Evelyn Matos

Youth & Family Services Manager

Evelyn Matos (she/her), Youth & Family Services Manager, has been part of the Norris Square community since the 90s when her parents moved to the neighborhood from Puerto Rico. Before NSNP, she worked at Norris Square Civic Association for eight years as a preschool teacher while her two children attended NSNP’s youth programs, now program alums. Evelyn is a graduate of Ashford University with a bachelor’s in education. When Evelyn has a day to herself, she enjoys cooking, being with her grandson, and especially old-school salsa music. She describes herself as “LOUD,”; and her favorite thing about NSNP is that it allows her to be herself.

Contact Evelyn at evelyn@myneighborhoodproject.org.

Cesali Morales

Business & Development Director

Cesali Morales (she/her/ella) is an artist and communications strategist working at the intersections of racial, gender, and economic justice. Beginning as a graphic designer for emerging artists and neighborhood groups, she has worked on regional and national media campaigns for me too., BlackStar Film Festival, Black Spatial Relics, and other social justice organizations. Formerly the Communications and Community Engagement Assistant at the Leeway Foundation, she is committed to supporting spaces where people can connect to others in their neighborhood and further their self-determination.

Contact Cesali at cesali@myneighborhoodproject.org

Teresa Elliott

Executive Director

Teresa Elliott has over 25 years of experience working with Latino populations in the U.S. and Latin America. She has a B.A. in Political Science from Middlebury College and an M.A. in Public Administration from New York University. Teresa is passionate about advocating for social justice, building cultural connections, and bringing generations together. Her Cuban roots led her to make deep connections with the Latino community in North Philadelphia through her work as a Hospice volunteer and as Director of the Aging at Home initiative at Congreso de Latinos Unidos. In her spare time, Teresa enjoys cooking, theater, walking the trails and parks of Philadelphia, and above all, friends and family. Teresa is thrilled to join the NSNP team and feels privileged to be working with the Norris Square community.

Contact Teresa at teresa@myneighborhoodproject.org.

Sophie Taylor-Havens

Youth Program Director

Sophie Taylor-Havens has returned to NSNP after interning here as a college sophomore. After graduating from Kalamazoo College with a bachelor’s in Art and Psychology, she moved to Philadelphia to become a teaching artist with Mural Arts Philadelphia. Sophie is passionate about sustainability and social justice and believes in the power of art as a tool for promoting reflection, growth, community, and empowerment. She hopes to create a space for students to explore themselves, discover their power, and engage with their communities. She enjoys making art, laughing with loved ones, exploring new places, following the sunshine, and eating delicious foods in her spare time.

Contact Sophie at Sophie@myneighborhoodproject.org

Toni-Anne McDonald

Semillas del Futuro Lead Instructor

Toni-Anne McDonald (she/her) is a Temple University alumna with a Bachelor of Business Administration and a minor in Environmental Sustainability. In addition to being the lead instructor for Semillas del Futuro, NSNP’s after-school program for teens to learn entrepreneurship, technology, arts, gardening, and Puerto Rican culture. She volunteers her time with BloodyBtches, a non-profit working to provide menstruators in the Black community with free hygiene products and educational resources. She is passionate about community support systems. You can find Toni chilling in a park with her friends or going out for dessert in her spare time.

Contact Toni at toni@myneighborhoodproject.org

Anna Toffani

Operations Manager

Anna Toffani (she/her/ella) has been involved with NSNP for over three years, starting as a volunteer, then as an intern, and now as a full-time staff member. She has a Bachelor of Arts in Organizational Communications from the University of Ottawa. Anna is Franco-Argentine and has spent most of her life in Brazil. She loves meeting new people, speaking new languages, even though she already speaks four, and sharing food. Outside of work, Anna loves cooking vegetarian meals, reading, crocheting, and spending time with loved ones.

Contact Anna at anna@myneighborhoodproject.org

Xena Stearos

Communications Associate

Xena Stearos (she/her) joins us as our Communications Associate after completing an internship with us in Fall of 2022. Hailing from South Central Ohio, Xena is an Ohio State University alumna with a Bachelor of Arts in Strategic Communication, making her a true “Buckeye.” Before starting with NSNP, she worked with multiple nonprofits in Ohio, focusing on teen development and family housing. She is passionate about building community and creating spaces for community members to grow and celebrate themselves, their culture, and their peers. Outside of community, Xena cares deeply about education access and quality. Xena walks her dog, practices yoga, or plays board games in her spare time!

Contact Xena at xena@myneighborhoodproject.org

Ria Alfonso

Garden Educator

Ria (they/them/she) is excited to join NSNP as the Garden Educator for Raíces del Futuro, our youth garden apprentice program. After graduating with a Critical Theory and Social Justice degree and working as Youth Development Intern at Hidden Villa, Ria dedicated themselves to obtaining skills in agriculture, animal husbandry, and herbal medicine. A child of food-loving Cuban immigrants, Ria is particularly excited to work with Latinx youth. They are passionate about food justice, relational healing, and accessible healthcare. At NSNP, they hope to infuse garden education with cultural context, community care, and personal responsibility. In their free time, you can find Ria going for long walks, learning about astrology, ancestral healing, dancing, and spending time with loved ones.

Contact Ria at ria@myneighborhoodproject.org

Sky Deswert

Gardener

Sky Deswert (they/she), like many others, the onset of the pandemic pushed Sky to find ways of connecting with the world in a safe way. Sky worked as a grower, integrating knowledge from their experience growing food in college and learning amongst friends and the community to nurture two seasons of fruitful harvests. They now live by Wharton Square Park and volunteer as a leader of the Garden Committee to develop and maintain the native pollinator habitat there. Sky views engaging the community in public green space as a crucial mode of healing the pain seeded in Philadelphia. As part of NSNP, Sky hopes to nurture the land and the community together.

Contact Sky at sky@myneighborhoodproject.org

Guillermo Caro

After-school Assistant Instructor

Guillermo Caro (he/him) is a community worker with experience in support, outreach, and program coordination for marginalized communities. His background is in the addiction field, with an awareness of those experiencing substance use and homelessness. Born and raised in Puerto Rico, Guillermo now lives in Philadelphia after receiving his degree in sociology and communications from Saint Joseph’s University. In addition to being the assistant instructor for the Semillas del Futuro, Guillermo is an interpreter for youth with disabilities and a Muay Thai fighter. He is very passionate about human rights, community, and family. Outside of NSNP, Guillermo trains and teaches kids’ classes at his Muay Thai gym in South Philly. Whenever he has time, he’ll jump on a plane to spend time with his family back on the Island. 

Contact Guillermo at guillermo@myneighborhoodproject.org