Anthony became Cities United’s first Executive Director in October 2015, charged with building out the organization and expanding the network. Before joining Cities United, he led the Office for Safe and Healthy Neighborhoods in Louisville, working with the community to build out the city’s One Love Louisville Plan. Throughout his career, Anthony has made it a priority to cultivate up-and-coming leaders.
Brittanny believes that advocacy is a collaborative effort and feels privileged to be part of an organization that effects change. She has more than 15 years of experience in the administrative support field. Outside of work, Brittanny enjoys traveling and collecting experiences with her family.
Erica has over two decades of experience in communications, project management, community outreach, policy-making, and advocacy. She is an experienced public speaker, trained mediator, and an innovative facilitator. She is the founder of First Degree Consulting, served as the Deputy Managing Director and Senior Director of the Office of Policy and Strategic Initiatives for Criminal Justice and Public Safety for the City of Philadelphia, and is now the Deputy of Engagement for Cities United.
Marcus Ellis is a subject matter expert in the field of Community Violence Prevention and Intervention with a solid track record of success focusing on public safety, community engagement, and youth rehabilitation. Serving as the Deputy of Impact, Marcus uses his love for community and years of experience leading public and private work to ensure Cities United and the jurisdictions it serves are leading the way to the future we want to see.
Andria is a dedicated and goal-driven professional with a strong work ethic and a passion for growth. With over 20 years of experience in providing administrative support, Andria is a detail-oriented and organized professional skilled in managing daily office operations and streamlining processes for maximum efficiency. Known for her fun-loving spirit, she enjoys laughing, dancing, and singing, while also thriving behind the scenes—though she occasionally steps into the spotlight. She continuously pushes herself beyond her comfort zone, aspiring to grow her personal and professional horizons within Cities United.
André manages Cities United’s portfolio of national initiatives. He is a past president of 100 Black Men of Greater Knoxville and co-founder of several social justice organizations. He is also a widely published writer and a former Cities United young leader and youth advocate.
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Cassandra co-developed and coordinated Cities United’s Young Leader and Civic Engagement Fellowships, and now leads the development of Cities United's community-investment-without-displacement initiative, Russell: Place of Promise. Cassandra’s work has been recognized by organizations such as Leadership Louisville, Corporation for Black Male Achievement, and Louisville Business First's Forty Under 40 List.
Clara Sloan is Cities United's Advancement Director, specializing in philanthropic partnerships and funding initiatives for Black communities. She has a proven track record of fostering impactful collaborations and mobilizing resources to enhance community well-being. Previously, Clara served as a Program Officer at the Community Foundation of Louisville and as an Assistant to the President of the Louisville Metro Council. Her roles involved strategic program development, budget management, and stakeholder collaboration. Clara combines financial acumen with a deep understanding of nonprofit and public safety landscapes.
Jeremy manages Cities United’s annual convening, and supports team members with logistics and travel. Jeremy previously served as the Associate of Young Leader Programming and an Administrative Associate, and outside of work, he is an artist and he enjoys coaching track and field and football in his spare time.
Jerrilyn is a native of Dallas,Texas dedicated to her quest to collectively heal Black communities across the globe. She has served as a community organizer in various communities in Texas and abroad. Jerrilyn now serves as the Associate of Young Leader Programming with Cities United, where she continues her quest to create healthy and safe spaces, specifically for Black men and boys.
Prior to joining Cities United, Jessica Butler was the Program Operations Manager at 414 LIFE, where she was responsible for overseeing program effectiveness, ensuring compliance with funding requirements, and maintaining accurate data collection and reporting. A passionate advocate for her hometown, Jessica has dedicated her life to serving the Milwaukee community, that dedication now extends nationwide. Born and raised in Milwaukee, she began her journey in servant leadership at a young age and has remained committed to making a positive impact ever since. Jessica now serves as Director of Culture in the department of People and Culture.
Jonathan McMillan brings over 30 years of expertise in gang intervention, policy, community violence intervention, and youth violence prevention to the forefront of his mission to cultivate safe and vibrant communities. His expertise extends to developing community-led violence intervention programs that have garnered recognition for their impact and his leadership. He now serves as Cities Uniteid's Sr. Advisor of Statewide Engagement, where he will support statewide comprehensive public safety planning.
Since 2015, he has been supporting Cities United in crafting stories, elevating voices and strengthen messaging to supporters, partners, and the network at large. Filmmaker, Creative Strategist and Producer, J. Reid draws from a love for culture and the production of innovative and relevant content, J. Reid uses his technical skills to uplift and drive the messaging and narrative of Cities United forward.
LaToya works to strengthen communities’ efforts in violence reduction and public safety. Delk is a Native of Smithfield VA, received a B.A in Political Science from Norfolk State University and M.B.A from Averett University.
Margarett McBride is the Sr. Associate of Storytelling at Cities United. As an artist, author, organizer, and researcher, Margarett has cultivated a body of work that reflects the stories and lives of Black youth, families, and neighborhoods. At Cities United, Margarett helps disseminate ideas, information, data, and stories so cities can envision and create a world where we have dismantled systems of inequity so young Black men and boys can experience safe, healthy, and hopeful communities.
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Prior to joining Cities United, Monica has served as a practitioner in community development, organizational development, program development and management, and grant writing for 25 years, with local government, various nonprofits, churches, and neighborhood-based organizations. She loves serving people and believes that her daily purpose is found in how much she is willing to give away!
At Cities United, Paul partners with our executive director and deputies to advance our mission by growing and strengthening relationships with strategic partners and local elected officials. His prior roles include Government Affairs and Community Engagement Director at SoundThinking, and Mayoral Outreach Manager at Everytown for Gun Safety. As a strategic partnerships and community engagement professional with over 10 years of experience, Paul has honed his ability to mobilize grassroots efforts, manage programs, advocate for legislative changes, and maintain strong public relations.
Rachel leads Cities United’s Young Leader programs and is passionate about coming alongside teams of all kinds to help establish equitable, inclusive, and transformative platforms for young leaders to showcase their skills and vision for world-changing communities. Rachel is proud to call Tacoma, Washington home, and in her spare time she enjoys traveling, playing with her nephew, and finding the best food in her city.
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