Meet The Team
President & Board Member
Nelea Johnson
Nelea (Lea) Johnson, Washington, DC (Ward 7) native and mother of four.
Nelea (Lea) Johnson is deeply committed to advocacy and community development. She has a passion for creativity and storytelling and has contributed to local entertainment blogs, including the DC Express and Washington City Paper. Nelea has also worked as a News Assistant for U.S. News & World Report, providing insights that elevate underrepresented voices.
Her career spans the local government and nonprofit sectors, where she has actively contributed to grant writing and community-focused initiatives, advocating for change and resource distribution. Nelea’s creative talents extend to scriptwriting and project direction, supported by certifications in Canon Camera/Directing and Final Cut Pro from Greenbelt Access Television (GATe), where she previously served on the Board of Directors.
VP & Board Member
Delia Houseal
Board Member
Patricia Stamper
Patricia lives in the Deanwood neighborhood of Ward 7. Patricia is an active community leader in Ward 7, is the Secretary of the Deanwood Citizens Association, and a member of Deanwood Citizens Association Economic Development Committee. Patricia is a strong-willed woman who firmly believes in building community from head to toe. She is very passionate about keeping her neighborhood clean and has adopted her block along with a nearby alley.
Along with three of her neighbors, Patricia created "Heart And Sole," a community-based initiative that supports unhoused Ward 7 residents one Saturday a month. Patricia has a Bachelor of Arts in General Studies from Washington Adventist University, and a Master’s of Public Administration degree from Strayer University located in Washington DC.
Treasurer & Board Member
Greyson Mann
Past-President & Board Member
Michael Havlin
Michael has a professional background in economics and public policy, with a long history of volunteer community organizing around economic and social justice issues. Michael has a bachelor’s degree in economics and a master’s degree in public policy & administration. Over the years Michael has organized around issues such as the minimum wage, student rights for Iranian immigrants, and transportation equity.
Michael lives in the Benning Ridge neighborhood of Ward 7. He anxiously awaits the completion of the streetcar extension to Benning Road Metro so that he can use it to commute to work.
Board Member
Thomas Perry
With more than 25 years of industry tenure, Thomas has comprehensive experience in all phases of infrastructure development from planning to design to construction to post-construction commissioning. Thomas has worked on projects in San Francisco, New York City, and Los Angeles.
Thomas has a passion for infrastructure, as a tool to improve the lives of everyday people from all walks of life, especially in the District of Columbia. He has spent more than half of his career, working with and for clients within the District, helping to develop increased mobility and sustainable infrastructure that benefit stakeholders. Most notably he served as the former Program Manager for the engineering and construction of DC Streetcar.
Thomas is a professional engineer registered in the District and has a B.S. in Civil Engineering from North Carolina State University and a M.S. in Civil Engineering from Stanford University.
Secretary & Board Member
Savannah Ware
Savannah is a Capitol Hill staffer with experience working for the Senate Banking, Housing & Urban Affairs Committee, which legislates on transportation issues. She started her professional career as an intern for Congressman John Lewis where she discovered a passion for civil rights issues. She believes transportation creates accessibility, which in turn creates equity in our communities.
She is a former Ward 7 resident who regularly uses the streetcar for personal and professional transportation. Savannah has a B.A. in Journalism from the University of Georgia where she focused her studies on community-based journalism, as well as political journalism.
Board Member
Qasim Shah
Qasim is a resident of Trinidad neighborhood in Ward 5 and has been living there for over a decade. Qasim has over 15 years of experience in Financial, Operational, and Risk Management Audit and Compliance field in a large financial institution.
Qasim is a strong advocate for Transportation Equity. Qasim lives with his wife, a born and raised Washingtonian, and two kids who have been riding the DC Streetcar since they were born and look forward to continuing to ride the Streetcar, especially once it is extended as it was promised.
