Staff

MARY ELLEN WIEDERWOHL
President & CEO

MARY ELLEN WIEDERWOHL is the President and CEO of Accelerator for America. She has more than 25 years of experience in business, civic leadership, and public policy. Wiederwohl led economic and community development for the city of Louisville from 2014-2020. During her tenure, Louisville experienced more than $17 billion of new capital investment, made substantial new investments in affordable housing, introduced industry leading innovations in talent development and the future of work, and the agency she led was named a Top Economic Development Organization six times by Site Selection Magazine. She also served as Interim President & CEO of LHOME, Louisville’s homegrown CDFI. Before joining Louisville’s city hall, Mary Ellen served in public and private sector advocacy roles, primarily at the state and local levels, specializing in several areas of public policy including budget, taxation, and governance She represented more than 100 consulting clients, including several Fortune 500 companies. She earned her M.A. in Political Science and a B.A. in Music and Political Science from the University of Louisville.

AARON THOMAS
Former CEO & Senior Advisor

Aaron is the outgoing President and CEO of Accelerator for America, a national nonprofit co-founded by Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti in 2017. Guided by a network of mayors, labor leaders, corporate CEOs and non-profit executives from across the country, the Accelerator’s mission is to find and develop solutions to economic insecurity and share them with cities nationwide.

Under Aaron’s leadership, the Accelerator has developed economic development tools that are being used by more than 70 cities nationwide. It has also helped local communities generate more than $30 billion in funding for transit and transportation infrastructure through local ballot initiatives. Most recently, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Accelerator developed a financial assistance model in Los Angeles that distributed $37 million to help people who lost income as a result of COVID-19, and this model is now being adapted by two states and eight cities nationwide. Currently, the Accelerator is partnering with the Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth and the Nowak Metro Finance Lab at Drexel University to develop place-based recovery playbooks to help cities rebuild and recover from the pandemic. These playbooks include a groundbreaking new tool designed to help local leaders develop concrete strategies to close the racial wealth gap in their cities primarily through the formation and expansion of black-owned businesses.

Prior to joining the Accelerator, Aaron spent the majority of his career in investment banking, where he traded equity derivatives and facilitated equity transactions. More recently, he worked in middle-market private equity before pivoting into the public sector, first as a fellow in the California Senate and now with the Accelerator. He is a graduate of Harvard College and received his MBA from Stanford’s Graduate School of Business.

YUSEF ROBB
Senior Advisor

Yusef is a storyteller and strategist who counsels publicly traded companies, startups, non-profits campaigns and high-profile individuals. His started his consulting practice, tk/Communications, after serving as Director of Communications to the Mayor of Los Angeles. Along with helping launch Accelerator for America, Yusef helped lead the passage of Measure M, L.A. County’s $120 billion infrastructure initiative.

In between private sector roles, Yusef was appointed to senior positions the administrations of the Governor of California, California State Controller and a second L.A. Mayor, and worked on presidential, statewide and local campaigns on both coasts. His on-the-ground experience extends across the United States and into Europe, Asia and South America, and a FOX host once threatened to cut off his microphone. He earned his B.A. and M.A. from NYU.

MATT HORTON
Strategic Advisor

Matt Horton is a strategic advisor for Accelerator for America. In this role he interacts with government officials, impact investment and other community leaders in building capacity toward shaping infrastructure, jobs creation, and equitable community development efforts. Over the past fifteen years, Matt has worked to direct research driven programs and initiatives to develop public policy that impacts housing production, infrastructure finance, enhance access to capital, create jobs and other economic development strategies. Previously, Matt was the director of the California Center at the Milken Institute. There, he produced research, programs, and events designed to inform and activate innovative economic policy solutions to support job creation and infrastructure development as a catalyst to supporting resilient growth. Before, Matt worked for the Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG), the nation’s largest metropolitan planning organization. There, Matt served as the primary point of contact for external and government affairs, coordinating regional policy development with local elected officials, state, and federal stakeholders. In this role, he developed plans with leaders across Southern California to plan for growth, build resiliency, and improve quality of life throughout the region.

Matt is a Senior Advisor for the Milken Institute and a member of the California Economic Mobility and Entrepreneurship task force and participates on a number of advisory boards including: Lift to Rise; WorkingNation, and Abundant Housing Los Angeles. Matt earned an MA in political science from California State University, Fullerton and a BA in history from Azusa Pacific University.

ROSS VAN DONGEN
Director, Infrastructure & Intergovernmental Affairs

Ross leads Accelerator for America’s infrastructure initiatives and directs the organization’s intergovernmental affairs. In his role, Ross tracks federal infrastructure opportunities for local, regional, and state governments, especially as it pertains to advancing underserved communities' economic mobility and interconnectivity. Ross works closely with federal agencies to increase communication with mayors, local leaders and their teams to ensure a more productive dialogue across all layers of government. Before joining Accelerator for America in 2019, Ross worked on Beto O’Rourke’s campaign for US Senate in Texas managing the Dallas Headquarters. A Midwesterner by birth, Ross received his Bachelor’s Degree from Indiana University.

ANNE BOVAIRD NEVINS
Director, Economic Development

Before joining the Accelerator, Anne had been with PIDC, Philadelphia’s official economic development corporation for nearly 16 years, serving as President since January 2020 and leading PIDC through the pandemic. As President, Anne was responsible for the organization’s efforts to develop and implement strategies to drive economic growth to every corner of Philadelphia.

Prior to her appointment as President, Anne served as PIDC’s Chief Strategy and Communications Officer. Prior to this role, Nevins served as PIDC’s Senior Vice President for Marketing and Business Development for six years. Anne currently serves as co-chair of the Racism and Economic Development Committee of the International Economic Development Council (IEDC), co-managed Philadelphia’s Amazon HQ2 bid, and created PIDC and Urban Land Institute (ULI) Philadelphia’s partnership on the future of work and its impact on industrial and commercial land.

From 1999 to 2001, Anne served in the White House Office of Cabinet Affairs. which is responsible for coordination between the President and all cabinet agencies. She then joined the Salt Lake Organizing Committee for the 2002 Olympic Winter Games and managed the logistical and hospitality arrangements for all U.S. dignitaries attending the Olympics. Anne then managed corporate sponsorships for the Kimmel Center, the regional performing arts center in Philadelphia. She next served as Director of Development for Historic Philadelphia,Inc. and raised substantial funds to renovate Franklin Square, an 8-acre urban park in the center of Philadelphia’s historic district. Anne has a Masters in Business Administration from the Wharton School and a Bachelors Degree in Political Science from the University of Pennsylvania.

A.J. HERRMANN
Director, Policy & Program Innovation

Before joining the Accelerator team, A.J. was the Director of Policy for Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas. In that role, he led legislative efforts to establish and fund the city's first Housing Trust Fund, become the first major city in the country to launch Zero Fare Transit, and helped manage the city's public health and economic response to COVID-19. Prior to his time at City Hall, he was a Senior Program Officer at the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, where he managed the Kauffman Indicators of Entrepreneurship, a suite of data tools and visualizations focused on entrepreneurship and business growth, as well as a $5 million grant portfolio focused on entrepreneurship research and policy. AJ also has extensive experience as a policy-focused research consultant and has advised federal agencies, non-profits, and advocacy organizations with program evaluation, implementation, and strategic planning efforts. A.J. earned a Masters in Public Policy from the University of California-Berkeley and BA in History from Colby College.

SAMANTHA DEUTCHMAN
Manager, Events & Operations

Samantha manages Accelerator for America's day-to-day operations and runs all virtual and in-person events for the organization. Mary Ellen, President & CEO, frequently refers to Sam as the Chief Doer of Things. In her role, Samantha handles all intra-organizational operations amongst the staff and CEO and executes AFA's in-person Advisory Council Meetings attended by Mayors, CEOs, and civic and philanthropic leaders in cities all over the country.

Before joining Accelerator for America in 2020, Sam worked for many years as an Event and Project Coordinator for a variety of organizations. A native Angeleno, she is also an experienced yoga instructor with a Bachelor's Degree from SMU.

ZACH ETZIN
Manager, Infrastructure

Zach joined Accelerator in 2023 as Program Manager to support the Innovative Infrastructure Initiative. Previously, he served as Deputy Director for the City of Lansing's (MI) Office of Financial Empowerment. In that role he worked on economic mobility programs and policies. Additionally, he holds certifications in firefighting and hazmat operations. Zach graduated with dual degrees in comparative cultures & politics and social relations & policy from Michigan State University's James Madison College.

LIZ ALKIRE
Manager, Workforce Development

Liz joined Accelerator for America in 2024 as Workforce Development Program Manager to support the Leveraging Infrastructure Network for Equity (LINE) Initiative. Before joining the Accelerator team, she worked for place-based foundations and workforce development, economic development, and civic organizations in Denver and Boulder, Colorado and Louisville, Kentucky. Throughout her career, Liz has led programs and advanced strategies to improve economic mobility and increase access to resources for disinvested and underinvested communities. Liz has a Master's Degree in International Affairs from the University of California, San Diego and a Bachelor's Degree in Political Science from Vassar College.

STEPHANIE ORLANDO
Manager, Economic Mobility

Prior to joining Accelerator for America, Stephanie spent five years as Innovation Manager on the City of Philadelphia's Public Technology & Innovation team, overseeing a portfolio of programming aimed at fostering innovation and efficiency across municipal government. Before her time at the City, Stephanie worked at Philadelphia Industrial Development Corporation (PIDC) as a graduate fellow, contributing to various economic development initiatives and conducting research focused on 'future of work' trends and its impact on industrial land in Philadelphia. Stephanie began her career in Atlanta, GA working in the education and non-profit sectors, where she first developed the passion for public sector work that has guided her throughout each stage of her career. Stephanie holds a Masters in Public Administration from the University of Pennsylvania Fels Institute of Government, and a Bachelors Degree in Corporate Communication from the College of Charleston.

MANDY BENSON
Human Resources Consultant

Mandy J. Benson founded MJ Benson Consulting in 2017 to bring together her passion and experience in both social justice advocacy and human resources. Mandy specializes in organizational development, employee relations, sexual harassment prevention, and works in partnership to provide diversity, equity and inclusion trainings and strategies. Mandy has held leadership roles in organizations including Planned Parenthood Affiliates of California, Stanford University, Mills College, and the National Organization for Women-California. Mandy has also served as President of California NOW and US National Committee for UN Women, SFBA; as Co-Founder and Vice President of Work Equity; and Board Member of Health Access.

SHEHARAZAD FLEMING
Communications Consultant

Sheharazad Fleming is a communications strategist, creative director and arts educator. Her core competencies include strategic communication, design and branding, content development and visual storytelling. Throughout her career, she has successfully led creative teams in both agency and in-house settings, with a focus on the civic, academic, healthcare, and non-profit sectors, most recently, serving as Director of Digital Design and Marketing for the Office of the LA Mayor. Sheharazad draws on her professional experience to teach undergraduate courses in Design Thinking and Brand Strategy and to serve as Chief Creative Officer of The Great Discontent, a platform that amplifies the work of emerging artists and under-represented creative communities.

RESEARCH PARTNERS

BRUCE KATZ
Co-Founder and Director
Drexel University, Nowak Metro Finance Lab

Bruce Katz is the Co-Founder and inaugural Director of the Nowak Metro Finance Lab. Katz regularly advises global, national, state, regional and municipal leaders on public reforms and private innovations that advance the well-being of metropolitan areas and their countries.

Katz is the co-author of The New Localism: How Cities Can Thrive in the Age of Populism (Brookings Institution Press, 2018) and The Metropolitan Revolution: How Cities and Metros are Fixing Our Broken Politics and Fragile Economy (Brookings Institution Press, 2013). Both books focus on the rise of cities and city networks as the world’s leading problem solvers.

MICHAEL GREENLE
Managing Director
Drexel University, Nowak Metro Finance Lab

Michael Greenle joined the Lindy Institute and Nowak Lab in October 2019 after a decade as an independent consultant focused on values-based, urban public affairs projects as a communications strategist and project/process manager. He has specialized in helping non-profits and advocacy groups create and leverage news, information and data to build constituency, raise funds and increase engagement and impact. As a consultant, he worked with Drexel to develop strategies for signature initiatives and manage multi-stakeholder collaborations, including supporting the creation of Connect to Compete, a Brookings-led study of Philadelphia’s Innovation District, the anchor partnership behind the Philadelphia Fellowship, and the Urban Strategy Summit and Urban Innovation Fellows program. As a consultant, Mike helped develop communications and engagement strategy for organizations like the Delaware River Waterfront Corporation, the Committee of 70, ExCITe Center and helped manage the Philadelphia Public Interest Information Network and the creation of the Center for Public Interest Journalism at Temple University. Prior to his consulting work, Mike served as the Communications Director at PennPraxis during the Central Delaware planning process and facilitated the creation of the news organization, PlanPhilly, while at TechImpact. Mike has also worked in non-profit advocacy and technology, in political media, and in the U.S. House of Representatives for then-Congressman Jay Inslee. He holds a B.A. in American Studies from Cornell University and an MPA from the University of Pennsylvania.

MILENA DOVALI
Research Officer
Drexel University, Nowak Metro Finance Lab

Milena is a Research Officer at the Nowak Metro Finance Lab at Drexel University, bringing a wealth of experience in economic development, data analysis, inequality, and urban policy. With a Master of Public Policy from the University of Chicago and a BA in Economics from the Monterrey Institute of Technology and Higher Education, Milena's work is defined by a commitment to creating positive social change. Her extensive experience as a Research Coordinator at Oxfam-Mexico and as a consultant for the World Bank and Chicago Metropolitan Agency of Planning has honed her ability to identify patterns and trends in complex data sets, and her expertise in economic development and urban policy allows her to generate insights that support evidence-based decision-making.

BENJAMIN PREIS
Research Fellow
Drexel University, Nowak Metro Finance Lab

Benjamin Preis is a Research Fellow at Drexel University’s Nowak Metro Finance Lab. He is currently pursuing a PhD in Urban Studies and Planning at MIT, where he received his Master in City Planning in 2019. Ben is interested in the use of novel computational tools to better understand regional wealth inequality, specifically in the areas of housing and economic development. He has previously worked with the Urban Redevelopment Authority of Pittsburgh, the Cambridge Housing Authority, and the Center for Public Studies in Santiago, Chile. Prior to his time at MIT, he worked on science and higher education policy at Lewis-Burke Associates in Washington, DC.