Sohamy currently serves as the Senior Controller for Building Bridges Across the River.

Massa joined Building Bridges in May 2025 as the Director of Institutional Giving. In this role, Massa is responsible for managing and growing Building Bridges’ relationships with foundations and corporations as well as government agencies to provide critical funding for Building Bridges’ programs.

Massa is a development professional with extensive experience in the food justice space in the DMV and a passion for building equity and opportunity in under-resourced communities. Prior to joining Building Bridges, Massa led fundraising and development initiatives at the Montgomery County Food Council, a nonprofit organization that serves as the primary connection point for businesses, nonprofits, government agencies, and residents around food security issues in Montgomery County, Maryland. Massa also consulted on a project to design and develop a new grants and technical assistance program for a community development finance institution to build capacity for more equitable food access in areas that have traditionally lacked access to resources, with a focus on rural, low-income, and other historically marginalized communities. In addition, Massa has worked with DC Greens and FoodPrints as a nutrition educator at elementary schools in Wards 7 and 8. Massa is currently a Board Member of Crossroads Community Food Network, a food justice organization building a healthier, more inclusive food system in Maryland’s Takoma/Langley Crossroads area.

Destiny Bugg comes from an arts management background with extensive experience in nonprofit administration. At Building Bridges, Destiny is focused on increasing corporate and foundation giving to further support the various programs driven by the East of the River community. Destiny is especially excited about the ongoing efforts to implement 11th Street Bridge Park’s Equitable Development Plan as the park comes to fruition and beyond.

Sarah Shindler is dedicated to advancing equity and empowering communities. Originally from Los Angeles, she has called Washington, D.C., home since 2017. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in Communication from The George Washington University and a Master of Science in Education from Johns Hopkins University.

With experience in politics, communications, social media, and development, Sarah’s commitment to community service drives her efforts to address systemic inequities. As a Teach for America Corps Member, she taught Pre-K and Kindergarten in Prince George’s County, Maryland. Sarah is proud to support Building Bridges Across the River’s mission to foster growth and access in Wards 7 and 8.

For the last ten years, Scott has been working with the East of the River based non-profit Building Bridges Across the River and the Washington DC city government to transform an old freeway bridge into a park above the Anacostia River. The old 11th Street Bridges that connect Capitol Hill with communities east of the river reached the end of their lifespan, Scott is working with the community to use the base of one of the bridges to create a one of a kind civic space supporting active recreation, environmental education and the arts. Scott leads the team that is designing, building and one day operating the park. Beyond the park’s physical construction, he has led the effort to ensure long term residents can stay and thrive in place through a nationally recognized equitable development plan that includes affordable housing, workforce training, preservation of Black owned small businesses and arts / culture strategies.

Scott lives a few blocks away from the Bridge Park site in Capitol Hill and has called Washington DC his home for the last 17+ years. He graduated with a history degree from Pomona College in Southern California and has worked in the education field for twenty+ years. He began his career teaching at Kidspace, a children’s museum in Pasadena, California and later as the Associate Director of the Institute for the Study of the American West at the Autry National Center in Los Angeles. While at the Autry, he supervised a staff that planned and implemented programs including film, music, festivals, family programs, lecture series, academic symposia and Native theater. He moved to Washington DC to become the Vice President for Education at the National Building Museum. Scott is honored to serve on the board of the Anacostia Coordinating Council and the Anacostia Business Improvement District.

Jessica G. Smith Lennan is a Senior Manager at the 11th Street Bridge Park. She leads the communication, community engagement, and external relations strategies for multi-sector initiatives to advance equitable and community driven development.

As a third generation Washingtonian, she is passionate about creating greater economic opportunity through inclusive development and having resources that allow current residents east of the river to live in healthy and vibrant communities. She is excited to work to implement placekeeping initiatives.

Jessica has served on the National Capital Region Transportation Planning Board Citizen Advisory Committee of the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments and the community organization River East Emerging Leaders. Previously, Jessica worked with the Golden Triangle Business Improvement District as the Placemaking and Events Manager, she promoted economic growth and sustainability initiatives through programming and advocated for the needs of the community and local businesses. In addition, Jessica has worked as a consultant with non-profits & the Department of Transportation. Jessica holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism with minors in Spanish and Psychology from The Pennsylvania State University and a Master’s Degree in Legislative Affairs from George Washington University.

Jessica@bridgepark.org

Laticia Taylor serves as the Communications Manager for the 11th Street Bridge Park. Laticia Taylor received her Bachelor’s degree in Communications from North Carolina Central University and her Master’s degree in Interactive Media from Elon University.

Laticia loves to serve her communities and beyond. She volunteers for USA Pendeza Uganda, a non-profit organization dedicated to bettering the lives of Ugandans through advocacy, donations, and social impact. In addition to her passion for digital marketing, Laticia enjoys reading and volunteering.

She is an avid traveler who loves exploring new places and cultures. In her spare time, Laticia enjoys spending time with her family. She is also a big foodie and loves trying different cuisines.

Before becoming the Events and Program Manager, Mrs. Powell was a long time friend and partner of Building Bridges. For 9 years, she worked for AppleTree Early Learning Public Charter School, which is one of the several nonprofits housed at THEARC. During her time as the Family Engagement Department at AppleTree Mrs. Powell worked to cultivate positive and supportive school and family relationships. In collaboration with teachers, families and community partners Mrs. Powell provided resources, support and community based learning experience for countless families at AppleTree’s 11 campuses located throughout the district. Her drive for this work stems from her firm belief that the key to strong communities is  equitable access to opportunity and strong Collaborative Community practices where parents, students, school, churches, business owners and community partners build a culture of professional learning, collective trust, and shared responsibility.

Mrs. Powell holds an undergraduate degree in Early Childhood Education from Trinity Washington University and is pursuing her second undergraduate degree in Community Education.

Anna is a licensed architect in DC who believes strongly in the power of design to shape our lives for the better. She currently serves as the Senior Equitable Development Manager for the 11th Street Bridge Park project. Since moving into the Anacostia neighborhood in 2015, she has witnessed rapid change in the community; changes that have resulted in the displacement of some of her neighbors due to rising housing costs. Through her work with the Bridge Park, she hopes to continue the Park’s mission of creating an equitable and inclusive development that allows residents to thrive in place.

Prior to joining the Bridge Park team, Anna served as a project architect on building projects in DC, Maryland and Virginia, most of which were affordable housing developments, schools or recreation centers. In 2021, she was selected as an inaugural fellow of the Public Interest Design Lab. The fellowship is sponsored by the DC Public Library and the Goethe-Institut with a goal of supporting the development of existing projects that confront inequities and foster connectivity through community-based design. Anna also participates in a number of programs designed to expose youth to the architecture and planning professions.

Sean, a New England native, graduated Cum Laude from the University of Maine in International Affairs & Political Science. Sean then spent approximately six months living in Egypt where on a Department of State language scholarship program he enrolled at The American University in Cairo’s Arabic Language Institute learning two dialects of Arabic. After moving back to the United States, Sean then moved to Washington, DC which he has called home for the last 13 years.

For the past six years Sean had worked at Martha’s Table, a community based non-profit organization that has been operating in Washington, DC for 44 years. Sean’s first two years at Martha’s Table he worked primarily on food justice and access with the Joyful Food Market (JFM) Team as one of their Market Leaders where he worked in the elementary schools throughout Ward 7 and 8 setting up and running no-cost fresh food markets for the students. The following two years Sean became the Special Assistant to the Chief Program Officer (CPO) where he had the opportunity to work closely with the CPO on various projects and events, among many duties. These last two years Sean worked on the Community Development Team as their Community Activator where his primary role was to work deeply and intimately in the community forming relationships and partnerships with community leaders, activists, organizers and community organizations.

Sean is extremely excited to have the opportunity to join the Bridge Park Team and to continue to work in the community that he loves.

Natasha Kalitsi graduated from Towson University with a degree in Mass Communication and a minor in French and Music Industry in 2021. After graduating, she worked in several internship positions including a Digital Communications intern at George Washington University, a Marketing Assistant at yearbook company Greek Yearbook, and a Virtual Entertainment intern at Degy Entertainment. In 2022, she began her journey in the nonprofit sector at The Foundation Schools, a non-public nonprofit school for students with emotional disabilities and autism, serving as their Communications & Development Associate. Later, she joined Gaithersburg Beloved Community Initiative as a Communications Manager promoting intergenerational programming for low-income students. Today, she combines her art, recreational programming, and community work interests as 11th Street Bridge Park’s Administrative & Engagement Assistant.

Carrie Vaughn is the Farm Director for Building Bridges Across the River. Prior to this work, she grew over a million pounds of organic produce at the Chesapeake Bay Foundation’s farm in Upper Marlboro, Maryland.  She also served as President and board member of Future Harvest, a Chesapeake Alliance of Sustainable Agriculture.

JJ Boone is the THEARC Farm’s Senior Farm Manager for Building Bridges Across the River. He is an experienced urban farmer and has been growing food in his community since 2012. JJ is also a certified DC Beekeeper, providing local honey and educational opportunities to the Ward 8 community. Along with farming, JJ designs his own fashion line.

Samantha currently serves at the Booking & Events Manager.

Ke’Rell Partee is a Washington DC native. He originally learned technical theater at THEARC. With over 5 years of experience in the field he has worked as a stagehand, projectionist, and stage manager. In his free time, Ke’Rell is also a freelance artist specializing in clothing design, decorative skin art , logo design, and studio art.

Anesa currently serves as the Program Coordinator for the Skyland Workforce Center, a project of Building Bridges Across the River.

Isaiah currently serves as the Welcome Desk Ambassador for the Skyland Workforce Center, a project of Building Bridges Across the River.

Jonathan currently works as the Mechanical Systems Director.

Kinta Brown currently serves as the Facilities Maintenance Supervisor at THEARC.

NeQuatta Ryder currently serves as the Operations Manager.

Jamia currently serves as the Internal HR Manager.

Tayvon currently serves as the Maintenance Technician at THEARC.

Joseph Greene, a proud Washington, D.C. native raised in Southwest, has always understood the vital role that community programs play in shaping strong and thriving neighborhoods. Growing up, he witnessed firsthand how organizations like Building Bridges create opportunities, foster connections, and inspire growth for residents across the city.

As the Lead Welcome Desk Ambassador, Joseph brings a unique blend of professionalism, customer service excellence, and genuine compassion. Known for his tactfulness and unwavering commitment to helping others, he strives to ensure every individual who enters the space feels valued, respected, and supported. His role allows him to combine his people-first mindset with his dedication to community engagement, making him a vital part of the organization’s mission.

Beyond his professional responsibilities, Joseph is deeply passionate about automobiles and the culture of motorsports. Whether exploring the latest innovations in automotive technology or following various forms of racing, he enjoys immersing himself in a world where precision, performance, and passion intersect. This personal interest reflects his drive for excellence and his appreciation for both speed and detail—qualities he also brings to his professional life.

Raised in Maryland and a proud alum of Bowie State University — Go Bulldogs! — I bring energy, creativity, and a collaborative spirit to my roles. 

With extensive experience in customer service, event planning, and sales support within the hospitality industry, I specialize in creating seamless, memorable experiences for clients and guests alike. I’m passionate about building strong relationships with clients, vendors, and internal teams to bring every event vision to life.

Deborah currently serves as Welcome Desk Ambassador at THEARC.

Katrina currently serves as Welcome Desk Ambassador at THEARC.

Keisha currently serves as Welcome Desk Ambassador at THEARC.

Deloris currently serves as a Janitorial Associate at THEARC.

Daysi currently serves as a Janitorial Associate at THEARC.

Emma currently serves as a Janitorial Associate at THEARC.

Miguel currently serves as a Janitorial Associate at THEARC.

Manuel currently serves as a Janitorial Associate at THEARC.

Shatika currently serves as a Janitorial Associate at THEARC.