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.

Freddie Davis III serves as the dedicated Director of the Rural Training and Research
Center at the Federation of Southern Cooperatives/Land Assistance Fund in Epes, Alabama. With over twenty years of experience as a registered forester, he is committed to addressing urgent forestry issues at the nexus of social, environmental, and industrial considerations across rural and urban sectors. Mr. Davis takes considerable pride in his work in his home state of Mississippi, striving to establish and strengthen forestry connections for rural and urban landowners.

Originally from Sturgis, Mississippi, Director Davis graduated in Forestry from
Mississippi State University. He has over 20 years of experience as a Registered
Forester and is a certified arborist. With more than ten years of forestry management and procurement experience at two Fortune 500 companies, he is dedicated to fostering partnerships with community, public, and private organizations to develop innovative and sustainable solutions. His work makes him a driving force for change in forestry and environmental conservation. Freddie’s work guarantees that nonindustrial private forests prosper for future generations, maintaining a balance between economic and ecological goals.

Freddie’s mission: Making forest land ownership financially feasible for small
nonindustrial private landowners.

In 2021, Deron joined LRLEAN as a Forestry Consultant. Since then, Deron has been traveling across Alabama, advocating for forest stewardship and its crucial role in land retention. His experiences in forestry began on his family’s 200 acre farm in rural Fayette County Alabama, working with his family to plant, care for and harvest timber. He worked with the Alabama Forestry Commission for over two decades, fighting wildfires, working with volunteer fire departments and helping landowners with the practical management of forested property. That experience gave him the confidence to work with all landowners throughout the state of Alabama and gave him a lot of the tools necessary to envision how forestry, properly done, can support families and also expand the forest industry. Outside of work, he is passionate about mission work and volunteering. His personal interests include foraging, hiking, photography, and music-making, activities that allow him to continuously connect with nature and creativity.

Farah Majid is currently the Assistant Director of Advocacy at Legal Services Alabama. She began working with Legal Services Alabama in 2012. Since that time, she has been a Staff Attorney in the Huntsville and Mobile offices. She was the Consumer Lead Attorney from 2015 – 2018. She has also been the Managing Attorney of the Birmingham Office and the Rural Coordinating Project Attorney, focused on increasing advocacy efforts in Alabama’s rural areas. She currently serves in a statewide role and is based in Birmingham. As part of her current role, she supervises LSA’s statewide grants and projects, such as the Heir Property project. She graduated from the University of Alabama School of Law in 2011.

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.

T’arie “T” Todman leads with exceptional compassion and imparts her wealth of experience and in-depth knowledge to individuals who need it the most. After completing her doctorate in pharmacy from Hampton University in 2004, she served as a military officer pharmacist in the US Army. Later, she worked as a community pharmacist for eleven years. However, her passion for community outreach eventually led her to expand her idea of service, and in 2015, a significant career change ensued. Todman joined the Winston County Self Help Cooperative (WCSHC) as a farmer and community outreach specialist, where she works tirelessly to make a difference in the lives of America’s most vulnerable population. At the WCSHC, Todman is committed to the cooperative’s mission to “Help Save Rural America.” In fact, Todman returned to school to meet a real community need and earned a Master’s in Nutrition. She has helped the cooperative increase the number of farmers, landowners, and cattlemen they serve through her work. She focuses on educating individuals on programs and services that can assist with the community’s longevity. These services include technical assistance, education on health and nutrition, credit repair, housing, succession planning, and more. Todman’s dedication to her work is evident in everything she does, including being a wife, mother of three, and Gigi to two. If you want to learn more about her work or get in touch with her, you can reach her at [email protected].