Vision

Sinai-Grace Guild Community Development Corporation serves Northwest Detroit neighborhoods with integrity and respect. We work to strengthen the neighborhood connection between residents, businesses and institutions. We work together as stewards of our beautiful, walkable, vibrant, and hopeful neighborhoods. Residents are deeply valued and have genuine opportunities for healthy, financially secure, and rich lives.

Mission

Driven by our community residents, businesses, and leaders, Sinai-Grace Guild Community Development Corporation is committed to holistic and equitable revitalization toward a thriving, healthy, and sustainable Northwest Detroit.

Our History

For over 40 years, the Grace Guild of Sinai-Grace Hospital served patients and residents in Northwest Detroit. Under the leadership of Juanita Dickerson, the Guild worked to promote positive health outcomes in the community. In 2015, the hospital's leadership facilitated a community conversation about the revitalization of Northwest Detroit. The Guild responded by renaming the organization and focusing its efforts on community development.

In December 2018, Lisa Campbell became the Executive Director of the Sinai-Grace Guild CDC. Her work reflects the Northwest Detroit Neighborhood Revitalization Strategic Framework and continued conversations with community stakeholders to implement a shared vision. Lisa has now transitioned to a new position. Palencia Mobley, formerly vice-chair of the SGGCDC Board, is the current Interim Executive Director while we search for a new permanent Executive Director.

Meet the Team

Interim Executive Director

Palencia Mobley, PE

Palencia currently serves as the Interim Executive Director of the Sinai-Grace Guild Community Development Corporation (SGGCDC). Mobley is a lifelong resident of the Winship Community which is a part of the SGGCDC service area. Palencia has built an extensive career in planning, designing, and constructing drinking, waste and stormwater infrastructure. A graduate of Detroit Public Schools, the University of Michigan (Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering), and Wayne State University (Master of Science Civil Engineering), Palencia was one of the youngest minority women to ever attain licensure as a Professional Engineer in the State of Michigan in 2006. In addition to serving on multiple national, regional, and statewide task forces, councils and boards, Palencia has received a variety of professional accolades including Crain’s Detroit Business notable woman in STEM and 40 Under 40 Award in 2019. She is also an active member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc. Alpha Rho Omega Chapter.

Economic Development Manager

Emily Baxter, AICP

Emily is from Ann Arbor, Michigan, but she has lived in many places around the country. She holds a Masters in City and Regional Planning from Georgia Tech University. She is guided by the principles of Community Economic Development and urban equity planning. She manages our West McNichols BIZ initiative, a collaborative project in partnership with the West McNichols Business Association.

Program Manager

Ashly Tutwiler, MPH

Ashly is a Michigan native with her Masters in Public Health from University of Michigan. She is guided by her desire to promote health equity especially for those in underserved communities. She manages our community programs such as the Neighborhood Enhancement Program, and Live Local.

Our Board

Dr. Abby Freeman

Board President

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Deacon Lawrence Mathews

Treasurer

Deacon Larry Mathews, Ph.D., CPA is the Chief Financial Officer of Hartford Memorial Baptist Church and all of its related entities. Prior to joining Hartford, Dr. Mathews was the Deputy Director of Finance of Wayne County and the CFO of the Institute for Population Health (the City of Detroit Health Department). Dr. Mathews has an earned a doctorate from Wayne State University, his Masters of Public Administration from WSU and an MBA from the University of Detroit Mercy. His undergraduate degree is from the University of Michigan. An avid golfer and swimmer, Dr. Mathews is married to his wife Beverly. They have two children, Gerald and Portia and 4 grandchildren.

June Mack

Secretary

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William A. Smith

Board Member

William A. Smith serves as Chief Financial Officer for the non-profit Detroit RiverFront Conservancy. He attended Detroit Public Schools and graduated high school from Detroit Benedictine. Smith holds a B.S. in Accounting from Colorado State University and an M.B.A. from Wayne State University. He has over 25 years of accounting and finance experience.

After spending more than 10 years in the healthcare industry, Smith joined the Detroit Riverfront Conservancy in 2006. In his role as C.F.O. of the Conservancy, he has managed over $200 million of public space construction along Detroit’s riverfront, leading to more than $2 billion of investment in the district. Additionally, Smith has more than 20 years of experience as a real estate entrepreneur. Smith is currently the owner and operator of DUO Restaurant & Lounge in Southfield, MI. In 2009, Smith was a recipient of Michigan Chronicle’s 2009 “Men of Excellence” Award.

Katrina McCree

Board Member

Katrina serves as Chief Community Impact Officer for Neighborhood Service Organization. As CCIO, McCree is the chief fundraising officer and is responsible for overseeing NSO’s corporate development, community affairs, business development and marketing strategies.

Prior to joining NSO, Katrina served as the associate administrator of operations for DMC Sinai-Grace Hospital. Katrina previously served in a dual capacity as the Market Director for the ACA Operations for DMC and the Director of Government and Community Affairs for Sinai-Grace Hospital. Katrina spearheaded the transition of Sinai-Grace Guild into a viable Community Development Corporation and secured the initial funding to address neighborhood revitalization in Northwest Detroit.

Katrina currently serves on the boards of Planned Parenthood Advocates of Michigan (PPAM), SDM2 Project Education, Higher Learning Commission, Coleman A. Young Foundation, and the City of Detroit Local Development Finance Authority. Katrina holds a bachelor’s degree in communications from Eastern Michigan University and a master’s degree in human resource management from Marygrove College.

Michelle Morasso

Board Member

I was born and raised in metro Detroit. I did my undergrad at Michigan State University and my Masters in Health Administration from Methodist University. Currently, I am the Interim Chief Operating Officer at Sinai Grace Hospital and have been with the DMC for 18 years.

Ryan Mack

Board Member

Ryan graduated from the University of Michigan Business School with a concentration in Finance. His career in equity markets began in Detroit as a stock trader. He eventually traded for the largest NASDAQ trading firm in the nation, Knight Securities. He established his own financial awareness group in 2003, publishing newsletters about financial issues. In addition to being a financial advisor working with many prominent clients, he lends his support to inner-city communities by coordinating workshops and creating economic empowerment initiatives that teach the principles of financial literacy.

As a renowned public speaker, he has provided keynote presentations to organizations such as Harvard, Columbia and Princeton Universities, the NAACP, National Association of Real Estate Brokers, Housing Preservation and Development, National Urban League, NASA, National Black MBA Association, the NBA, Microsoft Corporation, HSBC, KPMG, Johnson and Johnson, Six Flags, and Deutsche Bank. He can be regularly viewed on television networks such as GMTV, CNBC, CNN, Thomson Reuters, and BET discussing economic/social issues.

Ryan has also authored books “Living in the Village”, the “Playing Smart” financial handbook for athletes, and “The Stop and Frisk Handbook”; and co-authored a book with Kevin Powell entitled “The Black Male Handbook”.

Vision

Mission

Our History

Meet the Team

Our Board

Avenir Light is a clean and stylish font favored by designers. It's easy on the eyes and a great go-to font for titles, paragraphs & more.

Avenir Light is a clean and stylish font favored by designers. It's easy on the eyes and a great go-to font for titles, paragraphs & more.

I was born and raised in metro Detroit. I did my undergrad at Michigan State University and my Masters in Health Administration from Methodist University. Currently, I am the Interim Chief Operating Officer at Sinai Grace Hospital and have been with the DMC for 18 years.

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