OUR BOARD
The members of Community Growth Fund’s (CGF) Board of Directors are representative of the communities we serve. Through their life experience and expertise, our Board guides CGF and its strategies.
Jerome Jackson
Executive Director
Northside Leadership Conference
Jerome M. Jackson is the Executive Director of Northside Leadership Conference (NSLC). Using decades of experience in community consensus building, grass roots outreach and community economic development, Jerome leads NSLC in its mission to work together to make the Northside a vibrant, healthy, diverse, and equitable place for all. NSLC carries out its mission by providing advocacy and coordination of development activities for our member groups. Jerome also has extensive experience and expertise in the areas of program management, mediation, training, community organizing and youth development.
Paul Johnson
Owner
Lagom LLC, a Development Company
In Paul’s years in Pittsburgh, he has worked in real estate development, with restoration projects and new builds on the Mexican War Streets and in Highland Park. A volunteer in community development, he spent four years as Central Northside Neighborhood Council’s project manager as well as the owner’s representative on the 45-town home development along Federal Street- a build-out which included both market rate and affordable units. Other commitments included President of the Mexican War Streets Society and co-developer of the organization’s Façade Grant Program.
Josh Wynkoop
Consumer Loan Department Manager
SSB Bank
Josh is a lawyer with over 15 years of experience in the banking and legal fields. In his time at SSB Bank, Josh has overseen the residential and consumer lending departments. His skills include performing direct loan operations including origination, underwriting, compliance, quality control and delinquency, as well as managing relationships with secondary market investors and reconciling all corresponding portfolios.
Richard Witherspoon
Treasurer and CEO
Hill District Credit Union (HDCU)
Richard has been the Treasurer and CEO of the HDCU since 1988. During his career, Richard has been an important voice in the formation of two other Credit Unions. Seeing Community Development as his life’s calling, Richard’s experience has taught him the need for such institutions in underserved communities. In addition to his work with the HDCU, Richard also serves on the HDCU’s Board, is the Board chair for Thelma Lovette YMCA, and sits on the Board of Bridgeway Capital and Womanspace East.
Lauren Byrne Connelly
Director of the Allegheny Economic Development Dept.
Allegheny County
Lauren returned to Allegheny County Economic Development in May 2024 as the Director, after serving as County Executive Sara Innamorato’s All In Allegheny transition team co-chair. Lauren previously served as an Assistant Director in the department from 2016-2019, managing community development loan and grant programs, main street revitalization programs, real estate development projects, and business development programs and projects throughout the 130 municipalities within Allegheny County.
Max Miller
Director and Professor
Washington & Jefferson College / Ignite Business Incubator and Co-Working Space.
With over 20 years of corporate and legal experience and transactional experience as well as 10 years of innovation and new venture experience, Max is committed to contributing to entrepreneurial ecosystems and building collaborative platforms. He is an Associate Professor who currently directs and teaches the Entrepreneurial Studies Program at Washington & Jefferson College and directs the Ignite Business Incubator and Co-Working Space. Professor Miller has been with the college for 8 years. He also owns and operates his own experiential engagement firm – Raise Your Spirits – that integrates spirits tastings into sales engagement platforms across the United States and Canada.