About Our Teens
Brandon Sampson
Selethia
(Level Up Mom)
Driipykidd
Meet The Leadership Team
Pastor Aaron Campbell
Executive Director
Aaron Campbell is the founder and executive director of Urban Dream Chasers, Inc. (Level Up). He is also the founder and lead pastor of Antioch Christian Fellowship. Aaron has been working with teens and young adults in high-risk neighborhoods of Philadelphia for over twenty years—working with gang members, drug dealers, and traumatized or marginalized youth who need mentoring. A graduate of The University of Pennsylvania, Campbell is a proud African-American and Native-American who also does extensive work on native reservations across the country. For his ongoing work in native communities, he was even invited to share at The United Nations in New York City, before diplomats, ambassadors, and the global head of The Permanent Forum of Indigenous Issues (UNPFII), who was directly under UN Secretary General, Ban Ki Moon.
Campbell is a member of The Union League of Philadelphia and is a president chaplain of the Philadelphia Police Department, where he counsels officers, as well as builds bridges between officers and young people from high-risk neighborhoods for raw and honest dialogue. Campbell is also an international first responder and has comforted and counseled victims at some of our nation’s bloodiest massacres in recent history. Campbell regularly appears on national and local radio, and has also appeared on national television.
Lastly, he is the author of a compelling, coming-of-age memoir, Eyes That Seen Plenty: A Memoir on Race, Class, Culture, and Redemption. This memoir has been adopted into two university curriculums—including The University of Pennsylvania. Endorsed by Dr. Cornel West and others, it is a book that has educated and transformed many.
To purchase a copy of Eyes That Seen Plenty, click here
(Available in hardcover, paperback, Kindle, and audiobook)
Pastor Sherman Adams
Program Coordinator
Pastor Sherman Adams serves as an assistant pastor of Antioch, and the systems and programs coordinator for Level Up. He is responsible for all aspects of maintaining, running, and overseeing Level Up Safe Haven, securing resources, food, and transportation needs for Level Up. Prior to becoming a pastor at Antioch, Pastor Adams worked for 30 years in the retail and fashion industry, including as a manager at Macy’s and Lord & Taylor. He also managed a large, tri-state team at the second largest national satellite TV provider.
Andrew Blassingame
Safe Haven Co-Lead
Mr. Blassingame serves on a part-time basis as the co-lead of the Safe Haven space. He serves as a community engagement partner with experience in behavioral management, college and career counseling, mentorship, and youth development. After supporting Philadelphia’s youth as a mental health specialist for 10 years within the school district, Mr. Blassingame has transitioned into youth mentorship and college and career readiness. Recently operating as a Program Coordinator for a non-profit organization, Mr. Blassingame is currently the Executive Director for Rebel Ventures, a youth career development organization that is partnered with the University of Pennsylvania, where he acts as a professional development coach and program lead for the students and staff he supervises. He holds a MS in Organizational Development and Leadership from the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine and a BS in Philosophy from West Chester University.
Nohémie Sanon Roland
Safe Haven Co-Lead
Mrs. Roland leads and coordinates all aspects of the Safe Haven space on a part time basis. In this role, she is responsible for planning the food and operational budget, partnering with the systems and logistics coordinator on inventory planning and food preparation. She is also responsible for tracking various metrics related to the program. Mrs. Roland is a Corporate Strategy Manager with deep expertise across the service industry. She most recently worked as a Manager within the Strategic Business Development division of Aramark where she was responsible for evidence-based analytics and strategic insights to support the growth of the business. She holds an MBA from the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania, and a BS in Mechanical Engineering from Syracuse University.
Jenay M. Smith
Tutoring & Enrichment Co-Lead
Ms. Smith serves on a part-time basis as the co-lead of Level Up’s Tutoring & Enrichment program. Together with Dr. Williams, she is responsible for all aspects of our Tutoring & Enrichment program, including volunteer and participant coordination, curriculum development and periodic assessment of the participants. Ms. Smith currently serves as Life Skills Development Trainer at Drexel Building Wealth and Health Network in Philadelphia. She has a Masters in Social Services from Bryn Mawr Graduate School of Social Work and Social Research.
Dr. Joshua Williams
Tutoring & Enrichment Co-Lead
Dr. Williams serves on a part-time basis as the co-lead of Level Up’s Academic and Enrichment program. In this capacity, he is responsible for assessing each participant in the program, defining the tutorial curriculum, scheduling all volunteer instructors, and overall, ensuring the success of Level Up’s academic goals for our young adults. Dr. Williams currently serves as an Instrumentation Specialist at Drexel University and was previously Associate Professor of Chemistry at Union University in Jackson, Tennessee.