Meet Our
Leadership Team

Danette Batiste is the Chief Executive Officer of Healthy Heart Nation (HHN), a mission-driven nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing equity by addressing the social determinants of health—across health, education, business, and justice sectors. Under her visionary leadership, HHN is building a national movement to eliminate disparities and foster thriving, resilient communities.

With more than 25 years of experience in the information technology sector, Danette has held a range of executive leadership roles, spearheading enterprise initiatives and developing strategies that drive meaningful, measurable change. Her career reflects a rare blend of technical expertise, strategic insight, and a deep-rooted commitment to social impact.

As CEO, Danette leads HHN’s strategic direction, organizational growth, and external engagement. She works closely with ambassadors, grassroots organizers, and cross-sector partners to ensure that HHN’s mission is translated into sustainable outcomes that uplift underserved communities. Her leadership is marked by authenticity, collaboration, and a relentless focus on equity.

A skilled facilitator and public speaker, Danette has hosted and led numerous community and industry events, including the “Role of Higher Education” panel at the 2024 HELP Conference, the San Diego Padres DE&I Partner Panel, and the nationally recognized Slave Food Project, which explores the intersection of nutrition, culture, and health disparities. She also hosts HHN’s Heart2Heart Podcast, a platform for honest dialogue around mental health, identity, and community resilience.

Danette’s advocacy extends into youth mental health, where she leads workshops designed to empower young people to navigate emotional well-being with confidence and support. Her work has been recognized by organizations such as the Women in Technology Network, where she has championed visibility, mentorship, and opportunity for women of color in tech.

Her leadership philosophy is rooted in authenticity, impact, and connection. Danette is passionate about building inclusive partnerships, amplifying underrepresented voices, and dismantling structural barriers that perpetuate inequity. Through her work at Healthy Heart Nation, she continues to inspire a new generation of changemakers committed to justice, wellness, and opportunity for all.

Mr. Hardy has provided Professional Management Consulting solutions for over 25 years for numerous companies within select industries. He possesses vast experience particularly within the Telecommunications, Aerospace, and Government industry. His background includes managing and participating in the full range of operational planning and financial modeling activities that include the evaluation of emerging technologies to outsourcing global operations. Brian is currently the Executive Vice President of ITConnect Incorporated, a Technology Services Firm and Founder/Managing Partner at Fifty Two Consulting. Brian is a board member for several non profit organizations, including recently being selected as the Board Treasurer and Technology Committee Chair for the Association of Passive Optical LAN and a director on the board of the Benjamin Banneker Foundation. Prior non profit appointments included Board Director for the National Black Business Council and Director and Secretary for the Black Business Association of Los Angeles. Brian received his undergraduate degree from Oakwood College and received his Masters of Business Administration (Technology Management) from the University of Phoenix.

A native of Cleveland, Ohio, DeVona spent her formative years in the Atlanta area. DeVona earned her Bachelor of Science degree from Oakwood College (now University) and her Juris Doctor degree from John Marshall Law School, Atlanta. DeVona is passionate about educating and exposing youth to opportunities for better emotional, mental and physical well-being.

In addition to serving as General Counsel for Healthy Heart Nation, DeVona Roseberry is the founder of Bryant Roseberry Law, LLC. Her 22 years of legal experience include specialties in the areas of Estate Planning, Juvenile Law, Adoptions, Family Law, and Business Organizations. In addition to managing her private law practice, DeVona serves as a contract attorney for two family resource courts in the state of Georgia. DeVona is a member of the Georgia Bar Association and the National Association of Counsel for Children.

Sharon is a dynamic leader with extensive experience in driving strategic and operational initiatives and transforming global HR organizations. With a focus on bridging human capital strategy and technology, Sharon excels at enhancing business efficiency, improving employee processes, and fostering a positive organizational culture.

Specializing in cross-functional leadership, Sharon has a proven track record of optimizing operations, guiding governance, and aligning people strategy with organizational goals. Expertise in data analytics and business intelligence has helped Sharon create competitive advantages and drive enterprise-wide transformation. Sharon also builds strong relationships with stakeholders and vendors to facilitate change and deliver results.

A champion of people development, Sharon thrives in environments that demand innovation, collaboration, and high-performance cultures. With a deep curiosity about human dynamics and a commitment to individual growth, Sharon focuses on delivering tangible outcomes.

Beyond work, Sharon was a founding member of Elevate & Lead: Women of Valor, an initiative supporting young girls through education, mentorship, and community engagement. Sharon is dedicated to empowering future leaders and fostering inclusivity and positive change.

Whether leading technology projects or mentoring the next generation, Sharon is committed to driving impact, innovation, and empowerment.

Dr. Columbus D. Batiste is an Interventional Cardiologist who previously served as an Assistant Clinical Professor and the Regional Chief of Cardiology for the Southern California Permanente Medical Group.

In 2010, Dr. Batiste changed his approach to chronic disease management, focusing on long-term solutions involving nutrition, stress reduction, and exercise rather than relying solely on prescriptions and procedures. In 2016, he collaborated with Samsung Technologies to develop a virtual cardiac rehabilitation program that has successfully treated tens of thousands of patients.

Dr. Batiste's commitment to community health led to the establishment of the non-profit organization Healthy Heart Nation, which is dedicated to addressing social determinants of health. He also advocates whole food plant-based nutrition and has lectured internationally. In 2024, he published his first book, "Selfish: A Cure for a Stressed Heart."

Dr. Jarilyn Conner graduated from Howard University and has a PHD in Mass Media Communication.

Dr. Conner’s focus is on Autism and the discrepancies and issues involved with African American parents seeking help for their children. Dr. Conner has done many speaking engagements with Dr. Temple Grandin. Dr. Conner’s passion is engaging with children and sharing with parents the resources and programs that are in the community to break the barriers, stigmas and stereotypes of a child diagnosed with autism. Dr. Conner has empowered many parents and their children to not feel embarrassed, ashamed or isolated from sharing their personal stories. As an advocate for children with autism, Dr. Conner is grateful for the opportunity to share the knowledge of others experiences and bridging the gap between educators, caregivers, and medical professionals.

Carrington Matthews is a mission-driven executive advisor with over a decade of experience in financial management, enterprise risk, and strategic consulting across federal, commercial, and nonprofit sectors. He brings a deep commitment to fiscal integrity, governance excellence, and operational transparency—core pillars of effective nonprofit leadership.

In his current role as Acting Engagement Manager at a global advisory firm, Carrington leads enterprise risk and fraud risk management initiatives, leveraging emerging technologies to enhance compliance frameworks and organizational efficiency. His expertise spans internal control optimization, financial reporting, contract oversight, and regulatory assurance, with a consistent focus on sustainable impact and accountability.

As the daughter of an Air Force Veteran and an educator, Kali Wills was ingrained with a strong sense of pride and community as well as a desire to help others from a young age.

For the past twelve years, Kali has dedicated her legal career to public interest organizations across Georgia. Kali began her journey representing the disenfranchised at the Newton County Public Defender’s Office, where she led numerous criminal trials and sharpened her expertise as a litigator. She then becamea Special Appointed Attorney General representing the Georgia Department of Family and Children’s Services. In her role as a Special Appointed Attorney General, Kali worked tirelessly to help protect neglected and abused children. In her work, she assisted in employing innovative solutions to support children, parents, and guardians to help strengthen families. In 2023, Kali joined the Fulton County Public Defender’s Office as an assistant public defender. Kali represents indigent defendants facing serious legal consequences. Kali balances a voluminous and complex docket, and her legal arguments have set legal precedent.

Kali received her Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Nevada, Reno and Juris Doctorate from Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School. She is admitted to practice before both the Court of Appeals and the Supreme Court of Georgia.