About Us

Candy Manning, President and Executive Managing Director, is a Jamaican-born educator, real estate professional, and entrepreneur based in Philadelphia, PA. With a passion for teaching, Candy has dedicated her career to inspiring and supporting students, helping them reach their full potential both academically and personally. She is also a licensed real estate agent, guiding clients with expertise, integrity, and a commitment to finding their perfect home.

Candy is the owner of World Access Travel, where she encourages travelers to explore the beauty of new places and create unforgettable experiences. She is deeply committed to community service and giving back, having served as a board member for IChooseToWin, a Pennsylvania-based organization focused on empowering youth and fostering positive change. She also supports families in need, both locally and in her native Jamaica.

When she’s not teaching, helping clients in real estate, or planning travel adventures, Candy enjoys, photography, spending time with family, embracing life with energy, curiosity, and compassion. Her unique combination of skills, dedication, and heart for service makes Candy a trusted educator, entrepreneur, advisor, and community advocate.

Nicole Brown, Vice-President, is a senior research administrator, grants management executive, and clinical research professional with over ten years of combined experience advancing health research, funding strategy, and scientific dissemination. She has led the management of complex, multi-source grant portfolios exceeding $1 million in active funding, providing high-level oversight of compliance, fiscal stewardship, funder relations, and alignment between organizational strategy and funding priorities. 

With four years of direct clinical research experience, Nicole has supported study design, regulatory operations, data integrity, and multidisciplinary collaboration across high-impact clinical and public health initiatives. Her work has strengthened research infrastructure, enhanced operational efficiency, and supported evidence-based programs that improve patient and community outcomes.

Nicole is also a highly published scientific author with eight first-author peer-reviewed publications and three co-authored scientific manuscripts. Her scholarship reflects deep expertise in research integrity, health equity, and the translation of science into real-world application.

In addition to her professional leadership, Nicole has served on several nonprofit boards, contributing at the governance level through strategic planning, financial oversight, program evaluation, and mission advancement. She brings to board service a rare combination of executive-level financial acumen, research governance expertise, and mission-driven leadership. Nicole is deeply committed to strengthening organizations that expand access, equity, and impact across health, education, and community-based systems.

Katie Barnes, Secretary, is a student, entrepreneur, and community advocate based in Philadelphia, PA. She  is deeply passionate about service and supporting initiatives that create meaningful and lasting impact.

She is actively involved in humanitarian and community outreach efforts, including international hurricane relief missions in Jamaica, and have also served with I Choose to Win, a Pennsylvania-based organization focused on empowering youth and fostering positive change. In addition to my nonprofit work, she  is currently pursuing her associate degree while managing my own small business. She is committed to giving back with purpose, compassion, and integrity.