Meet Our Team

Abraham moved to Florida in 2018 and joined Catalyst Miami in 2019 as Community Prosperity Coordinator. While getting his Bachelor’s in Public Health at Brigham Young University - Idaho, he was a Hispanic advocate who helped domestic violence victims and later coordinated care for patients in need of services they couldn't afford. His desire to help others comes from different angles; for example, he would like to help the community by making sure public funds are not poorly administered. For this reason, he is currently working toward a Master’s in Public Administration.

Aidil joined Catalyst Miami in 2016. She develops strategies and programming to support the organization’s coalition building and advocacy efforts. She previously served as Vice President of Policy and Advocacy. 

She provides support to various other organizations to further social justice in Miami, as well as across the state. Towards this goal, she also serves on several boards including the Miami Workers Center, the Anthropocene Alliance, Miami-Dade County’s Commission on Human Rights, and is the President of the South Florida Chapter of the National Lawyers Guild. 

Previously, Aidil was an attorney and pro bono coordinator for Americans for Immigrant Justice, where she represented and advocated on behalf of immigrants, including unaccompanied children, and oversaw the pro bono program.  She has also worked for various other nonprofits and served as a consultant to various community organizations and groups to empower and improve the lives of vulnerable and underserved populations. In 2009, her research was published in Churches and Charity in the Immigrant City: Religion, Immigration, and Civic Engagement in Miami. 

Aidil holds a Master’s degree in Comparative Sociology from Florida International University and a JD from Fordham University. She is passionate about protecting our planet and making the world a more just, mindful, joyful, and equitable home for us all.

Alyssa officially joined Catalyst Miami in May 2019 after working with the Public Allies Miami program as a graduate-level intern. She comes from a mental health background, having received a B.A. in Psychology and a master’s degree in Social Work from Florida International University. Currently, she is a Sr. Coach and the Prosperity Manager for Catalyst Miami, having attained certification as a Master-Level Practitioner in Financial Capability as well as being a state-certified IRS tax preparer. Additionally, she is a clinical therapist in South FL, treating court-mandated individuals and those recently incarcerated, as well as children (7-17) struggling with trauma, anxiety and depression. She is a strong advocate for policy reform and participates in various local government meetings and community events, specifically those related to health, poverty, and women's rights. She will be going to law school in the near future to specialize in Criminal Law, where she hopes to eventually become a judge for the Eleventh Circuit in Miami Dade County.

Anaruth currently serves as the Policy & Advocacy Manager for Catalyst Miami. Previously she acted as Community Engagement Coordinator for South Dade, which gave her the chance to work alongside residents getting more involved in their neighborhoods. As the Policy & Advocacy Manager, she is dedicated to promoting more democratic, just, and equitable forms of policy across Miami-Dade County, bringing that same passion for change from her previous role. Anaruth graduated from Florida International University with a Bachelor's in Political Science. In December 2021 she obtained her Master's in Public Administration & Nonprofit Management from Barry University.

Passionate about people, problem-solving, and passing the mic, Carolina serves as the Communications Director for Catalyst Miami. She joined the organization in 2019. In her role, Carolina defines, develops and carries out the organization's internal and external communications. Her central goal is to use her skills to amplify the voices that too often get drowned out by inequity and injustice. Prior to joining Catalyst, she lived in Kansas City for nearly six years while working as Hallmark's first bilingual creative writer. Upon moving back to Miami, she was the lead copywriter and creative strategist for a Miami marketing agency, Imagen. Carolina served as a volunteer medical interpreter at a free clinic for five years and helped launch a literacy program in Kansas City's inner-city schools. She is committed to being a reliable source of support for her staff and community.

Charlene Francois serves as the Worker-Owned Enterprises Manager at Catalyst Miami. She brings experience in workshop facilitation, food justice and youth development. Prior to joining Catalyst, Charlene worked with Care Resource Community Health Centers, Inc. Charlene believes in the transformative power of democratic workplaces and cooperative economics. She has the heart of a visionary and is committed to advocating on behalf of love, justice, and equity. Charlene holds a BA from Columbia University.

Chelsea serves as the Development Director for Catalyst Miami, overseeing and supporting fundraising activities. She joined the organization in 2022. In this role, she brings experience from the philanthropic sector to support the organization’s annual operations and program development. Previously, Chelsea served various roles at The Miami Foundation, managing competitive grant programs, in addition to leading nonprofit engagement for Give Miami Day, an annual giving event aimed at growing support for Miami-Dade County nonprofits. Originally from the Pacific Northwest, Chelsea graduated from Western Washington University with a Bachelor of Arts in Cultural Anthropology, Spanish, and Latin American Studies. Since then, she has worked with nonprofits in the US and in South America in areas related to education reform and social justice.

Chris serves as Children’s Savings Director for Catalyst Miami where he helped create Future Bound Miami, Florida’s first Children’s Savings Account (CSA) program. He is dedicated to enhancing economic stability for all through financial coaching, education, and asset building. Previously, Chris was Director of Social Impact at WorkSquare. He has held several roles within organizations such as Miami Dade College, Branches, and the United Way Center for Financial Stability. He graduated from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro with a Bachelor of Arts and the University of South Florida with a Master of Education.

Courtenay joined Catalyst in 2017 as an independent development consultant, helping articulate the organization’s work and mission in grant proposals, papers, and other communications. Courtenay previously served as Public Policy Director and chief lobbyist for the ACLU of Florida, and prior to that, as the ACLU of Florida’s Voting Rights Project Director. During that time, she catalyzed the founding of the Florida Rights Restoration Coalition, which in 2018 achieved successful passage of a statewide ballot initiative to end Florida’s voting ban against people with past felony convictions. Courtenay is an alumna of The Miami Foundation’s Miami Fellows Initiative leadership development program. She holds a BA in Latin American Studies from Yale University and a Specialization in Creative Intervention from Colegiatura Colombiana in Medellín, Colombia.

Cristina has over fourteen years of experience as an office administrator and worked for local businesses, police departments, and city governments before her position at Catalyst Miami. She has her Bachelor of Science Degree in Office Systems Technology and is currently finishing a second degree in Translation and Interpretation Studies at Miami Dade College. Cristina has two boys and is a passionate advocate for the city, having worked with the Miami Workers Center and other local organizations on issues of housing justice. She is active in the Catalyst community and has participated in many in-house offerings, bringing personal expertise to her role as the Intake Coordinator.

De'Sean serves as the Worker-Owned Enterprises Director where he oversees the incubation and training of worker-owned-and-run businesses that generate and maintain wealth in communities. In his role, he is dedicated to promoting more democratic, just, and equitable forms of community economic development throughout Miami-Dade County. Previously, De'Sean was the Resilience Manager at The Miami Foundation where he led the implementation of a collective impact effort to drive inclusive economic prosperity in Miami. He has held several roles within national advocacy and policy organizations such as The Democracy Collaborative, the Congressional Hunger Center, and Prosperity Now. De'Sean graduated from Northwestern University with a Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology and Global Health Studies and was born and raised in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Destini Smith serves as the Leadership Program Manger with the Policy and Advocacy department. Prior to joining Catalyst in July 2021, Destini worked with Urban Strategies Inc. as a Family Support Specialist II where she assisted families in navigating various systems to reach the goal of a stable and thriving household. She also served as founding staff and fitness coach for the Atlanta non-profit, Noble Clay Fitness, providing access to quality fitness and health coaching to low-wealth communities. She has also done affordable housing and equity work as a Community Building Fellow with Emory University and the Center for Pan Asian Community Services. Destini has a passion for empowering youth leaders and igniting Christians to pursue equity and justice. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Psychology and Community Building and Social Change from Emory University; and she is excited to practice all that she is learning in her Community Building and Social Change Masters of Education program at the University of Miami.

Fatou has 10+ years of experience working in the nonprofit sector and has interests in applied epidemiology and program development. She became interested in the public health field by observing inequities in underserved communities along with low levels of health literacy and its effects on a population’s disease conditions, living situations and overall health. Her interest in supporting low-wealth communities is rooted in her lived experiences as a Senegalese-American. She's been involved in founding and consulting a non-profit foundation, supporting community-based programs, and using research data to plan and execute community interventions in underserved populations. She obtained her Bachelor of Science in Public Health from the University of South Florida and is pursuing a Master of Public Health from the University of Miami, Miller School of Medicine. 

Gabriella Alexis serves as the Community Engagement Coordinator for North Miami with the Policy and Advocacy department. As a North Miami native, she is grateful to be able to give back to the community that nourished and raised her. This role affords her the opportunity to invest in her passions—building economic wealth and alleviating health disparities among Black communities.

Prior to joining Catalyst in September 2022, Gabriella started a research project studying the effects of COVID and the Black Lives Matter Movement on Black students at the University of Florida. She and her team used this data to develop solutions for future times of crisis to amplify Black students' voices at the university level. Gabriella graduated from The University of Florida (Go Gators!) with a Bachelor's in Family, Youth and Community Sciences.

Izegbe, a Baltimore native, has worked as a community advocate for the past 22 years. She has journeyed from a graduate of the 12th PLTI cohort in 2014, to a facilitator for PLTI, Step Up Miami, and People Empowering People, all parenting leadership courses sponsored by Catalyst Miami, to her current position. Her experience as a mother, educator, and community program founder will positively impact the training and cultivation of civic leaders. Izegbe currently serves on the board of Legal Services of Greater Miami.

Louiseny is currently serving as an AmeriCorps Public Ally for the 2021-2022 year with Future Bound
Miami. As the Community Economic Development Associate, she supports the programming of Future
Bound Miami, along with various programs in the Community Economic Development department.
Bringing her background in the healthcare field, she hopes to empower individuals and communities
through self-sufficiency and self-sustainability. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Health Sciences with a
minor in Nonprofit Management from the University of Central Florida.

Manuel joined Catalyst as a contractor in August 2019 and has since taken the role of Data & Evaluation Manager, where he manages data and operating procedures to improve processes and data reporting that the staff and clients depend on.

Monica moved to Miami in 2003 from Guatemala, where she volunteered for five years in a literacy program helping children and adults. While attending college at FIU, she was a part of the FIU Finance and Management Association where she created and promoted free of charge programs that helped develop and enhance the basic financial practices for its members and non-members. She is happy to continue to serve the community.

Born and raised throughout the vibrant neighborhoods of South Florida, Natalia Brown has served as the climate justice program manager at Catalyst Miami since 2021. Through this role and leadership within the Miami Climate Alliance, she is invested in projects to ensure utility access, create pathways for participatory governance, and improve environmental health equity at the frontlines. Natalia leads base-building activities, lawmaker engagement, and cross-sectoral coalitions for energy justice and heat-health policy advocacy. She possesses experience leading multilingual community engagement, grassroots and youth leadership development, and community-directed research.

As the Senior Director of Community Prosperity, Natalie Castellanos supports Catalyst Miami’s mission of identifying and collectively solving issues adversely affecting low-wealth communities throughout Miami-Dade County by ensuring that families and small businesses have access to community-centered health and wealth-building services. Her past roles include serving as policy director at Health Foundation of South Florida, supervising attorney with FIU College of Law’s Clinical Program, and assistant professor at FIU’s Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine, where she continues to teach medical students inter-professional collaboration and advocacy topics.

Natalie is passionate about supporting collaboration across non-traditional partners to improve service delivery and advance transformational justice. She earned her undergraduate degree from the University of Florida and JD from Florida International University College of Law.

A graduate of SUNY Albany with a B.A. in Africana Studies, Nicole is currently the Overtown Community Engagement Manager, a community where she lives and serves. With a strong commitment to eliminating wealth, education and health disparities in marginalized communities of color, Nicole’s passion has been that of bridging the gaps affecting Black women's overall well-being. This, she attributes to her belief that educating and helping to empower a woman liberates an entire community. The legacy that Nicole endeavors to leave is one of love, faith, peace, joy and hope.

Shannon is a graduate of Florida International University, where he obtained his master’s degree in the field of public health with a specialization in health policy and management. He has several years of experience working in public health at the University of Miami Tissue Bank and Community Blood Centers of Florida. Shannon is currently the Director of Workforce Development at Catalyst Miami, focusing on addressing unemployment in Miami-Dade County and creating policies that will lead to long-term systems change, by addressing barriers preventing access to the workforce.