Our Board

PRESIDENT

Christopher Benson is co-author, with Mamie Till-Mobley, of The Death of Innocence: The Story of the Hate Crime That Changed America. This definitive autobiographical account by Benson and Till-Mobley, recounts the story of the lynching of her son, Emmett Till, and her brave decision to let the world witness the true horror of racism. The book is a Pulitzer nominee, and the winner of the 2003 Robert F. Kennedy Book Award Special Recognition.

Benson is currently an associate professor of journalism at the Medill School of Journalism, Media, Integrated Marketing Communications at Northwestern University. He is former reporter on justice, race and media issues for Ebony magazine, WBMX-FM, The Chicago Reporter and has been featured in a number of national journals such as The Huffington Post, The New York Times and The Chicago Tribune.

VICE PRESIDENT

Ollie Gordon is a second cousin and surrogate daughter to the late Mamie Till-Mobley.

Gordon spent the majority of her childhood in the same home as Mamie Till-Mobley and Emmett Till after Alma Spearman (Emmett’s grandmother) assisted with the relocation of her family from Mississippi. Till-Mobley and Gordon developed a special bond following the untimely death of Gordon’s mother.

Gordon’s first experience with death and the emotional effects of grief occurred at the tender age of eight when her cousin and playmate Emmett Till was murdered.

Gordon went on to receive her Master’s in Education and serve at Chicago Public Schools. Gordon is also co-founder, with her daughter, of The Mamie Till-Mobley Memorial Foundation She travels the country telling the story of her cousin, Emmett Till, and her hope for racial reconciliation.

SECRETARY/TREASURER

Joseph Olchefske has been a leader in the K-12 educational community for over twenty-five years, with executive positions in for-profit, non-profit and public sector educational institutions. Olchefske also served as Superintendent of Seattle Public Schools from 1998 to 2003. There he was the leader of a public school system with 47,000 students, 100 schools, 4,500 teachers and an annual operating budget of $435 million.

Olchefske is on the faculty at both Johns Hopkins University’s School of Education and Tulane University’s School of Professional Advancement and is an Academic Visitor at Harvard University.

BOARD MEMBER EX OFFICIO | EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

In addition to her role with The Till Institute, Dr. Parker is the President and Executive Director of AIDS Awareness Advocacy Inc., President of Community Design Concepts, Chairman of Finance for the Board of Trustees of the Village of Summit, Illinois and Assistant Supervisor of the Women’s Department of 5th Jurisdiction Illinois-West. She served as the Founder and Executive Director of the Summit Community Task Force, and board member of the West Angeles CDC, the Mamie Till-Mobley Memorial Foundation and the Moraine Valley Community College Distant Learning.

Dr. Parker is an active member of Argo Temple Church of God in Christ where her husband, Elder Wheeler Parker Jr., serves as Pastor.

BOARD MEMBER

Mike Small and Mamie Till-Mobley became close friends and advocates in telling the Emmett Till story to junior high and high school students. As a high school teacher and administrator, Small has led student groups and taught the Emmett Till story in both Till’s hometown of Chicago and the location of his murder in Mississippi for over twenty years.

Small is a lifelong educator with a passion for social justice. He is committed to recounting his friend, Till-Mobley’s, brave story as part of his lectures on racial justice throughout the U.S., Canada, Ireland, and Australia. He also serves on the board of the Emmett Till Memorial Commission and Museum Committee.

BOARD MEMBER

Bertha Thomas is the granddaughter of Crosby Smith, Sr., the younger brother of Alma Spearman, Emmett’s Grandmother, and Uncle to Mamie Till Mobley.

She is a Senior Paralegal and Realtor with more than 30 years of experience working within the legal industry and/or community. Her central focus has been working with Real Estate Law, Immigration Law, Personal Injury and Workers Compensation Law.