Get to Know Our Team
D'Angelos Svenkeson
Co-Founder and CEO
As the CEO of NEOO Partners, D'Angelos provides the executive level guidance of NEOO’s vision through strategic partnership, market expansion, and client services. He is the strategic voice of the enterprise ensuring that the workplace culture creates positive benefits for clients and the team. In his work, D’Angelos is responsible for delivering executive-level commitment across the organization bevy of projects by leveraging over 15 years of industry experience in real estate development, finance, long-range planning, and client advisory services.
He draws on nearly $500M of project leadership experience to shepherd a team of over 20 professionals with deep knowledge on human-centered approaches to resilient community development. D’Angelos relishes complex real estate and economic development opportunities where clients are balancing their “ESG '' values with their core business needs. Affectionately known at NEOO as the Chief Risk Taker, D’Angelos has been able to grow the scrappy two-person operation into a market leader as a value-based alternative to traditional service providers.
D’Angelos has a Master’s Degree in Urban and Regional Planning from Jackson State University, and a Planning and Community Development degree from St. Cloud State University.
Email: Dangelos@neoopartners.com
Denetrick Powers
Co-Founder and Director of Planning & Engagement
As the Head of Planning and Engagement at NEOO, Denetrick leads complex projects through empathetic and data-informed processes to elevate the human experience. He amplifies rich storytelling and transparency to the public by leveraging over 10 years of industry experience in community organizing, public arts, and cultural placemaking. In 2018, Denetrick co-founded NEOO with an intense focus on ensuring voices of diverse communities are brought to the front of the room and that outcomes were tied to needs of the community.
Denetrick has a Master’s in Urban and Regional Planning and a Bachelor’s Degree in Business and Fashion Studies from the University of Minnesota.
Email: Powers@neoopartners.com
Menaka Mohan
Director of Operations
As the Director of Operations for NEOO, Menaka is responsible for leading an operations team of 16 intersectional professionals ensuring the company’s delivery of solutions are well-timed, on-budget, and proactively communicated to all clients. In her diverse background, Menaka has had the opportunity to implement $500M+ master planned communities, develop world-class corporate mixed-use projects, and oversee rent stabilization work in multiple municipalities.
Menaka has a Master’s Degree in Urban and Regional Planning and a Master’s Degree in Public Health from the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, and a B.A in Environmental Policy and Analysis from Boston University
Email: Menaka@neoopartners.com
Cameran Bailey
Director of Development
As the Director of Development, Cameran leads clients through our resilient community development practice with an intense focus on solutions for projects with a need for ecosystem funding, technical assistance, and macro-alignment across non-profit, philanthropic, and community development agencies. He brings over ten years of managing resiliency, community development and climate resource management programs and initiatives to NEOO. Cameran has deep personal expertise in renewable and restorative practices and brings a diverse climate and natural-resource-informed perspective to the team.
Cameran has a Master’s Degree in Urban and Regional Planning from the University of Minnesota, and a B.S in Civil Engineering from Rutgers University.
Email: Bailey@neoopartners.com
Christina Berry
Senior Economic Development Advisor
As the Senior Economic Development Advisor with NEOO, Christina brings over 20-years of nuanced experience in leading brownfield redevelopments, master planning, and small town economic development initiatives. She champions NEOO’s expansion efforts in the Deep South (Alabama, Mississippi, Arkansas, Louisiana and Tennessee) with a focus on rural county and small town planning needs. Christina’s deep planning experience managing city planning departments and complex planning efforts elevates the support of NEOO’s municipal planning support services.
Christina has a Master’s in Urban and Regional Planning from Jackson State University, a Master’s in Real Estate Development from Auburn University, and an undergraduate degree in Political Science from the University of Southern Mississippi.
Sharice McCain
Senior Community Engagement Specialist
As the Senior Community Engagement Specialist at NEOO, Sharice leverages over 12 years of labor union organizing, data collection, and empathetic facilitation practices. Having excelled in both public and private stakeholder organizing work with her rich experience with people management and forging common solutions across vast divides NEOO’s clients have an opportunity to work with a seasoned large and small group facilitator.
Email: Mccain@neoopartners.com
Dionne Gharamu
Senior Development Advisor
As the Senior Development Advisor, Dionne has notable experience supporting clients through the design, construction and financing process as an owner’s representative and broker. In his over six years of housing and community development experience, Dionne has created, managed, and funded BIPOC Developer Training, and Technical Assistance programs for municipal government leadership. He is also responsible for managing small business and non-profit clients through the entire development process driving down the cost of capital through innovative and alternative financing vehicles in both Minneapolis and St. Paul. Dionne is also a licensed realtor. He aims to reliably advocate for communities navigating socio-economic inequities and striving for upward economic mobility.
Dionne has a Master’s degree in Public Administration from Hamline University, and a Housing Studies degree from the University of Minnesota.
Email: Dionne@neoopartners.com
Aimirou Sy
Community Development Coordinator
As a Community Development Coordinator at NEOO, Aimirou brings years of experience in managing diverse stakeholders and data analysis through GIS. He will support the Resilient Community Development Practice area by coupling his technical experience with his internationally acquired problem solving abilities. Aimirou has gained valuable experience working on master plans, GIS maps, economic development, and environmental planning.
Aimirou has a Master’s degree in Urban Planning and a B.S. in Urban and Regional Studies from Minnesota State University - Mankato.
Email: Sy@neoopartners.com
Deanna Mazone
Community Development Coordinator
As a Community Development Coordinator at NEOO, Deanna shares her time between Planning and Engagement projects and community networking. She brings 10 years of experience as an educator in both public education and non-profit organizations to NEOO. Deanna is passionate about supporting individuals and families facing socio-economic inequities, serving diverse communities and community relationship building.
Deanna has a Bachelor’s degree in Communications and Media Studies from the University of Minnesota- Twin Cities and a Master’s degree in Teaching Communications Arts and Literature from Hamline University.
Email: Deanna@neoopartners.com
Mer'Ce Tyler
Business Relations Coordinator and Executive Assistant
As the Business Relations Coordinator and Executive Assistant for NEOO, Mer’Ce has over 15 years of experience in professional and entrepreneurial development, training and facilitation and peer to peer style coaching. She supports business development, project financing, and site selection for the Real Estate team and . Her professional strengths lie in mentorship and relationship building, and at NEOO they have aligned with her passion for community development and real estate and she channels it towards building a legacy and closing generational gaps of ownership within underserved communities.
Mer’Ce is working towards her Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration at Purdue University.
Email: Merce@neoopartners.com
Marlin King
Senior Urban Design Advisor
As the Senior Urban Design Advisor at NEOO, Marlin brings over 15 years of experience in long term strategic planning and organizational transformation in both public and private sectors. He has extensive experience in developing architectural designs, identifying operational inefficiencies and providing sustainable building solutions. Marlin works in the Deep South office but has completed projects in Baltimore, Jackson and Minneapolis, totaling over $1.5 billion dollars.
Marlin believes strongly in the built environment playing a crucial role in enhancing people’s lives and transforming communities. He pours this passion into his community by developing a summer camp focused on architecture and planning for high school students at Jackson State University, and teaching elementary students architecture at the Fusion STEM summer camp at Cade Chapel M.B. Church, where has served on the usher board for over 30 years.
Marlin has a Master’s degree in Architecture from Morgan State University and a Bachelor’s degree in Drafting and Design Technology from Jackson State University.
Email: Marlin@neoopartners.com
Jasmine Carey
Public Engagement Specialist
As the Public Engagement Specialist for NEOO, Jasmine leads clients through the process of creating a holistic engagement framework to elevate community. She has over seven years of experience working in the public sector, at the intersection of community, advocacy and public policy. Jasmine’s expertise includes leading, advising and collaborating with community leaders and elected officials on policy solutions for issues that disproportionately impact Black communities and communities of color. Jasmine also has experience facilitating and training community stakeholders and leaders on navigating the political process and leveraging their collective power to create change.
Email: Jasmine@neoopartners.com
Adriana Silva
Community Development Coordinator
As a Community Development Coordinator at NEOO, Adriana focuses on supporting sustainable and vibrant community development projects through existing community relationships and networking. As a native Floridian, Adriana brings a multi-regional and stakeholder-informed approach to community engagement on Planning and Engagement projects. She also has a background in climate change and planning for community resilience.
Adriana has a Master’s degree in Urban and Regional Planning and a Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Studies from Florida State University.
Email: Silva@neoopartners.com
Chris Herndon
Community Development Coordinator
As a Community Development Coordinator at NEOO, Chris brings a diverse background which includes underwriting and risk management, business development, account management and executive business coaching; giving him a holistic perspective on the challenges facing businesses today.
At NEOO, Chris partners with community members, non-profits, and local government to develop real estate projects that address social and economic issues. As a real estate developer, he is passionate about small-scale development and workforce-priced missing middle housing, and this fuels his work on the Real Estate Development team.
Chris earned his BA in Sociology & Political Science from the University of Washington and his MBA in Leadership & Marketing from Portland State University.
Email: Chris@neoopartners.com
Carmen Iman
Communications Advisor
As the Communications Advisor with NEOO, Carmen brings a decade of human-centered communications and storytelling to the team. She has worked across multiple digital media and understands how to channel the brilliant ideas of clients and the internal NEOO team into a single, collective voice.
Carmen has a Bachelor’s degree in Mass Communications and Journalism from Savannah State University.
Email: Carmen@neoopartners.com