Andrea’ Barnes is a native of Mississippi and an accomplished attorney,
leader, and public servant. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from
Tougaloo College, a Master of Business Administration from Jackson State
University and a Doctor of Jurisprudence from Thurgood Marshall School of
Law. Andrea’s is licensed to practice law in Mississippi.

Andrea’ currently serves as the Director of the Heirs’ Property Campaign for
the Mississippi Center for Justice, a non-profit public interest law firm. The
Heirs’ Property Campaign is dedicated to providing legal assistance and
community education to families around the state. The Campaign’s mission
focuses on helping families preserve ownership of their land and maintain
their family legacy for future generation.

Prior to joining the Center, Andrea’ practiced family law, estate and probate
administration, and personal injury litigation. Her professional experience
also includes service as a law clerk with the Circuit Court of Hinds County,
Mississippi, a prosecutor with the Hinds County Attorney’s Office, and as
Public Records Officer and Staff Attorney for the Mississippi Department of
Corrections.

In addition to her legal practice, Andrea’ has contributed to legal education
as an adjunct professor at Tougaloo College, where she instructed aspiring
lawyers in litigation and trial practice. She has also served on the Board of
Directors for the Spencer Perkins Center for Reconciliation and Community
Development, further demonstrating her commitment to community
engagement and reform.

Andrea’ is actively involved in numerous professional organizations and
associations, including the Mississippi Bar, Magnolia Bar, Metro Black
Women Lawyers Association, among others. She has received multiple
accolades and recognition from both the profession and community.

As an entrepreneur, businesswoman, and attorney by training, Andrea’ is
widely regarded as a servant leader whose life and work reflects a steadfast
commitment to faith, integrity, and justice.

In her spare time, Andrea’ enjoys spending quality time with her family,
gardening, and traveling.

Jennie L. Stephens, Ph.D., is a native of Walterboro, SC, and an accomplished executive leader with deep expertise in nonprofit management, advocacy, and community development. She has successfully secured over $25 million in funding, driven policy reforms, and established strategic partnerships to promote land preservation, economic equity, and social justice.

As the Chief Executive Officer of the Center for Heirs’ Property since 2006, Jennie has expanded the organization’s budget from $150K to $12M, developed a replicable nonprofit model used in six states, and secured $25M in federal and foundation funding to expand the Center’s impact and build a national heirs’ property alliance. Her leadership has empowered
historically under-resourced landowners with the legal and financial tools needed to protect and sustain their property.

Jennie’s expertise extends into academia as an Adjunct Professor at Mercyhurst University, where she taught grant writing and program development. She is also a published author, with her work featured in academic journals, ABA publications, and documentary films, including
Gaining Ground: The Fight for Black Land and America’s Forests in South Carolina. She has served on numerous boards and committees, including the American Forest Foundation Board of Directors (current) and the USDA Equity Commission Agriculture Subcommittee (2022-2024). She has been honored as a TEDx speaker, a BALLE Fellow, and a Charleston Regional
Business Journal 40 Under 40 Award recipient.

Jennie holds a Ph.D. in Organizational Leadership from Regent University, a Master’s in Public Administration, and a B.S. in Business Administration
(Accounting). Beyond her professional work, Jennie is an avid baker who enjoys experimenting with new recipes for her family and coworkers. Her passion is to help people prosper in every area of their lives through leadership, advocacy, and community engagement.

Kerry Cesareo, senior vice president for forests and freshwater, leads a portfolio of strategic initiatives in pursuit of WWF’s goal to conserve the world’s most important forests and freshwater ecosystems—for nature, climate, and people. This includes investing in forest conservation, management, and restoration as essential means of mitigating climate change; restoring and replenishing wetlands and river basins; implementing nature-based solutions with Indigenous peoples and local communities; and reducing the impacts of unsustainable logging, agriculture, unsustainable water management, and infrastructure.

Kerry previously led WWF’s forest markets work, launching the North American program of the Global Forest & Trade Network (GFTN) and forging partnerships with Fortune 500 companies on environmentally responsible supply chains for wood and paper products. She has also managed global operations for GFTN as well as the start-up of the Sustainable Forest Products Global Alliance, a public-private partnership with the US Agency for International Development. She has served as cochair of the board of the Forest Stewardship Council® (FSC®)-US, a certifier of forestry best practices that WWF helped found in 1994.

Kerry first began working on forest issues during a summer partnering with First Nations on Vancouver Island, British Columbia, as they prepared for their inaugural timber harvest through a newly formed company, Iisaak Forest Resources. The creation of Iisaak and its commitment to FSC had helped to end decades of conflict among environmentalists, First Nations, and logging companies in Clayoquot Sound. Iisaak received FSC certification in 2001 and inspired Kerry’s career.

Prior to joining WWF, Kerry worked as an environmental scientist, a forest inventory researcher, an AmeriCorps VISTA volunteer, and a US PIRG field manager. She received a BS in biology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a master’s degree in environmental management from the Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies.