Meet Our Team

Favorite quote: "Don’t postpone joy!" When do you feel most connected to community?: When I see diverse groups of people come together around a common issue, work through the issue, and come away from it transformed and changed in ways they could not imagine. The ripple effect of such an effort is beautiful to witness.

Favorite quote: "Always dream and shoot higher than you know you can do. Do not bother just to be better than your contemporaries or predecessors. Try to be better than yourself." William Faulkner What do you enjoy about your work?: I love getting to hear and share the stories of individuals whose lives have been changed through our programs.

Favorite quote: “Do what you must to enjoy what you do!” — George Willie Robinson (Grandfather) What do you enjoy about your work?: I enjoy watching the flame of realization in a young person’s eyes, confirming that they “get it!”

Favorite quote: “Numbers never lie, after all: they simply tell different stories depending on the math of the tellers.” — Luis Alberto Urrea Favorite Book: A Choice of Weapons by Gordon Parks; Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak

What do you enjoy about your work?: I enjoy making our older adults’ “golden years” shine. It gives me the opportunity to meet a wide variety of older people and make a tremendous difference in their quality of life. What’s something you believe makes communities stronger?: A strong community should consist of a multitude of opportunities for growth and experience with people working together toward a common goal.

Favorite quote: “Chop your own wood and it will warm you twice” - Henry Ford (maybe) What’s something you believe makes communities stronger?: Strong communities are built on a foundation of empathy, inclusivity, and open communication, where members support and uplift one another.

Favorite quote: "Those who were seen dancing were thought to be insane by those who did not hear the music". -Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche

Favorite quote: "For there is always light if only we are brave enough to see it, if only we are brave enough to be it" - Amanda Gordon What’s something you believe makes communities stronger?: To me a strong community embodies genuine care for the wellbeing of your neighbor (relationships and transformational services). This in conjunction with the resources necessary to meet the needs of communities for them to grow and thrive to create a better future for generations to come.

What’s something you believe makes communities stronger?: Communities are stronger when we build intentional and genuine relationships with people in neighborhoods most impacted by the systemic choices that affect their ability to thrive and succeed in their own community(ies), and activating their abilities to shape and mold the political landscape of their community(ies). When do you feel most connected to community?: I feel most connected to the community when intergenerational families are all working together across different communities to ensure that our young people can not just succeed but also thrive and live freely to their fullest potential.

Favorite Book: One of my favorite books is Siddhartha novel by Hermann Hesse, but I also love to read and write poetry When do you feel most connected to community?: I feel most connected to our community when we come together to lend each other a helping hand. I appreciate everyone who takes the time to genuinely care for their neighborhoods and others to create a positive change.

Favorite quote: “Maybe there is no such thing as rain; there are only raindrops, each with its own story.” — Robin Wall Kimmerer What do you enjoy about your work?: A smiling resident, an idea in motion, a tough problem solved, a new relationship that evolves and flourishes, the feeling of connectedness and understanding, and most of all, being witness to the strength, beauty and power of community.

Favorite quote: "If you look for perfection, you'll never be content" - Leo Tolstoy When do you feel most connected to community?: I feel connection to the community through working with the people and getting to know them.

Favorite quote: "Grow through what you go through." What do you enjoy about your work?: I never stop learning about people and community. I hear stories that shift my perspective every day.