Mr. Joseph T. Jones, Jr. is president and founder of the Center For Urban Families. Prior to founding CFUF, Mr. Jones developed and directed the Men’s Services program for the federally funded Baltimore Healthy Start initiative and replicated the Baltimore affiliate of the nationally recognized STRIVE employment services program.
His ability to engage and provide hands-on services to fathers garnered him the reputation of trailblazer in the field. Mr. Jones is now a national leader in workforce development, fatherhood and family services programming, and through his professional and civic involvement influences policy direction nationwide.
As a lifelong resident of Baltimore City, Mr. Jones firmly believes that families can rise out of poverty if provided the appropriate foundation and information to maintain a cohesive family unit.
To that end, Mr. Jones worked in tandem with the State of Louisiana’s Department of Social Services to develop the Exploring Relationships and Marriage with Fragile Families curriculum.
The curriculum is designed to provide single parents with the communication, conflict resolution, and effective parenting skills that lead to bettered outcomes for children.
Mr. Jones has received numerous awards and honors for his leadership and programming, including the Johns Hopkins University Leadership Development Program’s Distinguished Leadership Award and the Fullwood Foundation’s Valued Hours Award.
He currently serves on President Obama’s Taskforce on Responsible Fatherhood and Healthy Families and several boards including: the Open Society Institute-Baltimore, the Baltimore Workforce Investment Board, the National Fatherhood Leaders Group, and the Development Training Institute.
He has also previously served on the boards of Campaign for Our Children and the National Practitioners Network for Fathers and Families and was an active member in former President Clinton’s Work Group on Welfare Reform.
Jones has served as a community advisor on fatherhood issues to Vice President Al Gore and contributed to First Lady Laura Bush’s Helping America’s Youth initiative.
Mr. Jones’ media appearances include several local, national, and international media outlets such as the New York Times, McNeil-Lehrer News Hour, 48 Hours, CNN, PBS, The Osgood Files, Spike TV, Fox News Channel, and NPR. Jones is also a member of the Weinberg Fellows program.
At the age of 50, he became a cum laude graduate of the University of Maryland Baltimore County. He is happily married and has three children.
CFUF team member since 2008, Danielle Torain serves as Senior Director of Strategy & Development. In this capacity, Torain provides oversight of the organization’s work in policy advocacy and government relations, strategic planning, development, communications, research and evaluation, training and technical assistance and external affairs.
During Torain’s tenure, she’s worked in support of national policies in family strengthening and urban revitalization, galvanizing hundreds of practitioners, policy makers, researchers, community leaders and concerned citizens through the CFUF Community Conversation series.
In 2009, Torain led CFUF in winning the University of Baltimore’s Merrick School of Business Social Enterprise competition for the development of the CFUF Nonprofit Training Institute as the organization’s first for profit social venture.
Prior to CFUF, Torain worked as Criminal Justice Associate to the Baltimore City Mayor’s Office on Criminal Justice, providing critical support in legislative research and analysis, program development, grant writing, contract management and administration.
During her tenure, Torain received Mayoral recognition for her work in planning and implementing the Mayor’s Youth Intervention Program, a six-week intensive summer employment experience dedicated to linking at-risk Baltimore City youth with previous engagement in the adult criminal justice system to employment, mentoring, life skills development and other services.
Torain’s experience also includes the Baltimore City Police Department – Homeland Security Grants Program and the American Institutes for Research – Computer & Statistical Sciences Center in Washington D.C.
Torain is a 2010 graduate of the University Of Maryland School Of Law. While maintaining a full-time working commitment, Torain served in such leadership capacities as Student Bar Association, Class Vice President; UMD Law Democrats, Executive Board Member; and, Black Law Students Association, 1st Vice President.
Torain also holds a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology and minor in Leadership Studies from the University of Richmond, graduating in 2006 with such honors as the University of Richmond Westhampton College Distinguished Leadership Award, the Stewart Award and Scholarship, and the Dean’s List. Torain was also a 2005 inductee of the Alpha Kappa Delta International Sociology Honor Society and a member of the Cigna and Bonner scholarship programs.
A native of Baltimore, MD, Torain’s commitment to public service extends into her numerous community and outreach involvements, including serving as a tutor for elementary aged children attending Title 1 schools in Baltimore City, leading a mentoring group for elementary and middle-school girls, serving with such programs as the Enterprise Women’s Network mentoring program, and as a member of the Department of Juvenile Services Statewide Facility Advisory Board.
In addition to active involvements in youth outreach and mentorship, Torain volunteers with start-up nonprofits and community-based programs, conducting and teaching skills in grant writing, development of organizational and programmatic structures, and strategies for marketing, stakeholder outreach, and sustainability.
Torain serves as an appointed member of the National Neighborhood Builders Alliance Steering Committee and member of the Board of Directors of the Park Heights Renaissance, a Baltimore-based community development organization.
CFUF team member since 1999, Moses Hammett serves as CFUF’s Director of Workforce Development, providing oversight of the STRIVE Baltimore, Career Path and Couples Advancing Together programs.
With over 20 years experience in human services and workforce development, Hammett has also worked with federal offenders during their pre-trial, incarceration, probation, and transitional phases.
Hammett’s areas of expertise also include working youth services and reentry.
Hammett serves as a consultant to the University of Maryland’s School of Medicine, providing counsel on substance abuse treatment.
Hammett’s involvements include the United Way of Central Maryland’s Strengthening Families Committee and Board Member to the Park Heights Community Health Alliance.
Hammett holds a Master of Human Services degree from Lincoln University. He is a life-long resident of Baltimore, married, and the father of six children.
CFUF team member since 1999, James Worthy serves as CFUF’s Director of Responsible Fatherhood, providing oversight of the Baltimore Responsible Fatherhood Project.
In this capacity, Worthy provides critical support of the organization’s fatherhood-focused advocacy activities, as well as contributions in research and evaluation of national Responsible Fatherhood prototypes.
Prior to his current role, Worthy served as workforce development trainer for the STRIVE Baltimore program.
Worthy holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from Penn State University.