SOURCE Community Council

La’Tonya is a certified public manager and self-proclaimed career public servant. Her service includes federal and municipality government organizations where she’s been instrumental in reshaping and bringing efficiency to the landscape of public administration and services. Known as a change agent and thought leader, La’Tonya’s approaches to bureaucracy are progressive and forward thinking. Her many accomplishments include work which advanced the DC adoption voucher program; being credited with improving overall contract operations; bringing transparency to government services; right-sizing organizational units; conceptualizing and implementing broad government programs; and influencing best practice decisions which generated immediate and year over year savings in excess of 40M.  

La’Tonya is presently enrolled in Hood University’s Doctoral program where she is pursuing her doctorate in Organizational Leadership.  She earned an MBA from the University of Maryland, and her bachelor’s degree from Grand Canyon University. She also holds a certificate in public management from the University of Baltimore.   

In her spare time, La’Tonya enjoys baking, reading and making wine with her husband of 30 years. 

Megan Gatto currently serves as the Deputy Director at Art with a Heart, a non-profit visual arts organization providing equitable arts access to communities across Baltimore City and the surrounding counties. Art with a Heart facilitates as many as 14,000 classes a year in schools, hospitals, treatment facilities, homeless shelters, subsidized housing communities, senior centers and more. In addition to these classes, Art with a Heart facilitates a workforce development program, HeARTworks, runs a social enterprise store, HeARTwares, a robust community art and service initiative and a leadership program for high school students called The Art of Leadership.

Megan has been guided by the vision of using art as a tool for change and knew early on that she wanted to work in a field that combined visual arts and human services. Through an internship experience at Art with a Heart, her passion only gew and she continued to pursue her passion by participating in international community art outreach programs in Tanzania and Thailand. After completing a BFA in Studio Art with a minor in Psychology from the University of Delaware, Megan returned to Art with a Heart as a staff member.

After nearly a decade at Art with a Heart, Megan is well versed in program and youth development in the arts. In her role as Deputy Director, Megan provides hands-on support to staff who execute Art with a Heart's many programs. Grounded in the organization's mission, Megan brings strong relationship building, project management, and process improvement skills to her leadership role.

Jayson Jarual Green is the Executive Director of New Song Community Learning Center, Baltimore City Public Charter School Operator of New Song Academy #322, a PreK-8th charter school located in the heart of Sandtown-Winchester. Jayson has spent his career working with young people and their families to expand their educational and employment opportunities building strong community connections. Previously, Jayson served as the Executive Director of the Y in Druid Hill in West Baltimore.  

Born in the Bronx, NY, Jayson grew up in a community much like West Baltimore understanding the critical importance of education and equity. Jayson has led organizations by raising and stewarding the critical funds needed to accomplish their missions.  

Jayson also serves as Secretary on the Board of Directors for B-CIITY (Baltimore City Intergenerational Initiatives for Trauma & Youth). He is a devoted Husband to his beautiful Wife, proud Father of two amazing young women, and loving Grandfather of two precious little girls. 

Cynthia Herrera serves as Senior Director of Health, Energy & Community Resilience at the Green & Healthy Homes Initiative (GHHI), the nation’s largest healthy housing organization, addressing the housing-based causes of lead poisoning, asthma, injury, and energy efficiency by creating homes that are healthy, safe, and resilient. GHHI aims to eradicate the negative health impacts of unhealthy housing for children, seniors, and families to ensure everyone has the opportunity to live, learn, work, and play in homes that support their health and well-being.

Cynthia is a mission-driven professional with thirteen years of experience advancing racial equity in placed-based program design & policy change at the intersection of climate, health and equity. She holds a Master of Science degree in Sustainability Management from Columbia University and a Certificate in Climate Change & Public Health from Yale’s' School of Public Health. Cynthia is a returned Peace Corps Volunteer, a Rockwood Art of Leadership for Social Justice Leaders alum and former Climate Justice Fellow at the Center for Community Engagement, Environmental Justice & Health at the University of Maryland’s School of Public Health. She is currently a member and Community-Driven Planning Fund Advisor of the National Association of Climate Resilient Planners (NACRP) and is excited to bring guiding principles and community ownership framework that centers community engagement, consensus design, and popular education to service-learning.

Tawanna Kane is motivated by the heart and inspired by the healing power of community.

Tawanna founded Soulful Eruption, a movement of peace and ease, as the first yoga studio in Fort Greene, Brooklyn in 2001. Soulful Eruption was and continues to be a grassroots movement dedicated to decreasing health disparities and igniting healing within communities. Concurrently. For three years, she served as the executive director of The Lineage Project, a non-profit that offers yoga and meditation to incarcerated and underserved youth throughout New York City.  Since moving to Baltimore, she has continued her work in urban communities, serving as Division Chief for the Department of Recreation and Parks, founding director of The Joy Wellness Center at Shepherd’s Clinic. Shepherd’s Clinic is the first free integrative medicine center for the economically disadvantaged and uninsured.  Tawanna now serves as Compliance Officer for Clay Pots, Inc- a non-profit dedicated to bringing education, wellness and community connection as a means of supporting the residents in Southwest Baltimore.

Tawanna seeks to help individuals and communities, identify and cultivate their internal support systems and resilience.

Tawanna’s work has been featured in American Legacy Woman, Ascent Magazine, Mindful Magazine and in several films, including The Fire of Yoga and the documentary, Yoga Comes to Brooklyn.

Ms. Deana Krizan, is a passionate, mission driven clinical social worker with over eighteen years of experience working in the public behavioral health field in Baltimore City, specializing in crisis response and acute care. She has previously worked in the mental health advocacy sector as the Director of Public Policy for the Mental Health Association of Maryland and the Deputy Director for the Consumer Quality Team of Maryland. She is committed to promoting mental health access to care, wellness and recovery through direct practice, advocacy, and public policy.

She currently serves as the Director of Compliance and Organizational Development with Baltimore Crisis Response Inc. (BCRI), a non-profit organization providing comprehensive therapeutic, trauma-informed behavioral health crisis response services to individuals in the least restrictive environment. Since 1992, BCRI has helped countless individuals overcome mental health and substance use disorders 24/7/365, regardless of ability to pay.

Deana holds an MSW degree from the University of Pittsburgh and a master’s in policy studies from Johns Hopkins University Institute for Policy Studies.

In her role as MIMA’s Deputy Director, Masuma "Missy" Lonczak oversees language access program implementation and supports the development of the office’s strategic plan. She also supports in the coordination and implementation of initiatives including the New American Leadership Institute and the annual Immigration Summit. 

Missy has previously served as a Program Administrator at Johns Hopkins University and worked with the Food Policy Team at the Baltimore City Department of Planning. In addition to double majoring in International Relations and Women, Gender & Sexuality Studies at Goucher College, she holds a master’s degree in Public Administration, Management and a paralegal certification from Marist College. Born in Bangladesh, Missy grew up in Baltimore and is proficient in Bangla. Missy comes to the office with experience in program development and coordination and project management, as well as partnership- and relationship-building. Missy is passionate about Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Justice (DEIJ) work and is very excited to join the MIMA team to do the work that is close to her heart. 

Muhammed Mamman is a seasoned healthcare leader with over 16 years of experience in transforming and sustaining excellence in healthcare delivery across Maryland. He specializes in Federally Qualified Health Centers, primary care, urgent care, clinical quality programs, and care transformation delivery developments. He is known for enhancing patient-centered care and improving outcomes.

Currently, Muhammed serves as the Senior Director of Operations/Patient Access at Healthcare for the Homeless (FQHC) in Baltimore, MD, leading patient access strategies and process improvements. He also holds the position of Director of Business Development at Renaye James Healthcare Advisors, identifying business opportunities and fostering strategic partnerships.

Previously, Muhammed led care transformation at Anne Arundel Medical Center and developed and implemented health programs at Baltimore Medical System (FQHC), managing significant grant-funded projects. His early career included overseeing staff and operations at Righttime Medical Care (Urgent Care).

Muhammed holds an MBA and a Master of Science in Health Care Administration from the University of Maryland Global Campus, where he also earned a Bachelor of Science in Psychology.

Glenn Ross serves as a Community Consultant to SOURCE. His primary functions with the center include: conducting tours of the East Baltimore community, speaking in a variety of academic settings, assisting with orientation activities for new students, and serving as a member of SOURCE’s Governing Board and Community Council. Glenn is active in a variety of local groups, and provides SOURCE with important updates and news from the surrounding communities. He has been a valuable member of our SOURCE team since the center was founded in 2005.

Samuel Walker III is the Director of Operations for MERIT Health Leadership Academy. This academic and career mentorship program supports high school students from underrepresented backgrounds who aspire to have careers in the health field. MERIT is an Out-of-School Time program that provides Saturday College Prep Classes, Professional Internships, College Admissions Guidance, and Longitudinal Mentorship to empower students with additional opportunities and resources. Mr. Walker is responsible for creating and refining the curriculum and program design for Saturday classes, summer internships, and scholar support structures. He also evaluates programming and drives internal programmatic improvements. Before working at MERIT, he worked as a Career Development Specialist at Baltimore City Community College, assisting students and alums with career inventories, resume development, and interview skills. He also helped employers with job descriptions and onboarding procedures for newly hired employees. Mr. Walker has also worked as a College Advisor at the CollegeBound Foundation as the Associate Program Director, designing a college access curriculum which addressed standardized test improvements, college advising, essay writing, and financial aid advising.

Mr. Walker holds a BA in Economics from Furman University in Greenville, South Carolina. He is also the Founder and Director of Playing With A Purpose LLC, a college counseling and mentorship program explicitly targeting student-athletes.

Tramour Wilson (Tra) is the Senior Director of Community Engagement, Policy Advocacy, and Strategic Partnerships for the Pride Center of Maryland (PCOM). PCOM offers 30 services and programs ranging from violence prevention, harm reduction, preventative health services, mentorship, DE&I sensitivity training, workforce development and are the official curators of Baltimore Pride. Tra is responsible for senior level leadership, fundraising, proposing policies and bills that benefits the sexual gender minority community, creating/maintaining partnerships, and curating large community engagement events I.e. Baltimore Pride. With a 10+ year background in Public health, Nonprofit Development, and Social Work. He received his degree of certification from The University of Hawaii, Juniata College, and intends to earn his PHD. Tra is a social justice advocate, professional public speaker, and a behavioral health specialist. Tra has a background in strategic planning, capacity building, cultural competency, advocacy and program development, and social justice reformation. Tra has led protests geared to LGBTQIA/SGL (same-gender loving)+ inclusion, public health issues, systematic racism, and police brutality. He is the founder of a non-profit Transforming Baltimore whose mission is geared to mobilizing Black and African American communities throughout the city of Baltimore by empowering them to become the best version of themselves while building generational wealth.

Zianab brings over eight years of experience in cross-functional team collaboration and more than six years of dedicated work with diverse and vulnerable populations. She is deeply committed to fostering positive and lasting change for Baltimore City's youth and residents.

With a B.S. in Biology from Morgan State University and a Master's Degree in Healthcare Administration Management from the University of Maryland Global Campus, Zianab serves as the Volunteer and Community Engagement Manager at Parks and People. In this role, she effectively builds and manages volunteer teams that directly support programming and events, ensuring smooth operations. She also serves as a resident leader for the Neighbors United Mondawmin initiative, demonstrating her dedication to enhancing program quality and expanding access to transformative opportunities for Baltimore's youth.

Zianab's passion lies in connecting individuals with the resources they need and providing holistic experiences. She firmly believes that fostering community engagement and offering comprehensive support can catalyze lasting positive change. Bringing a unique blend of healthcare expertise and a dedication to community building, she consistently delivers high-quality work that creates vital connections and holistic experiences.

Joseph currently serves as the College and Career Readiness Coordinator at the Goodwill Excel Center, a high school for adults located in downtown Baltimore. An educator with over 10 years of experience — nine of those in Baltimore City — Joseph is passionate about helping learners reach their goals through education and career development.

Joseph especially enjoys working with adult learners, who bring unique life experiences to the classroom and apply new skills in transformative ways. At the Excel Center, he works with students to explore certification programs, career opportunities, and college pathways that align with their interests and aspirations. Joseph loves to collaborate with local partners to connect students with opportunities and community-based resources that continue their growth outside the classroom.

Originally from Denver, Colorado, Joseph now calls East Baltimore home. He holds a degree from the University of Nebraska–Lincoln and brings experience in advising, program development, and project management. Joseph joined the board to further support inclusive educational access and contribute to building stronger, opportunity-rich communities.

Maddie Hagerty (she/her) is a public health professional dedicated to community-driven approaches to health equity and chronic disease support. She currently serves as Senior Manager at Lori’s Hands, where she oversees chapter operations, builds strategic partnerships, and leads fundraising initiatives to connect student volunteers with individuals living with chronic illness. Maddie’s work centers on strengthening cross-sector collaboration and creating opportunities for students to engage meaningfully with older adults and underserved communities. She holds a Master of Public Health from Tulane University and a Bachelor of Science in Public Health Sciences from the University of Maryland, College Park. Originally from Rhode Island, Maddie is passionate about building strong, connected communities wherever she goes.

Joni Holifield founded HeartSmiles in 2015 following Baltimore Youths painful response to BCPD murdering Freddie Gray. As a Baltimore native and someone who grew up in the same zip code where the Freddie Gray uprising was anchored, Joni understood the hurt and frustration that drove young people to set the city on fire and drown it in pure chaos.

Since then, Joni's goal has been and continues to be helping youth from underserved communities tap into their purpose, realize their value while building up their capacity as leaders and lifepreneurs. Joni has successfully built a thoughtful and dedicated team who shares the vision of allowing youth to define their own version of success while breaking down barriers to place them at the intersection of access and opportunity.

HeartSmiles runs several city-wide initiatives that builds on peer to peer mentorship and allows youth to learn from each other. These include Squeegee To Success, Leadership Sessions in Schools, Leadership through Music and many more. Our partners include Bloomberg Philanthropies, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, University of Maryland, The Y of Maryland, Urban Alliance, Baltimore City Mayor's Office, Goldman Sachs and many more.