Executive Team

As chair and CEO of Training Your Mind Inc., Verna Burnett shapes and approves the organization’s strategies, advocates for transformative justice-involved support, and sets its overall direction. She leads the organization’s efforts to promote mental wellness and successful reintegration, working closely with regional partners to further the goal of reducing recidivism across the Arkansas Delta.

Verna developed the foundational vision for "Retraining the Mind" by blending industrial discipline with frontline clinical and correctional experience. Her mastered master of operational precision was mastered over 13 years at Remington Ammunition, where she oversaw quality control for a range of manufacturing lines, and her industrial expertise was later expanded at Trailer Mobile in Jonesboro. 

These industrial roles provided the technical insight Verna now uses to design vocational pathways that ensure residents graduate "Future Fit" for Arkansas' economy.

Verna’s commitment to community-based support is deeply informed by her service at Brickey’s Coastal Regional Unitand her six years of dedicated advocacy at the Southeast Arkansas Community Center. 

In these roles, she managed complex care for both children and adults with disabilities, honing the expertise in behavioral intervention and trauma-informed care that defines the organization’s 12-month residential curriculum. Under her direction, TYMI is evolving into a vital regional infrastructure hub that fosters accountability, self-discipline, and academic achievement.

As Chief Operating Officer and executive director of operations, Justin Jones drives the daily operations that enable the organization’s mission and oversees the strategic use of brand voice to amplify its regional impact. He manages the organization’s multimillion-dollar portfolio and leads the enterprise-wide strategy that advises the chair and board on resource allocation, fiscal transparency, and regional growth.

Justin brings over a decade of high-level leadership from the financial services industry, having served as a senior business consultant and manager for global institutions such as Wells Fargo and American Express. Justin utilizes his expertise in financial risk, control management, and team building to ensure that the organization meets the most rigorous federal fiduciary standards.

Complementing his financial acumen is a distinguished background in strategic marketing and global branding. 

Justin has curated initiatives for a diverse roster of iconic brands, including HP, HBO, Universal, Frito-Lay, and Target, as well as the Rogers and Cohen PR firm.

In partnership with the CEO and regional stakeholders, Justin has successfully translated the mission of personal restoration into a fundable regional mandate. 

His leadership is focused on transforming qualitative mental growth into the measurable workforce and public safety outcomes identified as vital for the residents of the Delta.