Our Team

Demetrius McBride grew up in Columbus, Georgia, surrounded by a loving family and community, shortly after being born in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He attended college at Ft. Valley State University and then Albany State University, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Business Management in 2007. He carried on his studies at Columbus State University, where he graduated in 2020 with a Master of Public Administration. He is now working on an advanced degree in Workforce Education at the University of Georgia.

Demetrius has held positions as District Executive for the Chattahoochee Council Boy Scouts of America, Shaw High School finance teacher, and several management roles in the insurance and finance sectors. He founded the Alpha Core of Excellence (A.C.E.) mentorship program, sponsored by the Delta Iota Lambda Chapter of Alpha Phi Alha Fraternity Inc. He is a committed community leader and the Advocacy Chair for the Urban League of the River Valley Young Professionals. Among his many honors for his leadership and community service are Eagle Scout, Leadership Columbus graduate, and Columbus and the Valley Five Under Forty awardee. Married to Dr. Tiffany Nicole McBride, Demetrius and her love to travel, volunteer, and have a good influence on others.  

A proud graduate of Georgia Tech and a lifelong resident of Georgia, Rachel Dekom currently serves as our Advocacy Chair. She is deeply passionate about supporting mission-driven work, and currently holds positions at SageD Consulting and Global Growers Network in various development capacities.

In 2020, she joined the Carrie's Closet staff as the Manager of Research and Advocacy. During her time on staff, she assisted with drafting a Foster Child Bill of Rights, organized our community advocacy group, and regularly spoke with local and state lawmakers on behalf of the organization. Rachel has stayed deeply connected to Carrie's Closet even after leaving staff, and is excited to continue advocating for the rights of Georgia's children in this role. 

Vincent Callender comes from Brockton, Massachusetts, where he grew up with his father, mother, and brother. His interest in serving the community stems from his family's history of creating opportunities for the communities around Boston. He was taught to do what is right and help people whenever possible. Vincent's high school internship at the Brockton Mayor's Office gave him his first professional experience serving people. 

Vincent moved to Atlanta in 2004 to attend Morehouse College, where he earned his bachelor's degree in business administration with a concentration in finance. During his matriculation, Vincent continued interning for government officials and offices.  After graduating from Morehouse, Vincent became an AmeriCorps member with Outward Bound Atlanta, where he developed and implemented team-building activities for students and staff at schools around the Atlanta metro region. He made a strong connection at one school and became a paraprofessional within Atlanta Public Schools.  As a paraprofessional, Vincent developed his skills in instruction while he worked on his master's degree, continuing his other love of government. 

He earned his master's degree in public policy with a concentration in planning and economic development. Vincent's work as a paraprofessional was highly recognized by his colleagues, who then encouraged him to attain his teaching certification and become a teacher. In 2015, he began teaching at his school and earned his teaching certificate in 2020. 

Today, Vincent is a 4th-grade teacher in Atlanta Public Schools, where he continues to marry his love of policy and education by advocating for his students, families, and staff. He currently serves as chair of his school's GO Team, team lead for his grade level, teacher mentor, data ambassador, and member of the school improvement team. He is attending the University of West Georgia to earn his specialist degree in elementary education. Outside of work, Vincent loves politics, playing tennis, cooking, listening to music, and being around his friends and family.

Emily is a 2nd year student at Georgia Tech majoring in Neuroscience. She is an intern at Carrie's Closet through her school's sustainability internship program. At Carrie's Closet she assists in running the social media, direct service, and advocacy.

" I love working with Carrie's Closet because the mission of clothing and providing aid to at-risk children is something I strongly believe in and am lucky to be a part of. In this position, I'm excited to learn more about advocacy and to work with people across several communities. As a student on the pre-healthcare track, I am being educated on social issues I would have otherwise been unaware of. I am looking forward to taking what I learn at Carrie's Closet and applying it to my future goals as a more well-rounded individual."