Sergeant First Class Darcel C. Thomas was born in Harlem, NY and enlisted into the Army in August of 2002, as a 74C (Telecommunications Operator/Maintainer). She attended Basic Training at Fort Jackson, SC and Advanced Individual Training at Fort Gordon, GA.  In 2008, she enlisted into the AGR program as a 79R (Recruiter).

During her career, Sergeant First Class Thomas has served as a Company First Sergeant, Station Commander, Recruiter, Assistant COMSEC Custodian, COMSEC Clerk, and is currently assigned as an Instructor/Writer at the Recruiting and Retention College at Fort Knox, KY.

Sergeant First Class Thomas has been assigned to following units: 35th Signal Brigade at Fort Bragg, NC; New York City Recruiting Battalion, Flushing, Harlem, and Lincoln Station, NY; Baton Rouge Recruiting Battalion, McComb and Hattiesburg, MS; and New York City Recruiting Battalion, Washington Heights and Brooklyn, NY.

Sergeant First Class Thomas’ military and civilian education includes: Warrior Leader Course (Commandant’s List), Army Recruiter, Senior Leader Course (Leadership Essay Awardee),  Station Commander Course (Iron Soldier), Guidance Counselor/Operations Course (Iron Soldier), Common Faculty Development Program-Instructor Course, Sexual Harassment Assault Response Program Foundation Course and has completed her Associate of Arts in General Studies, a Bachelor of Science in Business Management from the University of Phoenix, and is enrolled in a Master’s of Science program, majoring in Organizational Development, at the University of Louisville.

Sergeant First Class Thomas was selected as the AGR NCO of the Year while assigned to the Baton Rouge Recruiting BN; NCO of the Quarter while assigned to the NYC Recruiting BN. Her other military awards and decorations include the Meritorious Unit Commendation, Army Superior Unit Award, MSM, ARCOM (4 OLC), JSAM AAM, GCM (4rd Award), NDSM, GWOTE, GWOTS, ICM-CS, OVSM, NCOPD (Num 3), ASR, RBG2S.

Jonathan Berry was appointed Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy in April 2018. In this role, Berry is responsible for the policy direction and operations of the agency as he works with other agency leaders to deliver on the Department's policy priorities and regulatory agenda. 

Berry previously served in the Office of Legal Policy at the U.S. Department of Justice. At DOJ, in addition to judicial nominations, Berry assisted with the work of the DOJ Regulatory Reform Task Force, including in the development of department-wide policies to harmonize DOJ's regulatory work with the rule of law. Prior to his service in the Federal government, Berry worked as a regulatory and appellate litigator at Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP and Jones Day. Berry also served as a law clerk to Judge Jerry Smith of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit and to Associate Justice Samuel A. Alito, Jr. of the Supreme Court of the United States.

Berry has a Bachelor of Arts (with distinction) in Philosophy from Yale University and has a Juris Doctor from Columbia University School of Law, where he was a Harlan Fiske Stone Scholar and won the E.B. Convers Prize for best original legal writing.

Janelle Duray has over fifteen years of experience in education and workforce development consulting and nonprofit management. She serves as the Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Jobs for America’s Graduates, a national nonprofit that has served 1.5 million youth since its inception 40+ years ago, and currently serves 75,000 youth across 1,500 communities. In her role, Janelle oversees JAG’s internal and external efforts and collaborates with national and state public and private sector leaders, to provide critical services to youth and young adults through the JAG programming.

Janelle has served many roles at JAG since 2012. In January of 2020, she was named Executive Vice President and subsequently led the organization through the COVID-19 pandemic making critical investments in technology, student engagement programming, Federal procurement infrastructure, and overall organizational development for the JAG National Office and its national network made of up 39 State Affiliates. Her leadership throughout the pandemic led the Board of Directors to adopt JAG’s Youth Opportunity and Outcomes 2024 Strategic Goals – the most ambitious goals in JAG’s history.

Prior to her commitment to JAG, Janelle has consulted with leading Fortune 500 companies and national nonprofits, including ADM, HCA, United Way Worldwide, the AARP Foundation, the National Urban League, and more, to grow their fund development, external affairs efforts, and overall strategy.

Janelle received her Masters of Arts in Public Administration from George Mason University’s Schar School of Policy and Government and her Bachelors of Arts in Global Studies from the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities.

Throughout her post-secondary education, Janelle held positions at the Association of American Law Schools and former Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty’s office.

Outside of JAG, Janelle enjoys traveling, concerts, good wine, musing about the cosmos, and her first passion, playing piano.

Cheryl Vincent serves as Staff Director of the Subcommittee on Worker and Family Support for the Committee on Ways and Means (Republicans). The subcommittee oversees several federal programs including unemployment insurance, child welfare, child support, and child care. She also leads the Committee’s work on paid family leave.

Cheryl was previously a policy advisor on child care and paid family leave at the White House Office of Economic Initiatives, and senior advisor for legislative affairs at the Administration for Children and Families in the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

Prior to that, she worked as professional staff on the Ways and Means Committee leading efforts to reform the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program. She also has state experience, having worked in her home state of Ohio as deputy director in the Office of Human Services Innovation under former Governor John Kasich. Vincent began her career at HHS working for more than a decade on programs to support working families.

Cheryl received her Bachelor’s from Michigan State University and a Master’s degree from the Harris School of Public Policy at the University of Chicago.

Mari Ryan, CEO and founder of AdvancingWellness, is an expert in workplace well-being. She leverages over 30 years of business experience in a variety of industries. For the past decade, Ms. Ryan has been creating thriving workplaces, through her consulting work and speaking on worksite well-being. Mari earned a Bachelor Degree from Lesley University, an MBA from Boston University, a Master’s degree in Health Promotion from Nebraska Methodist College.  Mari is an active member of the National Speakers Association. Mari is the author of award-winning book The Thriving Hive: How People-Centric Organizations Ignite Engagement and Fuel Results.