Meet The Team
T-Kea Blackman, MPS, CPRS, RPS
Executive Director/Co-Founder
T-Kea Blackman, MPS, CPRS, RPS
Executive Director/Co-Founder
T-Kea Blackman, MPS, CPRS, RPS, is a nationally recognized and multi-award-winning peer recovery specialist, social entrepreneur, speaker, and author who serves as the co-founder and executive director of Black People Die By Suicide Too. A dedicated mental health educator, T-Kea is a certified instructor in Mental Health First Aid (youth and adult), Wellness Recovery Action Plan (WRAP), and Whole Health Action Management (WHAM). She was also among the first cohort in Maryland trained as an Ally and CARE Instructor for The Trevor Project, equipping individuals with the tools to support LGBTQ+ youth mental health.As a suicide attempt survivor, she has turned her lived experience into a powerful force for change, inspiring hope and breaking the stigma surrounding mental health. She is the founder of the Mental Health Empowerment Agency, a consulting firm dedicated to strengthening organizational and community wellness through transformative training, workshops, and strategic communications.In the fall, T-Kea will embark on her PhD journey at the University of Maryland College Park, where she will focus her research on Black suicide prevention to influence policy and funding for mental health equity. Her work is not only about awareness but about action; driving systemic change while empowering individuals on their healing journey.
Destiny English
Executive/Administrative Assistant
Destiny English
Executive/Administrative Assistant
Destiny (she/her) supports our executive director with expert management of administrative tasks and ensuring smooth organizational operations. She is also a mental health advocate trained in Mental Health First Aid, a QPR Instructor, artist, and peer support specialist.
Jorden Anderson, GPC
Development Specialist/Grant Writer
Jorden Anderson, GPC
Development Specialist/Grant Writer
Jorden Anderson, GPC, is the Founder and President of Jorden Anderson Consulting, a national grant writing and consulting firm launched in Arizona in 2020 and now based in Texas. Committed to supporting nonprofits with limited budgets and small teams, she has guided organizations across the U.S. to secure more than $30 million in competitive grant funding. Her firm offers end-to-end service, from grant strategy and opportunity research to persuasive proposals and post-award support, designed to foster long-term sustainability and impact.A queer, first-generation founder, Jorden brings a powerful blend of personal insight and academic rigor. She earned a bachelor’s in Social Work, dual master’s degrees in Social Work and Public Administration, and a Certificate in LGBTQIA+ Studies, all from Arizona State University, and also holds a Certificate in Human Services Management from the Network for Social Work Management.Jorden has been professionally mentored by Dr. Bev Browning, a prolific author and nationally respected grant writing expert who has published nearly 48 grant-related works, including seven editions of Grant Writing For Dummies. Jorden is also among fewer than 50 professionals in Texas—and just 634 nationwide—to hold the Grant Professional Certified (GPC) credential, a distinction that recognizes her nationally respected expertise.Through her work, Jorden empowers nonprofits to overcome funding unpredictability and focus on what matters most: delivering meaningful impact in the communities they serve.
Marline D. Edmond, M.A., MCHES ©
Marketing & Communications Manager
Marline D. Edmond, M.A., MCHES ©
Marketing & Communications Manager
Marline D. Edmond is a first-generation Haitian- American Health Communication Strategist with twenty combined years of expertise in government, health tech,
and higher education. Marline is an emerging doctoral candidate at Howard University Cathy Hughes School of Communications
(CHSOC) Communication, Culture, and Media (CCMS) program focusing on Health Communication. As a critical cultural health communication scholar, Marline explores
the interdisciplinary of race, culture, public health, policy, digital humanities, and technology. Her research interests
include Haiti, black maternal health, social media, and mobile health (mHealth) apps.
In 2023, she founded Plug Communications, LLC, developing culturally competent health
communication strategies in “Plain Language U Get” to promote equitable health information for people of the African diaspora.
Jasmin Pierre
Peer Support/Recovery Manager
Jasmin Pierre
Peer Support/Recovery Manager
Jasmin Pierre (she/her) serves as the Peer Support/Recovery Manager and Chair of the Peer Recovery Committee and will co-lead BPDBST’s peer programming and initiatives. She is a passionate mental health advocate, peer support specialist, and creator of The Safe Place app.
