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About Us
Girl Power takes the needs and desires of every girl seriously so that we can provide programs and activities that create healthy, smart, strong and active girls. Girl Power's programs are developed to empower young girls to get more out of life. Established in 2000 by the World Literacy Crusade (WLC) of Florida - an international, non-profit, community literacy program - Girl Power encourages young girls to build confidence, competence, and pride within themselves. We also provide workshops and materials that inform girls about the risks and consequences associated with substance abuse, low self-esteem, lack of education and more.​
The Woman Behind The Power
Thema Campbell is the President and Chief Executive Officer of Girl Power.
She is a champion, an expert in children’s issues and a true advocate for young girls. Thema’s passion for assisting those in need came from her grandmother, Hattie Skinner Bacon (Mama Hattie), who opened up her small home to family, friends and strangers in need. Most of all Mama Hattie's home served as a safe haven for children who were lost and trying to find their place in this world. Thema founded Girl Power on this same principle. She saw that the same challenges that faced young girls of yesteryear are still prevalent in the young lives of girls today, and girl power opens new doors for them.
In addition to her duties at Girl Power, Thema is also the executive producer of the annual “It Takes A Village Conference;” she serves as executive board member of the Miami-Dade Youth Crime Task Force; she’s a member of the Liberty City Community Action Agency; and a member of the Sojourner Truth Book Club. She is the former co-host of WMBM’s talk show,For Women by Women; former state director of the Miss Black Florida USA Pageant; former chair and co-chair of the Juvenile Justice Board – Circuit 11; and former member of the Miami Commission on the Status of Women. Also, in 1989 she co-founded Concerned African Women and the New Dimensions in Community Educations Program.
Presidents Message
Greetings:
This year marks the 19-year anniversary of something I hold very dear to my heart – Girl Power. I’m proud to be a part of a program that has touched the lives of so many young impressionable girls and their families. My personal mission at Girl Power is to protect, preserve and nurture the integrity and moral conscience of girls who will become our future leaders, mothers, sisters, wives and the first educators of men and women.
Many young girls come to Girl Power broken, misguided, abused and abandoned. Girl Power has consistently been there to provide them with a safe haven as well as healthy doses of support, guidance, counseling, love and a listening ear. It has been my greatest joy and accomplishment. So, with the continued assistance of our funders, supporters, sponsors, partners, parents and friends we hope to be around for many years to come – continuing our great tradition of, Improving our world one girl at a time.
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Thema Campbell
Founder/President & CEO
Staff Power
Rashada C.
Director of Operations
Helen Vilorio
Director of Programs
Board of Directors
Victoria Worship
Chairwoman
Victoria Worship works as an Executive Territory Manager for the world's largest aesthetic medical device company, Candela. Worship has an undergraduate and masters degree from the University of Florida. Worship has an excellent track record of understanding customers’ needs and developing custom solutions. When she is not working, she enjoys spending time with her husband and children, fitness, and traveling.
Laudy Luna
Treasurer
Laudy Luna heads the bankruptcy practice at Liebler, Gonzalez & Portuondo. Before joining the Firm, Ms. Luna was an associate with a well-known boutique firm in Miami, concentrating on bankruptcy, creditors’ rights, and commercial litigation. While she focuses her practice on the representation of creditors’ rights in bankruptcy, she also works on complex commercial litigation matters outside of bankruptcy courts.
Stephanie Jones
Stephanie Jones is a native of Miami, a healthcare executive at Convey Health Solutions, and President of the second largest operating unit for the organization where she leads an $80 million business unit. Stephanie was instrumental in the company’s Initial Public Offering (IPO) in June of 2021 and had the opportunity to ring the bell at the New York Stock Exchange, which was a highlight of her career. Stephanie has been married to her college sweetheart, Morshee, for 30 years and together they have two boys Mikel (age 24) and Miles (age 22) who live in Los Angeles. Stephanie and Morshee sponsor numerous philanthropic causes and nonprofit organizations including Girl Power, Florida Memorial University, Cross World Africa, Antioch Missionary Baptist Church of Brownsville and UNCF of Fort Lauderdale, to name a few.
Aisha Mannings
Vice Chair of Girl Power Rocks Inc.
Aisha is a Senior Revenue Manager of Promotions Strategy & Technology for Celebrity Cruises. She is a former Certified Public Accountant with a Master's Degree in Accounting from the University of Florida. She is also a Mentor/Big of Big Brothers Big Sisters at Royal Caribbean’s work site program and an active member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc.
Dr. Minca Brantley
Dr. Minca Brantley is a Professor and licensed Clinical Psychologist in Miami Beach, FL. Her primary interest is overall wellness and helping individuals live their best lives. Dr. Brantley earned her master’s and doctoral degrees in Clinical Psychology from Nova Southeastern University. She teaches a variety of psychology courses at Miami-Dade College. Dr. Brantley is Co-Director of the Institute for Educational Effectiveness (IEE). Her program offers a full Associate of Arts degree inside prisons. Dr. Brantley received the distinguished Endowed Teaching Chair award at Miami Dade College. Dr. Brantley is grateful to live her best life with her loving husband and their amazing 11-year-old daughter.
Michaele Rachlin
Michaele is a consultant at MDR Management Consulting, providing IT advisory, project/operations and capacity-building services to start-ups, growing businesses and not-for-profit organizations. Michaele joined the Board of Girl Power Rocks in 2009 and served as Chair from 2014-2019. She has 25+ years experience as an information technologist, project manager and senior leader in private businesses and public corporations. Her passion is building strong & thriving organizations & mentoring successful non-profit leaders. Michaele has worked with some of the largest US corporations – Kraft Foods, Best Foods International, LNR Property Corporation, Lennar, Nielsen – in a variety of senior leadership roles.
Cordelia Anderson
Cordelia Anderson has lived in Miami for over 20 years and graduated from Northeastern University in Boston with a Bachelor’s of Science in Systems Engineering. During her career, Cordelia has always had an interest in Real Estate by investing into her own properties. With her passion for Real Estate, she decided to become a full time Realtor to assist others. Through her formal corporate training integrated with her own experience in investments, Cordelia excels at every level providing her clients with the highest level of service and expertise. She offers that same level of dedication to helping girls in underserved communities.
Niki Rucker Brown
Board Secretary
Niki Rucker Brown hails from River Rouge, Michigan. She is a graduate of Central Michigan University and the University of Florida. She has worked for Miami-Dade County Public Schools for 30 years. Through her tenure with MDCPS, she has taught thousands of students business classes and other technological and career development courses. She is married to Douglas and has two daughters and two granddaughters.
Phillippa Weech
Phillippa is a Human Resources Professional, and her career includes partnerships and leadership roles at Children's Hospital-Boston, AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals, Quest Diagnostics, and ADP. Phillippa has a B.A. in Business from Northeastern University and an M.A. in Human Resources Management from Emmanuel College. In Boston, she served on the Benjamin Health Care Center Board and as the co-Chair of the African American Parents Association at The Park School, Boston. Since moving to Miami, Phillippa has furthered her Human Resources Practice and Consultancy and has been involved and supported various organizations in Miami's vibrant arts and cultural communities, including the Perez Art Museum and the Adrienne Arsht Center.
Cherise G. Gause
​Assistant Chief Cherise Giordani Gause is a twenty nine-year law enforcement veteran of the Miami Police Department. She began her career with the Miami Police Department in 1993 as a civilian dispatcher and has progressively ascended through the ranks. She has held assignments in all three divisions of the department. Chief Gause earned a Master of Science degree in Organizational Leadership from Union Institute and University. Assistant Chief Gause has received numerous leadership and community service awards, including, Legacy Magazine South Florida’s “50 Most Powerful Black Leaders in Business & Industry” 2020, Women of the Year N.Y.P.D.
Our Vision
We offer a nurturing environment where girls and their families are empowered to make positive contributions to society.
We value our diversity by respecting each person’s opinions, ideas and self-expressions.
We strive for excellence by providing our students and families with the best possible programs and services.
We maintain our integrity by honoring our commitments, being responsible stewards of our resources and holding ourselves as well as each other accountable.
We genuinely care about building meaningful partnerships to develop and promote a more beautiful and prosperous community.