Are You A Vanguard? Application Deadline May 31
Hani White : Commissioner – Pennsylvania Governor’s Advisory Commission on Asian Pacific American Affairs. Economic development professional, 12 years experience in asset building, business development, non-profit management. Co-founder Feed the Barrel movement. Previously served as Deputy Director Office of Immigrant Affairs City Philadelphia and Director Asset Building Immigrant Services for WORC.
Erin White works on urgent food systems challenges through teaching, community organizing, and design thinking. He’s founder of NC-based Community Food Lab, an award-winning international planning firm focused on sustainable, community-supportive food systems. This innovative planning practice crosses design thinking with complex food systems challenges across the rural-urban spectrum.
Brandon Whitney is an environmental anthropologist by training. Brandon currently serves as a Leader in Residence for Urban Sustainability at the Colin Powell Center for Leadership and Service at The City College of New York, and as a Visiting Fellow with the Next Generation Engagement Project at UMass, Boston.
Aaron Wilcher has worked as a program manager and technical assistance provider for workforce and economic development projects for over a decade. He works in the California community college system on community partnerships and career technical education strategy. He holds masters degrees in urban planning and American studies.
Bethany Wilcoxon is Vice Principal of Community Planning at McClure Engineering Company, working to revitalize rural communities across the country. Bethany previously served Iowa Great Places and then led development of The Tomorrow Plan, a $3.1 million regional initiative to advance sustainability in Greater Des Moines. She also served as director of Capital Crossroads, the regional vision plan for Central Iowa.
Dave Wilkinson boasts an extensive background in impact finance, social entrepreneurship, evidence-based policy and organization management. Currently Director of the White House Office of Social Innovation and Civic Participation, he leads efforts to identify and scale better social solutions, advancing Presidential priorities that strengthen communities and enable upward economic mobility.
Cali Williams is an urban planner and economic development specialist with experience leading the implementation of complex multi-million dollar infrastructure projects, building consensus, and convening diverse stakeholders. As Vice President at the New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC), Cali leads efforts focused on strengthening neighborhoods in the borough of Queens.
Marlon Williams joined Living Cities in February 2017 as the Assistant Director of Public Sector Innovation working on the Integration Initiative and other special projects. Marlon’s career has focused on improving the economic, social and physical wellbeing of all urban residents with particular emphasis on increasing access and opportunity for low income families and communities of color. He specializes in the leadership of multi-agency and multi-sectoral initiatives that require the coordination and mobilization of numerous stakeholders towards achieving progress on initiatives that cannot be achieved by any one entity working in isolation.
Heather works directly with neighborhood associations to help build capacity and make connections with Ball State University faculty, staff, students, and programs. She is also actively involved in local housing issues and in her professional and non-profit work, Heather advocates for strong neighborhoods, safe – affordable housing, and sustainable living.
Jase Wilson is founder & CEO of Neighborly, the Community Investment Marketplace. Before Neighborly, Wilson studied cities, technology and real estate at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. While there, he consulted domestic and international city governments on digital technology, and authored a thesis on using Web-based technologies to deepen civic engagement.
Abby Wilson is a Deputy Director at the Allegheny County Health Department, where she leads a team of lawyers, preparedness experts, and communications professionals advancing measurable health outcomes among the 1.2 million people living in and around the city of Pittsburgh. She is a lawyer, an anthropologist, a lover of public radio and, most importantly perhaps, a rustbelt loving urbanist.
Amanda Wilson is the program manager of Community Capital Fund — a community development funding organization in Kansas City, Missouri — and board member of the Heartland Conservation Alliance. She holds a Master’s in City & Regional Planning from Cornell University and a B.S. in biology from Missouri State University.
President/CEO and Co-Founder of Communities First, Inc. in Flint, Michigan, is an equity driven visionary with the ability to put action to ideas and works hard to give a voice to the voiceless. Glenn’s work focuses on housing, economic development, philanthropy, environmental education, transportation, arts and culture.
Essence Wilson is an unofficial Social Impact Engineer, utilizing her engineering background to tackle long standing community issues. Essence is Chief Strategy Officer for Communities First, Inc., a community development corporation in Flint, Michigan and she is passionate about working with underserved populations and distressed communities.
Lilith serves as the Program Director at Algiers Economic Development Foundation where she oversees the organization’s community development, small business support and economic development programs. As an urbanist, designer, and civic curator, Lilith has contributed to various civic initiatives with the City of New Orleans, including Moving New Orleans Bikes, the Children & Youth Masterplan, and multiple Our Town creative placemaking initiatives. Additionally, Lilith has supported the founding and implementation of The Blue House Civic Studio, an interdisciplinary work space; Mixed Media, a multimedia civic arts project; and Roots of Renewal, a reentry nonprofit for formerly incarcerated young adults. She is a Truman Scholar and holds a B.A. and B.F.A. from Tulane University in New Orleans.
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Dan Winston is an entrepreneur and civic leader with a passion for transportation. He’s helped launch transit systems, co-founded a ridesharing startup, and currently leads East operations for a scooter company. Dan also served as an elected Commissioner in his neighborhood in DC.
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Katelyn Wright is the founding Executive Director of the Greater Syracuse Land Bank, which works to return vacant and abandoned properties to productive use. Previously, Katelyn worked for the City of Syracuse as a land use planner and in historic preservation. She earned a Masters of Regional Planning from Cornell University in 2010.
James Wright works at PEC, where he oversees the economic development of Lancaster Avenue in West Philadelphia. He connects stakeholders for place making, business development, building and streetscape improvements. Before PEC, James worked at New Kensington CDC doing similar work on Frankford Avenue in Fishtown. He holds an MBA in Urban Economic Development from Eastern University.
Phanat Xanamane is an interdisciplinary urban designer who has committed 10 years to residing in New Iberia, Louisiana where he helps initiate and develop community revitalization projects like hydroponic community gardens, sing-alongs and an art gallery. He co-founded a not-for-profit, Envision da Berry, which uses art and information to create connections and build community.
Charles Yang is a housing advocate and the founder of RVA YIMBY, a YIMBY chapter in Richmond, VA focused on abundant and affordable housing for all. He also works on climate and tech policy at the federal level.
Richard Young is a Kentuckian and an artist working in the field of civic practice. He runs a nonprofit civic education and media organization in Lexington called CivicLex and works to co-create a future for both rural and urban Kentucky through the Kentucky Rural-Urban Exchange.
Flynn Zaiger is the Founder and CEO of Online Optimism, a digital marketing agency in New Orleans. Their team of twelve (9 employees + 3 paid interns) is all millennials. Flynn supports the entrepreneurial scene in the city, speaking about advertising, analytics, and the hectic life of managing a startup.
Snoweria is a designer, artist, and mathematician. Her work spans architecture, urbanism, computation, and technology. Her design was recently featured on the cover of Nature. She also draws a webcomic called Lonesome Whales.
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