We are a national nonprofit creating community-governed real estate where residents face displacement.
We believe a different future for neighborhoods is possible, necessary, and urgent. We’re motivated by supporting neighborhoods suffering from decades of unjust and racist policies
Trust Neighborhoods is an entrepreneurial team implementing the MINT model across the country.
WHAT WE DO
Serve as immediate capacity for MINT set-up and launch
Refine and grow the MINT model in response to neighborhood needs
Provide ongoing support, including serving on the MINT’s operating board
Build and strengthen the MINT ecosystem
OUR TEAM
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Kavya has dedicated her career to building more equitable communities. She helped launch the Obama Foundation, worked on economic opportunity at the Obama White House, and began her career at McKinsey focused on urban development. She has lived in eight U.S. cities, shaping her understanding of diverse neighborhoods. She holds a BA from Harvard and an MBA from Stanford GSB.
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Cali is passionate about the role affordable housing plays in supporting neighborhood stability and community priorities. At Trust Neighborhoods, she works closely with neighborhood partners to successfully implement the MINT model. Cali holds a MS in City Planning from University of California Berkeley and a BA in Africana Studies and Anthropology from Oberlin College.
David Kemper
Co-founder & COO
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David has dedicated his career to helping create great neighborhoods. At Trust Neighborhoods, he leads operations, team development, and strategic planning. He served in the Bloomberg and De Blasio administrations at Housing Preservation & Development the Department of City Planning, helping create the Division of Capital Planning and $1B Neighborhood Development Fund, and helped launch Alphabet’s Sidewalk Labs. David grew up in Kansas City, MO, and holds a BA from Yale, an MBA from Stanford GSB, and an MPP from Oxford.
Olivia Simpson
Project Manager
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At Trust Neighborhoods, Olivia leads pipeline development and supports MINTs across the country by blending her housing policy and development experience with a deep dedication to building community power. A proud North Carolinian, she holds a BA in Sociology from Duke University and a MCRP from Rutgers University with a concentration in Housing, Land, and Finance.
Ryan Johnson
Managing Director of MINTs
Sam LaTronica
Senior Asset Manager
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Ryan brings 20 years of experience in real estate, community development, and entrepreneurship. At New Jersey Community Capital's CAPC subsidiary, he acquired 830 units and completed $124M in development projects. His background spans portfolio management at Madison International Realty ($1B retail portfolio), institutional real estate at Brixmor and MetLife, and community development at Brick City Development Corporation. Ryan holds a BS in Commerce/Finance from UVA's McIntire School.
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Sam has dedicated his career to preserving and expanding access to affordable housing and is passionate about building community power. Prior to joining the Trust Neighborhoods team, he worked as a Financial Analyst evaluating LIHTC acquisitions at Enterprise Housing Credit Investments. Sam has also worked for two different community development corporations in the Boston area, where he managed acquisitions and construction projects and also oversaw property and asset management.
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Natalie is passionate about building power and capacity in local communities for place-based impact. In her work, she specializes in community governance, MINT special projects, impact and evaluation, and internal support. She has a BA in environmental studies and urban planning from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
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With ten years of experience across technology, international affairs, community engagement, and data-informed strategy, Selena’s work at Trust Neighborhoods focuses on operational strategy and management, as well as the execution of core administrative functions. She is also the founder of Digital Advancement for All, advancing equitable access to technology for small and under-resourced businesses. Selena holds a Master’s in International Affairs from The Pennsylvania State University, with a concentration in Human Rights and Latino Studies, and a B.A. in International Politics with minors in Spanish and Latin American Studies.
Cali Slepin
Senior Project Manager
Kavya Shankar
Co-founder & CEO
Selena Duvivier
Senior Operations Manager
Natalie Gauger
Senior Associate
OUR VALUES
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When in doubt, trust the neighborhood. We are a service to the passion, creativity, and potential of residents, to neighborhoods being their best selves. We must be worthy of trust, through the quality of our work and actions.
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We believe staying close to the issues we are trying to address and the people we want to support provides energy and insight.
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Learning makes us better. From our failures. From our feedback. From a diversity of perspectives. From our curiosity.
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Good process creates good. We evaluate ourselves based on the quality and equity of our processes, not just our outcomes.
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We take our work seriously, but not ourselves. We foster lightness and belonging alongside intense ambition. This breeds our creative and open culture, which produces good ideas.