Meet the Team
Nekiya Brown - Co President
Ms. Nekiya Brown is a very loving and caring person, and she is proud to have been a foster mother for 17 years. Throughout the years, Ms. Brown has fostered over 67 children and reunited many children back with their families. She is also proud to be a recipient of the Foster Parent Achievement Award in 2023.
Ms. Brown is a mentor for other foster moms and foster children through the organization, Be Oiled. She has also previously worked for the Department of Human Services (DHS) and provided services for adults in the shelter system. She is a licensed herbalist by trade.
Ms. Brown has adopted three children that had been in care for several years and now they are a permanent part of her family.
Helen Lee - Co President
Do. Hard. Things. This is a constant reminder for Ms. Helen Lee. Being a foster mother is so hard, but also so rewarding, especially for Ms. Lee in knowing that she gave a child a safe and loving home during the time the child was in her care. It takes a village to raise a child, and Ms. Lee and the others at Nourishing Hearts are passionate about creating and serving as a village of love and support for the children who need it as well as for the families who care for foster children.
Ms. Lee has been a corporate lawyer for 16+ years and is a native of Flushing, Queens. NYC has opened up so many opportunities for Ms. Lee and her family, and she is happy to be able to give back to her community through Nourishing Hearts. Ms. Lee looks forward to all the amazing things that she and her Nourishing Hearts teammates hope to do for children and families with the support of our community.
Latisha Lee - Corporate Secretary & VP for Outreach
Ms. Latisha Lee is the Corporate Secretary and Vp of outreach for Nourishing Hearts INC. She is an experienced paraprofessional with over 20 years experience working in some of New York City’s toughest neighborhoods. Latisha is passionate about the wellbeing, self-image and confidence of the children and at-risk youth she encounters. With her deep appreciation for how Nourishing Hearts INC seeks to improve the quality of life for the children and at-risk youth in our communities, Latisha was immediately on board to lend her expertise. When not out helping our youth Latisha is an avid camper who enjoys the great outdoors. Latisha knows all the logistics and planning it takes to get out the door with everything you need to not only survive but thrive in the wilderness.
Renee - VP for Programs
Ms. Renee Kabbez is a former foster care Case Planner who worked with children and families to achieve reunification. Her time as a Case Planner inspired her to serve youth better, in a more interpersonnel way. Ms. Kabbez decided to resign as a Case Planner and pursue her Master’s degree in Social Work at the College of Staten Island, New York. She serves as the Vice President for Programs. Ms. Kabbez is highly interested in creating innovative programs for youth such as independent living skills, financial skills, mental health resources, educational programs, recreational programs and activities that are entertaining to engage in.
She is a Bay Ridge, Brooklyn native, and resided in Bay Ridge for 25 years. Her community has truly inspired her to always give back, especially to what is close to her heart. Many mom-and-pop shops and small businesses have motivated her to contribute to a greater cause and support the community. Ms. Kabbez aspires to serve as a future social worker, providing mental health services to children and young adults. She hopes to make a positive impact on the lives of our youth and foster their success. A quote that Ms. Kabbez lives by, “If you have come to help me, you are wasting your time, but if you have come because your liberation is bound up with mine, then let us work together.”- Lila Watson.
Janine Beckett - Vice President & VP for Community Affairs
Ms. Janine Beckett is the product of a family, seeing a need and meeting those needs. Ms. Beckett’s cousin and his wife became her KinGAP parents after Ms. Beckett’s biological mother died from a deadly disease when Ms. Beckett was three years old. With love and conviction, Ms. Beckett’s cousins raised her side by side with their four adoptive children and a revolving door of foster children. Ms. Beckett’s cousins understood the importance of giving at-risk youth better lives. Even after the death of Ms. Beckett’s father (cousin), her mother (Ms. Beckett’s cousin’s wife) would say, “It’s just one more cup of rice you have to add to your pot.” Ms. Beckett’s mother’s case would be two cups of rice because she fostered teenage mothers.
Ms. Beckett’s mother, through her nurturing heart, passed on her wisdom through life stories and experiences. This upbringing has significantly shaped Ms. Beckett’s perspective on the relationship between problems and solutions. Her mother’s wisdom has positioned Ms. Beckett to become more solution-focused in a world of problems, influencing her approach to social work and public administration.
Thanks to the nurturing influence of two family members, Ms. Beckett graduated with her Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice, minoring in Law Studies. She then pursued two master’s courses programs in Social Work and Public Administration in Public and Non-Profit Management, further enhancing her knowledge and skills. Ms. Beckett is passionate about teaching, empowering, advancing, and maintaining the at-risk population. This role as the VP for Community Affairs of Nourishing Hearts is not just a job for Ms. Beckett; it’s a calling. Ms. Beckett’s experience as a Foster Care Home Finder, US-NYS Task Force Chaplain, former Business Owner, Certified Christian Professional Life Coach, Case Planner, Family Assistant, and Program Liaison Counselor has allowed her to not only care for her son who has Sickle Cell Disease Type SC and Autism Spectrum Disorder but also nourish the hearts of children, youth, young adults, IDD, foster care, adoption, KinGAP, juvenile, immigrant families, low-income families, and inmates.
Tanya - Treasurer
Tanya has been an activities therapist for adults with mental health illness and then a case manager for single adult men, families, and now single adult women. Her passion for helping the disenfranchised has only grown since her years of foster parenting. She believes that her life and work experiences has brought her to a place of understanding her calling is to help. This opportunity to work with this new and fabulous organization is the best way to showcase all that she has leaned and experience. Tanya is looking forward being apart of nourishing hearts becoming a house hold name and impacting the world in a positive light.
