Team

Aurialís Alvarez

Associate, Urban Business Initiatives

Aurialís [ah-oo-ree-ah-lease] Alvarez has a marketing, business management, and public relations background. Most recently, she worked in marketing at The Dimock Center supporting institutional advancement and fundraising through content creation, communications, and advertising. Before that, she held positions and internships in the business management of fashion brands. Aurialís is a ... Read More


Danielle Anderson

Senior Associate, Urban Business Initiatives

As a Senior Associate on the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses team, Danielle focuses on the implementation of the program’s outreach, recruitment, application, and selection processes. Prior to ICIC, Danielle worked on the PR team at CTP, a Boston-based marketing agency, where she created strategies and identified industry trends to generate ... Read More


Shelton Ansley

Shelton Ansley is the Rural Manager on the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses team, focusing on the program’s rural expansion into additional markets. Prior to joining ICIC, Shelton managed technical assistance programs for rural businesses as the Director of Kentucky Highlands Investment Corporation’s Innovation Center, a business incubator and Community ... Read More


Liz Bernal

Director, Talent & Culture

Elizabeth Bernal (She/her/ella) serves as the Director of Talent & Culture for ICIC, where she provides thought leadership, oversight and direction to the overall provision of people and HR services. She serves as a partner with ICIC’s leadership team to develop and implement strategic initiatives, focused on driving an organizational ... Read More


Oksana Bondar

Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

Oksana Bondar serves as ICIC’s Chief Financial Officer. Oksana has over twenty years of experience in the nonprofit sector. Prior to joining ICIC in 2013, she served as the director of finance and operations at the Elizabeth Peabody House and as a finance director at Peace First. Oksana holds MBA in ... Read More


Ameka Brown

Analyst, Urban Business Initiatives

Ameka Brown is a Program Analyst for ICIC working primarily with Goldman Sachs Black in Business and 10,000 Small Businesses programs. As an analyst, she is responsible for the analysis and implementation of the program’s current processes. Prior to ICIC, she worked in association management where she served thousands of ... Read More


Cheryl Carter

Associate, Inner City Capital Connections

Prior to joining ICIC as an Associate, Cheryl worked as the Data and Program Manager for The Gus Bus, a 21st Century Community Learning Center grant-based literacy enrichment program in the Harrisonburg, VA area. There she managed the data and required reporting for three grants providing literacy enrichment and family ... Read More


Miles Chandler

Senior Associate, Research

Miles draws on a variety of social scientific and geospatial methods to characterize and examine underserved communities across the United States. Prior to joining ICIC, Miles worked as a GIS consultant for the Saratoga County Public Health Department, where his assignments included redesigning the county-wide COVID-19 data dashboard. He holds ... Read More


Monica Chenier

Program Manager, Building for Growth

As Program Manager of Building for Growth, Monica leads strategic recruitment, partnership cultivation, and day-to-day operations for the program, which focuses on BIPOC- and woman-owned construction contractors. In addition, as part of the Data Strategy & Innovation (DSI) team, she supports existing and developing initiatives under the umbrella of DSI, such ... Read More


Nicaela Chinnaswamy

Director, Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses

As the Director of Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses, Nicaela manages the team at ICIC and the program nationally to recruit over 7,000 diverse and under-resourced small business owners from around the country every year. Prior to ICIC, Nicaela worked on statewide and congressional political campaigns in Massachusetts where she implemented and analyzed ... Read More


Caitlin Cowan

Senior Program Coordinator, ICCC

As a Senior Program Coordinator on the Inner-City Capital Connections (ICCC) Team, Caitlin is responsible for building relationships with key members of under-served communities and small business owners across the country. Prior to joining ICIC, Caitlin worked as a Pre-K teacher with Kindercare Learning Centers. They hold a bachelor’s degree ... Read More


Jackson Dailey

Analyst, Urban Business Initiatives

As an Analyst for the Cultivate Small Business team, Jackson focuses on business operations, program management and analytics. Prior to ICIC Jackson worked for a renewable energy company installing solar panels across the state of Oregon. His education and experience have provided him expertise in project management, corporate social responsibility, and ... Read More


Krystal Daniel

Analyst, Urban Business Initiatives

Krystal Daniel is an Analyst on the 10,000 Small Businesses team. She has a background in legislative research, advocacy, marketing, and writing consulting from working in the private and public sector. Krystal has a Bachelor of Arts in English from Bowie State University, and a Master of Professional Studies in ... Read More


Sarah Levis Desmond

Executive Assistant to the CEO and Administrative Manager

As executive assistant to the CEO and administrative manager, Sarah Levis Desmond is responsible for managing the calendar of the CEO, travel arrangements and correspondence of the executive team. Sarah also assists with managing special projects and events at ICIC. Prior to joining ICIC, Sarah worked in the Office of the ... Read More


Peter Eberhardt

Senior Associate, Research

As a senior research associate at ICIC, Peter utilizes academic and applied practice in both quantitative and qualitative methods to support and lead a number of research projects. A skilled data and survey analyst Peter has led and supported numerous entrepreneurship evaluation projects, including ICIC’s evaluation of JPMorgan Chase’s Small ... Read More


Sam Figueroa

Lead Program Coordinator, ICCC

As an Associate on the Inner City Capital Connections (ICCC) team, Sam is responsible for building relationships with key members of under-served communities and small business owners across the country. Prior to joining ICIC, Sam worked as a Senate Page for the Senate President of Massachusetts providing constituent services as well ... Read More


Ivana Findlay

Serving as a Program Coordinator in our Data Strategy and Innovation (DSI) team, Ivana helps drive the growth and management of the Inner City Alumni Network (ICAN), fostering connections with alumni, initiating local chapters, and organizing events. She also supports back-end data operations and is instrumental in furthering other DSI ... Read More


Bill Fitzgerald

Lead Program Coordinator

Bill leads the management of data analysis for the Inner City Capital Connections (ICCC) program, including the distribution of the annual ICCC Impact Survey and impact data requests from external stakeholders, all while ensuring high levels of data integrity and quality. He also supports the overall ICCC program management and ... Read More


Breanna Galante

Development Analyst

As the Development Analyst, Breanna is responsible for maintaining and enhancing the Development team’s data strategy for a robust portfolio of donors. This includes tracking gifts made to ICIC, building reports, conducting research, and overall maintenance of data within Salesforce. Breanna has been part of the nonprofit world since 2016, serving ... Read More


Jordan Gerdes

Program Coordinator, ICCC

As a Program Coordinator on the Inner City Capital Connections (ICCC) team, Jordan is responsible for building relationships with key members of under-served communities and small business owners across the country. He primarily works with the data analysis team responsible for development of ICIC’s Annual Impact Report and data requests ... Read More


Sarah Ginand

Director of Marketing & Communications

Sarah Ginand, Director of Marketing & Communications at ICIC, is a growth catalyst with expertise in strategic marketing, communications, and business development. In 2015, she founded Strategic Marketing Consulting, specializing in aiding professional services firms pursuing rapid growth in complex business environments. With a diverse background as a C-level executive, ... Read More


Steve Grossman

Chief Executive Officer

As CEO of ICIC, Steve leads a dynamic and growing team of professionals dedicated to achieving economic prosperity in America’s under-resourced communities. Steve is focused on setting ICIC’s strategic direction, leading the organization through a period of rapid growth, and extending ICIC’s national visibility and brand. He directs ICIC’s efforts to ... Read More


Taylin Hunter

Analyst, Urban Business Initiatives

As an Analyst on the 10,000 Small Businesses team, Taylin focuses on the implementation of the program’s outreach, recruitment, and selection processes. Prior to ICIC, Taylin worked in undergraduate admissions at Colgate University. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Government and a Minor in International Relations and History from ... Read More


Samantha Hyde

Senior Associate, Business Operations and Human Resources

In her role as Senior HR Associate at ICIC, Samantha carries out a variety of essential functions within the organization’s Talent and Culture Department. With a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Cornell University, as well as a SHRM-CP certification and an Inclusive Workplace Culture specialty credential, Samantha is a skilled ... Read More


Jarred Jones

Senior Program Coordinator, ICCC

Prior to joining ICIC, Jarred was an intern in Baltimore’s City Council. Jarred worked under District 1 Councilman Zeke Cohen as an aide in both the Public Safety Committee and Constituent Services. There he dealt primarily with issues regarding city conduits, water billing, and surveillance. Jarred has also worked as a ... Read More


Pooja Kalapurakkel

Program Manager, Black in Business

Pooja oversees the outreach, recruitment, application and selection processes of scholars into the Goldman Sachs One Million Black Women: Black in Business program, launched in 2022 to assist early-stage Black women sole proprietors create profitable, sustainable business models. Prior to her work on Black in Business, Pooja led strategic advising ... Read More


Nadia Larasati

Director, Data Strategy & Innovation

As Director of Data Strategy & Innovation (DSI), Nadia is responsible for defining and implementing data and process strategies for the organization and overseeing the incubation and implementation of new innovative initiatives, including the Building for Growth (BFG) program for BIPOC- and woman-owned construction contractors, and the growing Inner City ... Read More


Dana Laurie

Program Coordinator, Inner City Capital Connections

As a Program Coordinator on the Inner City Capital Connections (ICCC) team, Dana is responsible for building relationships with key members of under-served communities and small business owners across the country. Prior to joining ICIC, Dana worked as an e-commerce associate providing data analysis, customer support and tech support to various ... Read More


Paula Markel

Program Associate, Urban Business Initiatives

As an Associate on the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses team, Paula supports the program’s application-processing and evaluation tasks, and manages local site logistics activities. Prior to ICIC, Paula worked for Esri as a Business Analyst, and is a graduate of Colorado State University, with a degree in English and Journalism. ... Read More


Jasmine Martin

Manager, Marketing and Communications

Jasmine Martin is the Marketing and Communications Manager at ICIC. Jasmine has a diverse background that includes more than eight years of experience working with non-profits managing marketing and communications. At ICIC, she manages the daily operations of program communications. Prior to joining ICIC, she worked as an executive assistant ... Read More


Carolin Mejia

IC100 & ICAN Program Lead, Data Strategy and Innovation

Carolin Mejia (she/they/ella) is ICIC’s Alumni Affairs Lead. She leverages her extensive background in advocacy and project management to foster meaningful connections within our alumni community and create opportunities for collaborative growth and support. Simultaneously, she spearheads the annual Inner City 100 awards, honoring the 100 fastest-growing small businesses nationwide. With ... Read More


Sonia Moin

Senior Director, Urban Business Initiatives

As Senior Director of Urban Business Initiatives, Sonia manages ICIC’s partnership with the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses and Santander Bank’s Cultivate Small Business programs. Prior to joining ICIC, Sonia worked at the International Finance Corporation (IFC, World Bank Group) driving business development and knowledge management programs. With a passion for growing the ... Read More


Jonesy Moore

Associate, 10KSB

As an Analyst, Jonsey supports the application processing and evaluation and local site management activities and logistics for the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses team. Prior to ICIC, Jonesy worked for Full of Fruit Productions, Stage One Theatre and for the Office of Congressman John Yarmuth and is a graduate of Wesleyan University, with ... Read More


Genesis Moran

Program Coordinator, Inner City Capital Connections

Genesis serves as a Spanish-speaking program coordinator on the Inner City Capital Connections (ICCC) team. Genesis is also responsible for cultivating relationships with key members of under-served communities and small business owners across the country. Prior to ICIC, Genesis worked as a legal assistant for a divorce law firm, a Spanish interpreter, ... Read More


Marynee Pontes

Deputy Director, Inner City Capital Connections

As the Deputy Director of the Inner City Capital Connections (ICCC) team, Marynee oversees the growth and development of the ICCC program, from cultivating and maintaining relationships with key stakeholders to supporting the expansion to different markets and demographics. In addition, she leads recruitment for ICCC cohorts in Chicago, Memphis, and ... Read More


Diego Portillo Mazal

Director, Inner City Capital Connections

As Director of the Inner City Capital Connections (ICCC) team, Diego plays an important role in ICCC’s cohort management, including the development of recruitment strategies, designing internal team goals, analyzing recruitment channels, and cultivating relationships with inner city CEOs across the U.S. Before joining ICIC, Diego worked as a Registered Representative ... Read More


Liz Pugh

Director, Development

Liz Pugh serves as the Director of Development, overseeing the implementation of ICIC’s fundraising and alumni relations strategy. She is responsible for maintaining ongoing relationships with ICIC’s current partners, as well as a cultivating new prospects to support our expanding thought and practice leadership. Prior to joining ICIC, Liz worked in nonprofit ... Read More


Valentina Romero

Associate, Business Operations and Human Resources

As the Business Operations and Human Resources Associate, Valentina works daily to address all the needs of the ICIC staff and support their contribution to closing the racial wealth gap and eliminating concentrated poverty in the United States and Canada. With her Masters’s degree in Management and Finance, Valentina has ... Read More


Rana Saloglu Bayindir

Salesforce Administrator

As a Salesforce Administrator, Rana is responsible for maintaining and optimizing the functionalities of our Salesforce CRM. She plays a pivotal role in assisting ICIC’s program teams in leveraging technical platforms and streamlining processes to meet data reporting and programmatic needs. Prior to joining ICIC, Rana collaborated with various organizations to ... Read More


Fabia Sanchez

Program Analyst, Urban Business Initatives

Fabia Sanchez is a Program Analyst on the Black in Business and 10,000 Small Businesses Teams. Prior to joining ICIC, she was a Bilingual Relationship Manager at PCV where she assisted small business owners in accessing free business consulting. She graduated from Georgia State University with a degree in Public ... Read More


Michael Shore

Director, Innovation

As Director of Innovation, Michael Shore is responsible for helping drive positive change at ICIC. He works on new, innovative/strategic projects and is responsible for managing our Salesforce CRM. Prior to ICIC, Mike was Director of Data and Continuous Improvement at JVS, a non-profit workforce development organization.  He led continuous improvement ... Read More


Indhira Taveras

Lead Program Coordinator, Inner City Capital Connections

As a Lead Program Coordinator on the Inner City Capital Connections (ICCC) team, Indhira is responsible for cultivating relationships with key community stakeholders and partners to connect with small business owners from across the country. Additionally, Indi is responsible for the creation of all ICCC’s graphics on social media and ... Read More


Sebastian Ware

Analyst, Urban Business Initiatives

Prior to joining the 10,000 Small Businesses team, Sebastian interned with ICIC’s research team between his sophomore and junior years through Boston College’s Corcoran Summer Internship Program. He also has experience working in Marketing Operations for a large Boston cybersecurity company. Sebastian is a 2022 graduate of Boston College, holding a ... Read More


Howard Wial

Senior Vice President & Director, Research

Howard Wial is Senior Vice President and Director of Research at ICIC. A specialist in urban and regional economic development, he is responsible for designing and overseeing a research agenda to promote the revitalization of economically depressed communities. Howard has extensive experience as an economist and economic policy advisor. He has ... Read More


Beverly Wolf

Senior Accountant, Administration

Beverly Wolf is a Senior Accountant at ICIC supporting the CFO on finance and accounting matters.  Prior to joining ICIC, Beverly worked in both the for-profit and nonprofit sectors, most recently as a consultant to start-up nonprofit organizations.  She is a CPA and holds a BS in Accounting from Lehigh ... Read More


Devon Yee

Senior Associate, Research

As a Senior Associate on the Research team, Devon is a key contributor to ICIC’s foundational research on inner cities, including work on the definition of an inner city and on inner cities’ economic and social conditions. Working with Census data and GIS mapping tools, Devon applies expertise in statistics ... Read More



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