Our Team

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Ellen Collins

Ellen Collins

Executive Director
Sandra L. Johnson

Sandra L. Johnson

Executive Coordinator

Jamie Rasberry

Director of Policy and Strategic Partnerships

DeLorean King

Learning and Capacity Building Associate

Jason Easley

Bookkeeper

Melissa Butler

Sr. Marketing & Communications Manager

Michael C. Martella

Program Assistant
Ellen Collins

Ellen Collins

Position: Executive Director
Email: ellen.collins@alliancems.org
Ellen Collins serves as the executive director for the Alliance.  In this role, Ellen provides leadership and support to nonprofit and philanthropic organizations in their efforts to strengthen Mississippi’s children, families, and communities. Her work involves interaction with nonprofits organizations, foundations, United Ways, public sector entities, and businesses throughout the state. She is also responsible for day-to-day operations, working to ensure the organization is effectively executing on its long-term strategy, consistently improving performance and productivity, and regularly identifying opportunities to enhance organizational effectiveness. Ellen previously served as associate director for the Alliance, as well as various roles in nonprofit and philanthropic organizations, including the director of the Prosperity Center for Midtown Partners, Inc. She also served as a senior program officer for the Chicago-based McCormick Foundation and director of programs for the Community Foundation of Greater Jackson (now the Community Foundation for Mississippi) where she was instrumental in helping launch the Women’s Fund of Mississippi (now the Women’s Foundation of Mississippi), the only nonprofit foundation in the state that focuses primarily on women and girls’ issues. A native of Starkville, Miss, Ellen holds a Bachelor of Arts in sociology from Mississippi Valley State University; a Master of Science in education from Southern Illinois University-Carbondale; and additional studies and certifications in family services and leadership development. She was a member of the Leadership Greater Jackson class of 2008-09 and has served on various boards for nonprofit organizations in the Metro Jackson area. Ellen is also a member of Delta Sigma Theta, Sorority, Inc. and the Junior League of Jackson. She loves photography, traveling, and conducting genealogical research.
Sandra L. Johnson

Sandra L. Johnson

Position: Executive Coordinator
Email: sandra.johnson@alliancems.org
Sandra Johnson is the executive coordinator of the Alliance. In this position, she works in tight partnership with the executive director and chief operating officer. With over 20 years’ experience in office administration, she serves as the primary contact for external offices and provides administrative and logistical support for the Alliance.

A native of Hazlehurst, Miss., Sandra studied business marketing and management at Southwest Mississippi Community College in Summit, Miss. She is currently a member of the International Association of Administrative Professionals, American Society of Administrative Professionals, Association of Executive and Administrative Professionals, and the American Society of Notaries.

Jamie Rasberry

Position: Director of Policy and Strategic Partnerships
Email: jamie.rasberry@alliancems.org

Currently serving as the Director of Policy and Strategic Partnerships, Jamie manages the affinity/policy groups that focus on increased learning, collaboration, and funding around critical policy issues. These affinity groups engage both non-profit and philanthropic partners to develop and implement strategies and public policies that produce positive impacts for children, families, and communities in Mississippi.

Jamie, a native of Kosciusko, MS, has a BS in Management from Belhaven University and a Masters in Health Promotion from Mississippi State University. With a background working in the private healthcare sector, she has been in roles overseeing corporate giving, national strategic partnerships, colleague engagement and activism, and government relations. Over the last 15 years she has invested in many organizations around the metro area with a focus on health and wellness, social justice, community development, and youth leadership. Jamie serves on the board of Unite Mississippi Foundation, Mississippi Christian Living Magazine, CASA of Hinds County and The Devoted Dreamers Foundation, with previous board leadership with Midtown Public Charter School and the Metro YMCA. Over the last 20 years she has given countless hours of her time to support many local nonprofits with fundraising and volunteering. She is a W.K. Kellogg Foundation Community Leadership Network alumni and a graduate of Leadership Greater Jackson and  Leadership Mississippi.  She was most recently recognized by the Mississippi Business Journal as one of the Top 50 Distinguished Leading Women in Business.

DeLorean King

Position: Learning and Capacity Building Associate
Email: delorean.king@alliancems.org

DeLorean King is the Learning and Capacity Building Associate for the Mississippi Nonprofit Alliance. DeLorean is a native of Birmingham, Alabama. She graduated from Mississippi State University with a bachelor’s degree in both Finance and Risk Management and Insurance. DeLorean received her MBA from Millsaps College in Finance.  She is a member of Beta Gamma Sigma International Business Society. DeLorean is actively involved in church. In her spare time, DeLorean loves to travel, read, spend time with her family, and do volunteer work.

Jason Easley

Position: Bookkeeper
Email: Jason.Easley@alliancems.org

Jason Easley serves as part-time bookkeeper for the Alliance with the primary responsibility of ensuring all financial transactions are properly recorded and reported, and also works closely with the executive director to forecast cash flow and prepare budgets for the current year and beyond.

Jason earned both his BSBA in Accounting and MBA from Mississippi College. He has been a CPA for 23+ years, spending most of his career in State government and is recently retired. Jason worked for Public Safety, the Office of the State Auditor, the Department of Health and the Department of Rehabilitation Services as an Accountant, Auditor and Director of Internal Audit and Quality Assurance.

A native of Summit, Mississippi, Jason became an avid golfer at North Pike School District and went on to play for the Mississippi College golf team. Jason loves college sports, enjoys movies and TV shows on demand, and eating out or grilling with friends. He and his wife Holly have two children.

Melissa Butler

Position: Sr. Marketing & Communications Manager
Email: melissa.butler@alliancems.org

Melissa Butler serves as Sr. Marketing & Communications Manager for the Alliance.  In this role, Melissa is responsible for creating, developing, protecting, and promoting the Alliance brand and annual communication’s plan and strategy; stewarding brand coherence and engaging members, constituents, and stakeholders through marketing and communications, broadening awareness of Alliance programs and services and increasing visibility of the organization.

Melissa is a lifelong Mississippi native and has worked in the metro Jackson area her entire career. She earned her BS in Marketing Management from the University of Southern Mississippi (SMTTT).  With over 25 years of marketing and communications experience, predominantly in the telecommunications industry, in 2002 she left the corporate world to raise a family and began contracting and freelance consulting her extensive marketing, brand management, and creative design experience to previous employers, other profit, nonprofit, and higher education organizations established through prior employee connections, volunteer service, social engagement, and church involvement, building a broad portfolio of clients from a variety of sectors and industries.  She also became a small business owner in 2013. Melissa is the proud parent of two beautiful adult children and is active in the Women’s Ministry at Broadmoor Baptist Church where she has been a member for over 30 years. She enjoys tennis, photography, gardening, and all aspects of graphic, interior, exterior and architectural design.

Michael C. Martella

Position: Program Assistant
Email: michael.martella@alliancems.org

Michael C. Martella has joined the Alliance team as Program Assistant and will be responsible for providing a wide range of administrative and logistical support to the Alliance’s program team, to include assistance in the planning and management of the training and capacity building unit, membership, and the policy unit.