National Consumer Advisory Board (NCAB) Steering Committee
The NCAB Steering Committee is responsible for organizing HCH consumers to have a voice in national issues involving the health care of people experiencing homelessness. To accomplish this work, the committee meets monthly by Zoom and twice annually in person.
To contact NCAB’s leaders, please email ncab@nhchc.org.
Valarie Dowell, BA, CHW, CDCAII, PRS
Chair
Valarie is a strong advocate, activist, and frontline worker for the most despaired, homeless, vulnerable, and special population of people over 25 years. She advocates throughout the United States for human rights, healthcare rights, policy changes, quality healthcare and housing for individuals experiencing homelessness and returning home citizens from prison or jails. She knows firsthand based on her personal experiences with addiction, homelessness, incarceration, and mental health.
Valarie’s driving determination for self-improvement led her to be the first individual while serving on the National Consumer Advisory Board to become a Certified Community Health Worker. Building on this achievement, she continued her educational advancement by earning her B.A. in Health and Human Services and Chemical Dependency Counselor Assistant II and Peer Recovery Specialist. With these achievements, she became a strong force on both sides of the fight for the underserved and underprivileged population. Valarie ascribes to the “Boots on the Ground” approach to advocacy and derives great joy from being on the frontline. This in turn has led Valarie to build an extensive knowledge base through an array of experiences.
Valarie Dowell has worked for Drop Inn Center, Hamilton County Office of Reentry, City of Cincinnati-CIRV Program (Gun Violence Prevention/Intervention) and Greater Cincinnati Urban League and more importantly Cincinnati Health Network (Healthcare for the Homeless Program) and Cincinnati Street Medicine.
Her efforts received national recognition in April 2013 when she was presented with The MLK Volunteer Award/Community Service Award signed by then President Barack Obama. On May 19, 2022, Valarie received national recognition at the National Healthcare for the Homeless Council Conference for the Ellen Dailey Consumer Advocate Award by the National Consumer Advisory Board.
Presently she serves on the University of Cincinnati (HIV/AIDS) Research Board, The National Healthcare for The Homeless Council Research Committee, Strategies to End Homelessness (Lived Experience Board), National Coalition of Homelessness (Board Member), University of Cincinnati Community Research Advisory Board and Peer Reviewer for the Department of Justice.
Valarie loves to meet people where they are on their journey and walk side by side to connect individuals to the right resources. Valarie enjoys spending time with her 10 grandchildren, listening to smooth jazz, dancing, planting flowers and taking walks with Mister (Shih Tuz).
Valarie’s motto is “Boots on the Ground and Sending People Through the Right Doors.”
Deidre Young
Immediate Past Chair
I am a Houston-based advocate whose life and work are rooted in resilience, compassion, and community empowerment. With lived experience of homelessness and a lifelong journey through mental health challenges, I have transformed personal adversity into a platform for advocacy and healing.
After securing stable housing, I committed myself to giving back to the very community that uplifted me. I have spent over a decade volunteering with the National Health Care for the Homeless Council’s National Consumer Advisory Board, and have served more than 14 years with the Change Committee of Healthcare for the Homeless Houston Clinic. My work also includes collaboration with the Coalition for the Homeless in Houston, where I continue to amplify the voices of those often left unheard.
I am an advocate for individuals with mental health disabilities and a proud supporter of the LGBTQ+ community. My advocacy is grounded in lived experience, empathy, and a belief in the power of storytelling to drive systemic change.
My philosophy is simple yet profound: Live one day at a time and make the best out of each moment. Through leadership, service, and unwavering dedication, I am working with others to help to reshape the narrative around homelessness, mental health, and fairness.
Richard Glen Johnson, Jr.
Co-chair
David Peery
Co-chair
David Peery is the Founder and Executive Director of the Florida Coalition to Advance Racial Equity, a statewide organization with a mission of advancing racial justice, ending homelessness and protecting voting rights. David brings to NCAB both lived experience of homelessness and a long record of legal advocacy, having served as lead plaintiff in the landmark Pottinger v. City of Miami consent decree, which established protections for unhoused people against criminalization in Miami.
David previously served NCAB as a Regional Representative and Co-chair before being elected to his current term as Co-chair of the Steering Committee. He is Chair Emeritus of the Camillus Health Concern Consumer Advisory Board and serves on the Board of Directors of “Invisible People,” the nation’s most influential website presenting the perspective of people with lived experience of homelessness. David is committed to ensuring that people with lived experience of homelessness have a direct voice in shaping the policies and systems meant to serve them, and he continues to organize at the intersection of homelessness, racial equity, and community health both in Florida and nationally.
Amy Grassette
Peer Advocate
Charlotte A. Garner
Member-at-Large (3-year)
Charlotte A. Garner is a formerly homeless individual who is dedicated to using her lived experience in the arena of advocacy on behalf of those who suffer from the plight of homelessness. She arrived in Houston in December 2006 with 32 cents in her pocket and the clothes on her back. Upon being referred to Healthcare for the Homeless-Houston, she received total comprehensive care. Charlotte credits HHH with facilitating her entire journey of restoration to achievements she had only vaguely thought could be ascertained.
Charlotte has been a part of her local cab for 12 years and serves as its chair for the last 5 of those years. She has maintained continuous participation during the covid19 pandemic in voter’s registration drives, patient satisfaction surveys and virtual fund raisers. This staunch passion transcended her local HHH and led her to join NHCHC.
She is a member of the Research Committee and participated in webinars, the mobilizer and project for a doctorate student all surrounding the issue of racial equity in healthcare. Ever willing to be a voice for the voiceless, she has volunteered to be a part of the process to facilitate the development of the newly established Advocacy Committee.
Her personal development has led her to expand her education earning an A.A. in Human Service Technology and a B.S. in Psychology. She is in her final semester for her Masters in Nonprofit Management with a projected graduation date of May 15, 2021. Charlotte willingly uses all her talents for the cause including her poetic prowess. Her favorite declaration is, “Thanks for the opportunity to serve.”
Warren Magee
Member-at-Large (2-year)
Warren Magee has been a member of Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program (BHCHP) Consumer Advisory Board since 2014. He is also an active member of the program’s Quality and Efficiency Committee, an internal working group focused on assuring the highest quality care for all patients. Born and raised in Boston, Warren has a long history of giving voice to the voiceless.
He was born with cerebral palsy and also suffered a significant spinal cord injury in his 20s. When he unexpectedly lost his housing, he began confronting the intersecting challenges associated with being both disabled and homeless. After suffering a stroke in a local shelter, Warren received medical respite care at BHCHP’s Barbara McInnis House.
He has dedicated the past 15 years to advocating for the needs and rights of both people experiencing homelessness and those with disabilities. He has served with the Massachusetts State Rehabilitation Council, appointed by former Governors Mitt Romney and Deval Patrick, and chaired its Unserved/Underserved Population Committee.
He has spent over a decade advocating for funding for programs in the Commonwealth that support and protect people with disabilities. In addition to his advocacy efforts, Warren is passionate about web design and graphic arts, and has over twenty years of experience with computers.
Benita Blaine
Member-at-Large (1-year)
Kacia Wilkinson
Regional Representative 1 & 2
Kacia Wilkinson is a dedicated consumer advocate and community leader in Boston who uses her lived experience to advance equitable health care, housing access, and patient-centered services. Through her work with Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program (BHCHP), she supports housing connections, raises awareness of new programs and resources, and helps ensure that the voices of individuals with lived experience are represented in policy and program development.
Kacia currently serves on the Consumer Advisory Board at BHCHP and chairs its Consumer Advisory Board Subcommittee. She is also an active member of the Medical Respite Leadership Group at BHCHP, the Patient and Family Advisory Committee at Boston Medical Center, the Equity in Health Care Committee at Boston Accountable Care Organization, and the HIV Street Medicine Initiative Advisory Panel with the Health Resources and Services Administration HIV/AIDS Bureau.
A sought-after speaker and advocate, Kacia has presented at national conferences, including the National Health Care for the Homeless Conference and the Housing First Partners Conference, where she shares insights on peer leadership, housing justice, and the value of lived expertise in improving systems of care. Her advocacy has also been featured by BHCHP’s Street Team, Fox 25, and The New York Times.
In her spare time, Kacia cares for her geriatric cat, Stella.
Tina Hayes
Regional Representative 3 & 4
I am an advocate for unhoused and low-income individuals living with mental illness and physical disabilities. This passion began in my youth and was shaped by the life lessons and support provided by my parents. Over time, my commitment and skills have been strengthened through active involvement in my community, where I provide guidance and support to those that are less fortunate.
The impact of my work has been recognized by many, and I remain dedicated to paving the way for others to engage in advocacy. I am currently an active member of the CAC at Mercy Care Clinics in Atlanta, Georgia, serving as a chair member, where I bring leadership, knowledge, and lived experience with homelessness to my role. I currently serve on the NCAB Steering Committee as the Regional Representative for regions 3 & 4, and I look forward to connecting and engaging with you.
Loren Taylor
Regional Representative 5 & 7
As a civic journalist, organizer, and self-described “artivist,” Loren Taylor closely connects his advocacy and creative pursuits. Activism and advocacy are part of his DNA. Loren’s parents were actively involved in the civil rights movement and organized in support of independent political candidates. He followed in their footsteps by joining Artists for a Free South Africa, an anti-apartheid group that later became a driving force in the campaign of Harold Washington, Chicago’s first Black mayor.
After spending more than two decades in Europe as an international recording artist, Loren returned to the Chicago area in the mid-1990s and immersed himself in housing justice organizing. He became a central participant in the “Home Liberation” movement that grew out of Occupy Chicago and related anti-eviction campaigns. The movement reclaimed abandoned and disused properties under the slogan, “Putting homeless people in people-less homes.” During the COVID-19 pandemic, Loren became involved in a “people power” approach to public health through the People’s Response Network. He helped organize community efforts, including free vaccination events and public awareness campaigns.
Through more than 15 years of work grounded in the human right to adequate housing, Loren has used narrative, performance, organizing, and public engagement as powerful advocacy tools. His work operates at the intersection of houselessness and health. Loren has served on the Connections for the Homeless Advisory Board and the Supportive Housing Providers Association Peer Leadership Committee. Through these and related roles, he has advocated for medical respite and lobbied and testified before state and local elected officials. Most recently, he has worked with the Chicago Extreme Weather Planning Coalition and the Buffett Institute Defusing Disasters Policy Working Group to encourage the City of Chicago to strengthen its responses to extreme weather.
Loren describes his selection to serve on the NCAB Steering Committee as an honor and an opportunity to elevate his advocacy to the national level while broadening the impact of this much-needed work.
Myra Nagy
Regional Representative 6 & 8
I am an older Black woman. I have gone through homelessness, managed loss/grief, suffered trauma as a result and I’m recovering from substance misuse and behavioral health conditions. As an artist, I am maneuvering through these struggles with counseling and creative therapies. I think doing things for others is more therapeutic than taking the medicine that keeps me sleepy, so I keep myself busy. For example, I make art and textile items that I sometimes sell. I volunteer at a day shelter to teach sewing as a way of doing service for others.
I have volunteered my lived experiences to advocate for those voices unheard. I sit on several boards, meetings, and panels. I have been working as a peer in several capacities. I care about people who are going through similar struggles and want to help in any way that I can. I strive to show people of all colors, ages, experiences and struggles that it is possible to move forward in life. Sharing my experiences may help people more than keeping it all bottled up to fester inside.
Mamie Gathard
Regional Representative 9 & 10
I'm a person with a disability who loves to help people out in my community and make sure their voices are heard and not left out. I love to hang out with people, listen to their stories and let them know there are still nice people around.
Vacant Positions
- Steering Committee Mentors
Regions for Regional Representatives
