MAARTEN JACOBS is the Director of the Near Westside Initiative (NWSI), a nonprofit organization working to combine the power of art, technology, and innovation with neighborhood values and culture to revitalize Syracuse's Near Westside. He holds a Bachelors degree in Psychology and Sociology and a Masters degree in Community Development and Social Action from the University of Maryland. He has a passion for photography, graphic design, and public art and views the arts as a vital tool for both economic and community development. He has been living in the city of Syracuse for the last five years and is married to his lovely wife Andrea. They recently had a baby named Sam who is now eleven months old.

ALYS MANN is the Director of Neighborhood Planning and Property Redevelopment at Home HeadQuarters. She oversees the planning department and coordinates all property redevelopement work with the Construction Manager. Along with her staff, Alys develops, implements and coordinates community revitalization initiatives, performs neighborhood outreach and engagement, and creates and manages strategies for the disposition of each Home HeadQuarters owned property. She also oversees the management of GIS data and analysis. Alys works as an Adjunct Professor at Syracuse University's Maxwell School of Public Affairs where she teaches Housing and Public Policy. She was a member of the Leadership Greater Syracuse class of 2008 and graduated from Syracuse University with a dual BA in Geography and Policy Studies.