WHO WE ARE

Griffin & Strong (G&S) is an Atlanta, Georgia-based professional corporation that focuses on law and public policy consulting. The firm was organized in 1992, incorporated in June 1996, and has been in business continuously since that time—over twenty-five years.

Griffin & Strong has methodically built its experience and reputation in the area of public policy consulting and supplier diversity consulting and has conducted disparity studies, drafted program legislation and engaged in remedial program development nationwide. G&S is unique in that it is a law firm with a public policy consulting division whose sole focus is disparity research and equity and inclusion program analysis and consulting. We are suited to analyze and respond to the current legal climate which confronts governmental efforts to promote equity, to ensure that all citizens are given an equal opportunity to compete in the area of public contracting.

Below are a few jurisdictions G&S has or is performing disparity studies for:

  • Bexar County, Texas
  • Atlanta Public Schools, Georgia
  • Charles County, Maryland
  • City of Atlanta, Georgia
  • City of Augusta, Georgia
  • City of Birmingham, Alabama
  • City of Cambridge, Massachusetts
  • City of Chattanooga, Tennessee
  • City of Cincinnati, Ohio
  • City of Columbus, Ohio
  • City of Durham, North Carolina
  • City of Fayetteville, North Carolina
  • City of Frederick, Maryland
  • City of Gainesville, Florida
  • City, of Greensboro, North Carolina
  • City of Jackson, Mississippi
  • City of Memphis, Tennessee
  • City of Milwaukee, Wisconsin
  • City of Phoenix, Arizona
  • City of Savannah, Georgia
  • City of St. Louis, Missouri
  • City of Tacoma, Washington
  • City of Toledo, Ohio
  • Clark County, Nevada
  • Clarke County School District, Georgia
  • Commonwealth of Kentucky
  • Cuyahoga County, Ohio
  • Dekalb County, Georgia
  • Durham County, North Carolina
  • Fayetteville Public Works Commission, North Carolina
  • Fulton County-County of Atlanta Landbank Authority
  • Fulton County, Georgia
  • Georgia Department of Transportation
  • Georgia Lottery
  • Guilford County, North Carolina
  • Harford County, Maryland
  • Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport
  • Houston Metropolitan Transit
  • Invest Atlanta, Georga
  • Jackson (MS) Municipal Airport Authority
  • Louisville Water Company, Kentucky
  • Mecklenburg County, North Carolina
  • Memphis Shelby County Schools, Tennessee,
  • Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County
  • Metropolitan Nashville Airport Authority
  • Montgomery County, Maryland
  • North Carolina Department of Transportation
  • Ohio Department of Transportation
  • Orange County, Florida
  • New Orleans (LA) Aviation Board
  • Newark, New Jersey Consortium
  • Port of Houston, Texas
  • Shelby County, Tennessee
  • Sound Transit, Washington
  • Louis County, Missouri
  • State of Connecticut
  • State of Georgia Department of Administrative Services
  • State of Tennessee
  • State of North Carolina
  • Wake County, North Carolina

 

G&S has also engaged in the following public policy and supplier diversity consulting arrangements

  • Atlanta Committee for the Olympic Games (ACOG)
  • The New World of Coca Cola
  • FedEx Forum (Memphis)
  • Mercedes Benz Stadium (Atlanta)
  • State Farm Arena (Atlanta)
  • Living Cities – City Accelerator 4 (Cohort Lead)
    • Consulted with the following cities:
      • City of San Antonio, Texas
      • City of Chicago, Illinois
      • City of Los Angeles, California
      • City of Memphis, Tennessee
  • Living Cities – City Accelerator 6 (launched in June of 2019)

 

G&S presents the most experienced and qualified team in the industry with each team member holding significant experience in disparity study consulting and program development.

Project Team

Courtney Clark – Deputy Project Manager

  • Courtney Clark earned her Bachelor of Science in Political Science with a minor in Gender & Women’s Studies from Kennesaw State University. During her undergraduate studies, she focused her research on issues of disparity, culminating in a capstone thesis that critically examined American society through the lens of systemic inequities.
  • Courtney went on to complete her Master of Science in International Policy Management at Kennesaw State University, where she served as a Research Assistant on projects exploring civil aviation history, international terrorism, conflict management practices, and global security. During her graduate studies, Courtney also worked as a Law and Policy Analyst Intern with the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights where she conducted research on national crime trends and their relationship to crime victimization.
  • In addition, Courtney was selected to conduct original research for the U.S. Department of State, where she developed policy recommendations to mitigate transboundary haze in ASEAN and presented her findings before the Department. Her contributions to research and policy were recognized with the Radow College of Humanities and Social Sciences Outstanding Scholar Award.
  • Courtney is passionate about research, advocacy, and policy analysis, and she is committed to addressing issues of equity and social justice through her work.
  • BS, Political Science, Kennesaw State University
  • MSc, International Policy, Kennesaw State University
Hema Dass-Narinesingh – Sr. Manager of Consulting

  • Previously worked with the Trinidad and Tobago Civil Aviation Authority (TTCAA) where she implemented process reengineering to maximize efficiency and cost effectiveness which led to sustaining financial self-sufficiency in the TTCAA’s operations.
  • Led several successful aviation projects, including those funded by the International Civil Aviation Organization and the European Union.
  • BSc, Management and Leadership (Public Sector Management), University of the West Indies, St. Augustine
  • MBA, Heriot Watt University, Scotland
  • Project Management Professional, PMI
Michele Clark Jenkins - Director of Research and Methodology

  • 16 years of Disparity Study Project Management.
  • Has served as Project Manager or Project Management Oversight on 60+ Disparity Studies.
  • Served as the lead consultant for 4 goal- setting projects for Georgia DOT and 3 goal-settings for Hartsfield Jackson Atlanta International Airport.
  • Expertise in post-study guidance.
  • As the Director of Research and Methodology, Ms. Clark-Jenkins directs the production of all matters related to Study methodology, applies quality assurance measures, and provides direct support to the Project Management and Data Analytics teams.
  • B.A. in Anthropology, Princeton University
  • J.D. NY Law School
  • Certification in Negotiations from Harvard University; PMP Certified Project Manager; and Certified Contract Compliance Administrator.
Trinity Williams – Project Management Coordinator

  • Background in Research and Public Policy.
  • Trinity Williams is a Project Manager with expertise in client communication, community engagement, and research. She assists the Director of Research and Methodology and Senior Manager with management of disparity studies and public policy consulting projects.
  • B.S. in Political Science; minor in English from Presbyterian College
  • Master’s in Public Administration from the University of Georgia
        Thoai “Thomas” Tran – Data Analytics Coordinator

        • Proficient in R Studio, Python, VBA, Tableau, and SQL.
        • Thomas has expertise in manipulating and analyzing large datasets and employing advanced data analytics techniques to extract valuable insights from intricate data.
        • Previously served as the head of a six-member team at McKesson Corp for over four years.
        • BSc, Civil Engineering, Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology, Vietnam
        • MSc, Analytics, Georgia Institute of Technology
        Kalvin Walden – Data Analyst

        • Analysis Languages: R Programming, Sas, Excel, and more
        • Skilled in spreadsheet manipulation, data entry, and data analysis
        • Effective in communicating data analysis information and research scopes
        • BA, Statistics and Mathematics, Florida State University
        Morgan Wilson, Esq. - Legal & Policy Analyst

        • Developed a specialism in public procurement law and works closely with G&S Consulting Group
        • Worked in Tulane’s Environmental Law Clinic litigation against large oil companies operating in Louisiana
        • A. from Mount Holyoke College; JD from Tulane University Law School
        Dr. Gregory Price – Senior Economist, Econometric Oversight and Private Sector Analysis

        • Skilled Econometrician and Applied Theorist, Experienced in Economic Forensics.
        • 20+ Disparity Studies
        • 25+ years of economic analysis of discrimination and disparity of employment, private sector contracting, lending and public contracting.
        • Former president National Economics Association.
        • PhD. in Economics from the University of Milwaukee-Wisconsin.
        Maiya McQueen - Anecdotal Analyst, Anecdotal Review Chapter

        • Maiya McQueen is a Social Anthropologist with a strong background in qualitative data collection and analysis.
        • Extensive experience managing/conducting ethnographic & qualitative research in both cultural anthropology and psychology.
        • Former fellow at Harvard’s Hip-hop Archive & Research Institute.
        • B.A. in Psychology, BA in Anthropology from San Francisco State University.
        • MSc in Social Anthropology from The London School of Economics and Political Science.
        Dr. Ajisafe Adajan - President, Creative Research Solutions, Survey of Business Owners

        • Core competencies of the firm include survey development, qualitative data analysis, focus groups, and interviews.
        • Recipients of the 2015 Business of the Year, Community Workforce Award, DeKalb County Chamber of Commerce.
        • Clients include Annie E. Casey Foundation, United Nations Foundation, and University System of Georgia.
        • Conducted surveys on 30+ disparity studies.
        Susan Johnson - Director of Project Administration

        • More than 30 Disparity Studies as Contractor Administrator or Deputy Project Manager.
        • Former Director of Human Resources for Concessions International.
        • Contract Compliance Administrator for the City of Atlanta Office of Contract Compliance.
        • B.A. Political Science, Spelman College
        • M.S Urban Government and Administration and an M.A. in Human Resource Management, Georgia State University
        Rodney K. Strong - Project Executive

        • Recognized as national expert in Disparity Research, Supplier Diversity, and Remedial Program Development and Implementation
        • Former Director of Contract Compliance for the City of Atlanta, GA
        • Project Manager for the first major post-Croson disparity study
        • Principal architect of the City of Atlanta’s EBO Program, which became the national model for post-Croson MBE programs
        • Testified before the U.S. Senate Committee on Small Business & Entrepreneurship
        Delmarie A. Griffin, Project Executive

        • Extensive skill set through the negotiation of major contracts and complex business transactions between diverse groups of private clients and government entities.
        • In 2007, Attorney Griffin led the G&S team on the New World of Coca-Cola Supplier Diversity initiative. As the lead consultant on this project, she developed and implemented a successful minority and female business participation program for the construction of the new facility. The firm earned the Partners in the Promise Award from The Coca-Cola Company’s Chief Executive Officer for its efforts in this groundbreaking initiative.
        • She served as Senior Contract Administrator, Compliance Director and Interim Director of Resourcing for the City of Atlanta Department of Procurement for almost 10 years. Ms. Griffin also previously served as Contract Compliance Hearing Officer for Fulton County, Georgia for ten years (1989-1999).
        • Attorney Griffin earned her law degree from the University of Georgia School of Law and her undergraduate degree in Business Administration and Political Science from Morris Brown College.

        Local Partners

        Kerri VanMeveren, Amazing Traditions - Anecdotal Interviews

        • Over 20 years of experience in creating highly impactful organizations with data-driven results
        • Vast experience and education in efficiently running and strategically assisting clients in the Kansas City area
        • Specializes in strategic efficiency business intelligence solutions, organizational measurement & development, technology assessments, and coaching & training development and has assisted governmental, nonprofit, law enforcement, and Fortune 500 companies.
        • Demonstrated skills and proven abilities in data research, communications, and hands-on experience working with diverse groups
        Carrie Stapleton, Phillips-West Public Relations & Communications – PR

        • 30+ years of client experience
        • Full-service, award-winning, African American, women-owned public relations, community engagement, and advertising firm with local and national clients
        • Holds a track record for working for and alongside Kansas City
        • Specializes in media relations, coordination of special events, target marketing, and the facilitation of networking formats to private and public organizations

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