Meet Our Team

Mary has worked in the Lower Price Hill community since 2010 as an educator, organizer, and non-profit leader. In 2014, she helped found Community Matters. 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 from Xavier University, with a focus on international economic development. In addition to her work at Community Matters, Mary currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Leadership Council for Nonprofits, the Human Services Council of Hamilton County, Cradle to Career Cincinnati, and the Ohio CDC Association.

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

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Patty holds a BS 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 art, public art, environmental, and local history organizations. At Community Matters, Patty also oversees the business development of the Washing Well laundromat. A native of western Pennsylvania, her personal interests include hiking, photography, bird-watching, and cooking.

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Jenna is passionate about empowering community members to create change through relationships and shared strengths. A graduate of Xavier University, she is also a licensed social worker in the State of Ohio. 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.

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Erica grew up in Dayton, Ohio but calls Cincinnati home. She fell in love with our adult education programming as soon as she walked through the doors. If she’s not making students laugh, she’s busy emphasizing the importance of pursuing education at any stage in life. Recently enrolling back into college after growing a greater appreciation for education, Erica is pursuing a Bachelor’s Degree in Education.

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With a background in community service and nonprofit development, Maggie is excited to return to her hometown of Cincinnati from Chicago. She studied at Xavier University, joined AmeriCorps after graduation and is almost done with her Masters from Loyola’s Institute of Pastoral Studies. Her attention to detail, passion for community, and love of writing are what she brings to the Community Matters development department. She enjoys spending time with her spouse and child, reading, and being outside.

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Tracy has worked in the non-profit sector for more than a dozen 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. Earning a Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work from Mount St. Joseph University, Tracy is also a licensed social worker in the State of Ohio. Her hobbies include hiking, spending time in nature, and reading.

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LaMonica has a Master’s Degree in Christian Counseling. LaMonica has worked in the non-profit sector for over 25 years, and in 2015, she received The Martin Luther King, Jr. “Keeping The Dream Alive” Award for her work in Greater Cincinnati communities. In 2016, WCPO featured a five-chapter story, “A Prayer for Winton Terrace,” about her life. In addition to her role at Community Matters, LaMonica is Senior Pastor of The Turning Pointe Outreach Ministries, and she has two adult children whom she loves dearly.

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Emily is a life-long resident of the Price Hill area, and she has been working in the community for several years. Emily has studied to be a Medical Assistant, and she is also a Certified Home Health Worker. Emily is married and has 3 boys.

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Sarah is currently a student at the University of Cincinnati, majoring in Criminal Justice with a focus on Mathematics. Her real passion is teaching. She is inspired daily to help build the confidence of each adult learner who walks through the door. Her goals are to make students feel comfortable learning with us and to show them that they can pass the GED test.

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In 2017, Gail joined us as a volunteer ESL teacher and soon became a Lead Instructor. Having previously led a GED program in Kentucky for many years, she has a strong background in adult education. Gail brings great energy and a focus on improving our instruction and teaching skills.

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In 2015, Hannah earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Painting and later worked as an artist and mural painter. Hannah joined the team in September 2021 as an AmeriCorps Volunteer. She found her passion as a GED Math Tutor in the Education Forward program and has enjoyed getting to know students and hearing their stories over some algebra and geometry. As a math tutor, she believes that every student can succeed, and she lets this belief lead her teaching style. In her free time, she enjoys gardening and spending time with her partner and their two dogs.

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Lissette earned her high school equivalency through our Education Forward program, and she first joined our staff as an AmeriCorps service member tutoring across our adult education programs. Upon completion of her service year, Lissette joined our team as a permanent instructor. In her free time, Lissette is an avid and highly-creative writer.

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Patty is a Cincinnati native. She is happily married and has 2 children and 4 grandchildren. Her passion has always been to work with and help young children. She earned her high school equivalency at the former Lower Price Hill Community School and later received her Associate’s Degree in Child Development through Cincinnati State. She has been employed with us for more than 20 years.

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Kimmi is a long-time Lower Price Hill resident. As a former student of our Education Forward program, we partnered with Kimmi as she studied Early Childhood Education, and ultimately, earned the related Associate’s of Applied Science Degree from Cincinnati State Technical and Community College. The intersection of education and non-profits have always been important to Kimmi, and after college, Kimmi worked with several early childhood providers. In July 2021, she joined our team. Outside of work, Kimmi volunteers with many organizations within the neighborhood and serves as the President of the Lower Price Hill Community Council. When not working or volunteering, Kimmi loves to spend time with family, shop, organize things, and bake.

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With family ties in the Lower Price Hill neighborhood, Alicia is excited to work in the place she considers home. 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, The Artist Collective, and other community organizing work.

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Will is an organizer and juvenile justice advocate. He leads the Empowering Community Justice Initiative, which supports youth and their families as they navigate the pretrial process of the juvenile court in Hamilton County. He is staunchly committed to youth, community, and the ability of all people to thrive. In order to do so, he believes in dismantling oppressive systems and structures like the criminal justice system. He is a 1L at Chase College of Law at Northern Kentucky University in the part-time evening division. Will is a devoted husband and father.

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Julia is a creative entrepreneur whose passion is cultivating beauty within all things. She is the founder of B.YOUnique Soulistic Care, which offers a soulistic approach to self-care, former Lower Price Hill Resident Artists, and a member of The Collective. As a community organizer, Julia sees the incredible breadth of strengths in her neighbors and how those strengths can contribute to the vibrancy of the Lower Price Hill neighborhood overall. Julia is also a mom to 5 adult children.

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Several years ago, Raine decided to forgo her corporate job in the Paralegal and Criminal Justice field to pursue her passion and purpose of serving others. A graduate of Cincinnati Christian University with her Bachelor’s Degree in Ministry, Raine believes that investing in people returns the most significant profit. Outside of work, she loves to spend time with her husband and go shopping.

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Born in Evanston, Felicia 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 several years and enjoys being part of this community. Within the Washing Well, Felicia is excited to serve as a community leader. In her free time, Felicia has a passion for cooking, watching old movies and crime TV, and enjoying time with her two kids and seven grandchildren.

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A long-time resident of Lower Price Hill, Brandon is one of two 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 leader.

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