A Pro-Youth Charitable Organization

Meet Our Dedicated Board Members

The Niagara Movement Foundation is a charitable organization that advocates for disadvantaged youth. We focus on mentoring and educating young people, primarily high school and college students, about government and public service. Our foundation aims to cultivate a generation of socially conscious and responsible individuals committed to contributing to the betterment of their communities.

Our Board of Directors

Our charitable organization is composed of esteemed individuals who bring a wealth of experience and expertise to ensure we fulfill our mission of empowering disadvantaged youth. With a shared commitment to our cause, our dedicated board members work diligently to provide oversight, support, and leadership, helping us make a positive impact in the lives of young people.

Hon. Willie L. Brown, Jr., Honorary Chairman

Hon. Willie L. Brown, Jr. Honorary Chairperson
Chairman Emeritus

Hon. Elihu M. Harris, Co-chair

Elihu M. Harris served as the Mayor of Oakland for two terms, from 1991 to 1999. He was a 12-year member of the California State Assembly, during which time he authored the historic 1981 legislation that designated Dr. Martin Luther King’s birthday a California state holiday.

Mr. Harris is a graduate of California State University, Hayward. He received his Master of Arts in Public Policy from the University of California (U.C.) Berkeley, and a law degree from U.C. Davis. Mr. Harris served as Chancellor of the Peralta Community College District from 2003 to 2010.

As the Mayor of Oakland, Mr. Harris presided over the development of the city center and the government center as its core. He focused on bringing jobs to Oakland and developing large and small projects to sustain the city’s economic and cultural viability.

These projects included the creation of the Uptown Entertainment District and the Chabot Space and Science Center, as well as the construction of the Rotunda Building and reconstruction of the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum Arena.

Virtual T. Murrell, Co-chair

Lobbyist, political consultant and author, Virtual Murrell has been a political and community activist since his teenage years. As a young man, he attended Merritt College in Oakland, CA, where he co-founded the first Black History and Black Studies Program at Merritt. He later attended Cal-State East Bay where he majored in Political Science.

As a political consultant, Mr. Murrell worked in the Carter-Mondale Administration, co-chaired President Bill Clinton’s Birthday Celebration (1983), helped organize the Wilder for Lt. Governor Campaign in Virginia (1985), and was the Senior Advisor to Presidential candidate Walter Mondale (1982-84). He was also an advisor to Congressman Mervyn M. Dymally.

Mr. Murrell served as Chairman of the City of Oakland Community and Economic Development Advisory Commission and the County of Alameda County Mental Health Commission. He was appointed to the State of California Health Care Financing Authority.

Mr. Murrell’s book, “Memoirs of a Black Panther: In Pursuit of America’s Promise,” was recently published. Here, as an active participant, he lays out his perception and analysis of the interplay of the complex issues of race and politics from the mid-20th century to now.

Sandra Simpson-Fontaine

Sandra Simpson-Fontaine is a dedicated public servant and lifelong political/community activist. She began her journey at an early age on the streets of Chicago. Ms. Simpson-Fontaine was born in Danville, KY, but her family moved to Chicago before she was a year old.

She attended Mount Holyoke College in South Hadley, MA, where she was instrumental in establishing a regional Black Studies Program for the five colleges in the area. Ms. Simpson-Fontaine received her Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) with honors in 1972 and her law degree (Juris Doctor) from U.C. Berkeley School of Law in 1975.

After law school, Ms. Simpson-Fontaine worked for the State of California, joining the legal staff of the Department of Water Resources and then the Resources Agency. After 6 years, she was hired by the California Assembly as a consultant. In 1983, she became the first Black woman appointed to the position of Chief of Staff in the California Assembly. She retired from state service as the Executive Director of the California Health Facilities Financing Authority.

Robert L. Harris, Esq.

Robert L. Harris is a retired vice president of Pacific Gas and Electric. He is a 1963 graduate of Merritt College and a 1965 graduate of San Francisco (S.F.) State University. In 1972, he received his J.D. from the U.C. Berkeley School of Law, where he was a member of the California Law Review. In 2007, Mr. Harris was inducted into the S.F. State University’s Hall of Fame.

After graduating from law school, Mr. Harris joined the legal staff of PG&E. He practiced there for 17 years, handling various legal matters before transitioning to the company's business side in 1989. In 1985, he became the first lawyer in the nation to convince the U.S. Supreme Court that a corporation, like an individual, has negative First Amendment rights.

Mr. Harris is the former president of the Charles Houston Bar Association (and a member of its Hall of Fame). He served as the 37th president of the National Bar Association (1979-1980), the first ever from the West Coast. He was one of the founders of the California Association of Black Lawyers (CABL) in 1977. He also served as the 27th Grand Polemarch (President) of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, and as the 44th Grand Sire Archon (President) of Sigma Pi Phi Fraternity (Boule).

Hon. Leo Bazile

Raised in Oakland, CA, Leo Bazile is a longtime community advocate. He is a former member of the Oakland City Council. Mr. Bazile attended Merritt College in Oakland, CA, before receiving his bachelor’s degree from Stanford University in 1971 where he had served as the Chairman of the Black Students Union.

In 1974, Mr. Bazile received his J.D. from the U.C. Berkeley School of Law. Following law school, he worked on several political campaigns. Mr. Bazile remains actively involved in the political and economic affairs of the City of Oakland and then went into private practice with his longtime friends and law school buddies.

Shonda Y. Scott

Shonda Scott is a recognized businesswoman, civic leader, and philanthropist. She is the chief executive officer and founder of 360 Total Concept Program Management. Ms. Scott has a demonstrated history of working on major projects in real estate development, TEC, transportation, and capital programs. Her client list includes television networks, federal agencies, school districts, and major corporations.

She is skilled in corporate communications, equity/diversity, program management, business intelligence, social media, and public speaking. Ms. Scott graduated from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA).

Ms. Scott is a 2018 Alameda County Women’s Hall of Fame Inductee and 2017 Enterprising Women Magazine’s Enterprising Woman of the Year. As a civic leader and philanthropist, she has led efforts to assist Oakland schools, promote cancer research, and support cancer survivors through her nonprofit, Pink Access Foundation.

Hon. Lynette Gibson McElhaney

Lynette Gibson McElhaney is a first-generation Californian born and raised in San Diego. She is a child of Southern migrants. Ms. McElhaney holds a B.A. in political science from U.C. Berkeley.

Ms. McElhaney is a member of the Oakland City Council who was first elected in 2012. In addition to her work as a city councilwoman, she is a mentoring member of the International John Maxwell Team, providing leadership development training and coaching for Fortune 500 businesses and individuals. She equips youth and adults with the skills to lead and excel through troubled times.

In January 2015, Ms. McElhaney was elected president of the Oakland City Council, becoming the first African-American woman to hold the position. In an effort to rein in the violence that has plagued Oakland for years, McElhaney and her fellow council member, Larry Reid, proposed the creation of the Department of Violence Prevention (DVP) in 2017, which the Council approved.

The DVP adopts a public health approach in its work on homicide reduction, domestic violence prevention, anti-child trafficking measures, improved prosecutions, and victim assistance.

George W. Woods, M.D.

Dr. George Woods is a practicing physician specializing in neuropsychiatry. His private practice focuses on neurodevelopmental disorders. He graduated from the University of Utah in 1977.

He received the 2018 Distinguished Alumni Award from the University of Utah Medical Center. Dr. Woods was the first psychiatrist ever selected. From 2017 through 2019, he served as Secretary-General to the International Academy of Law and Mental Health during its amalgamation with the Institute of Ethics, Medicine, and Public Health at the Sorbonne, Paris, France.

Dr. Woods has worked with Vulcan Industries, Microsoft, Forefront Telehealth, and Walmart on psychometrically and culturally competent employment Grr-testing procedures. He is a neuroscience advisor to BetterManager, a leader in advanced coaching for all levels of management. He is also the neuroscience director of Grr-ithm Technologies.

View Our Foundation’s Gallery

The Niagara Movement Foundation celebrates extraordinary individuals and their commitment to creating a brighter future for disadvantaged youth. Visit our Gallery page to see our foundation members who passionately support our charitable organization. Should you wish to learn more about us, please don’t hesitate to reach out.

Niagara Movement Foundation

Phone: 916-996-3160 | Email: contact@niagaramovementfoundation.org