Our Team

Samantha has been in the real estate, finance, and development industries for over 20 years. She has worked in wholesale lending, and mortgage financing for over 10 years. In addition to being and investor and rehabilitating over 20 homes personally, she has assisted clients with doing the same on over 100 properties. She previously worked for Phoenix development as a project manager helping to make the realization of multiple affordable housing projects become a reality. Samantha has committed her career to community development and assisting communities in bringing about at-scale investments to achieve the results and successful outcomes that they desire. She holds a Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts in Criminal Justice from the University of Detroit Mercy.

As President of Jenkins Design Build., James has over 32 years of experience in the construction industry. Having been a part of development in the City of Detroit since 1989, he has offered diverse project management and business development operations to a broad range of clients. He holds a Master in Architecture from the University of Detroit Mercy and Professional Affiliations as Detroit Economic Growth Corporation Committee Board Member, Municipal Building Authority Commissioner, and Renaissance Village, a Community Development Non-Profit, Board Member. As a native of Detroit, James is focused on his ability to impact community development in the City of Detroit. A variety of successfully completed commercial and residential projects speak to his diverse array of construction industry experience in education, medical / healthcare, hospitality, religious and more. 

TeShayla Coates, fondly known as Everyday Shay, is a trailblazing entrepreneur and founder of several businesses across multiple industries. As the CEO of Blacme, the 2020 award winner for the most-empowering clothing brand in the U.S., she is passionate about empowering black women entrepreneurs to scale their businesses and achieve financial independence. A recipient of the Marquis Who’s Who Humanitarian Award, TeShayla is also a board member of The Detroit Association of Black Organizations and Cornerstone Schools. She holds a bachelor’s degree in public relations from Wayne State University and enjoys traveling, cooking, and mentoring in her free time.

Maeann has been in the Digital industry since 2018 as a social media manager and content creator. She has a strategic vision and creative expertise to provide educational and inspiring content. She is experienced in managing multiple projects at once while maintaining high-quality standards. She is also an expert SEO and content writer with several years of experience in advanced SEO. She uses AHREFS, SEMRUSH, and MAJESTIC for audits and assessments. Her strategy to increase ranking and traffic on the SERP is proven.

Maeann completed her Bachelor of Science in Tourism and Resort Management at Cavite State University, Philippines. She leads the creation and maintenance of content for Effect Detroit, Premier City Property Management, and Jenkins design Build.