Stephanie Thomas is the Director of Programs & Small Business Services for the Washington Area Community Investment Fund (Wacif). She oversees the design, development, and execution of Wacif’s capacity building programs and partnerships, regional community development agenda, and economic and social impact efforts and performance.
With almost 20 years of professional experience, Stephanie navigated Fortune 500 organizations on Wall Street, a United States Presidential campaign at National Committee headquarters on Capitol Hill, and the venerated minority depository institutions of Carver Federal Savings Bank and Industrial Bank. Over the course of her career, Stephanie played a key role in managing strategic relationships with various community stakeholders, nonprofits, municipal partners and elected officials, particularly in support of the community economic development, financial empowerment and inclusion, access to capital for small businesses, and community banking.
Stephanie studied Organizational Management at Mercy College and holds a Certificate in Theology & Ministry from Princeton Theological Seminary. She is a proud alumna of Coro Leadership New York, the prestigious Women’s Campaign School at Yale University, and the White House Project. In 2015, Stephanie was named the City & State Reports Corporate Social Responsibility Award recipient for New York’s Banking, Finance & Insurance sector – Distinguished Service in Promoting Financial Literacy and Inclusion. In 2017, Stephanie was named as one of the Next City Vanguards – forty “40 and Under” of the best and brightest urban leaders and innovators working to improve and change cities.