Community Action Partnership Staff Members

Renetta Davis-Armstrong is a native Washingtonian and the eldest of six children. Growing up in D.C. during a very tough time, Renetta quickly became aware of the disparities that children experiencing poverty face regarding their ability to access resources and high quality programs. While serving as an early childhood educator, a Hill staffer, and an AmeriCorps volunteer, Renetta earned a BA in political science from Trinity Washington University in 2005. Upon graduation, Renetta launched a career in youth services and non-profit management. Rooted in the belief that well-resourced community-based organizations and educational institutions are key to changing the scope of a child’s life, Renetta secured an M.Ed in education administration and policy in 2007 from Howard University, to better support her work as an advocate that believes in community and academic institutional change.

Ryan Gelman serves as the Senior Associate for Public Policy and Advocacy for the National Community Action Partnership. He recently completed a legislative fellowship in the U.S. Senate focusing on pretrial justice and previously served as Legislative Director for a Massachusetts State Senator. He has a law degree from Northeastern University School of Law where he concentrated on constitutional law and public policy.

Prior to joining the Partnership in June of 2016, Kevin Kelly served as managing director of a local microenterprise lender in Arlington, Virginia, the Enterprise Development Group.  His previous experience at the national level includes policy director for the Association for Enterprise Opportunity, a variety of program related positions at the National Congress for Community Economic Development, and as program officer for a grant maker, the Campaign for Human Development. 

Kevin holds a bachelor’s degree in Political Science from California State University at Fullerton and a master’s degree in Political Science from the American University in Washington, DC.

Kathryn Maddux is the Project Director for Energy Partnerships, Community Action Partnership.  Kathryn is an anti-poverty advocate whose social policy lens is informed by work in the federal government and at the local level in rural, urban and suburban settings.  Recent positions include strategizing and implementing a two-generation approach with Head Start families at a Community Action Agency in Maryland, and serving as the special assistant to the Director of the Office of Community Services, at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.  Kathryn started her career as an AmeriCorps volunteer in New Hampshire and then served as a child welfare case worker in Boston, Massachusetts and in her hometown of St. Petersburg, Florida.  She holds a Master of Public Policy from the University of Maryland and a Bachelor of Arts from Emory University.

Lindsay Marsh comes to the Partnership from the Office of Community Service at the US Department of Health and Human Services. Her previous work has taken her across the country working issue and political campaigns, organizing, doing data research, and fundraising. Lindsay is a former small business owner; she co-founded a social media company specializing in online fundraising and social justice work and a liquor distribution company. Long an advocate of civic and social engagement, she is thrilled to work on a project that combines her extensive organizing skills with the real world effects that the census brings to the population the Network serves most.  Lindsay holds a bachelor’s degree in International Affairs and a master’s degree in Political Management, both from the George Washington University. In her spare time, Lindsay is an avid cyclist, runner, and triathlete. She is based out of Denver, Colorado.

Hyacinth McKinley is the Senior Associate for Learning & Dissemination at the Partnership. In this role she is responsible for resource development, content dissemination, and peer-to-peer engagement on the Learning Communities Resource Center, with a special focus on financial empowerment, trauma-informed care, and racial equity. She also facilitates technical assistance and communication efforts on the Community Action Economic Mobility Initiative, which focuses on a whole family approach (two-generation) work. She brings to this role her extensive experience with non-profit training coordination, research, and data analysis from projects that partnered some of the nation’s largest non-profit organizations. She holds a Master of Arts from the George Washington University, is a Nationally Certified ROMA Trainer, and a certified Racial Healing Facilitator.

With a passion for increasing the economic mobility of America’s most vulnerable citizens, Jovita A. Tolbert joined the Community Action Network, working with the National Association for State Community Services Programs (NASCSP), shortly after graduating college. During her ten year tenure at NASCSP, Ms. Tolbert gained a wealth of experience providing management support and technical assistance to all levels of the Community Action Network. More specifically, she provided policy guidance and advocated for the preservation and advancement of the Community Services Block Grant. Ms. Tolbert coordinated and provided local, state, and national trainings with the goal of increasing the Network’s capacity and effectiveness. She also worked with Community Action to document and disseminate best practices from within Network and the anti-poverty field as a whole.

During her four year tenure as Deputy Director with the national Community Action Partnership, Ms. Tolbert has assisted in managing agency operations and human resources. She also oversees member services, benefits, recruitment and retention. Another key responsibility is the coordination of annual conferences and other training events. Ms. Tolbert also oversees agency and member communications.

Ms. Tolbert holds a Bachelors of Science degree in Public Policy, Management, and Planning from the School of Policy, Planning, and Development at the University of Southern California (USC) in Los Angeles, CA.  

Aaron Wicks began his career in Community Action working at Action for a Better Community, in Rochester NY. He credits his passion for Community Action to his mentor, James H. Norman. In his 15 years at this local CAA, Aaron helped support the agency’s strategic plan, community assessment, outcomes reporting, compliance, customer satisfaction, grantwriting, advocacy and other programmatic and organizational needs. Aaron is a Certified Community Action Professional (CCAP) and a Nationally Certified ROMA Trainer. Aaron holds a PhD in political science from the University of Rochester and has worked as an adjunct professor teaching courses in American politics and public administration. Aaron lives in Rochester, NY with his partner, Kelly, and children Dylan and Sydney.