Team
Our team is eager to meet you. Let us introduce ourselves.
Atlanta Elevate
Maria Valdivia
BLM Coach Mentor, Atlanta BM in–charge
mvaldivia@grameenamerica.org
Toni Buchanan
National Rotational Community Development Manager
tbuchanan@grameenamerica.org
Tanya Murphy
Community Development Associate
trose@grameenamerica.org
Tarwana Lowe-West
Branch Launch Manager
tlowe@grameenamerica.org
Kimya Dawson-Smith
Outreach Coordinator
kdawson@grameenamerica.org
Sandy Beauford
Community Development Associate
sbeauford@grameenamerica.org
Memphis Elevate
Jade Wilson
Deputy Branch Manager
jwilson@grameenamerica.org
Oleavia Taylor-Lucas
Community Development Associate
otaylor@grameenamerica.org
Marisha Wallace
Outreach Coordinator
mwallace@grameenamerica.org
Kareema McCloud
Community Development Associate
kmccloud@grameenamerica.org
NYC Elevate
Liz Torres
Assistant Branch Manager In Charge
ltorres@grameenamerica.org
Yvette Pabon
Branch Launch Manager
ypabon@grameenamerica.org
Matthew Bridgeman
Branch Launch Manager
mbridgeman@grameenamerica.org
Schantel Allen
Community Development Associate
sallen@grameenamerica.org
Imran Syed
Community Development Associate
isyed@grameenamerica.org
Newark Elevate
Melissa Velasco
Branch Manager
fvelasco@grameenamerica.org
Cadorsil Faulcon
Outreach Coordinator
cfaulcon@grameenamerica.org
Yoelis Avilez
Community Development Associate
yavilez@grameenamerica.org
Brittany Codjoe
Community Development Associate
bcodjoe@grameenamerica.org
Zuirrae McKinney
Community Development Associate
zmckinney@grameenamerica.org
Leadership/Strategy & Support Team
Alethia Mendez
Division President
amendez@grameenamerica.org
Thelma Suarez
Director of Elevate Branch Operations
tsuarez@grameenamerica.org
Sonya Rumpf
Manager, Elevate Employee Engagement Strategy
srumpf@grameenamerica.org
Bridget Tate
Director of Partnerships
ftate@grameenamerica.org
Karlescia Brookins
Sr. Manager, Strategic Initiatives & Programs
kbrookins@grameenamerica.org
Marisol Patino
Senior Data Analyst
mpatino@grameenamerica.org
“Elevating Black Women Entrepreneurs is a solution to the formal banking system, which can uphold racial inequality by systemically denying Black women the same access and opportunity as other entrepreneurs in the United States. Our team is poised to support the ingenuity and grit of Black women business owners across the country to grow their businesses and energize their communities.”
