STAFF
HHREC has a long history of employing brilliant community activists who moonlight as artists in some capacity, as you'll see below. Our commitment to the community at large begins with our own employees, and HHREC's offices live the mission we work to implement. On any day you may find wellness groups, health and nutrition activities, meditation circles, or consumers stopping by to spend time in an uplifting, friendly environment. Our staff is listed below and our Extended Family are listed here.
Colette Winlock began as HHREC’s Executive Director in January of 2010. She has a master’s degree in cultural anthropology and social transformation. She was the Project Director of the Black Women’s Media Project for several years. In 1997, along with Sherry Kiara Harris and Sheila James, she published two editions of Crossing the Invisible Line a jet-styled magazine focused on African American women and their views on alcohol and drug related problems. Colette has developed numerous media campaigns and an unprecedented 10 years of self-care retreats for African American women called “Be Still.” She has played a major role in coordinating multiple community based research projects, needs assessments, media campaigns, technical assistance, and community engagement activities at the county, state and national level. Her prior work outside of HHREC, includes serving as the Executive Director of the National Black Alcoholism Council, CA Chapter, Director of Health Programs for the Bay Area Black United Fund (BABUF) where she is a founding member along with African American community leadership who implemented the Critical Mass Health Conductors, she is Health Conductor #10. For BABUF Colette also coordinated the bi-annual African American Health Summit. Working with former San Francisco 49er Delvin Williams and other professional and amateur athletes she coordinated youth sports camp and drug abuse prevention programs. A former track and field athlete Colette is inducted into two sport halls of fame. She has also been inducted into Alameda County Women’s Commission Hall of Fame for her community activism. Colette writes literary fiction and in 2013 published her debut novel Undoing Crazy with Oaktown Press.
Markeet’a Parker is a Program Specialist at HHREC and provides support across numerous programs. Since 2010 Markeet’a has worked with various mental health organizations within the Transition Age Youth (TAY) system of care in Alameda County as a public speaker and an influential advocate for Transition Age Youth. Markeet’a is a Wellness Recovery Action Plan Facilitator (WRAP) and provides Downtown TAY Peer Support groups and facilitates the Community Advisory Board for the Black Women’s Media and Wellness Project.
Markeet’a Parker
Program Coordinator
Darren Linzie has lived experience with mental illness. He produced his first professional CD in 2004, and his second CD, through an Innovation Grant Program grant, in 2011. In addition, he has taken college courses for how to produce records and video production at Laney Community College.
Darren is a gifted artist working in pencil, acrylics and other mediums for painting works of art. He creates indoor murals and his work can be seen at the BACS Townehouse Wellness Center on Oakland Avenue. Darren also has created hand drawn comics for many years and painted a mural for the Innovation Grants Program. Darren also works with Transitional Age Youth in creating mural panels. Darren attended the California College of Arts and Crafts and studied art history. He is a member of WRAP and Highland Hospital Outpatient services. He is an alumni from Creative Growth Center where he participated for 10 years, and where he was a top student and became a co-facilitator. For 10 years he has been learning about psychology at Highland Hospital and studying Asian Arts at Laney College
