Meet the Board
Dawn Patterson
Founder & Executive Director
Our executive director has 10+ years as an entrepreneur and philanthropist, combining strategic leadership with community-focused impact. Founded mission-driven ventures, created sustainable models, and led cross-sector partnerships to produce measurable results. Entrepreneurial skills enable opportunity recognition, risk management, and program scaling; her philanthropic practice ensures ethical resource stewardship and community engagement.
With a clear vision, pairing big-picture thinking with disciplined execution overseeing program development, stakeholder collaboration, and performance evaluation. Under her leadership, the organization emphasizes accountability, transparency, and inclusive decision-making to deliver lasting community benefits.
Joy Santiago-Clark
Director of Community Initiatives & Real Estate Development Our board member brings over 30 years of experience in real estate and a proven record of shaping communities through strategic development and stewardship. Provides expert guidance to first-time homebuyers and actively support charity-driven initiatives that strengthen local neighborhoods.
David Meslin
Director of Finance / TreasuryBoard member with 30+ years in hospitality, finance, and IT. Expertise in operational leadership, financial planning & analysis, accounting, treasury, internal controls, compliance, and systems implementation. Delivers accurate reporting, optimized liquidity, scalable processes, and improved operational efficiency for sustainable growth.