Beyond the ordinary
This is where our journey begins. Get to know our organization and what we do, and how we're committed to quality and great service. Join us as we grow and succeed together. We're glad you're here to be a part of our story.
Meet our Board Members
Carolyn Thurman
Founder & Principal, Civic Uplift
Board Chair
Carolyn is an experienced urban planner and public servant dedicated to strategic planning, policy innovation, and community development in Central Ohio. She founded Civic Uplift and serves as Assistant Director of Economic Development & Planning for Franklin County. With over a decade in community development, Carolyn has held leadership roles in regional planning, grants management, and development coordination. She earned her BA in Psychology from Case Western Reserve University and holds a Master’s in City & Regional Planning from Ohio State University’s Knowlton School. Carolyn is AICP‑certified, recognized as the Ohio Conference of Community Development’s Young Professional of the Year (2020), and is active in local boards including the APA‑Ohio chapter and Impact Community Action.
Millicent Hurtt
Vice President & Development Officer
RiverHills Bank
Vice Chair
Millie is an experienced affordable housing finance professional, currently serving as Vice President at RiverHills Bank. She previously held leadership roles at Ohio Capital Corporation for Housing and Cleveland Housing Network, focusing on affordable housing lending, development, and compliance. Millie holds a BBA in Economics from Kent State and a Master’s in Urban Planning from Cleveland State. She is a certified Housing Development Finance Professional and an active advocate for women’s leadership in the housing sector.
Jason Reece
Vice President for Urban Research & Community Engagement, Associate Professor, The Ohio State University
Secretary
Directs Ohio State’s urban engagement initiatives and teaches equity planning, land-use law, and community development. Applied researcher on social equity, health, and housing with national impact. Holds BA degrees from Miami University and a Master’s and PhD in City & Regional Planning from Ohio State. Former research director at the Kirwan Institute and leader in faculty-engaged scholarship.
Omar Elhagmusa
Senior Vice President, Spring Garden Lending
Treasurer
Omar has worked in commercial lending for the past two decades. Before joining Spring Garden Lending, Omar was the Ohio Statewide Senior Lender at IFF, a Community Development Financial Institution specializing in Facilities Lending. Prior to IFF, Omar served as a Commercial Lender at Finance Fund and a Small Business Lender at Huntington Bank where he also ranked as the #1 Branch Manager out of 700+ branches. Through His banking career, Omar has had the privilege of deploying over $100 MM of capital throughout the state of Ohio, mostly in rural and urban communities that have experience a history of economic marginalization.
Omar holds an MBA from Ohio Dominican University and completed his undergraduate work at Fisher College of Business at The Ohio State University. Omar is the former Housing Chair and President of the Weinland Park Civic Association, Former Area Commissioner of the University Area Commission, and current Trustee at Equitas Health. Lastly, Omar was honored by his peers in the 2022 class of Leadership Ohio, as Leader Among Leaders.
Amy Rosenthal
Vice President, Affordable Housing, National Church Residences
Amy Rosenthal is the Vice President, Affordable Housing for National Church Residences. As a member of the Development & Acquisition Department, Rosenthal oversees affordable housing and senior living mid-market development projects from concept to construction completion. Working her team Amy identifies potential sites, develops relationships, performs community outreach, and coordinates funding applications. Prior to joining, National Church Residences Mrs. Rosenthal was the Associate Director of the Ohio CDC Association with the primary responsibility for delivery of training and technical assistance in the areas of affordable housing, microenterprise, and community economic development.
Currently, Mrs. Rosenthal serves as a board member Healthy Neighborhoods Healthy Families, a Nationwide Children’s Hospital initiative and the Affordable Housing Alliance of Central Ohio. Mrs. Rosenthal is a graduate of The Ohio State University with a dual Master’s degree in City and Regional Planning and Public Policy and Management and has a Bachelor of Urban Planning from the University of Cincinnati. Mrs. Rosenthal lives in Central Ohio with her husband and two children.
Elizabeth Lovell
Nationally Certified School Psychologist, Lovell Education Services
Beth is a school psychologist specializing in literacy interventions, multi-tiered systems of support (MTSS), data-driven assessment, and educational systems. She develops and implements strategies that enhance student learning outcomes and school-wide intervention frameworks.
Michael Wilkos
Senior Vice President, Community Impact- United Way of Central Ohio
Based in Columbus, Michael leads United Way’s Community Impact team, crafting strategies, directing funding, and partnering with nonprofits to tackle neighborhood revitalization, poverty, economic mobility, and housing safety. He previously served as Director of Community Research at The Columbus Foundation, managing over $9 million in grants to stabilize mixed-income neighborhoods like Weinland Park. Michael holds a BA in Geography and a Master’s in City & Regional Planning from Ohio State University and is a respected speaker on equity, redlining, demography, and community development
Yohannan Terrell
CEO, Warhol & WALL ST., Director, Columbus Fashion Alliance
Yogi is an award‑winning marketing strategist and creative connector based in Columbus, Ohio. As CEO of Warhol & WALL ST., he leads a consumer-engagement agency specializing in brand strategy, experiential and digital campaigns, earning recognition for innovation and impact. A graduate of The Ohio State University (B.A. in Psychology, minor in Marketing), Yogi brings over 15 years of integrated marketing expertise—spanning advertising, content creation, event production, and multimedia.
He also co-founded and directs the Columbus Fashion Alliance, a hub supporting local fashion brands and elevating Columbus as a regional fashion capital. Actively engaged in civic life, Terrell serves on boards including the Greater Columbus Arts Council, Short North Alliance, Lincoln Theatre, Nationwide Children’s Hospital Development Board, and Create Columbus Commission. He is also the publisher of FlyPaper Magazine, a digital platform for urban-millennial culture.
Maria Anderson
Director of Architecture at Beradi + Partners
With a Master of Architecture and a B.S. in Mathematics from The Ohio State University, Maria brings over 15 years of experience leading multifamily, mixed-use, and community projects. She is a licensed architect known for thoughtful, community-centered design and has played key roles at OHM Advisors, WD Partners, and Jonathan Barnes Architecture.
Taylor Fante
Vice President of Office Services at Colliers
With the Certified Commercial Investment Member (CCIM) designation, Taylor specializes in leasing and sales of commercial office space across Central Ohio. Taylor serves as a trusted advisor to owners, investors, and tenants, offering strategic real estate solutions and market insights.
Behind every service we provide is a dedicated team of professionals, each bringing their unique expertise and enthusiasm to our non-profit.
Meet our Staff
Sarah Arellano Higgins
Executive Director
Sarah Higgins is the Chief Operating Officer of Arch City Development, where she leads real estate projects that strengthen public-private partnerships through community engagement and strategic innovation. She brings extensive experience in affordable housing development,
compliance, and nonprofit leadership. Before joining Arch City, Sarah served as Senior Compliance and Service Manager at Healthy Homes, helping deliver over 400 affordable units in Columbus. She also served as Associate Director for the Parsons Avenue Redevelopment Corporation (PARC), advancing revitalization efforts on the South Side. Sarah is an Advanced Certified Occupancy Specialist and Multi-Family Housing Specialist. She
studied at The Ohio State University and is passionate about advancing equitable housing solutions.
Brian Higgins
Associate Director
Brian Higgins is a Columbus-based development professional who has served as Principal at Arch City Development and leading initiatives at the Parsons Avenue Redevelopment Corporation. With a strong commitment to urban revitalization, he specializes in neighborhood redevelopment and strategic planning. Brian holds multiple degrees from The Ohio State University and brings over a quarter century of experience in public-private partnerships and community-focused real estate development.