About Us
Empowering Families. Building Strong Communities
Our Story
Supporters of Families with Sickle Cell Disease, Inc. was founded to bring hope, education, and support to individuals and families affected by sickle cell disease. What began as a small grassroots effort in Oklahoma has grown into a trusted, family-centered advocacy organization dedicated to improving quality of life. We understand that sickle cell disease affects more than physical health—it impacts families, schools, and entire communities.
Through education, awareness, care coordination, and integrated care approaches, SFSCD helps families navigate complex challenges while building resilience and connection. In partnership with healthcare providers, educators, and community leaders, we advance care for individuals and families who are under-resourced and under-prepared, while increasing the visibility of sickle cell disease. From family workshops and community outreach to innovative initiatives such as our AI Sickle Cell Navigator Program, our work is guided by compassion, advocacy, and an unwavering commitment to a healthier, more informed future.
Our Mission & Vision
Our Mission: We are dedicated to increasing self-efficacy and elevating the quality of life for children, adults, and families living with sickle cell disease and its inherited disorders. Through bold advocacy, education, and systemic change in patient care, disability policies, and
family support, we champion equity, economic strength, and a future where every individual can thrive.
Our Vision: a future where every individual with sickle cell disease and it’s inherited Oklahoma (and beyond) lives a full, healthy, empowered life.
Supporters of Families With Sickle Cell Disease: The Team
Velvet Brown Watt, MSW, CM is a faith-rooted community leader, advocate, and founder whose life’s work sits at the intersection of health access, family empowerment, and spiritual well-being. As the Founder and Executive Director of Supporters of Families with Sickle Cell Disease, Inc., Velvet has spent more than two decades walking alongside individuals and families impacted by sickle cell disease, hospice, and home health championing education, care coordination, mental health support, and advocacy across Oklahoma and beyond.
Her leadership is grounded in lived experience, professional expertise, and an unwavering commitment to ensuring that historically under-resourced, and under-prepared communities have access to compassionate, responsive and meaningful care and resources. Velvet approaches her work with a deep understanding that effective systems of care must honor both the clinical and the human experience.
In addition to her nonprofit leadership, Velvet is a wife, mother, pastor, and social worker, as well as a trusted community builder who believes healing happens when faith, knowledge, and action come together. Drawing from her lived experience as a caregiver to a young person living with sickle cell disease, she is known for creating safe, affirming spaces where families can breathe, be heard, and regain hope; whether through community town halls, empowerment events, youth programming, or innovative health initiatives.
Velvet’s work reflects a deep belief that every person has purpose, every family deserves support, and every community can thrive when met with dignity, trust, and love.
He currently serves as the Community Engagement Director with Supporters of Families with Sickle Cell Disease, leading a team of Community Health Workers and strengthening strategic partnerships with community-based organizations to support, educate, and improve the quality of life for individuals and families impacted by sickle cell disease. In addition to his professional work, Jeremiah is the host of 2Dawgs Sports Talk, a sports radio show that connects athletics with community dialogue, and he serves as a pastor, demonstrating his commitment to spiritual leadership and mentorship. He is actively involved in volunteer service with several nonprofit organizations and is a proud member of the 100 Black Men of Tulsa, continuing his mission to uplift others through leadership, faith, and community service.
Russell Burkhart brings more than 50 years of service in Tulsa as a trusted program developer, strategic planner, and community research professional committed to strengthening systems that support underserved communities. His career spans roles as a project manager, evaluator, social science researcher, and government and policy liaison, with deep expertise in collaborative program development and cross-sector partnerships. For the past decade, Russell has served as a data and program consultant with Supporters of Families with Sickle Cell Disease, helping guide data-informed strategies that advance family-centered care, education, and community impact.
Throughout his career, Russell has worked as a municipal data coordinator, newspaper editor and publisher, minority business developer, and program planner for community and urban Indian health centers. Now semi-retired, he continues to provide strategic planning, resource development, nonprofit management, budgeting, and business planning support, while contributing to community-based participatory research, community health assessments, and public health outreach initiatives. A graduate of the University of Tulsa with a BA in Urban Studies, Russell has expertise to advance community health, social justice, food sustainability, and urban farming efforts across the region.
Glenda Porter is a compassionate patient advocate and referral specialist with over 40 years of experience supporting individuals and families as they navigate healthcare systems and access essential services. Beginning her career in healthcare in 1981, she brings both professional expertise and lived experience to her work, with a deep focus on listening, trust-building, and reducing barriers to care. For more than nine years, Glenda has served with Supporters of Families with Sickle Cell Disease in roles including Patient Advocate, Community Care Coordinator. She provides patient-centered referral support, care coordination, follow-up, and emotional support to individuals and caregivers facing chronic illness, grief, and care access challenges, and is known for her ability to meet patients where they are and walk alongside them with dignity, compassion, and continuity of care.
Mr. Adrian Lewis is a dedicated Community Health Worker committed to advancing health equity and strengthening community well-being. He is a graduate of Union High School and earned his Associate’s Degree from Northeastern Oklahoma A&M College, where he developed a strong foundation in service, collaboration, and practical problem-solving. With a people-centered approach, Mr. Lewis works to connect individuals and families with essential health resources, advocating for sustainable solutions that improve quality of life across diverse communities.
Beyond his professional role, Mr. Lewis is a devoted husband and father whose values are deeply rooted in faith, family, and service. He is an active member of Victory Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, where he continues to grow personally and spiritually. Known for his approachable leadership style and innovative mindset, he balances his work with a love for spending time with his family, following sports, and enjoying video games, all of which keep him grounded, relatable, and forward-thinking in his work.
Zanade Edmondson is an Oklahoma native born in Okmulgee and raised in Tulsa, whose work is rooted in education, service, and community empowerment. A two-time graduate of Langston University, she holds a bachelor’s degree in healthcare administration and a master’s degree in urban education, with over eight years of experience as an educator. Zanade currently serves as a Community Health Worker with Supporters of Families with Sickle Cell Disease, working directly with families impacted by sickle cell disease to provide education, support, and advocacy while empowering them to become informed, confident self-advocates.
She is a financial member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated, and Levi G. Smith Lodge #100, where she actively upholds the principles of sisterhood, leadership, service, and community uplift. Guided by her faith, values, and unwavering commitment to service to all mankind, Zanade Edmondson is dedicated to making a lasting impact—striving to inspire others to walk boldly in purpose, serve selflessly, and leave every space better than they found it.