Events

My name is Ashley Burgin, I’m from Lake Charles, LA. I moved here in May to work at The Claiborne. I’ve been in Long Term Care/Senior Living for 12 years. I’ve done almost every aspect from activities, care aid, business office, Human Resources and billing. I’ve done Sales for 5 years now and truly love it. I enjoy the sales aspect because it allows me to be a resource. I get to educate and help navigate people along the journey of senior living. I am a single mom of 3 wonderful kids, who inspire me to grow daily, personally and professionally. My ambition is to become an executive director and a business owner.

Colonel (Ret) Peter Crean is the Vice President of Education and Access at the National WWII Museum and is responsible for the content aspects of the Museum’s mission. Prior to his arrival in 2017, Crean served as Director of the US Army Heritage and Education Center at the US Army War College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. The AHEC includes the Army’s historical archive, its largest library and one of its largest museums, all focused on “telling the Army story, one soldier at a time.” As an Army officer with nearly three decades of experience and multiple deployments, Crean has an extensive record of service as a leader in logistics and administrative roles. He holds a Master of Science degree in logistics management from the Florida Institute of Technology and a Master of Strategic Studies degree from the US Army War College, where he was also a graduate of the Advanced Strategic Arts Program.

Carter Burns is the Executive Director of Historic Natchez Foundation. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in English from Millsaps College, a Juris Doctor from the University of Mississippi School of Law, and a Master of Historic Preservation from the University of Georgia. Prior to attending graduate school in historic preservation, Carter clerked for Judge John Roper, the Senior Magistrate Judge for the Southern District of Mississippi and held the position of Senior Attorney for the Right of Way Division of the Mississippi Department of Transportation. A Natchez native, Carter worked part-time for HNF throughout high school and college. He came to his job as executive director already armed with deep knowledge of and abiding interest in the history and historic resources of the Natchez District. He is responsible for all staffing, operations, and programs of the HNF. A former board member of the Mississippi Heritage Trust, he currently serves on the board of the Mississippi Historical Society and the National Preservation Partners Network.

Justice Dawn H. Beam joined the Mississippi Supreme Court on February 16, 2016. Gov. Phil Bryant appointed her to fill the unexpired term of former Justice Randy Pierce. She is the fourth woman to serve on the state’s highest court, and the first woman appointed from the Southern District.
Justice Beam, the daughter of a minister, was born in Marks in the Mississippi Delta and as a child lived in numerous communities across the state. She graduated from Caldwell High School in Columbus, Mississippi. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in business from the University of Mississippi, and a law degree from the University of Mississippi School of Law. She was admitted to the Mississippi Bar in 1989.
She has spent most of her legal career in the Pine Belt area. She was elected to and served for three years as county prosecutor for Lamar County, and for five years as a chancellor of the Tenth Chancery District, which includes Forrest, Lamar, Marion, Pearl River and Perry counties. Her work as a chancellor and as a county prosecutor included protection of abused and neglected children. After her appointment to the Supreme Court, she continued work for the protection of children and families as co-chair of the Commission on Children's Justice and co-chair of the Commission on Guardianships and Conservatorships.
She makes her home in Sumrall. She is a member of Sumrall United Methodist Church in Lamar County.
She is married to Dr. Stephen Beam. They have five children. Justice Beam and her husband are very active in their community.

A Hattiesburg native with an eye for sculpture, Dr. Erik Graham believes that every smile is a work of art ready to be unveiled. After attending dental school at University Medical Center in Jackson, Mississippi, Dr. Graham and his wife Ginny (also a Hattiesburg native) moved back to Hattiesburg and joined Dr. Baker, where they formed Baker & Graham Family Dentistry. Ever since he was a child, Dr. Graham has been fascinated by how things work. He loves working with his hands, taking things apart, and putting them back together again. He has always been fascinated by innovation and captivated by the power of technology to improve people’s lives.

Outside of the office, Dr. Graham loves spending time with his wife Ginny and his three sons, Gregg, Parker, and Bradley. He coaches their baseball teams and helps coordinate their Boy Scout endeavors. Dr. Graham also enjoys wood carving, furniture building, and the art of sculpture, a passion which he carries into his dental practice, as well. 

At first glance, Brett’s career has spanned a wide range of experiences and industries. But if you look closely, you will see it has been consistently marked by service. 

A year abroad in Spain unlocked a curiosity and empathy in him for other cultures and people different from himself that has continued to impact his life and work to this day. After earning degrees in Spanish and International Development from the University of Southern Mississippi, Brett worked in Community Development with the Peace Corps in South America, followed by work in training management and human resources upon his return to the United States. 

The catalyst for Brett’s interest in drug reform came by way of two very different experiences. The first is the impact opioid use disorder has had on his close relative who has been in more than a decade long battle with an opioid addiction and is now in recovery. 

The second experience came during his time in human resources. After recruiting a great fit candidate for a position at the company, he was prohibited from hiring him because the applicant had a felony drug possession charge in his past. From Brett’s perspective, the applicant lost and the company lost that day. 

Those experiences launched Brett into volunteer advocacy work that landed him at an End It For Good community discussion. As they say, the rest is history.

As the CEO at End It For Good he has returned to full-time humanitarian work as he and his team work to help the people of Mississippi consider how current drug laws adversely impact individuals, families, businesses, communities, and law enforcement, alike. 

Brett has always had a passion for helping people and has a deep curiosity for traveling and experiencing the culture, art, and food of countries in places like Europe and South America. Brett is a 6th generation Mississippian and a 5th generation Hattiesburger. In his free time, you will find Brett either volunteering at community events in downtown Hattiesburg, bike-riding the Longleaf Trace, or hanging out with friends and family. Contact at brett@enditforgood.com