CONNECTICUT URBAN OPPORTUNITY COLLABORATIVE (CUOC) | 2021-Present
Hartford Foundation for Public Giving
Community Foundation for Greater New Haven
Fairfield County’s Community Foundation
Director | Connecticut, USA
Lead and coordinate a team of community foundation executives and senior staff to create and implement strategies for dismantling structural racism to advance social and economic mobility using a 'self-to-systems' transformational theory.
- Built a network with national and local partners, including government, to drive community solutions, leading to the implantation of various direct cash strategies.
- Managed day-to-day operations of the collaborative, including budgeting, investments, and reporting.
- Conducted research and analysis to support CUOC’s goals and informed recommendations.
- Led CUOC’s involvement in Nexus for Equity + Opportunity Nationwide (NEON), overseeing working groups on Data & Evaluation, Strategy, Narrative Change, Communications, and Direct Cash Strategy.
- Developed and applied racial equity tools to achieve strategic goals (see key works).
- Served as a cross-functional leader, connecting CUOC and NEON foundations.
- Co-led a community-designed 3-year power-building initiative using guaranteed income that engaged close to 200 community residents.
- Invested $1.6M directly into 124 residents’ hands through The Changemaker Fund with UpTogether.
- Collaborated with 12+ grassroots nonprofits for participant recruitment and worked with Connecticut 2Gen and Department of Social Services to provide public benefit peernavigation.
- Secured ~$2M in co-investments to support additional research, evaluation, policy, advocacy, and narrative and culture change work related to GBI and intersecting strategies.
Key works: Racial Equity Systems Self-Assessment | A Guide to Ethical & Anti-Racist Storytelling | The Changemaker Fund
CENTER FOR LEADERSHIP AND JUSTICE | 2020-2021
Organizer, Greater Hartford Interfaith Action Alliance (GHIAA) |Hartford, CT
Developed and maintained relationships with diverse communities and organizations to build power and implement practical and winnable solutions to specific social justice issues that included: housing, education, criminal justice, and healthcare with an intersectional focus on immigration. Focused on developing racially conscious leaders working on issues on the intersection of poverty and race.
- Developed and led an anti-racist leadership training series to support development of new and existing leaders across congregations, including coaching and support for key leaders.
- Provide leadership and support during key committee transitions to ensure a smooth changeover and effectiveness of new or existing issue campaigns.
- Staffed committees supporting legislative bills during 2021 session.
Key works: S.B. 1 Racism as a Public Health Crisis | CT Welfare Liens Repeal
WILLIAM CASPAR GRAUSTEIN MEMORIAL FUND | 2020-2021
Independent Consultant; Communications, Policy & Advocacy |Hamden, CT
Worked to develop and implement a grassroots advocacy platform that supported Black and Brown-led organizations working towards social and economic justice. Centered the voices grantees and provided communications strategy and technical support to build an advocacy approach grounded in resident voices.
- Conducted and managed informational interviews with existing grantees to better understand their needs and the role the foundation could play in supporting them.
- Ghost writer for key media pieces that elevated the voice and experience of grantees and their organizations.
- Supported mini-grant process for advocacy and grassroot organizations.
RE•CENTER RACE AND EQUITY IN EDUCATION | 2018-2021
Sr Director (’18-’20); Independent Consultant and Strategist (’20-’21) |Hartford, CT
Worked with a program team to develop and implement anti-racist programming for various audiences focused on education and other major systems. Centered the voices of BIPOC youth and focused on implementing racial equity frameworks across different fields and platforms to transform policy and practice across key systems.
- Co-created and implemented a shared vision and strategy connecting our three departments, including the measures, metrics, and team and department structures.
- Oversaw yearly and continuous planning efforts, tracked performance, and facilitated internal communication both within and between teams, ensuring that all departments aligned with the organization's strategic goals.
- Managed and supported 3 departments including directors, managers, and associates.
- Supported the Board of Directors and Leadership Team by overseeing strategic planning.
Key works: The Equity-Informed School Climate Assessment (EISCA)
NATIONAL FAIR HOUSING ALLIANCE | 2017-2018
Associate Director of Enforcement and Investigations |Washington, D.C.
Worked with the enforcement team to develop innovative testing methodologies and to implement cutting-edge investigations into institutionalized, data-driven policies and housing practices that perpetuate residential segregation and limit or deny access to housing, home loans, or insurance to everyone protected under the Fair Housing Act, inclusive of national origin investigations.
- Designed new methodologies and comprehensive project management plans that aligned with organizational objectives, clearly outlining roles, metrics, and expectations.
- Managed a fast-paced and groundbreaking investigation across the country, involving various partners, and supporting the team while providing clear and transparent feedback to improve project and outcomes.
Key Works: Facebook Lawsuit and Resulting Changes to Advertising Platform (Meta)
CONNECTICUT FAIR HOUSING CENTER | 2014-2017
Senior Fair Housing Specialist |Hartford, CT
Created and implemented a range of short and long-term fair housing projects and organized community-based legal education strategies to empower residents to assert their fair housing rights. Implemented initiatives that ensured the work of the organization remained responsive to the fair housing and fair lending concerns of target communities. Incorporated community voice in key works.
- Used community input and data to identify needs and create recommendations for resident tools that balanced the needs of organizations and individuals.
- Partnered with local partners and academic institutions to create a tour of the City of Hartford for public and elected officials that highlighted the polices and practices that shaped the city and how they impacted residents and contributed wealth gaps and disparate outcomes for communities of color.
- Developed innovative fair housing testing methodologies leveraging new technology.
Key works: Fair Housing Tour of Hartford | Moving Forward Guide