Our Team

OPERATIONS MANAGER

April is responsible for overseeing day-to-day operations. You may have seen her with her small business as a vendor at several county farmers markets and local festivals, or connecting with area micro-businesses. With a passion for community connection, she has been a fan of West Side Grows Together since long before her employment.  In her spare time she enjoys cooking, gardening, traveling, and reading.

Contact April at apagliassotti@cornerstonewestcdc.org or (302) 888-5334.

COMMUNICATIONS COORDINATOR

Jamilah Abdullah is a culinary arts professional living in Wilmington. She is a University of Delaware alumna with a degree in Hospitality Business Management, with many years of experience leading various food operations and recently founding and operating her own mutual aid free food mission for the past 2 years. She's excited to work on the West Side and Kiva Delaware to help growing entrepreneurs in the Delaware area.

Contact Jamilah at jabdullah@westsidegrows.org or (302) 213-2117.

HOUSING & COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT MANAGER

Starr holds a Bachelor's degree in Public Service with a minor in Criminal Justice and a Master of Science in Organizational Management & Leadership from Springfield College in Springfield, Massachusetts. Starr is passionate about children by supporting youth through her organization Just P.L.A.Y. (Promoting Lifetime Activities for Youth). She has more than 13 years of experience and a firsthand understanding of how positive interactions can develop and nurture empathy, love, acceptance, and forgiveness. Starr enjoys playing games, camping, and Zumba during her free time.

Contact Starr at swilson@cornerstonewestcdc.org or (302) 888-5345.

HOUSING OUTREACH SPECIALIST

Native to Delaware and born and raised on the West Side of Wilmington, T’why is an entrepreneur and the Owner/Operator of The Temple where she has achieved Super Host status and strives to grow her real estate portfolio. She also holds a Certification in Cosmetology with an Instructors Degree, in addition to being a Certified Licensed Insurance Agent in DE, PA and MD. T’why has a passion to help people become the best that they can be. Her motto is “Help me help you.” 

Contact T’why at trogers@westsidegrows.org or (302) 888-5333.

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR

Ray is originally from Philadelphia and has worked in public service for several years. He started his career in Financial Planning and Analysis in the legal industry and then moved on to become an entrepreneur. At the same time, he also began working in the nonprofit industry, where he focused on community engagement, training, and advising business owners. Ray has a Bachelor's Degree in Business Management and a Master's Degree in Business Education. In his free time, he enjoys jogging, cooking, and rooting for all of Philly's sports teams

Contact Ray at rparker@cornerstonewestcdc.org or (302) 888-5332.

COMMERCIAL CORRIDOR MANAGER

Jacqueline is a former intern-turned-fulltimer for West Side Grows Together. She is earned her Bachelor’s of Public Policy Studies at the University of Delaware. As a first-generation American and a Delaware native, she understands the need for growth and better relationships to honor the diverse communities of Wilmington. She also functions as a Spanish translator and mediator for West Side Grows Together.

Contact Jacqueline at jcastaneda@westsidegrows.org or (302) 888-5336.

CAPITAL ACCESS MANAGER

Mary is an experienced professional who balances that out with also being fun and creative. She has over 20 years of experience in the healthcare, human services and financial fields. She has been instrumental in helping clients access resources needed to remove barriers such as job training, housing, grants, and transportation. Her attention to detail and ability to fully see the task to completion makes her a true asset to our team.

Mary balances her commitment to work with her entrepreneurial endeavors through the creative outlets of abstract painting and handcrafted jewelry. Mary’s artwork has been shown through group exhibitions in galleries and shows in New York and Delaware.

As a Capital Access Manager, Mary uses her passion and entrepreneurial spirit to help develop, support and encourage entrepreneurs to expand and grow within the community.

Contact Mary at measley@westsidegrows.org or (302) 219-4629.

CONSTRUCTION PROJECT MANAGER

Originally from Camden, New Jersey, Core serves as Cornerstone West CDC’s Construction Project Manager.  You can find Core traveling business to business throughout the West Side of Wilmington, making site visits while accessing renovations to your favorite restaurant, hair salon, or local corner store.  Bringing a diverse skill set to the table, he handled public relations and artist management for a major record label that produced the hit song, "Corvette Corvette." Before that, he owned a car dealership, followed by a half-year hiatus to Miami, where he became manager of a hookah bar called "The Living Room Lounge." Aspiring to become an entrepreneur, he attended Delaware Technical Community College, where he completed coursework in Business Administration. Later he graduated from the very first cohort of "Jumpstart Wilmington” Community Developers. Core doesn't do problems; he resolves them.

Contact Core at crhodes@westsidegrows.org or (302) 365-0817.

NEIGHBORHOOD PLANNING MANAGER

Britt has lived in Philly most of her life. She’s most at peace while basking in the sunshine like her cat, Heshy — who enjoys eating houseplants and currently weighs 17 pounds. She’s into any shirt that has a collar and loves bright colors, yellow being her favorite. She’s got a B.A. in Political Science from Temple University and also hold an M.S. in Science and Technology Studies with an emphasis on environmental justice, community planning, and sustainability from Drexel University. Britt has been working over the past 8 years to build just, healthy, and resilient neighborhoods along the Delaware River. She supports local planning networks and work closely with residents, community organizations, and local government. Through coalition building, advocacy, and education, she strives to help underserved communities transition from environmentally sacrificed zones to healthy and resilient spaces for ALL to live, work and play.

Contact Britt at bsalen@cornerstonewestcdc.org or (302) 888-5335.

HEALTHY NEIGHBORHOODS EVENT COORDINATOR

Coming from West Chester, Pennsylvania, Billy joins us as our Healthy Neighborhoods Event Coordinator. Billy attended West Chester University where he received both his undergraduate degree in Political Science and his Master of Public Administration (MPA) degree. Billy is a recent Public Allies of DE alumnus; completing a term working with the Delaware Nature Society as their Food Justice Evaluator. Along with his love for the environment and community, Billy has experience working as a social media manager for Oakland, CA based music and entertainment network SoulBeatTV. Billy brings a positive outlook and diverse skillset to the WSGT team. In his free time, you can find Billy attending concerts, supporting his favorite Philadelphia sports teams, and indulging in being a “foodie".

Contact Billy at bhaviland@westsidegrows.org or (302) 888-5348.

OUTDOOR GLOBAL CLASSROOM SEASONAL COORDINATOR

Bio coming soon…

Contact Jamie at jshanklinspencer@westsidegrows.org.