Our Team
The GPS core team includes seasoned urbanists, youth development experts, facilitators and project managers who’ve held leadership positions at large national foundations, universities, national and state departments, advocacy organizations, and community-based non-profits.
Shannon is an emphatic leader who helped transform the lives of youth and young adults for nearly 30 years. As a trainer and consultant, he works across non-profit, faith-based and K-12 education sectors advising organizations on staff and leadership development, out-of-school time program design and evaluation, and organizational culture. Past engagements include Detroit Public School Community District, Young Life, Urban Youth Workers Institute, Perrysburg Schools, and the U.S. Department Health of and Human Services- Office of Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention. He is a member of The Alliance for Racial Harmony, an alliance of twelve racially-diverse men who published Creating Positive Race Relations: What You Can Do to Make a Difference (Cox, 2020.) where Shannon authored a chapter entitled “How to Make Race Discussable in the Workplace.” Shannon holds a Bachelor’s degree in Biology from Wayne State University and a Masters of Arts in Intercultural and Urban Studies from Moody Theological Seminary where he was an inaugural fellow in the Urban Scholars Program.
CASSIA HERRON
ASSOCIATE CONSULTANT
Cassia is a community development professional and public policy activist with over 20 years of experience working at the intersections of community and economic development, food systems and the built environment and systems change. Her service and leadership with local and statewide nonprofits and advocacy organizations has given her a broad understanding of the capacity needs and gaps in service for community developers in Kentucky and beyond. She currently serves as President of the Louisville Association for Community Economics, where she is leading efforts to open a community-owned grocery store in one of Louisville's downtown neighborhoods and growing the network and development of the city’s cooperative ecosystem. Cassia works as freelance writer and urban planner with expertise in community engagement, group facilitation, grant-writing, policy development and strategic planning. Cassia is a graduate of the University of Louisville and has a Masters of Urban Planning from the University of Michigan.
SARAH POWERS
ASSOCIATE CONSULTANT
Sarah’s community development career has taken her across the US and the world, including Rwanda and Guatemala, in the fields of international development, disaster recovery, and the social determinants of public health with positions with The World Bank and AECOM. During her time with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), she created policy guidance to implement the FEMA National Disaster Recovery Framework and partnered with local officials and residents to create recovery plans in six communities during three U.S. disasters. Her current focus includes nonprofit consulting with organizations led by and benefitting marginalized communities, including LGBTQ+, Black Indigenous People of Color (BIPOC) , and women on the South and West sides of Chicago. Wherever she has worked, her mission has been to help communities get the resources they need to achieve their desired quality of life. Sarah received her Master’s degrees in both Urban Planning and Public Health at the University of Michigan.
DANA PENNINGTON
SENIOR PROJECT MANAGER
Dana is a people-first innovator and team builder with exceptional planning, organizational, research and critical thinking skills.Her recent experience includes supporting the launch and expansion of area small businesses by providing administrative, social media and event planning support. Prior to that, she was a behavioral therapist who assisted young clients in building language, academic, social and self-help skills. In her free time, she enjoys merging perspectives to strengthen local and global togetherness through the creative arts. She has a Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology from University of Michigan Ann Arbor.
JEANA POINDEXTER
LEAD GRAPHIC RECORDER
Jeana "JP" Poindexter is an interdisciplinary artist whose work explores the intersection between art, visual communication, and graphic recording. While her background is anchored in fine arts and printmaking, today, she uses a variety of media to explore themes of identity, embodiment, marginalization, and language. As a graphic recorder and advocate for racial justice, Jeana is interested in how graphic recording and visual languages can be leveraged as tools to vision and build a just and equitable world. She is experienced in providing a range of artistic services, including real-time graphic recording and custom illustrations for non-profit organizations and community-based
KAMAU CLARK
PROJECT MANAGER
Detroit board and raised, Kamau Clarke is a product of the culture and programs that occupy the city's backbone. With mentorship and community engagement as his focal points, he draws upon what has been invested into him to elevate black thought and black people's stake in their local communities. As a community organizer and urbanist, Kamau has been actively involved in local initiatives, including serving as a precinct delegate, campaign organizer, and founder of The Brotherhood, an organization formed to support academic, social, and professional programming for multicultural men at Wayne State University. He has a Bachelor of Arts in Urban Studies from Wayne State University.
OUR COLLABORATORS
As our values state, we believe in the power of peopleto do more – together. We are happy to collaborate with these experienced individuals and companies who share our values and our commitment to serving our clients and partners in excellence.
Andrea Williams
Andrea Williams Studio
Tom Springer
Starfish Consulting
Colin Short
Colin Short Creative
Kourtney Neloms Catalyst Consulting