Alex Kluge Alex joined Grounded Strategies shortly after beginning his master’s degree in public policy and management at Carnegie Mellon University’s Heinz College. Before arriving in Pittsburgh, Alex worked at USAID’s Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance in Washington, D.C. Prior to that, he served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Nepal, where he worked on community development and food security projects. After 4 years of internationally-focused work, Alex has grown passionate about domestic environmental health, land use, and economic development issues. Throughout…Read More
Megan McElhaney Megan joined Grounded as a third-year graduate student from the University of Pittsburgh. She is pursuing joint master’s degrees in social work and public administration, with concentrations in community organizing and nonprofit management. Before grad school, Megan was an AmeriCorps member working with various youth programs in the Hilltop neighborhoods. In fact, she first learned about Grounded when she helped build a Green Playce at the Allentown Learning and Engagement Center! She has been a trip leader specialist with Venture…Read More
Yidan Gong Yidan Gong recently joined Grounded Strategies as a design intern for summer 2018, who has already made herself a valuable member of the team! Her primary focus is the new Green Playce at the Manchester Academic Charter School. This new outdoor classroom and play space will utilize a stretch of vacant lots directly behind the school, transforming unused space into a sensory-rich environment for developing young minds and bodies. In addition to contributing to the design process, she looks forward to…Read More
Ariana Allen Ariana Allen is a recent graduate of Oakland Catholic High School who is now entering her first year at Chatham University’s Falk School of Sustainability and Environment. Since she was a child, Ariana has always had a love and appreciation for animals and the environment. As a kid, she’d almost always be outside playing in the dirt with her two younger brothers or going fishing with her dad. Seeing the impact humans are having on the environment inspired her to…Read More
Katherine Laub Katherine is a junior Environmental Engineering student at the University of Pittsburgh. Having grown up in Philadelphia, Katherine has always been driven to resolve environmental issues in urban environments in ways that will positively impact local communities. Her interest in watershed management and water quality issues began in high school when she worked as a Community Conservation Corps member of the Student Conservation Association in Valley Forge, PA, and continued when she participated in a week-long camping and canoeing expedition…Read More
Masoud Sayles Pronouns: he/him/his Masoud is a lifelong resident of the Pittsburgh Area. A graduate of Penn State University with a degree in Geobiology, Masoud passionately pursues his interest in permaculture design. Prior to joining Grounded, Masoud worked joyfully alongside gardeners at his local community garden, as well as finding employment propagating plants for a local neighborhood nursery. During this time, he worked alongside members of his community in creating various gardens and on trash cleanups, engendering within him an interest in…Read More
Charles Goodwin Pronouns: he/him/his Charlie leads BNY Mellon Capital Markets public finance investment banking practice which focuses on providing debt underwriting, financial advisory and other services for governments, authorities, hospitals, colleges, non-profits and certain project finance clients. He also initiated the firm's Social Investing practice centered around deploying capital that will generate positive financial and social/environmental returns. He joined the board because he was drawn to the work empowering communities around revitalizing neighborhoods through improving underutilized properties. In his profession, he has…Read More
Sarah Williams Wilson Pronouns: she/her/hers Sarah Wilson is an experienced leader of events, programs, and campaigns that advance organizations to new levels of success. Indicative of the range of her accomplishments, she has completed multi-million dollar fundraising campaigns for non-profit organizations, coordinated the relocation of an arts-based high school, and developed a comprehensive public relations and marketing plan for an information design practice. She joined the board to be part of an organization that has achieved significant success since its founding ten years…Read More
Laier-Rayshon Smith Laier is a Pittsburgh native, growing up right here in Larimer. He graduated from Point Park University with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science. His increased interest in urban planning and community development is what led him to GTECH. Before coming to GTECH, Laier was a Coro Fellow in Public Affairs. During the fellowship, he worked in the Department of Innovation & Performance, City of Pittsburgh assisting in the development of the Pittsburgh's new website. The group of Coro…Read More
Miranda Micire Miranda is joining Grounded as a practicum student from the Masters of Social Work program at the University of Pittsburgh. She is in her first year of the Community Organizing and Social Action (COSA) program and is pursuing a joint degree in Public Administration. Miranda has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from the University of Dayton. While living in Dayton, Miranda worked at Homefull as an employment case manager assisting homeless individuals with gaining employment. Previously, she was…Read More
Tom Tao My name is Sifan Tao, and people usually call me Tom. I am really excited to start my summer internship at GTECH. When I was in elementary and middle school, I loved labor skills classes. In those class, we learned to build our own shelves, chairs, and other interesting things. I have always had a passion for using my hands to build things that I like, and I believe that with GTECH my passion for building will also benefit the community we live in as well.…Read More
Lilli Kashef Hamadani Lilli is joining GTECH as a Policy and Research Intern for the summer of 2017. She has completed the first year of her Master of Public Policy and Management program at Carnegie Mellon University’s Heinz College. With a background in Political Science and Anthropology from San Francisco State University and a strong affinity for environmental restoration, she is excited to apply her knowledge to environmental and community issues. Before moving to Pittsburgh, Lilli worked in a multitude of organizations ranging…Read More