Board of Directors
Andrea Sims is the founder of Lion’s Share Communications, Inc., a Global Event and Public Relations firm that she founded in 1989. Sims was named by Forbes magazine in 2006 and 2013, as one of the “World’s Hottest Event Planners.” Sims has more than 30 years of diverse experience and a very successful career track record for managing high-profile events, including A-list celebrity galas, awards shows, Hollywood-style Public Relations, Digital Media campaigns and in producing television and film projects. Sims brings unmatched expertise to all facets of successful event execution, public relations, sponsoring fundraising and media coverage and Social Media success. In fact, she is dubbed the “Queen of PR” throughout Hollywood! She has a proven ability to attract local, regional, national, and international media coverage for her clients – both small and large nonprofits, for- profit companies and individual clients. Sims clients have included over 50 celebrities and major corporations to include: Oprah Winfrey, Ben Affleck Sharon Stone, Harpo Productions, Paramount Pictures and Sony Records, Susan G. Komen, Mercy Ships and the United Way.
Lance D. Jenkinson serves as the Director of the Business Operations Division at the Department of Defense (DoD) Defense Travel Management Office (DTMO). A strategic thinker with a proven track record, Lance excels at managing high-profile, public-sector programs and navigating complex bureaucracies across Civilian and Defense agencies. His leadership is characterized by building strong coalitions, driving proactive teams, and facilitating meaningful change in policy and systems to modernize business processes.
In 2024, Lance joined the board of Solid Earth Communities, driven by his personal commitment to advancing technology in sustainable, environmentally friendly, and affordable housing.
Lance’s academic credentials include a Senior Executive Fellows certificate from Harvard Kennedy School Executive Education, a Key Executive Leadership certificate from American University School of Public Affairs, and a Bachelor of Science in Business Management from George Mason University. He is a certified Project Management Professional (PMP) and holds several ITIL certifications, including the prestigious ITIL v4 Strategic Leader (SL). www.linkedin.com/in/lancejenkinson/
Dr. Luis Nieves, PSY.D., ABPP, has been a Clinical Psychologist for over forty years in New Jersey, where his successful, private practice has been located. Dr. Nieves received his Doctorate degree at Rutgers University and his MBA was from New York University as a NIMH Fellow. In addition to his own private practice, Dr. Nieves acted as the Executive Director for an award winning, major Substance Abuse Treatment Center for sixteen years, with over 1000 patients and 90 mental health professionals in New Jersey. During his free time, Dr. Nieves loves visiting his Florida vacation home and enjoys boating and family time.
Rosemary Reed is the founder, owner and President of Double R Productions, LLC (Double R). Founded in 1987 and successfully operating in Washington, DC for 35 years, the international communications, video and television production company has served clients as varied as national newspapers, Fortune 500 companies, the US government, associations, local
arts organizations, and many nonprofits. Reed has served on the Board of Governors for the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences in Washington, DC, winning a local Emmy for her writing/producing on a broadcast special for the AFL-CIO. Her awards for a wide variety of film/video projects are too numerous to mention in this short space but showcase her producing, directing, and writing skills on many levels. Reed’s media experience both in front of the camera and behind the scenes, an academic background in theatre and speech, plus years of teaching experience provide Reed with ideal qualifications for media training, with satisfied clients to include CEOs, nationally recognized authors and association presidents. Before founding Double R, Reed worked in broadcast television in network stations across the country for ten years as a reporter, producer and anchor. Reed is also transforming her family farm in Nebraska into an energy-efficient, innovative hemp for fiber farm. She is currently working on a documentary on that project.
Aubrey Williams earned an M.Phil. from Yale University in Political Science and International Development. He is a retired World Bank economist and consultant in international development. He built his pioneering career at the Bank playing a key role in helping move the institution in new directions. He was part of a team that led the Bank’s entry into analysis and lending in support of health services’ development. From 1987-95, he directed a World Bank unit that opened the Bank’s deeper collaboration with nonprofits and NGOs in many areas of development, including health and environment programs. Mr. Williams also led a team tasked to design the Bank’s approach to more participatory development worldwide. He helped pioneer the Bank work into a new area by serving as senior staff member in the Department of Social Development with responsibility for developing its Knowledge Management program.
Susan England Heilig (1947-2022)
Susan England Heilig is the founder of Solid Earth Communities, LLC., a not-for-profit organization that focuses on quality low cost housing. She has been working to promote Compressed Earth technology for energy efficient comfortable homes since 2011. She and her team have many years of experience building quality homes out of earth. She has worked in diverse communities, building homes and other structures with patented machinery and experienced crews throughout the U.S. Susan’s aligns herself and her team with the best in the business. Susan teaches soil composition, which is one of the most important aspects of earth building. Susan has launched several highly successful small businesses, She has been an ad agency creative director and communications professional and has experience in graphic design, branding, messaging, marketing, web development, and communications strategy. Our beloved founder, Susan England Heilig, passed away in July of 2022. Her legacy will proudly live on through the continued efforts of Solid Earth Communities to build sustainable and affordable housing for the disabled community, Veterans, homeless community and individuals wanting a truly affordable house they can call home! EarthinBlocks was founded in 2011 by Susan England Heilig and Elsie Walker, based on Elsie’s previous work with earthblock structures under the auspices of The Mountain Institute in Asia and West Virginia. Jim Underwood, the designer of the original iteration of this block machine, died in 2009. The EarthinBlocks company and partnership was dissolved in 2019. Susan worked on transforming previous work into a new entity.