Dr. Robert L. Kirton serves as the President/Chief Executive Officer/Founder of BADD. He is the Execu­tive Director, architect and one of the original founders of the nationally acclaimed Richland One Middle College (ROMC). Additionally, he serves as the Executive Director for Career and Technol­ogy Education (CATE) for Richland County School District One as well as an adjunct pro­fessor at South Carolina State University. He is also a working member of several state and national educational associations. Kirton is the proud product of low-income public housing and was reared in a single female-headed household. He never had a meaningful relationship with his deceased father, and can only recall seeing his father once at the age of thirteen. While in high school he did, as many of our young men do today, just enough to get by in his classes. Not being challenged to be different and to make a difference, he placed strong credence during those years in the negative thoughts and actions of his so called friends. His guidance counselors steered him away from college and insisted his only pathway to success was through building construction.

Little do they know, they were only partially right. During his last year of high school he became a teen parent and shortly afterwards a single parent when his son’s mother left him with the responsibility of raising Robert Jr. Kirton credits his deceased mother for providing him with a strong sense of character, love and a positive at­titude which helped him tremendously in rearing his son. On December 16, 1999 both Kirton and his son graduated from South Carolina State University during the same ceremony; Kirton with his doctoral degree in Educational Leadership and his son with a degree in Computer Science.

Mr. Jesse C. Outen, M.Ed, serves as the Senior Vice President/Chief Operations Officer of BADD. He is currently an Education Associate with the South Carolina Department of Education in the Office of Youth Services working to imple­ment supplemental educational programs into schools such as after school programs, mentor­ing initiatives, and summer academies.

Mr. Outen is currently working to spearhead the state initiative for Black male achievement through research and development and introducing best practices and professional development for statewide schools and their partners. He has been a champion for education reform for over ten years having served as a member of numerous organizations as an advocate for Black males.

Eric L. Brown serves as the Executive Vice President/Chief Academic Officer of BADD. He holds a Master’s Degree in Elementary Education, a Specialist Degree in Educational Administration, and is currently pursuing his Doctorate of Education from South Carolina State University. Having taught at all levels, Mr. Brown is currently the Principal at the award winning Killian Elemen­tary School located in Richland School District Two. While serving as Principal of Killian Elementary, the school has received the State Department of Education Red Carpet Award, the Palmetto Silver Award, and was a finalist for the Palmetto’s Finest Award.

Mr. Brown is a member of the South Carolina Association of School Administrators, the South Carolina Al­liance of Black School Educators, the National Association of Elementary School Principals, the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, and the National Education Association. He is a renowned author having published two books on Black male achievement and is a national speaker and philan­thropist.