Staff Directory

Leadership Team

Dennis E. Bland, Esq. (CLD ’82), President
BA, DePauw University, IN | JD, Indiana University McKinney School of Law
Dennis leads the direction of and manages the operations of CLD to accomplish organizational goals and long-range strategies. His passion is driven by a concern for the plight of African American youth and community.

Dr. Terry Whitt Bailey (CLD ’81), Vice-President and Chief Programs Officer
BA, Rutgers University, NJ | MA, University of California, Los Angeles | DMin, Newburgh Theological Seminary, IN
Dr. Bailey comes to CLD with three decades of experience in nonprofit management, educational administration and community engagement. Terry is a proud CLD Alumna and a 2010 CLD Minority Achievers Award recipient.

Read Dr. Terry Whitt Bailey’s full bio here >>

Gail A. Bradford, CPA,  Accounting
BS, University of Arizona
Gail helps insure that CLD is an excellent steward of all financial assets. She prepares financial reports and assists in budget preparation, grant proposals and reports. She also provides human resources support for CLD staff.

Melanie Frazier, CFRE,  Director of Development, Rise Campaign Manager
MATD, Roosevelt University, IL | Certificate in Nonprofit Executive Leadership, IUPUI/SPEA
Melanie comes to CLD with over a decade of development and fundraising management experience serving youth development organizations. She oversees the strategic fundraising goals with a team of mission-committed professionals. Through the increased philanthropy of many, she is primarily tasked with increasing the organization’s revenue to help nurture hundreds more youth find their purpose, discover their talent, and become productive members of society. A firm believer in life-long learning, Melanie advocates for inclusion and equity in fundraising, being 1 of the 217 African American Certified Fund Raising Executives out of 7,222 worldwide. She serves on the board of AFP Indiana.  Email Melanie to find out how you can get involved here!

Carolyn Ladd, Office Manager
BS, Martin University, IN | MBA, Indiana Wesleyan University
Carolyn organizes and coordinates office operations and procedures in order to ensure organizational efficiency and effectiveness. She is the Executive Assistant to the President. Carolyn is the mother of a CLD Alum.

Joe N. Zachery, Jr. (CLD ’80), Director, College Prep Institute
BS, Indiana University-Purdue University, Indianapolis| JD, Indiana University, Maurer School of Law
Joe is a proud CLD Alumnus who comes to CLD with more than ten years of not-for-profit and higher education experience, five years of K-12 education experience, and over 15 years of managerial experience.  Joe’s passion is to help students become leaders and to fulfill their educational potential and achieve their dreams.

Team Members