The South Shore Chamber of Commerce announced the appointment of four (4) new board members to complement their existing council of real estate, legal, finance, and community professionals.
SSCC Board Chairman, Cory Thames states, “The South Shore Chamber has made transformative strides for the better in the South Shore community and is continuing its impact through the growth and expansion of new projects and initiatives. I am proud of the work that we have done to drive South Shore forward and look forward to the insights and experiences that our new board members will bring to our collective body and community.”
Joining the ranks are:
Maureen McKenna, Senior Development Officer: Community Reinvestment Fund, USA
Maureen McKenna is in her 8th year at Community Reinvestment Fund USA, and works in the Greater Chicagoland Community. In her role, she collaborates with entrepreneurs needing support with financial and advisory services, resulting in opportunities for communities to thrive and promote economic progress in the Chicagoland market.
Prior to joining CRF, Maureen was a Director of Development at a local southside school, and a Director at a Community Entrepreneurial Development Center in Chicago. She has a background in education, along with a deep passion for identifying opportunities to support minority, women and veteran owned businesses in low-income census tracts.
Christopher Brooks, Licensed Architect & Sr. Project Manager, Project Management Advisors, Inc. – Chicago Office
Christopher Brooks manages real estate development projects. His client engagement experience includes public agencies, non-profit organizations, Fortune 500 corporations, and start-up companies in the delivery of interior fit-out, ground-up, and adaptive-reuse project types.
Previously, he served in roles with Golub & Company, JLL, Lendlease, and Epstein in capacities ranging from development/ project management to construction management, and design. In addition to service on the Board of Directors, he also serves on the Development Committee of the Grand Boulevard Advisory Council.
Ronald L. Milsap, Vice President of Commercial Services & Community Reinvestment Act Officer, Providence Bank & Trust
Ronald L. Milsap provides affinity-based banking services to BIPOC individuals and businesses as well as overseeing the Bank’s lending, services, and investment into low-to-moderate income communities. Over the past 20+ years of his career he has recruited millions of dollars of capital from foundations, non-profits, small business, and individuals for the development of Black and Brown neighborhoods.
Ron received his B.A. in Business Administration from Morehouse College and is a 2018 graduate of the Chicago Urban League’s IMPACT Leadership Development Program and a participant in Leadership Greater Chicago’s 2022 Signature Fellows Program. Ron serves on the boards of My Block, My Hood, My City and E.G. Woode, is an advisory board member of Community Desk Chicago and a volunteer with several youth-based organizations.
Keiana A. Barrett, Director of Diversity & Strategic Development, Sterling Bay
Keiana Barrett is a proud South Shore native with over 25 years of government affairs, community engagement, public relations and diversity experience. She earned her B.A. in Communications and English from Illinois State University and Masters in Human Services from Spertus College. Professionally, she has served as National Press Secretary for the Rainbow/PUSH Coalition, Director of Communications for the Congressional Black Caucus in Washington, DC, Chief of Staff for former 7th Ward Alderman Sandi Jackson, Interim Chief of Communications for Chicago Public Schools and Director of Development and External Affairs for the DuSable Museum.
In her current role at Sterling Bay, she is the architect of the company’s diversity, equity and inclusion verticals and works directly with MWBEs professional services and construction firms, to ensure maximum engagement and participation. She serves on the Kenwood High School Local School Council, Ray Elementary PTO and is an active member of Jack and Jill of America and Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated.
According to Tonya Trice, SSCC Executive Director, “The South Shore Chamber plays a critical and trusted role in the community. Residents and business owners depend on us to develop programming and identify resources that promote economic development. This cannot be done without talented professionals that bring their experience, passion and resources to the table. The South Shore Chamber has become a much stronger organization with the additions of Keiana Barrett, Ronald Milsap, Christopher Brooks and Maureen McKenna to our board of directors.”
Other South Shore Chamber Board Members are: Cory Thames, Chair, Helena Wright, Vice-Chair, Michelle Redd Newell, Vice-Chair, Linda Sanders, Secretary, Jerald Gary, Dr. Maureen M. White, Gerald Williams, Joyce Gibson, Pamela Gates, Shantenae Robinson and Eli Williamson.