Precious Mines, M. Div., B.A. is a strong proponent for education and has committed her life to giving back to her community by building a career in education to help low-income students acquire the tools necessary to successfully navigate higher education and obtain a college degree. Since matriculating into the higher-ed landscape, Precious has worked at the Community College of Philadelphia, where she served as the inaugural program coordinator for the ACE+ (Ace Plus) program, a dual enrollment program designed for youth attending alternative schools who were notoriously marginalized, providing an opportunity for them to redeem time and college credits while pursuing a high school diploma.

Precious joined College Possible Philadelphia in 2016 as the program manager and later as senior program director. Her commitment to building a program that was efficient, outcome-producing, creative, and met the unique needs of the students served has been evident through the many initiatives her team trailblazed and the consistently high outcomes of students matriculating to and through college. Precious has been able to exercise her passion for building strong relationships with key stakeholders as well as advocating for the needs of students to colleges and universities. Additionally, Precious served on the #ReachHigherPhilly team for four years, in which she was an integral part of planning Philadelphia’s College Signing Day, landing the former first lady Michelle Obama as a keynote speaker and she has been called on to bring her voice to the table, sharing her knowledge with the Philadelphia Prep Roundtable, Sara Goldrick-Rab’s #RealCollege conference, and the statewide PACAC conference.

Precious has been working in the education sector for over 20 years and has most recently been promoted to the role of executive director of College Possible Philadelphia. She is a visionary and shares an affinity to her work at College Possible as a first-generation college student herself. Precious’ strategic leadership in fortifying the next generation of leaders and equipping low-income students to achieve their educational goals will continue to result in more students being empowered to steer their future in a way that will break generational cycles of poverty and allow students to achieve their greatest desires. Precious is looking forward to leading College Possible Philadelphia into the future and expanding the reach of their programming to the students who need it the most.

M. Anthony (Tony) Barrett is a Managing Director for Raymond James & Associates, Inc., a Florida-Based investment firm, where he oversees the business in the Delaware Valley (Delaware, Eastern Pennsylvania, Central and South New Jersey).

For 24 years, Tony has worked in the Wealth Management business, first as an analyst and then as a financial advisor. For 18 years, he also has held various leadership/management roles. He received a B.A. in Economics from Colgate University.

Tony joined College Possible Philadelphia’s Board in February 2017 because he recognizes that educational inequality is one of the most significant impediments to economic empowerment.

When Tony is not working, he enjoys cycling and spending quality time with his family.

Joseph Divis is assistant vice president of external affairs for AT&T in the mid-Atlantic region.  In this role, he works with local elected and appointed officials and business, community and civic leaders to promote AT&T's legislative, public policy and philanthropic initiatives in Delaware, southern New Jersey and eastern Pennsylvania.  Divis is a 22-year veteran of AT&T and its predecessor companies.  He chairs the Site Board of College Possible Philadelphia, and sits on the Board of Directors of Jobs for Delaware Graduates and the Advisory Board of the Strawberry Mansion Learning Center.  He is a member of the New Castle County (DE) Chamber’s Government Affairs Committee, the Civic Affairs Steering Committee of the Chamber of Commerce for Greater Philadelphia (including vice chair of the Education Subcommittee), the Government Affairs Committee of the Main Line Chamber and the Public Policy Committee of United Way of Greater Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey.  Divis’ diverse professional experience includes legislative work in 16 states and the District of Columbia; corporate communications and media relations assignments; a Congressional press secretary appointment; and news gathering as a reporter.  He is a graduate of Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania.

Joe Divis joined the College Possible Philadelphia site board in April 2015. Divis served as interim site board chair from March 2016 to September 2016 and was then voted in as board chair in September 2016.