A note from Eshauna Smith announcing our very first Detroit Executive Director, Sherri Davis Chisholm:
Dear Friends,
It is an exciting time for Urban Alliance Detroit! Our inaugural class of interns made the life-changing decision to take control of their futures – and it’s paying off. Since starting work this fall, they are making a true impact at their internship sites across the Quicken Loans Family of Companies, Bank of America, and our three nonprofit employer partners, JOURNi, Arts & Scraps, and the YMCA of Metro Detroit. Students are becoming valued team members, discovering new passions, and enthusiastically planning their futures.
This April also brings another exciting announcement for Urban Alliance Detroit. We are thrilled to welcome Sherri Davis Chisholm as our very first Executive Director in the region. In her new role, Sherri will lead all of our operations in the city, actively collaborating with leaders across the city to increase young Detroiters’ access to economic opportunity and support the next-generation workforce.
Sherri is a Detroit native and eager for the chance to give back to her city by working to uplift the next generation of local talent. As the child of a Detroit Public Schools Community District educator, Sherri’s passion for educational equity began early. Her belief that all students should be equipped to succeed has guided her career. With nearly a decade of senior leadership positions driving transformation within school districts and national nonprofits – most recently as founder and CEO of FreeSpace Consulting Group where she worked to guide and support organizations effecting positive change in public education – Sherri comes to Urban Alliance with a deep understanding of how various community stakeholders can effectively work together to create brighter futures for youth.
Sherri’s personal knowledge of the city, guiding passion for service, and experience fighting for better outcomes for young people will be invaluable as our program continues to take root in Detroit. We expect to nearly double in size in our second year in the city, and are confident that Sherri is the right person to lead this growth.
We hope you will join us in welcoming Sherri to the Urban Alliance family. Thank you for your ongoing support as we work together to build Urban Alliance Detroit. Our students are so lucky to have your support.
With gratitude,
Eshauna Smith
CEO
Urban Alliance