Board of Directors.
Marcus Chisolm - Founder / President
Marcus Chisolm is the proud Founder and CEO of C.O.R.E Impact. His passion began as a child where spent 14 years in the foster care system until he aged out as a teenager. During these years, he struggled to find a sense of belonging and purpose. So, after learning to overcome the trials he's faced, he felt that God had prepared him to pave an easier way for others and had finally found his purpose. Marcus is determined to spread the message that it is not always how you start but rather how you finish. It is his goal not only to help other children like him find their purpose, but to also inspire a chain reaction for people to continue to help others. He is very proud to be the leader of the Community of relentless Empowerment to Impact lives for the better.
Lance Braye - Vice President
Dr. Lance Braye, MD, MPH is the Vice President of CORE Impact and a family medicine physician. He grew up in Walterboro, SC and attended Colleton County High School where he participated in band, football, and track. He received his undergraduate degree in Biology from The Citadel, The Military College of South Carolina, before attending the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC). While at MUSC, he took a year away from medical school to earn his Masters in Public Health in Health Behaviors and Health Promotion. After graduating from MUSC, he completed his residency in Family Medicine at Lawrence Family Medicine Residency in Lawrence, MA with a concentration in Health Systems Leadership. Throughout his life, Dr. Braye has had mentors to help guide him from one phase to the other and is interested in doing the same for young men. His mentoring experience includes working with high school and college students interested in health careers and general mentorship for middle school students. He loves sports, gardening, cooking, and spending time with his wife, Paris, and their cat, Obi.
Jamila Smith - Secretary
Jamila Smith is the Secretary for C.O.R.E Impact. She was born and raised in Indiana and moved to North Carolina at the beginning of middle school. She served her undergraduate at Howard University in Economics and Marketing where she was an elected member of the American Marketing Association and Abrahm Harris Economic Society. She is certified in Digital Marketing, e-commerce, and Social Media Marketing. She has a background in nonprofit grassroots campaigning having worked with organizations like Fund for the Public Interest and Save the Children. Her career then took her to the legal industry working on personal injury and class action lawsuits as an insurance lien resolution analyst where she negotiated to get the most money back in the hands of claimants. She now works as a freelance business consultant and audiobook narrator. She is unapologetic and fierce in serving the Most High with all her soul and seeks him diligently in all that she does. It is her goal to be a light to those in the darkness and fulfill her calling to be the salt of the earth by sharing her testimony in hopes it can inspire other young adults with less fortunate upbringings.
Aaron J. White- Treasurer
Aaron J. White servers as the Treasurer of the community family purpose organization C.O.R.E Impact. Aaron is three-time graduate from the Illustrious South Carolina University in Orangeburg, South Carolina. He has completed his B.S. in Psychology in 2014, M.S. in Rehabilitation Counseling in 2018, and M.E. in Counselor Education-Secondary in 2022 with certifications as a Career Development Facilitator and School Counselor. An avid servant leader and natural helper, one of his favorite quotes is from Dr. Cornel West, “You can’t lead the people if you don’t love the people. You can’t save the people if don’t serve the people.” When he is not working with his mentees or students, he is embracing the freedoms of the open road on his motorcycle or conducting self-interest research on random topics to further declare himself as the Jack-of all-trades. He is also a proud member of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity Incorporated.
Davante’ R. Pondexter - Public Relations
DaVante’ R. Pondexter was born and raised in Prince George County, Maryland. After moving to Walterboro, South Carolina during his early teenage years, he later attended Benedict College. His love of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) led him to pursue and graduate with a degree in Biology. He found his purpose during this time and joined several organizations that helped develop his professional growth and leadership skills.
After graduating from Benedict College, he joined his alma mater to positively influence students like himself. In his role as Admissions Recruiter and Counselor for the Institution that changed his life, he continues to pursue his passion for investing in young people. He has been inspired to develop future entrepreneurs by equipping them with tools to become business owners in entrepreneurs will learn how to become assets instead of liabilities in their communities. It is his belief that by investing in your community with love and unity, you can build a strong village. He lives by his favorite quote, “If there is no struggle, there is no progress” -Frederick Douglass.