WHO WE ARE

Griffin & Strong (G&S) is an Atlanta, Georgia-based professional corporation that focuses on law and public policy consulting. The firm was organized in 1992, incorporated in June 1996, and has been in business continuously since that time—over twenty five years.

Griffin & Strong has methodically built its experience and reputation in the area of public policy consulting and supplier diversity consulting and has conducted disparity studies, drafted program legislation and engaged in remedial program development nationwide. G&S is unique in that it is a law firm with a public policy consulting division whose sole focus is disparity research and equity and inclusion program analysis and consulting. We are suited to analyze and respond to the current legal climate which confronts governmental efforts to promote equity, to ensure that all citizens are given an equal opportunity to compete in the area of public contracting.

Below are a few jurisdictions G&S has or is performing disparity studies for:

Bexar County, Texas
Atlanta Public Schools, Georgia
Charles County, Maryland
City of Atlanta, Georgia
City of Augusta, Georgia
City of Birmingham, Alabama
City of Cambridge, Massachusetts
City of Chattanooga, Tennessee
City of Cincinnati, Ohio
City of Columbus, Ohio
City of Durham, North Carolina
City of Fayetteville, North Carolina
City of Frederick, Maryland
City of Gainesville, Florida
City, of Greensboro, North Carolina
City of Jackson, Mississippi
City of Memphis, Tennessee
City of Milwaukee, Wisconsin
City of Phoenix, Arizona
City of Savannah, Georgia
City of St. Louis, Missouri
City of Tacoma, Washington
City of Toledo, Ohio
Clark County, Nevada
Clarke County School District, Georgia
Commonwealth of Kentucky
Cuyahoga County, Ohio
Dekalb County, Georgia
Durham County, North Carolina
Fayetteville Public Works Commission, North Carolina
Fulton County-County of Atlanta Landbank Authority
Fulton County, Georgia
Georgia Department of Transportation
Georgia Lottery
Guilford County, North Carolina
Harford County, Maryland
Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport
Houston Metropolitan Transit
Invest Atlanta, Georga
Jackson (MS) Municipal Airport Authority
Louisville Water Company, Kentucky
Mecklenburg County, North Carolina
Memphis Shelby County Schools, Tennessee,
Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County
Metropolitan Nashville Airport Authority
Montgomery County, Maryland
North Carolina Department of Transportation
Ohio Department of Transportation
Orange County, Florida
New Orleans (LA) Aviation Board
Newark, New Jersey Consortium
Port of Houston, Texas
Shelby County, Tennessee
Sound Transit, Washington
Louis County, Missouri
State of Connecticut
State of Georgia Department of Administrative Services
State of Tennessee
State of North Carolina
Wake County, North Carolina

G&S has also engaged in the following public policy and supplier diversity consulting arrangements

Atlanta Committee for the Olympic Games (ACOG)
The New World of Coca Cola
FedEx Forum (Memphis)
Mercedes Benz Stadium (Atlanta)
State Farm Arena (Atlanta)
Living Cities – City Accelerator 4 (Cohort Lead)
- Consulted with the following cities:
  - City of San Antonio, Texas
  - City of Chicago, Illinois
  - City of Los Angeles, California
  - City of Memphis, Tennessee
Living Cities – City Accelerator 6 (launched in June of 2019)

G&S presents the most experienced and qualified team in the industry with each team member holding significant experience in disparity study consulting and program development.

Project Team

Hanna Rowell – Project Manager

Hanna Rowell is a Project Manager focusing on research, community outreach, and client communication. She assists the Project Manager with the management of disparity studies and public policy consulting projects.
Background in Management Consulting, Research, and Public Sector work.
A. in Economics; B.A. in International Affairs; minor in African Languages and Literature; minor in Swahili Language, Literature, and Culture from The University of Georgia
MSc in Development Management with a specialization in Applied Development Economics from The London School of Economics and Political Science

Hema Dass-Narinesingh – Senior Manager of Consulting

Previously worked with the Trinidad and Tobago Civil Aviation Authority (TTCAA) where she implemented process reengineering to maximize efficiency and cost effectiveness which led to sustaining financial self-sufficiency in the TTCAA’s operations.
Led several successful aviation projects, including those funded by the International Civil Aviation Organization and the European Union.
BSc, Management and Leadership (Public Sector Management), University of the West Indies, St. Augustine
MBA, Heriot Watt University, Scotland
Project Management Professional, PMI

Michele Clark Jenkins - Director of Research and Methodology

14+ years of Disparity Study Project Management.
60+ Disparity Studies, 4 goal- settings for Georgia DOT, 3 goal-settings for Hartsfield Jackson Atlanta International Airport.
Expertise in post-study guidance.
B.A. in Anthropology, Princeton University
J.D. NY Law School
Certification in Negotiations from Harvard University; PMP Certified Project Manager; and Certified Contract Compliance Administrator.

Trinity Williams – Project Management Coordinator

Background in Research and Public Policy.
Trinity Williams is a Project Manager with expertise in client communication, community engagement, and research. She assists the Project Manager with management of disparity studies and public policy consulting projects.
B.S. in Political Science; minor in English from Presbyterian College
Master’s in Public Administration from the University of Georgia

Thoai “Thomas” Tran – Data Analytics Coordinator

Proficient in R Studio, Python, VBA, Tableau, and SQL.
Thomas has expertise in manipulating and analyzing large datasets and employing advanced data analytics techniques to extract valuable insights from intricate data.
Previously served as the head of a six-member team at McKesson Corp for over four years.
BSc, Civil Engineering, Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology, Vietnam
MSc, Analytics, Georgia Institute of Technology

Kalvin Walden – Data Analyst

Previous experience as a Data Technician in healthcare.
Currently serving as Data Analyst on Cobb County, GA and Somerville, MA disparity studies; Hampton, VA availability study; and State of Alabama Quality of Life Study.
B.S. in Statistics, minor in Mathematics from Florida State University

Dr. J. Vincent Eagan – Principal Investigator

Foremost national expert is disparity research.
Served on over 120 disparity studies since 1993.
Over 120 disparity studies.
Successful expert witness in 6 cases.
Member of Bloomberg Business Week Academic Advisory Panel on law for 12 years.
D. from Harvard University; and Ph.D. in Economics from Georgia State University

David Maher - Legal & Policy Analyst

Litigation specialist with over 20 Years of experience in corporate defense, litigation support, civil appeals and general counsel.
Georgia Top Rated Lawyer in Appellate Law and in Labor and Employment Law.
Served as Federal Law Clerk in 11th Circuit Court of Appeals responsible for research and drafting opinions in areas of employment, civil rights, and immigration.
B.S.W. from University of Wisconsin; JD from Florida State University

Dr. Gregory Price – Senior Economist, Econometric Oversight and Private Sector Analysis

Skilled Econometrician and Applied Theorist, Experienced in Economic Forensics.
20+ Disparity Studies
25+ years of economic analysis of discrimination and disparity of employment, private sector contracting, lending and public contracting.
Former president National Economics Association.
PhD. in Economics from the University of Milwaukee-Wisconsin.

Maiya McQueen – Anecdotal Analyst, Anecdotal Review + Chapter

Maiya McQueen is a Social Anthropologist with a strong background in qualitative data collection and analysis.
Extensive experience managing/conducting ethnographic & qualitative research in both cultural anthropology and psychology.
Former fellow at Harvard’s Hip-hop Archive & Research Institute.
B.A. in Psychology, BA in Anthropology from San Francisco State University.
MSc in Social Anthropology from The London School of Economics and Political Science

Dr. Ajisafe Adajan, President, Creative Research Solutions, Survey of Business Owners

Core competencies of the firm include survey development, qualitative data analysis, focus groups, and interviews
Recipients of the 2015 Business of the Year, Community Workforce Award, DeKalb County Chamber of Commerce
Clients include Annie E. Casey Foundation, United Nations Foundation, and University System of Georgia.
Conducted surveys on 15+ Disparity Studies

Jeanette Gordon, McArthur’s Own, LLC - Anecdotal Interviews and Focus Groups

Founder and leader of McArthur’s Own, an organization based in South Florida committed to community engagement, development, and transformation.
20+ years of experience in strategic planning, evidence-based practices, program development, focus groups, data collection and analysis, and community engagement.
Has been named South Florida’s 50 Most Powerful Black Leaders in Business and Industry in 2020.
BSW Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University
MBA, school of Business, University of Phoenix

Kellen Coleman, Coleman PR & Consulting Firm – PR and Public Hearings

Founder of Coleman Public Relations & Consulting Firm.
Over a decade of experience as a public relations professional serving clients in both the governmental and private sectors.
His niche is maximizing the use of social media to support individuals, companies, and governmental entities.
The firm specializes in strategic communication, brand consistency, web content curation, press releases, advertising, and public affairs.
Board member of the South Florida Black Chamber and the Miami Dade Chamber of Commerce.
B.A., Political Science, Grambling State University
M.A., Mass Communication, Grambling State University

Susan Johnson - Director of Project Administration

More than 30 Disparity Studies as Contractor Administrator or Deputy Project Manager.
Former Director of Human Resources for Concessions International.
Contract Compliance Administrator for the City of Atlanta Office of Contract Compliance.
B.A. Political Science, Spelman College
M.S Urban Government and Administration and an M.A. in Human Resource Management, Georgia State University

Rodney K. Strong - Project Executive

Recognized as national expert in Disparity Research, Supplier Diversity, and Remedial Program Development and Implementation.
Former Director of Contract Compliance for the City of Atlanta, GA
Project Manager for the first major post-Croson Disparity Study
Principal architect of the City of Atlanta’s EBO Program, which became the national model for post-Croson MBE programs
Testified before the U.S. Senate Committee on Small Business & Entrepreneurship

Delmarie A. Griffin, Project Executive

Extensive skill set through the negotiation of major contracts and complex business transactions between diverse groups of private clients and government entities.
In 2007, Attorney Griffin led the G&S team on the New World of Coca-Cola Supplier Diversity initiative. As the lead consultant on this project, she developed and implemented a successful minority and female business participation program for the construction of the new facility. The firm earned the Partners in the Promise Award from The Coca-Cola Company’s Chief Executive Officer for its efforts in this groundbreaking initiative.
She served as Senior Contract Administrator, Compliance Director and Interim Director of Resourcing for the City of Atlanta Department of Procurement for almost 10 years. Ms. Griffin also previously served as Contract Compliance Hearing Officer for Fulton County, Georgia for ten years (1989-1999).
Attorney Griffin earned her law degree from the University of Georgia School of Law and her undergraduate degree in Business Administration and Political Science from Morris Brown College.