Our Team

Darrell Wade

With 20 plus years of social work and community advocacy, and enduring the deaths of several black males close to him from hypertension-induced cardiac conditions, these elements became catalysts for the development that is now Black Men’s Wellness.

Darrell seeks to leverage community knowledge, relationships, and locality, to create a resource network of relationships for community empowered education experiences to change health outcomes for Black men. He brings compassion, wit, wisdom, and fury to the complex journey of community healing, where we have the tools to create health on our own terms.

Founder & Executive Director

Board of Directors

Perry Gardner

Perry Gardner is a community minded leader committed to the healing, wellness, and collective flourishing of Black men. With a deep belief that wellness is both personal and communal, he creates spaces where men can show up fully—honest, supported, and whole. His work is rooted in connection, compassion, and purpose, bringing together dialogue, reflection, and action to strengthen individuals, families, and communities. Through Black Men’s Wellness, Perry is dedicated to helping men reconnect with themselves, one another, and a shared vision for healthier futures.

Perry enjoys reading, traveling, cooking, a good laugh, playing the bass guitar and spending time with friends and family.  He and his wife, Zalika, have three children: Isaiah, Alijah and Mekhi.

Board President

Katie Burton

Katie Burton currently serves as the Associate Athletic Director for Internal Operations at Portland State University, where she oversees key administrative and operational functions for the athletics department. Before transitioning into her current executive role, Katie spent eight seasons as the Head Women’s Soccer Coach for the Vikings, retiring as the second-winningest coach in program history.

Throughout her coaching tenure, she was recognized for her leadership in program turnarounds, including successful stints at Sacramento State and the University of San Francisco. A former standout student-athlete and first-team All-Big Sky selection, Katie holds a Master’s degree in Sports Management from the University of San Francisco and a Bachelor’s in Business Administration. She brings a wealth of experience in strategic planning, team leadership, and organizational development to her community work.

Board Treasurer
Board Secretary

Marina Baker

Marina Baker is an experienced marketer and event producer who has a knack for bringing order out of chaos. She has 20+ years of professional experience in the footwear industry having worked at Nike and Danner Boots in various retail, HR, marketing and event producing roles. She has also worked for local creative agencies, honing her skills in relationship building, account management, project management and team strategy to support a range of clients doing positive work in their communities. 

As a native Oregonian with parents who immigrated from Cambodia in the 80’s, Marina leans into her unique life experience as a third culture kid growing up in the suburbs of Portland — delicately balancing her Southeast Asian heritage while navigating life as a millennial in the United States. Her service as Board Secretary for Black Men’s Wellness is her way of giving back to the culture that raised her.

Facilitators

Yoga Facilitator

Alex Alexander

Alex Alexander has been in the world of fitness and training for 9+ years here in Portland, OR. He started his business Trial and Error Fitness in the Fall of 2019 before the pandemic. Originally from Louisiana, he started off wanting to body build and learn martial arts, only to find out that wasn’t a complimentary combo for his goals. He started looking into fitness styles that provide some of the qualities of martial arts, power, and strength. Now, he lives by and teaches a combination of Power Training, Mobility, and Yin Yoga (P.T.M.Y) for longevity.

In his own words: “What draws me to Yin is it helps with my overall max lifts, and staying open and flexible. Outside of lifting it helps with my mental state. It forces you to be in your own thoughts, and not run from them; while getting into a deep stretch opening your body and helping you breathe through your sensations. I truly believe that it helps regulate our stress through breathing, relaxation, and lengthening the fascia.”

Mike “Libretto” Jackson

Michael "Libretto" Jackson is the father of two and founder of Bretto Chisel Fitness. Throughout life's hardships, Libretto has discovered the key to mastering his body weight, managing his blood pressure, and maintaining the right mindset as he works toward personal health and wellness. Bretto Chisel Fitness was founded with the mission to motivate others to reach their personal goals both mentally and physically. As a facilitator for Black Men's Wellness, Libretto plans to focus specifically on health and wellness for African American males, teaching them the same principles and mindset he has learned and applied to his own health and wellbeing.

Fitness Facilitator
Nutrition Facilitator

Duoshun Pledgure

Duoshun Pledgure is chef/owner of Bearded Chef PDX, a food business that specializes in small event catering and made to order meals. Taught by his mother and grandmother, Duoshun learned to cook as an adolescent, preparing meals for his younger siblings while his mother worked. Necessity quickly revealed a gifting and passion which translated into the dream of owning his own food business and making an impact in his community.

As a facilitator for The Black Men's Wellness Initiative, the "Bearded Chef" desires to raise awareness on the importance of nutritional health in the African American community through providing food demos, cooking classes, workshops, and culturally specific community events that will show African American men they can still enjoy the foods they love in healthier ways.

Christopher Scott

After gaining valuable experience in the field, Christopher entered Portland State University where he earned his Masters Degree in Social Work. His area of expertise is working with juveniles, from early childhood to adolescents in schools, outpatient treatment programs, residential treatment programs and juvenile corrections. Christopher is most known for his Hip Hop social worker podcast talking to other social workers ands haring his “Why not me?” philosophy with listeners.

Mental Health Facilitator

Vanessa Pacheco

Vanessa Pacheco (she/her) is a lover of all things outdoors; she can be found year-round exploring the hiking trails and natural areas of the PNW, paddle boarding, skiing, and everything in between. Vanessa is a transracial adoptee and a domestic violence survivor; nature has always brought her a profound sense of connection and healing, made even deeper when she hiked and wandered over 100 miles of trails in Oregon and Washington mostly solo during the summer of 2020.

She has worked in nature-based education spaces with youth for the past 5 years and is a passionate advocate for creating safe, accessible, and equitable outdoor spaces for present and future generations. In her personal time, she is a mindfulness guide that utilizes our connections with nature to offer safe spaces for BIPOC communities to explore how healing in unison with the land and one another can change our communities.

Mindfulness Facilitator
Archery Facilitator

Rich Hunter

Rich Hunter is an avid archer, musician, father and founder of Vibrational Youth, a non profit organization that is focused on empowering our youth through mentoring, life-coaching, jobs training, arts & music with emphasis on mental health and well being.

Emmanuel Solomon

Emanuel Solomon is a connector and has a heart for people. He believes that people and our genuine ability connect, and hold the solution to most of our real-world problems today.

Emanuel is passionate about people, culture, and preserving ethnicity. Focusing on how we connect has brought him to the study of human behavior, emotional intelligence, and interpersonal communication. And most importantly using that knowledge to develop people and help them to exceed their limitations.

Outdoor Recreation Facilitator

Robbie Smith

In his words: "I was originally born in Detroit, but have spent the majority of my life, over 30+ years, in the greater Portland Metro Area. My whole life I have always made it a point to go out and learn new things, as they brought a sense of enjoyment to my life. In particular, it has been crucial for me to spend time outside doing outdoor activities, as they have helped me to maintain solid mental and physical statuses.

I started engaging in numerous amounts of sports at a young age, and have continued into adulthood - from snow sports to summer activities, I have continued to intentionally seek out new active experiences throughout my life. I’ve learned that when I maintain good, physical wellness - I can directly impact my mental health in positive ways. Ultimately, it allows me to be the best man, the best husband, and the best father that I can be in my daily life. Currently, I enjoy snowboarding, skiing, aggressive rollerblading, surfing, longboarding, and kayaking. Kayaking in particular, has always provided me with not only an active experience, but also the opportunity to receive the calmness of being in nature."

Snowboarding Facilitator
Culinary Facilitator

Morrison Reed

Morrison Reed (they/she/he) is inspired by the earth and the ancestors. Morrison is a grief-based yoga teacher and chef amongst the first graduating class of the POIC’s Culinary and Hospitality Emergent Fellowship. Over the next year, Morrison aims to do research for their forthcoming culinary project Glaberrima Dinners, continue their community grief offerings with Ancestral Flowers, and return to PSU this fall to continue their undergraduate work with Fine Arts and Black Studies.

Inspired by Africans who braided rice and seeds into their hair for survival during their journey to enslavement through the middle passage, Glaberrima Dinners aims to highlight how seeds that feed will preserve Black history and culture at the table and beyond.

By curating intimate luxury and educational farm-to-table experiences, Chef Morrison is dedicated to championing Black liberation, food sovereignty, and nourishing community connections through art and food.