Maridarlyn Gonzalez, Senior Research Associate, The Pew Charitable Trusts Philadelphia Research and Policy Initiative

Mari Gonzalez (she/ her) is a senior research associate at the Pew Charitable Trust. She holds a master degree in Geospatial Technology & Geodesign from Jefferson Thomas University and a bachelor degree in GeoScience, Energy, and Policy from the Pennsylvania State University. Mari has prior experience in affordable housing, transportation, public engagement, and community development. 

Veder Reddick

Vice President, Community Lender Team Leader, Philadelphia, Community First Fund together with Finanta

Veder Reddick has been in Banking for over 25 years with institutions such as Meridian Bank, United Valley Bank, TD Bank and Customers Bank. She is a seasoned lender in Small Business lending, Commercial Lending and Community Development.

Her community involvement, including membership in the African American Chamber of Commerce and the Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce and Hispanic Chamber of Commerce highlights her deep roots in Philadelphia while her commitment to CDFI lending shines through her volunteer work with PIDC, WORC and Vested In.

Alba Fernandez

Senior Vice President, Director of Lending, Community First Fund together with Finanta

As SVP, Director of Lending, Alba leads the Community First Fund together with Finanta lending team to help provide capital and resources to entrepreneurs and business owners, especially, women, People of Color, and immigrants, many of which are from or support low-income communities. 

Alba has always been passionate about community development which led her to first join Community First Fund together with Finanta in 2016 as a Community Lender. Alba’s 27-year career in financial services has included various positions in retail banking and lending, including those with Fulton Bank and Wells Fargo Bank.

Ian Lawrence, Executive Vice President, The Enterprise Center Capital Corporation (TEC Capital) 

Ian Lawrence is a seasoned leader in finance services with over a decade of experience supporting and empowering historically disadvantaged communities. At TEC Capital, Ian manages all aspects of small business lending, including strategic direction, goal setting, budgeting, and loan portfolio management. His leadership has been instrumental in driving significant portfolio growth and fostering innovation within the organization. Before joining TEC Capital, Ian served as the Director of Lending at the Washington Area Community Investment Fund (Wacif), based in Washington, DC, where he played a pivotal role in advancing the organization’s mission to empower underserved communities through strategic financial initiatives.

Reco Owens

Executive Director, Neighborhood Progress Fund

As Executive Director, Reco Owens leads a staff of financial experts and community development professionals at Neighborhood Progress Fund, a community development financial institution that provides access to capital and business advisory services to small businesses and entrepreneurs.  Reco brings approximately 15 years of experience in finance, lending, real estate and community development.  Previously, Reco was Director of Lending at Neighborhood Progress Fund where he was responsible for managing all aspects of the lending process which included sourcing, screening, underwriting and closing new loans.  In addition to managing the lending process, he was also responsible for portfolio management. 

Prior to joining Neighborhood Progress Fund, Reco was Asset Manager for New Markets Tax Credits at The Reinvestment Fund.  In that role, he managed TRF’s portfolio by analyzing and identifying risks in the portfolio and was in charge of NMTC program compliance with the CDFI Fund.  

Reco is a Chartered Financial Analyst and has a Master’s in Business Administration from The Simon School of Business at The University of Rochester, where he concentrated in Finance and Corporate Accounting.  Reco also has a Bachelor of Arts from Duke University, where he majored in Sociology.

Emily Dowdall is President of Policy Solutions at Reinvestment Fund. She works with government, philanthropic, nonprofit, and other civic leaders across the country to support strategic decision-making to strengthen communities. Ms. Dowdall leads a team of skilled analysts in conducting research and building analytic tools that help stakeholders implement effective interventions and address entrenched challenges.

Ms. Dowdall joined Reinvestment Fund in 2016 as Chief of Policy Implementation and Development and then served as Policy Director and Managing Director before being named President of Policy Solutions. Prior to Reinvestment Fund, she led research efforts on critical issues facing Philadelphia and other cities for the Pew Charitable Trusts, producing major reports on gentrification, the role of public libraries in big cities, and property taxes. She has also worked in policy research at NYU and in New York City’s Office of the Mayor.  Ms. Dowdall holds a Master of City Planning degree from the University of Pennsylvania, where she also teaches, and a B.A. in Metropolitan Studies from New York University.

As President for HACE, Maria Nixa Gonzalez heads HACE’s development team managing over $100M of commercial and housing development projects that have contributed to the stabilization and revitalization of the Fairhill and St. Hugh Neighborhoods. Since 1996, she has been responsible for raising development capital from a broad base of private and public foundations and governmental bodies.

Mrs. Gonzalez’ most notable achievement is the creation of a supportive community for elders through the development of affordable rental housing and the construction of a Life Center that provides frail elders with social and health services so that they can remain living at home for as long as possible.

Under her leadership HACE has developed its Housing Counseling Program to serve as a one-stop-shop for housing related services, which is certified by the US Department of Housing and Urban Development and the National Industry Standards for Homeownership Education and Counseling. Her approach to managing the Housing Counseling Program is to capitalize on the individual skills of each counselor by tapping into their individual talents to engage them in the operation of the program to provide quality housing counseling services in a fiscally responsible manner.

Mrs. Gonzalez received her Bachelor’s degree with honors from St. Joseph’s University. She won the Ernest C. Olivares Leadership Award in 1999 from the Bank of America Leadership Academy, was named most Influential Latinos by Impacto Newspaper in 2013, 2014, and 2015 and was named by the Philadelphia Business Journal as a Woman to Watch in 2016.

Mrs. Gonzalez was appointed by Mayor James Kenney to the Philadelphia Planning Commission, serves as Chair of the Community Trust Board for the American Street Empowerment Zone, is Chair of the Oversight Board of the Mayor’s Office of Community Empowerment and Opportunity, serves in the Philadelphia Housing Trust Fund and is Secretary of the Board of the Philadelphia Association of Community Development Corporations.

Will Gonzalez, Esq. is the Executive Director of Ceiba, a Latino community-based organization in Philadelphia. He has over 40 years of experience working on the housing, economic, and civil rights of low-to-moderate income families, people who are Limited English Proficient, and immigrants. He has received numerous awards for his work including the Lifetime Achievement Award from The Legal Intelligencer. The Philadelphia Foundation’s Williams Award for Organizational Excellence and The Community Change Award from the Bread & Roses Community Fund recognized his leadership of nonprofits. He grew up in Puerto Rico, has a BS in Economics from Lehigh University and a JD from Rutgers University. Ceiba is the backbone to the Latino Equitable Development Collective (Ceiba-LEDC).

Walter Toliver is the Executive Vice President and Corporate Counsel at Esperanza, overseeing legal matters, human resources, and the housing and economic development department. Prior to coming to Esperanza, he was in private practice as an attorney specializing in corporate and real estate law, and in civil litigation with an emphasis on the representation of affordable housing developers. He assisted clients in the acquisition of sites, zoning and permitting, as well as the financing and operation of affordable housing developments throughout Philadelphia and the surrounding counties. In this role he had extensive interaction with various Federal, State, and local government agencies, including the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency, and the Redevelopment Authority of the City of Philadelphia.

Mr. Toliver is a graduate from the University of Pennsylvania, Wharton School of Business. He holds a Juris Doctorate degree from the Villanova University School of Law.

Ira Goldstein, Ph.D., is the Senior Advisor of Policy Solutions at Reinvestment Fund, a results-oriented, socially responsible community investment group. Dr. Goldstein has conducted spatial and statistical analyses in communities across the US. Those studies are used by government and philanthropy to craft policy and allocate public and philanthropic resources. He also has conducted studies of mortgage foreclosures and abusive lending practices. His work supported government-initiated civil rights and consumer protection cases. Dr. Goldstein created Reinvestment Fund’s proprietary Market Value Analysis (MVA), which is used in communities across the US. He also led the creation of Reinvestment Fund’s childcare access gap analysis.

For over 30 years, Dr. Goldstein has been a lecturer for University of Pennsylvania’s (Penn) Urban Studies program. He instructs in research methods, statistics, and housing policy. He is a fellow with the Penn’s Institute for Urban Research. Before coming to Reinvestment Fund, Dr. Goldstein served as Mid-Atlantic Director of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity at HUD.

Jonathan Encarnacion is the Senior Vice President & Chief Retail Officer at Community First Fund Credit Union. Prior to joining Community First Fund Credit Union, Jonathan worked as a Senior Director with UPMC HealthPlan.  Jonathan’s professional experience also includes serving as the CEO/Executive Director of the Hispanic Center in Reading and early in his career, working as a commercial lender with Wells Fargo (formerly Wachovia/Meridian) Bank.

Jonathan has served on many boards by gubernatorial appointment, including the Governor’s Commission on Latino Affairs, PA Commission on Crime and Delinquency, Managed Care Delivery System Subcommittee and many others.

Abraham Reyes Pardo has thirteen years of experience in the affordable housing arena. Some of his previous collaborations include the Fannie Mae Mortgage Help Centers and the Arizona Mortgage Relief Fund, both programs created to mitigate the effects of the Mortgage crisis of 2008. He joined the Urban League of Philadelphia in 2019, where he currently serves as the Vice President of the Office of Housing and Diversion Services. Their comprehensive Housing Counseling program centers around the needs of black and brown homeownership and preservation.

Yvonne Boye is the Deputy Commerce Director, Office of Neighborhood Economic Development, Department of Commerce. The Office of Neighborhood Economic Development funds community-based organizations and creates programs that address the needs of historically disadvantaged entrepreneurs and their businesses in Philadelphia.

Yvonne Boye has been with the Department of Commerce for over 25 years, previously overseeing economic development projects and administering grants and contracts. Prior to joining the City of Philadelphia, she worked with the Ministry of Finance in Ghana and social service institutions.

Ying Jing has been cutting and styling hair for over ten years in the Philadelphia area. She opened Artiva Hair Salon in August of 2013 on the corner of 11th & Spring Street. As an immigrant and woman business owner, Ying brings a deep understanding of the unique challenges and rewards of running a small business.

Lee Nentwig is a Commercial Corridor Manager at New Kensington Community Development Corporation (NKCDC). He assists small business owners in the Kensington, Port Richmond and Fishtown neighborhoods of Philadelphia by organizing promotional activities and events, connecting entrepreneurs to technical assistance programs, helping business owners access capital and grant opportunities, and helping them navigate city services. Nentwig also supports a team of Commercial Corridor Cleaning Ambassadors at NKCDC and contributes articles to Kensington Voice highlighting the experiences, resilience and ingenuity of small business owners in Kensington.

Sunny Phanthavong is the owner of Vientiane Bistro at 2537 Kensington Ave. The restaurant serves an authentic mix of Lao and Thai cuisine and is a sister operation to Vientiane Café, a restaurant opened in West Philadelphia by Phanthavong’s mother, Daovy Phanthavong, back in 2001. The Phanthavong family began their business serving homemade Lao food out of the family’s backyard when Sunny was a young child. By the time Sunny was 10 years old, she and her sister Manny were helping their mother cook and manage the business. Vientiane Bistro was opened in 2018 in Kensington, where Sunny’s husband, Kong Tieu, was raised.

Haoyi Shang manages the small business development program, Taking Care of Business cleaning team and commercial corridor revitalization projects at PCDC. She organizes Chinatown events including Night Market, Summer Festival and Chinese New Year celebration. She graduated from the University of California, San Diego with a double major in Political Science and Urban Studies and Planning and earned her Master of Science in Historic Preservation from the University of Pennsylvania.

With an MFA in Creative Writing from The New School, Alex brings extensive experience to their role of Associate Director of Communications & Events at PACDC, including communications and brand consulting work for a range of small businesses, individuals, and politicians. They also worked for Feminista Jones for several years and helped to run the Women’s Freedom Conference, the first global digital conference for women of color with an audience of over 600,000 worldwide. Alex has written for many publications, including xoJane, Huffpost, Alternet, and The Establishment. Before working in communications, Alex worked in education for over a decade, as both a teacher and administrator, working to ensure students and parents in all neighborhoods had access to equitable education.

Maria Giraldo Gallo (she/her/ella) is a certified Project Management Professional (PMP), Evaluator, and Language Access Expert with over ten years of experience in the public and non-profit sectors in Philadelphia. She received the Integrity Icon Award in 2023 –a recognition given to distinguished public servants who have gone above and beyond to uplift Philadelphia.

Maria graduated from the Non-profit Leadership Program at the University of Pennsylvania in 2023, where she received the Richard J. Estes Global Citizenship Award from the School of Social Policy and Practice. She holds a degree in Finance and International Relations from the Externado University in Colombia.

Since October 2023, Maria has worked as Director of Evaluation and Learning at Women Against Abuse, Inc., the leading domestic violence advocate and service provider in Philadelphia, PA.

Damon Rich is a partner at HECTOR, an urban design, planning, and civic arts practice that works with community organizations and government agencies to plan, design, build, and operate truly public spaces and places. 
In Philadelphia, HECTOR created the design for reconstructing Mifflin Square Park for Philadelphia Parks & Recreation, multiple neighborhood plans with SEAMAAC, and public artworks with Mural Arts. Beyond, HECTOR has completed a housing crisis learning center within the Queens Museum, the memorial for eco-feminist Sister Carol Johnston in New Jersey, and a youth-centric development plan for Detroit’s west side, recently recognized with the 2023 National Planning Award. 
Damon previously served as planning director and chief urban designer for the City of Newark, New Jersey, and founded the Center for Urban Pedagogy (CUP), an internationally recognized nonprofit organization that uses art and design to increase meaningful civic engagement. His work has been recognized by the MacArthur Fellowship, Cooper Hewitt National Design Award, International Architecture Exhibition in Venice, MacDowell Artist Residency Program, and Loeb Fellowship in Advanced Environmental Studies.

Founder and Principal Sarah Yeung has over 14 years of experience as a community developer, planner and policy advocate. Sarah has provided expertise and thought leadership in planning and development impacts for neighborhoods in Philadelphia and across the country. 

She is the founder and principal of Sojourner Consulting, a consultancy which supports place-based change and revitalization, through planning, policy research, facilitation and technical assistance. To this role, Sarah brings an understanding of the systems which shape land use and development, and how they affect communities of color, including immigrant-based or Limited English Proficient communities. 

Recent projects include an assessment of community impact for the proposed 76ers sports and entertainment complex in Center City, a community scan of Asian Americans in Montgomery County, PA, and a communications plan and assessment of homeless program access for Latinx and LEP populations in Philadelphia.

As the previous director of planning in Philadelphia Chinatown Development Corporation, she played a key role in the organization’s growth from a grassroots non-profit to a regional powerhouse. Other past experiences include national policy advocacy at The Food Trust, a national food access organization where Sarah supported the development of policy campaigns and coalitions across the country.

Roots2Rise, a Philadelphia based 501(c)(3) nonprofit, offers classes that make yoga and meditation accessible to anyone—all ages, abilities and income levels. We serve everyone regardless of their neighborhood, demographic, gender and income level.

André Coles (He/Him) is a substitute and musician as well as a yogi and asana teacher. André approaches teaching a class the way he approaches music, with joy, rhythm, fun, humor and (occasionally) melody as he believes that the practice of yoga is a way to access the groove inside all of us. André also serves as Roots2Rise’s Executive Director. 

Airen McClure is a white, queer, trans, non-binary, disabled bodyworker. They are passionate about providing affordable, restorative, and trauma-informed bodywork to the Queer and Trans community.

Airen attended Philadelphia School of Massage and Bodywork, graduating in March of 2022 and focused on Swedish Massage and Myofascial Release. They are licensed and insured, and a member of the Associated Bodywork & Massage Professionals (ABMP).

Airen’s work is rooted in Fat Liberation, Disability Justice, Anti-Capitalist, and Anti-Racist principles, as well as trauma informed frameworks. They are dedicated to creating a restful experience for all bodies to expand in safety. All bodies are wonderful and deserve rest, care, compassionate touch, and infinite gentleness.

Jane Dever (she/her) is a graduate of Philadelphia School of Bodywork and Massage. Jane’s passion for massage stems from her experiences, the discovery of love for her own body, and her desire to help others. Jane’s goal as a licensed massage therapist is that all individuals will feel heard, safe and truly cared for during her sessions. Jane practice a client-centered approach to massage therapy which is collaborative and allows you to design your session to best fit your needs. She truly believe we are experts on our own bodies and that our bodies have an intrinsic ability to heal.

Ona McGovern (he/they) is a spiritual herbalist and graduate of Sacred Vibes Spiritual Herbalism Apprenticeship. They are an earthworker, parent, and writer, focused on Black ecologies. Ona has offered community workshops on accessible herbal medicine in the Philly area for over 2 years, they also see clients 1:1 and are invested in utilizing herbal practices as a form of preventative care that provides clients with a deeper sense of agency over their own health. 

My interest in home care business started when my father was diagnosed with Parkinson disease in 2015. With it being a debilitating disease, I knew that he was going to need much more help from me and my family. This inspired me to research and eventually create my own home care company where I would have my own father taken care of and to have other people’s family and loved ones taken care of as if they were my own. Graduating from Penn State University with Supply Chain management, I had zero knowledge about healthcare industry but the joy of helping people has given me the fuel and determination to keep at it and overcome any obstacles I may encounter. 

Century Home Care is a client first company. We started with just 4 employees in 2019, then 58 employees in 2020, and now we have close to 400 employees. This is due to the rapidly growing reputation that Century Home Care has as a quality home care agency that genuinely cares about the people in the community. We’re currently located in a very diverse, low-income neighborhood of South Philadelphia. Every day, I get to meet people that are helping the elderly and handicap and I hear firsthand about how the services of our Home Aides are improving their lives. It is the most satisfyingly to see that you made a difference in the community each and every day.

Somaly Osteen graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Business Management and an MBA in Organizational Management. She has more than 10 years of experience in community engagement, economic development, and program management. Somaly’s career started in the country of Cambodia. Somaly immigrated to the United States in 2015 and started her career in the city of Philadelphia in 2016 as a community development specialist with SEAMAAC, Inc. In 2022, Somaly joined the Asian American Chamber of Commerce of Greater Philadelphia as a Director of Programs and Operations. Somaly has always been passionate and dedicated in serving small businesses and communities. In her previous career, Somaly has helped bring over 2 million dollars in grant and loan money for small businesses in the Philadelphia neighborhood. Throughout her career in the city of Philadelphia, Somaly received several awards recognizing her outstanding performance as an employee and an individual:

• Woman of Distinction Rising Star
• Earl Harvey Grassroots Award
• AL DIA 40 Under Forty Honoree
• Rising Star Award
• Social Innovation Award
• Instigator Award
• Outstanding, Dedication, and Positive employee

Somaly believes that sustainable development starts with each individual and that sustainable change can come through unity.

James Wang has served as the President and Chief Executive Officer of Asian Bank, an independent community bank located in Center City Philadelphia, since 2012. Prior to becoming CEO, James served as Chief Operating Officer, Chief Lending Officer, various roles in compliance, a director, and founding member of the Bank. He is also Chairman, President, and Chief Executive Officer of Asian Financial Corporation, the holding company for Asian Bank. James is an active member of the Pennsylvania Bankers Association, the Pennsylvania Association of Community Bankers, and currently serves on the boards and finance committees of several local nonprofit organizations covering education, elder care, and commercial development of the communities in which Asian Bank serves.

Asian Bank is a Minority Depository Institution (MDI) and a Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) that has served Philadelphia since June 1999. Asian Bank understands the importance of knowing the needs of its community, at least sixty percent of Asian Bank’s loans are made to small businesses owners in underserved communities throughout Philadelphia.
Wang serves as board member for the Asian American Chamber of Commerce of Greater Philadelphia, Mexican Cultural Center of Philadelphia, Community Development Bankers Association, Atlantic Community Bankers Bank, and Independent Community Bankers of America Minority Council. He formerly served as board member for the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia Community Depository Institutions Advisory Council, Pennsylvania Bankers Association, ICBA Legislative Committee and was a commissioner on the Pennsylvania Governor’s Advisory Commission on Asian Pacific American Affairs.

John Chin is the Executive Director of the Philadelphia Chinatown Development
Corporation (PCDC), a non-profit organization, whose mission is to preserve, protect, and promote Chinatown as a viable, ethnic, residential and business community. His core value of “self-determination” for neighborhoods results from experiencing the decades of environmental injustice imposed upon Chinatown. He is passionate about equitable development for people of all income, race, ethnicity, self-identity, and ability.
He achieves this through four core programs: neighborhood planning and advocacy; support services to achieve housing and economic security and benefits access; economic development and small business assistance; and neighborhood beautification and mixed-income housing development. Crane Community Center, which opened its doors in fall 2019, is a landmark success under his leadership. It is the recreation and cultural hub of Chinatown.

John Chin serves on the board of PHLDiversity, PHL Convention and Visitor’s Bureau, UAC, United Way of Greater Philadelphia and South New Jersey, Mann Center for Performing Arts, and the Philadelphia Association of Community Development Corporations. He chairs the Mayor’s Commission on Asian Pacific American Affairs and CHOP Cares Community Advisory Board. He is a trustee of the Philadelphia Award and serves on the Mayor’s Commission on Aging, and ADL Philadelphia. He is a founding board member of the Histories Collaborative.

Voffee Jabateh is a community advocate, public-spirited patriot and dedicated public servant. His focus is the African Diaspora Communities which he has diligently served for more than 30 years. He is an assimilator who works through the African Cultural Alliance of North America Inc. (ACANA) which he is a founder and Chief Executive Officer. He is an undisputed leader for African and Caribbean immigrants in the Greater Philadelphia metropolitan area. He has dedicated his entire life to improving quality of life issues in this community. He is a job creator, social innovator, nonprofit specialist, and community developer. He motivates others, especially small business owners, to seek bigger opportunities. He is an entrepreneur and innovator with a goal of improving the community and seeks to provide opportunities for low and moderate-income individuals, especially in the Philadelphia region. His principal goal is to increase the delivery of public services to mainly low- and moderate-income individuals and neighborhoods to enable individuals and businesses to provide needed goods, services and employment opportunities to all residents. Voffee Jabateh brings an incredible knowledge of trade and cultural practices needed to successfully bridge the gap between cultures especially African diaspora cultures and mainstream American culture. His goal is to create vibrancy in West and Southwest Philadelphia.

All of these responsibilities are indicative of Mr. Jabateh, humble beginnings from Kpain Town in Liberia. His personal view of life is that it does not matter where you come from but where you are going and what you do to uplift the community. He considered himself a glowing hope for his country and a model citizen of the World and Africa. He was born on July 18, 1956, unto the union of the late, Mr. Musa Jabateh and the late, Madame Kou Noweh Jabateh.

Dr. Gaston Mbonglou is a strategic and innovative Program Manager with a strong background in Consulting, Operations Management, and Information Technology. Proven ability in business management and exceptional performance in helping organizations optimize productivity, efficiency and profitability by leveraging technology and business process improvement. Extensive expertise with global  markets, such as US, Europe, Asia, and Africa. Multi-lingual entrepreneur with excellent managerial and technical skills. 

Tamara Staley brings over 40 years of expertise in publishing, marketing, and organizational development as a top level professional. She made her mark at the American College of Physicians, the nation’s largest medical specialty society with over 150,000 physician members and publisher of the Annals of the Internal Medicine. She managed a staff of forty and oversaw a $30 million budget. Her work with the Annals of Internal Medicine, the second most prestigious medical journal in the world, included hiring Roska Direct, an international marketing agency, to boost memberships and subscriptions.

Tamara has a passion for community activism, providing professional consulting services to nonprofits, elected officials, small businesses, and faith-based groups. She has been instrumental in producing major neighborhood festivals, parades, and extraordinary events for over three decades. She has managed a successful political campaign for a State Representative. Her expertise is frequently sought by local politicians, executives, and clergy, particularly in political campaign management.

As a resolute community builder, Tamara has been involved with the African Cultural Alliance of North America (ACANA) for 30 years, where she produced the first annual festival, now attracting over 5,000 attendees. She continues to play a key role in organizing fundraisers, banquets, and community meetings that has strengthened their integrated community outreach services. As the Senior Advisor she assists with the creations of programs that enhances the quality of life for the community. Tamara also serves as the President and CEO of the Philadelphia Juneteenth Family Inc. one of the leading Juneteenth organizations recognized by the City and State of Pennsylvania. Organization was created in 2018 wherein the largest Juneteenth Parade and Festival in the country was produced.  She is leading the organization in promoting Black History to the Diaspora through arts and cultural events and the Annual Juneteenth National Flag Raising.  

Chioma Azi Esquire is a seasoned attorney who has leveraged her legal skills, dynamic activism and international experience to advance the interests of the African community in Greater Philadelphia and beyond.

A dedicated advocate, Chioma has consulted with various local and state government entities including the Philadelphia City Council, the administration of former Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter and the administrations of former Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf and current Governor Josh Shapiro on immigration and employment law policy issues.

In addition to her legal work, Chioma is founder and Chief Executive Officer of Philly Nigerian Professionals- a professional development and networking group that connects Nigerians and the African diaspora to people, resources & experiences that enhance their professional, educational, social and personal well-being in the Greater Philadelphia area.

Alia Sutton-Bey is the Owner and Principal Consultant of A Sutton-Bey, LLC, a boutique consulting firm that empowers organizations and individuals to create resilient, inclusive, and thriving workplaces through training, coaching, and consultancy services. With over two decades of experience in youth development, program management, and consulting across municipal, educational, nonprofit, and workforce sectors, Alia brings a wealth of expertise to her role. She is the creator of the Trauma-Informed Managers Series, a workshop series designed to train managers and leaders in compassionate leadership, foster environments of psychological safety, and transform workplaces into spaces that promote professional and personal growth. Alia’s commitment to social justice and equity is evident in her work, where she leverages her experience to bridge employment opportunities for underserved communities and advocate for workplace psychological safety. With a passion for human-centered design facilitation and trauma-informed practices, Alia blends academic expertise with practical experience to catalyze positive transformations within organizations and communities. As an active member of the YouthBuild Pennsylvania Coalition and the International Association of Facilitators, she remains dedicated to advancing human and organizational wellness while championing social and economic justice initiatives.

Dr. Chenoweth Richardson has accumulated a diverse range of work experiences in the field of psychology and education over the last 15 years. She brings a unique perspective on clinical, teaching, research, and administrative experiences to her position at Immaculata. Her major areas of interest are: cross-cultural psychology, diversity/multicultural counseling, social psychology, trauma, aggression and humanistic psychology.

In addition to teaching at Immaculata, Dr. Chenoweth Richardson owns a small group private practice where she provides various psychological services to children and adults. Services provided include conducting workshops at senior citizen homes and community centers in Philadelphia, supervision of doctoral students at Girard Medical Center, and immigration evaluations.

Currently Dr. Chenoweth Richardson is completing a research project entitled “Correlates of Aggression, Traumatic Experiences and Life Satisfaction in College Students in Post-Conflict Liberia.”

Dr. Chenoweth Richardson recently founded the Diaspora Women for Change, a nonprofit 501(c)3 organization, established for ending violence against women and children in Liberia and in immigrant communities in the Diaspora. The group’s goals include creating public awareness regarding violence against women as well as providing psychosocial and legal support and advocacy for victims in Liberia and immigrant communities. The organization has led two workshops, one in Philadelphia in 2017 and another in Atlanta, Georgia in 2019. The workshops brought a diverse body of women together to discuss the effects of sexual and gender-based violence on women, men, children and society at large. Discussions of the origin and prevention of sexual and gender-based violence were also included.

In 2020, Dr. Chenoweth Richardson was invited to travel to Liberia by the Cummings Africa Foundation to conduct a two-week training on sexual and gender-based violence. Rape is the second most common crime in Liberia. Participants of the training were from various sectors of the population. Dr. Chenoweth Richardson’s work to prevent sexual and gender-based violence and care for victims was featured in an Immaculata Magazine article.

Dr. Richardson is the only female panelist on SpoonTV, a premier social media platform that broadcasts on Liberian radio and television daily. SpoonTV’s nightly political discussions strongly influence the socioeconomic trajectory of Liberia. Due to the popularity of the social media show and the impact it has made on political discourse, the Liberian government invited Dr. Chenoweth Richardson along with other SpoonTV panelists to celebrate the bicentennial of the arrival of the first free Black Americans in 1822 as part of a mission by the American Colonization Society, whose goal was to reduce the number of free Black people in the U.S. by settling them in Africa. While in Liberia, Dr. Chenoweth Richardson and her colleagues met with several dignitaries, including President George Weah, and former President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf.

At the Philadelphia-Liberia Bicentennial Celebration in March 2022, the Philadelphia Mayor’s Commission on African and Caribbean Immigrant Affairs along with African Cultural Alliances of North America honored 11 dynamic Liberian women, including Dr. Chenoweth Richardson, for their contributions to the African Diaspora community and their homeland.

In June 2022, Dr. Chenoweth Richardson played a leading role in organizing a civil and voters education program for Liberians. She and three women of Liberian decent visited Liberia for at least three weeks where they engaged communities, mostly women, to inform them about the value of voting for leaders who will promote democracy as opposed to corruption.

In addition to teaching and serving on several committees at Immaculata, Dr. Chenoweth Richardson founded the Psychology and Counseling Department Student Diversity Forum and serves as the coordinator.

Mr. Alex Robles was born to parents from the Dominican Republic and raised in in the Kensington neighborhood of Philadelphia. A first-generation college student, he attended Penn State University, majoring in Hotel, Restaurant & Institutional Management. After graduating in 2009, he spent seven years working in operations at HEI Hotels & Resorts, a private hotel real estate investment firm. In his time with HEI, he spearheaded sales & marketing efforts for hotels within brands such as Le Meridien and Westin prior to leading business travel strategy for a 17-hotel cluster.
In 2017, he enrolled as an MBA student at The Wharton School with the goal of transitioning from hotel operations to real estate. The passion for real estate derives from his desire to contribute to low-income communities by improving existing housing for residents and generating jobs for individuals of different education levels. In 2019, Alex launched Voyage Investments, an impact-driven real estate firm that has developed over $15M in Philadelphia projects. 
Alex serves as Board Chair of the Kensington Corridor Trust, a community land trust in the Kensington neighborhood of Philadelphia, and board member of Xiente, a non-profit serving the early-education, affordable housing, and workforce training needs of a majority-Latino neighborhood. Alex is married to his college sweetheart, Lee Anne, and has twin sons, Lorenzo and Christian.

Maridarlyn Gonzalez is a senior researcher with Pew’s Philadelphia research and policy initiative, focusing on immigration, equitable infrastructure, and the annual State of the City report.
 Gonzalez has prior experience in housing, transportation, public engagement, and community development. Before coming to Pew, she worked in shelters and managed a bi-state housing and energy conservation program. Gonzalez is also a member of the Urban Land Institute and serves as the ULI Americas, Young Leaders Group DEI co-chair. ULI YLG steering committee oversees programs in Canada, the US, and Latin America. In this role, she advocates for equitable development and challenges people to consider cities and their neighborhoods as ecosystems.

Maria Sourbeer has made a career out of bridging the gap between her capabilities as an architect/developer and her responsibilities as a community member. She believes that a beautiful and well-designed space has a positive influence on a basic human level. She’s carried this idea through from her experience as a Peace Corps Volunteer, to her current position as Senior Vice President of Development for Mosaic Development Partners.
At Mosaic, she leads and manages the development team and is responsible for creating enduring company policies and culture that strengthens the workplace. Her mentorship provides direction for the team from project inception to completion. Maria’s passion for revitalizing urban neighborhoods shines through in her dedication to bringing jobs, homes, and commercial enterprise to communities in need.
Maria has over 25 years of professional experience and continues to grow through her love of family, work and play.  Outside of Mosaic, she dedicates volunteer efforts to Xiente (formerly Norris Square Community Alliance) and Passyunk Avenue Revitalization Corporation. Maria’s commitment to excellence and community empowerment sets the standard for development leadership.

Dr. Michelle Carrera brings 25 years of experience of her work in underprivileged communities across the United States and the Caribbean. Raised in the public housing projects of Puerto Rico, she intimately understands the hardships faced by individuals and communities grappling with poverty. With a doctorate in Education and a focus on Leadership and Management, she is a catalyst for change, specializing in community engagement and organizational transformation.

Her passion stems from a profound realization: poverty transcends mere scarcity of resources; it leaves an indelible mark on the soul, shaping one’s character, resilience, and unwavering commitment to advocate for equity. Driven by this personal mission, she embraces the urgency of the challenges faced by families and children. It is her solemn duty to ensure that we uplift one another, embracing lives that honor our most fundamental human rights. For her, true prosperity lies not in individual success, but in the collective journey towards shared abundance.

Ramon Cruz Jr. has a strong passion to help people and communities that have been suffering due to the opiate crisis. He served as Co-Logistics Coordinator of one of the sub-committees to the Mayor’s Opioid Epidemic Task Force and was appointed to the Mayor’s Commission for Addiction & Recovery.

The Livability Academy is a training opportunity and leadership incubator for community members to build skills, knowledge, and relationships as they work to improve quality of life in our neighborhoods. Residents and stakeholders are invited to participate in this eight-week course (held every spring and fall) where they design and implement innovative solutions to community concerns, drawing on their own expertise in our neighborhoods.

Brenda Hernández, originally from Mexico City and a Philadelphia resident since childhood, has dedicated her life to advocacy. She started at age 17 with Juntos as a youth advocate, mobilized her South Philadelphia community, and participated in national campaigns. Brenda also worked as the Education Director at the Bicycle Coalition, focusing on mobility justice, combating structural racism, and improving access to transportation and infrastructure. Now her efforts are focused on continuing to empower minority communities and promote health at the local and national levels. Brenda is dedicated to advocating for an end to all trafficking victims.

Damon Rich is a partner at HECTOR, an urban design, planning, and civic arts practice that works with community organizations and government agencies to plan, design, build, and operate truly public spaces and places. 
In Philadelphia, HECTOR created the design for reconstructing Mifflin Square Park for Philadelphia Parks & Recreation, multiple neighborhood plans with SEAMAAC, and public artworks with Mural Arts. Beyond, HECTOR has completed a housing crisis learning center within the Queens Museum, the memorial for eco-feminist Sister Carol Johnston in New Jersey, and a youth-centric development plan for Detroit’s west side, recently recognized with the 2023 National Planning Award. 
Damon previously served as planning director and chief urban designer for the City of Newark, New Jersey, and founded the Center for Urban Pedagogy (CUP), an internationally recognized nonprofit organization that uses art and design to increase meaningful civic engagement. His work has been recognized by the MacArthur Fellowship, Cooper Hewitt National Design Award, International Architecture Exhibition in Venice, MacDowell Artist Residency Program, and Loeb Fellowship in Advanced Environmental Studies.

Nagiarry Meneus (She/Her) is dedicated to intentionality, reflection, love and meditation. Nagiarry moved to the United States after the 2010 earthquake in Haiti and has been interweaving with Philadelphia, Lenapehoking since. While navigating many transitions at a young age, Nagiarry leaned into the mindful discoveries that emerge in silent meditation and journaling. She hosted meditative journaling sessions for The Discovery Center, Audubon, The Alliance for Watershed Education of the Delaware River, The African American Museum in Philadelphia. Nagiarry also hosted weekly journaling sessions, in community and online, for about a year during the pandemic. 
Nagiarry serves as the Senior Director, Communications & Marketing Director for the Philadelphia Department of Commerce. Nagiarry has a Bachelors in Geography and Urban Studies from Temple University with certificates in Creative Writing and Geographic Information Systems.

Jane Dever (she/her) is a graduate of Philadelphia School of Bodywork and Massage. Jane’s passion for massage stems from her experiences, the discovery of love for her own body, and her desire to help others. Jane’s goal as a licensed massage therapist is that all individuals will feel heard, safe and truly cared for during her sessions. Jane practice a client-centered approach to massage therapy which is collaborative and allows you to design your session to best fit your needs. She truly believe we are experts on our own bodies and that our bodies have an intrinsic ability to heal.

Airen McClure is a white, queer, trans, non-binary, disabled bodyworker. They are passionate about providing affordable, restorative, and trauma-informed bodywork to the Queer and Trans community.

Airen attended Philadelphia School of Massage and Bodywork, graduating in March of 2022 and focused on Swedish Massage and Myofascial Release. They are licensed and insured, and a member of the Associated Bodywork & Massage Professionals (ABMP).

Airen’s work is rooted in Fat Liberation, Disability Justice, Anti-Capitalist, and Anti-Racist principles, as well as trauma informed frameworks. They are dedicated to creating a restful experience for all bodies to expand in safety. All bodies are wonderful and deserve rest, care, compassionate touch, and infinite gentleness.

Elzbieta Milko is an Usui Shiki Ryoho Reiki Master and an artist. She began her Reiki training in 2010 with Pamela Miles and continued her education with Nana Deleplanque, which she completed as a Reiki Master in 2021. Elzbieta is also a certified Advanced Crystal Healer and a Reiki Animal Healer. She has been interested in alternative healing modalities since she was very young, which includes herbalism and essential oils. She is a member of Reiki Healing Association.

Moreover, Elzbieta is an artist and some of her artwork includes Reiki-infused Mandala paintings, and hand-crafted healing crystal jewelry.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lemurian.blue/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LemurianBLUE

Shu Ping Cheng is a bilingual/bicultural Usui Shiki Ryoho Reiki practitioner, dental hygienist and dental claim analyst. She became a Reiki master in February 2020 under the tutelage of Nana Deleplanque in New York and traces her direct lineage to Mikao Usui, the founder of Reiki. Shu Ping trusts and believes that Reiki and meditation benefit all living beings. She commits to assist and teach Reiki to people who are seeking spiritual growth and ease. 

Ludy Soderman is a bilingual/bicultural Usui Shiki Ryoho Reiki (Usui system of natural healing) practitioner and teacher. She is committed to making this system of natural healing accessible to all, especially immigrant, multilingual, BIPOC and LGBTQ+ communities. She began her training in 2019 and became a master in 2021, all under the tutelage of Nana Deleplanque in New York. Ludy traces her direct lineage (6th generation) to Mikao Usui, the founder of Reiki. Additionally, Ludy teaches Hatha Yoga in Spanish.

Instagram: www.instagram.com/naturalhealing.reiki.yoga