Our Board Members

Mrs.Essence Unique Easley- known as Unique Founder and Executive Director of Enduring Minds The foundation. Unique lives in Columbus Ohio with her Husband Shane and Son Ezra. While dealing with Pseudotumor Cerebri, Epilepsy and Chiari Malformation Unique wanted to use her & her families experience to help others with similar conditions and Enduring Minds was born. Unique also co-owns E&E Tea Co. Is a certified Meditation coach/leader, Patient Advocate and Mental Health First Aid Provider and Tea Sommelier. She also serves on the State of Ohio  Board for Development Disabilities 

My name is Carolyn Felita Echols, 54 I reside in Columbus Ohio. I have one daughter. I graduated from Beechcroft High School in 1987… After High School I worked at Nationwide Children’s Hospital, and Grant Medical Center as a Unit Secretary and Cardiology Unit Manager.1996 to present I work for Columbus Police Dept.I’m proud to be apart of this Organization as my daughter deals with the illnesses we serve. I’ve always had the desire and passion to help others..Thank you again for another opportunity to serve on the Board. I am the Board Secretary.

Nadine Lewis is a retired communication professional with more than 20 years in the field. She holds a B.S. in Applied communication and an M.S. in Marketing Communication. She retired after 31 years of service to the State of Ohio, with the last seven years as a Special Communication Assistant to Governor Bob Taft. Nadine also spent more than seven years as a staff writer/editor for the Columbus Call and Post newspaper, where her accomplishments included interviews with local heroes such as Dwight Hudson, The Ohio State University’s first African American drum major, and John B. Williams, one of Columbus Ohio’s longest living Buffalo Soldiers.A long-time community theatre writer, producer, and director, Nadine has produced such plays as Roots and The Wiz.

Darla Jackson recieved her Bachelors Degree from Kent State University in 2010 and her Masters in Education from Indiana Wesleyan University in 2019. She is currently a doctoral student at the University of Dayton. She has been in education for the past 7 years serving as an English and Social Studies teacher. She also serves on the Board of OCTELA (Ohio Council of Teachers of English Language Arts) and Sonshine Christian Academy the oldest African American private Christian school in Columbus Ohio. In addition to being a teacher leader, Darla enjoys spending time with her sisters her nephews, niece, and Godsons. She also enjoys cooking and singing as hobbies. As a member of the Board of Enduring Minds she hopes to spread the message that owners Unique and Shane Easley share; “no matter the obstacle you can endure.”

 Hello! My name is Jacqueline Shaia and I am a PhD student studying Clinical Translational Science. I will be graduating with my doctorate in the spring of 2025. My research focuses on understudied diseases including idiopathic intracranial hypertension and predicting why some patients have significant vision loss. I am excited to be part of Enduring Minds and hope to support future research efforts for understudied conditions!