Board Chair

Sharon Joseph serves as CEO and Executive Director of the Boys and Girls Club of Harlem. She has over 15 years of experience in the financial services industry as a Private Wealth Advisor and Management Consultant. Prior to joining the Boys and Girls Club of Harlem she worked at Goldman Sachs. Sharon was instrumental in the development of Harlem Lanes, the country’s first Black Woman owned and built bowling alley and family entertainment center. Sharon received her B.A. in from Tufts University and an M.B.A. from Columbia Business School. Sharon has won numerous awards and recognition for her contributions in the Harlem Community including from President Bill Clinton, Mayor Bloomberg and Governor Patterson.

Vice Chair

Zevilla Jackson Preston is a registered architect with 30+ years of experience. She is principal of JP Design (JPD), a family owned and operated design/ development firm. Zevilla's primary focus is the architectural division which provides a full array of architectural services from pre-design through construction. Zevilla grew up in Harlem during the height of urban blight and abandoned buildings. This impacted her to the extent that her architectural philosophy in centered on the thoughts of economists who believe that sustainable community development is about the development of the people themselves — not just the physical plant. Hence, she engages in a design process that recognizes the interconnection of the economic, social, physical, environmental and cultural vitality of a community. Additionally, Zevilla positively contributes to the Harlem community and New York City at-large through a host of volunteer activities.

Board Director

Dr. Joseph L. Tait, a University of Pennsylvania-trained Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, has served as President and Chief Executive Officer of Harlem Commonwealth Council, Inc., its subsidiaries, and affiliates from September 2004 until September 2020, when he retired. Under Dr. Tait's leadership, Harlem Commonwealth Council initiated programs that focused on investing in the human capital of the Harlem community. Among its initiatives, Harlem Commonwealth emphasized fostering the success of students in Harlem through healthcare-related scholarships to those pursuing careers in medicine, radiology and nursing; orchestrating summer internships for high school juniors and seniors in private-sector business corporations; providing adult basic education for the emerging immigrant population in Harlem; and delivering entrepreneurial training programs as well as providing revolving loans and technical skills to existing and start-up businesses.