Our People
Interise is powered by passionate, curious, and innovative people who bring deep and varied experiences to the team.
We live out our values of being bold, purposeful, and inclusive and we welcome the opportunity to work with others who share these beliefs.
Jerrianne Jackson
What do you care about?
I care deeply about dismantling systemic racism in America. I believe that, in the land of the free and home of the brave, everyone should have the right to build generational wealth without structures put in place to discourage or hinder their upward economic mobility. I care about moving Interise’s mission forward – an economy that works for all.
Why Interise?
Born and raised in rural South Carolina, I witnessed my parents labor tirelessly in our family’s small business. It was my parents’ fortitude and courage that inspired me to work with small business owners. It’s knowing that, following your passion, along with community support and resources, can push small businesses from good to great. By being a part of Interise’s mission, I hope to build sustainable businesses that uplift all communities.
As the Senior Manager of Community Engagement, Jerrianne works to build relationships and expand the Interise network with the goal of building brand, driving revenue, and increasing mission impact.
Prior to working at Interise Jerrianne was the Senior Economic Development Specialist for the City of Charlotte, NC where she strategically managed AMP UP Charlotte. She also is the founder and broker in charge of Blu J Agency. A graduate of Winthrop University with a degree in Economics and Political Science, Jerrianne has worked in both the corporate and government sectors, as a successful Marketing Analyst and Economic Developer.
Emelia Misail
What do I care about?
I’m passionate about personal growth and pursuing one’s passions. It’s important to me that my work helps local neighborhoods because I believe that small businesses make communities more vibrant, diverse and ultimately better places to live.
Why Interise?
While working in Lowell, I’ve seen how innovative programs like Interise can positively impact communities and change lives. Now more than ever I feel it’s important to support at-risk communities and keep the work we do current and meaningful.
As a Program Associate for the National Programs team Emelia supports the Emerging Leaders initiative with a focus on data analysis and relationship building. Emelia graduated from University of Massachusetts, Lowell with a B.A. in English with a concentration in Journalism.
Harrison Ackerman
What do I care about?
I care about data driven decision making and continuous learning as ways to maximize impact. I believe that business ownership is a powerful tool for wealth building across race and place, and that we need to support the capacity building and growth of diverse small businesses.
Why Interise?
We use research and data to reinforce our mission. I appreciate that at Interise we leverage our core competencies and acknowledge which pieces of economic development we are uniquely suited to address. We understand the need for networks and collaboration, and we embrace that there is always room for improvement.
As Research Manager, Harrison serves as a cross-functional liaison across multiple departments to both deepen our Research & Evaluation work and develop new initiatives. Harrison holds a B.A. in Political Science and International Affairs with minors in Economics, Global Social Entrepreneurship, and History from Northeastern University where he graduated Summa Cum Laude.
Risa Murray
What do I care about?
I hold an unwavering belief in what’s possible when people come together to imagine a greater good with a willingness to work and make it so. As a third-generation educator-activist and former entrepreneur, I care deeply about the work to eradicate systems of oppression and remove barriers of access to information for under-resourced, and marginalized communities. My father and grandfather modeled for me a passion for doing transformative, community-based work and a commitment to liberate, empower and create meaningful change.
Why Interise?
I am energized by work centered on addressing the root causes of economic injustice and the critical interpretation of data to improve societal outcomes. My tenure as a business educator and school leader in the US and abroad afforded me the opportunity to engage and be inspired by a culturally diverse community of thought partners. Similarly, I am emboldened by Interise’s commitment to innovation in the design and delivery of programs; and the intention to ensure lasting, positive impact in the communities we serve.
As Program Manager for Learning and Development, Risa supports Interise’s program development, delivery and hiring process nation-widet. Prior to working at Interise, Risa served as an education consultant, entrepreneur, and business educator in the U.S. and abroad. Risa holds a B.A. in Economics from Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois and a MBA with a concentration in Finance.
Harper Dangler
What Do I Care About?
I care deeply about equity, social justice, and the environment. I seek a more just, harmonious world where difference is celebrated while our common humanity is never forgotten. I believe that it all comes down to a need of showing respect for each person and creature on this planet. To do this we must undo institutional inequality, systems of oppression, provide equitable access to resources, and care for our environment so that all living things have a chance to live their best life.
Why Interise?
I have always loved supporting my local, small businesses. I believe that they are an engine for building vibrant, thriving, and inclusive communities. Interise is the perfect joining together of my passions for social justice, racial equity, and community development. Supporting small businesses is good for the environment. I also chose Interise because they do an incredible job of providing the data to show their impact.
What is my role at Interise?
As Development Manager, Harper leads the planning and executing of a comprehensive development and fundraising program at Interise. Harper raises funds through individuals, corporations, and foundations to help advance Interise’s mission and programs. Before joining Interise, Harper led development at the Society of Arts and Crafts, Lincoln Institute of Land Policy, and Ocean River Institute. Harper has a Master’s Degree in Social Work from Boston College and a BA from Earlham College. When not working to advance social justice, he can be found painting watercolors and singing in choruses.
Darrell Byers
What do I care about?
Equality. Since the first slave came off the boat in 1619, Black Americans have been fighting for equality in America. Every individual born black is forced to start life on an unequal playing ground, and there is not one facet of one society where that is not the case. As a result, I have made it my mission to uplift and support communities of color through the growth of local economies as a way to start building generational wealth for Black families in this country.
Why Interise?
Interise is a national organization which means our impact spans far and wide. Being a former small business owner myself, I personally understand the struggles that our alumni go through on a daily basis. From understanding their finances to accessing capital or gaining economic traction with anchor institutions, I have lived and felt the challenges of it all. No matter where I have been in my career, I have always worked to transform lives and that’s exactly what we do at Interise.
Darrell came to Interise from Habitat for Humanity Greater San Francisco where he was Chief Advancement Officer and has previously held leadership roles at Easterseals Bay Area and EarthJustice. He was the recipient of the Eleanor Collier Award from educational organization Case District 1 for his contribution to his profession. Darrell holds a B.A in History from College of Holy Cross.
Bernard Johnson
What do I care about?
Working with and for people and doing so with the utmost integrity and decorum. Being the son of two parents who were raised in the South in the 1960’s and marched in Selma, they raised me to appreciate each and every opportunity I was presented with. I was raised to embrace, who I am, where I come from, and to be thankful for what I have. Therefore, I care about ensuring people find ways to succeed in environments where they can be unapologetically themselves.
Why Interise?
As the Director of our National Program efforts I get to lead in building strategic and sustainable relationships with numerous innovative partner organizations who share the same passion, civic drive and commitment to building access for people of color and for those in low income communities. As an organization, Interise is composed of individuals who are committed to staying mission driven in everything we do.
As the Director of Programs, Bernard leads the development of Interise’s strategic partnerships, systems and services needed to scale Interise nationally. Prior to working at Interise, Bernard served as a manager of operations for several commercial real estate holdings for GE Commercial Finance in Boston and successfully commanded a startup division in downtown Boston with Cintas. Bernard holds a B.A. from the University of Massachusetts and is a graduate of Duke University – Fuqua school of Business leadership program.
Nancy Lee
What do I care about?
I care about using data to turn insights into successful, equitable, economic systems. When I started the ‘Research and Evaluation’ department at Interise, I said I wanted to “humanize economic development” by using both quantitative and qualitative analysis. The numbers provide trends and patterns that lead to key insights, and first hand accounts of those being directly affected by the systems we aim to change are critical in the pursuit of real impact.
Why Interise?
What we do works and our impact and evaluation data proves it. Our StreetWise MBA program reaches more than just the participants; it impacts their employees, their families and their communities. Similar to the economic impacts, a multiplier effect enables the program to have a far reaching impact by propagating knowledge through local economies and raising quality of life beyond the business owner.
As the Director of Research and Evaluation, Nancy grounds Interise’s research agenda on firm level data and applied research that sheds light on actionable solutions to building a just economy sustained by small business. Prior to joining Interise, Nancy was a Senior Research Associate at the Dukakis Center for Urban and Regional Policy at Northeastern University where she conducted research on economic development and sustainability at the municipal level. Nancy holds a PhD from Washington State University in Interdisciplinary Studies (Economics, Natural Resource Management, and Regional Planning).
Katie Mirkin
What do you care about?
My strongest professional passion is supporting the growth of entrepreneurs and small business owners. I care abo