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Below are a few Bios of the Graduates from the Neighborhood Leadership Development Program. If you are interested in contacting one of the Graduates, please email info@neighborhoodleadershipdevelopment.com. for further information.
Rashidah Abdulhaqq, NLDP I
As a member of the Board of Education, Rashidah seeks to make policy that governs the district and supports programs that will help the students receive a quality education.
The Community Liaison for Region 3 for the Hunger Network of Greater Cleveland identifies issues that impact low income families who utilized the hunger centers. She is a neighborhood coach for the Glenville Community with the Neighbor2Neighbor program. Related to both initiatives, she connects families to resources. Rashidah continues to assist families and seniors by participating in a variety of volunteer efforts and services in the Glenville area. She is trying to get fresh produce into the community.
Other community involvement includes being vice president of the Greater Cleveland Health Education Service Council, a board member for Esperanza Threads, Inc., Fairfax Renaissance Development Corporation, and recently elected to another term for the National Schools Boards Association’s Council of Urban Boards of Education’s Steering Committee. She serves as the secretary of her street club.
She is a graduate of John Hay High School and attended Cuyahoga Community College and has completed numerous trainings and in-services. Rashidah has received many awards and recognitions for her community work and school district involvement.
Darren T. Hamm, NLDP I
Born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio, Darren T. Hamm is a community organizer and activist in Brooklyn Centre, a near west side neighborhood. As President of the Brooklyn Centre Community Association, he has taken an active role in engaging other residents in a number of projects around youth development, neighborhood health and safety and community beautification among others. Darren and his wife travel internationally studying social justice, most recently spending several weeks with Dr. Arun Gandhi exploring grassroots development throughout India. Darren received a Masters of Nonprofit Management in 2007 from Case Western Reserve University and a Bachelors of Fine Arts in Painting and Drawing from Kent State University. Currently he works as a Foreclosure Prevention Counselor at Neighborhood Housing Services of Greater Cleveland.
Stephanie Howse, NLDP I
Stephanie Howse is the Cleveland Field Director of the Ohio Democratic Party. She is responsible for coordinating campaigns from the local to federal levels and recruiting and training community activist to get involved in their local community to help get out the vote. Stephanie believes that the political process is a good avenue for citizens to make meaningful changes in their communities and works to help people become empowered to know that their voice and vote makes a difference. She is also Executive Director of Footprints, a youth development organization for girls in the Hough community. The mission of Footprints’ is to cultivate and nurture a positive self image in girls ages 9 –17, while building character on Self Respect, Life Endeavors, Community and the Arts. Stephanie understands the positive impact that can be made in the lives of youth by having meaningful connections with adults and is a strong advocate for community mentoring. In 2007, Stephanie was the inaugural recipient of the “Rising Star Award” presented by the YWCA of Greater Cleveland and was awarded the “Community Leadership Award” by the 5th District Community Relations Board. Her past professional experiences include being an Executive Fellow in the Cleveland Executive Fellowship (Coro program) and working as Environmental Health & Safety Engineer for five years. Stephanie is a member of the Cuyahoga County Young Democrats, the National Society of Black Engineers and volunteers with Eliza Bryant Village and Rainey Institute. Outside of her professional and community involvement, Stephanie loves to travel, read, cook and shop. Stephanie is a sports enthusiast and loves supporting her hometown teams, the Cleveland Indians, the Cleveland Cavaliers, and of course the Cleveland Brown... GO BROWNS!!!
Kelly Kupcak, NLDP I
Kelly Kupcak is currently the Director of Policy for Hard Hatted Women, having previously served as Advocacy Coordinator and Workforce Advocate with the organization. With an undergraduate focus in social work from Cleveland State University, Ms. Kupcak used her knowledge and skills to promote social and economic justice issues in Cleveland through working at several nonprofits including the Domestic Violence Center, Lutheran Metropolitan Ministries, Westside Catholic Center, and WSEM. Ms. Kupcak was recently elected to the National Board of Directors for Women Work! which works to promote economic and educational equity for women. Ms. Kupcak additionally serves on several boards and advisory committees including the Ohio Apollo Alliance Steering Committee, the Ohio Department of Transportation Jobs In Progress Steering Committee, Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority Minority Business Advisory Council, Urban League of Greater Cleveland Construction Training Advisory Committee, Cleveland Jobs with Justice Executive Board, and is chair of the Cleveland/Cuyahoga County Workforce Investment Board Construction Sector Council Outreach Committee.
Carolyn R. Smith, NLDP I
Carolyn R. Smith has been working with the City of Cleveland’s Storefront Renovation Program (SRP) since 1999. She worked at Glenville Development Corporation and St. Clair Superior Development Corporation and completed numerous projects that created stabilized Business Revitalization Districts and jobs for neighborhood residents. In 2005, she became a Coordinating Consultant with the SRP providing technical assistance, training and mentoring SRProgram Coordinators within eight community development corporations. In 2003, she was involved with the creation of the Re$tore Cleveland Program through Cleveland Neighborhood Development Coalition (CNDC). In March 2007, Carolyn completed the Certification in Professional Main Street Management Institute through the National Trust for Historic Preservation (NTHP) and became a Certified Main Street Manager (CMSM). Carolyn holds a BS in English from Tennessee State University; Master of Educational Administration from Kent State University; and a Master of Public Administration concentration in Economic Development from the Maxine Goodman Levin College of Urban Affairs at Cleveland State University.
Katherine R. Thomas, NLDP I
Kate is a Wellness Coordinator with the Neighborhood Family Practice. She has a Master’s of Science Degree in Nutrition from Case Western Reserve University. After completing her Masters degree, she began her work in the realm of community health, initially in Berkeley, CA, under the auspices of Americorps. While offering wellness education services to the patients of the Berkeley community health centers, Kate began to learn about direct education through school and urban gardening. She found the hands-on learning techniques offered by the garden classrooms to be a particularly effective technique in promoting healthy eating behaviors, and countering growing trends of unhealthy behaviors. She has since returned to Cleveland, where she continues to work in community health and spreads a message of holistic well-being.
Kate resides in the Tremont neighborhood and works in the Stockyards neighborhood of Cleveland. Her work at Neighborhood Family Practice (NFP) is funded through a federal public health grant, entitled “Steps to a Healthier Cleveland.” In the summer of 2007, her professional energy was focused upon the creation of an asphalt vegetable garden, in the parking lot of the NFP plaza. The garden creates an opportunity for NFP patients, community residents, and children of the neighboring daycare to come together and learn positive lessons of eating well in a community setting.
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The Neighborhood Leadership Development Program is sponsored by the Mandel Foundation. |
