ABOUT / TEAM & BOARD
Hello, it’s nice to meet you.
Our team and board are rooted in the neighborhoods we serve — including alumni of our own programs.
TEAM
Executive Director
She/Her
Jude Husein
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Jude Husein is a passionate advocate for underserved communities. Born in Jerusalem and raised in North Philadelphia, she holds a bachelor’s degree in Political Science and a master’s in Strategic Communication from La Salle University. A TEDx speaker and Pew Emerging Leaders Corps alum, Jude contributes to various civic and community initiatives focused on equity and representation.
She was named one of the 2025 Arab America Foundation 30 Under 30 and honored as Activist of the Year by The Philadelphia Citizen for her leadership in political advocacy, strategic planning, and grassroots organizing across the Commonwealth.
Learning & Evaluation Manager
He/Him
Jalen Belgrave
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Jalen is a graduate from Elizabethtown College, where he received his B.A. in Legal Studies with minors in Communication, Data Analytics, and Economics. While at Elizabethtown, Jalen founded the Elizabethtown College Chapter of the NAACP along with the Social and Civic Leadership Academy, which helped motivate at-risk high school students to pursue a college education. He also developed a financial literacy program to help high students become connected with resources to plan their journey for college readiness and success. Jalen seeks to positively impact communities by empowering people of color to be agents of social change through peacemaking and social justice. Jalen also received his Masters in Social Policy at the University of Pennsylvania. He is excited to use his past experiences and interests to further the work being done at PhillyBOLT!
Site Manager
He/Him
Horace Ryans III
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Horace Ryans III is a Philadelphia native and a highly accomplished sociology graduate from Morehouse College, where he earned his Bachelor of Arts degree with a minor in Education. Horace has demonstrated a strong commitment to academic excellence and a passion for research in race, class, education, inequality, segregation, and social systems. His exceptional performance at Morehouse College has earned him numerous awards and honors, including being named Morehouse College Man of the Year in 2024, a P3 Scholar at Princeton University, and an Outstanding All-Around Achievement Award recipient from the Morehouse Center for Excellence in Education.
Horace's research experience is extensive and diverse. He's served as a Research Assistant at Stanford University's Graduate School of Education, where he investigates equity in education technology. Additionally, he has researched as an Undergraduate Researcher at the Morehouse Center for Excellence in Education and as a Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellow, focusing on race, place, and education.
He has also co-founded and presided over PropelU, an organization dedicated to mentoring and preparing high school students for post-secondary education. Committed to community service, Horace has volunteered extensively through the Corella & Bertram F. Bonner Scholar Program, completing over 1,000 hours of service. He has also participated in various international service projects, such as Project Esperanza in the Dominican Republic.
Site Manager
She/Her
Samiyah Saunders
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Samiyah Saunders is a youth development professional, educator, and program leader with a career dedicated to helping young people recognize their strengths, build confidence, and reach their full potential. Her experience spans youth mentorship, education, curriculum development, program management, school partnerships, and leadership development.
Throughout her career, Samiyah has led youth programs, developed curriculum and hands-on learning experiences, built and strengthened student leadership initiatives, coached educators, facilitated professional development, and worked alongside school and community leaders to improve the environments and systems that support young people. She is especially proud of creating opportunities for youth to step into leadership, take ownership of their communities, and develop skills that extend far beyond the classroom.
Samiyah believes that talent and potential exist in every young person, but access to resources, exposure, mentorship, and meaningful opportunities is not always equal. That belief drives her to not only support youth where they are, but challenge them to discover how far they can go. Her goal is to create spaces where young people are encouraged to dream bigger, equipped with the tools to move forward, and surrounded by adults who genuinely believe in what they can become.
Operations Associate
She/Her
Jennifer Lie
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Jennifer was born and raised in South Philly and stays deeply connected to her community through organizing local events that bring people together. Currently studying sonography, she’s passionate about creating spaces where Philly youth can learn, grow, and thrive. Jennifer hopes to use her skills and experiences to give back to the city that shaped her.
Accountant
She/Her
Janalyn Guo
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Janalyn is a CPA and the founder of Vested Gator, a consulting business that aims to make financial literacy and management accessible to nonprofits and small arts organizations, so that they can have the fiscal tools and skills they need to flourish. She loves working with artists and activists fighting for positive change in their communities. She lives in South Philly and enjoys writing, going to plays, and eating her way through Chinatown.
Americorps Learning and Evaluation Fellow
She/Her
Mikaela Zimmerman
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Mikaela was born and raised in Appalachian central Pennsylvania. She studied sociology and criminology at The Pennsylvania State University and West Virginia University where she earned her Ph.D. in 2022. She specializes in systemic injustice, equity-based research, and actionable insight consultation. She has led projects examining rural political identity, dialogic conflict, collateral consequences to incarceration, and has provided expert testimony on racial impacts of proposed State legislation. She served in WVU's first Social Justice Research Fellowship cohort, supported labor rights in rural WV with the Office of Budget and Policy, and co-founded WVU's graduate student union. She is passionate about connecting others, solving complex problems, and being an advocate.
Operations Intern (BOLT Alumni)
She/Her
Nikki Gao
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Nikki Gao (she/her) is a prospective Neuroscience major at Haverford College. Growing up in West Philadelphia, she experienced the disparities in funding, resources, and facilities between schools in the Philadelphia School District and schools outside the district. Her experiences have led to her passion for equity in education. Through working with BOLT, she hopes to learn about what it means to empower youth and center them as leaders of community change.
Jasmine Romero Texis
Operations Intern (BOLT Alumni)
She/Her
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Jasmine Romero Texis is a student at Temple University’s Fox School of Business. Born and raised in Philadelphia to immigrant parents, her upbringing cultivated a strong work ethic and commitment to her community. She is passionate about advocating for equity and opportunity. Her early exposure to her family’s business sparked her passion for finance. Through BOLT, Jasmine has developed professional and leadership skills.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Senior Manager
Deloitte & Touche LLP
Chair
Chrystina Barrett
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Chrystina made Philadelphia home in 2006 to attend Drexel University and study architectural engineering. After college, she pursued consulting with a focus on construction and has since found her passion working with federal grant funding. She works with governments and commercial entities to reduce compliance risk through grant compliance, monitoring, and closeout efforts. She has many hobbies including blogging, podcasting, singing, and hosting parties, all tied together by her love of community building.
Puja Upadhyay
Judicial Law Clerk
US Court of Appeals
Vice-Chair
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Puja is a lifelong Philadelphian and proud Central High School alumna (272). She currently serves as a judicial law clerk for the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. Puja earned her B.A. in health policy at the University of Pennsylvania and her law degree from Temple Law School. Prior to law school, Puja worked in health policy and public health, focusing on promoting health equity and evidence-based policymaking.
Lily Reynolds
Director of Federal Infrastructure Strategy
City of Philadelphia
Secretary
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Lily Reynolds is the Director of Federal Infrastructure Strategy for the City of Philadelphia, a role she has held since 2022. She leads the City’s efforts to build wealth for Philadelphians through the strategic use of infrastructure investments, helping ensure that public works projects generate equitable outcomes, including expanded economic opportunity for workers and businesses. Lily and her husband have called Philadelphia home since 2019 and welcomed their son, Dylan, in 2025.
Reuben Jones
Executive Director
Frontline Dads
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Reuben Jones is a social justice advocate who serves as Executive Director of Frontline Dads Inc., a 501(c)3 non-profit organization that provides mentoring, leadership development and violence prevention programs in Philadelphia. Reuben is a graduate of Lincoln University, and has served as the Social Services Director for Philadelphia’s Focused Deterrence Gun Violence Reduction Strategy. Reuben has received numerous awards for his social justice advocacy including the Presidential Volunteer Service Award from President Obama in 2016.
Pedro Rodriguez
Community Organizer
Various
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Pedro Rodriguez is CEO of Cafe Don Pedro Roasters and a veteran community organizer, trainer, and civic leader. He is the former Director of Human Resources for the City of Philadelphia and previously held leadership roles with Enroll America, the Action Alliance of Senior Citizens of Greater Philadelphia, and Philadelphia’s Empowerment Zones under Mayor Ed Rendell. A former Philadelphia Civil Service Commissioner and Associate Editor of Community Focus/Enfoque Comunal, he serves on nonprofit and philanthropic boards.
Dir. Strategic Partnerships + Community Impact
B+labs | PA BioTech Center
Crisbel Baez
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Crisbel Baez is Director of Strategic Partnerships and Community Impact at B₊labs and the Pennsylvania Biotechnology Center. She supports early-stage life sciences companies within the incubator by connecting founders with resources, partnerships and opportunities for growth. Her work also focuses on building relationships across industry, education and the community while advancing STEM education, workforce development, mentorship and access to opportunities for Philadelphians.
Salomon Rosa
Managing Director
Envoy Advisory
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Salomon Rosa is Managing Director of Strategy and Philanthropy at Envoy, where he guides nonprofits, foundations, and social impact organizations through strategic planning, growth, and implementation. His public service career spans the White House Domestic Policy Council, Philadelphia City Council, and the Urban Affairs Coalition. He previously served on the board of the Youth Sentencing and Reentry Project and Young Involved Philadelphia. A University of Pennsylvania graduate, he holds master's degrees in Public Administration and Education Policy.
Gabe Dell
Housing Justice Fellow
Community Justice Project
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Gabe Dell moved to Philadelphia for law school and has since made the city home. In 2026, he earned his J.D. and M.S. in Nonprofit Leadership from the University of Pennsylvania. Gabe currently serves as a housing justice fellow with Community Justice Project. Prior to law school, he worked in government accountability and ethics in D.C. Outside of work, Gabe enjoys photography, attending concerts, and exploring Philadelphia by foot with his dog, Vinny.