Bridging the STEM gap for underserved and unserved youth
Kimlin C. Johnson, CEO & Board Chair
Kimlin Johnson, founder of B-RELYT, stands out as a leader dedicated to creating a significant positive change in America. This commitment is evident not only in her leadership of B-RELYT but also in her influential book, "Authenticity, Accountability & Ambitions" (AAA), which was published in August 2018.
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Before founding B-RELYT in 2017, Kimlin had a remarkable 25-year career at the Los Angeles County Sanitation District (LACSD) in Environmental Engineering. Her time at LACSD was characterized by her innovative contributions, particularly in developing and implementing enduring policies and procedures. These contributions have left a lasting impact, demonstrating her professional acumen and dedication to effective environmental management.
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Kimlin's true passion, however, lies in her work with B-RELYT. Under her guidance, B-RELYT has not only consistently pursued its foundational mission but also aims for greater achievements in the future. This vision is made possible through the support of an incredible Board and the generous contributions of both current and prospective donors, ensuring the organization's growth and reach.
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A key aspect of Kimlin's ethos is captured in her favorite quote by Rodney King: "Can't We All Just Get Along?" This sentiment deeply influences her approach in both her professional endeavors and personal interactions, highlighting the importance of harmony, understanding, and collaborative effort. These values are fundamental to societal advancement and personal growth.
BMC's Corporate Advisory Board
Mary Bassey, Entrepreneur
Dr. Darin Gray, Director of K-12 STEM Center USC Viterbi
Dr. Steven Palmer, CEO of Present Mind and Coaching (PMCC)
Board Of Directors
Stan L. Johnson
Stanley (Stan) has over 25 years experience as a licensed Electrical Engineer. His goal is also to empower young people with STEM knowledge and life skills based on his experience and background. Stan worked throughout the entire COVID-19 Pandemic leading a team of Engineer's.
Growing up in Compton, California, from a working-class family, he faced many obstacles in his life’s journey. However, through self-improvement, he overcame many of these obstacles to become the successful Black professional that he is today.
Stan's motto is: “Be a better person today than you were yesterday, and be a better person tomorrow than you are today!”
Edward Rice III, Ed.D.
Dr. Ed Rice is a seasoned educator and journalist. As an educator, he has taught at the elementary, secondary and postsecondary levels. He has served as a faculty member at Los Angeles City College, Moreno Valley College and currently holds a faculty position with the CalStateTEACH program. In 2024, after nearly 20 years Ed left the classroom and is now the Associate Dean of Humanities at El Camino College in Torrance, CA. Ed completed his dissertation, A Qualitative Examination of Postsecondary Education as a Remedy to Recidivism Among Formerly Incarcerated African-American Men and received his doctorate in Higher Education Administration from the University of Southern California (USC) in 2018.Ed is also an experienced journalist, and his work has been featured in the Orange County Register, The Source and Vibe Magazines. From 2013-2015 he served as a Contributing Editor for the Los Angeles Sentinel newspaper. Ed recently added author to his resume in 2023 with the publication of his first children’s book, “Cosmic Granny, A Score to Settle.”
Steve Sichi is a long time aerospace engineering executive, currently serving as an industry consultant. After 33 years, Steve retired from the Boeing Company in 2018, where he served as Director of the Boeing Spacecraft Design Center. Since then, Steve has been consulting for space industry startups, and also involved in developing programs and mentoring for Mission to Launch, an early career skill services company. He is an active community volunteer, working with UCLA to review scholarship applications, review undergraduate research, mentor undergraduates and recent grads, and perform mock job interviews and resume reviews. He also volunteers at his church, serves on its Finance Council, has been on Los Angeles Archdiocese capital fundraising teams, and supports various local charities.
Steve’s career at Boeing spanned the areas of engineering and technology development, project management, and executive leadership. He led space development projects for NASA and major communication service providers across the US, Japan, Europe, Canada, and the UAE. He has been extensively involved in global business development and is a well-known industry speaker. He has complementary experience in hiring, skills development, training and innovation.
A graduate of St Bernard High School in Los Angeles, Steve received a BS in Electrical Engineering from UCLA and an MS in Microwave Engineering from CSUN. He was a member of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, holds several patents, authored numerous papers, and served as contributing author for several textbooks. He lives with his wife Betsy in the Westchester area of Los Angeles, where they raised their three children. In his spare time, he enjoys travel, ocean swimming, baking, cooking and historical research.
Steve F. Sichi
Marvin Lawton
Marvin Lawton is a consummate Renaissance Man. By day, he is committed to serving the community and empowering urban youth to be their best authentic selves. He has been in the field of education for over 25 years as a Math teacher, tutor, learning director, instructional coach and school administrator. Recently, he served as Senior Vice President for the largest and oldest Black Community based nonprofit in Los Angeles, CA. Currently, he is the Principal for Learning by Design K-5 Charter School.
However, at night his passion is being a singer and accomplished musician. He worked on several musical projects and albums, and is currently working on a solo smooth jazz album. In addition to being both a musical and performing artist, Marvin is also a published author. He recently completed a trilogy of romantic devotionals, and is currently working on a nonfiction novel expounding upon the experiences of Black Male fathers and the impacts their roles have had in both the triumphs as well as the challenges within the Black urban communities.
He believes that both the Sciences as well as the Arts can work in tandem to help young people be successful in life. In particular, the problem-solving skills attained and acquired from Mathematics can be applied in everyday life. Learning Mathematics in and of itself is an artform, and is an invaluable skill set that young people need to compete in today's economy; especially in context of educating Black urban youth.
Danielle Robbins
currently serves as the Sr. Business Manager for the transfer agency and trustee services at Capital Group. She also is the Co-Global Lead of the Capital Associates of African Descent (CAAD) community. Previously she led Digital Analytics team and was a co-program manager for Data Analytics and Rotational Training program. Prior to Capital Group, she worked at Farmers Insurance Group in multiple roles in Digital and Marketing Analytics, while serving as corporate lead of several employee resource groups. Before Farmers, she held multiple roles in academia, including a postdoctoral fellowship at the Center for Biomedical Modeling at the Semel Institute at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA. She holds a PhD in Biomathematics from North Carolina State University, a MA in Mathematics from Arizona State University, and a BS in Mathematics from University of Maryland Baltimore County, where she was a Meyerhoff Scholar and track athlete. She is married and has two children.
Elizabeth Jonas
Elizabeth Jonas is a seasoned human resources professional with over two decades of experience, particularly in union environments.She currently holds the position of Human Resources Consultant IV for a major health plan in Southern California. Her role involves conducting training sessions and addressing personnel and labor relations issues, leveraging her extensive experience in these areas.
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Elizabeth's educational background is comprehensive and tailored to her field. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, with a focus on Management and Human Resources, from California Polytechnic State University, Pomona. Furthering her education, she obtained a Master of Organizational.