About RULE

Who We Are

  • Registered as a New Jersey 501(c)(3) nonprofit
  • Uplifting teens in the City of Paterson & beyond
  • Leading since December 2018
  • Equipping teens to lead with confidence

Open Access

Join a Teen Networking Team and attend weekly 60-minute meetings for 12 months.

Our Calendar gives teens access to events, meetings, workshops, and more.  

Teens can catch up with training after submitting an application.

In This Order:

RULE's Purpose

  • To provide a sophisticated student leadership agenda for high schoolers.
  • To offer DISC and Myers Briggs assessments to each student. 
  • To demonstrate the S.M.A.R.T. method for setting and tracking goals. 
  • To coordinate community outreach events for students to network and provide basic needs.
  • To host recognition events to reward students and sponsors.

Incentives for Teens

  • Awards
  • Friendships
  • Giveaways
  • Leadership Roles
  • Mentorship
  • Networking
  • Recognition
  • Study Skills

Our Board

Our board members are professionally diverse, and they work collaboratively to ensure that RULE's activities and transactions are advancing its mission.

RULE's board members are effective leaders who exercise responsibilities in a matter that promotes teamwork, professionalism, and mentoring.

Currently, the board has six members, three of whom are officers.  They assure the government and the public that the organization is functioning in compliance with applicable laws and regulations.

Our Board of Trustees

Rising Urban Leaders Enterprise (RULE)

Keith B. Allen, Esq.

Treasurer
Linden, NJ

Keith B. Allen, Esq.

Keith Barrington Allen, Esq. is an associate attorney at Hobson-Williams, P.C. in Jamaica Estates, New York and practices primarily in the area of Elder Law and Trust & Estates. Prior to working at Hobson-Williams, P.C., Keith worked as an anti-money laundering compliance analyst at Citibank and was a law clerk for the Hon. Margaret M. Hayden, J.S.C. in Newark, NJ.

Keith is a 2004 graduate of The College of New Jersey where he was a leader and supervisor in the school’s successful Minority Mentoring Program.

Keith has served in other leadership capacities in non-profit organizations and in his church. He is honored to serve on the Board of Directors for R.U.L.E. and to bring his leadership experience to the organization.

Currently, Keith lives in Linden, NJ with his wife Annette Allen.

About
Rising Urban Leaders Enterprise (RULE)

Linda A. Hicks, M.Ed.

President
Paterson, NJ

Linda A. Hicks, M.Ed.

Bio coming soon.

About
Rising Urban Leaders Enterprise (RULE)

 Eric R. Null, B.F.A.

Secretary
High Ridge, MO

Eric R. Null

Eric is an online marketer and web developer based in the St. Louis area. He is from Huntington, West Virginia, where he attended Marshall University. He has a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree with a minor in business management. Eric spent much of his career in the Lexington, Kentucky area where he worked in the newspaper industry and served on the board of directors of the Lexington Advertising Club for two years while there.

In 2012 he moved to the St. Louis area and founded the company Digital Design of St. Louis where he currently works, manages daily activities, sales and design projects.

About
Rising Urban Leaders Enterprise (RULE)

Councilman Robert L. Artis, B.A.


Prospect Park, NJ

Councilman Robert L. Artis

Bio coming soon.

About
Rising Urban Leaders Enterprise (RULE)

Dr. Stephanie D. Taylor, Ph.D.


Annandale, NJ

Dr. Stephanie D. Taylor

Bio coming soon.

About
Rising Urban Leaders Enterprise (RULE)

Edward A. Jones Sr., B.A.


Kearny, NJ

Edward A. Jones Sr.

Edward's desire for economic awareness inspired him to pursue entrepreneurial opportunities that led to financial control and leadership positions.  Raised in Newark, New Jersey, he has developed the street-smart experience and knowledge to deal with challenges and dangers of life in urban neighborhoods.

Currently, Edward owns and operates Royalty Limousine LLC.  In addition, he is a partner at Property Solutions Real Estate in New Jersey.

He attended Centenary College where he earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in Business Administration with a concentration in Management.

Edward's work experience include former Verizon Wireless technician for 25 years and former Project Manager in Information Technology for the last nine years.

He is the father of two sons, Edward Jr. and Jordan.  And he and his family live in Kearny, NJ.

About
Mr. Abdoulaye Sanogo

Abdoulaye Sanogo, M.E.

Executive Director 
Brooklyn, NY

Abdoulaye Sanogo, M.E.

Educational background includes Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering with concentration in Energy Systems from Columbia University, plus, Bachelor of Arts in Physics and Political Science from Amherst College in Massachusetts. 

Aspiration is to start a global engineering firm with an emphasis on the development of infrastructure in Africa.  In addition, I aspire to put myself in a position to help others that started out in life the way I did.

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/abdoul-san2/ 

About
Rising Urban Leaders Enterprise (RULE)

Denise R. Blackwood

Founder & Chief Executive Officer
Paterson, NJ

Denise R. Blackwood

For two decades, I have held diverse roles of leadership that have strengthened my communication and managerial skills.  In December 2018, I founded Rising Urban Leaders Enterprise based on the need to elevate and give value to underperforming students in my school district. Coincidentally, my experience as the 4th chapter president of Howard University's National Society of Leadership and Success (NSLS) served as a framework for launching RULE.  In addition, my roles as flight attendant, Inflight training instructor/evaluator, newspaper reporter, and mother of one prepared me to undertake the roles of coaching, mentoring, and tutoring for this charitable organization. . 

Today, I maintain memberships in leadership organizations such as the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ), the National Society of Leadership and Success, and the Maxwell Leadership Group. 

About