OUR FOUNDER & DIRECTOR OF ADVOCACY
CAROL MITCHELL, J.D., M.A.
The Institute for Black Justice was founded in September, 2020 by Carol C. Mitchell, a local attorney and social justice advocate. Mitchell holds a Juris Doctor from Seattle University School of Law, a Master of Arts in Organizational Systems Renewal from Seattle University, and a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from the University of Washington Seattle.
Mitchell has more than 20 years of public sector leadership experience, having served most recently in Pierce County, Washington. Mitchell's primary responsibility was to improve outcomes for individuals with behavioral health and substance use conditions who were caught in the grip of the criminal justice system. Mitchell has significant organizational and human resources experience, having served as the Chief HR Officer for the Port of Tacoma, Chief Organizational Development and HR Officer for Metro Parks, Public Relations Officer for Pierce Transit, and as Executive Consultant for her own preventive law firm.
Mitchell spent 17 years as the host of TV Tacoma's "CityLine," a Tacoma, WA based public affairs talk show. Her volunteer activities include a Gubernatorial appointment to the Board of Trustees of Clover Park Technical College, Past President of the Fair Housing Center of Washington Board, member of the Palmer Scholars Board of Directors, and Past President of the Tacoma City Association of Colored Women's Clubs, Inc.
Peggy Hurd, Director of Social Work
Peggy Hurd is originally from Los Angeles, California, where she started her educational journey. She attended Pepperdine University and majored in Psychology.
Mrs. Hurd moved to Washington state in the early 1980s. She received her Bachelor of Arts with a focus on Environmental Social Work from the Evergreen State College Tacoma Campus. She has a year of master-level classes from Walden University with a focus on mental health. Chemical Dependency is also another area of study.
Mrs. Hurd recently retired from the King County Department of Children, Youth, and Family where she served as a Children's Family Welfare Social Worker for over five years.
Mrs. Hurd has over 25 years of experience in social services. Her focus on services has been: empowering individuals to be who they can be and assisting them in removing barriers that may prevent them from reaching their full potential.
Morgan Smith, Parent Peer Advocate
Morgan Smith is a Seattle Native who has a desire and heart for service. Morgan is an entreprenur, student and mom who has 3 years of project management experience. Morgan began her Project management journey connecting with local non profit organizations in Tacoma and has been doing the work since!
Leandra Taylor, Parent Peer Advocate
Leandra Taylor is a Parent Peer Advocate with a personal record of successfully navigating the challenges of the child welfare system. Certified by the Department of Health as a Peer Mentor in 2023, Ms. Taylor brings a professional background in the healthcare field, and a wealth of lived experience as the parent of a young son. Leandra provides weekly check-ins and support to IBJ CHIMES Family Advocacy clients, and acts as a motivational speaker sharing the lessons and learning from her own personal journey.
Steve Primas, Parent Coach
Steve Primas is a Parent, Co-Parent, and Marriage Coach, who provides families with positive perspectives leading to healing, collaboration, and reunification with their children. He has worked in social work for over 20 years, including more than 15 years in Child Welfare. During this time, he has worked with countless families in crisis, coaching and empowering them to a place of hope and healing. For over 15 years, he has taught court mandated parenting seminars for families in transition through Always Parents, educating and coaching them on the impacts that the changing family has on children.
While he is proud of his professional accomplishments, being a devoted single father and family man has been his greatest achievement. While raising his daughter as a single father, he earned his college degrees; showing her the will of succeeding even when faced with adversity. His perspective on being a single parent was never that of a challenge, but rather that raising a child was a privilege and an honor. He is an enthusiastic supporter of collaborative parenting and believes that mothers and fathers, when working from a place of positive intent, possess the ability to make sound decisions for the betterment of their children and families. He is all familiar with the adversity many relationships and blended and transitional families face, and the need for good communication. Steve understands the power of choice and believes that the human spirit possesses the capacity of achieving its desired potential and he is equipped to guide you through the journey.
