PRESIDENT

Deuene Hickman is the president and founder of Quality of Life, Inc. He began his journey of mentoring, coaching, and empowering youth more than 20 years ago and has yet to look back. With a deep-rooted passion in helping at-risk youth and their families, Hickman parlayed his business savvy and organizational skills to create Quality of Life Inc. Deuene is a visionary leader, mentor, and advocate for underserved communities, dedicated to breaking negative cycles and expanding access to mental health and wellness resources.

As a Qualified Mental Health Professional and Anger Management Specialist, Hickman works directly with at-risk youth, justice-involved individuals, and communities impacted by violence. His approach integrates trauma-informed care, mentorship, and conflict resolution, with a focus on early intervention, emotional regulation, and community-based healing.

What excites Mr. Hickman most is witnessing real transformation—a young person securing their first job, a family finding healing through therapy, or a community coming together in support.

BOARD MEMBER

Lauren brings a wealth of experience in fundraising, community philanthropy, and leadership to Quality of Life Inc., helping expand our reach through event planning, donor relations, and sponsorship building. With over 15 years of experience in leadership and operations, she has a proven track record of developing teams, driving results, and making a lasting impact in both retail and nonprofit sectors.

Lauren is passionate about helping people unlock their potential—whether it's coaching professionals to excel in their careers or building strong, lasting relationships within the community. She thrives in roles where she can bridge the gap between fieldwork and strategy, ensuring that every initiative aligns with long-term success and impact.

At Quality of Life Inc., Lauren’s expertise and passion for people fuel her mission to strengthen relationships, build sustainable funding, and create opportunities for youth and families to thrive.

BOARD MEMBER

Hannah Barber is a dynamic leader with a passion for diversity, equity, and inclusion, bringing a wealth of experience in people management, data analysis, and cross-functional leadership. A graduate of the College of William and Mary with a Master’s in Business Administration, Hannah is dedicated to using numbers to tell powerful stories that drive meaningful change.

With a strong background in training and development, customer communication, and data-driven decision-making, Hannah excels at creating inclusive spaces where individuals and teams can thrive. As a resilient and empathetic leader, Hannah believes in authentic and candid development—helping others not only grow professionally but also live and work in justice and joy.

At Quality of Life Inc., Hannah is committed to innovating through equity-focused strategies, ensuring that every individual, regardless of background, has access to the resources, support, and opportunities they need to succeed.

BOARD MEMBER

Tiffany Wilson is an experienced outreach coordinator with over 10 years of experience developing and implementing successful outreach strategies that increase visibility and engagement for organizations. With a passion for community engagement and social impact, Tiffany is fully committed to working collaboratively with stakeholders to promote the mission and goals of Quality of Life, Inc. She is excited about making positive changes in the community and using her expertise to help improve the lives of those around her.

BOARD MEMBER

Habi Abu-Bakr, born and raised in Ghana, West Africa, brings a wealth of financial knowledge and literacy to Quality of Life Inc. Habi, was a Director with World Financial Group for several years before venturing off into her own financial practices. As a Director, Habi educates families on financial concepts and help them get on a better path to Financial Independence. Habi has brought many of those learned concepts and best practices to Quality of Life Inc. to help ensure the mission and the vision are upheld.

BOARD MEMBER

Adam Hinds is a retired Navy Chief Operations Specialist with extensive experience in nonprofit management and community leadership. Originally from Pleasant View, Tennessee, he holds a Master of Arts in Christian Practice and Conflict Management from Lipscomb University and a Bachelor of Science in International Relations from Middle Tennessee State University.

With a strong commitment to nonprofit service, Adam has worked with organizations such as the Center for Nonprofit Management in Nashville, Tennessee, Scouting America in St. Louis, Missouri, and Interfaith Ministries for Greater Houston. He currently works as a contractor for the Department of Defense.

Beyond his professional career, Adam is deeply involved in community-based civic and fraternal organizations. Aside from being a board member for Quality of Life, he is a District Committee Member for the Old Dominion District of the Colonial Virginia Council, Boy Scouts of America, and a member of the U. S. Coast Guard Auxiliary. In addition to these commitments, he serves as a volunteer firefighter and is involved in Disabled American Veterans, The Theosophical Society, the American Legion, Rotary, Veterans of Foreign Wars, and the Elk's Lodge. 

BOARD CHAIR

Danita has fourteen years legislative and administrative experience with a wealth of knowledge in government affairs. She served ten years as Council President for the Village of Highland Hills, Ohio and prior to being elected to Council she served for two years as Clerk/Administrator for Council. She has served as president and an executive board member for the Northeast Ohio City Council Association (NOCCA) facilitating, collaborating, communicating, developing solutions to common problems/concerns, exchanging ideas, gathering information, and developing educational forums for cities and villages. She also served on several steering committees at the National League of Cities (NLC). Danita is also an experienced graphic production artist, with management responsibilities and has several years’ experience managing properties and more than 25 years’ experience creating layouts and designs as a freelance graphic designer.

BOARD VICE CHAIR

Jill Clarke was born and raised in Norfolk, Virginia.  As a native she graduated from Norfolk State University in Interdisciplinary Studies and currently holds a Masters in Entrepreneurial Management from Stratford University.  As a Senior Director of Cybersecurity, Mrs. Clarke brings over 20 years of strategy, operations, and management to Quality of Life. She has successfully led and managed multiple million portfolios for the Department of Defense and commercial clients.  Taking those same skills, Mrs. Clarke has thousands of passion project hours pouring into the community.  Her love and zeal for helping others is what led her to QLI. Mrs. Clarke serves as the Board Chair helping to continue to push and promote the needed strategy, growth and development of organization