Who we are
We are a team of change-makers who believe that every helping hand can create a better future for our students.
At We Love Philly, we work hard to provide an ownership based education to Philadelphia teens who have been left behind by mainstream institutions.
We're a grassroots nonprofit started by certified PA educators that believe strengthening community ties is the way to close the achievement gap in Philadelphia.
Our Executive Team
Carlos Aponte
Founder & Executive Director
Carlos is a lifelong Philadelphian who traces his culture to the Island of Puerto Rico. Carlos' background is in Secondary Education with a concentration in African American and American History. After close to a decade inside of the classroom, Carlos realized the shortcomings of traditional education. With the help of his students, Carlos decided to create his own 501c3 non profit organization, We Love Philly. We Love Philly teaches volunteerism, entrepreneurship, meditation, ownership, and content creation to youth left behind by mainstream institutions. After completion of the program students earn credits towards their high school diploma. We Love Philly is currently scaling their curriculum to be implemented in schools across the Philadelphia area as a state recognized pre apprenticeship and apprenticeship sponsor. Carlos also sits on the board at The Penn Treaty Museum, which is located at 324 Richmond Street, in Philadelphia PA.
Namarah McCall-Spellman
Director of Programs
Namarah is a multi-disciplinary artist, performer, and coach from South Jersey who has performed nationally and internationally. An active Philadelphia Chapter Board of the Recording Academy member, Namarah advocates for access and creative exploration through the arts and beyond, serving as Director of Programs by pulling her real-world experience as a creative entrepreneur to model and inspire youth.
Serena Haeuser
Emotional Support Coordinator
Serena is a children's author, educator, and graduate student at the University of Southern California, obtaining her Master's Degree in School Counseling. She works extensively with the homeless community and travels internationally to volunteer in African orphanages and schools, striving to instill positivity, warmth, and encouragement while restoring individual feelings of love and care.
Clancy Philbrick
Director of Development
Clancy Philbrick is an interdisciplinary artist and educator with a passion for social justice and healing. His artwork explores problematic dominant norms around masculinity and hypercapitalism while reimagining idealistic futures. Clancy's participatory projects have been featured by BBC, New Yorker Magazine, WHYY/NPR, HuffPost, and Ethiopian TV. Clancy also serves as the vice president of the board for The LiveWell Foundation.
Salaah Muhammad
Director of Development
Salaah Muhammad is a social justice advocate and community organizer with a passion for equity and justice, actively involved in grassroots campaigns including advocacy for reparations, education reform, and criminal justice reform. He recently achieved a social justice win by advocating for reparations for Bethel AME Church in Pittsburgh, winning them 65,000 square feet of land back.
Animah Danquah
Digital Marketing Educator
Animah is a queer, first-generation Ghanaian American visual artist whose creative practice lives at the intersection of storytelling, identity, and community. A proud Philadelphia native, Animah invites audiences to see the world through a multidimensional lens shaped by digital and film photography, graphic design, and education. Her work is a love letter to the African Diaspora.
Cory Zoblin
Founding Educator
In 2013, Cory graduated with his Master's from the Teacher Education Program at the University of Pennsylvania and taught High School English in Philadelphia, including nine years in Kensington. In 2020 he joined the founding board of We Love Philly, and in 2024 joined the staff as a Founding Educator, helping to launch the Cybersecurity Pre-Apprentice Program.
Jason Peters
Director of Business Development
Jason N. Peters is a writer, producer, and creative with a background in journalism, content creation, and project management, published by Metro Philly, Billy Penn, Grid Magazine, and the Daily Beast. Before joining We Love Philly, Peters was Head of Podcasts for New York City radio stations HOT 97 and WBLS. In July 2021, Peters walked with founder Carlos Aponte from Philadelphia to Atlantic City to raise money for We Love Philly's Project Ownership. He now heads the We Love Philly Digital Agency and works with our Digital Marketing Apprentices.
Andrea Santiago
Digital Marketing Coordinator
Andrea Santiago was a dedicated digital marketing apprentice with We Love Philly, joining in 2021 first as a student, then a volunteer, and now a valued team member. In November 2025, Santiago graduated from her apprenticeship and joined We Love Philly's Digital Marketing Agency as its first Digital Marketing Coordinator.
Tyreek Haynes
Security Engineer
Tyreek Haynes is a dedicated cybersecurity engineer and offensive security researcher committed to advancing digital defense through rigorous technical investigation. With deep-seated expertise in cloud-native security, vulnerability research, and threat modeling, he has spent the past 3 years architecting solutions for complex threat vectors, and his success in identifying and responsibly disclosing critical vulnerabilities in major platforms demonstrates a precision-focused approach to securing high-stakes infrastructure.
Jymir Fayall
Digital Marketing Apprentice
Jymir Fayall is a Philadelphia-born creative with a hand for design and an eye for cinema. Next to digital marketing, Jymir is an aspiring fashion designer with notable shows including New York Fashion Week. His brand, "Rentry Collective," is a creative clothing brand focused on highlighting the effects of disregarding textiles.
Tashae Cherry
Digital Marketing Apprentice
Tashae found We Love Philly after hearing about the digital marketing apprenticeship, coming in knowing nothing about marketing but always open to adapting. The program strengthened her creativity, critical thinking, and character development, and she found an interest in client consultation.
Brielle Bartley
Digital Marketing Apprentice
Brielle is a creative from Philadelphia with a mind that moves fast and hands that move faster, sharp when it comes to learning new concepts and creating designs that make organizations bloom. Her passion lives in design that's bold, expressive, and unapologetically original, which she channels through her growing brand, "Tr4ns4bstract."
Our Board Members
Nisiar Smith
Interim President of the Board
Nisiar Smith is a dedicated, passionate, and well-respected finance professional and driven leader. CEO and Founder of Well Kept Money, Nisiar has made it his goal to educate low-income communities on finances through his nonprofit financial literacy organization, and is also the Founder of Philly Phinancial Literacy Week, a weeklong celebration of financial education workshops held in recreation centers across Philadelphia.
Suezette Dominguez
Secretary
Suezette is a North Philly native dedicated to supporting healing of generational trauma. An alumna of West Chester University of PA and Temple University, she holds a Master's in Clinical Social Work (LCSW), with experience serving Philadelphia youth in foster care, homelessness, school settings, and mental health crisis response.
Yael Futer
Treasurer
A dedicated Philadelphian with 20 years of experience in business strategy, project management, and finance, Yael serves as Treasurer on the We Love Philly board, ensuring the organization's financial integrity by establishing and maintaining a financial reserve fund, conducting financial reviews, and educating the board on financial matters.
Matthew McDevitt
Board Member
Matthew McDevitt is the owner of Positive Wiring, a commercial electrical and structured cabling contractor serving Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware. With over 25 years of experience, Matt has built a reputation for delivering reliable, high-quality wiring solutions across electrical, fiber, telecommunications, and security systems.
Bianca Ruiz
Pre-Apprentice Board Member
Bianca Ruiz is an aspiring cybersecurity professional with a passion for technology, continuous learning, and creating meaningful impact. As a recent high school graduate, she has built a strong foundation through hands-on experience, mentorship, and a commitment to personal and professional growth.
Ayanna Lott
Board Member
Ayanna Lott-Pollard is a transformational leader known for her ability to inspire and develop individuals and teams while driving strategic growth. She began her career in the White House Upper Press Office and currently serves as the Executive Director of Resilient Coders, where she helped secure the organization's largest donation of $2.5 million from philanthropist Mackenzie Scott.
Mari Gonzalez
Board Member
Maridarlyn Gonzalez is a senior researcher with Pew's Philadelphia research and policy initiative, focusing on immigration, equitable infrastructure, and the annual State of the City report, with prior experience in housing, transportation, public engagement, and community development. Mari serves as President of the Board of Philadelphia's League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) council.
Chuck Morris
Board Member
Dr. Chuck is a dedicated scientist and coach who has impacted thousands of lives worldwide, serving clients including Super Bowl champions, Olympic Gold Medalists, and C-suite executives. He is the founder of Fulcrum Performance and Midtown Biohack, and former CEO of the NFL Alumni Performance Lab.
TJ Butler
Board Member
T.J. Butler established 45 Solutions in 2023, just outside Philadelphia in Bucks County, PA. With over 25 years of professional experience and twenty years in HR Leadership, Talent Acquisition Management, and Recruiting Management, T.J. runs his business using a servant leadership model, believing that honesty and integrity are crucial in any business relationship.
Elizabeth Felt
Board Member
Elizabeth serves as Vice President of Communications at The Enterprise Center, where she leads strategic storytelling and marketing efforts that foreground low- to moderate-income small business owners and advance equitable economic development in West Philadelphia. She is proud to serve on the Board of Directors of We Love Philly and is deeply committed to strengthening neighborhood-based organizations, small businesses, and creative communities across Philadelphia.
Verné Dixon, CPA
Board Member
Verné Dixon, CPA, is a nonprofit Chief Financial Officer with more than 30 years of experience helping organizations strengthen their operations, develop people, and build sustainable systems for growth. She brings a broad background in finance, organizational development, leadership, and strategy. Throughout her career, she has been especially passionate about using her experience and resources to strengthen mission-driven organizations and create opportunities for people and communities to thrive.
Verné is deeply committed to Philadelphia and believes strongly in the power of exposure, education, mentorship, and opportunity to change the trajectory of a young person's life. She was drawn to We Love Philly's hands-on approach to helping young people develop real-world skills, confidence, creativity, and a greater sense of what is possible for their futures.
Outside of her professional work, Verné is an active community and nonprofit leader, serving on several boards and committees throughout the Philadelphia region. She enjoys traveling, the arts, exploring Philadelphia with her husband, and finding meaningful ways to support the city and communities she loves.