Civic Leadership Program

Ayana Smith is an experienced grassroots organizer increasing the civic consciousness, capacities, and participation of fellow New Yorkers in the movement toward self-determining communities. She serves as a Program Manager at the Center for Justice Innovation, where she is an implementation provider for the Mayor’s Action Plan for Neighborhood Safety, an initiative that aims to improve public safety in 30 NYCHA developments across NYC through creative placekeeping projects rooted in resident-led participatory design practices. A recent graduate of Cornell University, where she earned her Bachelor of Science with Honors in Urban and Regional Studies with a minor in Education, Smith is an alumna of 2023–24 Forefront Fellowship at the Urban Design Forum where she co-authored “Free to Grow: The Case for Quality Outdoor Spaces for All Youth” and co-led the “Youth-led Libraries of the Future” project. In addition to her current position, Smith is a Forum Fellow at the Urban Design Forum and is enrolled in the Managing for Innovation Program Managers’ Forum through the NYC Mayor’s Office for Economic Opportunity and CUNY School of Professional Studies Office of Innovative Learning Solutions.

Bradley DeBose is an award-winning architectural professional with over 15 years of experience in the AEC industry. Holding architecture degrees from Auburn University and Georgia Institute of Technology, Brad combines design expertise with strategic vision to lead significant initiatives across the Tri-State area. 

At Urbahn Architects, Brad has secured multi-million-dollar project wins while enhancing the firm’s market position through strategic positioning and client engagement. His professional experience with DIGroup Architecture, Façade Solutions New York,  Jorge Mastropietro Architects, and Gensler has refined his ability to align innovative design solutions with market opportunities. 

A dedicated advocate for equity in the built environment, Brad champions justice-centered design and expands career pathways for formerly incarcerated individuals within architecture and construction. His civic engagement includes serving on the Board of Trustees for Family Promise of Hudson County, partnering with government officials to advocate for housing reform, alongside leadership roles with the NOMA National Elevate Committee, nycobaNOMA, and the AIA New York ENYA Committee. Brad actively supports NOMAS & AIAS student chapters and mentors emerging professionals through the Center for Architecture. 

Brad’s practice embodies the principle that inclusive leadership and intentional design create meaningful change—strengthening communities and fostering opportunity for all. 

Dora Blount is a Senior Design Liaison at the NYC Department of Design and Construction (DDC). Her professional interests center around art, architecture, and design in the public realm. She currently handles a complex portfolio valued at $15B, including some of the City of New York’s first design-build projects. She is responsible for ensuring that capital projects meet or exceed DDC’s Design and Construction Excellence standards throughout the life of the project, from initial project planning and design consultant selection through design development to construction completion. She manages all Public Design Commission reviews for the projects in her portfolio, and coordinates with multiple other City agencies on design, including managing the implementation of the NYC Percent for Art Program with the Department of Cultural Affairs. She has worked on dozens of capital projects with renowned artists and architects to design and build a wide variety of interventions in public space, including furnishings, public art, landscapes, and high-rise buildings. Some of her projects include Hank Willis Thomas’s Unity sculpture in Downtown Brooklyn, a mural by Tatiana Arocha at Snug Harbor Cultural Center, and a sculpture by Misha Kahn at Douglaston Library, among many others. She enjoys public service and working closely with artists and designers to make places better for the people who use them. She seeks the magical, sublime satisfaction that comes from good design. She holds a M.S. in City and Regional Planning from Pratt Institute and a B.A. in Historic Preservation and Community Planning from College of Charleston.

Ewan French is a sustainability advisor at Buro Happold, a global built environment consultancy. He supports public and private organizations in understanding their environmental and social impacts and develops strategies and governance structures for effective implementation. His work spans diverse geographies, from the Battery Park City Authority to the Middle East, where he spent his childhood. French’s interests extend beyond traditional sustainability metrics like carbon and energy. He is particularly passionate about integrating often-overlooked social considerations into business strategy, from the needs of local communities affected by development to the conditions of workers in global supply chains. Having begun his career in Buro Happold’s UK offices, he brings international insight to his work, including tools such as “social value” measurement. French is an active member of industry groups, including Urban Green Council and Design for Freedom, a thought leadership initiative focused on eliminating forced labor in construction supply chains. He also serves as an ambassador for the Happold Foundation, supporting organizations focused on community-led design and workforce development. Recent collaborators include the Van Alen Institute, Street Lab, and Stacks & Joules.

Kevin W. Davis, AIA, LEED AP is a registered architect with extensive global experience in design and construction, dedicated to creating sustainable, high-performance spaces for resilient communities. Having led large-scale retail and cultural projects worldwide, he excels at aligning conceptual innovation with commercial and sustainability goals. His expertise spans corporate leadership, community engagement, and cultivating diverse, inclusive teams. In 2024, Kevin founded KWD Architecture PLLC to help property owners and developers navigate the path to energy efficiency. He is actively engaged in industry advocacy, serving on Urban Green Council’s Program Committee and Build Out Alliance’s Advocacy Committee, championing LGBTQ+ representation in the building industry. Most recently, Davis was appointed a Public Member on Queens Community Board 2’s Environment and Parks Committee. His credentials include an architecture license (NY), LEED ID+C AP, and training in sustainable construction and climate leadership. Previously, Davis spent nearly 20 years at Calvin Klein, Inc., where he led global retail design, overseeing over 1,000 projects and collaborating with industry icons like Raf Simons, John Pawson, and Sterling Ruby. He spearheaded CKI’s Global Store Design Sustainability Guidelines, integrating sustainable practices across site criteria, materials, and MEP systems. Earlier in his career, Davis contributed to prestigious projects at Gabellini Sheppard Architects, Studio Passarelli, and Salsano Fahim Architects, working on landmark developments from Milan to New York and Rome. He holds a B.A. from Yale University and a Master of Architecture from Columbia University, with international study in Italy and Switzerland.

Maha Idrees is a trained professional with seven years’ experience as an architect and design manager specializing in designing, permitting and overseeing construction projects. As a Deputy Design Manager at AECOM, Idrees is currently leading owner’s representation efforts on the Borough Based Jails Program at the Brooklyn Facility, which is a $3 Billion Design-Build civic project breaking ideological boundaries about the larger question of equitable detainment and human dignity. With her experience as an architect and having completed graduate studies in Construction Administration at Columbia University, Idrees brings expertise in navigating complex civic projects through the lens of design excellence and construction leadership. Beyond her professional work, she has served as a guest lecturer at Columbia University, mentoring the next generation of architects and construction leaders to think holistically about the evolution of New York’s built environment. Her personal core interests lie in the inquiry, assemblage and expression of knowledge and thought scape, from whence she investigates the larger questions of the world and formulates ideas to innovate and learn from the legacies left by thought pioneers. As a Pakistani immigrant and a single mother, Idrees understands the transformative power of strategic design and resilient leadership. Her journey—from breaking personal and professional barriers—has fueled her passion for fostering equity in urban development and expanding opportunities for women and underrepresented communities in design and construction; envisioning a future where construction and design are not only about buildings but about empowering people and strengthening communities.

Throughout her career, Rashida has always strived to use design thinking as a vehicle for improving communities. She is currently working as a freelance architectural designer,and with this program, she hopes to channel her knowledge of architecture and strategic planning to develop advocacy efforts that serve the public.

She received her BArch from Mississippi State University and then moved to Boston, MA, to work for designLAB Architects on the interior renovation of UMass Amherst’s Fine Arts Center Bridge. After receiving her MArch in Housing and Urbanism at the Architectural Association School of Architecture, Rashida worked as a Strategic Planning Coordinator for the NYC Department of Design and Construction. Rashida aided in developing process improvement strategies such as Advanced Capital Planning and the PDC/DDC Joint Recommendations. Rashida then worked as an Assistant Project Manager for Zubatkin Owner’s Representative on projects including The New Goodhue Center and The Browning School. Additionally, Rashida’s time working at 5th Studio in Cambridge, England on residential masterplanning projects provides an international perspective that she brings to each new venture.

Her experiences volunteering with BOSNOMA’s Project Pipeline and the Neighborhood Design Project address the lack of information shared with children and teens about design professions. In each program, the participants were asked to develop design solutions that aided their communities. This thought process will hopefully inspire the next generation of decision-makers to take pride in their communities and know they can spark change.

Originally from Jamaica, Samantha Marie Dixon moved to New York to pursue her Bachelor of Architecture at the New York Institute of Technology, graduating in 2023. Her passion for architecture is rooted in a deep belief that the built environment can be a powerful catalyst for social change. This philosophy led her to focus her senior thesis on a supportive housing proposal for individuals experiencing homelessness due to systemic and personal challenges. The project emphasized holistic design solutions that foster long-term stability and personal growth. While in college, Dixon worked closely with a sisterhood-driven service organization that has allowed her to engage in civic initiatives on a broader scale. Through its mission-driven focus on economic development, educational, international awareness and involvement, physical and mental health, and political awareness and involvement, she had the opportunity to contribute to a range of efforts aimed at promoting equity and access. She currently works with the Harlem Children’s Zone, a nonprofit organization committed to ending intergenerational poverty in Central Harlem. In her role as an educator, she designed and implemented a curriculum that introduces high school students to architecture with the hope of making the field more accessible, engaging, and empowering for young people. Dixon intends to pursue licensure and has plans to further her education through a Public Policy program, with the goal of influencing housing policy and contributing to comprehensive, lasting solutions for housing insecurity.