Community Engagement: Jobs Landed

I promote and preside over all new development and redevelopment in the North End Neighborhood utilizing Federal, Philanthropic, State and City funds. I also manage existing company property portfolio and return challenged properties to sustainable operation.

I am the Real Estate and Business Coordinator for the Woodward Corridor Initiative. I am responsible for the planning, coordination, and oversight of small business development, strategic land use planning, research of funding opportunities for development projects and governmental systems change for small business and commercial development. I have over ten years of experience in governmental community and economic development.
 
Prior to joining the WCI Team, I worked with the City of Inkster Planning and Economic Development Department and the Wayne County Housing Division.  Past work includes HUD’s CDBG and HOME funded programming in the areas of housing rehabilitation, down payment assistance programs and homeownership counseling, as well as land use planning, zoning administration, grant administration and project management.

In this new position, I am responsible for coordinating and managing sector-based workforce partnerships for the Detroit Regional Workforce Fund. I bring experience in building public-private partnerships through corporate and nonprofit engagement to the fund. I previously served as a principal consultant for Global Management Consulting, LLC where I directed clients, including the Detroit Public School District, in the development of strategic planning and business modeling. Prior to this, I served as program director and consultant for Washington, D.C. Mayor Adrian Fenty, where I implemented "Bank on DC," the mayor's economic inclusion initiative which targeted low-to-moderate income populations in the District of Columbia. I also has 10 years combined experience as a business finance analyst with BOSCH-USA, General Motors Corporation, and the Detroit Regional Chamber.

I am an active in the community as a community affairs liaison for the Detroit Medical Center's Project Genesis and as a community vice president for the Detroit chapter of the Michigan Jaycees.

I work with local leaders to find and invest in opportunities for fostering an informed and engaged Detroit. I possess a wealth of experience working with leaders of all stripes whether at Google, College Summit or Michigan Corps which my wife and I founded.

Countless initiatives, including Michigan Corps, have already demonstrated that a more informed and engaged Detroit can lead to positive, serendipitous change. I’m very excited about this opportunity with the Knight Foundation because the foundation's mission to inform and engage has been my mission as well.

I have lived in Michigan my entire life and have a passion for the Detroit area.  My job ended at the University of Michigan-Dearborn and Henry Ford Estate due to the transfer of ownership of the Henry Ford Estate.  I was contacted in December 2010 by a recruiter who found my resume online and started in March 2011 at Midtown Detroit, Inc.  I am the Administrative/Finance Associate for the Woodward Corridor Initiative.  My position is funded through the Living Cities Integration Initiative for a three year project.  I was hired to provide high-level administrative and finance support to the Woodward Corridor Initiative team but have also taken on much more complex tasks such as creating an Education & Outreach Strategy and grant management for the entire organization.  This job has been a wonderful growth opportunity for me to work in a collaborative environment that allows for creativity and stretch goals.  

Midtown Detroit, Inc. is the outcome of the recent merger of two community development organizations that have overseen a tremendous amount of investment and development activities in the Midtown and New Center areas of Detroit. The University Cultural Center Association & New Center Council & have served their respective area’s for over 30 years advocating for change, designing and  implementing infrastructure, economic development programs and more. Midtown Detroit, Inc. a non-profit 501(3)c organization works to create a vibrant, walkable, economically stable urban center through guiding development, enhancing public awareness, encouraging re-investment and celebrating the cultural aspects of the Midtown community. Through integrated partnerships with core neighborhood partners and organization members Midtown Detroit, Inc. recently launched the Woodward Corridor Initiative (WCI) funded through Living Cities, a consortium of 22 foundations.  This is a comprehensive corridor development strategy that seeks to create substantive economic opportunity for low-income residents in the adjoining Midtown and North End neighborhoods. The Initiative’s vision is to fuse the various projects and collaborations into one cohesive project that links data to problem solving, residents to assets, children to high-quality education, people to environment, employees to neighborhoods, businesses to demand, and ultimately citizens to a re-imagined future for the City of Detroit.  My role in this initiative is to monitor, manage, and keep all of the related activities moving.  I am passionate about community development, and I specifically have a heart for the revitalization of the urban core of the City of Detroit.

I’m a Detroiter. Community builder, entrepreneur, Detroit Tigers lover, film enthusiast, passionate 20-something, Michigan Wolverine.

CommunityNEXT (CNXT), is an initiative focused on attracting and retaining young talent in Michigan. Established in January 2010, CNXT works both to enhance existing programming as well as to develop new programming for the young adult Jewish community, creating a dynamic lifestyle in all aspect of their lives - cultural, social, and professional.

As the program director, I work to create many diverse entry points for young adults to engage in, no matter where their interests lie. In order to attract our peers, it is my job to design these unique opportunities that will cultivate a long-term connection and relationship with the city of Detroit. From this past year alone, the momentum and energy is in high gear. Part of our next steps will be taking this movement downtown Detroit to create a vibrant urban environment and city to live, work, and socialize in.

After moving home to Detroit after college for a job opportunity in 2007, I realized that the majority of the recent college graduates always had the same complaint, that there was nothing to do! They became so complaint with their routines of work, eat, sleep, that they didn't realize how easy it is to improve the quality of their lives through basic interactions such as social leagues and events. In order to make metro Detroit a more dynamic place where young professionals want to move, there needed to be more opportunities for people to be engaged in their communities, socially, actively and professionally. As someone that has a hard time sitting in one place, I decided to do something about it! I organized a men's basketball league in February 2010, and through word of mouth, Facebook and other social media outlets we have grown to over 2,500 participants in our kickball, volleyball, dodgeball, bowling, softball leagues, pilates/TRX/barre classes in our first year, as well as many more who have attended our social events. With our upcoming summer schedule including leagues and events on Belle Isle, we are making the push downtown to make Detroit a place where people want to work, live and play. We are currently organizing "Dodge it in Detroit", an upcoming event on Belle Isle where we will have over 3,000 participants help break the Guinness Book record for largest dodgeball game ever! Eventually our goal is to have a hub for young adults in the city of Detroit for all their social needs.

Intern In Michigan is a first of its kind, statewide talent retention and attraction initiative that utilizes one central Web site - InternInMichigan.com - to connect current college students and recent graduates seeking internships with Michigan-based employers looking to hire them.

I service the site user inquiries and monitor site usage for quality control. I am responsible for the management and distribution of Web site data. I am also responsible for the execution of the program's integrated communication strategy.

I started out at the Detroit Regional Chamber as an intern for our Community Leadership Development team. One month into my internship I was asked to split my time between the Intern in Michigan program and the chamber's other talent and leadership programs. My dual role as an intern led to my full time position as Communications Coordinator for Intern in Michigan in August. I enjoy being a part of the region's largest chamber, which enables me to be involved in helping to keep young professionals working in Michigan.

As the Director of the Detroit Creative Corridor Center, which is affiliated with the College for Creative Studies and Business Leaders for Michigan, my immediate tasks will include: Developing relationships with key creative stakeholders; Working with existing business accelerators, universities and others to develop a menu of business programs and services that are available to creative industries; Establishing a series of partnerships with creative sector organizations; Creating a network of creative business mentors; Organizing creative events and networking activities; and promoting and marketing Detroit's creative community.

The Detroit Economic Club, founded in 1934, provides the platform for Fortune 100 CEOs, government officials and social leaders to speak at over 35 luncheons per year. It is also known as the premier networking forum for business professionals in Michigan and was recognized as one of the top 10 forums for CEOs to speak in the world. At the Detroit Economic Club, I am responsible for managing the organization's website, social media, advertising, media relations, fundraising and other special projects. In June 2009, the Detroit Economic Club convened The National Summit, a gathering of national business, government and academic leaders to discuss America's greatest challenges in Technology, Energy, Environment and Manufacturing. The Sunday before The National Summit, I organized the UnSummit - a gathering of next generation leaders from a variety of industries to discuss the four disciplines being addressed at The National Summit. Outside of work, I am involved in Fusion Detroit - a group of young professionals committed to attracting young people to the Detroit area and supporting those who choose Detroit as the place they live, work and play.

I coordinate CDAD's ADVANCE Executive CDC training program which includes setting up seminars, workshops and conferences.

As a housing case manager and specialist, I assist homeless and low income families with attaining housing while offering other supportive services. 

I handle planning and production for much of the media related to web strategies at the DRC. I design, develop messaging around and actually write code for portions of our websites. I photograph for our magazine, the Detroiter (www.detroiteronline.com), and touch print and digital communications at many levels.

Reporting to the Chief Operating Officer, I serve as the "hub of the wheel" in between the different spokes (accounting, program staff, program directors, administrative officials, funders). I read and interpret all of our grants and contracts, making sure that we comply with all of the requirements, are tracking our work properly, and keeping the funder happy.