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Who We Are

Dream BIG’s place-based approach has begun in Baltimore’s Cherry Hill community as the education component in the integrated housing, wellness, and education-centered Purpose Built Communities initiative.

Cherry Hill is a community rich in pride, history, and people! Its’ unique character is built on a legacy of strong families and civic leaders. Recently, Baltimore City Public Schools built two 21st Century Schools—Arundel Elementary School and Cherry Hill Elementary/Middle School—in Cherry Hill providing cost-effective, high-quality school designs.

With a newly adopted school-based Transformation Plan that includes a comprehensive neighborhood revitalization plan in partnership with Purpose Built Communities, Cherry Hill has a strong foundation to build upon.

Our Team

Stephanie Amponsah

Creating and leading what works for under-resourced youth

For more than 15 years, Stephanie has led organizations and initiatives committed to improving the lives of young people in Baltimore and beyond. Her career reflects an unbroken focus on mission, energized by her entrepreneurial spirit and demonstrated ability to identify innovative ways to create economic and social opportunity for youth.

Stephanie’s experience in human services and nonprofit management includes roles as executive director, program director, social worker, and social entrepreneur in organizations that empower under-resourced youth. During nine years with Urban Alliance, she led corporate and community partnership development, fundraising, business development, project management, regional teams, and daily operations. She began her career, first with American Children’s Home then with Echelon Community Services, as a professional social worker serving homeless and foster youth.

Stephanie is co-founder of a grassroots, volunteer-led nonprofit organization that serves young girls through mentorship. She also serves as an associate consultant with Four Point Education Partners.

Stephanie earned both her Bachelors of Arts in Human Relations and Masters of Public Administration in Nonprofit Organizations from High Point University. She holds a Masters of Education in School Counseling from Loyola University Maryland. Stephanie is an alumna of the Greater Baltimore Committee’s LEADership Baltimore, Class of 2016 and recipient of The Daily Record 2016 Leading Women Award.

Veronica Nolan

Passion, talent, and a record of achievement in service to young people

Veronica’s passion for work on behalf of young people, along with her urban education and nonprofit management experience, have been forged through her service to more than 5,000 low-income youth over more than 20 years in a variety of capacities.

Prior to assuming her role as principle and co-creator of the Foundation, Veronica served as consultant to regional and national nonprofit organizations while teaching first-generation college freshmen at Trinity Washington University.

For 12 years, Veronica led Urban Alliance, a Washington, DC-based nonprofit that partners with businesses to create career development opportunities and empower under-resourced high school students through paid internships, formal training, and mentorship. During this time, she grew the organization from its roots serving 42 youth in one school to serving more than 3,000 in over 30 schools across four regions including Washington DC, Northern Virginia, Baltimore, and Chicago.

Her passion for service to young people was solidified during her Teach for America experience, teaching Spanish for four years at Eastern Senior High School in Washington, DC.

Veronica is widely recognized for her work, being honored as Washingtonian of the Year, winning the Meyer Foundation’s Exponent Award, and being named one of the Washington Business Journal’s Real Women Who Mean Business. Under her leadership, Urban Alliance was a finalist for the Washington Post Nonprofit Excellence Award.

Veronica is a member of the 2010 Class of Leadership Greater Washington and has served on the boards of several nonprofit organizations. She earned her Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Virginia, her Masters of Art in Teaching from Trinity University, and her Certificate in Nonprofit Management from Georgetown University.

Our Board

Sean Murphy

T-Rex, Executive Vice President, Federal Civilian

Douglass Austin

President & CEO, UPD Consulting

Michelle Becote-Jackson

National Vice President, Volunteerism and Services, AARP

Steve Horn

Founder/ Chief Strategy Officer of MasterPeace Solutions and Founder/Managing Partner of National Security Capital Advisors

Ricky Levine

Board Vice Chair, Managing Partner at Staffing Authority

Steve Shaw

Business Owner, Shaw Real Estate

 

Get involved. Join us today.

Support us

100% of your donation goes directly towards positively impacting Cherry Hill youth. All administrative expenses are generously provided by the Dream BIG board of directors. (EIN: 82-3026540)

Partner with us

Dream BIG values the power of collaboration and partnership. We are always seeking partners to invest, time and resources for Cherry Hill youth. Please contact us today to discuss potential partnership opportunities.

Partner with us