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OUR TEAM

Chelsea Gulden, MSW
President & CEO
SHE/HER

Chelsea Gulden is a longtime HIV advocate, service provider and inspiring national speaker. She joined the RAIN staff in 2010 after creating and implementing the first comprehensive program serving HIV-positive youth in North Carolina, Empowering Positive Youth (EPY). EPY regularly receives national attention for its peer leadership model. The program has served over 1,000 positive youth through individual case management and support groups.  
 
Gulden began working in the HIV service sector shortly after her own diagnosis. She is an expert in HIV service delivery, programming and prevention. She brings 15 years of experience in coordinating programs for optimal health.  
 
Recently, Gulden spoke at the national virtual Ryan White conference and was a co-presenter on Intersectional Stigma and HIV for the National Institute of Health. She is currently Co-Chair of the Ryan White HIV Planning Body for Anson, Cabarrus, Gaston, Mecklenburg, Union, and York Counties.  
 
She is a presenter at national conferences, college campuses and a frequent guest on radio/television broadcasts. In 2006, she was a panelist on the Oprah Winfrey Show. Gulden has conducted prevention work in Ghana Africa and participated in the U.S. Executive Summary Report advocating for Comprehensive Sexual Education in schools.   
 
Gulden has received numerous honors including features in POZ Magazine and HIV Plus.  
 
She holds a Masters of Social Work from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. Her research focused on the intersection of intimate partner violence and HIV. She has additional training in trauma-informed care. 

Darlena Blackwell, MA, M.Ed
Director of Client Relations
SHE/HER

Joyce Brooks, MHA
Grant & Donor Relations Manager
SHE/HER

Jazmin Cedeno
Senior Benefits Manager
SHE/HER

Devin Cokley
HIP Program Manager
HE/HIM

Da'Ron Davis-Henderson
EPY Peer Navigator
HE/HIM

Kevin Garcia-Sanchez
Trilingual HIP Peer Support Specialist
HE/HIM

John Gray
HIP Safe Space Coordinator
HE/HIM

Jay Hayes, LCMHC
Bilingual Mental Health Therapist
HE/HIM

Keisha Holmes
Property Manager
SHE/HER

Savannah Lawing, MPH
Development Specialist
SHE/HER

Laurita Lezama
Bilingual Medical Case Manager
SHE/HER

Beverly Mitzel, M.Ed
Benefits Manager
SHE/HER

Maria Jose Mulgado
Data & Quality Specialist
SHE/HER

Jacki O'Dierno, MA
Director of Administration
SHE/HER

Deion Pendleton
HIP Lead Coordinator
HE/HIM

Charles Perez
Bilingual Peer Retention Specialist
HE/HIM

Valetta Rhinehart,
MA, LMFT

Mental Health Therapist
SHE/HER

Ronald "RJ" Sharrow
Retention Specialist
HE/HIM

Stephanie Sherard
Investigation Specialist
SHE/HER

Jarmel Smith
Director of Outreach
HE/HIM

Nathan B. Smith
Vice President, Philanthropy
HE/HIM

Laurenzo Surrell-Page
EPY Peer Navigator
HE/HIM

Anthony Tate
Peer Outreach Specialist
THEY/THEM

Demetrice Whiteside
Medical Case Manager
HE/HIM

Paris Wiley
Retention Specialist
SHE/HER

Sarah Yum, MA, LMFT
Mental Health Therapist
SHE/HER

Leadership Team

Chelsea Gulden, MSW
President & CEO

Darlena Blackwell, MA, M.Ed 
Director of Client Relations

Jacki O'Dierno, MA 
Director of Administration

Jarmel Smith 
Director of Outreach

Nathan B. Smith 
Vice President, Philanthropy

Case Management Staff

Laurita Lezama
Bilingual Medical Case Manager

Demetrice Whiteside
Medical Case Manager

Empowering Positive Youth Staff

Da'Ron Davis-Henderson
EPY Peer Navigator

Laurenzo Surrell-Page
EPY Peer Navigator

Health Insurance Assistance Staff

Jazmin Cedeno
Senior Benefits Manager

Beverly Mitzel, M.Ed
Benefits Manager

Counseling Staff

Jay Hayes, LCMHC 
Bilingual Mental Health Therapist

Valetta Rhinehart, MA, LMFT 
Mental Health Therapist

Sarah Yum, MA, LMFT 
Mental Health Therapist

The Drop Staff

Devin Cokley
HIP Program Manager

Kevin Garcia-Sanchez
Trilingual HIP Peer Support Specialist

John Gray
HIP Safe Space Coordinator

Deion Pendleton
HIP Lead Coordinator

The Havens Staff

Keisha Holmes 
Property Manager

Peer Retention & Support Staff

Charles Perez
Bilingual Peer Retention Specialist

RJ Sharrow
Retention Specialist

Stephanie Sherard
Investigation Specialist

Anthony Tate
Peer Outreach Specialist

Paris Wiley
Retention Specialist

Fundraising & Marketing Staff

Joyce Brooks, MHA 
Grant & Donor Relations Manager

Savannah Lawing, MPH 
Development Specialist

Administrative & Program Support Staff

Maria Jose Mulgado 
Data & Quality Specialist