We are Living Cities

Shané Harris leads Social Responsibility and Partnerships at Prudential and is President of The Prudential Foundation. Her responsibilities include leading the company’s philanthropic strategy, overseeing the distribution of over $62 million in grants and charitable contributions and community volunteer programs, as well as managing Prudential’s shared value initiatives. She is also a member of the senior leadership team for Inclusive Solutions, a Prudential business function that harnesses the power of capital markets to drive financial and social mobility, inclusive economic opportunity, and sustainable growth.

Harris serves as member of the Board of Trustees for Living Cities, a collaborative of 19 of the world’s largest foundations and financial institutions working to close racial income and wealth gaps in American cities. She also serves as a board member for The Newark Trust for Education and was a trustee for the New Jersey Pandemic Relief Fund, established to fight the medical, social and economic impact of Covid-19 on New Jersey’s most vulnerable residents. Harris joined Prudential in 2004 where she held a series of leadership positions with increasing responsibility focused on strategic grantmaking, business aligned initiatives and purpose-driven brand visibility. Prior to joining Prudential, she was the director of the New Jersey Nets and Devils Foundation, the philanthropic arm of the New Jersey Nets Professional Basketball Team and the New Jersey Devils Professional Hockey Team. She has a bachelor’s degree in biology from Columbia University and holds a master’s degree in public administration from the New York University Wagner School of Public Service.

Don Chen (he/him) is the President of the Surdna Foundation, a national family foundation dedicated to fostering sustainable environments, inclusive economies, and thriving cultures. He leads the century-old foundation’s efforts to strengthen and further leverage its commitment to racial equity and social justice.

Before joining Surdna in 2018, Don directed the Cities & States program at the Ford Foundation. There, he supported urban development initiatives to make housing more affordable, promote more equitable land use practices, and empower communities to have a powerful decision-making voice in U.S. and Global South cities. He also led a multi-program team to support strengthening social justice organizations and networks in targeted U.S. states.

Previously, Don founded and served as CEO of Smart Growth America, where he led efforts to create the National Vacant Properties Campaign (which later became the Center for Community Progress) and Transportation for America. He also managed a merger with the Growth Management Leadership Alliance.

A writer and speaker on environmental policy, racial justice, and social progress, Don serves as Co-Chair of the Presidents’ Council on Impact Investing and on the boards of Living Cities, Asian Americans/Pacific Islanders in Philanthropy, Philanthropy New York, and the Ms. Foundation for Women. He holds a bachelor’s degree in political science and master’s degree in environmental studies from Yale University.

Susan K. Thomas is President of the Melville Charitable Trust where she oversees the Trust’s grantmaking strategy, philanthropic partnerships and administration. Formerly the Trust’s Program Director, Susan led the foundation’s housing and racial equity efforts for five years, while managing a state and national portfolio of grants supporting solutions to homelessness. Susan has been instrumental in the creation of Funders for Housing and Opportunity, a national non-partisan, cross-sector funder collaborative focused on tackling the housing affordability crisis by supporting advocacy, narrative change work, and efforts to scale effective practices at the intersection of housing, health, economic mobility, and education. While at the Trust, she was also selected to participate in the Annie E. Casey Foundation’s Fellowship program targeting leaders working to improve outcomes for children, families, and communities.

Her experience as a Casey Fellow has been instrumental in helping the Trust develop a targeted grantmaking strategy that focuses on ending homelessness for Black, Indigenous and People of Color. Prior to joining the Trust, Susan was Project Officer for Mayor Kasim Reed of Atlanta, where she was responsible for leading “Unsheltered No More!,” an initiative to dramatically reduce street homelessness that placed over 1,000 homeless men, women, and children into permanent housing. As the former president of Providence Consulting Group, she helped launch a statewide foundation to assist foster families and co-chaired an effort for the Annie E. Casey Foundation and the Atlanta Housing Authority to rehouse 420 families as part of a major HOPE VI redevelopment project.

Susan is a former Vice President of Community Investment and Area Development at the United Way of Greater Atlanta. Prior to her nonprofit career, she worked for 15 years in the areas of accounting, management consulting, and strategic planning. She holds a Master of Business Administration from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University and Bachelor of Science in Accounting from the University of Maryland.

Lynette Bell is president of the Truist Foundation, an organization committed to collaborating with innovative companies and investing in communities to build better lives. In this role, she is responsible for strategic philanthropy, deepening strong partnerships with nonprofits, and strengthening local communities in the areas of leadership development, economic mobility, thriving communities, and educational equity.

Previously, she served as enterprise community reinvestment officer for SunTrust now Truist, leading the community development program to support underserved communities. In her more than 30-year career with SunTrust, she held positions in operations, regulatory affairs, bank examinations, and compliance.

Bell currently serves on the board of directors of Purpose Built Communities, Honorary Member of the National Coalition of 100 Black Women, and Living Cities Foundation. She is also a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. Manny Ohonme, chair of International Board of Directors at Sanford Health, called Bell a “difference maker” whose “commitment to make lasting change in our communities is truly inspiring.”

She received her bachelor’s degree from Florida State University and certification as a compliance manager from the University of Georgia and the Georgia Bankers Association.

Tia Hodges has dedicated nearly 20 years to creating and implementing strategies that drive systemic change at the intersection of philanthropy, non-profit, and social impact sectors to improve social and economic progress in communities across the U.S. This work has been fulfilled through her roles at the Citi Foundation where she led the strategy and investments of the Youth Economic Opportunity portfolio in the U.S. In this role, she was responsible to lead the strategic composition and investments of the portfolio with a focus on workforce, social innovation, mentoring, and financial education.

Tia also spent many years at high impact non-profit organizations including Feeding America of Eastern Wisconsin supporting the organization’s mission to eradicate hunger and the national non-profit organization KaBOOM! where she worked directly with Mayors and civic leaders from more than 200 cities and towns in the U.S. to ensure children and families had equitable access to healthy and vibrant communities.

Tia was selected as a Fellow for the Council on Foundations Leadership Program, the 92y Belfer Center for Innovation & Impact Women inPower, and Johns Hopkins University Leadership Program for Minority Managers.

Lisa M. Lawson is the president and chief executive officer of the Annie E. Casey Foundation, a private philanthropy dedicated to building a brighter future for children, youth, families and communities in the United States.

Prior to becoming president and CEO, Lawson was the Foundation’s executive vice president and chief program officer, overseeing investments to promote community change, economic opportunity for families and public system reform. She also guided efforts to strengthen the social sector and encourage the take-up of effective strategies. Lawson previously served as vice president of external affairs, leading Casey’s efforts to provide data, analysis, research and policy solutions to help all children realize their potential.

Before joining the Foundation, Lawson worked at UPS for 14 years in various roles, including president of the UPS Foundation and vice president of corporate public relations.

Lawson serves on the boards of the Baltimore Community Foundation, Baltimore’s Promise, the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond, Greater Washington Partnership, Living Cities and StriveTogether. She also is on the advisory board of Twilio.org. An Atlanta native, she earned a law degree from the University of Michigan and a bachelor’s degree in commerce from the University of Virginia.

Lauren Smith, MD, MPH, serves as the vice president of Strategic Portfolios at the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF). In this role, Smith serves as a member of the Foundation’s senior leadership team and oversees strategy development, implementation, and management of RWJF’s key focus areas, or strategic portfolios, which include Healthy Children and Families, Healthy Communities, Leadership for Better Health, and Transforming Health and Healthcare Systems programs.

Smith comes from the CDC Foundation, where she served as the chief health equity and strategy officer, bringing more than 25 years of extensive experience at the intersection of healthcare delivery, management, public policy, and public health. In this role, Smith was pivotal in developing and driving strategic efforts to embed health equity across the organization’s activities. She focused on addressing structural inequities affecting marginalized populations’ health, wellbeing, and resiliency.

Smith’s career includes leadership positions at FSG, a leading social impact consulting firm, where she served as co-CEO and led the U.S. health practice. Her visionary leadership contributed to the firm’s growth and mission of achieving lasting and equitable social impact. Before FSG, Smith was senior strategic advisor for the National Institute for Children’s Health Quality. She has also served as medical director and interim commissioner for the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, as the national medical director of the Medical Legal Partnership for Children, and as the medical director of the pediatric inpatient service at Boston Medical Center.

Smith is a graduate of Harvard College where she earned a degree in biology, before earning her MD from the University of California, San Francisco School of Medicine, and an MPH from the University of California, Berkeley School of Public Health.

Tonya Allen is a leader and a change agent with a passion for co-creating an equitable, sustainable world. In 2021, she became president of the McKnight Foundation, a Minnesota-based family foundation that advances a more just, creative, and abundant future where people and planet thrive. Tonya heads a majority women, majority people-of-color senior leadership team and a diverse team of about 60.

The Foundation grants approximately $100 million annually in support of equitable communities, a clean energy economy, global food systems, artists and culture bearers, and innovative neuroscience research. In her first year at McKnight, Tonya championed using the Foundation’s investments to advance net zero goals, and elevated McKnight’s voice and leadership to rebuild Twin Cities neighborhoods and small businesses impacted by Covid-19 and the 2020 civil unrest. In 2022, Tonya helped launched the GroundBreak Coalition, an ambitious, multi-sector effort to close wealth gaps in Minneapolis-St. Paul. In 2023, GroundBreak announced nearly $1 billion in commitments towards its goals, which Inside Philanthropy called the “fundraising success story of the year.”

Dominique joined the M&T Charitable Foundation as Executive Director in July 2022. She steers the bank’s corporate giving strategy and ensures the foundation’s community impact remains inclusive, equitable and diverse throughout its 12-state footprint. Goss spent the past four years as senior group manager for corporate citizenship at TD Bank’s charitable foundation, where she was responsible for aligning the bank’s corporate giving goals to its broader strategic priorities and deploying $26 million in charitable investments and sponsorships from Maine to Florida.

Goss graduated from Temple University with a bachelor’s degree in business administration in 2008 and earned an MBA from Indiana Wesleyan University in 2018. She serves on the boards of the Greater Philadelphia Philanthropy Network, Mural Arts Advocates and the Queen’s Museum. Goss also is a 2019-2020 Connecting Leaders Fellow with the Association for Black Foundation Executives and founding partner of the Philadelphia Black Giving Circle.

Tawa has responsibility for grantmaking in the Chicago Commitment program, a portfolio aimed at investing in people, places, and partnerships to advance racial equity and build a more inclusive Chicago.

Prior to joining MacArthur, Tawa served as the Director of Education Policy and Partnerships in the Office of Mayor Rahm Emanuel. In this role, Tawa focused on supporting educational opportunities across the K-16 spectrum. Tawa also served as the inaugural Interim Director for Thrive Chicago, a multi-sector collective that aims to increase equitable outcomes for Chicago’s youth. Previously, Tawa served as Executive Director of Strategic Partnerships at the City Colleges of Chicago. Prior to that, Tawa also served as Assistant to Mayor Richard M. Daley for Education and worked at the Chicago Public Schools as Senior Manager of the Community Schools Initiative.

Tawa holds a Master of Arts degree from the University of Chicago’s Crown Family School of Social Work, Policy, and Practice, a Bachelor of Arts degree from Spelman College, and she is a Class of 2018 Leadership Greater Chicago Fellow, the region’s premier civic leadership development program.

A native Chicagoan, Tawa dedicates much of her extracurricular time to community service. She currently serves on the Board of Directors for Illinois Humanities, Chicago Women in Philanthropy, the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society of Illinois, and the Parks Foundation of Oak Park. Tawa is also a member of the Theta Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated, and the Lake Shore Chapter of the Links, Incorporated, organizations dedicated to community service.

Chantel Rush Tebbe is managing director of The Kresge Foundation’s American Cities Program. Her work advances the foundation’s efforts to catalyze effective community and economic development practices that expand opportunities for people with low incomes in American cities.

Chantel joined Kresge in 2015 as a Fellow in the Executive Office before taking on progressive responsibility within the American Cities Program.

Since joining the foundation, she has executed and now leads Kresge’s efforts to partner deeply with communities and support comprehensive place-based work in Memphis, New Orleans, Fresno and a number of other cities throughout the country. Her work supports on-the-ground efforts, exchange of ideas across cities, initiatives seeking to advance community-driven place-based practice, national community development intermediaries, and research aimed at promoting effective urban practice and policy.

Chantel holds a master’s degree in general management from Harvard Business School. She earned bachelor’s degrees in International Relations and Spanish Language from Stanford University, where her studies focused on the interplay between politics and the economy.

She brings to the social sector a background in business strategy and implementation. Prior to Kresge, Chantel served as senior analyst of global strategy and business development at Gap Inc. She started her career in management consulting at Kurt Salmon Associates (now part of Accenture Strategy) where her responsibilities included advising businesses on how to grow and better serve their customers.

Chantel serves on the boards of the National Housing Law Project, Living Cities and Equal Measure.

Lisa Talma is the Vice President of Philanthropic Initiatives at Deutsche Bank and manages the bank’s U.S. community development philanthropy. She represents the bank on multiple funder collaboratives focusing on youth and family homelessness, neighborhood planning and community development. Prior to joining the bank in 2019, Lisa served as the Assistant Commissioner of Property Disposition and Finance at the NYC Department of Housing Preservation & Development where she was responsible for the disposition of city-owned property and the financing of preservation and repair programs. Lisa also worked in asset management and construction lending for LIHTC investments at Enterprise Community Partners. Lisa holds a BA in Urban Studies from Stanford University and a Masters in Urban Planning from Harvard University’s Graduate School of Design.

Rhea Williams-Bishop is director of Mississippi and New Orleans Programming for the W.K. Kellogg Foundation in Battle Creek, Michigan. In this role, she supports the foundation’s efforts to promote thriving children, working families and equitable communities.

Williams-Bishop is responsible for leadership and vision in program conceptualization, design, planning, management, coordination, communication, evaluation, policy and learning of grantmaking in Mississippi and New Orleans. Williams-Bishop supports and facilitates the community change process within the region in alignment with the foundation’s mission and strategic framework, in collaboration and partnership with grantees and other external partners in the region, as well as other WKKF staff.

Prior to joining the foundation, Williams-Bishop served as the director of the Mississippi Center for Education Innovation (MSCEI), a nonprofit education intermediary focused on impacting and transforming education through engagement and innovation. As a child and family advocate, she has devoted her career to improving the lives of vulnerable children by enhancing and improving their opportunities in the areas of racial equity, healthcare and education.

Prior to this, Williams-Bishop held several positions with the Children’s Defense Fund (CDF), including State Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) administrator, executive director of Supporting Partnerships to Assure Ready Kids (SPARK) and deputy director of the CDF Southern Regional Office. She has also served as the Kids Count State Coordinator. In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, she worked to ensure that children and families were not further traumatized by reuniting families and securing resources for restoration and recovery. Over the course of her career, she has spent nearly 15 years effectively managing people, programs and resources.

Williams-Bishop holds a Ph.D. in education leadership, a master’s degree in public policy and administration and a bachelor’s degree in urban affairs, each from Jackson State University. She has completed leadership programs with the Rockefeller Foundation Next Generation Leadership Program, Leadership Mississippi, Leadership Madison County, and most recently the Southeastern Council of Foundations – Hull Fellowship Program.

Joe Scantlebury is the President and CEO of Living Cities, a collaborative of prominent foundations and financial institutions who envision an equitable and inclusive economy in which all residents of American cities live economically sustainable, abundant, thriving, connected and healthy lives and can build generational wealth. Joe leads an expert staff, who partner and collaborate with leaders from government, civil society, philanthropy, and the corporate and financial sectors and advance capital innovations in home and business ownership, impact investing, and other wealth building strategies.

Prior to joining Living Cities, Joe served as vice president for program strategy at the W.K. Kellogg Foundation and led strategic programming efforts to improve the lives of vulnerable children and families in the Foundation’s priority places. As senior program officer at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation in Washington, D.C., Joe led state policy advocacy Northeast, Midwest, and Mid-South states. Joe also helped the Gates Foundation innovate in its support for civil rights and equity advocacy organizations. Prior to philanthropy, Joe represented the interests of children in the Juvenile Justice and Dependency Care systems served as a staff attorney at the Youth Law Center in Washington, DC. Served as the founding director of the National HIRE Network, and CEO & General Counsel for STRIVE NY.

Joe received a Bachelor of Science from Cornell University’s New York State School of Industrial & Labor Relations, a Juris Doctor from New York University School of Law, a Master of Public Administration from the NYU Robert F. Wagner School of Public Service, and a Doctor of Humane Letters from Livingstone College.

Joe is a board member of the National Committee for Responsive Philanthropy and the Televisa Univision Foundation, Zephyr Impact, and a member of the Fidelity Investments and Fidelity Foundation Invest in My Education Advisory Board.

As Chief of Staff, Valerie works directly with the CEO, Executive team members and departmental leaders to determine and prioritize business strategies to ensure alignment and effective communication across the organization.

Valerie brings over two decades of advocacy and organizational experience from her work in child welfare and juvenile justice systems. In her last role, she was a founding member and Director of Operations for a nonprofit working to eliminate racial disparities, reduce incarceration and improve conditions of confinement for kids of color. There she was a trusted thought partner to the Executive Director, managing operational, vendor, banking, and board relations.

Valerie also has a passion for the arts, having co-founded a dance company at her university, as writer/ director of a theater group, and as a writing consultant, helping many become first time published authors. Merging her social justice and arts background has allowed Valerie a unique perspective to collaboratively bring about solutions for sustainability, reform, and change.
Valerie holds a B.S. from Georgetown University and M.S. from Eastern University. Valerie loves to travel the world and spends her free time with family and friends. She currently lives in Maryland.

Anna is an accomplished executive management and board support professional. Skilled at managing and implementing projects for high-level principals in organizations such as US House of Representatives and US Senate, National MS Society, Pew Charitable Trusts, and American Society of Clinical Oncology, she enjoys finding solutions that help organizations thrive. A LUMA Certified Project Manager, Ms. Jinkerson approaches her work with a human-centered, equity lens. She is a member of EPIP and LGBT Funders and has completed EPIP’s White Affinity Cohort program.

An operations leader passionate about social justice, bold ideas, and progress, she proudly holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of Missouri-Saint Louis and a Master of Science in Management (MSM)-with a special nonprofit and association focus from The University of Maryland.

She happily calls the Washington, DC region home with her Jack Russell Terrier Mix, Dolly. In her spare time, she serves on the Capital Pride Board of Directors and volunteers with First Tee of Greater Washington.

Joe Scantlebury is the President and CEO of Living Cities, a collaborative of prominent foundations and financial institutions who envision an equitable and inclusive economy in which all residents of American cities live economically sustainable, abundant, thriving, connected and healthy lives and can build generational wealth. Joe leads an expert staff, who partner and collaborate with leaders from government, civil society, philanthropy, and the corporate and financial sectors and advance capital innovations in home and business ownership, impact investing, and other wealth building strategies.

Prior to joining Living Cities, Joe served as vice president for program strategy at the W.K. Kellogg Foundation and led strategic programming efforts to improve the lives of vulnerable children and families in the Foundation’s priority places. As senior program officer at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation in Washington, D.C., Joe led state policy advocacy Northeast, Midwest, and Mid-South states. Joe also helped the Gates Foundation innovate in its support for civil rights and equity advocacy organizations. Prior to philanthropy, Joe represented the interests of children in the Juvenile Justice and Dependency Care systems served as a staff attorney at the Youth Law Center in Washington, DC. Served as the founding director of the National HIRE Network, and CEO & General Counsel for STRIVE NY.

Joe received a Bachelor of Science from Cornell University’s New York State School of Industrial & Labor Relations, a Juris Doctor from New York University School of Law, a Master of Public Administration from the NYU Robert F. Wagner School of Public Service, and a Doctor of Humane Letters from Livingstone College.

Joe is a board member of the National Committee for Responsive Philanthropy and the Televisa Univision Foundation, Zephyr Impact, and a member of the Fidelity Investments and Fidelity Foundation Invest in My Education Advisory Board.

As Chief of Staff, Valerie works directly with the CEO, Executive team members and departmental leaders to determine and prioritize business strategies to ensure alignment and effective communication across the organization.

Valerie brings over two decades of advocacy and organizational experience from her work in child welfare and juvenile justice systems. In her last role, she was a founding member and Director of Operations for a nonprofit working to eliminate racial disparities, reduce incarceration and improve conditions of confinement for kids of color. There she was a trusted thought partner to the Executive Director, managing operational, vendor, banking, and board relations.

Valerie also has a passion for the arts, having co-founded a dance company at her university, as writer/ director of a theater group, and as a writing consultant, helping many become first time published authors. Merging her social justice and arts background has allowed Valerie a unique perspective to collaboratively bring about solutions for sustainability, reform, and change.
Valerie holds a B.S. from Georgetown University and M.S. from Eastern University. Valerie loves to travel the world and spends her free time with family and friends. She currently lives in Maryland.

With over 25 years of experience, Jamilah Davis has consistently delivered strong results. Her tenure spans across industries and includes over twenty years of progressive management experience.

Jamilah Davis has worked in many facets of accounting and organizational administration including strategic planning, heading general ledger financial groups, leading accounting firm tax departments, payroll management, and benefits administration.

Jamilah’s talents are best presented in her strong technical skills, deep professional knowledge base and ability to create an environment of focused thinking. She is a natural born leader who strives to genuinely connect to those she works with.

With exceptional communication and emotional intelligence skills, Jamilah works very well with others and prides herself on using these abilities to further her commitment to staff development.
She is a proud graduate of Morgan State University and has returned as a guest speaker for both the student body at large and Morgan State’s Accounting Department Honors Society.
She is also a current member of the International Society of Female Professionals (ISFP) and the National Association of Black Accountants (NABA).

Aside from work, Jamilah is a published poet whose hobbies include reading, writing and all things artsy. Jamilah is a true “foodie” who enjoys music, dancing and dining out with her friends and family.

Myung Lee is the Chief Strategy Officer at Living Cities where she leads efforts to close the racial wealth gap by shaping how capital flows and forging partnerships that expand opportunity. A cross-sector leader known for her curiosity and talent for “connecting the dots”, she brings practical, problem-solving approaches to challenges – often making possible what others assumed could not be done.

Her leadership spans start-ups, government, and century-old institutions. Myung served as the CEO of Volunteers of America-Greater NY, steering one of the city’s oldest and most complex human services organizations. As the Founding Executive Director of Cities of Service, she launched and scaled a global nonprofit from the ground up. Earlier, Myung led New York City’s Early Care and Education Division at the Administration for Children’s Services, overseeing one of the largest publicly funded childcare systems in the country. She also played an early role in establishing AmeriCorps at the federal level and drove digital business growth at Major League Baseball. Throughout her career, Myung has emphasized engagement and partnership to ensure that bold ideas deliver inclusive and lasting results for communities and partners.

Samanta Mahon (Sam) joins Living Cities as the Associate Director of Talent and Organization Development. Sam brings with her over 20 years’ Human Resources and leadership experience.

Sam has a BS in Organizational Management and MS in Human Resources Management from St. Joseph’s College/University of Brooklyn, NY. Throughout her career she has lent her talents to mission-based organizations. She expresses herself as a passionate, thoughtful leader who is dedicated to serving those who work hard at bettering BIPOC communities.

When not working at LC Sam flexes her culinary skills in the kitchen. As a self-proclaimed “foodie” she often experiments on new recipes and cakes.

Miguel is the Senior Associate for the business ownership initiative at Living Cities where he is helping expand entrepreneurship among BIPOC communities.

Before joining Living Cities, Miguel was an Analyst at HR&A Advisors where he worked on Digital Equity and Inclusion issues by helping expand broadband access to underserved communities in California, Colorado, Nevada, New York, and Texas.

Prior to that, Miguel was the Regional Research Director for Latin America at the Global Private Capital Association (GPCA) where he provided research, support, and guidance to the private capital community interested in investing in Latin America. Prior to this position he developed cross-sector experience working in healthcare, banking, and IT.

Miguel completed an internship in Buenos Aires, Argentina at Consejo Argentina para las Relaciones Internacionales (CARI), a leading Argentine think-tank in 2017. He also lived abroad in Bologna, Italy where he completed his first year of graduate school.

Miguel holds a BA in History from the University of Virginia and an MA in International Relations and International Economics from the Johns Hopkins University – School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS).

Santiago co-leads Living Cities’ business ownership portfolio and spearheads equitable ecosystem building efforts in Albuquerque, Austin, Minneapolis, Memphis, Saint Paul and Rochester. Prior to this role, Santiago managed the Builders & Benefactors network, a community of principally Black fund managers and investors, led learning and impact for Living Cities investment team and managed Start Up, Stay Up, Scale Up, a Surdna and Rockefeller-funded strategy focused on strengthening ecosystems of support for high-growth entrepreneurs of color in San Francisco, Albuquerque and New Orleans.

Before moving to New York City, Santiago led the implementation of a national income generation strategy for displaced and vulnerable groups in rural Colombia. As part of the project, Santiago helped capitalize and facilitated access to technical assistance for more than 2,000 businesses owned by formerly displaced populations located throughout the Colombian territory. Prior to his work on income generation, Santiago supported a USAID-funded initiative to form the Afro Colombian Congressional Caucus and help prioritize their legislative agenda.

Santiago holds a Bachelor’s degree in Government and International Affairs from Universidad Externado de Colombia and a Masters in Urban Planning from New York University.

Kelsey Birmingham’s professional background is in mental health and macro social work, with a particular interest in researching and analyzing communities and families using a cultural and trauma-informed care lens.

Prior to joining Living Cities, Kelsey was part of the Research and Data Evaluation team at the City of Philadelphia’s Office of Children and Families. There, she contributed to promoting an equitable child welfare system by evaluating and recommending more suitable family and community engagement practices. Her experience also includes serving as a Case Manager for adults and children with disabilities from economically disadvantaged backgrounds and working as a Psychiatric Counselor and Mental Health Worker in inpatient facilities.

Kelsey holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology from Bucknell University and earned my Master’s Degree in Macro Social Work from the University of Pennsylvania. Outside of work, Kelsey enjoys traveling, exploring holistic health practices, and spending quality time with family, friends, and my dog, Skooter.

As a member of the City & Community Engagement team, Angela will lead the Living Cities’ homeownership strategy in cohort cities which assists local government’s transformations in systems that pose disproportionate system barriers to prospective and current homeowners of color, and support homeownership as a pathway to close racial wealth gaps.

Most recently, Angela was the Director of Real Estate Enterprise Strategies for NeighborWorks America. In this role, Angela was responsible for a peer learning cohort and technical assistance programs that supported sustainable business practices and enterprise level growth for community-based nonprofit developers.

Prior to joining NeighborWorks America, Angela worked at Enterprise Community Partners. During that time, she helped improve strategic and programmatic operations for community-based nonprofit developers, administered large grant programs, and managed external relationships with funding, technical assistance, and evaluation partners.

Angela holds a Masters in Public Administration from the School of Government at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, a Masters in City Planning from Georgia Institute of Technology, and holds a Housing Development Finance Professional (HDFP) certification from the National Development Council.

Norris provides strategic planning, project management, and network management for Living Cities community and economic development projects that experiment with how public-sector agencies, private-sector financial institutions, and philanthropic-sector foundations can partner to generate capital flows within marginalized communities.

His service at Living Cities, since April 2015, spans projects including Bloomberg Innovation Teams (i-teams), City Accelerator with Citi Foundation, Equipt to Innovate with Governing Magazine, Project on Municipal Innovation with Harvard Kennedy School, The Catalyst Fund, The Blended Catalyst Fund, Shared Prosperity Partnership (SP2), Regional Inclusive Economic Growth, The Closing the Gaps Network, and currently Breaking Barriers to Business with Truist Foundation.

Amongst Norris’ multi-sector experience prior to Living Cities his time as a Legislative Assistant with the Indiana House of Representatives, service as a Board Member of Community Action of Greater Indianapolis, and birth into a marginalized community inspired the nexus of his work today.

Norris received his BA in Political Science from the University of the District of Columbia and his Economic Development Finance Professional (EDFP) certification from the National Development Council.

Sheila Nelms is a seasoned project and program management professional with over 9 years of experience in nonprofit work. Her expertise lies in grant writing, fundraising, stakeholder engagement, budget creation, risk assessment, and project planning.

Before joining Living Cities, Sheila served as the Major Gifts Senior Manager at Habitat for Humanity, where she developed and implemented strategies for major gift prospects and donor cultivation.

Prior to that, Sheila served as the Outreach Director at Elevation Church UC, overseeing community outreach initiatives and managing strategic partnerships with nonprofits and government agencies.

With a Master’s in International Development and Humanitarian Assistance from New York University and a Bachelor’s in Psychiatric Rehabilitation from Rutgers University, Sheila brings a unique blend of skills and experience to the Living Cities team. She is known for her creative problem-solving, attention to detail, and a deep commitment to the mission of Living Cities. Sheila is bilingual, fluent in both English and Spanish, enhancing her ability to connect with diverse stakeholders and communities.

Sheila’s enthusiasm for advancing racial equity and inclusion aligns perfectly with Living Cities’ mission, making her a valuable addition to the team.

Valeria is a public health professional with expertise in policy analysis and data management. She is currently pursuing a Master of Public Health in Public Health Policy at The George Washington University, and holds a Bachelor of Science in Biological Science, Cell Biology and Genetics from the University of Maryland, College Park.

Bilingual in English and Spanish, Valeria has experience as a Spanish Interpreter for Prince George’s County Public Schools, where she supported multilingual communication efforts. Many of you may also remember Valeria from her time as an intern here at Living Cities with the Impact and Insights Team. During her internship, she analyzed homeownership and business ownership data across 20+ cities and contributed to knowledge management strategies that help advance racial equity.

In addition to her professional accomplishments, Valeria is committed to mentorship and community leadership. She currently serves as the Undergraduate Chapter Advisor for Hermandad de Sigma Iota Alpha, Inc., where she supports student development and cultural initiatives. Her passions include equitable healthcare access, racial justice, and driving public health solutions through evidence-based policymaking.

Fun Fact: She loves crocheting!

Abdul Baseer Shaik is a seasoned and well-equipped Data Analyst and Machine Learning Specialist with expertise in Python, SQL, Excel, and Tableau. Business Intelligence and Analytics are what personally drives and fulfills him to move forward. He specializes in predictive analytics, data visualization, and process automation, turning complex datasets into actionable insights that drive business strategy and efficiency. Currently, he is pursuing a Master in Data Analytics at the Catholic University of America. There he applies advanced analytical techniques to real-world problems, optimizing processes, automating workflows, and leveraging machine learning to foster innovation. With a keen sense in sequencing, analyzing and building automated data driven-systems – Abdul has a keen eye for numbers and a very structured mindset for optimization techniques.

Beyond his technical work, Abdul is passionate about using data-driven approaches to solve everyday challenges. He enjoys exploring market trends, optimizing financial strategies, and uncovering insights that enhance decision-making. 

Fun Fact: Abdul has a talent for spotting hidden deals on Amazon and decoding price trends—because for him, data analytics doesn’t stop at work!

Dr. Ahmed Whitt brings a wealth of experience as a social scientist, senior nonprofit leader, and entrepreneur to his role as the Director of the Center for Wealth Equity at Living Cities. With a distinguished career that spans academia, social enterprise, and strategic consulting, Dr. Whitt is committed to pioneering innovative strategies that address racial wealth disparities and promote economic justice.

Ahmed has held leadership positions in both academic institutions and national organizations, where he has spearheaded efforts to integrate scientific rigor with practical solutions to social challenges. His expertise in causal inference, spatial analysis, and intervention design underpins his strategic vision for the Center, ensuring that it becomes a leading hub for actionable knowledge and impactful change.

In addition to his academic credentials, Dr. Whitt is the chief strategist of Recover Fund, where he has developed an impact science approach to reducing wealth inequality and enhancing economic opportunities in underserved communities. His entrepreneurial spirit and dedication to systemic change continue to drive his work at Living Cities.

Ahmed holds a BA and MSW from the University of Pennsylvania and a Ph.D. in Social Work with a specialization in Geographic Information Sciences from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Based in Washington, DC, he is originally from Philadelphia and remains a passionate advocate for his hometown.

Jonique supports impact and learning for Living Cities. Her efforts include internal data collection, impact reports, organizational tools and evaluation, and developing Living Cities organizational Anti-Racist Results-Based Accountability strategy.
Before Joining Living Cities Jonique worked as a policy research fellow for the NGO Working Group for Women, Peace and Security, a Public Affairs Intern for the YMCA, served as an AmeriCorps Member for the Alliance to End Hunger and the College Advising Corps supporting racial equity in College Access and Food Security. She is a servant leader at heart. Her background brings in-depth knowledge and experience in domestic non-profits, local government, public service and international non-governmental organizations.
Jonique brings skill sets in community engagement, media, communications, design-thinking, policy and research. She holds a B.S. in Political Science from North Carolina State University and a M.A. in International Affairs from The New School.

Myung Lee is the Chief Strategy Officer at Living Cities where she leads efforts to close the racial wealth gap by shaping how capital flows and forging partnerships that expand opportunity. A cross-sector leader known for her curiosity and talent for “connecting the dots”, she brings practical, problem-solving approaches to challenges – often making possible what others assumed could not be done.

Her leadership spans start-ups, government, and century-old institutions. Myung served as the CEO of Volunteers of America-Greater NY, steering one of the city’s oldest and most complex human services organizations. As the Founding Executive Director of Cities of Service, she launched and scaled a global nonprofit from the ground up. Earlier, Myung led New York City’s Early Care and Education Division at the Administration for Children’s Services, overseeing one of the largest publicly funded childcare systems in the country. She also played an early role in establishing AmeriCorps at the federal level and drove digital business growth at Major League Baseball. Throughout her career, Myung has emphasized engagement and partnership to ensure that bold ideas deliver inclusive and lasting results for communities and partners.

With over 25 years of experience, Jamilah Davis has consistently delivered strong results. Her tenure spans across industries and includes over twenty years of progressive management experience.

Jamilah Davis has worked in many facets of accounting and organizational administration including strategic planning, heading general ledger financial groups, leading accounting firm tax departments, payroll management, and benefits administration.

Jamilah’s talents are best presented in her strong technical skills, deep professional knowledge base and ability to create an environment of focused thinking. She is a natural born leader who strives to genuinely connect to those she works with.

With exceptional communication and emotional intelligence skills, Jamilah works very well with others and prides herself on using these abilities to further her commitment to staff development.
She is a proud graduate of Morgan State University and has returned as a guest speaker for both the student body at large and Morgan State’s Accounting Department Honors Society.
She is also a current member of the International Society of Female Professionals (ISFP) and the National Association of Black Accountants (NABA).

Aside from work, Jamilah is a published poet whose hobbies include reading, writing and all things artsy. Jamilah is a true “foodie” who enjoys music, dancing and dining out with her friends and family.

As Assistant Director of Development, Joan has the opportunity to shape the way the organization looks at development. While lending her expertise in both Grants & Contracts Management, she provides Living Cities’ funders with reports on the impact the organization is making through their programs in annual and semi-annual reports and check-ins. Joan also supports Living Cities’ Project Teams in assisting the cohorts in achieving their outcomes by providing oversight and guidance on contractual obligations.

Joan joined Living Cities in August 2014 as a part of the Integration Initiative, where she is fully committed to making changes in the current systems and thereby improving the lives of traditionally marginalized Black, Indigenous and people of color, particularly those living in urban neighborhoods, who are still systematically left behind.

Prior to joining Living Cities, Joan provided support to executive level managers in both corporate and non-profit environments before realizing that working in the human services industry was closer to her heart.

Joan, who resides in the tri-state NY area, has a master’s degree in business administration, a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice and a Paralegal Certification.

Alysa Conway is a Senior Administrative Assistant, Finance and Operations and Talent and Organizational Development. With her strong attentiveness to detail and experience working under executive leadership in academia, Alysa is proactive in performing senior-level administrative tasks, logistics management, file and database organization, and event planning. She is hard-working and passionate about social justice, specifically in using critical race frameworks and approaches to challenge systemic and structural racism in schools and public buildings.

Alysa thrives in both independent and cross-functional team settings and enjoys working in a supportive environment that encourages equity, inclusion, collaboration and innovation. Known for her quick-thinking and problem-solving skills, Alysa is an asset in her ability to work and adapt in a fast-paced environment while also contributing ideas and practices that complement operations and internal management. She is looking forward to expanding her experience in financial reporting, human resources, and office maintenance.

Outside of work, Alysa shares a passion for fashion and makeup. She also enjoys cooking, sunbathing, attending concerts and festivals, watching documentaries, and exploring D.C. with friends and family. Alysa graduated with her B.A. in Government and Politics and Public Policy with a concentration in Education Policy. Alysa is due her M.A. in Teaching and Learning, Policy and Leadership in Education Policy and Leadership.

Shafayat joined Living Cities in July 2020 with several years of experience in both non-profit and private sector organizations.

Prior to joining Living Cities, Shafayat worked as a staff accountant for The Small Enterprise Education and Promotion Network, a membership organization whose purpose was to help nonprofits in the international relief and development realm collaborate and achieve their individual and collective goals. As a member of a small finance department, Shafayat worked on all things finance related, including general ledger accounting, financial reporting, and audits.

Shafayat graduated with a bachelor’s degree in accounting from George Mason University and holds a certified public accounting license in the state of Virginia.

Siyada has spent over 15 years at international non-profits in different countries, most recently leaving his post as Finance Manager at Population Service International. There, he covered 20 countries in Africa, supporting US and non-US government donors. Prior to this, he also held positions at Save the Children International and World Vision International.

He holds an MS in Corporate Accounting from Strayer University in Maryland as well as an MBA from St. Mary University in Addis Ababa. He is currently pursuing a PhD specializing in Organizational Leadership and Public Policy.

In his spare time, he loves to read, write, and listen to music. He also likes to spend time outdoors hiking and playing soccer. He is a fan of kickboxing as well. Siyada is also a published author! He published his first book in the Amharic and Affaan Oromo languages of east Africa, and it is translated in English version which details the life of a pastor who survived the Red Terror in Ethiopia.

Samanta Mahon (Sam) joins Living Cities as the Associate Director of Talent and Organization Development. Sam brings with her over 20 years’ Human Resources and leadership experience.

Sam has a BS in Organizational Management and MS in Human Resources Management from St. Joseph’s College/University of Brooklyn, NY. Throughout her career she has lent her talents to mission-based organizations. She expresses herself as a passionate, thoughtful leader who is dedicated to serving those who work hard at bettering BIPOC communities.

When not working at LC Sam flexes her culinary skills in the kitchen. As a self-proclaimed “foodie” she often experiments on new recipes and cakes.

Justin Charles joins Living Cities as the Senior Associate, Communications and Narrative Change, bringing over a decade of expertise in strategic and integrated communications, video production, broadcasting, and social/digital media strategy.

Born and raised in the twin island nation of Trinidad and Tobago, Justin originally came to the US to attend Howard University, where he graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Communications.

Formerly the Digital Media Associate at Families USA, Justin excelled in directing social media strategies, connecting with and advocating for everyday people at the mercy of our complex and low-value health care system, leading digital ad campaigns, and executing inbound marketing plans.

Outside of work, Justin enjoys playing with his two young children, exploring new destinations with his family, and gaining enriching experiences through travel. In his downtime, he loves diving into his ever-growing queue of novels and podcasts, always eager to discover new stories and perspectives.