening and loves growing flowers and vegetables in her garden.

Heddy is the founder of CLAWW. She has worked with veterans suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) since 2011, helping them write about their thoughts and feelings concerning their trauma. She is a published author of two trauma-related books, her memoir, and a trauma recovery journal. She experienced childhood trauma, which she shares in her memoir, Through It All: A Memoir of Love and Loss. Heddy is a retired Milwaukee Public Schools Language Arts and Social Studies teacher.

Shana Brown

Shana, a Growth and Community Engagement Specialist at Molina Healthcare of WI for Milwaukee County, is deeply committed to her hometown’s well-being. Starting as a volunteer educating youth about HIV/AIDS, she has spent 15 years in outreach roles, advocating for sexual health wellness. Shana played a key role in the 2019-2021 Statewide Action Planning Group for Wisconsin’s AIDS/HIV Program. She studied Human Services at Milwaukee Area Technical College and Barry University and is pursuing a Master’s in Community Engagement and Education at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Shana actively builds community connections to provide access and resources, promoting health equity. In her free time, she enjoys baking, writing, and crafting with her two children.

Zelda Okia, MD, Life Coach

Dr. Zelda Okia is a retired forensic pathologist who transitioned from death into life in January 2020. Before this, she worked as a medical examiner in the Waukesha County Medical Examiner’s Office, viewing traumatic and non-traumatic deaths.

In many non-traumatic (natural) deaths, although no physical trauma may have been noticeable outwardly, the effects of long-standing chronic stressors, including heart disease, depression and anxiety, diabetes, and obesity, were evident. Dr. Okia spent the last ten years examining results people created within their bodies that caused their deaths. She studied these results while they were on her autopsy table, but it was too late for them to make any changes.  Now, she examines the effects that people create in their lives. She and her coaching clients look at their results and determine if they are serving them.  The great thing now is that she has an incredible opportunity to help them change those results if they want to create something extraordinary.

Tim Klingman, Attorney, Treasurer

Tim brings legal and real estate backgrounds to the board of CLAWW.  A 1996 graduate of the University of Wisconsin Law School, his legal practice focused on equal employment opportunity in the workplace, concentrating on racial discrimination and sexual harassment of employees.  He combined his legal work with real estate investing and brokering, and in 2011, he segued fully into his role as president of a real estate firm that he co-founded a few years prior.  He cares greatly about CLAWW’s important mission and is excited to be involved with such credentialed and caring individuals.

Lucille Bennett, BS

Lucille received her Bachelor of Science in Community Education from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee after completing an associate’s degree in urban education and planning from Milwaukee Area Technical College (MATC). As a teacher’s assistant, she taught Adult GED classes at MATC. Lucille received training in Restorative Justice and peacemaking circles, including accountability circles. She shared her knowledge in the community at schools and organizations.

She was the regional director of No Child Left Behind for the Mainstream program. She is a K-8th grade Intervention teacher at the Academy of Excellence in Milwaukee, teaching middle school literature and history.

Lucille loves gospel music, singing, and reading her favorite Bible book. Whenever she finds time, she likes to paint and loves helping people with their problems. Lucille is a great community resource for matching people with those who can help. She loves learning about social-emotional learning. She is a mother and great-grandmother.

LeAnn Minor, Peer Support Specialist

LeAnn Minor is a seasoned professional with thirty-five years of experience in the customer service industry. Armed with a double BA in Business Administration and Communications, she has honed her skills in leadership, communication, and critical thinking. LeAnn’s journey has been marked by growth experiences that have cultivated resilience and mental stability, empowering her to overcome life’s struggles.

In her interactions, LeAnn prioritizes relationship building, emphasizing the importance of repairing and improving the relationship with oneself. Her MA in Organizational Management delved into the human side of managing organizations, equipping her with insights into communication, group behavior, and ethical decision-making.

With a people-oriented and conscientious approach, LeAnn believes in the interconnectedness of humanity. She actively listens, employs positive language, and demonstrates empathy in all her interactions. Drawing from her life lessons and holistic learning, LeAnn provides emotional support to help others rise above their challenges.

LeAnn Minor’s mission is to empower individuals to become stronger leaders.

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