2024 STEERING COMMITTEE MEMBERS

Monique Curry-Mims

Shanell Ransom

FOUNDING STEERING COMMITTEE

ALLISON ACEVEDO

Allison Anderson Acevedo has recently been appointed the Director of Environmental Justice by Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) Secretary Patrick McDonnell. Prior to her new role, she was a Philadelphia-based consultant focusing mostly in the areas of education, early education and community development. Allison was particularly focused on forging diverse partnerships to change systems which improve lives of children and families and sustain communities. Allison has over 15 years of experience in education program administration and public policy. Allison was Director of Education at United Way of Greater Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey where she led the education team and oversaw the strategic management and growth of the United Way’s education initiatives. Allison also has developed significant legislative and policy experience working several years for two members of the Pennsylvania legislature and with the child policy organization Public Citizens for Children and Youth. Prior to her work in non-profit administration and policy, Allison practiced law for nine years. 

RASHANDA PERRYMAN-STIFF

Rashanda Perryman-Stiff is a program officer in the Community Stewardship division at Vanguard where she uses her more than 20 years of experience in early childhood education and policy to support programs that enable young children and families to thrive. Prior to joining Vanguard, Rashanda served in the same role at the William Penn Foundation in Philadelphia. Before entering the philanthropic field Rashanda worked in public policy at the Children’s Defense Fund in Washington, D.C., and the Ounce of Prevention Fund in Chicago. She began her career as a teacher and a case worker in child care subsidy and public assistance programs. Rashanda is a Connecting Leaders Fellow with the Association of Black Foundation Executives and is currently participating in a yearlong learning cohort. She is co-chair of the Philadelphia Running Start Early Learning committee and a nominated member of the national Early Childhood Funders Collaborative steering committee. Rashanda has a bachelor’s degree in early childhood education from Clark Atlanta University and a master’s degree in social work with a concentration in public policy from the University of Texas at Arlington. Rashanda and her husband live outside Philadelphia with their two daughters.

JOCELYN ARNOLD

Jocelyn Arnold is a native Philadelphian with nearly twenty-five years of experience in both the philanthropic and local government sectors.   She currently holds the position of Deputy Director for the City of Philadelphia’s Office of Grants where she works with City agencies and their community partners identify and secure resources and partnerships to support their work. In this role, Jocelyn has helped the City obtain more than $80 million in public and private funding and awards including a $22.9 million grant from the Department of Homeland Security/FEMA for the Philadelphia Fire Department, $600,000 from the U.S. Department of Justice to help the City address the school-to-prison pipeline and one of the U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development’s first Promise Zone designations for West Philadelphia. Jocelyn’s extensive experience as funder and grantee includes her tenure as Program staff at The Philadelphia Foundation, Trustee and Board Chair of the Valentine Foundation, Assistant Director at Pembroke Philanthropy Advisors, and the first Development Director for Mural Arts Philadelphia. Jocelyn sits on the Advisory Board of Storiez youth trauma guide, the Philadelphia Disproportionate Minority Contact (DMC) Working Group and the City’s Innovation Working Group.  She and her family are proud residents of Mt. Airy.

THERESA JACKSON

Theresa Jackson joined the Philanthropy Network Greater Philadelphia's staff in November 2011.  As the Director of Member Services and Information, Theresa manages the delivery of services for Philanthropy Network’s membership and guests. This includes the implementation of educational programs and events focused on grantmaking practice, implementation oversight and maintenance of Philanthropy Network’s member database, and leading the annual renewal campaign and other member retention efforts.  Theresa also serves as a primary point of contact for member inquiries and manages the work of Philanthropy Network’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Taskforce. Prior to this role, Theresa served as the Network’s Member Services Associate. Theresa is a graduate of Hampshire College with concentrations in American Studies and English/Creative Writing, and completed the Ascending Leadership Certificate Program at Bryn Mawr College’s Nonprofit Executive Leadership Institute. 

TUNISIA MEEK

Tunisia Meek serves as the Program Manager for the Lipman Family Prize at The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania where she manages the operational and logistical supports for the prize and fellows program. Previously, Tunisia was the Education Coordinator at United Way of Greater Philadelphia & Southern New Jersey where she assisted with most of the Education-related projects in the Impact Department. She has over 8 years of experience in event planning and communications. In addition, she served as the Special Projects Coordinator at The Philadelphia Tribune. Tunisia has a Bachelor's Degree in English from Temple University.

DWAYNE WHARTON

Dwayne Wharton is a health and equity advocate working to help build healthier communities. After holding leadership positions in several prominent non-profit organizations Dwayne launched Just Strategies, an organization dedicated to help people lead the change they envision for themselves and their communities in 2020. He is an appointed member of the Mayor’s Commission on African-American Males and the Philadelphia Food Policy Advisory Council; serves on the boards of Greater Philadelphia Philanthropy Network, where he Chairs the DEI Subcommittee, the American Heart Association, the Kynett Foundation, Bridging the Gaps Community Health Internship Program, and the Alliance for Agriculture in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Dwayne is also a co-founder of the Philadelphia Black Giving Circle, is a former Peace Corps volunteer, and is a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Culture of Health Leader.