Founder & CEO

Devin H. Cotten is a community and economic development professional that has spent the majority of his career serving Cleveland’s most disinvested communities. Devin specializes in finding wins at the intersection of people, process, and data. He has held positions on regional policy coalitions, community led task force, and bridged the gap between community and institutions for the benefit of creating systems of success. Devin believes that everyone should bowl in life with bumpers, and that if you are moving down the lanes of life, you should be guaranteed the opportunity to knock down some pins. The desire to create that guarantee has been the north star for his career and genesis to UBE.

Prior to leading UBE, Devin worked in community development, education operations and management, and professional basketball. In all of those roles, Devin highlighted or unearthed the relationship between data, process, and people to drive outcomes.

Chief Strategy Officer

Gelise L. Thomas is an attorney by profession who has invested over a decade working in and across multiple industries and sectors, including: academia, research, healthcare, community and economic development, government relations, and law. Gelise cultivates relationships, built on trust and fueled by integrity, that can be leveraged to access and scale sustainable capacity-building resources. A visionary, Gelise oftentimes holds the first of positions where she has the freedom to co-design adaptable blueprints, catering to her nonlinear curiosity. Motivated by a childhood ideal that everyone can achieve what they set out to, Gelise’s urgency to be a solutions-catalyst for some of our world’s greatest growth opportunities (i.e., economic mobility, health equity) is palpable. 

Prior to leading strategy for UBE, Gelise powered research health equity strategy for a department at a top 25 NIH-funded research institution, mobilized research diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility at a U.S. News & World Report’s Best Regional Hospitals for Equitable Access hospital system, and facilitated economic and community development opportunities for a community development corporation that connects Cleveland’s downtown and innovation districts.

Cleveland City Council Member

Stephanie Howse-Jones is a caregiver, mentor, and public servant, presently serving as Ward 7 Councilwoman in Cleveland City Council. Through the years, she has grown to understand the interconnections between the laws created and the social, economic, and physical environments community members face in working toward breaking generational poverty.

Prior to joining Cleveland City Council, Stephanie served as an Ohio State Representative, Educator, Consultant and Engineer. Her range of lived experiences keeps her grounded in the realities of everyday people and motivates her to use her public platform to share uncomfortable truths and engage in uncomfortable conversations to move our community forward for the benefit of all and not just a select few.

Chair of Advisory Committee

As a 15 year leader in the community development ecosystem, Jeff has been on the forefront of Cleveland’s transformation at the intersection of people, place, and policy. His leadership in launching previous innovations such as Cleveland’s middle neighborhood initiative, community health as community development, and day-to-day revitalization of neighborhoods that have changed lives intersects with UBE as a transformational opportunity. Jeff currently serves as Chief Operating Officer for Cleveland Neighborhood Progress.