Dedicated and results-driven urban planning consultant with a passion for creating vibrant, equitable, and sustainable communities. Leveraging expertise in strategic planning, community engagement, and data analysis, I aim to collaborate with diverse stakeholders to develop innovative solutions that address complex urban challenges. Committed to fostering inclusive growth and enhancing quality of life, I seek to contribute my skills and experience to impactful projects that shape the future of our cities.
Key skills and qualifications
- Executive Leadership
- Strategic planning
- Project management
- Public speaking
- Communication
- Relationship building
- Financial modeling
- Graphic design
- Community data research
- Geographical Information Systems (GIS)
- Grant writing
Professional Experience
Denver Metro Community Impact
a Trade Name of Park Hill Collective Impact, Inc.
Executive Director | February 2017 - Present
- Established the brand, incorporated the business, and successfully obtained 501c3 Federal certification
- Guide the organization’s overall vision, strategy, and agenda
- Grew the organization from $200k to $1.4 million annual budget
- Successfully secured and administered local and state government grants and contracts exceeding $900k annually as a Nonprofit Executive Director, demonstrating adeptness in grant acquisition, compliance, and fiscal management
- Galvanized a community-wide effort to focus on the social determinants of health model to increase equity for children as it relates to housing, health, economics, and academics
- Mobilize and advance funding through grant writing, strategic partnerships, and building rapport with local and national funders
- Hire and manage staff, consultants, and contractors to meet milestones and goals
- Regularly engage the community through public events, meetings, and forums
- Develop and maintain relationships with community-serving organizations and their leadership
- Public speaking and presenting at various events
- Led strategic planning efforts
- Supervise and manage annual budget, spending, and reporting to funders and Board of Directors
Urbanity Advisors, LLC
Founder | 2015
- Led and developed plans to address homelessness and housing for municipal government
- Led pre-development research for municipalities, developers, state agencies, and nonprofit organizations
- Formed an urban planning consulting firm that provides real estate development feasibility research, community engagement, and due diligence project management
- Conducted feasibility analysis and case study reports detailing the opportunities for funding the development of housing in Denver
- Created presentations utilizing GIS, graphic design, and Google Earth to showcase affordable housing development portfolios along with new and planned projects
- Created presentations for commercial real estate retail brokers and their clients with community-related data to show the strength of opportunities in the Denver Metro Area
- Hired and managed contractors to assist on projects obtained by the firm
Urban Land Conservancy
Program Manager - Master Site Development | December 2010 - June 2015
- Co-created and raised $250K for the concept of 303 ArtWay, a themed community pedestrian and bicycle trail planned for Northeast Denver
- Recognized metropolitan-wide leader of affordable housing data and research, managing inquiries from nonprofit and government entities for highly refined GIS maps and data
- Managed neighborhood stakeholders, development partners, lenders, architects, contractors, consultants to create master site development plans
- Managed, led, and presented at community meetings to garner feedback for participatory planning processes
- Managed and trained contractors and interns to become prepared to assist in the development needed to create a master site development plan and authentic community engagement
- Coordinated financing, budget, and schedule for real estate dispositions and long term land leases
- Managed and coordinated real estate due diligence, including city planning compliance, zoning, permitting, and environmental
- Conducted research and collected data to provide recommendations for real estate development opportunities and affordable housing preservation
- Managed, composed, and contributed to successful grant submittals
- Authored, designed, and developed high quality reports with supporting graphics and GIS maps
- Led the development of an affordable housing tracking web geographical information system (GIS) and website, in partnership with the Denver Office of Economic Development, Enterprise Community Partners, and Colorado Housing and Finance Authority, to be used by housing providers and financiers to preserve Metropolitan Denver’s affordable housing stock
- Developed a thorough understanding of Colorado housing finance sources, including LIHTC, Federal, and State funding
- Founding member of the Mile High Connects Research and Evaluation team, heavily contributing to the authoring and development of the Denver Regional Equity Atlas
Creative Experience
Key Skills And Qualifications
- Curation
- Artist Advocacy
- Event Planning
- Acrylic Paint
- Digital Art
- Photography
- Filmmaking / Video Production
- Artist Management & Representation
- Adobe Creative Suite
Exhibitions
- 2024 - Clara Brown Commons Grand Opening - Photography - Denver, CO
- 2021 - Rap | Race | Identity - Race in Hip Hop’s America, Solo Exhibition - Denver, CO
- 2021-2023 - Therizo Coffee Shop - Photography and Digital Art - Denver, CO
Education
University of Colorado Denver
- Master of Urban & Regional Planning, Part-time, Expected completion Fall 2019
- BA, Urban Studies, Spring 2013
Certifications
- Real Estate Broker Associate (Inactive), Colorado, 2017
Affiliations
- Board Member, Barton Institute (2022 - Present)
- Board Member, Warm Cookies of the Revolution (2022 - Present)
- Member, Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce (2020 - Present)
- Editorial Board Member, Denver Journal of Education & Community (2019 - 2022)
- Community Professionals Board Member, Heart & Hand Center (2019 – 2022)
- Council Member, Denver Black Reparations Council (2019 - 2021)
- Board Member, Downtown Denver Expeditionary School (2019 – 2021)
- Board Member, Rocky Mountain Communities (2016 – 2019)
- Board Member, Denver Retail Incubator (2014 – 2017)
- Member, Denver African American Philanthropists
Accomplishments
- 2021 Leadership Denver, Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce
- 2018 Executive Directors of Color Institute - The Denver Foundation
- 2017 First Place NAIOP Rocky Mountain Real Estate Challenge
- 2012 Real Estate Diversity Initiative - Urban Land Institute
In the News
Bohlen, Teague. "Is the Writing on the Wall for Curtis Park?" Westword. March 2022
Ragan, Kelly. "Housing affordability, better nonprofit coordination among key concerns as Greeley looks to address homelessness" Greeley Tribune. March 2022
Breest, Katie. “In Pursuit of Equitable Development: James Roy II on Revolutionizing Urban Planning” CU Denver News. June 2021
Grant, Beverly. "James Roy II Interview - On The HEAL Tip! (Health, Eating, Active Living)" KGNU Community Radio. February 2022
Engen, Jessica. "20 Things To Do in Real Life and Virtually This Weekend in Denver" 303 Magazine. February 2021
Froyd, Susan. "Art Attack: Twelve Ways to Celebrate First Friday in Denver" Westword. February 2021
Abeyta, Michael. "Legacy Of Redlining Led To Today’s Black And Latino Families Being Pushed Out Of Denver" CBS Denver. February 2021
Asanti, Ta'Shia. "African Americans Who Make a Difference" Denver Urban Spectrum. Page 16. January 2021
Schoales, Van & Roy II, James. "Opinion: 5 ways to end education redlining in Denver" The Colorado Sun. January 2021
On the Same Page - Episode 3. PBS 12 Colorado. June 2020
On the Same Page - Episode 1. PBS 12 Colorado. June 2020
Bryson, Donna. "Denver rents keep rising no matter how much housing we build. Now what?" Denverite. May 2020
"Reader: We Want Something Closer to RiNo for Park Hill's Future" Westword. January 2020
Solomon, Rae. "Andrew Lefkowits & James Roy II Interview - Focus on Inequality in Education" KGNU Community Radio. September 2019
Tellis, Allan. "To research — and fight — youth violence in Northeast Park Hill, organizations will have to build trust and community connections" Denverite. December 2018