Actualizing our mission is made possible by our uniquely talented, skilled, passionate, and resilient team of equity champions and ecosystem builders.
Meet our team
Fay Horwitt
President & CEO
Fay Horwitt
President & CEO
Fay serves as the President & CEO of Forward Cities, where she oversees organizational strategy and serves as the executive lead of the ESHIP Communities initiative. In addition, Fay is a dedicated advocate for the emerging profession of ecosystem building, and as a founding member of Ecosystems Unite. Beyond her formal roles, she is a sought after presenter, trainer, and thought leader on the topic of equitable entrepreneurial ecosystem building. Never one to be content with status quo, Fay has also recently begun addressing a new need in local communities: ecosystem healing–helping pivot ecosystems and institutions in this time of the dual COVID-19 and systemic racial injustice pandemics.
Kasem Rodriguez Mohsen
Fractional CFO
Kasem Rodriguez Mohsen
Fractional CFO
Kasem is a successful executive operator who has led three companies through rapid growth, VC fundraising and acquisition. As a mission-driven servant leader, Kasem has led strategic partnerships with some of the largest corporations, foundations, universities and government entities across the globe. Kasem serves as an advisor to the CEO and the board of directors and as a key strategist for growth and new business development.
Kasem has 20 years of lived experience navigating entrepreneurship and venture capital as a person of color, and seeks to build new, innovative systems of capital that are more equitable for all. As a social entrepreneur, Kasem's teams have reduced medical error globally, decreased the water and carbon footprint in agriculture, democratized startup funding to close the racial and gender wealth gap, improved the training provided to our military, and advanced the fight against infectious disease worldwide.
Kasem holds a Masters Degree in Organizational Leadership from the University of Denver, and enjoys hiking, global travel, writing poetry, and playing musical instruments.
Magalie Yacinthe
Senior Director of Programs
Magalie Yacinthe
Senior Director of Programs
Magalie, an alumnus of Florida Agricultural & Mechanical University, was born in Nassau Bahamas, raised in Miami FL, and is one of five daughters to Haitian parents. As the Senior Director of Programs, she leads the execution and delivery of Forward Cities' equitable entrepreneurial ecosystem building solutions and learning engagements. Leveraging a depth and breadth of experience in entrepreneurial support and resource development, as well as best practices for diversity, equity, and inclusion. She is a founder and Executive Director of HUSTLE Winston-Salem, a nonprofit organization dedicated to inclusive entrepreneurship. Magalie created YES Strategies & Solutions, a cost-effective consulting firm helping nonprofits and corporations accomplish successful programming and project management to carry out their missions.
Nutishia Lee
Director of Marketing & Communications
Nutishia Lee
Director of Marketing & Communications
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As the Director of Marketing & Communications at Forward Cities, Nutishia blends design, technology, and communications to champion equitable entrepreneurship through innovative campaigns and engaging storytelling efforts. With a B.A. in Visual Arts from Duke University, she drives outreach efforts that amplify the impact of Forward Cities’ programs and initiatives, highlighting the stories and uplifting the voices of both the entrepreneurs and their communities. In her free time, Nutishia enjoys gardening and planning adventures with her family.
Anna MacDonald
Director of Development
Anna MacDonald
Director of Development
Anna recognizes the creativity, value, and rich networks that entrepreneurs sustain in community, because her spouse and parents are all Triangle-based small business owners. A Durham native, she brings to Forward Cities more than 10 years of experience resourcing local, regional and national non-profit organizations. Anna’s approach to development is informed by an MSW and BA in Journalism and Mass Communication from UNC-Chapel Hill, along with an MDiv from Duke.
Jacinta Walker
E3 Durham Program Director
Jacinta Walker
E3 Durham Program Director
Jacinta Walker, an experienced entrepreneur and business leader, brings 20 years of expertise in Business Development, Marketing, and Sales to her role as the E3 Durham Program Director at Forward Cities. She earned her MBA from the University of Maryland Global Campus. Jacinta’s approach in all areas of life and work is to deliver a VIP experience through innovation and collaboration by uncovering one's Value, Impact, and Purpose.
In her role at Forward Cities, Jacinta leads efforts to connect Durham's small business owners with a thriving network of experts, fostering growth, community, and impact. Her vision for the E3 Durham program is to cultivate a seamless process for connecting small business owners with the resources and support they need to thrive. She is committed to leveraging her extensive network and expertise to build a robust and equitable entrepreneurial ecosystem in Durham.
Jacinta is also the founder of Lyfe Wurks Marketing Solutions, a consulting firm specializing in marketing, sales, and training. When she's not working, she loves traveling to explore new cultures, hiking trails, attending cultural festivals, and reading.
Santiago Ramos
E3 Durham Bilingual Business Navigator
Santiago Ramos
E3 Durham Bilingual Business Navigator
From Colombia, Santiago found his home in North Carolina. Fueled by a drive to help others succeed, he's carved a path through community organizing, mentorship (think: guiding others to greatness!), and even innovative social technology.
Taylor Gay
E3 Durham Business Navigator
Taylor Gay
E3 Durham Business Navigator
Taylor Gay, an experienced startup launcher and hospitality leader, brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to her role as the E3 Durham Business Navigator at Forward Cities. With 10 years of experience in design thinking, storytelling, and event planning, Taylor is a powerhouse of innovation and passion. Currently pursuing her Master of Entrepreneurship and Innovation Leadership from Western Carolina University, Taylor is on a mission to redefine Sustainability and its impact on our world.
Program Partners
Community Health Intelligence
Community Health Intelligence
Dr. Stacey C. Williams is an esteemed public health professional, academic, and researcher whose career has been marked by significant contributions to several fields including evidence-based practice, public health, education, child welfare, policing, and the social determinants of health inequities. Dr. Williams' professional career is marked by a series of impactful roles in research, analysis, and leadership.
In 2019, Dr. Williams joined Forward Cities, where she held several key positions. She led numerous research initiatives aimed at increasing equitable access to business ownership and led the development of a suite of assessment tools for entrepreneurial ecosystem assessment. Her work at Forward Cities reflects her commitment to using data to foster equitable economic development in communities.
Throughout her academic career, Dr. Williams has received numerous recognitions and accolades. Among the most notable, Dr. Williams received the prestigious C. Sylvia and Eddie C. Brown Community Health Scholarship for her doctoral studies at Johns Hopkins and was named an Emerging Scholar by the United States Department of Health and Human Services’ Administration for Children. As a leader, educator, and researcher, Dr. Williams prioritizes research that can be applied immediately by local stakeholders who aim to improve the well-being of their communities.
Opin Media
Opin Media
Opin Media is a content+ agency specializing in creating attention-demanding content for your event + brand. At Opin Media, we believe the internet is similar to a crowded street. When you want to get someone's attention, you don't stand still and shout at the top of your lungs, so your content shouldn't either. We help you meet your audience where they are.
Board of Directors
- Pete Carlson, Former President at Regional Growth Strategies, Board Chair
- Demetra Brown, Senior Program Manager at Promise Venture Studio
- Christina Cain, Chief Lending Officer at Peoples Advantage Federal Credit Union
- Lauren Paul, Director of Partnerships and Policy at Common Future
- Trevor Smith, Co-founder and Executive Director of the BLIS Collective
- Fay Horwitt, CEO & President at Forward Cities (ex officio)
Emeritus Board members include Adrian Smith, Founder of Robert Rust Foods; Cathy Belk, CEO of Deaconess Foundation; Brandon Cosby, Executive Director of Flanner House; Paul Grogan, President of the Boston Foundation and co-Founder of CEOs for Cities; and Brian Payne, CEO of the Central Indiana Community Foundation and former Board Chair.