Wallace H. Harrison

Chairman of the Board

Wallace Harrison (Senior) served in the United States Air Force for twenty years. As an airman, he planned, managed and evaluated various aspects of traffic management activities to ensure that other airmen had the necessary equipment and supplies to do their jobs. From preparing budget estimates for materials and equipment and inspecting items for identity, quantity, and condition to certifying hazardous cargo to be moved by surface and air and securing required permits for the movement of convoy, hazardous, or oversized materials, Harrison successfully operated complex supply systems and maintained financial accountability for all utilized supplies.

Harrison went on to work with the Department of Defense’s Defense Commissary Agency (DeCA) as a Lead Warehouse Receiving Officer. In that role, Mr. Harrison leveraged his military training and experiences to manage, supervise the management of, and advised on the operations of commissaries or commissary departments. His position primarily required knowledge of commercial retail food merchandising and food store management. The work also requires knowledge of the goals, principles, methods, and techniques of commissary management, including knowledge of Department of Defense commissary policy, equipment and facilities maintenance, security, contracting, pricing, and ordering.

Now retired from both the military and DeCA, Mr. Harrison brings his leadership, procurement and organizational development skills, knowledge and training to Engaging Life’s Choices to build a fiscally responsible organization committed to fulfilling its mission.

Natarsha Baker

Treasurer for the Board

Mrs. Natarsha Baker is a twenty-four-year educator committed to student success in the classroom and in life. She has a passion to ensure students are college and career ready for the 21st century. She is married to a military veteran and has two adult sons. Mrs. Baker has dedicated over 20 years of her life to educating military-connected students for the Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA). She has been a teacher in Florida, Georgia, and Texas; and a Professional School Counselor in Georgia, Germany and Japan.

Mrs. Baker is a 1995 and 1997 graduate of Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University in Tallahassee, Florida. She received a Bachelor of Science (BS) Degree in Elementary Education and a Master of Science (MS) Degree in Guidance and Counseling. Mrs. Baker is presently an educator at Ft. Stewart, Georgia and a member of the National Education Association (NEA). She is an avid volunteer in her local community and a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated. Mrs. Baker’s outreach in her community enhances the lives of others and makes her community a safer and better to life.

Brandi Williams

Secretary of the Board

Brandi Williams is the Senior Manager of Production Operations and Crewing with Turner Studios. She has almost 20 years of experience in broadcast, operations, and event management. From documentaries, to live shows and even commercials, Brandi has been able to leverage her skills to create effective productions for a variety of partners, as well as great team environments. Currently, she oversees the scheduling and usage of 6 studios, 11 control rooms, and almost 250 staff and freelance crew to produce shows for NBA on TNT, NBA-TV, TCM, ELEAGUE, truTV, and most of the other Turner brands.

Brandi started her career at the number one local news station in the country, WSB-TV, producing commercials. The spots ranged from celebrity endorsements to million-dollar government campaigns to mom-and-pop stores with dogs and a baby – though thankfully not at the same time! While producing for 10 years, she discovered the right niche in production management.

Most recently, Brandi was the Senior Production Manager for the CNN Documentary Unit, responsible for managing the productions of 26-50 long-format shows per year. She traveled crews around the world and ensured they had exactly what they needed when they arrived. Every step of Brandi’s career has honed her skills and deepened her knowledge of production and operations management. She received her degree in Mass Communications from The Women’s College of Brenau University.

Cassandra Spikes

Member of the Board

Cassandra Spikes is currently a Medical Maintenance Reports Clerk for Reynolds Army Health Clinic. She recently graduated from Upper Iowa University with an AA in Liberal Arts and is currently pursuing a Bachelor’s Degree in Health Care Administration.

She has over 20 years of military experience as a Radiology technologist. Cassandra served as the NCOIC for the Department of Radiology, managing eight modalities, Diagnostic Imaging, Computed Tomography (CT), Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), Ultrasound, Mammography and Nuclear Medicine. Ms. Spikes has supervised both civilian and military personnel; overseen department payroll and appointment scheduling; and, been responsible for updating policy and procedures and training requirements. Additionally, Cassandra fulfilled the duties of Contracting Officer Representative (COR), responsible for the procurement of equipment in excess of $1.9M.

Ms. Spikes was elected to serve on this board because as a veteran, she has a passion for helping other veterans.

Latunya Cannady

Member of the Board

Over the last year and a half LaTunya Cannady has served as an Operation Non-Commissioned Officer (S3 NCO) in the United States Army, developing, monitoring and maintaining all records and schedules; preparing training to assist soldiers with personnel actions and scheduling service school attendances; overseeing the planning and execution of unit mobilizations; and attending schools and conferences as required.

LaTunya operates the Digital Training Management System (DTMS) and other training systems; controls over one hundred million dollars’ worth of equipment; and is responsible for coaching, teaching, mentoring and overall health and welfare of 10 US Soldiers. She also plans and executes overseas medical missions building, maintaining relationships with foreign allies.

While deployed, Latunya has been called on to assist as a Combat Medic in emergency traumas, delivering babies, performing surgeries and treating burn patients. With an Army career that spans 17 years, LaTunya’s roles have included serving as the Non-Commissioned Officer in charge of multiple clinics (Internal Medicine, Family Practice, Pain Management, Respiratory and Immunization) where she managed various personnel and community outreach responsibilities.

Wallace H. Harrison II

Chief Executive Officer

Wallace Harrison began his career in the Georgia National Guard from 1992 to 1994, as a Heavy Wheel Mechanic. In August of 1994, he decided to join the United States Army where he served for 23 years as a Generator Mechanic (working on small engines). He was quickly notice as a self-starter and a quite leader, which led him to becoming a Team Leader his first year of active duty. During his time of service, Mr. Harrison held several different leadership roles from Team Leader, in charge of four Soldiers to Acting First Sergeant, in charge of 144 Soldiers. He was once asked to lead his unit to Afghanistan as the Acting First Sergeant for the first four months of a deployment. In total Wallace Harrison was deployed six times: one deployment to Afghanistan, one deployment to Iraq, and four deployments to Kuwait, one to which he was in charge of the ARCENT Motor Pool leading six Soldiers and 22 Civilians. Wallace was also given the opportunity to serve as the subject matter expert to the Commanding Leadership by becoming a Sexual Harassment/Assault Response & Prevention advocate (SHARP); to include Equal Opportunity adviser (EO); Master Resilience Trainer (MRT) and an Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Trainer (ASIST).

SFC Wallace Harrison was medically retired from Active Duty in June of 2017, as a Maintenance Supervisor/Platoon Sergeant. He moved to Wisconsin to work as a contractor for Task Source, which provides MRT instructors to teach Resilience training (life skills) to the Army National Guard. In just over two years, Wallace started and mentored an ASIST (suicide prevention) team, which taught about 200 personnel suicide prevention skills. Among those, about half of them were the staff of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

Realizing that there was a need to educate people about suicide awareness and how to successfully and systematically preform an intervention, Wallace gathered some life-long friends and family members to create Engage Life’s Choices with the hopes that this team, with all of their leadership qualities, can join the War on Suicide and make a difference.