As a member of HR&A’s Growth Team, Belema supports strategic communications by leveraging storytelling to advance the company’s growth and impact.

Prior to joining HR&A, Belema worked with the 100 Black Men of Greater Washington D.C. While there, she developed and implemented initiatives that support the development of social, emotional, and educational needs of African American youth in the metropolitan area. She also worked with Future Now Action and Clean Cities Coalition. Her previous roles ignited a passion for storytelling through communication channels to promote company growth and prosperity. Her work is rooted in philanthropy and giving back, and she particularly enjoys mentoring and community engagement.

Belema is an honors graduate of Howard University where she received her Bachelors in Strategic, Legal & Management Communications. In her free time, she enjoys traveling, cooking, and learning new skills.

Asha collaborates with public and private stakeholders to develop equitable, innovative, and future-ready infrastructure.

Asha leads the development of digital equity and broadband infrastructure strategies for a range of clients, from cities and states, to philanthropies, to mission-driven internet service providers. Together with Methodist Health Care Ministries, Asha designed and launched an innovative digital equity grant program that will directly impact over 100,000 residents in South Texas. Asha also partners with Results for America to design and facilitate training programs that support cities in advancing their community engagement strategies related to open data and artificial intelligence.

Asha also creates energy infrastructure strategies that both enable the transition to clean energy, as well as support economic development goals. She is currently supporting Maine in implementing a State-wide program to help communities leverage underutilized energy infrastructure to unlock inclusive economic activity and create family-sustaining jobs connected to clean energy uses. Asha previously co-authored the first study on the impact of electric vehicle charging infrastructure on for-hire-vehicle drivers in NYC, demonstrating the ways in which public and private actors can collaborate to reduce emissions from for-hire-vehicle fleets.

Prior to HR&A, Asha supported the Philadelphia Navy Yard in the development of a new master plan, as well as their first Smart Cities plan. She has been involved in planning for creative and cultural industries and led the spatial analysis for a GIZ-sponsored pandemic recovery plan supporting creative industries across seven cities in Africa and the Middle East. As a part of the Housing Initiative at Penn, she researched the efficacy of COVID-specific rental relief programs in US cities. Before planning, Asha worked in advertising technology helping companies optimize their data governance strategies.

Asha has a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and International Affairs from the George Washington University and a Master of City and Regional Planning from the University of Pennsylvania, where she received the Smart Cities Award from the School of Design.

Sori brings experience in research and data analysis to support creative and equitable economic development strategies for both private and public sector clients.

Prior to HR&A, Sori served as a community planning fellow at the Manhattan Community Board 2, deepening her understanding of the NYC DOT Open Street program’s impact at the community level and witnessing the transformation of streets into valued civic resources and a catalyst for economic development. Prior to her studies in urban planning, Sori was a high school geography teacher in Seoul, South Korea. She also worked briefly as a 3D modeling consultant for the Seoul Metropolitan Government, working closely with city agencies in developing emergency management plans.

Sori holds a Master’s degree in Urban Planning from Columbia University and a Bachelor’s degree in Geography Education from Ewha Womans University.

Alexandra (Lexi) joins HR&A’s GPO team in NYO and brings nine years of administrative experience ranging from immigration to the fashion industry.

Lexi has interned with Betsy Johnson-fashion house, as a production intern specializing in the international market. Soon after, Lexi worked with the Wholesale company Liu Sun Enterprises, specializing in soft accessories and swimwear for the likes of Tory Burch, Coach and Marc Jacobs.

In addition to her professional experiences, Lexi is a graduate of the University of New Haven and a founding sister of the University of New Haven chapter of Hermandad de Sigma Iota Alpha, Inc.

Moira works to ensure the effective use of consulting staff across the firm and supports the professional growth of HR&A employees.

As a Talent Manager based in HR&A’s DC Office (DCO), Moira works closely with HR&A’s Partners and Project Managers to align consulting staff with client projects and business development opportunities to optimize the professional growth of employees and firm outcomes. Moira also spearheads HR&A’s BIPOC Sponsorship Program (an initiative of the Anti-racism Core Team), manages firmwide learning and development, and supports people-team initiatives.

Moira has over 20 years of professional experience managing projects, events, people, and budgets in higher education institutions, a trade association, and a commercial real estate firm. Most recently, Moira developed and led an onboarding program for 400 incoming graduate students, coached over 1,500 graduate students and alumni, collaboratively designed and executed an extensive career resource library on a learning management system, and co-led a university-wide women’s mentoring program at Georgetown University. Previously, Moira led an international affairs research center and supported the research life-cycle from brainstorming to book launches to conferences. Moira’s human resources management graduate capstone project focused on improving performance development and performance evaluations in partnership with the Bureau of Global Talent Management with the U.S Dept. of State.

Moira holds a Master of Professional Studies (M.P.S.) in Human Resources Management from Georgetown University, a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) from Johns Hopkins University in International Studies, and a certification from Gallup as a CliftonStrengths Coach. Moira holds membership with the Society for Human Resources Management (SHRM).

Matthew’s analytical work and organizing experience guide economic development projects that create more vibrant and equitable cities.

Based in HR&A’s New York office, Matthew’s work centers on the intersection of community economic development, parks and open space, climate policy, and real estate development advising. He brings with him work experience in advising business improvement districts in Philadelphia and New York City, in economic policy consulting, policy research with community development financial institutions, and both public and private commercial real estate.

During his time at the University of Pennsylvania, Matthew completed his graduate studio on a climate change resiliency plan for the island of St. Thomas in the US Virgin Islands. He also collaborated with Philadelphia’s first commercial land trust to create a set of metrics tracking economic and cultural displacement in the Kensington neighborhood’s commercial corridor, as well as a set of steps to mitigate the effects of these changes.

Rebecca brings over 13 years of experience in politics and public service, focused on developing programs and policies that support community economic development and economic mobility.

Most recently, Becca had an independent consulting practice where she advised and built programs for social impact organizations focused on issues related to civic technology and civic engagement. Her clients included New America, Bloomberg Harvard City Leadership Initiative, the NYC Tech Talent Pipeline, and Civic Hall @ Union Square.

Previously, Becca served in the Obama Administration in roles at the White House, U.S. Trade Representative Office, and the U.S. Department of State, including a six-month rotation at the U.S. Mission to the OECD. During her time in the Administration, she led the design, development, and execution of public and intergovernmental engagement strategies to advance the President’s international economic agenda. She began her career in politics working on then-Senator Obama’s 2008 presidential campaign.

Becca holds a Master of Public Administration from Columbia University, and B.A.’s from the University of Maryland.

Sophie’s analysis advances urban mobility and inclusive growth by guiding strategic investment in transit-oriented development and affordable housing.

Based in the New York office, Sophie serves a range of clients across the country through economic development strategy, market analysis, and stakeholder and community engagement.

Prior to joining HR&A, Sophie served as the Regional Mobility and Infrastructure Intern at the Greater Washington Partnership. There, she researched best practices in equitable transit-oriented development for bus rapid transit in Richmond, Virginia, assessed Washington-area employers’ return-to-work plans, and supported advocacy for a D.C. bus network transformation.

Sophie holds a B.A. in History with Honors from Davidson College and a minor in Digital Studies. In her senior thesis, she explored the history of development in neighborhoods around the D.C. Metro and 1960s urban policy.

As an analyst in our New York office, Anna is passionate about equitable economic development, affordable housing, and urban resilience.

Before joining HR&A, Anna worked as a Program Associate at the Center for NYC Neighborhoods, where she assisted low- and middle- income homeowners across New York. She was previously an intern at Sam Schwartz Transportation Consultants and a Princeton in Asia Fellow in Phang Nga, Thailand, where she taught English at a public high school.

Anna received a B.A. in Urban Studies from Brown University. Her senior capstone project analyzed rental housing ownership in Providence, RI, in service to a local community-based organization. As a researcher with Brown’s Climate and Development Lab, Anna attended the 2017 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP 23).