Executive Director

• Oct 2021 - Present

Program Director

• Apr 2017 - Sep 2021

Elevated Chicago is a collaborative effort that unlocks the potential of transit stations to promote racial equity in health outcomes, climate change resilience, and access to arts and culture. In partnership with the public, private and nonprofit sectors, Elevated Chicago aims to turn the ½-mile around train stations into centers of commerce and culture by removing barriers that hinder innovation; equipping residents with resources to make these areas a community and civic priority; and aligning, cultivating, and deploying capital for development. By investing capital in transit-oriented development, and funding community-based programming, Elevated Chicago partners aim to change the way neighborhood development is understood, planned and implemented for a more equitable, prosperous and competitive Chicago.Partners of Elevated Chicago include Arts + Public Life, Center for Neighborhood Technology, City of Chicago Department of Public Health, Enterprise Community Partners Chicago, The Chicago Community Trust, Esperanza Health Centers, Foundation for Homan Square, Garfield Park Community Council, IFF, KLEO Center, Latinos Progresando, Logan Square Neighborhood Association, LUCHA, Metropolitan Planning Council, Sunshine Ministries, ThoughtWorks, and Washington Park Development Group.Elevated Chicago is made possible through the Strong, Prosperous and Resilient Communities Challenge (SPARCC), a $90 MM national initiative calling for cities and regions to find creative solutions in the built environment that produce positive outcomes for racial equity, human health and climate resilience. SPARCC is a partnership of Enterprise Community Partners, Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco, Low Income Investment Fund, and the Natural Resources Defense Council. Funding for SPARCC is provided by the Ford Foundation, Kresge Foundation, and Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. Show less

Assistant Vice President, Corporate Social Responsibility - Diversity & Inclusion

• May 2015 - Dec 2016

• Led the development and implementation of the Bank’s first 3-year Diversity & Inclusion (D&I) strategic plan, focused on improving business performance through measurable progress in leadership accountability, inclusive culture, talent pipeline and community impact• Led a team of D&I consultants, ensuring excellent relationship management and consulting services with 16 business units and 50+ external strategic partners• Oversaw the development and delivery of learning opportunities to increase inclusive competencies, including multicultural competence, unconscious biases, intercultural communication and conflict resolution, etc.• Provided strategic direction and leadership to the Financial Services Pipeline (FSP) Initiative (see below) focusing on implementing a 3-year action plan to increase Black and Latino representation in financial services• Supported the Bank’s Executive Committee and department leaders in their D&I journey through strategic consultation, education and coaching• Oversaw all D&I metrics and reporting, including EEO reporting, workforce analytics, and reports to U.S. Congress and Board of Governors• Partnered with Human Resources to ensure that all HR processes, including recruitment, development, performance management, incentives/awards, policies, etc. include a D&I lens• Partnered with Procurement to ensure that Supplier Diversity programs continued growing the Bank’s spend in M/WBEs and providing technical assistance to small businesses• Oversaw the Bank’s Corporate Social Responsibility strategy through an employee-led Volunteer Council and a network of 200+ volunteers and 20+ strategic partners• Oversaw an outreach strategy in majority-minority and all-girls high schools, providing opportunities for students to learn about joining the financial service industry• Oversaw and provide strategic direction to 10 Employee Resource Groups in professional development, cultural competence, diversity recruitment and community outreach Show less

Senior Program Manager, Corporate Social Responsibility - Diversity & Inclusion

• Mar 2014 - Apr 2015

• Designed and managed the Financial Services Pipeline Initiative, a funders collaborative including 19 public and private financial institutions and a regional community foundation, representing 30,000 professionals in the Chicago area, tasked with increasing the representation of the Black and Latino communities in the financial sector• Designed a research program (including a 10,000-professionals survey) and managed a team of consultants and Fed staff, resulting in the first in-depth analysis of the status of African-Americans and Latinos in the Chicago area financial sector.• Managed and edited publications on behalf of the Initiative, including the first comprehensive Index of African-American and Latino representation in the Chicago area’s financial sector• Managed communications, marketing and new member outreach for the Initiative, including public speaking, press releases and the launching of the Initiative’s website www.fspchicago.org • Develop Memoranda of Understanding among members, contracts with third-parties, and Non-Disclosure Agreements in connection with research• Designed, managed and MC-ed public events including two Summer Intern Career Conferences for 250+ interns and two Summits gathering 200+ leaders in the Chicago area financial sector• Became Qualified Administrator of the Intercultural Development Inventory, providing consulting services to 50+ employees in support of their cultural competency journey • Served as manager and mentor of 2 employees and 4 interns. Show less

Senior Analyst, Corporate Social Responsibility - Diversity & Inclusion

• Aug 2011 - Feb 2014

• Prepared comprehensive annual Reports to the U.S. Congress and the Federal Reserve Board of Governors on diversity and inclusion at the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago, including EEO reporting.• Designed and implemented a volunteer-based financial literacy, college prep and career advice program targeting majority-minority and all-girls high schools, recruiting 150+ volunteers and reaching 2,500+ students per year.• Contributed to the design and implementation of the Chicago Fed’s first Corporate Social Responsibility strategy, with a focus on workforce diversity and inclusion, and community outreach.• Designed the Federal Reserve System’s first Strategic Partnerships program, in order to identify, vet and partner with 20 selected community organizations and professional associations to advance D&I goals in workforce, supplier diversity and community outreach• Developed and managed a partnership between majority-Latino and majority-African American high schools, resulting in the creation of eleven year-round high school internships with the Bank• Hosted, managed and spoke at a series of events focused on solutions to suburban poverty in the Chicago area• Serve as manager and mentor of four interns (high school and college) Show less

Program Officer, Special Initiatives

• Mar 2008 - Jul 2011

• Designed and led the Trust’s response to the Chicago region’s foreclosure crisis in hardest-hit, low-income communities, deploying $10MM in grants, investments, and other resources and engaging 70+ nonprofit, private and public sector organizations. • Designed and led a $750,000 outreach campaign targeting homeowners and renters in the areas hardest-hit by the foreclosure crisis, especially focused on African-American, Latino and immigrant communities (1,200+ homes visited per month), in partnership with the Circuit Court of Cook County, 10 community-based groups, and the Woodstock Institute. • Established partnerships with 6 suburban municipalities in West Cook County, and 20+ in South Cook County, and made $500,000 in grants to develop their capacity to respond to the housing crisis, leveraging $21MM in government grants. • Partnered with State of Illinois and two nonprofits to bring 4 large foreclosure prevention outreach events per year to majority Latino and African-American suburbs, serving 2,000 families. • Recommended and managed $1M+ in grants to organizations advancing the rights of people suffering inequities and discrimination • Created the MOU for the first LGBT Fund housed by the Trust, with a goal of fundraising $1MM. • Led the Trust’s legal aid grant making agenda, deploying over $300,000 per year • Signed a partnership agreement with the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning to ensure that its $4.25MM program to help create sustainable and livable communities included the voices of communities usually underrepresented in planning and development processes • Developed the Trust’s agenda in the areas of housing and environmental sustainability, as part of the 2010-2020 strategic plan • Represented the Trust as a speaker or facilitator in national and local events and conferences. • Managed two full-time staff and four part-time consultants. Show less

Assistant Vice President

• Jun 2007 - Mar 2008

• Managed business relationships and partnerships with 30+ Midwest-based housing developers and community-based organizations to advance the Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) goals of the bank. • Analyzed financial feasibility of $100MM+ in loan requests for affordable housing and commercial development in low-income communities, including review of development and operating budgets, and construction timelines. • Originated letters of interest and letters of commitment for developers— 30MM+ in letters of interest and $5MM+ in letters of commitment, including financing of award-winning development Whistler Crossing (see below). • Coordinated the lending activity of the Chicago office with Citigroup Marketing, Credit and Pricing teams based in Denver, Louisville and New York. Show less

Housing Associate

• May 2003 - May 2007

• Helped 12 private and nonprofit housing developers attract capital, amenities and infrastructures to communities undergoing a multi-year year, $1.5B public housing transformation in Chicago. • Designed, secured funding and launched “Reconnecting Neighborhoods”, an initiative promoting access to public transportation in three moderate and low-income Chicago neighborhoods, managing grant application process for the City, the Regional Transportation Authority, and two foundations. • Served as project manager for the Regional Housing Initiative, a $2 million project financing mixed-income housing in areas of economic opportunity throughout the region in partnership with five public housing authorities, the Illinois Housing Development Authority and the private sector. • Identified key policy issues for bimonthly meetings of public housing authorities, advocates and Dept. of Housing and Urban Development representatives; securing speakers, facilitating discussions and presenting issues and reports at meetings. • Coordinated and produced original research, and edited and managed the publication of six Progress Reports on the Chicago Housing Authority Plan for Transformation. • Identified and briefed national and local speakers for a series of public forums on mixed-income housing (150+ attendees per forum). Show less