Our Team

Miyah comes to Community Matters from the Holocaust and Humanity Center where she coordinated tours and events connecting groups to Holocaust survivors. Before working in the nonprofit field, Miyah worked in Education as a coordinator and tutor at Roberts Paideia Academy. She believes we are made of our stories, and she’d love The Sanctuary to become a greater part of Cincinnati’s story. Her interests include diversity, reading every book she can get her hands on, rock climbing, and camping.

e: sanctuary@cmcincy.org

Mary has worked in the Lower Price Hill community since 2010 as an educator, organizer, and non-profit leader.  In 2014 she founded Community Matters alongside the leadership of Education Matters, where she previously served as Vice President.  As a community organizer, she believes in the power and potential of the Lower Price Hill community. Mary leads Community Matters with a focus on investing in the strengths and assets within the community to build a thriving and equitable future. Mary holds a BA in International Affairs, with a focus on international economic development, from Xavier University. In addition to her work at Community Matters, Mary currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Leadership Council for Nonprofits, the Ohio CDC Association, and the WCPO Community Advisory Board.

e: mary@cmcincy.org

Felicia has lived in Cincinnati her entire life. Born in Evanston, she has resided all over the city, including the neighborhoods of Clifton, Avondale, Over-the-Rhine, and Westwood.  She has lived in Lower Price Hill now for 4 years and enjoys being part of this community. As a future owner of the Washing Well, Felicia is excited to own her own business and serve as a community leader. In her free time, Felicia has a passion for cooking, old movies, and for her two kids and seven grandchildren.

Emily worked in the nonprofit sector for 6 years before joining the team at Education Matters in 2008. She is driven by a strong passion for people and community. Her belief in complete transparency in the non-profit sector makes her one of the strongest professionals in non-profit finance. On a daily basis, Emily manages our accounting and finances. She holds a BS in Communications from Cumberland College.

e: emily@cmcincy.org

Cynthia lives in Lower Price Hill and is a Community Grandparent volunteer, an organizer around affordable housing, and our newest Resident Artist. Cynthia describes herself first and foremost as a mother and grandmother to some amazing people. She loves the way the Lower Price Hill neighborhood feels like a big family, and she hopes to continue building community with people in the neighborhood. Cynthia is a very talented jewelry maker, and over the next year, she looks forward to the chance to share her beading skills with her neighbors.

e: cynthia@cmcincy.org

Tracy has worked in the non-profit sector for over 15 years and has a passion for community organizing. She loves working with residents and seeing strengths emerge in people, which in turn, strengthens the entire community. Tracy is a licensed social worker in the state of Ohio and has a BA in Social Work from Mount St. Joseph University. Her hobbies include hiking, spending time in nature, and reading.

e: tracy@cmcincy.org

Jenna is passionate about empowering community members to create change through relationships and shared strengths. She is a licensed social worker in the state of Ohio and an adjunct professor in the social work department at Xavier University. Her previous social work experience includes providing emergency assistance to immigrants, case management for men and women experiencing homelessness, and program design and evaluation.  Originally from middle Tennessee, she enjoys crocheting and camping in her free time.

e: jenna@cmcincy.org

As a resident of LPH for 3 years, Alicia is excited to be working in the place she calls home. Getting to see how our work directly impacts individuals and families inspired her to join our team. After studying art and social justice at Bellarmine University, Alicia spent two years as an AmeriCorps volunteer, serving at Community Shares and Price Hill Will. During this time she developed a passion for fostering empathetic community relationships, which she continues to employ through the LPH Community Gardens and LPH Artist Collective.

e: alicia@cmcincy.org

Patty holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Berea College and a Master of Public Administration in Nonprofit Management and Leadership from Walden University. It was while living in Berea that her passion for empowering communities through service began. Her previous nonprofit experience includes program and project management, event planning, grant writing, and marketing, public relations, and graphic design for art, public art, environmental, and local history organizations. A native of western Pennsylvania, her personal interests include hiking, photography, bird-watching, and cooking. Patty formerly served as our Director of Community Programs.

e: patty@cmcincy.org

Sarah grew up outside of Louisville, and is happy to call Price Hill home. After college, she cultivated her passion for community through Jesuit Volunteer Corps Northwest and L’arche Noah Sealth in Seattle. Her background includes bachelors degrees in Art and Anthropology, and a variety of direct service roles partnering with single parent families, working for food justice, and strengthening workforce development initiatives. In her free time, Sarah loves to travel, cook, and create art.

e: sarah@cmcincy.org

Previously, Karla had a 30 year career in television news and worked in newsrooms in Cincinnati, Dallas,  and San Francisco before moving abroad to work as a TV news manager on Grand Cayman island in the Caribbean. She’s experienced a myriad of stories- some sad, some uplifting. Karla believes that she has been blessed to see much of own her own country first hand, meet many different kinds of people, and also to view the United States from afar through the eyes of people from other nations.

Now, Karla is back in the city she loves, Cincinnati, working at a job she loves and that gives her the opportunity to support families in our community.

e: karla@cmcincy.org

A lifelong resident of Lower Price Hill, Brandon is one of three community members who lead the daily operations of the Washing Well laundromat. Brandon is glad to be a part of the Washing Well team because it meets an important community need, is a space for him to connect with his neighbors, and invests in him as a future small business owner.

Michael is passionate about empowering and improving the quality of life of individuals. After graduating with Bachelor of Science in Urban Affairs from Wright State University in 2015, Michael has served as a case manager and most recently as a legislative aide. Michael has since contributed to several community initiatives, projects, and legislation in his hometown Dayton, Ohio. He seeks to empower communities through marketing, fundraising & development, community asset-mapping, web-design, research, and other culturally competent strategies. Being a champion of free speech and equitable economic practices, Michael will soon pursue a Ph.D. in Social Psychology and a Masters in Public Administration.

e: michael@cmcincy.org