Darcel S. Lawrence, DHA, MBA, LMSW
President & CEO
Dr. Darcel Lawrence was appointed President and CEO of Wayne Center in April 2019. With more than 20 years of health care and quality management experience, Dr. Lawrence began her career in social work with Black Family Development as a Case Manager/Family Counselor in 1995. She later joined Residential Care Alternatives serving mentally ill adults in group home settings as a Clinical Manager, and eventually became the Clinical Director. She developed an interest in quality management and later worked for Value Options as Quality Management Coordinator. This experience led to her appointment as the Quality Management Director for Synergy Partners in 2005, where she spent several years directing and coordinating the activities of the quality assurance program for the managed care provider network, including facilities such as Wayne Center.
Before returning to the community mental health sector, she spent several years at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs as a member of the Executive Team at the John D. Dingell VA Medical Center in Detroit. As Chief of Clinical Operations, she had direct oversight of several support services including inpatient and outpatient scheduling, quality and performance, patient safety, voluntary services, public relations, and clinical informatics. During her tenure, she served as chairperson for the facility's New Models of Care initiative, which included development of Whole Health programming for patients.
Dr. Lawrence brings this experience and passion to Wayne Center with a commitment to exploring all the components of proactive health and well-being for the intellectually and developmentally disabled. Dr. Lawrence earned her BSW in Social Work from Wayne State University and her MSW in Social Work from the University of Michigan. She also holds an MBA and a DHA from University of Phoenix. Along with her role here at Wayne Center, Dr. Lawrence is an Adjunct Professor of Health Administration for American Intercontinental University and an Employment and Community Services Surveyor with CARF, The Commission on Accreditation Rehabilitation Facilities.
Trinilda Johnson
Chief Clinical Officer
Trinilda Johnson is the Chief Clinical Officer Wayne Center providing services to individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
Trinilda Johnson is a highly accomplished and strategic executive with over 20 years of experience in operations management, leadership, and employee development within the human services and mental health sectors. With a passion for building relationships and fostering organizational growth, Trinilda is dedicated to enhancing the delivery of services to vulnerable populations, including severely mentally ill individuals, juvenile justice youth and children and families involved in the child welfare system.
Trinilda served as the Chief Operating Officer for a Community Mental Health agency for the past seven years leading operational initiatives that supported the agency’s mission of providing high-quality care to youth and families. Prior to this role, she held significant leadership positions, including Grants Manager for Detroit Wayne Integrated Health Network, where she managed a $1.04 million MDHHS Block Grant and over $4.5 million in Medicaid and non-Medicaid contracts. Her experience also includes serving as Executive Vice-President for a substance use disorder and child welfare agency, Director of Child and Family Services, and Program Manager and Psychologist for a private practice.
Trinilda’s career has been marked by a strong focus on building systems that empower families and youth. She is a passionate advocate for the System of Care principles, which emphasize family-driven and youth-guided services. Throughout her career, she has worked to ensure that families are the experts of their own lives, and that professionals are there to guide them in reaching their goals. Trinilda is a proud graduate of Wayne State University where she holds a Bachelor of Science in Psychology and a Master of Arts in Psychology with a concentration in School and Community-Based Psychology. Outside of her professional work, Trinilda is actively engaged in her community as the President of the Optimist Club and the Michigan District Oratorical Chair, where she helps promote the development of youth leaders.
With a unique blend of relationship building, operations expertise, leadership experience, and commitment to social service, Trinilda is a results-driven leader committed to improving outcomes for the children, families, and communities she serves.
Debra Brawley
CFO/Director of Administration
Debra Brawley is currently Chief Financial Officer and Director of Administration at Wayne Center. With a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from Mercy College, Ms. Brawley has thirty years of experience in for profit and non-profit companies, with annual budgets up to $10 billion dollars.
In addition to Accounting, Ms. Brawley has significant experience in managing Billing, Human Resources, Information Technology and other business operations departments. Ms. Brawley has focused her career on establishing business unit department procedures and policies, employee retention strategies, international accounting, distressed companies financial turn-around, electronic software installation and employee training.