Gina LeVon Simpson was introduced to the Parent Leadership Training Institute (PLTI) by the Executive Director of the Bridgeport Child Advocacy Coalition in 1996. Later that year she became a member of the organizing committee to bring PLTI to Bridgeport, CT and has remained on PLTI’s Civic Design Team since then. She’s been trained, certified and served as a Phase I Facilitator and was Bridgeport’s PLTI Site Coordinator for several years. Gina has been the Lead CLTI Teacher/Manager since 2007 in Bridgeport, (trained by the CLTI Curriculum writer) and joined the National Parent Leadership Institute (NPLI) as the National CLTI Consultant in 2015. Gina provides training and support to new and existing CLTI teachers and Site Coordinators across the country as they implement CLTI in their communities. Gina believes PLTI with CLTI sparks, enhances and/or cultivates leadership ability in children and parents.
Gina has an Associates degree in Liberal Arts, a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology, a Master’s Degree and LPCA in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. Gina presently is employed as a clinical mental health counselor for the Child and Family Guidance Center in Bridgeport, CT. She brings over forty years experience in community advocacy and leadership outreach engaging Bridgeport public schools and community service organizations, such as the Westcott Youth Organization in Syracuse, NY, Action for Bridgeport Community Development (now Alliance for Community Empowerment), Head Start, Bridgeport Child Advocacy Coalition and social justice and cultural awareness action through her discipleship at Mount Aery Baptist Church in Bridgeport, CT.
Gina is the mother of Malek and Jenita, lovingly called her “Honey Bronze Jewels”. She is also the Mother-in-Love to Shakira and Victor and a grandmother of 5, Attalia, Askia, Lilee-Ann, Sanaa and Jannay.
Gina brings to the NPLI journey a multitude of talents with experiences as a former producer and host of a local award winning public access TV show, actor, poet, writer and director who has performed in CT, NY, MA, CA, South Carolina and Ghana-West Africa. She believes there is always room for growth in every given situation.