Our Team
Eileen Jacobs (Co-Chair)
A native of London, England, who came to the US with her Ghanian parents in November 1985, at the age of 6. Like many immigrants, her family traveled to the US in pursuit of the “American Dream”. Eileen is a graduate of Bishop McDevitt and alumni of Penn State Middletown with a Bachelor’s Degree in Applied Behavioral Science. She has passion for community service and has been a committed Commonwealth of PA employee for fifteen years. She is currently at PA Department of Education. Eileen originally began her committee service as a volunteer in 2011 and has continued to serve as a Central PA MLK Day of service board member since 2016, in planning community projects. She currently serves as the co-chair of the committee in planning and developing volunteer projects. In addition to co-chairing the committee, she manages the social media content and assists in creating new partnerships for the Day of Service and for MLK Day 365.
Marisa Tokarsky (Co-Chair)
Marisa hails from Windber, a small town in Western PA, and works for Deloitte Consulting. When not at work and cheering for the “black and gold,” Marisa spends her time supporting a few local non-profit organizations including the United Cerebral Palsy (UCP) of Central PA, United Way of the Capitol Region, Junior Achievement, the Capital Region Civitan Club, and the Foundation for Children with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities. She joined the MLK Day of Service Planning Committee to help provide opportunities for individuals of all ages to give back and support the community in which they live and work.
Mike Walsh (Vice Chair)
Mike's passion for citizen service emerged during his freshman year in college when he interned for Senator Harris Wofford, who was an advisor to Dr. King and author of the legislation making the King holiday a national day of service. Mike co-founded the Central PA MLK Day of Service organization in 2009 and has served on the board ever since.
Chad Frey (Vice-Chair)
Chad has served with the Central PA MLK Committee since 2013. He is the founder and president of Partnership Planners LLC – a US consulting & software company that specializes in community engagement, social innovation and entrepreneurship. Partnership Planners assists clients like the United Way of the Capital Region and the Central PA MLK Committee in the planning and design of community service experiences that have effectively mobilized thousands of volunteers throughout the Capital Region. Chad is a graduate of Messiah College and lives in downtown Harrisburg.
Dennise Hill (Secretary)
Dennise Hill serves as the City of Harrisburg’s Director of Housing and Economic Development. In this capacity she assists in the development of viable communities while providing opportunities for its citizens to have access to fair, safe, livable and affordable housing opportunities. Dennise is a graduate of Steelton-Highspire High School and Shippensburg University. She is a published author, poet, and spoken word artist. She resides in Middletown, PA.
Arlene Marshall-Hockensmith
Arlene is the Administrative Officer of the Pennsylvania Legal Aid Network, Inc. (PLAN Inc.), a non-profit, client-centered organization that provides leadership, funding, and support to improve the availability and quality of civil legal aid and direct legal services for low-income people and victims of domestic violence in Pennsylvania. She oversees the Martin Luther King, Jr. Internship and Fellowship Programs which were established to increase racial and ethnic diversity of attorneys who work in PLAN programs across the state. Prior to joining PLAN, Inc., Arlene worked at the Pennsylvania Coalition Against Domestic Violence and MidPenn Legal Services’ Harrisburg Office. Arlene received her J.D. from Widener Commonwealth Law School in 2006, and her B.A. from the Pennsylvania State University in 1998.
Precious Martin
Precious is a Harrisburg native and alumnus of California University of Pennsylvania. Since 2016 she has been working/ training in the communications field. Precious has a track record of mobilizing volunteers and diverse stakeholders for collective action and response to needs and disparities in the community. She is a motivated leader in developing innovative strategies to elevate teams and organizations. She was a former NCAA Student-Athlete, and FIBA EuroLeague Women’s Professional athlete. Precious is actively involved in building community among business professionals at Pursuit Coworking in Midtown Harrisburg.
Merrick Green
Mr. Merrick Green (Lt Col, USAF Ret) is from New Orleans, Louisiana. He graduated from Louisiana State University, with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science in 1998. In 2008 he earned a Master of Science in Information Technology Management from Colorado Technical University. Merrick Green served in the United States Air Force for 23 years. In his Air Force career, he has served as a Deputy Group Commander, Squadron Commander, NATO staff Officer and held the aerial rating of Master Air Battle Manager. In his Air Force career, he has had assignments in Germany, Turkey, Florida, Virginia, Oklahoma, Georgia, and Louisiana. Merrick Green is the owner of MG4Tech, a technology consulting company and has recently started a non-profit "Technology 4 Me", that aims to bridge the divide for disadvantaged users of technology. He is also the President of the Theta Omicron Sigma Chapter of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity Inc. in Harrisburg.
Carla Hill
Carla Hill, was born and raised in Harrisburg, PA. Carla received her formative years of education within the Susquehanna School District (C/O 1996). Carla continued her post-secondary education endeavors at Lincoln University and University of Phoenix where she obtained her degree in Accounting. She is currently employed by the Harrisburg School District, where she serves the community in the role of Family Engagement Specialist. Her body of work throughout Central Pa has been cemented by her leadership efforts as a founder of Blessed 2 Give, also known as B2G; since 2015, which subsequently became a federally recognized non-profit in 2018. Under her direction, Blessed 2 Give, Inc. has organized a plethora of events and received countless awards. Carla herself serves on various boards and committees dedicated to empowering and positively impacting the communities.
Takia Colston-Krow
Takia Colston-Krow, Managing Partner of CK Creative Boutique and Founder of Learn 2 Lead, is a visionary leader committed to cultivating a diverse community of educator excellence. With a mission to empower BIPOC K-12 learners as the next generation of teacher leaders, Takia leverages her expertise in DEIB, Multicultural Education, and Performance Excellence, along with her spiritual gifts of administration and compassion, to revolutionize education. With over 16 years of experience in reaching marginalized communities, she has spearheaded initiatives in educational administration, professional development, and strategic planning. Takia's impact transcends traditional education as she breaks down barriers and empowers future leaders through CK Creative and Learn 2 Lead, reshaping the landscape of education one empowered educator at a time.
Shelly Lipscomb Echeverria
Shelly Lipscomb Echeverria is professional artist and her paintings hang in the Pennsylvania State Capitol as well as various offices and businesses in the central PA area. Her community engagement and artistic abilities have allowed her the opportunity to combine her creative artwork with the teachings of civil rights leaders, like Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Shelly is the illustrator of the children’s book My Elephant-Sized Dream , written by a college friend and inspired by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech.