Community Action Partnership Staff Members
Chief Executive Officer
She was appointed the Partnership’s CEO in 2014 after serving as Senior Director of Training and Technical Assistance and Interim Chief Operating Officer. Working with Community Action Network partners, Denise was instrumental in the design and deployment of network-wide Organizational Standards and was a leader in the recent update to the Community Action performance management framework.
Contact Denise
Phone: (202) 860-1020
Email: dharlow@communityactionpartnership.com
Please click here to read Denise's extended bio.
Phone: (202) 265-7546
Tayla Daniel
Program Associate, Training & Technical Assistance
Phone: (202) 838-8378
Email Tayla
Tiffany N. Day
Director, Whole Family Innovations
Email Tiffany
Tayla's bio
Tayla Daniel is the Program Associate for the Partnership’s Training and Technical Assistance Team. Before joining the Partnership, she has done extensive community outreach around COVID-19 in Wards 7 and 8 of the District of Columbia. Tayla is a proud Michigan native. She is an alumna of the Trinity Washington University and is a recent graduate of the Yale Divinity School. Tayla is passionate about uplifting stories and experiences of Black and Brown women. Her work can be found at the intersections of race, faith, and gender.
Tiffany's bio
Tiffany N. Day joined NCAP’s Practice Transformation team in July 2021 as Director of Whole Family Approach Innovations. In this role, she partners with local CAA’s, key stakeholders, and agencies at the local, state, national and federal level to adopt and advance whole family approaches. This work includes elevating replicable, scalable evidence-based models while surfacing systemic barriers that prevent families from reaching their full potential.
Prior to joining NCAP, Day served for three years as Systems Change and Policy Analyst for Ascend at the Aspen Institute. There she worked to advance family-centered policy, practice and systems change through a two-generation (2Gen) approach. Her work in the whole family space began during her seven-year tenure in the Tennessee Department of Human Services’ Commissioner’s Office. There she served in various capacities, including, but not limited, to Executive Advisor and 2Gen Consultant where she co-led the Department’s 2G for Tennessee! and Building a Thriving Tennessee 2Gen grant-making strategy, managed the department’s then $20M+ 2Gen investment portfolio, and worked with various state agencies and community-based organizations to design and implement 2Gen approaches. She also served in the Commissioner’s Special Projects and Business Intelligence Support (SABIS) unit, where she managed Department-wide leadership institutes to promote organizational change and 2Gen capacity building, coordinated inter/intradepartmental collaborations for improved service coordination and delivery, managed the Department’s annual performance plan under Customer Focused Government as liaison to the Governor’s office, and conducted research and planning on various topics, including, but not limited to, increasing access to quality early childhood education, poverty reduction, and anti-human sex trafficking.
Day is a “creative” by nature and a strong advocate for racial, gender, and LGBTQ+ equity. She believes that bringing our authentic selves to this work is imperative to realizing real and sustainable change. Her lived experience as a student parent and someone who has interacted with various systems throughout her life helps her to take an informed approach to family-centered practice, policy and systems change.
Johnny Eudaly
Communications & Branding Associate
Phone: (202) 860-1032
Email Johnny
Project Director, Public Policy & Advocacy
(202) 860-1027
Johnny's bio
Johnny Eudaly is the Partnership’s Associate for Communications and Branding. In this role, Johnny is responsible for developing and implementing social media strategy, managing email newsletter production, graphic design, photography and video production. Johnny holds a Bachelor’s of Arts in English Literature, Literary and Cultural Studies from the University of Cincinnati.
Ryan's bio
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.
Project Director, Energy Partnerships
Phone: (202) 860-1023
Program Associate, Membership & Administration
Aimee's bio
Aimee began as a LIHEAP intake worker and community organizer with a group called Affordable Power to the People in Chicago back in 2000. From there she worked at Community Economic Development Association of Cook County (CEDA), and then at the Citizens Utility Board (CUB) of Illinois where she participated in the development, launch and oversight of the IL LIHEAP Percentage of Income Payment Plan (PIPP). She also served on the state’s LIHEAP/WAP Policy Advisory Council as well as the Illinois Income Qualified Energy Efficiency Stakeholder Advisory Group, which oversaw the process of braiding utility EE funds into the IL WAP program. She has extensive experience speaking to and training various audiences. She is passionate about weatherization, community action, and energy justice. She lives in Chicago with three daughters, two cats and one dog.
Alexandra's bio
Alexandra Haesler is a Program Associate in Membership and Administration for the Partnership. In this role, she is responsible for membership recruitment and database management. She also provides general support to the events and membership team. She comes to the Partnership with nonprofit experience in several areas, including education, youth development, human services, volunteer management and community services. She worked in Boston for the last five years before relocating to DC. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Public Communication from Vermont and a Masters of Public Administration and Nonprofit Management from the University of Arizona.
Program Associate, Learning Communities Resource Center
Tiffney's bio
Tiffney Marley, MDIV, CCAP, NCRMT is the Senior Vice President for Practice Transformation at the Partnership, where she leads training and technical assistance strategies to maximize impact and transform anti-poverty practices of the Community Action Network. Since 2015, Tiffney’s portfolio has grown to include the National Learning Communities Resource Center (LCRC), Whole Family Approach Initiatives, and the Transforming Leadership and the Human Services Ecosystems Initiative. This work has included leading multiple intensive technical assistance cohorts aimed to innovate, transform, and implement effective programmatic and organizational practices; and collaborating with governmental and private stakeholders on special initiatives to transform organizations and systems. Tiffney is an institutional equity expert and serves as a thought-partner to the CEO on national equity implementation and other strategic initiatives.
Tiffney is a Head Start Alumni and touts her personal transformation from being Community Action customer to becoming a national Community Action leader. She has 10 years of Community Action professional experience, having served as the Training Coordinator for the North Carolina Community Action Association prior to joining the Partnership team.
Tiffney is the former Director of Black Church Studies at Duke University Divinity School and has over 18 years of senior-level experience in the academic, faith-based, and nonprofit sectors. She is a Certified Community Action Professional, Nationally Certified ROMA Master Trainer, and a Rx Racial Healing Practitioner. She also holds a Nonprofit Management Executive Certificate from Georgetown University McCourt School of Public Policy, a Master of Divinity from Duke University, and a Bachelor of Science in Secondary Mathematics Education from North Carolina State University. Her biggest accomplishment is that she is the mother of twins, Randi and Jesse, whom she is grooming to become future leaders.
Aimee's bio
Aimee Roberge is an experienced social services professional, most recently having managed operations and development for an advocacy nonprofit in Washington D.C. and served as an advisor for young pregnant and parenting mothers in a New York City homeless shelter. She has research and data analysis skills and has studied the intersection between policy, practice, and organizational systems supporting low-income youth and families. As the LCRC Program Associate, Aimee is responsible for resource curation, development and dissemination as well as communications and grants management support. She holds a Human Development and Family Studies/Human Rights degree from the University of Connecticut and a Master of Public Administration degree from Baruch College with a focus in nonprofit management and social policy. In her free time, she enjoys hiking, concerts, reading, meeting new people, and exploring.
Director, Organizational Capacity Building
Director, Practice Transformation
Phone: (202) 860-1033
Maribeth's bio
Maribeth has proudly served the Community Action network since 2010 at the local, state, and national levels, including at a local Community Action Agency where she provided direct services, facilitated agency planning and continuous improvement efforts; serving at the state level as Kentucky’s Director of Family Support where she led the state team responsible for administration and implementation of SNAP, TANF, Medicaid, CSBG, and LIHEAP; and at the national level as the CSBG State Assistance Director at the National Association for State Community Services Programs (NASCSP) where she supported CSBG Lead Agencies to effectively administer CSBG and address poverty at the state level. Maribeth is a Certified Community Action Professional, certified Results Oriented Management and Accountability Trainer, certified Project Management Professional, and holds a Master of Public Administration with a specialization in law and public policy. Maribeth is an avid animal lover and enjoys hiking and being in nature. Maribeth lives in Louisville, Kentucky with her spouse and dogs.
Lillie's bio
Lillie has over 15 years of service with the Community Action Network. She currently serves as the Director of Practice Transformation for the National Community Action Partnership and is a Nationally Certified ROMA Trainer. Prior to joining the Partnership, Lillie worked at a local Community Action Agency where she served as the Deputy Director. In this role, she managed and supported Administrative and Programmatic Operations, including Human Resources, Fiscal, IT, Procurement, Grant Management, Head Start, Early Head Start, and CSBG-Funded Services. Lillie is an avid traveler and enjoys spending time with family.
Co-Project Director, CARES Act Supplemental
(202) 838-8382
Senior Associate, Learning & Dissemination
Lana's bio
Lana Shope began her career in the community action network at Mid-Iowa Community Action, Inc. (MICA) in Marshalltown Iowa. Over a period of ten years, Lana created a variety of new programs that improved the lives of people experiencing poverty. Lana departed MICA to serve as the lobbyist for the Iowa Conference of the United Methodist Church where she was immersed in the day to day efforts of advocating and lobbying for social justice issues, including addressing the causes and conditions of poverty. After five years in this role, Lana returned to the network as the executive director of the Iowa Community Action Association (ICAA) and served in that role for sixteen years. With a commitment to increase her skills and knowledge, in 2010 Lana successfully completed the curriculum and became a Certified Community Action Professional (CCAP).
In addition to her work addressing the causes and conditions of poverty, Lana enjoys spoiling her grandchildren, reading, exercising and operating a small business, Pies and Pastries by Lana, which she has been doing for six years.
Gabriel's bio
Gabriel Smith is the Senior Associate for Learning and Dissemination at the National Community Action Partnership. Gabriel brings experiences from the Southern Poverty Law Center, the Democratic Coordinated Campaign in Tampa Florida, the Congressional Black Caucus, and the U.S. House of Representatives to the partnership. Smith holds undergraduate and graduate degrees in History from Tuskegee University and Auburn University respectively, with emphasis on the Civil Rights Movement and economic resistance to White Supremacy. Gabriel enjoys traveling abroad and participating in trivia competitions.
Steph's bio
Steph Smith serves as the Senior Associate, SNAP E&T Program, with the National Community Action Partnership. Steph brings her 15 years of experience in both the Washington, DC and Texas nonprofit sectors to NCAP and is responsible for developing and implementing a strategic plan to further connect the SNAP E&T program with our Community Action Agencies nationwide.
Jovita's bio
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.
Program Assistant, Administration
CARES T/TA Project Assistant
Senam's bio
Senam Tsikata is a Program Assistant at the Partnership. In this role, she takes an active part on the Events and Membership teams and provides support the Leadership Team and Board of Directors. She holds a Bachelor’s of Arts in Economics and French from the University of British Columbia.
Vice President, Organizational Capacity Building
(202) 860-1017
Program Associate, Administration & Membership
(202) 860-1018
Aaron's bio
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.
Madison's bio
Madison Wicks is a Program Assistant at the Partnership. In this role, she takes an active part on the Events and Membership teams and provides support the Leadership Team and Board of Directors. She holds a Bachelor’s of Arts in International Affairs and Anthropology from the George Washington University.
Cashin's bio
Cashin Yiu comes most recently from a non-profit, Global Integrity, that supports learning centered approaches to complex governance challenges around the world. She served as Operations Associate covering everything from finance to human resources to performance management to communications.
Prior to that, Cashin was with Community Action Partnership for 6 years from 2011 – 2016. She held a variety of roles including Special Assistant to the CEO, Program Associate focused on the Organizational Standards, Program and Events Coordinator for the training and technical assistance (T/TA) team, and Program Support Specialist for the National Training Center. She is excited to return to the Partnership and combine her knowledge of the Community Action Network and T/TA issues with her experience in nonprofit operations to support the grants and contracts teams as they successfully carry out their work.
She is originally from Georgia where she attended the University of Georgia and earned a degree in International Affairs. She worked in the DC area for 8.5 years before moving to Charlotte, NC in 2019 where she continues to work remotely.