Leadership

Founders

Barbara & Dr. Anthony Shipley

Barbara Jean McCullough Shipley and Dr. Anthony Jerome Shipley met as teenagers at Metropolitan Community Methodist Church in New York City and built a life together centered on faith, education, and service to others. Their shared commitment to helping children reach their full potential became the driving force behind both their professional careers and their philanthropic legacy. Barbara, who held a Bachelor's degree from Chicago Teachers College and a Master's degree in Psychology from the University of Detroit, dedicated her career to education as both a special education teacher in New York City and later as a school psychologist in the Detroit Public School system for 21 years.

Dr. Anthony Shipley retired as the Senior Pastor of Christ United Methodist Church in Detroit and was a longtime leader in the United Methodist Church. Inspired by his own academic struggles and armed with professional experience in educational programming, he founded Chandler Park Academy in 1997 with support from his congregation at Christ United Methodist Church. Anthony also served on the board of Adrian College for more than four decades, demonstrating his lifelong commitment to higher education. Together, Barbara and Anthony co-founded the Shipley Family Foundation in 1997 alongside their only child Dr. Cornelia Shipley Bearyman, creating a lasting legacy that continues to support educational opportunities and remove barriers for deserving students. Barbara passed away in 2012, and Anthony continued their shared mission until his passing in 2020.

Board Members

Dr. Cornelia Shipley Bearyman - Board Chair

Dr. Cornelia Shipley Bearyman co-founded the Shipley Family Foundation in 1997 alongside her parents, the late Barbara and Dr. Anthony Shipley, to support educational access and excellence. As Board Chair, she continues the family's commitment to transforming lives through education while bringing her extensive expertise in organizational development and strategic leadership to guide the foundation's mission.

Dr. Cornelia is the founder of 3C Consulting and a nationally sought-after speaker, professional development consultant, and strategic planning expert. With more than thirty years of experience, she has worked with Fortune 500 companies including Procter and Gamble, Turner Broadcasting, VMware, Deloitte, Pfizer, and Ascension Health. She is credentialed as both a Professional and Board-Certified Coach by the International Coach Federation, author of the bestselling book "Design Your Life," and holds a PhD in Conscious Business and Leadership, an MBA from Southern Methodist University, and a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Michigan.

Her leadership of the Shipley Family Foundation reflects the same principles that drive her professional work: creating systems and opportunities that help individuals and organizations reach their full potential while building stronger, more inclusive communities.

Michael Cheatham - Treasurer

Michael grew up in Detroit and was educated in the Detroit public school system. He attended the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, where he received a B.A. in Sociology with an emphasis in Business.

He later earned an M.B.A. from the University of Phoenix. While at U of M, he served in the Army Reserve. After college, Michael entered Comerica Bank’s Branch Management Training program. He spent most of his 30+ year career in the banking center system, but has returned to his former role as an External Affairs Market Manager in Southeast Michigan.

Michael is very active in the community. In addition to his extensive work in the area of financial empowerment, he serves on the board of directors for a school and several community focused non-profits. Michael resides in Detroit with his teenager.

Milt Fletcher - Member At Large

Milton E. Fletcher has over 30 years of combined Human Resources Management and Executive Coaching experience supporting individuals and organizations to maximize their potential. Whether as an executive, manager, mentor, or coach, Milt excels in working with individuals to support them in the manifestation of greatness in the organizations they serve.

He specializes in Leadership Coaching and is particularly adept in working with leaders-in-transition, whether it be to support them to prepare for new opportunities, or working with them to maximize their impact in a new position. In this regard he is proficient in supporting executives in the overall development of their teams.

He is also masterful in working with organizations to assist them to create cultures which support peak performance, and maximize the use of their human capital. Milt has been employed in the private sector, and has served on the boards of a variety of non-profit organizations where he has been instrumental in leading both organizational and cultural change.

Randall W. Jackson, Esq. - Advisor

Randall Jackson serves as an advisor to the Shipley Family Foundation board, bringing extensive legal expertise and a commitment to justice and education to support the foundation's mission. His distinguished career as a federal prosecutor and leading defense attorney provides valuable strategic insight as the foundation continues to expand its impact in educational philanthropy and community development.

As a prominent litigation attorney, Randall has served as lead or co-lead counsel in over 20 federal trials, including some of the most complex and high-profile cases in recent years. His notable victories include the complete acquittal of Colony Capital founder Thomas Barrack in 2022 and the successful defense of shipbuilding executive Jean Boustani against international securities fraud charges in 2019. Prior to private practice, he served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Southern District of New York from 2007 to 2015, where he led sensitive investigations spanning the globe, including co-leading the successful prosecution of top executives at Madoff Securities.

Randall is a graduate of Morehouse College and Harvard Law School, and his exceptional legal work has earned recognition from Forbes, Chambers USA, and Benchmark Litigation. He has received the U.S. Department of Justice's Distinguished Service Award and the John Marshall Award for his prosecutorial excellence. His dedication to justice and ethical leadership aligns perfectly with the Shipley Family Foundation's commitment to creating opportunities and removing barriers for deserving students.