Dr. Jessica Dennis is a Licensed Professional Counselor and approved clinical supervisor for the Commonwealth of Virginia. Dr. Dennis may be from the cold city of Buffalo, NY but her heart resides in Richmond, Virginia as she has been a “Virginian” for over 24 years. Dr. Dennis obtained her bachelor’s in human services from Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia. Her master’s in a dual School Counseling and Community Mental Health Counseling program from Regent University in Virginia Beach, Virginia.

Dr. Dennis completed her Doctor of Psychology degree from California Southern University with a specialty in clinical psychology. Dr. Dennis has worked in the mental health field for over 10 years with an emphasis on crisis work. Dr. Dennis has received awards for her facilitation of the first three-day Advanced Crisis Intervention Training (CIT) course for the Commonwealth of Virginia.

​Dr. Dennis has been trained in several crisis intervention training from the State Police, Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS), Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI), and more. Dr. Dennis has worked in the capacity of crisis clinician, crisis supervisor, CIT coordinator, mandatory outpatient coordinator, involuntary commitment court liaison, clinical manager, and currently the Assistant Director over a community mental health agency servicing mental health, substance use, and developmental disability services.

Jasmine Benford has dedicated her life to pursuing her passions, all of which are  rooted in a deep desire to help others. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Criminal  Justice and a Master of Public Administration from Old Dominion University, as  well as a Master’s in Public Health from Liberty University. 

As a District Manager for The Community Builders, Inc., a nonprofit affordable  housing developer, Jasmine leads a team across low-income multifamily  communities in Virginia and Washington, D.C. Her work ensures that stable  housing serves as a foundation for residents and neighborhoods to thrive. Through  youth development, violence reduction, education, workforce development, asset  building, and health and wellness initiatives, she connects residents with  community resources, forges partnerships with local organizations, and provides  individual and family coaching. Jasmine has proudly served The Community  Builders, Inc. for a decade. 

Beyond her nonprofit leadership, Jasmine is a real estate investor and a licensed  Virginia real estate agent, passionate about educating others on homeownership  and wealth-building opportunities. She entered the real estate industry in 2017 with  the purchase of her first rental property and is a certified Virginia Housing  Development Authority (VHDA) trainer, teaching homebuyer education classes to  equip individuals with knowledge about the homebuying process and available  assistance programs. She also helps clients overcome credit challenges, ensuring  they can take advantage of the opportunities ahead. With a positive outlook on life  and a love for sharing knowledge, she has earned the nickname “Just Ask Jazz.” 

When she’s not working, serving at church, or hitting the gym, Jasmine enjoys  spending quality time with her beloved nieces, Penelope and Pria.

Jasmine Benford

Board Member

Jessica Dennis

President