meet the FOUNDER & PRESIDENT
Stephanie Thomas
With over two decades of professional experience, Stephanie Thomas navigated Fortune 500 organizations on Wall Street, venerated minority depository institutions and Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs), and local government.
Throughout her career, Stephanie led strategic community development programs and investments and managed key relationships with various corporate stakeholders, nonprofits, municipal partners, and elected officials to support equitable economic development, financial empowerment and inclusion, small business ecosystem development, and access to capital. She has designed and supported the deployment of $155 million in COVID-19 small business relief and recovery funding. Her leadership, intervention design, and execution of capacity-building programs and economic and social impact performance are nationally recognized and awarded.
Stephanie studied Organizational Management at Mercy College and holds a Certificate in Theology & Ministry from Princeton Theological Seminary. She is a proud alumna of Coro Leadership New York, the prestigious Campaign School at Yale University, and the White House Project. Stephanie was named the inaugural City & State Reports Corporate Social Responsibility Award recipient for New York’s Banking, Finance & Insurance sector - Distinguished Service in Promoting Financial Literacy and Inclusion. In 2017, Stephanie was recognized as a Next City Vanguard – one of forty “40 and Under” of the best and brightest urban leaders and innovators working to improve and change cities.